Feb. 11, 2017 – Now that the election is behind us and a new president has taken the reigns of power–we now enter a new world order. Where tyrannical rule replaces the steady hand of calm politicking and diplomacy. Where chaos replaces cool deliberation and steadfast action. Where insults replace diplomacy and intellectual banter. Wake up America – you are now in Trump’s America.
In the land of Trump–all things are possible. People can easily be deported, the press can be quickly marginalized, reporters are quipped as “scum of the earth” where dictators are praised, and where lies have no meaning. Welcome to the land of Trump! Where allies who once stood beside America–shoulder to shoulder–are now standing apart from her, where once civility was the norm, chaos and incivility has become the rule. Where “Alternate Facts” have become the new “reality” where real facts don’t matter, and where ethics of all kinds takes a back seat to impulsive and self-serving action. Where those engaged in voter suppression in the days of Civil Rights rallies, are now elevated to positions including top attorney in our land–where the KKK has a front door invitation to the White House, and where alternative media has the ear of the newly-elected despot. These are not the virtues on which our nation was founded–nor any successful nation in recent history.
Where ethics now takes a back seat to the process of negotiation and thought-provoking dialogue is marginalized. Where presidential favors–including undeserved cabinet positions are collected like candy from an infant baby–with no push-back, no cries, no repercussions–not even a hiccup.
Now let’s turn to guidance from our religious creed of Christianity. Where grace and treatment of all that we encounter are to be treated with civility, as Jesus had extolled to his disciples when he walked this Earth. Where Jesus embraced the foreigner to help in time of need, where Sanctuary Cities were there to assist those who claimed righteous vindication, where False Witness against thy neighbor was repugnant to the word of God. Where those who embraced the virtues of Christianity were commanded to speak no evil against thy neighbor, nor covet, nor steal, nor commit adultery nor lie or be held accountable and stoned. No one was to put anything above God–where HE demanded via commandment, first place in the seat of humanity: not money, not power, nor any idols of any kind are to unseat Him. Who demands that we be humble, kind & giving–embracing the virtues that Jesus embodied. Yet, even though the new despot embodies much of what Christianity itself has rebuked–we find many who espouse Christianity who appear to embrace him. Be it hypocrisy, or naivety or something more–no one can be sure. But the virtues of our Christian creed enable us to believe we are saved because of Grace and our continued Rejection of Sin and belief in what Jesus extolled. Yet, our new leader speaks Falsehoods against any “neighbor” who dares not share his vision and covets and plunders that which is not his. He impugns those who challenge him by impugning their character with vindictive speech and threat of incarceration. This is not what a Christian leader does–this is what despots do. This is what the Nazi’s did.
America wake up! You have been slumbering too long in the sanctitude of complacency. Take the reigns of democracy back from those who have wrongfully garnished it, and who seek to plummet it into the abyss of ruin. Wake up America, take it back. Regain your steadfast nature of deliberate and thoughtful action. You have a despot who is leading you down to the abyss of destruction–but it needn’t have to be. Demand accountability from those you elect. Heed the rallying cries of those who came before you, and join them. Be deliberate, be united, be purposeful, and do not succumb to tyrannical rule. Those who fail to remember and heed the lessons of history, will rightly succumb to it. So in the spirit of our founding fathers and belief in the Commands of our Creator, be advised, be purposeful, be united in the spirit of conviction–be engaged as citizens and as righteous God-fearing people–and America will overcome.