Are You Against Evil?

 The first 2020 presidential debate was indeed a one man riot, and the first of its kind ever televised in

The 2020 Presidential Debate

America. There was looting and shooting going on. Trump was determined to loot or rob his opponent Joe Biden of any chance to make any solid case against his presidency. And the shooting obviously came from him as he yelled and argued with both Biden and Wallace the moderator who did his best to respectfully push back. Before the evening was done, Chris Wallace looked like a parent offering a child a cookie if he would just play nice. But the diarrhea of rants and ceaseless lies from Trump were designed to stop Biden from making a case to America as to why he would make a better leader for the next 4 years. Trump was already having a bad week with the news of his tax scandal. The press, with the Washington Post leading the way, was hitting him from every direction with proof that he had not paid his fair share of taxes and some of his deductions were jaw dropping. So, no doubt, by the time he stepped on that debate stage Trump was ready to shoot wild and hard for the sake of convincing his base that Joe Biden was a wimp and loser and he wasn't going to give him a chance to speak or get any points with his liberal base. That was his idea of how you win a debate.

Chris Wallace doesn't win the prize for moderator of the year. In fairness I think he was trying to keep the peace. But several times he bent and twisted himself way too much to pacify this President who was out of control and knew it. But to his credit he asked Trump several questions that made people sit up and take notice and they were all on race.  Wallace asked him point blank why he removed race sensitivity training at a federal level, and Trump responded; "I ended it because it's racist, I ended it because a lot of people were complaining and were asked to do things that were absolutely insane--- that it was a radical revolution that was taking place in our military, in our schools--- and you know it and so does everybody else." Wallace continued, "What is wrong with sensitivity training?" Trump remarked back, "If you were a certain person, you had no status in life. It was a reversal. You look at the people, we would pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to teach very bad ideas, and frankly very sick ideas--- and really they were teaching people to hate our country. And I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to allow that to happen. We have to go back to the core values of this country. They were teaching people that our country was a horrible place--- it's a racist place, and they were teaching people to hate our country."

It's amazing that Trump believes to acknowledge our country has a race issue is a racist thing to do. And to help people of all ages not be racist was somehow wrong. The apparent meaning of "Make America Great Again" has been obvious for a long time. Trump grew up that way.  Mary Trump has heard her grandfather Fred, and uncle Donald use racial slurs about Jews and people of color as she was growing up. It can be argued that Trump longs to get back to the good old days when White people had significance in this country and to make them to accept people of other races would be to admit that white Americans were wrong all along as to how they treated other races. Trump let that come gushing out of his mouth. It got worse from there as Trump actually said that Biden's horrible plans for America was to infiltrate the suburbs with undesirables inferring that the best thing is to keep the suburbs segregated and not elect him. This couldn't have been any worse than if it had been a throwback to the thinking of what

Walter Younger confronts racist neighborhood
spokesman Linder as wife and
sister look on. "Raisin In The Sun 1961"

Lorraine Hansberry wrote about in her play "A Raisin In The Sun." Reflecting the non-violent but determined ways that blacks were kept out of white neighborhoods. You will have to rent the movie with Sidney Poitier to get my meaning. Mr. Linder from the "Welcoming Committee" attempted to sugar coat the racist agenda by saying with his already rehearsed and demeaning speech.  "We think our Negros would be happier living in areas with people they have something in common with." That was back in 1961.   

If Miss Hansberry were alive today, she might be making the rounds on the news circuit reflecting Trumps scary suburbia purity agenda. We use to laugh at our TV sets as our favorite fictitious racist Archie Bunker worked tireless to keep his neighborhood from changing. He got up petitions and talked to his white friends but to no avail as the first black couple moved in next door who were, of course, the Jeffersons. We laughed and howled and shook our heads that crazy people like that were being foiled at every turn. It seemed that life was changing for the the better, and the bigots would either have to change or just die off. Sadly while we were laughing at Archie Bunker in the 1970's Donald and his father Fred were discriminating against black people by refusing to rent to them. Maybe this keeping the Suburbs separate is another way to return to those glory days of how the Trumps called the shots about who they would rent to.

Racism was funnier on 70s Television
"All In The Family"

The thing that amazes me is that there are some Americans who can't believe that Trump holds whites only views. But a person's actions speak louder about his character than anything. And we've seen Trump's on display for decades since his Central Park Five witch hunt days, right up to the Obama presidency where he yelled to the media "where's his birth certificate?" And continuing in Charlottesville calling White Supremacists very fine people. But still people who watched the debate were taken aback when Trump refused to denounce white Supremacists. 

Wallace: Are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say they need to stand down and not add to the violence to a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and Portland?

