Conduct Unbecoming

Boy is it hot!! Indeed, cities the world over are experiencing record temperatures. Daily we read of wildfires, tornadoes, extreme heat waves and all the while summer is streaming forward towards Labor Day, our Jewish Holy Days, and a new “academic” year. For many, these lazy, hazy summer days provide some respite as many take off for vacations, relaxing and renewal. For me, summer seems to be flowing by all-too-quickly.

As the weeks roll by, our newsfeed fills up with seemingly all-consuming prognostication on this November’s midterm elections. All the while, our President continues his drumbeat of denigrating – his opponents, the news media, leaders and countries the world over, those who serve our country in leadership and security roles, in short, anyone who does not buy his rhetoric and his precise view on any subject. Of course, since his views and interpretations change with the wind, it’s nigh impossible for anyone who might be inclined to agree with him to choose and hold a position, or an interpretation. He surely doesn’t. Yet, it seems that there are many who hold firm with him as he careens from insult to insult, from denial to explanation.

Spending my summer in the Berkshires, without cable TV, and with infrequent Wi-Fi access, has its plusses. It allows me to unplug – at least somewhat, which is a good practice for summer (and probably throughout the flow of the calendar.)  Nonetheless, I am not without any access to news and updates. As I briefly tuned in to check on the news over the past week a few days ago, I was delighted to see that my Red Sox are enjoying continued success despite a recent spate of injuries. I noted that the Patriots and other NFL teams are beginning to prepare for their coming season. And, I was happy to hear that NBA star LeBron James (of whom I am not a big fan) is doing good for the folks in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Though not a fan, I admire his good works that have been reported in recent days.

Of course, reading about Mr. James’ acts of generosity, of both spirit and tangible resources, led to my learning about the President’s unnecessary and shameful attack on LeBron James, and CNN anchor, Don Lemon for an interview Lemon conducted with James about his gift. I also learned about the recent string of insults and statements of denigration that the President has let fly – against Rep. Maxine Waters of California; against media figures from both ends of the spectrum and from across the news channels; of actors; of military leaders who disagree with his “strategic assessments;” of those engaged in the investigations of possible infractions in the 2016 elections; of political consultants from both major parties; and of course of immigrants; and generally, anyone who does not buy his malarkey.

Catching up on the hideous stream of invective I was struck by a notion – couldn’t we hold the President as guilty of “Conduct Unbecoming” – unbecoming a Commander-in-Chief, unbecoming the leader of a major political party, unbecoming the occupant of the highest office in our nation, and by extension a place of prominence in our world, unbecoming a person who holds unlimited access to the Bully Pulpit of our Nation. I could go on. Of course, a Google search alerted me to the reality that this notion, which only struck me in the last week has already been raised over recent years by others.

Our leaders in our Nation’s Capital are on summer break. For some of them, it’s a shortened break owing to political realities and exigencies. Nevertheless, I wish that our elected officials, irrespective of political party, would step back from the fray and recognize that silence in face of the President’s shameful behavior and hateful expressions are, in fact, a silence of complicity to his Conduct Unbecoming.

Last week I wrote about my experience seeing the film that is playing around our country based on the life of Fred Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” In my piece, I expressed this wish that all our elected official would avail themselves of the opportunity to see this film, which asks us critical questions about our lives, our actions, and our stance towards those around us. Since publishing that piece I’ve listened to an audiobook about Fred Rogers, and I have become increasingly aware of the latest string of hatred pouring forth from the fingers and mouth of our Commander-in-Chief.

I am grateful that summer still has some run left in which to step back and away. I truly hope that we, as individuals, as community members and as “neighbors” in this great nation, irrespective of our political persuasions, will step back and consider the behavior of our highest official. He is, I believe, truly and daily, guilty of Conduct Unbecoming. I pray that our leaders, from the right and the left, from the Blue States and the Red States, from all parties, will step forward from whatever break they have managed, to bring us back together as a nation rather than allow the antics and infantile behavior of this  narcissist, who should be held as guilty of Conduct Unbecoming any aspect of the high office he occupies, to continue to drive us apart and sow discord across our country – and around our world. 

Politics & The Wild, Wild West

Many years ago, a senior rabbinic colleague remarked to me, “We Rabbis are handicapped. We see everything through midrashic eyes.” Midrash, that creative form through which the early rabbis taught us to look at texts and the world is one of many contributions of Rabbinic tradition to our human condition and outlook in our lives.

My friend’s comment was very much on my mind one evening last week. I had stepped out of a store in a strip mall near my home. I was minding my own business, heading for my car. As I neared my vehicle, I noted a number of other shoppers had stopped in their tracks, their attention fixed on the rear of the car next to my own. Behind the car was a gentleman who was making something of a ruckus. There was no one in his immediate vicinity. Yet he was waving his arms and wildly gesticulating. I slowly neared my vehicle, as he proclaimed quite loudly, “Everyone loves my T-Shirt. Everyone is noticing my T-shirt. I love my T-shirt.” HIs tone grew angrier as he chanted (Or perhaps I might say, ranted.)

As I drew nearer I noted the message on his tank-top, “Make America Great Again. Donald Trump for President.” Had this gentleman been engaged in a conversation with someone nearby, I might have understood his fervor and the volume. But no one was engaged save for passers-by who’d stopped momentarily to notice. It was hard to miss. A few moments later, he closed the hatchback, and climbed into his car. I headed for my vehicle and drove off. I was struck by what I had witnessed. I couldn’t help but wonder about his intent. To be sure, we are living in a chaotic, noisy, polarized time. Passionate exchanges abound. There’s plenty of shouting and wild gesticulation. But this gentleman was broadcasting to nobody and to everybody. He was not engaged in a debate or conversation. He was calling attention to himself - and obviously, to his point-of-view.

Hardly a day passes without a conversation about how nervous folks are about the political and uncivil climate across our country. It plays out on many levels: racial relations, economic inequality, class divisions, geographic divisions, and certainly along political lines. As I drove away, I wondered: Are our political leaders giving sanction to such displays? Politics will always be noisy and constructed around conflict. I wonder whether, in this round, our leaders and their handlers have unleashed waves of anger, and sanctioned a Wild, Wild West atmosphere. What will it take to harness all the raw emotion and unfettered self-expression across our nation so that the fabric of our society — hopefully a civil society - won’t be torn beyond repair?

I can’t answer for the gentleman who clearly loves his T-shirt and the message it bears. I can, and must answer for myself, each and every day in the ways in which I conduct myself and interact with those around me. So must each of us. I would hope that our leaders, our candidates, and their managers would do the same.

I still can dream, can’t I?