Charlottesville

[sleigh]

It shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me or who reads my occasional political blog posts where I stand regarding the events in Charlottesville yesterday. The alt-right groups, the KKK, the neo-nazis, the white supremacists: the views they espouse are hate-filled, despicable, bigoted, racist, and morally reprehensible. Yes, they have their first amendment rights to say what they believe—and in one sense, that’s a good thing, because the filth and garbage that spews from their mouths identifies them for the rest of us.

 

But… I listened to what our political leaders said in response, and there was a glaring and ugly omission from our president’s statement:  he condemned the violence, as he should, but nowhere in his short comments did he mention any of the groups by name: alt-right, KKK, neo-nazi, white supremacist. Not once. Never. No, instead, in a mealy-mouthed avoidance of doing so, he said: "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides.”  

 

No, Mr. President, the ‘other side’ in the Charlottesville incident—the counter-protestors who marched against the KKK, white supremacists, and nazis—don’t espouse the superiority of their race or religion over anyone else’s. Only one side does that, and yet you refuse to call them out by name.

 

In stark, blinding contrast, Virginia’s governor Terry McAuliffe said this:  “… I have a message for all the white supremacists and nazis who came into Charlottesville today. Our message is simple:  go home.  You are not wanted in this great Commonwealth. Shame on you.  You pretend that you are patriots, but you are anything but a patriot.”

 

At the same time, many Republican lawmakers were also calling out these bigots for what they are. Good for them. But not our president.  One has to wonder why.