Christmas Reflections on Hope and Hypocrisy
Trump, MLK, and families seeking refuge then and now
Like many of you, I will reflect on the values of hope, compassion, and community on Christmas Eve. At that moment, my thoughts will be with the millions of people who live in fear, like those in the Middle East who are seeking refuge. I will also worry about the current developments worldwide, best summarized by the notion that for the first time in my life, friends openly talk about their fears for the future.
The start of the second Trump presidency next month and the expectation that it will be worse than the first make the future far more unpredictable than we have ever experienced. I wish, for one evening, my mind wouldn't drift off into the darkness that he will bring, but the impact of America's vote for another round of Trumpism will be so devastating to the world that it's hard to ignore.
Millions of American Trump supporters identify themselves as Christians, which makes me wonder how they viewed his 2023 Christmas message on his own social media platform, Truth Social.
He wished "Merry Christmas to all," but after those few words shifted to criticize various political adversaries. He continued: "including Crooked Joe Biden's ONLY HOPE, Deranged Jack Smith, the out of control Lunatic who just hired outside attorneys, fresh from the SWAMP (unprecedented!), to help him with his poorly executed WITCH HUNT against 'TRUMP' and 'MAGA,'"
In true Christmas spirit, the future US President expressed a desire for those he criticized to "rot in hell," which I assume marked a departure from his predecessors' more traditional Christmas sentiments.
Immigration
In his posts, Trump targeted not only political figures but also broader themes such as immigration, inflation, and environmental policies, labeling them as destructive to the United States. He concluded his message with a reiteration of his Christmas wishes.
Eleven months later, most American voters believed he would be the best choice to lead their country. A vote for Trump was also a vote against, as Trump formulated it in his Christmas message, the" SICK thugs" in the US "with their Open Borders."
Immigration was a prevalent theme amongst his voters, and this year, he continued to rally support for this message of hate and xenophobia. In the month before the election, Trump promised that he alone could save the country from people he called "animals" and "stone-cold killers, and he claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris had "imported an army of illegal alien gang members and migrant criminals from the dungeons of the third world…from prisons and jails and insane asylums and mental institutions, and she has had them resettled beautifully into your community to prey upon innocent American citizens."
Ideally, I would like to ignore Trump completely. Frankly, I find him rather uninteresting, and, like many Europeans, I don't understand why anyone would vote for a man with so many flaws and no moral values; a man whom you would hope never to be your boss, employee, father, son, husband, or neighbor.
The thought of writing about him around Christmas time is even worse. However, when a divisive ideology dominates American politics, the essence of Christmas can serve as a guiding light.
Seeking refuge
At its core, the Christmas story is one of resilience in the face of adversity. Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem was one of uncertainty and hardship. Read today's news, and you will see that their journey mirrors the experiences of millions of individuals and families today fleeing warfare and destruction and seeking refuge from the systematic destruction of their society.
The biblical narrative reminds us that Joseph and Maria were forced to escape to Egypt with their newborn son to protect him from King Herod's decree. They were refugees, and millions of others throughout history have shared their plight of persecution and seeking shelter elsewhere. It's striking how often political leaders who love to talk to their voters about their Christian beliefs forget this fundamental aspect of the Christmas story.
Last year's decision by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to send asylum seekers to Washington D.C. on Christmas Eve without adequate shelter or clothing starkly contrasts with the compassion that should define a Christian response to those in need. I remember posts on social media those days along the lines of: "If only the Bible had a story of a mother fleeing tyranny with her infant for refuge in a foreign land—maybe GOP would welcome refugees fleeing tyranny with their kids for refuge in the USA."
For readers in the US, I hope you will enjoy your last Christmas under Joe Biden's decent presidency. Next year, around this time, you will have seen much more of the hypocrisy among those who claim to uphold Christian values while disregarding the plight of the vulnerable.
Martin Luther King Jr.
This hypocrisy is not merely a political issue; it strikes at the heart of our moral compass. And that brings me, after distractions by the man I didn't even want to name when writing about Christmas, to the theme I had in mind for this evening's writing. It's a man who deserves to be remembered during days of hope, compassion, and community: Martin Luther King Jr. In his 1967 Christmas sermon, he urged us to consider our responsibility towards others, particularly those who suffer injustice. He emphasized that "the time is always right to do what is right," calling for a commitment to love and justice that transcends seasonal goodwill.
King's message resonates today because we will increasingly navigate a landscape tainted by division and fear. The spirit of Christmas challenges us not only to celebrate but also to act and to transform our holiday cheer into support for those who are marginalized, discriminated against, or forced to flee from violence or prosecution.
The Christmas story is fundamentally about hope and inspiration, which includes recognizing that our actions can create positive change. Whether volunteering at local shelters, advocating for humane immigration policies, or simply reaching out to someone in need. The November 20 results won't contribute to a more just and compassionate society, which makes it all the more critical that you try to find other ways to build towards a better future for all based on love, inclusivity, respect for nature, and other people.
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Isn't the basic tenet for Christians to "love thy neighbor as thyself"? Basic compassion spanning centuries and culminating in refugees finding shelter in a manger. We not only do not hear love, compassion, "blessed are the poor" or any other form of basic human decency coming from the Trump camp; we are hit with the dangerous and hateful threats of a White Supremist Party couched in Christian Nationalism.
But deep within the immigrant communities where fear is hiding and hate is knocking on the door, I hear singing, I see dancing and I sit at open tables for a meal whose recipes have traveled over ages, over countries from their "nanas" and "tias" prepared by loving hands. Food such as tamales, masa, chiles rellenos, mole poblano. A culture I grew up with and has become part of the fabric of my life. This is Arizona. This is their home, and they are not going anywhere.
While Trump builds walls, immigrants build tables and offer you a seat. The choice is clear. Tonight, I think of all the "refugees on the unarmed road of flight." I also think of everyone fighting for them; people they will never know. America has never had it easy but as MLK said: "We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear."
Gracias por todo, Alex. Nosotras venceremos!
Four more years is grim but many are quietly organizing. Many refuse to allow the coming administration to destroy lives. To destroy the planet. We continue to have courts to support our welfare and that of the world. We have to be strong and support each other. We will succeed.