Iraqi refugee Nadia Murad to Trump: ISIS killed family. Trump responds: 'Where are they now?'

[tulc]

Iraqi refugee Nadia Murad to Trump: ISIS killed family. Trump responds: 'Where are they now?'

"They emigrated to Germany through a very dangerous way. Not because we want to be a refugees, but we cannot find a safe place to live," she said. Her comments come as Trump is trying to limit the number of migrants coming to the United States, mostly from Central America. Many migrants from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras are fleeing economic poverty and gang violence.

Murad also explained how the terrorist group also killed her mother and six brothers.

"All this happened to me. They killed my mom, my six brothers. They left behind them," Murad said.

"Where are they now?" Trump asked.

"They killed them," Murad quickly replied. "They are in the mass grave in Sinjar, and I'm still fighting just to live in safe. Please do something."

tulc( )

 

[dzheremi]

Not surprising in the least, but very, very sad. Lord have mercy.

 

[Messerve]

People put a whole lot of faith in US presidents. But at the end of the day, they're just people. Watching the video, I mean, what can he really say except what he said? He isn't God.

 

[Cimorene]

People put a whole lot of faith in US presidents. But at the end of the day, they're just people. Watching the video, I mean, what can he really say except what he said? He isn't God.

If people said what Trump routinely does in other contexts - at school, at work, on their own social media, many would face negative repercussions bc it's not acceptable. People are held responsible for their words all the time.

He's in his 70s! By that point in life you should be able to handle some basic human exchanges with people. Or at least learn to not shove your foot in your mouth. It was obvious from the exchange he hadn't bothered to learn about Murad in advance.

He was literally nicer to Kanye West who went on this whole stream of conscious soliloquy in the White House. Maybe the Nobel Peace winner should have asked Kanye West to be the go-between bc Trump literally had more enthusiasm about helping out the rapper Kanye told him about than the refugees.

 

[tulc]

(snip) Watching the video, I mean, what can he really say except what he said? (snip)

...how about, "That must have been horrible for you, I'm so sorry that happened and will do all I can to try and make sure nothing like that happens again." Or "I'm so sorry you lost all your family!" or "I promise I'll see what can be done to try and help you and your people!". What he might have avoided saying was after she tells him her mother and six brothers were killed by ISIS asking her where they are now. Or he could have avoided asking her about winning the Nobel Prize. In other words he could have tried to be a decent human being instead of who he is.
tulc(just a couple of suggestions of other possible responses)

 

[Messerve]

...how about, "That must have been horrible for you, I'm so sorry that happened and will do all I can to try and make sure nothing like that happens again." Or "I'm so sorry you lost all your family!" or "I promise I'll see what can be done to try and help you and your people!". What he might have avoided saying was after she tells him her mother and six brothers were killed by ISIS asking her where they are now. Or he could have avoided asking her about winning the Nobel Prize. In other words he could have tried to be a decent human being instead of who he is.
tulc(just a couple of suggestions of other possible responses)

Or maybe we have no real idea what was going through his head or what the previous hours had been like for him or if he really had to use the bathroom but knew he couldn't just get up and leave. I think we all know how that can muddle our thoughts even in serious situations!

I have no idea what it's like to go through what she did, but she was more or less asking him to do something right then and there, for a foreign situation that he wasn't even informed of in detail yet. He couldn't promise her anything concrete as she expected him to do. He could have been more sympathetic with words, but really nothing in that video shows that he wasn't trying to. He just seems distracted.

I don't know... I just hate it when people act like they could be a better president than the one we've got, yet that's the attitude of everyone who runs for president and they all reveal themselves to be the same - imperfect human beings.

 

[Cimorene]

Or maybe we have no real idea what was going through his head or what the previous hours had been like for him or if he really had to use the bathroom but knew he couldn't just get up and leave. I think we all know how that can muddle our thoughts even in serious situations!

I have no idea what it's like to go through what she did, but she was more or less asking him to do something right then and there, for a foreign situation that he wasn't even informed of in detail yet. He couldn't promise her anything concrete as she expected him to do. He could have been more sympathetic with words, but really nothing in that video shows that he wasn't trying to. He just seems distracted.

