The root of America’s democracy is embodied in four simple syllables and President Trump’s inaugural speech encapsulated them exactly.
Before I get to the four syllables, I’m going to berate the media. A responsible media is needed for our nation to be restored into unity. The division in the people of this country is not as great as what is being portrayed by the media. When the media take outlier examples of racism and portray them as culturally endemic, they are walking us in the wrong direction.
President Trump in his inaugural speech spoke of an America above that. He said “through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other. When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.”
A friend of mine shared with me that his liberal mother, who didn’t vote for Donald Trump, promised to listen to his inaugural speech. She did. And she responded genuinely, saying that the new president deserves the benefit of the doubt. I don’t know exactly what turned her around, but I would guess it had to do with hearing Donald Trump without the filter of the media.
Even that is short-lived. Immediately after his speech, the NBC host commented that it would “not bring unity,” and that Trump had “insulted” the former presidents and all the congressmen and women sitting there. Chris Matthews called his speech “Hitlerian.”
The divide in this country is media driven. What the people heard and what the media reworded are two different things.
Donald Trump wrote this speech himself to convey his opening words to the American people. If you haven’t heard it yet, do so. Do not rely upon any media interpretation of it, even this one you’re reading now.
He mentioned the first of the four important syllables, “WE,” 45 times: He mentioned “I” only 3 times.
The pivotal moment came early in his speech when he alluded to the peaceful transition of power and sucked the breath out of the entire establishment media and governmental body within earshot by saying:
“Today’s ceremony has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one Administration to another, or from one party to another – but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People.”
He acknowledged those four syllables that make America’s government unique: “We the people.” They resonated behind every paragraph he spoke.
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished – but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered – but the jobs left, and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.”
Then he punched it home, “That all changes – starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you.”
Unfortunately, the media have made monsters out of our leaders. In Alaska, for example, we remember what they did to Sarah Palin. She had about an 80% approval rating here when she was picked for the national ticket. Afterwards, it wasn’t her that changed but the portrayal of her by the national media.
Donald Trump is probably the least racist person on the planet, and yet half of you now are guffawing in your coffee at that statement of mine. Why? Because the media has painted him as racist and dried that paint with their constant hot air.
The media are using their words not as swords to decipher the truth but as pitchforks to stab the disagreeable. Those who have been on the haystack side of things welcome Trump calling out the media. In this way, he is returning power to the people.
One egregious example is the photo report that showed huge gaps in Trump’s inaugural audience, of which the media interpreted as a lack of public support for the new president compared to Barack Obama’s inaugural crowd. What they showed were early shots when people had not all arrived. During Trump’s speech, the crowd went full back to the Washington Monument.
If you consider the fact that the city of Washington, D.C. voted 91% for Hillary Clinton and only 4% for Donald Trump, then the huge turnout at this year’s inaugural would mostly be coming from out of town. That itself is a remarkable feat, duly unnoticed by the media.
Okay, back to the bigness of this inauguration. Two points. One, it empowered us. We the people have a renewed calling. And two, it enraged the media who have re-interpreted events and been caught at their shameless game.
I’m encouraged by this new president not just because I supported him. Eight years ago, I was skeptical towards then President Obama. I understood, however, the liberation of history to witness the first black American to be sworn into the highest seat in government. I accepted him completely then.
That catharsis repeated itself last Friday. Many Americans felt a dose of history sweeping us up during President Donald Trump’s inaugural address. The myopic media missed it. Totally. This transition of power back to the people is what this entire election year was about. Even Bernie Sanders engendered this type of movement.
On a local level in Alaska, Senator Shelley Hughes (District F) at a recent town hall meeting presciently called this year’s legislature “the session of the people, because the people are going to have to wake up and watch what [the leaders] are doing.”
This gist hit me in the chest when President Trump stated that this transition of power we are witnessing is not from Democrat to Republican but from the political elite to the people.
Eugene Harnett is an Eagle River resident and editor of APEonline.
