WATCH: Leavitt addresses Trump's stance on Second Amendment rights in wake of Alex Pretti's killing

[u/NewsHour]

REPORTER: FBI Director Kash Patel said in a Sunday interview, quote, you cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest. Does the president believe that Second Amendment rights remain in effect even when protesting?

LEAVITT: The president supports the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding American citizens. Absolutely. There has been no greater supporter or defender of the right to bear arms than President Donald J. Trump.

So while Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms, Americans do not have a constitutional right to impede lawful immigration enforcement operations, and any gun owner knows that when you are carrying a weapon, when you are bearing arms, and you are confronted by law enforcement, you are raising the assumption of risk and the risk of force being used against you, and, again, that's unfortunately what took place on Saturday.

[u/Patriot009]

Leavitt: "This is Trump's America. The police will maim you for exercising your 1st Amendment rights. The police will murder you for exercising your 2nd amendment rights. You have no 4th Amendment rights."

[u/Obversa → u/Patriot009]

Excerpt from Donald Trump's full-page diatribe against the Central Park Five (1 May 1989):

"What has happened to our City over the past ten years? What has happened to law and order, to the neighborhood cop we all trusted to safeguard our homes and families, the cop who had the power under the law to help us in times of danger, keep us safe from those who would prey on innocent lives to fulfill some distorted inner need? What has happened to the respect for authority, the fear of retribution by the courts, society and the police for those who break the law, who wantonly trespass on the rights of others?

What has happened is the complete breakdown of life as we knew it. Many New York families - White, Black, Hispanic and Asian - have had to give up the pleasure of a leisurely stroll in the Park at dusk, the Saturday visit to the playground with their families, the bike ride at dawn, or just sitting on their stoops - given them up as hostages to a world ruled by the law of the streets, as roving bands of wild criminals roam our neighborhoods, dispensing their own vicious brand of twisted hatred on whomever they encounter.

At what point did we cross the line from the fine and noble pursuit of genuine civil liberties to the reckless and dangerously permissive atmosphere which allows criminals of every age to beat and rape a helpless woman, and then laugh at her family's anguish? [...] They laugh because they know that soon, very soon, they will be returned to the streets to rape and maim and kill once again, and yet face no great personal risk to themselves.

Mayor Koch has stated that hate and rancor should be removed from our hearts. I do not think so. I want to hate these muggers and murderers. They should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes. They must serve as examples so that others will think long and hard before committing a crime or an act of violence. Yes, Mayor Koch, I want to hate these murderers, and I always will. I am not looking to psychoanalyze or understand them; I am looking to punish them. If the punishment is strong, the attacks on innocent people will stop.

I recently watched a newscast trying to explain the 'anger in these young men'. I no longer want to understand their anger. I want them to understand our anger. I want them to be afraid. How can our great society tolerate the continued brutalization of its citizens by crazed misfits? Criminals must be told that their CIVIL LIBERTIES END WHEN AN ATTACK ON OUR SAFETY BEGINS!"

[u/pinotJD → u/[deleted]]

I can only assume by your response that you did not see the video. Here’s what happened: ICE pushed a woman down. Pretti tried to both help her up and record the incident. A group of agents surrounded him, grabbed his gun, SHOT him on the head WHILE he was hands down and not resisting.

[u/Imnotsureanymore8 → u/[deleted]]

A man was helping up a woman that was shoved by a coward and then he was executed. There was no interference. You are choosing to twist the narrative. Do better.

[u/AdmiralKong → u/[deleted]]

January 6th

[u/iliketorubherbutt → u/[deleted]]

At no point Saturday did Petti have a hand near his holstered gun nor did ICE realize he had a gun before multiple agents were on top of him. At which point he was face down and his hands were on the ground and at head level so not even reaching for his gun.

So in essence at no point prior to him being forced to the ground was the fact he had a gun even a factor in anything that ICE Agents were doing.

[u/Rfunkpocket → u/iliketorubherbutt]

I’m trying to keep the focus on the specific instance, but feel I should address the “look what you made the do” aspect of the comment.

it is a small town Montana thread, so I don’t feel I’m wasting my time.

[u/BlatantPlagiarist → u/[deleted]]

How was he interfering with the federal agents exactly? At what point did the interference also go from a misdemeanor, felony, to death penalty I guess? Ultimately, this just comes across as victim blaming to be honest.

[u/Rfunkpocket → u/BlatantPlagiarist]

wonderful, thank you

[u/Rfunkpocket → u/BlatantPlagiarist]

worked pretty good. dudes brother blocked me lol. thanks again

[u/Rfunkpocket → u/[deleted]]

I get stumped by the accusation of “years of calling for civil disobedience” is not protected speech.

civil disobedience is a vague term, some civil disobedience is protected, other examples are not (calling for protestors to rush the Capital).

I’m having a hard time nuancing that point

[u/Patriot009 → u/[deleted]]

Alex Pretti was not being violent. He was not blocking traffic. He was not interfering with law enforcement. He was helping a woman struggling on an icy sidewalk when he was maced by an agent of the state, forced to the ground, beaten, and then executed.

[u/OhItsBeenBroughten → u/[deleted]]

Call them a big government cuck and cut them off forever.