Beltway Insider: Easter Sunday Massacre, Mueller Report, Notre Dame Fire/Yellow Vests, Pope Francis

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The peace of Easter Sunday, in the island nation of Sri Lanka, was shattered by eight coordinated explosions in three separate cities that targeted both churches and luxury hotels leaving more than 200 dead and 600 injured.

According to Gallup, President Trump's job approval, which was tracked for the month of March ending on April 9, 2019 increased six percentage points to 45% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President decreased by six percentage points to 51%. Ratings are calculated monthly.

Easter Sunday Massacre

The Easter Sunday blasts, of which no group has claimed responsibility, began at approximately 8:45 AM local time, and in minutes news of additional bombs detonating in Colombo, Negombo and Batticalo were reported.

In less than fifteen minutes a series of seven explosions targeting three churches: St Sebastian's Church, Negombo, Zion Church, Batticaloa and St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade attended by Catholics and Christians and filled with worshipers this Easter Sunday were reduced to rubble with bodies strewn in the aisles.


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Pictures of families huddled together, the intensity of the blast ripping them apart, in the aftermath of the St. Sebastian Church, were posted by media.

Three of the four five-star luxury hotels were in Colombo, Cinnamon Grand, Shangri-La Hotel and The Kingsbury Hotel.

On the scene reports have indicated one of the suicide bombers checked into Room 616 of the ultra-luxurious Shangri-La Hotel. The Cinnamon Grand was next. The suicide bomber at the Cinnamon Grand had waited in line during the Sunday morning buffet. A backpack weighing 25kg. or 55lbs., of C4 explosives strapped to him, he detonated the bomb at 8:34 AM. Reports indicate the restaurant was filled with families and there was extensive loss of life

The Kingsbury each of the attack were designed to inflict widespread devastation and mass casualty. A fourth luxury resort Near Dehiwala Zoo in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, was also targeted.

Among the dead were locals and tourists from the United States, Great Britain, Dubai, Netherlands, Portugal and other European nations celebrating the Easter Holiday.

No International Group Named

Local authorities have already taken suspects into custody and indicated all those currently in custody are local. No international terror groups have been named or have claimed responsibility.

One suspect detonated the eighth blast at his home in Mahawila Gardens, Dematagoda, when Sri Lanka Police demanded he open the door. The suspect and officers were killed in the blast.

World Condemns Terror

The bombings brought swift condemnation from global leaders with many pressing religious tolerances.

The White House did not release a statement regarding the bombings or offer condolences to the many grieving in multiple nations, especially on this the day celebrated by billions around that world as Resurrection Sunday, the day Christ rose from the dead.

President Donald Trump, via twitter, offered "heartfelt condolences" early before the extent of the devastation had been realized. He said, "138 people have been killed in Sri Lanka, with more than 600 badly injured, in a terrorist attack on churches and hotels. The United States offers heartfelt condolences to the great people of Sri Lanka. We stand ready to help!" @realDonaldTrump.


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British Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the blasts, saying on Twitter: "The acts of violence against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka are truly appalling, and my deepest sympathies go out to all of those affected at this tragic time. We must stand together to make sure that no one should ever have to practise their faith in fear. @theresa_may

The Gulf News complied the next five tweets:

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Ruler of Dubai, UAE used twitter to stress the need for tolerance and coexistence. "Terrorists are those who betray worshipers in their places of worship, plant fear in their hearts and try to ignite religious conflicts in societies. Our condolences to the people of Sri Lanka, to the world and to everyone who works tirelessly towards tolerance and coexistence." @HHShkMohd

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said, via twitter, "Strongly condemn the horrific terrorist attack in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday resulting in precious lives lost & hundreds injured. My profound condolences go to our Sri Lankan brethren. Pakistan stands in complete solidarity with Sri Lanka in their hour of grief." @imrankhanPTI

Dr. Mohammad Faisal, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson, said, via twitter, "Pakistan Foreign Minister Pakistan condemns explosions and terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka at Churches & Hotels, that have led to numerous casualties and immense loss. People and Government of Pakistan stand by people and Government of Sri Lanka at this moment of tragedy and against terror @MFA_SriLanka

Ministry of India External Affairs, said, via twitter, "Ministry of External Affairs: We strongly condemn the serial blasts on multiple locations in Sri Lanka today morning in which many people have been killed & injured. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims & to the people & Government of Sri Lanka." @ANI

Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of the Arab world each made statements condemning the violence.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who added via Twitter, "I condemn in the strongest terms possible the Easter terror attacks in #SriLanka. This is an assault on all of humanity." On behalf of the Turkish people, I offer my condolences to the families of the victims and the people of #SriLanka, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.

Unfortunately, the officials of the United States seem to be preoccupied with self-congratulations to be mindful of the world and the horrific violence intolerance and hate mongering produce.

Martial Law Imposed

Officials had imposed a 6:00 P.M. curfew and cut off all internet. The situation is neutralized, and officials don't expect additional bombings.

