Unbelievable

Speaking before the US House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, 24 July 2024, FBI Director Christopher Wray speculated that the wound to President Donald Trump’s ear, suffered in the 13 July attempt on his life, may not have been caused by a bullet, but rather by shrapnel. According to a report on The Hill website, “Wray said that ‘with respect to former President Trump, there’s some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel that, you know, that hit his ear.” [1] 

This irresponsible speculation created unnecessary confusion about an event that should have been treated with the greatest gravity and seriousness.  It has been refuted by doctors, senators, congressmen, the news media, and finally (with some equivocation) by the FBI itself. [2] 

The FBI is one of the world’s leading law enforcement organizations.  Director Wray’s testimony begs the question, should not the leader of the FBI know better than to say something like that, and if he should have - then why did he do it? 

The ordinary citizen could conclude that Mr. Wray’s testimony might be politically motivated.  Was it an attempt to diminish the seriousness of the threat to Donald Trump’s life or the nature and extent of his injuries? * 

Certainly, for many it will further diminish the public’s confidence in the FBI and other federal agencies, which are widely believed to be “weaponized” by the Democrats in Washington D.C. against their political opponents.  In my own case, I am extremely weary of being lied to by my government. 

 

* Fact: An assassin's bullet narrowly missed Donald Trump's brain. Furthermore, there were no obstructions in the bullet's path that would cause fragmentation. Finally, injuries to the ear like the one President Trump sustained may result in unsightly and permanent disfigurement unless they are promptly corrected by surgery.

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[1] https://thehill.com/homenews/4795251-trump-fbi-shrapnel-bullet/

 

[2] https://apnews.com/article/trump-bullet-shrapnel-ronny-jackson-christopher-wray-cb780b9d1a078f0be4191682e75101cf

 

Leadership

Alexander the Great lived about 350 years before the birth of Christ.  After the murder of his father, he became the ruler of Macedonia.  He immediately executed the man believed to be his father’s murderer and most of his other political enemies.  He then subjugated Macedonia’s other neighboring Greek states. 

Persia was the most powerful empire in the world at that time.  Alexander conquered Persia, and then advanced his growing empire along the Mediterranean coast, eventually conquering Egypt.  Finally, he marched all the way to India, subduing all who were in his path. 

Alexander died when he was 33 years old, however, his short lifetime was a demonstration of the difference leadership can make.  He took the small Greek kingdom of Macedonia, and he made it into a great empire, which spawned four smaller empires after his death. He established the Hellenistic culture as the dominant culture of the Western world.  He founded cities and colonies, redefined military strategy and tactics, and made Greek the common language used for communication between people groups. [1] 

Abraham Lincoln was a self-educated country lawyer.  He was able, however, to articulate to the people the goal of preserving the Union, when the Confederate states seceded.  Although he was criticized on all sides, and faced tremendous military difficulties, he persevered, and he led the Union to an eventual victory.  More than any other person, his leadership preserved the United States of America. 

When defeat seemed imminent during the darkest days of World War II, Sir Winston Churchill held on.  We still look back to his speeches when we need inspiration.  He was able to enlist the aid of the United States before we entered the war, in spite of the isolationist opposition in the U.S. Congress.  He welded the resolve of the British people together to continue to fight on though things seemed hopeless.  His courage and leadership ultimately resulted in victory. 

On 5 November 2024, the American people will choose who will be our President for the next four years.  It seems that the circumstances we find ourselves in require that we elect a leader who can “rise to the occasion.”  Yesterday, President Biden withdrew his bid to be the candidate of the Democratic Party.  It is difficult to see in any of his potential replacements a person who will be able to meet the challenges that face us. 

Donald Trump and his running mate, J. D. Vance, offer the prospect of strong leadership, and their proposals to solve the nation’s woes seem more likely to succeed than the socialist pipe dreams offered by the Democrats.  Deep in our hearts, however, we distrust the wisdom of a cult of personality.  Nobody has all the answers, even if they think they do.  A “strong man on horseback” in power lends itself to the abuse of power. We have seen the damage to the country that the abuse of power by a political elite can cause, during President Biden’s administration.

Fellow citizens, please get out and vote in November.  When you do, remember that no President of the United States can create permanent change on their own.  Their executive orders are temporary, and they evaporate when the President leaves office … unless they have a like-minded Congress to codify their policies into law.  Remember also that it is incumbent upon us to vote for the national interest rather than just our own self-interest.  America is in serious trouble at home and abroad.  Please vote for freedom rather than for government handouts. 

Please pray for the United States of America.

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great