One nation, under God

By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press

Some days in this business do two things, both of which are personal: Urinate me off and waste my time. This is one such day. This is simply beyond the pale for anyone, much less a U.S. president.

For one who has never been called woke, I woke up to a personal criticism regarding an abhorrently racist social media post by the president of the United States. After shoveling some 2,000 feet of snow, I looked into this and quickly posted sentiments – which I share – by one of my favorite U.S. senators, Tim Scott of South Carolina.

As you may have read earlier today on our website, Sen. Scott – the only Black U.S. senator – condemned the racist social media post on President Trump's online account. 

The South Carolina Republican, who was among earlier considerations for Trump's vice president, publicly urged the president to remove the post. Scott earlier said that he was "praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House."

It was. And there is absolutely no acceptable excuse.  

According to CBS News, President Trump called Sen. Scott on Friday after the South Carolina Republican publicly urged the president to remove the video. Trump told Scott, who is chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, that the repost was a staffer's mistake and said he would take it down. 

That was beyond weak from the president. I call that the stuff I occasionally stepped in when we used to raise cattle in Fairfax. Rhymes with bull spit.

The post was removed. Too little, too late.

In the summer of 2022, we had a first lady in Jill Biden who said during a San Antonio speech that the Latino community was “as unique as the breakfast tacos” in the city.

That was wrong.

But the former first lady did not waste time in owning it and apologizing. Well, at least she had a staffer apologize. Somewhat.

“The first lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community,” her spokesperson, Michael LaRosa, said in a tweet.

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists said in a statement that Biden’s comment demonstrated “a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity to the diversity of Latinos in the region.”

“We are not tacos,” the statement said.

The comment also drew criticism from Republicans who were trying to build new support with Hispanic voters in Texas.

“While the Democrat Party concerns itself with utilizing unpopular terms and reducing Hispanics to stereotypes, the GOP will continue to make inroads with the Hispanic community across the state,” Macarena Martinez, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said in a statement.

OK. Fair enough. But that was four years ago. The Republican National Committee was Johnny-on-the-spot then. So were many politicians.

But here's a fact: I have received considerably more than 1,000 "news" releases, guest columns and assorted correspondence for publication from members of Congress, governors, the Ohio General Assembly and many others for decades in this business. 

Regarding the Trump social media post? Crickets. Nothing. Nada.

Where's your outrage now? Don't be hypocrites. Were you just faking outrage a few years ago over a Democrat first lady's poor judgment? I think you were.

This is on Trump – not any alleged staffer. Own it. Apologize. Now.

The once Grand Old Party ought to demand it. 

The nation ought to be better than this. All of us. One nation, under God.

We are God's children. If He will still have us.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.