A Question of Character
This past weekend I attended a lecture by Michael Soffer, the author of Our Nazi. It’s a book about how after WWII Nazis emigrated to the US and began living ordinary lives. Specifically, it’s about one Nazi who became a custodian at our local high school in Oak Park. He was here for decades before being found out. He had become a valued part of the community and was a standout employee. When he was discovered and the US government came for him, local citizens wrote letters on his behalf. Most did not want to see him deported. They couldn’t reconcile how a kindly neighbor was once a guard at a brutal slave camp.
The high school, in particular, found it hard to part with him. In fact, they protected him. It wasn’t until a small handful of citizens came before the school board to put it eloquently and succinctly like this:
Should a person who has voluntarily served in the SS be considered a suitable employee of District 200? If you lack relevant Information to answer this question tonight, what information are you lacking? What efforts are you making to obtain this Information? When will you be able to answer this question?
Brilliant, no?
I’m not a fan of Donald Trump. He’s entertaining. I will give you that. He is absolutely entertaining. He’s able to play the babyface and heel like no one else. He is a REMARKABLE figure in history with great charisma and an incredible understanding of how to manipulate the media. But he is not a person with whom I would want to do business. He is not a person with whom I’d want to hang out. He is not any kind of a role model or someone I would want around my children.
I’m old enough to remember when Trump was president. He was an agent of chaos. The news felt like something between a black comedy and an Orwell novel. On any given day you were gobsmacked; like when he pushed world leaders out of his way at the NATO summit, redrew the hurricane path with a Sharpie, or suggested injecting bleach to combat Covid. It was a time when people were anxious and on edge; as if there was a horse in the hosptial.
Trump’s position in power was not good, and it did not end well.
Am I hesitant to write this out and share it? Yeah, a little. I’m aware that there are major newspapers not endorsing either candidate for fear of political retribution should trump win. I’m small potatoes, but that’s where we’re at. Freedom of speech much?
I’m not a wonk. I can’t speak to Trump’s policies. But I know neither can he.
All I know — call it a hunch, a vibe — is that he is not a good or trustworthy person and the country will suffer for it, again.
Should a person who is a twice impeached convicted felon, a known slumlord, liar, cheater, philanderer, fraudster, and a predator found liable for sexual abuse be considered a suitable candidate for president of the United States? If you lack relevant information to answer this question, what information are you lacking? What efforts are you making to obtain this information? When will you be able to answer this question?
There have been TONS of pieces written about trump’s lack of character. But it’s not really about his character anymore. It’s about ours.