Trump: Give me a name. Who would you like for me to condemn?

Biden: (calling out) ---Proud Boys.

Trump: Proud Boys---stand back and stand by--- but I'll tell you what--- I'll tell you what--- somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left, because this is not a right-wing problem it's a left-wing problem.

Trump would later try to walk back his words by saying he didn't know who the Proud Boys were, but it was too late because by the next day Proud Boys would make "stand back, stand by" their rally cry on banners and printed T-shirts, plus new recruitments went up following that night's shout out by Trump. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them went out and got tattoos with those words. It was as though Trump was the magnet attracting the steel of haters. His Fox and Friends cronies were stunned about his refusal to denounce white supremacist as Brian Kilmeade remarked later "I don't know if he didn't hear that, but he's got to clarify that right away. That's like saying are you aren't against evil? ---Why the President didn't knock that out of the park, I'm not sure." There are some people who continue to deny what they hear coming from this president. Maybe because to admit they've supported a man who keeps children in cages, wants to build a wall to keep Mexicans from crossing over, sees muslims as a threat and wants to keep blacks out of the suburbs makes them racist too. Trump has had more explainers in his life (both personally and politically) than anyone I can ever think of. And so when people are still undecided about some of the things they heard from him at the last debate it makes me wonder how can this be?

"Donald thrives in chaos and division, and he will (because he is so weak and incompetent pick) the lowest common denominator ---that means strife between black Americans and white Americans--- and making his followers feel that they are superior, because like him they don't have a whole lot going for themselves. I don't understand honestly why this is something that continues to surprise people. Donald has been showing his stripes ever since the early 70s. What he did in the 80s with the Central Park Five was so vile, he should have never been allowed back in polite society after that." -Mary Trump The Beat interview MSNBC. Sept 11, 2020

Like Mary Trump I've had no doubt in my mind who Donald Trump is. I saw it when he bellowed for the first African American President's birth certificate. And it's only gotten worse as time has gone by. And there is no doubt that the Proud Boys know whose side Trump is on as well. He couldn't denounce them because they are what will make his version of America great again. 

Protest With Your Vote

 

The late Congressman John Lewis, flanked by young fans at Comic-Con in 2017. 

Justice has taken some real hits this year with Breonna Taylor as the latest. And now with the untimely passing of 3 great leaders and social justice warriors; John Lewis, Elijah Cummings and now Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it feels as though respect and decency is sinking into the quicksand and mire of the Trump presidency. By all indications so far, the polls are telling us that we have the wind at our backs to rid ourselves of him in November. But as most of you can tell, as each day goes by it won't be easy. Lies manipulation, and confusion are some of the verbal hands-on tools inside his bag of dirty tricks because he doesn't have real moral truth in his reach.

These are not normal times where a president would just mud sling at his rival. Trump craves more power, and has already crossed politcal as well as constitutional lines to assure himself he will have more of it. If he was just alone in this, I wouldn't be very worried. But his enablers range from the GOP who won't oppose him for the sake of humanity as well as who we are to other countries, but also to his base of supporters who spew his lies and are willing to pack themselves at rallies, maskless and all.

So what can we expect from this President and his minions between now and election day and maybe until January 20th? I would say expect anything but compassion and empathy. If a leader can be so cold and unfeeling about 203,000 plus souls lost to a pandemic, and even give himself an A-plus, then we need to become a little more shock proof. Our main job is to look ahead and brace for impact. Because when they go low we must still go high but go hard. Trumpsters don't respond to tweets or even facts. Their objective is to get us to respond with emotions and then claim they're the ones being victimized. They will reinterpret the most blatant and brutal scenes of violence where Trump had ordered (or at least not spoke up against) white supremacists with guns invading your state, town, or city with the pretense of keeping peace and fire upon protesters who carry no more that a BLM sign. We cannot, at this point, shame them in what they're doing as they pick fights with protesters, go into Walmart, Target, or a place to eat full of rage yelling things like "freedom" and "take off your masks!" We shouldn't surrender to the uncivil scare tactics of these people, instead allow it to be a determining factor of why we should vote. 

If you've been listening to any news outlet then you know voting scares Donald Trump, and he's hoping that we will be too afraid to show up at the polls (because of Covid-19) or shamed for using the mail-in ballot system. He talks in broken, unending speech about mail-in ballots being the sinister rigging tool of the Democrats, (although it's been used by Republican voters as well.) His top sheriff, Bill Barr, has attempted to give credence to Trump's wild claims about mail-in ballots.

