I'd Ring Out Love

we had a conversation with some friends last night about a nephew of theirs.  they were perplexed by the changes they have observed in him.  on the one hand, their nephew is a kind person.  he is active in his church, spending much of his time in helping prepare and serve meals to the homeless and participating in fundraisers to benefit the church's outreach missions.  on the other hand, he is an ardent follower of the "maga" movement, attending rallies that support donald trump and his endorsed political candidates.  he vows that he is ready to take up arms in support of his political beliefs if that becomes necessary.

our friends are deeply disturbed by the political radicalization of their nephew and wonder how two seemingly disparate personalities seem to dwell in him.  they say that before donald trump came on the scene, he was a moderate conservative with little interest in politics.  we see the same behavior in some of our relatives and acquaintances and are at a loss to explain it.  it's easy to say that this dichotomy is the fault of trump, but, while the "maga" philosophy may be the catalyst, there is something else that was there long before donald trump became a political force.

it may be that many people see themselves as superior to members of other races and religions, that they see those who are less fortunate as deserving help and sympathy but somehow inferior to them.  perhaps they fear the decline of power among whites, especially white men, as threatening and are determined to hold on to their traditional roles as those who are in control of the mechanisms of government.  maybe the hatred that trump voices publicly has given them permission to express their own prejudices and hatreds more forcefully.

whatever the cause, the rise of anti-democratic sentiment in our country is disturbing.  may those who are a part of trump's movement see the danger their support of such views poses.  may those who believe in the innate goodness of others continue in that belief and continue to be filled with lovingkindness.  may the force of good ultimately triumph over prejudice and hatred.  shalom.