While I’m not much of a publicly political person (and have voted both parties at different times in the past), I’ve never been a fan of President Trump—dating back to his business exploits, his love of firing people, and his attitude and behavior toward women, including his wives. As president this term, he is many times worse than he has ever been. Grasping at unbridled power, he is deliberately dividing our country—the United States—and enriching himself and his sycophants. He cares not for the needy. He cares not for vulnerable children. He cares not for immigrants. He cares not for women, other than their usefulness to him. He cares not for pastors, ministers or priests. Lately ICE has been assaulting pastors at demonstrations, shooting pepper spray balls at them—a Presbyterian minister was recently shot in the head with such while praying at the line in Chicago (see comment). What do we do?

Of course we pray and we try to stay healthy, sane, and supportive to our own communities. Of course we try to fill in the gaps of care he is widening. Of course we vote. And, even as people of faith who have been exhorted to live in peace as much as it is up to us, we also have been exhorted to stand up to evil. This behavior is evil; I don’t accept it. I don’t back down. I will resist. How?

I will take care of myself and my physical and mental health—this man and his behavior will not be in my thoughts constantly. I will be kind. I will speak truth. I will not live in fear, but love and trust God, not man. And, I will continue to use my only other weapon against the darkness—my pen. A smart man once said “Never argue with those who buy ink by the gallon.”