FRIDAY
Unaccountable Trump
The most extraordinary thing about the rise of Donald Trump the politician (ongoing since circa 2015) is how he has rewritten the conventional ‘rules’ of the game.
Trump is simply not held accountable for his words and deeds in the way all his political predecessors were. If a previous US President (or presidential candidate) had made even one of the many outrageous comments Trump has uttered over the years, they would have had to apologise or maybe even stand down.
Trump just stands his ground; in fact he sometimes doubles down. In taking this approach, he has further empowered himself to continue making outrageous claims (undoubtedly debasing politics in the process).
Tonight, addressing a conservative Christian group in Florida, Trump asked the audience to vote for him, adding: “In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote”.
Perhaps he was joking/trying to wind up his detractors, but he was still brazen enough to make those comments at a time when there is some concern that if Trump is re-elected in November, he might try to resist giving up power in four years’ time. That genuine fear that Trump might be planning a dictatorship has some mainstream traction. (Here, Declan Lynch in the Sunday Independent rarely lets a week go by without asserting that Trump is, shall we say, working on taking the dictator route).
Tonight, Trump brazenly talks of there being no need to vote in four years’ time. Because it was Trump who made this extraordinary statement, the media hasn’t gone into overdrive in response. The fact that his comments did not dominate the news agenda shows the almost cult-like power Trump is still wielding, or certainly how unaccountable he has succeeded in becoming.
SATURDAY
‘The pitch is bare’
Conflict across the world is hardly a new reality, but it remains a horrifying one.
Today, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, a group of children gathered on a pitch to play football. This is where kids experience joy, learn life lessons, and build memories which most of them will cherish into old age.
The children were struck by a rocket attack. It is reported that 12 young people – aged 10 to 20 – were killed. (Israel says Hezbollah was to blame; the militant group denies any involvement).
Meanwhile, also today, 30 Palestinians are reported dead following an Israeli strike on a school in Gaza. Israel’s military said it targeted a Hamas command centre which (it claimed) was embedded inside the school.
What a cruel world. How unnecessary war is. I read the reports online, thinking of the innocence of the victims, their lost lives – so cruelly stolen – and of their bereft parents and other family members.
They went to play football… excited, daydreaming, smiling, loved ones expecting their return later.
They went to school… uniforms, laughter, friends, routine, parents anxiously waiting for one more day in Gaza where normality might triumph over tension and fear.
Man’s inhumanity to man took over. Innocent children robbed of everything. The football pitch is bare, the school now rubble, the hope of yesterday shredded.
Now, the TV cameras coldly flash. All that’s left are shattered dreams, heartbroken families, communities seething with hurt, and the unspoken assumption that the cycle will forever continue. The cruel pointlessness of it all.
Shame on the fanatical terrorists who callously kill innocence.
SATURDAY
Curb your excitement
November is usually a miserable month, but there is hope this year – in the form of something to look forward to. Let’s all shine our letter boxes and send our pet dogs to anger management classes, because according to Pat Leahy in today’s Irish Times, November 15th next could be… General Election day!
SUNDAY
Ups and downs…
There was a lot of revisiting of RTE scandals during the week, but not a word about the latest outrage (RTE One, last night)… another inflicting on the public of that annual cringefest, Up for the Match (I didn’t watch).
SUNDAY
Armagh’s day
‘Apples and oranges’ is a phrase people are familiar with, but today they weren’t at odds for Armagh, instead combining nicely as the Orchard County (that’ll deal with the apples reference) and their orange-clad players edged past Galway and claimed the Sam Maguire Cup. Naturally, ecstatic Armagh supporters went wild, and that even included some ‘Northern unionists’!
In contrast, it was a heartbreaking afternoon for Galway, who did not do themselves justice, particularly in attack. Armagh won today’s All-Ireland Senior Football final by 1-11 to 0-13, with Pádraic Joyce’s team left to rue a number of misses. It wasn’t a great game, the fate of an injured seagull stranded on the pitch in the first half commanding as much attention as the play for a few minutes.
*See more of my views on the big game in ‘Sports Desk’ on page 37.
MONDAY
Swimmers of destiny
This evening, Sligo’s Mona McSharry finished brilliantly to win bronze – Ireland’s first medal of the 2024 Olympics – in the 100m breaststroke final. It’s a great achievement by Mona, and there may be more to come from her!
With Siobhan Haughey also winning a bronze in the pool tonight, but representing Hong Kong, the quipsters were quickly into action on X/Twitter.
Siobhan is a grand-niece of the late Charles Haughey (former Taoiseach). The ‘McSharry-Haughey double’ prompted a few tweets with tongue in cheek speculation about what other Irish Olympians with surnames associated with Fianna Fáil’s past might enter the spotlight in the coming weeks!
TUESDAY
What ageing process?
Yes, I sent a number of emails to people today (as per usual). Yes, I’ve noticed in recent months that I will occasionally increase the point size of the message in the email, so that I can read it myself before sending! Yes, you too will find yourself doing this…
WEDNESDAY
It took a while, but…
It took a few days, but thankfully it has finally happened. The British are beginning to claim some of our Olympians. And, naturally, we are getting into a right huff about this ‘nationality heist’…
