It’s been four days since a bombing at a Minnesota mosque was declared an act of terrorism by both the FBI and the governor of Minnesota, yet Donald Trump has not only not yet condemned it, he is yet to even reference that it occurred.
However, yesterday, one of his national security advisers (sic) Sebastian Gorka gave an explanation. He said that Trump is uncertain as to who caused the bombing, suggesting that it could have been a “fake hate crime” done by left-wing groups since they had done so several times during the past six months ― a bizarre charge with zero specifics to back him up that he even later repeated. Again providing absolutely no evidence what on earth he was talking about.
And yes, this is a deputy assistant to Trump, and one of this national security advisers (sic).
And yes, he really, actually said that. He truly said Trump won’t comment because Muslims may have been bombed by liberals as a fake ploy since they’ve done it before despite utterly no evidence of that, so Trump is waiting to find out, even though the FBI has already declared it a terrorist attack... Really. Honest.
To at least put Sebastian Gorka in perspective, back in a 2007 video he gave his support to the Hungarian Guard ― the Magyar Gárda, a paramilitary group that has been described as neo-fascist and been banned by the European Court of Human Rights as being “a threat to racial minorities.” You may also recall that it was Gorka who attended Trump’s inaugural ball wearing an honorary medal given to his father by the Hungarian nationalist group, Vitezi Rend, which during World War II became allied with Nazi Germany.
And again, yes, this is a deputy assistant to Trump, and one of this national security advisers (sic). A man of great sensitivity to terrorism, it seems.
“There’s a great rule: All initial reports are false,” Gorka disingenuously said, though admirably without choking on his words, adding, “You have to check them and find out who the perpetrators are.”
It should be recalled that the far right had a very different perspective on this concept when they vilified President Obama (and still to this day vilify him) for not immediately declaring the Benghazi attacks to be terrorism. (Hey, remember that?!) Never mind that Mr. Obama did, the larger point is how vociferous and angst-ridden the far right was about how violent acts that are perceived at first glance to be terrorism must be declared so at once. Not presume like some delicate lily flower that “all initial reports are false, and you have to check them and find out who the perpetrators are.” To coin a phrase.
In fact, lest we forget, this far right construct of instantly declaring violent acts to be terrorism before waiting for time to check them out is one that has long been the standard by which Sebastian Gorka’s own boss proudly and loudly operates.
Lest we forget ―
After the Paris attacks of April 20, Trump declared them to be acts of terrorism the very day they occurred. No waiting to check them and find out who the perpetrators are.
When the Manchester concert bombing took place on May 23, that’s the same day Trump called it an act of terrorism. And no, he didn’t wait to check first with Sebastian Gorka to find out who the perpetrators are.
Only a week later on June 1, Trump leaped in again. After a hotel shooting in Manila, he immediately called that a terrorist attack. In fact, he stood proudly alone on that one. That’s because the local police stated, “We cannot say this is an act of terror,” adding “He did not hurt anyone” and was only trying to rob a gaming resort. Ooops.
But that’s okay, because just three days later on June 4, not to be daunted, Trump barreled right ahead. And after the London car attack, he called that an act of terror ― the very same day it occurred. No dilettante he, not waiting for any wimpy Gorka Rule to kick in.
But then this is an old standard for Trump. Even before he was president, and merely the president-elect in waiting, there was a market attack using a truck in Berlin on December 21, 2016. And Trump geared up for his time in office by calling that an act of terror within three hours. That impressive fast-observation beating German Chancellor Angela Merkel who foolishly waited for 15 hours to get reports. Actually, Trump went further, not only calling it an act of terror but instantly willing to lay blame, saying it was an “Islamic attack on Christians.”
Indeed, that’s the theme that ties all violent acts together that Trump immediately calls terrorist attacks. He makes clear to say they were caused by Muslims. When they’re not, when white people are the perpetrators, when Muslims or other minorities might be the victims...ahhh, apparently then ― finally! ― the Gorka Rule kicks in.
“There’s a great rule,” Gorka said yesterday with cold, chilling hate, defending the inaction by Trump who has never followed this “great rule” whenever it suits his racism. “All initial reports are false. You have to check them and find out who the perpetrators are.” That’s why the rule in TrumpWorld is so “great.” You only have to follow it when Muslims are killed.
Even better, not only does Trump wait and say nothing ― zero, zippo, nada ― but his minions like Sebastian Gorka can go out and blame other attacks as being “fake,” perpetrated by the left and even perhaps by Muslims themselves, even without having to be burdened down by such pesky hindrances as proof or the quaint notion of evidence.
But hey, this is not necessarily a bad thing, since it allows us to remember and honor such tragedies as Kellyanne Conway’s non-existent Bowling Green Massacre or Sean Spicer’s made-up Atlanta Terrorist Attack, all of which would otherwise be forgotten.
It’s hard to believe that Sebastian Gorka’s despicable press conference may have exceeded Stephen Miller’s only days earlier for such a stunning level of reprehensibility. But given that actual deaths were involved, he may have done it.
Not bad for a national security adviser (sic). But then, with his credentials as a supporter of the banned Hungarian Magyar Gárda fascist group, and the Hungarian nationalist Vitezi Rend organization aligned with Nazi Germany, he comes well-prepared.
