Letter to the Editor: Did Secret Service do its job?

After reading the opinion piece from Rep. Taylor Collins that appeared in the Newton News, I feel the need to set a few things straight.

Of course everyone is relieved that the former president survived an attempt on his life. That goes without saying.

What I’m uncomfortable with, and I know from speaking with some friends in the military and law enforcement that they are bewildered by, is how on earth those Secret Service agents, who rushed the stage immediately after Trump went down, could have allowed him to get back up and raise a fist to the crowd, effectively exposing him again as a target, not knowing at that moment if the shooter was still alive and re-aiming his weapon, or if there was another shooter or two who were taking aim?

I understand Rep. Collins is probably still amped up by seeing his candidate play the tough guy, but what Trump and the Secret Service actually did was to put Trump’s life further in danger with this defiant act.

Rep. Collins mockingly states that “most people who are shot, or in the crosshairs of gunfire would crawl their way across the stage in whatever fashion they could ...”, implying most folks being shot at are cowards, or weak, or both.

No, most people would want to not get shot again, and would stay down until told it is clear to get back up. Which is the job of the Secret Service, who should have forced Trump to stay down until told the threat was neutralized. They had one job to do and they failed.

And if the shooter, or another, had taken aim at Trump with his exposed head and raised fist and not missed? Well, we’d all be having a different reaction, wouldn’t we?

I can see Trump wanting to not look weak by being on the ground covered by Secret Service agents, but isn’t staying alive more important than image? Isn’t keeping the former president from taking another bullet more important than how that might look to voters at that rally and on TV?

Before we praise too much a foolish and reckless attempted show of strength, let’s think a bit about what really happened. And what could have happened.

This wasn’t an act of bravery, nor was it a show of strength. It was an act of emotional foolishness and a dereliction of duty by those agents on that stage.

John Moore

Newton