This is no longer about presidential and partisan politics it is about whether you endorse a man who has been overtly aggravating and inciting the darkest angels of the American character. There is absolutely no way for you or anyone else to disassociate their support and vote for Donald Trump from the racist, misogynistic, and jingoistic rhetoric that is at the core of his campaign. Any and every effort to qualify or explain voting for Donald Trump is fatuous in the face of the ugliness beating at the heart of his campaign.
There are moments in the history of people, communities, and nations that come to be recognized as dividing lines when a particular decision for one choice or action unequivocally defined the future. This will become one of those moments, and citizens of the future will ask us what we did to stop the bloom of new age fascism. Growing up in Indiana I wanted to know whether my grandfather was in the Klu Klux Klan when the Indiana chapter had more members than any other state in the country. Who stood up against fascism, not in 1939 when it was too late, but in 1932? Who spoke up against anti-Semitism, not after the gates of Auschwitz were opened but when the churches were calling them Christ-killers? Who stood up for the rights of Muslims to live in peace and unhindered in their faith, not only against Donald Trump’s Constitutional apostasy but the day after 9/11/01?
This is that kind of moment.
In fact it is the ugly culmination of a campaign that began strategically and far more subtly in 1980. It was an intentional titillation to inspire divisions within our society along cultural, racial, and ethnic boundaries in order to win elections. Trump is the logical conclusion of that effort, one I don’t think even the original authors of the campaign had in mind. But here it is, and here we are, and this is the moment that will separate you from all those who mouth lofty values but collaborate with racism, misogyny, and jingoism.
If you cannot vote for Hillary, fine, stay home. But do not remain silent over these next six months. Speak up against Trump. Your voice will be more powerful because you are a Republican. Speak up against Trump and all he represents and provokes in the darkest shadows of the human mind. Speak up against Trump and anyone else who campaigns for exclusion, promotes fear of ‘the other,’ and denigrates people because of who they are or how they look. Speak up against your own political party if or when they ‘rally around the candidate’ and look the other way from his new age fascism in favor of gaining power and control.
Now is the time, dear Republicans, your time.
Sharing this wherever I think it might have the potential to get through and have some influence. Thanks, Cam, for saying this and saying it well.
Thanks for passing it on!
Yes, well said!
Thanks Sue, as always.
Thanks Cam. Great stuff. I share it all the time and this will be shared with about a 1,000 souls out there. Bless and stay great.
Thank you my friend. Solidarity!
Thank you for writing this thoughtful call for soldarity. I will share it also.
Thank you, I’m grateful to you for sharing it.
This is bull crap. Sorry but the Donald will win
Thanks for your point of view.
Dear Cam
We were out-of-country-guests at the service yesterday, visiting with our wonderful cousins in Penn Yan. We were both grateful and touched by your homily yesterday, and I’m grateful for this blog post; I encounter your words as a thoughtful reminder of who we are called to be as followers of Christ.
Thank you.
Bless your heart, I do appreciate the affirmation as this was a post that received a great deal of unpublishable pushback. Was so pleased to meet you and hope our paths cross again. Thank you.