GULF SHORES — An otherwise peaceful weekend was shattered for Trump supporters along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
After hearing the news of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, beachgoers in Gulf Shores geared up in their most patriotic clothing and began to pray.
Kristi Crispin and her family were on vacation from Rockwall, Texas. They were getting ready for dinner when they heard the news that someone had tried to kill Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
“I think it's devastating for this country; I think it's sad,” Crispin said. “I personally love him [Trump], so I'm all for him, but I'm all for this country, too. “This just makes me want to stand up for him more than before and be like, ‘This is who I'm voting for, and if you don't like it, I don't care.”
When Republican candidates began to come forward for the 2024 election, Larry Bowman, who lives in Gulf Shores, said he wasn’t necessarily a fan. He told 1819 News he just wanted a president who would get the job done. Now, he says he is fully backing the Trump campaign.
“He likes to help people,” Bowman said. “He likes to help the American people. I really think he does. I think he loves his country and the current president — I don't want to talk about the president we've got now, but the only thing I'm going to say about him is he's done a terrible job since he's been in there.”
After living through the 60s, Bowman said he had seen a lot of political violence. He hopes the attempted assassination doesn’t jumpstart a chain reaction of even more violent political acts.
“I do think there's a lot of people that would get mad about them trying to assassinate Trump then try to kill somebody else,” he added.
Mike and Kathy Thomas were at the beach Sunday and said that after reflecting on the violent day before, they were saddened by what transpired.
“It’s sad that we've come to that,” Mike Thomas said. “I mean, you may not agree with his politics or even agree with Biden's, but we don't have to resort to violence. We live in the greatest country in the world, and this is where we’re at.”
“I'm super disappointed that it happened,” Kathy Thomas said. “I was impressed with how fast he went down. I was just like, ‘70 something years old, and he went down really fast.’ And then I was really impressed with how fast he got up. To me, he just looked like he was mad, and he has every right to be mad.”
Brad Bearden was in Pensacola watching the Blue Angels when he heard the news that someone had tried to kill Trump. He said he could hardly believe what he was hearing on the radio. However, he said it isn’t surprising that the left would do such a thing.
“Well, when you tried to assassinate someone from a moral standpoint and then again from an ethical standpoint, and those two failed, it isn’t shocking,” Bearden said.
Going forward, Bearden said he hopes the country responds in a patriotic way similar to 9/11.
“That was a time where people on both sides of the aisle came together for what was best in the United States of America,” Bearden remembered. “It was about what the greater good of our nation and our country.”
Bearden said no matter which side of politics people stand on, violence is not the answer.
“What happened yesterday was wrong, and I think we can all agree on that,” he said. “If we can agree on that, we can agree on so much more, and that will move our country forward.”
Crispin is continuing her vacation with a new appreciation for freedom. She said while she is angry over the attempted assassination, she hasn’t forgotten to pray.
“I think it's sick,” she said. “But I also believe that a lot of it is because we don't have the Lord in this world. God protected him, but we need to pray over not just him but our country. Every day, we need to pray.”
The Thomas’s had their own messages for Trump.
“We got your back,” Mike Thomas said. “We're here for you.”
“Keep doing what you’re doing because you’ve really done a good job of being a presidential candidate,” Kathy Thomas added.
And in true Alabama style, Bearden had these parting words:
“God bless America and Roll Tide.”
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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