Today is Tuesday 21 January, 2025. Kia ora!
Donald Trump was inaugurated as US President for the second time on Monday (in the US). This occasion was memorable for several reasons: Trump did not take his oath of office on the Bible; the high-wealth “tech bros” were seated in prime position (not evangelicals, or proposed cabinet members), and the fact that Melania was dressed all in black, with a broad brimmed hat which covered her eyes and made it impossible for Donald Trump to kiss her. Was she dressed for a funeral? The death of democracy, perhaps? Dark forces vs. the Deep State?
I declared I was not going to watch this event, and I did not, but it has been pretty hard to avoid commentary on it. The liberal commentators are deeply depressed, for the most part: they’re complaining about the next four years of Trump’s presidency, but who’s to say it will only be four years? Benjamin Wittes spoke about the first day of the Occupation, whereas Trump in a very low-energy speech spoke about Liberation. I doubt of anyone felt liberated, apart from the January 6 2021 rioters, who were uniformly pardoned or had their sentences commuted. It was assumed by Vice President J. D. Vance and senior republicans that violent offenders (some of whom had pled guilty) would not be pardoned, but they were, as Trump had promised. One man was going off to get some guns. Some were dobbed in by family members, who were scared of them. But there’s no parole, no supervision, and no limitation on their future actions. So Trump will now have his own militia, political violence is acceptable, and the rule of law, imperfect as it is, counts for nothing.
The next day Trump went to a service at the Washington National Cathedral, where a female bishop (Mariann Budde) asked him to extend mercy to marginalised groups, as mercy had been shown to him (by a “loving God”) in a recent assassination attempt. He was not moved, and there are now calls for the bishop, who spoke well and bravely, to be deported herself. During this service Trump obviously did not know the Lord’s Prayer. Immigration raids can be carried out anywhere, even in schools and churches. A church is no longer a place of refuge. I recently visited Canterbury Cathedral and Durham Cathedral, which were both places of refuge, as I was reminded while I was there. We were asked to be respectful of these places.
I admired what the Bishop said, although I take issue with one statement: she spoke about transgender children. I don’t think children have gender issues before puberty, although I could be wrong here, and puberty can begin as young as 10 years.
Many cruel things are being done. I have to admit that the Democrats seem bemused and confused at this stage, as I think many people are: weary and sad.
It’s now Tuesday 28 January.
Trump has done a number of things, as he said he would. I wonder why Americans are shocked and surprised! He warned people repeatedly of what he would do. And he made some outlandish promises about lowering prices, later admitting this is hard to do. What is hard to take, and wasn’t forewarned, are his cabinet picks: Matt Gaetz (he later withdrew), Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard, and RFK jnr, amongst others. Marco Rubio is seen as a “normal person” and has been confirmed as Secretary of State. Some, such as Kristi Noem, Pam Bondy, and Pete Hegseth have already been confirmed, as they probably will all be. Resistance from republican senators is futile, it seems. So these are shocking appointments.
On the world stage, I find myself hoping that Trump gets the Nobel Peace Prize, strange as that may seem. Attacking Greenland/Denmark and Panama doesn’t seem at all peace-like. Peace in Ukraine has yet to be achieved. A ceasefire in Israel has been achieved, a complicated arrangement, which appears to be holding so far, and some hostages have been released, and a number of Palestinian prisoners, but Trump has claimed that Palestinians who lived in Gaza should go to Egypt or Jordan and Israel should raze Gaza! This is ironic from the president who can’t abode migrants in the US. It’s all right for other countries to take them, then. Back in New Zealand, Shane Jones (a NZ First Party politician), said “Send the Mexicans home”. Whatever prompted that?
It’s now Wednesday 5 February.
It was a busy morning: I went to hymn singing, which has just restarted for the year, and then to Te Reo Māori. Now that hymn singing starts later, I don’t have time for a wee break in between – to have a coffee at Parsons’ Café. But it was all lovely. Unfortunately I forgot to take my phone, but I rang from the Community Centre and JD came and picked me up. It was a beautifully warm sunny day, even in Ganges Road, and I was able to sit outside the library in the sunshine to wait for him.
