My 5,000th Post is a Lament: Trump Used Force on Peaceful Protestors to Clear Way for Bible Photo Op

This month marks 15 years of blogging and this is my 5,000th post. I always thought it might be fun and light but this one is not. It is a lament.

Yesterday evening in Washington, D.C., Donald Trump told a Rose Garden audience that he had deployed the National Guard to disperse crowds and stop violence. It wasn’t clear at that moment but his order was being carried out as he spoke. Not far away in Lafayette square near St. John’s Episcopal Church, peaceful protestors populated the area. Around 6:30pm, the Guard began actively pushing the assembly from the area with shields, tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash grenades. Once the area was cleared, Trump walked to the same area with an entorage of officials for a photo op holding a Bible in front of St. John’s church. In short, Donald Trump ordered force on peaceful protestors so he could get a picture using religious images.

This is a frightening new low. There wasn’t an effort to hide it. Ample eyewitness accounts and video exist. This was a power play. Apparently, Trump and his advisors believe his base — including white evangelicals — will fall in line.

Below, I have posted video and various accounts and reflections on the event.

The following is a portion of an eyewitness account of the event from Gina Gerbasi (click the link to read her entire post):

Around 6:15 or 6:30, the police started really pushing protestors off of H Street (the street between the church and Lafayette Park, and ultimately, the White House. They started using tear gas and folks were running at us for eyewashes or water or wet paper towels. At this point, Julia, one of our seminarians for next year (who is a trauma nurse) and I looked at each other in disbelief. I was coughing, her eyes were watering, and we were trying to help people as the police – in full riot gear – drove people toward us. Julia and her classmates left and I stayed with the BLM folks trying to help people. Suddenly, around 6:30, there was more tear gas, more concussion grenades, and I think I saw someone hit by a rubber bullet – he was grasping his stomach and there was a mark on his shirt. The police in their riot gear were literally walking onto the St. John’s, Lafayette Square patio with these metal shields, pushing people off the patio and driving them back. People were running at us as the police advanced toward us from the other side of the patio. We had to try to pick up what we could. The BLM medic folks were obviously well practiced. They picked up boxes and ran. I was so stunned I only got a few water bottles and my spray bottle of eyewash. We were literally DRIVEN OFF of the St. John’s, Lafayette Square patio with tear gas and concussion grenades and police in full riot gear. We were pushed back 20 feet, and then eventually – with SO MANY concussion grenades – back to K street. By the time I got back to my car, around 7, I was getting texts from people saying that Trump was outside of St. John’s, Lafayette Square. I literally COULD NOT believe it. WE WERE DRIVEN OFF OF THE PATIO AT ST. JOHN’S – a place of peace and respite and medical care throughout the day – SO THAT MAN COULD HAVE A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH!!! PEOPLE WERE HURT SO THAT HE COULD POSE IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH WITH A BIBLE! HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO STEP OVER THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES WE LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE WE WERE BEING TEAR GASSED!!!!

“An ally of all peaceful protestors” said Donald Trump in his speech; an ally unless those protestors get in the way of his photo op.

The caption to the next video reads: “It began with Attorney General Bill Barr standing with his hands casually in his pockets, not wearing a tie, surveying the scene at Lafayette Park across from the White House, where several thousand protesters had gathered for more demonstrations after the police killing of George Floyd.”

Here is another eyewitness account which was posted as a comment on court evangelical Johnnie Moore’s fawning description of Trump.

The bishop of the diocese of the St John Church, Miriam Budde, reacted with condemnation of Trump’s action.

Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) found his voice and made this statement:

Ed Stetzer had some mild rebukes for the president.

To use the Bible in a photo op, after clearing peaceful protestors from Lafayette Park with, The Hill reported, “tear gas and smoke bombs hissing” so he could walk to a church, was simultaneously unhelpful to the current situation and at odds with the message of that Bible.

Former political editor at Christian Post, Napp Nazzworth took Johnnie Moore to task:

Perhaps thinking of new Trump supporter Al Mohler, Jarran Sainsbury quipped.

