Trump's call for a "bloodbath" was literal -- let's not waste time pretending it was ambiguous

[Nevilledog]

https://www.salon.com/2024/03/19/call-for-a-bloodbath-was-literal--lets-not-waste-time-pretending-it-was-ambiguous/

When Donald Trump declared "If I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath" during his rally speech in Ohio Saturday, two things were immediately and obviously true: That is a threat, and it's a literal one. No honest person could dispute that just hearing the snippet of the quote, in which Trump articulates, "It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country." Presented in the larger context, there can be zero honest doubt that this is a call for real-world violence.

In the same speech, Trump celebrated the January 6 insurrection at length, calling the people who ransacked the Capitol "unbelievable patriots" for attempting to steal the 2020 election for him. He also underscored the fascist ideology he was espousing by declaring that immigrants are "not people," and sneering, "But I’m not allowed to say that because the radical left says that’s a terrible thing to say." One doesn't need a doctorate in history to recognize this blunt dehumanization is typically used to justify genocide and hate crimes. Frankly, most people who stoke racist violence tend to be more subtle than Trump with the dehumanizing rhetoric.

We don't need to guess why Trump is doing this. As with the riot he incited on January 6, he views the threat of MAGA violence as a way to intimidate potential opponents into backing down. I think he's wrong. His threats will make most people more determined to stop him. The one problem, however? Many, if not most, Americans are not hearing about Trump's unsubtle promise to rain more violence down upon the country.

As with Trump's "Mein Kampf" comments or his routine use of Hitler-esque rhetoric accusing immigrants of "poisoning the blood of our country," Trump's violent rhetoric just doesn't seem to break through. The small flurry of political coverage he gets isn't loud or sustained enough to penetrate the blanket of ignorance draped over most voters, who just don't read the news regularly enough to catch these stories. Part of how Trump hides his fascist violence in plain sight is, ironically, by being so relentless with it. He says vile things so regularly that it has been normalized. While most Americans have no idea, it's "old news" to a press that runs on novelty. For them, "Trump is being violent again" has become dog-bites-man stuff.

*snip*