“There’s no more secret vote with mail-in vote. A secret vote prevents selling and buying votes. So now we’re back in the business of selling and buying votes. Capricious distribution of ballots means (ballot) harvesting, undue influence, outright coercion, paying off a postman, here’s a few hundred dollars, give me some of your ballots,” the attorney general said.- Law And Crime, September 15, 2020

 Obviously Bill Barr just made up some strange claims to boost Trump's accusations that Democrats will print, buy or steal ballots because they are desperate enough to cheat. He has no solid past cases to make these wild accusations. But like many of Trump's loyalists he goes on TV to spread the nonsense in hopes that anyone who is anti Trump could be a criminal. 

It is my contention that Trump, Bill Barr, and his pro Trump forces can plan their strategies only by what we say and do but are helpless by what we think. They are expecting people in anguish to come out for Breonna Taylor, so they can weaponize the protests by labeling liberals and anti-Trumpers as rioters, looters, and terrorists. He and his crew of deplorables find strength from the anguish we feel. It's the wood for him to pour the gasoline on. If then we want what is best for our country, it might come from the inner  strength to restrain ourselves to not telegraph their plans and thoughts for him. As the proverb goes, "there is a time for every purpose under Heaven." Maybe we could hold our physical protests for this season and prepare to protest with our vote. To not be seen or heard by the opposition leading up to voting day could be the calm before the blue Tsunami. Perhaps our greatest weapon right now is our vote. The most hate-filled white supremacist and pro-Trumper has heard the rally cry that Black Lives Matter. (And they need to hear it again in the future.) But for now I believe our best strategy is not in what we express on social media, but what we do between now and November 3rd. 

I will make this as plain as possible. Yes, we need to express our outrage and disgust by protesting the injustice. But all injustice must be met with permanent solutions such as leader change. To vote against Trump, his immoral actions, those who make excuses for his bad behavior (i.e. Lindsey Graham) and those who are a threat to American decency will be the off-ramp to a better destination for ourselves and our children. I believe we're in the season of moving America to the polls, using whatever legal means possible.  

Trump and his hardcore base can't be stopped or reasoned with human appeal. Their personality politics has picked him as the winner again for another 4 years, and the only things that will give good people an undisputed victory for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and for a sense of normalcy is to choose this time to run silent, deep, and vote. 

What Do You Have To Lose?

We all saw the same video together. With the audio on we heard the screams from bystanders. "Get off his neck! You're killing him!" Other bystanders pleaded with the policeman facing them, "What's the matter with you Bro? I guess this makes you feel like a real man huh?" The Policeman keeping the bystanders back just stared expressionless as though what was happening didn't matter. With the camera moving back and forth you could make out what was going on. A black man was down on the pavement with another officer's knee pressed on his throat. The officer with one hand in his pocket and the other hand leaning on his cruiser for balance, seemed to be purposely laying all of his body weight on the cuffed arrestees neck. The black man panted and gasped "I can't breathe! -- please stop!" His pleading wasn't heeded. I thought I must be losing my mind. What does anyone do to deserve this humiliation? What was going on through the mind of Derek Chauvin as he heard the gasps for air mixed with the pleading or the other 2 officers who pinned his feet and midsection to the ground. After 8 minutes and 46 seconds George Floyd died, and his body was drug off by paramedics.

The shock of this event was mind-numbing. There were those who saw it in real time. They screamed at the police to stop and get off of his neck. Philonise Floyd, (George's brother) said in an interview:

" I watched the video. It was hard but I had to watch the video. And as I watched the video, those four officers -- they executed my brother. The paramedics, they drug him across the ground without administering CPR -- they showed no empathy, no compassion, -- nobody out there showed it." -YouTube CNN May 28, 2020

The thing that may have really touched off the events to come, after seeing this snuff film over and over again was the deafening silence coming from the Minnesota police department for almost a whole week. Then on Thursday May 28th US Attorney Erica MacDonald (a Trump appointee) stepped up to the podium and invoked both the President's and Bill Barr's name into this matter. She assured the reporters that he and Mr. Barr were closely monitoring the situation. Mrs MacDonald and her crew parsed out words that sounded lawyer-like and very pedestrian. They attempted to sound empathetic, but implied there was more there than what our eyes saw. FBI agent Rainer Drolshagen asked for anyone who was there before, during, or after the incident to come forward and tell what they witnessed. Finally Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman stepped up and said:

"I will say that this video is graphic and horrific and terrible and no person should do that. But my job in the end is to prove that he violated a criminal statute and there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge -- we need to wade through all of that evidence to come through with the media to a meaningful determination and we are doing that to the best of our ability."