Other things have restarted, such as Bible Study, yesterday morning. We spoke about the movie Conclave – I think I had a rather stoic impression of it! I’ve been listening to the audiobook of the novel by Robert Harris which it’s based on, and as there is lots of prayer in the book, I rather felt the religious details had been stripped out in the film. Perhaps I should see it again, although my criticisms remain.
I also had a discussion with the minister about bringing political situations into the weekly service of worhip, with particular reference to the short film about the Holocaust that we watched at a recent service in Karori. I feel more and more that this was inappropriate: when Jesus was alive (the word made flesh) on earth, although he foretold his death he did not advocate overturning, or protesting against, Roman authority or how dreadful Herod was or even the Roman system of government. Similarly the apostle Paul, although he foretold his death, and we’re told about some narrow escapes, did not defy governmental authority. The house of God is a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”). Similarly, there are protocols when one enters a Māori marae, particularly the Wharenui: one is on sacred ground, as is one within a church. Jesus told his followers to “watch and pray”. When I go to church I wish for a break from the dreadful things that may be happening in the world, and somewhere to experience the peace of God, which passes human understanding (Philippians 4:7).
Still, it is tempting to discuss foreign affairs, as we watch the American system of government being dismantled, very quickly. I’ve been listening to The Rest is History podcast where Tom Holland has recently completed a new translation of Suetonius’ The Lives of the Caesars. There was a podcast about Tiberius, but last Monday he covered the life of the emperor Caligula. I couldn’t help comparing this to the present situation in the US. Was Caligula mad, or just mad with power? He certainly did some very unpleasant things, even if some of the more lurid stories about him are perhaps untrue. The Roman Senate was an august body that men on completing a “cursus honorum” (military success) aspired to be elected to. However Caligula got them to vote supreme power to him! They were so subservient that they did so. Then he had his Praetorian Guard to protect him (although one of them eventually murdered him, thus bringing his reign of terror to an end). Suetonius wrote about recording deeds of the Princeps, and then the monster (that he became).
I think it’s been about two weeks since Trump’s inauguration. In that time, many people have been fired, or their jobs are at risk; all the dreadful nominees to Trump’s cabinet look like being confirmed; Trump has toyed with applying tariffs to Canada, Mexico and China, but he’s held off on the Canada and Mexico ones (for now). The FBI is being dismantled, despite the ongoing threats of terrorism. What’s he doing? Is there a plan? Meanwhile, the head of the FAA has been sacked, and there was a dreadful plane crash between an airline and an army helicopter in Washington, followed by an air ambulance small plane crash in Philadelphia, in which all six on the plane and one person on the ground were killed. Elon Musk’s minions have access to the US Treasury, which makes many payments to US citizens. Meanwhile Trump has attempted to revoke birthright citizenship of the US, which is vested in the US Constitution; 17 Inspectors-General have been fired. There was a freeze on all government spending, causing absolute mayhem, not explained, although this was later rescinded. In addition, USAID has been stopped, although this involved aid and vaccines overseas and contracts signed with the US government, and funds approved by the US Congress. Also, all mention and programs involving DEI have been stopped and any screen relating to climate change has been scrubbed. I’ve probably omitted some things. Pete Hegseth has been confirmed as Defense Secretary, and Christi Noem as ICE Secretary. All this has been done against the backdrop of the terrible Democratic administration which endeavoured to prevent wars, famine and disease and fight climate change, which is increasingly making more areas of the world uninhabitable – too hot or too wet. Oh, and he’s threatening to abolish FEMA, and disaster relief agency.
What is worst? Trump turning America’s allies into enemies?
That’s it for now. It’s Waitangi Day tomorrow. At least there is a treaty, even if it’s not honoured the way many of us would like it to be. Slava Ukraini! Ngā mihi nui.
Classic Barbarian 