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mike wrote:Dan Z wrote:What do you think?
Is there an actual shift afoot in Mennodom, or is this jus a reporter cherry-picking the activism of some liberal Mennonites and making a story out of a non-story?
I don't think there has been a strong shift in the last several months or even the past year.
Some liberal Mennonites have been politically active before, usually for leftist causes, and some conservative Mennonites have been politically active before, usually for right-wing causes.
On the whole, the reaction of Mennonites to Donald Trump and the refugee issue have been pretty much what one would expect.
There has been a shift afoot in Mennodom, but it's one that has been happening for decades.
Liberal Mennonites have increasingly been embracing political activism just as Ervin Stutzman is quoted as saying in the article:
Mennonites have also slowly become more politically engaged over the years as many of them have more closely integrated with society, said Stutzman, who has written a book on the subject titled “From Non-Resistance to Justice.”
So no, a conversation with a couple of progressive Mennonites in Lancaster, PA does not indicate that "Trump turns apolitical Mennonites into protesters." More accurate headlines might be:
"Trump turns some apolitical Mennonites into protesters"
"Trump turns some already left-leaning Mennonites into protesters"
Trump does not have the power to turn apolitical believers into political activists.
He's being given credit (blame) for things not within his power.
It's marvelous to be able to blame others for our words, thoughts, actions, but, not accurate.
In recent years, it's become SOP to blur lines, to be duplicitous; now so common, it's hardly noticed.
These women are stating they vote, but, "are not political."
.. Martin said she always voted in presidential elections, though she noted that her mom voted for the first time in 2008, when she was 83. Corbo said she had voted in presidential elections before, though she also confessed she hadn’t even been aware of the existence of midterm elections until this year ..
Another possible headline for this OP piece might be:
"Over Time, Some Mennonites have gone-Quaker in Politics."