Activist Thursday

I’ve had a busy morning. I began by writing a brief note to The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, telling her how much I appreciated her plea to President Trump to have mercy on people who have been justifiably frightened by his pronouncements and apparent intentions. I am always gratified when there is a public indication that Christianity is not always that of Evangelicals seemingly ignorant of the Gospel message.

I next telephoned by conservative Republican congresswoman, Claudia Tenney. I have often sent e-mail to her, but this was the first time I have called her. I had three questions I wanted to ask:

1. Do you approve of the president’s pardons and commutations given to January 6 insurrectionists?
2. What do you plan to do in Congress to protect the rule of law in America?
3. Do you approve of the president’s plan for mass deportations?

I did not expect to speak to Tenney, of course, but I thought her office staff might have ready answers to one or more of my questions. That seems not to have been the case, and I couldn’t really be upset by that. I was assured that the congresswoman would get back to me.

I was surprised that the staffer who answered my call did not ask me who I was. He did, however, ask me if I were a constituent. I told him I was and gave him my name. When I tried to offer my address, he stopped me before I finished. It was not clear how the congresswoman was going to get back to me. Perhaps, because of my previous e-mail communications, the staffer had my contact information readily at hand.

I likely will eventually get a letter from Congresswoman Tenney in response to my telephone call. Such communications are usually standard responses that don’t address the specifics of my inquiries and parrot standard GOP talking points. I hope I made the point, however, that this constituent has serious concerns about the early actions of the second Trump administration.