Kevin Frederick, the president of the American Waldensian Society, has written the following reflection for Waldensians and their friends in the United States and around the world.
For months now, an historical fact about the Waldensians has been swirling through my mind. In recent days, it has risen to a crescendo of urgency.
Back in the 1920s, after Mussolini and his Black Shirts had marched on Rome and taken control of the Italian State, they built up their power by signing a concordat with the Catholic Church. In the same years, they forced most large Italian companies to accommodate their corporate life to fascist demands. At the time, some brave Waldensian pastors and lay leaders spoke out against Fascism. However, many pastors and church members responded to Fascist control with silence. It was only after 1943 that increasing numbers of Waldensian leaders joined the resistance and worked to overthrow the evil empire.
After the end of the war, and following the deaths of many millions worldwide, the Waldensian Church resolved to focus much of its work on building peace, justice, and democracy. To that end, many young Waldensian leaders joined together to build the Agape Center, working quite literally with their bare hands and without any mechanized construction equipment. Their desire was to create a place where youth from all across the world could gather to learn, serve, worship, and dialogue together. Their shared belief was that peace and justice can occur only through dialogue and understanding in a safe place that honors all people.
Today, as I read and watch what is unfolding in our democracy, I hear the echoing cries of a generation shouting “never again.” Never again can we let the world devolve into total chaos and war.
The death of Renee Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota, earlier this month, and ICE’s brutal police state-like actions against citizens and immigrants echo the actions of Nazi Germany against its citizens in the 1930’s.
Then, while all this was still happening in Minnesota, the President and his administration shifted their focus to taking Greenland either peacefully or by force. Think of that. One might ask why we need to do this, given that we already have a military base in Greenland, as well as the option to reactivate other bases that have been closed since WWII. Even now the U.S. is negotiating a framework deal with NATO aimed at securing access to Greenland’s mineral resources, specifically to develop a rare earth supply chain and reduce dependence on China. Last but not least, we still enjoy the full cooperation of NATO Allies that have stood beside us for nearly 80 years. Why, then, would we want to bully our allies into submission with excessive tariffs and strong-armed tactics? Many people, including me, believe this attempt is suicidal for our leadership role in the world. So, what are we doing this for? President Trump said last week during an interview with the New York Times that he “psychologically wants Greenland for personal reasons.” At what cost to our country and its standing in the world? My guess is that this attempt to take Greenland will cause damage to democracies everywhere.
From years of conversations with my father, who fought in World War II, and with many of his friends and fellow soldiers who also fought tyranny and Fascism in World War II, I know that they would be mortified to know what our President is asking for. North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis and many other political leaders have said that the President and his advisor Stephen Miller have no understanding or respect for our partnership or our responsibilities with NATO. Many Republicans and Democrats have said that this President’s desire to take Greenland cannot and will not happen. We cannot make allies into enemies and survive. We cannot bully our friends or stage a hostile takeover of another nation without recognizing that doing so will embolden Russia to do the same with Estonia, Latvia, and other East European nations. China could also be emboldened to do same with Taiwan and other nations.
We as Americans must remember that we are also world citizens. As world citizens and as citizens of a great nation, we must respect and honor the dignity of all nations. To do so means we must encourage our elected officials to claim their authority and stop this administration’s trajectory of madness. As a Waldensian by faith, who is steeped in Waldensian history, I cannot remain silent. It is time to stand and be counted.
The author, the Rev. Dr. Kevin Frederick, is the president of the American Waldensian Society and the recently retired pastor of the Waldensian Presbyterian Church in Valdese, North Carolina.
