“Peace. Peace on Earth.”

“President” Tr*mp was asked on NYE if he had a New Year’s resolution. His bullsh*t answer was, “Peace. Peace on earth.” Know why he said that? Because it’s all he needs to say. He knows his cult of MAGA won’t question it, and will keep peddling a false theology to justify war and brutality in Jesus’ name, while Jesus actually weeps (and does a facepalm). This is abhorrent news today about the bombing and kidnapping in Venezuela, that happened without provocation (the bombing of alleged boats with drugs/terrorists a violent, convenient misleading narrative), and we have an unhinged president, cowardice congress, and a brutal, bully Department of “War” indeed. This administration and their cult of enablers and followers will pretend there is righteousness behind this brutality. They will use blasphemy around words like morality and divine “right”. They will wrap militarism in “patriotism” in a fantasy of America’s “greatness” feeling heroic because they are loyal to the Orange King. It is deeply tragic and utterly embarrassing that MAGA will continue to swallow such ill justifications in the name of nationalism when in reality it is a lack of critical thinking and historical understanding. (Why do you think education is under attack in the U.S. or that we don’t have funding for it, only for war?) No, this is empire. It is sin. I feel sick and sad and mad. This is the predictable result of decades of white Christian nationalism, and propaganda about drugs (remember- Tr*mp pardoned a convicted, massive cocaine kingpin, and others- the “war on drugs” is a facade). I find it quite rich that a corrupt, vile, criminal, grifter, who uses the military against his own citizens, and tried to steal an election is pretending to despise a dictator of another country. He does.not.care. about the well-being of the Venezuelan people. This outcome is the result of fear mongering about human beings, vilifying and scapegoating, all so people will vote someone like him in despite his vile existence. It’s about power and oil, and stealing resources and subsequently refusing to take in the refugees we’ve created. Same as it’s always been. It’s Vietnam. It’s Iraq. (Sacrificing and lying to soldiers about WMD for Cheney’s greedy benefit.) It’s Ukraine. It’s Gaza. It’s xenophobia. It’s transphobia. It’s about corruption and lining the pockets of the wealthy. It’s unconstitutional. It’s American exceptionalism. It’s a distraction. (Epstein, Jack Smith’s damning testimony, the dire state of our economy, etc.) It’s _______. The lie about “diplomacy” under the reality of violence, a theme in the United States of America, goes on. Is Maduro a dictator and a bad guy? Yes. Was this attack legal/justified? No. (Will some foreign country come and kidnap Tr*mp? Aren’t Republicans always going off about “slippery slopes”?) For Tr*mp, it’s not about Maduro no matter what he says. He spent care about the Venezuelan people; he cares about oil and greed. The international order put in place after WWII is being dismantled before our very eyes. This will have global implications. History has shown us the destabilization and horrific consequences when acts like this from the U.S. occur. Write and call your reps. Say something. Lord have mercy. As a chaplain/ordained person, as a follower of Jesus, as a human being for God’s sake, I cannot and will not stay silent about this, nor any of it, and neither should you.

Sigh…Here we are. It’s still Christmas…