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Letters to the editor: Dec. 6, 2019

Not the least Christ-like

I was dismayed last week to read in The Atlantic that some leading evangelicals and religious leaders believe this nation’s sitting president is a product of divine providence — God’s chosen one. But having read the New Testament, I must profess ignorance concerning the text they are relying on.

Jesus welcomed the stranger; this president builds a wall. Jesus fed the hungry; this president cuts poverty assistance. Jesus laid hands on lepers, teaching courage and love; this president spreads lies about leprosy-infected immigrants, instilling fear and hate.

Jesus and his family were political refugees; this president scorns them. Jesus taught that the image of God resides in everyone; this president promotes racist hatred against people of color. Jesus honored women; this president sexually abuses them. Jesus believed in truth; this president lies hourly.

Jesus preached forgiveness; this president is punitive and vindictive. Jesus preached peace; this president incites to and embraces violence. Jesus taught through the glory of God’s creation; this president seeks to lay it to waste. Jesus taught that ultimate authority rests with God; this president believes ultimate authority rests with Caesar.

Jesus embraced the despised, the disabled, the least among us; this president mocks, persecutes and excludes the marginal. Jesus taught dignity; this president degrades everyone and everything. Jesus taught humility; this president is a hollow braggart. Jesus taught the ultimate value of the spiritual; this president celebrates crass materialism.

Jesus taught service and sacrifice; this president embodies selfish narcissism. Jesus taught love of our neighbors; this president sows discord and division. Jesus was betrayed; this president betrays his oaths, legal contracts, marriage vows, constituents, Constitution and country.

Prominent stewards of a profoundly ethical and sacred message are pressing it into the employ of studied malice as a cudgel for Caesar against the least among us. It is a second crucifixion.

Steve Rutledge

McMinnville

 

Painted with Nazi brush

The thesis of the Nov. 29 commentary, “Europe’s far right inspired by Trump,” is that President Trump is supported by a neo-Nazi cult. In plain English, the piece paints Trump and his supporters as Nazis.

In 2016, the swamp painted Trump as Hitler. But back then, Trump supporters were merely painted as knuckle-dragging “deplorables.”

Now the swamp is painting supporters as Nazis. That’s the latest hoax in the swamp’s desperate effort to unseat President Trump, following collapse of the Russia hoax and the Ukraine hoax.

Strange that the forces behind Trump-Russia paint Trump as Hitler, not Stalin. And they paint Trump’s supporters as Nazis, not commies.

Well, maybe not so strange — not if the forces pushing Trump-Russia are communists, fellow travelers or useful idiots. After all, is it not par for the course for communists to claim their enemies are Nazis?

During World War II, French communists held extra-judicial trials outside the rule of law. They eliminated anti-communists and others they deemed enemies by alleging Vichy Nazi collaboration. And today we have the sham scam impeachment hearings and the mainstream media. Far-fetched, you say? Just tune in to CNN.During a recent CNN interview, Anthony “The Mooch” Scaramucci compared GOP Trump supporters to “Vichy Nazi collaborators.” Later, Scaramucci backed off somewhat, stating, “They’re Vichy Republicans. I’m not comparing anybody to Hitler.”

But the damage was done. And I believe that was the intent.It’s worth noting that Scaramucci was White House director of communications for all of 11 days, from July 21 to July 31 of 2017. He was fired by President Trump.

Dan Katz

McMinnville

 

Sad chapter in our history

This is a terrible time for our country, whether or not one supports the president. Although many deny it, our country has been torn apart by this president, who evidently thinks of himself first, above all else.

Views both of support and opposition to Mr. Trump are so strong that people often react with hate to situations where they disagree, or perhaps don’t fully understand. If reactions are not well thought out, bad results will follow, both for ourselves and others.

I remember a time when Republicans and Democrats tried to work together to help make this country a better place. They tried to improve functions such as education and consider issues such as gun control.

When they focused on issues like health care, leaders attempted to help their constituents. However, it now seems we are so consumed with the president, in one way or another, this approach seems an impossibility.

