Trump Assassination Attempts, Media Rhetoric, and Political Violence

My friends, there are moments in this country where you can feel the temperature rising—not just politically, but culturally, spiritually, and morally. Today is one of those moments.

We’re now talking about yet another attempted assassination of President Donald Trump. Think about that for a moment. Not one. Not two. But at least 3 repeated attempts on the life of the President of the United States. That’s not normal. That’s not something we should ever accept as background noise.

So the question becomes: why does this keep happening?

I spent time on the program today unpacking that very question. And while there are always layers to something like this—spiritual depravity, personal instability, individual responsibility—we cannot ignore the broader environment that surrounds these events.

For years now, we’ve heard rhetoric describing Trump not just as a political opponent, but as an existential threat. A fascist. A dictator. Even comparisons to Hitler. Those aren’t just policy disagreements—that’s language designed to alarm, to provoke, and yes, to inflame emotional reactions like this.

Now, let me be clear: words alone don’t force someone to act. Individuals are responsible for their actions. But it’s equally true that words can shape perception—especially for those who are either unwilling or incapable of thinking for themselves. And perception, especially in unstable minds, can become justification.

That’s where this becomes dangerous.

When someone truly believes—after years of messaging—that a political figure is evil beyond measure, a threat to humanity itself, what do you think happens next? For many people, it results in anger or frustration. But for others, it can turn into something far more dangerous.

We also discussed comments made just minutes before the latest attempt—remarks suggesting that Trump “wants journalism dead.” Even when framed as “figurative,” that kind of language negatively contributes to the narrative. A narrative that paints political disagreement as something much darker than it actually is.

And then there’s the manifesto. Disturbing, disjointed, and revealing. It shows a person who believed he was justified. That he was acting against something evil. That mindset doesn’t form in a vacuum.

This is where we have to step back and be honest about something deeper: the condition of the human heart. Humans are capable of incredible good—but also incredible evil. And if we’re being honest, humans often choose that latter. When pride, power, and ideology override truth and humility, history shows us exactly where that can lead.

Our system was designed to handle disagreement. That’s the beauty of it. We settle our differences at the ballot box—not through violence, not through intimidation, and certainly not through assassination attempts.

But it only takes a few rabid individuals to tear that philosophy to shreds.

We are living in a time where rhetoric is cheap, outrage is rewarded, and restraint is rare. That combination is combustible. And if we don’t start recognizing it for what it is, we risk heading further down a path that none of us should want.

The solution isn’t silence. It’s responsibility. It’s truth. It’s clarity. And yes—it’s a willingness to lower the temperature before something even worse happens.

My friends, this isn’t just about politics anymore. It’s about life and death—and what kind of country we decide to be.

Conservative, not bitter.
Todd

🔥 Third assassination attempt raises serious concerns
🧠 The dangerous impact of political rhetoric
📺 Media language and its real-world consequences
📜 What the alleged manifesto reveals
⚖️ Responsibility vs. collective blame debate
🇺🇸 Why the Constitution depends on restraint

^{The Stack of Stuff honors the memory of Rush Limbaugh by keeping his iconic phrase alive — only this time, it’s digital. These links give you context for today’s Toddcast, including pieces that back me up, push back, or simply lay out the facts so you can decide for yourself.}

For more on today’s Toddcast, visit today’s Stack on our website and dig in.

Your digital footprint starts before you can even walk.

In today’s data economy, “free” inboxes from Google and Microsoft, like Gmail and Outlook, are funded by data collection. Emails can be analyzed to personalize ads, train algorithms, and build long-term behavioral profiles to sell to third-party data brokers.

From family updates, school registrations, medical reports, to financial service emails, social media accounts, job applications, a digital identity can take shape long before someone understands what privacy means.

Privacy shouldn’t begin when you’re old enough to manage your settings. It should be the default from the start.

Proton Mail takes a different approach: no ads, no tracking, no data profiling — just private communication by default. Because the next generation deserves technology that protects them, not profiles them.

Get free private email

My friends, if you’re joking about the president being killed, it’s time to admit you’re no longer doing comedy. You’ve stepped into something much, much darker.

Jimmy Kimmel, in a mock Correspondents’ Dinner event he did before the shooting last week, said Melania Trump had “the glow of an expectant widow.”

That’s not witty. That’s not clever. That’s hoping for violence and getting laughs from the morally bankrupt.

Melania called it hateful and violent rhetoric and is urging ABC to act.

You know, the same ABC owned by Disney, the company responsible for bringing us the happiest place on Earth.

So which is it? Are you in the happiness business or in the business of hoping the First Lady becomes a widow?

Because you can’t be both.