Now is not the time for euphemisms and efforts to speak truth in an inoffensive way. I’ve been there. I’ve done that. In an even semi-reasonable environment, it’s an effective way to achieve consensus and positive compromises. This is not a semi-reasonable environment.
It is my personal observation that Donald Trump has the maturity of and the same motivations as a spoiled five-year-old. He’s not alone. I wept when I saw video of a group of young men, all masked, marching uniformed and in step to support their belief in white supremacy. Although not as blatant, support for misogyny is likely a huge part of their motivation.
All masked, afraid to be known for their fight to preserve a long-standing obsequiousness to white men. After centuries of that social reality, is it any wonder that they embrace their privilege as a right? I think I understand why. As a country, we’ve spoiled them, given them what they want even when it’s destructive to others or to themselves.
It’s the Sunday after the United States’ 250th birthday, and I’m embarrassed, not just for myself but for the whole country. Good grief! They tore up huge segments of the White House property to build a temporary and phenomenally ugly venue for UFC fights.
Trump pirated, virtually at the last minute, the bipartisan U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission which had been planning the 250th anniversary celebration for the past ten years. Trump turned it into a county fair where he was the keynote speaker and where many states refused to participate.
Good grief! The whole thing was put together so quickly that portions of the stage collapsed and fell, barely missing performers. That was a traumatic sight for the handful of attendees who actually showed up. After all this, I’m afraid to look at the White House via Googleearth. I wouldn’t be surprised to see tires on the roof.
Okay, being tasteless isn’t a crime, but violating procurement procedures for events, that could well be. Trump’s last-minute celebration distributed $103 million of the $126 million budgeted for the Semiquincentennial Commission to spend for the 250th anniversary celebration. Much of that money was disbursed under questionable circumstances.
Recipients of those funds include entities controlled or influenced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Chris LaCivita (Trump’s former campaign manager) and Meredith O’Rourke, Trump’s former presidential campaign finance director.
Malfeasance is nothing new. Our community has suffered greatly from what I see as misuse of public resources in the aftermath of the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire in 2022. Jay Mitchell, as director of the HPCC Assistance Act Claims Office, felt free to award himself and his wife over a half million dollars for questionable smoke damage and business losses in distant Angel Fire while many total loss victims remained uncompensated. I’m not a prosecutor, a judge, or a jury member, but I will say plainly that personally, at the very least, I find that unethical.
Unethical, yes, but I’m not surprised. There are other examples within our bureaucracy. From my observations, FEMA is a strong example. Not long after the fire, as one who lost my home, I was at an event where those with loss could meet with FEMA representatives. I sat at a table across from FEMA officials when some of them began making fun of the local people. I guess they felt safe in doing so since my skin is white. That was a mistake, I strove made them aware of their error.
I could go on and on with examples, perhaps the most horrific of which would be the current abuses by ICE. I want to go back to the original topic … the pervasive social problems that can be attributed to “spoiled” people. I once worked for a commander in the Navy who told me not to bring a problem to him until I had a solution.
A mental health professional once defined “spoiling” for me. He said, “A child is spoiled when parents give them what they want, so they don’t have to give them what they need.”
The “spoiling” of whole populations I believe is a major part of what has brought us to a place where a selfish and immature president can declare war, leading to the deaths of thousands. His motivation? I believe at least part it was about distracting the world from his presence in the Epstein files.
We must hold people accountable (Do you hear me, Congress?) whether its an out-of-control president, or if it’s the 12-year-old who bullies his classmates for their lunch money. By weaving into our very social structure excusing and overlooking the toxic actions of “spoiled” people, we ensure that, in time, unreasonable people are in control.
Yes, that means accountability, but even before that, before they become greedy and conscienceless, it means too many people are given what they want because we can’t be bothered to give them what they need. Think about that, I’ll wager that all of us have instances in our lives where actually seeing someone in emotional need is an opportunity to give at least a taste of what they need. Sometimes, a kind word or a stern look from a stranger can make a difference.
You know what they say about one rotten apple. Currently, the entire barrel is at risk, but, if we have courage mixed with kindness, it can still be saved.
