Choice of words is important
Is it me and my outlook on politics today or does the use of words in the reporting of an event affect how we read it?
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette’s article on the decision by President Trump to remove chief strategist, Steven Bannon, is an example of the use of words making a bad situation sound worse — much worse. The headline on an article (Saturday, Aug.19, 2017) reporting the change in Trump’s inner circle read “Trump Sends Bannon Packing,” That smacks of a clash between two powerful men, Trump and Bannon. In reality, Trump has had a problem keeping his entire staff, so losing one more is not really news much less a time to make the absurd statement, “sent him packing.” This implies a situation that may not have actually been a confrontation at all. To me it is just a poor choice of words for what might be a simple executive decision.
The likelihood that this was not a planned move is being overlooked. Both men have very strong personalities and make very vocal comments on their views. For Trump’s new Chief of Staff John Kelly, to bring the desired stability to the White House there probably isn’t room for a person like Bannon voicing any opinion so openly. By going back to his position with the news outlet, Breitbart News, he is free to aid Trump as much as his role in the West Wing allowed. In addition, he will be without the limitations that came with his position which made the administration look responsible when he chose to express a view. It was too frequently assumed he spoke for the administration even when he spoke “about” the administration or a member of the staff.
But, what really concerns me is the very simple fact that when anyone in the news media goes out of their way to make Donald Trump look bad in the eyes of the American voters, they also make him appear badly to the foreign nations that look to the United States for leadership. Showing disrespect for the office of president should not be a game of one-upsman-ship because we all suffer if our nation looks weak, divided and at odds with our political parties’ leadership. I wish President Trump could learn some self-control and better appreciate the responsibilities we provided for him with his election, but only time will teach him that.
My personal beliefs are not important in the overall scheme of Washington politics. We are not called on a regular basis to participate in polls about our views — in fact we aren’t called at all.
There was a term used in the industrial marketplace where I worked — “promoted to their level of incompetence.” This was reserved for the ambitious person who kept progressing up the corporate ladder until they achieved a level of leadership beyond their understanding or knowledge to handle. It may be that Donald Trump’s desires for personal achievement, combined with his self-proclaimed billions of dollars in wealth, allowed him to get elected to a position beyond his abilities. If that is true, the news media needs to focus on its responsibility to acknowledge he needs support, not discrediting headlines, blaring discord in his administration.
It seems no matter what Trump does or does not do, he is going to be exposed to negative publicity when simple, less divisive wording would tell the same story and there is no need to try to sway opinion, or produce a negative effect, with the news.
Being the president of the United States might be a great position to desire to seek for ourselves when we are young and are told we can do anything we choose or achieve anything we desire if we want it badly enough. As we grow older, the realities of life show us that very few can achieve all their dreams and /or goals in life. And, as we realize the truth of politics, very few of us actually want the headaches and responsibilities of the Oval Office.
Our nation is too important in the world scene to be divided by the careless use of words about a man elected — right or wrong — to represent us. We need to accept the fact that Trump was selected by the political system used since the inception of our country and devote our energies to praying for his success and the men and women who surround him. He certainly could use a “check-up from the neck up” as someone wrote, but we should be trying to help him achieve that check-up for the safety and sanity of our nation.
My God bless America and Donald Trump as well as all our leaders and bring unity of purpose to our citizens of all colors, faiths and political views.
•••
Editor’s note: Leo Lynch, an award-winning columnist, is a native of Benton County and has deep roots in northwest Arkansas. He is a retired industrial engineer and former Justice of the Peace.