No Sign of Empathy

Donald Trump puts forward a proposal to arm teachers — in the presence of survivors of the latest shooting rampage. That is hard to beat for cynicism.

Absurd, more absurd, Trump. After the school massacre in Florida, the U.S. president wants to arm teachers. Is that enough? Could it be more absurd? Wouldn’t one have to arm the students, too — and begin shooting training as early as possible, therefore as soon as the young are able to hold a weapon? It is then not a far reach to the proposal that one could recently read on satirical website Postillon: Don’t ban weapons, ban schools.

That is jet-black humor. But perhaps it will help not to just be stunned and speechless, which is more than difficult. Trump’s meeting with survivors and family members of the deceased in Parkland was downright disturbing. There he presented his cynical proposal, which bore the hallmarks of the National Rifle Association gun lobby, to weeping students who begged him to finally tighten gun laws. There was no sign of empathy.

Let’s not be fooled: None of Trump’s other proposals — banning rapid fire attachments for semi-automatic weapons or checking buyers — is even a mini-step in the right direction. To the contrary: The U.S. president is not only the most powerful ally of the already mighty NRA. He has long since earned the title of best gun salesman.