Sgt. LaDavid Johnson, A true American Hero!
After another week of shifting news relating to the president, I sit in full wonderment on how history will reflect on this administration. Now almost a full year since last November's election, we had been convinced by pundits that the president has an inner circle of "handlers" to keep the president from going off the rails. Unfortunately this week, we learned first hand that there are no real controls in place to check the president. How do we know this? Chief of Staff John Kelly proved this week that not only will he fall on his sword for Trump, but he will also cede all claims to having decency instead to appease "the boss." But why?
As you know, four brave members of our special forces were ambushed and killed in Niger. (See: www.voanews.com/a/new-details-emerge-about-attack-that-killed-us-soldiers-in-niger/4080617.html).
Instead of immediately airing sympathies to the families of those killed in action, the president simply ignored the event all together, instead focussing in on disparaging the NFL as being somehow "less American" because they won't blindly accept Trump's demand that those not standing for the anthem be terminated. Yes, a sitting president is more concerned about clipping the wings of Americans expressing political dissent than conveying sympathies of any kind to the families of real heroes - the ones killed serving their country. When forced to answer for his failings, Trump again lashed out against anyone that could possibly point out his obvious failings. To make matters worse, after being pressured to at least communicate in some fashion with the families, Trump lashed out against former presidents and then ultimately carelessly applied suggestions on how to express comfort to the grieving family from his Chief of Staff (whose own son was killed in action). I say carelessly because once again Trump seems to lack an ability to appreciate humility and empathy for anyone other than himself. Seems the president has a problem following details or engaging in nuance. (See: www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/10/16/why-was-trump-so-quiet-after-the-deaths-of-four-u-s-soldiers-in-niger/?utm_term=.78e6ccf069d7 and www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2017/10/17/trumps-lie-about-obama-and-fallen-soldiers-shows-how-he-makes-america-dumber/?utm_term=.1f46ee022882).
After it was revealed that his conversation with one family went awry, the president publicly labeled the Congresswomen who publicized his faux pas, as "wacky." (See: www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/10/21/trump-calls-rep-wilson-wacky-in-ongoing-feud-about-call-to-military-widow.html). Right in step, his supporters then began a social media campaign to not challenge her for what she related, but to attack her for her physical appearance and how she chooses to dress in public. In other words, attack the messenger, ignore the message! To add insult to injury, Trump trotted out General Kelly to explain how difficult it is to deal with the death of a soldier killed in action. Nice try, but it failed miserably. Why? Because Kelly couldn't restrain himself from taking the attacks on the Congresswoman further. Instead of saying the message from Trump may have been misinterpreted, Kelly went on to assert the Congresswoman was "politicizing" the matter by using it for her personal gain. To back this up, Kelly went on to claim he has personal knowledge that the Congresswoman took personal credit for a government building being built honoring two deceased FBI agents. By the time you were done listening to Kelly, you would have thought the Congresswoman was just another political hack seeking her 15 minutes of fame. Except it was not true. Not only was the Congresswoman a family friend and mentor to the dead soldier, a video of the event Kelly cited as proof of her ambitions showed HE was lying. She never used the building dedication for personal aggrandizement. Oops. SO what do we have? A serial lying president being controlled by a lying Chief of Staff? (See: www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/john-kelly-owes-the-congresswoman-an-apology/2017/10/20/c81205e2-b5c1-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.44b175bc23de).
What's worse? Trump followers walking lock-step with Trump and now Kelly in furthering attacks on the Congresswoman - even after knowing the attacks are lies. Why is it that those claiming some righteous higher ground can never recognize their hypocrisy of their position? Why is it that those same folks can't figure out why others begin to ignore them - which leads to their misplaced angst. It's not "enemies" that dump on you - it's your own political idols that do. Instead of attacking others for disagreeing with you, perhaps it would be better to question the messages you routinely listen to and repeat. After all, Fox News has become a regular purveyor of fake news, yet its audience hangs on its every word. (See: www.politifact.com/punditfact/tv/fox/ and www.militarytimes.com/news/your-navy/2017/10/19/faker-man-admits-he-lied-to-fox-news-about-navy-seal-service/).
One day we can only hope Americans wake up and realize that the government is OURS. We can only hope Americans wake up and realize that we are ALL in this together! We need real change. Not lip service change, but a sweeping effort to change the way politicians manipulate the system and the truth. I guess that would include liars at all levels of government, including Trump and Kelly. Unfortunately, the "swamp" Trump sold Americans on as needing "draining" is now a cesspool of his own making and its becoming more toxic everyday.
