"Slow down, one thing at a time!" My mum would tell me when I came home all in a tizzy over something. These were wise words she spoke as I was trying to unravel the way I felt about a particular situation.
Over the last few weeks I have become immensely concerned about the momentum that Donald Trump has been gaining in the race to become the GOP nomination for this fall's presidential election. Certainly I have concerns about all the candidates, none are perfect, but Trump is the only one that gets me all in a tizzy and I have had to slow myself down and take one thing at a time to understand why.
The first is the name calling. The way he mocks those who stand in his way labeling them as "morons," "idiots," "losers" and "dummies." Then there's the disparaging comments he has made about Mexicans, the disabled, Megyn Kelly, his fellow GOP nominees and others. I explained to my ten year old daughter that if she talked about people the way Trump does she'd be sent on a timeout to her bedroom until she apologized. I don't believe that's bad parenting, I believe it's helping her understand the value of all people and teaching her to respect others even when we disagree. We don't have to dehumanize others for us to do well. It's not a win/lose equation.
Then there's the lies. Yes, the fact checkers have evidence that every candidate stretches the truth but Trump is way out there on this one. It's not just the blatant lies he tells its his inability to ever acknowledge fault even when confronted with the evidence. He shows no level of shame for anything he says. Even when he backtracks a little he never accepts he was wrong. I believe two of the most powerful statements a person of strong character can make are, "I was wrong" and "I am sorry." These statements demonstrate that a person is learning and growing and acknowledging their weaknesses. It demonstrates that they are on a journey to becoming fully human again. My ten year old understands this, we don't tolerate lying, it is the one thing you can't do in our home without consequence. Truth matters.
I also want to highlight Trump's xenophobia. It is part of a culture of fear. Trump called for "a total and complete shutdown on Muslims entering the United States." What happened to the idea of freedom of religion? He would add to this a call to build a wall to keep the Mexicans out and doesn't want to allow any Syrian refugees into the nation. He will use torture, waterboarding and worse, in the name of national security. This sort of rhetoric and practice must be opposed. The gospel call is clear that we are to love our enemies; it is clear that we are welcome the stranger; it is clear that we are to love our neighbor which Jesus puts a wonderful twist on by having the neighbor be a foreigner (a Samaritan).
My ten year old says Trump is a bully. She's listened to his words and heard his tone of voice. It doesn't take an expert to see this, it only requires a set of eyes that have been shaped by the gospel.
Trump is appealing to the angry voter. The apostle Paul reminds us that should not let the sun go down while we are still angry. If we are on a journey to be fully human again it is time to put anger aside and move on.
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