It is becoming increasingly difficult to be a civil and temperate political columnist when the liberal media reach new low after new low in deranged attacks on the President and his family. If the inability of left-wing bigots to express themselves without four-letter words and personal insults were not enough, the double standard applied by their bosses and sycophants is beyond belief.
Roseanne Barr was terminated immediately when she characterized Obama’s crony Valerie Jarrett as progeny of the Muslim Brotherhood and Planet of the Apes. I still can’t figure out how a terrorist organization and old movie can have children, and I suspect that an explanation of the joke might have been more appropriate than her abject apologies. But she never had a chance, her bosses found it sufficiently offensive to cancel a wildly popular show that just happened to be the only one on television featuring pro-Trump (or anti-anti-Trump) humor.
Samantha Bee, on the other hand, got a free pass from her bosses and congratulations from self-proclaimed feminists and the Hollywood left for calling the President’s daughter a “feckless c…”. No doubt about Bee’s intentions to use a demeaning sexist term, the crudest she could have chosen, and broadcast it on her show. Her additional, less quoted, comment that Ivanka should put on something “low and tight” to stimulate her father was even more cringe-worthy. Yet her network’s only reaction is to congratulate her for apologizing. Bee and her bosses are apparently too dumb to remember how their heads exploded when a recording of Donald Trump using a much tamer word surfaced.
Nor was there any outrage in the media about Bill Maher’s use of simian comparisons, when he asked if Trump was “part orangutan.” They have no shame in their double standard, and they all know which side they are on.
We are well beyond the point that any sane person could claim these crude and personal attacks are tit-for-tat responses to something that Candidate Trump said during the campaign. Saying, as he did recently, that Maxine Waters should take an IQ test may not be the best way of pointing out how dumb her positions and statements are, but it is a far cry from sexist personal attacks on a President’s daughter.
True, most of the obscene language in attacks on the President or his supporters comes from talentless celebrities – Bee, Kathie Griffin, Chelsea Handler – whose only claim to distinction is their gross behavior and language. So no one expects them to make intelligent comments. But their choice of targets has clear political motivation and support from their employers.
These avatars of the left are not just doing their shtick of substituting obscenity for creative uses of language in humor. Samantha Bee launched into her sexist attack on Ivanka Trump in a monologue on immigration policy. Since there was little else of substance in that monologue, even when she was addressing immigration, the tactic is clear. Don’t try to engage on issues, just attack the person. It is so much easier to get a professional shock artist to call people names than to construct a logical sentence about the policy itself.
The problem is not just so-called comedians whose vocabulary does not get beyond four letter words. Stephen Colbert mostly watches his language, but he, too, substitutes personal attacks, condescension and demeaning jokes for substance. These comics and late night hosts have become instruments of psychological manipulation and social pressure to make their viewers feel that any defense of President Trump’s policies is deviant and antisocial.
I would rather have a root canal without anesthesia than watch any of them, but reports of the rest of Bee’s show reveal deeper problems. It was an emotional attack on Trump for doing exactly the same thing that Obama did. Her inexcusable attack on Ivanka for displaying a happy picture of herself with her son was to make the point that parents who cross the border illegally are being separated from their children. But that was also the law and the practice in the Obama Administration. None of these liberal icons attacked Michelle and Barack for enjoying the company of their daughters while illegal entrants were being separated. The double standard at work.
It is pointless for conservatives to push for the firing of Bee or Maher. It won’t happen and they, however despicable, would quickly be replaced with voices no better. Their job security does reveal the attitude of news and social media, corporations, film companies, networks and foundations controlled by “progressive” executives and billionaires toward the rest of us. Asking them to “play nice” and setting a good example in conservative commentary is pointless when their support of incivility is a purposeful strategy.
But we are left with a puzzle. Is the left so consumed with hatred of President Trump that it cannot even distinguish his policies from those of his predecessor? Or is it purposely drumming up hatred of the President and his supporters in order to marginalize all those who oppose the future that the far left and its media cheerleaders want for this country?
David Montgomery is retired from a career of teaching, government service and consulting, during which he became internationally recognized as an expert on energy, environmental and climate policy. He has a PhD in economics from Harvard University and also studied economics at Cambridge University and theology at the Catholic University of America, David and his wife Esther live in St Michaels, and he now spends his time in front of the computer writing about economic, political and religious topics and the rest of the day outdoors engaged in politically incorrect activities.
