The Signorile Report
The Signorile Report
How all Republicans share blame for the Michigan school shooter
12
0:00
-3:20

How all Republicans share blame for the Michigan school shooter

A South Carolina right-winger called my SiriusXM show claiming he's "at a loss" to hear me say all Trump supporters have responsibility for right-wing violence
12

If you’ve valued reading The Signorile Report, consider becoming a paid subscriber and supporting independent, ad-free opinion journalism. Thanks!

During a discussion about the horrific school shooting in Oakland County, Michigan last week, Jeff from South Carolina called into my SiriusXM program to express that he was a “at a loss” to hear me hold Trump supporters responsible for this extremist, violence behavior we’re seeing, which is emboldened by GOP leaders.

An obvious conservative and Trump supporter, he was shocked — or at least claimed to be— at the idea that one is responsible for actions of politicians in a party one supports who aren’t punished for their violent actions.

I’d explained, as I wrote here yesterday, that Jennifer Crumbley, mother of Eathan Crumbley, was an avowed supporter of Donald Trump, and how she and her husband James bought the gun for their son and had seen warnings that he’d engage in violence.

I went through Jennifer Crumbley’s open letter to Trump, vowing allegiance to him, and I went through the calls to violence by Trump-supporting right-wing Republican politicians, such as North Carolina’s Madison Cawthorn, who commanded all mothers, regarding their sons, to “raise them to be a monster!”

And I talked about how Cawthorn and other extremists in the party are now in control of the GOP in the House, because the supposed leaders of the party — like Kevin McCarthy — not only don’t condemn them; they reward them.

And let’s not forget the glorification of guns. Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie sent out a Christmas tweet with this hideous photo last Saturday, following the Michigan school shooting. It was on the very day that the Crumbleys, having become fugitives, were on the run.

Share The Signorile Report

Jeff became angry at the insinuation that he was supporting hatred and violence. He expressed ignorance at hearing Cawthorn’s comments, and said he is a “middle of the road” guy who “looks at people like Madison Cawthorn and Marjorie Taylor Greene as “nutbags.” This was the attempt to absolve the rest of the GOP.

But, I explained, the extremists are the GOP now, because the leaders don’t condemn them. And if you support the GOP — now completely owned lock, stock and barrel by Trump, who enables the extremists — then you are enabling the agenda of the “nutbags,” including their promotion of violence.

This abdication of responsibility is typical of many Trumpers, who try to minimize the violence by saying they don’t support it — while they support the party, and the leadership that embraces it.

Listen in and let me know your thoughts!

Thanks for reading and following The Signorile Report. Most of it is free to read, but if you’d like to support independent, ad-free opinion journalism (and connect in great discussion threads), please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Discussion about this podcast