 It seemed as though we were being told: "we see what you saw, and we feel what you felt, But with our special powers as attorneys, we see and feel there is more evidence beyond the video." In my opinion if you felt insulted with the legalize jargon, you're not alone. The MacDonald team spoke like real law and order crusaders trying to handle everyone from the Floyd Family to anyone with a drop of empathy within them. All of a sudden peaceful mourners became outraged protesters who were tired of the system telling them that videos like these didn't really matter. This public lynching of a black man doesn't matter. But to many people (amid a virus pandemic,) voices came together, and shouted in unison that George Floyd's death did mattered, along with the backwash of other deaths like  Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Gardner, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Ahmaud Arbery and others. Maybe it felt as though the initial lone arrest and third-degree murder charges of Chauvin was suppose to appease everybody. By the time officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Kiernan Lane were in custody and the charges upgraded, the protests had swelled and the dam burst.

The killing of George Floyd was like a curtain being ripped apart and showing us what we already knew was there. The spirit of what we thought had been driven out of existence with men like Bull Conner, George Wallace, Orval Faubus, the Governor of Arkansas was still there. And perhaps it felt safe in a Trump dominated society to strike out with their consumed hate for black men and women.

The President mouthed sympathy for the killing, but did not speak the words to the family or to the world that George Floyd's life mattered. "He didn't give me an opportunity to even speak," Philonise Floyd told MSNBC’s Al Sharpton of his call with the president. "It was hard. I was trying to talk to him, but he just kept, like, pushing me off, like 'I don't want to hear what you're talking about.' ” The Hill, May 31, 2020

Obviously, I can't unravel all that has been happening in major cities, states, and even globally, except to say people of many diverse backgrounds and ages have come out and marched, taken a knee, raised the fists, and shouted that black lives matter. Why have they felt the need to give another social justice war cry against injustice and a broken system? Part of it could be that with each police killing some of us are dying inside. And also because this President had promised to make America great again. He uttered during his campaign all white rallies to black Americans, "What do you have to lose by trying something new like Trump?"   Apparently the answer is clear by now. And again in response to this outrage, he fails to bring us together as a united country. But as this reaction to George Floyd having his life snuffed out continued to play out daily, Trump seemed to unravel. His thinly veiled feelings about those who didn't appeal to his all things rich, white, and oligarchy began to show.  He told Governors that if they couldn't control the protesting, he would do it for them. To him protesters are all looters and terrorists. Soon the White House was dark at night giving it an eerie look, as if to say, go away. Nobody's home. And of course after it was reported that he took to a bunker for safety from the protesters who were on the White House lawn, he had them (as well as the media) cleared away with tear gas and rubber bullets while droning on in the Rose Garden about being a President of law and order.

Never once was it ever reported that this President tried to meet with the family of George Floyd at the White House or try to speak words of encouragement. On June 5, he showed everyone that what Michelle Obama said was true. "Being the President doesn't change who you are -- it reveals who you are." For him nothing else mattered except a good jobs report for May. In a bizzare mash-up He tried to put a period on everything bad that was happening including the unresolved Covid epidemic, as well as the killing of George Floyd. In the Rose Garden Trump boasted:

"We have the greatest economy in the history of our country, we have the greatest economy in the history of our world. And that strength helped us get through this horrible pandemic. -- Equal justice under the law, must mean that every American receives equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement regardless of race, color, gender, or creed. They have to receive fair treatment from law enforcement. They have to receive it. You all saw what happened last week. We can't let that happened." And throwing black voters a bone, he rambled on. "Hopefully George is looking down and saying this is a great thing that is happening with our country. It's a great day for him, its a great day for everybody. -- It's a great great day in terms of equality." -CNN June 5, 2020

There was a giddiness in his voice as he seemed to spike the ball. One questionable jobs report made his world appear sunnier. There was a tone of superiority in his speech as though to say, let me tell you all about what true social justice is all about. It's not about lives, its about jobs. When reporters pressed him to answer questions he put a finger to his lips and remarked "I have to sign this document and I need quiet." After that he stood up and made his exit with reporters questions still ringing in his ears. Pathetically, this President believes his hate tweeting and tough talk about left wing terrorists and Antifa, plus a Bible wielding church photo op has set things back on its right course. Ironically, the May jobs report was not good news for Black, Brown, or Asian Americans. The numbers for new jobs went up for white Americans while non whites had been added to the roster of the unemployed. Like the Covid 19 pandemic, Trump has pushed the real voices aside and inserted his own voice into something that he is really unqualified to speak on. He's about as much a voice for civil rights, as he's a scientific authority on how to beat this Coronavirus.
But maybe as he drives down the plaza leading to the White House, he can see that other voices are getting the last word.

