|
|
U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, asks his constituents to “love your enemies” in responding to a question during Monday’s monthly Montcalm County Legislative Update meeting about why President Donald Trump stated on Sunday, “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them.” — DN Photo | Cory Smith
GREENVILLE — Speaking before constituents during Monday’s monthly Montcalm County Legislative Update session, U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, conceded in answering a question that he wishes President Donald Trump would change his mindset in the wake of recent escalations.
Moolenaar, a longtime supporter and defender of Trump, was asked a question by Patti Cowden of Six Lakes, which focused on remarks Trump made the prior day at the funeral for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA.
Kirk was shot and killed Sept. 10 while speaking at a TPUSA public debate event on the Utah Valley University campus.
Cards outlining the “norms” for the monthly Montcalm County Legislative Update session in Greenville were placed before constituents in abundance. During the meeting, one constituent, during a hot-mic moment speaking remotely, called U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, an expletive as he was speaking. — DN Photo | Cory Smith
During the funeral, Kirk’s wife, Erika, delivered an emotional speech at State Farm Stadium near Phoenix, in which she said she had forgiven her husband’s alleged killer.
“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” she said. “I forgive him because it is what Christ did. The answer to hate is not hate.”
However, during his remarks, Trump broke with Erika’s message of forgiveness and Charlie’s view of wanting the best for his opponent.
“He was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose. He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them,” Trump said of Kirk. “That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry.”
Constituents listen as U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, asks people to “love your enemies” in responding to a question during Monday’s monthly Montcalm County Legislative Update meeting about why President Donald Trump stated on Sunday, “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them.” — DN Photo | Cory Smith
It was that quote that compelled Cowden to ask Moolenaar to address the issue.
“Will you support free speech for those who are not Republicans, and how will you represent them in light of the president’s professed hatred of them?” she asked via a submitted question read aloud.
Moolenaar began to answer by stepping back in time five years.
He reflected on a three-day period from Jan. 4-6, 2020, in which Trump delivered the final State of the Union address of his first term.
Moolenaar recalled that after Trump concluded his address to a joint session of Congress, former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up a copy of his speech in defiance.
“Do you remember that?” Moolenar asked.
However, before Moolenaar could continue his point, a woman participating in the session remotely via Zoom spoke aloud, likely unaware she was unmuted.
“That has nothing to do with it you dumb (expletive),” the woman said as many in attendance gasped. “Huh? He asked a question about free speech or whatever, and he’s saying that Pelosi, about loving her enemies or something, and …”
At this point, moderator Cari O’Connor rushed to the computer in the room and muted the individual.
Moolenaar reacted with a light chuckle and continued with his comments, choosing not to address the outburst.
U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, asks for his constituents to “love your enemies” in responding to a question during Monday’s monthly Montcalm County Legislative Update meeting about why President Donald Trump stated on Sunday, “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them.” — DN Photo | Cory Smith
“The next day, the Senate voted on whether to impeach President Trump or not,” he continued.
While the House had voted in 2019 along party lines to impeach Trump over abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to his dealings with Ukraine, the Senate acquitted him, also along party lines, on Feb. 5, 2020.
On the morning of Feb. 6 — the third day in Moolenaar’s story — he recalled both parties coming together during the National Prayer Breakfast, which he co-chaired.
As the co-chair of the event, Moolenaar said he invited author Arthur Brooks as a guest speaker, following the publication of his book, “Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt.”
“The theme was loving your enemies,” Moolenaar said. “Arthur Brooks gave this wonderful talk about loving your enemies. The president got up afterward and said, ‘I don’t know if I agree with you on that, Arthur.’ He kind of went into his feelings about how he was being treated by the Democrats, as president. So it’s really hard to love your enemies when they are going after you like that.”
U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, asks for his constituents to “love your enemies” in responding to a question during Monday’s monthly Montcalm County Legislative Update meeting about why President Donald Trump stated on Sunday, “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them.” — DN Photo | Cory Smith
Moolenaar concluded his story by stating that Trump added, “I’m trying.”
“I thought that was one of the most honest things a president has ever said at the National Prayer Breakfast,” Moolenaar said. “On the flip side, I’d like him to think more about loving his enemies. I’d like everybody in Washington to think more about loving their enemies. I’d love all of us to be thinking more about loving our neighbors, loving one another, respecting one another. If I look at someone and I say, ‘I believe that person deserves respect, they are created in the image of God,’ then I’m going to respect that person, even though we may disagree.
“So, the other day, President Trump said he kind of hates his enemies,” he continued. “But he also said to Erika Kirk, the wife of the slain Charlie Kirk, ‘I’d hope she’d talk to me more about that and convince me otherwise.’ Because she actually forgave the person who killed her husband. Her husband was all about trying to give hope and purpose to young men, and she described the shooter as one of those young men.”
