What is going on in our country? I am fearful that we are edging closer to more than a culture war, but an actual war, where people of different political ideologies take out their frustrations with their political opponents by violent acts against them. The shooting of Steve Scalise and attack on Paul Pelosi were earlier manifestations of the political frustration people feel and their willingness to act violently in the face of those frustrations. The 2020 riots, murders, and creation of political “zones” in certain cities was another. The attempted assassination of Trump may only be the next logical step following repeated simulated attacks on him, such as the performance of “Julius Caesar” in NYC where Caesar, who is assassinated, looks like Trump, or the “beheading” of Trump by Kathy Griffin, or Madonna saying she thought about to “blowing up” the White House (presumably with Trump inside?). Missouri state Senator Marie Chappell-Nadal flat out wrote in a Twitter conversation in 2017, “I hope Trump is assassinated” (she refused to resign and continued to serve in the state senate and was later elected to the state house).

We don’t yet know the motives of the young man who attempted to assassinate Trump. One former classmate, Vincent Taormina, says Thomas Crooks, the shooter, hated all politicians and berated him for being a Hispanic who supported Trump, implying that Taormina was stupid for doing so. There has been some speculation, but that’s all it amounts to – speculation. Tom Winter, NBC’s law enforcement and intelligence correspondent, suggested that there is a theory among law enforcement that Crooks was motivated by the idea that Trump wasn’t “conservative enough” for him. This, after Winter insisted that there’s nothing that’s come up in the investigation to give anyone an idea for a motive. Political hacks are likely to speculate in a way that favors their world view.

The political rhetoric has been at a fever temp for many years now, especially since Trump won the presidency in 2016. The Democrats and the mainstream media simply could not believe that Trump had beaten their darling, Hillary Clinton. So, for the next four years, we were treated to an ongoing onslaught against Trump by the press and by the Democrats. The Russian hoax was cooked up – a hoax that cost millions of taxpayer dollars to investigate and was pushed aggressively by the media. Then there was the impeachment over a phone call Trump made to Ukraine – an impeachment in search of a “high crime or misdemeanor.” Then there was the claim that Trump put children in cages and separated families who crossed the border, which was true, but was a practice actually started during the Obama administration, and which Trump finally ended.

The demonization of Trump, the claim that he is an existential threat to democracy, the constant barrage of ludicrous claims against him (“there are good people on both sides;” “inject bleach into your veins to fight COVID”) and, worse yet, the sham charges brought against Trump in New York and other states in the effort to keep him out of the White House again have all contributed to an environment where hating Trump is the only option for those who do not support his presidential bid. Not political opposition on the basis of his policies, but hatred on the basis that Trump is an evil man who will destroy the country and become a dictator. Yes, there are people who actually believe this. And they are not few in number.

As someone who does not support Trump’s presidential bid, I can attest to the fact that I do not hate him, nor do I regard him as a monster, an evil man, or an existential threat to democracy. I even agree with some of his policies. But I can’t allow myself to get to a point where character doesn’t matter. Some pundits have suggested that the attempt on his life has greatly impacted Trump (I can’t imagine how it couldn’t), and that he hopes to present a more reasonable, even-tempered persona. I hope they’re right. Nothing else has worked so far.

Of course, voting for Biden is not an option. His administration has been a dumpster fire since day one, and his policies have contributed to the decline of the United States on the world stage and great difficulties at home. Then there’s the fact that he is the most anti-religion, anti-Catholic president we’ve ever had. Finally, Biden is no longer cognitively astute enough to carry out the duties of the most difficult job on the planet. He would never make it through another four-year term, so a vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Kamala Harris. Lord, help us! (No, I don’t mean that as just an expression. I really mean it – Lord, help us if Harris becomes president!)

We have got to calm down. So far, sadly, there’s no sign of that among some of Trump’s critics. He was rebuked by a CNN anchor for shouting, “Fight!” after he was shot (what, exactly, is one supposed to say after one is shot, I wonder?) A staffer for a Democrat representative tweeted “next time don’t miss!” in a fictitious conversation with the now dead Crooks (She was fired). A member of Jack Black’s band expressed, as a birthday wish, the hope that next time Trump’s assassin would be successful (Black has since cancelled his band’s tour and put the future of the band on hold).

Biden himself offered a good message to America in a rare Oval Office address to calm down and be a more united country, but soon after, Democrats turned the rhetoric up again. Van Jones, Democrat and pundit on many news stations, called JD Vance, Trump’s VP pick, “a horror on the world stage,” and “a dangerous virus.” Calling someone a dangerous virus is not helpful. When a person catches a virus, they want the virus to die so they can get better. I don’t think Jones wants Vance to die, but the language isn’t helpful. Someone else may, indeed, want Vance to die, and may take seriously Jones’ analogy.

I pray for my country. What else can I do?

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.