# Will Trump go all "Jim Jones"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463 "2019-04-12T22:42:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/81 "2019-04-15T20:53:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I would point out the difference between a tall modern steel structure and a low, ancient wood and stone structure…but I realized that this is less about the best way to fight a fire of this type, and more, _much_ more, about defending Trump no matter what. I don’t know if you’ve already forgotten, but I asked you about that exact issue a few posts ago: > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I know jack shit about architecture too, but why _wouldn’t_ you dump a bunch of water on the fire? Isn’t that the usual and customary practice for fighting structural fires? Would you not do it in this case because the building on fire is really old? Something else? That would have seemed like an appropriate time to “point out the difference”. Instead, we’ve been treated to a string of posts that act like the only choice is to drop “tons” (or “shit-tons”) of water on the structure or none at all: > [@Czarcasm](#): > > I know jack shit about architecture, but even I can figure out why you don’t drop tons of water on a building like that. > [@RickJay](#): > > You’d destroy the building even if the fire didn’t. Isn’t that obvious? > > Why do you think they don’t use water bombers on urban fires? > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Because it would destroy what the fire didn’t, as has been said in this thread, other threads, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, BBCNEWS, France 24 Live and every other responsible news outlet. And, no, it is not customary to put out fires like this with shit-tons of water dropped from the sky. :smack: I don’t know if France has any available, but there are modern aerial firefighting aircraft that can moderate how much water they drop, specifically so that they don’t destroy the structure in a deluge of water. For example, Erickson operates a fleet of S-64 Aircrane Helitankers. They describe their capabilities like this: > [@](#): > > [The S-64 Helitanker is equipped with a 10,000 liter tank capable of snorkeling via a “sea snorkel” fresh or salt water that helps provide an outstanding capability for fire authorities in both the initial attack of fast moving fires and advanced structure protection. It has internal foam mixing capabilities and **provides water or retardant dispensation utilizing eight coverage levels. The aircraft can be configured with a water cannon for high rise and structure protection**. > > … the aircraft is capable of dipping for water in areas a fixed wing cannot access, and it is able to come in slower and lower for precision placement of the water on and around residential properties and structures. …]([The World’s Best Aerial Firefighting Machine Returns to](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/12/14/1262257/0/en/The-World-s-Best-Aerial-Firefighting-Machine-Returns-to-Chile.html)) Would such an aircraft be useful in France? I don’t know for certain, but it doesn’t seem “deranged” or “bizarre” to suggest that spraying / dropping water on the ablaze roof might help. JohnT’s tweeting firefighter seemed to suggest it might be useful if only they could reach it. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/82 "2019-04-15T20:55:17Z")
You people are forgetting that Trump probably knows more about fighting fires than almost anybody. He’s seen many, many fires over the course of his lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/83 "2019-04-15T20:55:28Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I would point out the difference between a tall modern steel structure and a low, ancient wood and stone structure…but I realized that this is less about the best way to fight a fire of this type, and more, _much_ more, about defending Trump no matter what. ISTM that it’s been “_much_ more” about trying to laugh at whatever President Trump says, regardless of whether there’s some truth to it. I think some of you got too caught up in laughing to realize there’s some logic there, and I’m willing to point that out, as much as you may not like it. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/84 "2019-04-15T21:05:39Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > ISTM that it’s been “_much_ more” about trying to laugh at whatever President Trump says, regardless of whether there’s some truth to it. …yes: watching the President of the United States freak out on twitter is really fucking hilarious. And very very sad. > [@](#): > > I think some of you got too caught up in laughing to realize there’s some logic there, and I’m willing to point that out, as much as you may not like it. There was no logic in that tweet. It was a fucking stupid tweet. And watching you “try and point out” that it wasn’t a fucking stupid tweet is really making me laugh even more. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/85 "2019-04-15T21:13:12Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > ISTM that it’s been “_much_ more” about trying to laugh at whatever President Trump says, regardless of whether there’s some truth to it. We laugh because we aren’t correctly positioned to have him removed from his post for his obvious mental incompetence. Or his crimes. > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I think some of you got too caught up in laughing to realize there’s some logic there, and I’m willing to point that out, as much as you may not like it. So if I’m reading you right, you think that it’s theoretically possible to polish this _particular_ turd, so you’re focusing on this specific instance as though it will make everything else he’s said go away. