While everyone was apt to condemn Trump's rhetoric on Charlottesville, we might have opted off reason to consolidate the media's obsession.
Yes, “racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.” Trump further asserted that he condemns "in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides." And this sparkled the media backlash. In all honesty, this statement is a perfect statement of reason because both the alt right and the alt left were wrong in the display of violence, and two wrongs don't make a right. It is true that the Nazis, kkk, white supremacist have ideologies that are clearly unacceptable in this civilised dispensation, but their right to association have enabled them organise protests and rallies even under the Obama administration and previous. As a matter of fact they obtained a permit for the protest, something the alt left(antifa) did not do. The underlying ideology of the protest is condemnable and violence on either side is unjustifiable. The Antifa or alt left that went chattering with clubs and weapons are by no means peaceful and should not be treated with more dignity since their aim was clearly to provoke violence.
As to the question of moral equivalence, Antifa is relatively new and couldn't have orchestrated equal evils as the neo Nazis, kkk and white supremacist. The event at Charlottesville is a testament to the horror it can unleash if given the space of time. Antifa's act cannot be regarded as self defense, and in that light it is violence that deserves condemnation. Violence should be condemned regardless of the age of the perpetrating group.
So when Trump recently asserted his position on "violence on many sides" when he met with Senator Tim Scott, I agree with him though the media successfully painted it in bad light again.
"I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at what's going on there. You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also, and essentially that's what I said. Now, because of what's happened since then with Antifa — you look at really what's happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written, 'Gee, Trump might have a point.' I said, 'You've got some very bad people on the other side also,' which is true" Trump said. All the sides to violence are wrong and should not be politicized. Hatred or disgust for Trump and his policies does not automatically make bad things permissible. What is wrong is wrong. Violence is wrong and all sides fuelling violence, whether at Charlottesville or yonder, are wrong.