Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Letter to the editor:

Stupid is as stupid does

In the Jan. 14 letter “Trump goes his own way,” the writer justifies his support for Donald Trump by stating that Trump does not fit the mold and does not take a business-as-usual approach (i.e., is not like recent presidents). The writer also quotes a “wise man” on the subject of stupidity.

While I will return to the quote on stupidity, it struck me that the letter was not only an indictment of Trump as president but also of the electorate who, like the writer, voted for him.

First, not doing business as usual? Is that like Trump having no prior governmental experience, being intellectually challenged (i.e., lazy) reading little or nothing (except his own tweets), not having studied history (such as believing Frederick Douglass was still alive) and reacting negatively and impulsively by making intemperate comments without concern to the consequences while only working from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on workdays?

Regarding the quote on stupidity, the writer said a wise man said stupidity was doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results — which sounds a lot like the quote attributed to Albert Einstein and/or Ben Franklin, who described insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Whether were talking about stupidity or insanity, it sure is interesting that Trump’s mental competence has recently come into question and he recently underwent an examination by a physician. However, getting any information on Trump’s mental state will be like getting his tax returns, which he promised to produce and has failed to do so to date.

To the writer of the letter, let me say that before you vote in another presidential election you may want to heed Forrest Gump’s famous observation on stupidity of “stupid is as stupid does” and reconsider voting for a so-called change candidate simply for the sake of change — especially when the candidate is terribly flawed in so many respects.