Our president could learn from Gail Miller. In response to racial ugliness, she could have said, “these were very fine people on both sides,” as Donald Trump did about Charlottesville. She could have deferred to economic concerns, excusing the racist fan’s antics because he was a paying customer, as Trump justified refusing to hold Saudi leadership culpable for murdering a reporter. Instead, Miller called out indecency and made clear there would be no tolerance for it at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
While Trump surely isn’t the sole cause of rancor and divisiveness in our country, his caustic rhetoric and moral bankruptcy certainly exacerbate such issues. Miller provided us a good counterexample to the man who’s supposed to be our leader in chief. She appealed to Jazz fans’ better angels and laid out clear expectations going forward.
On the same day as Miller’s heartfelt appeal to Jazz Nation, I find it discouragingly noteworthy that Trump was reported to have thuggishly said, “I have tough people, but they don't play it tough until they go to a certain point and then it would be very, very bad."
So, thank you, Gail Miller, for your uncompromising class. Your call for civility and insistence on decency is a welcome one.
Jill Haslam, Centerville
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible