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Sunday, July 14, 2024

Blame Game: Thomas Mathew Crooks!

The bullied strikes the bully. The shooter had a motive and the feds are trying to determine why he tried to assassinate Donald J. Trump.

Be warned there will be graphic images and graphic violence. Take discretion in viewing this post

Again, we do not wish any harm on anyone. But I am crystal clear on how the rhetoric spoken contributed to this. I hope the former president lowers the rhetoric. 

Doubt it though.

No kumbaya.

Mass shootings so far.
  • Witchia, KS (2)
  • Birmingham
  • Louisville, KY
  • Chicago (5)
  • Alameda, CA
  • Boston
  • Charlotte
  • Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Washington, DC (3)
  • New Bedford, MA
  • Roper, NC
  • Detroit
  • Akron, OH
  • Milwaukee
  • Florence, KY
  • Clarksdale, MS
340 mass shootings in the United States.

This will also be a test of whether both candidates have the strength to lead a nation.

The FBI has now taken control of the situation. This is an unprecedented moment in U.S. history. On Saturday, a man tried to assassinate former president Donald J. Trump, the 2024 presumptive Republican nominee. This happened on the eve of the Republican National Convention which is to begin on Monday.

Trump was campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania when this attack happened. 

President Joe Biden will address the nation this week. He will call upon Democrats and Republicans to tone down the rhetoric. He will call for the junk food media to stop sensationalizing the stories. He will not resign or step out of the race. 

Biden has talked to Trump. 

Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), the U.S. Representatives of Pennsylvania, former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, former vice president Mike Pence and Trump's family were notified.

Trump was grazed by a bullet in his ear. The U.S. Secret Service managed to take out the shooter identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 of Bethel Park. One died and two were critically injured.

About 6:10pm, the former president was in one of his usual rants about Biden when he felt something and immediately went down. Then four more shots and the U.S. Secret Service was on top of the former president. Two snipers posted near the scene got the shooter within seconds. 

Trump supporters pointed out to police about a man climbing on top of a roof and it did not catch on until it was too late. As they picked Trump back up, the former president lifted his fist in defiance and the supporters chanted, "USA, USA!" 

Raising his fist after being shot at. 

That was really pathetic. Instead of worrying about the safety of those in attendance and rushing Trump out, the campaign allowed idiots chanting like this was an act.

The suspect was identified. 

Misinformation was spread fast. The far right already claimed the shooter was antifa and a Biden supporter. It was quickly identified the shooter was a registered Republican and he only donated $15 to a Democrat. That there will not calm the noise already claiming it was a plant, Sam Hyde, a Biden supporter or the fault of progressive agitators.

Accounts on X were quickly up posting images of the shooter and using the image of Trump with his first up as an apparent confirmation of act. These trolls were quickly posting antifa and Biden-Harris 2024 to deliberately fool the junk food media.

Many Trump supporters are saying this moment in history will put him in the White House.

Posting on his Truth Social media site about two and a half hours after the shooting, Trump said a bullet “pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” he said in the post. “Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”

State voter records show that Crooks was a registered Republican. The upcoming Nov. 5 election in which Trump is challenging President Joe Biden would have been the first time Crooks had been old enough to vote in a presidential race.

When Crooks was 17, he made a $15 donation to ActBlue, a political action committee that raises money for left-leaning and Democratic politicians, according to a 2021 Federal Election Commission filing. The donation was earmarked for the Progressive Turnout Project, a national group that rallies Democrats to vote. The groups did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Biden's call to tone down rhetoric will be ignored. The far right will continue pushing conspiracies about Biden. Now that Trump survived a mass shooting, they will assume Biden wants to kill political rivals.

Crooks' father, Matthew Crooks, 53, told CNN that he was trying to figure out what happened and would wait until he spoke to law enforcement before speaking about his son.

In Bethel Park, about an hour away from where the shooting occurred, the streets surrounding the Crooks's home were blocked off by law enforcement authorities.

Mary and Stanley Priselac were standing on the porch of their nearby brick ranch-style home, trying to process the events of the last day and the spotlight now on their typically quiet residential neighborhood.

"Nothing happens on the street, everybody kind of minds their own business," said Stanley Priselac, 72. "Everybody is kind of shocked, surprised, some dismay."

"There's never been a gun issue. There's never been the police being called," said Mary Priselac, 67. "You kind of have to wonder what didn't he get in life? What led to this extreme?"

Thomas Crooks graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, according to a statement from the Bethel Park School District received by local ABC affiliate WJET-TV.

"Our school district will cooperate fully with the active law enforcement investigation surrounding this case, and as such, we are limited in what we can publicly disclose," the statement read.

The school district did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Reuters.
Crooks received a $500 "star award" from the National Math and Science Initiative, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper.

Corey Comperatore did not survive the mass shooting.

A 2022 graduation ceremony video cited by the New York Times shows Crooks receiving his high school diploma to some applause. Video from that ceremony posted online shows Crooks with glasses in a black graduation gown and posing with a school official. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video.

Law enforcement officials said on Saturday that Crooks carried no identification to the site of the shooting and had to be identified using other methods.

"We're looking at photographs right now and we're trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation," Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge, said during a press briefing.

Reuters could not immediately identify social media accounts or other online postings by Crooks. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, did not immediately respond to questions on whether the platforms had removed any accounts related to the suspect.

