Former assistant F.B.I. director likens trump rhetoric to cleric's radicalization of Muslims

[EleanorR]

We’ve seen this movie before in the radicalization of Muslims by internet sermons delivered by charismatic, father-figure clerics who inspire terrorism and martyrdom. The president has fallen short of calling for overt violence against minorities and immigrants, but unbalanced minds among us may fail to note the distinction. If a president paints people of color as the enemy, encourages them to be sent back to where they came from and implies that no humans want to live in certain American cities, he gives license to those who feel compelled to eradicate what Mr. Trump calls an infestation.

It doesn’t really matter whether Mr. Trump is truly a racist or merely playing one on television to appeal to his base. Either way, his path can lead to bloodshed. When that happens, we will hear White House officials and the Republican leadership claim their hands are clean because malicious people can’t be stopped from acting out.

Don’t believe a word of it. Terrorists aren’t born that way: They are inspired, cultivated and directed. Our experience with online radicalization has shown there is a clear path to violence. I fear we are on it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/opinion/gilroy-white-domestic-terrorism.html

[BootinUp]

1. Absolutely. K&R

[elleng]

2. By Frank Figliuzzi

Mr. Figliuzzi is a former assistant F.B.I. director for counterintelligence.

[EleanorR]

3. bumping for visibility nt

[Corgigal]

4. Trump is fighting

for his Liberty, he can't lose the next election. He will use all the 20 year old losers he can muster to fight to protect his money and his power.

[MagickMuffin]

5. It does matter: Trump is a RACIST, he has always been one

Now that he's playing pResident on TV, he gets to have his base take care of the problem for him. There's a reason he is doing this and it is called a race war. And he is instrumental in having his minions carry out his sick fantasies.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

6. Trump terrorists result from Trump preaching terrorism