Mad Men Can't Feel a Thing

There seems to be a vacancy in the eyes of Donald Trump these days. I watched a clip of him as he coldly remarked on his use of hydroxychloroquine' for Covid 19. "A lot of good things have come out

Trump casually says he's been taking
hydroxychloroquine

about the Hydroxy-- a lot of good things have come out. And you'd be surprised at how many people are taking it especially front line workers before you catch it." He continues to give this steely look into the face of those who he calls the fake news until he drops the bomb. "I happen to be taking it.--" The room erupts into gasps and some reporters shouting for clarification that this president said what he said. And he remarks, "Im taking hydroxychloroquine. Yeah right now."

No matter how many facts the media would present Trump with about a drug that had been responsible for some deaths he would call them Trump enemies. Again to watch his gaze when he talked about taking this drug was like watching a walking zombie as he would say things with a hissing sound in his voice, "hydroxychloroquine-- try it you'll like it.  Go on and take it-- what do you have to lose?" He reminds me of the drug hustlers of the 1970s and 80's. We called them Pusher men. They would say anything to get you hooked and buy their stuff. I squinted with mouth open and a side eye at his talk about how it doesn't hurt to take this med. When the press continued to question him about the fatalities, his come back was, basically that these were old people who were going to die anyway. He has always considered himself to be the picture of health. (In spite of the fact he got two medical doctors to fake his medical reports)

Trump makes taking a drug like this such a casual thing as though you were taking aspirin for a headache. I'm convinced that no one can continue to lie and lie deeply and with regularity. It's as though his lies are changing him on a deeper level. His eyes (to me) seem vacant as though the inner spirit of humanity is fading away. And the death toll doesn't seem to affect him. We are at about 93 thousand deaths and rising. But when someone is full of pride and self and refuses to admit that as the leader of the free world you could have (at any time) done something to stop the rise of deaths, some people can't help but notice that there is something wrong with this president. As he has stepped into the fast lane of the medical professionals he does it with the agenda of holding up his own MAGA infrastructure. He is trying to con America through his compulsive interference and micro managing that he leads the pack when it comes to knowing what the facts are on this subject. He claims that he's always talking with professionals about the pandemic and his plans are the best. He keeps calling "game over" soon for the whole thing, but the reality of where we are isn't cooperating with his happy talk. And so his defense is to tell more lies, and claim anyone who doesn't agree with him is the enemy when looking at the world through the marred prism of his own fortunes.

Obama reflecting on the lost lives from Newtown

Most Presidents show the effects of remorse, empathy or even sadness when even a handful of lives are loss through gun violence, natural disasters or even epidemics. Some of you might recall how the previous president, shed tears for the lives of children who lost their lives in Blacksburg, Santa Barbara, Columbine, and of course Newtown. There was a moment there that you saw the man in office reveal the heaviness of the job. I'm not saying Obama was perfect. Some of his policies I might not have always agreed with just like any other president, but I could always see the humanity there. He knew that more lies and excuses would not fix it. Some would call Obama weak, and Fox News anchors would call his becoming choked up just and act. In contrast I wonder about the sanity of a President who can bend his mind around the idea the loss of life through a pandemic is a good thing. A badge of Honor.  He would remark to reporters:

"So if you're testing 14 million people, you're going to find more cases many of these people aren't very sick but they still go down as a case. So actually the number of cases-- and also we're a much bigger country than most -- so when we have a lot of cases, I don't look at that as a bad thing. I look at that in certain respects as a good thing. Because it means our testing is much better. So if we're testing a million people, we would have far few cases-- right?
So I view it as a badge of honor, -- really a badge of honor. It's a great tribute to the testing and all the work a lot of professionals have done."- May 19, 2020 MSNBC

In my mind it takes a lot of mental flexing to dismiss lost lives that were not just elderly, but of various ages and which include some children who have succumbed to this plague. These are the sort of cold and unfeeling speeches our country has to listen to from the leadership. Madmen don't weep for others. They just think happy thoughts for themselves and how they want the world to be. I'm not saying that we need to have a perfect person in the White House just someone who has feelings for more than himself. And that might be what the Obamagate scandal is really all about.

Special thanks goes to my friend @KeriRN on Twitter for her Tweets on the subject. If you follow her, do it with respect.

Why Does Everyone Pick on Trump?

Warning: if you're a Trump supporter, this article is for you but it won't make you happy.

If you have always moved throughout life and career dealing with only people who seemed to like you, and if you have enough money and influence to attract certain types of people into your microcosm of life then you might think that this is the way the bigger world works.

Donald Trump has always had the ability to manipulate people and situations to his advantage and call the shots from a safe distance. He's been able to cover up his mistakes and private messes with lawyers who he keeps on retainer with their bags of dirty tricks such as NDA's to keep ex-wives and lovers quiet. With his brand, Trump moved from a bankrupt real estate developer to a top reality star with a Mark Burnett brain child creation: The Apprentice. This show bolstered Trumps image even more and made America believe that he was this calm reasoning but hard success story that everyone wanted to be.