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/86 "2019-04-15T21:26:32Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > ISTM that it’s been “_much_ more” about trying to laugh at whatever President Trump says, regardless of whether there’s some truth to it. > > I think some of you got too caught up in laughing to realize there’s some logic there, and I’m willing to point that out, as much as you may not like it. I’m not laughing at the dangerous idiot. His supporters, who seem to think that he gives a flying fuck about them-_there_ is classic comedy material. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/87 "2019-04-15T21:28:47Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > ISTM that it’s been “_much_ more” about trying to laugh at whatever President Trump says, regardless of whether there’s some truth to it. > > I think some of you got too caught up in laughing to realize there’s some logic there, and I’m willing to point that out, as much as you may not like it. That tweet does not exist in isolation, instead being just the latest of a long line of examples. The reality is, that one can present to Donald Trump any subject and he will claim to know more about it than the experts on that subject. [Here’s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSZ9E9143cw) a video compilation for your perusal. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/88 "2019-04-15T21:29:21Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > ISTM that it’s been “_much_ more” about trying to laugh at whatever President Trump says, regardless of whether there’s some truth to it. > > I think some of you got too caught up in laughing to realize there’s some logic there, and I’m willing to point that out, as much as you may not like it. Yes, but doesn’t the President of the United States have anything better to do than watch TV and tweet something that no doubt occurred to (and was dismissed by) every competent fire-fighting authority in France? That’s something you expect from your retired uncle, not the person with literally the greatest responsibility in the world. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/89 "2019-04-15T21:34:51Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > … So if I’m reading you right, you think that it’s theoretically possible to polish this _particular_ turd, so you’re focusing on this specific instance as though it will make everything else he’s said go away. BB’s post #58 quoted me, and I assume was directed at me. It happened to be at the end of the thread when I opened it, so I decided to jump in with a response. It struck me as a plenty-defensible argument, so I decided to defend it. Remember, the opening line from the OP, that prompted my question and BB’s response, was: > [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > The speeches given by Donald Trump, at the rallies he regularly holds in front of his fans, are becoming more and more deranged and bizarre. … Does your post mean that you accept that Trump’s firefighting tweet wasn’t “deranged” or “bizarre”? I’ll certainly acknowledge that President Trump isn’t exactly a polished speaker, or tweeter, and so I’m sure you can find examples of him mis-speaking if you look, but I don’t think he generally comes across as “deranged” or “bizarre”, and I don’t see his rallies “becoming more and more” of that either. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/90 "2019-04-15T21:38:35Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Yes, but doesn’t the President of the United States have anything better to do than watch TV and tweet something that no doubt occurred to (and was dismissed by) every competent fire-fighting authority in France? That’s something you expect from your retired uncle, not the person with literally the greatest responsibility in the world. Eh, there’s probably better things he could do with his time. Do you think if we looked through [tweets here](https://twitter.com/potus44) we might find some that weren’t the best use of BHO’s time too? ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/91 "2019-04-15T21:42:54Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Eh, there’s probably better things he could do with his time. Do you think if we looked through [tweets here](https://twitter.com/potus44) we might find some that weren’t the best use of BHO’s time too? So you equate the warm-hearted thanks and appreciations of an outgoing two-term president during his last days in office with the random blurts of someone who presumably, in the middle of his term, has actual issues of state and governance to deal with? Okay. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/92 "2019-04-15T21:50:32Z")
