If Trump hadn’t turned his head a moment before the bullets started, that shot in the ear would have been directly in the head. He’d be seriously wounded or dead. It was pure luck that he survived.
Meanwhile, those bullets have seriously wounded the imagery and context of the US election. The image is now different. The image of a bloodied fist-shaking Trump will be all over election posters in the next few minutes and possibly years afterward. Violence is now a context for this election.
The image is real enough. People who are hurt do get angry. It may be the single most honest thing Trump has ever done in his life. His supporters now have a reason to be angry for a change.
Angry people aren’t famous for being rational and thinking straight. This incident could be the fatal escalation everyone’s been dreading. Angry people get more extreme, not less extreme.
It is impossible to condone or tolerate any political violence in any form. It’s always a prelude to more trouble and more deaths. Trump is getting legitimate sympathy from those who’ve also been recipients of threats and violence.
The problem is that this may also have opened Pandora’s Box, letting out the copycats, vigilantes, and general nutcases. That could “color” the election from now on. Typically, you’d expect more violence based on this incident.
If this election turns into a random shooting war, things won’t end well for America. This won’t be a “contested” election. It’ll be an actual gun battle.
This is the product of hyper-polarization. Sane objective thinking may be the only thing at a massive discount in America these days. Hysteria has replaced logic. This is where the big risks start.
300 million people could be caught in the crossfire. That’s the other crime that Trump’s shooter committed, and it’s far more serious. The Shot Heard Around The World could have just turned itself into The Shot That Killed American Democracy.
The far right isn’t famous for its lack of opportunism when headlines go their way. Just wait for the hate to start. This will get ugly.
____________________________________________________
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.
