The Texas tragedy: Americans should stop mocking God

All through the past two weeks, nature’s fury has been visiting large swathes of south eastern parts of the United States of America leaving death and destruction in its wake. A massive hurricane measuring in the highest degree of intensity and measurement, twisted its way through the states of Texas, Florida right up to North Carolina bringing with flash floods and gusty winds that uprooted trees, swept away buildings resulting in unprecedented havoc. As of last week, the death toll and missing persons resulting from this catastrophe was put at over 200 and counting. If we add the missing persons, presumed dead, it may probably count up to 500 persons.

The American tragedy reminds us of our own similar one with the floods in Mokwa, Maiduguri, Benue and other places where similar humanitarian crises occurred.
The scale of destruction in America was most prominent in Texas which throws up ironies and existential lessons for us to reflect and learn.

GOD should never be mocked
The Republican Governor of Texas Greg Abbott was reported to have commented on the issue of immigration which is now trending in American politics that even if ‘’ God himself was to be an illegal immigrant, he will be deported’’. Texas of course is the American state at the epicenter of the immigration debate being one of the states that shares a border with Mexico to the south. Indeed, the Rio Grande River which is set as the border with Mexico is where hundreds of illegal immigrants from Mexico and Latin America brave the perilous odds to sneak into the United States in search of better living conditions.

The present American administration of President Donald Trump is so keen to keep the illegal immigrants out that it had mooted the idea of building a wall across the entire border with Mexico. This is in addition to the routine raids conducted on areas where such immigrants are suspected to be working and residing.

But why bring God into what is purely human matters in such pejorative ways? Indeed, what is the beef that American personalities bear with God?

Sometime early this year at a function in Beverly Hills in the state of California, the compere at the event invoked the name of God in a denigrating way to the accompaniment of laughter by patrons present there.

In both incidents in Texas and California where the name of God was invoked nature’s fury was wreaked; Massive fires affecting hundreds of houses in California and the deluge in Texas.

Now, there are some who may not believe that the destructive aftermaths of nature’s fury following the rather inappropriate references to God on both occasions may not be linked to divine wrath. Some may even not believe such a being exist not to talk of his invoking such a disaster on human kind. But even at that making such statements against the being that is the object of worship in many ways by billions of people around the world is both offensive and provocative. And let us not forget that America is often referred to as ‘’God’s Own Country’’ and on its currency the Dollar, is inscribed ‘’In God we Trust”. We also often hear Americans say ‘’For God and Country’’. This is in addition to the reference of God in countless monuments and institutions of American life.

Why would a country so favoured by God turn round and denigrate him in such manner by its leading personalities who ought to know better?

Texas once belonged to Mexico.
Following the Mexico-American war in 1848 and the signing of the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo, Mexico was forced to cede over half its territory to the victorious United States of America which included Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico etc.
Texas was the reason for the war because American settlers in the territory which was then part of Mexico continued to practice Slavery which was abolished in Mexico. This led to a stand off with the central government in Mexico which decided to invade the territory of Texas to enforce the law. The settlers had declared secession from Mexico and set up a republic of Texas with the support of the United States. With the encouragement of American government, the settlers led by Davy Crockett and James Bowie set up a militia to confront the Mexican central government but were crushed prompting the direct involvement of America. This is why Texas is called the ‘’Lone Star State’’.

The irony here is that as Texas faced this unprecedented catastrophe of floods and destruction and with very little in form of assistance coming from the American government, it is was the Mexican government of Claudia Scheinbaum that came to the rescue of Texans caught in the tragedy. In a clear demonstration of this irony, some of the folks rescued by the Mexicans were relations of some prominent Texans who are known to make racist and patronizing statements against the Mexican government and Mexicans in general.

The lesson here is that if Americans are too smug to believe in God and routinely resort to mocking him, they will not fail to see and feel the mysteries and ironies of their actions as consequences.

Is Wike the ‘’Bull’’ in Tinubu’s Shop?
When he was appointed as a Minister in President Tinubu’s administration, Nigerians hailed it as a commendable example of non-partisanship and commitment to appointing based on merit. Chief Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike the immediate past governor of Rivers state is of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and widely praised for the developmental strides he did in Rivers state. Little wonder he is called ‘’Mr Projects’’ and truly residents of the Federal Capital City of Abuja can attest to this.

But on the political side of things Chief Wike has chalked up a reputation of a bruiser, scattering his PDP in the undisguised process of favouring the ruling All People’s Congress (APC). In this wise he had gone after those he perceives as President Tinubu’s opponents not sparing them his biting, acerbic bile. He cannot be faulted on that score because this really is the stuff of politics especially the Nigerian variety.

But recently he went too far in using the pulpit of the Anglican Communion to rant at political opponents thereby involving the Church in partisan political issues. Not a wise move for him and the Tinubu administration methinks.

This has led the Anglican Church to issue restrictions on receiving political personalities and government officials into its programmes and activities across all its parishes.

Gadu can reached via [email protected]
08035355706 (Texts only)