It is not a perversion of our American way. This kind of hard hearted and bigoted mess that we are struggling with, that I am struggling with, is nothing new to America. We have faced this from the very beginning of our nation.
We have continually been wrapped in all the complexity that divergent human beings can bring. In a time in history that was predicated on alignment, casting out the Catholic, or Protestant, or Jew, or Frank, or Hun, America became a relief path for the pressures of the English, then European pressure cooker. Less than 200 years later, we began to import huge numbers of Asians, again, countless numbers of people leaving their home for a difference.
I do not neglect the role of slavery. Countless numbers of people died in the service of the slave trade that populated North and South America with Africans and their own cultures. Yet another distinct flavor in the soup that America was becoming. And that flavoring started early, and has continued to be integral to the basis of America.
Many things were done in the name of progress and growth of this nation I love. Some of them were tremendous achievements in the history of the world. Many were shining examples to the disparate reaches of a broken and violent world. Even in times that the values espoused were under-appreciated and simply seen as rhetoric to dishonor the enemy, in their core, they were revolutionary and special to the path the world was taking.
Nothing we have done has not been tainted with failure. We have not discovered the perfect path, nor are we illuminating a path of single file travel. America has been and always will be a multilane highway that allows masses to go forward. As with any large highway, there are places that congest, that cause accidents, that hold up the flow of traffic. We are American, so we rubber neck as we pass the congestion.
The latest multicar collission on this American highway of life is named Trump. I am unabashed in my dislike for the man as a candidate for any kind of public office. I don't know that there is now, or ever has been a perfect candidate. I do know that Donald J. Trump is not on the list of acceptable candidates.
I say this, not simply because I find him repellant. What he is describing is similar in history to many other events. Charles Lindberg, the famous aviator, was also a German sympathizer and vehemently opposed us entering the war against the Axis powers. Henry Ford was also against war on Germany. There is not always clarity as to what the right answer is. Both men, after America committed to the war effort contributed mightily to the war effort. They disagreed, but when America chose a path, they did their best for their country. But, it was wrong, and will always be wrong and attached to them.
That will not happen with Trump. I have always been fascinated by the obsession he has with "fair" treatment, and people being nice to him. It is exactly like the situation I faced with my children when they were 13. Nothing was fair, and no one was nice to them. They grew to understand that fair is just a thing you go to, to see what vegetables won blue ribbons. And, nice is a function of your actions.
The reason most are not nice to Trump is because he is a boor. It is a seldom used word, almost lost to antiquity, but it is most appropriate. He is a boor, behaves boorishly and reacts as an adolescent to any disagreement. There are no substantive points to his claims, it will just be great or huge. When pressed for detail, or when pointed out he is wrong, the petulance shows. The tweets and the public comments of personal nature about those that disagree are not signs of statesmanship or maturity.
It is possible to have billions and never have achieved emotional maturity. Having wealth is not a qualifier for much of anything but credit scores. The most amazing thing to watch, is the throngs that go along with it. Many, when interviewed, are standing there with their teenager at their side, and I cannot help but think, do you not see it?
It is really scary. Trump won't be President, but he is likely to be the Republican nominee. That should really make Republican voters ashamed. Their party should not be represented in this way, nor in this manner. It will be long term damaging, and yet another ill prepared and completely unelectable candidate. Playing to the lowest common denominator has never worked in America. It will not this time either.
This is ours to solve, ours to combat, ours to decide to accept or prevent. It is quite remarkable, it is not dissimilar from David Dukes, the KKK guy that slicked his way in front of cameras and into nomination for major elective office. Same rhetoric, same debasing and discriminatory agenda, same outcome, I hope. It is quite terrifying that Trump could become President. What happens to those that disagree with him then? Does he call Putin a mental midget? Does he insult and personally denigrate the Chinese leader? Does he refuse entry to the German Chancellor? Do we think any of these things are potentially good diplomatic stances?
Business and government/politics are different. In the end, business is about profit and loss, and shared risk or reward. You can ignore, paper over or otherwise cast off statements and ideas, as long as the ledger balances in favor of the deal. That does not work with nations and with government. Government is not a business, it is a collection of services. It is not a profit and loss proposition, which is why there is little in the way of solution being suggested by the Republicans.
There is change needed. But, a bigoted, small minded, maturity challenged, unprepared and petulant spoiled rich kid that is 69 years old, that should not be our standard. It is discouraging, honestly, about our country, that he is where he is in the race. It is really indefensible. But, it is not a perversion, we have seen it before in history. I hope we just remember the lessons we learned the hard way then. John C. Calhoun could have been President. We got smart in time. Will we now?
GLYASDI
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