Inauguration 2025

 

One of my most faithful readers said she was anticipating my blog this week--I guess in reaction to the inauguration of Donald Trump as our 47th president.  I was too overwhelmed with sadness and anxiety to post anything.  But this morning an article in the NYT gave me an entryway into corralling my thoughts and posting.

One of the events of Monday was a service at the National Cathedral.  I read that Trump's team was able to choose passages and music but not the presider.  Bishop Mariann E. Budden delivered the sermon and said that at the end of her preparation she decided to add a point with a plea for mercy.  The NYT called it a "rare public showdown.  The Canterbury Pulpit confronted the bull Pulpit on the greatest possible stage."And what was President Trump's reaction?  He demanded an apology from the "so-called Bishop" and "Radical Left hard line Trump hater."  "She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart."  

I say she spoke the truth with courage and I thank God for her testimony. She is receiving much praise and also threats.  This is what she said, “I ask you to have mercy, Mr President,” she said from the pulpit at the National Cathedral prayer service for the inauguration, “on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land.” (copied from The Guardian)

I will try to remember to pray for President Trump to have a change of heart that will stop the lies and create compassion for others.  I will pray for the courage of those who will try to thwart his plans of revenge.  I am thankful that President Biden pardoned the January 6 committee so Trump cannot prosecute them.  Lawsuits are being filed to protect those in the civil service and those with birthright citizienship.  Police organizations are objecting to the pardons he gave to those who attacked the police on January 6, 2020.  I pray for our country to survive this autocratic regime.   

--------------January 29  The daily news from Washington is so depressing.  I am aware of three friends who say they are not sleeping well since the inauguration.  Inspector generals have been fired.  Attorneys in the DOJ who worked under Jack Smith were fired--because of the presumption that they won't be loyal enough to Trump.  There are moves to change civil service employees to a category in which they can lose their jobs without cause.  Funds are being cut for overseas aid.  And deportations have begun--criminals, fine--but the definition of criminal is expanded.  And the app for applying for asylum has been cancelled.  It is chaotic and that probably is the method Trump is using because it is hard to know where to fight first.  The nominee for secretary of defense was voted in only because Vance had to break the tie--Hegseth,  supremely unqualified to lead such a big and important branch of service.  

February 3  from Representative Bonnie Coleman:

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman

@RepBonnie

My office has been receiving calls all morning from constituents outraged that an unelected billionaire was given access to their personal information. I share their anger, and my Congressional colleagues and I are working on oversight responses.

I am happy that we are represented in Congress in a way that we were not when we lived in Indiana.