Most of the oxygen in the world of American news media today has been taken up by last night’s story about Trump’s contempt for the military, which said, among other things, that Trump called soldiers “suckers” and dead service members “losers.” Today, the story was confirmed and expanded by the
I’m waiting for the story to break that Trump thinks his own supporters are suckers and losers. It seems likely that Trump considers his MAGA-hatted crowds to be just a bunch of marks that he can con into cheering for him. How can a reality TV star not have contempt for his audience, when he knows the whole thing is an act? When do we get to hear what Trump says about all the people who cheer him on, in private?
I’d like to start this post with a great big thank you to this group and to everyone who replied to my post from yesterday. I was truly shell shocked from the FB wars where I found inane and divisive responses to what I had said there in a measured manner. You encouraged me to come here for R&R and gave me a proverbial hug. I appreciate it so much.
As to the news we are all talking about, we will never convince those who refuse to believe the truth. No matter how many verifications come about, people will not believe. So don’t spend your precious time trying to change minds. Use it to drive up the vote. Get your young grandchildren and your senior friends to vote. I’m connecting with my nephew to work on a social media campaign to get his friends out in November.
In Donald Trump's world there is only "I" and never "WE". Others exist only in as far as they play the role that HE assigns them in the theater of HIS personal aggrandisement, in the projection of HIS munificence characterised by his allowing them to be of service to HIM; they do not exist in themselves. Everyone is thus totally expendable the moment they nolonger serve HIS interests, don't appreciate the "grandeur"of HIS vision of HIMSELF, have no role to play in serving HIM or do not think and act exactly like HIM. It is hardly surprising that HE should thus treat the military in this way.
What is equally important however is that HE considers and treats the NON-military people of the world.....US....in exactly the same way. To HIM we are all "sucker" and "losers" because we are not HIM and we don't yet have a particular role assigned by HIM other than to marvel at HIS revealed superiority!.
With this in mind, those close to HIM should be aware that their significance in HIS scheme of things is limited and when HE's done with them they no longer exist.....Trump doesn't share! We at least have the chance to be rid of HIM if we care to take it....they are lost for ever!
A truly perverse narcissist target's individual victims as they need to project the worst aspects of their non-unified personality on the other in order to retain only the best aspects for themselves and build up their own confidence. They seperate the victim from their friends and ruin her (or more rarely, his) reputation while appearing virtuous themselves. They reduce the victim to a state of psychological disarray from which they can take years to recover with help once they have escaped. Applied to the masses, this technique loses somewhat it's force as there is not the direct and constant individual denigration reducing the people to submission, inculcating the common belief that HIS view of them is justified and thereby justifying his optimal vision of HIMSELF. The chaos and disruption which HE substitutes generates anger, opposition and dismay in the multiple victims.....and glee in the more degenerate of course.....and not a distruction of our collective personality. Then not even mega$ can hack it .....only force is left.
HE is merely a small boy; a very spoiled brat, existing in a disfunctional family and in the shadow of HIS terrifying father. HE never grew up to be an adult and unfortunately for HIM, HE is afraid of everybody and thus must constantly disparage everyone to shore up HIS own confidence in the persona that HE has substituted for a real personality.
So.... Perverse Narcissist description is insufficient to describe the case......as the perverse part is not succeeding very well. Other pathologies need to added in such as meglomania, paranoia.....a very borderline personality if ever there as one. I trust they have some very good psychiatrists in HIS prison.....or perhaps HE'll be let off as HE was not "responsible" for HIS acts at the time ...and all HIS life before and afterwards! Another "temporary bone spur"?
“[The Atlantic] story is not true. It has become a very dangerous time when anonymous sources are believed above all else, & no one knows their motivation. This is not journalism - It is activism. And it is a disservice to the people of our great nation.”
I've got a fiver that says this was a Steph Grisham tweet, not Mel's words.
Wow, thank you Heather! I have so many words in my mind, but there are too many to write here. I feel sad that this must be so hurtful to military families, but if this article is the tipping point, along with the tanking stock market, perhaps we can endure the pain if we can vote successfully to remove him and his enablers.
