"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Monday, July 03, 2017

Another Day, Another Campaign Rally

He's still running for president -- that's all he knows how to do:

Donald Trump cost taxpayers’ at least $400,000 last night to headline the Celebrate Freedom Concert last night in Washington D.C., utilizing his first 4th of July Speech as president to attack the media, praise an anti-gay pastor and pander for the evangelical and veteran votes.

Trump began his speech by praising Robert Jeffress, the anti-gay megachurch pastor who’s linked homosexuality to both pedophilia and disease. “Pastor, you… have stood with us since the very, very beginning,” Trump said, “and I will always stand with you. I’ve told you that, and I mean that, I will always be with you. I appreciate it.”

The president quickly began pandering for the evangelical vote, touching on the faux “War on Christmas” and promising “we’re going to start saying ‘Merry Christmas’ again.” And although he took the time to block VoteVets, which advises it “represents over 500K vets, military families and supporters” on Twitter, Trump didn’t shy away from seeking the veteran vote, either.

And it seems that pandering works both ways:



“Thank you to everyone from First Baptist Dallas,” Trump said at the beginning of his speech. “Tonight, we have been inspired by music that fills our hearts, stirs our souls and reminds us all of who we are: one nation, under God.”

“I heard them backstage, I said ‘let me out there, that is the most beautiful music,’” Trump said, momentarily leaving his teleprompter behind. “Your music honors our heroes more than words could ever do.”

There's video at the link, if you really have to see it.

Aside from the rank hypocrisy of his first comment, please take note: a reminder, if you will, that a certain brand of "Christians" strongly favor dictators. (Just look at the history of Europe and America in the 20th century.) That's what comes of following a religion that emphasizes subservience.

That's all the Trump news I can stomach for today.

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