After a horrific event such as the massacre of so many people in Orlando Sunday morning, reactions ricochet all over the place, with outrage and sorrow chief among them. Threatening to overcome them all is a strong current of hate born of fear and uncertainty.
The elevation of hate, often commented upon in the past year, seems more evident as the presidential campaign moves into its last phase. In their zeal or desperation, some people who should aim to lead the nation into the light are instead recklessly pointing us to the darkness. They often do so in the guise of their faith — Christianity more often than Islam.
Consider Sen. David Purdue of Georgia, who spoke at a gathering of Christian conservatives and, in essence, urged them to pray for President Barack Obama's demise. No doubt taking advantage of his audience's familiarity with a biblical passage prominent in their circle on bumper stickers and T shirts, he said: "In his role as president I think we should pray for Barack Obama. But I think we need to be very specific about how we pray. We should pray like Psalm 109:8 says. It says, 'Let his days be few, and let another have his office.'" The rest of the psalm continues with even more potent curses aimed at the enemy, including: "Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg. Let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places."
Scripture from whatever source is an awesome tool in the hands of malevolent people. It is irresponsible to choose a few lines to suit the need for a cheap laugh without knowing the context. It is disgraceful to choose a passage whose meaning you do know and that Christians at a Faith and Freedom Coalition conference would know.
Wielding words to vilify people in these already overheated times — especially when religion or sexual orientation or race or nationality is involved — is downright dangerous. It contributes to an atmosphere in which an Omar Mateen can target people because of their sexual identity and maybe even because of their ethnicity. It was Latin Night at the Orlando nightclub where he went on a rampage. The same may be said of Dylann Roof, who a year ago Friday targeted blacks, according to police, who were Christians at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.
Consider another instance of a politician playing fast and loose with scripture to fan the flames of hate. Even as the body count was rising in Orlando, the lieutenant governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, tweeted: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."
What's with conservative Republican politicians and their Bible-thumping demagoguery? They give religion a bad name the same way they imply Muslims do — and not just the "radical Islamic terrorists" that no sensible person condones. Donald Trump sees no distinction. That's why he has used the tragedy in Orlando, and the hate it has stoked, to remind the nation that he has been warning about Muslims all along and to renew his call for a ban on Muslim immigration. In fact, he has gone even further, promising that as president he would suspend immigration "from areas where there has been a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies."
Omar Mateen, the New York-born former courthouse security guard, was not an immigrant. His parents were; they came here from Afghanistan. For Mr. Trump and other xenophobes that is a distinction without a difference.
President Obama rightly characterized Mateen's killing spree as "an act of terror and an act of hate." To combat terror, we must rely on the expertise of the president, his team and the resources at their disposal, as well as our own vigilance. Apparently co-workers first brought Mateen to the attention of the FBI. That's the role of everyday folks: doing something when we see or hear something.
That should also be the response to hatemongers. Call them out rather than laugh at their jokes or affirm them in social media.
The White House response was more presidential. Mr. Obama said: "In the face of hate and violence, we will love one another. We will not give in to fear or turn against each other. Instead we will stand united as Americans to protect our people and defend our nation and to take action against those who threaten us."
Even if many of us will have to struggle to let go of hate, the president is pointing us toward the light.
E.R. Shipp, a Pulitzer Prize winner for commentary, is the journalist in residence at Morgan State University's School of Global Journalism and Communication. Her column runs every other Wednesday. Email: er.shipp@aol.com.