As he turned his eye toward politics, we saw another side of this American brand. He was deeply spiteful of the first African American President, Barack Obama. He not only resented his policies but stirred in the hearts of the racial suspects the one thing which no one else questioned about any other president, and that was Obama's legitimacy to hold the office via his birther conspiracies.  He was making this a personal thing against this President. Even when a reporter tried to hand Trump a copy of Obama's long form certificate of birth, the Apprentice star questioned its authenticity and wouldn't take the document from the reporter's hand. He just remarked, "uh-- you can just leave it there on the table and I will take a look at it later-- uh I have some people going to Hawaii to investigate and find his real birth place." (That never happened) His aim of course was to help Mitt Romney in 2011 to make Obama a one term president.

Obama's popularity and re-election pushed past the birther conspiracies. Then at the White House Correspondents Dinner the then President hit back with a routine of comedy and humor which poked fun at the whole birther thing. Trump sat there in the middle of the room of reporters and media types with a look of controlled grimace. The accusations from him and his birther posse had not uncovered anything dark and sinister and it didn't damage Obama's presidency, but made the President a master of comeback jesting. And from the look on Trump's face, he did not take it well. Trump then decided that he would prove to the world that he could do Obama's job better. He would do it his way and get all of the praise and adulation that this fake undeserving Kenyan was stealing for himself.

Descending down an escalator to become a candidate, It was as though he thought that his Apprentice

The White House Correspondents Dinner

fame and board room skills would be the key to overcoming anything that the media or anyone would throw at him. It would become apparent that he saw himself as being superior to the first African American President. He remarked how Obama's dealing with Putin made him and us look weak. Toughness was the key in his mind. At his rallies he seemed to enjoy the rowdiness of his base where he would whip them up into a frenzy over (what he dubbed) the fake news media, yell to the crowd when a protestor stood up and shouted at him. "Get them out of here!!!" and "Knock the hell out of them!!!"  He co-signed onto the unhinged and dangerous violence with his base of supporters as though it was just more reality show drama but now in the political arena.

The most telling thing about Trump was his attitude that now that He was President, he deserved the respect and loyalty of everyone in America whether he was right or wrong. Trump feels extremely persecuted when the media won't back him up, or when people in general in this free republic express their outrage or disgust over something that he has done that is not for the common good of all. With this new Coronavirus threat that we face, the buck doesn't stop until it hits the previous president.

"The Obama administration made a decision on testing that turned out to be very detrimental to what we're doing & we undid that decision a few days ago so that testing can take place in a much more accurate & rapid fashion" - Via Aaron Rupar on Twitter

In short, it's Obama's fault for the mess we're facing, but I'm here to do things better.

Even if you're not a big fan of the 44th President of the United States, you have to admit that Trump's obsession with blaming him or other people who he doesn't like has become more obvious through his childish tweeting, and just inserting himself into issues on Twitter that are unpresidential.
Trump can't get over why the press has reported on his activities and shortcomings in ways that don't make him look so good. His base of supporters will swarm, and troll social media with defenses of his actions like a blind parent who screams "stop picking on my child-- Just leave him alone!!!" I can't seem to get out of my head this bully who doesn't play well with others. And then when it's turned on him, he screams for his mommy.

I must stop and ask this question: What job did this President think he was going to be taking on? He seems to believe that he's the most picked on President ever. With all of his wild and questionable behavior; both abroad and here in America, did he think in a free-speech society, no one would ever say a word about his behavior? There hasn't been (to my knowledge) any President who has escaped the criticism of the press, deserving or not.

Why does everyone pick on Trump? Why does Trump name call and bully people, and go to rallies like a person goes to a therapist when they're losing the ability to cope? High TV ratings doesn't make you bulletproof.  If that is what his thoughts have been, then he's conned himself.  Maybe it's time to quit and go back to the TV boardroom. 

No More Excuses For Rape and Domestic Violence

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Trump And The Immoral Majority

Trump And The Immoral Majority

Whether you're religious or not, you'll have to decide for yourself if the Evangelicals of this day and age have a handle on what's decent and healthy for us all.

On February 2, 2020, Franklin Graham tweeted out during the Superbowl halftime show which showcased the talents of Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, that America was headed for the basement of Superbowl performances because he claimed that " our country has had a sense of moral decency on prime TV in order to protect our children. We see that disappearing from our very eyes." No one was nude or partially nude. Both J Lo and Shakira moved and bounced to the music which seemed to electrify stadium goers. So chalk it up to a minister's preference of the good old days of marching bands and cheer leading pom-pom girls.

