So much of civic life has been devalued and debased. We have become more coarse, crass and generally tribal in our attitudes. Our electeds reflect that, as do their actions.
As much as I love Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen and most especially Bob Dylan, I don’t even see that they are apt recipients of the Medal of Freedom. Bob already has a Nobel anyway.
Nunes, Jordan and Limbaugh receiving it is just one more stain that Trump has left on this country.
Trump is a serious cancer on society. Awarding the Medal of Freedom to the likes of Jim Jordan, Devin Nunes, and Rush Limbaugh is a huge travesty. The medal is forever tarnished.
Before we start blaming everything on Donald Trump, let's take a look across the ocean to the refined and and respected Queen Elizabeth II. On On Oct. 26, 1965, all four members went to Buckingham Palace to receive their Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medals from Queen Elizabeth II. We now have Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Rod Stewart, Sir Elton John, Sir Bono, Sir Tom Jones. Eric Clapton, Robert Plant. All of these people have been knighted just as the knights of the roundtable were.
Let's not forget the ladies. Dame Angela Jolie. Dame Joan Collins. Dame Elizabeth Taylor.
My point is, this is not a recent phenomena, or restricted to the United States. Politicians and media people everywhere crave access to celebrities. It gives them publicity, makes them seem cooler than they really are.
It didn't start in the US, and it certainly didn't start with Donald Trump. While we're at it, let's get rid of the White House Correspondent's Dinner
"The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has gone from a hoary ritual to the apex of Washington’s social calendar, replete with Hollywood A-listers, tuxedoed television stars and live coverage on the major news networks."
Wow, I never knew that Nunes and Jordan got the medal. Talk about worthless people, blood suckers on American Democracy. I have been told over the years that Mother Theresa was also a bit of a con artist and not really what she was held up to be, but no way to verify it. At this point, thanks to the Jordan crazies in Congress and DC, we should not be confused. "Madness and dysfunction is the new rule of the day!" Scary times.
When Trump was told he could give out medals, no one had the courage to tell him that there are actually some requirements to who should receive one. I would bet that he looked at past recipients and asked if he could take them back.
So it is not surprising that he would give them to his cronies… not unlike his presidential pardons.
Long held symbols of exceptionalism, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, will always have a place in this society. The fact that it, an award given to those in public life who contribute to the benefit of society, the world, peace, or other meritorious endeavour, may have been tarnished by those who were presented with it in secret, without public recognition, likely for nefarious acts. The reason that circumstance was not aired publicly is clear; they were given to those traitors who supported a thug that used every opportunity, device and method in an attempt to better his personal standing, at the expense of justice, honesty, truth, integrity, reliability, and every other honorable trait that you can think of. The thug used it in this instance as he used every other thread of power and persuasion within the WH, immorally. Given that, along with the gradual yet remarkable realizations that some of the co-conspirators in the multiple court cases the thug faces have reached, we can see that over time the wound inflicted upon us by this thug is indeed healing. Recovery will take a long time. Justice moves slowly, yet we can see the enormous pressure it places upon some traitorous co-conspirators is simply too much for them to bear. The same will be true for the thug, who now only sits in one court room. Any recognition given by him to those who served him will be remembered as such by history, with asterisks next to their names identifying them as servants of a wishful dictator who was eventually brought to justice.
It is going to take a long time for our country to recover from the horrors , lies and manipulations of the trump presidency. The 4th nominee for Speaker of the House was another crony of trump’s and helped orchestrate the Jan. 6th attempted coup. I shudder to think what is going to happen .
You have a very good point.
Jim Jordon and Mother Theresa at lunch. I want to be a fly on the wall for that one please. Almost as good as Trump sitting next to Jesus in court. :/
So much of civic life has been devalued and debased. We have become more coarse, crass and generally tribal in our attitudes. Our electeds reflect that, as do their actions.
Which is why I stay in touch with office holders whose decisions affect my life, especially down-ballot, local folks.