So this is a lament. I recall similar worries, although in a much younger mind and body, in the 1960s. I had a youthful optimism then and while I am still hopeful that our institutions will hold, I am more realistic now. We must all rehearse our rights and remind each other about them. I hope Trump’s base will see through this and turn lament into change.

UPDATE: Trump’s court evangelicals are out in force to spin Trump’s photo op.

The Park Police initially said no one used tear gas. This report has the evidence to contradict that denial.

UPDATE (6/8/20) – Here the most complete analysis I have seen of the event from the Washington Post.

116 thoughts on “My 5,000th Post is a Lament: Trump Used Force on Peaceful Protestors to Clear Way for Bible Photo Op”

    1. This citation is an inaccurate reading of the report. Ex: from the christian post:

      “there was no link between the dispersal of demonstrators and the Trump photo.”

      this statement is incorrect. While there had been previous plans to clear the protestors, those plans were modified by Barr when Trump decided to do a photo-op at the church.

        2. The Post Millennial is a conservative Canadian online news magazine started in 2017. It publishes national and local news and has a large amount of opinion content. It has been criticized for publishing COVID-19 disinformation and for its opaque funding and political connections. Wikipedia.

          Please get your news from reputable sources. Slapping a non sequitur title on a Tweet is hardly reputable.

        3. The Post Millennial is a conservative Canadian online news magazine started in 2017. It publishes national and local news and has a large amount of opinion content. It has been criticized for publishing COVID-19 disinformation and for its opaque funding and political connections. Wikipedia.

          Please get your news from reputable sources. Slapping a non sequitur title on a Tweet is hardly reputable.

          1. Duh – it’s just a video clip of MSNBC. Which is biased. And oh yes, Wikipedia is so trustworthy and prints no political bias. Good grief. Talk about delusional.

  3. Mollie Hemingway: ‘Media Hysteria’ over Lafayette Square Contributed to Dozens of Deaths, Billions in Damage in ‘Summer of Violence’
    https://bit.ly/3wlsiJh

    ^ Seems like this includes you Warren.

    1. You’re a year late and a presidential election short, Little K.
      Please try to keep up.

        1. Well, she certainly wouldn’t date somebody like you who shows her so little respect.

        3. Well, she certainly wouldn’t date somebody like you who shows her so little respect.

    2. Mollie Hemingway? She never met a Trump distortion or lie she couldn’t defend. Sorry, not credible here.

      1. Inspector General Mark Lee Greenblatt wrote that “the evidence did not support a finding that the [United States Park Police] cleared the park on June 1, 2020, so that then President Trump could enter the park.” The protesters were instead removed “to allow a contractor to safely install anti-scale fencing in response to destruction of Federal property and injury to officers that occured on May 30 and May 31” during other Black Lives Matter protests.

        edit – https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-photo-op-church-wasn-t-why-lafayette-square-was-ncna1270502

        1. A popular misreading of the facts. Just as the claims that they were “violent protestors.” Perhaps, the original plan was to clear the protestors out to put up fencing. However, those plans changed when Trump decided to stage his photo-op and Barr told them to get it done faster.

    1. I believe everything Bill Barr says.

      Pepper spray is an irritant and has similar properties as other forms of tear gas. Big K, I hope you are getting paid for your gaslighting.

      1. And pepper spray is a chemical. It is an organic compound (although the propellant may not be), but still a chemical. It may be an aerosalised liquid rather than specifically a “gas.” However anyone spitting hairs on that issue is just trying to deceive.

