"God Saved Trump!"

I've seen a few people say that "God" saved Donald Trump during the assassination attempt on Saturday, July 13th. Let's take a look at that claim.

First, I would like to point out that the security surrounding Trump rallies is intense. No firearms are allowed within the rally grounds. There are metal detectors to prevent people from getting into the event with a weapon. This means that someone who wanted to try to harm the former president would need to be outside the venue. How far outside the venue? In this case, 147 yards away.

The shooter had an AR-15. I don't know a lot about guns, but from what little knowledge I do have, I don't think an AR-15 is a super precise weapon for shooting a target at that distance. Obviously, the shooter got very close with one round, but did not accomplish his goal.

What was Yahweh's role in interfering with that goal? If guns were allowed at Trump rallies and they didn't have that level of security, would Yahweh still have prevented the shooting? If the shooter had a more precise weapon and/or specific training on shooting a target from that distance would Yahweh have involved himself?

Here's another thought to consider. There were as many as 23 plots to kill Hitler. A couple came very close. Was Yahweh intervening to save Hitler over and over? When is it justified to say an event like that fails because of a god as opposed to just a failed attempt that failed for other reasons?

It also makes one wonder why Yahweh doesn't step in to save the lives of countless children who die in the US every day by guns through accidents, suicide, and murder, and mass shooter incidents.

Alternatively, what if Yahweh was the one who was trying to kill Trump and Satan saved his life? Or what if Vishnu saved Trump's life because Trump is Vishnu's vessel of destruction? When it comes to claims of the supernatural, it seems like you can probably justify any claim you want. Isn't that interesting?

In any case, when there are mass shootings here in the US, we often hear people suggest that more guns would make things safer. I think it's obvious that the problem with the Trump rally was all that security that denied people in the crowd their 2nd Amendment rights. If those good guys at the Trump rally would have had their guns, Trump's ear probably wouldn't have even been hurt. 

I'm so tired of complete nonsense that gets circulated without people asking themselves if it makes any sense or if there is any evidence for the things they think are true. The ability to discern truth from fiction matters, and the state of affairs in the country at this moment. It makes my head explode.

Trump is a convicted felon. Trump has been found guilty of sexual assault in a civil trial. He was impeached twice and should have been impeached for crimes related to the Mueller investigation (witness tampering and interference with a federal investigation) and was not. The Supreme Court has declared that presidents are above the law when it comes to anything they do as an official act as president. SCOTUS has taken power away from federal agencies that Congress empowered to set policy related to public and consumer safety, labor, environment, transportation, etc. Democracy is a fragile institution. It has fallen in other countries after being installed for decades. I truly fear that we are watching the dismantling of our government and constitution.

The fact that a man like Trump is carrying the banner for the Christian right, whose apparent goal is to install a theocracy is somewhat ironic, though I suppose this is not the first time morally bankrupt people are at the helm of religious movements. I probably should not be surprised.

I want to be perfectly clear. I oppose political violence. Even if Trump wins this election and begins to implement the kinds of policies being imposed by autocrats in other countries, I believe activists must take action through peaceful protest and demonstrations. I don't know what affect the assassination attempt will have on the race, if any, but I suspect Trump's defiant reaction after the attempt and the images of him with blood on face and fist pumping in the air will only serve to rally support among those who think the president should be a "tough guy". The attempt to end Trump's campaign may backfire. Time will tell.

Sorry this was not more hopeful. These are my thoughts today. I truly feel like we are poised on a precipice looking down into an abyss. Even if Trump is defeated here, the powers that have been installed in the Oval Office by SCOTUS are unchecked and extremely dangerous. I don't want Biden to have them. I don't want another Democrat or anyone to have those kinds of powers.

[sigh]

Gavagai