Robert Hubbell on Today’s Edition posted President Biden’s Christmas message as well as the message from the leading Republican candidate to replace him next year. The contrast was so striking as to beggar comparison. I sent this letter to my Congresswoman, Ann Wagner, and both Missouri Senators, Josh Hawley (who is seeking re-election and has expressly endorsed the former president) and Eric Schmitt. Policy differences, as many as there are, aside, the misanthropic bile inherent in what Trump said should be enough to disqualify him from public notice, let alone public office. That is probably will not is the saddest comment in a year of sad comments on our political environment as we end the year 2023.
This is Donald Trump’s Christmas message to the world from his Truth Social medium:
“MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL . . .
Includ[ing] World Leaders, both good and bad, but none of which are as EVIL and SICK as the THUGS we have inside our Country . . . . [Including the] Woke Military, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Iran, All Electric Car Lunacy, and so much more, [who] are looking to DESTROY our once great USA.
MAY THEY ROT IN HELL.
AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
This is how the man you support for the Presidency of the United States greeted the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, whose message of love for our fellow people “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” resonates even now, over 2000 years after his torture and crucifixion at the hands of the political and religious leaders of his time.
You maintain that you are a Christian, please find me the Christianity in Mr. Trump’s message. You say that you are a loyal American; please explain to me how that message reflects the essence of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution based on equality under the law and the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said very plainly, that no one can serve two masters. You can choose service to America and your constituents, based on your avowed faith and allegiance to the founding documents and principles that govern our country, or you can serve the hateful, authoritarian, narcissism that Donald Trump espouses. The choice is yours, and it should be easy; I pray that you will choose well and, having made that choice, disavow the former president, his clique of supporters that includes Nazis, racists, and antisemites, and help return the Republican party to its proud position as the party of Lincoln, Coolidge, Eisenhower, and Bush.
God be with you and bless you in your deliberations. Our country has not, in my lifetime, been in greater need of faithful, moral, and ethical leadership.
It’s an odd place to do so, but I wish all of you a very happy and blessed New Year in 2024 and have high hopes that we won’t live in times that are quite so interesting next year.
I've given up trying to understand what motivates Trump supporters. I also don't understand what motivates cultists, racists, misogynists, nationalist, religious fanatics, or bigots either. Trump's motivations, on the other hand, are pretty easy to figure. He must be the center of attention. Anyone who has parented a 2-year old has experienced this. Most people grow out of it. Trump hasn't.
Just like with a 2-year old, the challenge for the rest of us is how to deal with someone who is happy to behave badly.
It seems as though, as a country, we have settled into morbid curiosity. Every day has a new example of aberrant attention seeking behavior.
IMHO, it's time to focus our attention on good behavior and take the steps we need to take to make sure that bad behavior isn't rewarded with more attention.
In this case, good behavior is making the case for our family, friends, and neighbors to use their vote to reward good behavior. Ultimately democracy survives only if a majority of the country WANTS democracy to survive.
Thank you for that letter. Very well written. When I read Mr. Hubbell's newsletter, early this morning, and got to TFG's "truth" social post, it was like having a gallon of cold water dumped on my head. I'm trying to have an actual day off, for the first time in ages, but needed to respond to this.