I think the White Christian Nationalist wing of the Republican party should be named and shamed. Instead, you just wrote about "enforcing religion." I think the language you chose is too mild.
It's not just "religion" they want to enforce, it's a particular variety of white people's Christianity. They are White Christian Nationalists bent on shaping our laws and our public sphere to fit their religious doctrines. This, in a supposedly secular nation, is offensive and illegal, even unconstitutional.
So calling it "religion" is like George Santos calling his pack of lies "resume embellishment", in my world.
I am senior clergy in a minority faith, and have been a religious rights activist for decades, so it's a sensitive issue to me personally. Thank you for considering my point.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. What they are doing is NOT following Christ. I saw a quote a few days ago - maybe on here somewhere - that said instead of fighting to put Christ back in Christmas, letโs fight to put Christ back in Christian. Better words were never spoken!
Dianna Beers "I saw a quote a few days ago - maybe on here somewhere - that said instead of fighting to put Christ back in Christmas, letโs fight to put Christ back in Christian."
Just to add on:
โ๐๐ถ๐ต ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ข๐ฏ.โ Gosh, I wish Iโd have come up with that. I didnโt. The author is lost to me, but I saw it sometime this week on social media somewhere.
โ๐๐ถ๐ต ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ข๐ฏ.โ Whew. Thatโs strong stuff, folks. It may have come from those who oppose the trite โ๐๐ถ๐ต ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฎ๐ข๐ดโ because Starbucks has red holiday cups that donโt have a Crรจche or a Christian Cross or a pagan-inspired Christmas tree on the front. Who knows? --Joey Kennedy, Alabama Political Reporter
Christ would have been surprised that he is worshipped as a god (or more correctly, demi-god.) Every historic attempt to reform Christianity has failed, because the the institution of a church always survives. It's one saving grace is Christ's spiritual message of love, not a religious worship of a "Christ" that never existed.
Not only are they not following Christ, they represent what disgusted Jesus the most--hypocrisy. When I found out that trump had won the presidency and I fervently asked God to allow the GOP to self-implode, not only did I not expect Him to answer my prayer so cleverly, but as He always does, to best it! The infighting has already begun in earnest and will continue breaking up in smaller and smaller groups until everybody is against each other. And then out of nowhere George Santos, a guy who reflects the GOP psychosis to a T, appears to pissoff his constintuents and further divide, divide, divide. It's all so divinely delightful!
In a lot of ways I agree Caroline. Words matter. Witness just for one for instance, the hatchet job (deviously brilliant execution) the far right has done on just one word: Liberal. Repeating it over and over again, associating it with 'anything' wrong and a direction the wrongs come from - over and over for decades till the media even picks it up and repeats it completely out of any contextual meaning and truth. Now it's parroted as synonymous with far extreme outcomes of communism, socialism, etc., which as we know and history shows has been the prime highway for autocracies. Parroting the falsehoods and all the while enjoying the fruits of a liberal democracy, chock full of requisite checks and balances, which the hard rightist's are hard at work destabilizing.
First time today in Swedish media I notice 'fossil gas' is called by it's real name, instead of 'natural gas'. That was in connection with Finland opening a LNG terminal to import gas replacing Russian gas. 'natural gas' is green washing and there has been a long time waiting for words to change.
Sorry to argue, Olof, but I must dissent. "Natural gas" is just that, a natural byproduct of a chemical process that long-burried and heated organic material undergoes. It will be produced naturally whether it's used by humans or not. It was called that before the alarms about global warming started ringing. It IS natural, though now we know that it's use needs to be minimized.
So, "Natural" is not greewashing. Your short-on-history and short-on-science and short-on-economics comment is due to brainwashing.
I am absolutely shocked that in HCR posts that someone resorts to name calling and demeaning (brainwashed)! Itโs fine you have an opinion on various topics (although it seems the article below sort of blows that up a tad), but this forum, for me, is for educated discussions and not the sort of divisive rhetoric we find elsewhere.
You are exactly right. Ad hominem is not welcome here. Itโs condescending and divisive. Shuts off thoughtful communication. Thanks for calling you like you (and I) see it.
Thanks, Christy, for pointing us to this fascinating Yale Study on the terms natural gas and methane options. Seems "natural" has a positive response vs. methane. Didn't know that 70%+- percent of natural gas is methane.
Sandra, there is a good analysis & update on "natural" gas venting & flaring authored by Nicole, Zoha & Sarah at insideclimatenews.org. on 2/25/2022. Attention LFAA Authors: the subject is worthy of book length treatment including a chapter on old Fred C. Koch circa 1940.
Jerry Helfand, as to 'brainwashing', you would benefit from reading the link about climate communication below, posted by Christy. Your argument with Olof's comment is confusing. To quote the Yale study,
'Natural gas is composed of 70-90% methane, a potent greenhouse gas and major contributor to global warming. The American public perceives โnatural gasโ much more favorably (76% favorable) than other fossil fuels like oil (51% ) or coal (39%). They also believe natural gas is much less harmful to human health than is coal or oil.
