President Trump has made two extremely inappropriate and disturbing speeches lately, one to the Boy Scouts and one to Suffolk County Police.

A Harvard child and adolescent psychiatrist, Gene Beresin best explained on an NPR post why Trump’s speech to the Boy Scouts was especially dangerous. It was given by the leader of the free world, to a captive audience, the perfect age for indoctrination, and in a festive atmosphere where emotion and camaraderie were more evident than reason. He delivered a chilling message of personal grandstanding, score-settling and an attack on our institutions.

The psychiatrist offered the following:

“So what is the big deal about this speech? Several issues:

"It models seeing the world and people in it as either good or bad, while in reality we want our kids to see shades of gray and understand nuances.

"It promotes individual winning as opposed to shared group effort for greater good.

"It models devaluing and badmouthing those who disagree instead of listening and conversing.

"It promotes distrust of our models of freedom, such as the free press.

"It glorifies material wealth and social status above higher values, while promoting the glory of being feared and revered, not loved and respected.”

Trump’s address to the police similarly appealed to the very worst of our nature, calling for police brutality directed at those who are being arrested and have not yet had their day in court. This is against all we believe as a country. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

This macho, cruel speech comes at a time when we’re trying desperately to improve our criminal justice system, which has so unfairly targeted people of color and the poor over the years.

We must be vigilant, resist this demagoguery and defend our nation’s values!