One Small Voice: Criticism of Trump sometimes unfair

by Lynn Mandaville

If you read my column regularly, you might recall that I refer to my parents, particularly my Ma, quite a bit, for the wisdom and values they imparted to me and my sisters.

Those lessons are the ones that I most remember for the positive values they instilled in us.

But, like all people, my parents weren’t perfect.  And one of Ma’s faults throughout her life was that she tended to speak her mind without taking the time to judge her words before she let fly with them.

That is not to say she was an impulsive woman.  On the contrary, when it really mattered, she was thoughtful and considered in her actions, like how to discipline a teenage daughter who went out drinking with friends and came home drunk.

But Ma could be thoughtless about blurting out things that could be somewhat hurtful, like saying, after one had taken time to carefully dress for a certain occasion, “You’re going out like that?”

Or she could say things that sounded incredibly dumb when she was frustrated about something insignificant.  Remember the book and TV miniseries The Thornbirds, which was wildly popular in the 70s?  Ma just couldn’t abide all the hype, and when finally pinned down to tell someone why she didn’t like the miniseries, she blurted out “It has too many Catholics!”  (The novel was about Catholics!  Of course, it had lots of them, but too many?  Come on, Ma.)

So I learned from her less-than-stellar moments to do the opposite.  I learned to think, sometimes too much, before I speak.

I mention this because Facebook is one of those social media places, like Twitter, where people can speak before they think.  They can blurt out opinions and frustrations before they take the time to think things through.

One case in point occurred after this week of rioting following the death of George Floyd, the black man who was murdered by a cop in broad daylight in the streets of Minneapolis, MN.

Every day after that incident there were protests in the streets of dozens of cities across the nation.

Every day those protests were accompanied by rioting and looting and general mayhem.

Eventually, criticism began regarding the president’s failure to speak formally to the nation from the Oval Office, as other presidents had done when the country faced unusual strife.

Then, one night, when protests and rioting got uncomfortably close to the White House, the president was hustled to a bunker within the White House for his protection.  And people began to chide and criticize the president for cowardly behavior.

Of course, the media shared these same criticisms in long form.  But Facebook blew up with curt statements of condemnation, and those caused me to speak up where I generally don’t offer my opinion.

Here is my long form answer to those criticisms of the president, a man of whom I have a very low opinion, but who deserves fairer treatment by those on the left.

The Secret Service has certain protocols where the safety of the president is concerned.  It is highly likely that when violence threatens the safety of the head of state, especially so close to his residence when he is physically there, they are to make sure the president is hunkered down in a secure bunker.  Which they did.

I dislike our president, but I don’t think it unwise to protect his physical being when the country is in turmoil.  Is this a good time to deal with a crisis involving the health or life of our so-called leader, on top of everything else?  No.  Bad as he is, this is no time to risk adding insult to injury where the stability of the United States is concerned.  Let’s wait until November to attempt a smooth transition of power to a new president.  Whether or not the president is a coward and welcomed the time in his bunker is irrelevant.  For now, let’s keep the bastard safe.

Trump’s failure to address the nation may not have been a bad thing.  Until he spoke yesterday evening, it was my opinion that we were far better off without him attempting to express feelings of which he is incapable.

Trump has no sense of compassion, no inclination toward sympathy.  Any time he has attempted to offer it, he has come up short.  Why stir the already boiling pot with insincere rhetoric?  Why risk the president going off script at a time when carefully crafted words are a necessity?

Better to leave the airwaves silent.  Or, as Abraham Lincoln said, “It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”

Then yesterday evening he proved me correct.  Trump addressed the nation in a scripted message that poured gas on the already flaming situation.

Instead of offering words of comfort and hope, he offered threats of military intervention that were not warranted at this time.  He gave us words that implied force, further violence, and confrontation.

We’d all have been better off had he not spoken at all.

We liberals should be careful what we criticize.  We should be careful what we wish for.  Because, when it comes to this president, it only turns out worse.

Today I see in my newsfeed that Trump is being criticized for his photo-op in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church, the church that US presidents have traditionally attended for decades.  (Even Trump has attended once or twice.)

This is another damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t moment.

Liberals will carp that the president showed no concern for this building that was damaged during the riots.  This building that stands as a symbol of American Christian values because our presidents worship there.

Now that Trump has shown his version of concern, standing stiffly in front of the boarded up building while clumsily holding aloft a Bible, he is being criticized for not offering a prayer while there.

Honestly, liberals, do you want him to do that? Because if he did, you’d criticize him for being insincere or oafish.  We know that Trump is not what we’d consider religious.  Why force him into a situation where we know he would fail?

It’s totally counterproductive.  It’s totally illogical.

He looks like a dope, and so do we.

If liberals want to be fair to a man we are not happy is in the White House, we must take the time to think these things through.

Our criticisms of his gaffes don’t move forward the important issues.

Trump’s character failures can speak for themselves.  We pots calling the kettle black don’t make the truths of his character more clear.

Perhaps I am risking the ire of my fellow leftists and liberals.

As much as I wish Donald Trump would just shut up, there seem to be too many times lately when I wish we would do the same.