Inventing enemies when there are none, a fearful president Donald Trump commemorated the Fourth of July -- America's Independence Day -- by again pitting American against American in the hope doing so will win him reelection in November.
Trump resorted to a tactic long associated with dictators seeking to retain power: invoke nationalism against an enemy -- real or imagined. Trump's imagined enemy, which he blasted at a divisive speech at Mount Rushmore on July 3 and again at Washington D.C. on the Fourth of July, is the "radical left."
In Trump's worldview, however, the radical left means everyone that's against him, including the fake news media and "Never Trumpers" in the Republican Party.
In a hate-filled speech packed with lies, Trump at Mount Rushmore accused "angry mobs" of radical left wing activists of trying to erase U.S. history. He painted himself the only defense against left-wing extremism and the sole protector of American values.
"Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children," alleged Trump without any proof.
He used his Mount Rushmore speech to condemn the removal and destruction of all monuments, even those honoring the Confederacy that fought a traitorous war against the United States.
Trump falsely claimed the existence of a new far left fascism. He said this ideology demands absolute allegiance in schools, newsrooms and corporate boardrooms.
He called this a left-wing cultural revolution designed to overthrow the American Revolution. Trump has no doubt as to who's behind the violent mayhem in the streets and cities -- liberal Democrats.
And, of course, he said he's still building the wall with Mexico, which American taxpayers are funding.
Trump's Fourth of July remarks in Washington D.C. took his argument made at Mount Rushmore to the extreme. Trump not only assailed the radical left once again, but this time equated them with the Nazis.
He said the U.S. defeated the Nazis, dethroned the fascists and toppled the communists. By doing so, the U.S. saved American values, upheld American principles, and chased down terrorists.
"We are now in the process of defeating the radical left, the Marxists, the anarchists, the agitators, the looters and people who in many instances have absolutely no clue what they are doing," he said.
Repeating his promise made at Mount Rushmore, Trump said he'll never allow an angry mob to tear down our statues, erase our history, indoctrinate our children, or trample on our freedoms.
Trump also assailed media for continually slandering him and for consistently labeling their opponents as racists.
In contrast to Trump's hatred of his enemies, Joe Biden preached an end to racism, saying, "we have a chance to rip the roots of systemic racism out of this country."
Biden also said even though the U.S. had fallen short of equality, the effort to attain the country's founding ideals continues to this day.
