Response to a Negative Facebook Comment

I posted to Facebook on March 18, 2025 (since removed) that the people protesting outside Tesla factories and dealerships were acting just like those 'tourists visiting' the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.

I had a negative comment to that post placed by a family member to whom I wanted to respond, but didn't want to get into a public pissing match with. So, in order to placate my own personal health, here is my response:

I made a post on 3/18/2025 in which I personally responded to the hypocrisy present when one person says that people actually using non-violent means to protest against a person, government or private entity. It is especially hypocritic when the person calling out that non-violent protest can be directly linked back to a violent, bloody, and deadly protest in which people actually in the process of doing their paid and sworn jobs, lost their lives doing their jobs.

And the person calling those non-violent protesters in turn declared that the incited mob actually causing destructive mayhem and death were worthy of official pardon.

So let's break down this comment, shall we? First of all, here is the comment:

"Wow! This is people's lively hood [sic]. The owners of these dealerships are people in their communities. As a pastor or whatever you call yourself, you are encouraging crimes and felonys [sic] is disgusting. Your hate is distasteful and hope you can look to God for better guidance. I pray for you!"

To begin; "Wow! This is people's lively hood [sic]. The owners of these dealerships are people in their communities." These dealerships and factories and distribution canters are all owned exclusively by the parent company, Tesla. This company does not use the dealership model as other manufacturers do. So while it is true that peoples livelihood is being disrupted, protests are not being waged against local owners/operators; nor is it against the people who work there. It is against the oligarch who claims to be the worlds wealthiest man and controller of that and other companies, now intimately intertwined with our government.

The next; "As a pastor or whatever you call yourself," Yes, I am a Pastor appointed by the United Methodist Church and I am subject to the current United Methodist Book of Discipline - which the 2020/2024 edition is the latest. I am not going to respond directly to this apart from the fact that I live an ordered life in accordance with the United Methodist Book of Discipline. Thank you for noticing.

"you are encouraging crimes and felonys [sic] is disgusting." NOPE! I do not encourage violence like that which was seen as people used poles as pikes; fabricated hangman's nooses and gallows to be used when they found the sitting Vice-President on January 6, 2021; I do not condone beating people mercilessly, or crushing them in doorways, or using metal barriers as battering rams, or any of the atrocities that befell those tasked with protecting a landmark of Democracy and the people tasked with carrying out their jobs. Nor do I condone someone physically painting, tagging, throwing or placing anything on personal property that causes harm or actual damage. But if one does wish to prosecute someone for those crimes, then they need to do the very same for equal or greater crimes that happened - as I was referring to in my post - as well.

"Your hate is distasteful and hope you can look to God for better guidance." No, I do not hate anyone. I look at it this way, if I see someone who has just been involved in a crash on the highway, their vehicle is on fire, and the expectation of the loss of life is imminent, I am not going to ask your faith, blood type, who you voted for, are you gay or straight, or any other question that can be used to help me choose if I want to be of service or not. I will act. I look to the sage advice of someone I call a mentor as they have left an impact on my life - I need to love just like I am loved by God through Jesus. But, I don't have to go on vacation with them. As for being distasteful, I again draw in the hypocrisy of what leads me my post. What is distasteful and also disrespectful, is an authority that cannot and will not take ownership of their actions by granting pardon to actual felons thereby sanctioning their actions and devaluing the sacrifice of those who were injured and killed in the felonious act of storming the Capitol of the United States of America in the first place. 

Oh, I do look to God for guidance. That is what keeps me from straying too far and becoming the people to whom I direct my ire and disgust. I also look to the Gospels for guidance, such as when Jesus was bold enough to talk back to the high priests and later went on to practice love on days forbidden by the temporal powers (you know, healing the sick on the sabbath and things like that). Non violent, called attention to hypocrisy, benefitted someone else, to the glory of God.   

"I pray for you!" All I can say is thank you. I pray for you as well. Peace be with you.