OPINION by: Kilan Tolshi
Maybe not literally, but it certainly feels like he is leaning in that direction. The "Soul of the Nation" address was one of the most terrifying and dangerous Presidential addresses I've ever witnessed. The choice of dark red lighting behind him certainly did not put this speech in a favorable light. But it is the rhetoric, or rather the narrative, of his speech that is most concerning. Listed below are quotes (attributed to President Joe Biden) from the speech that, to my view, are either highly divisive, dangerous lies (with my reasoning as to why they are lies) or imply that he is preparing us for Civil War...
"...equality and democracy are under assault, we do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise."
"Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic." "... not even the majority of Republicans are MAGA Republicans... embraces their extreme ideology. ... There is no question that the Republican party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country."
"MAGA Republicans do not respect the constitution, they do not believe in the rule of law, they do not recognize the will of the people."
"MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards..."
MAGA is responsible for this? Odd... I thought it was Democrats that tried to repeal affirmative action laws in California...
"...they fanned the flames of political violence."
Is he saying that Republicans are the ones who went on riots, burned down businesses, and cost millions of damages during the "peaceful protests" over the "summer of love"? Pretty certain that political violence was all Leftists. Oh, does he mean the "insurrection" on Jan. 6th? an insurrection where only 1 protestor was killed, and none of the police? even if you believe the numbers the Left gives, the "summer of love" riots were not only more numerous and had a longer duration, but had tens to hundreds more deaths of police and civilians.
"... federal circuit court judge Michael Luttig has called Trump and the extreme MAGA Republicans quoted: clear and present danger to our democracy."
"MAGA Republicans... embrace anger, they thrive on chaos, they live not in the light of truth but in the shadow of lies..."
"... this is a nation that honors our constitution, we do not reject it..."
So, now we're being told that restricting Gun rights is NOT against the constitution... pretty certain that Republicans, and many non-Republicans believe that such laws are specifically against the 2nd amendment of our constitution, and the Supreme Court recently on multiple occasions made rulings stating exactly that...
"History tells us that blind loyalty to a single leader, and a willingness to engage in political violence is fatal to Democracy."
Ok, this is absolutely true... but does he not realize that a sizeable amount of his voter base blindly voted for him just to remove Trump from power? That he is the one with blind loyalty, whereas Republicans are quite willing to question and challenge Trump, and are looking to DeSantis as an alternative?
"... We're all called by duty and conscience to confront extremists who put their own pursuit of power above all else."
"... MAGA Republicans are there to destroying American democracy."
"... as your president I will defend our Democracy with every fiber of my being, and I'm asking every American to join me."
Seriously, this is the closest he came to declaring Civil War. He literally asked "every American to join me." to "defend our Democracy". We're not even a Democracy! we're a Constitutional Republic, as you yourself stated earlier in your speech!
"MAGA Republicans look at America and see Carnage and Darkness and Despair, they spread fear and lies..."
"... Largest economic recovery since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and today America's economy is faster, stronger than any other advanced nation..."
Yes, and this great "economic recovery" is why gas prices have gone up so much, why there is so much less produce on our shelves, and why many of my friends are now living paycheck to paycheck.
"... the future will be made in America, no matter what the White Supremacists and the extremists say."
First, if this were true why are you pushing so much of our production (oil, mechanical, chip, etc.) OUT of the country? Second, those people you are calling White Supremacists and extremists have been saying that for years. What do you think MAGA means? What do you think Trump's policy was? Why did we have such prosperity under Trump, and so much production independence?
That much divisive rhetoric, basically calling nearly half of the country enemies, and that Republicans are a THREAT to America itself... If you didn't think we are on the edge of Civil War, this speech should open your eyes. The Rhetoric, the imagery, the absolute lack of references to the outside threats to our nation and the biggest issues our nation is concerned with... this wasn't about how our nation is doing, this was our President warning us there will be Civil War, and pushing us closer and closer to it.
In the end it is up to you to D.E.C.I.D.E. the meaning of his message and where you stand.
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