MERYL STREEP: DISRESPECTS THE NATION

Meryl Streep teed off on Donnald Trump last night as she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award For "contributions to the world of entertainment". ( It is ironic that DeMille was a lifelong deeply conservative Republican who may have well supported Mr. Trump.) She is well deserving of that award. She is an entertainer par excellence. But with no special knowledge of government, economics, politics or world affairs. During the ceremony Ms. Streep gratuitously attacked president-elect Donald Trump, who will assume the office within a few short days. In the opinion of this author she stepped over the line between useful partisanship and disrespect for our nation and our institutions.

Ms Meryl Streep is a wonderfully talented and accomplished actress....certainly one of the finest of our generation. But her accomplishments on the stage and screen in which she simply memorizes and mouths the words of others does nothing to give us any confidence that she has any special knowledge or insight in excess of any other moderately-well-informed American citizen. Howeever, her great talent as an entertainer does provides her with a national and world wide forum to express her personal opinions...but with it should also come a sense of responsibility and respect to the nation and its institutions which nurtured her and her talent. I know foresters, ranchers, farmers and construction workers who have great insight and judgement and enormous practical experience in business and life...from whom we may all may learn something. They have only one vote each---which many of them cast for Mr Trump. So her notoriety and popularity as an entertainer should not give her license to gratuitously denigrate the peoples's choice and in doing so sully the nation and the institutions which operated to elect Mr. Trump.

The election is over. The time for ad hominem attacks on the candidates has ended. The people have made their decision. Donald J. Trump will be our president. It is time to end the personal attacks and begin a period of healing. Perhaps prior to the election Ms. Streep's comments could be excused. Now that the people have spoken...her remarks have no purpose or function. Ms Streep's comments only serve to further divide the nation at a time when we are facing grave domestic, economic and foreign threats.

The election is over. Time to remember we are all citizens of this great nation.