Blessed are the peacemakers 

To the Editor;

I don’t know what President Trump was trying to accomplish Monday evening when he ordered federal officers to disperse with tear gas and flash grenades peaceful protestors exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceable assembly so that he could walk over to historic St. John’s Episcopal church for a photo op. What struck me was how small and alone he looked standing on the broad sidewalk in front of the church.

I believe he profaned the Bible by awkwardly waving it around like a stage prop. And the boarded up facade of the church seemed to be closing its eyes to the craven, opportunistic spectacle the president offered the people of our country. It might have been better if he had kneeled and asked for divine support in these troubled times or prayed for the repose of George Floyd’s soul. 

Perhaps he might have actually opened the Bible and read the splendid lessons from the Sermon on the Mount, especially the one about “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

John Contreni 

Greenville