“No, no.”
We say that enough times to our children, trying to teach them not to interrupt, not to give dirty looks to someone opposing you.
And then, some times, you can learn from children.
At the Dripping Springs school board meeting, there was a demonstration about a transgender child wanting to be allowed to use a restroom not according to sex designation on her birth certificate.
Another little girl held up a sign that read, “You can pee next to me.”
Because children, at times, understand that basic decency can be the one thing that salves wounds. The kids at the Dripping Springs elementary school understand that the child wanting to switch bathrooms was not a predator. She simply didn’t feel right going to her assigned restroom.
Switch to the Presidential debate on Tuesday night, and the innuendos and interruptions made by Donald Trump during Hillary Clinton’s assigned speaking time made me, as a Mom, want to say, “No, Donald. Quit interrupting. That’s not nice.”
Hillary Clinton stood there and just smiled. Finally, she started to speak again, getting her well-tuned points out. She had obviously studied for the debate, and Trump was not liking it at all.
Trump gave her dirty looks, scowling at her. He fidgeted; she stood still.
There are times when the President of the United States has to stand still, not interrupt, listen to other people, not fidget, and have the patience to wait for her turn.
It’s the basics we taught our children, if they wanted to be accepted as well-behaved. It’s the lessons that, if they want to be accepted in adult society – in classrooms, in board rooms, in church – they have to learn.
Trump didn’t learn those lessons. This Mom would have boxed his ears, and put him in time out.
He obviously believes that basic courtesies don’t apply to him.
That does not bode well for anyone wanting to be President.
csb@haysfreepress.com