The U.S. Congress is by far the most laziest in modern history. They are willing to take away freedoms when it comes to using phones, protesting, driving, women's rights, voting rights and social media. When it comes to an actual threat to safety, say firearms, they refuse to pass even meaningful legislation to curb it.

Far right lawmakers like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) will hop on social media talking about it but not doing a damn thing to stop it. Remember Trump mocked Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul after an intruder tried to kill him. Think about Pelosi, Alvin Bragg, Jack Smith and Mike Pence having credible threats on their lives because of Trump.

To all the Black firearm owners who support the Second Amendment or former president Donald J. Trump in the 2024 presidential race, I just want to say...

"YOU'RE GONNA BE SHOT BY POLICE TOO!"

The National Rifle Association never reacts to lawful exercise of firearm use when a Black, Hispanic, Arab, Muslim, Indigenous, LGBTQ or underage teen of color is carrying them.

It is automatic dehumanizing from the far right, police unions and the junk food media.

When white men, women or even some Asians are carrying firearms, the NRA is often parading them around like they're heroes and protectors of freedom.

Secret Service snipers kill the suspect.

In about 45 states, I believe it is lawful for you to walk down a street with a firearm.

If you're a Black man walking down the street with a firearm, the random 911 call or the visual spotting from a police officer merits an automatic drawl of a service weapon.

Police officers within seconds are either shooting or premeditated an excuse to use force.

The unions back up their claims of "fearing for their lives" despite the perpetrator not even firing a round. Given that the junk food media loves to paint the aggressor as the victim, the police officer is given the benefit of doubt. The person police shot usually do not get any ounce of doubt. A mugshot of a suspect or a picture of a person posing with money or firearms automatically draws far right conclusions to justification of force.

Even fleeing from police with a firearm and not even pointing at them results in police shootings. 

If a person does survive, the state still charges the person for a crime despite the state allowing open carry and lawful possession.

So I just want to say that the Second Amendment is White, period.

Trump posted this on Truth Social. Now tell me, will he stop pushing violent threats on Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Alvin Bragg, Michael Cohen, Nancy Pelosi, Jack Smith and Stormy Daniels?

A bullet does not care about color. We all bleed red and so many lives are lost to gun violence and Republicans offer no solutions other than "thoughts and prayers" with a touch of "lock em up."

Gun violence is the number one threat in the United States.

I dismiss this ridiculous notion that criminals are the problem, not the guns. Firearms are often obtained through legal purchases. 

Again, having more security, teachers being armed and offering safe rooms are not solving the problem. The problem is lawmakers not willing to stop gun violence.

According to the far rightWhite shooters are mentally ill. Black shooters are unrepentant thugs and criminals. Gay shooters are active groomers. Muslim shooters are terrorists. Hispanic and Asian shooters are illegal immigrants. According to the far right, almost all mass shooters are registered Democrats because they have liked or done one thing common to the left. Of course, they often share disinformation by using the "Sam Hyde" meme or make bogus social media platforms with the shooter's image as a way to denounce most mass shooters being white or associated with conservative causes. They say a white person should "protect" themselves from protesters and use of firearms are "justified" if they come to a protest to instigate conflict. They say if a shooter is active military or a veteran who supports conservative causes, they are considered a "heroes" and use of firearms are justified. If the shooters are teens, the far right automatically assume the gunmen are Black.

The Republicans usually amplify white victims. Anytime a person of color kills a white victim, it is often wall-to-wall coverage on Fox, Twitter and they force it into national news. They make the case to blame Black Lives Matter, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Democrats, Rev. Al Sharpton and rap music for Black on whatever violence. Republican lawmakers who do not live in urban neighborhoods often troll social media to talk about gun violence or crime in Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee and New York City while not doing a damn thing to stop it. If a white person shoots a Black person, the shooter is given the benefit of doubt. White shooters are given glowing profiles about their perfect lives and how friends noticed something but refused to do something. When it comes to Black shooters, automatic vilification. They don't see mental illness. They see it as gang violence, allegedly fatherless homes, Democratic policies or the need for more firearms. The far right and Republicans exploit gun violence in the Black community for culture wars and racism.

So in closing, expect more.

The website Officer Down is a memorial to those police officers who were killed in the line of duty. Those victims who don't get their names or accomplishments mentioned in the junk food media. Also the website the National Gun Violence Memorial also keeps record of the many individuals killed by gun violence. We are tracking police violence as well. 

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.

The call number to the White House and U.S. Capitol is now going to be used. This is the official White House numbers 202-456-1111 and 202-456-1414. This is the Congress official phone number, 202-224-3121. Please be respectful to operators, staff members and elected leaders. Your calls are monitored by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police. 

Let them know that "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to" and "good guys with guns" are no longer acceptable and you want legislation to curb gun violence. Let them know that we are tired of police officers using immunity when committing death of suspects in custody. Let them know that you are tired of private equity firms getting away with destroying small businesses and long established companies. Let them know that you are tired of your taxpayer money going to foreign nations like Israel. Let them know you are very tired of your lawmakers embarrassing themselves in the media. You are tired of your lawmakers always being outside their district or state. You elected them to serve their districts and state not travel across the country or to foreign countries on your taxpayer dollars. You are tired of hearing about "Israel having a right to..." and the bogus claims of being anti-semitic or in support of terrorism. You want an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes done by Israel. You want no more foreign influence in American elections. You also want to make sure future presidents and lawmakers avoid influence from lobbyists.

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