President Trump’s ban on immigration from seven nations, with an emphasis on Muslims is a threat to our democracy and an action we should all fear. The protests and alarm of so many Americans is heartening and hopeful. We care. Our freedoms matter. We have principles that need to be upheld like valuing diversity, showing compassion, supporting religious freedom, and rejecting outright racism under the guise of “Keeping America Safe.”
If we as Americans want to be safe, we must face the fact that most mass shootings in the United States had nothing to do with radical Islamists. That is not to say that radical Islamic militants, or the radical Christian right, or Jewish extremism are not a threat to peace around the world. But guns and our fascination with violence in the United States threaten our peace and do not keep us safe. If we want to keep America safe lets take on the American Rifle Association, violent video games, and the endless offerings of TV shows based on violent crimes albeit in an attempt to solve them.
But, I digress.
Back to the Executive Branch of our government. We cannot go about life as usual when out of the blue come executive orders that ought to make even faithful followers shutter. We know where religious discrimination can lead. We have seen genocides in our time, and the devastation and death associated with self serving dictators. And we have said, never again.
Consider this. Chaos might just be what the Trump administration wants, along with the press that accompanies it. And how about distracting us with what the right hand is doing while the left hand works its deception? As long as some, or even half of the American population can believe in propaganda and one liners to defend the most heinous of actions, “Make American great again,” and “Keep America safe,” and who knows what comes next, President Trump has carte blanche to do whatever he wants. We must be vigilant.
Knowing something about the world of religion, I am familiar with false prophets and dangerous charismatic leaders who develop and control cults. This feels a lot like that. I tremble. I am with those who are desperately trying to hold on to sanity amidst the clever tyrannic madness that is at work and seems confident in their power to work over our minds and take over the national agenda.
I pray for the survival of our democracy which rests with an awakened public and a bipartisan Congress able to stand up to the Executive Branch and if needed, the defense of an independent Supreme Court.