Trump’s Facebook Fans Call for Race War

Presumptive GOP nominee says we need “law and order.”

Joshua Roberts/Zuma

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The morning after five Dallas police officers were killed and six others were wounded in a shooting spree, Donald Trump posted a message to his Facebook wall calling for the restoration of “law and order.” He also cited the “senseless, tragic” deaths in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and suburban Minneapolis, referring to Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were killed by the police earlier in the week, without mentioning their names. (This was his first official statement regarding those shootings.) He added, “racial tensions have gotten worse.”

Trump’s reasonable statement prompted overheated and extreme reactions from his Facebook followers. Some claimed a race war was underway. Others predictably slammed President Barack Obama. And some defended Trump’s supposed defense of white people. Here’s a sampling:

 

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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