If there is one shameful policy of America’s Racist-In-Chief that I can never forgive, it’s his seizing of a critical moment in America’s attempt to heal its racial wounds, and turning it into one more lie-driven reason for racists and fearful American voters to reelect America’s #1 criminal to the presidency.
Trump is like the Paladin character in “Have Gun, Will Travel,” a TV western from the sixties. But instead of travelling out from his home base to right wrongs, as Paladin did, Trump takes his traveling shit show to wherever he can stoke the flames of bigotry, fear and hate.
Yes, America’s President—the man in the White House these last three and a half years—is actively working to turn Americans against Americans in his pursuit of reelection. As Trump’s first Secretary of Defense, Retired Marine General James Mattis, recently said: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try.”
In this case, a picture says a million words.
Ultimately, Mattis called Trump, “A threat to our constitution.”
Had Trump worked this hard to protect America from the ravages of Covid-19, he might have deserved reelection. Not to me, but to some who now see him for what he really is—a narcissistic emperor standing in a draft without any clothes on. As it is, he deserves to be placed at the top of the shit pile American History reserves for its worst offenders—rapists, pedophiles and traitors.
Move over Benedict Arnold, Donald Trump has come to town!
It won’t be Mike Pence, Melania Trump or even Ivanka Trump who come to mind when History looks at Trump’s partners in his presidency, but Vladimir Putin, the man who allegedly placed a bounty on American soldiers. That is Trump’s legacy, along with a trail of incredibly bad decisions, most of them leading to his real legacy of corruption, an impoverished American treasury, and his two fellow travelers: Hate and Fear.
How many more Black Lives will we need as martyrs before Trump realizes that Black Lives Matter is not the problem, but the door to the solution?
Sadly, we would run out of Black Americans before that could ever happen.
I was greatly saddened to hear of Chadwick Boseman’s passing.
His was an inner beauty that radiated through the roles he played: Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, James Brown and, yes, of course, The Black Panther. I feel especially saddened for my grandchild, a child of color, who will now have to find someone else to look up to and hold as a hero. Problem is, there are so few blacks that the white media or the white-controlled Hollywood movie system will elevate to hero roles.
Inner and Outer Beauty!
Thank you, Chadwick Boseman! For giving my grandson and millions of youngsters someone to look up to; someone whose skin is colored just like theirs. And you played your life’s role like an honest-to-goodness hero, Chadwick, never revealing your fatal illness till we read about it in news stories announcing your death. No false sympathy for you, no sentiment-based awards either! You were as close to a hero and role model as one man—actor or not—can hope to become. God grant you a peaceful journey to your next destination. Thankfully, you made the most out of your short time on the planet. We’ll miss you, King T’Challah!
Gather round folks! Step up, step up! Follow the crowd into the famous Republican Big Tent. The near-empty Republican Big Tent, now called the Party of Trump. Also known as The Old White Guys Party.
America’s Coronavirus Tragedy: “It didn’t have to be this way.”
Following a Democratic National Convention that was, by all accounts, a critical success, the Party of Trump is faced with a minor difficulty when it comes to shaping their message for their 2020 convention. What the hell can they say?
With rioting in the streets, a virus death toll that refuses to stop climbing, and a government administration that proves its ineptitude, dishonesty and disinterest on a daily basis, it isn’t easy to come up with a simple slogan or campaign theme. Or one solidly good reason why a sane person should vote for Donald Trump.
Fortunately, the party has one specialty of the house designed for just such occasions. Why else would God have invented lying if it wasn’t so Donald Trump could profess his genius and paltry success in a variety of ways?
All The Usual White Guys Will Be There!
Covid 19? Trump was successful in preventing the virus from reaching our shores after he stopped a dozen Chinese planes from landing in America. If the Democrats hadn’t raised such a stink about it, he would have stopped more planes and probably prevented America from logging in any Covid 19 cases or deaths.
America leads the world in testing. Though we may have gotten a slow start, we’ve now surged to where we’ve done more testing than any other country on the planet. Of course, with a 7-10 day average turnaround on test results, we’re also first in compiling statistics that have no practical value.
Remember this, if you remember nothing else from our convention! Swift action by Trump stopped the deadly Chinese virus at our borders. For a day or so at least!
White Supremacists Will Find There’s Room For Them Under the Republican Big Tent.