Mueller Report Spawns Rumors of New Wars

With much of President Donald Trump administrator in self-congratulatory mode even the horrific news from Sri Lanka didn't move his administration into stepping away from the plan to inundate the Sunday News talk with his now infamous, "the Collusion Delusion" and other catch phrases he expects to hold out through the 2020 election.

With Congress demanding an un-redacted version of the report, the one trickle down that the public is understanding remains that while Robert S. Mueller did what he was tasked to complete, he stopped short of a complete investigation. He many believe punted at the end and possibly due to the limits of the law.


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A sitting president can not be indicted and therefore moving ahead with indictments against the president for Obstruction of Justice, which many, as the report has not been read by this author, have said, proves eleven different instances of possible Obstruction.

Removing the president from office is now up to the House of Representatives controls impeachment proceedings, the very rowdy group of freshmen women set from day one on impeachment, all of which have been targeted by the Trump administration through unrelenting verbal attacks, may advance the impeach agenda.

Those allegations won't go away. And neither will the public's suspect of the President.

Notre Dame Fire Enrages Yellow Vests Protests

In one day after flames engulfed the famed cathedral of Notre Dame, in Paris, France, pledges of more than $1 Billion Euro had been made by the world's wealthiest philanthropists to rebuild the 800-year-old structure to its pristine condition.

"The Cathedral has served as a spiritual home for almost a millennium, and we are saddened to witness the damage to this architectural masterpiece.  Notre Dame will continue to serve as a symbol of France, including its freedom of religion and democracy.  France is the oldest ally of the United States, and we remember with grateful hearts the tolling of Notre Dame's bells on September 12, 2001, in solemn recognition of the tragic September 11th attacks on American soil.  Those bells will sound again," The White House said.

Within one day after the pledge totals were announced the Yellow Vests protesters, who have for the last twenty-four weekends, taken to the streets to protest Macron and his policies which they say alienate Frances' middle class and favor the wealthy, were enraged indicting Macron should use the funds the French government will use to assist in restoration of the damaged cathedral to assist the people who live, breath and work each day under the burdens of extreme taxation.

Macron, for the most part, has ignored the Yellow Vests protesters with the exception of postponing a fuel tax which would have created an unnecessary burden on drivers still using fossil fuels without providing a reduction in financial burdens and only offering a "good for the environment" incentive.

In the hours after the blaze, Parisians and the world waited to hear what if anything of the priceless artwork and treasures which date back to the days Christ walked the earth. By morning, miracles begin to unfold as reports of the crown of thorns and other invaluable artifacts were saved.

It was, however, the Naïve that stunned the world as fire crept so close and for some unexplained reason, wasn't consumed by the raging inferno that burned with intensity and was seen, recorded and destroyed many elements of the iconic structure.

Faith, one can only presume, the impossibility and the unexplained.

Brits Pause on Brexit

The fury over the imminent departure of Great Britain from the European Union has quieted somewhat after an extension, and for all accounts a final extension, until October 31, 2019, by which time the much debated, heated and hated divorce agreement will need to be agreed upon.

Easter Sunday From the Vatican

As the continued news of the devastation in Sir Lanka filters around the world, the anguish and hopelessness as hatred, intolerance and violence seem to drive many to act with unfathomable destruction.

It wasn't only Westerners who were killed, Sir Lankans, those who lived, breathed and worked everyday to support a family. Those who loved and gathered to attend celebratory Easter Sunday services. In an instant, without warning, without cause, hatred targeted and took. Lives, families, loves. 


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Pope Francis spoke his homily at St. Peter's Basilica on hopelessness. Below is an excerpt.

    

Today however we see that our journey is not in vain; it does not come up against a tombstone.  A single phrase astounds the woman and changes history: "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" (Lk 24:5).  Why do you think that everything is hopeless, that no one can take away your own tombstones?  Why do you give into resignation and failure? 

 

Easter is the feast of tombstones taken away, rocks rolled aside.  God takes away even the hardest stones against which our hopes and expectations crash: death, sin, fear, worldliness.  Human history does not end before a tombstone, because today it encounters the "living stone" (cf. 1 Pet 2:4), the risen Jesus. 

 

We, as Church, are built on him, and, even when we grow disheartened and tempted to judge everything in the light of our failures, he comes to make all things new, too overturn our every disappointment.  Each of us is called tonight to rediscover in the Risen Christ the one who rolls back from our heart the heaviest of stones.  So, let us first ask: What is the stone that I need to remove, what is its name?

 

Often what blocks hope is the stone of discouragement. Once we start thinking that everything is going badly and that things can't get worse, we lose heart and come to believe that death is stronger than life.  We become cynical, negative and despondent.

Stone upon stone, we build within ourselves a monument to our own dissatisfaction: the sepulcher of hope. Life becomes a succession of complaints and we grow sick in spirit.  A kind of tomb psychology takes over: everything ends there, with no hope of emerging alive.  But at that moment, we hear once more the insistent question of Easter: Why do you seek the living among the dead? The Lord is not to be found in resignation.  He is risen; he is not there.  Don't seek him where you will never find him: he is not the God of the dead but of the living (cf. Mk 22:32).  Do not bury hope!

For more information on President Donald Trump: www.whitehouse.gov

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com