Trump helicopter presser

I love these. He's on his way out and the press is waiting for him. Each has a list of questions they'd like Trump to answer. Maybe they can put him on the spot. Maybe they can make themselves the news.

I saw a clip of this on Denver local news. They chose to highlight the census question about citizenship as if that was the single most important thing mentioned. Then they elaborated about that situation. And I thought, "You a-holes miss more than you convey. No wonder everyone that I know is so poorly informed." Such that it's impossible to repair.

Would you like to see something incredibly stupid? This is impossibly ignorant. It's front-paged on b3ta.com presently where commenters think that it's brilliant. A complete reversal of reality, by a British satirist who all take their news propaganda for received common wisdom. A one-time global empire reduced to an island nanny-state. It's no surprise at all they're this absurd.

But before that ...

Mark  Meadows brought a group of his North Carolina constituents to the White House for a tour. The group was assembled behind a stretch-rope line before Trump moved to the journalists already shown. Trump walked down the line and spoke personally with the people shaking their hands and allowing them to record their experience. They're having the thrill of their lives.

Trump invites a few minorities to his side for photographs, he picks up a baby (who doesn't cry) for its parents to photograph with the president, a handicapped man in a wheelchair is rolled forward under the rope for personal attention, and more. Trump spent as much time as it took, lavishly, extravagantly, patiently,  before doing the same thing for the journalists.

And I'm sitting here thinking, "Wow. This is how people felt about Jesus. If they could just touch his garment then they could take some of his energy."

Mark 5 21-34

It's a beautiful story in the Bible that's taught today in bits and pieces. The episode lifted from the events around it. I believe this is spelled out more clearly in Urantia. 152:0.2 page 1698.2

The story of Jesus curing Amos the lunatic of Kheresa already spread to Bethsaida and Capernaum so that a crowd was waiting for Jesus when his boat landed. Among the crowd were Sanhedrin who came down to Capernaum to find fault with Jesus and cause for apprehension and conviction. Jesus spoke to the assembled crowd. As Jesus was speaking one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus, pushed his way through and fell at Jesus' feet, took his hand and begged Jesus to hasten away with him because his only child, a daughter, is lying at home sick and near death. Jesus said he would go.

The few paragraphs of Jesus going to Jairus' house are worth reading. It's gripping. You already know that Jesus goes there and heals her but the way the story is told in Urantia is extraordinary. I urge you to click over and read it.

At this point, though, before all that, a woman with blood issues who cannot find relief and reached the end of her resources encounters Jesus along the narrow streets where a throng was jostling Jesus.

Jesus suddenly stopped, exclaiming, “Someone touched me.” And when those who were near him denied that they had touched him, Peter spoke up: “Master, you can see that this crowd presses you, threatening to crush us, and yet you say ‘someone has touched me.’ What do you mean?” Then Jesus said: “I asked who touched me, for I perceived that living energy had gone forth from me.” As Jesus looked about him, his eyes fell upon a near-by woman, who, coming forward, knelt at his feet and said: “For years I have been afflicted with a scourging hemorrhage. I have suffered many things from many physicians; I have spent all my substance, but none could cure me. Then I heard of you, and I thought if I may but touch the hem of his garment, I shall certainly be made whole. And so I pressed forward with the crowd as it moved along until, standing near you, Master, I touched the border of your garment, and I was made whole; I know that I have been healed of my affliction.” 

When Jesus heard this, he took the woman by the hand and, lifting her up, said: “Daughter, your faith has made you whole; go in peace.”

I believe this is what the White House visitors are feeling. If they could just touch Trump then they'll receive some of his power. They stay assembled as Trump moves on and speaks to the journalists. They're right there in the background. They want to watch Trump as he works and moves on and boards his helicopter and leaves. This is their history. They will never forget this. For them it is momentous. History right in front of them. They are living it.

They say nothing important. Nothing consequential. All bromides and platitudes. It is, the communication of the journalists, absurd and antagonistic as it is, that is more important, more meaningful. So Trump gives them their due.

But Trump makes no difference between them. He values speaking to the common people about simple things and he recognizes the value in speaking to the journalists although he does not respect them.

Look how happy these people are. Especially seeing the young people fills me with joy.