Why Trump’s Purple Heart Comment is the Most Disqualifying

During Donald Trump’s quest to become the next President of the U.S., he has said a cornucopia of things and acted in such ways that would have disqualified any normal candidate for the highest position in the land.  By now we are aware of his misogynist and anti-Hispanic comments that darkened the sky at the outset of his campaign that should have disqualified him. We witnessed his boorish, self-centered behavior during the primary debates that exhibited a profound lack of even basic knowledge of government and policy that should have derailed his bid.  #hocopolitics

Yet, during and since the conventions—a period that should have been used to remedy his gaffes and his obvious flaws and to make himself viable—Trump has succeeded to be breathtakingly unfit for the office.  His convention was an ego-driven bunch of nonsense capped off by a searing, anger-laden speech that depicted an America that is on par with North Korea.

Since then Trump was even worse.  His ill-advised scrap with the sympathetic Khan family was, in my view, the turning point of the campaign.  This is when leaders of his own party as well as conservative operatives and opinion writers began an exodus from his camp.

Then there was more.  His supposed sarcastic suggestion that Russia, an adversary, hack into Hillary Clinton’s emails.  If a Democrat would have encouraged such action, Trump would have been sure to charge treason. 

His 2^nd amendment cure to stop Clinton’s appointing judges he does not favor was beyond irresponsible as well as dangerous given the hatred embodied by his dwindling number of supporters.  

Trump’s ridiculously stupid assertion (again he claims he was sarcastic or maybe not) that President Obama was the founder and Hillary Clinton the co-founder of ISIS was another gem.

All of these and so much more (and I haven’t even mentioned his temperament, pathologically narcissistic personality and dubious business history plus his unwillingness to make his tax returns available and his notion that nukes are mere playground toys) are disqualifying enough to be Commander-in-Chief and President of our nation.  However, the one single faux pas that should have immediately disqualified him was his comment about his always wanting the Purple Heart.

The other examples indicate he is a bigoted jerk.  The Purple Heart comment proves he is a stupid one as well because he clearly doesn’t know what the Purple Heart means.

The honor, which actually had its roots during the American Revolution under Continental Army Commander-in-Chief Washington, has been awarded to nearly 2 million Americans since April 5, 1917 who had been wounded or killed in combat against our enemies. It is the oldest military award still given to U.S. service members.

On August 1, Trump said in Virginia after a vet gave him his Purple Heart, “Man that’s like big stuff. I've always wanted to get the real Purple Heart. This was much easier,”  

Trump, who successfully avoided the military draft on five occasions, according to a report in the New York Times, never had the opportunity “to get the real Purple Heart.” 

But wanting one? You have to be wounded or killed in combat!  Who wants to be shot or injured by explosives? That’s akin to “I always wanted to be in a car accident” or “I’d like to experience how it feels to be water boarded (a tactic he strongly endorses).

“As someone who fought for our country in Iraq, was injured, and was awarded a Purple Heart, I can tell you, no one should ever ‘want’to get a Purple Heart,”Sean Barney, who was shot in the neck in Fallujah in 2006, posted on Facebook.

With so many other Americans receiving the medal for their sacrifice, Trump’s flippant remark displays his arrogance and stupidity all at once. 

He doesn't know what the Purple Heart is for. That alone should disqualify him.