Dear Editor,
I felt compelled to offer a rebuttal to a letter that appeared in your paper a few weeks ago declaring Donald Trump the “law and order” president. I did get a good belly laugh out of that comment so thank you… I do enjoy great satire. Just in case it wasn’t satire…
Donald Trump is not the “law an order” president. He is the “crime and chaos” president.
Here’s a short, but far from all inclusive, roundup of his corruption. (There’s so much corruption, this is as short as it gets.) Before Donald Trump ever took office as POTUS, he had over 1,200 lawsuits pending against him from disgruntled contractors and employees whom he had stiffed and never paid for their services and work. He has filed bankruptcy six times for the same purpose — to stiff people or companies out of the money he owed them.
Over 20 women have come forward with allegations of sexual assault and rape against Donald Trump. There is a Hollywood Access tape that has Trump describing how he grabs women by their [private parts] without their consent: ”When you’re rich you can do anything” he says.
There are reports of Donald Trump going backstage at pageants and watching those young women undress. Trump has made extremely inappropriate and highly sexualized comments about his own daughter, Ivanka. He has done this numerous times publicly and in multiple media outlets.
And let’s not forget Trump’s cavorting with prostitutes and porn stars. Trump paid thousands of dollars in “hush” money to two different porn stars to cover up his illicit affairs with them. This is sleazy behavior on Trump’s part but moreover, paying hush money to cover a crime is a crime. Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal lawyer and “fixer” is currently serving time for participating in this corruption. All these lecherous actions are crimes.
From the Mueller investigation there were 37 indictments, seven guilty pleas and four prison sentences. These indictments were not brought against Trump personally but they were brought against people that travel in Trump’s orbit.
Russian interference in our current election cycle continues to this day and the Trump Administration has done absolutely nothing about putting safeguards in place to protect the integrity of our elections.
Then there is the Trump Foundation. This “charity” was closed in 2016 because the Trump family used it as a private slush fund for personal expenses. In 2018 Trump was ordered to pay $2 million for misuse of the charity’s funds. In a similar situation, Trump University was shut down after it was found to have fleeced millions of dollars from unsuspecting students, many of whom were military veterans.
It is particularly odious that Trump would steal from the very people who put their lives on the line in serving our country. But it’s not really that surprising that he has no qualms about stealing money from veterans since he describes our war dead as “losers and suckers.”
Stephen Bannon, Corey Lewandowski and Paul Manafort were the three men in charge of the Trump campaign in his first bid for president. All three of them have been brought up on criminal charges. In total, eight Trump associates have been in criminal trouble during Trump’s time in office. Then there was Trump’s mob style shakedown of the Ukrainian president. What Trump did, withholding money in exchange for false corruption information on a political opponent is extortion.
Trump was subsequently impeached for this blatant unethical move. The ridiculous Kangaroo Kourt that Mitch McConnell ran may have acquitted Trump but that doesn’t change the fact that Trump is forever in the history books as an impeached president guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors.
Since Trump took office as POTUS, he has never divested himself from his companies and put them in a blind trust. This is a direct violation of the Emoluments Clause of our Constitution.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention here that Trump makes money off the Secret Service because they routinely stay in his hotels. Just last week there was a report that the Trump company was charging $700 per night, per person, per room to the Secret Service during the time that this particular hotel was actually closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All of these actions are criminal. Trump is “crime and chaos” not “law and order.”
Trump’s “Russia are you listening” comment was a crime because he was invoking a foreign country to meddle in our election and to investigate a private citizen of the United States. That was not the only time he has done this, last summer he did the same thing invoking China to interfere in the upcoming 2020 election.
I believe I have made my point — declaring Trump the “law and order” president is laughable and completely blind to reality.
If you look up the characteristics of facism, it’s chilling to see how many of the boxes apply to Donald Trump, and it’s very unnerving how similar the United States looks compared to Germany in the 1930’s. This isn’t hyperbole, Trump’s words and actions become more authoritarian everyday. I believe our democracy will be in grave danger if Trump is re-elected.
In Trump’s feeble mind, his “law and order” is only for those who have the unmitigated gall to disagree with him. He even calls this treason, proving that he has absolutely no idea what that even entails.
