From “The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy” by Jim Wallis
Trump was basing his candidacy on fear of the other – and, ultimately, that fear leads to hate. As we saw in the Trump presidency, eventually that hate led to violence, most dramatically on January 6. Donald Trump began his political career by attacking immigrants as others. They are coming to get us, harm us, rape us, bering drugs, and gangs and disease into ourcountry. Trump claimed that the first Black president was illegitimate; he was an other and not one of “us.”
Trump was saying from the outset of his political candidacy: people different from you are not your neighbors. You don’t have to love them. In fact, you have permission to hate them. And I will protect you from them.
Trump was always running against the other, running literally against those who Jesus said were our neighbors and whom we are called to love. From the beginning of his political career, and throughout his candidacy for president, he was building his case for us against them. And I knew those demons run deep in America and, in a close election, Trump could win.