'How much does natural gas benefit from its name, which includes the word โnaturalโ?'
Olof's post pointed to the public's lack of knowledge about what 'natural gas' is and, therefore, unaware of its major contribution to global warming.
Getting our facts straight and the use of language in that regard are paramount in rescuing earth and ourselves.
I read the link. Yes, I agree, though the new bits of info I learned from the comments is that many didn't know that natural gas is mostly methane with some other gasses of higher molecular weights. I didn't know that so many didn't know this fact. In that sense, I would agree that methane, which is provided in a much more pure form to households after gas processing, should be used. Consumers should know what they are using.
However, as we transition to a higher proportion of renewable sources within our total energy mix, we will continue as a species to require hydrocarbon based sources for decades to come, even as the transition accelerates. Vilifying a key source of energy while it is needed by humans to live is counterproductive.
From your reply, Jerry, it appears that you do not understand the nature of our dialogue having to do with how the use of language influences the opinion of people with regard to 'natural' gas. Commenters who replied to your 'argument' concerning Olof's lesson about the nomenclature for what is essentially methane gas recognize the importance of knowing what has been called 'natural' gas consists of. It makes a big difference. No one was 'vilifying' your claim, but took exception with you calling Olof, 'short-on-history and short-on-science and short-on-economics comment is due to brainwashing.' Several of us didn't take well to your incorrect assessment of Olof's teaching. 'Counterproductive', Jerry, so goes your resistance to an essential counterpoint.
Think of the gas as a product. That is how the industry set gas as a โbridge,โ fuel to transition from coal without sacrificing comfort.
The Sierra Club even supported natural gas for years.
But the extraction of product itself destroys water quality surface and subsurface, in some areas conveys radioactive elements and just transmitting it to maintain normal comfort levels is destroying watershed integrity in many areas.
But the โnatural,โ term developed by the.industry does create benign even beneficial aura. Like mentholated filtered cigarettes are healthy.
Jerry Heifand, your comment was civil disagreement, until you decided to include that last paragraph: โ So, "Natural" is not greewashing. Your short-on-history and short-on-science and short-on-economics comment is due to brainwashing.โ You may or may not have noticed that this discussion forum commenting on Professor Richardsonโs letters is populated by intelligent people who respect one another. Commenters here do not insult one another (although we may indulge in humor at the expense of the forces of ignorant and hate out there in the world). Perhaps you would consider making amends to Olof for making several unwarranted characterizations of his level of knowledge.
Yep, and one of the major contributors of this Natural Gas (methane) in the atmosphere are Cow Farts. They've even made studies on its effect. Perhaps Sweden should become vegetarian to remedy this.
Hearng hamburger commercials I have begun to flinch. The EU has asked cattle and sheep farmers to grow more wheat to feed more people. I was visiting a farming friend in France from whose window I had always seen beasts and was instead seeing a wheat field. I learned why. (If Iโm repeating this is these columns, please forgive.)
Elizabeth, with reference to methane, 'What is natural gas? Natural gas is a fossil energy source that formed deep beneath the earth's surface. Natural gas contains many different compounds. The largest component of natural gas is methane, a compound with one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4). (USEnergyInformation)
Not terribly clever or amusing, and belies the lethal nature of the predicament we are in. Perhaps when the waters rise to your chin you'll reconsider the sarcasm.
Richard, you sound overly distressed about a comment, which does not in any way reflect my quite small carbon footprint. I don't own a carbon fueled car & ride a bike most of the time. Are you suffering from gas pains or something?
"a natural byproduct of a chemical process that long-burried and heated organic material undergoes. It will be produced naturally whether it's used by humans or not." So are not all fossil fuels "natural" in that meaning? The thing is not that fossil fuels are "produced" under ground, it's that we use them above ground. My post was a reply on the theme 'words matter'. Your arguments don't hold, and your straw men on 'science', 'history', 'economics', and brainwashing are irrelevant.
What Christy's Yale-link below tell about how people think about facts, depending on use of words, is just what I would call green-washing.
I have seen different figures on how much the shift from oil and gasoline to fossil gas has lowered the CO2-emissions in the US, 20-30%. The amount of leaks in the vast handling of methane, and their consequences on climate are of course difficult to estimate. I am not arguing that, on the contrary I see this powerful shift as yet another remarkable sign of American pragmatism. Confronted with the challenges of climate change, most of what I see happening is about technology and what is profitable. When it comes to the hard part, of people changing their habits, I am convinced words matter.
True, but that does not mean that a change in nomenclature wouldn't be beneficial to our coming to terms with it's nature, including it's downside. Our overuse of the resource has a toxic nature, belied by the term "natural." Global warming is natural in that it is the environments reaction to man-made CO2, but the consequences are a disaster, "natural" or not.
What bunk! Brainwashing??? And so it all begins, again. Around and around we spin. In the winter of our discontent is it a sweater or a web? Me thinks the elves are back. Fossil gas ! Refreshing, definitive , accurate. Natural gas okay too. As long as you go outside to purge these impulses Iโm good with either.
