Reconciling Love and Principle

“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”                                             - Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address

Like Lincoln I have pleaded with some of my friends and relatives to to be touched by the better angels of our nature. We should not be enemies. 

Watching a report of Putin's murders of brave Ukrainian patriots on a tiny island in the Black Sea, while the cowardly traitor Trump extols him, I am enraged at the enemies of liberty here in America who still support Trump. That, of course, is only one of the villainous acts of the last 36 hours. 

My faith commands me to love my enemies, but it also recognizes that enemies exist. Some of folks I love with all my heart have, apparently, chosen to be enemies. I never expected to understand so well the agony of many during the 1860s when other Americans' loved ones became their enemies. I know people who still support the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene, despite the death and destruction they are seeing on their televisions every day. Despite her appearance with the neo-Nazis last weekend. Despite her bright Russian-red dress and shouted insults at the state-of-the-union. But then again, they were not phased by Trump's buddying up to neo-Nazis and Kim and Erdogan and Putin.

The Trumpists tried to overturn our election. They attacked our Capitol, smeared it with their feces, and assaulted our brave Capitol guardians. Some at first expressed outrage, but soon made excuses for the traitors. In the last few weeks some of these same folks encouraged Putin in the build up to the assault on western liberal democracy. And now with men, women, and children dying every hour many still refuse to stand against authoritarianism.

I will always love. I will do my best to remain civil. But I will know and the Trumpists must know I know; I will not pretend this is just "policy differences". I have always and will always respect difference of opinion on monetary policy. On abortion. On universal healthcare. Etc. But those that support Putin and Trump do not only differ on policies, they have chosen to oppose the basic republican principles that our forebears fought for and for which my Daddy and many others risked (and sometimes gave) their lives.

I will do my very best to defeat these enemies of liberty at the polls with all I can of my waning energy, meager means, and minor influence. 

Remember this is a VERY important election year. We cannot let these unprincipled people take over our Congress this fall.

I will not pretend (so-called) Republicans are respectable opponents. They have chosen to be enemies of republicanism. That makes them, sadly, not mere political opponents, but enemies of America.

Still I will do my best to love -- even my enemies.

Be kind. Love. Claim your birthright so eloquently expressed by Jefferson in the Declaration and Morris in the Preamble and Lincoln at Gettysburg. Speak out. Organize. Vote. Get others to the polls. Save our republic.