After this past week: Charlottesville, racist presidential comments, violence and division, I keep wanting to “woke” my family and friends who voted for Trump (and still defend the man). They are not having it.
These are good people. People who treat others fairly, raise moral kids, have gay and minority friends, who love (or at least tolerate) as a general rule. They liked Trump, trusted in his mission to improve the economy, and they continue to defend the man… saying “it’s all the media’s fault,” and “but I couldn’t vote for Hillary.”
I want to ask them now, “Are you happy he is your president?” or even more revealing, “Is he accomplishing what you wanted? What was it that you wanted done again?”
And still, I know they are right: the media is relentless in detailing his failings and contaminated character, just as they were ferocious in propagating his (ad-selling) showmanship during the election. They made the man, and now given the gravitas of the situation, they want to bring that man down.
But he is an asshole. A privileged man-child who assholed his way up the totem pole of capitalist greed thickly strewn with testosterone-laden trophies. An asshole, who in any other arena would have been shunned, avoided, or perhaps molded toward a more gentle, considerate way.
He started strong with family money, possessed charm and that magic aroma of “authenticity,” loved all that was splashy and spectacular, and did deals that have been conceded as more than an a bit dirty.
He intimidated his foes, stomped on or stiffed the little guy, manipulated the media to emblazon his brand and grew his golden empire. He made it. And some of us bought it. After all, his talk was refreshing.
Maybe we could have what he has, by the grace of his leadership. Hooray!
Except now, we are getting whiffs of a character grown rotten under piles of ill-gotten booty, extra-marital booty grabs, and an ego-stroking addiction so terrible, he punishes all who don’t feed it.
So now he’s mad that the media doesn’t love him. He’s mad that they government— stacked with Republicans— still can’t accomplish his goals. He’s mad he is criticized, his deals are examined, and his ego is hangry. He’s mad he’s not loved for succeeding all over the place. All over our place.
He blames and blames and blames… and only takes credit for (everyone’s) successes; yet never even acknowledges the importance of moral leadership, the real problems and challenges he needs to handle, or his clear and present failings.
And he’s earned all this criticism. He’s tweeted, talked and lazied himself right into the motherlode of it. He’s accomplished little, even though it is his job to work hard to gain support and build coalitions. And to communicate (cue Twitter feed).
But what about his supporters? Do they recognize that his feelings about this criticism are irrelevant? Does he realize that people with eyes to see, want to know what he’s done?
I see much of what he’s actually done, and I don’t like it. But I wouldn’t like executive orders that oppress entire races of people. Or threat-fests with crazy people about nuclear war, or fizzling of a promised “wall” (a thing I still think is a waste, but was curious to see: would it have frescoes and gilding from sea to shining sea— this “beautiful” wall?). I also dislike reassuring “nice Nazis” and I don’t like nomination of so many conservative judges, but I digress…
In terms of LIFE, I respect kindness, civility, honesty and consistency. I thought my friends and family did too? Hello?!
But still many are protecting an asshole, and now they can’t shake loose from the sphere of his stink. I’m sorry they didn’t figure out that if they dealt with this man while invoicing for their business, or were queued up in line with him for the last bit of ice cream, or had lent him their lawn mower, that they would absolutely hate him. He is that kind of “me first” person that we find most repugnant and avoid at all costs, except for maybe a good laugh while drunk.
And that is what happens, when you make, then entrench into an insane situation: you become just as tainted as the pariah you raised up. You promoted overt social aberration in favor of money and the illusion of safety. Or worse, you did it because you suspended your reason so you could vote from your (very-well-manipulated) gut. You have forsaken your senses. You have lost your way. No amount of media love for the man will fix this mess. He can’t get the job done (Thank Goodness). He is not a good man.
Please woke. Start over. Live your conscience. Now
