The Trump Push

Trump’s attitude, tone, posturing, and verbiage often come across as arrogant, boastful, and self-gratulatory.

So, when Trump bullied his way to the front of NATO leaders by pushing aside Dusko Markovic, the prime minister of Montenegro, that said it all.

Did you see it?

Did you see Trump’s face?  Did you notice his posture and catch his dismissiveness of Mr. Markovic?

Some Americans liked what they saw; thinking that that was a great way for Trump to show his commitment to “Put America First!”

And that is so very, very sad.

Why?

Do you believe in “Karma” or do you believe in “What goes around comes around” or the idea that “For every action there is always an equal and opposing reaction”?

In other words, as you already know, anger breeds anger, hate breeds hate, and so-on and so-forth.  That is to say that Trump’s presumptuous attitude, coupled with his arrogant actions, will have its equal and opposing reactions—and it won’t be nice.

If you’re familiar with the Biblical book of Proverbs, two verses come to mind, Proverbs chapter 16 verse 5 and verse18.  Verse 5 says, “The Lord detests all the proud of heart.  Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”  And verse 18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”  (NIV)

“America First,” Trump says.  “Make America Great Again,” Trump asserts.  And many Americans with pride in the hearts, arrogance in their tone, and Triumphalism in their spirits, resound with a “Hoorah!  Make it so!!  Let’s do this!!”

So, we have elected a president who, acting in our behalf, acts proudly, arrogantly, and even insultingly toward others, as a way of representing us, the people of the United States of America.

Thus, if the Biblical statements of Proverbs chapter 16 verses 5 and 8 are true, I wonder: How can we say “God Bless America!” expecting God to do so, when God clearly condemns proud, haughty, and arrogant people?

Be kind, considerate, generous, and respectful, mind your manners, be polite, don’t shove and push, wait your turn; and don’t boast and brag or be conceited.  These were the social rules, the “how to behave yourself” rules, that previous generations of Americans were taught and were brought up with.  Whether you were old or young, high or low, rich or poor, these were the norms of expected behavior within our social interactions.  And we are losing them. 

And with their loss we are fast becoming a small self-inflated people, curt and contentious, belligerent and bellicose, pompous and petulant, pretentious and plebian in manner.  Indeed, in the person of President Trump, it seems that he is the best representative for us at this time, if this is truly the kind of people we are becoming.