Does Trump Have Classic German Guilt?
While reading, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s TELEGRAPH this morning, I couldn’t help but notice this story, about how President Donald Trump answered one specific question during the joint press conference with Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington yesterday.
An Israeli reporter asked a question.
To quote the article,
REPORTER: Mr. President, since your election campaign and even after your victory, we’ve seen a sharp rise in anti-Semitic incidents across the United States. And I wonder, what do you say to those among the Jewish community in the states and in Israel and maybe around the world who believe and feel that your administration is playing with xenophobia and maybe racist tones?
Trump then wandered around in the desert for forty-seconds talking about how he won the election and the electoral college. One might interpret his first answer to be saying, well, ‘yeah, we have lots of those people in our tent, but, hey, they voted for me.” Like a dog pissing on every tree to mark his territory, he goes out of his way to make sure everyone knows he won the election. His insecurity appears often.
Then, Trump promoted the fact that he has Jews around him, stopping short of the old cliché, ‘Some of my best friends are Jews!” Like the phrase ‘Some of my best friends are Black,’ after an unknowing racist just told a tasteless joke.
The Telegraph summoned it up nicely, urging Trump to make “a strong statement condemning anti-Semitism and a pledge to carefully monitor hate crimes and threats.” Why can’t he find the leadership in his soul to say that?
The Juggernaut is the fact that Trump always caters to his base, not the total America electorate. 48.2% of those who voted wanted Hillary Clinton, while only 46.1% cast the ballot for the Donald. Trump continues to be sullen about the popular vote he did NOT win. He makes no attempt to talk to 48% of the country. His insecurity appears often.
The Jargon that he uses in terms of questions about hate groups, anti-Semitism and the actions of vile people is inadequate at best. It’s like the great line in the TV show Fawlty Towers, when two German guests are staying at the hotel, “Don’t Mention the War!” It was clearly a suggestion to help the guests deal with their German war guilt.
Could Trump have something in his past that would create an embedded need to cover some deep-rooted guilt about Jews? He advertises his proximity to Jews, perhaps to say, ‘Hey, I’m cool with the Jews,’ but even in this case, his insecurity appears and the words fall short of real meaning and empathy.
Trump should talk to his son-in-law about what the Jewish Community really wants to hear from the President of the United States. Or better yet, actually listen to people’s questions during press conferences and answer them honestly.