Nice one, Justin!

I was delighted to read of our prime minister’s little jibe at the U.S. president.

Some people seem to think we should be ashamed of young Trudeau’s lack of respect for the “Leader of the Free World,” but one of our first defences against tyranny is good old-fashioned ridicule. And it was, when you size it up, a very mild criticism. People who are late for meetings because they’ve been wasting time, boasting about their own imaginary glories, deserve to be chided, don’t they?

All through history, tyrants have been the butt of jokes by those whose lives were being negatively affected by autocratic rulers.

In the 18th century, the English Prince Frederick was lampooned unmercifully, even in death: “Here lies poor Fred, who was alive and is dead … There’s no more to be said.”

Poor Fred didn’t even get the chance to do any real tyranting, but his family did.

In the 1940s, British squaddies tramped all over Europe, keeping in step by singing “Hitler has only got one ball …” Tyrants usually earn whatever disrespect is shown to them, and I’m inclined to encourage those who have the wit and the courage to satirize them.

It should be remembered that Donald Trump has done his very best to destroy his nation’s democratic foundations, and to replace them with government by personal whim. Nobody owes respect to Trump the man, although the Presidency itself has long been a respectable institution. I hope it will be again, when Trump has taken his pomposity and bluff back to New York, leaving government to those who respect the Constitution. Ed Healy Marystown