Letter on Trump omits two crucial words
A letter published June 1 (“People like Trump for being honest”) self-illustrates the kind of dishonesty the writer defends in the Trump administration.
The writer misquotes a letter I wrote a while back, carefully omitting two crucial words in the middle of the quotation. I wrote, “Corruption in the hands of skilled practitioners is wrong but fascinating.” The June 1 letter omits the words “wrong but,” making it seem that I approve corruption — quite the opposite of what I intended.
Thus, like Trump and his defenders, it is presenting “alternative facts.” A reputation for honesty is hard won, but easily lost.
John Roberts
Port Royal
This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Letter on Trump omits two crucial words."