Trying

The President and the First Lady came to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 to show respect for those effected by the horrific massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue last weekend. The President was trying.

The presidential visit began with a motorcade into the city and a visit to the Tree of Life synagogue, where Mr. Trump placed stones and white roses from the White House in commemoration of those killed in Saturday’s attack by a gunman full of anti-Semitic rage shouting that Jews must die. The President was trying.

At the synagogue, Trump was accompanied by the first lady, Melania Trump, his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner. They were greeted by Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, the spiritual leader of the Tree of Life congregation, and Trump lit candles in a vestibule for each of the 11 shooting victims. The President was trying.

Later, Trump visited the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, spending about an hour at the hospital, meeting privately with four officers who were injured responding to the shooting, along with members of their families.
The President was trying.
An open letter to the president signed by more than 40 “members of the Pittsburgh Jewish Community” welcomed the president and expressed “gratitude to you and your administration for your unwavering support of Israel.” However, as the President moved around Pittsburgh, a largely Democratic city, the signs of discord were apparent, and of course a protest was planned for later in the afternoon. A protest against what?, one might ask. Was it a protest against a president who is unabashedly the most pro-Israel president in the last thirty years? Was it a protest because the President made this extra effort to come to Pittsburgh – not to condone violence, but to show sympathy for the victims. What exactly were the protesters trying to prove?
Clearly, not everyone in Pittsburgh was opposed to the visit. Even some of those who do not like Trump at all said he had no good choice, facing criticism if he came and criticism if he did not. Obviously he knew that those on the left would be critical, no matter what he did, but he was trying.
Locally there was an inter-faith vigil at Temple Adat Shalom. It was attended by over 400 people of different faiths. What a wonderful idea. The organizers were really trying. However the host, Rabbi David Castiglione of Temple Adat Shalom in his opening remarks immediately took out after President Trump. And this obviously anti-Trump rhetoric at a “never again” religious gathering was meant to accomplish what? What exactly was the rabbi trying to prove?
At this point to me these liberal responses are becoming quite trying!

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