The 2016 presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have added to the anger, fear, and misunderstanding already present in our communities. We refer specifically to the inflammatory and blaming language used by Donald Trump regarding Muslims, Mexican immigrants, and women and by Hillary Clinton regarding the Russian government and “deplorable” Trump supporters.

 

The election results require us to be far more serious about lost jobs and income. American households of all colors have suffered from economic policies and military interventions pursued by Democratic and Republican administrations over the past 25 years. Most importantly, we dare not ignore that the elevation of Donald Trump as President of the United States came with threatening, authoritarian messages. If such talk is not opposed, we open the way to more radical attacks on human rights and democratic processes here in the U.S. And we can expect even more reliance on military threats and force abroad.

 

As followers of Jesus ourselves (see names below)—and with a fervent hope that other faith communities, secular groups, etc. might use this as a model—we feel led by God’s Spirit to call upon congregations and other assemblies to make the following public commitments in their communities:

 

We will protect and support the worth and rights of all people, including marginalized persons who are targeted, discriminated against, or singled out by hate crimes or state-sponsored/sanctioned violence; We will oppose the aspirations of those who seek U.S. global domination through the use of propaganda, inciting terror, military threats, regime change and war. Instead, we will support the practices of diplomacy and negotiation, which lead to peace. We will support a just economic order—one that is sustainable as a servant of the people amid the climate changes that have already begun. To keep these promises, we will reach across lines of creed, class, ethnicity, race, and party preference in a spirit of empathy and learning, seeking relationships of solidarity with other groups.

 

We are grateful for the work of all of those who came together to develop this much-needed call. We take seriously how it has been offered to us as a model for congregations throughout this country to adapt to their ministry and mission. Respecting the values and traditions of our congregation, we will implement this document with these understandings as we join the Public Call to Protect all People: In addition to protecting all people, we are committed to extending protection to the Community of Creation; to the water, the air, the earth, the animals, and all of God’s wonderful creation.

 

We do not believe that there was an equivalency between how Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton conducted their 2016 Presidential campaigns. Both candidates did and said things that “added to the anger, fear, and misunderstanding already in our communities.” To suggest, however, that there was little difference in how the two candidates added to that anger, fear, and misunderstanding is not an accurate representation of the campaign. Mr. Trump’s campaign clearly brought a deeper level of anger, fear, and misunderstanding.

 

We also realize that it is important to move forward from this point in a non-partisan fashion and work to lessen the fear, anger, and misunderstanding by, for example, by recognizing that people of good will supported both candidates. But we can’t move forward without being willing to fully acknowledge how the anger, fear, and misunderstanding was fostered in the 2016 Presidential campaign.

 

In moving forward with this document our congregation will continue to highlight our commitment to non-violent resistance to the injustice we see. We are committed to maintain our commitment to supporting and protecting the members of the LGBTQ community.