Pat, global warming IS a clear and present danger. For all the doubters that abounded when Gore published an inconvenient truth, decades of research, most of it quite accurate, should have been enough to allay doubts. How to go about addressing the challenge is straightforward from the point of view of a straight comparison of climatic effects of various energy sources. However, when one considers the sheer scale of the needed transformation and the technical challenges that need to be overcome to achieve it, and considering the energy needed by billions of people worldwide to survive, the transition is simply not simple, easy, nor evenly implemented. Villifying the other side based on language nuances delays the cooperation and thus the solutions needed.
'nuances'! Have you ever heard of propaganda, disinformation, the 'subtle' use of 'nuances' in controlling the knowledge and behavior of the people?
'What is natural gas? Natural gas is a fossil energy source that formed deep beneath the earth's surface. Natural gas contains many different compounds. The largest component of natural gas is methane, a compound with one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4). (USEnergyInformation)
So that means you are positively sold on going hell bent for better energy alternatives and I applaud your forward thinking, but while โVillifying the other side based on language nuancesโ you digress. Responsibility is terrifying, eh. You need not throw grenades at Olof for your logic to shine.
Actually, altho I am old and sometimes called a 'fossil' my farts are methane, a natural gas, same as the problematic natural gas that comes from the ground, first used by the Chinese in 500 BCE.
A-L My mother was born in Scotland and raised in Egypt, where my grandfather was director of customs under the Anglo-Egyptian Protectorate (until 1922), After the loss of India and much of the empire, Brexit was the final nail in the imperial empire.
Rob, for a good time ask Alexa to fart she will ask you what kind of fart. A big fart, a little fart, a squeaky fart, a juicy fart. If your little grandkids are around theyโll be rolling on the floor laughing. The variety is endless.
Grandkids are an easy audience. Back in the '90s I got my grandsons a book "Grossology" which explained every gross bodily function; poop, snot, stinky feet, farts etc. with illustrations. It even had a plastic vomit on the cover of the original. They loved it. I just got my great-grandson a copy, it is still in print (no plastic vomit tho).
In matters flatulatory, the odorless variety, long known affectionately as the "SBD" kind, "Silent But Deadly", are the worst. In a similar vein, apropos of nothing at all, I offer this charming little vignette of history:
Thank you, Olof, for your excellent point regarding the labeling of the fossil fuel called 'natural' gas. More on climate and energy follow.
'War scrambled the global energy landscape'. Excerpts from Climate Forward, NYTimes newsletter:
Russia used its fossil fuel riches to fund its invasion of Ukraine. It went on to use its oil and natural gas as a weapon, thoroughly upending the global energy landscape. The war drove up the prices of almost everything else that needs energy to be produced and shipped around the world, including, most alarmingly, food.
Europe faced a reckoning. Having relied so much on Russian gas for light and heat , European Union lawmakers scrambled in 2022 to find alternate sources of energy. The worldโs gas producers were all too happy to comply, including the United States, the worldโs largest gas exporter, which promised to ship liquefied natural gas for many years to come.
Watch what happens in 2023. Will Europe build more pipelines and more gas import terminals to lock in reliance on hydrocarbons for electricity and heat? Or will Russiaโs war in Ukraine speed its shift to renewables?
The International Energy Agency said there were signs that the energy crisis could act as an โaccelerantโ to a clean energy transition, only to caution that โeven in a world of high and volatile fossil fuel prices, it cannot be taken for granted that todayโs cost advantages for clean, efficient equipment will translate into more sustainable investment choices.โ
Oil and gas made a killing.
Even as the war laid out the strategic risks of relying on fossil fuels, oil and gas producers made record profits as demand surged for oil and gas from anywhere but Russia. Net income in the sector is expected to reach a record $4 trillion in 2022, double that of the previous year, according to the I.E.A. The consulting firm Deloitte has projected increases in natural gas investment in 2023.
Democracy delivered two tipping-point elections.
In May, Australians ousted the conservative coalition that had made one of the worldโs most climate-vulnerable countries also among the most recalcitrant when it came to reducing its emissions of planet-warming gases. The new government, led by the Labor Party, passed a law requiring Australia to sharply cut its emissions by 2030 and then a budget to ramp up renewable energy.
In October, Brazilians rejected their incumbent, climate-science-denying president, Jair Bolsonaro. Newly elected Luiz Inรกcio Lula da Silva is to be inaugurated on Jan. 1. Reining in Amazon deforestation will be one of his biggest challenges.
The United States delivered a landmark law.
Historyโs biggest polluter finally passed big climate legislation, with big climate money attached.
The $370 billion package nudges businesses to shift to renewable energy and makes public money available for research into new climate innovations. โWhat weโre seeing is the green shoots of a new kind of industrial policy,โ David Victor, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, said at a Brookings Institution event this month.
