To the editor:

The attempted assassination of former President Trump and the shooting of rally attendees should upset everyone, regardless of personal politics. Our prayers should be with them. We should be thankful to the Secret Service and first responders for protecting them.

What is disturbing is the number of people saying that Trump deserved to be shot because he stoked the anger of so many. Really? The death penalty for mean tweets?

If that’s the case, does President Biden also deserve the death penalty? Biden has long claimed Republicans want to put black people back in chains, and strip Americans of all their rights. He has repeatedly claimed Trump is a dictator and an existential threat to Democracy. For decades, his party has normalized comparing Republican candidates to Hitler. Let’s not forget Biden’s repeated proclamation to African Americans that they are not really black if they don’t vote for him.

No, Biden’s rhetoric (and that of his party) does not merit Biden getting the death penalty. But his party affiliation shouldn’t earn him a pass from objective criticism either, as it often does in our news media.

Most of what’s been coming out of the Trump campaign has been anger at what Trump sees as coordination of lawfare against him because he is Biden’s political opponent (an argument that has merit) and accusations that Biden is mentally deficient, which Biden validates himself with each public unscripted appearance. The vitriol from the Trump campaign is present, but not as concentrated or nasty.

Ultimately, as with this shooter, people are responsible for their own actions. They alone must answer for what they do. But let’s not kid ourselves. There are people out there that will believe the over-the-top accusations that are made in political ads and speeches. Those inflammatory remarks by Biden, and his supporters in the media, far exceed anything we have seen before. The effect cannot be discounted as a contributing factor to what happened on Saturday.

Biden won’t admit it, but his actions indicate he knows this is true. Ads that were to air on television today, repeating that Trump is a dangerous dictator, have been pulled back.

This weekend, Biden chastened America to tone down the rhetoric, and settle our differences at the ballot box, not with violence. He sent the right message. But since his party has been working hard to keep Trump off the ballot, it seems hypocritical.

Ronald Sherrill

Troy