On Donald Trump's Unsavory Private Comments
October 10, 2016

Did I miss something?

I admit I don't watch or read all news and media outlets all the time but I've been waiting for someone to step up and note that the reason we have such flawed candidates is because of what's happening with Donald Trump right now. What I'm referring to is having a private conversation between 2 people from years ago become one of the biggest news stories in the world.

Think about that...2 guys, hanging out, talking shit about women more than 10 years ago is now, arguably, the number one news story currently circulating through our society. Of course, it's said, the reason is because one of those individuals is running for a job that will make him one of the most powerful people in the world...but if we stop and think for a second -and I mean really think about this- does that fact make what was said so important and so newsworthy?

Friends, I consider myself a reasonably decent human being and I hope those who know me well would agree with that. I'm far from perfect but I've tried to go through life somewhat quietly and privately and I hope it's true when I say I believe that I haven't deliberately or intentionally done much harm in my time. That said, I would, without hesitation, stipulate that I've said things equally bad -if not worse- than what Donald Trump has said in the infamous recording. I can't point to an instance, don't recall such an instance, but if some kind of recording were to surface, I wouldn't be at all surprised. Because I'm a human being, riddled with faults, beset by problems, driven by emotions, who could and may have, at any given time, do or say something stupid.

Friends, we all want to believe, moment to moment, that we're good people...but isn't it true of anyone that, in moments of high emotion, we say and do things we don't really mean? Isn't it true that, in moments of trying to pump ourselves up, we say things we know aren't completely true, brag about acting in certain ways that are, actually, fully out of character? Haven't we, in moments of irritation, said things we wish we could retract? Haven't many, if not all of us, in situations where we're feeling full of ourselves and trying to impress someone, said something that, afterward, we hope nobody else heard? I'll admit that I've acted in all those ways...and I hope to GOD none of it was recorded and I pray to JESUS that no one ever throws it up in my face.

Because it would be embarassing and not representative of who I am. Do you get that? I'll say it again; some drivel I may have been dumb enough to vomit isn't necessarily representative of who I am...and the same goes for you. And if a person is embarassed by such things, doesn't that say something about them? If I were running for office and something embarassing were to surface and it were clear that I was mortified, humiliated, it may indicate that, whatever it was, ain't really me...it's just something stupid I said at that moment and was never meant for the ears of others. I mean, it's not like I was giving a speech to an audience, a speech that I knew was being recorded, where I referred to millions of fellow citizens and potential voters as "deplorables".

But you're not running for President, some might say and they'd be right...and I never would. Because a recording WOULD surface and someone WOULD throw something in my face, guaranteed. And the same thing would happen to you. My friend who is reading this, you may honestly believe you've NEVER said anything like what Mr. Trump has said, you could NEVER say ANYTHING like that. And you may really and truly believe it. But I will bet you, that given enough time and money, I could find something that would, without question make you say: "Oh man, did I really say that?" And you'd want to make yourself one inch tall and scurry into the closet. And that means you. Yes, YOU. And should you, in fit of self-righteous rage, go on and on about Mr. Trump's statements being horrendous and appalling and actually sexual assault and how they make you want to hug and protect your children from this monstrous presence, I have to tell ya that, yes you, MORE THAN LIKELY, has said something equally offensive.

But guess what? You don't need to be sorry...you're a human being, We all do it. You're gonna be embarassed, but that's human nature. They're only words and we have free speech in this country. If you haven't hurt anybody, you haven't truly done anything wrong. Again, I may not be able to recall a direct instance of saying something similar to Trump's comments in regards to women but I'll guess I probably have...and I may not know what women say about men when talking amongst themselves, but one female friend has assured me that women can be just as nasty -if not worse- (her words) than men.

But is this news -or even relevant? Are these the criteria by which we mean to select our leaders? Well, in my opinion, by making them so, we are literally creating the sort of world where people who are fundamentally good and might serve well in leadership roles too terrified to expose themselves to the withering glare of relentless scrutiny where any little thing you've ever done or said, private or otherwise, will be used to make you look like a fool. We're making this world, friends, and it's our fault if we listen to hypocrites who generally look so polished and appealing and sound so perfectly reasonable when they demonize a man for having the gall to be a flawed human being, when we elevate tabloid gossip pieces into the most talked about matters of our time and allow them to be made the defining traits of our culture. A talking head will gravely say, with a concerned frown, that this isn't how a President acts. Well, few of us who've ever lived have been saints and before they were pictures on our money, their lives simplified and whitewashed in memory, our past leaders were merely men and products of their time, just like you and me.