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Melania Trump: Guilty by Association
She was an immigrant to the United States, an independent woman who began her modeling career at five years old, and was a successful model who spoke five languages: Slovene, English, French, Serbian and German. She moved to the US in 1996, and became a permanent resident in 2001 and a US citizen in 2006.
Her name is Melania Trump. And the mainstream media has tried to make her life hell.
It’s hard enough to be the First Lady of the United States: that woman has to assume that she will often be in the spotlight. But when you are married to a president who is despised and criticized, you are a target for everything you say and do. It doesn’t matter if you are a woman, an immigrant, and independent—all qualities that the Left supposedly admires.
You must be destroyed.
Most recently, Melania Trump made a four-day trip to Africa. Most organizations skimmed over the countries she visited, the children she interacted with, the organizations she spoke with, and the goodwill she was spreading.
Instead of highlighting the positive potential outcomes of this trip, the media became obsessed with her clothing, particularly a pith helmet she wore. They labeled this hat a symbol of “colonialism” because it suited their agenda. When I checked on the origin of the pith helmet, however, this is what I found:
The pith helmet, also known as the safari helmet . . . is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of sholapith. Pith helmets were often worn by European travelers and explorers, in the varying climates found in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the tropics, but have also been used in many other contexts. They were routinely issued to European military personnel serving overseas in hot climates from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century.
After reading several paragraphs, I saw nothing relating to colonialism. The helmet, however, was placed distinctly in the foreground when there was a pull-away shot in her interview with ABC News.
From her interview with ABC, I saw a beautiful, independent and intelligent woman, who speaks of being true to herself. When asked the hardest part of her role as FLOTUS, she spoke of the lack of privacy and the media’s obsession with her clothes. In spite of the media’s efforts to characterize her as unhappy, she says she is happy and loves her role as First Lady.
Melania Trump is a charming and effective ambassador to the world. The Left is only hurting itself when it tries to annihilate her and garner hatred of her from the people. I wonder if people are envious of her poise, candor and beauty? I am proud to have her represent this country, and hope to see her in other parts of the world.
She is a fine example of an American citizen who loves this country, and a woman who has found her way in the world.
Published in Foreign Policy
Agreed. Jim going after Trump is fine. But leave Kavanaugh and Melania alone.
Thanks, @eridemus. I think on the whole the comments were fine. Some people know about what she is doing, some don’t, and there is always the inevitable comparison to Michelle Obama.
Any evidence that Michelle did anything of real value for any African nation or anyone in Africa for that matter.
#BringBackOurGirls
Oh, ST, I nearly forgot that one! Thanks so much for reminding me. [sarcasm off]
In the late 1960s, I was an officer trainee in San Antonio, Texas. We were issued pith helmets and used them when marching because of the oppressive heat. There was nothing “colonial” about it.
FIFY.
I guess some racism is still quite acceptable.
I agree. She is actually a breath of fresh air, where we don’t get two for the price of one.
I don’t remember America colonizing Africa, but I think England did. Yet, when Princess Diana went to Africa to promote land mine awareness, for someone noted mostly for her clothing choices (including tiras that indicate power), the press didn’t seem to belabor her wardrobe choices. I guess if Melania exhibited borderline personality disorder and went on tv to trash her husband and diminsh his public image, they would feel differently. I think the press actually liked the failure of Diana’s marriage.
For the most part, Diana was adored. That is clearly not true for Melania; the media looks for any opportunity to demean and hurt her.
I made myself watch all 6 parts. As with President Trump on 60 Minutes, ABC clearly thought they had a great hit piece. Like President Trump on 60 Minutes, the First Lady proved herself such a force of nature that ABC’s editing could not conceal or distort. Donald and Melania are very different in personality, very different in the way they express themselves, but they are most assuredly a power couple.
You are one brave fellow, @cliffordbrown. I watched one piece and that was enough. But I completely agree: they are a force to be reckoned with!
I thought I was the only grump who wasn’t a fan of the People’s Princess. Not that I hated her, but I found little to admire, much less adulate. Pretty, well-meaning, good at her job, but also unbalanced, unhappy, and a poor role model.
I felt pretty much the same way, @suspira, but then royalty has never impressed me. Then again, it looks like she raised two fine boys, who’ve had their issues but have turned out pretty well. Of course, she missed many of those years.
SQ, their Grandmother, Grandfather, and Great-Grandmother had a great deal to do with raising those fine young men, methinks.
Methinks you are right!!
I bet there are many, and that she will be a footnote in time. I didn’t find her particularly interesting to listen to.
Ever been in a group, like a class, and everyone is quiet, then someone says something like “I don’t really understand” and multiple people join in? Very often out of politeness or political correctness, we stay quiet, and when one person speaks up others follow. Jordon Peterson made that observation a short time ago, to be careful what you say, and then don’t apologize, and in a few days or a week, either it is forgotten or others join you.
Think that Diana’s talent was in making the people in the room, or in the area, with her at the time feel utterly special and loved. Not all the Royals have that ability. She visited the hospice where my brother-in-law’s father spend her last days, and spent about 20 minutes in a one-on-one with him. He was absolutely over the moon, and the other family members who were there said she could not have been kinder. She gave him her attention and total focus for the entire visit. After she left, my sister wrote and asked if the family could have a photo of the encounter, and one promptly turned up, with a note.
Yes, she was a basket case, but a sincere one, I think. I’m not sure, if I’d married into that family at 19, having had my “virginity” status discussed at length before all the world, and having it attested to by relatives, and then having had to deal with the very real, if not clinically meaningful, personality disorders of people like Charles, Philip, Andrew, Fergie and Ann, that I’d have made it out the other end in one piece either.
Certainly she was very flawed. Let he who is without . . . etc. Whether or not the Great British taxpayers should be shelling out for the Royal Family is another matter, although most folks who’ve looked into same conclude it’s a pretty sane investment, considering the return in tourism value from fascinated overseas visitors.
That’s my take. She did a lot to humanize the Royal Family (we toured Buckingham with audio provided by Prince Charles. Even at his advanced age, he’s an insufferable twit). It didn’t hurt that she was beautiful and stylish, too.
Princess Diana was handed a raw deal from the very beginning. She was young and naive, and listened to her elders. It didn’t take long for her to figured it out, that her husband did not love her, but another woman, so she went ahead and produced an heir and a spare (maybe not Charles’). She carried out her royal duties the best she could under the circumstances. She was so unhappy that she finally said to heck with it, and started doing her own thing. I don’t condemn her nor criticize her. Those who do have certainly never been in her shoes. The population of the British Isles, and a lot of people in this world absolutely adored her and forgave her.
I have the Princess Diana Wedding collector doll, never taken out of the box, with original shipping box as well. Unfortunately, I bought the Prince Charles as well.