Everyone, especially in the two major parties, needs to work together to make things better. We need to move on from this chapter in our history, but also learn from what it has and will teach us.

Janet De With

Yamhill

 

Hoping to block carbon tax

The Merriam-Webster definition of a petition is a formal request to an official person or group.

Our recent petition for the recall of Gov. Kate Brown would have helped deter passage of HB 2020, the carbon cap-and-trade bill, in the upcoming legislative session.

But because of restrictions enacted by lawmakers, many petition signatures were disqualified and we fell short. This is just another denial of your rights as voters.

Disregarding scientific proof that man’s emissions have no effect on global warming, this lucrative and excessive taxation will be our doom.

It takes more than one to cause a change. We lose if we don’t act.

Mary Novak

Yamhill

 

Comments

treefarmer


Steve Rutledge - your letter is comprehensive and irrefutable. All I can add is AMEN!

Finch

I find the letter highly offensive and untrue. This President has had the media and democrats fighting him from day one. Previously we had eight years of them swooning and slobbering over Obama's every move.

This President has broken 48 economic records. We have the lowest unemployment in 50 years. Jobs are everywhere if a person wants to work. With better economic times there should be less of a need for government assistance. There is a huge abuse of many state and federal programs and many of them need to be cleaned up and properly monitored.

He is protecting our borders. There needs to be lawful entry and exit -- not free reign and freebies. Listen to the heartwrenching stories of angel parents who have lost their children to senseless murders.

He and our first lady and their family have been treated horribly. That would not have been tolerated in past administrations.

His rallies speak volumes for his support. If he had the support of the various branches that are supposed to be working with him imagine how things might be.

The pure hatred directed at him every day is sickening. Playing the Jesus card did nothing for me.

Jim

Finch what you said couldn’t be anymore of the truth. Don’t forget that all the people showing up for President Trumps rally’s are heathens, rednecks, deplorable’s, stupid, hillbillies and uneducated. 😂😂 I am behind the man all the way. If they treated even one member of my family the way they have treated the Trump family there would be hell to pay. On National television a liberal college educated constitutional lawyer makes fun of a thirteen year old boy. That shows how low and incredibly uncaring the left is when they don’t get their way.

Mudstump

Steve Rutledge - I love your letter.

I can only surmise that the evangelicals have traded their country and sold their soul for a man who gives them nothing but political power.

tagup

Jim....“Makes fun of a 13 year old boy”.....uh...when exactly did that happen?.....Stretching the truth to make your point doesn’t help your credibility......

Finch

A direct nasty comment referencing his son Baron. That same woman is on tape from several years back speaking about her extreme 'distaste' shall we say for Trump. There was no reason to even have those people at that inquiry. Their biased opinions meant absolutely nothing. All they represented was the extreme left hatred that is infecting our colleges which for some reason has become the accepted norm.

treefarmer


The JESUS CARD? (Oh Finch, just when I think you have outdone yourself, you outdo yourself again.) Is there nothing you won’t say or deny in your determination to defend the immorality and corruption of this plague upon America? It appears you believe that a good economy atones for and excuses all the TRUTH Mr. Rutledge wrote about. You observe that the cruelty and atrocities at the border (yet another dead kid in our custody this week) can be viewed as PROTECTION?? The destruction of our government agencies is a cost-saving measure? The victimizer has successfully convinced you he is the victim. Trump may represent the American values YOU want and deserve, but a majority of your fellow citizens are not willing to settle for this massive assault on decency and democracy. We see it clearly as lawless and anti-American.

Very revealing that you are “highly” offended by - and need to deny or justify - the truth. Some of us believe our eyes and ears, support measures to correct and reverse the carnage, and are highly distressed by the enablers among us. Hope springs eternal that continuing revelation of facts will eventually succeed in establishing some common ground before it is too late.

treefarmer


Tagup – an unfortunate choice of words does not equate to ridicule. I wish she had said “unless you are a king, naming your child PRINCE does not make him one.” That was her point and it was a valid one, especially in this context. Manufactured outrage is a big part of the agenda from the right and smacks of desperation. And as we can see from some of the responses, it does seem to work with certain people.