The big breakthrough at this yearโs climate negotiations was an agreement to create a fund to help poor countries cope with the irreversible economic losses and damages made worse by the pollution spewed by wealthy nations. Expect calls in 2023 for real money.
The sun came through.
Something extraordinary happened amid so much suffering.
Solar power grew so fast that the I.E.A. concluded that it could outshine coal as the largest source of global electricity by 2027.
To be sure, coal use grew a bit this year, particularly in countries seeking to get off Russian oil and gas. But the direction of change was clear: Renewables are set to double in the 2022-27 period, as compared with the previous five years, and to surpass coalโs share of total energy by 2025.
Also, in December, researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory cracked the code on what might eventually be a way to produce limitless, zero-carbon energy. Watch where this still-experimental nuclear fusion research goes next year, and beyond. (NYTimes-climate) See gifted article below.
Winding up the year with bathroom humor, perhaps the most universal jokes, as they are the oldest. For the best laughs, thereโs Aristophanes and Rabelais.
I find it extremely ironic that by definition, Christ was a Liberal in his day. The Founding Father โPatriotsโ were Liberals in their times
Expressing this notion to the Cognitive Dissonance Crowd gives them Head Explodey Words mean things. History happened, no matter how much these knuckledraggers protest
Take back the meaning of words. Make them eat them
And โRadicalโ has not gotten adequate usage to describe the far right. I keep thinking of the Paris mob and Robespierre. But then thatโs history, a subject unknown to far too many of US.
The other horror in todayโs letter: that there was no one to meet the Bidens at the White House. Another Trump (your choice descriptive curse word here) fiasco.
When I heard this, I couldn't help but recall when Barack and Michelle opened the door to welcome Trump and Melania to the White House. Trump pushed in past the Obamas, leaving Melania standing alone on the stoop. The barest glance between the Obamas, and as one they stepped forward smiling to enclose Melania between them, and gently usher her in with them. The contrast is striking, but not surprising.
How about the press conference at Blenheim Palace? Standing beside his host, Prime Minister Theresa May, tfg said that he thought Boris Johnson would make an excellent Prime Minister. Or in Paris, on Bastille Day, during the presidential goodbyes, he said to the 64-year-old Brigitte Macron "You know, you're in such good shape." Then, to the President of France, "She's in such good shape!"
You must have seen that amazing Polish film, "Danton"? and seen his statue, which stands on the site of his house? "De l'audace, encore de l'audace, toujours de l'audace". He didn't know how quickly Maximilien would follow him.
Interesting, this conversation about "greenwashing."
The largest (arguably sole) contributor to global climate change is humans, and our current human civilization. It doesn't matter if we are burning wood, or burning oil, or burning methane, or burning Unobtanium (from the fictional world of Pandora in the film Avatar). We are, because of our numbers, changing the climate balance because we convert material resources in exponentially growing numbers without any (significant) natural predators. Our "natural predator" is becoming the air itself, along with the water and soil. And, of course, our own wars against ourselves, based on real and imaginary slights and shortages.
What do you think would be a new appropriate label for them? White Christian Nationalists is a label they proudly wear. It disgusts me, as a Christian, to see that term used in connection with these people whose values are so antithetical to Christ's message.
How about NAZIs (oops! they were National SOCIALISTS), or Neo-confederates? Or, just get down to brass tacks and call them the HBSK - Hate and Bull S%#t Kleptocracy, or simply 'Haters'. I see them as SLS - Stupid Lost Souls. Whatever we call them, they will spin it to their liking, just as happened with "Deplorables". Thanks. Pay scant attention to this post, it was mostly a cathartic (or more accurately an emetic) exercise for me.
I think "Nazi" and "Fascist" are accurate labels for any and all Republicans (those hiding under rocks hoping Trump goes away and those at his feet licking them).
1. Republicans use violence to get what they want.
2. Republicans bottom feed the human population to source their events for violence.
3. Republicans use name calling and demonization and dehumanization to get votes.
4. Republicans use threats to get what they want.
5. Republicans are in partnership with a Propaganda Machine Fox News to lie.
Agreed! I heard an acquaintance say the christian nationalists are just about protecting our own nation first beforeโฆ and I cut her off. I couldnโt stomach the lip service to these evil people. Theyโve presented themselves so closely tied to being Nazis, itโs time to call them what they are!
Mike, this is not a criticism of your comments, which note a good list of problems. Please read it as a reflection, if you will. I personally struggle with the use of the Nazi label as a shorthand expressing disgust with the cultural and political behavior that we find odious in others. Despite the ignorance and hatred being demonstrated by the extreme right wing base or the "principles-bereft" Repug politicians who seem desperately determined to cling to their cushy positions, this label may serve as an all too convenient shorthand for unacceptable policy and actions. In addition, it may constitute a profoundly insensitive cultural appropriation on our part. I am trying hard to break my own habit of referring to the hateful words and deeds, now bursting out of the cultural closet, with this awful shorthand of a label. We owe the victims and their families of that horrible stretch in Europe's and our own history, a deeper reverence/understanding for the profound generational suffering, not to mention, our own countryโs all too reluctant recognition of โthe right thing to doโ. Surely we must resist turning the reference into a mere cheap political tool, a label, an accusation. Even MTG has appropriated the term with an imbecilic link of the mask mandates to Nazi like orders. While I object to excluding groups of humanity as a political tool, as much as the next reflective person, but I do not want to use "Nazis" as a epithet of all that's wrong about "them" and all that's right about "us". Surely we owe the memory of the millions who have suffered, a profound and โalways consciousโ awareness of the differences. Just a thoughtโฆ.. Perhaps fascism can serve? Perhaps something else? Perhaps I am overreacting?
