The escalation of racialized rhetoric from the President of the United States has evoked responses from all sides of the political spectrum. On one side, African American leaders have led the way in rightfully expressing outrage. On the other, those aligned with the President seek to downplay the racial overtones of his attacks, or remain silent.
As faith leaders who serve at Washington National Cathedral ¬– the sacred space where America gathers at moments of national significance – we feel compelled to ask: After two years of President Trump’s words and actions, when will Americans have enough?
As Americans, we have had such moments before, and as a people we have acted. Events of the last week call to mind a similarly dark period in our history:
“Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. … You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency?”
That was U.S. Army attorney Joseph Welch on June 9, 1954, when he confronted Senator Joseph McCarthy before a live television audience, effectively ending McCarthy’s notorious hold on the nation. Until then, under the guise of ridding the country of Communist infiltration, McCarthy had free rein to say and do whatever he wished. With unbridled speech, he stoked the fears of an anxious nation with lies; destroyed the careers of countless Americans; and bullied into submissive silence anyone who dared criticize him.
In retrospect, it’s clear that Welch’s question was directed less toward McCarthy and more to the nation as a whole. Had Americans had enough? Where was our sense of decency?
We have come to accept a level of insult and abuse in political discourse that violates each person’s sacred identity as a child of God. We have come to accept as normal a steady stream of language and accusations coming from the highest office in the land that plays to racist elements in society.
This week, President Trump crossed another threshold. Not only did he insult a leader in the fight for racial justice and equality for all persons; not only did he savage the nations from which immigrants to this country have come; but now he has condemned the residents of an entire American city. Where will he go from here?
Make no mistake about it, words matter. And, Mr. Trump’s words are dangerous.
These words are more than a “dog-whistle.” When such violent dehumanizing words come from the President of the United States, they are a clarion call, and give cover, to white supremacists who consider people of color a sub-human “infestation” in America. They serve as a call to action from those people to keep America great by ridding it of such infestation. Violent words lead to violent actions.
When does silence become complicity? What will it take for us all to say, with one voice, that we have had enough? The question is less about the president’s sense of decency, but of ours.
As leaders of faith who believe in the sacredness of every single human being, the time for silence is over. We must boldly stand witness against the bigotry, hatred, intolerance, and xenophobia that is hurled at us, especially when it comes from the highest offices of this nation. We must say that this will not be tolerated. To stay silent in the face of such rhetoric is for us to tacitly condone the violence of these words. We are compelled to take every opportunity to oppose the indecency and dehumanization that is racism, whether it comes to us through words or actions.
There is another moment in our history worth recalling. On January 21, 2017, Washington National Cathedral hosted an interfaith national prayer service, a sacred tradition to honor the peaceful transfer of political power. We prayed for the President and his young Administration to have “wisdom and grace in the exercise of their duties that they may serve all people of this nation, and promote the dignity and freedom of every person.”
That remains our prayer today for us all.
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington
The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean of Washington National Cathedral
The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas, Canon Theologian of Washington National Cathedral
Why is the McCarthy hearings relevant? I believe Joseph Kennedy pulled every string possible to get son Robert F. Kennedy the lead prosecuting attorney job for the hearings to be aced out by Roy Cohn a gay man later one of the Studio 54 regulars who died of AIDS. Are they trashing Cohn for his sexual orientation? It is true that RFK only served a couple weeks as assistant attorney general before resigning but he did stand as McCarthy’s children’s god father after the so called disgrace. After the McCarthy hearings the Marxist had to get American secrets by buying them whereas they were free before.
Who are they suggesting the next president be? There is a funny MEME being passed around in case a coalition of Warren and Harris form a team to oppose Make America Great Again. Normally I would post it but the Cathedral staff might get even more torqued. Who does George Soros want?
What a bunch of political pan-dering theatrical clow-ns ! The real racism is in their morning mirrors.
DC is so corrupt that every non-producing job that that lives off of the backs of others are in a panic. O’le Elija-h has run his mouth and bullied so long, he just figures it’s life. It’s about time he’s been called out and it’s time Daddy Nad and shifty get their due.
Of course the media rushes in to sniff every breaking wind in that subverted of evil place to pontificate and gush their views and opinions of other whor-es of the deep st-ate. Yep, CIAoogle, boobtube and other tech clowns load up their doctored produce to bowl over Boo-bus Americanus.
