I work with a pony called Obama, named in January 2009 because, like the President of the United States of America, he was black and white and it is the least relevant thing about him. I refuse to discuss his ancestry on the grounds, 1. that I haven’t a clue who his parents are, and 2. that I cannot think of anything less relevant.

I don’t care what shape he is, whether he has a Roman nose, cow hocks, spavins, splints or any of the other arcane terms for slagging off other people’s ponies. He is Obama, he has made the countryside accessible to people who use wheelchairs. Does it matter that his legs are short, that his colouring is “Gypsy”?

I dislike President Trump because of his attitudes to women, people with disasbilities, people of colour, people with a different religion, people from randomly chosen countries, science, education, inclusion etc. The size of his hands and the colour of his hair are irrelevant. I would resent such comments about President Obama, I resent such comments about President Trump. 

Personal appearance is soemthing we are all stuck with. If you are perfect, I am impresssed, if you tell me you are perfect I will know you are a smug, arrogant, git. Similarly, parents are something inflicted on us. Children cannot be blamed for their parents. And the young need to be allowed a certain amount of leeway if we don’t want all our youthful errors recalled. If you are perfect, with no youthful errors, you are a smug arrogant git, and a boring old fart. A bad combination .

So, please, can we debate the President of the United Sates on legitimate grounds, his actions and his intentions. I think that provides plenty of scope for intelligent discussion. Personal abuse on the basis of phenotype is objectionable and I will post this post (is this really English) every time somebody reverts to type.