We have been in the throes of a disturbing ethical conundrum. It has eternally been a necessary and appropriate assumption that, pursuant to the universal social contract, members of society are equally obliged to comply with its established rules of acceptable behavior; and that miscreants who are not in such compliance, be expelled therefrom. The existence and maintenance of a fixed and understandable set of societally determined standards, results in the equitable treatment of society members, and the security of uniform expectations. The erratic and unpredictable behavior of Donald J. Trump, since occupying the highest office in the Nation, has regrettably, raised fundamental questions concerning American’s historic perception of the uniformity of application of America’s ethical and moral standards.
In a Nation emphatically and determinatively dedicated to the equal status of all of its citizens, this President has, in his demeanor, intentionally violated every conceivable societal rule; and continues to confidently do so. Should illustrations be necessary, he has earned, what we have termed, the title of practitioner of serial mendacity, which signifies constant prevarications (often inconsistent with each other) while, simultaneously, attacking the veracity of our institutional and respected media, has been a serial abuser of women (complaints persist from scores of traumatized women), has boasted about his lewd sexual practices on public television, has turned the Oval Office into a profitable Shopping Mall, for the members of his family, has befriended traditional enemies of the United States, like Kim, of North Korea who has murdered his half-brother and his uncle, while starving his own people, in order to have money to carry on his xenophobic nuclear rocket program, and Putin, a KGB gangster, who has interfered in the American Election to help Trump, and who has practiced international homicide. Trump has been responsible for a Nazi-like immigration policy, ruining lives and separating babies and children from their families, placing them in wire cages without healthy sanitation and sustenance, has demeaned education and learning, has committed crimes of a planetary stature, in denying proven climate change and supporting polluter-industrialists, has made enemies of our historical friends, as he has befriended our historic enemies, has broken relations with NATO, an existential preventer of war, has withdrawn from the important Tokyo Climate Treaty, scrapped the Nuclear Agreement with Iran, with which they were judged to be in compliance by experts, whose ignorant policies concerning tariffs has hurt our economy (especially farmers), his numerous violations of the Emoluments proscription of the U.S. Constitution in greatly profiting from the Office of the Presidency and on and on, including an adolescent, public boast that he can shoot someone in Times Square and get away with it.
We are as frightened for the Nation, as we are appalled. What is the character of a Nation, which has to concern itself about beating such a villain in the 2020 election? Why are Democratic Candidates for nomination to the Presidency, advised to emphasize their traits, such as “toughness,” above platform principle, to assure the defeat of this neurotic degenerate?
What is especially intellectually disturbing and emotionally frightening, is the working assumption, that Trump supporters will again vote for Trump. It would appear that the moral expectations for this degenerate, are judged by his unique amoral criteria and expected behavior, as if behavior defines the rules and not the other way around. Because this miscreant is expected to violate societal standards, they are, somehow, waived, or redefined for him. This especially includes the deluded and insincere Christian Evangelists.
Contrast this with the pathetic attitude of the Democratic Primary. The Democrats have declared that their primary concern is to select a candidate that can defeat Trump! Seriously! What kind of Nation are we? An upstanding American statesman and leader is soundly criticized (maybe decisively) for stating that, in former years, he was obliged to negotiate and deal (by necessity) with bigoted Senators, by another (black) Candidate who is roundly praised for such “devastating” criticism? What is the necessity of action, to deal with bigoted Senators to get fair and non-bigoted legislation through, compared with Trump’s friendship with Kim and Putin? We have distain for that democratic Senator, for making such a cheap, pre-meditated, populist shot, and a greater disrespect for those who declared the winner of this round of debates, because of it.
Weighed against such compound criminality, unethical and disgustingly uncivil and uncivilized behavior of the President, Democratic Candidates, and the Media, should not conclusively transmogrify, every spontaneous word spoken, by other Candidates, without considering the context of the nightmarish behavior and the alternative of more Trump.
-p.
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