Today, November 11, 2025, commemorates the eleventh hour of the eleventh month of the eighteenth year of the twentieth century, 11 am, November 11, 1918, when the First World War effectively ended with a cease fire. Perhaps the twentieth century’s finest hour.
I believe our lives should be driven by a search for kindness, mercy, and justice in all things. The armistice commemorated today is an example. I often fail in the search. I have pursued unyielding retribution when I wish had shown mercy, and I have put my own needs and desires ahead of others. So have we all.
But we have always had public examples of mercy and justice. Sometimes appearances have been better than actuality, but examples have been plentiful. I mention a few of my heroes: Martin Luther King, John McCain, Jimmy Carter, Walter Brueggeman. I haven’t agreed completely with the policies of many U.S. presidents, but until Donald Trump, I have seen in every president some desire for mercy and justice.
Donald Trump has done many things I don’t like: habitual lies, arbitrary ICE arrests, incompetent cabinet appointments, blatantly corrupt crypto deals, holding universities and law firms hostage, deriding and defunding science, interrupting SNAP food payments… The list goes on and I’m sure I have left out some of his most egregious actions.
But the example set by his character is the worst consequence of his election to the presidency.
Many people are easily influenced by examples. Trump is a terrible example, but since he entered the national political spotlight, I have seen more and more people accept bad conduct.
Unkindness is more acceptable today than it was a decade ago. Ostentatious wealth floods the news. Legal vengeance replacing justice is the norm. Pardons to cronies are expected.
And easily swayed people are following these examples.
This the worst Trump legacy.
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