Carla Massoni says
Deranged, bigots, sycophants, crony, terrorist, abject, demeaning, crudest, outrage, dumb, sexist, obscene, talentless, gross, avatar, schtick, condescension, psychological manipulation, deviant, antisocial, despicable, incivility, hatred, marginalize. Enough is enough.
Tom Steele says
Here we go, get out the fainting couch.
First off, Barr compared an entire race to apes; Bee used a dirty word. If you don’t know the difference, there’s nothing I can do for you. Secondly, your specious “double standard” example of Bill Marr falls flat as well. Calling a white man an orangutan is completely different from calling a black person an ape. Please don’t tell me this has to be explained.
Also, comedians have a long history of “working blue” – see Red Foxx or Lenny Bruce. Bruce, in particular, had some lovely words for Johnson.
Patrick Byrne says
So a lack of civility is OK with you? You have proven the article correct.
Tom Steele says
There is real, lasting damage being done to this country and the Presidency, and you’re worried about the Oxbridge Niceties. There’s a time and place for civility; this ain’t it.
Tom Steele says
Furthermore, you cite “Catch And Release” and numerous other immigration policies going back to Bush (W) as the source for the current forced separation of immigrant minors from their families. This is patently untrue and has been debunked numerous times. The current policy of forcible separation is a Trump policy; nothing in the previous laws called for the separation of accompanied minors.
terri smith says
Very well said. I applaud you for saying how ALOT of us feel but just can’t put in to such words. THANK YOU…
nancy m dolensek says
It seems to me the day your president did his imitation of a disabled reporter said it all.
Gren Whitman says
Mr. Montgomery conveniently fails to mention that Herr Twitter often uses crude language, so why should he act offended when others are crude as well?
As the poet said, when someone shows you who they are, believe them!
We all were shown exactly what Trump is months before that deplorable minority of Americans managed to vote him into the Oval Office through the electoral college.
Joseph Fick says
Thank you Mr. Montgomery for pointing out such obvious and disgusting double standards as others line up to defend such garbage. Defending bad behavior with examples of other bad behavior is the only defense the libs can muster.
Pete Buxtun says
Is it possible for a person to retire a second time? Gosh, I hope so…
Tom Steele says
By the way, you didn’t seem to have a problem with language a few months back:
https://chestertownspy.org/2018/01/13/i-am-going-out-on-a-limb-by-david-montgomery/
But then, it was YOUR guy with the potty mouth.
Jackson Stenger says
Dr. Montgomery would be happier, I think, were he to spend more of his time “outdoors engaged in politically incorrect activities.” His essay attacks us liberals enthusiastically while blithely ignoring the many ad hominem attacks leveled by Trump and his supporters against their political opponents in the last several years. There are more than enough disgusting and uncharitable words and actions produced on both sides. Dr. Montgomery would do a greater service to the Spy’s readers by writing unemotionally about the policies advocated by both liberals and conservatives.
Joan Berwick says
Amen Jackson Stenger
Beryl Smith says
Seems to me this is the pot calling the kettle black. Shame on you Mr. Montgomery. If you want to cite poor behavior, start in your camp. Think it over and show me how your side is pure and only liberals are awful
James Nick says
“A Feckless C…” An unfortunate choice of words, indeed. But I wonder if Mr Montgomery would have been Ok if Samantha Bee had called Ivanka a “Feckless P…” instead? You know, that equivalent word Ivanka’s own father uses for that specific lady part. It must be Ok since saying the P-word in the context in which it was used not only failed to disqualify candidate trump but appears to have boosted his macho, alpha wolf bona fides with his base.
So why is a comedian saying almost the same thing suddenly outrageous? Is it because Ms Bee’s comment targeted daughter Ivanka directly? Well, here again, Republicans blazed the trail for taking the level of our political discourse into the gutter during the Obama administration. Consider these sample comments posted on the FoxNews website after the White House announced that Malia Obama was accepted at Harvard:
• “I wonder if she applied as a muDslime..or a foreign student..or just a Ni@@er.”
