{"id":8338,"date":"2019-05-03T02:23:02","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T02:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=8338"},"modified":"2019-08-20T18:15:43","modified_gmt":"2019-08-20T18:15:43","slug":"an-update-on-trumps-mass-shootings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=8338","title":{"rendered":"An update on “Trump’s” mass shootings…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Incidents<\/p>\n

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[Writer’s note:\u00a0 I originally posted this on May 3, 2019.\u00a0 I updated the numbers on August 20, 2019.*]<\/em><\/p>\n

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Last November 16 (2018)<\/em>, I reported on the number of “mass shootings” under Donald Trump.\u00a0 (See The Bible says: Blame Trump for \u201chis\u201d mass shootings<\/a>.)<\/i>\u00a0 At the time – and according to Gun Violence Archive<\/a> – the number of mass shootings* stood at 345 in 2017 and 307 in 2018:<\/p>\n

Which adds up to a grand total \u2013 for two years, not counting the rest of November and December, 2018 \u2013 of 652<\/em><\/strong> mass shootings under Trump so far.\u00a0 That\u2019s four times greater than Obama\u2019s eight years, in one-fourth the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But again, that was as of November 8, 2018.\u00a0 So here\u2019s an update for the past six months.<\/p>\n

The “archive” for 2018 listed a final total of 340 mass shootings.\u00a0 Which means that there were an additional<\/strong> <\/em>33 mass shootings between November 8 and the end of 2018.\u00a0 And for 2019 – so far – the Archive has listed 104 mass shootings.*<\/p>\n

All of which adds up to a grand total – so far – of 789<\/em><\/strong> mass shootings* during Donald Trump’s presidency.\u00a0 That’s compared to a “mere” 162 mass shootings – at least relatively speaking – during the eight years Obama was president.\u00a0 That adds up to almost five times the number of mass shootings (4.87)<\/em> in about one-fourth the time.*\u00a0 (Then of course the Archive had a link to the “Last 72 hours,” totaling 13 pages of incidents, as of May 1, 2019.)<\/em><\/p>\n

In turn, “it is very meet, right, and our bounden duty<\/a><\/span><\/u>” to hold Trump accountable for his part in these tragedies.\u00a0 For reasons including that Trump held Obama responsible for such tragedies during his presidency, and as indicated in Bible says<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0 But I’m not the only one who thinks so.<\/p>\n

See the October 2018 article,\u00a0Why it\u2019s fair to ask whether Trump is to blame<\/a>.\u00a0 Senior reporter\u00a0Aaron Blake<\/a>\u00a0gave a lengthy analysis, including the “growing sense of grievance among Republicans about the narrative that Trump might have some culpability for the postal bombs that were sent to many of his high-profile political foes over the past week.\u201d\u00a0 (Another tragedy.\u00a0 See ‘MAGA Bomber’ pleads guilty to sending 16 parcel bombs to Trump opponents<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n

But Blake began by noting that “the fact that Trump\u2019s rhetoric is without compare<\/em><\/strong> in American politics makes that a logical question.”\u00a0 He then added that it’s true political violence is nothing new, but when “confronted with a data set, you always look for the variables.”\u00a0 And Trump\u2019s divisive rhetoric is “a highly unique variable.”\u00a0 After reciting examples of <\/b>Trump-Speak<\/a>\u00a0– illustrated at left –\u00a0Blake said, “This isn\u2019t normal.\u00a0 It\u2019s an aberration.\u00a0 And it\u2019s possible it might produce aberrant results.”<\/p>\n

Aberrant results like a big spike in the number of mass shootings, in America and elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Blake then cited input from “the other” –\u00a0 conservative – side of the aisle, National Review\u2019s David French<\/a>.\u00a0 French began by observing that “not all listening ears” are sober-minded or rational, which is one reason that civility is important.\u00a0 Which led him to this thought:<\/p>\n

Political speech\u00a0can<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0inspire violence…\u00a0 While it\u2019s not always true that the pen is mightier than the sword, it\u2019s absolutely true that the pen often inspires the hand that wields the sword:\u00a0 It foments revolutions, it motivates murderers, and it radicalizes terrorists.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

