Donald Trump’s ascent to presidential candidacy has been highlighted by his abusive language. The nation has become accustomed to his unconventionally harsh language as Trump has continued to insult a majority of the people he comes across. The most recent incident involving Trump’s disdainful speech is the release of a 2005 conversation Trump had with Access Hollywood host Billy Bush in which he talks of kissing and grabbing women without their consent, and uses his fame to justify it. When addressing this scandal, Trump brushed off the criticisms by saying that it was “just locker room talk,” and that “it’s just words folks.” No Mr. Trump, it is not “just words.”
Words are what people like him use to shame assault victims, perpetuating rape culture. Words are what encourage victims to stay quiet about their assault, encouraging more. Words are what women hear their whole lives, measuring them on their looks and not their achievements. These words are heard and repeated by our children, shaping a new generation. And instead of using words to inspire a country, Trump has continuously misused and abused the power and influence of his words to attack women, Mexicans, Muslims, prisoners of war and people with disabilities, to name a few. These are just the words he has said in public; it is horrifying to imagine how he speaks when he is not being recorded.
Trump’s whole campaign has been built on this idea that he is not politically correct, that he is not a polished politician and therefore he is more in touch with the American people. Many are not surprised or outraged by his statements because they did not expect any better. Though this “blunt guy” persona has gotten him far, it is also the reason so many refuse to back him. One thing that has been forgotten during this election year is that there is a purpose for the specific language politicians use when talking. They are representing the citizens of the United States of America, a job that they do not and should not take lightly. Trump has time and time again disregarded this tradition. The American people should not only be offended by his statements, but they should be aware that they deserve much more in a president. They deserve someone who will respect them enough to represent them to the rest of the world in a positive light, something Trump has completely ignored.
Even if voters disregard personality and choose Trump strictly on his views on issues, they will lose out in the end, because effective policies rely on those who can communicate them responsibly. Leaders must travel the country and the world, giving speeches and talking to their counterparts, representing the country’s best interests. Ultimately, a president must speak for himself, and Trump’s lack of a filter will not fly when he is dealing with extremely sensitive international issues. His “magnum opus” of putting others down to lift himself up will not work on a global scale. If the president of another country insults the United States, it does not work for our president to just insult them back or sue them (Trump’s usual method of retaliation). The fact that many do not acknowledge this argument is alarming, especially as Trump’s volatile temperament is uncovered.
This election is coming to an end, and with it, a year of personal digs and verbal abuse. Trump has consistently used words that reveal a dark and deep disrespect of others, something that has made him extremely popular, but will hopefully also be his fatal flaw. In a free and democratic society, we must use words to inspire and propel the nation towards prosperity, not hinder it from acceptance and understanding. The culture that Trump has popularized of letting words spew, unchecked, from the mouths of this nation’s citizens needs to be put to an end. The next generation depends on it. The people are listening, Mr. Trump, and they are not amused.