• “Hopefully she gets cancer/aids or one of those colored diseases.”
• “Another academically challenged affirmative-action parasite steals a place from a qualified White or Asian student.”
• “Malia will have her Harvard transcripts buried, just like Chewbacca and the WH Muslim….”
Eventually Fox had to shut down the comments because they got too racist and obscene even for Fox, if you can imagine that! It’s easy to go on. A simple Google search returns truckloads of racial slurs directed at all the Obamas throughout his administration that continue to this day egged on by Trump himself.
Save your outrage, Mr. Montgomery. Deploy your deflector shields. You may damage your thin skin.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Pity this poor man. Now I understand the eye-rolling even among Republicans in Talbot County.
James Reeves says
Thank you. Your essay has described the craziness that is the current political situation. It is amazing that Trump is thought to be fascist when the media illustrates the definition of the word: “Follow us, the hipsters and elite, verbatim or else be damned as ignorant knuckle-draggers.” This mess began with Slick Willie (and It took me awhile to realize they were referring to his penis rather than his conniving way of talking his way out of everything.). It grew much worse when GW Bush took office and Nancy Pelosi led the charge while the media fell into lockstep. We who cling to our bibles and our guns were put into place by the knower-of-all things in 2008, and now it is beyond out-of-hand.
And, as the “expert”on Good Morning America said last Friday, Samamtha Bee’s tirade is all Trump’s fault. Unbelievable.
Deirdre LaMotte says
You are wrong. There has never been a debasement of the Office of the President as there is now. Nothing but a constant barrage
of venal vulgarity , overweening vanity, overt cruelty and shameless corruption is the norm now. Supporting Trump is supporting
nothing but a cult; it is based solely on pleasing and feeding the “leader’s” narcissism and sense of messianic-par human superiority.
Patrick Byrne says
You are wrong – how nice – read your history on Presidents.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Sorry, but no one can claim the moral high road while supporting the present occupant of the WH.
Steve Payne says
Children were sometimes separated from their families during the Obama administration but only after a case was adjudicated by the courts. The new process involves separation before any legal determination is made.
https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-to-decide-aclu-request-to-stop-ice-family-separation/
Jamie Kirkpatrick says
I have a dentist friend who would be happy to perform your root canal sans anesthetic free of charge.
David Montgomery says
Since I wrote this, a senior editor of the Atlantic, house organ of the progressive movement, speculated that the First Lady’s absence from public life was because the President was beating her. The applause at the Tony Awards for DeNiro’s obscenity-filled rant against the President. Conflating anonymous online comments with clear public endorsements by other celebrities and media owners. These comments. No other reply is needed.
Tom Steele says
Trump just threatened to suspend trade with our closest allies, while going to bat for Russia to be reinstated to the G-7, and you’re still worried about dirty words.
Bob Moores says
Mr. Montgomery, I agree that attacks on the President’s family are inappropriate and in poor taste. But our president, as leader of our country, is fair game.
Do you want to talk about civility? When I watched the first Republican debate, and heard Mr. Trump give disparaging nicknames to his opponents, I wondered if a new standard in rudeness had been set. Further, his mocking of Ms. Fiorina and the handicapped reporter, his urging of violence against dissenters at his rallies, and his childish overreactions to the mildest slights, are signs of crassness that I had not seen in fifteen presidential elections (I am an Independent).
You talk about new lows and deranged attacks by liberal media. You mention bigots and personal insults. Think about what you are saying. Who has created new lows in bigotry, personal insults, and untruthfulness? Who propounds the propaganda that our free press, intelligence services, and Justice Department are enemies of our country? Who disdains our historic allies and instead favors Vladimir Putin? It’s the guy you are defending.
You defend Rosanne Barr? I am a veteran of the US Army, and love my country. I was deeply offended by her screeching, crotch-holding rendition of our National Anthem. She may as well have burned our flag. Some things are unforgivable and unforgettable.
Your bio says you studied theology at the Catholic University of America. I assume you are a Christian. What would Jesus say of Mr. Trump’s character? It seems to me that in most tenets Jesus held and expounded, Mr. Trump exemplifies the opposite, behavior blindly approved by his hypocritical evangelical base.
Yes, enough is enough.
Bob Moores