On another topic, yesterday I received an email from an old friend, a lawyer, who is an avid trump fan. After some pleasantries, he suggested I send him my signed mail-in ballot so he can relieve me of the task! Thank you AG Barr!
I'm surprised that the public discussion on this issue (at least what I've read) fails to mention Trump's belittling of military leaders in a summer 2017 briefing. He referred to them as "dopes" and "babies" who "don't know how to win anymore." This story was widely reported after being mentioned in the book "A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America", by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig. Now would be a good time for such evidence in support of the recent Atlantic article to resurface. See https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/01/17/trump-blasted-top-military-generals-as-a-bunch-of-dopes-and-babies-according-to-new-book/
Not really much one can add to HCR's letter...I'll just say that the article in The Atlantic is yet one more of the many chips that we have to keep chiseling away from the stone monolith that is this man and all he represents. This article was admittedly a really BIG chip and really does seem to have opened up even more "chiselers". Fine. Keep chipping away bit by bit. That is about all we can do now. We have to hope that every chip can eventually, collectively, be sufficient to rid us of this horrid man and his disgusting regime. THANKS, Heather! Keep on keepin' on! We're with ya every step of the way!
Two points not yet spoken of in the comments I’ve managed to read so far: One, that Heather seemed to touch on (or near) with her observation about Republican use of the epithet “commie,” is the suddenly striking parallel between Trump’s absurd denigrations of servicemembers and McCarthy’s bridge-too-far accusations in the 50s that the Army was riddled with communists. “Have you no sense of decency?” wouldn’t work today exactly, against someone who’s well known to have none, but it’s likely to work today in it’s own way nonetheless. The court of public opinion can convict someone and oust him from office for non-criminal activity with a power that even impeachment (or censure, in McCarthy’s case) doesn’t have. The parallel between the two bullies and their downfall seems worth making.
The other is the shift in accepted popular views of the military, its members and activities, from the Vietnam-era “why did you go” attitude, which had the war resisters as heroes and those who “succumbed” to the draft as cowards, to the “our soldiers were betrayed” and “support our troops” mantra of Reagan’s groundswell and his era—which of course has some painful truth to it like its predecessor, but which was used as cover for an enormous military build-up—to today, when this shift to admiration of our combat forces and their sacrifices, the view we had during World War II, comes full circle and is able to topple a president when seemingly nothing else would. But we shouldn’t forget that FDR used that admiration to urge a “second bill of rights” to make his “freedom from want” a national expression of gratitude to our returning GIs, an effort that shriveled in the postwar, post-FDR anti-communist mania to just the higher education assistance that’s nevertheless still known as the “GI Bill.” Today, even as the military’s own values of “one for all and all for one” are coming to the fore again, as illuminated in another of Heather’s wonderful observations (tying that view to the advent of women in the military and in civilian power via Tammy Duckworth’s stirring story), there’s far less room for that FDR communitarian conception of our economy and society, the one he was trying to use the country’s wartime solidarity to build on when he died. I weep for the death of that project, as for the still-unfinished work of Lincoln (“It is for us rather to be here dedicated, to that unfinished work” and “with malice toward none . . let us strive on to finish the work we are in”), and of MLK (the Poor People’s Campaign and its integration with the racial equality and anti war movements).
I consider myself to be a "Dove", however I have a lot of respect for our military. This story just disgusts me. To add insult to injury, I was catching up with a friend who is a physician. I had not wanted to bother her, because I knew she was probably very busy. She practices near a "hot spot". Yesterday, she called me to catch up. She told me her mother passed away from COVID-19 earlier in the Spring. My friend also had COVID-19. Add this to the memorial service held over six weeks ago in my small hometown, an asymptomatic relative came up for the service. The grandparents got COVID-19 and died within days of one another. They were a lovely couple. They owned a small business who employed a lot of people in the community along with being community leaders. Another relative from the gathering was still in the hospital last I heard. Right now all I have is rage.
