Donald Trump's latest business is selling patriotic Bibles for about $60. Including political texts in the Bible has raised some voices of indignation among the Christian community. Republicans have counterattacked by accusing the president, Joe Biden, of celebrating Transsexual Visibility Day, whose date is March 31, Easter Sunday (this year the date has coincided). Religion and politics frequently intersect in the United States. In this climate of tension and polarization in which American politics has been established, Trump has gone one step further this week by sharing on his social network, Truth, a video in which an image of Biden tied hand and foot is seen. in the back of a van. Democrats consider it an act of inciting violence by the former president.
In the video shared by Trump through Truth Social, Two trucks with flags and slogans supporting Trump are seen overtaking the former president's caravan. The message points out that the video was recorded on Long Island, where he attended the funeral on Thursday of a police officer killed in the line of duty. It is in the back of the second van that you can see an image of Biden lying down and tied hands and feet, trying to create the optical effect that he is being transported in the back of the vehicle.
That image of Biden tied hand and foot is not new. Trump followers frequently move it on social media, stickers of it are sold on the occasion of the former president's rallies, and several truck owners have painted the image on the back. What is new is that Trump himself has shared the image.
Trump was banned from Twitter and Facebook for inciting violence in connection with the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. After his ouster, he founded Truth Social, which has made him more of a billionaire than ever, at least on paper. The company has gone public and is valued at more than $8 billion, although the former president cannot sell his shares until six months have passed.
“Trump regularly incites political violence and it's time for people to take him seriously, just ask the Capitol Police officers who were attacked protecting our democracy on January 6,” said Michael Tyler, communications director for the Biden campaign, regarding the video published by the former president, according to statements collected by AP.
Donald Trump is being criticized after he shared an image of a pickup truck belonging to one of his MAGA cult followers depicting Joe Biden being hog-tied on the tailgate. pic.twitter.com/XDqI9s6qcc
— 🌍 🌎 🌏 (@OurEarthAffairs) March 30, 2024
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Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung responded: “That photo was in the back of a pickup truck that was driving on the highway. Democrats and crazed lunatics have not only called for despicable violence against President Trump and his family, they are actually using the judicial system against him.” Trump and his allies insistently repeat without providing any evidence in this regard that the former president's accusations are the result of the instrumentalization of Justice by Joe Biden.
The former president has promised “revenge” if he returns to the White House and has been taking his speech to the extreme. He has said that he will be a “dictator” for a day if he regains power; he has referred to immigrants as “vermin” who “poison the blood” of Americans, rhetoric with echoes of Nazi Germany.
He also caused controversy by talking about a “bloodbath”, although in a context in which he seemed to refer to the supposed economic consequences of a new victory for Joe Biden. “If I'm not elected, it's going to be a bloodbath for everything…, and that's the least of it. It is going to be a bloodbath for the country,” he warned at a rally in Ohio earlier this month, while speaking about the impact of offshoring on the country's automobile industry. In reality, the automobile union has asked to vote for Biden, who supported him in negotiating the most favorable collective agreement they have signed in decades. Unemployment is at historic lows and industrial investment has skyrocketed due to public incentives.
Easter Sunday
Trump's dissemination of the image of Biden tied hand and foot has not been the only controversy these days. Republicans have cried foul over the fact that Joe Biden has called to celebrate the day of visibility of transgender people, which is celebrated every year on March 31 and which on this occasion coincides with Easter Sunday. Resurrection. Added to this is that in a White House Easter Egg Design Contest for Kids The rules establish, along with other restrictions, a clause that says: “The submission must not include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes or partisan political statements.”
“I call on all Americans to join us in defending the lives and voices of transgender people across the country and working to eliminate violence and discrimination based on gender identity,” Biden's proclamation said. of the international day of transsexual visibility. In parallel, Biden has also proclaimed March 31 as day of tribute to union leader César Chávez.
Criticism of Biden, who is a practicing Catholic, has been led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson: “The Biden White House has betrayed the central principle of Easter, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Banning sacred truth and tradition — while proclaiming Easter Sunday “Transgender Day” — is outrageous and abhorrent. “The American people are taking note,” he tweeted.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates responded to Republican criticism by noting that the Easter egg decorating contest rules are “nonpartisan guidelines that have been in place for ***45 years***.” Including during the last administration”, as he tweeted.
And regarding the celebration of the day of transsexual visibility, Bates has stressed that it was a coincidence, like others that have occurred in the past: “Easter can fall on any Sunday from the end of March to mid-April. . So basically, Easter falling on Trans Day of Visibility is no different than when Hannukah fell on Thanksgiving in 2013.”
Bates said Republicans who criticize Biden “seek to divide and weaken the country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric.” “As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and defending the dignity and freedoms of every American,” Bates said. “President Biden will never abuse his faith for political or profit purposes,” he added, with a final dig apparently aimed at Donald Trump.
Trump's Bible
The former president of the United States has launched this week to sell a Bible with the American flag on the cover through social networks and messages to his followers. “Happy Easter!” Trump said on social media. “As we head into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the Bible God bless America”he added.
The edition includes copies of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Oath of Allegiance, as well as a handwritten chorus of the song God bless Americaby country singer Lee Greenwood.
Trump sells that edition of the Bible, which includes political texts, for $59.99 plus tax. “Making America great again is our religion,” Trump says in the video originally published on Truth Social and replicated on X. “I am proud to endorse and encourage you to purchase this Bible. We must make America pray again,” he points out in a play on words with his political motto.
Trump's initiative has received criticism from some Christian circles on social media. “It is a bankrupt Christianity that sees a demagogue co-opting our faith and even our sacred scriptures for the sake of his own quest for power and praises him for it instead of insisting that we refuse to allow our sacred faith and scriptures to be “become the spokesperson of an empire,” wrote the Rev. Benjamin Cremer. Pastor Jason Cornwall sees it as a violation of the 10 Commandments.
Trump has used his image to sell sneakers, hats, cards, t-shirts and even digital files (NFT). The website information of the company that sells the Bibles points out that the funds will not go to the Trump campaign. However, he admits that the use of Trump's name and likeness is under “paid license from CIC Ventures LLC,” a company of the former president. What Trump has done, in short, is serve as a model in a paid advertisement.
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