Once again, there’s more evidence of a real disconnect between what Trump says and what the media reports that he says.
This explains why the Commander-In-Chief so often turns to Twitter to express his views.
Recently, Donald Trump deplored the removal of Confederate monuments in a series of tweets:
Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
…can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson – who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
…the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
These tweets were, of course, immediately decried in the media, as if Confederate statues are the only monuments Trump defends or the only ones being threatened with removal.
Reuters even “interpreted” Trump’s tweets with the inflammatory headline, “Trump defends monuments to the pro-slavery Confederacy.”
However, as this report from NBC Chicago illustrates, Trump’s fear that toppling historic monuments could become a slippery slope is far from unfounded:
An Abraham Lincoln was damaged and burned in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood late Wednesday, Ald. Ray Lopez said.
The statue was found burned near 69th Street and Wolcott, authorities said.
“What an absolute disgraceful act of vandalism,” Lopez wrote on Facebook along with an image of the charred structure. He encouraged anyone who has information on what happened to contact police or his office “immediately.”
While police have no suspects yet, there’s a clear pattern of attacks on American monuments — even those that honor Lincoln.
Perhaps the best-known tribute to Lincoln – the Lincoln Memorial – was vandalized Tuesday with graffiti.
Source: Allen West
