Assumptions
War is politics by other means. (*1)
Politics is war by other means. (*2)
Like other wars, both sides in America’s political war are striving desperately to win. “Both sides” refers to the Donkey (Democrats) and the Elephant (Republicans). But unlike other wars, if the battle continues in its present form, there will be no winners. Only losers. And the list of losers is legion and growing.
My full-time job for the last eight years has been to help Christians get along with one another. Way, way stronger than that, actually, but more to come on that topic later. Choosing to address The Good News of Jesus in a Donkey Elephant War probably won’t help my cause! While my intent isn’t to offend, I predict it will happen, starting pretty soon now. I’m hoping… no, pleading… that those offended by my next few paragraphs will keep reading.
I grew up in an Elephant household. There were very few things we all agreed upon, but this was one of them: we were elephants. We’ve been elephants for generations, as far as I know. We voted elephant, we cheered for the elephants and we assumed that nothing good comes from donkeys.
I also grew up in a Christian household. I’m told that before I was old enough to go to school myself, I would on occasion tell the school kids walking by that Jesus loved them. I don’t ever remember a time before I was a Christian, though I certainly remember plenty of times when light bulbs came on and faith grew. And I’m still discovering blind spots in my faith and life at age 55.
I don’t consider it to be a problem to grow up in either a Christian home, an elephant home, or both. The problem is that I thought the two were flip sides of the same coin, conjoined twins, as inseparable as Hansel and Gretel, thunder and lightning, politicians and flags. I don’t ever remember being told that both were birthrights, that I was as obligated to one as I was the other. It was just assumed, which is as common as it is dangerous. (*3) You’re likely familiar with the crass saying about assumptions: when we assume we make an ass (not the donkey kind) out of u and me. I learned by the time I was in middle school Confirmation classes that being Christian wasn’t a genetic trait; it had to be owned and personalized. It took decades longer to learn the same about political affiliations.
Hang in there, restless elephants. I can feel your agitation. The floor is already starting to shake. I could set aside your fears by telling you that I haven’t done the unthinkable and become one of them, and that would be true. But then I would start the donkeys braying, so I can’t go there quite yet.
War is politics by other means. - Carl von Clausewitz, On War, early 1800’s, Prussian general and military strategist.
Politics is war by other means. - Twentieth-century French philosopher Michel Foucault, in the mid 1970’s, took von Clausewitz’ phrase and flipped it inside out.
I recently (6/26/19) saw an advertisement for a Ford dealership in Alabama that’s giving away a Bible, a 12 gauge shotgun, and an American flag with the purchase of every new vehicle. Hmm.