I try very hard to stay away from the political sphere. In political today’s climate I believe that all or most of the political rhetoric is couched in the language of tribalism. I am convinced that far too many people aren’t considering facts and stats when weighing in on social or economic policies. They are first considering the political affiliations of the candidates rather than actually considering their position on important topics. I agree with the sentiment of former independent Governor Jessie Ventura when he said that all persons running for any political office should have their party affiliation removed from their names. It would, hopefully, motivate people to actually do some research and find out what a person stands for on issues.
Back to the reason for this post. For a little more than eleven minutes, the POTUS went on a tirade against the city of Chicago and their chief’s top cop. For at least eleven minutes the prez railed against the troubles of Chicago and their terrible crime, murder, and gang problem. He accused the police commissioner, Eddie Johnson of being inept, a sympathizer of sanctuary cities and not doing his job. The event was the meeting of the International Chiefs of Police conference, which is held every year. For some reason, Eddie Johnson was unable to attend the event and left a somewhat nasty message for the Commander in Chief. Johnson stated something along the lines that the ”values of the people of Chicago are more important than anything that Trump has to say”. If anyone hasn’t heard or learned by now, then clearly they aren’t paying attention. The current occupant of the Oval Officer will strike back when attacked like a 4th grader in a nasty game of “I know you are but what am I?”.
Taking the high road has become a thing of the past and means nothing in this political atmosphere. Numerous examples could be given of political rivals attacking each other and furthering the divide that this nation has. Another recent example is when Presidential hopeful Cory Booker was on The View and questioned by Meghan McCain concerning gun buybacks. When Booker tried to bring civility to the conversation, McCain responded by basically saying “Beto O’Rourke started it”. C’mon people, aren’t we better than this? Shouldn’t we act like we know better? And when Booker again tried to address the situation McCain interrupted by saying “with all due respect….”. As if beginning any disrespectful argument, saying or interruption can be made more palatable by prefacing it with, “all due respect”.
Again, I got sidetracked. I have also criticized Chicago and other PD’s as well as some chiefs. However, I do not have a personal vendetta against any of them personally. And I certainly do not believe that any of them are inept and not doing their jobs. Managing departments and reducing crime is very difficult. One of the most important methods to reduce crime is community involvement. Unfortunately one of Chicago’s problems is their lack of community involvement due to the past problems of police corruption which has plagued that city.
To make matters worse 45 stated that he knew some police officers who were very fine people and that could do a better job than Johnson and fix the City’s problems in a day. Really? To say this man has a strained relationship with the truth is an understatement. These are probably the same people who went to Hawaii and found some very interesting things concerning Obama’s birth certificate. What was very disappointing to me was the fact that other police chiefs in attendance were applauding while the President berated Johnson. Again, if history tells us anything, it’s that those chiefs should be very leery. One day it may be their turn to have their head on the chopping block. I live under the notion that if one is capable of turning so quickly on their friends, then they have shown me that they can turn on me as well.
To sum it all up, I have a problem with the POTUS blistering members of police departments, union leaders, or former members of his cabinet. It seems beneath the office to attack your own citizens, yes even when they strike first. I believe its ok to respond, but to go on an eleven-minute tirade seems a little excessive in my opinion. Somehow I truly can’t imagine the former president getting away with any of this and still enjoying the support of his constituents. Let’s not forget the precedent that all of this is creating. Ask yourself is this really the way that we want elected officials behaving? Do we really want the next president, senator, governor or mayor behaving in this way?
I had the pleasure of being on a panel discussion with some fine individuals the other day. One of the members of the panel, Dr. Tommie Jackson, is a pastor in Stamford, CT. He gave me an article he wrote that was published in a few newspapers. Let me quote him as he quotes the famous writer H.L. Menken. “More than 100 years ago, the late H. L. Menken, a preeminent writer for the Baltimore Sun, penned these words, ‘ As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts’ at last desire and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron’ ”. – On Politics: A Carnival of Buncombe
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