It is a sad day for so many people in our country and honestly around the world. Today we say goodbye to Barack Obama, one of our greatest leaders, and hello to... I can't even.
In the words of John Pavlovitz:
"Let the record show that I did not consent to this. Let it show that I did not vote for this man, that he did not represent me, that I did not believe he was deserving of being here, that I grieved his ascension. Let History record my objection to him, to the ways he humiliated women and vilified Muslims and threatened protestors and disregarded people of color. Let it record my repulsion at his tremendous cruelty, his lack of compassion, his contempt for dissension, his absence of simple decency. Let witnesses mark down my disgust at the way he boasted of infidelity, at how he ridiculed a disabled reporter, at the way he attacked female opponents for their appearance, at the way he marginalized immigrants."
"Let it be remembered that I did not look the other way when women accused him of assault, when the reality of his Russian alliances came to light, when he refused to share his tax records—though large portions of the American media and its people chose to. Let it be remembered that I did not buy into the fear that he perpetuated of those with brown skin or hijabs or foreign birthplaces."
"Let the record show that I looked on with disbelief as he spent countless early morning and middle-of-the-night hours following the election on social media, broadcasting a steady stream of petulant, insecure, incoherent messages instead of preparing to do a job he was ill-equipped for and seemingly not all that interested in. Let the record show that I watched him assemble a Cabinet of billionaires and bigots, of people woefully unqualified to steward our children, our safety, our healthcare, our financial stability—and that I was horrified by it all."
"Let it be remembered that my faith would not allow me to fall in line behind this man while so many professed religious people did; that I saw nothing resembling Jesus in him, and that to declare him Christian would have been to toss aside everything I grew up believing faith in Christ manifested in a life. [emphasis mine]
"Let History record my grieving at the racism and bigotry and homophobia that characterized his campaign, marked his supporters, and is evident in his assembling Administration. Let it be known that I was one of the more than 65 million people who voted for Hillary Clinton; who understood that though not perfect, she was an intelligent, experienced, passionate public servant with the temperament, commitment, and qualifications to lead and lead well."
'Let the record show that I greatly lamented the day of his inauguration, and that I promised to join together with other good people to loudly resist and oppose every unscrupulous, dangerous, unjust, and dishonest act this new Administration engages in."
Tomorrow I will participate in the Women's March on Washington, as will many others across the US and around the world. I will join the countless women (and men) who feel as John Pavlovitz does. Trump will never be my president. He is not for us! In the words of Jesus, "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters" (Matthew 12:30). I see Trump as a man who scatters. Like Pavlovitz, I see nothing resembling Jesus in that man. We are told that we can identify God's people "by their fruit, that is, by the way they act" (Matthew 7:16—New Living Translation). It is not to say that I believe myself to be above reproach (clearly). We all fail and "fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3:23), but we must also repent (turn away from sin) and strive to follow Jesus' command to love one another. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34). Jesus gave up his life for us. I do not see Trump as a man who loves anyone other than himself. I have been taught to honor and respect my leaders (spiritual and secular), even when I don't always agree with their perspective; however, I am having and will continue to have trouble honoring, let alone respecting, a man who behaves as Trump does. But instead of despairing over the next four years, I am going to rely on God to protect and deliver us from the inevitable evil this man will bring upon our country, either directly or through people who support him. We can take "refuge in the shadow of [God's] wings until the disaster has passed" (Psalm 57:1). I will continue to speak up for those who are silenced and ask God to keep us safe and to protect us from the violent and those who devise ways to trip our feet (Psalm 140:4). God promises to "protect [us] from those who malign [us]" (Psalm 12:5). As our currency states, "In God We Trust." In God I trust—for I must, if I am going to weather the days to come.
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