Letter to BS: Trump's insensitive threats fueling violence across US

Apropos the news report “Donald Trump threatens to use military to quell violent protests across US” (June 3), it is precisely such insensitive threats that are fueling violence across America. A white police officer killed George Floyd, an African-American man, in cold blood by kneeling on his neck for nearly seven minutes, ostensibly to restrain him, during his arrest. The video of the incident went viral, causing nationwide protests, widespread arson and rioting, including outside the White House. Floyd’s last words, “I can’t breathe”, have become the war cry of the protesters. Instead of calming the protesters, Trump has been issuing intolerant and provocative statements such as “when looting begins, shooting starts”, “I will let loose the fierce dogs of the White House on the thugs” and so on. His pronouncements have only aggravated the people already on the edge due to the death and destruction wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is right when she says, “If he cannot speak unity, respect, reconciliation and reform, he shouldn’t speak at all as it is only making matters worse”. The true measure of leadership is “staying calm in a storm”, thereby promoting peace in the society.

V Jayaraman  Chennai

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