Here I Stand

What should we come to … if political denunciation is to be turned without check against art?

Crashing and Burning the Drumpf Shuttle

The Apostle Paul said, “Having done all, stand firm.” After a lifetime of studying German history, and having been “raised up [as a child] in the way I should go,” this is my firm stand, based upon the way I was raised, which I am not departing from, and the deep study I have made. Silence no more.

Just now in the House: Over 100 Democrats are asking for unanimous consent to protect against cuts to SNAP and Medicaid by vote of the House on record.

North Carolina’s notorious Republican Rep Virginia Foxx has the floor and refuses to relinquish it to allow a vote to eliminate from Trump’s bill cuts that will close hundreds of rural hospitals, destroy health insurance for tens of millions, close hundreds of nursing homes with our elderly left with nowhere to go, destroy care for veterans, give a massive budget to the unaccountable secret police force called ICE that is bigger than the military budgets of most other nations on earth, and cause widespread hunger and misery … for a single purpose: Tax cuts for billionaires.

This bill goes beyond cruelty. This is wickedness in high places, immorality, and is fundamentally hostile to the mission and life of Jesus Christ and the American promise. It is a continuation and expansion of our long National Sin and Shame-our tradition of concentration camps, cruelty, segregation, slavery, and genocide.

Case in point: Just a bit ago, when Jim Clyburn of South Carolina invoked his request by (paraphrasing) for this nation to follow Jesus Christ’s absolute command of us to feed the hungry and care for the sick, Foxx refused to yield and the chair ruled that invoking Christ “constituted debate and is therefore out of order and cannot be entertained.”

But yes. Let’s continue to truly believe that this administration and its empty, immoral, indecent, and anti-Christian Republican party are, indeed, true Christians.

A family member memorably told me fairly recently I could not vote for a Democrat and escape going to hell. On the contrary, I dissent: It’s my firm, unshakeable belief no one can vote for Trump or any Republican on any level, and therefore for concentration camps, masked kidnappers, and white “Christian” nationalism and codified American cruelty and escape God’s ultimate, final, eternal, fatal judgment of hell. I would add that, as smirking folks are fond of telling me, “That’s not me saying it. It’s Christ himself.”

It’s time for actual, real Christians who are committed to follow and implement Christ’s main commandment: “Love one another” … and “Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me” to rise up, leave the cult of Trump and truly implement those Christ-given commands.

You want a Christ-centered nation? Fine. Then remember: Jeff Bezos and his handful of billionaire friends and their supporters can pass through the eye of needle easier tan they can get into heaven. You’re worshiping the wrong gods.

Here is what a true Christian nation would do right now: Supercharge Social Security to provide full retirement for anyone older than 60. Fully fund universal healthcare and remove the profit motive from it. Feed the hungry. House the homeless. Treat the mentally ill and addicted. Fully take care of all veterans. Honor honest labor with real, livable wages. Take in the oppressed of other lands, no matter their skin color. FOLLOW Christ’s commands. Period. He meant what he said and it was very plain.

Then, and ONLY then, may you call this nation “Christian”. Until then, you’re enjoying the cruelty and setting your own path to perdition. Hurting others is not what you should be about.

This is my firm appeal to friends and family who are blind to wake to your peril. This is my firm stand. What’s yours?