All of which should be a prime example of overstating the obvious<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But there’s a point that neither Blake nor French mentioned.\u00a0 Call it Karma<\/a> (“bad intent and bad deeds contribute to bad karma,” as illustrated at right)<\/em>, or turnabout is fair play<\/a> (“It is<\/strong> fair<\/span> for<\/span> someone<\/span> to suffer<\/span> the<\/span> pain<\/span> that<\/span> they<\/span> have<\/span> inflicted<\/span> on <\/em>others”)<\/em>.\u00a0 Or you could just hear what Jesus said in Luke 6:38<\/a>, \u201cThe measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>(Which – I said at the time – should <\/em><\/span>give ‘<\/em><\/span>the Donald’<\/em><\/span> pause for thought<\/a><\/em><\/em><\/span>.)<\/p>\n

(And not just The Donald.)<\/em>\u00a0 Which led to this from David French<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Speech can inspire violence…\u00a0 It\u2019s one reason why civility and a sense of proportion in your speech aren\u2019t just abstract, sanctimonious, or elitist concepts.\u00a0 They\u2019re moral responsibilities for people with any kind of meaningful platform… \u00a0It turns out that some people will actually believe<\/em><\/strong> the terrible things that politicians or celebrities say, and they\u2019ll act on those beliefs.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And so, Mr. President – Mr. “Person With a Highly Meaningful Platform,” or Bully pulpit<\/a> – maybe it’s time to tone the rhetoric down a bit.\u00a0 Or a lot.\u00a0 And by the way, I mention all this as an Ezekiel 3<\/a> concern, and not a Deuteronomy 19<\/a> accusation…\u00a0 (A bit of “Biblical <\/b>CYA<\/a>.”)<\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

Teddy Roosevelt<\/a>, who was both a real Republican and a real president…<\/em><\/p>\n

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The upper image is courtesy of the\u00a0Gun Violence Archive<\/a>, for January 1-May 1, 2019.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 The August 20, 2019 update.\u00a0 As of that date the number of mass shootings stood at 262, up from 104 on May 3.\u00a0 Which means an added 158 mass shootings from May 3 to August 20.\u00a0 Which adds up to a total of 947 mass shootings since Donald Trump became president.\u00a0 (Compared to 162 during Obama’s eight years.)\u00a0 Which means that – at a minimum of four victims per mass shooting (see the note below) – at least 3,788 Americans have died from mass shootings in Trump’s “2 years, 211 days.”\u00a0 For a minute-by-minute update, see\u00a0How long has Trump been president<\/a><\/em>?<\/p>\n