I keep my communications clear, respectful, and full of specific positive requests. Please do this. Don't do that.
Sad, but true.
Thank you, Ken, for recalling the mixed history of the Presidential Medal of Honor.
It is indeed time to retire it.
After the Dems trounce the Republicans in the 2024 elections!
As much as I love Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen and most especially Bob Dylan, I don’t even see that they are apt recipients of the Medal of Freedom. Bob already has a Nobel anyway.
Nunes, Jordan and Limbaugh receiving it is just one more stain that Trump has left on this country.
Agreed.
Trump is a serious cancer on society. Awarding the Medal of Freedom to the likes of Jim Jordan, Devin Nunes, and Rush Limbaugh is a huge travesty. The medal is forever tarnished.
Before we start blaming everything on Donald Trump, let's take a look across the ocean to the refined and and respected Queen Elizabeth II. On On Oct. 26, 1965, all four members went to Buckingham Palace to receive their Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medals from Queen Elizabeth II. We now have Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Rod Stewart, Sir Elton John, Sir Bono, Sir Tom Jones. Eric Clapton, Robert Plant. All of these people have been knighted just as the knights of the roundtable were.
Let's not forget the ladies. Dame Angela Jolie. Dame Joan Collins. Dame Elizabeth Taylor.
My point is, this is not a recent phenomena, or restricted to the United States. Politicians and media people everywhere crave access to celebrities. It gives them publicity, makes them seem cooler than they really are.
It didn't start in the US, and it certainly didn't start with Donald Trump. While we're at it, let's get rid of the White House Correspondent's Dinner
This is so true and my cynicism suspects that they are considered possible donors as well.
Yes, I hadn't considered that angle but you're probably correct
No, I enjoy the correspondents dinners provided they show respect to the journalists.
Per the NYT;
"The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has gone from a hoary ritual to the apex of Washington’s social calendar, replete with Hollywood A-listers, tuxedoed television stars and live coverage on the major news networks."
I meant to say members of the Beatles
Wow, I never knew that Nunes and Jordan got the medal. Talk about worthless people, blood suckers on American Democracy. I have been told over the years that Mother Theresa was also a bit of a con artist and not really what she was held up to be, but no way to verify it. At this point, thanks to the Jordan crazies in Congress and DC, we should not be confused. "Madness and dysfunction is the new rule of the day!" Scary times.
I agree with you. It’s time to end the travesty. Many of those just don’t deserve it.
When Trump was told he could give out medals, no one had the courage to tell him that there are actually some requirements to who should receive one. I would bet that he looked at past recipients and asked if he could take them back.
So it is not surprising that he would give them to his cronies… not unlike his presidential pardons.
Long held symbols of exceptionalism, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, will always have a place in this society. The fact that it, an award given to those in public life who contribute to the benefit of society, the world, peace, or other meritorious endeavour, may have been tarnished by those who were presented with it in secret, without public recognition, likely for nefarious acts. The reason that circumstance was not aired publicly is clear; they were given to those traitors who supported a thug that used every opportunity, device and method in an attempt to better his personal standing, at the expense of justice, honesty, truth, integrity, reliability, and every other honorable trait that you can think of. The thug used it in this instance as he used every other thread of power and persuasion within the WH, immorally. Given that, along with the gradual yet remarkable realizations that some of the co-conspirators in the multiple court cases the thug faces have reached, we can see that over time the wound inflicted upon us by this thug is indeed healing. Recovery will take a long time. Justice moves slowly, yet we can see the enormous pressure it places upon some traitorous co-conspirators is simply too much for them to bear. The same will be true for the thug, who now only sits in one court room. Any recognition given by him to those who served him will be remembered as such by history, with asterisks next to their names identifying them as servants of a wishful dictator who was eventually brought to justice.
It is going to take a long time for our country to recover from the horrors , lies and manipulations of the trump presidency. The 4th nominee for Speaker of the House was another crony of trump’s and helped orchestrate the Jan. 6th attempted coup. I shudder to think what is going to happen .