If there were ever a plain definition of a story that was a “nothingburger,” this would be it.
If you want to try to parse it, here it is: but be warned, it requires reading comprehension.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/09/park-police-lafayette-square/%3foutputType=amp
Key facts:
—Police cleared the square of protestors. Umpteen photos establish that. That part of the story is beyond doubt.
—Trump took a staged photo that was only possible thanks to the actions of the police.
—Trump had a role in planning the police clearance.
The only thing that seems to have changed about “the narrative” is whether Trump played the *decisive* role in clearing the square. Apparently there was a plan already 2 days in the making to do that. These are the sorts of nuanced facts that only come out with a more thorough investigation. It’s expecting too
much of the media to get a story 100% correct on the first go. When they get the broad strokes right on the first pass, it’s enough, and in this case, they did.
However, I believe it is still fair to lay this incident at Trump’s feet. It stands to reason that if Trump had put his foot down and said “No, we’re not doing that. There are people there.” He could have stopped the plan in its tracks. When it comes to the use of armed force in and around the White House, a President’s word is decisive.
Of course, he didn’t do that. Because he’s Trump and he has less than zero sympathy for racial justice protestors standing in his way. We’ve known this since all the way back in his ‘16 campaign when he ejected black students from his rallies.
And y’all love it. Absolutely eat it up. Trump’s total lack of empathy is a big reason y’all picked him (specifically him) above several other slightly less-bad GOP contenders in ‘16.
So, stop cheekily trying to deny it. Make your bed and sleep.