And for those who want to see Trump re-elected:\u00a0 If he is, and mass shootings continue at the present rate there will have been 2,929 mass shootings by the end of 2024.\u00a0 At a minimum count of four victims per mass shooting, by 2024 some 11,718 Americans will have died by mass shooting during the administration(s) of Donald Trump.\u00a0 <\/em>(Re: “Present rate.”\u00a0 Rounding off to 2 years and 14 days – to Thursday, August 22 – that would be 2.586 years Trump has been president.\u00a0 Multiplying that by 3.09 – to get from 2.586 years to 8 – that comes to 2,929 mass shootings by 2024.\u00a0 That in turn results in 11,718 Americans killed by 2024.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 “Mass shooting.”\u00a0 The generally-accepted definition: “an event where someone selects four or more people indiscriminately, and kills them, echoing the FBI’s definition of the term “mass murder<\/a>.”\u00a0 See <\/b>Mass shooting – Wikipedia<\/a><\/em>, and\/or How is a \u2018mass shooting\u2019 defined? | PolitiFact California<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The “fear has no place” image is courtesy of Wikipedia,\u00a0Stoneman Douglas (\u201cParkland\u201d) High School shooting<\/a>.\u00a0 the caption:\u00a0“Students protest gun violence outside the White House.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 Five times the number of mass shootings (4.87) in about one-fourth the time.\u00a0 The actual number is 4.87 times the number of mass shootings.\u00a0 That number was reached by calculating two years from 1\/20\/17 to 1\/20\/19, plus a little over three months to last April 20.\u00a0 Which equals 27 months for Trump, compared to the 96 months that Obama served.\u00a0 Thus the actual percentage is 28.125% of Obama’s 96 months as president.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 “Our bounden duty.”\u00a0 Referring to the Anglican Preface (liturgy)<\/a>, according to the Rite I in the 1979 U.S. edition of the Book of Common Prayer<\/a>.\u00a0 See Wikipedia<\/a>:\u00a0 “In liturgical use the term preface<\/b> is applied to that portion of the Eucharistic Prayer<\/a> that immediately precedes the Canon<\/a> or central portion of the Eucharist<\/a> (Mass<\/a> or Divine Liturgy<\/a>).”\u00a0 I borrowed it for some Gravitas<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 Ezekiel and Deuteronomy.\u00a0 Ezekiel 3:16-19<\/a> basically says if you see a wayward soul and don’t warn him, you’ll both<\/strong> be punished, but if you do warn him – and he ignores you – you’ll at least save your own spiritual butt.\u00a0 On the other hand, Deuteronomy 19:16-19<\/a><\/em> says if you accuse someone of a heinous crime and they’re not guilty of it, you’ll be punished as if you committed the crime yourself.\u00a0 Thus I’m not accusing<\/strong> Donald Trump of being responsible for all those deaths, I’m merely issuing a warning.\u00a0 So if Donald ignores my warning, I’ll still save my spiritual butt, according to Ezekiel 3.\u00a0 (Although heaven knows where he’ll end up.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 “Bully pulpit,”\u00a0 See also Bully Pulpit | Definition of Bully Pulpit by Merriam-Webster<\/a><\/em> and An Open Letter to a Pulpit Bully – Home \u2022 ChurchLeaders<\/a><\/em>:<\/p>\n

\n

It is dangerous, however, if you choose to invert that bully pulpit from a place of influence to a position of control. Transposing from advocacy to autocracy will degrade your platform from a bully pulpit to the platform of a pulpit bully<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The “Karma illustrated” image is courtesy of Wikipedia<\/a>.\u00a0 The caption:\u00a0 “<\/i>‘It Shoots Further Than He Dreams’ by John F. Knott, March 1918,” referring to Kaiser Wilhelm at the end of World War I.<\/i><\/p>\n

The lower image is courtesy of Bully pulpit – Wikipedia<\/a>.\u00a0 The caption:\u00a0 “President Theodore Roosevelt<\/a> delivering a speech.”<\/em><\/p>\n

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Re: \u00a0The\u00a0Israelite<\/a>. \u00a0Harry Golden<\/a>\u00a0grew up in the Jewish ghetto of New York City, but eventually moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.\u00a0 Thus the \u201cCarolina Israelite.\u201d\u00a0 I on the other hand am a \u201cclassic 67-<\/strong>year-old \u201cWASP\u201d \u2013\u00a0White Anglo-Saxon Protestant<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0and live in north Georgia.\u00a0 Thus the \u201cGeorgia Wasp.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Anyway,\u00a0in<\/strong>\u00a0North Carolina Harry\u00a0<\/em>wrote and published the \u201cisraelite\u201d from the 1940s through the 1960s. \u00a0He was a \u201ccigar-smoking, bourbon-loving\u00a0raconteur<\/a>.\u201d \u00a0(He told good stories.) That also means if he was around today, the \u201cIsraelite\u00a0<\/strong>would be done as a blog.\u201d \u00a0But what made Harry special was his\u00a0positive outlook on life<\/a>. \u00a0As he got older but didn\u2019t\u00a0turn sour<\/a>, like many do today.\u00a0 He\u00a0still got a kick out of life<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 For more on the blog-name connection, see \u201cWasp<\/a>\u201d and\/or\u00a0The blog<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * [Writer’s note:\u00a0 I originally posted this on May 3, 2019.\u00a0 I updated the numbers on August 20, 2019.*] * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * Last November 16 (2018), I reported on the number of “mass shootings” under Donald Trump.\u00a0 (See The Bible says: Blame Trump for \u201chis\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8338"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8338"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8686,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8338\/revisions\/8686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}