THE CHILD PRESIDENT

THE CHILD PRESIDENT

Ruth A. Sheets

June 24, 2019

It has been clear from before Donald Trump took office that he despises immigrants, that is, immigrants of color.  He told his cult that he wanted all 11 million (or so) “illegal immigrants” gone.  That kind of a blanket statement is typical of a person who sees things in “black and white,” and cannot or will not consider the consequences of his actions.  That is expected of a little kid, but not of a 73-year-old man.

In this case, Mr. Trump has threatened to send his dogs, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into communities to drag undocumented immigrants out and ship them back to their original countries.  He knows ICE will do whatever he tells them to do because Congress decided in a fear fever after 9/11, that is their job.  He also knows they have let power go to their heads and seem to love this task.  Like so many in Mr. Trump’s administration, they seem to revel in the suffering of others and the power it brings them, and Mr. Trump, the Commander in Chief, revels in being able to order them about.

As a citizen and Christian minister, I am horrified at the threats this president is making.  He is using threats against the lives of thousands, perhaps millions of people to get his way.  He and his cult want a wall and they plan to get it any way they can.  Tell everyone he is releasing the dogs on Sunday to bring added fear to communities of color, then on the day before, tell everyone he will call off the dogs, but in return he expects to get from Congress the money for his wall.  Isn’t that extortion?  If Congress gives in, Mr. Trump will know that this tactic works and he will definitely use it again, this time in a more all-encompassing way.  

That kind of reasoning alas, is exactly what one would expect from an 8-year-old school yard bully.  And, that's what Mr. Trump is.  He never had to grow up and his emotional age is about that of an 8-year-old and he has the understanding of a kid about that age too.  Then, he is rich, which he believes, gives him even more weight, a bigger bully.  

Some unthinking people chose to put this child in the White House and hoped he would do stuff for them.  He has!  Not alone, though because there are a lot of people who benefit from allowing and encouraging this child’s tantrums and bullying.  Who benefits?  Corporations that produce fossil fuels love the acts that permit increasing the amount of pollution they can produce, the places like National Parks where they can do their dirty work, and the destruction they can wreak on the oceans and seaside communities (not Mr. Trump’s property at Mara Lago, though). 

Employers of undocumented immigrants benefit too because if they don’t want to pay their employees what they have earned, no problem.  They can always report them to ICE if they complain.

Evangelicals enjoy wallowing in their self-righteousness that “those people didn’t come in the right way.  They’re making ‘anchor babies’ who suck up our resources.  The sad thing, it doesn’t matter to Evangelicals if any of what they say is true.  It feels true!

Shame on all of them trying to extort concessions from Democrats and some Republicans in exchange for him getting his stupid useless, but very expensive wall.  The parents in the room must stand up and tell him no.  I am guessing Republicans, bad political parents that they are, just can't do it.  The neighbors will somehow have to step in, introducing some discipline. 

I get it that a child like Mr. Trump does not understand much, but he certainly does know how to manipulate his cult followers and the other Republicans and conservatives who enable his poor behavior.  It looks like the American communities will have to step forward to protect Mr. Trump’s targets, the people who work hard, raise families, and feel loyalty to this country even though they were born somewhere else.  They deserve a chance to become permanent residents or citizens if that is what they choose.  They do not deserve the constant threats and crippling fear that comes from not knowing if parents will still be here when a child gets home from school, the fear of being thrown back into the chaos and death of the countries they fled. 

Mr. Trump wants to be a hero to his cult.  He doesn’t truly understand that he already is.  He appointed Justice Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and he will stop abortions.  That and his anti-immigrant stance are all it takes for them to cleave to him forever.  So whatever he says or does is OK with them. 

Pretty childish, huh?