I guess this latest story sheds a little more light on Trump's refusal to address the Russian bounty situation. I mean, not only is it Russia, but why would you care if bounties were placed on "losers" and "suckers?" I don't think this story is likely to go away anytime soon...at least, I hope not. And it may be the thing that finally sways his Christian nationalist supporters; if they turn on him, he's done.
My favorite photo of Joe Biden pictures him saying goodbye to his son Beau who leaving to serve in Iraq. It’s so intense with love and worry and hope for a safe return. I’m a dove who still longs for a President who respects our military and can command their respect. Not an imPOTUS without a shred of empathy and emotional IQ. When I visited The Wall on Father’s Day 2019, my heavy heart found it hard to accept who was in the White House in the distance. Let’s begin The Restoration with Biden/Harris 2020 on November 3rd. Thank you, as always, HCR for lending the day’s news some historical perspective. ❤️🤍💙
As I scrolled through Facebook last night it was an endless stream of military pictures. Each with posts similar to "This is my father/brother/mother sister. Not a sucker. Not a loser." Someone also shared a tweet about a retired Marine neighbor at 2 AM, removing his Trump sign from his yard and throwing it in the trash. 45 is learning the meaning of "chickens coming home to roost".
Great letter, Heather! Thank you. I wish all this came out in October. This will likely be forgotten in a couple of weeks.
I hadn’t heard Trump tried to shut down Stars & Stripes. What petty little creep. I hope someone out there puts together a complete list of Trump’s petty reactions (plus proof). I think collectively it would be shocking.
Heather, thank you. Your recap of a blistering situation brought forth by Trump is spot on. His response was exactly as I anticipated it would be, deny, disrespect and denigrate. Yesterday I watched Facebook fill with posts from people who had family members that Served this Country. These wonderful people were not losers, contrary to Trumps labeling of them.
Just for reference: Stars & Stripes News costs $15 million for worldwide coverage for our troops. One (1) military drone costs $123 million and $15,000 an hour per flight. Killing Stars & Stripes would amount to approximately 0.000019% of the military budget.
I feel convinced that when Trump hates or disparages something or someone it is generally the person or thing that he most deeply envies.
I’m waiting for the story to break that Trump thinks his own supporters are suckers and losers. It seems likely that Trump considers his MAGA-hatted crowds to be just a bunch of marks that he can con into cheering for him. How can a reality TV star not have contempt for his audience, when he knows the whole thing is an act? When do we get to hear what Trump says about all the people who cheer him on, in private?
I’d like to start this post with a great big thank you to this group and to everyone who replied to my post from yesterday. I was truly shell shocked from the FB wars where I found inane and divisive responses to what I had said there in a measured manner. You encouraged me to come here for R&R and gave me a proverbial hug. I appreciate it so much.
As to the news we are all talking about, we will never convince those who refuse to believe the truth. No matter how many verifications come about, people will not believe. So don’t spend your precious time trying to change minds. Use it to drive up the vote. Get your young grandchildren and your senior friends to vote. I’m connecting with my nephew to work on a social media campaign to get his friends out in November.
In Donald Trump's world there is only "I" and never "WE". Others exist only in as far as they play the role that HE assigns them in the theater of HIS personal aggrandisement, in the projection of HIS munificence characterised by his allowing them to be of service to HIM; they do not exist in themselves. Everyone is thus totally expendable the moment they nolonger serve HIS interests, don't appreciate the "grandeur"of HIS vision of HIMSELF, have no role to play in serving HIM or do not think and act exactly like HIM. It is hardly surprising that HE should thus treat the military in this way.
What is equally important however is that HE considers and treats the NON-military people of the world.....US....in exactly the same way. To HIM we are all "sucker" and "losers" because we are not HIM and we don't yet have a particular role assigned by HIM other than to marvel at HIS revealed superiority!.
With this in mind, those close to HIM should be aware that their significance in HIS scheme of things is limited and when HE's done with them they no longer exist.....Trump doesn't share! We at least have the chance to be rid of HIM if we care to take it....they are lost for ever!
