Friend's Online Meeting believes it has a responsibility to act about the finagling of Trump Administration policies
… this Meeting wants to act in order to speak to the finagling of the current Trump Administration.
From The Minute of Concern on Finagling Trump Administration Policies
A growing number of Quaker meetings nationwide have gone to the trouble to write a minute of concern regarding Trump Administration actions and policies. A list of such meetings can be found on the websites of yearly meetings like the Pacific Yearly Meeting, and the Friend’s General Conference.
This concern appears to go beyond the party preference of the meeting’s membership. Reviewing the party preferences of Quakers, Pew Research reports that at least half of non-evangelical Christians belong to each party. But, there may be more Democrats who are Quakers. However, this Meeting expresses the belief that acting on a testimony should not favor a party in politics. Rather, we would like to act from consensus, even if consensus favors one political party’s belief or another. The reason is consensus does and should reflect what we say as a group.
Traditionally, members of Meetings rely on the testimony of Equality in order to vote. Equally, members of Meetings rely on the testimony of Integrity to value simplicity. Although simplicity allows us to act on the advice of either party, we are cautioned not to act as though we believe that party, regardless. Rather, our actions should be guided by the “inner light.” If we seem to belong to one party, or another, we can be assured that we are “children of God.”
According to this and similar messages, this Meeting wants to act in order to speak to the finagling of the current Trump Administration.
…this Meeting expresses the belief that acting on a testimony should not be to favor a party in politics…
From The Minute of Concern on Finagling Trump Administration Policies
We know that finagling is defined as acting deviously or dishonestly, especially to get something accomplished. We also know that the Trump Administration, both the current administration, and the past Trump Administration is perceived as very narrowly representing American interests.
- Witness the long and morally difficult list of worldwide dictators the U.S. president has embraced. This list includes Pres. Putin, Russia, Pres. Dutarte, Philippines, former Pres. Bolesaro, Brazil, Pres. Il, N. Korea, etc. According to the witness of Friends, dictators lack integrity. Our light reveals to us that these Presidents, and others, deny their citizen’ s right to the witness of equality. In our view, these citizens are denied the right to participate in their countries political process, whether that denial be fair or unfair. (Ref. https://www.npr.org/2017/05/02/526520042/6-strongmen-trumps-praised-and-the-conflicts-it-presents.)
- Witness the challenges to our Constitution carried out by both Trump Administrations, including:
- Erosion of Constitutional powers. (ref. https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/hSGAC-Minority-Staff-Report.Undermining-Constitutional-Limits-FINAL.pdf.)
- Defiance of court orders. ( Ref. https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/hSGAC-Minority-Staff-Report.Undermining-Constitutional-Limits-FINAL.pdf.)
- Intimidation campaigns and attacks on free speech. (Ref. https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/hSGAC-Minority-Staff-Report.Undermining-Constitutional-Limits-FINAL.pdf.)
- Witness the record of deportation and mass detention of immigrants targeted for deportation. (Ref. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/20/ice-detention-immigration-policy-00573850.)
- Witness the record of denying representation to unaccompanied migrant children, children who have faced separation from their parents who have been deported. ( ref. https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/trumps-biggest-policy-reversals-so-far.)
The statement of the Meting is that Friends do not finagle.
From The Minute of Concern on Finagling Trump Administration Policies
This Meeting considers this witness strong enough to establish a record of finagling. The statement of the Meeting is that Friends do not finagle. According to our testimonies for Integrity and Equality the government is expected to act as if a Christian person were conducing business. Therefore we look for evidence that colleagues and associates are seen in the Light, and that each other person has been considered and dealt with according to Christian principles. We assert the principles of Friends’ Meetings to be a satisfactory witness in the conduct of business.
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