We Need a Return to the Real Republican Party

There have been too many things that have been repulsive about the Trump Administration. Recently we have heard from Hegseth as well in terms of how the Iran War should be conducted. He emphasized lethality over legality in conducting Trump’s War. Trump joined him in his rhetoric when indicating that he would bomb Iran back to the stone age. That gesture would put him in the position of being a war criminal and Hegseth would be next in line for that dubious distinction.

What bothers me the most recently are the words and actions of Hegseth particularly as he fires two black women and two generals who have given their all to keep us safe while Hegseth was safe as a weekend news anchor for Fox. Coupled with this is Hegseth’s inability to understand diversity beyond being a threat to his leadership. But there is a particular manifestation of one form of diversity that is a threat to our nation under the heading of diversity which is the need for honoring religious diversity in our nation.

There was an article in the Inquirer earlier this week that described a push for Christianity in the military. He is giving the evangelical movement a bad name. He uses it to celebrate violence. This is the basis for his view supporting Christian nationalism, something that isn’t Christian and against national unity.

“If troops are trained to believe that God is on our side what precludes us from doing anything we want to win.” Hegseth hosts services at the Pentagon that reflect his religious views. “The ends justify the mean.”

This practice also weakens the separation of church and state which has been an historic guideline for our nation.

The Pope has taken on both Trump’s and Hegseth’s treatment of the Gospel as a justification for brutality and war as opposed to the Gospel’s view of peace. He used straight forward language to tell them both that they are wrong.

Earlier this week I met with a former student who held very conservative views of Christianity. He indicated that he thought I would throw him out of my office after he shared his views with me as they were, by his own admission, extreme. Because of his views, he has found himself rejected by many. I did the opposite as I told him that I didn’t subscribe to his interpretation of the Gospel, but it didn’t change our relationship. He has been supportive of me over the course of many years. But I wanted him to look at how he expresses his views to others that leads to his being rejected by them. My goal in the meeting was to have him see that it is “not always what you say but how you say it.” He agreed with that observation. We embraced as he was leaving.

Someone needs to give feedback this kind to Hegseth. When he comments on the war to the public, he is like a little kid who is enthusiastic about a great gift that he just got. Others have commented that he is thrilled to be engaging in violence against other people. There is little concern for the rules of engagement. He never indicates any mistake that has been made, but he and Trump find themselves currently in a double bind as they both have stated with a sense of glee that they have wiped out ground to air missiles in Iran and find themselves having to explain that Iran has shot down one of our most effective stealth jets. We still have not heard a word about it from either one,

Regarding religion in America, let me share a story about the real Republican Party.

One of my EA parents was high up in the infrastructure of the Republican Party. George W. Bush, ‘43 was running for president. There was a meeting of the Republican Party in Philadelphia, and he asked me early in the week to speak at a breakfast that the attendees would begin their day with breakfast, prayers, and speakers. I said that I would. He said that he would have other representatives of other faith groups speaking as well. There would be the proverbial cast of hundreds there. I recall it was at the Loews Hotel.

I received a call from him later in the week. I could tell that he was nervous, but he was a good friend and great supporter of EA. “Jim, I forgot about the Imam (Muslim leader)! I need all the religious groups represented to speak. I have another Christian clergyman who will be present, but two would be too much so I don’t need you. You are the only one who would understand my mistake.”

I said, “If it helps you with the diversity piece, that’s great.” He was relieved. He continued, “I feel so bad. How about if I gave you a table to invite any one you want to attend the event.” I told him that wasn’t necessary, but he persisted that was the only way he could deal with his guilt about the ask that he made to me.  So, I took him up on his offer, and took my family and out EA Board Chair, Rush Haines, who was a close friend to the breakfast.

We were seated right up front in front of the podium. I simply can’t imagine anyone in the Republican Party then allowing the anti-diversity of Trump and Hegseth being anything but crazy talk. There is some wisdom in the phrase “the good old days.”

The Republican Party back then is not recognizable during the experience of the Trump Republican Party. We as a nation need BOTH parties with their vision fixed on the Constitution and not a cult being led by someone who is a felon, has little regard for the nation and is demeaning people who don’t agree with him. He also may add war criminal to his list of crimes. I recently read that when Trump leaves office he will still be responsibly for most of the crimes that he committed before he was elected president. What goes around comes around.