In his “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted his four little children to grow up “in a nation where they would be judged not by the color of their skin, but the content of their character.” Character is an important word that is often neglected in today’s world. 

“I would follow him/her to the ends of the earth.” “If s/he says it, you can take it to the bank.” Statements like these used to be indicative of leaders. People with character. People with integrity, guts, moral fiber, and honor. People followed these leaders because they trusted them to do the right thing and put others before themselves. 

If someone is said to have an upright character, honesty is one of the qualities that defines them. Politicians at all levels are known to “bend the truth” sometimes, so we don’t expect them always to be honest. Reputationally, we tend to feel the same way about car salesmen or attorneys. However, at least attorneys can be punished for knowingly making a false statement to a judge as court officers.

In short, it is that rare politician who is positively judged on the strength of their character. George Washington is one, and most Americans probably remember him for the following two stories.

• As a young boy, he honestly confessed to his father that he had chopped down a cherry tree. (Although Washington isn’t responsible for the story, it is a good one, just not a true one.)
• As the first President of this country, he willingly surrendered power at the end of two terms, setting a precedent for those who followed him.

Many people follow Donald Trump because he “speaks for them.” They felt unseen and unheard in the past for a multitude of reasons. They identify with his racism, xenophobia, and hatred of all things that don’t put him first. Millions upon millions of Americans have been deluded by his lies and are willing to take arms against their countrymen because of these lies. Some see him as their route to power. He has tapped into his base’s pent-up anger, rage, and hatred and sets the example for them to act as he does.

“He tells it like it is” is a common theme among his supporters. “Honest” is another. He says he fights for them and promises the “Deep State” has to come through him to get to them. “I am your retribution,” he declares.

My Word Is My Bond

When did that stop being a thing? I don’t know, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if it became a way of life again?  Oh, wait. What will we do with all those lawyers? 

Let’s face it: most normal elections boil down to policies and character. If we pretend that Trump has policies other than whimsy and impulse for a few minutes, we can argue about policies until the cows come home. But character? Seriously? Look at his rallies. The orange spray-tanned fool in a blue suit and red tie stands on a stage for an hour or two and rambles on endlessly using the same tired lines with full knowledge that the marks in attendance will give him what he craves: attention and adulation.

So, why are Trump and Harris tied at this point? Why does nearly half the country believe for a nano-second the constant flow of lies coming from his diseased brain to be worthy of consideration even by a fourth-grader for its logic, knowledge, maturity, or even a passing acquaintance with morality? His lies are simply pathological.

It comes down to character, some of whose chief characteristics are honesty and trustworthiness. Trump doesn’t have those qualities, and Trumpers love him for lacking them. If you’ve been overlooked your whole life, Trump is probably your guy because he’s just like you, and he’s sticking it to the Man. He’s getting away with the lack of honesty and trustworthiness that would probably put you in jail, and for that, Trumpers love him.

Even more troubling is the thought that post-Trump Trumpism will linger long past him. The lack of character embraced by this generation of Trumpers, like the ancient Jews, will wander in the wilderness until their generation dies off.