Imagine if, after the murder of Charlie Kirk, some late-night comedian or democratic politician dismissed his death by saying, “Things happen.”

Can you imagine the outrage from not only the President but every conservative politician, podcaster, Christian Nationalist, and citizen who was outraged just because the internet told them to be outraged?

Yet when President Trump dismissed the murder of an American journalist by saying, “Things happen” there is barely a peep.

The other day in the Oval Office, President Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The visit was controversial from the start, considering the Saudi’s record on human rights and their possible involvement in 9/11.

Now I know that sometimes, to further America’s interests, we have to deal with bad people. We may not like it, but we have to deal with the likes of, among others, bin Salman, Xi Jinping, Putin, and Kim Jong Un. Dictators who have had journalists murdered.

When a reporter asked the president about the murder of Washington Post contributing editor Jamal Khashoggi, Trump’s response was, “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about. Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen.”

“Things happen.” If a person were so inclined, they could have applied the president’s comment word for word to Charlie Kirk. And if they did, it would be just as wrong. And I have no doubt the president would call for that person to be fired.

Trump went on to claim that bin Salman knew nothing about it, even though the CIA has determined that the murder was ordered by the Crown Prince. The prince’s own personal security detail was responsible for kidnapping Khashoggi and cutting him up with a bone saw.

I guess sometimes things, like being cut to pieces with a bone saw, just happen.

President Trump continues his assault on the media by accusing a reporter who asks a question he doesn’t like of being “fake news.” When a female reporter from Bloomberg recently asked him about the Epstein files, instead of giving her an answer, he pointed to her and said, “Quiet Piggy.”

A reporter from ABC News was the one who asked about the Khashoggi murder. He obviously didn’t like the question and said the reporter was the worst. But he didn’t stop there. He wants his FCC commissioner to look into shutting down ABC because he doesn’t like the questions their reporters ask.

There have been times in my career when I have had violent threats against me, including two death threats, because someone didn’t like what I had said. I know other commentators and reporters have had the same thing happen to them. None of the threats against me came from an elected official, although I know they don’t always like the questions I’ve asked.

President Trump took an oath to defend the Constitution. That includes the First Amendment. I don’t see how dismissing the murder of an American journalist honors that oath.

There was no massive, televised memorial service for Jamal Khashoggi. No outrage about the President’s comment, like there was for what Jimmy Kimmel and others said.

Jamal Khashoggi spoke truth to power and paid the ultimate price.

Worldwide, an average of 80 journalists a year are murdered for the work they do. Countless others are intimidated or don’t file reports in the first place, worried about the possible consequences from their leaders.

American journalism is under attack. From the president and from the economic realities of the media today. If President Trump had his way, he’d get rid of the First Amendment altogether. We cannot let that happen.

No president likes many of the questions reporters ask or the reports they file. Nobody likes having everything they do questioned and put under the microscope, but that’s part of the job.

If it weren’t for a dedicated reporter from Miami, we might not know about the Epstein Files in the first place. Or the murder of Khashoggi, the Trump family business dealings in Saudi Arabia, or any number of things that Trump wishes weren’t made public.

It remains to be seen if the Epstein files will ever see the light of day. Or if they’ve been whitewashed to clear the names of the president and his friends. But little by little, more information will get out thanks to good reporting from outlets like the Wall Street Journal, which uncovered the birthday card Trump sent Epstein.

Yes, Mr. President, you can berate the press all you want, but the truth will come out. Things Happen.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.