A truly perverse narcissist target's individual victims as they need to project the worst aspects of their non-unified personality on the other in order to retain only the best aspects for themselves and build up their own confidence. They seperate the victim from their friends and ruin her (or more rarely, his) reputation while appearing virtuous themselves. They reduce the victim to a state of psychological disarray from which they can take years to recover with help once they have escaped. Applied to the masses, this technique loses somewhat it's force as there is not the direct and constant individual denigration reducing the people to submission, inculcating the common belief that HIS view of them is justified and thereby justifying his optimal vision of HIMSELF. The chaos and disruption which HE substitutes generates anger, opposition and dismay in the multiple victims.....and glee in the more degenerate of course.....and not a distruction of our collective personality. Then not even mega$ can hack it .....only force is left.
HE is merely a small boy; a very spoiled brat, existing in a disfunctional family and in the shadow of HIS terrifying father. HE never grew up to be an adult and unfortunately for HIM, HE is afraid of everybody and thus must constantly disparage everyone to shore up HIS own confidence in the persona that HE has substituted for a real personality.
So.... Perverse Narcissist description is insufficient to describe the case......as the perverse part is not succeeding very well. Other pathologies need to added in such as meglomania, paranoia.....a very borderline personality if ever there as one. I trust they have some very good psychiatrists in HIS prison.....or perhaps HE'll be let off as HE was not "responsible" for HIS acts at the time ...and all HIS life before and afterwards! Another "temporary bone spur"?
“[The Atlantic] story is not true. It has become a very dangerous time when anonymous sources are believed above all else, & no one knows their motivation. This is not journalism - It is activism. And it is a disservice to the people of our great nation.”
I've got a fiver that says this was a Steph Grisham tweet, not Mel's words.
Wow, thank you Heather! I have so many words in my mind, but there are too many to write here. I feel sad that this must be so hurtful to military families, but if this article is the tipping point, along with the tanking stock market, perhaps we can endure the pain if we can vote successfully to remove him and his enablers.
On another topic, yesterday I received an email from an old friend, a lawyer, who is an avid trump fan. After some pleasantries, he suggested I send him my signed mail-in ballot so he can relieve me of the task! Thank you AG Barr!
I'm surprised that the public discussion on this issue (at least what I've read) fails to mention Trump's belittling of military leaders in a summer 2017 briefing. He referred to them as "dopes" and "babies" who "don't know how to win anymore." This story was widely reported after being mentioned in the book "A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America", by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig. Now would be a good time for such evidence in support of the recent Atlantic article to resurface. See https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/01/17/trump-blasted-top-military-generals-as-a-bunch-of-dopes-and-babies-according-to-new-book/
Not really much one can add to HCR's letter...I'll just say that the article in The Atlantic is yet one more of the many chips that we have to keep chiseling away from the stone monolith that is this man and all he represents. This article was admittedly a really BIG chip and really does seem to have opened up even more "chiselers". Fine. Keep chipping away bit by bit. That is about all we can do now. We have to hope that every chip can eventually, collectively, be sufficient to rid us of this horrid man and his disgusting regime. THANKS, Heather! Keep on keepin' on! We're with ya every step of the way!
Two points not yet spoken of in the comments I’ve managed to read so far: One, that Heather seemed to touch on (or near) with her observation about Republican use of the epithet “commie,” is the suddenly striking parallel between Trump’s absurd denigrations of servicemembers and McCarthy’s bridge-too-far accusations in the 50s that the Army was riddled with communists. “Have you no sense of decency?” wouldn’t work today exactly, against someone who’s well known to have none, but it’s likely to work today in it’s own way nonetheless. The court of public opinion can convict someone and oust him from office for non-criminal activity with a power that even impeachment (or censure, in McCarthy’s case) doesn’t have. The parallel between the two bullies and their downfall seems worth making.
