GAVEL GAMUT
By Jim Redwine
www.jamesmredwine.com
(Week of 29 September 2025)
UP STAIRS, DOWN STAIRS
Donald Trump will be forever associated with escalators. Much of the world, at least the part I am part of, had paid little attention to The Donald until he and Melania descended those moving stairs at Trump Tower in New York City, New York on June 16, 2015. Then there was the non-moving escalator at the United Nations building September 23, 2025. President Trump demanded an investigation.
President Trump spoke to the assembled countries of the world that day. He began his lecture with:
“I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.”
Perhaps he has information about the world from some higher source the rest of us are not privy to. Next, he criticized the United Nations; he alleged the U.N. sent strongly worded letters but took no action. Then he dismissed the recognition of Palestine by 157 of the world’s countries while he ordered the United States to stand with currently Zionistic Israel, and formerly Nazi Germany and formerly Fascist Italy and Japan in refusing to demand human rights for Palestinians.
I can relate to how The Donald felt about the mal-functioning escalator system at the U.N. It is a common human frailty to ascribe our personal problems to others. In Trump’s case, the United Nations organization did an almost immediate investigation and determined Trump’s difficulties were caused by members of his own staff abetted by U.N. funding deficiencies due to Trump Administration policies.
It is not that most of us never fall victim to feelings that the world revolves around us and that misfortunes are intentional blows from an evil or uncaring universe. Narcissism, to some degree, is just part of being human. But for most people, the assumptions are normally that snafus
are not personal but coincidental.
I have concluded that most of my misfortunes are not due to fortune but to my own errant decisions or just dumb luck. I believe most of humanity eventually comes to similar realizations. As for The Donald, his narcissism is just part of his character. However, the fact remains he did make a successful descent down that escalator in 2015 and is now in a position where untested aspersions cast upon others can be dangerous. We can only hope for more introspection.
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
