HOW THE US TURNED FROM BARACK OBAMA TO DONALD TRUMP
©Wendell
Griffen, 2017
Justice Is a Verb!
Perhaps you and other people you
know may be trying to understand how Donald J. Trump will succeed Barack H.
Obama as President of the United States on January 20, 2017. The answer to that question is multi-faceted
and straight-forward, but not pleasant.
The electoral answer is that Donald
Trump received more votes in the Electoral College than did his chief opponent,
Hillary Clinton. While Clinton received
millions more votes than Trump did overall, the President of the United States
is determined by whoever receives the largest number of Electoral College votes
based on choices made by voters in each state.
Donald Trump is unlike Barack Obama. Trump has a reputation for personal and
commercial racism, sexism, xenophobia, bullying workers, and acrimonious dishonesty. Obama has a reputation for thoughtfulness, concern
about justice, equality, inclusion, and collegiality. The people who voted for Mr. Trump obviously
prefer policies consistent with his reputation and character than that of Mr.
Obama.
In other words, the 2016 presidential
election contest showed that people in Southern, Western, and so-called Rust
Belt States (in the Great Lakes region of the United States) went to the polls
determined to elect someone known for being everything President Obama has never
been or wanted to be. It will be interesting to observe how Trump supporters will respond when his presidential conduct
resembles his overall personal history.
White Christians who self-identify as “evangelicals”
and self-styled white nationalists were key constituency groups for Mr.
Trump. These voters have supported
politicians like Donald Trump for generations.
In 2016, the difference was that these groups voted in larger numbers in
the states that mattered most in deciding the election outcome.
The United States will soon enter a
period where national policies will be driven by a narcissistic white male
supremacist with a known propensity for dishonesty, disrespect for people who
are different, and idolatry of self. It
is telling that Mr. Trump received support from so many people who profess to
being followers of Jesus, a Palestinian Jew who included women among his
closest followers and treated them with respect, someone who was an immigrant
refugee as a child (and probably undocumented at that), and a social
progressive who was put to death by the Roman Empire based on false testimony
fabricated by his religious enemies.
The truth is that Donald Trump resembles
more people in the United States than many people thought were around. Some of us, however, have always known that
the talk about the United States entering a “post-racial” era was hogwash. We knew what people were really saying when
they embraced the Tea Party and signed on to its rhetoric about “wanting my
country back.” Our elders warned us that
“smiling faces tell lies.”
White Democratic politicians in the
South distanced themselves from President Obama from the beginning of his presidency. Democratic office holders in Arkansas, Louisiana, and other southern states, who counted on help from Senator Barack
Obama to win their elections in 2006, refused to campaign for his policies
after 2008 even when those policies resulted in healthcare becoming more
available and affordable for their constituents.
As the nation prepares to observe the
holiday marking the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for the last time
during President Obama’s presidency, we should remember what Dr. King wrote about
racial and social inequality in an essay published after his death. In that essay, titled A Testament of Hope, Dr. King termed the problems of inequality and
injustice as being “so tenacious because, despite its virtues and attributes,
America is deeply racist and its democracy is flawed both economically and
socially.”
Remember those words from Dr. King as
the nation marks the King Holiday for the final time before President Obama
leaves office.
Remember those words from Dr. King next
week as the nation begins a new era defined by the presidency of Donald
Trump.
And from now on, whenever someone asks
how the US came to be led by a President named Trump after having been led by a
President named Obama, quote these words from Dr. King: “Despite
its virtues and attributes, America is deeply racist and its democracy is
flawed both economically and socially.”
Donald Trump is proof that Dr. King was
a prophet.
Thank you, Pastor Griffen, for a stimulating and insightful analysis of American democracy. Since it was my privilege to teach sociology courses on cultural diversity, race, ethnicity, and women for 31 years, I
ReplyDeleteconcur wholeheartedly with you and the quote from Dr. King. Fortunately, as you are fully aware, God sees and knows all that has happened, and His justice will prevail in this world and the next; in the meantime, it is our duty and responsibility to let Him lead and guide us toward the doing of His will. Proverbs 31:8-9. Julian Bridges
There has to be logic that is different in both sides. The major factor is the movement of no care of our border. The answer is important to all Americans.
ReplyDeleteHere is the possible answer that seems to apply to this division and that is Mexico, America and Canada to become ONE NATION run by ONE leader with and team of leader aid based on three Nations that exist now.
This makes real sense as to why the Last Administration did not deal with illegals and Criminals moving across the border of Mexico and America with all public aid given to them even though they are not citizens.
This makes good sense as roads and other means of movement from Mexico to Canada has been under the object of approval in the past many years. Remember Bush spoke Spanish.
It appears at this point that Trump was approved by God as he supports Israel and God. That was not the case for the other Party. This would make him God's choice over others.
Might be a good move for all the remember that Trump is a Business Man and has been very successful in this field. He will and has applied that tactics to accomplish what he sees as good by apply his business maneuvers against his opposition. Note that God is not recognized by his opposite but the Republican side does.
Time to pray that God's Will is done not ours.
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Brother, I respectfully disagree with you. I am half hispanic. My Father is full and my Grandfather came here from Mexico. I am no racist. I voted for Obama twice and was very disappointed in him. I voted for Trump and received flak when I said he would win.
ReplyDeleteThe Far Left are infected with spirits that do not agree with moderate and conservative Democrats, Republicans, or Independents and they will be moving to the Republicans I believe Heaven has appointed President Trump and that he has the backing of the majority in this Country.
It is written in the Bible, when there were those that accused Jesus of doing miracles by the power of Satan, that a wise Leader stood up and asked them if Satan used his power against himself, and if these miracles are from God they would be fighting God himself.
It is very interesting to see a massive movement by the Satanists Worldwide creating spells against President Trump and a vast amount of Christians praying for him.
There are millions of people of color supporting President Trump. We do not agree with everything the Republicans do but they are currently vastly superior to the Far Left.
You are a great man and I respect you very much. Remember what you told us in Juror orientation about bias.
We can agree to disagree.
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