  5. It does not surprise me at all that trumps white evangelical cultists love this kind of sacrilegious stunt… you see the general dogma of white evangelicalism does not and has not for a long time, any respect for sacred spaces… look at most of their churches… corp lobby, rock concert, schtick… I’ve learned in my years within white evangelical/fundamentalist religion that about the only sacred thing is what goes on in your head or gut, ie feelings, attitudes and good intentions and generally mere symbolism that only appeals to their preferences…. spectacle and “experience” is the only truly sacred thing…Trump’s stunt fits the latter points perfectly and it’s why they love him so much… he’s a great man of “faith” in their eyes because their faith system/theology mostly runs on empty, subjective stuff just like this…
    Don’t mistake me though as anti-christian faith; I believe there can be genuine faith in Christ; a faithful works of reality (like restitution, like justice, like feeding the hungry…etc) that many non-trumpianity Christians endeavor to live. But trump has sifted out the people once thought of in that camp… his cultists have left the truly sacred and have given themselves to their “gut” of emptiness; which of course gets filled with the profane; like mere political power and brute force and spectacle and lies…

  6. In the update you posted I see Moore said this:

    He (Trump) was standing FOR the protection of the right of peaceful protest

    And Trump did this by driving away peaceful protestors. How stupid are Moore’s followers?

    1. oceania has always been at peace with eurasia, comrade.
      rejoice! the chocolate ration has been increased from twenty grams to ten!

  7. It just occurred to me, there is nothing on the cover to the bible Trump is holding. All of the bibles I’ve have seen have the words “Holy Bible” written on the front. Which makes me wonder, Is Trump holding the bible upside down and backwards?

      1. couldn’t be, because you would definitely see “TRUMP” written in gold lettering on it.

          1. And the Book of Trump has been appearing on Twitter for five years now, precut into 140-character Proof Text verses.

            “I Know I’m Right —
            I HAVE A VERSE!”

    2. Apparently the Bible was an RSV. Ironically, the translation most often demonized (in its day, which was decades ago) by the conservative Evangelical crowd that supports Trump.
      An RSV in the White House — it might have been gathering dust in a drawer since the Eisenhower administration.

  8. Restricting areas for peaceful protests and removing peaceful protesters from certain locations has always been acceptable under the Constitution. The right to peaceably assemble does not mean the right to do it anywhere you want, even in public.

    Trump continues to be a clown and a bozo. This photo op was beyond stupid.

    But think of this: A (historic) church burned and people here are more upset that Trump took a picture in front of it than they are the church was burned by thugs and violent criminals. Why is that?

    Silence in the face of oppression and sin is to be complicit with it.

    Why in the august group of moralizers is there no condemnation of the church burning? Instead we are all bent out of shape over a picture. Over a dozen people have died in these protests. Where is their memory? Where are the marches for them? You can invoke King and Abernathy all day long, but this was contrary to them and their ways. They were right. This current protest is wicked.

    But hey, the president took a picture with a Bible. Let’s make sure we highlight that foolishness. We can get around to those funerals later.

    1. Well, you raise a valid point… but maybe trumpism could have helped that by STAYING AWAY…. instead of inserting its narcissist self? Then, yes, all the attention would be on the church’s condition rather than mr photo-op.

      1. When your Ego is that big, you Absolutely HAVE to take center stage. ALWAYS.

  9. There are sources indicating that Park Police were using tear gas because some protesters were throwing bricks at them. If that’s the case, then not all protests in DC were peaceful when Trump was walking to that church. Unfortunately, people who were not violent got accidentally caught in the crossfire. I think we can argue that the use of force was too excessive and if that’s so, then the Park Police should be held accountable. But, the person primarily responsible for its actions is the director of National Parks Service, not the US President, legally speaking.

    1. What sources are claiming protester were “throwing bricks” on Monday evening June 1, 2020 in Lafayette square?

      If Trump was the one who gave the order to break up a lawful protest, then he is responsible for violating the 1st Amend. rights of those protesters.

        1. So, the government is justifying using force on protesters because they allegedly saw some bricks laying around. Interesting.

      1. To re-iterate sources talking about Monday evening June 1, 2020 in Lafayette square.

        1. Yes, but Trump won’t explain anything. He will lie and deny. Congress won’t force the issue and nothing will happen.

          1. I would expect people like Pelosi and Schumer to force the issue, at least put pressure on Congress.

        2. And nothing in there about “throwing bricks”,and the claims that the “protestors were violent” only seem to be coming from the Trump admin, which contradicts the reports (including video) from the site itself.

