No “Free Pass” From Values

“America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” (Alexis de Tocqueville)

In our extensive global  travels, my wife and I have always been acutely sensitive of the need to spread “goodwill” towards  others we encounter. When visiting the poverty stricken lands of  tribal Kenya, we offered pencils to Masai children. In touring China, I shared English language letters with curious children along busy Shanghai public squares. Encountering strangers in Bangkok, Thailand and New Delhi, India, we bowed in silent, “Namaste” prayer. Making new friends in long train rides throughout Western Europe, we became friendly hosts/tour guides for them when they later visited us in our home in Florida. 

As you can see, values matter. So I expect our  President should see it makes equally good sense to model similar standards of goodness  in his unique capacity as our country’s supreme negotiator and ambassador overseas.Yet the following events in recent days cause me to be deeply disturbed. 

1. As the Trump/Putin Summit opened this week, I read that our President felt compelled  to cast blame to Americans for stupidity and foolishness …in worsening of America/Russia relations. Meanwhile, it has been widely documented that he has praised the authoritarian regime of Vladimir Putin numerous times since taking office. 

 WHOSE SIDE IS OUR PRESIDENT WORKING FOR WHEN HE REGULARLY SIDES WITH DICTATOR LED RUSSIA WHILE DENIGRATING OUR OWN COUNTRY?

2. This weekend, twelve Russian operatives were lawfully targeted by the Robert Mueller Investigation  for illegal activities activities against the Democratic opposition leading to the 2016 Presidential election. What right  then did he have  to claim at the  London Summit  that the Mueller probe  was targeting him personally with  “witch hunt” intention?

WHY DOES HE CRITICIZE THE FAIRNESS OF AMERICAN RULE OF LAW IN THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION AS A PRETENSE FOR RUSSIAN BARGAINING WHEN THERE HAS BEEN INDISPUTABLE EVIDENCE OF RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN THE  2016 U.S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION? 

3. On the final day of the NATO Summit, Trump gave a brash, closing statement to the press. After being asked by a foreign reporter to clarify his earlier criticism of Theresa May, he dismissed such talk by announcing  that our country is filled with fake news.

 IS  IT ETHICALLY  OR LEGALLY RIGHT FOR  A PRESIDENT TO TAKE A DANGEROUSLY POOR, PUBLIC RELATIONS STANCE ABOUT THE COUNTRY HE/SHE TOOK A CONSTITUTIONAL OATH TO “PRESERVE, PROTECT,AND DEFEND” IN SUCH A GLOBAL FORUM? 

4. On Saturday, our President met Queen Elizabeth. I sadly observed  a picture of him walking boldly ahead of her in a formal procession as the slumping yet endearing presence of the 91 year old Queen dragged slowly behind. 

HOW COULD OUR PRESIDENT ACT SO OBLIVIOUS TO AN AGING MOTHER FIGURE AND THUS SHOW DISRESPECT TO THE HISTORIC LEGACY OF THE BRITISH QUEEN ? 

5. As the European Summit proceeded, on Saturday, thousands of people protested in London about President Trump’s there. In acknowledging such negative reaction, he noted that he would not take time to visit London because he felt unwelcome there. Meanwhile, it became a priority of him  to take leisurely time off to play golf the next day in Scotland.

IF THE AMERICAN WORK ETHIC ENCOMPASSES  EARNED SUCCESS EACH DAY, WHY SHOULDN’T A PRESIDENT ADOPT AN ETHICAL OBLIGATION TO  SIMILARLY  SPREAD “HARD AT WORK” VALUES  WHEN TRAVELING ABROAD?