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By Bob Gaydos
A few days ago, in response to the narcissist-in-chief's (NIC) third-grade dissertation on the Civil War, I posted a sarcastic comment on Facebook: "Educators at the New York Military Academy, Fordham and Penn must be so proud."
At the time, I thought I was being clever. On further consideration, I decided that it is likely that none of the educational institutions that offered an education to Donald Trump is proud of how it is being displayed by the NIC. Also, that it was not their fault.
I'm particularly sorry that I cast what might have been aspersions on the New York Military Academy, which is located in Cornwall, not far from my home in upstate New York. We're neighbors and I was a tad unneighborly and so I want to apologize to NYMA (Fordham and Penn can take care of themselves), especially since the school has gone through some rocky financial times in recent years, including bankruptcy, a threatened closing and a serious decline in attendance.
But I also was curious as to whether NYMA really was proud of our president and their alumnus, so I checked its website. Lukewarm is my impression. Trump is listed among notable alumni ("45th president of the United States") and also appears on a list of the school's published authors. The NYMA band did march in the Inaugural Parade, but I figure that was a tough one to turn down as it gave a bunch of teens an opportunity to participate in a moment in history. They certainly won't forget it.
However, there is no special tribute to Trump at nyma.org., no special page or biography or look back at his years at NYMA. No bragging about the man who recently said, "People don't realize, you know, the Civil War, if you think about it, why? People don't ask that question, but why was there the Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?"
Why indeed.
While apparently still stuck on the Civil War, he said a few days later of Abraham Lincoln, "Great president. Most people don't even know he was a Republican, right? Does anyone know? Lot of people don't know that."
He said this at a Republican Party fund-raiser where a lot of people undoubtedly did know that. Then again, along with the current president, a lot of members of what has long been called The Party of Lincoln, seem to have forgotten what that means.
At any rate, having piqued my own curiosity about NYMA and Cadet Trump, I checked out the website to see what the new owners of the 128-year-old institution were offering. It sounds pretty much like what one would expect from a military academy located just up the Hudson River from West Point.
Let's start with the academy's statement that "at NYMA celebrating diversity is a way of life." Hmm.
NYMA also says, "Developing good citizens requires cultivating the essential traits of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, caring and fairness." Hmmm.
And there's the cadet code, the same as West Point's: "A cadet will not lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate those who do." I get the feeling Cadet Trump was snoozing through some of his classes at NYMA. Still, he did graduate and his five years at the academy represent his only military experience.
While perusing the website I further wondered, knowing how much the NIC likes adulation and weekend jaunts away from the White House, whether he would be participating in NYMA's Alumni Weekend. Wouldn't that be a kick-and-a-half for Cornwall?
The alums are gathering at an open alumni muster May 19 at a local dining establishment to kick off a weekend of activities and reminiscing. It's the kind of thing where everyone notices how old the others look and compares resumes. The NIC could show up with maps of his Electoral College win and Melania on his arm and go into his familiar grin. "I won."
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