The winter of American discontent continued in late January as unpopular President Donald Trump signed the most controversial and inflammatory Executive Order in the history of the United States.
Under the guise of national security, President Trump delivered on his incredible campaign promise to keep Muslims from entering the United States. Although Trump has extensively downplayed the numerous protests against this ban, which will likely be struck down by the Supreme Court at some point, the damage has been done and several people are speaking out against him. From Prime Minister Angela Merkel of Germany to President Hollande from France, Trump is being reminded of the chaos he is creating with his presidential gaffes, which amount to conduct unbecoming the leader of the free world.
The criticism being launched at the Trump White House over his poor judgment has not been limited to dressing down sessions by powerful allies such as Germany and France. The American people are responding with strong voices, and one of the strongest has been from veteran news journalist Dan Rather, a very respected voice in the United States.
Dan Rather understands the power of social media as a a modern method of news distribution, broadcasting and communications. Those who know the work of Dan Rather were simply waiting for him to organize his thoughts and address the country he loves. In the end, Rather chose Facebook as his platform to address the nation, and his powerful message to the American people did not take long to go viral.
In his elegant Facebook update, Rather explains why he feels sadness at the sordid state of affairs brought on by the Trump administration. He writes about how the U.S. became a great nation, not so much due to its military prowess or its economic achievements but for its love of freedom as the ultimate ideal. Rather believes that freedom is what makes America great, but he is deeply disappointed at how Trump is weakening the U.S. with his incompetence and dubious ideals.
Furthermore, Rather uses the adjective “heartless” to describe Trump. He clarifies that this descriptor was first used by one of his colleagues, but he ultimately decided to use it himself because now he feels that it is appropriate. The veteran newsman is not an agreement with prior policies of internment and monitoring that have taken place during periods of armed conflict.
The message continues with an opinion about the true effect of Trump’s ban, which may also run afoul of the Geneva Convention on the handling of refugees. Rather thinks that this Executive Order is actually emboldening the enemies of the U.S., who may be plotting an adversarial move at a time when American policy looks weak and foolish.
In the end, Rather’s Facebook update, which is being widely shared and commented, expresses hope in the protests and the legal challenges that lie ahead to stop this foolish Executive Order, which may prove to be indefensible once the various legal jurisdictions of the U.S. review it.