I’m telling you: this may be the most brilliant analysis of Donald Trump’s campaign ever. Wish I had been smart enough to write it. I encourage you to read it, but below are the particularly salient sentences:
“Trump will soon reveal that his campaign is pure satirical theater, a performance artist’s pièce de résistance. He is actually still the liberal he used to be and his rhetoric on the campaign trail is a work of art designed to reveal the darkest part of the heart of America’s soul. . . .
“You think racism is no longer an issue in the U.S.? Watch this!” And his poll numbers climb as he insults Mexicans and encourages beating up an African-American man.
“You think sexism is fading away? Watch this!” He insults women and his poll numbers climb.
“You think we’ve come a long way since we interned the Japanese in 1942? Watch this!” And he proposes banning entry to the U.S. for Muslims. When asked “even those returning from overseas deployment in our armed services?” his spokesman replies, “All of ‘em,” and his numbers continue to climb.”
Think about it: every ugly, hateful statement he makes really does mean a jump in ratings. This blogger is right: our national underbelly is putridly sick, seriously hateful, informed by fear and prejudice, and rejoices when the “other” gets hurt or even killed.
What a perfect opportunity for the church to step in!!! Those of us who are finding the Trump campaign increasingly distasteful might want to rethink our stances and start thanking him for showing us just how much work there is to be done in our society.
What a glorious time for people who choose to walk in the light to start offering that light to those who do genuinely live in darkness. As more and more Christians chose to defend mosques and befriend those across the religious, racial, and gender divides, the more transformational we can be in word and action.
This election may indeed be the brightest moment ever for those who are willing to love our enemies. I speak personally here: I have taken such a dislike to Trump and his horrific stances that I have forgotten that he, too, is a human being, one to whom grace is also offered. I have started wishing bad things to befall him, and that is not a good place for anyone to be.
I do most sincerely hope he is not elected President, but know that our constitutional system will prevent him from actually acting on any of his outrageous stances. But since he is ever so much in the game, and ever so present in news and social media, why don’t we indeed leverage this exposure of evil in order to do good?
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In