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the American creed is in trouble..........

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Printed Date: April 16 2024 at 10:27am


Topic: the American creed is in trouble..........
Posted By: carbon20
Subject: the American creed is in trouble..........
Date Posted: October 23 2017 at 2:51pm

It's a rare day when George W Bush and Barack Obama agree: the American creed is in trouble

OPINION
By  http://www.abc.net.au/news/bruce-wolpe/7374714" rel="nofollow - Bruce Wolpe

Updated yesterday at 5:17pm



 
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-07/body-of-special-forces-soldier-killed-in-niger/9026610" rel="nofollow -
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-17/donald-trump-claims-predecessors-didnt-honour-fallen-soldiers/9057200" rel="nofollow - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/john-kelly-donald-trump-fallen-soldier-controversy/9064650" rel="nofollow - http://www.google.com/maps/place/United%20States/@38,-97,5z" rel="nofollow - #sheet-default-icon-chevron-circle-down" rel="nofollow - -

It should have been a solemn commemoration of service — the return of the body of Sergeant LaDavid Johnson, killed in Niger, for burial in Florida.

Instead, it's become a flashpoint of political and cultural warfare involving the President, his chief of staff, the soldier's family, a Member of Congress and veterans.

This episode has roiled news coverage for days, and the wounds remain raw.

For nearly two weeks, Trump had not commented on the fatal raid and firefight in Niger that  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-07/us-soldiers-killed-in-niger-ambush/9026364" rel="nofollow - took four American lives.

Asked about Niger in a press conference last Monday, he  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-17/donald-trump-claims-predecessors-didnt-honour-fallen-soldiers/9057200" rel="nofollow - pivoted to question  whether other presidents, specifically naming Barack Obama, had made phone calls to the families of the fallen. That provoked a firestorm and emphatic statement of the record from President Obama's associates.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/obama-salutes-war-dead/9064772" rel="nofollow">Six US soldiers carry a coffin past Barak Obama, who stands in salute. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/obama-salutes-war-dead/9064772" rel="nofollow -

Trump said he would write and call the families of those killed in Niger. General John Kelly, the chief of staff, spoke about his discussions with Trump on how to make those calls.

Kelly recounted the death of his own son in Afghanistan to Trump to explain what a condolence call should say — that his son was:

"Doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed. He knew what he was getting into by joining that 1 per cent [of the country who volunteer to serve]. He knew what the possibilities were because we're at war."

How to kill a condolence call

But in making the call, Trump condensed Kelly's guidance into these words: "He knew what he signed up for."

Trump did not mention Sergeant Johnson's name to his widow, Mayeshia Johnson, pregnant with their third child. Trump called Sergeant Johnson, "Your guy."

We know this because Sergeant Johnson's mentor from his school years, Democrat Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, was in the car when Trump's call came through on speakerphone.

Wilson went public, and all hell broke loose.

https://twitter.com/RepWilson" rel="nofollow - https://twitter.com/RepWilson" rel="nofollow">Rep Frederica Wilson ✔@RepWilson

It's shameful how  https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump" rel="nofollow - https://twitter.com/RepWilson/status/920302774612561925" rel="nofollow - 10:57 PM - Oct 17, 2017  ·  https://twitter.com/search?q=place%3A01fbe706f872cb32" rel="nofollow - Washington, DC

  • https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=920302774612561925" rel="nofollow -

    Trump lost the essence of his chief of staff's distilled wisdom at a moment of intense grief for the soldier's family. It became another classic Trump expression marked by insensitivity.

    Those words clearly hurt, privately and publicly.

    Kelly and Trump then shot the messenger, Ms Wilson, who has been slandered by the White House and become both vilified and a hero.



     
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    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/white-house-calls-congresswomans-remarks-about/9064814" rel="nofollow -

    'Trump never apologises'

    Trump never apologises, never expresses remorse, never makes amends.

    This is a replay of Trump's attack last year on the Khan family, whose son was killed in Iraq as he saved others.

    The father of slain Capt. Humayun Khan waved the Constitution at Trump during the Democratic Convention. He asked if Trump understood the text and the plurality of America for all, including Muslims.

    Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.

     
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    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-29/khizr-khan-asks-donald-trump-have-you-read-constitution/7673278" rel="nofollow -

    Trump's attack on the Khans went on for days, and hurt Trump's image badly — but clearly not enough to end his bid for the White House, even though it was on top of a revolting attack on John McCain for being a POW in Hanoi.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump" rel="nofollow - https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump" rel="nofollow">Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump

    I was viciously attacked by Mr. Khan at the Democratic Convention. Am I not allowed to respond? Hillary voted for the Iraq war, not me!

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/759743648573435905" rel="nofollow - 9:32 PM - Jul 31, 2016
    • https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=759743648573435905" rel="nofollow -

      Bush and Obama intervene

      But something else happened last week.

      The two former presidents felt these times required them to speak out on political culture under Trump.

      Neither George W. Bush nor Barack Obama mentioned Trump by name. But their message of concern could not have been clearer, as they spoke about fidelity to the "American creed".

      Bush said, "Bigotry or white supremacy in any form is blasphemy against the American creed."

      And Obama, on the same day: "The world counts on America having its act together. The world is looking to us as an example. The world asks what our values and ideals are and are we living up to our creed."

      The 43rd and 44th presidents hardly saw eye to eye. But they understand what is happening to America now.



       
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      http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-20/bush-says-bigotry-blasphemy-against-the-american/9068826" rel="nofollow -

      America divided

      Obama said another thing:

      "If you have to win a campaign by dividing people, you're not going to be able to govern."

      America has not been this divided since the Vietnam war.

      Trump taps into the country's fears, anger and bitterness with abandon. Throughout his campaign, Trump sought to drive the country apart — for his narrow political advantage.

      When they listen to Trump, Americans must also consider what these former leaders have said as the country navigates this dangerous time.



      -------------
      Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.🖖

      Marcus Aurelius


Replies:
Posted By: Technophobe
Date Posted: October 23 2017 at 4:47pm
No Gentlemen Here.

Having accidentally caused offence to a grieving widow, a gentleman would have said:  "I am truly and deeply sorry for any offence, or additional pain which my insensitive speech caused you.  Believe me, neither insult nor offence were intended; quite the opposite.  I should have framed my words with more care, although it is my lack of eloquence that offended you, not any lack of respect.  Sargent Johnson was a hero.  He deserves all the recognition his country can give him and, as the representative of the country, he has earned the greatest respect and gratitude from me personally.

How can I make amends for the brutish, graceless patterns of my speech?  You and Sargent Johnson's family deserve the respect and honor of a grateful nation."

Sadly, Trump is about as far from being a gentleman as you can get.  So, no chance of that happening anytime soon.


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How do you tell if a politician is lying?
His lips or pen are moving.


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