Monday 23 January 2017

Alternative Facts – The New United States of America



I have lived under several governments in 3 continents and am sad to say that the present U.S. one already reminds me of a third world dictatorship.  Am I being overly dramatic?  Probably.  However, when I hear things like Kellyanne Conway’s defence of White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s bold-faced lie, I can’t help but draw strong comparisons in my head to what I've seen before.  Think about everything we’ve heard through the campaign, on inauguration day and now: bombastic rhetoric, over blown promises, overt and covert bullying (allegedly), brazen untruths that not only insult the viewer’s intelligence but takes said intelligence round the back shed and gives it a solid beating …  I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone.   Is this the United States of America? Is this real?  It all sounds disturbingly similar to what we’re accustomed to seeing from African and Middle-Eastern despots (among others.)

Kellyanne Conway is a bad liar.  She visibly flinched as she talked about “alternative facts” and clearly didn’t believe what she was saying.  Even Sean Spicer looked unconvincing in his speech.  Why can’t any of these folks positively influence the President when he sets off on one of his tours of alternate reality? His loose relationship with the truth was on full display during the elections, and didn’t seem to stop him from ultimately winning the race.  Perhaps that’s why he thinks he can keep going in the same direction.

Arguably, all politicians lie.  Certainly, all politicians present the facts in a way that favors them most.  However, most credible politicians do not make bold-faced lies which are easily controverted by a simple google search, a publicly available video recording or listening to an audio archive.
As a man of faith, I believe God can use anyone to fulfill His purposes on the earth.  And yes, God can use Donald Trump.  Some days however, it’s easier to believe than others.

May God continue to bless the United States of America.

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