The Devil Wears Pravda

When it comes to Donald Trump, his supporters, and surrogates like Kellyanne Conway, you read and hear a lot of mind boggling statements. It’s scary that since it’s a daily thing that it’s becoming the new normal and we move on from one outrage to another. The news cycle rarely has time to absorb it before the next flabbergaster comes out.

A lot of hypocritical, confusing, ridiculous, tone deaf, and just plain stupid comments came out Monday in defense of Trump, after Meryl Streep for eviscerated him during her acceptance speech for receiving a lifetime achievement award, without even mentioning his name. Conway may be the worst of the deflectors as she’s pushing the lie that Trump never mocked a reporter’s disability. She said we shouldn’t listen to Trump’s words and instead look into his heart. Yeah, that’s what journalists do, assume the best about someone and ignore their statements.

Out of all the lame defenses and attacks I read, the most obtuse is where Trump supporters don’t want to hear the political opinions of a celebrity. Didn’t they just elect a celebrity to the presidency? Hello?

Streep took on Trump for his mocking a disabled New York Times reporter last year. Trump’s defenders say that’s typical of a Hillary supporter and Hollywood Left Coast elitist. Seriously? You have to be an elitist to believe it’s wrong for a person in a position of power to bully a handicapped person? We have succumbed to this? If this is the case then I want to be a Coastal elitist. I do read books so that’s a good start, right?

If Donald Trump had the intellectual capacity of a rotted cantaloupe instead of just the complexion he would have one-upped Streep by not mentioning her name in his reply/tweet. See? That’s the new normal. It’s normal for him to reply when it shouldn’t be. If he had any restraint he wouldn’t have replied at all. It has to be pointed out once again that we’re handing the presidency to a man who is easily baited by criticism. Remember that time a famous person criticized President Obama and he lashed out on Twitter? No, because it never happened. Hell, George W. Bush totally slept through Kanye’s accusation that he didn’t care about black people.

In Trump’s counterattack he called Streep “overrated.” I don’t know. I’ve seen her act and it’s believable. She has 19 Oscar nominations which is more than anyone else ever. Trump is also an actor but one can totally see through that con if they’re so inclined. Only stupid people fall for his schtick. What I consider overrated is when a racist, sexist, narcissistic, unstable, illiterate simpleton who attacks the media, celebrities, college students, Mexicans, Muslims, and the physically disabled, is elected to the highest office in the land. He also called her a “Hillary flunky” which was soon made into talking points for Trump flunkies, er, surrogates.

Trump, one who never admits he changed his mind, was wrong, or apologizes, continues the claim that he never mocked the reporter for his handicapped. Who are you going to believe? Trump and his surrogates or those Left Coast elitists, journalists, and your lying eyes and ears?

Others weren’t upset for Streep’s politics as much as they were with her view that football and mixed martial arts are not the arts. While I’m a football fan and will watch MMA if it’s on TV while I’m in a bar, it’s not art. Yeah, it takes a lot of skill, talent, physical ability, and preparation, but it’s not an art. I don’t see why disagreeing on this point has to be so inflammable. Maybe MMA isn’t an art but Streep’s takedown and baiting of Trump belongs in a gallery somewhere.

Streep was also defending journalism in her speech. She wants it protected and to be able to call out those in power. The response has been to shout her down and tell her to shut up, proving her correct. We are in dangerous times and when criticized those assuming power, and currently in power, would rather shut us up than engage in dialogue or defend their actions.

Common decency is becoming less common. Defending the disabled and those who gather information shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s amazing so many conservatives have an issue with that. When Hillary Clinton referred to Trump’s supporters as “deplorables” they ate it up. They used it against her and they wore it on caps and shirts. The election is over but they’re still wearing it well.

The devils do wear Pravda.

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