Did Trump cause his own assassination attempt?
Flushing: No, I do not mean Donald Trump conspired to have someone wing him so he could play the victim card. However, what Trump has done in life has bit him back. He has relentlessly opposed gun control and screening buyers of guns. The number of mass shootings increased over his term in office: 348 in 2017, 336 in 2018, 417 in 2019 and 615 in 2020. Trump has seldom addressed the issue or showed any concern as these incidents occurred on a daily basis, and in his last year, almost twice a day.
Trump has encouraged violence at his rallies, urging listeners to beat up his critics. He boasted that he can shoot somebody on Fifth Ave. and not lose any voters. Of all presidential candidates, his political gatherings have the highest rate of violence. Trump has refused to pay bills related to his security at many venues. He has had no sympathy for victims of gun violence. He made fun of the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband. MAGA and the right have echoed Trump in their conspiracy theories that it is the left that are sponsors and practitioners of violence, when it is the right and MAGA.
Trump’s rhetoric of violence resulted in this attack. What saved him was not God’s benevolence, but that the assassin could not make his school’s rifle team because he was a lousy shot. I have no sympathy for Trump playing the victim card when he is the author of the violence that nearly took his life. After all, MAGA argues that some folks need killing. They just didn’t think someone would take them up on it by choosing Trump as the target. Philip Ernest Schoenberg
Ratcheted up
Yonkers: Now, after the assassination attempt on former President Trump, the Prevaricator-in-Chief, President Biden, calls to turn down the political temperature and rhetoric. This is an abject travesty, since the blatherskite Biden and the sycophantic cabal of fellow Democrats, the lamestream media, Hollywood elites, academia, Big Tech, etc. are the ones who have driven the political temperature to the boiling point. If a similar attempt was made on Biden, it is apodictic that this same group’s constant vitriolic condemnation of their political opponents would not be turned down. Indeed, it would be heard in the stratosphere, and all of it would be directed at Trump. Even after this horrible incident, they will continue to gaslight the American people as their hypocrisy and seeds of division continue at their uncontrolled and maleficent levels. James McCaffrey
Bullied background
Brooklyn: I am a registered Democrat who stands by Biden no matter what, however, I was saddened by the assassination attempt on Trump. It was also saddening that a family lost a father and the shooter’s family lost a son. It is my understanding that this young man had been bullied in school. Perhaps he listened to the name-calling, threats, etc. of Trump and decided to take matters into his own hands as he identified with the people being bullied. Perhaps this young man did not die in vain and some good will come from it. God bless America. Mary Whitaker
Spewing violence
Brooklyn: After being shot and coming off stage, Trump raises his fist and shouts, “Fight!” He told his cult members to go to the Capitol and fight like hell or you won’t have a country anymore. Violence erupted there, and people’s lives were destroyed in the midst of “Hang Mike Pence!” Trump talks about retaliating against his political enemies. He envies and admires ruthless dictators such as Vladimir Putin, Hitler, Kim Jong Un, etc. The convicted felon always claims he is the victim in all these trials, never thinking he brought it upon himself. The cultists are claiming he was so brave, but what did he do that was so brave? If Old Bone Spurs was so brave, he wouldn’t have dodged serving in the Army. Don Adler
Selfish outrage
Woodstock, N.Y.: There was nary a peep from the Repugnican right-wingers suggesting that every nut in the country have access to AR-15s after 20 first-graders, including the son of a colleague of mine — 6-year-olds! — were slaughtered at their elementary school. Not to mention the deafening silence when one of your own attacked Nancy Pelosi’s husband at their home, admitted that he was after Nancy, of course, and that her home address was published on their websites and that he was encouraged to carry out his attack by followers of the Orange Menace. So spare us the fake (a)moral outrage. It’s always fine when you do it, but you clutch your pearls and gasp when it’s directed at you. Pathetic. Suzanne Hayes Kelly
Wacky responses
Bronx: The assassination attempt on the former president has brought some crazies out on both sides. It should rightfully be condemned. As Biden said, there is no place for that in American politics. That said, J.D. Vance blamed Biden for his rhetoric. Even at the debate, the former president called Biden “Brandon.” Democrats are no better, wishing they would have killed the former president. One of the voices even suggested it was staged. Martin Sandok
Contradictory
Belle Harbor: It is interesting and telling that some of the same people who claim Trump is an existential threat to democracy are rationalizing politics by assassination, and some of the same people who were appalled at claims that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax are saying that the attempt on Trump was faked. Bobby Nelsen
Big story
Wallington, N.J.: After that shameful attempt on Donald Trump’s life, we were shocked to see one skinny little column of coverage in the Sunday issue of the Daily News. So dismissive. Then, Monday’s editorial “Let us have peace” (July 15). We would suggest that peace starts with unbiased media coverage, and that should start with you, the Daily News! Ronnie Deckert
Pressing on
Queens Village: I do not know if God spoke to President Biden about staying in or leaving the race, but it seems that God spoke to Trump, and thankfully, he is still in it. F. Barnett
Life-saving diligence
Ridgewood: I am writing to commend the lifeguards working NYC beaches. As a regular city beachgoer, I have frequent opportunities to observe the goings-on of beach life. On Sunday, I witnessed lifeguards around the swimming areas of Beach 95th St. pull 14 people from the water, all of whom were struggling in strong rip currents. Ten of them were children. Their sharp watch and fast reactions, as well as seamless coordination between one another, allowed them to function as a swift, life-saving team. The ocean currents are formidable, and the athleticism, commitment and bravery of the lifeguards prevailed time and time again. When a shark was spotted in the afternoon on Sunday, the lifeguards had everyone out of the water in a matter of minutes. I ask that all fellow beachgoers respect and listen to the lifeguards on our beaches — your lives may depend on it. Alicia McCauley
Spread it out
Brooklyn: As a Community Board member, homeowner and housing activist who lives on the edge of Victorian Flatbush in Brooklyn, I was disappointed to see Joe Enright’s op-ed (“The City of Yes and Robert Moses’ ghost,” July 14). If we are going to build a more affordable, integrated city, every neighborhood must do its part to add new housing — and that includes Victorian Flatbush. Numerous members of both the public and the board noted this at our public hearing, and ultimately, Brooklyn Community Board 14 voted to support City of Yes for Housing Opportunity with conditions (a fact Enright conveniently omits). We can no longer shunt new housing development to a few neighborhoods or to busy thoroughfares. We need a little more housing in every neighborhood. By distributing new housing more equitably, we can add what our city needs without the sort of dramatic impact that Enright and others fear. Elizabeth Denys
No fun
Mount Kisco, N.Y.: Please stop shrinking the puzzles. You are making the clues too small to read and the boxes too small to write in. I stopped attempting to do Saturday’s puzzle as soon as you made them so small. Now, you’re doing it with the weekday puzzles. If I can’t do the puzzles, I don’t need your paper! Ann Severance