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CHARLESTON, S.C. — The idea of a race war has long animated white supremacists, who seem to think that such a conflict would result in a white victory, whatever that would mean.

Dylann Roof — the white man-boy who murdered nine black parishioners during Bible study at Mother Emanuel AME Church here four summers ago — entertained such an idea and told his roommate that he wanted to start a race war. Alas, Roof failed in his mission. Instead of a war, he launched a massive, community- and statewide demonstration of love, charity and forgiveness, as well as a deepened commitment to racial reconciliation. Blacks and whites hugged, joined hands and, soon after the shooting, marched by the thousands over the Ravenel Cooper River Bridge in solidarity.

If there ever were to be a “race war” in America, it would have to wait for Donald Trump — rhetorically speaking.

Before you dash to your keyboard, I’m not comparing Trump’s recent racist remarks to a mass murderer’s bloody rampage. But the president’s cannon is loose upon the land, and his attempts to create friction between the races is not harmless. Though no one in his or her right mind can be happy about his callous comments recently aimed exclusively at minority leaders, one can be fairly certain that America’s neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klanners and other white supremacists are celebrating.