Look At Me!

Photo by Dallas Reedy on Unsplash

Imagine a lovely day at the beach. Children have gathered at the moist sand near the high-tide line to build sandcastles. Some are simple, made by using a little bucket as a mold. Others are elaborate and very creative, with moats, turrets, inner courtyards, and seashell decorations.

There is one little boy who doesn't join the fun. He's an angry, jealous little brat who expects everyone to pay attention to him at all times, just like his indulgent parents do. But now, passersby are drawn to the sandcastles, marveling at their craftsmanship and praising the young builders. The brat knows he can't compete with the other kids, because he has no creativity and lacks the patience to work with wet sand. Besides, the other kids never invite him to play, because he's mean.

Now, his face turns red as he is flooded with frustration. With a roar, he rushes toward the play area and starts knocking the castles down. The kids shout at him to stop, but he ignores them, running from castle to castle, kicking and flailing, until nothing is left but piles of sand. Some of the youngest children are crying. Other kids call the brat names and threaten to tell his parents. Some just walk away. The brat laughs with spiteful delight. He feels powerful, and everyone is looking at him.

 

I Took a Bullet For You

The former game show host could have handled the situation with dignity and honesty. He could have said, "Fortunately, I was not seriously hurt, but just received a small cut from flying debris. The real tragedy is that innocent bystanders were hurt, and one was killed." If he wanted to thank God in that context, he still could do so. If he wanted to brag (he always wants to brag about something), he could brag about going right out there and making more speeches despite the attempt on his life.

He didn't need to boast that he "took a bullet," something he obviously did not do. He would still have had just as many slavishly devoted cult members worshipping the famous photo, still would have gotten the same collection of retirees and unemployed carnies to attend his rallies.

But trump couldn't resist trying to make himself into a martyr, couldn't resist trying to make the story even bigger than it already was. He lies when he doesn't have to. He needs everything to be all about him all the time, and even when something is mostly about him, he has to make sure he crowds everyone else out, has to squeeze out every last drop.

Supposedly, this was going to make him a "changed man," but there is no change. The ego, the lies, the crazy stories, the ego, the ego, the ego -- it's all exactly the same. Supposedly, this was leading to a call for unity, but that never happened. The speeches are still full of the same us-vs-them mentality, the same old blame, insults, and ego, ego, ego.