Obama would have probably brought home the virus with his Chinese takeout had he still been in the White House.
Cratering Economy? If you forget about the 22 million jobs lost in the first half of the lockdown, the second half job surge of 10 million looks pretty damn good.
A Looming Depression? Not for those lucky enough to own more assets than they can count. Everyone else can expect a slight bump as we hit the accelerated decline. At least, you know in your heart, the Depression would have been much worse under the Democrats.
Law And order? Black lives don’t matter, poor people’s lives don’t matter, nothing matters except things that make Donald Trump look good. All his missile treaties, his efforts for Peace, his environmental stewardship efforts, and don’t forget all Trump and Company have done for racial relations and social justice in this country! (yes, that is sarcasm)
Trump’s Impeachment? A hoax perpetrated by Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. It’s very possible Joe Biden was the hidden force behind his impeachment. Working for the Deep State, of course.
Four More Years Of What? “Well, we’ll just have to see when we get there.”
And if that doesn’t worry you, you must own a second home in Canada.
Nor is he someone who instinctively lies to undo every mess, crime or idiotic blunder he uncontrollably creates. Nor will he employ sycophants to kiss his backside and carry out his instructions, especially when those orders directly threaten the welfare and security of the United States.
Joe Biden will never destroy the integrity of governmental institutions and agencies, nor nominate people who will strangle and defenestrate the very agencies they were hired to run. He will never nominate William Barr, Mike Pompeo, Mick Mulvaney, Louis DeJoy nor Rudy Giuliani to hold positions in our government. Not even when their prison terms come to an end.
Joe Biden will not play chicken with epidemics or pandemics. Rather than act too late in a crisis, Joe Biden will anticipate crises and, most important of all, avoid creating new ones.
Joe Biden will never hold back congressionally authorized military aid to extort and corrupt defenseless nations. Nor will he insult our friends by calling them “shithole” countries. And when the United States intelligence agencies provide insights and guidance, he will not castigate and belittle their efforts. Nor will he take the word of foreign dictators over U.S. government agencies.
Not even if Vladimir Putin tells him to.
But that’s not all!
Joe Biden won’t turn his back on United States allies. Especially those who have given thousands of lives to advance U.S. security. Nor will he turn his back on traditional allies who have walked with us through storm and strife. He will not weaken our most important alliances—not NATO, nor those with our partners at our borders.
And speaking of borders, Joe Biden will not demonize our neighbors nor give domestic terrorists and white nationalists undeserved recognition and acceptance.
Joe Biden will never lie to you. Not daily, or ever!
Joe Biden will never enact tax reforms that pretend to help the middle class and actually put millions into the pockets of millionaires and billionaires. When Joe reforms our taxes, it will be for real, and will not decimate our treasury or ignore those of us who are struggling.
Joe Biden does not play golf.
Nor does he watch Fox News!
WHICH ONE IS THE LIAR? WHICH ONE CAN YOU TRUST?
Joe Biden has no need to deconstruct all Barack Obama’s accomplishments, nor to wipe out all record of those accomplishments.
Likewise, Joe Biden would not cripple or eliminate the Post Office (for God’s sakes!)
Not even if Vladimir Putin tells him to.
Most important of all, Joe Biden believes governments exist to serve and benefit the welfare of their people rather than the avarice of those in charge. He will not suddenly reveal strange inclinations, crude behaviors nor a sudden affinity for dictators and tyrants once he takes office. Nor will he interfere with the honest functioning of all government departments and agencies.
Lastly, Joe Biden will not be subject to foreign influence or extortion. He owns no hotels, in Turkey or anywhere else, has no ambition to build a tower in Moscow, nor will he reap millions from foreign countries wishing to court his good favor.
Joe Biden has two children, neither of whom will show up on the government payroll. In his lifetime—for 77 long years—he has never been accused of rape; has never been unfaithful in either of his marriages, and never treated women as objects or creatures who are less than himself.
Joe Biden will never set U.S. military troops on American citizens. Nor will he treat peaceful protesters as mortal enemies.
Joe Biden believes in man-made global warming and won’t let a loose affiliation of millionaires and billionaires continue to cook the planet to their own satisfaction.
He stands there in front of a church, without a mask, holding up a bible in his right hand.
