Let the Cult Say Amen…
I am going to use a phrase that may never be written by me ever again, Trump supporters were right. Prior to the “Salute to America” culminating in a (too) long rambling speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, my disdain was mainly because Donald Trump was the speaker. Conservatives have said for weeks; the left is just upset because it is Trump. He got his self-satisfying display of military might, but at what cost. Soldiers unable to get well-earned time with their families, and parks losing funds for upkeep.
Before those of you who read my views think I have taken a flight of my senses, from the American Revolution airport Mr. Trump described in his speech, I held him in disdain during every word of his tribute to our military, our citizenry, and our heroes. My disdain was not for the brave men and women who served with honor and protected our country with their sacrifice. When the chords of the service songs ‘Off we go, Anchors Aweigh, and the Army goes rolling along’ washed over the already wet crowd of Trump supporters I seethed. The men who raised me and served in these branches of the military and my sister who gave sixteen years of her life as an Army volunteer then a Sergeant soothed my anger. Two of my uncles were in the first wave of a newly integrated Army and Navy in World War II. The third an Air Force mechanic before Vietnam.
When I heard Mr. Trump talk about the successors of my family’s service to the country, I was angry. When he talked about Gold Star families, knowing that he had reduced the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson [Myeshia Johnson] to tears with his callous remarks, I was angry. When I thought of the disrespect shown to Khizr and Ghazala Khan whose son, Capt. Humayun Khan died in action, I was angry. When he called on young men and women to volunteer to serve, with the full knowledge that he dodged his military service to the country with a phony diagnosis of bone spurs, I was angry.
So, for the Trump supporters out there, I confess, it is about Trump.
When a liar talks integrity, it is about Trump,
When racist talk about inclusiveness, it is about Trump,
When a draft dodger encourages service through volunteerism, it is about Trump.
The creeping normalization and acceptance of angry grievance driven people who use blatant racist discrimination makes me angry.
This weekend Mayor Pete Buttigieg was confronted by an attendee at a gathering, identified as Dave Begley, who postured to Buttigieg, “Mayor Pete, there has been some controversy in South Bend between the police and the black community, and I have a solution for you, and I'd like you to make a comment on my proposal,” he continued “Just tell the black people of South Bend to stop committing crime and doing drugs.”
The mayor called out the man for his racism, I have one objection to his retort, he began a portion of his response with the obligatory phrase, “with all due respect sir…” No, no, these people do not and have not earned or deserved respect and deference. Again, I say to Trump supporters, with no due respect, you were right, “it is about Trump.”
Vote in 2020 for Change.