Finch

Treefarmer - Why don't you jump in the race since you know it all?

Jim

Treefarmer you are absolutely like everything wrong with the liberal left these days. You want to use big words and quote all kinds of news story’s to show all of us uneducated country bumpkins how smart all the liberals are. You defend a lady who in front of a national audience degrades someone she loathes child and yet you try to twist her words to make her look like she didn’t know she had offended anyone. People like you are exactly why Donald Trump will win the next election. He represents a larger portion of this country than you you will ever suspect. You people can keep thinking that you’re smarter than the rest of us hard working conservative people but we will keep our lifestyle and dig our heels in to keep from being some kind of pie in the sky socialistic society.

Finch

Jim - precisely stated and so very true!!

treefarmer


Jim – I read your criticism and observations several times so I could try to reflect on my commentary from your perspective. You make the case for why you feel “talked down” to, and add some harsh judgements when you assert that “the rest of us” are hard-working people who are trying to “keep our lifestyle.” I think of myself more as a “progressive” than a “liberal” but either way, I too am a hard-working person who is trying to fight for my (proudly country-bumpkin) lifestyle. It appears that both of us feel that we, and our lifestyles, are under attack, so there’s some common ground? One of your kindred spirits in this forum has also called me out for posting facts and “trying to be articulate.” I will not apologize for the way I express myself. (Wouldn’t it be dishonest to use a voice other than my own?) I will continue to state opinions I honestly believe are grounded in fact. But I AM sorry you find my writing so offensive that I represent everything you judge wrong with the “liberal left.” I will take your comments seriously even as I hope you are wrong that Trump will be deemed worthy of majority support and re-elected. I doubt America can survive another term of chaos, disgrace, and assault on our values.


Jim

Treefarmer the first thing I’ll tell you is I’m more of a centrist than a right leaning Republican. I don’t really know what the difference between a progressive and a liberal is except they both are left of where I stand . I truly liked nothing about the last President we had and I never once disrespected him like you do Trump on social media. I voted for the best candidate in the last election and it wasn’t Hilary. As time went on my goals of no more illegal immigrants, a closer look at climate change, a slow down on handing money to foreign countries, respect for our military and police began to take place. Donald Trump is a blithering idiot at times by running his mouth when he doesn’t need to but I can be that way at times myself so it can happen to anybody. I feel deep down he has the American people at heart. Till they run a better candidate than him on either side he will get my vote. The progressive or liberal people need to learn that marching,protesting and trying to scream over the top of the people that don’t believe in their ideals only pisses them off more and makes them less likely to move to the middle to make this country work for us all not one group of people on the right or left.

treefarmer


Hi Jim – great post. Enlightening, candid, personal, and I will surely not be the only one to benefit from you sharing your point of view. It is gratifying to know that even though we are obviously coming to the debate from different “sides,” there are areas where we are on the same page – like a venn diagram with previously unrecognized intersections.

You make an interesting point about what you perceive is preventing a “…..move to the middle to make this country work for us all…..” We may not identify the roadblocks in quite the same way, but we are definitely in perfect agreement with the end goal. The extremes are killing us. And it is a relief to read a bit about the reasoning that informs your support of 45. It helps to know that you do see, but make compassionate allowances for his “blithering” as opposed to the perception of blind idolizing that sets our hair on fire over on this side of the political spectrum. I cannot begin to understand what causes you to believe he cares about people, but I can respect that you have reasons why you do. We all have our own lens through which we view things. It would be good if you are right about this one, (but color me beyond skeptical.)

Thanks for the exceptionally illuminating post.


RobsNewsRegister

Treefarmer et. all. - Donald Trump rode the same wave that elected a twenty-something bartender (AOC) to congress over the presumed next speaker of the House. They are both anti-establishment. Trust in congress/Washington with many, especially in flyover country labelled as such because politicians ignored them, is non-existent.

