Thanks be to God for leadership capable of standing up in front of the most powerful elected official on earth and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not only did Bishop Budde share the good news as any good Christian preacher would do but then she looked the president firmly in the eye and clearly made a plea for mercy.
Literally begging the president from the pulpit to be merciful to the many marginalized people in our country who are living in fear. She pointed out immigrants are an important part of our economy and statistically less likely to engage in crime than other groups. She spoke of the fears transgender people have related to their treatment in schools and in health care.
Her comments should be commended. The thoughts she offered were straight out of the New Testament. It was a normal message of the good news that should be familiar to any Christian. Yet in these hyperbolic times full of radical Christian nationalism and right wing cult thinking, Bishop Budde is being condemned for speaking the truth. Anyone who takes such a step can expect the powers that be will react negatively. We have ample evidence in scripture itself: think of John the Baptist or Jesus when they warned people of hypocrisy and mistreatment of the poor and widows. So Bishop Budde stands in a long line of prophetic men and women who have stood out from the crowd and stated their truth, calling the powerful to account for their meanness and violent behavior.
It is ironic that we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday on Inauguration Day. Dr. King was one of the modern day practitioners of such truth speech. His call for equal treatment of black and brown people and for economic justice led to his assassination.
We need to stand up with him and Bishop Budde along with others willing to call the powerful to account. We must condemn unjust or vengeful tactics in pursuit of a political agenda. The lies and ugly insults thrown around with no concern for consequences or impact have become all too common in our current political climate. We are a divided country and all sides have a right to their perspectives and opinions. However no one should be able to control the narrative and force their views on the body politic. It seems disagreement itself is not to be tolerated in this country. Yet we were once a proud democratic republic and free speech and freedom of association were the norm for centuries.
I write today to make my own position known and to advocate for tolerance and mercy.
I believe too many Americans have succumbed to a climate of fear fomented by dishonest brokers with an ideological agenda aimed at feathering their own nest. These politicians and oligarchs ignore the harmful effects of their policies. The powerful have implemented a program geared to scare the unwary into compliance, while promising flag waving political results that are largely illusory or illegitimate. The reality will harm the very people they won over, and fill the coffers of the rich while cutting much needed programs to support the less fortunate. The game works until the results begin to produce pain or panic. I think it likely buyers remorse will set in soon but the damage done to our country in the interim could be severe.
I think it is worth taking strong public positions against policies and enforcement actions that harm minorities. It is critical that the powers that be find it impossible to act with impunity. We must hold them accountable and Bishop Budde has done us a good service by taking a strong stance, face to face with the president in favor of mercy and against meanness. Thank you Bishop Budde.
I can only hope that your example will be the first of many strong appeals for mercy and tolerance. Personally, I think Americans have been fooled by a con man who is willing to say anything to get his way. Too many of our people are complacent and too comfortable with their lives to think seriously about our present age. So far Trump Rex has been very successful in achieving power and influence. I think he is best characterized as Trump Rex, but he remains vulnerable and mortal. So it is incumbent on good citizens to stand firmly against his lies and attempts at intimidation as well as to work diligently to defeat him at the polls as quickly as possible. Speak truth to power my friends. Stand up for the weak and vulnerable. Stare the hate and fear mongers in the face and tell them no. Hell no!
Tom Hardin
Thoughts Have Hands 