My non-religious friends may not give a flying fig about Franklin Graham’s opinion of J-Lo and Shakira's half time show moves or any religious person's critique. (Some either had gone to the fridge or sat there small talking about the 1st half of the game.) But it's interesting to point out that this same Franklin Graham who was a sex police for the Superbowl half time show, gave approval to Donald Trump at the National Prayer Breakfast. 

As Trump walked on stage to the event of mostly establishment Evangelicals, he did his

usual self-applauding while waving to the crowd. Then he walked over and proudly picked up a newspaper displaying the headline: Trump Acquitted, he raised it up high in a way that was a call back to the historically famous "Dewey Beats Truman" photo. It was obvious the crowd of attendees were his base and he was there for a victory lap.

Watching this President sit in a brooding position with his eyes closed as the words of Jesus filled the room through Harvard Kennedy School Professor Arthur Brooks, we wouldn't have long to hear of what Trump thought of the teachings of Jesus who said to love your enemies. (Matthew 5 43-45) Brooks expounded on the text by imploring:
“Ask God to Give you the strength to do this hard thing, to go against your human nature--- to follow Jesus teaching. You believe Jesus teaching, act like it. Me too--- to love your enemies. Ask God to take political contempt from your heart. And sometimes when it’s just too hard, ask God to help you to fake it.” Washington Post

The President would then denounce the speech as though Brooks had made this concept up himself. This was supposed to be a "leave your politics at the door event," but some of the Republican conservative base was on hand to chortle as Trump cracked wise by saying, "Arthur I don't know if you're going to like what I have to say, but---." Trump was there to tell the Christians in the room that this love your enemy idea was ridiculous. I doubt that you could convince him that this was first level Christian teaching, and if Mr. Trump had ever attempted to read a Bible, he would have understood the implications of that passage.
This President would stand there like a wounded animal striking out verbally at those who he called his enemies such as Nancy Pelosi, Adam Shift, and Mitt Romney who did his Gary Cooper /High Noon imitation and crossed party lines to vote guilty to impeach him.


"I don't like people who use their faith for justification for doing what they know is wrong." Trump remarked. The wrong which he spoke about was the fact that Pelosi and Shift had the audacity to call for his impeachment and removal. It was apparent that he wanted everyone to know that he was a victim and he was going to clutch on to his contempt for those responsible like an infant with their favorite teddy bear. His Gospel is his own will and personal agenda as he also remarked before an Evangelical crowd in 2015 that He's a Christian but he has never felt the need to ask God for forgiveness. His arrogance seems to know no bounds as he mocks and laughs at those who proclaim their faith; a faith which is a meaningful faith but stands its grounds on tough matters on issues such as a President’s disrespect for people and country.

He doesn’t understand in either secular human terms, or religious terms, that you can like a person, and say “no” to what they’re doing. It was obvious that Trump wasn’t going to go high on this impeachment issue as he held a press conference after the prayer breakfast and continued to brag and berate Nancy Pelosi, Adam Shift and others. He smirked to reporters later and groused, “when I got up to speak, “there was Nancy Pelosi, four seats away. I said things a lot of people wouldn’t have said, but I meant every word of it.”

Nothing that Brooks said earlier that day, had touched his heart or made him think. When you’re a bully, break the law, violate the oath of your office, when you wreck other’s lives, you don’t want to hear that people who oppose your actions don’t hate you. So, it’s natural for Trump to gag at the thought that his political opponent prays for him. Trump has surrounded himself with “yes people” for so long, he forgets that the toughest thing a person can do is to tell you the truth at the risk of everything else. His answer has always been to point and say, “you’re fired.” No doubt that has been the case with a great deal of his staff and others who displayed the courage of their convictions.

After the National Prayer event was over. Franklin Graham “Yes tweeted” to Trump his approval of the words to his adversaries and thanked him for keeping America safe. This is the same Franklin Graham who has excused this President’s threat’s to others, his hatred of non-white countries, (calling them shit holes) Trumps bragging about shooting someone on 5th Avenue and getting away with it, not to mention his persistent un-presidential name calling of people in general of whom he doesn’t like.

I wonder how a so-called evangelist can click his tongue at one thing he calls immoral, while co-signing off on a President whose words were not fitting for an event that was a call to better ourselves?
Joe Scarborough who calls himself a backslid Baptist asks: Where are the religious leaders of the day to talk about the Good Samaritan, or to talk about why it’s un-Christlike to put children in cages, or to talk about why it’s un-Christlike to reward the richest of the rich while hurting the poorest of the poor? Where are these men?

My guess is that they were not at that prayer breakfast.

