It is just wrong

I had a friend of sorts in middle school.  He was the only Baptist I knew at that point in my life so Jim, being born in Little Rock and moving to the north, was a bit of an odd duck anyway although we were good friends and in the "musicians circle" (our version of "the six"). 

Jim was a churchgoer and as a Lutheran or Steve and Stewart both Jews, well, there was backsliding and not being with the program.  He used to judge us - not in any mean spirited way - but he had a set of values that right or wrong he believed in and adhered to and we all admired that even though he was something of a pain in the ass.  The point here being is you can believe and have a personal ethos and it is absolutely fine to proclaim it but when the other party says "nope - no sale" that is the end of it.  Jim knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with the Jews and as a backsliding Lutheran he was going to have a "get lost" from me just because of nothing.  We knew where he was coming from, his motivation and his overall goodwill as a person.

Now we fly into Donald Trump who talks a mean talk and of late has pretty much taken responsibility for the rising of the sun and the full moon.  I am, reminded, referring to that later instance, of the legend of the "prophet" who went to a village and charged them a fee for which he would make the moon come full for a couple days a month and then make it disappear two weeks later. That is Le Donald.  To be clear, and I'm in advertising, The Donald's Apprentice shows are just so much BS and claptrap and I'd never advise a client to be associated with it as a sponsor.  It is like sitting at a dirty picnic table and unless you are into flys and ants, sit elsewhere.

He is suddenly in love with the phrase "stupid people".   Everyone is stupid - particularly those in government and above all the President.  What happens when you call someone stupid who was elected by a majority of the people.  What springs to mind is that a whole bunch of really stupid people voted really stupidly and elected a stupid President while the smart ones (by default) were too stupid to get their guy elected.  Mr. Trump appears to be the only smart one in the room by his own count.

He doesn't seem to take advice well - not a sign of brilliance - and is something of a sociopathic businessman - but more than anything, he has no idea of what happens in pricing in the oil-patch nor any concept whatsoever of what it takes to lead by consensus instead of dictate.  He is, therefore smart on one hand and dumb as a rock on the other.

He should take a lesson from my boyhood friend Jim.  Jim knew when enough was enough and when his argument was merely that - an argument - and at that point he backed off and assumed his reasonable self.  Mr. Trump doesn't know when to shut his trap and when his opinion isn't anything other than a bad argument.  He also, unlike Jim my boyhood friend, has no manners. Jim was polite. He would "sir" and "mame" my parents nearly to death but honestly and out of the normal respect one person has for another.  Not so "the Donald".  He is rude and arrogant - the proverbial turd in the punchbowl and he should learn or be taught that his type of rhetorical flourish is just wrong. It is just wrong....and on so many levels.