He offers no apology or explanation, nor is there need for any. He is the President of the United States and if he chooses to forego the salutary effects of a face mask…well, the hell with you, if you don’t like it!
But then the thought crosses my writer’s mind that there are other masks we could talk about.
Like the one that originally concealed from most Americans—myself included—what a non-stop narcissistic blowhard you are, Mr. President! Or how little human compassion you actually possess. We have kept ourselves waiting for the slightest sign of empathy or concern for the millions who have died or lost loved ones in the pandemic.
We are still waiting.
Worse yet, even as the casualty numbers soar, you have clearly decided—as a calculated political consideration—to ignore the frightening reality of Covid-19 and pretend the virus is under control; acting recklessly and encouraging others to do the same. Pushing states to open blindly and your supporters to eschew masks and other safety precautions. The fact that lives are at stake doesn’t seem to enter into your calculations.
The New Yorker wasn’t impressed by our Leader’s courage in foregoing a face mask.
How many lives were lost because you wasted critical days and weeks in responding to the virus?
How many lives will be lost because you never mounted a clear national strategy—or any strategy at all, for that matter?
How many lives will be lost for the sole reason that the wrong person is in charge of our country at the worst possible time?
But that’s about to change, Mr. President. You can feel it in the air, sense it in the rising tempo of your serial outrages, scandals and firestorms, all backdrop now to the ceaseless melodrama of the Coronavirus.
Yes, the Coronavirus, Mr. President, whose dire casualty statistics are literally drowning out your excuses and lies, and making a mockery of your attempts to change history by gas-lighting yourself into a hero’s role. A hero whose hesitant and insufficient response to the virus’ deadly threat was responsible for the deaths of untold thousands of Americans.
Also, your incompetence and corruption have grown painfully visible, of late. The deadly confluence of a pandemic and major social upheaval in the face of your non-existent leadership, has made your incompetence and lack of a moral compass visible in a way they had never been before.
In simple terms, Mr. President, the people see you now for who you really are. No more “Get Out of Jail Free” cards for your many flaws and emotional shortcomings. No longer can you continue to place the interests of yourself, your family, Vladimir Putin, and other despots ahead of the vital concerns of the American people.
“He’s not wearing any clothes!”
Sooner or later they were all bound to see—even your closest supporters eventually—as many of us did all along, that the emperor wasn’t wearing any clothes. Nor was he as intelligent, interesting or insightful as first advertised.
How bad has it become, Mr. President?
So bad that nobody—not your constituents, not the media, not even America’s closest allies—feels they can trust you, the supposed leader of the free world, to a.) tell the truth; b.) do the right thing or c.) put the interests of the country, or the planet, ahead of your own.
“I’m a real man; I don’t wear a face mask.”
The sad truth of your incompetence as a manager is seen in bold relief by your imprudent dismantling of critical government agencies, —especially the one for pandemics—and cannot be obscured by even the greatest of masks. No longer can you hide your pettiness, your lack of humanity, your rash inclinations and shady impulses. Nor can you conceal the fact you do nothing most days except play golf and watch TV.
Lately, I’ve noticed myself feeling different about you and your entire criminal enterprise, Mr. President. Less threatened, I guess.
Actually, it’s because you have visibly shrunk.
The coronavirus and your clumsy attempt to manage the optics has dramatically lessened you in our eyes. Made you appear older, more frail. Made you smaller and less fearful. As has your defensive reaction to the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests.
“… the morally bankrupt, heartless, and self-enriching swamp creature he has been all along behind his mask.”
I don’t know when it was, Mr. President, but somewhere in your recent actions, in the midst of swirling crises and negative news stories, your lack of fitness or moral suitability for the Office of President of the United States has become strikingly obvious for anyone with eyes to see.
As you continue to prove every day, nobody can do as brilliant a job as Trump himself in tearing down the veneer that concealed your 3+-year explosion of lies, self-delusion and craven piggishness. Through your actions of late, you are finally being seen—in living color—for the morally bankrupt, heartless, and self-enriching swamp creature you have been all along behind your mask.
And there he stands, ladies and gentlemen, without a mask and holding up a bible in front of a church!
Not surprisingly, the bible is upside down.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: A friend wrote to tell me that stories of President Trump holding the bible upside down were inaccurate. Rather than go back and rewrite the ending—an ending I loved—I decided to offer this note.