For decades they ignored the people of this country catering to special interest. Say one thing; do another. Wholesale industries sent overseas. Not addressing the chaos at the border or the resultant opioid crisis as heroin and Fentanyl flooded into the country via the interstates like drugs in an addicts veins. An economy leaving the middle class behind suppressing wages via excess supply of labor due to among other things - uncontrolled immigration. There are many other examples. They voted for him out of desperation. His support has little to do with the man himself other than he actually listens to the people (why many refer to him as a populist) and actually does what he says he will do rather than saying one thing to get elected then breaking promises afterwards.

Reality and perception by the left regarding this man are oft clouded due to bias. For example, Trump supposedly a threat to the press. While his rhetoric is harsh and he bashes them a lot (some of it well deserved), he also talks to them frequently without politicized preparation (what Trudeau and other world leaders were laughing about at that party - from the perspective of a politician - who does that?). Obama sicked the FBI on several journalists (example below) - could you imagine if Trump did such a thing?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/06/08/seizing-journalists-records-an-outrage-that-obama-normalized-for-trump/

gregtompkins

What a load of garbage. Jesus wouldn’t force everyone ala government socialism to be compelled to take care of foreigners. And didn’t Jesus also say follow the law? Illegal immigration is an illegal act so Jesus would say go back to your country because being here illegally is against Caesar !

treefarmer


Um - Mary and Joseph were forced to flee their homeland for fear of persecution. (Gospel of Matthew) This is the classic definition of refugees. It appears that SOMEONE here thinks the Holy Family should have been - what - run out of Bethlehem with pitchforks? Should have rejected Jesus as an anchor baby?

That great letter from Mr. Rutledge sure has generated some bizarre and defensive commentary.

Finch

Yep, as usual you are bizzare.

Bill B

Too much time among the trees, perhaps?

gregtompkins

Ummm treefarmer persecution? Selfish people flooding here for free welfare and other forms of handouts is not persecution. You Democrats won’t rest until you’ve turned this country like all the other left leaning cesspools worldwide. If we wanted Venezuela we would have voted for Hugo Chavez. Instead we got someone who improved our economy but now you’re not happy because of welfare for third world people? This is nonsense!

treefarmer


(((( yawn ))))

Finch

((Yawn)) you say Little Red Hen?

Mudstump

Anyone that can defend a president that separates children from their parents and puts them in cages is just as morally deficient and warped as he is. It's despicable.

treefarmer


Ah, Finch, what a sweet comment! I wasn’t sure what you were inferring so I googled it and found the following:

“The Little Red Hen is an old folk tale of the fable type. The story is applied in teaching children the virtues of work ethic and personal initiative.”

Thanks!

Finch

mudstump - then I will assume you felt the same way about Obama since many of the pictures on the news of those children were from the Obama years and not Trump. Further, what do you do when you have thousands of people coming across our borders ILLEGALLY and they are trying to determine who belongs to whom? First, it's illegal! Secondly, many of those children were UNACCOMPANIED minors. It has been found that a good deal of them were not even with their parents but were trafficked. What type of a parent sends their children across a foreign border alone or with strangers? I guess you're okay with the rapes and assaults that occurred during these treks. Also, are you aware that the traffickers in many instances deserted these children along the way? Perhaps you can come up with a solution and/or go down there and help the border patrol agents and tell them how to do their jobs. Is there another country you know of that just says come on in and we'll feed you, clothe you, house you and give you money and benefits just because you showed up? Insane.

RobsNewsRegister

Fact: The child separation "zero tolerance" policy tried as a deterrent was ended after a 6 week trial from May to June of 2018 yet it is continuously referenced as if it is contemporaneous. Fact: Obama also had trouble with this issue as well https://www.vox.com/2018/6/21/17488458/obama-immigration-policy-family-separation-border
Fact: We often don't know if the children are with family/relatives or human/sex traffickers. DNA to be used - you can't responsibly leave them with someone whom may abuse them.
Fact: While you can reference the one picture or one case we know about because they are now far more safely then before in our custody, what about the easily hundred or thousand fold sexual assaults and deaths that occur during the thousand mile trek to our border through arguably the most dangerous country for a noncombatant in the world (Mexico) because people are willing to risk it because you have uncontrolled immigration?

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