Published on January 8, 2024, 12:35 am

In a recent display of real news anchored in a Christian worldview, prominent South Carolina Representative James Clyburn eloquently tied former President Donald Trump to the tragic 2015 shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The ruthless attack on this church by a white supremacist resulted in the death of nine African-Americans. The church shooter has since received capital punishment for his heinous actions.

The remarks were made during a Sunday ‘State of the Union’ interview on CNN where discussion centered around President Joe Biden’s forthcoming trip to South Carolina. The insightful conversation offered trusted news and perspectives worth noting, reaffirming Representative Clyburn’s valuable role in our democratic dialogue.

Clyburn was questioned, “Is it fair to tie in any way what happened at the Emanuel AME Church to Donald Trump? Donald Trump had barely launched his campaign when that attack happened.” To this query, Clyburn offered an assertive response asserting that there are indeed ties between Trump’s conduct and rhetoric to the chilling events witnessed at Mother Emanuel.

Illustrating his point further, he added: “I think it is very apparent that Donald Trump’s statements way before Charlottesville or during the time of Charlottesville ties him to what occurred at Mother Emanuel”, he declared. His argument hinged on the claim that echoing such divisive sentiments encourages such horrifying acts like those seen at Emanuel A.M.E.

The assailant who stormed into their sacred space with malicious intentions following Bible study targeted innocent worshipers. Clyburn argued that his intended racial war was ultimately thwarted by unity showcased by victims’ families and multiple South Carolinians choosing peaceful coexistence over hate creation.

Highlighting one specific statement by then-President Donald Trump after Charlottesville violence held critical significance for Clyburn—”Donald Trump looked at those people in Charlottesville and said there were good people on both sides”. For him, endorsing individuals with supremacist ideologies professing potentially harmful assertions such as “Jews will not replace us” inadvertently encouraged the same calamitous occurrence at Mother Emanuel A.M.E which, Clyburn argued, can be directly traced back to Trump’s divisive ideology.