Reflections on the Election, Conscientious Objectors, the Hospitals Where Hamas Wasn't
Plus, Trump's new legal windfall
Hi all,
It has been a turbulent week, to say the least. In case you missed it, check out the recording of the conversation we had on Substack Live yesterday processing through grief and how to move forward as followers of Jesus. It was a really helpful conversation for us to have, and we hope it will be for you to listen to as well.
And please submit any questions you have for the recording of our season finale of Shake the Dust, which will happen next week. All questions welcome—on anything from this season, the election, how to move forward, or anything we’ve covered at KTF. Just reply to this email, write us at info@ktfpress.com, or message us on social media.
Our highlights this week include:
- The legal victories for Trump that will follow his political win
- The AP finds no evidence of Hamas operations at three hospitals the IDF attacked
- The threat of “constitutional sherifs”
- The American soldiers becoming conscientious objectors over Gaza
- And Sy keeps us grounded with a few peoples’ reflections on the election
Sy’s Recommendations
Trump Won Legal Immunity
Come January, Donald Trump will be the judge and jury in his legal cases, in addition to defendant. His Attorney General will withdraw the federal cases for election interference and stealing classified documents. Any punishment for his 34 felony convictions in New York will almost certainly be suspended until he leaves office in 2029. His Georgia trial for attempting to change the election results will, if it ever goes forward, take place about a decade after the alleged events. He may even escape his civil penalties for sexual assault. I expect he will also pardon most or all of the January 6 defendants, and who knows where it will go from there. I’m sure people convicted for crimes with which conservative sympathize are preparing their appeals for pardons as we speak. As we’ve noted, Governor Abbot in Texas pardoned a murderer because the victim was at a Black Lives Matter protest. The pardon power is total and unappealable, and thanks to the Supreme Court, presidential immunity is broader than it has ever been. so for now, our job will be to call out the outrageous hypocrisy and corruption of all this in the hopes that there is a movement for reform and accountability in the future.
- Read about Trump's changing legal situation
AP finds No Hamas Operations at Three Hospitals the IDF Attacked
(content warning, military violence against innocent people) Today, of 39 hospitals in Gaza, none are fully functional. Only 16 are operating at partial capacity. This is in part because Israel is sieging hospitals, claiming Hamas is using them as bases of operation. The AP recently investigated those claims at three facilities Israel has attacked. It found no credible evidence of Hamas operations at any hospital. In interviews with dozens of patients and staff, however, it did hear horrific stories of IDF soldiers brutally killing innocent people, including children and pregnant women as they approached one facility seeking medical attention. Asked to provide evidence of the Hamas tunnels supposedly beneath the buildings, the IDF had no comment. It’s evidence of weapons it found at one hospital consists of video footage of a single pistol. Evidence of events that allegedly justify genocides are often flimsy because the true justification lies in the dehumanization of the people facing extermination. The goal of the perpetrator is to create enough hatred that credible evidence of their victims’ alleged crimes is no longer necessary, allowing wider latitude for cruelty and killing. We should oppose this trend in Israel, and in the US where unjustified hatred is about to spike over the next four years.
- Read the Takeaways from the AP investigation
Jonathan’s Recommendations
The Threat of “Constitutional Sheriffs”
As followers of Jesus, I believe we are called to be aware and educated about the potential threats to vulnerable people around us, but we are not called to be afraid. Fear is not of God. Jesus says that He will give us peace. A recent podcast episode from Slate’s What Next zeroes in on the hundreds of sheriffs who believe that they are the only legitimate form of law enforcement because they are elected, and that no government official of any kind has authority over them in their own counties. The host, Marry Harris, interviews a reporter who attended one of the group’s conferences. He reports that they are fully aligned with Trump and have close relationships to former Trump administration officials and important figures in the “stop the steal” movement. The interview took place before the election, so it also touches on how they were prepared to spread disinformation if Trump lost and take action to ensure he became president regardless of how the vote turned out. Our response to this should be prayer, preparedness, peacemaking, and a longing for God’s reconciliation and justice. May it be so.
- Listen to the podcast or read the transcript
The Soldiers Becoming Conscientious Objectors over Gaza
The United States cannot support Israel’s genocide if there are no pilots to fly drones, soldiers to raise their guns, or people to put their bodies on the line. And a handful of soldiers have opted out of service over the conflict in Gaza using a Vietnam-era process for registering as a conscientious objector. In a recent article, The Guardian captures the story of Joy Metzler. She is a second lieutenant in the Air Force and she said no to death and destruction on moral and religious grounds. She became a documented resistor to the violence she is being asked to participate in. Followers of Jesus can be police officers, government officials, and soldiers. But we do not have to perpetrate violence against vulnerable people, defend genocide, or justify oppression. I pray that more people who claim to know Jesus say no to crushing image bearers on behalf of an empire.
Staying Grounded with Sy
I want to share some good words I found edifying the past couple days from people who are mourning or reflecting on Trump’s win. It’s helpful when people in your general online community can articulate something you’re thinking or feeling, or give you new things to think about, at a time like this.
- First, some thoughts of Jonathan’s that we posted on Tuesday from a podcast of ours earlier this year. Including the extremely important sentence “God is God, and Trump is not.”
- The incredible roundup of personal thoughts and powerful quotes from Cole Arthur Riley’s Black Liturgies account.
- A viral thread from long-time writer and activist Rebecca Solnit with encouraging and gracious words for the fights ahead.
- And some poignant reflections on the grief the morning after the election from
, whose Substack is always, always worth your time. One quote: “Jesus was crucified by Rome. He didn’t tear Rome down. The miracle is God, in all power, choosing death rather than domination. Do I want this kind of miracle?”Thanks for reading. Take care of yourselves and each other. We will see you next week.
Jonathan and Sy