You are not over reacting. Applying "Nazi" to the White Christian Nationalist movement does disservice to the millions of Jews who suffered and died under Hitler.
Current events have left us DESCRIBING behaviors with words we already know rather than creating new names. I've always thought Deplorables was an accurate descriptor.
Actually there is already a similar coined term. Everybodyโs responses sent me looking to see what already might be out there. Christofascists is a simple and very self explanatory term.
I don't tie Christ-anything to the behaviors of this group. I see this is a branch of thinking that is not even based off of Christianity, just like ISIS is not following Islam and there should be some other term. Perhaps an all encompassing term that includes every group that pretends that they are following an established religion when their practices are not fitting with believers of that faith. I like the "Neopagan" term of the Southern Poverty Law Center. However, using the term "Pagan" was offensive to practitioners who are members of this group, so perhaps the term best used in anti-Christians.
It seems to me that there should be a large class action lawsuit against these groups for getting any religious status at all, and getting tax exempt status. It the Supreme Court is going to back this, let us make them really busy with defending right wing so called "Christian" groups from being able to be treated as religions. If the Supreme Court upholds that, then they will uphold anyone who claims to be having a religion. One can then just as easily say that one is a Christian group who believes that aborting unwanted babies is sanctified. In the freedom of the faith one gets to have abortions. The same with LGBTQ+, so that what they support then has to be spread to everyone. How about human sacrifice? That is basically what these White Power Militia groups are practicing by murdering people. Let us tie that into the abortion laws. Of course, if it just gets punted back to the states, then Texas will certainly accept murder of people by religious groups because it already does with its' gun laws. I recently read about a man accidentally killing a 9-year-old girl who was in her parents care in Texas, while trying to shoot someone who had robbed him. Apparently, he was justified in his actions, so no consequences for just murdering someone's child. I assume these priorities exist elsewhere too.
For me the point is that they vehemently identify as Christians. Ignoring their self identity which is central to their unity feels a bit like sticking my head in the sand and just hoping it will all go away because after all they arenโt โrealโ Christians.
I prefer not to call them Nazis, because Nazi suggests a degree of extremism and organization that I donโt think applies. I think Fascists is a better fit. I imagine Spain under Franco as their ideal, where everyone knows their place and church and state work together to enforce nationalism and the patriarchy.
Fascists. Look up the definition. Describes wealthy libertarians to a T.
James Buchanan wrote in his papers as discovered by Nancy MacLean in her book Democracy in Chains, that stealth would be required to implement the libertarian platform. He knew then if people knew the end results of the low to no taxes and regulation the people would reject them. Even the PACs funded by the Koch network today know this and it got publicized to their horror. The average libertarians and conservatives hang onto the philosophy of small government, freedom and liberty while refusing to see the endgame of no public schools, roads, police, hospitals, and more.
They also miss several points; as the infrastructure that supports their money grubbing lives crumbles due to lack of tax money for upkeep, and those people who work for their meager wages grow too indebted to buy their goods; there will be no roads to transport goods, no water for their customers to drink, no skilled employees to man their assembly lines and no one to cook the food they canโt procure
Libertarians can only exist AFTER someone else has filled the societal cookie jar; its like an annuity fund in depletion
Then you go โoff gridโ. Iโm pretty sure most of them donโt plant gardens, raise meat, generate electricity or otherwise get their hands dirty. If some do, then good; let them practice individualism as a reality as opposed to the myth they embrace today
this statement: Libertarians can only exist AFTER someone else has filled the societal cookie jar; its like an annuity fund in depletion
I love this. So well stated.
While walking today, I thought of the ultimate hypocrisy is politics- libertarians working for the govt while undermining the very organization. They want no taxes, but take tax money for their compensation. They want no govt services, but happily benefit from them.
Dave - i am going to borrow your statement to use frequently!
They are Nazis. Plain and simple. And I join you in being sickened that the name Christian has been hijacked, as have words like evangelical or even quotes from Scripture. They have weaponized the words of Jesus whose repeated and final ask of his followers was that they love one another.
And โMy words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.โ Hamlet, Sc III. That's what Shakespeare thought of "thoughts and prayers".
