Senator Al Franken makes a connection with the actions of the Trump administration and the terrorization of people. It is important that Americans understand precisely the importance of what Franken said.
Al Franken speaks a necessary truth
Jake Tapper is quick on his feet and heard the connection that Al Franken was making between what terrorists do and what Trump and his administration are doing.
The definition of terrorism is “the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.” The order between violence and intimidation doesn’t matter; just that they occur.
Al Franken appeared on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper. The following exchange is important and must be understood.
Al Franken: I agree with Senator McCain and Senator Graham that, actually, this kind of ban is — makes us less safe, because it gives a recruiting tool to ISIS and to other jihadists saying that America is anti — is anti-Muslim. The Syrian refugees, they are fleeing terror. This — you know, terror is — the whole point of terror is to make you afraid.
Jake Tapper: Right.
Al Franken: I think that Trump and his group are trying to make Americans more afraid. I think that’s part of how they got elected: Just make us more afraid.
Jake Tapper: You’re accusing the president — president of terrorism by making — by scaring people?
Al Franken: Just because the purpose of terrorism is to make you afraid and the president has tried to make people afraid doesn’t mean he’s involved with…
Jake Tapper: Right. OK. I just wanted to define the language. That’s all.
Many people especially people of color are in fact petrified. They see the writing on the walls. Trump is attempting to make Americans afraid of the other. From his Muslim ban based on a false assertion that terrorism is growing in the U.S, a provably false statement to the fallacy that there is a crime epidemic, to the statement that crime is a huge growing problem in America, also provably false.
The intent is to make many afraid which will justify the violent crackdown on many communities, specifically those of color who are not inherently supporters of the Republican Party’s distorted view of America and the world. These communities feel terrorized. And those who terrorize communities must be called out for what they are. Al Franken came close. Democrats, Independents, and empathetic Republicans need to finish the job.
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