I was in Canada recently, watching the CBC cover a Trump speech live in Florida, when I saw Trump deal with conflict. He stopped his speech, told the protestor to "Go home to mommy," and continued to insult him to the crowd's applause, until his people removed the protestor.
He returned to his speech, and again a protestor started yelling and again, Trump threw out the insults.
I get where Trump could throw insults at his political opponents. Although it is wrong and immature, I get it -- Politics can get messy. Throwing insults at the American people is, well unAmerican.
Wherever they go, the candidates should expect to see or hear from those that disagree with them. That's politics and frankly that is America. A country where it is not only legal to disagree with the President, but where it our guaranteed right, under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, to freely express our opinion.
While the candidate is also entitled to his or her opinion, politics and campaigns are about exchanging ideas and sharing a vision for improving our nation. You cannot improve a nation by insulting your fellow American's or even non-Americans.
Politicians must confront those that disagree with them, just as the protestors are confronting the candidates. They can leverage the protester's comments in their favor and use it to help rally a crowd that is there not to be won over, but there to rally behind the candidate. In fact, the protestor can be used to drive home a point.
In anticipating conflict, they should be prepared with a response or at least with an idea as to how the would confront a protestor in person, just as if a company was responding to a complaint on line.
A point President Clinton recently made when a Trump supporter interrupted his speech. The President confronted the protestor and used him as an example in his remarks.
We need to encourage dissent and invite those who disagree with you to the conversation. When confronted, leverage their protest to drive home a point or use it as a spring board to share an idea -- Don't put them down for having an opinion. Embrace their enthusiasm. First acknowledge them and either make an example of them, or ask them questions to clarify their opinion without getting into a debate.
No one, in the United State of America, should tolerate someone who lobs insults or tries to bully someone else, just because they disagree with them. Even the most conservative talk show hosts, Hannity, Limbaugh and others,embrace dissent and leverage it to improve their position.
Despite his success, Trump has a lot to learn, and if he is successful, as President, he will have to work hard at finding ways to build bridges instead of walls and let others disagree with him. As President I would not want someone around me who always agrees with me. I need someone who will respect me and value my opinion but would never be afraid to stand up, speak up and share their thoughts on how we can move an issue or idea forward. The future of the Republic depends on embracing conflict.
