We Elected a Bully

Commentary — By Buddy Sampson on January 21, 2017 at 9:27 am

By Buddy Sampson

I’ve been conflicted on what to write in the months following the election of Donald Trump as our president. I’ve been looking at the headline, “Hillary Must Win,” and I’m still, as many reading this column or following the news cycle, in a state of shock, with a little bit of depression and sadness thrown in.

I’m in a state of shock that we elected a bully to be in charge of The White House. I don’t agree with Donald Trump’s view or his politics, but understand why he got elected, and there are many factors, some of which I’ll go into later, but this is a time where we need to pay particular attention to our government.

First, I’d like to congratulate President Obama for 8 years of being the classiest, responsible giant of the presidency, one that should make not only a people proud, but a nation and a world proud. Now I’m the first to admit he wasn’t perfect, but who in this world is perfect? He faced some of the most fierce opposition ever in regard to many of the platforms he tried to adopt, but still managed to get healthcare for many Americans, (which saved my life) captured and killed Osama Bin Laden, saved the United States from the second worst financial crisis of the history of our country, saved the car industry, passed the biggest LGBT legislation ever, pulled our troops out of Iraq, (a completely senseless war) and created 17 million jobs among many, many, many other accomplishments and managed to do it with unprecedented style, dignity and class.

On Hillary Clinton

I’m disappointed that we didn’t elect our first woman President, and I’m afraid I may not see it in my lifetime. But there were many factors why she didn’t get elected. Among them- 1. FBI Director Comey.  2. The media. 3. Russia’s interference in our election. 4. Her “deplorables” remark. But I believe the biggest mistake, in my opinion, was 5. Hillary playing a “four corners offense,” (in basketball) or a “prevent defense” (in football.)  She held onto the ball, thinking she had it wrapped up, instead of paying more attention to the Midwest and cities that lost factories and jobs. Black voter turnout was high, but many Black folks stayed away from the polls, mainly because they lost faith in our political system. Those of us that follow sports know that in football that if you play a prevent defense, you prevent yourself from winning. A prevent defense involves keeping your man in front of you, but letting him make completions down the field, a demonstrated way to lose a game. Donald Trump made completions, and hired some really competent people, including Kellyanne Conway, who was just masterful.

When Kellyanne joined Trump’s campaign, Democrats that knew her background were immediately nervous. Whether you like her or not, she was brilliant. Hillary kept her man in front of her, but Donald Trump kept making completions, with the media and some of his brilliant hires, including Conway and love him or hate him, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a staunch denier of gay rights, but a very smart man.

Hillary should have remained aggressive. Donald Trump went to the small towns, and bigger towns and embraced the common (although mostly White) workers that have lost their jobs. I just hope, and it remains to be seen that he keeps his promises to the Black community. No, we don’t all live in the inner city (a very insulting remark that Mr. Trump made, putting many Black people in a box), but we do need a whole spirit of rebuilding the minority communities. And we need to hold Mr. Trump to his promises to aid the community. With a Republican House at his disposal, we have to watch him. And closely, holding him to task.

Definition of a Bully

The formal definition of a bully- A bully is a person who is habitually cruel or overbearing, especially to smaller or weaker people.

Bullies have to be stopped and confronted at every turn. We elected a bully, a person that has no regard for the things he says, practically pandering to the worst of all of us to get elected. As Meryl Streep said, in her poignant Golden Globes speech, Trump’s imitation of a handicapped reporter during his election was an abomination, an insult to the respectability of public office, an embarrassment to all of the values that we were raised to hold high and respect. And of instead of simply having a press conference, where he apologizes, specifically to that reporter and for insulting scores of cultures with his rhetoric, he chooses to go on these outrageous Twitter rants, insulting Meryl Streep’s acting ability, instead of doing what a MAN should do and simply apologize, or do something special for that reporter, like inviting her to the White House and showing some rare humility. He needs to apologize to Khizr Khan, the Muslim father, who lost his son in service to our country. If he does that, he can begin to heal our nation, which is deeply, deeply divided.

Trump’s assault on the press is almost like the pages of the novel, “1984,” in which the government suppressed anything that was against it, (A research paper that I’m writing, by the way.) We are seeing an assault on the press unlike anything we have ever seen. And the press really has to take some responsibility in creating an environment where we can elect a bully to office. For the last two years, all we heard in the news was Donald Trump. Mr. Trump was (and is) a smooth operator. For instance, you remember the stink made about Trump University and how his University defrauded several students who actually thought they’d learn about business? Well Trump settled three lawsuits for $25 million to students that attended that university. Trump, to divert that story, focused the media on how he won the election fair and square, talking about his cabinet picks. The media didn’t make that a big news story, but it should have been a major story. It was Trump bullying the press to write the story he wants the press to write. I can tell you, it won’t happen in The Scoop LA.

President Donald J. Trump, do something out of character, bring the reporter to the White House and apologize. Bring Khan to the White House and show the world that you won’t be using the office of the presidency as a symbol of hate. Include Muslims, women, Asians, Blacks and Latinos in your cabinet and policy decisions. Keep your promises and embrace love and diversity. I just hope and pray for our President, Donald J. Trump and pray that he can take Obama’s example and be a much better president than we think he can be. As an observer I saw on television said, “Okay President Trump, you’ve got what you wanted, just don’t screw it up.”

A New Direction

I have a lot of pride in this publication. We want this publication to be one of acceptance and diversity. We will have columnists and writers this year that spotlight the wonderful diversity of our country and how that diversity makes us strong as a nation, not weakens us. We are an entertainment publication, but we will use our voice, as much as we can, to speak out against things that are wrong and to spotlight a lot that is right with many of the people of Los Angeles and the world.  We will have a bunch of younger writers, including Ross Kolde and Aimee Musser.

Kim Webster, Kim Somers Egelsee and I will continue to write for the publication. We will break stories and not be afraid to speak our mind against injustice, racism, sexism or any “ism.”

Kim Somers Egelsee continues to write about positive things to better your lives. I’m proud to say that we will be having an LGBT column, a column addressing issues in the Latino community and continue to report on things that happen in the Black community. We hope to inform, enlighten and inspire others to be great and we will have a voice.

Finally…

We hope that 2017 is a better year than 2016, where we lost so, so, many icons of music and history. With faith, love and a spirit of cooperation and camaraderie, we can achieve anything. Just Believe. 2017 will be a fantastic year!! God Bless you and I wish you all love!

Buddy Sampson, Publisher, The Scoop LA