LAST EVENING I FINISHED reading 365 Days of Wonder, Mr. Browne’s Precepts: A Quote for Every Day of the Year About Courage, Friendship, Love, and Kindness by R. J. Palacio. The book packs powerful quotes that inspire, uplift and, most of all, cause readers to pause and think. Exactly what we need. Especially this morning in the light of President Donald Trump’s latest reported vulgar comment on immigrants and his subsequent denial.
While reading those precepts, I simultaneously started reading The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess the President by Bandy Lee. I’m only 60 pages into this book. But nothing—bullying, narcissism, racism—I’ve read thus far, and tagged to the President, surprises me. Nothing.
What will come out of this man’s mouth next? When you’re a powerful world leader like the President, especially, words matter. As they do with all of us.
I realize that in writing this post, I’m not exactly being Minnesota Nice. While I respect the Office of the Presidency, I don’t respect this President.
Perhaps Mr. Trump should read 365 Days of Wonder, Mr. Browne’s Precepts: A Quote for Every Day of the Year About Courage, Friendship, Love, and Kindness. I’m returning the book to my library tomorrow…so it’s available for check out.
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NOTE: All comments are moderated. You can disagree with me. But please keep comments civil, considering that words do matter.
© Copyright 2018 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Will be most interested in your thoughts after reading The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. You think you have heard it all and wham he opens his mouth. The reviews on this book were fascinating to read and about the health professionals also. I just could not pick that book up to read.
I’ve not read any reviews. One section that struck me in particular is how quickly the words and actions of a President can become normalized, and not in a good way. I read that in the forward titled “Our Witness to Malignant Normality.”
Let’s remember when making any kind of comments about the PRESIDENT… God ultimately put that man in the oval office. Now, please keep in mind how he used David, Saul/Paul… The OLD & NEW testaments of God, go hand in hand. This entire nation is influenced by the “neighbor” we turn a blind ear and deaf ear to… Meaning we have things right under our nose that we need to pay attention to. If you didn’t catch the episode of “BULL” (TV show) you would have missed how the devil will use so called titled (PSYCHOLOGIST, DOCTORS, THE ELITE, ETC.) positions to destroy the work of God. However, the truth will prevail… God is good, Jesus saves lives.
Cyndi
Sigh. I cringed when I heard Trump’s latest words…and we’re praying for our son’s Mozambiquan wife’s visa to be approved.
I’m sure most presidents use much worse words than Trump uses but it has never been reported. With the press we have these days everything is reported, especially what they think will get him impeach. I’m sure you know that the media is out to impeach him and they will do anything to achieve it. Please don’t judge a person just on his speech. He is doing great things for this country. In fact I am convinced that he is a God send. And God will use this imperfect man to save our country from the evil secular progressives.
We are not only judging this man on his horrid speech, we are judging him on his character, his past behavior, his present behavior, lack of empathy, disregard for humanity, the environment, women ,compassion, morals, history, and dignity.
The God I follow IS NOT using this man to save or country. He’s using this man to observe if we will come together as a nation to transform and DO something positive and constructive.
Thank you, Audrey, for your kindness and passionate words. x
It is our primary duty by God to respect, honor, and pray for the President, no matter who he is or what he charater is. Romans 13 says, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” These words from Paul applies to us today. It is not up to us as citizens to judge the President. God will do that as He will also judge you for how you obey Him.
Amen!!! A wise man!
Profoundly new low for this country. This president is a joke and is dangerous in every way one can imagine. A total disgrace. Glad to see more than barns and nostalgia in this space. Keep it up!
Hello, darling,
Somebody bought me the precepts from “Wonder” for Christmas last year. I used them all the time! I am in complete love w/ Wonder. I’ve read the book 2 times already.
Yes, perhaps somebody should send Mr. Trump this book, as I’m sure he hasn’t heard about it yet, or would.
I am appalled by this person and I’m not sure what to do about it. I’m flabbergasted by his words, behavior, actions, ignorance, arrogance, and indifference.
Anyhow, I’m getting upset…so
Love and hugs from Duluth.
Thank you for that thoughtful answer, Kim. I couldn’t say it better. I, too, look beyond just his words.
The American Psychiatric Association issued the following statement:
Greg, I’m glad you brought up the The Goldwater Rule. That particular topic is addressed in the prologue.
What shocked me about Trump’s comment was not that he uttered it, it was that the media reported it.
The reports of the president’s comments came out of a private meeting from an anonymous source.
Since when does the press report on off-color remarks uttered during private meetings from an anonymous sources?
If this reporting practice continues, all of government will cease to function.
There is a long history of off-color remarks being made by our most beloved politicians in private that were never reported at the time.. from Bobby Kennedy through LBJ to Barack Obama himself who called Libya a ““s**t show”.
Why have the goal posts been moved for Donald Trump?
What angered me about the news reports is that the public was not initially told that the meeting was private nor that the source anonymous.
At least in my mind this kind of press partisanship has gotten completely out of hand. I now put NYT, WAPO, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and NPR in the same untrustworthy category as FOX – and sadly PBS is rapidly sliding toward that category too.
But here is the real problem. The likely source of the rumor was Sen. Dick Durban of Illinois.
What would be the purpose of leaking a comment made in a private meeting,other than to sabotage the negotiations?
Durban’s purpose appears to be to prevent an agreement on DACA in order to use the fate of 700,000 people as a political football.
Now THAT is news.
I can always count on you, Greg, to give us more to think about. I’ll leave it at that.
I’m with Stephen and Greg.
It is so difficult to view the activities of the man in the position of Leader of the (what once was?) most powerful free world country. The US is still quite influential, globally, but the impact has left me doubting if a positive outcome is possible. VP Pence……I wonder what his thoughts are in all of this. Now, there’s a person who’s in a difficult position!!!
It is deplorable and insensitive Trumps ‘s words not welcoming to anyone who is different. These words show him to be a white supremacist who believes he is above the letter of the law and he is not respectful to others. He does nothing to gain the respect of the people. Woe is us -three more years!!!!!!!!! of his rhetoric
Amen I have spoken 🙂
He’s really stirring the pot in the most crass and unprofessional way
“Stirring the pot” is a kind way of putting it. I’m nearly done reading the book.