Melania Trump takes the field against cyberbullying (her husband's?)
The American first lady launched a campaign to combat bullying on social media during her husband's presidency. Many read us a dig at Donald
Kindness, compassion, respect. If the American first lady asks for these to be the founding values of social media, it is legitimate for some eyebrows to rise. And in fact, when Melania Trump chaired a federal summit on cyberbullying a few days ago, the US newspaper Washington Post gave voice to the general thought: “A little trick thanks to which Melania could reduce cyberbullying? Close the husband's accounts ".
The choice of battle
It is now common practice, in the US government, for the first lady to launch a social campaign during her husband's presidency, usually aimed at a problem that afflicts, at that specific moment, the younger sections of the US population. For example, Michelle Obama made her "Let's Move!" (Let's move) to fight childhood obesity, while Nancy Regan fought against the spread of drugs in the school environment with the slogan "Just Say No" (Just say no).
From the very beginning of the Trump presidency, Melania has chosen to focus on attacks through social media. It was November 2016 when, a few months after an electoral campaign during which her husband had spread social insults with both hands, the beautiful wife chose to fight against cyberbullying: “Our culture has become too bad and too violent. It is never okay when a 12-year-old girl or boy is being teased, bullied or attacked. It is terrible when this happens while they are playing and it is unacceptable for someone with no name hiding on the Internet ”. A bit as if Hillary Clinton, during the presidency of her husband Bill, had chosen to fight sexually incorrect behavior in the workplace, the American commentators ironized.
Be Best, Melania
But Melania went straight to her way and last May she unveiled her "Be Best", an anti-cyberbullying portal - immediately accused, in terms of content, of being a plagiarism of the similar "Be Better" launched by Michelle Obama. Social media, wrote the current first lady, can be "destructive and harmful". On this statement (and on many others, of the same tone), the American press was unleashed, recalling accusations and invectives launched via social media by Donald Trump to his opponents (loser, disgusting, limited, failed, worm, scoundrel, out of head…). Last but not least, Mr President called his former assistant a "bitch" on Twitter just a week ago.
Even better. As Melania took the stage at the federal cyberbullying summit in Maryland, talking about the importance of "kindness and open communication," from the White House her husband-President was angrily tweeting at John Brennan, current head of the CIA ("The worst that the country has ever had "), calling him an" amateur "and suggesting that he find a lawyer. The result was as expected. The criticisms poured in relentlessly, the memes were crowded, the irony was wasted. But someone started wondering if there was no strategy behind it. "(Melania Trump) is aware of the criticism, but that won't stop her from doing what she thinks is right," said Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's communications director.
It was a very productive meeting on cyber safety & how to teach our children to be responsible digital citizens. Thank you @amazon @Facebook@FOSI @Google @m_Beckerman @Microsoft @Twitter & @snap for coming to the @WhiteHouse today & sharing your valuable insight and expertise. pic.twitter.com/YY2srrbYhP
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 20, 2018
A subtle strategy
More than a (marked) difference in visions, according to some American observers, Melania's would be a strategy: to speak to the world, but to strike at home. Along the same lines, in these hours, the woman's declaration of leaving for the first official trip without her husband has arrived. Destination Africa (elegantly defined as "shitty countries by her husband, last January):" This will be my first trip to Africa and I am thrilled to learn about the problems facing the continent's children, while also learning about its rich history and culture ". Adding that "we are a global company and I believe it is through open dialogue and the exchange of ideas that we have a real opportunity to learn from each other."
#BeBest is dedicated to the well-being of children. Thank you to @HRSAgov @SecAzar for allowing me the opportunity to be part of the efforts in providing a safer & healthier online presence at the #CyberbullyingSummit pic.twitter.com/R3dJxhcarV
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 20, 2018
In recent months, Melania Trump has shown a certain undisguised intolerance towards her husband, to whom she often and willingly avoids even shaking hands, during public events. Apparently Donald has tried to dissuade her from carrying out the anti-bullying campaign, but this is the worst time to give her advice as her husband. While on the one hand the scandal due to the proven payment of escorts (through electoral funds) affects Mr President from a political point of view, on the other hand the details of extra-marital affairs seem to have become the straw that breaks the camel's back - and the divorce between the two would be close, according to rumors. In short, Melania is accused of talking about cyberbullying having at home a husband who the bully is not afraid to do, but perhaps she understood this best of all. And so, instead of a few pebbles, he wants to remove an avalanche of tweets from her high-heeled shoe.
