As most of us know, yesterday Melania Trump gave the freakiest speech since Nancy Reagan’s Just Say no. In both cases the spouse was saying one thing, while the other spouse was doing the opposite. In the case of Reagan, Nancy was saying don’t do drugs, while her husband was setting up drug deals, and the vice presidents son was abusing drugs. In the case of Trump, Melania is talking about how we need civility, while Donald was attacking Muslims, Jewish people, immigrants, and anyone else he did not like online.
In defense of Melania, Trump spokespeople have said the The Donald only attacks adults. Melania talks about children, so what Trump does it ok. But, as the title suggests, doesn’t Trump know that when he attacks a faith he is attacking the kids. When he says that all Muslims are terrorists, and all Mexicans are rapists, he is not limiting this to adults, he is saying the kid crossing the border, who legally cannot be tried of a crime as an adult, is a rapist or imminent threat to the people of this nation. He has already stated in tweets that these kids, or kids born to immigrant parents, are going to grow up to terrorists or otherwise are not real citizens. He has tweeted that a US born judge is not a real judge because the parents were not US, and that a criminal born in the US but born to immigrant parents just validates his idea that we need less immigration.
Beyond this, children mimics the behavior of adults. Every day adults try to teach kids impulse control. For instance, it is important for adults to understand that they can be in control of their actions, that they do not all have to react. That successful act with discretion and are not controlled by the actions of others.
Trump by his actions is not only a clear and present danger to children because of his attacks on them, but because the example he sets that violence and reactionary behavior is acceptable.