Trump and many of his supporters believe that “law and order” only applies to Democrats and peaceful protesters. The annoying thing about some Trump supporters is they ignore his overt corruption yet whine and moan about even minor infractions committed by democrats.
Another annoying thing about some Republicans and Trump supporters is how they insinuate that if you are a Democrat then you are not patriotic or a Christian. This is a lie.
I am so out of patience with this holier than thou attitude coming from the right. Don’t presume to know what is in my heart. In these people’s arrogant rush to judgement they would do well to remember who plays on their team — the Falwells or Roy Moore for example. Clean your own house before you judge Democrats.
So let’s do a character (or lack thereof) analysis of Trump as described in the Bible.
Trump is a liar. (John 8:44 – You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.)
Trump has told over 20,000 documentable, provable lies since becoming POTUS. Corporate media likes to call them untruths or falsehoods. Kelly Ann Conway called them “alternative facts.” I call it like I see it. Trump lies — constantly.
Trump is evil. (I John 3:8 – The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.)
Donald Trump has been married three times. He has not been faithful to any of his wives. This is a breach of the most sacred bond of marriage, a covenant made before God. He has been unfaithful, cavorting with prostitutes and porn stars. He makes suggestive sexual innuendo about his daughter, Ivanka.
Whether the incest is real or imagined doesn’t matter. The depraved thoughts are there and on public display. Trump publicly humiliates his perceived “enemies” This is vile conduct unbecoming a president.
Trump blinds people from seeing the true teachings of Jesus. (II Corintians 4:4 – The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.)
Unfortunately, Trump blinds those who claim to be true “believers” in Christianity, too. Over and over the Bible tells us to love our neighbors. Trump’s blatant racist rhetoric should be an aberration to Christians who believe the teachings of Christ.
What would Jesus do? Would he force Hispanic families apart and remove the children from parents, then throw the children in cages? Would Jesus make racist comments about people of color? Would Jesus approve of removing safety nets from the poor and marginalized citizens of our land? Would Jesus advise us to ignore the dangers of a warming planet and allow the creation of God to be destroyed by greed and neglect? Would Jesus condone the lecherous behavior or thieving tendencies of Donald Trump?
Trump is devious. (II Corintians 11:14 – And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.)
Trump’s words, deeds and actions, do not, by any means, exude the light of Christianity. And yet, millions of Americans believe he is a Christian. Why are they blinded to Trump’s true character?
Trump breaks the law, protocols and norms on a daily basis. (II Thessalonians 2:9 – The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie.)
Discrediting various departments in our government, wild conspiracy theories, inciting American on American violence, infringing on free speech, creating senseless trade wars, abandoning the Kurds, cozying up to authoritarian leaders, promoting white nationalist rhetoric, sowing the seeds of doubt into our election system with false narratives.
All of these are used by Donald Trump to serve the lie. The lie being he is capable of leadership. Donald Trump is woefully unprepared, inept and incompetent to be president of the United States.
Trump is the purveyor of counterfeit miracles. (Matthew 24:24 – For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.)
Trump’s “I alone can fix it;” “I know more than the generals know;” “I know more than the doctors know;” “A vaccine will be ready by October 2020 for COVID – 19.” (Doubtful.)
Trump is morally bankrupt. (II Peter 2: 18-19 – For they mouth empty, boastful words, and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. (19) They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity, for people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.) “For they mouth empty, boastful words and lustful desires of the flesh” pretty much sums up the life of Donald Trump.
In conclusion, Donald Trump is mentally, intellectually, socially and morally unfit to be president of the United States. As a patriot and someone who loves my country with all my heart, I’m casting my vote for sanity, honesty, integrity and democracy which is the Biden/Harris ticket.
As a Christian, I am compelled to vote my conscience and again, the ticket that demonstrates clear Christian values on a daily basis is the Biden/Harris ticket.
Sincerely,
Bridgett Armentrout-Edwards
Sherry May Street, Covington
The Virginian Review has been serving Covington, Clifton Forge, Alleghany County and Bath County since 1914.
