This isn’t what is called a politically correct essay. You don’t have to tell me; I already acknowledge that reality. Donald J. Trump is America’s indisputable village idiot.

You can buy this hardcover journal of Donald the Dumb.

Now, to be honest, two-thirds of you agree with me. However, those that are called his base don’t agree with me. It is seen as fake news. Why is it that so many of Donald the Dumb’s base accept his stance on issues like racism, sexism, and xenophobia? If you are one of the supporters of America’s village idiot, here is a test. The test is composed of a trilogy of questions. You can take the test and look at the results without sharing them with anyone.

The Trilogy Test

1. If you were one member of a search committee to hire the CEO of your corporation, would you hire or even interview Donald J. Trump? Yes or No
2. Would you allow Donald J. Trump alone in the same room with your wife, mother, or daughter? Okay, let’s include any female? Yes or No
3. Would you allow someone like Donald J. Trump to have access to the button of any nuclear weapons? Yes or No

Donald the Dumb is in the process of making his mark as president of the United States. Neither you nor I will affect that process either way. However, you and I are the ones that will have the greatest impact about our mark that we leave the world. Even though making your mark sounds like a phrase from some high school commencement address, this is far more important than any graduation addresses that you and I have sat through. Besides, I don’t recall a word of my commencement speaker in high school, college, graduate school, or post-graduate school. Okay, I’ll be honest with you; I don’t recall any of the names of the commencement speakers. I wonder how many remember me or my commencement address?

However, this mini-address, which is shorter than any commencement address deals with the question who makes up your family? Obviously, people like your parents, siblings, spouses and/or your children make up your family. People who share your name and/or your DNA. Our families are the people who make up our nuclear and extended families. Those people are the ones that we love, care for, and support in many ways whether financially, emotionally, or educationally. They are the ones that you will assist in any way necessary. Why? We do so, because they are family.

Let’s broaden our perspective. Who do you consider your best friends to be who are outside your family? While they are not related to you through marriages or DNA, don’t you have a number of friends who you would help in any way you could?

Finally, one step is beyond the obvious answers to who constitutes your family. Excluding your nuclear, extended family, and your close friends is there anyone who you never met but who you view as a great person or a mentor of yours that you would even sacrifice your life to save theirs? If I was in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles early on June 5, 1968, I can name one person. I would have given my life to save his. This person is my most important mentor in my life and has been for more than a half century prior to his death.

Next, do yourself a favor. Jot down on a piece of paper the words: nuclear family, and extended family, close friends to whom you will support in any way that you could. How many names have you jotted down? That is your family.

Next, jot down the names that you think that Donald the Dumb would call his family. Okay, I’ll help you.

I realize that this is merely Donald the Dumb’s nuclear family. Nevertheless, ask yourself, which of his nuclear family members would he protect at any cost to him personally? While protecting a member of his family, to what extent would he invest himself? Which of his family would he protect with his own life?

To be honest with you, I’m not as smart as Donald the Dumb claims that he is. I wouldn’t publicly predict who would be in and, if anyone, would be out. Nevertheless, his list would be far shorter than the list that you or I have. When push comes to shove, Donald the Dumb will protect number one in his life…himself. He calls people family based upon how they can help him. While he is considered, by most scholars, the worst president, he can help us to become all that we can be.

I have learned perhaps the greatest truism that I have discovered in my 76-years. It is in giving that we get. Regardless of what we give, we are a beneficiary of our giving.

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