Melania Trump Wants Children To 'Be Best,' Whatever That Means
Melania Trump’s vague “Be Best” initiative was unveiled yesterday
In a brief Rose Garden address yesterday, First Lady Melania Trump unveiled her brand-new, kid-focused initiative puzzlingly titled “Be Best.” It’s kind of a mish-mash of vague ideas including a dash of Michelle Obama plagiarism, and the internet definitely has a lot to say.
“As a mother and as first lady, it concerns me that in today’s fast-paced and ever-connected world, children can be less prepared to express or manage their emotions and oftentimes turn to forms of destructive or addictive behavior such as bullying, drug addiction or even suicide,” said Trump to the assembled Rose Garden audience. The program will focus specifically on children’s well-being, fighting opioid abuse and positivity on social media. Which, huh. I mean, really? That’s what she’s going with? Has she seen her husband’s Twitter account? Or like, listened to a single word out of his mouth?
Trump’s “Be Best” website elaborates on her vision. “When children learn positive online behaviors early-on, social media can be used in productive ways and can effect positive change. Mrs. Trump believes that children should be both seen and heard, and it is our responsibility as adults to educate and reinforce to them that when they are using their voices—whether verbally or online—they must choose their words wisely and speak with respect and compassion.”
Positive online behaviors, you say. She has to be trolling us, right? Right.
Her “three main pillars” of social media use, opioid abuse, and well-being will be tackled by emphasizing “mutual respect, compassion, and self-esteem.”
Mmmk. Looks like Twitter’s just as lost as I am after hearing the First Lady’s vague “Be Best” message that’s not only grammatically incorrect, but at total odds with her bullying husband’s public behavior. Many also pointed out the fact that a pamphlet for the new initiative borderline plagiarizes an Obama-era pamphlet about kids using the internet.
Aside from the total weirdness of Trump taking on the cause of good behavior online, it’s hard to see how that platform relates to opioid abuse and children’s “well-being,” and it’s worthy of note that she didn’t elaborate on any of it. Her unveiling was a bunch of meaningless platitudes with no specific calls to action. That’s probably because her husband is currently busy taking away funds from children’s healthcare and making sure the kids of families detained at the border are separated from their mothers. Any efforts to elucidate further on her token issues would only make it even more obvious how empty and ridiculous her “plan” really is when it comes to actual policy change.
It’s always been hard to take this administration seriously, and all Melania did in unveiling her vague and scattered plan was give us more reasons to scratch our heads.