> **[Cathedral fire under control after spire and roof destroyed – as it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/apr/15/notre-dame-cathedral-fire-paris-france-landmark-live-news)** > > Latest news as world-famous French landmark suffers devastating blaze > [@](#): > > Notre Dame’s main structure has been “saved and preserved”, a Paris fire official has announced. > > “We can consider that the two towers of the north belfry Notre-Dame have been saved,” he tells BFMTV. “The structure of Our Lady is saved as a whole.” …thank goodness they didn’t send in the planes!!! > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Does your post mean that you accept that Trump’s firefighting tweet wasn’t “deranged” or “bizarre”? Of course it was deranged. Of course it was bizarre. Do you know how many other people watching this logged onto twitter to suggest, with exclamation marks, to “send in the planes?” I scrolled through about a couple of hundred comments on the fire today. Only a single person made a call for sending in the tankers. That fact alone is objectively bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/93 "2019-04-15T21:54:52Z")
Gotta tell you, Ditka, asking people to comb through BHO’s Twitter account in a defense of _Trump’s_ use of the medium is an applause-worthy bit of chutzpah. 10/10. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/94 "2019-04-15T21:56:56Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > BB’s post #58 quoted me, and I assume was directed at me. It happened to be at the end of the thread when I opened it, so I decided to jump in with a response. It struck me as a plenty-defensible argument, so I decided to defend it. Remember, the opening line from the OP, that prompted my question and BB’s response, was: Oh, I’m aware that you were handed a line. I question your choice to keep your teeth sunk into it this long, though. > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Does your post mean that you accept that Trump’s firefighting tweet wasn’t “deranged” or “bizarre”? It was more of an example of what a completely incompetent moron he is, mouthing off about things he knows literally nothing about. I will concede that he’s displayed his bizarre derangement much, much more blatantly in other things he’s said. > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I’ll certainly acknowledge that President Trump isn’t exactly a polished speaker, or tweeter, and so I’m sure you can find examples of him mis-speaking if you look, but I don’t think he generally comes across as “deranged” or “bizarre”, and I don’t see his rallies “becoming more and more” of that either. I think he generally comes across as demented. As in, literally suffering from dementia. Decaying speech patterns and word usage, failing memory, rambling disjointed thought processes, blatant stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/95 "2019-04-15T21:57:31Z")
…its 9/11. Terrorists have just hit the Twin Towers. The President of France has just logged into myspace. He says: > [@not-the-real-French-President](#): > > So horrible to watch the massive fire at the Twin Towers in New York. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly! Not deranged or bizarre at all. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/96 "2019-04-15T22:08:07Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > It was more of an example of what a completely incompetent moron he is, mouthing off about things he knows literally nothing about. I agree. He seems to feel a need to use his bully pulpit Twitter account at moments like this, to provide armchair-quarterback-style advice about things on which he clearly doesn’t have any expertise. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/97 "2019-04-15T22:16:03Z")
Hey France, I’ma letcha in on a lil sumptin: when there’s a fire, put some water on it. No charge for that. I’m a very stable genius. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/98 "2019-04-15T22:23:29Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > … Of course it was deranged. Of course it was bizarre. Do you know how many other people watching this logged onto twitter to suggest, with exclamation marks, to “send in the planes?” I scrolled through about a couple of hundred comments on the fire today. Only a single person made a call for sending in the tankers. That fact alone is objectively bizarre. There are shitloads of things getting posted to Twitter daily. You think that because you scrolled through “a couple of hundred comments on the fire” that President Trump is the only single person that posted something there suggesting that aerial firefighting might be useful? And you think that’s a “fact”? LOL! (“with exclamation marks”) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/99 "2019-04-15T22:30:35Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > He’s seen many, many fires over the course of his lifetime. I’m not sure the [Yule Log TV show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVjisjCjY8k) really counts. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463/100 "2019-04-15T22:33:17Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > There are shitloads of things getting posted to Twitter daily. You think that because you scrolled through “a couple of hundred comments on the fire” that President Trump is the only single person that posted something there suggesting that aerial firefighting might be useful? And you think that’s a “fact”? LOL! (“with exclamation marks”) …is this your “GOTCHA” moment? You didn’t think I absolutely knew that this was going to be your response to what I posted? Good god you are predictable. I’m absolutely sure that there are people out there who might have thought that “aerial firefighting might be useful.” But absolutely none of them expressed that opinion in the deranged and bizarre fashion that the “Leader of the fucking free world” did on twitter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-trump-go-all-jim-jones/832463.md?page=6)