I’ve got to be real for a moment because this one has me scratching my head so hard I might break the skin. Why in the world is Donald Trump giving Rudy Giuliani a medal? And not just any medal—the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I mean, come on. That’s supposed to be the highest civilian honor in this country. And you’re telling me Rudy Giuliani is the one who deserves it right now? Out of all the people in America who have done things that matter, this is where the medal lands?

I can’t make sense of it. I’ve been turning it over in my mind like laundry in a dryer, and it still doesn’t come out clean. Sure, I remember when Giuliani was called “America’s Mayor” after 9/11. I get it. He did stand up in a tough moment for New York City. But let’s not act like the past twenty years haven’t happened. The man’s been in the headlines for court cases, legal bills, being disbarred, spreading election lies, and getting himself wrapped up in Trump’s own mess. And now—out of nowhere—he’s suddenly medal-worthy?

Honestly, it feels like Trump is just handing out gifts to his buddies. Not because they’ve earned them, but because he wants to keep his circle tight and his people loyal. And if you know Trump, you know loyalty means more than anything. That’s what this looks like to me: rewarding someone, not for the good of the country, but for standing by him.

And then you look at the timing. Giuliani just got into a terrible car crash helping some woman in trouble. That part, I’ll admit, was heroic—he stepped in to help. But two days later, Trump announces the medal? Feels more like a headline stunt than an actual honor. Like, “Hey, let’s flip the story, let’s make Rudy shine again.” I don’t know about you, but I’m not buying it.

It makes me think about how we as a country forget so easily. We pick and choose memories. We celebrate the 9/11 version of Giuliani and pretend the rest doesn’t exist. And maybe that’s what Trump wants people to do: ignore the lawsuits, ignore the scandal, just look at the “patriot” image. It’s like rewriting history in broad daylight.

Here’s the thing that really sticks with me: this medal is supposed to mean something sacred. It’s been given to folks like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa. People who lived their lives in sacrifice, who gave back to humanity in ways that can’t even be measured. And now Rudy Giuliani’s name is going to sit next to theirs? Sorry, but that feels off. It feels cheapened.

I keep going back to my faith when I see stuff like this. Not because I think politics and God should always mix, but because faith reminds me of truth. In Scripture, we’re told not to chase after titles or rewards from men, because those things don’t last. Real honor, real reward, comes from living in truth and humility. And when I look at this situation, it’s the opposite. It feels like the world trying to prop up a man’s image with shiny things, when the truth underneath doesn’t match.

I guess what I’m saying is, this makes no sense to me. It feels like politics playing dress-up. And it’s frustrating, because there are so many people out here quietly serving their communities, loving their neighbors, helping the poor, feeding the hungry—people who will never get a medal, but who are far more deserving.

So yeah, I’m confused. I’m bothered. And I’m left asking myself: what does honor even mean anymore if we just hand it out like party favors?

—Robin