As a child in the 1950s, I watched the television show “Superman.”
The show’s introduction always assured viewers that “Superman… fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.”
We children of the 1950s knew that Superman was a fictional character.
However, the closest comparison that we could imagine as the individual most invested with the responsibility to preserve truth, justice and the American way for America would be the president of the United States.
However, our current president seems bent on upheaving much of what many Americans have perceived traditionally as truth, justice and the American way.
According to the Washington Post, as of March 3, it seems Trump had made over 9,000 false or misleading claims during his first 773 days in office (so much for the president fighting a never-ending battle for truth).
Some recent news reports have suggested that Trump dangled pardons to some of his prior associates who were convicted of crimes (so much for the president fighting a never-ending battle for justice).
While watching and listening to the first 20 minutes of Trump’s speech given at CPAC conference on March 2, I observed his strutting back and forth across the stage in much the same manner as a European dictator who rose to power in the 1930s. Is this the American way?
In the first 25 minutes of his CPAC speech to conservatives, Trump used varying degrees of expletives, including at least four minor expletives and one major expletive that had to be bleeped on news channels. Is this the American way?
N.B. As I have stated before, if a school principal used potty-mouth expletives at a public conference (e.g., Trump’s minor or major expletives at the recent CPAC conference), it is likely that principal would face a prompt firing/removal.
Within the first half hour of his CPAC speech, Trump referred to U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff as “Shifty Shiff,” again employing his disturbing use of placing denigrating labels on folks by whom he appears threatened (e.g., Lyin’ Ted for Sen. Ted Cruz, Little Marco for Sen. Marco Rubio, and Crazy Bernie for Bernie Sanders… just to list a few). Is this the American way?
Recently someone started to speak a rhyme to me that began, “Trumpty Dumpty sat on a wall…” I immediately stopped that individual from continuing the rhyme by interrupting and saying that whatever one thinks of Trump, he is still the president… and we must respect the office… that is the American way.
According to a recently released Breitbart News interview with the president, Trump apparently said, “I can tell you I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump — I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough — until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad.” If Trump made this thuggish statement, it would seem he is suggesting violence in what appears to be a passive-aggressive manner. Is this the American way?
Although many may argue that the 1950s was a much different time than 2019, the basic concepts of truth, justice and the American way are timeless… at least in my opinion.
Truth, justice, and the American way are all based on the concept of civility in a civilized nation. Potty-mouth cursing, lying/misleading, and possibly flouting the criminal justice system, in my opinion, are not facets of the American way.
Superman, where are you?
Kathy Rittel
East Williston
