This has been an incredible week in American politics. We have a new president and he’s wasting no time at all implementing his limited and short-sighted agenda.
I did not vote for Donald Trump. I just couldn’t. He doesn’t come across as someone who is reasonable or intelligent. He just talks a lot of shit. He’s got the temperament of a 5 year old that needs a nap.
What still perplexes me, months after the election is this: As you know, I work a 9-5 job. Our division (comprised of just about 140 people) has a president. If he did even half the things Donald Trump has done during the campaign, he’d be fired. If these antics are not good enough for 140 people, why are they good enough for an entire nation?
I recently came across a site called Character Counts that focuses on cultivating character in our young people. One of the highlights is the Six Pillars of Character, which I think serve to explain exactly what’s wrong with our current president:
TRUSTWORTHINESS: Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat, or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and country
He hasn’t yet released his tax returns and there is no definitive indication that he has suitably divested himself of his personal business interests. Besides, anyone who has declared business bankruptcy five times clearly games the system.
RESPECT: Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant and accepting of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements
Tolerant? He said in his campaign that he was going to ban Muslims from entering this country. He hasn’t been in office two full weeks and he’s done just that. He doesn’t deal peacefully with anyone or anything. If you dare to disagree or challenge him, he’s quick to threaten and/or insult you.
RESPONSIBILITY: Do what you are supposed to do • Plan ahead • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes • Set a good example for others
If his Twitter account is anything to go by, self-control is a foreign concept. So is ‘thinking before you act’. He put the travel ban in place but never thought to consult the other parts of the government that would need to implement and enforce the ban. He just went off, half cocked.
FAIRNESS: Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly • Treat all people fairly
Don’t blame other’s carelessly? Yes, it’s the media’s fault that the turnout to his inauguration was much lower than he insisted it was. It’s also the media’s fault that millions of women protested his election the day after the inauguration - by the way, that crowd was definitely bigger than his.
CARING: Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need
Apparently he’s got a list of enemies and retribution is coming. There is no forgiveness or compassion in this White House. He’s isn’t even grateful to be elected president. He’s too busy whining and crying about how millions of illegal immigrants voted in the election, which is why he didn't win the popular vote.
CITIZENSHIP: Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment • Volunteer
He won’t cooperate with anyone who doesn’t share his opinion. He’s the president and he’s not even interested in staying informed…there’s no need when you have alternative facts.
I don’t support this President. I can’t. I don’t think his supporters truly understand the fact that when the rights of just one of us is in jeopardy, then ALL of our rights are in jeopardy. He promotes dissension and mistrust and unfortunately, it feels like it's starting to take hold. He doesn’t want unity. He wants us suspicious of others because they don’t look like us. Although, as a black woman, I don’t feel like I’m included in the ‘us’ either.
He signed an executive order and instituted a nation wide travel ban on Muslims entering this country (except of course, for the Muslim countries in which he does business). What’s to stop him from picking up the same pen and repealing the Civil Rights Acts? What’s stopping him from reinstating a ban on gays in the military or a ban on gay marriage?
While he was elected by democratic means, this bull in a china shop approach feels strangely like a dictatorship - my way or the highway - and I worry that, as great as this country is - what’s left of it after Trump is done will have me considering a move to Canada.
