Melania Trump Sacrifices Credibility As Cyber-Bullying Opponent to Stand By Her Man’s Cyber-Bullying

Sarah Jones has done stellar reporting Donald Trump’s latest misogynistic Twitter attack, this one directed at Mika Brezinski and Joe Scarborough and the aftermath as evidence digs a bigger hole for Mr. Trump. As Sarah reports, Trump’s latest act of cyber-bullying could result in criminal charges.

Aside from Trump’s staff and the most ardent Trump supporters, Melania Trump is one of the few people who are reflexively defend Trump’s behavior without considering the bigger picture.

In a statement through Communications Director, Stephanie Grisham, Mrs. Trump said: “As the First Lady has stated publicly in the past, when her husband gets attacked, he will punch back 10 times harder,”

Once again, the defense of violent words by a president are defended by more violent words, coming from the first lady’s spokeswoman.

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Even if Melania Trump had not expressed an opinion on cyber-bullying or announced http://thehill.com/homenews/media/340025-tapper-so-how-is-melanias-anti-cyberbullying-campaign-going it as an issue she intends to dedicate her energies to, the statement would be problematic but for different reasons.

As Sarah Jones rightfully said, Trump’s tweets are a “real” issue and they bring with them real consequences beyond Trump and his mirror.

No doubt the Trump administration was never going to keep this initiative going, but the fact that the White House Council On Women And Girls was reported to have gone dark the day following Trump’s misogyny fest offers a stark contrast and a reality check for those who claimed that the President’s tweets weren’t a “real” issue.”
This is about the kind of society we want to live in and the expectations we have of our leaders. The president represents us, who we are and what our values are to the world. Before Trump, the president was also the person parents could rely on to be an example to their children.

Now parents across the country, Democrat, Republican or Independent have to explain why the president’s behavior is not okay and must not be emulated.

For Melania Trump’s purposes, Trump’s habit of cyber-bullying, especially journalists, women and people who are both already presented a problem. If, as she says, she is interested in fighting cyber bullying, how can she defend his actions?
From where I sit, when Melania Trump defends the president’s cyberbullying, she enables him and she discredits herself as a strong woman capable of standing up to him when he’s wrong. And on this, there is zero doubt that he is wrong. She discredits her voice and all but puts masking tape on her mouth, as an advocate to stop cyber-bullying.

Obviously, Melania Trump isn’t the magic wand that will motivate Trump to pivot from cyber-bully to presidential mode. Either she’s as unable to influence Trump’s behavior as everyone else is, or she has chosen, for whatever reasons, not to intervene. Whatever the reason, Melania Trump also needs to ask herself as an American if she believes attacking a journalist on Twitter is becoming of the office her husband holds.
ing.

If the answer is no, than she needs to stand up to him – before she can stand up to cyber-bully as an issue.

Adalia Woodbury

Former contributor.