jeriendhal | Dear Mr. President (Reply)

“What about the alt-left that came charging... at the, as you say, the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt? (...) There are two sides to a story."

-Donald Trump, remarks on Charlottesville VA Neo-Nazi Rally, Tuesday August 15^th, 2017

Dear Mr. President,

No, there is not. On the one side you had people carrying torches, throwing Nazi salutes, and chanting 'Blood and soil” and on the other side you had people opposing them. There is no “equivalency” here. Even your own Republican allies in Congress can't swallow this one, and are coming out against you. White Supremacy is terrorism. Period. Your meal-mouthed “condemnations” on Saturday and Tuesday, where you tried to paint both sides in the wrong, are a load of bull, and confirms everything I said in my commentary on your inauguration day. Your words are emboldening white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups, because your words confirm YOU ARE THEIR ALLY.

But this isn't coming from just you. To qualify as a Republican these days, you have to lack empathy. To assume that everyone on the side that opposes your beliefs do not just have a different point of view, but are outright evil.

Minimum Wage? Can't raise that. It would cut into a business's profits.

Welfare? Look at those jobless folk sitting on their asses watching TV all day on the government dime. Make 'em work! Who cares if there are no jobs, or they've been injured, or are in their 70's? Welfare Queens, all of 'em. Oh, and tax retirees' checks from Social Security, never mind that they'd paid it into the system already.

Obamacare? Why should we give twenty or thirty million people affordable health care? That would raise taxes on rich people!

Environment? Global warming is a myth. We can prove it because we can find five or six scientists who say so, never mind the 99% who say it's real. They're just lying to keep their funding.

Black Lives Matter? Obviously a hate group. They've got no right to protest when cops are caught on camera murdering black men when they're already cuffed and on the ground, or running away.

Anitfa? Another hate group. They should just shut up and let the god fearing white folks say whatever the want, without commentary or protest.

Muslim goes on a shooting spree? Terrorism. White guy goes on a shooting spree? Lone Nut.

Protesting Trump's words? Or for that matter just taking his public statements at face value? Disrespecting the President.

I am very, very tired of false equivalencies. You either give a damn about people, or you don't.

You don't.