In case you decided that a boycott was in order for the presidential inauguration, or you were too busy protesting, you may have heard that no one showed up to watch the speech, that it was the worst in recent memory.
Of course, if you were doing those two things, your news source might not have delivered the most objective account of what I believe was a remarkable hour in our country’s history. It was, certainly, nothing comparable to any speech I remember, but that was the point.
President Donald Trump may have toned down his bombastic style a decibel or two, and has decided that teleprompters might actually be beneficial, but he still refuses to be a well-disciplined, soft-spoken orator, and I doubt he has any intentions of taking public speaking courses in the next four years.
The haters will say this takes away from his ability to inspire, but I would like to politely disagree. Not being able to go up in front of the entire world and hit every word and breath on the button is something people can relate to. Not being afraid to say exactly what’s on his mind is something everyone truly dreams of.
Just as Bob Dylan and the Beatles stormed onto the music scene at the dawn of the sixties with unpurified vocals and colloquial accents, Trump’s realism stirs the emotions of the many Americans who hate the elitist politicians who speak so eloquently with their Harvard Law degrees and American flag pins.
Trump orates with tremendous confidence. By no means does he emulate Obama’s uncanny ability to pause, point and make lofty inspirational claims, but that’s not his mission. Instead, Trump is serious about making things better, and his demeanor makes his supporters believe it.
Naturally, not everyone is enthused by what they’ve seen. Still hung up by the whole locker room talk fiasco, these detractors are unwilling to see any minute shred of positivity.
Instead, they’ve taken to the streets, smashed windows, crowded major roadways and demanded their voices be heard. At least the majority of them have been respectful, especially the majority at the Women’s Marches across the country. The fact that Trump recognized their efforts by tweeting his appreciation for freedom of speech should be seen as a major victory of their movement.
No one talks about that though. Instead, they are unwilling to let their new president attempt to prove his ability to lead. Trump did not take office to make America a worse place to be a woman, or a minority or a Democrat. He took office to try to fix the economy and the bureaucracy in Washington, D.C. and to ensure the safety of America.
Forgive him if he stays out of social movements that are out of his control. Those three reasons above are why the people voted him into office. If they go well, the social agendas of many Americans will actually have a country where one can achieve success.
Freedom of speech can’t thrive in a country that is unsafe. Minorities will continue to suffer in a slow economy. Everyone will hurt in a country whose government isn’t held accountable.
What Trump has done well, especially in his inauguration speech, is make the issues clear as clear can be. He points, scolds and shouts to make people think. Have you noticed that people are actually thinking now?
I don’t really mean the populous. I’m talking about the people in office. The Central Intelligence Agency got called out by the president for not keeping us safe. Then, on the first day of his presidency, Trump went to address them. He was received by genuine excitement, with hundreds of employees unable to fit into the lobby, all trying to hear what he had to say.
Trump called out the Republican Congress for not doing anything. You best believe they’ve mobilized to prove him wrong.
With questionable picks to head the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Education, the good folks in those positions are now incentivized to push for what they believe in and to work for the kind of policies they think are right.
The discussions have started. Everyone is uncertain. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a student at an incredibly difficult university, it is that when things get stressful or uncertain, people get proactive. This especially applies to those who seek to achieve greatness.
Trump’s cabinet disagrees with each other. They’re all high achievers and are ready to fight for what they believe in. Let the debates begin. Let’s see some compromise.
If policy makers are doing something, that’s an opportunity for the people to continue arguing for what they believe in. If that means protesting, then protest. If that means writing to your congressperson, write. That does not mean sulk, give up and insult your president.
