Friday, October 23, 2015

Trump, Carson, and Joseph N. Welch


"You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

These famous words, the words of Joseph N. Welch, the Boston attorney representing the United States Army during the widely-viewed (and infamous) Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954, were directed at Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin.  McCarthy had just accused a member of Welch's law firm of having been a member of the Communist Party during his youth.

It's time that at least one of the Republican presidential candidates level a similar condemnation of the spiteful, indecent, and ignorant words of Donald Trump and Ben Carson.  Trump certainly has no understanding of "decency" - ridiculing his opponents for their appearance, or for their manner of speech, or because of a tendency to perspire.  But the nadir came when he inferred presidential guilt for 9/11 -  holding President George W. Bush responsible for the event.  Outrageous!!  Yes, he was our president at the time- in office for a total of eight entire months!  And yes, President Roosevelt was in office in 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked - and perhaps President Lincoln should be held responsible for the Civil War which began one month into his presidency!

Carson's comparing the United States to Nazi Germany is similarly outrageous.  Peter Wehner, in his New York Times op-ed piece on October 20 characterized Carson's remarks as showing a "staggering ignorance when it comes to the unique malevolence of Hitler's Germany."

"Staggering ignorance." An "imbecilic historical analogy," writes Wehner.

Carson went on to opine as to how Jews in Germany could have survived the Holocaust if only they were permitted to have guns!

"Staggering ignorance."  An "imbecilic historical analogy."

Mr. Trump, Dr. Carson - you've done enough.  Have you no sense of decency, gentlemen.  At long last have you left no sense of decency?