Republicans pray for Trump – and his ‘enemies’
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Attendees pray during a vigil in Milwaukee, on July 14.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - At a prayer vigil in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr Robert Benning’s eyes water when he talks about Donald Trump surviving this weekend’s assassination attempt
“When he got shot, I was like, ‘Oh man’. I nearly cried – and then he got up... That proves how much of a fighter he is,” the 64-year-old said, as he joined a gathering at a park in the Midwestern city with other supporters to pray for the Republican presidential candidate.
The July 14 gathering was held downtown, just steps away from the site of the Republican National Convention that kicks off on July 15 and will officially seal Trump’s nomination as the party’s candidate against President Joe Biden in November.
Vigil attendees prayed for those on both sides of the political spectrum, even if the event still carried a partisan tone and the occasional culture war rhetoric.
“I just bless the Democratic Party. I bless the opposition. I pray that you would show them where they are in error. I pray that you would show them where they are opposing their own creator,” said Mr Patrick Casper.
Trump himself has said that God “prevented the unthinkable from happening”.
He survived the shooting with injuries. Two others were also injured and one person, in addition to the shooter, was killed.
The former president’s base includes the religious right, though he himself went to church only sporadically while in office.
“We just pray for all Trump’s enemies. This is not America, to try to shoot a former president. God help us,” offered another man, removing his red Trump hat to pray.
A woman, who wanted to be known as Ms Christina, who was also in attendance at the vigil organised by conservative group Turning Point USA, said she did not understand what motivated the shooter.
The authorities have also said they have yet to pin down his ideology
“We have First Amendment rights; you can protest and that’s OK. But we have to tone down our rhetoric,” she said.
Her words echoed those of Mr Biden, who in a rare address to the nation on July 14 said that “the political record in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down
Previous assassinations, including those of president John F. Kennedy and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr, weighed on attendees.
“I don’t know what’s driving it, but all I know is that the division in politics has got to stop,” Ms Christina said. “Both sides have to tone down the rhetoric and have to focus on the issues.” AFP
