Was the Widow Owens *unaware* that she was being used as a cynical political prop?

[NurseJackie]

This whole thing seemed to be rehearsed. Not literally, of course... but it's almost as if someone had been coached on the best way to milk-it-for-all-it's-worth. It may be a personal failing of my own, my lack of trust, but there are some things that I just can't take at face value... and this is one of those moments.

[leftstreet]

1. Her 15 minutes of Grief

Disgusting, frankly

Most grieving people don't want public exposure

[Marengo]

14. Have you lost a loved one in similar circumstances?

[Cooley Hurd]

2. Remember Captain Khan's mother and father...

...and how Mango Mussolini was so nasty to them.

I think we should give this poor woman a pass.

[NurseJackie]

7. Was she a willing political pawn? Or was she deceived?

Remember Captain Khan's mother and father...
...and how Mango Mussolini was so nasty to them.

I think we should give this poor woman a pass.

The Khans were obviously willing. They made a choice... right? They knew exactly what they were doing and what they were getting into. Also, theirs wasn't just a one-off or one-time effort.

I think we should give this poor woman a pass.

That's exactly what Trump and his strategists are expecting you to do. You're playing directly into their hands. Don't fall for their trap. Besides... asking if she was deceived or a willing accomplice hardly compares to the abuse and insults that was heaped upon the Khans by Trump and his surrogates.

[smirkymonkey]

3. What was the most disgusting thing about it was that the reason she was a widow to begin

with was due to Trump's incompetence and out-of-control ego. He had no business giving the go-ahead for that mission, but he had to be a tough guy and obviously it was a disaster. I honestly can't believe the widow consented to being part of this sick, ridiculous charade.

[LisaM]

4. I hate stuff like this.

The fact that people respond to this is insane. And they're allowing this to absolve Trump from approving a mission he was advised against.

[RedWedge]

5. How, exactly, would you have preferred she act at that moment?

[NurseJackie]

9. The televangelist posing seemed a bit forced, in my opinion.

I wonder if she was unaware of how she was being used, or if she was in-on-it all along.

[RedWedge]

11. So you didn't like her posture?

[virgogal]

6. Do you feel the same way about The Khan family? They were also "used".

[NurseJackie]

10. Yes they were. I think the difference is that they were willing. They knew exactly ...

They knew exactly what was going on. There was no deception and no pretense of it being any other thing than to strike out at Trump. It wasn't just a one-time thing either. Afterwards, and in spite of the ongoing attacks, they renewed their efforts to speak out more than once (and to even appear in a video ad for Hillary.)

I believe there are some differences between someone being used unwillingly or without their knowledge and understanding and what the Khans volunteered to do.

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. Trump put her on the spot, literally

Her husband dedicated his life to his country, and he obeyed his civilian command irrespective of partisan politics . Trump is both President and the Commander in Chief that he served under. The President calls his widow and says that he wants to honor her husband's sacrifice for our nation before Congress, and that he would like her to be present for that. At that point, if she says yes she may feel that her husband deserves that honor for what both he and others like him have sacrificed - and who is she to stand in the way of that? If she says no, she has suddenly ensnared herself inside a political controversy about her husband's death - probably the LAST thing she wants to have to deal with at this point in her life. To much of the world, her refusal would have politicized her to them at that point.

Trump should never have put her in that difficult position. If he really cared at all he could simply face included a few non political words honoring the sacrifice that Ryan and others like him make for their nation ad not used her deep grief as a political trophy.

[TNLib]

12. I was widowed in 2012

At my husbands wake there were allot of people that came from his work. Some friends and family seemed upset that so many from his company came. Some I'm pretty sure he never met.

I'd admit it was a bit of a show.
But I can't tell you how important that was to me at that time. I was in a very dark place and to have so many acknowledge him meant so much.

I hope people are sensitive and respectful to her. I really hate the way widows are often treated.

[Kimchijeon]

13. she was vulnerable and grieving

not thinking straight, they took advantage of that. preying on the weak and vulnerable is nothing new. sick.
feel awful for her loss, and to have it exploited in such a vulgar manner is horrid.