Over the Weekend: Trump's Controversial Speech in Poland
Stuff reported over the weekend is often lost in the shuffle. Because of that, sometimes stories are reported that might be considered important, but, for various reasons, certain interests want them to be pretty much ignored. I don't think Trump's speech in Poland over the weekend falls into that category. It's gotten a lot of social media attention.
Some interpreted his remarks negatively, some positively (nothing new there). The negatives saw the remarks as anti-immigrant, anti-East, jingoistic, racist, etc. The positives think there's something of a core governing philosophy and affirmation of the Western tradition.
A Wall Street Journal article sums up the nature of the controversy:
Pope Benedict penned an article that articulated his view that European culture will die unless it reinvigorates itself. To be truly re-born, it needs to rediscover and embrace its Christian roots. It's hard to argue with this point. What is Europe without Christianity? The answer, if you're wondering, is what we see today.
This has nothing to do with racism, being anti-immigrant, a "colonialist" mentality, homophobia, Islamophobia, or any of the other labels slapped on to the West. Yes, governments and individuals in countries of the West have done bad things. Governments and individuals in others cultures have also done bad things. Really. Read history. (Oh, that's right: none of this is taught anymore. I forgot.)
In any case, if you want to know what may be behind Trump's speech (whether The Donald himself has read this or is even aware of it), you should read Pope Benedict's whole article published in 2006.
(Click HERE)
Yes, it's rather long. (Remember, he's German!) But it's brilliant. Disagree if you wish, but please do so with some specificity and background knowledge. Knee-jerk reactions are not permitted! If nothing else, you'll get some sense of what happened in the world - at least in the West - from the time of the Roman Empire until our modern age - something hardly taught anymore. If the Pope's remarks at least capture your attention and engage your mind, there's hope. You may even go ahead and spend some quality time learning about the past. And that might help you better understand what you see going on around you.
Or, you could choose to wallow in your ignorance of history, as so many do today, and continue to be jerked-around by tweets and other forms of social media.
Your choice.
Some interpreted his remarks negatively, some positively (nothing new there). The negatives saw the remarks as anti-immigrant, anti-East, jingoistic, racist, etc. The positives think there's something of a core governing philosophy and affirmation of the Western tradition.
A Wall Street Journal article sums up the nature of the controversy:
...the speech’s most provocative argument was about our way of life. It came when he described how a million Poles stood with Pope John Paul II in Victory Square in 1979 to resist Soviet rule by chanting, “We want God!”
“With that powerful declaration of who you are,” Mr. Trump said, “you came to understand what to do and how to live.”
This is a warning to the West and a call to action. By remembering the Poles’ invocation of God, Mr. Trump is clearly aligning himself with the same warning issued to Europe some years ago by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict.
Pope Benedict penned an article that articulated his view that European culture will die unless it reinvigorates itself. To be truly re-born, it needs to rediscover and embrace its Christian roots. It's hard to argue with this point. What is Europe without Christianity? The answer, if you're wondering, is what we see today.
This has nothing to do with racism, being anti-immigrant, a "colonialist" mentality, homophobia, Islamophobia, or any of the other labels slapped on to the West. Yes, governments and individuals in countries of the West have done bad things. Governments and individuals in others cultures have also done bad things. Really. Read history. (Oh, that's right: none of this is taught anymore. I forgot.)
In any case, if you want to know what may be behind Trump's speech (whether The Donald himself has read this or is even aware of it), you should read Pope Benedict's whole article published in 2006.
(Click HERE)
Yes, it's rather long. (Remember, he's German!) But it's brilliant. Disagree if you wish, but please do so with some specificity and background knowledge. Knee-jerk reactions are not permitted! If nothing else, you'll get some sense of what happened in the world - at least in the West - from the time of the Roman Empire until our modern age - something hardly taught anymore. If the Pope's remarks at least capture your attention and engage your mind, there's hope. You may even go ahead and spend some quality time learning about the past. And that might help you better understand what you see going on around you.
Or, you could choose to wallow in your ignorance of history, as so many do today, and continue to be jerked-around by tweets and other forms of social media.
Your choice.
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