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by Ken Kemp – Posted: December 21, 2019
NOTE: I must confess, I was happily stunned when I saw the headline from Christianity Today.
It’s been a couple of years ago now, but I had an interesting exchange with the editor of CT over a podcast he did with Dr. Theon Hill of Wheaton College entitled, “Are Trump’s White Evangelical Supporters Racist?” (You can listen to my interview of Dr. Hill here.)
Galli’s surprise post, calling for Trump’s removal, prompted a letter, which I share with you here. Frankly, I don’t expect to hear from Mr. Galli – at least not for awhile. His CT post, “Trump Should be Removed from Office” has been picked up by every major news outlet, making the otherwise unknown Mark Galli an immediate household name. Certainly, he’s been inundated by responses – from every point on the political spectrum, including Tweets from Franklin Graham, and of course, the President.
Here is my e-mailed Thank You note, composed and sent shortly after the release of Mark’s CT piece –
From: Ken KempSubject: RE: CT – Trump Should Be Removed from OfficeDate: December 19, 2019 at 6:49:03 PM PSTTo: Mark Galli, Editor, Christianity TodayMark –Just for recall, you may remember I’m the smart-a*s who challenged you on your interview with Dr. Theon Hill from Wheaton. It was that podcast entitled, “Are Trump’s White Evangelical Supporters Racist?” I had the temerity to suggest that your working definition of racism fell short, and missed Dr. Hill’s point… and that led to an interesting exchange between the two of us.For the record, I’m an aging white guy who has learned a few things about racism myself since then. It would be a good thing to compare notes now that some time has passed and experience has deepened.But that’s not my reason for writing.Here goes –Mark – I salute you for the courageous and poignant position paper just published as CT’s response to the impeachment of Donald John Trump. I commend your insight, and willingness to draw on the assertions made by the magazine in the heat of the Clinton impeachment trial. Trumpist evangelicals (and there are many) have no capacity to see the hypocrisy of their inconsistency. The rationalizing, the proof-texting, the hubris, the twisted logic, the projection*, the paranoia, the victimhood, well, it’s all there for everyone to see except for those “evangelicals” who have erroneously coronated our president as the “Anointed One.”Certainly, you and your colleagues at CT are prepared for the backlash. They can be cruel – and vicious.But here’s my prayer: that many good, Bible-loving, Jesus-following brothers and sisters from our tribe will take pause – and consider your argument carefully. It just might move more than a few. May some of them even be Senators, who will now sit as jurors determining the fate of the impeached president.Count me among the many who are relieved, grateful and proud.With deep appreciation,Ken KempSouthern California*NOTE: “Projection” is a Trumpian strategy that comes from the Roy Cohen (Trump’s former legal counsel, confidant, mentor and friend) school of legal combat – accuse your accuser of the crime they charge you with… If they suggest, “you are untruthful,” call them a liar. No – make that LIAR!!! If they say “you are engaged in corruption,” you shout “these people are CORRUPT!!!” You get the drill.
Franklin Graham was quick to Tweet. No surprises here. He mirrored Trump’s reactionary rhetoric and style. He tagged CT as progressive (“elite leftist”), Galli a liberal and that “my father” (Billy Graham, Founder of CT in the 1950s) “would be embarrassed.” He added, too, that BG voted for Trump in 2016. He didn’t mention that his father was 97 years old, in very poor health, and easily manipulated by his imaginative son – who has, in the minds of many, including me, distorted his father’s legacy. FG, ever the opportunist, has benefited mightily by recreating his father’s image, and organization (BGEA) into a belligerent combatant in the culture wars.
Here’s my Tweet:
