Washington : Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has come under severe criticism for his controversial “Second Amendment” remark which many in the media have interpreted as a threat of violence against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
At an election rally in Wilmington, North Carolina yesterday, Trump said the “Second Amendment people” – gun owners or those backing gun rights – could stop Clinton from winning the White House and picking new US Supreme Court justices.
“This is simple—what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way,” said Robby Mook, Hillary for America Campaign Manager.
Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia, who is the running mate of Hillary Clinton, Democratic presidential nominee, said that he could not believe the comments made by Trump, while a former spymaster said that but for the Republican nominee such a remark would have landed him behind bars.
“Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know,” Trump, 70, told a cheering crowd.
In American political system, there has been an unwritten protocol and zero tolerance to any statements that could be even interpreted as inciting violence.
“If Trump were not a major-party presidential nominee, his comment yesterday might have earned him a stern visit from the Secret Service. Instead, it will simply be added to the ever-growing list of Trump’s disqualifiers — and to the ever-growing burden of Republican leaders who continue to insist that their candidate is suitable to serve,” The Washington Post said in an editorial.
“As is often the case, Trump was incoherent enough to permit more than one plausible interpretation of his words. If he had not so often celebrated violence and wielded dark innuendo against political opponents, minority groups, journalists and others, it would be easier to give him the benefit of the doubt in this case,” it said.
“Hillary Clinton has made it very clear that she wants to see changes in the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, and Donald Trump is clearly saying that people cherish that right,” he told a news channel.
“People who believe that firearms in the hands of law abiding citizens make our communities more safe not less safe should be involved in the political process and let their voice be heard,” Pence said.
Seldom, if ever, have Americans been exposed to a candidate so willing to descend to the depths of bigotry and intolerance as Trump, ‘The New York Times’ said in a lead editorial.
“That he would make yesterday’s comment amid sinking poll numbers and a wave of Republican defections suggests that when bathed in the adulation of a crowd, Trump is unable to control himself,” it said.
“Americans find themselves asking whether Donald Trump has called for the assassination of Hillary Clinton,” The New Times editorial said.
Senator Chris Murphy in a series of tweets alleged that Trump had given an assassination threat to Clinton.
PTI