Trump said some stupid things in New Hampshire the other day. I know that’s not news, but since it’s treated as such, it seems to me that the media owes us a little context.
Here’s the story from the Boston Globe, and for purposes of discussion, let’s put aside the sexism:
ATKINSON, NH – Businessman Donald Trump told a packed room the United States should not challenge countries that require women to wear burkas as he unleashed a full-throttle criticism of America’s current foreign policy.
“Why are we fighting that?” the presidential candidate asked to cheers in the crowd, and added the United States should “let them” wear what they want.
Trump, waving a hand across his face, also said women might prefer wearing burkas because it obviates the need for make-up.
via The Boston Globe
So, a little context might be in order. Like, for instance, what is he talking about? I googled “United States policy burqa” and was unable to find anything that indicated or stated that the US was involved in suppressing the burqa anywhere. If a leading presidential candidate (I know it’s unbelievable, but he is one) attacks US foreign policy, it would seem incumbent that those reporting on him find out for us whether his attack has any connection to reality. That means, in this case, telling us whether there is such a policy.
One other thing about Trump’s position on this non-issue. Note that the crowd cheered him when he stuck up for the right of Muslim women to wear burqas. Is there a soul out there who thinks he wouldn’t get the same cheers from the same people if he demanded that they stop wearing them and that the US make them stop? Trump is preaching to people who will claim that they are the true American patriots, and yet they’re ready to cheer any and every attack on the United States government, without even bothering to decide whether they agree with the speaker, and by the way, they’ll tell you without pausing for breath that it’s people on the left that reflexively hate America.
Also by the way, the other stupid thing Trump said was this:
During the “town hall,” which the television show billed as question and answer session at the Atkinson Resort and Country Club, Trump said that he had been told ‘no’ many times.
“My whole life has been a no,” he said. “It has not been easy for me. I started off in Brooklyn. My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars.”
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