By Charlie Hodge
The scenario is so hard to comprehend it literally has a numbing effect. I spent at least half an hour staring at the computer screen unable to start. I had no idea where to begin or find exactly the right words to write describing how I feel.
I fluctuate from sorrow to anger to overwhelmed with disbelief, then sad again. It is extremely discombobulating. I’m astounded at the callousness, the lack of compassion and humanity, and the calculated cruelty of his plan.
Donald Trump is a very disturbed man who clearly believes he is beyond reproach of any kind. He is a narcissist and likewise obviously not mentally stable enough to be leading one of the most militarily and financially influential nations in the world. Equally confusing is that no one, it seems, is prepared to actually do anything to suspend his lead role in the sad sit-com.
If the world was not afraid before it should be now.
If Trump can treat innocent children and pleading mothers in such a shameful and cruel as to create prisoner of war camps for said babies and children then there is no level of inhumanity of sociopathic behaviour beneath him. Be afraid, be very, very afraid.
The recent six months of eyeball rolling antics out of the white house have been bizarre - no question: controversy over Stormy, hiring and firing of more questionable staff, name calling and then sudden love affair with North Korea, insulting most of his America’s key trade partners while kissing the derrière of Russia … are all disconcerting. But throwing babies into makeshift prison camp?
Like many worldwide residents I was confused when I first heard of Trump’s alleged ‘Family Separation Policy’. I assumed it was another joke or tabloid story. Like most I ignored it like a bad joke, because, after all, ‘no one in their right mind would do such a thing’. Right?
I guess that should have been the red flag.
Who would have believed the United States of America, a supposedly civilized land where dreams can come true, hard work and honesty have value and rewards, and slavery is no longer tolerated, could consider such a travesty.
Under his Family Separation Policy Trump has managed to have more that 2,500 children or babies pried out of the arms of their parents at the border seeking asylum and sent to makeshift detention centres spread around 17 states.
Almost equally disturbing is the news that Trump’s devious plan was hatched and put into action two months ago and has only now fully reached the public eye. How is it possible that such a disgusting and vile act can have actually taken place for weeks and no media outlet reported it, or if they did that not enough others took up coverage of the nightmare.
When the huge blowback of anger by the public resulted the man with the bad wig decided to try and place a little salve on the wound he had opened. He lied. The Donald denied that his separation policy existed.
When that failed he tried to rename the prison camps to Tender Age Shelters, but that did not calm the storm. So earlier this week Trump held a major news conference to announce that he was creating another of his infamous ‘executive orders’ to alter the plans so that children would not be imprisoned alone. From now on they will be imprisoned with their parents with the order directing Pentagon to build Family Detention Centres at various U.S. military bases. (Never mind that detention centres are illegal for children to be placed in).
Tragically that action will do nothing to help reunite the 2,500 children already locked up. The Trump administration says it has no plan or intention to reunite the families already separated.
Is this what it means to ‘make America great again?’
Sadly the tragic game is not over yet and all that one can hope for is that whatever bizarre stunt is about to happen next is not even crazier than the current one. The bus is clearly out of control and the bus driver is busy admiring himself in the mirror rather than caring about who he runs over.
Readers should anticipate another strange controversy to pop up within the next day or two to help deflect attention away from this one. It is not an old trick but clearly one of Donald’s favourites - when an issue gets too hot or goes sour he simply rolls out another contrived controversy to create a smoke screen. Actually since this column was written Wednesday night for a Friday publishing chances are good he’s already likely tweeted out some deflector or pulled another buffoon move designed to baffle the crowd.
All of it defies logic - which I suppose makes sense since Donald doesn’t.
Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.