‘What law did I break?’ Journalist wonders why him getting shot is ‘a beautiful thing’ to the president

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MSNBC journalist Ali Velshi was shot in the knee by police during an entirely peaceful Black Lives Matter protest. Donald Trump recently celebrated it as, “the most beautiful thing.” But the big story is that this latest cruelty barely registers as a blip.

And make no mistake, the endless stream of cruelty is the point. To overwhelm us. To wear us down.

Trump was gleeful as he improvised on the story of the assault on Ali Velshi to the delight of his rabid fans. “He was down. ‘My knee, my knee.’ Nobody cared,” the president vamped. “You finally see men get up there and go right through them, wasn’t it really a beautiful sight? It’s called law and order.”

Sadly, Trump’s eternal fount of spite is having the desired effect. Americans are too exhausted to face another story that would have felt tragic just four years ago. Too exhausted to unpack all of the vitriol in Trump’s little rant. And there is plenty to unpack, but there aren’t enough hours in the day to follow down every mean little jab, to correct every lie.

It has become nearly impossible to maintain a sense of truth and scale as this petulant, orange man-baby leads his sycophants through an endless maze of heartless lunacy. To keep our eye on the ball as Republicans — who once feigned sincerity — don’t even slow down to offer comment as they hurry from one nefarious attack on the Constitution to another.

So it has finally happened. Americans are so bludgeoned by the current state of affairs, so overwhelmed by the toxic stream of drivel out of the mouth of a crooked, underperforming president that when Trump crowed over a police assault on a journalist, it went without notice. Did we notice?

Or is it left to Twitter reactions to point out events that would have once stopped the presses?

Ali Velshi, journalist and host of his own show on MSNBC, was shot in the knee by police who were using non-lethal — but painful — rounds. This was news when it happened, months ago, while these police were forcefully clearing out a peaceful protest in support of Black Lives Matter activism.

Ali Velshi is beloved among his colleagues and often trusted as a guest host by the network’s highest profile on-air journalists. He is a respected veteran of CNN and Al Jazeera America. Born in Kenya and raised in Toronto, Velshi is an intelligent, eloquent man who is unafraid to mention his Muslim faith.

Any one of Ali Velshi’s qualities could have made him a target for Trump. All of them together made an easy package for the president to serve up for a quick ego massage at one of his recent festivals of foolery rallies. But at this point, while most often tempted to insult according to his own bigotry or misogyny, Trump just bullies at will.

Three years and eight months into the Trump presidency, and here we are. 200,000 Americans dead of a virus that much of the rest of the world has managed. Children locked in cages. Another Russian assault on our elections. One hundred environmental protections gone. The west coast on fire. Military heroes referred to as losers and suckers. White supremacists called “good people.” Peaceful activists beaten and teargassed by armed thugs sent by the government to whom they pay taxes. Countless insults of women, people of color, and government officials that do not parrot the latest insane Trump line.

It’s no wonder that Americans are exhausted. Sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Early voting has already started in many states. Absentee ballots are readily available in many states as well. If neither works for you, there is still Election Day: bring a mask and a snack. Gather up your energy and vote. As Ali Velshi says, “It’s a long game. Stay in it.”

And here’s Velshi’s response, to set things straight.

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