[Genuine Realist]

As bad as “do as I say, not as I do” hypocrisy is, that is better than flat-out encouraging citizens to be reckless. It feels like after losing the election, he just wants to burn the whole place down on his way out.

White House Thanksgiving proclamation calls for Americans to 'gather' even as Covid-19 surges

President Donald Trump's annual Thanksgiving proclamation calls for Americans to "gather" for the holiday, even though federal public health officials have explicitly warned against it. 

The final line of the proclamation, issued by the White House press secretary's office Wednesday evening, reads: "I encourage all Americans to gather, in homes and places of worship, to offer a prayer of thanks to God for our many blessings."

I think you're reading a bit much into that one verb.

I can't agree. You don't need to read anything into that one word. We don't want people to gather. We want them to social distance. Yes, it sucks, but that is what we need to do. If it was a "throw away" statement and word usage, it shows that the person doing it isn't thinking. A statement of that ilk would be appropriate in normal times, but these are not normal times.

"Gathering" in this context has a metaphorical meaning. My family will be meeting tomorrow by Zoom, and I am quite certain that sort of communication is exactly what the proclamation means.

I will be awfully glad when Biden is in office because Trump's stridency is what has led to this sort of micro reading of what are actually rather banal sentiments. Trump is primarily responsible, but he has had collaborators.

[Genuine Realist]

As bad as “do as I say, not as I do” hypocrisy is, that is better than flat-out encouraging citizens to be reckless. It feels like after losing the election, he just wants to burn the whole place down on his way out.

White House Thanksgiving proclamation calls for Americans to 'gather' even as Covid-19 surges

President Donald Trump's annual Thanksgiving proclamation calls for Americans to "gather" for the holiday, even though federal public health officials have explicitly warned against it. 

The final line of the proclamation, issued by the White House press secretary's office Wednesday evening, reads: "I encourage all Americans to gather, in homes and places of worship, to offer a prayer of thanks to God for our many blessings."

I think you're reading a bit much into that one verb.

I can't agree. You don't need to read anything into that one word. We don't want people to gather. We want them to social distance. Yes, it sucks, but that is what we need to do. If it was a "throw away" statement and word usage, it shows that the person doing it isn't thinking. A statement of that ilk would be appropriate in normal times, but these are not normal times.

"Gathering" in this context has a metaphorical meaning. My family will be meeting tomorrow by Zoom, and I am quite certain that sort of communication is exactly what the proclamation means.

I will be awfully glad when Biden is in office because Trump's stridency is what has led to this sort of micro reading of what are actually rather banal sentiments. Trump is primarily responsible, but he has had collaborators.