I was reading an article in The Observer at the weekend by Stewart Lee where he was comparing Donald Trump’s meeting with the Pope as a ‘good vs evil’ encounter. Trump in this scenario being likened to Satan, and the Pope being the ‘good’ guy. Whatever your opinion on ‘the Donald’, I really don’t think he is completely evil any more than the Pope is completely ‘good’. I mean, is Donald Trump really more ‘evil’ than the Pope?
Look at it this way, the Pope has, for most of his life, been a member of the Catholic Church. An organisation that has been responsible for the systemic rape, abuse and possible murder of the most vulnerable of children, on a global scale. There is nowhere on the planet where the Catholic Church has been, that doesn’t have a legacy of the most appalling physical and sexual abuse of minors and that is a fact. I don't really think the title Pope, is short for Protector of Paedophiles, I think that's just a rumour...
Now, as far as I know, Donald Trump hasn’t done anything like that to children. He does have his faults but paedophilia I don’t think, is among them and certainly not on the scale committed by the Catholic Church. Now, Pope Francis is head of that organisation and he appears to be a ‘good’ person. He makes a lot of statements about humanity and appears to say all the right things. However, as a member of that organisation and now head, what has he done to root out the paedophiles? Does he have a legacy of outing paedophiles or railing against the terrible abuses being carried out by the membership?
Jimmy Saville, who was once a much-loved ‘national treasure’, is now reviled for the rape and sexual abuse of children, young girls and vulnerable adults. Would you worship in a church led by Jimmy Saville or even an organisation that regarded him as a ‘good’ person? Yet, the Pope and the Catholic Church are still seen as something that should be respected?
Jimmy Saville got away with the things he did because so many ‘good’ people stood by and either said nothing or covered up his behaviour. This same man was given a knighthood and dined with Margaret Thatcher every Christmas at Chequers. There is a clip of a video online where the great John Lyndon (aka Johnny Rotten) talks about Saville and what he gets up to. The clip was never shown back in the 70’s, the powers that be, protecting Saville. Yet, Johnny Rotten was held up by the media, at the same time, as a threat to the decency of the nation.
There is much that I disagree with Donald Trump about, but I don’t believe he is inherently evil. He is certainly a product of his environment and upbringing. Arrogant? For sure! Misogynistic? Definitely, but evil? Well, who’s to say...yet? And credit where credit is due, he did get rid of TTIP, that foul trade agreement that was going to hand over the nations of Europe to the corporate elite, as if they didn’t have enough of us already.
Now, his trade deal with Saudi Arabia could be regarded as an evil act but the British government is the world’s second biggest arms dealer/supplier, and to some very dodgy states. Are they evil or are they just 'protecting' the nation?
There are acts of evil being committed around the world day and daily. Some deliberately, some accidentally; like Theresa May, ‘accidentally’ losing that list of paedophile MP’s when she was Home Secretary or now, wanting to bring back a ‘sport’ that involves the hunting, terrorising and tearing to shreds of that most beautiful of animals, the fox. Not to mention being part of a party that seems intent on grinding the poor, the vulnerable and the working class into the ground.
Which acts are more evil, and which people? Those who commit the deeds or those who stand silently by and let them happen or help cover them up?
By the way folks, election coming up, so don't forget to vote, the future of Reynard may depend on you...