I don't know... I just hate it when people act like they could be a better president than the one we've got, yet that's the attitude of everyone who runs for president and they all reveal themselves to be the same - imperfect human beings.

Great excuse! Anytime an adult does the verbal version of just peeing on the floor just blame that verbal incontinence on literally needing to pee. Trump is not a dog you're in the process of house training, or a kindergartner.

For more than a decade people have been harping on Obama misspeaking whilst tired on the campaign trail back in 08 or so. But when Trump just lets his words rip out or wee right out of him we're just supposed to excuse it as him literally needing to go. People act like they could be a better president than the one the US is stuck with bc we expect better from everyone else than we do from him. Literally, if you acted like he did at work, school, on social media, there would be consequences. A gas station employee just got in trouble with his employer for using Trump's "go back to where you came from" line. Bc there's literally higher standards for being a gas station worker than there are for the president of the United States of America right now.

 

[tulc]

Or maybe we have no real idea what was going through his head or what the previous hours had been like for him or if he really had to use the bathroom but knew he couldn't just get up and leave. I think we all know how that can muddle our thoughts even in serious situations!

uhmmm...pretty sure if he needed to go he'd have done so prior to the meeting. He's had this job for over two years now and you'd think he'd have some work around for situations like that.

I have no idea what it's like to go through what she did, but she was more or less asking him to do something right then and there, for a foreign situation that he wasn't even informed of in detail yet.

So you think he went into this pretty much unprepared and unaware for what it was about? That sounds a lot like someone who has no idea how to do the job he has.

He couldn't promise her anything concrete as she expected him to do.

He could have promised to make a sincere effort. He could have simply been an actual human being for just a minute.

He could have been more sympathetic with words, but really nothing in that video shows that he wasn't trying to.

Let me just correct you right there: There's nothing in that video that shows him trying. What it shows is someone who has no interest in anyone who isn't talking about or fawning over him. You talk about him? You have his complete attention.

He just seems distracted.

Again, she wasn't talking about him, so yeah he was distracted.

I don't know... I just hate it when people act like they could be a better president than the one we've got,

Pretty sure you or I couldn't be as bad at being the President then the one we have.

yet that's the attitude of everyone who runs for president and they all reveal themselves to be the same - imperfect human beings.

I don't expect perfect. It would however be nice to see some effort being made to be at least better at this then President Trump seems to be making.
tulc(is a Democrat, so he never expects perfect)

 

[Messerve]

uhmmm...pretty sure if he needed to go he'd have done so prior to the meeting. He's had this job for over two years now and you'd think he'd have some work around for situations like that.


So you think he went into this pretty much unprepared and unaware for what it was about? That sounds a lot like someone who has no idea how to do the job he has.


He could have promised to make a sincere effort. He could have simply been an actual human being for just a minute.


Let me just correct you right there: There's nothing in that video that shows him trying. What it shows is someone who has no interest in anyone who isn't talking about or fawning over him. You talk about him? You have his complete attention.


Again, she wasn't talking about him, so yeah he was distracted.


Pretty sure you or I couldn't be as bad at being the President then the one we have.


I don't expect perfect. It would however be nice to see some effort being made to be at least better at this then President Trump seems to be making.
tulc(is a Democrat, so he never expects perfect)

Oh come on... You know how the urge can hit you without warning sometimes! During business meetings, during road trips when your miles from the nearest town... Not to mention important meetings can bring it on all on their own just because of nerves. Regardless... I suppose I could counter every counter of yours but we would be getting nowhere...

I'm puzzled about his attitude, for certain, but I just like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I don't know what planning went into this meeting or if he was prepared or not. Did he know he would be talking to a woman who lost her entire family to terrorists (actually, I'm not sure what happened to her dad...)? He apparently didn't, because he had to ask what happened to them (after he missed that kind of important detail). Still, I know she's probably coming from a place of very deep grief and despair, but her attitude does come across a little forceful like she's basically telling him "You have to do this for me right now." But... it's never that simple.

