A tempting thought.
But blaming Shadowy Conspiracies is ultimately a mug’s game (and therefore the go to strategy of the MAGA cult). Whatever the considerable involvement of Russia in the election of Trump and the rise of MAGA, the ultimate fact is that America did this to itself. Putin did not change us. He and Trump are both enzymes who helped activate and energize pathologies that are deep in our national character.
At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it?– Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never!–All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.
At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.” – Abraham Lincoln
The words Americans most need to learn are these: “Through my fault, through my fault, through my own most grievous fault.”
There is mercy for us even now, from God. But as long as we cast around forever for somebody else to blame for our sins, Donald Trump will continue to most truly and deeply represent us.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
“Yet even now,” says the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and tear your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in mercy,
and repents of evil. (Joel 2:12–13)
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4 Responses
That’s convicting, Mark. I see the same scapegoating tendency in myself. Reminds me of Solzhenitsyn’s comment about the line between good and evil passing right through every human heart–and all human hearts
That caption also leaves out that we only elected that “brilliant, caring and sincere African American as President” as a last resort, after the opposing political party had dragged us into an unnecessary war and crashed the economy.
Trump is a symptom, not the problem. The problem is that a large swath of the American people are stupid.
We went to see the 50th Anniversary re-release of JAWS last night. Still holds up. A classic. Watching it, it occurred to me:
The Mayor is toast, right? No way is he going to win his next election. He is Mayor of Shark City. “Those people think YOU want the beaches open!” He’s done, right?
And along came JAWS 2, and Mayor Vaughan is still in charge, years later. I thought: How can people be SOOO stupid?
And then I thought: Oh, wait. Reality is actually way worse. People not only are that stupid. They can be WILLFULLY stupid.