As President Dwight D. Eisenhower once wrote; "A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both." It should be a tantamount principle that elected officials stop telling lies to We The People. Have a great week!
As you know, four brave members of our special forces were ambushed and killed in Niger. (See: www.voanews.com/a/new-details-emerge-about-attack-that-killed-us-soldiers-in-niger/4080617.html).
Instead of immediately airing sympathies to the families of those killed in action, the president simply ignored the event all together, instead focussing in on disparaging the NFL as being somehow "less American" because they won't blindly accept Trump's demand that those not standing for the anthem be terminated. Yes, a sitting president is more concerned about clipping the wings of Americans expressing political dissent than conveying sympathies of any kind to the families of real heroes - the ones killed serving their country. When forced to answer for his failings, Trump again lashed out against anyone that could possibly point out his obvious failings. To make matters worse, after being pressured to at least communicate in some fashion with the families, Trump lashed out against former presidents and then ultimately carelessly applied suggestions on how to express comfort to the grieving family from his Chief of Staff (whose own son was killed in action). I say carelessly because once again Trump seems to lack an ability to appreciate humility and empathy for anyone other than himself. Seems the president has a problem following details or engaging in nuance. (See: www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/10/16/why-was-trump-so-quiet-after-the-deaths-of-four-u-s-soldiers-in-niger/?utm_term=.78e6ccf069d7 and www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2017/10/17/trumps-lie-about-obama-and-fallen-soldiers-shows-how-he-makes-america-dumber/?utm_term=.1f46ee022882).
After it was revealed that his conversation with one family went awry, the president publicly labeled the Congresswomen who publicized his faux pas, as "wacky." (See: www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/10/21/trump-calls-rep-wilson-wacky-in-ongoing-feud-about-call-to-military-widow.html). Right in step, his supporters then began a social media campaign to not challenge her for what she related, but to attack her for her physical appearance and how she chooses to dress in public. In other words, attack the messenger, ignore the message! To add insult to injury, Trump trotted out General Kelly to explain how difficult it is to deal with the death of a soldier killed in action. Nice try, but it failed miserably. Why? Because Kelly couldn't restrain himself from taking the attacks on the Congresswoman further. Instead of saying the message from Trump may have been misinterpreted, Kelly went on to assert the Congresswoman was "politicizing" the matter by using it for her personal gain. To back this up, Kelly went on to claim he has personal knowledge that the Congresswoman took personal credit for a government building being built honoring two deceased FBI agents. By the time you were done listening to Kelly, you would have thought the Congresswoman was just another political hack seeking her 15 minutes of fame. Except it was not true. Not only was the Congresswoman a family friend and mentor to the dead soldier, a video of the event Kelly cited as proof of her ambitions showed HE was lying. She never used the building dedication for personal aggrandizement. Oops. SO what do we have? A serial lying president being controlled by a lying Chief of Staff? (See: www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/john-kelly-owes-the-congresswoman-an-apology/2017/10/20/c81205e2-b5c1-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.44b175bc23de).
What's worse? Trump followers walking lock-step with Trump and now Kelly in furthering attacks on the Congresswoman - even after knowing the attacks are lies. Why is it that those claiming some righteous higher ground can never recognize their hypocrisy of their position? Why is it that those same folks can't figure out why others begin to ignore them - which leads to their misplaced angst. It's not "enemies" that dump on you - it's your own political idols that do. Instead of attacking others for disagreeing with you, perhaps it would be better to question the messages you routinely listen to and repeat. After all, Fox News has become a regular purveyor of fake news, yet its audience hangs on its every word. (See: www.politifact.com/punditfact/tv/fox/ and www.militarytimes.com/news/your-navy/2017/10/19/faker-man-admits-he-lied-to-fox-news-about-navy-seal-service/).
One day we can only hope Americans wake up and realize that the government is OURS. We can only hope Americans wake up and realize that we are ALL in this together! We need real change. Not lip service change, but a sweeping effort to change the way politicians manipulate the system and the truth. I guess that would include liars at all levels of government, including Trump and Kelly. Unfortunately, the "swamp" Trump sold Americans on as needing "draining" is now a cesspool of his own making and its becoming more toxic everyday.
As President Dwight D. Eisenhower once wrote; "A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both." It should be a tantamount principle that elected officials stop telling lies to We The People. Have a great week!
RSS Feed
