I agree, David. We have to make them own it, all of it.
In 2017, I went in person to Bob Corker's Nashville office, and I asked his staff person whether Sen. Corker agreed with Donald Trump's statement that Mexicans are drug dealers and rapists. The staffer was a bit dumbfounded and tried to backpedal, but I pressed him: "Bob Corker has said nothing to oppose Trump's statement, and so silence can only be interpreted as consent. My preacher father drilled into me the idea that you are what you tolerate. And if you tolerate false and racist statements like this by Donald Trump, then you are false and racist. And that means you also have a personal issue with me, because I have blood relatives who are Hispanic and who proudly served our country in Iraq, and I do not take kindly to you standing by while they're called drug dealers and rapists."
The staffer assured me that Bob Corker did not think that, but I insisted that he then must say so publicly.
I shared that story when I talked to staffers of Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn by phone. And I asked if Sens. Hagerty and Blackburn agreed that Ukraine started the war, and that Zelenskyy is a dictator, and if they'd have voted with Russia and North Korea at the UN, and if they were cool with an unelected official who wasn't confirmed by the Senate closing our local Social Security office by fiat, and if Haitian immigrants were eating our pets. You are what you tolerate, and they tolerated all of this and more. And Hagerty actually issued some weasel-worded statement about Haitian immigrants that refused to condemn Trump and Vance.
Remember, please, that the staffers have to own this, too. When I call, I try to make a point of asking them if they agree, immediately acknowledging that I know they are not allowed to offer their own opinion. But I tell them that I have some previous experience working in politics, and I know that these people will steal your soul if you let them, and I am concerned about their souls. I ask them to go home and think about who and what they're enabling when they work for people like Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty. They're not used to being confronted in this way, but it needs to happen. If liars do not inherit the kingdom of God, and you're working every day to support liars, then you need someone to impose a reality check on your soul.
I always heard, the Great Depression was initially known as The Great Republican Depression until Republicans took command of the media. Having Republican Presidents, Warren G Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover one after another caused that to occur.
My curiosity is regarding your use of specific, intentional, incendiary words and phrases.
When you isolate “white christians” is your purpose to raise the ire of those who might be white, might be christian and might be conservative? Advocating the “accosting” of any individual, white, black, man, woman etc can only be regulated as hate speech. Yes, you attempted to cover intent with subsequent disclaimers and that smacks of something akin to a disingenuous position.
The rhetoric that has built since the election has become something more than opposing views. As an unapologetic politically conservative individual I have perceived a sense that there are members of my community who have dismissed from their lives my existence based on a pull of the lever. This is so unacceptably sad I am almost at a loss for words.
To be on the receiving end of an accusation of being a Nazi, a racist, an angry rich white guy is new to me but I’m sure I will survive. You know, I’m nothing if not a proponent of the ancient wisdom “sticks and stones…”. The breaking of my skeletal structure notwithstanding, I do have a fear.
My fear is that the narrative regarding my character and the character of those who voted in kind should be, not only questioned but conclusions drawn immediately replete with disparaging remarks. My fear is the grace extended to the subjects of His kingdom are disregarded and justifiably so. My fear is these times have every reasonable possibility of leaving scars that cannot be covered. My fear is that the terminal velocity at which the narrative builds will overtake the unsuspecting town crier of this animosity and recovery from these days shall not be achieved.
Can we not disagree and still share a meal? Can we not be on opposite sides if an issue, no matter the weight, and share a cab, a thought, a savior? I think we can.
I agree, David. We have to make them own it, all of it.
In 2017, I went in person to Bob Corker's Nashville office, and I asked his staff person whether Sen. Corker agreed with Donald Trump's statement that Mexicans are drug dealers and rapists. The staffer was a bit dumbfounded and tried to backpedal, but I pressed him: "Bob Corker has said nothing to oppose Trump's statement, and so silence can only be interpreted as consent. My preacher father drilled into me the idea that you are what you tolerate. And if you tolerate false and racist statements like this by Donald Trump, then you are false and racist. And that means you also have a personal issue with me, because I have blood relatives who are Hispanic and who proudly served our country in Iraq, and I do not take kindly to you standing by while they're called drug dealers and rapists."
The staffer assured me that Bob Corker did not think that, but I insisted that he then must say so publicly.
I shared that story when I talked to staffers of Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn by phone. And I asked if Sens. Hagerty and Blackburn agreed that Ukraine started the war, and that Zelenskyy is a dictator, and if they'd have voted with Russia and North Korea at the UN, and if they were cool with an unelected official who wasn't confirmed by the Senate closing our local Social Security office by fiat, and if Haitian immigrants were eating our pets. You are what you tolerate, and they tolerated all of this and more. And Hagerty actually issued some weasel-worded statement about Haitian immigrants that refused to condemn Trump and Vance.
Remember, please, that the staffers have to own this, too. When I call, I try to make a point of asking them if they agree, immediately acknowledging that I know they are not allowed to offer their own opinion. But I tell them that I have some previous experience working in politics, and I know that these people will steal your soul if you let them, and I am concerned about their souls. I ask them to go home and think about who and what they're enabling when they work for people like Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty. They're not used to being confronted in this way, but it needs to happen. If liars do not inherit the kingdom of God, and you're working every day to support liars, then you need someone to impose a reality check on your soul.
This is incredibly helpful, Randy. Thank you.
Yes to this x1000
I always heard, the Great Depression was initially known as The Great Republican Depression until Republicans took command of the media. Having Republican Presidents, Warren G Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover one after another caused that to occur.
My curiosity is regarding your use of specific, intentional, incendiary words and phrases.
When you isolate “white christians” is your purpose to raise the ire of those who might be white, might be christian and might be conservative? Advocating the “accosting” of any individual, white, black, man, woman etc can only be regulated as hate speech. Yes, you attempted to cover intent with subsequent disclaimers and that smacks of something akin to a disingenuous position.
The rhetoric that has built since the election has become something more than opposing views. As an unapologetic politically conservative individual I have perceived a sense that there are members of my community who have dismissed from their lives my existence based on a pull of the lever. This is so unacceptably sad I am almost at a loss for words.
To be on the receiving end of an accusation of being a Nazi, a racist, an angry rich white guy is new to me but I’m sure I will survive. You know, I’m nothing if not a proponent of the ancient wisdom “sticks and stones…”. The breaking of my skeletal structure notwithstanding, I do have a fear.
My fear is that the narrative regarding my character and the character of those who voted in kind should be, not only questioned but conclusions drawn immediately replete with disparaging remarks. My fear is the grace extended to the subjects of His kingdom are disregarded and justifiably so. My fear is these times have every reasonable possibility of leaving scars that cannot be covered. My fear is that the terminal velocity at which the narrative builds will overtake the unsuspecting town crier of this animosity and recovery from these days shall not be achieved.
Can we not disagree and still share a meal? Can we not be on opposite sides if an issue, no matter the weight, and share a cab, a thought, a savior? I think we can.