Donald Trump's speech addressing Congress a few nights ago has been widely heralded as an outright success and a step away from the rash and disjointed White House we have come to expect since the end of January. He seemed, well, presidential. Which, taking aside the fact that what should be an assumption is being praised as exemplary, left me confused, hurt, and not a little angry. I could see, for the first time, how exactly this man was allowed to inhabit the office of the President of the United States of America.
Even I, not the staunchest believer in humanity's inherent goodness, was hollowed when America gave hateful, divisive rhetoric the presidential seal. But this speech, one that promises unity, honors the veteran, and gives a voice to those left long unheard- I could understand it. I may not agree with it, personally, I stood with the women in white, but it didn't seem so crazy that this man was chosen to lead.
And then it was over. Trump supporters touted the, albeit delayed, realization of the man they knew he really was all along and Trump himself quickly went back to drafting the newest draft of his Muslim Ban. The global gag order on abortions is still denying women the access to quality healthcare they deserve and coal mines can now dump their debris into our water sources.
The man who asked for equality and accountability has an Attorney General who is effectively shutting down any investigation into instances of police brutality in Chicago and Ferguson that are ravaging race relations in this country https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2....The man who honored veterans still will not take accountability for his role in their deaths http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/u.... The man who praised the necessity of choice quite clearly means only in schools http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38729364. The man who promised us safe air and water is the same man who is threatening the future of this planet with his executive orders http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/u....
I really hope that tomorrow the same man who gave that speech will show up in the Oval Office. This country could really use a leader. But once again Donald Trump has shown that he is a man who only cares about appearances and this coming from one of the biggest critics of the deception of politics. I believe in the power of words, and I hope our new President takes his own advice: put aside trivial matters and start doing some good.
