He was vain. He was known for his striking blonde hair, cinnamon scented and longer than the fashion of the day, as essential to his image as twinkle to a star. Gold braids adorned his clothing. He enjoyed success early in life, earning a promotion that made him the youngest general in the Union Army. To honor the occasion, and himself, he donned a special uniform partly because, according to History.net, “he wanted a distinctive uniform so his men could see him during combat.” The impact was not limited to the troops who served under him. As the same website notes, “Superior officers and newspapermen could also see such striking attire, unlike any other in the army.” That was not an accident. He was one of the first media personalities in American history and was skilled in his use of the news outlets of the day.
He was arrogant and sometimes broke the rules. He violated a treaty and ventured into Native American lands when gold was discovered there, resulting in hostility on the part of the tribes and an effort to confine them to reservations. He once went absent without leave and was court-martialed twice. He failed to follow the orders of his commander and, on the second such occasion, did not live to regret it. He was an author and sought out book deals. He publicly feuded with the President, Ulysses S. Grant, and wrote magazine articles critical of Grant’s attempt to achieve peaceful relations with Native American tribes. He dreamed of becoming President and told associates his future would include the White House.
On Your Marks, Get Set, Stop!
Those who viewed the President’s inaugural speech were treated to a description of the country that read like the script for a “Mad Max” movie. The problems that bedevil every recent administration, such as poverty (which is going down) a decline in factory jobs (which are not coming back), some underperforming schools (although the high school graduation rate is at an all-time high) and crime (which is still near an all-time low) were described as “carnage.” Merrian-Webster online describes “carnage” as: “the flesh of slain animals or humans” or a “great and usually bloody slaughter or injury.” That may apply to Aleppo, or the Pulse Nightclub, but America?
Comrade Trump might be onto something if you consider the Pulse Nightclub massacre, the ongoing slaughter in Chicago, and the tragic numbers killed and wounded by firearms. No American can accept tens of thousands killed and wounded annually as reasonable or necessary, or as an inevitable side effect of the Second Amendment. Carnage in the name of the Constitution is never inevitable or defensible. It’s wrong to shout “fire” in a crowded theater. It’s wrong to open fire in one, too.
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