It’s strikingly clear at this point that Donald Trump is cashing in on the riots and protests that are raging from coast to coast after yet another innocent black man was murdered, face down on the pavement, pleading for his life, by a white police officer with far too much power to his name.
Trump has proven time and time again over the past few days that he has absolutely no intentions of enacting anything that will amount to any change in the systematic racism in this country, but instead use George Floyd’s death to strengthen his own and once again paint himself as a right-wing, white-supremacy hero.
And what better way to do that than with God and guns, right?
After standing in the Rose Garden of the White House today and declaring that he’s bringing the force of the United States military down on protesters and rioters, as you could hear them being tear-gassed in the background, Trump wrapped up with the guns portion of his plan and headed on over to the God part — standing in front of a church, holding a Bible, for some sort of knockoff KKK photo-op.
caption contest pic.twitter.com/7lWkkJ7XSa
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 1, 2020
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At this point, you would think that’s about as bad as it could get, right?
But this is Donald Trump we’re talking about, and it can ALWAYS get worse.
According to White House reporter for Politico, Meridith McGraw, Trump apparently commandeered the church for his little MAGA photo shoot, without so much as telling the pastor what was about to take place.
The pastor of St. John’s on Fox News just said he had no idea what was going to be happening at his church tonight at 7pm. “I feel like I’m in some alternative universe in a way.”
— Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) June 1, 2020
The pastor of the individual church wasn’t the only one blindsided, either.
The Episcopal bishop of DC, Bishop Mariann Budde, who oversees the church that Trump made his impromptu stop at was blindsided, as well.
And she was NOT happy about it.
Washington Post journalist, Michelle Boorstein, reports:
The Episcopal bishop of DC – who oversees the DC church Trump just stopped at – tells the @washingtonpost she is “outraged” and that neither she nor the rector was asked or told… “that they would be clearing with tear gas so they could use one of our churches as a prop..” 1/3
— Michelle Boorstein (@mboorstein) June 2, 2020
..holding a bible, one that declares that God is love and when everything he has said and done is to enflame violence. I am beyond.We need moral leadership and he’s done everything to divide us and has just used one of the most sacred symbols of the Judeo-Christian tradition.”2/3
— Michelle Boorstein (@mboorstein) June 2, 2020
“We so disassociate ourselves from the messages of this president. We hold the teachings of our sacred texts to be so so grounding to our lives and everything we do and it is about love of neighbor and sacrificial love and justice.” @Mebudde Bishop Mariann Budde 3/3
— Michelle Boorstein (@mboorstein) June 2, 2020
Quite literally, like everything else in his life, Trump doesn’t even think he needs permission before swooping in and using someone’s church for his racist agenda.
Just like he doesn’t think he needs permission to touch someone’s body. Or use the military against protesters. Or…
Are you sensing a trend here?
Featured image via screen capture
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