Melania Trump’s initiative, titled “Be Best” has spurred quite a stir on the World Wide Web, as many netizens pointed out that the phrase was grammatically incorrect, and suggested that it would sound better (and right) if the adjective was preceded by the definite article “the.” Some stressed that the First Lady could have opted for “Be the Best,” or “Be Your Best,” which would have made the slogan “perfect.”
"Be Best" is not grammatically correct. As a former teacher, I would suggest this saying to be changed to "Be the Best" or Be Your Best."
— LoLo (@begulolo) 9 мая 2018 г.
“be your best”, a one word difference, would have made it cute and sweet and perfect. why is no one capable of doing a single thing right here?
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) 7 мая 2018 г.
The lion’s share wondered how the name was conceived in the first place, laying out their theories:
Melania: I want to say "Be Better."
— The Rude Pundit (@rudepundit) 7 мая 2018 г.
Donald: Better? No, better doesn't mean "best." Be best!
Melania: That is not gramm--
Donald: Yeah, be best! Put it on a hat. Done. https://t.co/T3LMq0nHux
I think Melania was originally just going to put out the "Be Better" and call it hers, but Trump intercepted and said "No no, it has to be BEST. Everything with the Trump name is always BEST".
— MK Genest 🌊 (@MKGenest) 10 мая 2018 г.
Pretty sure that's how it went.
There were those who turned to sarcasm and irony to mock the unfortunate name:
“Be best” sounds like an entire campaign based on an autocorrect error
— Aparna Nancherla (@aparnapkin) 7 мая 2018 г.
Be Best could be better.
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) 7 мая 2018 г.
— Jesse Sachs (@JesseSachs) 7 мая 2018 г.
— DiscoPriest (@DiscoPriest) 7 мая 2018 г.
I am 99% sure Melania called the program “Be Best” (which, let’s be honest, is a very stupid name) so people would be really mean about it on the Internet so she could have examples of bullying readily available
— elan gale (@theyearofelan) 7 мая 2018 г.
In the meantime, others accused FLOTUS of plagiarism, saying that her Be Best slogan felt awfully familiar, and reminded fellow users of how former first lady Michelle Obama’s called on men to “be better.”
Melania Trump has a new campaign called Be Best. Step One: Steal Michelle Obama's Be Better line and try to one up her.
— Fred G. Sanford (@uglyauntesther) 7 мая 2018 г.
Melania: Michelle said be better. Well I say be best! Suck on that!
— Imani Gandy (@AngryBlackLady) 7 мая 2018 г.
Everyone: but be best at what?
Melania: just be best
Everyone: but we don’t underst—
Melania: BE BEST
Everyone: what do you mean by b—
Melania: JUST BE BEST. BE BESTEST
Everyone: *backs away slowly* https://t.co/MqHlxn9LlJ
I'm 99% sure Melania called the program #Be Best" because Michelle had a program called #BeBetter.
— McBlondeLand (@McBlondeLand) 7 мая 2018 г.
Many noticed that her booklet on social media guidelines, “Talking With Kids About Being Online,” wasn’t exactly original, and had been unveiled during the Obama era:
Here's melania's pamphlet side by side W/ Obama's."The WH website initially said the material was written "by First Lady Melania Trump & the Federal Trade Commission." After the backlash, it's been changed to "a…booklet, promoted by First Lady Melania Trump." lazy & inept pic.twitter.com/wjXLgIj6db
— Alison Rhodes is not a bot. 🌊 (@AlisonR61423986) 8 мая 2018 г.
lmao… the White House/Melania Trump Be Best pamphlet about your kids being online is almost the exact same thing that the FTC published in Jan. 2014:
— Ryan Mac (@RMac18) 7 мая 2018 г.
2014: https://t.co/s14hU9e6Cc
2018: https://t.co/dNas3LM8UP pic.twitter.com/WJTobZAPC1
Reacting to the allegations of plagiarism, the White House stressed that the media took “a day meant to promote kindness and positive efforts on behalf of children to instead lob baseless accusations towards the First Lady and her new initiatives.”
READ MORE: She Did It Again? Melania Under Plagiarism Scrutiny Again for Obama-Era Booklet
This is not the first time that Melania has been accused of plagiarism: at the Republican National Convention in 2016, many observers noted that her speech wound up using phrases that Michelle had already said at the Democratic National Convention in 2008.
