Many of our Republican politicians are part of the Southern Baptist Convention, as is Vice President Mike Pence, who gave a speech at its recent convention.
The separation between the government’s morality and the churches was seen by the new SBC President, J.D. Greear, who said, “Jesus is the land of the whole Earth … the son of the living God, salvation to be found in Him, not in the Republican (or Democratic) platforms … Salvation did not come riding in on the wings of Air Force One. It came cradled in a manger.”
The members at the Southern Baptist Convention voted for resolutions, one of which was to have a broader acceptance of immigrants. There was a criticism of Trump’s separation of families at the border, and they urged a more generous treatment of refugees.
I watch so-called Christians, mostly those in the Trump-Republican Party, vote for bills that will take food, housing and medical help away from low-income people, the elderly, the sick and refugees, and I wonder how they can relate their bills with their Christianity.
In the book of Jeremiah, in the Bible, we are told to “administer justice every morning; rescue from the hands of the oppressor then who has been robbed — or my wrath will break out. … This is what the Lord says. Do what is just and right. … Do no wrong or violence to the foreigners.” (Jeremiah 21:11 and 22:35)
I see politicians put asylum seekers’ children in cages and their parents put in jail. I hear the president call people from non-English-speaking countries “animals” and worse; he made up cruel lies about the morality of entire cultures, saying, “They’re all rapists, murderers and drug traffickers.”
All of this hateful bigotry is the opposite of what Jesus would have us do. The Bible is very clear about how are to treat “the least of these.” American politicians, particularly Trump-Republicans, are failing Christ’s main commandments laid out in Matthew: “I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your home; naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me … whenever you did it to the least important, you did it for me.” Conversely, nations who don’t do this should “Depart from me, you who are cursed.” (Matthew 25:31-46). The story of the Good Samaritan is another example of how we are to treat “foreigners.”
Nearly all of us living in the US have ancestors who arrived here seeking refuge from wars, genocide, famine, human rights abuses, religious persecution or other abuses.
Think about what it would be like to have to leave your family and friends with not much more than the clothes on your back and go to a country where you do not know anyone, you can’t speak the language, you have no idea of how you will be able to find work or housing. Imagine what it would be like if your family members have been killed and in order to save your remaining family, your only choice is to leave home. The fear and courage it would take is unimaginable for most of us, but if we “walk a mile in their shoes,” maybe we can show these people the compassion they deserve.
Carol B. Burger, Mount Juliet, Tenn.
There is a new and very recognizable political party. It could be called the Anarchist Helter-Skelter Party, or the Tea Caucus Party, or the Putin-Trump Party. Actually, it is the White Supremacist Me First Party. It is of, by and for the base cluster mob headed by fake POTUS who speaks to and acts for his WSMF constituents. exclusively.
This new movement began shortly after President Obama was elected. A documentary by Alexandra Pelosi [“,” revealed the turmoil in many people who reacted to the election. She went around interviewing folks in the Tea Party gatherings around the country. It was shocking to see the delirious hatred and revulsion spewing from most of them. One middle-aged man was sobbing in anguish at the reality of a mixed-race man being elected president. That documentary should be shown again on TV today so that the present disastrous administration could be better understood as to at least one of its origins. There is a very sick-spirited confused portion of the American melted pot. Racial bigotry is not the only critical feeling that is constantly being used for political reasons.
It is a propaganda tool when nothing else will do to stay on the path to the simplistic authoritarian dictatorship …
The WSMF party contains some of the remnants of the Tea Caucus that are now in the House of Representatives — (they were the invaders who exploited the 2008 Tea Party’s extreme sentiments). On July 12, they put on a heated showcase of questions intended to stop the Mueller investigations. For most of the day they harassed Peter Strzok in loud, angry frenzy!
He stood his ground with rational, intelligent replies. That made them even more furious and hysterical! The air was thick with it as America watched. Surely, there will be more shocking eruptions daily as fake POTUS and his “constituency” continue showing off his arrogant, feeble mind.
