Trump Needs a Cheat Sheet To Remember that He Should Listen to His Citizens

Donald Trump seems to have trouble remembering on his own that he should empathize with the victims of violent acts.

The atmosphere was heavy and the testimonies poignant. For over an hour on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at the White House, during a meeting organized one week after the shooting that left 17 dead in a high school in Parkland, Florida, Donald Trump listened to the survivors and the loved ones of the victims of the American school shooting.

One by one, bereaved high school students and the parents of victims told their stories and made suggestions to the president of the United States, who listened patiently. Briefed by his team before the event, he still needed a cheat sheet.

On a note written on White House stationery, which he kept in his hand during the meeting and which several photographers captured, Donald Trump could read five wise recommendations, written in black felt-tip pen. Among these were: “What would you most want me to know about your experience? What can we do to help you feel safe? Resources? Ideas? I hear you.”

In other words, Donald Trump needs a cheat sheet to remember that he should listen to people who are there to be heard. The Washington Post asks: What better proof of Donald Trump’s lack of empathy than this note?

Arming Teachers

It has to be acknowledged that the current White House tenant did not display a great deal of empathy after the Parkland shooting. While in Florida two days after, he didn’t waste time on condolences, preferring to concentrate on congratulating emergency responders, as ABC News revealed. When journalists asked him whether he had met with victims, he responded, “I did indeed. It’s very sad that something like that could happen.”

“We’re going to do something about this horrible situation,” Donald Trump assured the survivors and families that he met with Wednesday. He took the opportunity to advance several strategies, including authorizing certain teachers to bear arms. “I don’t want teachers to have guns,” he stated. “I want [to arm] certain highly adept people — people that understand weaponry, guns.” He also promised strong measures on criminal and psychological background checks for firearm purchases and tough enforcement of the legal age for firearm ownership, without going into detail.