We’re Watching History
Well, when I said that the protests reminded me of the Arab Rising, I never thought I would be closer to the truth. On Monday, the Trump administration used the Park Police/National Guards/Secret Service (I’m not clear which set of law enforcement were involved) to shoot rubber bullets and to tear gas (or say we say chemically attack? If we are going to split hairs) peaceful protesters, all so he could do some cheesy propaganda for his base. Ol’ Bunker Boy really outdid himself this time.
Unfortunately, it looks like most of his evangelicals loved the propaganda; most saw it as a reassuring display of law and order instead of a violation of the First Amendment right to speech, right to assemble and right to protest. Evangelicals just don’t get it; they don’t realize how their support of Trump could rebound back to them. These First Amendment rights protect them too. Separation of church and state is another protection, allowing them to coexist with society and other religions, especially when change in power happens. Once… if it ever gets to that point… Trump gets full power where he does not need the voters, he will then stop pretending to be the religious savior. And then evangelicals, you can kiss your freedoms good-bye.
Pat Robertson seems to be the only evangelical to denounce the Trump administration’s heavy-handed actions; Ralph Reed and Robert Jeffress were reported to be overjoyed. Unfortunately, Pat Robertson’s denouncement is not enough to swing the evangelical votes.
The news around the world generally depicts feelings of horror, sadness, and maybe disbelief. The interview with Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, silent for 21 seconds while he tries to gather words to describe his feelings about U.S. law enforcements’ draconian use of tear gas, was especially poignant. I hope the evangelicals and the other Trump supporters watch this interview and weep. Because we could be witnessing the fall of America or at least the dismantling of our freedoms. The world may be thinking that it is watching America, the beacon of freedom, losing its freedoms after 200+ years. And maybe that is why they are protesting too, as a form of solidarity, telling us to hold on and to continue to fight.
The protests could go either way: transformative change that brings America to a higher level of freedoms or to a destruction. I just don’t know which way it will go.
So, Trump supporters, read, watch and weep, for you are the ones to bring about our destruction, if it comes to pass:
The world’s reactions to the Monday night tear gassing and cheesy photo-op
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