The Disturbing Silence

What a tragedy it is, in this multimedia world, when all we hear are the noisy presumptions, perversion of facts, and demagoguery of the presumptive nominee for the presidency of The United States.  I know I’m a real “sleaze” for rebelling against it, a protester that some may want to “punch in the face.”  I’m sorry.  I do not want to offend.  I only want to be “free” to speak—and no matter how hard I have tried not to speak about this present situation—I find myself compelled to do so.

Bryce Canyon, Utah

The great tragedy of this present moment is not the noisy presumptions, the public degradation of persons, the racial innuendos, or even the disdain toward our justice system and the international community, by a very rich,  narcissistic, reality show star, but the appalling silence of the media to correct, investigate and challenge, and the silence of the church, synagogue and mosque.  Someday we may have to repent not only for the diabolical and vitriolic rhetoric of the presumptive nominee, but also for our own crippling apathy and our silence that attend it.

A minister friend told me that he was once told by his pastoral committee that the church he was then serving “had no tolerance for an Amos.”  Amos was a prophet in ancient Israel, whose words still echo across the long centuries:  “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”  Have we no room, no tolerance,  for such prophets today?   

Some tell me that they will break their silence at the polls in November.  I honor that action, but can we really wait till that crucial moment?  I don’t think so.  The silence must be broken now, especially by those of us who claim to be God’s people—a people who proclaim the worth of each individual, including, I might add, the presumptive nominee.