Saturday, November 11, 2017

In the Land of Exceptionalism, Boorishness Reigns

Trump is obviously a boor. So, what? America has a history of such behavior. Ever hear of “The Ugly American”? Trump is the embodiment of that concept. It’s what we get. (I hear there are people around the world who pity American to have landed such a leader as Trump. Not. They gloat.)

Hillary poses in her new book, “What Happened?” Perhaps she wonders how boorishness could have made such an outlandish entrance at her juncture in history. Madame, this boorishness we suffer came with Columbus. But it was only when a rupture in the political landscape created such a breach as to allow the abominable to rear its head, that we saw its face. 

That breach was created when an advanced society of 300 million people forced its electorate to choose between two imminent septuagenarians whom polls showed fully 60% of the populace did not trust. It may well have been the greatest compromise of this nation’s values in U.S. electoral history. We pulled back the covers on ourselves.

Trust is the foundation of all good relationships. If America will entrust its precious democracy to the least trustworthy among us, then what does that say about each of us and our relationship with the truth?

Neither Trump nor Hillary promised honesty. They promised money and power. America was keen to hear it. And wherefrom all of this money and power? From all other things, and all other peoples, on this good Earth.

Boorishness flexes its muscles, indifferent to the damage such express musculature leaves in its wake. Trump is America’s consummate boor. He exposes us all. Our enemies, and our allies, gawk at the sight. Yet, there is something fated about Trump – like karma; like chickens coming home to roost.  

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