No Respect ...

Sean Spicer, who will be moving from the Republican National Committee staff to the White House as the spokesperson and press secretary for Donald Trump, complained today that "... [the media] still continues to not treat [President-Elect Trump] with the respect that he deserves."  This seems to be a common complaint these days from Trump transition team members, supporters in general, and even former "Never Trumpers".  It is all part of the overall tendency to normalize Trump and his altogether not normal conduct, statements, style, rhetoric, positions, values -- a tendency which is disturbing to say the least.  Let's remember that Spicer's new boss has shown nothing but disrespect for President Obama over the years -- questioning his legitimacy as an American, his patriotism, his credibility, his integrity, his competency.  Of course, all of that was before he had ever met Obama.  Once he actually met him and talked with him, he "liked him a lot".

The American people have now met Donald Trump -- having been exposed to him almost non-stop all day every day for almost two years.  I've got news for you, Mr. Spicer.  Just because 46.1% of the voters chose Donald Trump over the 48.2% who preferred Hillary Clinton and just because he will be President for the next four years does not mean that I or anyone else must respect him or that he deserves any respect.  I am fairly certain that a good many of the people who actually voted for him don't respect him -- they just hated Hillary more or wanted someone who they thought would throw a grenade into the government they think they despise.

Let's remember that Donald Trump, even though he may be our next President, is still the same man who has demeaned women for most of his adult life (calling them disgusting names and, when he thought no one was listening, bragged about grabbing them by their genitals), referred to Mexicans as murderers and rapists (while claiming to love them all the same), systematically and intentionally excluded African-Americans from his housing developments until the Department of Justice made him stop, proposed banning all Muslims from entering the United States and requiring registration by those already here, made cheating small businesses out of their hard-earned compensation into an integral part of his business model, encouraged violent responses toward those opposing his candidacy (even offering to pay the legal bills for anyone arrested for doing so), and, perhaps most illustrative of his character, mocked and made fun of a physically handicapped person for the entertainment of his campaign supporters.

Perhaps someone who says and does such things and behaves in that manner -- and in so many other obnoxious and egregious ways -- can be elected President.  But that does not mean he deserves respect and he does not have mine.