Misleading – is that different from lying?

The writer criticizes J.D. Vance and Donald Trump for spreading falsehoods regarding Haitian immigrants and encourages voters to elect leaders who are positive role models for children.

Dr. E. Faye Williams

<TriceEdneyWire.com> — I’ve always thought there might be a difference in misleading and lying, but J.D. Vance has acknowledged that he was lying about Haitian immigrants when he admitted the story about Haitian immigrants was intentional, knowing it was not true—even when one of his constituents apologized to her neighbors about their taking her cat and presumably having a meal of it! Even though she found her cat in her basement, apologized and admitted she was mistaken, that was not good enough for J.D. or his boss.

That’s despicable behavior from two men who want people to vote for them! That’s not even taking into account the children whose school they interrupted and put fear in—along with their parents, the city and state officials! I thought about my six-year-old nephew who just spent his first few days in first grade. He had been so excited about leaving pre-K and K and moving up to first grade! To have his school so interrupted so quickly would have been devastating.

It’s very challenging for some of the little ones to leave home and spend the day away from their mom. Then as soon as they find out school is not so bad while making new friends, they are told that school is a scary place after all. Their parents have to admit to them there may be bad people on the way to or around the school who want to hurt them!

Do grown men who do that to children deserve to be on a ballot with the possibility of becoming what may be called leaders?

We must admit a lot of candidates running for office are despicable people masquerading as leaders. They are a disgrace to the America they claim to love more than the rest of us who work so hard to be mentors and examples of good behavior to children.

I can understand why so many young people are confused about what is good and what is bad.

Do you remember when we were taught the 10 commandments and the Golden Rule? We were taught to say ‘yes ma’am and no ma’am’; ‘yes, sir and no, sir’;  ‘please and thank you.’ You remember when truth mattered? We were less likely to be punished if we admitted saying something we shouldn’t have. Remember that?

Everything about the good old days was not good for everybody, but we had the hope of making things better—not only for ourselves, but for everybody. We were even admonished about throwing away good food by being asked if we knew about all the starving children in China who didn’t have food. We didn’t know the how many children (and our parents didn’t either), but the question taught us to be thoughtful before we threw away something others might need!

At one time, adults were expected to be good examples for children—but so many are failing miserably now. As we approach November 5, Election Day, have you noticed how many Republicans are being bad examples? Thankfully, there are a few of them who are truth-tellers, and are not afraid to break the pattern and do the right thing. 

Elected leaders like J.D. Vance, Donald Trump, Mark Robinson, Ted Cruz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Josh Hawley, Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz aren’t ready to break the chain.

Those who are doing better are the Cheneys, lots of former Trump staffers, Adam Kinzinger, Michael Steele, Nicole Wallace, military generals, 200 former President George W. Bush staff members, ‘Black Republicans for Harris’ and a growing number of others who want to make things better for all of us.

One way to do that is to vote as if you really mean to make things better on November 5!

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