Sunday, July 14, 2024
In the Middle Ages, 10 popes were outrightly murdered, 31 others have been martyred, a kinder way of saying they were all killed, ever since poping began. I know poping is not a word, but when did that ever stop me from inventing one? Being a pope was a rough job, beginning with the first pope, Peter, who was crucified upside down! Some were killed by jealous husbands and others by jealous usurpers who wanted the job! Some died in battle and some died in jail, but what a dangerous job that was, to aspire to!
On Saturday, an assassination attempt was carried out against Donald Trump! I don’t support Mr. Trump, but that he was in the crosshairs of some idiot’s rifle is both unnerving and unacceptable! I have said some not too complimentary things about the former president, but from now on I will just stick to the issues and will not be partaking in belittling him! I think that our careless and hate-filled diatribes are some of the things that contribute to the violence and chaos that surround our political process. We don’t see our opponents as people, like we didn’t see slaves as humans! This gives us license to dehumanize or even eliminate them.
America has always been steeped in violence, and elected officials are not immunized against this threat, beginning with the assassination of Lincoln, all the way to the attempt on Ronald Reagan’s life! I think Squeaky Fromme’s failed attempt on Gerald Ford’s life was 6 years before. But Kennedy, Teddy Roosevelt, McKinley, Garfield were either assassinated, or in the case of Roosevelt and Ford and Reagan, had failed assassination attempts against them! But their batting average is still better than those of all those popes. What a ting!
It can be very difficult to censor one’s self, but I believe we should try to self-censor. To tone down the volume, which is at a maximum level right now, in this fevered election cycle. I will try to stick to facts when criticizing the former president, and not make it about his appearance or his proclivities, but about his politics, which I will always believe is harmful to the country. I hope that he lives a long and productive life after he’s defeated in November, hopefully!
America is unraveling, and now going into uncharted territory. We are all responsible for her welfare, her wellbeing, because it affects us all, globally! Toning down our political rhetoric is one form of lowering the temperature in the room. To learn to disagree without being disagreeable. To be able to see and realize that we all have our differences of opinions, but that through dialogue and civility, we can coexist in our communities, in our country! Is that so hard?
Glen