I am a staunch and consistent advocate for free speech and for open and honest communication. I have often pointed out the difference (etymologically) between the words “converse” and “discuss,” converse meaning “with words,” discuss meaning “without hitting.” I want people to feel free to express themselves, but I have a confession. I am tired of being misunderstood and having people attack me for things I have not said. So, to preface this rant, let me highlight a few things I say again and again, but it doesn’t seem to make any difference.

First, no, I do not like Donald Trump. But my reasoning is theological before it is political. I look at the political leadership of our country – Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green, Blue, Purple, Red, Plaid, from exactly the same perspective through exactly the same lens. You will either have to read to the end of this harangue (or skip to the end) to see what my lens is, but first I want to share the three experiences recently that led to this diatribe.

#1 – I was sharing a personal struggle with some of my former colleagues. I said something like the following: “I find I really struggle with humility and patience. I want to be more empathetic and kind. I don’t want to judge. I am so tired of hearing people call each other names, claim that they are right about everything and anyone who disagrees with them are scum or sleazebags, who think peace is all about violence, and that the best way to deal with opponents is to treat them like enemies.” Before I could go on, one person slammed her palm on the table, standing up to leave, saying, “God, I am fed up with all this Trump-bashing. You pretend you’re talking about yourself, but you are putting down everyone who knows that Trump is doing a good job!” With that, she left. Until her outburst, nothing political had been said at all.

#2 – I have been reading the writings of Dorotheos of Gaza (my screen identity has been Doroteos for thirty years) and I wrote something about his reflections on humility – that humility is the essence and foundation of true strength, that viewing others as better than yourself, that mercy is strength, that riches and pride are weaknesses, and that we are all responsible to the weakest and most vulnerable among us should be our governing values. I received a scathing email asking why I “have to only point out things that make true Americans look bad. You cannot write anything that does not make your hate for our government apparent. Everything you lift up as strength is intended to make the power and glory of our countries leaders look like shit.” Once again, I made no mention of politics or our current leaders.

#3 – I was in a situation where I defended Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, but went on to say that the very fact that we needed to make these things a special focus spoke volumes to the brokenness in our culture. When everything is about race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, country of origin, or education, it makes it almost impossible to find common ground for healing and a way forward. A young man yelled at me, “This Trumpist bullshit will kill us. Don’t tell us the most important things aren’t important. You are the racist. You are the problem. And you MAGA types will destroy us all.”

I am not sure how holding a consistent view of coming together as one people gets me labeled both an opponent and a supporter of the Trump agenda, especially when I choose never to talk about Trump, but I do see the leaps up the ladder of inference that cause people to “decide” what I mean regardless of what I say.

Here is my gospel lens for viewing politicians, media pundits – corporate and social, and prominent cultural voices:

1. How does this person view/treat the poor and the marginalized?
2. How kind is this person in the way they speak of others, especially opponents?
3. How committed is this person to a sustainable standard of living for all – enough food, enough shelter, enough medical care, enough mental and emotional health support?
4. How respectful is this person of each individual’s dignity?
5. How does this person treat strangers/immigrants/refugees/asylum seekers?
6. How positive and uplifting is this person’s vision?
7. How well does this person take responsibility for their own actions?
8. How well does this person deal with accountability and criticism?
9. Is this person honest, trustworthy, displaying integrity?
10. Is this person a peacemaker? Is this person calling us to healing and wholeness?
11. Is this person working to build bridges and unity or do they divide, create dissension, destroy relationships and healthy communication?
12. Is this person humble, merciful, and just?

I apply this list to the Bernie’s, AOC’s, Gavin’s, Chuck’s, and Barack’s as well as the Donald’s, Pam’s, Kristi’s, Pete’s, and Mike’s. Nobody does really well with it, though some do better than others. By my estimates, I have been criticized for being “anti-Trump” over a hundred times, but in each case I have supplied my twelve criteria for assessment and have simply asked my critics to grade their president on each. To date, I have received two responses, one saying “yes, but, he can still be a good leader even if he doesn’t pass your test,” and another saying, “I trust him to do everything he says, even if I don’t think he does the other things well.”

I just want to end by saying, I am tired of people seeing the worst in the person they supported and blaming me for attacking him and them. If a political leader, any political leader, doesn’t measure up to the twelve things on my list, that is not my fault. I pulled the twelve standards from the four gospels of Jesus Christ. If you don’t like my criteria, please take it up with God. I am too tired to argue anymore. I am a little disillusioned with what we have allowed to be acceptable politics in our country, no matter the party or polity. But I will continue to vote for those who can score on at least one or two when everyone else on the field seems incapable of getting even one right.