Hahahaโฆ โI am humbled to receive this esteemed award. Iโd like to thank my father, who gave me a love of language and word play, my mother, an artist who nurtured my creativity, my high school English teacher who challenged meโฆโ
Wait, what social group or philosophy are we targetting here? Hmmm. Dumpster has spent his entire life using bullshit to prevail. Letโs take apart his methods:
BU = Beat Up? Born Ugly? Bully Underlings? Brutal Upbringing
BULL = Build Up Little Lies? Brought Up Lying? Brutal Upbringing Launches Loveless
S = Sleaze? Sucker? Sock? Savage? Sycophant? Self-Hating?
This does spell BULLSHITTER, but itโs unsatisfying, somehow hollow and trying too hard. Iโll have to think about it some more. Somebody else have at it!
Elizabeth Your mother and father would probably be proud of you. Others might wonder why you devote so much time to these bizarre word games. My dad would have found my bizarre humor tasteless and time wasting. Thus I am delighted to find you, a kindred soul, on LFAA. I know of no one who could have slithered from COWSHIT to BULLSHITSKY so smellily.
Pat Was that โChrist on a crunchโ eating Jesus gum balls? A modern day loaves and fishes parable? Sounds like a gathering of Christ-less evilgelicals. Oi vey, Mother of Mary, Allah u Akhbar.
Yep. Extremists no matter the belief system end up being very similar. It's why we need to look seriously at the fact that religion is the only socially sanctioned delusion. Extremists are delusional in that they believe they "know the truth" and use religion to justify any means to impose it on others. If we can finally acknowledge that accepting religion is not the same as accepting truth and in fact, people are drawn to versions of religion that is congruent with their psychology and serves their purposes.
Yours looks pretty appealing, too! A fellow teacher ate someone elseโs lunch in the staff room because it was left unattended for a few minutes. He thought it was up for grabs. Made the weakest of apologies when the lunchโs owner returned. He thought it was fair game as nobody spoke up. So libertarian that he thought insurance was wrong. Everyone should โtake responsibilityโ for their own.
Georgia PRACT members would be Pra(o)ctologists. Reminds me of the whirly bird, who flew in narrowing concentric circles until it flew up its own ass hole. Now Iโm being asinine.
Carol I recall a fascinating documentary on the gradual whiting of Semite Jesus over centuries and, in the African Catholic Church, the darkening of Jesus more recently. Now there are Black Jesuses. Must be puzzling for Christ-less white suprematists.
Wonder why it took the Catholic Church ten centuries before they glorified the Virgin Mary, when it only took three centuries to condemn Mary Magdalene (discoverer of Jesusโs empty tomb) as a โwhore.โ
And to whom did Peter report when there were three Popes at the same time?
J I remember a movie from, I believe, the 1950s: THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. I found it considerably more credible than Cecil B. De Millieโs THE TEN COMMANDANTS, which had some real whoppers based on a less-than-credible Biblical account.
Perhaps the most credible movie portrayal of Moses is in Singing in the Rain:
A-L Of course, a Semite Italian. In early Catholicism, the image of Jesus on the cross was not used, since it was not considered a good way to market a new religion. Of course this was long before Machiavelli,
Lynell, I am now on their site. I am not a Christian, but believe in all they so beautifully stated. Thank you for expanding my world. I live as part of a non-denominational ashram in western India. Meher Baba is our spiritual master (1894-1969) and he would have fully supported this group. He preached Love and Selfless Service as the only things that matter for us as human beings.
Jai Baba. My partner Jim & I were followers and made a couple of trips to Ahmednagar & Baba's Samadhi at Meherabad. This was in 1975 & 77. If interested in this personal history, I am at roboyte@att.net.
Morning Lynell, and thanks for that link. I am debating (internally) whether to engage in a "discussion" with my former colleagues. At the moment, I am disinclined, since one of them just posted an "everyone lies" defense of Santos. This is a former sergeant of mine, also a former pastor, defending that lsos (lying sack of ๐ฉ). I cannot fathom how they have sunk to where they've sunk.
Hey Ally, Itโs so tempting to go to battle with those who are spouting gross
lies. But a better use of your precious life energy is giving support to those you agree with and giving support to those
who might be confused or undecided. For those on the far right it is all about power games and feeding their hate addiction. Stay away imho! Blessings, Ned
Agreed. Engaging with these folks has become a lot like playing chess with a pigeon. (obscure comparison, I know. But they do tend to knock over the pieces, poop on the board, and flap off claiming they've won...) I really hate giving them free rent in my head, so I've pretty much quit engaging.
