Patti Davis, the daughter of former president Ronald Reagan, had some strong words for Donald Trump following his controversial comments about the second amendment this week.
The current Republican candidate told a crowd Tuesday at a rally in North Carolina that "second amendment people" could stop Hillary Clinton, essentially suggesting they shoot her. In a Facebook post, Davis recalled the attempted assassination of her father by John Hinckley, a mentally unstable man who was obsessed with actress Jodie Foster and believed his actions would catch her attention. She warned against such violent rhetoric, saying, "words matter."
To Donald Trump: I am the daughter of a man who was shot by someone who got his inspiration from a movie, someone who believed if he killed the President the actress from that movie would notice him. Your glib and horrifying comment about "Second Amendment people" was heard around the world. It was heard by sane and decent people who shudder at your fondness for verbal violence. It was heard by your supporters, many of whom gleefully and angrily yell, "Lock her up!" at your rallies. It was heard by the person sitting alone in a room, locked in his own dark fantasies, who sees unbridled violence as a way to make his mark in the world, and is just looking for ideas. Yes, Mr. Trump, words matter. But then you know that, which makes this all even more horrifying.
Hinckley, Jr. has been released from prison after a judge ruled he was no longer a danger to others earlier this month, 35 years after his attempt to kill Reagan. Davis is the latest figure to speak out against Trump's comments, which reportedly earned Trump a visit from the Secret Service.
