The Price of Speaking Up in Trump’s America

On Tuesday morning at Washington’s National Cathedral, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde did something remarkable: She looked directly at the president of the United States and asked for mercy. It became a bit of a viral moment. Her words were simple and profound. They should have also been completely uncontroversial. Speaking to Trump, who sat in the front pew, she said:

“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives. The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes, and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurdwara, and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here.”