    1. Down voted for ignoring this fact.

      The actual statement released on 02 JUN 2020 by US Park Police Chief Monahan clearly states that smoke AND pepper balls were used. Pepper balls are an eye and mucus membrane irritant just like tear gas (CS). Read the link below and get yourself a clue:

      https://www.nps.gov/subjects/uspp/6_2_20_statement_from_acting_chief_monahan.htm

      So he says tear gas wasn’t used, but another irritant was used on peaceful protesters instead. And that makes it OK? Remind me to applaud the restraint when someone cuts off your head using a broadsword instead of an axe.

      1. So then there wasn’t any tear gas or rubber bullets used and the article is is repeating lies.

        Seems like you would get tired of all the lying but I guess it’s to get people to think they made a mistake voting for Trump so it’s okay.

        It’s not working.

        1. My you are the dutiful little Trump troll. Ok, It Wasn’t Tear Gas. It Was a Gaseous Substance That Causes Tears:

          https://reason.com/2020/06/03/it-wasnt-tear-gas-it-was-a-gaseous-substance-that-causes-tears/

          Here is relevant portion and it fits a tool like you admirably:

          “No, President Donald Trump didn’t have police shoot tear gas at innocent people so he could pose for a pic with an upside-down Bible. Both the president and his lackeys at certain media outlets want to make sure we’re clear on that. You see, the truth is that Trump had police bombard a law-abiding crowd with a gaseous substance that produces tears.

          You see the difference? Not really? It doesn’t matter. We’re talking about this right now, and that’s what Trump boosters and predator-cop stans want. The more time people spend debating the difference between tear gas and “smoke canisters and pepper balls,” the less focus on the fact that the Trump administration had peaceful citizens attacked so he could pretend on camera to be brave and religious.

          This is the same tactic we’ve seen again and again from the Trump administration: deny, shift stories, and quibble over inane particulars.

          It doesn’t matter if most media or even most Americans don’t really buy the administration’s deflections and lies. The point is to shift the public conversation, give Trump supporters an easy retort to critics, and to present enough reasonable doubt that folks not especially attuned to politics tune out. Getting people to see this as just another far-removed partisan squabble is essential to covering up the heinous and extreme nature of the stunt the administration pulled in Lafayette Square.”

          Nice try. But as you said, it is not working.

          Oh and before you complain about the Dems or Leftists, or Socialists or Proggies, might I remind you that Reason.com is just harsh if not more so against the statism of the Left.

        2. My you are the dutiful little Trump troll. Ok, It Wasn’t Tear Gas. It Was a Gaseous Substance That Causes Tears:

          https://reason.com/2020/06/03/it-wasnt-tear-gas-it-was-a-gaseous-substance-that-causes-tears/

          Here is relevant portion and it fits a tool like you admirably:

          “No, President Donald Trump didn’t have police shoot tear gas at innocent people so he could pose for a pic with an upside-down Bible. Both the president and his lackeys at certain media outlets want to make sure we’re clear on that. You see, the truth is that Trump had police bombard a law-abiding crowd with a gaseous substance that produces tears.

          You see the difference? Not really? It doesn’t matter. We’re talking about this right now, and that’s what Trump boosters and predator-cop stans want. The more time people spend debating the difference between tear gas and “smoke canisters and pepper balls,” the less focus on the fact that the Trump administration had peaceful citizens attacked so he could pretend on camera to be brave and religious.

          This is the same tactic we’ve seen again and again from the Trump administration: deny, shift stories, and quibble over inane particulars.

          It doesn’t matter if most media or even most Americans don’t really buy the administration’s deflections and lies. The point is to shift the public conversation, give Trump supporters an easy retort to critics, and to present enough reasonable doubt that folks not especially attuned to politics tune out. Getting people to see this as just another far-removed partisan squabble is essential to covering up the heinous and extreme nature of the stunt the administration pulled in Lafayette Square.”