I wish I could see a longer video leading up to that interaction to really get a feeling of his overall attitude was or what other things might have been said prior that he may have been dwelling on still. All those other women in the back must have had stories, too. They were invited for good reasons. Not to be belittled I'm sure. So the initial effort was at least in the right place, it just didn't go as expected because of Trump's seeming indifference.

But again, I'd really like to see a video of the entire meeting. Context is hugely important in everything.

 

[Messerve]

Great excuse! Anytime an adult does the verbal version of just peeing on the floor just blame that verbal incontinence on literally needing to pee. Trump is not a dog you're in the process of house training, or a kindergartner.

For more than a decade people have been harping on Obama misspeaking whilst tired on the campaign trail back in 08 or so. But when Trump just lets his words rip out or wee right out of him we're just supposed to excuse it as him literally needing to go. People act like they could be a better president than the one the US is stuck with bc we expect better from everyone else than we do from him. Literally, if you acted like he did at work, school, on social media, there would be consequences. A gas station employee just got in trouble with his employer for using Trump's "go back to where you came from" line. Bc there's literally higher standards for being a gas station worker than there are for the president of the United States of America right now.

But what if it's often true? Especially amongst elderly people (which Trump more or less is). Haven't you ever wondered why old people often get grumpy? It's often because there are physical issues they deal with that we know nothing about. And needing the bathroom is just a lesser version of that. I was just throwing it out as a very simplistic but very real possibility.

So we're in agreement then. I never said anything about Obama, so don't assume I'm one of those people who criticized him for misspeaking. I don't even know what instance you're referring to. I really couldn't care what presidents say. It's what they do that matters to me. The two rarely meet up.

It's not just the president. Anyone in a position of influence can get away with things simply because they have the money to deal with any lawsuits that may result. It means nothing to them to dish out a little of their fortune for the sake of being able to say and do whatever they want.

But we normal people haven't earned our way out of the law's reaches yet.

 

[Messerve]

...how about, "That must have been horrible for you, I'm so sorry that happened and will do all I can to try and make sure nothing like that happens again." Or "I'm so sorry you lost all your family!" or "I promise I'll see what can be done to try and help you and your people!". What he might have avoided saying was after she tells him her mother and six brothers were killed by ISIS asking her where they are now. Or he could have avoided asking her about winning the Nobel Prize. In other words he could have tried to be a decent human being instead of who he is.
tulc(just a couple of suggestions of other possible responses)

But he cannot promise to help anyone except by his own decision separate from their desires. Otherwise the White House would be flooded with people with terrible stories expecting promises of help or revenge. The world isn't always going to be 100% fair. Actually, quite the opposite. A US president's job isn't to solve every issue in every part of the world, but to act with wisdom in areas that seem like interference would have a positive affect and not cause more turmoil.

I don't know if it is the president's job to be informed on what's happening all over the world, so much as it is the people who serve the president. I'm pretty sure they are the ones to blame if he isn't informed about Nadia's story beforehand.

 

[tulc]

But he cannot promise to help anyone except by his own decision separate from their desires.

Didn't say he should promise to do something, said he should promise to see what can be done to help them.

Otherwise the White House would be flooded with people with terrible stories expecting promises of help or revenge.

Yeah, it would be a shame to have a place where people could go to see if someone could help them.

The world isn't always going to be 100% fair. Actually, quite the opposite. A US president's job isn't to solve every issue in every part of the world, but to act with wisdom in areas that seem like interference would have a positive affect and not cause more turmoil.

Oh believe me when I say "I don't expect President Trump to be fair, solve any problem, act with wisdom or not cause any more turmoil."

I don't know if it is the president's job to be informed on what's happening all over the world, so much as it is the people who serve the president.

All over the world? Well of course it's not like he's the head of one of the worlds most powerful countries or anything. I can agree though that he doesn't need to know everything going on in the World. Of course it would be kind of nice if he knew who he's having a meeting with in the oval office. Or maybe even listened to what the person speaking to him is saying. I don't think that's too much to expect from the President.

I'm pretty sure they are the ones to blame if he isn't informed about Nadia's story beforehand.

