In the immediate aftermath of the horrific massacre at a synagogue in Pittsburgh on Shabbos morning, President Donald Trump said that the outcome would have been different had an armed guard been in place.
“If there was an armed guard inside the temple, they would have been able to stop him,” he said to reporters before boarding a flight to a pair of events later in the afternoon.
[RELATED – Every Shul Should Have An Armed Person – A Halachic Analysis]
Trump also said the nation should strengthen its laws surrounding the death penalty.
“When people do this, they should get the death penalty,” he said. “Anybody that does a thing like this to innocent people that are in temple or in church … they should be suffering the ultimate price, they should pay the ultimate price.”
When asked if the shooting indicated a need to revisit gun laws, Trump replied that the shooting “has little to do with it” and that an armed guard might have been able to stop the gunman “immediately.”
Asked if he was advocating for armed guards inside if places of worship, Trump replied, “no, it’s certainly an option.”
…This evil Anti-Semitic attack is an assault on humanity. It will take all of us working together to extract the poison of Anti-Semitism from our world. We must unite to conquer hate.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2018
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10 Responses
Trump’s comments about an armed guard being able to prevent the attack are hurtful and wrong. Wrong because four armed policemen were injured trying to stop the gunman and hurtful because it casts blame on the synagogue that has suffered such a horrific tragedy.
America needs real leadership. One that can quickly and easily condemn neo nazi’s and disavow David Duke. America needs leadership that does not stoke hatred of others and foreigners and America needs leadership that will at least consider commons sense gun regulation.
Nothing wrong with what he said except maybe the timing. Of course he’s not exactly known for his graceful verbal finesse. The people like de Blasio and those in the liberal media blowing every word Trump says way out of context and proportion, and creating outrage over every little thing Republicans do are the ones that are creating the toxic political climate which causes borderline wackos to go over the edge.
I’ve been to a couple of European countries and davened in the “main” Orthodox shuls. Outside the shul were uniformed police. They weren’t hired by the shul – they were stationed there by the government because of a perceived threat.
Now, using the logic of the chief of state of the USA that shuls should have an armed guard in place, he implies that there is a perceived threat against a house of worship. Ergo, there should be government security stationed outside the house of worship during services. This logic should apply in Pittsburgh, PA or Sutherland Springs, Texas.
“We have met the enemy and he is us” – Pogo 1972
I have to agree somewhat with dullradiance . In Europe the situation is that such places are guarded.(world travelers from my own synagogue confirm the situation). But I wish to add the irony. The leftists want to be more like (what they imagine) is the liberal and enlightened Europe. Yet it is precisely in Europe that such guards are need more so than (what used to be true in) the United States. So the more these leftists make the United States like Europe, the more one needs such guards.
> crazykanoiy
“Wrong because four armed policemen were injured trying to stop the gunman”
That is the exactly the point on where you are wrong. Stopping someone from entering in the first place is what makes the difference. Once inside means (among other things) that the attacker has all these “human shields” in the way of police who must then treat softly in the fear of harming the civilians. Also, the police have no idea when they arrive who is or is the perpetrator. Someone “inside” who knows the attendees know who is the stranger/perpetrator.
“and hurtful because it casts blame on the synagogue”
Seems rather obvious that all he is doing is casting blame on the Democrats for over-reach on gun control. You are reading into it what you want.
Crazykanoi
Your dead wrong as usual. And so is the dumbest politician in the world deblazio dead wrong as usual. Trump doesn’t believe in gun control so all he’s saying is that we with looser gun laws we can stop more of these guys. Like having an armed guard at places that are targets. This is the regular argument by gun rights proponents. He’s not blaming the victims. This is liberals purposely twisting his words
No armed guard would have been able to stop him.
They needed the SWAT team,
He got 4 officers.
Let’s call an ace an ace.
It’s the liberals, the democrats, the media, they are all guilty in these massacres.
Don’t ever vote democrat, liberal, etc.
Has anyone here ever shot an AK-47? An AK-47 will SHOOT THROUGH WALLS. Keeping a guard on the door isn’t going to help. The attacker will simply shoot him first. Some of the killers recently have worn body armor, which is easy to get on the internet. Is a congregant or civilian security guard going to be able to stop one with a handgun? Get real.
The European idea of having police on duty at synagogues seems to me to be ideal. A visible officer with a heavy weapon is going to discourage almost anyone. This is a form of war, and war is for the professionals, not an accountant with a gun in his shtender.
The mass attacks in the USA are against soft targets. The targets aren’t only synagogues. Protecting only synagogues will get these gab people more ammunition – “look at the special treatment the Hebrews get”.
The fact is, the Sutherland Springs, Texas attack was a Baptist house of worship; Las Vegas was a concert; School shootings …
The goal of terrorism is not necessarily to kill and maim, but to terrorize.
The Chabad shul on Leroy Place in downtown DC had U.S. Secret Service protection on the outer perimeter and inside yesterday morning at the same time as the Pittsburgh shooting and every Shabbos morning paid for by you, me and all Federal Taxpayers. So does the yeshiva on 16th Street and pre-school on Connecticut Avenue attended by the first-grandchildren. Instead of spending $25 billion on a useless wall at the Mexican border, the Trumpkopf should take a fraction of that amount and pay for armed security at every shul and church and related mosdos. throughout the U.S. At the same time, STOP claiming there are “GOOD” Nazis (such as those who marched a year ago in Charlottesville). As long as the racists and white supremacists think they have a friend in the WH, this madness will only get worse.