When I was a kid we had an expression, maybe you did too – sticks & stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!
The adult version became – actions speak louder than words.
Many of us have trouble with Trump because of the way he speaks and comes across. There’s very little polish or finesse, suggesting he isn’t educated or refined. Maybe, although we know he went to college. Refined? Social graces? What it means to be genteel? By any measure nope!
But so what? Why do we care IF he’s doing the job! For many of us, accepting this premise is difficult; for some, impossible. I’m referring to Never Trumpers; Trump haters; non-voters; 3rd Party voters; moderates, centrists, etc. I’ll even throw in center-left and mainstream democrats who feel disenfranchised by a surging radical tide swamping their ideology who still can’t stomach voting for Trump!
Call it what you will. The ability to speak/behave like a gentleman and maintain one’s decorum in public or while performing duties is/has always been a prerequisite for being a politician.
My 1st point, therefore he isn’t a politician! He never was or claimed to be. Why do we keep expecting him to fall in line when its not who he is, not who we elected! Are we more concerned with appearances than with actions? More with who he seems to be superficially than who he is really?
I wasn’t comfortable with Trump, and still not. He seems like a bull in a china shop, a schoolyard bully reading poetry. I literally wince when he misspeaks, cover my eyes/ears when I know a bad bit is coming or will be said in a crude and clumsy way. It’s taken time and effort, but by hanging in, giving him a pass long enough to digest what he really means, I’ve come to see he’s a rough diamond: a gem encrusted in a rough, coarse exterior.
Bill Clinton was a smooth talker, Ivy League, bore every appearance of the genuine article. Yet, he played fast and loose with his power, preyed upon women young and old, lied through his teeth about his conduct and left a tarnished, soiled legacy on the visage of our stately home. Has Trump done this?
My next point is – he’s not phony or a blowhard, wasn’t raised in a barn, is a better, smarter man than he seems to be. He says foolish, hurtful things, but its his way of reacting to the vicious attacks he’s under, venting his anger at detractors, slanderers and enemies. He’s been dealing with this since before becoming president. How would we do in similar circumstances?
Barack Obama was articulate, refined, Ivy League. He smoothly read teleprompters, stayed on script, pontificated on racism and beguiled the masses with promises of healing, reconcilement and a brighter future. Then he played the race card, spun empty platitudes with lofty, insincere rhetoric to dupe us.
He lied/tricked us into believing he had the solution for healthcare, dissembling about our freedom to choose, costs etc. Then he portrayed America as a groveling penitent before pariah nations, asking liars, terrorists and murderers to forgive our many unspecified yet grievous transgressions.
He openly professed his shame of our country, refused to wear a lapel pin image of our flag, paid little heed or reverence to our national anthem & gave little respect to our military. Then, before leaving office he established {OFA}: OrganIzation for Action a radical left, Soros funded body tasked to facilitate violent protests, insurrectional riots, break the peace and challenge authority. Oh, and anchor a deep state counterpoise to our duly elected government.
Has Trump done any of this? My next point – he’s a patriot, a traditional American, a fighter who prevails and will never, ever let US bow down to any state less in spirit, purpose, resolve and righteousness than ourselves. He won against insurmountable odds, survived unmerciful attacks, accomplished foreign affairs victories, negotiated trade deals, ignited the economy, works to improve black/minority conditions, honors and supports our military and our police.
To those I called out above, think about your values and what it means to be an American? Is it about law & order? Strong borders and national defense? Civil & human rights? Equal opportunity? A civil society respecting the rights and privacy of the individual? An optimism/guarantee we each can strive to be our best and achieve our hopes and dreams?
Donald Trump is working to these ends, not some ultra-left fantasy or socialist utopia, nor globalist, big brother monstrosity run by a new world order! He knows our system works but needs improving and he’ll set about making that happen.
To many of us, Donald Trump is an enigma. He goes his own way and does his own thing. He’s unconventional, but gets it done! We may not like what we see but, on reflection, isn’t it simply our own projection of what we want to see? He’ll never be that. He’s who he is, proud to a fault, yes, but with unbridled enthusiasm to accomplish everything he still wants to do.
He can be a champion for all of us near the center/on the right. He’ll fight for the values, principles and traditions that make us great. Not politically correct, clumsy and oafish like Shrek, he knows right from wrong, truth from fiction.
So ignore his hair and way of speaking. Cut him some slack on the daily faux pas. Respect what he’s done, how he’s done it. We may not understand it all, but its been good for us and for our country! Come Nov 3rd he’s our go-to guy; he’s earned it!
You’ve Been Reading Shaneview
I’m Al Shane
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