A political science professor at Boston University argued in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump that the Republican firebrand politician is “singularly responsible” for the violent rhetoric seen in politics in recent years.
Steven Rosenzweig, an assistant professor of political science who specializes in political violence and electoral accountability, told BU Today, the university’s official news outlet, that while Trump was targeted with an “awful act of violence,” it should be put in perspective.
“[I]t’s important to name some inconvenient truths at this point in time,” he stated. “And I think it’s quite clear to an objective observer that former President Trump himself, of all the politicians out there right now in our country, is singularly responsible for the frankly violent rhetoric that we have started to see in our politics over the last number of years, and his allies are are quite responsible as well.”
BU Today added:
Rosenzweig notes that Trump has made allusions to his gun-carrying supporters “and what they might do on his behalf,” and that he made light of the violent attack on the husband of U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that actually was targeted at her. Trump has also defended the actions of the Capitol insurrectionists on January 6, 2021.
It was, he adds, “a bit rich” to see condemnations of the shooting coming from politicians who have embraced violent rhetoric just recently, such as Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who Sunday said political violence has no place in our politics, but “just a few weeks ago was urging his supporters to use force against pro-Palestinian protesters.”
Many have argued against the BU political scientist’s stance over the last week, however. Pundits on the center-right have noted that Democrats’ constant drumbeat of malicious ad hominem attacks that Trump is an evil, racist bigot and the biggest threat to democracy — coupled with President Joe Biden saying a “bullseye” should be placed on Trump — spurred on the assassination attempt as well as fuels the heated political rhetoric seen today.
Rosenzweig is no fan of Trump, according to his previous writings on the topic.
In an October 2021 op-ed he coauthored in the Boston Globe headlined “Get ready to protest like democracy depends on it,” the professor argued: “In the United States, the signs of democratic erosion are now impossible to ignore. Both Democrats and Republicans have at times taken actions that erode our democratic norms and institutions. But there’s no greater threat to American democracy today than Donald Trump and his enablers in the Republican Party.”
“… We’re often told that we should make a plan to vote. This is good advice, and we should work hard to defeat aspiring authoritarians at the polls. But we should also make a plan to protest. Citizens and civil society organizations must be prepared to organize and engage in disciplined, nonviolent mass action should the president and his allies manipulate the election or refuse to accept defeat.”
In his comments to BU Today, the professor said he hopes for a “reset.” He also pointed out that past assassination attempts on politicians do not mean they are a shoe-in for the position they seek.
MORE: Pro-Palestinian student group claims Trump assassination attempt ‘staged’
IMAGE: Fox Business screenshot
Please join the conversation about our stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, MeWe, Rumble, Gab, Minds and Gettr.