Trump: No gods before me
In the 2008 primary campaign candidate Barack Obama scorched himself with the comment that some frustrated voters “cling to guns and religion” in making their political choices. Outrage poured from evangelicals, the GOP messaging machine, and even from Hillary Clinton. Criticizing people’s faith, regardless of context, was a third rail.
After his impeachment acquittal, Donald Trump lashed out at Mitt Romney, accusing him of using his “religion as a crutch” to defend his vote to convict the president for abuse of power. In his Senate speech Romney, a devout Mormon who served as a bishop for his church, declared that his oath before God and the nation, and his own conscience, could lead him to no other verdict.
Apparently evangelicals, silent about Trump’s criticism, are insulted when religion is called a teddy bear but OK if it’s pegged as a crutch.
Clearly, Trump doesn’t think “religion” is a good enough reason to defy his ultimatums for loyalty. People of faith can ponder the competing demands of their eternal God and the Idol who currently commands the stage.
Tom Denton
Highland
Very grateful
On behalf of UlsterCorps, I would like to express our profound gratitude to the speakers, musicians, sponsors, supporters and volunteers who made our 11th Annual MLK Day Celebration of Service such a great success: speakers County Executive Pat Ryan; Congressman Antonio Delgado; Pete Shults, Ulster Savings Foundation; the Rev. Evelyn Clarke, honoring the memory of Esther Taylor-Evans; and Jon Nyquist, honoring the memory of Tom Nyquist; musicians The Mead Mountain Resonators; Marji Zintz; Jason Sarubbi, Split Rock Studio; our sponsors Ulster Savings Bank; Anderson Center for Autism; Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley; Family of Woodstock; People’s Place; Ulster Literacy Association; Raising HOPE; Assemblymember Kevin Cahill; Rondout Valley Lions Club; Green Cottage for the beautiful centerpieces; Adams Fairacre Farms; Agnes Devereux Catering; Blue Mountain Bistro-to-Go; Bread Alone Bakery; Cucina; Deborah & Michael DeWan; Dutchess Creamery; Garden Cafe; Hudson Valley Farm Hub; Main Course Catering; Shindig; Tops and Yum Yum Noodles for the feast; The Bakery; Hudson Valley Current; Marysa Sacerdote Jewelry; Mother Earth’s Storehouse; Rosendale Cafe; Rosendale Theatre; Signature Fitness; Stone River Gear; Vitality Yoga for the great raffle prizes; the volunteers from Bard’s Class of 2023 and Center for Civic Engagement and our amazing UlsterCorps U-Team and Board for all your help with the event; Anne Coleman for the great photos; and most of all, to the volunteers we honored throughout the day for your service to our community.
Beth McLendon Albright, director
UlsterCorps
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