A White House spokesman said Friday that violence is not an acceptable form of political protest, but refused to condemn GOP front-runner Donald Trump for holding a rally in California on Thursday that turned violent.
When asked if President Obama will chastise Trump for not doing more to control his supporters’ actions, White House press sectary Josh Earnest noted that the United States was started by disgruntled colonists who demonstrated their dissatisfaction with high taxes by dumping tea into Boston Harbor.
“There is a long history, and a long tradition, of protest in the American political system,” Earnest said. “In fact, this country was started by a bunch of protesters.”
Political protest is healthy and necessary, he said. “That’s a good thing; it’s something we’re proud of as Americans,” Earnest added.
However, America also has a political system that encourages debate and allows citizens to make their dissatisfaction known at that polling station, Earnest said.
“That debate is likely to be filled with some emotion” but people should debate each other with some respect, Earnest said. And political protest “should not incite violence or promote discrimination.”
Americans should resolve differences “not by taking up arms against each other…but rather through our system of government,” he said.
