lies and truth in phoenix...

From time to time I refocus my reflections here to address the state of the union or a particularly encouraging or troubling event in our common life. With precious little ethical commentary taking place in the mainstream - and the current regime cranking out truly fake news and lies faster than even social media can cover it - I believe it is essential to periodically offer moral interpretations of the news. That is part of the charge given to "the people of the Book" as the Abrahamic traditions are sometimes called. Other faith traditions have comparable moral principles to evaluate politics, culture and economics, too and their insights are equally important in this age of social amnesia.

Last night's Presidential rant in Phoenix was particularly troubling both because of the ugly and unhinged nature of the speaker's spontaneous comments, and, because of his manipulation of truth. True to form, 45 plays to his base who despise and distrust what they call the "cosmopolitan cultural elite." He growls and struts, he taunts and insults, he lies and then calls his dishonesty the truth. Time and again last night, the President quoted himself in a highly edited form to augment his case that the elites are against him. And after lying repeatedly, he then attacked the media's credibility as well as their love of America. BBC News put it like this:

Spot the difference: Donald Trump has been talking about Charlottesville again... but is he leaving something out? http://www. bbc.com/news/av/world-us-ca

Dan Rather made this observation::

But why does he attack the press, as "bad people" who "don't like our country?" "Sick people?" Why does he say "the only people giving a platform to these hate groups is the media and the fake news?" CNN, the New York Times, and the Washington Post is the enemy. Fox News and Sean Hannity are the good guys.  his bombast is because the press is a check on power. The press is performing its constitutional responsibilities. The investigative reporting has drawn blood. 

The forces of political gravity that have tethered his agenda to reality

went unstated. So he attacks sanctuary cities. He touts a wall that is apparently being built, and over which he is willing to apparently shut down the government. He hinted at a pardon for the controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "Sheriff Joe can feel good." He keeps fighting the battle over health care, unable to let go of a stinging defeat. Over and over he said "one vote away..." fully conscious that one of those key votes that doomed his health care effort was the senior senator from Arizona, John McCain. "I won't mention any names. Very presidential." And then he attacked the junior senator from Arizona, Republican and Trump critic Jeff Flake, without mentioning his name either. But the tenor was clear. Mr. Trump was ready to attack any GOP senator who has the temerity to go against him. 

This was Trump as candidate, uncaged, unscripted, unabashed, and frankly unhinged. The crowd got to chant "lock her up" to the name of Hillary Clinton and cheer a president who claims that he has accomplished more than any president at this point in a term (never mind reality). He was playing to the home crowd. But there is a much bigger world out there, no matter the picture Mr. Trump may wish to paint.  

Clearly you can fool all of the people some of the time. But with only a 33% approval rating, the demagoguery of our befuddled and deceitful Commander in Chief continues to unravel.  Thousands of opponents have taken to the streets in peaceful protest.  My colleague in the local NAACP noted that the true take away from last Saturday's counter demonstration in Boston was:  Black people peacefully lead 40,000 people through the city to chase white supremacists out of public space! (check it out @ https:// www.facebook. com/NAACPBerkshires/posts/1423868604375428)

I see the presence of the Living God taking shape and form in those who call out Neo-Nazis and the Klan. As Americans, they have the right to hold unholy opinions but not the right to impose them upon others. And certainly never the right to have their prejudices go unchallenged. I give thanks to the Lord for my friends, family and colleagues who were in Charlottesville, Boston and Phoenix. Sounds like Amos 5 in spades!

O you that turn justice to wormwood,
and bring righteousness to the ground!
Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.
Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 

Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals
I will not look upon.
Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.