William Owens’ widow and father

[ by Charles Cameron — a meditation on grief, politics and the raid in Yemen ]

.

That long moment with SEAL William “Ryan” Owens‘ widow, Carryn Owens, was the central human moment of President Trump‘s speech to the Joint session of the United States Congress today.

**

My emotions were varied and braided. The widow’s grief was obvious, and I felt and grieved for her, as I’m sure we all did.

What the President did w Owen's widow was capital P Presidential. It was the single most extraordinary moment I've seen from Trump – by far.

— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) March 1, 2017

At the same time, the President featuring it in his speech seemed manipulative and, in the worst sense, political:

It was by far the grossest thing Trump has done and reporters are bizarrely intoxicated by it https://t.co/fGG0Ap3627

— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) March 1, 2017

As I say, my emotions were varied and braided.

**

Nor let us forget the father’s grief, which expressed itself in an angry, anguished question —

— nor, finally, the grief of the Awlaki family at the loss in that same raid of Nawar Anwar Al-Awlaki, Sheikh Anwar Awlaki‘s 8-year-old daughter — an American girl among the civilian casualties.

I grieve again.