The airwaves, cyberspace and print media have been ablaze with repetitions of stories about President Donald Trump calling certain nations a derogatory name and implying that he is racist. The President has denied both making the remark and that he is a racist. Notwithstanding, the cattle are out of the barn on this story and they are stampeding as each person who has an account of what happened in the immigration meeting with lawmakers starts another string of stories discussing the President's "racism." The firestorm emanated from known leftist liar Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) who claimed the President made the remarks. Since then, the media does what it does best-repeat, but not confirm.
The New York Times reports that Durbin, of course, stands behind his statement, but stated that Senator David Perdue (R-GA) said Durbin made a "gross misrepresentation" of what the President said. Perdue and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) at first said they didn't "recall the President saying these remarks specifically" but Sunday disputed Durbin's account outright. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who was also at the meeting, said accounts of Trump's language was "basically accurate." Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) claims that people who were in the meeting told him that the President used inflammatory language. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, said she did not recall the President "saying that exact phrase."
Here we have the President denying his words. Two Senators who support the President saying they did not "recall" hearing him make the remarks, then changing their story to refute Durbin's "misrepresentation." You have two Republican Senators who generally oppose the President-Graham and Flake-saying that Durbin's account was basically accurate. And the Homeland Security Secretary, who is appointed by the President, not recalling the President saying that exact phrase. The only one emphatically denying the comments is the President. What he said and what was heard are in question. That question has grown into a full-blown episode where the narrative has been shaped to spell r-a-c-i-s-t.
In today's environment, being accused of racism and anything of a sexual nature are extreme hot buttons where no burden of proof is needed for the presumption of guilt. The media and every special interest group who oppose the President fan the flames of this fiery perception. It makes all who support the President subject to being painted with the same brush. It limits the President's ability to advance his agenda. This debate is far beyond what the President actually said. It's now about labeling him and his followers. This is why the President should be encouraged to choose his words as advised by Proverbs 10:19, "He that refrains his lips is wise."
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