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We share with you this message from Luke Nathan Phillips, the Publius Fellow for Public Discourse at Braver Angels. It was first published on Sunday, July 14, in an email to Braver Angels supporters. With their permission, we republish it here for our readers. —Living City
Dear Friends,
After the incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, a dear old friend of ours, an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, and one of Braver Angels’ greatest souls—Greg Smith—wrote a letter which we share with you here:
Dear America, Braver Angels, Friends & Family,
My name is Greg Smith, from Waynesville, Ohio. I’m a Christian, I’m politically conservative, and I’m a Red Braver Angel.
As I was watching a live recording of President Donald Trump’s speech in Pennsylvania, I saw United States Presidential Candidate Donald J. Trump shot in the head. My first reaction was shock and fear for him.
I immediately said “God, please,” and began to pray for him and his protectors. After the Secret Service officers covered him and then raised him up to his feet, I could see he appeared to be okay, despite the blood on his hand and head. I was instantly relieved and I said another prayer of “thank you, Jesus.”
After a couple incoming phone calls, I suddenly realized the possibility that hate, anger, and retaliation could be imminent.
The first thing that I felt that God was telling me to do, was to call my Democrat friends and tell them I love them and that everything will be okay.
I called co-founder of Braver Angels, David Blankenhorn, and told him just that. I told him that my prayer was for good to come from this evil act. That our first course of action should be forgiveness and healing for all involved, and for our country. I told him I wanted to give my Braver Angels friends hope, to know that someone on the side of Donald Trump, the victim, was asking God to forgive and heal. I told him that Braver Angels should build on this, and pray that our nation does the same. I quickly reminded him that my conservative friends would not blame the Democrats or the weapon used to commit this crime. I believe that that phone call was a seed sown towards peace to grow among the citizens of our great nation, the United States of America.
At this time, I’m asking whoever reads this letter, that you will hit your knees and ask God to forgive those with ill will in their hearts, and heal those who have been hurt, injured, or killed in this tragic event. I want you to know that I love each and every one of you, and I’m praying for real peace for the United States of America. To God be All the Glory.
Affectionately, Greg Smith
Whoever you are—Red, Blue, or Independent, religious or nonreligious, we hope you see that Greg has the Braver Angels Way in his heart, and shares it beautifully. And with rising fear and the breakdown of trust, crystallized in that horrific act of violence, the Braver Angels Way is more important now than ever.
Under those looming clouds, dozens of volunteers from our American Hope Campaign have convened in Milwaukee, to represent hope to everyone around the city. We’re helping the RNC’s Milwaukee Host Committee serve out-of-town delegates, as we’ll do at the DNC in August. We’re welcoming delegates, Milwaukeeans, and all our fellow Americans off the street to a great little concert, Funk Our Differences!, hosted by our Braver Angels Music team on Tuesday, and to a Coliseum Debate on populism on Sunday. We’ll be on the blocks of Milwaukee outside, with our Braver Angels buttons, gathering signatures for our petition that our leaders take responsibility for defeating political hatred.
We’ll do all of this knowing full well what happened on Saturday, and the fear and rage arising. That’s why we’re doing it. Our fellow Americans are, understandably, afraid. Together, we can be braver.