          Nice try. But as you said, it is not working.

          Oh and before you complain about the Dems or Leftists, or Socialists or Proggies, might I remind you that Reason.com is just harsh if not more so against the statism of the Left.

        3. My you are the dutiful little Trump troll. Ok, It Wasn’t Tear Gas. It Was a Gaseous Substance That Causes Tears:

          https://reason.com/2020/06/03/it-wasnt-tear-gas-it-was-a-gaseous-substance-that-causes-tears/

          Here is the relevant portion and it fits a tool like you admirably:

          “No, President Donald Trump didn’t have police shoot tear gas at innocent people so he could pose for a pic with an upside-down Bible. Both the president and his lackeys at certain media outlets want to make sure we’re clear on that. You see, the truth is that Trump had police bombard a law-abiding crowd with a gaseous substance that produces tears.

          You see the difference? Not really? It doesn’t matter. We’re talking about this right now, and that’s what Trump boosters and predator-cop stans want. The more time people spend debating the difference between tear gas and “smoke canisters and pepper balls,” the less focus on the fact that the Trump administration had peaceful citizens attacked so he could pretend on camera to be brave and religious.

          This is the same tactic we’ve seen again and again from the Trump administration: deny, shift stories, and quibble over inane particulars.

          It doesn’t matter if most media or even most Americans don’t really buy the administration’s deflections and lies. The point is to shift the public conversation, give Trump supporters an easy retort to critics, and to present enough reasonable doubt that folks not especially attuned to politics tune out. Getting people to see this as just another far-removed partisan squabble is essential to covering up the heinous and extreme nature of the stunt the administration pulled in Lafayette Square.”

          Nice try. But as you said, it is not working.

          Oh and before you complain about the Dems or Leftists, or Socialists or Proggies, might I remind you that Reason.com is just harsh if not more so against the statism of the Left.

          1. Are you still trying to defend lies?

            What about the rubber bullets?

            Warren should correct his article.

          2. Nope, just trying to show you for the ass you are, and CM is succeeding. Your attempts to detract from the fact the Trump had the Parks Police clear out peaceful protestors for a photo op isn’t going to work.

          3. The funny thing is I am one more of those pesky principled conservatives (with a very wide libertarian streak), which I why I hate the statism from the TEAM BLUE lefties and the TEAM RED rightists.

            Which gives me the freedom to say something like this:

            “I hope Rush Limbaugh enjoys his 30 pieces of silver Presidential Medal of Freedom from the Orange Dear Leader for selling out his conservatism while he can. He will be buried with it before too long.”

          4. I never considered Limbaugh a “conservative voice.” Just a talking head who knew if he said controversial things he would get ratings and money.

            William F. Buckley Jr., George Will etc were conservative voices, Limbaugh is just another moron with a microphone.

          5. There is that. Though at least Rush pretended to care about fiscal conservatism in calling out Obama, G.W. Bush, and Clinton on their various spending plans and ideas. But not Trump. Same goes with the so-called “Freedom Caucus” who cared about FedGov spending until Trump was elected. Then they became emasculated cucks to serve the Orange Dear Leader.

      2. Monahan’s statement is carefully crafted. Note, how he speaks about the demonstrations “over the course of the weekend,” talking about violence/destruction that happened, but not specifically stating any of that was happening on MONDAY NIGHT.

  11. This is one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen in my adult political life. As the nation is reeling, federal officers came in without warning before the curfew to scatter a legal protest. They came without even a warning to the DC police They came without a warning or even asking permission from the church. They attacked peaceful protesters excising their constitutional rights with tear gas and batons. Not for safety or security or order. It was so Trump could film a campaign commercial. He held up a Bible. Not even his Bible, just one someone had given him. It looked as if it he were holding one for the first time. He didn’t know what to do with it. It was even upside-down at first. He didn’t read from it. He didn’t pray. He didn’t give a speech. He didn’t even go into the church. Both the Bible and the church were merely partisan props.

