Donald Trump

In this Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 file photo, President Donald Trump speaks on the telephone with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. In the background is a portrait of former President Andrew Jackson which Trump had installed in the first few days of his administration. Jon Meacham, who wrote a 2008 biography of Jackson titled "American Lion," said Trump has echoed Jackson's outsider message to rural America by pledging to be a voice for "forgotten men and women." But he says it's "not the cleanest analogy." (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

(AP file)

Clete Wetli is a liberal political activist living in Huntsville and a regular contributor to AL.com. Email Clete at decaturclete@gmail.com or visit cletewetli. com.

Given the nature of my work in politics and opinion writing, my ten year-old son has always had a slew of questions about how government works and about why people feel so passionately about public policy and politics. Like any father, I've worked hard to teach him values like honesty, respect, diligence, and compassion for those less fortunate.

As an American dad, I want my son to understand civic duty and the proud history the United States of America.

He wanted to watch the presidential campaign with me because he was fascinated to see how and why people disagreed ideologically over policy in such a vehement and adversarial manner. I've done my very best to teach him to form his own opinions and how to separate rhetoric from fact. We spent time researching and studying history.

My boy has grown up looking at the picture on our refrigerator of me and Congressman John Lewis that was taken when I got to spend one cherished day with my hero, the civil rights legend. My son was so excited when he learned about John Lewis and Selma in school. Since then, he's met U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Huntsville City Council President Jennie Robinson, and Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels. He may not understand all the issues or all the political nuances, but he thinks these folks are heroes, too, because he has seen their commitment to public service.

Then my son watched Trump lie and bully his way into winning the Republican nomination.

During the presidential election, I had to explain that Trump was lying when he purposely mischaracterized illegal immigrants as rapists and murders. I had to explain that all Muslims weren't terrorists and why anti-Semitism was on the rise.

I had to explain why Trump kept saying that Obama wasn't a U.S. citizen. I had to explain why so many women have accused Trump of fondling them and, of course, I had to explain the Access Hollywood tape to my ten year-old son.

Whether it was Trump's claim about not supporting the Iraq War or the thousands of lies he told about his opponent, I was constantly explaining Trump's lies and fabrications to my son. I had to tell him about how the crime rate was actually at historic lows and how the economy had been slowly and methodically recovering. I had to tell him that inner cities weren't all crime-ridden hell holes where everyone ran the risk of being shot.

Like many Americans, I had hoped desperately that once the campaign was over that Trump would embrace some semblance of statesmanship. I hoped that he'd quit his angry juvenile tweets and abandon his predilection for far-fetched conspiracy theories.

Instead, Trump just keeps doubling down against every value and character trait that I've worked so hard to teach my son. Now, I'm having to explain why Trump thinks it's ok to pollute, why Big Bird is about to get laid off, and why millions won't have healthcare.

I have to explain why President Trump made up a story about being "wiretapped" by President Obama. I'm having to explain why suddenly we're talking about Russia constantly and why that matters.

Every day, I'm teaching my son what it means to have character and how his word is his bond. I'm teaching him about facts and science and history. I'm teaching him to respect others and to show compassion. I'm teaching him the value of real work and the consequences of cheating.

I guess in a way it's easier now because I can just say, "Son, don't grow up to be like Trump."