Schwab: America’s compassion detained along with the kids
Published 1:30 am Saturday, June 23, 2018
By Sid Schwab
Yes, it is who we are, our country if not every citizen. Because of the President of the Electoral College and everyone who enables him, in the eyes of the world the United States of America has joined the disgraceful list of governments that have, over the course of human history, taken children from their parents and locked them up.
According to Trump, it sends a message. Indeed it does: He’ll punish children because of what their parents did; not unlike descendants of Adam and Eve (his cult considers him heaven-sent). Both Jeff Sessions and Trump’s mousepiece cited the Bible to defend it.
God knows the Bible calls for worse than taking children from their parents. Many religious leaders quote it to rationalize various forms of inhumanity. In the case of the “president” of the United States, though, our laws are clear: The Bible isn’t an acceptable justification for his behavior. Not that Trumpists agree with that concept.
To his compartmentalized credit, and unlike self-described “pro-family” groups, Franklin “Clinton’s infidelities mean he’s untrustworthy but Trump’s are none of our business” Graham didn’t like treating children like this. Lying as usual, Trump blamed Democrats for non-existent laws that forced him, poor man, to do this unhappy thing. That’s glaringly, almost laughably false. But lying is who Trump is, and Trumpists seem to love him for it. (Politifact: tinyurl.com/no2children)
Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy apes his favorite “great guy,” leader of the planet’s most brutal, repressive government. After his performances in Toronto and Singapore, Trump demonstrated he wants onto that list; democracy isn’t his cup of cheeseburger, and they love him for that, too. None have argued otherwise.
Rather than brutalizing children, how about recalling the compassion that once made America great? Trump’s reluctant, hasty, half-about-face doesn’t fit the description. But it does prove he was lying about Democrats.
Recently, I opined that since Trump’s economic policies will hurt average Americans, the best explanation for their continued support is they like how he treats people who aren’t white male Republican Christians (dictators Kim and Putin excepted.) Readers were outraged. Shame on you for implying racism, they said. None repudiated the examples that were given, though. (I admit to error in that column, in failing to mention theocracy as a factor in Trump-love. Trump himself is as Christian as “talented” Chairman Kim, but he’s the means to an end.)
Then Virginia Republicans nominated a vocal white supremacist to represent them in the Senate. Shortly thereafter, the execrable Ann Coulter said the captive children are “child actors,” coached by Democrats to look sad. Trump retweeted it. Fox “news” Laura Ingraham insisted detention is like “summer camp,” Cory Lewandowski said “wah wah,” and Tucker Carlson warned keeping those families together endangers America. (What say you now, Tucker?)
Even if they were held in luxury hotels, ripping innocent kids from parents whose crime is seeking refuge and a better life is not OK. Not for America, not for our moral standing in the world, which, Trump’s Putinophilic eradication of it notwithstanding, remains vital.
Oh, but President Obama did the same, say what-aboutists. To children who came alone. Not using them as political pawns. Not without plans for reuniting. (MSNBC: tinyurl.com/no2unite)
Per polls, a majority of Republicans (and only they) approve of the kidnappings. When your party is overtaken by xenophobes, racists and cowards, it’s political poison ivy: unless you remove yourself, you’re tainted. Stand up or stock up. (tinyurl.com/Uneed2 )
“Not-racist” Trumpists claim President Obama was deliberately divisive. Behold, then, the words of their inamorato, tweeted this week:
“Democrats are the problem. They don’t care about crime, and they want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad… to infest our country, like MS-13. They can’t win on their terrible policies, so they view them as potential voters.”
What despicable, racist, divisive demagoguery, unworthy of any president, much less a yuge popular vote loser. Count on Trumpists believing it. After an hour with Supreme Leader Kim, Trump proclaimed he’d solved the nuclear problem; the cult sang its hosannas. Likewise, for his opposite-day lies that the DOJ IG report “completely exonerates” him; and for his fabrications about its conclusions. (Five-hundred pages. Think he read it?) Taking millions in cash from corrupt Russian oligarchs earns silence, though. (New York Times: tinyurl.com/DOJlies) (McClatchy: tinyurl.com/cash4trump)
Welcome to Trump’s “great again” America. Led by a habitual liar, half-filled with people who believe it all. Sad. (Washington Post: tinyurl.com/2lie4u)
Email Sid Schwab at columnsid@gmail.com.
