WEEK IN REVIEW: A FREE PRESS
“The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” –Thomas Jefferson
THE SPOILED CHILD
Like a spoiled child, the new president needs to blame others rather than face up to his own shortcomings and inappropriate behavior. He constantly seeks out scapegoats; currently, Thumper blames the press for nearly everything. As soon as he or his policies are criticized, he’s off to verbal war. He attacks or ridicules individual journalists when given half a chance. During the campaign, he mocked a reporter with disabilities and made unkind comments about Megyn Kelly, the moderator who had committed the affront of asking him a question!
THE MOCKED REPORTER AND MERYL STREEP
Not just journalists but anyone who appears to get in Thumper’s way is fair game. When Meryl Streep mentioned how disappointed she felt after seeing his mocking of the reporter with disabilities, Trump tweeted by calling her “over-rated”. This was somewhat ironic as Streep, long considered one of Hollywood’s most accomplished actresses, was in attendance as the honored guest: she was being given a that very evening! Apparently, Trump missed the purpose of that part of the evening in his warped world of made-up alternative nonsense–or believes he can impose his opinion on everyone else!
In effect, he tried to devalue every person in attendance as well as the general public: “You are all wrong to think Ms. Streep is a fine actress because I, the Great God Trump, declare otherwise!” He would never think to take the one simple step that would make the most sense to address all the bad feelings and clear the way to moving forward: “I was wrong to mock the reporter. I apologize; it won’t happen again; let’s move on.”
IMAGINE
Imagine if a leading figure in sports were being given an award—say Michael Jordan—who happens to say something critical of Trump—only to have the offended Trump reply” “Jordan’s over-rated”! Thumper would do it too. At present, there is probably no single person in America who does not risk running afoul of Trump’s tasteless choice of insults should he or she dare criticize the president.
Thumper has lost his grip on both truth and reality, assuming he ever had such a grip in the first instance. His megalomania is blinding him to the world around him.
No amount of education or success will protect people once the president succumbs to his psychological need to vent and insult any person he doesn’t like. This isn’t presidential; it isn’t even mature adulthood; it’s a form of careening, out-of-control, unregulated mental instability.
It’s not just a question of what people think of Meryl Streep or other famous people who have an opinion of Trump he does not want to hear; it’s the totally immature and imbecilic way in which responds that really has so many people gravely concerned. Is he that thin-skinned and emotionally insecure that he cannot tolerate the slightest criticism from anyone?
FACING FACTS
We must face facts, my fellow Americans: Trump is as immature as an eleven year old boy. His life as a rich spoiled brat has created demented distortions of reality within his brain that have given rise to his many unbecoming personality flaws. He speaks with contempt and disdain told anyone who annoys or angers him. This is not how a person holding the office of the presidency should behave. There is no dignity in his antics, no integrity in his tweeted utterances, and no decency in his verbal assaults on his fellow Americans.
NARCISSISM: “IF THE WORD FITS”
His narcissism leads him astray constantly; he convinces himself he can do anything better than everybody else when there’s absolutely no evidence to support such wildly fanciful assertions (with one notable exception perhaps: a case could be made he’s good at running projects into bankruptcy and escaping through a back door marked “king of debt”, which he proclaimed himself to be!) Will he run the country into debt and bankruptcy as well? He proposes a wall that will cost billions of dollars if built, with no practical plan to pay for it!
Out of the blue, he asserts he is a more informed expert on foreign affairs than anyone else; therefore, he doesn’t need the recommendations of vastly more experienced diplomats with whom he disagrees. Even more shocking, he has been dismissive toward the American intelligence community and what they do and know. Being enamored of Putin (for whatever reason), Thumper was painfully slow to accept their findings that Russia was most likely behind the computer-hacking attacks that occurred before and during the election.
Not only is he willing to mock a reporter and insults an actress but he is also willing to blast the very agencies responsible for keeping the president informed as to the nature and extent of international tensions and threats: of potentially very real dangers emanating from abroad!
THUMPER’S TEMPER TANTRUMS
When Thumper doesn’t get his own way, he threatens or ridicules others with a scornful disregard for the feelings of others that is truly shocking for a man of his age. He readily resorts to exaggeration and falsehoods “to get his way” in much the same manner as a child throws a temper tantrum. He can’t bear the thought he lost the popular vote so he makes up an unfounded allegation that millions of people voted illegally, despite wide agreement from all informed parties and reputable organizations that nothing of the sort happened. Is this nothing but an old propaganda ploy, The Big Lie Technique of any demagogue-in-the-making?
EMPATHY AND COMPASSION
Has he never learned the rudimentary aspects of empathy and compassion, decency and dignity? It is outrageous that a man so totally insensitive to the feelings of others should be serving in a capacity by which millions of people all over the world will judge the United States and the quality of its political leadership.
He is already proving himself a disgrace to the historical prestige of the office of the presidency—and he has barely begun! He will carve a wide path of destruction wherever he goes: injuring morale, undermining faith in our nation, and destroying legitimate opportunities for peaceful progress both within and without our borders.
