Words Trumped
There is no way to communicate without some form of
language. Not everyone uses audible words, but everyone who wishes to be part
of the larger community (neighborhood, religious group, country) must develop
and sustain a pattern of interaction.
Donald Trump, like every person who has ever run for
President of the United States, uses words. I like words. I’m a big fan. Over
the years, in my meager corner of the world, I have developed fluency and some
degree of artistic capacity with words. I appreciate language, written and
spoken. I express myself with words. Most do.
Trump has been quite effective with words (be those words
divisive and destructive). What puzzles me is that every pundit or surrogate
that stumps for Trump, or tries to defend their personal decision to support
him, completely discounts Trump’s words. While most of us hear what Trump says
and take him at his word, delivered with seeming authenticity, these talking
heads dismiss the insults, lies and insensitivity. They venture to explain what
it was that Trump meant, as if the
rest of us do not understand the significance of meaning. They move on to
attack his opponent(s), leaving a gaping hole in the dialogue required to
develop reasonable approaches to solving our nation’s problems and addressing
the challenges that jeopardize the peaceful existence of all US citizens and
residents.
Supporters (first among them Trump himself) are willing to
settle for platitudes and grand-scale passing of the buck. Few seem bothered by
what may have been said yesterday, if somehow today’s message might strike a
chord with his base. Gaffs that surely would have dismantled the campaign of
any previous presidential (or even congressional or senatorial) candidate are
swept under the stadium sized rug or thrown out with the morning coffee
grounds, as if the rancid odor could only be attributed to the fact that it was
said earlier.
I want to know HOW…how an immigration policy that is focused
on deportation and punishment rather than extending a hand and bringing new
travelers (often child refugees) into the fold will keep our good standing in
the community of nations…how giving more tax breaks to the wealthy will assist
those without a safety net in being successful and emerging from “entitlement”
roles…how national security can be better when the threat of using nuclear
weapons has been put back on the table by someone running for the highest
office in the land…how Trump plans to replace affordable health care (on day
one, he promises) without gutting the plans that millions of Americans on
Obamacare are currently counting on to bridge the gap between employment,
provide coverage to workers pushed out of already low-paying jobs and replace
health care that employers have decided not provide in fear of losing their
bottom line (even though workers are really the bottom line!)…and finally how
the racial divide can possibly dissolve when Trump can’t figure out what to
call people and openly exploits and insults members of other races, people with disabilities and those of other religious
beliefs.
When all else fails, the “lesser of two evils” excuse
prevails. “No matter how bad Trump is, he’s not as bad as the alternative”. Hillary
Clinton may be a flawed candidate and an imperfect human being, but she has an
understanding of foreign policy and working with people across the aisle and
across the ocean; not because she has made self-interested business deals, but
because she has studied players on the world stage and has the wisdom to
negotiate deals that benefit both sides. That’s diplomacy and it’s the only way the United
States can survive and keep our integrity.
Yesterday, during a speech in Virginia, Trump proclaimed
that Hillary is going to take everyone’s guns away (a constant accusation from
the gun-rights right- a scare tactic that anyone with any knowledge of gun
rights would know could not possibly happen in the term of one president). He
said she would do this, ultimately, by appointing an anti-gun violence judge to
the Supreme Court. He said, “If
she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks.” He then added:
“Although the Second Amendment people—maybe there is, I don’t know.”
This is one of those statements that you have to look away
from not to see the implication. I don’t believe he was suggesting someone
shoot Secretary Clinton, but I also don’t believe he was referring to the power
of the gun rights movement to block the Justice appointment. I am in the camp
of some of the Trump supporters who believe he was having “good fun”. They
believe his appeal is that he is not politically correct and thus calls things
has he sees them, not worrying what others will think.
Well, not funny. And let’s just take the word political out
of the tension for now. Let’s just talk about the word incorrect. It is
incorrect to be culturally insensitive. Period. Even if your dad thought the jokes were funny.
Even if you think someone else might be overthinking it. Even if it’s not
illegal. It’s just not funny. With
words, ugly is much like beauty- it’s in the eye of the beholder. If majorities
of Muslims, Hispanics, African Americans are outraged at themes of systematic injustice
in our country, there must be something to it. It is helpful not to be
defensive; not to feel like you are being personally accused and held
responsible for the actions of a few misguided Americans. Rather, listen. Hear
these concerns of your co-workers, neighbors and the parents of your child’s
friends and schoolmates.
You don’t have to take blame to create change. But you have
to make your words count and follow those words with actions. So, vote for
words. Vote for integrity. Vote for the possibility of progress. Even if it’s a
vote against, it can make progress possible. A vote for Trump can only mean
more misspeaks that will leave it up to Trump surrogates to try to repackage
message after message and words will have no meaning.