    The symbolism and hypocrisy is almost overwhelming. He attacked a park in DC well known for protests. I’ve read there are protest there basically 365 days a year. To attack that place like that is to attack America itself, the very idea of it. Here is the “law and order president” violating the constitution in the most obvious and fundamental way and flouting it. And the feigning of bravery? It would have been brave to walk into the crowd assembled as it was and talk to people face to face. To overwhelm a peaceful group of people with military tactics, walk in surround by armed guard, and talk to no one is the definition of cowardice not strength. The hypocrisy of gassing priests, themselves amongst the crowd to clear them away from their own church. Not to mention the use of violent force to demonstrate your loyalty to a religion whose entire message is ostensibly antithetical to the use of violent force.

    But, what’s more, everyone should be upset by this. You couldn’t find a better example of government tyranny if you tried. Where are the Oath Keepers types who, under Obama, pledged not to obey an unconstitutional order and fight a tyrannical government? Where are 2nd amendment supporters who constantly fret the government will take away their guns? Isn’t the first amendment as equally important as the second? Where are the “religious liberty” people, always worried about the government taking away their right to worship how they choose, always wanting religious exemptions for everything. Do they have anything to say about gassing a priest outside their own church and using it as a prop without their permission? Oh that’s right, the vast majority all support Trump.

    If Obama did this, there would be calls to civil war from those people at this very moment. Not that I’m advocating that. I’m just noting the complete lack of moral consistency.

      1. Not to take a selfie. But, If he wants to use the church in a very partisan way like a campaign ad, then yes, the church should have some say in that.

    2. “Federal Officers” including the 82nd Airborne, riot specialists from The Federal Bureau of Prisons, and others not identifiable because they wore no badges or identifying uniforms/insignia (like Putin’s “freedom fighters” in Ukraine).

      While the Christians chorus “AAAAAAA-MENNNNN!”, completely mesmerized by that Bible held high.

  12. Thomas Jefferson edited his own Bible- reportedly removing instances of divine miracles, to support his belief that Jesus was a stunningly wonderful, but human being.
    What we might have seen is the first appearance of the new Trump Bible. this version replaces all references to God with references to Trump. Like: “In the beginning was Trump and the Trump was with Trump and the Trump was Trump”.
    All to be available soon on the Trump campaign website in a package with a yard sign, a MAGA hat- and a bottle of Trump wine (turned by Trump from water)- all for 39.99….and that’s not all!!! With your order, receive a free American T’s and stripes flag- with a beautiful white block printed “T” replacing all the stars.!!!

    1. “a bottle of Trump wine (turned by Trump from water)”

      From what I’ve heard you would be better off sticking with the water.

  13. The followers of The Abomination will believe whatever he or his Court Evangelicals say. I had one tell me this morning that he was brave for visiting the church that had been burned down! I said, “You mean the church where he was posing for his photo op? Looks like it’s still standing to me.”
    I’m sure the whited sepulchers that make up his entourage of Court Evangelicals will have nothing good to say about any followers of Jesus of Nazareth, since they have long since rejected his teachings, to follow whatever false prophets will scratch their itching ears.
    I would like Himself to stay away from my churches for photo ops, although as the sign in front of that church says, “All are welcome (to enter and worship) – I guess it needs to be edited to say, “All are welcome, but not for photo ops.”

      1. Paula the Pilferer who told her followers to send their January wages to her, and not bother paying any of their bills.

