brushfire"This, yes, this, it was always like this." -Stanley Koehler
REFLECTIONS OF AN EMPTY NESTER
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With all the noise surrounding Donald Trump and his latest gaffe, sometimes it’s easy to lose a sense of scale. For example, there was the kerfuffle about him kicking a baby out of a rally. It was pretty funny; one reporter joked: “What next? Punt a puppy from the stage?” I watched the video clip, though, and concluded the exchange was innocuous. Trump was good-natured about it, if mildly annoyed, and yes, maybe the mother should have had the sense to remove her crying baby.
So with matters of such little consequence getting so much press, when something really, really offensive happens, we don’t pause to say: Wait, what? I’m talking about Trump accepting a Purple Heart from a veteran. Sure, journalists ragged on him about it, but it didn’t attract much more attention than Babygate. The thing is: no one mentioned how he could have used the vet’s sacrifice to his advantage. He could have gained a bit of positive press, a sound byte. He might have even earned a few votes! Here’s what a decent, compassionate, thoughtful, presidential person would have said: “Sir, I am honored and humbled by your gift and show of support. I thank you for your service to this country and for your sacrifice. But of course, I can’t possibly accept it, except in spirit. The gesture means more to me than words can express.” But what did Trump do? He took it! Like a grabby four-year-old snatching a shiny trinket: “Gimme gimme gimme!” To make matters worse, he showed complete and utter ignorance and disregard, saying how he had always wanted to get the Purple Heart, but this was much easier than serving in combat. Easier? Was this meant to be a joke, as if dying or sustaining a wound in the act of duty is a laughing matter? Is there anything easy about receiving the Purple Heart, ever? The man is not only unfit for the office of president, he’s unfit for a toddler playgroup.
2 Comments
Republicans like Ted Cruz who know Trump would be terrible for the country but who have endorsed him anyway to further their own interests should be ashamed of themselves.
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Mary Anne Brush
9/29/2016 07:26:43 pm
Totally agree! It's interesting to note Ted Cruz didn't endorse Trump until he started closing in on Hillary Clinton's lead in the polls. Just hedging his bets, I suppose.
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Mary Anne BrushJournalist, fiction writer, wife and mother |