Trump's anger will make him a loser: Column
As the Donald should know from reading his favorite book, only the fool rageth.
More than half a century ago, as a little boy, I learned a great lesson from my mother. On a daily basis, I had one fit of anger after another. Whether in resignation or simply in a teaching moment, Mom posted a saying in our living room that was intended for me. It read, “Keep your temper, no one else wants it.”
I confess that yielding to anger felt good in the moment. It made me feel powerful, a heady thing for a little boy. Little long-term good and certainly no peace, however, ever came from my anger. Rather, it was a source of torment for my family.
My mother knew the Bible. She understood the words of Solomon found in the Book of Proverbs: “A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. ... He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.” When anger overcame me, Mom sent me to my room to cool down.
Two subsequent experiences reinforced Mom’s loving lesson. The first came when I was a teenager. Through hard work, I became a successful basketball player. I still hold many records at my high school. One record, however, haunts me. I hold the record for the most technical fouls in a season — seven!
My anger at what I believed to be a bad call led me to vent on the referees. The invariable result — a technical foul, often followed by a game lost. My anger came at a high cost for me, my teammates, my coach and my school.
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The second experience with the foolishness of anger came when I was a young father. My family was traveling in our car when a reckless driver almost ran us off the road, endangering our family. My immediate response was to slam my foot down on the accelerator and catch up with the culprit. As we passed the 90 mile per hour mark, I realized my anger was now endangering my family.
I slowed down, caught my breath, letting understanding displace anger, before turning to apologize to my wife and family. I hope my children learned from my regained composure.
Just recently, a dear friend, a Donald Trump supporter, strongly urged me to give in to my anger or frustration at the inaction on the part of our government. He assured me that it would feel good. Thanks to Mom, Solomon and my past experiences with anger, I knew better.
My initial reaction to my friend was one of sadness that he was so full of anger. With Trump’s three victories in early Republican primary contests, my sadness became resignation. As a teacher, however, that resignation has turned into resilience and a desire to teach a lesson for Trump, his supporters and my 23 grandchildren. It is simply that anger is for losers.
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Trump and his supporters must know, or will soon know, that their anger will not result in victory any more than my technical fouls as a high school basketball player led to a winning season. My anger felt good in the moment, but the pleasure was momentary, and the game and eventually the season was lost. Folly, as Solomon taught, was the ultimate result of my anger.
Anger has led to a series of apparent Trump victories, but they are as fleeting as they are foolish. Anger does not engender support in most people — it causes them to want to put the angry perpetrator in his place.
Trump’s unfavorables among the broader electorate remain constant. He may win primaries, stringing together a series of victories, but there is little polling evidence that he can win the general election. The electorate will eventually send him to his room, only to return when he embraces the ultimate family value — peace and concern for the feelings of others.
Once, again, Solomon is right: “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.” We need a unified country, not a divided one, and a leader who will bring the American family together again. Maybe candidate Trump will go to a quiet place and return a unifier. If not, let’s send him to his room, where he can learn to keep his temper, because no one else wants it.
Rodney K. Smith is Distinguished Professor of Practice at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University.
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