July 25, 2016
The title is borrowed from Timothy Egan’s astute editorial in the NYT a day after the National Republican Convention was over.
I can’t help it – must talk about the RNC as well this week. Will make it short, and let the images speak for themselves.
Who could have imagined that we would publicly witness convention speakers associate another presidential candidate with Lucifer, the devil? (Read Nicholas Kristof on Time for Exorcism here: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/07/19/opinion/campaign-stops/Republican-Convention-Day-2-Campaign-Stops.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region)
Why the pig? Biblical lore has it that the demons, about to be exorcised, begged Jesus to be transplanted into a herd of pigs which promptly, like lemmings, jumped off the cliff to drown in water. If I weren’t so committed to peace, I’d wish the story could be applied to some other piglets we know.
Who could have imagined that the rabble in the hall would chant “Lock her up” after invited to do so in a mock trial by, of all people, Chris Christie? http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/christie-whips-crowd-into-a-frenzy-about-clinton-lock-her-up/article/2597041
Who could have imagined that New Hampshire state Rep. Al Baldasaro, who is also a delegate for Trump, would ask for her execution:”Clinton should be shot for treason!” on public radio?And others want to see her hung on a tree?
It seems, the vultures are no longer circling, they have landed.
Note to Trump: it takes more than balls. (And I politely will not make size comparisons either.)
Martha Ullman West
But that’s such an attractive pig you put at the top, Friderike; it in no way resembles the pig/humans at the Republican convention, lapping up the swill they were offered from the podium as if there were no tomorrow, which there won’t be, if Agent Orange makes it into office.
Tricia
There is much in Christianity that I long ago walked away from. And the story about pigs is very regrettable. I’m farmsitting right now …and there are two Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs…long bred for sweetness to people who are absolutely charming. The Queen’s favorite pig…I’m not sure the animal world deserves any metaphor that compares the hate we’ve seen with animals.