Rep. Pramila Jayapal says former President Donald Trump has fostered an increasingly violent political climate: ‘The highest office in the land, used, and unleashed, and mobilized, all of that violence’

July 18, 2022

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JULY 17, 2022

US House of Representative – Pramila Jayapal

Rep. Pramila Jayapal appeared on MSNBC’s “The Sunday Show.”
She discussed threats made against her earlier this month and compared them to the January 6 attack.
Jayapal said former President Trump “unleashed and mobilized all of that violence and white supremacy.”

Because of the warp-speed development in the city in recent years, a lot of Atlanta is shiny and new. But other parts have much historical context.

During the Civil War, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman ruthlessly set the city on fire as he began his March to the Sea. I remember reading about it in “Gone with the Wind,” by Atlanta’s own Margaret Mitchell, who tells of the event that left almost 40% of the city devastated.

Our historic sites are precious to us in Atlanta, which today features the ever-important Civil Rights Trail forged by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Because this city was reborn and is now flourishing, there’s also a long list of exciting attractions that continues to expand along with the metro area.

Even living here, I have a hard time keeping up with the steady stream of festivals in gorgeous city parks; the maze of trails to hike or bike; events at top-of-the-line sporting, convention, and concert venues; and well-loved museums and exhibits. Take it from a local: You’ll be planning to revisit Atlanta before you’re halfway through.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, an Oregon Democrat, compared threats made against her to an increasingly violent political climate.

In her first interview discussing threats made against her earlier this month, Jayapal said former President Donald Trump’s tenure emboldened white supremacists and other extremists to act on their violent urges.

“It’s not that racism and white supremacy haven’t existed in our country,” Jayapal told Jonathan Capehart on MSNBC’s “The Sunday Show.”

“But what has happened is that the person that occupied the White House, the highest office in the land, actually used and unleashed and mobilized all of that violence and white supremacy using the tools of the federal government,” she said.

On July 9, a 48-year-old man was arrested and accused of stalking and threatening Jayapal outside of her residence, Insider previously reported.

A neighbor told police the suspect shouted, “Go back to India, I’m going to kill you.”

Jayapal pointed to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol as an example of violence and extremism encouraged by the former president.

She also added that Trump promoted violence by “using bans on Muslims, bans on trans folks, calling out people to be racist, working with the most racist, white supremacist, violent extremist groups, including the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, and then, of course, using lies and misinformation, disinformation, to try to steal an election and stage a coup.”

Jayapal brought up a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quote at the end of her interview: “Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.”

Courtesy/Source: Business Insider