Two Issues Out of Many

 The First Issue:  Election Hysteria

Mr. Trump has trumped up his rhetoric about election fraud in the upcoming November election.  Attorney General Barr has echoed that rhetoric making unfounded claims about U.S. elections, vote by mail and voter fraud.  There is no evidence whatsoever to support the rhetoric—but then, evidence doesn’t seem to matter anymore.  Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Barr are undermining the credibility and legitimacy of the democratic election process.  So is Russia, according to Director Wray of the FBI.  VOTE!

Does anyone remember the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity (the Voter Fraud Commission) established by Donald Trump?  It ran from May 2017 to January 2018 and was then disbanded.  The commission’s task was to review claims of voter fraud, improper registration, and voter suppression following Trump’s claim that millions of illegal immigrants had voted in the 2016 election, costing him the popular vote.  No evidence was found to support that claim or of any widespread fraud in the American voting system.  VOTE!

Now, in this election year of 2020, Mr. Trump suggests that if he wins the election it will not be rigged.  But the only way he can lose is if the election is rigged.  Just think about that!  VOTE!

The Second Issue:  Divisiveness

Last Tuesday Mr. Trump once again at his rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, disparaged Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar implying that she is not American.  “She’s telling us,” he said, “how to run our country.  How did you do where you came from?  How is your country doing?”

Omar was born in Somalia.  She came to the U.S. when she was eight years old.  She is an American citizen and serves as a representative of the people of Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is as much an American as Mr. Trump or any of the rest of us.  We are all immigrants, or the sons and daughters, or grandchildren, or great grandchildren of immigrants—including Mr. Trump.  

Immigrants, Black Lives Matter Protestors, Democrats and all others in this wonderful place we call America ARE AMERICANS—NOT ENEMIES.  A house divided against itself cannot stand!

Despicable

 The “Law and Order” mantra has been violated by the very person who has been touting it.  Mr. Trump flaunted the law (and order) by holding an indoor rally in Nevada on Sunday without social distancing (and a largely un-masked crowd) in defiance of the state’s ban on local gatherings of 50 people or more.  He also violated the Covid-19 guidelines set by his own administration.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak called the rally “shameful, dangerous and irresponsible.”  “Tonight,” the governor said, “President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada.  The President appears to have forgotten that this country is still in the middle of a global pandemic.”  Trump later claimed that he didn’t think he was subject to the 50-person guideline.  He sees himself  as “above the law.”

As Governor Sisolak made clear, “This is an insult to every Nevadan (and American) who has followed the directives, made sacrifices, and put their neighbors before themselves.”  For months “we the people” have been denied the opportunity to attend a funeral of a loved one or friend or to visit a grandparent in a Nursing Home, or attend a worship service, or visit with family members.  The people have been faithful to the emergency directives given by the governors of their respective states in response to a still spiraling global pandemic.  Even NFL games are being played in mostly empty stadiums.   But this does not apply to Mr. Trump!  

It is despicable (“deserving to be despised; so obnoxious as to rouse moral indignation”)!  It irks me.  I’m not at a loss for words to describe the rally, held in blatant disregard of the law, and which health officials warn (on the basis of evidence:  Tulsa, Sturgis, etc.) is a “super spreader” event. 

It is repugnant, disgusting, contemptible, irresponsible, deplorable, revolting, odious, disgraceful, dishonorable, ignominious, shameful, base, ignoble, reprehensible, and dastardly.  And so much more….