Earlier this week there was a UFC fight held on the White House lawn. I am not sure why, other than to placate the president’s desire for one, but it happened. To be clear, I don’t like that there’s an Easter Egg Hunt on the lawn either; it is a silly practice that has nothing to do with Easter, but if you like them, I won’t stop you from playing hide and seek. And while I don’t like UFC much, I am happy if you find it entertaining. I am not opposed to so-called violent sports – I still wrestle and used to play rugby – so that’s not my problem. In fact, I have more of a problem with many voices who opposed the event as “classless” and “vulgar.” I have struggled with my hesitancy to support this kind of endeavor, and I am still not sure that I have an answer. For me, though, it isn’t about class.
In fact, I have come to believe that the whole arrogance of class distinction – Trump called it elitism – is what has gotten us into this mess. People have always divided themselves into the haves and have nots, and the upper 1% has always set people with a lot less money against those who have even less. The plantation owners convinced poor white people that enslaved people were the danger to their prosperity, when it was – and is – the actual hoarding of wealth that has caused much of human misery over the centuries. Growing up poor, I knew every day that I could not do what others could – I couldn’t attend trips, never went on vacation, rarely had new clothes – because I was a have not. My parents were smart people, and my mom was well-educated – they listened to classical music and loved the ballet. They had class – and would tell you so – but no money. They also thought that my love of wrestling – real wrestling – was boorish. To them, I was low-class.
The problem on the White House lawn wasn’t about UFC; it was about fake patriotism, misogyny, and racism. The speech given by the winner was a clear indication of where some of those in attendance are in their attitudes. It was a misuse of public property for personal gratification. You want to attend a UFC match? Go to one and enjoy. Just don’t use our White House to prove to the world something about yourself. The problem with Pres. Trump is not his lack of class; it’s his narcissism, mean-spiritedness, and cruelty. These attributes know no class difference – they can live in people of all economic status and education. Let’s let go of these meaningless divisions and address the real problem – is America good or bad? And can we actually make it better? The jury is out.
Prayer – Holy God, all of us are, on the inside, made in Your image, regardless of what we have on the outside. Remind us of that, we beg. Amen.
Today’s art is an original drawing from Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol,”