Special to WorldTribune.com
Is President Trump engaging in moral equivalence? This is the charge being leveled against him by the liberal media, Democrats and establishment Republicans in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville.
The simple answer is: No. Obviously, white supremacists are to blame for the death of a 32-year-old woman when an unhinged neo-Nazi plowed his car into her and a group of counter-protesters. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has correctly opened a federal civil rights investigation. The driver has been charged with murder under Virginia law. They should throw the book at him.
Yet, Trump’s initial statement Saturday afternoon condemning the hatred on “many sides” has been denounced by the political and media class for not singling out the vile white nationalists, who organized the rally. Furthermore, his fiery (and brave) comments at Tuesday’s press conference, in which he insisted that “both sides” bear responsibility for the chaos and mayhem has triggered another round of anti-Trump vitriol.
There is, however, only one problem: He is right. It takes two to tango. In Charlottesville, white supremacists deliberately chose the progressive university town because they knew it would provoke a backlash. What the media is refusing to report is that the alt-left also organized a massive counter-demonstration—the number of counter-protestors vastly outnumbered the neo-Nazi protestors. Black Lives Matter, Antifa, anarchists, communists, campus radicals—all of these violent hate groups descended upon Charlottesville itching for a fight. Many of them had clubs, sticks, knives, helmets and homemade flamethrowers. In fact, local reporters admitted Antifa thugs threw the first punch. The alt-left wanted blood to be spilled on the streets—and they got it.
Which begs the question: Why is the media determined to blame only one side? Despite their repugnant views, white nationalists did have a lawful permit to hold their rally; the alt-left activists didn’t. Had the counter-protestors not arrived (armed to the teeth), and if the police had done their job (instead of standing down and watching the mayhem unfold), there likely would have been no violence. Heather Heyer would probably be alive today.
The reason is obvious. For years, the liberal media has been coddling left-wing domestic terror groups, such as Black Lives Matter and Antifa. BLM members openly call for the murder of whites and cops. A BLM supporter gunned down five police officers in Dallas; another one assassinated two NYPD cops in Brooklyn; and BLM thugs have incited massive riots in Ferguson, Baltimore and Milwaukee. Antifa terrorists seek the overthrow of the American government. Antifa activists have attacked and beaten Trump supporters and conservatives; looted businesses, banks and ATMs; destroyed private property; smashed cars; and started violent riots in Berkeley, Oakland and many college campuses.
Yet, BLM is publicly praised by nearly every Democrat and liberal journalist in the country. Obama himself not only lauded them; he invited BLM members to attend policy events at the White House. This is akin to Trump inviting David Duke and Richard Spencer to have gabfests on race relations. The political-media establishment would (rightly) go berserk. Under Obama, however, BLM was warmly embraced—even celebrated. On Antifa, the Democrats and the mainstream media have either rationalized and excused their thuggish behavior or simply ignored it—hoping that by not discussing rampaging bands of anarchists the American people will somehow pretend they don’t exist.
The establishment media cannot condemn the alt-left because they have become part of its larger movement. A major reason so many counter-protestors were in Charlottesville is that, since the November election, they have been told by CNN, MSNBC and the New York Times that Trump wants to erect an authoritarian neo-fascist regime. So when actual white supremacists show up to hold a rally, the Left believes it must engage in hand-to-hand combat with Trump’s supposed brown shirts. Repeat a lie often enough, and it becomes accepted as true. Having helped spawn the alt-left, the media cannot disown it any more than socialists can abandon class warfare or globalism. It is hard-wired into their ideological DNA.
Identity politics is slowly destroying America. For years, liberals and Democrats have perpetuated divisions along race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. Their goal is to foster political tribalism in order to attain power. Like the ancient Romans, it is a strategy of divide and rule. They have, however, opened up a Pandora’s Box—one that threatens to ultimately tear apart America. For when a society (in the name of multiculturalism) promotes black nationalism, Hispanic separatism, radical feminism, and an obsession with constantly expanding LGBTQ identity politics—in other words, when everything is seen through the lens of belonging to a particular tribe—the inevitable result will be white nationalism. As Isaac Newton understood, an action always creates an equal reaction.
The real story about Charlottesville is not Trump’s words. It is something deeper and much more ominous: The tribal violence may represent America’s future. And the sad thing is Trump seems to be the only one who realizes this.
Jeffrey T. Kuhner is a columnist at WorldTribune.com and the host of “The Kuhner Report” weekdays 12-3 pm EST on WRKO AM-680 in Boston.
Sad truth: Only President Trump seems to understand what Charlottesville was all about added by World Tribune on
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