It’s been barely four hours since the assassination attempt on Donald J. Trump while he addressed a rally in Butler, PA, a small town with a population of barely 15,000 people. At the moment, we know that the shooter is dead as well as an attendee at the rally. Two more attendees were critically injured. But we know nothing about the identity or motive of the shooter.

Those who follow my blog know that I am not enthusiastic about Mr. Trump being elected once again as our President. And I’m as troubled as ever about the proliferation of gun violence in the U.S. I agree with the current series of editorials in the New York Times about why Donald Trump should not be President. I agree with the Washington Post‘s assessment that draws the same conclusions. I agree with Republicans Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, as well as Senators Sue Collins (R), Lisa Murkowski (R) and Mitt Romney (R.) about who should not be our next President. I did agree with former U.S. Attorney General William Barr that Donald Trump should not get near the Oval Office again. That is, I agreed with former Attorney General Barr until Bill Barr changed his mind.

Be that as it may, I do not wish or endorse violence against either Donald Trump (whom I do not support for one reason) nor Joe Biden (whom I do not support, for another.) However, I see no grounds to doubt the patriotism of either candidate.

Violence has no place in American politics. We should have learned that from the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Personally, I would be tickled to hear candidate Trump announce that he had decided to spend the next four years narrowing his handicap in golf instead of running the world. And I’m sure President BIden could enjoy his sunset years with his family, absent from the public scrutiny and criticism he has received to date.

So, I hope that both campaigns dial down the rhetoric over the coming months. I was encouraged to hear that the President’s re-election committee has suspended several anti-Trump commercials given the circumstances and that President Biden was finally able to contact Mr. Trump on the phone.

Hopefully, the FBI will be able to get to the bottom of this incident and we’ll know the facts. Absent that, unfounded rumors and bizarre conspiracy theories will certain find their way to the average reader on social media where far too many Americans will accept these rumors and theories as fact.

And I do wish Donald J. Trump a speedy recovery, and my prayers are with him and his family.

p.s. This post reflects minor edits including the title from my earlier post last evening.

Feature photo (above): Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)