This letter is in response to The National Commentary from Ben Shapiro that appeared in the Friday September 20th Standard Examiner. Mr. Shapiro wrote that “overheated rhetoric generally appeals to the unhinged; the unhinged may take seriously that rhetoric and attempt violence as a consequence”.

Mr. Shapiro blames Democrats for both assassination attempts, even though the first would-be assassin was planning to shoot both Biden and Trump.

Trump however has shown himself to be the master planner to use unstable fans to promote violence. He urged them, as President, on January 6th to stop Congress from ratifying the election of Joe Biden. We all saw those actions on tv as they broke into the Capitol Building, yelling “hang Mike Pence,” and terrified our elected representatives. Meanwhile, then President Trump, watched it on his tv for hours before he was convinced by his own staff to stop the violence.

He singled out election officials by name and community, he didn’t trust. Those officials were then harassed and terrified by Mr. Trumps’s violent supporters.

Fast forward to 2023, think of the brave people who were willing to serve as jurors in Trump’s trials. They must have known Trump’s followers would learn their names and addresses so they could harass them and their families.

More recently, the military officer in Arlington National Cemetery who tried to protect the rules of respect and was pushed out of Trump and Governor Cox’s way for their illegal political photo shoot. The military officer declined to press charges because she was afraid Trump would create negative consequences for her.

Recently, Trump and J D Vance created lies about the Haitian legal immigrants in Springfield, Ohio for eating pets. Because of their mistruths, schools, hospitals, and universities were so afraid of violent attackers, they had to close. The Haitians had to hide for their families’ protection.

I agree with Shapiro that there is overheated rhetoric on both sides. Donald Trump has led the way with hate speech and threats to anyone who disagrees with him. He plans to continue this pattern whether he wins or loses the race.

Kay Novak

North Ogden