        1. The very same one. You know the one that is Trump’s primary spiritual advisor, chair of his Evangelical Advisory Board (the same one where Robert Jeffress and others are members), and has the ear of Trump. I am sure their endorsement of Prosperity Gospel heretic Paula White’s most recent book had nothing to do with that:

          https://julieroys.com/leading-evangelicals-endorse-prosperity-preacher-paula-whites-new-book/

          And always, the Babylon Bee is spot on:

          https://babylonbee.com/news/satan-endorses-paula-whites-new-book

    2. It didn’t burn down. There was a fire in the basement that was put out. It will need some repair, but the church is OK. It’s the fact that protesters in Lafayette Park, which Trump walked across to get to St. John’s, were cleared out by tear gas and rubber bullets before he and his entourage dared to walk across it, as were the priests and seminarians at the church, who were giving out water and hand sanitizer to those protesters, that’s worse than Trump using the church for a photo op and waving around a Bible.

      1. *I* know that – from the news, from Episcopal News Service, and of course, from common sense, when I can see a church building. That doesn’t stop Donnie’s Deplorables from believing something else.

        1. I think they’d still believe it, looking straight at the standing building.

  14. Maybe the Governor of VA should use gas and rubber bullets on Jerry Falwell, Jr. or maybe the Governor of CA should send in the National Guard and state police with gas and rubber bullets to disperse church gatherings that defy his orders?

    After all, what is good for the goose….

    1. And “an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind”

      You should strive to be better than Trump and company. After all it is not a very high bar to pass.

  15. Even FoxNews is reporting on the complaints of what Trump did.

    although the article quotes an unnamed source claiming “tear gas was never used” and that “Park Police didn’t know President Trump would be walking across the park several minutes later.”

    1. I can believe the latter at least for the Park Police on the ground; they were just obeying orders.

      1. “I was just obeying orders” didn’t work at Nuremberg. And the Park Police beating up on a reporter and her cameraman was shown live on Australian TV at breakfast. Yeah, it’s an international incident now.

    2. The “unnamed source” is probably the same one King The Donald uses.

  16. Trump’s base won’t see through squat. They think it’s great – “owning the libs”. Not one of them cares about the law or the country, just the expression of blind rage directed at anyone with an education and/or empathy for their fellows. They long for a world where only whites are allowed, and everyone can spew whatever racist and bigoted opinions they hold without fear of contradiction.

    I do think that some of the semi-sane Republicans are beginning to realize that their choice to support this utterly worthless sociopath to feather their beds and keep the patronage of the obscenely wealthy was indeed the monumental mistake they suspected it could be.

    I’ve been posting this link, because I think it tells us what will happen come November: https://twitter.com/annehelen/status/1267625407013982210

    It contains videos that prove the current anger is not confined to Chicago, or Minneapolis, or the big cities. In small cities and smaller towns throughout the country Americans are marching. In Kankakee, Illinois, in Pendleton, Oregon, in tiny towns in Kentucky and Tennessee, hell, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in London, and Edinburgh and Glasgow, all over the world people say ENOUGH!.

    Come next January this obscenity of a human being and the rest of his criminal gang should be driven out of the capital, out of civilized human society. There is no reason, no excuse, no rationalization for supporting this thug and his thug regime. None. If anyone tries to justify this cretin you must laugh in their face, because they are lost, and we’ve had enough of such creatures.

    I want my country back now.

    1. Trump’s base won’t see through squat.

      And the Christians are the most fanatical of His base.
      To them, this photo op/selfie was “The Word Become Flesh holding up the Word Become Print.”

  17. Donald Trump is a thug, full stop. But what scares me is the order to clear the park came from William Barr, the Attorney General. (This is per the Washington Post.) Where does he fit in the chain of command?

    As forvthe Evangelical Industrial Complex, this is exactly what I expected, a whole bunch of idol worshipers bowing down to a false god and doing his bidding, all in the name of power. There is no Jesus here, not at all.

    1. Mirele,

      I upvoted you.

      I am a principled conservative/libertarian type who never supported Cadet Bone Spurs. A quick review of my posts across many forums shows my disdain for Trump and all his Kool-Aid drinking followers (especially those so-called “conservatives” who sold out their principles – I guess racking up trillions on the national credit card is OK if your guy is doing it for example).

