EXCUSES: THE 11TH PLAGUE
EXCUSES: THE 11TH PLAGUE
In America today, there is a third party in politics. Many call it the Trump base but a more apt name would be the excuse party. And if you haven’t heard of them and the constant sobs from them, you are not listening.
This party's platform has one plank and they walk that plank every day making excuses for trump supporters. It was more comical in the beginning when we all thought that trump was in-electable. Now the joke is on all of us. And the 11th plague is upon us. The plague of excuses. The frog or grasshopper plagues seem benign by comparison.
The excuses made for trump supporters are part of a larger ambivalence by those who believe its all right to be untethered to reality. And the idea of letting excuses being accepted again reminds of 1930 Germany. Trump and his supporters by their words and actions are hostile to intelligence and completely ignorant on what really makes America great. A free press, democratic institutions and norms, and compassion for those who seek refuge from lands of violence are what separated the U.S. from the rest of the world since WWII.
This country has thrived because of immigrants coming to this country in the last half century to the contrary of what Trump’s supporters think. And singling out any one group of people for the troubles of a nation has resulted in the greatest holocausts the world has known.
In an even more of a “whitewash” it’s not just the average Trump supporter that whines for empathy, but his celebrity followers as well. Roseanne Barr and Kanye West are being maligned for pledging their support for this president. They have taken to politicize their shows and music respectively but see no reason there should be any push back. Freedom of speech in their minds is a one-way street.
For Trump's legions (who are constantly vocal about mistreatment from the press and liberals) they rarely practice what they preach. For 8 years they hurled the most hateful and mendacious rants at President Obama. People like Ann Coulter, Ted Nugent, and Sean Hannity couldn't stop a verbal diarrhea of vindictive nonsense and republicans stood by saying nothing.
Trump himself formed his base in part by continuing the " Great Lie" that Obama was not born in America. The strategy worked not unlike the rise of German's leader in the 1930's. Create a lie big enough and keep repeating it.
Therefore, the excuses made for trump supporters and their leader are more then just excuses, they are permission to allow the truth to become a disposable bulwark of society. And the idea of letting excuses being accepted again reminds of 1930 Germany. When many in Europe and here in the U.S. were willing to give the German Chancellor a pass or in their case an asymmetrical salute. Even as he marginalized a small group of people to unite his racist base.
Trump and his supporters by their words and actions are hostile to intelligence and unforgiving in their ignorance on what really makes America great. A free press, democratic institutions and norms, and compassion for those who seek refuge from lands of violence are what separated what the U.S. was and what it stood for as a model for democracy in the free world.
In the coming days as more evidence pours out of Trump's misdeeds and probable criminal behavior we must be ever vigilant not to let excuses cloud what is the inevitable conclusion that a foreign power aided Trump in his bid for the White House.
Donald J. Trump and his cabinet have already proved that corruption is an accepted practice of running our government. This president has not drained the swamp he has left the hose on as it continues to overflow. And his base who see themselves as victims that only Trump can save. Allowing their ill-informed raison d’etre yet another plague for this nation to endure.
