Minimize, maximize. Maximize, minimize.
As my madre often articulates, “We judge others by their actions — ourselves by our intentions.” In other words, we see the worst in others but the best in ourselves. Extending that one step further, in this political climate, we see the best in one candidate but the worst in the other.
Geesh. (Can I get a collective “amen”?)
We are so stingy with our grace. If it’s self or the politically likeminded, we tend to adopt the “what difference does it make” attitude. We bestow so much upon them — including the benefit of the doubt, the magnified possibility of “mis-speaking,” and the gift of second, third, and far more numerous chances.
If it’s another or the politically unlikeminded, however, we seem the first to pick up the stone.
(I thus utter another “geesh.”)
I return to the primary point of today’s post: we are stingy with our grace.
On Monday at the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump’s wife, Melania, was accused of plagiarizing Michelle Obama’s speech from 2008. Out of 1,373 words, 4 to 6 sentences were strikingly similar. Allow me, no less, not to minimize nor maximize. Plagiarism is silly to me; I think people should speak for themselves; these are smart people. Hence, I think people should admit it if/when they (or their speechwriters) do it, as the reactions to the incidents are often worse than the incidents themselves. Plagiarism is something that then presidential candidate Barack Obama was accused of in 2007, borrowing from the sitting Governor of Massachusetts — and was the impetus for then Sen. Joe Biden exiting his first presidential campaign. Ensuring full disclosure, this semi-humble current events observer really likes Joe Biden; unfortunately, though, Biden was accused of a similar, far more extensive act in law school.
People don’t need to plagiarize. Obama, Biden, and the elegant Melania Trump — it is clear each has much to say on their own. Too often the speechwriters get in their way.
But as I was sorting and sifting through the news of this week, I was astounded that more than the other 1200 words, these few sentences became the focus of many. Some even suggested it was somehow racist… how dare she steal the words of a black woman…
I’ll say it again… Geesh (… can I get another collective “amen”?)
The words of a wise friend resonate with me…
“I don’t know if the use of those words was intentional or not, but the reaction to it seems a bit over the top… It appears that we choose and justify our emotions/reactions based on which candidate we most align ourselves, despite the significance of the issue.”
Yes, we see the worst in those whose politics are dissimilar — and the best in whom we are politically aligned.
Did Melania plagiarize?
Maybe.
Did she know it?
Maybe.
Were her speechwriters responsible?
Probably.
But do we hold ourselves and the people we agree with politically to the same standards?
No way.
Geesh. We are so stingy with our grace.
Here’s hoping for something better and more… from both of the conventions and from us.
Respectfully…
AR