Of course Trump said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue. Is this somehow different?

Americans mistrust power and despite their worship of it, to some extent wealth.

Americans have a shove it mentality that surfaces in a lot of ways. NIMBY, not my problem, and even rugged individualists. We worry about the self first, and not the social bonds or fabric. Mother Theresa's we are not.

Americans always think someone or something is blocking their path to prosperity, dominance, freedom, and much more.

I don't find the cheap take on life surprising. But it is deplorable, pure malevolence, something uniquely evil. It's like our obsession with serial killers.

these youngsters have grown up with school shootings. Every time their friends, teachers, family are murdered they hear how gun rights are more important than their life.

They have been carefully taught not to empathize over the victims of gun violence.

He wasn't giving himself permission to "shoot someone on 5th Avenue", he said that if he did do it. "people would still vote" for him, and he said it in a tone of astonishment.

to augment his invincibility and credibility. I'd call it bragging with enhancers.