In his July 26 guest column, Father Alexis Miller draws a huge red herring across the road to the 2024 Presidential Election when he advances yet another conspiracy to explain the understandable opposition to another Trump presidency.
There is no need to construct a vast conspiracy of hatred of Trump among a “ruling class” to explain opposition to elevating once again to the White House a man who:
• Has demonized, vilified, dehumanized, insulted anyone who questioned or opposed him, sowing division, hatred, and contempt throughout his campaigns and his presidency, even to the point of seemingly encouraging violence against those he demonizes, his opponents, the opposition, and the media,
• Has undermined our most fundamental democratic institutions and core principles, most especially our system of elections, and the absolutely basic idea of the peaceful transfer of power.
• In his first run for office encouraged Putin/Russian involvement in his election campaign.
• Repeatedly expressed admiration for authoritarian leaders (Putin, Orban, etc.)
• Sought to make US aid to Ukraine conditioned upon that country advancing his re-election campaign interests
• Has invited Putin “to do whatever he wants” in Western Europe if NATO does not do his bidding.
• Promised to use the Justice Department and other executive agencies to exact revenge against those who have opposed him, even those who were part of his executive team who did not support his plot to remain in office after he lost the 2020 election.
• Engaged in a plot to overthrow the 2020 election that he lost by seven million votes, after having lost dozens of court challenges, many before judges he had appointed, as he advanced wild, fabricated, and unfounded claims of election fraud.
Finally, in response to Miller’s final argument, that the opposition to Trump is based of hate for Christ and Christianity: As a Christian I object. And on behalf of all believers of other faiths, and non-believers, I object. In his attempt to resurrect Trump and his presidency, Miller chooses a strange savior for what he calls a Christian movement.
As for the “MAGA movement back to a Christian nation,” as Miller calls it: please read the First Amendment to the Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or abridging the free exercise thereof …,” and Article 6, clause 3 of the Constitution: “… and all executive and judicial officers (there is not exclusion for the President or Trump) shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” The framers of our constitution were deeply concerned not to create a Christian nation.
David Hadley is a Crawfordsville resident.
