What the performative patriotism of Donald Trump reveals about his character

Once I was making ready for deployment for Iraq in 2007, we have been required to do grenade coaching. Earlier than we began, our grasp sergeant requested who would bounce on a grenade to save lots of the lives of others. Greater than half of the Marines (largely guys who hadn’t deployed but) raised their fingers. After we completed coaching, he requested the identical query. After seeing what grenades really do, nobody raised their fingers.

Our grasp sergeant then instructed us that’s what separated Cpl. Jason Dunham from the remainder of us Marines, and why Dunham earned the Medal of Honor. All of us sacrificed within the army, however Jason’s sacrifice is on a degree even Marines would possibly wrestle to know.

Earlier this week, Donald Trump, trying to bounce begin his struggling marketing campaign determined to make a marketing campaign cease at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery. This hallowed floor had been averted by Trump for the final three years, however now was an ideal alternative to have interaction in what he has mastered higher than most politicians; performative patriotism.

Nonetheless, there was one thing that will inhibit his objectives and that was the precise guidelines of Arlington Nationwide Cemetery which prohibit political campaigning and images for political functions. After all, that wouldn’t cease Trump and his crew from getting what they wished. An altercation ensued, and we have been introduced with an image of Trump smiling over the graves of the fallen with a thumbs up.

This pursuit of the photograph op, regardless of guidelines, decorum, decency and tact is the newest illustration of Trump showing to view fallen army and their households as props and never folks. And it performs into the emotions that Individuals have a few phrase that Trump is aware of the right way to manipulate. Sacrifice.

This isn’t the primary time that Trump has run afoul of his view of army members. All of us remember what he said about late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), his phrases to his chief of employees and Gold Star father Gen. John Kelly about “suckers and losers.” And in his newest insult, he asserted that the nation’s highest army award, the Congressional Medal of honor, is no better than the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

However there was one incident again in 2016 that I need to contact on, as a result of it speaks volumes about how Trump views sacrifice.

After Khizr and Ghazala Khan shared the story of their son, Humayun Khan, who had died in Iraq in 2004, Trump determined to debate the lack of their son within the context of his personal private sacrifices. Talking to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Trump said “I feel I’ve made numerous sacrifices. I work very, very onerous.”

Trump went on to speak concerning the buildings and jobs he created, placing his enterprise profession on the identical degree as an officer who had died stopping a suicide bomber from killing his males.

After all, Trump (his writers) put out a fastidiously worded condolence later. However since then, we’ve been handled to a slew of insults to individuals who served and their households. We’ve got additionally been doused with the performative routine that Trump makes use of to rally a few of his followers. From hugging flags to altering the Bible, Trump has made thousands and thousands from his followers.

Now this performative patriot routine will all the time attraction to sure folks. Slap a flag on a beer can, truck, t-shirt sleeve, bag of espresso, or underwear and other people can pay for it, no matter its high quality. And you actually cannot blame them for this and Trump being the businessman that he’s, making the most of that.

However on a deeper degree, we additionally want to know this. Trump appears to actually imagine that the sacrifices that Individuals have made in battle are on the identical degree as those he has made in his enterprise and political profession. And that’s one thing that no true patriot ought to settle for.

Certain, all of us sacrifice in some sense. Dad and mom sacrifice for his or her children, immigrants sacrifice their outdated lives to start out a brand new one right here, folks quit time with their households to start out a brand new enterprise, and youngsters sacrifice enjoyable instances with associates to work towards school acceptance and success. However most of us have the cognizance to understand that what we quit pales compared to the sacrifices that service members endure.  

It’s straightforward to hug a flag, promote an “American” Bible or stage a photograph op at Arlington. However Trump has by no means been capable of really reply are whether or not he really is aware of what it’s prefer to sacrifice for his nation. Does he perceive that no matter he did pales compared to those that had died for us? And is he humble sufficient to confess it?

Jos Joseph is a grasp’s candidate on the Harvard Extension Faculty at Harvard College. He’s a Marine veteran who served in Iraq and lives in Anaheim, Calif.