Washington Post Op-Ed: Trump Isn’t to Blame. The Republican Party Is.
In a recent analysis for
The Washington Post, columnist Catherine Rampell explores whether the recent “anger and debate” about rising anti-Semitism and hate crimes should focus primarily on President Donald Trump. In the days since a Trump-obsessed gunman shot and killed 11 worshipers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, some have questioned whether Trump’s rhetoric is contributing to a climate of hate. According to Rampell, Trump has “dog-whistled” to conspiracy theorists—but so have other Republican lawmakers who are not being similarly criticized for “encouraging ethnic hatred.” Rampell names other prominent Republicans politicians such as Rep. Steve King (R-IA), Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Rep Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as others who have embraced extremist and or even racist rhetoric. In the article, Rampell references
PRRI’s latest data, showing that 54 percent of the country believes that the president has encouraged white supremacist groups.