Well, it’s good to FINALLY have the ‘church’ speaking out against the racist rhetoric and misaligned prejudice against ‘non-whites’ in this land built on diversity, but I’m praying that ‘believers’ of every denomination will realize that by going public with his evil orientation Trump runs the risk of making GOD ‘angry’…and WE REALLY DON’T WANT THOSE CONSEQUENCES, FOLKS..! So, what are ‘We, the People’ going to do about it?!
TEC is basically a secular social club using Jesus as cover.
“We, the People” elected him (I did not vote for him myself.)
Isn’t ‘the jury still out’ on the legality of that vote count, considering possible vote-tampering’ by those behind the ‘Iron-Curtain’/Soviet interference?!
I am sick and tired of these sanctimonious types calling everyone “racist.” There was nothing racist, or racialist, about Trump’s comments on “the Squad” (the new Congresswomen) or about Baltimore.
Mr Trump is clearly the Chief Deplorable, and was voted in by the Deplorables in order to reduce the amount of political correctness that is infesting so much of the West. His mandate is also to drain the swamp, and he’s making some effort to do that. His comments go too far sometimes, and is a man not necessarily to be admired for his sexual morality (he has almost approached Democratic lows occasionally- see Kennedy, Johnson and Clinton), but the comments of many of his critics go much too far.
I might add as an aside that our Lord was much more scathing of religious leaders leading people astray than he was of people in the grip of “sins of the flesh”. He would have been very scathing about religious leaders advising people to indulge in some of those sins. Mr Trump does not profess to be a religious leader and doesn’t try to encourage Christians to abandon orthodox belief.
Last I heard the Diocese of Northern California (the one that includes San Francisco) is 92% white and probably is true for other urban areas including Washington DC. TEC is not multi-cultural and knows next to nothing about racism. Talking about true racism is very difficult because the discussion will easily slip into Asia and the Latin communities.
anecdote: I had some halibut in the freezer and asked my Puerto Rican friend if she could obtain a ceviche recipe from her grandmother. Silence. I prodded. Finally my friend told me grandma said ceviche is a Mexican dish. Grandma was a tad insulted by my ignorant request.
Virtue signalling.
Note that they aren’t going to actually do anything. Just try to shame other people into doing something. It’s not like they will excommunicate Donald Trump. But, apparently, the expectation is that someone in the administration will go into his office, tell him off, and take away his iPad, in order to win the approval of the “faith leaders” of a tiny sect of progressive Democrats at prayer….or meditation…or labyrinth walking.
If they want to be taken seriously, perhaps they should figure out how much TEC wealth came from destroying the indigenous population, from slavery, slums, turning rent control housing into executive offices, property foreclosures during the several panics in the 1800s and the Great Depression, not to mention using the massive political leverage of the wealthy Piskies of the late 1800s to secure the charter for the property now worth millions that sits under the National Cathedral. Add to that, Mr. Trump’s personal monetary contributions to the Episcopal Church.
Total up Trinity Wall Street and the other real estate and investment holdings of TEC, and donate those billions to construction of low income housing in Baltimore and other cities, and providing health care for the poor, and THEN, maybe, TEC would have some moral right to make these sorts of statements.
I don’t approve of Mr. Trump’s comments on members of the House of Representatives, or his comments about Baltimore. But then, I am a private citizen, not a tax exempt church sitting on a multi-million dollar property (formerly public land) that was donated under a charter voted by the Congress of the United States.
US Tax code:
“Organizations that are exempt from income tax under section 501(a) of
the Internal Revenue Code as organizations described in section 501(c)(3) may
not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of
statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any
candidate for public office. ”
While in 2017, the President did sign an executive order that the IRS was to give some latitude to churches to participate in the political process (ironic, as this statement being even borderline legal is dependent on Mr. Trump having signed that executive order). the prohibition on political campaigning for or against any candidate remains in place.
It’s that tax exempt thingy. Give up your tax less privileges and have at it.
If one reads the Book “Never Silent” by Thad Barnum, they will get a reality check of how condescending and racist the TEC was(is) towards the African Church.
Earlier this year I read a rather fatuous opinion piece in The Living Church from a priest explaining why he would deny communion to President Trump. I can’t say that I’m the greatest admirer of the man, but given the otherwise non-existent standards in TEC for communicants this was the “last” straw for me.
The further problem is that the allegation of “racial diatribe” is false. Trump’s tweets, his speeches, and his policies, are not “racist” under any normal definition of the word. “Racist” is the assumption that people’s value is determined by their skin color. Trump never says anything that comes anywhere near to that, not about Americans nor about immigrants, whether legal or illegal. His criticisms of leftist politicians is focused on their policy prescriptions, not their racial backgrounds.