He doesn’t speak for me!

By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
TriceEdneyWire.com Columnist

Good or Bad, Like or Dislike, in all my years as a citizen of the United States, I have come to expect certain decorum from the holder of the Office of President of the United States. While accepting that I will not agree with every decision, and that mistakes are inevitable, among all that I have known, presidents have stepped-up to demonstrate REASONED leadership designed to present a direction for our nation. That is until now!

I am greatly interested in full disclosure of information related to the recent combat deaths of four U.S. Army Green Berets in Niger. I find great contradiction in the response of Republican lawmakers to that tragedy and the embassy deaths in Benghazi. Be that as it may, the resolution of my questions has taken a back seat to the conduct of #45 toward the next-of-kin to one of our slain soldiers. As has undoubtedly been reported to you, #45 (allegedly) made insensitive comments to the widow of Sergeant LaDavid Johnson, stating, “He knew what he was signing up for.” By the character of his conversation, the sergeant’s widow was even led to believe that #45 didn’t even know her husband’s name. Despite #45’s denial, these facts have been verified by the widow, her mother-in-law and a U.S. Congresswoman who were all privy to a speakerphone conversation with #45 as the widow’s party drove to the airport to receive the remains of her husband.

In a public statement, White House Chief-of-Staff, General Kelly, seems genuinely disturbed that this conversation was not held in confidence, but has yet to refute the allegations of Congresswoman Frederica Wilson. Instead he spoke of the message that #45 was “trying” to convey. Admittedly, Kelly’s retake of the attempted message was quite different from the stumbling, bumbling ramblings described by Congresswoman Wilson. #45 even suggested that he may have been misunderstood.

As I listened to a roundtable of talking heads on MSNBC, retired Army Colonel and Medal of Honor recipient, Jack Jacobs, described what I interpreted as #45’s ineptitude in delivering a message of remorse, empathy and condolence. Jacobs remarked that as the Commander-in-Chief, #45 speaks for the nation. To that assertion I can only remark that #45 doesn’t speak for me—not now, not ever since he moved to the White House.

I don’t accept that a Serial Liar speaks for me or any other American of character. The infamy of #45’s veracity, or rather lack thereof, is well-known. From his “My inauguration crowd was the largest” to his assertion that the Puerto Rican relief effort was excellent, #45 has littered the path of his uneventful administration with the carcasses of wild propaganda.

I don’t accept that a clandestine racist speaks for me or any other American of character. If one takes the time to reflect, one can see his footsteps of racism from Federal Housing Discrimination charges in the 70’s, to full-page ads against the Central Park Five, to the multi-year Birther attacks against President Obama, to his “benign disregard” for the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. His complimentary concessions to Nazis, Anti-Semites and others of the white supremacist ilk confound conventional reason. It is difficult to dismiss racism as not being the driving force behind his animus.

I don’t accept that an avaricious, narcissistic kleptocrat speaks for me or any other American of character. From the obvious violation of Constitutional emoluments clauses to shady mingling of personal and government business dealings that serve to enrich #45 and his off-spring, one must wonder whether the interests of the nation or the interests of his business reign supreme. Remember we still don’t know the stories his tax returns will tell us. Why does he refuse to release them?

I don’t accept that a radical deconstructionist speaks for me or any other American of character. I value the stated ethos of our nation and the principles of justice and equality that give hope that meritorious fairness can accrue to all citizens. I reject any and all who would destroy those opportunities.

Until Americans of character can unite to elect a leader possessing of principle, character and a respect for the foundations of our nation, we must speak out and, as required for our security, join each other to raise a mighty voice for what is right.

Dr. E. Faye Williams, National President of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. www.nationalcongressbw.org–(202) 678-6788.

This article originally published in the October 30, 2017 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.