Little Saint Don

Sent by a reader in Kentucky.  Thank you, dear reader!  It's "Little St. Don -- A reading from the Book of St. Don" by George Saunders.  Saunders is an award-winning writer of short stories and novellas.  He's pretty damn good at parody as well.  Many people have been saying that.

The excerpt is the opening paragraph.  Full article link is below. 
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Once, when St. Don was in the fullness of his years, the people brought before him a woman caught in adultery and asked should they stone her.  St. Don grew quiet, attempting to know the hearts of the people.  Did the people want to stone her?  Would they like him more if he urged them to stone her or if he urged them not to stone her?  He sensed they were actually dying to stone her.  For all were holding rocks and a few even had rocks in both hands.  And St. Don spoketh as follows:  "What she did?  Whatever it was?  Was bad.  So bad.  Am I saying you should stone her?  Well, I hear that some people have been saying she definitely should be stoned."  And the people believed, and began to chant, "Stone her!  Stone her!"  At this, St. Don smiled:  for it meant they now likethed him more than they would have likethed him had he suggested they not stone her, or just stayed neutral.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/07/02/little-st-don