Northern Valley Beacon: A study in human vileness

Saturday, August 22, 2020

A study in human vileness

I have written previously about the first time I heard Donald Trump talked about in any detail. It was at a time when he was promoting his first book The Art of the Deal. At my brother's house, another guest, a retired banker from Chicago and I got into a discussion about why some truly contemptible people managed to become prominent in the business world. The banker brought up Trump as an example. At that time Trump had no successful business dealings in the Chicago area. The banker said that his business associates could not stand Trump and wanted nothing to do with him or his business schemes. He had a reputation for not paying his bills, for slandering competitors with false accusations, and for self-aggrandizement that inspired only loathing. One of the banker's associates called Trump "a quintessential asshole."

Since that time, I have never heard a good word about Trump. Even Republican party loyalists who have accepted him as a party leader display reservations about him as a person. Chicago, where he built one of his hotels earlier this century, has shown a profound disdain for him. During his campaign, he called off a Chicago rally minutes before it was to begin when the protesters outnumbered his supporters. Late last year when he came to Chicago to give a speech, he was greeted by a massive show of disapproval. And his Chicago hotel reflects the attitude he inspires in the town: Profits fell 89% from 2015 to 2018, from $16.7 million to $1.8 million, according to documents filed with Cook County, Ill. Trump’s hotel struggled even as other Chicago hotels held steady or thrived.

Trump has much more at stake than the presidency if he loses the election:

... if Trump loses, he faces years of intensive investigations by Congress and, assuming he pardons himself, years of investigations by state prosecutors, likely criminal indictments, and possible conviction and imprisonment. The investigations also could expose some of his children to legal peril. And Trump assets—and those of the Trump Organization—will be vulnerable to government seizure if New York state prosecutors and courts find that his past actions were part of an organized enterprise engaged in criminal activity.

Joe Biden offers hope for the nation. He has stressed that the United States has made some of its most significant gains toward achieving freedom, equality, and justice after it has had a period of corruption and malice. But the big question is if the nation can lift itself out of its mire of nefariousness it has descended into with Trump. Biden will have to deal with the damage and those who support it if he is elected. If Trump is elected, the massive protests will be held, but they won't be peaceable assemblies. Those who participated in peaceful protests in the past will know that non-violent demonstrations are ignored and ineffective. In any case Trump will have left the brand of his depravity on the nation.

Those who are hopeful about restoring the nation to a benign state are not facing the fact that the Trump presidency has exposed a deep and festering defect in the American character. No one who supports Trump can be believed to be on the side of honesty, decency, and respect.

There are a few who recant their support of Trump, saying he fooled them. But Trump's nefarious and devious behavior was well documented and thoroughly reported during the campaign. And for those loathe to review his background, his campaign appearances before the television cameras displayed evidence of his insulting and abusive behavior. There is no excuse for not knowing what kind of person he is. The fact is that he appeals to greed and malice that is cherished as a character trait by many Americans.

Trump is a study in vileness--his and his supporter's.

For anyone who needs a refresher course in Trump's transgressions, the following site lists them:

McSWEENEY’S

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