Ah, Ally. Great post! And did you see that Trump called the insurrectionists โTrashyโ? Hereโs my response to Robert Hubbell for posting this little gem of info from the Jan 6 committee: โOMG - Trump called the insurrectionists โtrashyโ!!! What did he want - a lot of Prada wearing male fashion models who would look good at one of Ivankaโs lawn parties? To me this little anecdote says it all!!! I am anmazed and grossed out while also chortling with snarky laughter. Will Trump campaign on a platform of promising free upscale couture so his followers can show up to riots looking good and he can be proud of how they look? Steve Bannon looks pretty trashy to me. And just imagine how trashy Trump will look in his orange jump suit. Thank you, Robert, for highlighting this. Endless fun for late night comics and cartoonists! It hasnโt been this good since โcofveveโ. We all need a good laugh in grim times.โ
Ned, I'm an enormous fan of political cartoons--well, animation in general fascinates me--but my favorite cartoonist, prize-winning artist Mike Lukovich of the Atlanta Journal & Constitution, always draws Steve Bannon with flies buzzing around him, perhaps inferring Bannon as the P. O. S. that he is. Mike's most recent via Twitter:
What....camo isn't upscale??? And how about the guy with horns and face paint. The ones we see around here like the Proud Boys are dressed in their best military wannabe outfits and with all kinds of stuff hanging off them in addition to their weaponry.
I have to wonder if fpotus would have been more impressed if the proud boys had shown up in their โuniformsโ. Since I canโt post a photo, Iโll link to an article about the kilt maker.
Having engaged briefly with a couple of your ex-colleagues, I would say they are not worth the energy and time it would take to type a response. Their beliefs are are the very reason that large segments of the population are wary of LE. All I saw was arrogance/hubris.
There was someone running in Oregon for political office some time ago who lied about himself. As I recall he went nowhere. No, not everyone lies on their resumes and in the voter's pamphlet. Oh yes, probably most of us have told a lie here and there, but not on the scale of Santos. I would be disinclined to take him on and I would hope you would save your energy for healing.
Yes, nothing he said was true....and then there is the $700000 he magically loaned the campaign when he was said to have lived a pretty challenged fiscal life prior. The big question, for me, is WHO or WHAT was behind that $700,000? Why would ANY lying, much less, indiscriminate lying on a resume be tolerated for a position as important as leading our country? Republicans and Democrats alike should be calling for recall in his district and we should all be crying out "FOUL!!"
Yes there are. Two of the best (another former sergeant and my best friend in the department) had great fun at briefing once. Dan and I had both gotten haircuts from his sister in law and our hair was roughly the same length (men had restrictions on length; women did not, and โextreme hairstylesโ were forbidden to both genders.
Sarge looked at Dan and said โOlsen, your hair is too long. House your hair is too shortโ. We had a good laugh.
It was reassuring to see this website. Thank you. I can't sign it, because I am no longer a Christian. I left at age 13. But I have enormous respect for what each of those church leaders espoused. Very encouraging!
Another good group is "Faithful America" they are a group that is against Christian Nationalist and thru their being so out spoken, have really put up opposition that has made a difference in many cases. Although I am not a Christian, I support them.
I went to the site, but couldn't sign on to their statement because I don't identify as a Christian. I am a Buddhist. I was disappointed, but I guess it makes sense since they are CHRISTIANS against Christian nationalism.
I tried to sign it, but the site wouldn't accept my signature without my confirmation that I identify as Christian. I don't know how yours went through unless you checked the I identify as Christian box.
Exactly. Since there was other way to sign the statement, I checked I was a Christian. They should either give one a โnoโ option or state only Christians can sign. I left a comment to that effectโฆ.
I agree with you, Caroline. Words matter. Lies are not โalternative truthsโ, โembellishmentsโ or any other comfortable malarkey. Lies are lies. And the radical white nationalists who call themselves Christians are not pushing religious freedom or anything else that even resembles Christianity. They need to called out for who and what they are, loudly, distinctly, and frequently. They are hateful and violent.
While enforcing 'white people's Christianity' is true of the 'the White Christian Nationalist wing of the Republican Party' it is only one part of racist right wing Catholic extremist and GOP power broker Leonard Leo's agenda - Leo is at the hub of the dark money network which is promoting and funding this enforcement. Especially through the judiciary.
Through the Becket Fund, for instance, Leo makes common cause with other religious extremists who are expanding the Freedom to Worship to mean "Freedom of religion protects the right of conscience, not just in houses of worship but in workplaces, schools, hospitals, government offices, and anywhere else we go in this world,โ (Leonard Leo, 2017)
This misreading of the First Amendment is used by Leo's Supreme Court cons to overturn the Separation of Church and State to deny civil rights protections and legitimize discrimination against a wide range of minorities in America. Just as the cons misreading of the Second Amendment is saturating America with guns and fueling the epidemic of gun violence - of which Leo's GOP allies in Congress outlaw tracking by the NIH.
Your point is well taken. The form of religious theocracy the Republican party is attempting to institute is fascist and white nationalist. Chris Hedges has written deeply about this movement in this country.
The attempt by these far-right Christian fascists is an offense against the principle of separation of church and state. Their attempt to weaken this principle is a dire threat to the integrity of our democracy in this country.
Being Jewish this call for a Christian nation really disturbs me to the point I'd like to leave. My brother's family has achieved permanent residence in Canada but I don't qualify. The Republican message really has me fearful for the future.
