Crime novelist Zoë Sharp (Felony & Mayhem Press screenshot)
OK. Let’s see what novelist Zoë Sharp has written for the Times Book Review. Here’s how it ends:
The president didn’t seem to notice. He waved, in his desultory fashion. The Secret Service agents clustered around him, ushered him toward the armored limo idling outside at the curb.
The Russian waited until they were a few steps past before he drew the gun. He sighted on the center of the president’s back, and squeezed the trigger.
The Makarov misfired.
The Secret Service agent at the president’s shoulder heard the click, spun into a crouch. He registered the scene instantly, drawing his own weapon with razor-edge reflexes.
The Russian tasted failure. He closed his eyes and waited to pay the cost.
It did not come.
He opened his eyes. The Secret Service agent stood before him, presenting his Glock, butt first.
“Here,” the agent said politely. “Use mine. …”
The New York Times has published a fantasy about a Secret Service agent giving his gun to a Russian assassin for the sake of murdering Donald Trump.
Trump’s rhetoric is horrible. Shameful. Dangerous. Disgusting! But: anything that newspaper has to say about the danger of careless rhetoric encouraging political violence in this country should be evaluated with this Zoë Sharp piece in mind.