The other is the shift in accepted popular views of the military, its members and activities, from the Vietnam-era “why did you go” attitude, which had the war resisters as heroes and those who “succumbed” to the draft as cowards, to the “our soldiers were betrayed” and “support our troops” mantra of Reagan’s groundswell and his era—which of course has some painful truth to it like its predecessor, but which was used as cover for an enormous military build-up—to today, when this shift to admiration of our combat forces and their sacrifices, the view we had during World War II, comes full circle and is able to topple a president when seemingly nothing else would. But we shouldn’t forget that FDR used that admiration to urge a “second bill of rights” to make his “freedom from want” a national expression of gratitude to our returning GIs, an effort that shriveled in the postwar, post-FDR anti-communist mania to just the higher education assistance that’s nevertheless still known as the “GI Bill.” Today, even as the military’s own values of “one for all and all for one” are coming to the fore again, as illuminated in another of Heather’s wonderful observations (tying that view to the advent of women in the military and in civilian power via Tammy Duckworth’s stirring story), there’s far less room for that FDR communitarian conception of our economy and society, the one he was trying to use the country’s wartime solidarity to build on when he died. I weep for the death of that project, as for the still-unfinished work of Lincoln (“It is for us rather to be here dedicated, to that unfinished work” and “with malice toward none . . let us strive on to finish the work we are in”), and of MLK (the Poor People’s Campaign and its integration with the racial equality and anti war movements).
I consider myself to be a "Dove", however I have a lot of respect for our military. This story just disgusts me. To add insult to injury, I was catching up with a friend who is a physician. I had not wanted to bother her, because I knew she was probably very busy. She practices near a "hot spot". Yesterday, she called me to catch up. She told me her mother passed away from COVID-19 earlier in the Spring. My friend also had COVID-19. Add this to the memorial service held over six weeks ago in my small hometown, an asymptomatic relative came up for the service. The grandparents got COVID-19 and died within days of one another. They were a lovely couple. They owned a small business who employed a lot of people in the community along with being community leaders. Another relative from the gathering was still in the hospital last I heard. Right now all I have is rage.
I guess this latest story sheds a little more light on Trump's refusal to address the Russian bounty situation. I mean, not only is it Russia, but why would you care if bounties were placed on "losers" and "suckers?" I don't think this story is likely to go away anytime soon...at least, I hope not. And it may be the thing that finally sways his Christian nationalist supporters; if they turn on him, he's done.
My favorite photo of Joe Biden pictures him saying goodbye to his son Beau who leaving to serve in Iraq. It’s so intense with love and worry and hope for a safe return. I’m a dove who still longs for a President who respects our military and can command their respect. Not an imPOTUS without a shred of empathy and emotional IQ. When I visited The Wall on Father’s Day 2019, my heavy heart found it hard to accept who was in the White House in the distance. Let’s begin The Restoration with Biden/Harris 2020 on November 3rd. Thank you, as always, HCR for lending the day’s news some historical perspective. ❤️🤍💙
As I scrolled through Facebook last night it was an endless stream of military pictures. Each with posts similar to "This is my father/brother/mother sister. Not a sucker. Not a loser." Someone also shared a tweet about a retired Marine neighbor at 2 AM, removing his Trump sign from his yard and throwing it in the trash. 45 is learning the meaning of "chickens coming home to roost".
Right where Donald Trump’s soul ought to be, there is a septic tank.
Great letter, Heather! Thank you. I wish all this came out in October. This will likely be forgotten in a couple of weeks.
I hadn’t heard Trump tried to shut down Stars & Stripes. What petty little creep. I hope someone out there puts together a complete list of Trump’s petty reactions (plus proof). I think collectively it would be shocking.
Heather, thank you. Your recap of a blistering situation brought forth by Trump is spot on. His response was exactly as I anticipated it would be, deny, disrespect and denigrate. Yesterday I watched Facebook fill with posts from people who had family members that Served this Country. These wonderful people were not losers, contrary to Trumps labeling of them.
I think perhaps, Trump has poked the wrong bear.
Just for reference: Stars & Stripes News costs $15 million for worldwide coverage for our troops. One (1) military drone costs $123 million and $15,000 an hour per flight. Killing Stars & Stripes would amount to approximately 0.000019% of the military budget.
I feel convinced that when Trump hates or disparages something or someone it is generally the person or thing that he most deeply envies.