In 2018, GQ published a story on Donald Trump hating dogs and what that tells us about him. I agree with everything in that story. He does hate dogs, and he thinks that dogs are not worthy of respect. That by comparing people to dogs, he’s giving the people he’s talking about less worth.
I want to expand on the absolute fact that Donald Trump hates dogs. And I want to tell you why this matters a lot in the 2020 Presidential race, especially when you think about the kind of person you want occupying the Oval Office.
First, let’s just talk dogs. I mean, DOGS. I’d argue that the United States of America is a dog-loving country. We’re a dog culture. I mean, just think about them. They are the definition of American! They are loyal. They are fierce. They are adorable. They are loving. They are there when you need them — to cry, laugh, comfort, defend. Dogs are just, simply put, the best. Ok, that is my personal opinion, but I do think we can agree that dogs, which are beloved throughout the world, are even more beloved here.
My big example of this obsession with the amazingness of dogs is internet dog culture. Think of all the social media accounts us humans have created for our canine family members. There are accounts like Doug the Pug, who became big through Instagram. Loki the Wolfdog and his brother Bailey are some of my favorites, who highlight their outdoor adventures. And then there are the human accounts that highlight dogs. I’ve Pet That Dog, run by pre-teen Gideon from Iowa, shows dogs that Gideon has pet (well, now ones he’d like to pet because, you know, COVID-19…). DogRates (or WeRateDogs) rates dogs out of ten — but we know every dog is over a 10, because they are all good dogs, BRENT. We love our dogs, and we do all we can to tell everyone how much we love them. Speaking of, my dog Brooklyn is a perfect angel and I want the world to know that she is the best and I love her so much I literally would do anything for her.
So think of how much we love dogs, and how much they mean to us. How we treat them as family members. How we want them to live their best lives with us with the time we are blessed with.
And now, let’s turn to Donald Trump.
I won’t rehash the GQ article, but we know that Trump likes to compare people to dogs. He does this as insults. He thinks that this comparison hurts the one he’s talking about. But there’s more to it then just Trump’s dog insults.
His wife Ivana has said that he hated her dog while they were married. He’s the first President in 120 years that hasn’t had a dog in the White House. The only dog he’s praised, Conan, who participated in the raid that killed al-Baghdadi, he got many details wrong about the brave K-9 soldier (he really didn’t care). He clearly doesn’t care about the joy a dog brings children, as he and Melania don’t have a dog for their son. He also hasn’t done anything to protect other animals or wildlife within the US, in fact, rolling back protections for many. I won’t dwell, but Donald Trump clearly hates dogs, and he clearly hates all animals.
But we’re focusing on dogs, not all animals. But just think…someone who doesn’t like animals, someone who actively hates them, is someone who has trouble loving something besides themselves. Someone who has trouble finding any value in other life. So focusing on dogs, Trump doesn’t value them. He doesn’t see that they bring so much to so many across the country. He sees them as expendable. Which means he sees you as expendable too.
He doesn’t value something us Americans believe in so deeply — the love of our dogs. He doesn’t value what they bring, which means he doesn’t value you. He doesn’t value who you are as a person. He doesn’t value what you value. He doesn’t value what you love. He. Doesn’t. Value. You. Donald Trump doesn’t have American values-it’s clear from his hate of dogs that his American values are values of selfishness, callousness, hate, and division.
Additionally, he has a general disregard for others lives. When he compares someone’s death to “dying like a dog,” he’s saying that death isn’t a big deal. He’s saying that he really doesn’t care about that person. He doesn’t care about that life. We all know that when our dogs die, a part of us dies with them. I think a lot about my first dog Bonnie, a wonderful and not very smart yellow lab. But boy, did she love us! And when she died, a part of my heart went unfilled, part that will never be filled. Honestly, I’m crying typing this because I loved that dog so much. We all want our dogs last breath to be one where they know they were loved.
So when Donald Trump talks about “dying like a dog,” he’s showing his true colors, his disregard for your life. He doesn’t value your life. He doesn’t care. So why should you care about him?
I also want to point out how he doesn’t understand Americans love for dogs. He doesn’t understand, and he doesn’t care to. When asked about getting a dog, he said “I don’t have any time. How would I look walking a dog on the White House lawn?” He’s more concerned about how he’d look walking a dog…which shows that he cares about his appearance more than he cares about anything else. He doesn’t understand why we walk dogs. Why we love them.
And someone who doesn’t understand that is showing his cards that he doesn’t understand America. He doesn’t understand our needs. The worst part is that he doesn’t care to. Because he is selfish. Self-centered. Conceited.
Un-American. I’m not afraid to say it. I’m not afraid to call him out and say that because my love for dogs shows my love for something beyond myself. You don’t have to be as obsessed with dogs to be able to love something beyond yourself (but it doesn’t hurt). But Trump consistently has shown how he only cares about himself. And his hate for dogs is a big red flag pointing that out.
Please see this red flag and think about how this man shouldn’t be leading our country. Please see how this is bigger, how his disdain for America’s favorite family member shows his true character.
And see this all, and vote him out this November.
