America in Times of Trouble
AJ Robinson

Trump holds bible up-side-down an backward, a Satanic act, outside St John's church.

Did you know President Nixon had an alternate speech for the Moon Landing? Yeas and let’s face it, it made sense. After all, space flight, especially back then, was just about the most dangerous job there was.

Space launches are fraught with danger.

Despite everything NASA had done, all its planning, all its backup systems for the backup systems, it knew getting two men to the moon and returning them safely to Earth was a long shot. As it turned out, Aldrin and Armstrong almost didn’t make it off the moon. A fuse in one of their control panels snapped off and they had to jury-rig a repair.

Armstrong and Aldrin faced doom. Nixon was aware of that. He had a prepared speech in which he would inform the nation the two astronauts were not coming back.

Before the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, General Eisenhower wrote a brief speech should the operation fail. He knew the possibilities. The weather was terrible. The Germans well-positioned and deeply entrenched. The Germans were well-trained and equipped with enough ordinance and firepower to annihilate the allied forces.

In fact, the Eisenhower staff estimated losses among the paratroopers could be massive. So many young men, some barely more than boys, all eager and confident, yet he couldn’t tell them what they truly faced. Such is the burden of a leader that must be strong, positive and project an air of certainty of purpose.

Eisenhower knew those brave boys could be walking into a slaughterhouse and there might come a moment where he would have to give the order for his courageous troops to withdraw. If that happened, he had a speech prepared taking full responsibility for the failure of the mission.

Yes, a true leader. We could use such a man today. Where have you gone Dwight D Eisenhower?

Alas, we have a hunker in a bunker, Donald J Trump.

What has the Great Orange said about the recent riots following the murder of George Floyd? One tweet, not a speech, said that if people looted the authorities would start shooting; if you loot, we shoot. Is that what we want to hear from our president?

I don’t think so. Instead, who is being inspirational? A rapper by the name of Killer Mike made a great speech in which he acknowledged widespread anger and frustration, yet, did not encourage violence. Instead, he told people how to effect change: vote. He said that people should go home and think about what they wanted changed in their community.

Don’t like your mayor, urged Killer Mike, vote him or her out. Don’t like the governor, vote for someone else. Angry at your representative, don’t like that your senator is a racist, enraged that your president called Nazis “very good people, “well, do something constructive about it and vote him out of office.”

Don’t talk about it. Don’t only march in a protest and carry a sign. Don’t smash windows, hurt people, loot, or most especially burn minority-owned businesses that already have it rough right now.

Between the Covid-19 and the government’s lack of action, those companies are on the verge of going under. Is that what you want? Oh, and don’t post silly memes online where you ridicule Trump and his minions. No, act, responsibly; vote, campaign for your candidate.

Where was Trump during all this? According to a report, he hid in the bunker under the White House while there were protestors outside; he had all the building lights turned off. Think of that act.

The White House, possibly the single best protected presidential residence in the world, and Trump, the macho-president of the USA, cowering, in fear, in a secure bunker because a few people that disagree with his views were peacefully protesting in the streets. Oh, he tweeted, presumedly from the bunker, yet another insult aimed at Obama on the deplorable condition of the bunker.

When Trump finally spoke on the matter, what was his response? He ordered the governors to crackdown, ordered tear gas lobbed into the crowd and mobilized the military. He ordered the people peacefully protesting outside the White House driven away so he could

Why, so he could have a photo opportunity in front of the church, St John’s, across the street. He didn’t go inside to pray. He didn’t speak and offer words of comfort. No, he held a Bible, awkwardly, mind you, and up-side down, which is a Satanic message, as he posed for photographs.

Lincoln prayed in private at St John’s.

During the Civil War Lincoln went to St John’s to pray, in private. Meanwhile, in Miami, Orlando and countless other cities the police have defused the circumstances by doing something as simple as “taking a knee” and expressing sympathy with and for the protestors. In response, people have cried and embraced the officers. Love will always trump the hate of Trump. You tell me, who is the true leader?