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White supremacists and counter-protesters clashed in Charlottesville, Virginia on the 12th of August. Trump’s comment that “both sides” were responsible has brought him under fire for defending white supremacy.

The conflict happened between protesters demanding the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue and counter-protestors who wanted to stop them. Robert E. Lee was an army general, active in the American Civil War.

“There were people protesting very quietly the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee,” Trump remarked. “I’m sure in that group there were some bad ones. The following day, it looked like they had some rough, bad people. Neo-Nazis, white nationalists, whatever you want to call them.”

Leftist protesters, he added, were “violently attacking the other group”.

Mainstream media have labelled trump a “racist”, and have started supporting those demanding the destruction of the statues of Southern leaders from the Civil War.

Trump is being criticised for his remark that “both sides” were responsible, but is this really as problematic as the media make it out to be?

Violent Leftists Amongst Counter-Protesters

According to footage released by the media, some left-wing citizens demanding the removal of the statue were seen attacking the counter-protesters with clubs and bats.

This sort of violence steps outside of the constitutional bounds of the freedom of assembly and opinion, and Trump’s denunciation of such acts is perfectly logical. Part of the left-wing group comprised the same radicals who, in the wake of Trump’s inauguration, protested alongside pop star Madonna when she said she had thought of “blowing up the White House”.

Among the leftist groups was Antifa, a group of violent far-left activists who emerged out of communists and anarchists. But they are getting much less coverage than the far-right KKK.

“They [Antifa] could be considered domestic terrorists,” said Matthew Vadum, senior vice president at the Washington-based Capital Research Centre. “They are not legitimate actors in the democratic process.” Yet it was the Alliance for Global Justice, associated with leftist financier George Soros, who “acts as fiscal sponsor for Antifa groups”.

We do not know exactly how much influence Antifa had over the leftist groups, and it requires an impartial investigation to give a fair assessment of the situation.

Yet, we must not forget that ever since he was on the campaign trail, Trump has been heavily critical of David Duke, former Imperial Wizard of the white supremacist KKK.

To return to history, General Robert E. Lee, who led the Southern army, was one of the people who, after the Civil War, worked to heal the wounds of the divided nation. There was even a proposal by the North to erect his statue in Washington DC as a symbol of reconciliation and to honour Lee’s contribution to it. Lee was a man of great character, and was later invited to serve as president of Washington College in Virginia until his death.

Thus the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue symbolizes the destruction of the spirit of reconciliation. It would also mean dishonour to President Lincoln and his second inaugural address, where he said “with malice toward none” as a message to heal peoples’ wounds in the aftermath of the civil conflict.

Leftists Are Destroying the U.S. State Organism

When Trump tweeted, “who’s next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!” CNN immediate took to condemning George Washington for being a slave owner, and stated that his statues ought to be taken down.

It is a well known fact that the Founding fathers owned slaves, but Washington included a provision in his will to free his slaves, and Jefferson also warned that racial discrimination may cast a shadow upon the future of America.

Racial discrimination must of course be condemned, but we cannot deny that the Founding Fathers fought in the American Revolution to establish a powerful country founded on freedom and prosperity. If far-left groups are considering the destruction of statues of the Founding Fathers, it would be an act of denial of the whole state organism of America.

Trump Is Trying to Reunite America

Japanese newspapers report that Trump is dividing the U.S., but if we follow his words and actions, from the outset he has been emphasizing the creation of a country unified under God.

“Whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag,” he said in his inaugural address. We are all “infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator.” Trump knows that all people are equal in soul.

In stark contrast, leftist groups are denying the history of America and fanning hatred in people to divide the nation. As we saw, erasing history could mean reopening wounds that had already healed. As Trump tweeted, you “can’t change history, but you can learn from it.”

A public survey suggests that 62% of all Americans, 86% of Republican supporters, 61% independent party supporters, and 44% of Democratic supporters think that statues of Southern leaders and heroes should remain standing as historical monuments. In comparison, 27% of all Americans want the statues taken down. (NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist)

The majority of citizens are against the removal of the statues of Southern leaders. If so, why are the leftist groups acting so frenetically?

Seeing the failure of the Russia scandal to bring Trump down, the liberal media and Democrats shifted their focus to Trump’s Charlottesville response, using it to justify labelling him a racist in an attempt to prevent his re-election.

Trump must implement his agenda to bring happiness to the people, including the achievement of tax reform. Dividing the nation now will not bring anyone happiness. He must stimulate the economy and focus on making America great again.