, 01.21.2025 02:45 PM

My latest: political sinners

To us Catholics, there are sins of “commission” and “omission.” 

Sins of omission happen when we know we should have done something right, but didn’t. A sin of commission is one where we actually take some action – in thought, word, or deed. Those sins can be intentional or unintentional.

Politically, there have been an awful lot of sins happening this week. Sins of commission and omission, everywhere.

The American ones are well-known.  Newly-reinstalled President Donald Trump pardoned about 1,500 convicted rioters who stormed Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021. Among them were white supremacists and neo-Nazis. One, Robert Keith Packer, became well-known for wearing a sweatshirt that read “CAMP AUSCHWITZ” and “work brings freedom.” On the back, it said “STAFF.” He got out, which is Trump’s sin of commission.

Trump’s top unelected advisor, Elon Musk, also was arguably sinful, too.  Musk got onstage at Capital One Arena in Washington, where Trump was holding a rally.  Musk thanked the assembled MAGA folks for “making it happen” and then – twice, not just once – made a stiff-armed salute.

A debate immediately commenced as to whether Musk made a Nazi salute or not. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, who is a history professor at New York University, said on X: “Historian of fascism here. It was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too.” Israeli academic and activist Shai Davidai wrote on Instagram that “doing a Nazi salute is never okay…you’re normalizing that which shouldn’t be normalized.” The Anti-Defamation League, which used to take issue with Nazi symbols, posted a much-maligned message saying “this is a delicate moment,” can’t we all just get along, blah blah blah.

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5 Comments

  1. Warren,

    Trump wants TikTok. Musk wants TikTok. How do you think this will end? Not well, that’s how.

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