USA 2016 part 6: 14th November evening – to Trump Tower
Having only partially got over the shock of my hotel, I thought I would make the best of the evening by getting on the subway down to Trump Tower and Times Square. I already knew about the march to Trump Tower and heard there might be a few people gathering there.
Sure enough there was, and I managed to get some photographs of people and news teams gathering around Trump Tower; an announcement or appearance of some kind was expected. Whilst snapping away I couldn’t help but notice a New York cop who I took quite a shine to. In all this madness, uncertainty and apprehension she stood out; a pleasant, warm and calm person. We only chatted for about ten minutes or so and I did not want to distract her from her duties; I couldn’t ask her what she thought about Trump, although I so much wanted to. That would have been inappropriate and as a professional in uniform she would have to remain silent and noncommittal. And she did.
I wonder what she is doing now. I’d like to think she is still doing what she loves and earning a good living and helping to keep New Yorkers safe in these difficult times. My late wife’s family are in Queens and Scarsdale and I hope they are all safe. I can’t help but feel that Trump is not helping matters, especially as he is openly partisan at a time when a country is under threat and needs to pull together, setting aside differences and enmities. He talks a lot about ‘fake news’ which is a real thing and has been a real thing for a very long time. He is quite right when he says that we must all be wary.
The only trouble is – and it really is a VERY big problem – he is creating much of the fake news himself, and that cannot be right for the person who is the most influential in America and possibly the world. We need to adopt a rigorous and almost scientific approach to our language and dialogue, distinguishing between what is fact or highly likely and what is improbable or wrong. Fake news, false information and misleading claims are extremely unhelpful and, at times like this where lies can spread around the world in seconds – and to tens of millions of people – potentially deadly.
Anyway, I enjoyed my walk up to Trump Tower. Whilst I am here, it would seem sensible to visit Time Square; I am a tourist after all!
Click on a photo to view full-screen and at the correct screen ratio.
Colin Anderson 
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