Mr. Trump:
Your recent gaff about the terrorist attack in Sweden (and other gaffes regarding current events) might be excusable — if you were not sitting in the Oval Office. As the so-called president of the U.S., you have the most effective information gathering operations in the world at you fingertips, as well as the miracle of Google.
I understand you are fond of hyperbole and often overstate things to make your point. It’s a political device I understand well. But using this technique simply to elicit fear in our citizens in an effort justify whatever actions you might have planned is pretty much bush-league (pun intended).
I would expect something much more nuanced for an allegedly successful businessman such as yourself.
In addition, citing non-existent “terrorist attacks” simply because you saw it on Fox News brings into question your intellect. Sir, do you not realize that Fox News is simply a propaganda machine for the GOP? It represents the pinnacle of “fake news” and is rarely trustworthy for an accurate account of restaurant reviews, much less issues of national importance.
If you insist on continuing to try and play the role of president, you need to spend a little more time working on your lines and your delivery, because presidents shouldn’t try to make policy in angry 140-character bursts of words on social media. The president should be thoughtful and level-headed, proposing and enacting policies that are carefully thought out, with input from experts on the subject.
There are millions of Americans that look to the President as the “captain of this great ship of state” we call the United States. That is a metaphor for the awesome task of being a leader.
People follow leaders who are level-headed
They trust them; they will do anything for a leader they believe to be trustworthy. Unfortunately, people will also follow leaders who scare them into following. Those kinds of leaders — the ones who lead by fear and intimidation — have a very poor track record. Just look at the long list of despotic dictators who have come and gone and are only remembered for their tyranny and unpopularity. The public eventually figures out that they have been “played,” and that does not end well for the dictator.
I would ask that as long as you are playing the role of president, you at least try to avoid citing nonexistent events as a justification for your policies. In short, stop playing the “fear card.” It’s a surefire way to decrease your popularity and lose ratings. (I use that as an example, since it seems “ratings” is the only thing you understand.
Here, let me put it in words surely even you can comprehend:
Trump lying = Trump not trusted.
Trump not trusted = Trump unpopular.
Trump unpopular = Trump sad.
Sincerely,
Hardy Haberman
Hardy Haberman is a longtime local LGBT activist and a board member of the Woodhull Freedom Alliance. His blog is at DungeonDiary.blogspot.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February, 24, 2017.
