To much interest, Melania Trump has announced her formal initiatives 16 months into her tenure as First Lady.
In a speech at the White House, Melania unveiled her efforts to promote the well-being of children in a campaign dubbed “BE BEST”, a dubious attempt at grammar but one we will do our best to look past for the sake of the children.
“As a mother and as first lady, it concerns me that in today’s fast-paced and ever-connected world, children can be less prepared to express or manage their emotions and often times turn to forms of destructive or addictive behaviour such as bullying, drug addiction or even suicide,” she said.
“I feel strongly that as adults, we can and should ‘be best’ at educating our children about the importance of a healthy and balanced life.”
The campaign itself was no doubt born from good intentions, but of course, this is a Trump White House and Twitter works quickly. Within moments of the First Lady giving her speech, the many and varied inconsistencies – nay, hypocrisies – were alive, clear and awash social media.
Let’s start with those pesky plagiarism claims, once again.
To break that down: Yes, some two years after being accused of ripping off a speech of Michelle Obama’s, a booklet Melania’s team put out – one titled ‘Talking with kids about being online’ – wasn’t her team’s work at all. Instead, save for a foreword at the very beginning, the helpful booklet for parents was actually put together in 2014 under the Obama administration. You can find Melania’s here, and the 2014 version here.
But perhaps, you say, she never claimed it as her own?
Well, there’s this:
“Parents, click here to read “Talking with Kids about Being Online,” a booklet by First Lady Melania Trump and the Federal Trade Commission,”on the homepage of the BE BEST campaign’s website. Do with that what you will.
Copy-cat claims aside, it’s not the only issue Americans are taking with the initiative. We have the First Lady pushing an agenda that says no bully ing on social media, and a President that says he doesn’t agree. On Twitter. In capital letters. Probably abusively.
Just like the time he did this:
So while the idea of teaching kids how to treat each other a little nicer, a little kinder on social media is certainly novel, if not important, it’s curious the Trumps didn’t clean their own backyard before taking to task everyone else on the mess of theirs.
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Top Comments
If the republicans stop taking things from poor families, causing increased domestic violence in response to economic stress, maybe kids won’t be reacting so much, by bullying.
A paid professional writer also obviously wrote "Melania's" introduction. She doesn't mind taking credit for other people's work. That's what Ivanka, the Kardashians and Real Housewives do too. Slap their names on clothes, perfumes, jewelry, cocktails, books, etc created by other people.
I don't think any politician or their partner in recent memory would (or would be expected) to write their own speeches or in this case an introduction. Some might have, but I be they're very much in the minority.
That she's campaigning to stop Online Bullying and Harassment while her husband is king of online bullying and harassment is the kicker for me.
All of the First Ladies s would have professional speech writers as do the Presidents. As for perfumes, clothing etc, do you really believe that celebrities stand around in a lab creating the new scent to be marketed in their name or are knocking up a clothing pattern?