There is something in the Trump surname that attracts controversy. Donald Trump has been a controversial figure since his rise as US Presidential candidate, and now it’s his wife’s turn.
Republican National Convention 2016 became the centre of the universe when Melania Trump spoke words which were exactly taken from Michelle Obama’s 2008 address. The problem, she was applauded and cheered on by an audience of intellectuals and scholars. However, when a journalist pointed out the problem in her speech, she soon became an internet meme.
The Trump camp firstly refused to accept their fault, but when they were provided with proof, they asked their speech writer Meredith McIver to apologise. The end result, Melania was further critiqued for being unoriginal. If you consider any press as good press, it is a good thing, but, is calling ‘could be first lady’ of USA stupid a good thing?
The question in our mind is why this is a big deal. As Indians we barely notice if something is copied, we live in duplicates. However, in USA plagiarism is a major crime. It is punishable by law. So, if the wife of US presidential candidate deliberately commits plagiary it is indeed shameful.
In her apology letter, Meredith McIver clearly stated that, “In working with Melania on her recent First Lady speech, we discussed many people who inspired her and messages she wanted to share with the American people. A person she always liked is Michelle Obama. Over the phone, she read me some passages from Mrs. Obama’s speech as examples. I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs. Obama’s speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama. No harm was meant.”
A woman in her position is expected to be more poised in her words, we look at Michelle Obama’s speech and we are in awe of her grandeur. And that is why she is loved by all Americans. However, if this is what the future holds for the most powerful country in the world, then we should all pack our bags and go home.
