Donald Trump presents a disturbing reflection of ourselves

I find it incredible that a significant percentage of fellow conservatives, flocking to Trump's side as a candidate, overlook the glaring disconnect between his actions and words and what he would purport to be the basis of his convictions.

But Mr. Trump is not the problem. He is simply the Icon (- he'd like that) that represents exactly where a lot of us are. And that is, in a schizophrenia of belief and conviction that allows us to act and say one thing, while doing the polar opposite, without one twinge of guilt. Trump only reveals what many of us would see in our mirrors if we took a moment to reflect. At several campaign venues, Trump held up his 'Confirmation Bible”. Did confirmation address issues of pride, honesty, compassion, forgiveness, and wise speech?

Let's see:

Pride: While proposing reform for veterans, he denigrates John McCain, because he is 'not a true (war) hero”…”he got caught”. What does Mr. Trump's statement imply about American World War II prisoners as an assessment of their service and sacrifice? Trump holds George Bush responsible for 9/11, but, according to the Daily Caller, his immigration proposals would not have prevented the attacks.

Honesty: Mr. Trump called attention to Carly Fiorina's face ('Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?”), but claimed he was talking about her 'persona”. Persona relates to social role or character not physical appearance. He mimicked Serge Kovaleski, a reporter with a disability, then said he didn't know him, while claiming to have one of the 'all-time great memories”. Kovaleski had covered him for several years (1987-93), and they were on a first-name basis.

Wise Speech: Trump targeted Carson's account of his 'pathological anger” as unbelievable 'crap”. He questioned Carson's following of Seventh Day Adventist doctrine. To 'stupid” Iowans he tweeted that 'Too much Monsanto in the corn creates issues in the brain?

Forgiveness: He threatened to not 'be so nice” to Megan Kelly because she questioned his remarks about several women. Trump has asserted that he 'adores women”. Reckless in his speech, creating needless controversy requiring commentator explanations (keep Muslims out, target their families), presents a 'target rich” opportunity for the opposition. No nation is great because of mountains of money or military might. Righteousness and goodness, the things we should have learned in confirmation class, are what make a nation great (Prov. 14:34).

The following Mr. Trump has garnered does not indict him, but it does indict us. That a significant number of Americans (around 30 percent) have no qualms with his conduct ought to be disturbing. Yet, even without the confirmation Bible, our own consciences condemn crude behaviors, leaving all of us without excuse.

A promise to make America great while behaving in ways that undermine the very values upon which true 'greatness” can be achieved is meaningless.

' Bernie Hayes, of Cedar Rapids, is volunteer Linn County chair for Mike Huckabee's campaign for president. Comments: berniectl@gmail.com