To the editor: It’s an unfortunate sign of our times that the president of the United States viciously attacking a reporter’s reasonable question by snapping “Quiet, piggy” doesn’t generate more substantial nationwide condemnation. It suggests we’re becoming desensitized to the ugliness spewed by the president. Columnist Anita Chabria wrote a brilliant analysis of this issue (“‘Quiet, piggy’ wasn’t a joke. It’s a dangerous invitation to violence,” Nov. 21).
President Trump’s shocking and extremely ugly insult to this female reporter is simply the latest in a long line of his personal attacks on women. His go-to insults are to call a woman “very low IQ” (particularly when insulting a woman of color) or calling women “nasty” or “terrible.”
Like it or not, Trump’s conduct (like the conduct of all past presidents) sets an example for young people. Do we really want Trump’s aberrant behavior modeled by a generation of young men? Do we want that behavior to be inflicted on our wives and daughters? By not more loudly condemning Trump’s appalling behaviors, we appear to be indifferent to them, or even condoning them. What kind of a dangerous society are we then creating for women and young girls in this country?
Matthew Singerman, Newbury Park
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To the editor: The column by Chabria hit the mark. She notes how Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi remains in good graces by following the Trump administration playbook. It seems that Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt toes the line as well — and adds her own special twists.
Leavitt always manages to blast back harder. Her official response to the “Quiet, quiet, piggy” remark was that Trump is forthright, open and honest with reporters (by calling them names, apparently), unlike his predecessor, who remained aloof.
Another Leavitt twist came when six Democrats in Congress made a short video to remind service members they had a right and a responsibility to refuse unlawful orders. Leavitt shifted things around to say that all orders from the commander in chief are lawful. My question is: Does Leavitt really believe these things herself?
Gene Nielsen, Crescent Mills
