On August 9, 2016, Donald Trump made remarks which included the words “Second Amendment”. Many media outlets reported Donald Trump incited violence with these remarks. We will examine the words of Donald Trump.
You can hear a discussion about what Donald Trump may or may not have meant in the video. The discussion lacks an analysis of the actual words and references interpretations many times. Interpretation may vary, but the words Donald Trump spoke do not.
Donald Trump: “If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know.”
The words of Donald Trump contain no words or references of violence.
There are only two phrases which are open to interpretation:
“maybe there is” – Donald Trump suggests there may be a route open to stop an attack on the Second Amendment by Hillary Clinton. The route is interpreted by liberal media as violence.
“Second Amendment people” – this is the phrase which the liberal media uses to justify their interpretation of violence because the Second Amendment is a constitutional guarantee citizens have the right to bear arms. The liberal media equates this right with violence.
If we replaced the word “Second” with the word “First” or “Fifth”, would the liberal media have printed headlines claiming Donald Trump was inciting violence. Why isn’t the First Amendment, the right to free speech, equated with violence? Doesn’t a lot of violence break out at rallies in which opposed sides are vociferously utilizing their right to free speech? Why isn’t violence associated with the Fifth Amendment, the right to remain silent, when we are all aware violent criminals use this right to escape justice?
Only by equating “Second Amendment people” with murderers capable of gunning down a candidate for President of the United States of America can the words of Donald Trump be interpreted as a call to violence.
The liberal media equates “Second Amendment people” with killers.
If you believe the Second Amendment is, or people who support the Second Amendment are, to be equated with violence, you should seriously reconsider your viewpoint. Our founding fathers were intelligent and talented agents of democracy who understood deeply the absolute necessity for each of our guaranteed constitutional rights. An attack upon any right is an attack upon all. Freedom is defined in our society by our Bill of Rights. Freedom is not violence.
Freedom is not free. Each right comes with a price, just as all our rights were and continue each day to be bought with the blood of our brothers and sisters. The price of free speech is tolerating verbal and written attacks upon our other rights. The price of the right to bear arms is the acceptance of the maxim with great power comes great responsibility.
Practice your rights as a responsible citizen. Vote!
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