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Greeley Miklashek, MD's avatar

What a disgraceful display of misdirection and callous gamesmanship from Tramp and Co. at a man's funeral memorial. Many thanks to Sabrina for this excellent piece.

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Hal Brown's avatar

“That’s where I disagreed with Charlie,” Trump said at the memorial fo Kirk. “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry.”

This was after Erika Kirk said she forgave the man who killed her husband and that “the answer to hate is not hate.”

PBS titled their article about this "Trump ‘authentically himself’ for saying he hates opponents at Kirk funeral, White House says" referring to Karoline Leavitt (the article has a video https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-authentically-himself-for-saying-he-hates-opponents-at-kirk-funeral-white-house-says )

She said:

“Look, the president is authentically himself. I think that’s why millions of Americans across the country love him and support him, including Erika Kirk, who you saw so beautifully was on stage with the president in an unthinkable moment, in the midst of an unthinkable tragedy and was leaning on the president.”

This is actually one of the few times Leavitt has told the truth. Trump AUTHENTICALLY is a psychopathic sadistic malignant narcissist who is drunk on power and gets a visceral rush out of trolling liberals by saying outrageously nasty things. The more he feels he is untouchable and ensconced in his dictatorship the more unfiltered be becomes when he speaks or tweets. Far worse that just what comes out of his mouth or in his online posts is when he expressed this by ordering actions, like blowing up boats, which will kill people, siccing his gestapo on people he wants to deport, or his lowlife lawyers from DOJ on his enemies.

The mooforker monarch thinks saying outrageous insulting things is the height of humor when in fact he's a gaping garbage mouth spewing noxious and dangerous hate.

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RICHARD WALKER's avatar

how true. it continues to amaze me that some people

(mainly prejudiced bigoted republicans)

swallow his nonsense garbage with a little salt

and find it palatable - and even a delicacy.

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Hal Brown's avatar

Trump has destroyed democracy and as if this wasn't enough for him has indelicatey ushered in the death of decency.

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David A. Brothers's avatar

Well, he's trying to, but that's where we all come in, every American with a voice and a vote. It's hard to put on the brakes, but I still believe we'll stop this down-bound train.

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Hal Brown's avatar

I sure hope so but I try to be realistic and I think that at best we can only hope to slow it down and possibly stop Trump's worst excesses.

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David A. Brothers's avatar

Indeed. You can put salt on garbage, but it's still garbage. You can put cinnamon and sugar on shit, and it's still shit.

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RICHARD WALKER's avatar

the republicans want their guns and will do anything to keep them.

they seem to enjoy hurting others (trump is the perfect example)

and they always blame democrats for the bad things they do -

(again trump is the perfect example)

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Chris Perez's avatar

As unfortunate as it is, the truth about the origins of our present violence is a wake-up call we can't ignore. A memorial service is supposed to be a solemn event where the best memories of the deceased are noted, and peaceful reflection dominates the moment. Trump and Miller are angry and violent men lacking the humanity to lean on for solemn moments like this. I can't imagine having such a corrosive soul. There is plenty of time to take advantage of Kirk's death as a political tool in their sick agenda of division and blame. But what we are seeing are angry men unable to control their impulses in trying to sell their vision to the American people. They are failing miserably because Americans want direction to achieve their pursuit of happiness. Anger and hatred have no place in our lives, and we have to hold on to that truth and continue to reject Trump, Miller, and their hate mongers in our midst.

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David A. Brothers's avatar

Quite well said, Chris. Angry and violent men they are, and with absolutely corrosive souls that it seems most people would reject. And yet, here we are.

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Chris Perez's avatar

We are fighting to get people to recognize how bad they are for America and the embarrassment in the eyes of the world. Trump's UN performance left me breathless for the wrong reasons. I can hear the leaders of "ass hole countries" asking America, Is that the best you've got?

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Elizabeth's avatar

Thank you so much. This is a must read for anyone looking for clarification of what our beloved country is going through right now. I truly believe that Trump, and this Administration. They knew exactly what they were doing when we witnessed the horrific scenes of January 6th. It was all planned. He has divided our country, and it is up to us to reach across the isle and talk to our neighbors.

God help us all.

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Eric's avatar

Donnie the PEDOPHILE badly mismanaged this.

Instead of further angering the folks on the left that support Democracy, a whole bunch of us would have simply dropped dead on the spot if he said that he loved all Americans equally, and that he wanted Kirk's tragic death to be a rallying call that would bring everyone back together.

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Joe Tye's avatar

Nothing exposes the cowardice and sycophancy of today's lower case gop (gutless obsequious puppets) more clearly than their failure to condemn the verbal violence of Trump, Miller, and their ilk.

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Natalie Baker's avatar

Speaking of the Civil War, arguably, the biggest mistake we made historically was allowing the Confederacy back into the Union. As you aptly point out, its dominant ideology has now permeated all states to some degree. The contemporary functional equivalent may prove to be allowing Trump on the ballot in 2024.

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Leonard Huber's avatar

Things would have worked out much better for white northerners if Lincoln had just said, "Fine, have it your way." Not so great for Black people, however.

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Jon Notabot's avatar

Sometimes a person captures a moment so completely that to add comment on it would feel self indulgent.

Res ipsa loquitur.

I offer only a suggestion to everyone, and it is this: read it.

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Leonard Huber's avatar

Trump would be teasing a FOURTH presidential run, yes?

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Hank Napkin's avatar

Nothing in The Constitution stating you have to be alive to hold office.

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Cal Mortensen's avatar

Thanks Sabrina, really enjoy your writing. Very low grade comments from the MAGA mascot and Miller. They absolutely sound like the rhetoric from Germany last century. And to use the memorial service of someone just killed to speak the way they did is disgusting.

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John Smiley Garrett's avatar

I honestly believe that Mr. Trump is using the assassination of Charlie Kirk as a basis for a forthcoming "Kristallnacht" against his opponents.

I also believe that they are taking lessons from the Knights Of the Golden Circle.

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Eric Chaffee's avatar

Sabrina, one of your subscribers, Glenn McClaren, has written a fine essay in his free substack: Process, Complexity, and Regenerative Ethics, titled "America: Land of the Free?" He takes a clarifying shot at Hobbes and Locke, regarding free speech. It helps explain the "Fire Eaters" you've introduced (but without mentioning them). I found his essay also to be helpful, as is yours. Thanks! ~eric. MeridaGOround.com

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Gordon Shumway's avatar

Shadow Prez Miller is a creepy nightmare, but keep your eyes on Curtis Yarvin and his acolytes Thiel, Musk, Vance et al.

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Dianna McCullough's avatar

We sure have our “Fire Eaters” today with the name of the game - divide and conquer - for the last 10 years. And oh the lies! I’ve know doubt there are those that have been radicalized by these actions. Such pathetic, uneducated in their assignments, appointed only for loyalty we have, as a so-called congress and a SCOTUS that is not following the constitution as they should. All this controlled by cruelty, revengefulness and waste, that cares nothing about the country, people or who gets hurt. We no longer have a two party system to do as they should.

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David A. Brothers's avatar

Thank you, Sabrina, for yet another finely-crafted, pointed and informative piece. I'm wondering if we need a name for the modern fire eaters -- maybe fire spewers. And their followers might be fire seekers.

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