      Speaking of Trump Idolatry…

      https://babylonbee.com/news/first-baptist-dallas-members-melt-golden-jewelry-towering-donald-trump-statue

      1. Babylon Bee is a joke site, but it’s increasingly becoming Prophetic.

        (In the pop culture sense of Predicting the Future.)
        REVEREND Jerry Falwell Jr, REVEREND Robert Jeffress, and REVEREND Franklin Graham are actually jockeying over who gets to sit at Trump’s Right Hand. (There Can Be Only One….)

        1. Well satire always has elements of truth in it.

          Here is another one:

          https://babylonbee.com/news/zondervan-releases-hollow-bible-for-political-photo-ops

          This is the part of that post had me in stitches:

          “The Bibles are designed to look authentic and holy from the outside but are completely empty on the inside, just like most politicians’ faith. They are much lighter than an actual Bible, making them easy to pick up and reducing the risk of strains. They can also be used to hold secret things like notes from your crush or alcohol.

          An additional benefit of the Bible is that politicians won’t risk opening it and having their lives changed. “No longer do politicians have to worry about third-degree burns or accidentally encountering God’s life-changing truth,” said a Zondervan rep. “Now, they can use the Bible when it’s needed without all the pesky salvation and sanctification.””

        2. Well satire always has elements of truth in it.

          Here is another one:

          https://babylonbee.com/news/zondervan-releases-hollow-bible-for-political-photo-ops

          This is the part of that post had me in stitches:

          “The Bibles are designed to look authentic and holy from the outside but are completely empty on the inside, just like most politicians’ faith. They are much lighter than an actual Bible, making them easy to pick up and reducing the risk of strains. They can also be used to hold secret things like notes from your crush or alcohol.

          An additional benefit of the Bible is that politicians won’t risk opening it and having their lives changed. “No longer do politicians have to worry about third-degree burns or accidentally encountering God’s life-changing truth,” said a Zondervan rep. “Now, they can use the Bible when it’s needed without all the pesky salvation and sanctification.””

    2. Where does he fit in the chain of command?

      To use a Scientology word, LOYAL OFFICER.

  18. Indeed–DC’s Episcopal Bishop is absolutely livid that peaceful protesters were routed by tear gas and rubber bullets so Trump could pose with a Bible in front of St. Johns, as can be seen from her tweets. Trump has demonstrated that he is terrified of strong women; he would do well to stay out of range of that one. Shame on the fawning leaders of other religious groups who CONGRATULATED Trump on his “courage” in walking across an empty Lafayette Square to be photographed holding a Bible in front of a church, and thanks to those who pointed out just how false this image really is.

    1. I’m sure the tweets about “that woman,” and using the term “nasty,” will not be long in coming.

    2. The Catholic Archbishop of Washington, DC is also furious (the venue for the Trump-Bible spectacle is nominally in his jurisdiction, I believe); he is African-American, as it happens.

      In England, the two Anglican Archbishops have said that the current protests expose (and I quote) “the ongoing evil of white supremacy.” Strong words indeed, especially from two people who generally choose their words very carefully.

      It’s good to hear some strong statements from religious leaders, though we could do with many more …

      1. I think the Catholic Archbishop of Washington DC is intensely unhappy about the show that Trump and Melania put on the next day at the shrine to St. John-Paul II–kneeling in front of the altar and “praying.” Well, he faked it; she used to be Catholic, so she might have been more serious. Strongly-worded criticism, if not outright condemnation, from religious leaders of all stripes is long overdue. Has the SBC said anything yet?

        Edited to add:

        https://media.breitbart.com/media/2020/06/melania-trump-donald-trump-st-jpii-shrine-dc-flotus-facebook-640×335.jpg

        Sorry about polluting this site with breitbart–it was the only non-encrypted photo I could find.

        1. That’s correct: Archbishop Wilton’s particular beef with Trump is in relation to what happened at the St JP II shrine, although he had a general point to make concerning the solemn duty of (Catholic) Christians to (and I quote) “to defend the rights of all people, even those with whom we might disagree.”

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