No excuses For Trump’s behaviour
The outrageous Trump video and the recent RCMP apology for male employees’ long-standing abusive behaviour toward women are a call for a response from good men everywhere. Here is mine:
These abusive men are sick and they do not represent me. They represent a sickness of arrogant entitlement surviving today in a certain segment of the patriarchal power structure, but I assure you they are not at all representative of all men. I am not like that, and I do not know, or want to know or be around any man who is.
I apologize on behalf of such sick men to all women, and to all healthy, caring men — those men who understand the immense value of a respectful, healthy relationship.
Perhaps the abusers will some day get to a healthier place and be able to take care of this kind of apology themselves. John McNamer, Kamloops, Alta. To people who know me I am considered pretty masculine, yet I am insulted by what Trump is trying to describe as normal male behaviour. I acknowledge that when men go fishing or golfing together they blow off steam by cursing more and perhaps even talking about sex in a vulgar way, but the men I know do not brag about committing sexual assault. It’s a serious crime committed by people who should be locked up.
In fact, “men” is the wrong term. When I have engaged in vulgar talk among the guys, I think I have been acting like an immature “boy,” and rightfully I have felt ashamed later.
I’ve tried to teach my own son that a real man, a grown-up man, can control his behaviour and has true respect for women. Bruce Nagy, Toronto Trump is nothing more than a overindulged thug with money who can be dressed up, but shouldn’t be taken anywhere.
He will never be worthy of the presidential title. He has no class — period.
Let’s hope for all our sakes the world spins him into oblivion. Roberta Obelnycki, Fonthill, Ont. When I watched the second U.S. presidential debate Sunday night, I was very struck with the two images: a sleazy vulgar demagogic thug and an extremely intelligent, elegant and composed woman. Only one had a right to be on that stage and that was Hillary Clinton.
As the Star’s Daniel Dale notes in his coverage of the debate, it was ugly and nasty. I’ve watched many presidential debates over the years and I’ve never seen anything like I did Sunday night. The giant misogynistic hulk of a man stalking his opponent, the former secretary of state, obviously trying to intimidate her and then threatening to send her to jail if he becomes president!
So the question is, what happened to the United States? How did a creep like Donald Trump get to be on the stage with Hillary Clinton? Who are these people that continue to support Donald Trump? If I were Hillary, would I want to do another debate? It’s clearly below her dignity. And she must be asking herself, is it worth it? Andrew van Velzen, Toronto Perhaps we can say that Donald Trump and the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone have something in common. They are both in self-destruct mode. JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater, Fla. Donald Trump is beginning to see that the 2016 presidential election is all but in the books in favour of Hillary Clinton, so he is rolling out his blame game and he has a long list of people and entities to blame. The Republican Party and the media will, of course, be at the very top of this list as he goes forward but his scorched-earth meltdown will leave a wake of political casualties and ended careers.
Trump needs to learn the life lesson that most kids learn at age 10, which is to own what you are responsible for and learn from the experience to get better. If you have not learned the lesson of taking responsibility for your own actions before reaching your 70th birthday, you perhaps never will.
Losing the 2016 presidential election, in Trump’s way of thinking, will always be because someone else did him wrong, the Republican Party abandoned him, that the sun was in his eyes or something just as ridiculous. But regardless of who he blames or how sick he makes us all feel with his relentless barrage of excuses, thank God he imploded when he did and we all can move on from this misguided presidential wannabe and hopefully watch him fade away in all of our rear-view mirrors. Steven Manganello, Toronto Too many people agree with Trump and write off his comments regarding his treatment of women because “it was just locker-room banter.”
Men show their true attitudes when they think they are in a safe place. Thankfully there are enough dirty looks and lack of laughter given to these morons at our gym that it happens infrequently.
Face the fact: Trump’s real attitudes are revealed when he thinks he is in a safe place or talking with a safe audience. We know who Donald is. His supporters have to stop making excuses for him. Enough is enough! Mark Cannata, East Gwillimbury, Not to denigrate or demean any of the nice folks who may be poor, undereducated and underemployed in the Carolinas and other states who are voting for Trump, but surely they must have seen or heard of many snake-oil salesmen, rainmakers, carpetbaggers, swampland developers, card sharks, carnies, three card monte/shell game hustlers, charlatans and travelling evangelists like Elmer Gantry to not realize that Trump could be one of those types?
Or maybe all of them? John Purvis, Colborne, Ont.
Have you been hired as the public relations firm for Mrs. Clinton? It appears so.
We miss the days when newspapers gathered and presented all the facts so that the intelligent reader may decide.
We have no love for either candidate for president in the election. You obviously prefer one and ignore the terrible record and failings of Mrs. Clinton. It is absolutely beyond the pale and toxic journalism to loudly proclaim that there is speculation about Trump and sexual assault and no mention of Bill Clinton’s accusers. Very bad work on this election. Anna Grapolli, Toronto If you happen to cast a glance across the 49th parallel in the days after Nov. 8 and see hordes of people scrubbing muck away, that will be your American neighbours trying to rid the land of the scum left by the presidential election.
You may notice that many of the people are not speaking to others on disinfectant duty. That will be one of the marks of the great divisions that wrack this country, divisions the new president (no matter if it is Clinton or Trump) will find difficult to mend.
This American hopes the post-election residual odour won’t seep into Canada. If it does, just savour a double-double or a Canadian whisky and hope the prevailing winds of decency and common sense soon take hold down south.
Be assured that such is the hope of many of your American neighbours. Mary Stanik, Phoenix, Ariz.
“Perhaps we can say that Donald Trump and the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone have something in common. They are both in self-destruct mode.” JOANN LEE FRANK, CLEARWATER, FLA.
I can’t believe the Canadian media is getting in on this silliness.
Trump DID NOT ignore his past comments; he addressed them with an apology. We have all done and said stupid things in our lives that we regret. Including athletes. Why is the media supporting Hillary Clinton so much??
Why are we focused on stupidity? Why are we not focused on the future of America?
Hillary Clinton was also asked questions about her husband’s behaviour while he was trusted by Americans to be an honest leader. Why didn’t she answer? Instead she hid behind her “good friend” Michelle Obama.
Why aren’t we focusing on all the lies Clinton said while she was secretary of state? Hillary is the one people should be afraid of if she becomes president. Can she be trusted to lead a country and keep America safe? Rina Cherubino, Toronto Can you please attempt to look unbiased in your coverage of the American election? I understand that Donald Trump is politically incorrect with a propensity to keep his foot permanently attached to his mouth, and that is making easy great news. But there is another candidate out there. It looks bad on your fine paper to be ignoring the other candidate.
Please at least juxtapose your series of articles about the things Trump lied about today with another series of articles about the things Clinton lied about today.
Let’s be honest. They are politicians and all politicians are loose with the truth and attempt to present themselves to the public in the best light.
What is Hillary Clinton doing? What about those WikiLeaks about her? Trevor Davis, Kincardine, Ont. In the second U.S. presidential debate, Hillary’s “America is already great” resoundingly trumped Trump’s “make America great again.” On election eve, in the aftermath of a potential Clinton landslide, it won’t just be Meryl Streep (who played the Iron Lady), Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore and Matt Damon breaking out the champagne; but rather, I would project hundreds of millions, if not billions of citizens worldwide, who embrace “hope over fear.” David C. Searle, Toronto