No, Van Jones. You are wrong. Have you ever opened the door to someone dressed in uniform, hat in hand, informing you that your loved one is dead? I can't imagine you have because only then would you have clearly seen right through last night's show of GRIEFPLOITATION.
Last night, Ryan Owen's wife was used as a puppet. This poor, grieving woman was propped up next to a mannequin in an off-the-shoulder cocktail dress and used. Used to do exactly what you fell for, Van Jones. She was used to bolster 45's ratings. She was used to make him appear human. She was used so that 45 could have his greatest, dramatic televised moment yet.
What you didn't see was that this was also a smack in the face to Ryan Owen's father. Remember him? He's the man who wants to understand why his son is dead. He's the one who has dared to question what happened. He's the one demanding accountability. But 45 doesn't know what accountability means.
So last night's performance was 45's greatest weapon - his aha moment of retribution. Put the grieving wife on stage to keep daddy in his place. Deliver some sappy bullshit message (written by someone else) about a once-vibrant-now-dead 36 year-old father, husband, and son smiling down from Heaven with pride. Work those puppy-dog eyes as you gaze skyward toward the balcony while delivering a lie that makes you feel better.
A lie that vindicates you.
A lie of absolution.
A lie that makes you feel like you are winning (because winning is more sacred to you than life).
Did God tell you Ryan is happy? Did God tell you that Ryan is pumped that he "broke a [television] record"?
Personally, I assume that if Ryan were looking down he was desperately wanting to console his wife. He was trying to use his special forces training to move heaven and earth in order to transcend time and space so that he could swoop in and rescue her from the debacle in which she co-starred. He was running in circles trying to figure out some way to be able to tuck his children into bed again.
Ryan Owens and his family didn't sign on to co-star in the greatest griefploitation show our country has ever seen. I say co-star because we all know that 45 was the headlining star who couldn't be less connected to the concept of human sacrifice and human suffering.
Ok, Van Jones - I'll give you your "extraordinary moment". I call it an extraordinary moment of sub-humanity in which a spineless leader killed two birds with one stone. He shot back at a grieving father while pulling one over on a country that can't get enough of reality TV. Bravo, America. Bravo!