WHAT!?! I heard President Trump only hires the best people to work for him!
tulc(is sure he heard that somewhere)

 

[Messerve]

WHAT!?! I heard President Trump only hires the best people to work for him!

Nope. I don't start my new job until next week.

Messerve ( )

 

[Cimorene]

But what if it's often true? Especially amongst elderly people (which Trump more or less is). Haven't you ever wondered why old people often get grumpy? It's often because there are physical issues they deal with that we know nothing about. And needing the bathroom is just a lesser version of that. I was just throwing it out as a very simplistic but very real possibility.

So we're in agreement then. I never said anything about Obama, so don't assume I'm one of those people who criticized him for misspeaking. I don't even know what instance you're referring to. I really couldn't care what presidents say. It's what they do that matters to me. The two rarely meet up.

It's not just the president. Anyone in a position of influence can get away with things simply because they have the money to deal with any lawsuits that may result. It means nothing to them to dish out a little of their fortune for the sake of being able to say and do whatever they want.

But we normal people haven't earned our way out of the law's reaches yet.

If Trump being elderly & needing to pee is why he's verbally incontinent then he shouldn't be in the job. Do you think he just needed to pee decades ago, when he wasn't close to being elderly yet, and said that surviving STDs was his Vietnam? He's said disgustingly inappropriate things for most of his life.

We're not in agreement. I think it's pitiful to just invent excuses to try to excuse what cannot be excused. What he said was just pathetic. If you're saying it's bc he needed to pee or he was old and grumpy, you're saying he's manifestly unqualified to handle the basic functioning of his job.

If his political opponents who are older than him say something stupid are you going to do the gymnastic routine to defend them, saying it's bc of their age or their bladder?

It's what they do that matters to me. The two rarely meet up.

Words are what you do. Speaking is an action. It's a crucially important one. Trump's words also show that he failed to do his homework before the meeting. It's clear that he was given a briefing on their biographical details. He just didn't care enough to bother to remember that her brothers and mom were killed, or that she was raped. All that he focused on was that she won a Nobel Prize. Why? Bc he doesn't have one and he wants one bc President Obama was awarded one. His caring only extends as far as his own interests.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

...how about, "That must have been horrible for you, I'm so sorry that happened and will do all I can to try and make sure nothing like that happens again." Or "I'm so sorry you lost all your family!" or "I promise I'll see what can be done to try and help you and your people!". What he might have avoided saying was after she tells him her mother and six brothers were killed by ISIS asking her where they are now. Or he could have avoided asking her about winning the Nobel Prize. In other words he could have tried to be a decent human being instead of who he is.
tulc(just a couple of suggestions of other possible responses)

The inspectors are out.
Worrying about every little word
that leaves Trump's lips.

Not keeping their eyes on the goal post.

Their complaints about nothing will
be cause for another Trump win in 2020.

Middle America is watching
and leaning more towards the Right each day.

M-Bob

 

[tulc]

The inspectors are out.
Worrying about every little word
that leaves Trump's lips.

Well, to be fair, he does make it easy to show in black and white and on video the lies the dumb and the racist things he says pretty much every day. and who doesn't like watching a dumpster fire?

Not keeping their eyes on the goal post.

I think they're doing a pretty good job of showing everyone what the goal posts appear to be: making sure the guy with the big "R" after his name stays in office no matter how bad he is at his job.

Their complaints about nothing will
be cause for another Trump win in 2020.

Let me just correct you about this part: None of this is about "nothing" it's obvious some American evangelicals simply never really cared about all the stuff they've been claiming to care about for the last umpteen years. So on the plus side I think we can now safely say "Thank you President Trump, you have now become (for the foreseeable future) the official face of the American Evangelical Church."

Middle America is watching
and leaning more towards the Right each day.

Or they're not.

M-Bob

tulc(is drinking the coffee he roasted just yesterday!)

 

[Mountainmanbob]

tulc(is drinking the coffee he roasted just yesterday!)

Up top the mountain we call that old coffee.

M-Bob

 

[tulc]

Up top the mountain we call that old coffee.

M-Bob

...you roast your own coffee?
tulc(enjoys roasting)