An Imperfect Storm — my thoughts about the call heard around the world:
- We found out the wife of Sgt. La David T. Johnson was friends with Rep. Frederica Wilson, so, my assumption then is they are a bit left leaning in their politics. In other words, since the Congresswoman is a family friend I can suppose that their political positions that Trump is a racist, white supremacist who is a woman assaulting misogynist is a closely held view;
- for obvious [and right] so reasons, the newly widowed wife is very heart broken and wanting more answers for a serious loss. In other words, people react differently to tragedy. Some forge ahead to make a stable environment for their kids in the face of such a loss… Others allow the situation to overcome them. This is our humanity at work;
- being a close friend of the family, the Congresswoman who calls Trump Racist, saying he needs to be impeached, and thinks the worse of him || she can easily sway an already emotion situation to be viewed one way;
- within 10-minutes of the call the Congresswoman was on the horn with a main person to share the story (POLITICISE IT) at CNN… 10-minutes!, this seemed pre-planned;
- I bet Trump — although sincere — and meaning to communicate his thoughts on this [and other matters] with good intentions, is known not to be the best communicator. In other words, he does not always express his thoughts well. AND, if you already thoroughly dislike someone, attributing the worst of humanity to that person, and are put in an extremely emotional situation with a politician egging you on, I bet you can easily hear and attribute the worst intentions to that situation.
ALL THIS I think contributed to the idea he may have been, or came across as, disrespectful. Here is a call by President Trump to a new widow who’s husband (another American hero) lost his life serving our country. This loving wife released her call to share how Trump respected her family. (TAKE NOTE that if you disdain Trump you could probably misinterpret Trump’s style in passing along heartfelt condolence.
Gold star widow Natasha De Alencar has released the audio of a phone conversation she had with Trump in April about the death of her husband who was killed in Afghanistan. The audio speaks for itself, as does the fact that Ms. De Alencar released it amidst the controversy that the ridiculous Rep. Wilson ginned up:
(More at POWERLINE) This is my bottom line in the whole situation… and I shared the below on a friend’s FB page (adapted a bit):
One thing I noticed in the video [above] that made me think of the differences between Ms. Johnson and Ms. De Alencar… If you already think Trump is a racist, misogynist bigot, you could take his call with every bad intention. That is our natural human bent. And the wife who is in this video above took what Trump meant his thoughts to be… with good intentions, with good will. When President Trump was told about the excellence of the older child by Ms. De Alencar, his acceptance to college on an academic scholarship, he acted surprised (interested, wanting to hear more, sharing in the mother’s pride, allowing her to lead the conversation) that it wasn’t due to his football excellence which she had just relayed to the President. He then asked if he was the standout kid compared to his siblings. The mother took this perfectly (attributing the best of intentions during this tough but honoring call) — even catching the humor in it and she joked back about there always being “one” — and then she shared the passions of each child. Awesome, what a great mom. Her children will be able to look back at THIS moment and remember or hear the best of their country and father.
…NOW…
If you already think Trump is a racist, out to make white supremacy mainstream, who is a serial crotch grabbing misogynist with a politician in the car with you manipulation an already tragic moment for a young woman without kids to be a rock for yet…. Yep, I bet you can read into Trump’s words the worst of intentions since you ALREADY attribute the worst of humanity to him.
Was Trump telling that mom, Ms. De Alencar, he was surprised a black kid would get an academic scholarship, calling the rest of her kids dumb? If you hated Trump as deeply as that younger, more inexperienced, recently widowed, pregnant mom, with a politician whispering in her ear (literally), calling CNN within minutes to politicize the event… Yep, that’s how you would take it. And her child will hear the worst of the nation and the father’s service will be lost in the political hoop jumping. Sad.
BLACK & RIGHT has a great post on the Congresswoman. The Congresswoman also throws around the “race card” like a Black-Jack dealer in the Old West under pressure to make back money for the whore-house owner:
…The Florida Democrat also accused Kelly of using a ‘racist’ epithet against her during a White House news conference on Thursday afternoon, where he compared her to an ’empty barrel.’
Wilson said that after looking it up in the dictionary, she had concluded that ’empty barrel’ is a ‘racist term.’ ….
The Left takes a serious word and uses it and uses it till it looses any meaning! “Racist,” or “Nazi,” or “bigot,” simply now mean a person who disagrees with the Left. What a diminution of thought and grammar and the seriousness these words once relayed to each other when making points. Now these words are just static floating around in the ionosphere like TV shows from the 50’s. As an insightful post in the DAILY CALIFORNIAN notes, “…if everything is racist, nothing is racist.”
POWERLINE says that “America has no sympathy for those who, when losing an argument they started, reflexively accuse their adversary of racism.” To end they say, “The act has become tired.” The DAILY CALLER notes however that “…liberals have pounced on the idea that Gen. Kelly’s criticism is due to Wilson’s race and gender.” Dumb!
- “As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish” — Demosthenes (384-322 BC)
- “An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.” — Plato (420’s-340’s BC)
- I never heard so loud a voice issue from such an empty heart. It’s true what they say: “THE EMPTY VESSEL MAKES THE GREATEST SOUND.” Bardolph and Nym had ten times more courage than this roaring stage villain, whose nails any Joe could cut with a wooden dagger, but they are both hanged. So would this man if he had the nerve to steal anything bravely. I have to stay with the servants, who are with our camp’s luggage. We’re sitting ducks for the French, if they only knew it, for there is no one guarding it but boys. — William Shakespeare (AD 1564-1616)
These military guys are steeped in the classics. The Daily Caller FACT CHECKS — Is ‘Empty Barrel’ A Racist Term?
…During an interview Friday on CNN, Wilson claimed she had looked up the term “empty barrel” in the dictionary and found it to be a racist term.
“That’s a racist term,” said Wilson. “We looked it up in the dictionary because I had never heard of an empty barrel. And I don’t like to be dragged into something like that.”
But The DCNF found no evidence that the term has racial connotations. The phrase originated from the proverb “empty vessels make most noise” that dates back to at least the 15th century.
According to the Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, the proverb means that “foolish people are always the most talkative.” Similarly, the Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs defines it this way: “Shallow people with nothing valuable to say are the most talkative or noisy.”
The DCNF also found no informal use of the term that would suggest a racial connotation. Even Urban Dictionary, a crowdsourcing website for slang terms, did not list any definitions of “empty barrel” or “empty vessel,” as of Friday morning.
Famous writers have used the expression over the centuries. Playwright William Shakespeare used it in Act 4 of “Henry V.” “I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the saying is true ‘The empty vessel makes the greatest sound,’” wrote Shakespeare.
The famous author Jonathan Swift wrote, “I have always observed that your empty vessels sound loudest.”
Writers have even attributed the phrase to Plato, although there’s no evidence he actually said those words. “An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers,” Plato allegedly said.
Being called an “empty barrel” is by no means a flattering term, but it’s not a racial slur as Wilson claims.
I bet Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying Rep. Frederica Wilson is “all hat, no cattle,” will be magically pronounced racist. AND AGAIN, the Congresswoman politicized and used this poor woman’s husband as a “chip” on the political table. Shame on her!