Helen McKinney, Sapphire, N.C.
President Trump’s “means” involve tearing down American norms to satisfy his “ends,” which are to secure for America the “blessings” of ignorance, incompetence, dishonesty, irresponsibility, narcissism, divisiveness, intolerance, callousness, cruelty, chaos, and deconstruction. Trump may have already earned an A+ from Russia’s Vladimir Putin for his efforts to date.
The Americans who voted for Trump in 2016 may continue promoting, supporting, excusing, and defending his non-stop rhetoric and actions. Hopefully not. The major damage caused by Trump is not a reality show, but real — and will cause major damage to the United States and the World for years to come — if not decades.
It is never too late to move away from the dark side of history espoused by Trump, and move to the brighter side: i.e. — the real blessings of wisdom, competence, honesty, responsibility, unselfishness, inclusiveness, tolerance, empathy, kindness, stability, and progress. And to expect the same from all our elected and appointed governmental leaders and representatives.
In an equally serious vein: lost — in the day to day evolution of the Mueller investigation on possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government — is the current, open, meeting of the minds between Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin that autocracy (i.e., a government in which one person has absolute power) is the best form of government for each and both of them.
Unfortunately, their “best form” is not our current American representative democracy under rule of law, with guaranteed basic human rights for all citizens - but an outright dictatorship. This sad situation for America (and even Russia’s general populace) is far more serious than simple political party partisanship.
All Americans should demand, now, that the US Congress (House and Senate), grow up fast and check Trump hard on his ongoing efforts to undermine the very fabric of American society. If President Trump continues undermining the American system of government, maybe those of us who prefer the American system - warts and all - can allow Trump to renounce his American citizenship, and move to Russia. From what he has shown us up to now, he would probably feel more comfortable as a Putin lieutenant.
Pat V. Powers, Utopia, Texas
While I agree with most of Hal Crowther’s analysis in the July 1-15 cover story, I feel his prescription, given in the title “Time for a Midnight Ride,” is wrong. The current examples given to support Crowther’s claim are persuasive but lack a larger context and balanced view. Here is an example of balance and context (from The Price of Civilization by J. Sachs):
“Before the civil rights era, federal social spending was mainly for white voters. Federal support for farmers, home owners, and retirees introduced in the 1930s to 1950s overwhelmingly benefited the majority white community and was precisely designed that way. When Social Security was introduced in the 1930s, it excluded farmworkers and therefore most of the poor African American population of the south. With the success of the civil rights movement and the rise of anti-poverty programs in the 1960’s, federal benefits increasingly flowed to minority communities. The political reaction was a sharp turn of many white voters away from government’s leadership role. This backlash was amplified by repeated overreaching by liberal leaders. Ending discrimination was broadly acceptable to the white working class but affirmative action was a step too far for many whites. Desegregation of neighborhood schools was acceptable but busing children long distances …”
Given the metaphorical title of the essay we get the sense of urgency but we have no idea of what the modern counterpart to a midnight ride might be. What are we to do? Should we block traffic or hold torch light rallies featuring inflammatory rhetoric or sit in white-owned businesses frequented by Trumpsters? If the police are called should we chain ourselves to some immovable object and sing “We Shall Overcome”? Such actions would certainly get TV coverage but then … what? Does HC suppose that actions such as these will drastically decrease support for DJT? And if urgent, emergency-type action does not have a clear and immediate pay off, will those of us faithful PP readers double down or give up? HC ends his somewhat hysterical screed with this dismissive and huffy sentence: “There’s a whole lot more at stake than getting out the vote in November.” Sorry, HC, but that is exactly what is at stake. If Democrats take back the House then the tricky possibility of impeachment can be considered. If not, it’s back to public but non-violent, pretty-much-legal, educational efforts. Period.
John D. Palmer, Huntington W.V.
From The Progressive Populist, August 15, 2018
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