Trying to make sense of the violence in the streets? Political communication expert Helio Fred Garcia says it was anticipated and predicted because President Trump is following a playbook. Garcia will discuss the communication strategies leaders use to condition people to accept, condone, and commit violence and Trump’s pattern of getting desperate before an election and ratcheting up his rhetoric. “He demonizes groups and rivals. He glorifies white supremacists. And he invents an existential threat that requires an armed response. He did so before the 2016 election; he did so before the 2018 mid-term, with fatal consequences. And he’s doing it now,” Garcia says. What can be done? Garcia will share techniques that citizens, journalists, and civic leaders can use to confront the incendiary rhetoric. Helio Fred Garcia teaches crisis management and communications, communication strategy and ethics at NYU and Columbia University. He is the author of “Words on Fire: The Power of Incendiary Language and How to Confront It.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 991-8328; jboyer@rtirguests.com
