Last weekend, I was in Washington, D.C., with a group of veterans pushing back against the occupation of the city by the National Guard and federal officials. As veterans, they believe it is their unique voice and responsibility to tell the National Guard troops to remember their oath and not fall to the whims of a tyrant. They let them know that they are not to follow unlawful orders.
They also are involved in filming ICE activity across the city to ensure there is pressure against the deportation regime that has taken over this nation. They realize the deep importance of protecting the vulnerable and foreigners among us. It often seems like an uphill battle against the might of the military and police state.
Will McCorkle
It reminds me a great deal of John the Baptist in his call for the people to repent and even calling out King Herod for his sexual immorality; like many were doing regarding Trump and his ties with Jeffrey Epstein. Jesus described John as a voice crying out in the wilderness. John eventually was killed by King Herod for continuing to call for repentance and holding the government leaders to account. Likewise, people resisting the police state and injustice of our current government already have and increasingly will face more risks and legal consequences.
Tyrants never want to be called to account and want to silence the prophets of their day.
As Jesus told the Pharisees, the powerful loved to honor and raise monuments for the dead prophets whom their ancestors had killed while disregarding their message. We will no doubt look back upon these current prophets of our day as correct. They are standing against a regime that wants to use xenophobia, fear and terror to gain control. To some, these veterans may sound like raging and unstable political activists, like many saw John as a deranged radical. However, their voice is helping to shine through the fascism that our country faces.
It is a modern call to repentance from a nation that has fallen into a deadly nationalism. The question to us and our churches is whether we will heed that call or bow to those seeking power, division and greed.
We know Jesus sides with poor and immigrant populations being harassed and targeted by this administration. It is time for the church to join Jesus in siding with the oppressed and also become a voice crying in the wilderness that our country currently finds itself in.
Will McCorkle serves as an education professor in Charleston, S.C., and is a board member with Practice Mercy Border Ministries. He writes on the topics of immigration, peace and faith.
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