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Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Diminished

 AN EDITED VERSION OF THIS POST IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR IN THE NEW YORK TIMES


There has been much discussion on the word of the year. I believe that word should be diminished.

In 2017 we have witnessed Mr.Trump's destructive comments on North Korea, on Israel, on NATO, on NAFTA on the United Nations, on the Paris accord, on the deal with Iran, on the very idea of immigration.

In 2017 we have watched as Mr. Trump filled the seat rightfully that of Judge Garland with Justice Gorsuch, and stacked the Federal bench with those most willing to do his bidding.

In 2017 we have seen the gutting of our State Department leaving posts woefully understaffed, our diplomatic capabilities in tatters, impotent.

In 2017 we have recoiled as our environmental laws have been overturned and we have forced each state to be protector of our lands and the very air we breathe.

In 2017 we have been informed that our rich are not rich enough, our poor can get still poorer and the sick ever sicker.

In 2017 we learned how tenuous was our hold on the truth, how unrepentant the President was for his mountain of bold faced lies, how vulnerable the media to the unrelenting attack of the occupier of the Oval Office and his merry band of henchmen.

In 2017 we have been horrified as the party in power shut its eyes and genuflected before the most pervasive,  pernicious, immoral excuse for a leader this country has ever witnessed.

In 2017 we have been outmaneuvered and outplayed by China and Russia as they have watched and waited for the next inevitable opening.

In 2017 we have heard a President cannibalize his own from the FBI to the Department of Justice as he clawed to protect himself above all else.
In 2017 we have, in our eyes and those around the globe, in so many arenas and on so many levels, been nothing so much as diminished.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too true.

MLS

Mike D. said...

"Trump's destructive comments on Israel"...Really?

I could argue on almost every one of these statements, but it's not worth my time. What truly shocks me is how the left has abandoned Israel.

Anonymous said...

Well done, again!!

JC

Anonymous said...

Mike D. you are a very wise man. the most hateful and destructive comments regarding Israel came from the lips of Barrack Obama. but shush, don't tell Robert.


HK

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, right on target.

These people – your commenters and others on FB – who hold the state of Israel above morality are also appalling.

M

Anonymous said...

Brilliant as always. PB

Anonymous said...

​congrats!

heartbreaking. ​

AL

Anonymous said...

Excellent! Congratulations!!!

H

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your letter this morning, it’s right on. Our democracy is diminished.

BH

Anonymous said...

We read your letter in the times this a.m. ..and had already read it in your post...the reaction was the same...heartbreak, despair, anger...because everything you wrote was true...keep on writing the truth, and let's hope that it will make a difference...
joan and david

Anonymous said...

Eloquent and, sadly, all true.
Bravo!

Neil

Anonymous said...

Brilliant as usual.

B

Anonymous said...

Wanted to mention how powerful that LTE is — The Times runs a lot of great letters but that one in particular caught my eye.

Ric

Anonymous said...

If President Trump is concerned about the image of America (front page Dec29) because of the Russian investigations, he should read your letter to the editor (same issue). Trump would discover that it is he, and him alone, that has caused most of the world to become disillusioned with the United States. No one else has taken such a sledge hammer to so many treaties, institutions, organizations, values, and principles of normal (even warring) understanding and agreements. The worry is that if one year's worth of such disastrous behavior has already caused America to become more isolated, then the next three years might well be exponentially worse. But, as Trump said, "We don't care". Maybe he doesn't care...but several billion other people do. His twitters are twaddle, his utterances just trumpery and puffery, and his accusations are feeble "fatwas" of hate and disparagement of one person or organization after another. In fact, he is terrifically boring.

RA