Do We Have A President, King or More?

Trump as he looks heavenward proclaiming
"I am the chosen one"

You see his handy work everywhere. It's like something out of a graphic novel where one man believes he is a supreme being and all must swear allegiance to him. We didn't seem to think much of James Comey's remarks when this president asked for his loyalty.   

“I didn’t move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed,” Comey wrote. “We simply looked at each other in silence. The conversation then moved on, but he returned to the subject near the end of our dinner.” - Washington Post June 2017

We know how that ended. Comey was abruptly fired while he was out of DC. The effect obviously was to make his dismissal as fully effective as possible. Following that, Trump bragged to Russian dignitaries that he got rid of the nut job Comey so the pressure is off.  It must have started up again with the then acting Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe. Trump brazenly asked McCabe who he voted for in 2016. The fact that McCabe abstained from voting and it seemed his wife might have ties to Hillary Clinton, got under Trump's skin. Eventually McCabe's refusal to bend the knee and back away from the Russia probe, got him fired too and with a vengeance via Jeff Session. Just days short of his official retirement date, Trump heartlessly severed him from his retirement benefits. But Andy wouldn’t go quietly. Trump is now pushing for his full-on criminal prosecution. And why? McCabe dared to speak out to the media about his firing, Russia, and other things. The President’s pettiness has reached a new low according to some analysis:

"You get the strong feeling that there is political pressure being imposed on the Attorney General, the US Attorney and Law enforcement, to go after Andrew McCabe because he had the audacity to be a CNN analyst and make derogatory comments about the President of the United States. ---I'm not being facetious but the actions they took against Andrew McCabe is like killing a mosquito with an AR-15. They won’t let it go." - Gene Rossi, Former Federal Prosecutor MSNBC

While a person shouldn’t be a cookie-cutter image of anyone, is this the way an American President should act? His record for rally appearances more than any other president, as well as his strutting mixed with self-applauding and thumbs up seems to signal Trump's deep need for people approval. His reason for so many appearances it seems, is to hear the chants of the crowds and look at those bearing the name "Trump" on apparel and placards. Are the people at these rallies bearing his brand constituents or in his mind loyal subjects? And what American President has a military parade on the 4^th of July with the pretense that it’s for the country? One could easily say this was a self celebration that was an attempt to impress his dictator buddies.

You must ask yourself, does Trump believe he’s won the Presidency or has been exalted to a monarchy or something greater? In front of reporters on the White House lawn and a noisy helicopter as a backdrop, he lifted head and eyes upward, as out of his own mouth came the words; “I AmThe Chosen One.” That phrase un-nerved many watching their TV’s, not because it might be true, but because many of us suspect that Donald Trump might really believe it.

Whether you take him serious or not, there is something to his disregard for the Constitution, the laws that we expect a person in his position should abide by, as well as traditions set in place by other presidents before him.   

He is repulsed by the company of our global allies, and feels an affinity for dictators, oppressors, and some of our most historic global enemies. In a “Else world” style today, Trump has been ushering the American Military to his properties for refueling and layovers as though they were his own. And he strategically is moving appointees into place who (unlike McCabe or Comey) are willing to kiss his political ring. These men have shocking pasts which to Trump seems to be more of a qualifier than not. It’s as though he picks appointees like Brett Kavanaugh to give his sexual assault accusers a smack in the face.

Some have jumped off the Trump train, but as the train picks up more speed, the risk of jumping off in the future may come with a high price. Ask yourself what scares you the most? The full speed and unpredictable future actions of Trump, or the sudden impact when the train crashes. When men like Corey Lewandowski can have contempt for the truth in an open Congressional hearing and blatantly remark to Republican Congressman Matt Gatz, “They hate this President more than they love this country” it feels very Orwellian. Men like this have grabbed the live wire of the Trump propaganda that believes winning is the ultimate Nirvana for America.

This all started not with an escalator in Trump Tower, but in a hotel room in Washington DC. From Richard Spencer and his emboldening of white Nationalism and his Nazi cry of “hailTrump!!!” as he thrust his glass in the air, to Charlottesville NC where tiki bearing racists came out in the middle of the night shouting “Jews will not replace us!!!” Not to mention the uncountable atrocities and subtle harassment done in the name and under the watch of this President across America. His loyal fans are helping Trump's Make America Great Again slogan along with calling the police on people of color who seem to be loitering at a Starbucks, or walking in and shooting up a Walmart in El Paso.

Richard Spencer salutes "hail Trump!!!"

This is America today. MAGA no doubt means more power more money and more of himself. It’s what keeps Trump moving from President, to potential monarch, and maybe someone none of us will be able to touch or question if he wins another term.