MONTEREY
Word Games can be fun. I do The New York Times puzzle on Monday-Thursday, occasionally giving Sunday a go. Friday and Saturday,“forgettaboutit.” We play Boggle, Scrabble, Bananagrams at our house. My spouse was fairly addicted to on-line Words with Friends. I’m all for word play. But the way the GOP candidate games discourse feels more like “Words With Fiends.”
Language can be used as weapons and also act as a shield. The psychoanalytic aphorism, “There’s no negative in the unconscious,” sounds Zen but refers to the idea that people may say what they mean without realizing. Example, if approached with, “No offense, but…” what’s likely to follow will be insulting and offense may be taken. Responsibility for the comment? Not necessarily.
In this time of political pontificating, posturing, punditry, it’s challenging to comprehend what’s being said, let alone meant. Donald Trump tends to adjust his, very few, stated policy positions based on polled popularity. His most recent word play move was a declarative statement regarding President Obama’s being an American citizen…period! Recanting his former pronouncement of skepticism might have been refreshing save
Trump’s never acknowledging his previously adamant, witch hunting, accusations. Mr. Trump then doubled down blaming Hillary Clinton for his own erroneous claims.
Mr. Trump’s hyperbole regarding immigration reform and Mexico is infamous. He yawped about the wall, the wall, repeating the refrain like a twisted version of The Pink Floyd song, whose meaning is the inverse of Trump’s lyric: “I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”
With respect to Mr. Trump’s outburst, Hillary Clinton stated: “…You don’t make America great by getting rid of everything that made America great.” During the Democratic Primary debates she said:
“In 2003, I supported the DREAM ACT [Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors, a multi layered legislative proposal for undocumented immigrants in the U.S. leading to conditional residency, meeting qualifications, permanently so] I have been consistent and committed to comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship…” (3/9/16 – PBS Dem Primary debate, Miami)
By contrast, Mr. Trump’s foreign policy salvo was: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re sending…people that have lots of problems…They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists…”
In May, Mr. Trump all but accused Gonzalo Curiel, federal judge presiding over a class action case against Trump University as bias. “He’s a Mexican,” Trump was quoted to say to CNN. “We’re building a wall between here and Mexico. The answer is, he is giving us very unfair rulings – that people can’t even believe.” Parenthetically, Curiel is an Indiana-born American. He had been a prosecutor, chasing down Mexican drug cartels, vulnerable to drug kingpins threats. House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, stated publicly: “Claiming a person can’t do their jobbecause of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment.”
Mrs. Clinton countered with: “Let’s continue to stand up for those who are vulnerable to being left out or marginalized.” Further stating: “If a country doesn’t recognize minority rights and human rights, including women’s rights, you will not have the stability and prosperity that is possible.”
As voters we must interpret what candidates say, mean, and do. Mrs. Clinton has an extensive resume of community activism, and public service as a United States Senator and Secretary of State. Donald Trump has neither. He was handed a lump of money from his Father and still managed to achieve four business bankruptcies, stiffing contractors in Atlantic City, bilking would-be students at Trump University. All the furor regarding Mrs. Clinton’s alleged email infractions pertain to The Clinton Foundation, a philanthropic venture, much applauded for its achievements.
Perhaps we should consider the wisdom that: “…A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on,” a quote often attributed to Mark Twain, ironically was actually said by Charles Hadden Spurgeon, a British clergyman. Pertaining to this discussion he likewise stated: “Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite,” as well as, “None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves.”
Donald Trump makes non-fact based accusations against Hillary Clinton when being held accountable for his own verbal volcanic eruptions. This turnabout is a maneuver used in primary school. The “I’m-rubber-you’re-glue-what-you-say-bounces-off-me-and-sticks-to-you” defense made for brilliant oratory at recess. Mr. Trump’s utterances are best appreciated by stand-up comedians and their audiences. Given what’s at stake, the cover charge for this show is too pricey.
Speaking as a mental health professional, if accused of the objectionable, something ego-dystonic, the emotionally mature consider the criticism. Perhaps a mistake has been made. On the other hand, if the feedback is accurate (with digital evidence, as in Mr. Trump’s case) one should take responsibility, review position, recant. It’s absurd to shrug, say, “Just kidding,” a childish dodge for having made prejudicial statements regarding women, ethnicity, religions. Using a good offense as a defense might be a strategy for football but in personal relationships, micro (friends and family) or macro (world stage politics) it will serve to enrage, not engage.
Attacking others when being held accountable for one’s own words or actions is the purview of grade school bullies, not adults running for any public office. Using this template, Mr. Trump, perhaps you believe lawsuits will resolve if you declare, “You’re gonna pay the doctor bills!” Or “Get off my property!” Is your plan, then, to resolve global conflicts with a round of “Inky/Dinky” or are you prepared to go full throttle with, “Rock, Paper, Scissors”? Stop playing games. Say what you mean, Mr. Trump, more importantly, mean what you say. You’re a grown man, all evidence to the contrary.
