BETTER ANGELS vs VENOM
Grazie Papa Francesco
POPE FRANCIS died on Easter Monday. I am not a Roman Catholic, but he was a man whom I respected for his commitment to his cause, and not in an intellectual but in a deeply human way. His life was one of public service, not to himself but to humanity. He consistently supported and advocated for those who have little – options, material well-being, spiritual poverty. He spoke directly to the powerful who want to abuse rather than guide.
Most recently he has repeatedly spoken out against the prejudice of leaders and rulers, masquerading as the ‘guiding hand’ that will lead us to a better world. The authoritarian President Trump was admonished for his indiscriminate attack on immigrants and the Vice President was firmly put in his place when he suggested that Catholic clergy are enjoying the rides their offices afforded them, yet at the same time try to pontificate and tell them – the all-knowing righteous Trump & his MAGA America – what values they should hold dear.
Pope Francis lived a life of modesty & simplicity in the face of the almost obscene wealth and power of the Roman Catholic Church. For that I salute him. He is one of the few who led by example. He believed in this maxim, which I first came across at a school leadership camp many years ago, “Through serving alone you can finaly come to ruling.” His life almost makes me believe in OUR BETTER ANGELS.
Then again there is the VENOM to which we are subjected on a daily basis by Trump, his Vice President, Press Secretary and various other in his administration. An extreme example of their scorn and derision for ‘the other’ is the now universally despised Elon Musk who took to the stage recently with a chainsaw to drive home his message of slash & burn. I always find words and expressions interesting. In this case I am thinking of INFAMOUS. Elon Musk in 2025 gives new meaning to the word. He is probably South Affrica’s most infamous export.
Although always inquisitive, I self-limit watching news from Trump’s America. The VENOM, the scorn, the prejudice, the intolerance of anything other sycophantic claptrap from the Trump leadership cadres leaves me feeling soiled. As a child of Apartheid, I did not think that such incessant assault on fellow citizens would become the norm in this previously admired democracy. … and then I have not even begun to address the CONSTANT LYING.
It is as if history is written before our very eyes; in real time. Like history has gone viral. The Pope – a leader of a deeply flawed spiritual home throughout most of history, embracing humanity and using his high visibility and exalted position to bow down to reach the lowest of us, without exclusion.. Donald Trump, leading the assault on truth, installing insult & injury as the central pillars of modern American leadership.
It is in this context that I read about the resolution of inflamed tensions between the ANC and the DA in the GNU. The DA leader even said this about Fikile Mbalula, the ANC CEO; “I left these last two meetings with a very, very changed view of him. I think he's been incredibly sober and levelheaded. I've been very appreciative of the leadership that he has shown in this,” said Steenhuisen.
May our Better Angels keep flying.
Grazie Papa Francesco