I am not Jewish or Christian, but my child attends a school that has both Christian and Jewish holidays off. Even if you don't qualify for permanent residence in Canada right now, you might find a way to do this. I know that many families sent their children to university in Canada in 2016 as a reaction to Trump's getting married. However, I know it is hard to get Canadian citizenship and permission to work there. If the USA becomes a Christian nation you might be able to apply to Canada under a different status than you have currently applied.
Shellee, Donโt leave! Your voice is needed! Did you know there are lawsuits in some of the worst red states challenging the new, horrific abortion laws based on religious freedom: Jewish teaching says only at birth is the fetus a viable human being. If those suits hold, we can reverse the damage done by the craven erasure of Roe v. Wade. I am the daughter of a Jewish mother and very lapsed Catholic father. I chose Buddhism and other non-denominational spiritual paths and also feel threatened in the US, or anywhere antisemitism is taking hold again, very publicly. I also feel afraid for every Black person in America, every woman, every openly gay person, every โdifferentโ person. โDifferentโ from the white supremacistsโ idea of โacceptableโ. Please stay and fight. None of us are alone.
Thank you. "Religion" does not even refer to Christianity; it could mean most any human spiritual practice. There is a much wider world out there where religion and Christianity are not synonymous at all, and I do wish writers--especially mainstream Christian writers in the US--would attend to that difference.
Christofascism is my term for White Christian Nationalism. But given our dominant cultures' careful avoidance of historical knowledge, I suppose "fascism" might not immediately bring to mind racial supremacism in the same way it does to me. White Christian Nationalist Fascism is redundant, but might get the point across.
I don't think this is Christian of any kind, except in the practicers imagination. Christofascism sounds like an oxymoron. Can the two be connected together? It can be religion, but not really Christian was all I was saying. It is just that they call it Christianity, but I don't think it fits the bill. I do not agree that just because people call themselves something makes them that thing. My mom and I were just discussing atheist Muslims yesterday. Is Islam a religion that accepts an atheistic viewpoint the way that some do? No! Therefore I think the two things rule each other out. Does following the teachings of Christ include misogyny and racism? Does it promote violence? No!
I do not care whether they are "really" Christian or not. They call themselves Christian, they believe they are Christian, and they would call most mainstream, liberal Christians false angels of light.
That is not my fight at all, since I am not Christian at all--except that part of the culture that I probably will always carry with me, having been brought up among these Christofascists.
They want to combine *their version* of Christianity with fascist authoritarianism, capitalist hyper-productivity, and private-sector-based efficiency in all things, especially violence.
The no-true-Scotsman fallacy is in fact a fallacy, and it applies here. It matters not one whit whether what they are doing is in harmony with your interpretation of the New Testament. They are still Christofascists.
If you have a problem with that, please take it to your local evangelicals and explain to them why they cannot use the term Christian to characterize themselves.
I call them pseudo "Christians." They are not really Christian, because the Bible does not make a case for White Supremacy. Also, they clearly don't believe in a God that is merciful and kind. Their God is racist and sexist. How does that make sense? So, given that they have a different God from the Christian God, I believe they really have a pagan religion worshiping "Whiteness and maleness."
Well, that is sadly ironic. I am so sorry you are using the word "pagan" above to describe Christians you dislike and disdain.
With a capital P, the word Pagan is normally used in modern times to identify polytheistic people who worship the Old Gods, like Zeus, Lugh, and Odin, along with a panoply of Goddesses, like Hera, Freyja, and Brighid.
That's exactly what kind of senior clergy I am. I am a Pagan priestess, devoted to the many Gods and Goddesses of antiquity. I have spent decades defending our rights to worship as we please in this country, despite the dislike and disdain most Christians dish on Paganism.
And with a small p, the word Pagan has now been used in a slur, in a thread my comment began. My cup runneth over with Christians fighting among each other for dominance over who gets to call themselves Christian.
It is so sad to see Christians refusing to admit that members of the Christian family of sects are Bad Actors in our country's political system. They call themselves Christians, yet other Christians say they are not Christians. Welcome to religious cognitive dissonance. You-all are ALL Christians. Police your ranks, but don't accuse Christians of being Pagans because you personally dislike the way they express their Christianity.
Why does anyone think the Founders staked our democracy firmly on separation of Church and State? They saw what happened in Europe between various Christian sects fighting over who was the REAL Christian, and wanted none of that nastiness to touch our secular democracy.
I did not mean offense to Pagans. I am using it in the sense that it is a religion based on perceived "ethnicity."
However, I am neither Christian or Pagan, although I have been called Pagan, so I am speaking about this based on my understanding of White Nationalist "Christianity" as being influenced by Norse mythology--Odinism.
I would have been more accurate to say heathen instead of pagan. I apologize and did not mean to be offensive, merely descriptive. I do not agree that this is all Christianity. You cannot just name something Christian and it is Christian. You have to follow agreed upon ideas of what Christ's teachings are. Odinism is not just a sect of Christianity, it is a set of beliefs that are incongruous with Christian teachings.
It is not descriptive of Christianity to call it Odinism. Odinism is a separate religious entity, and one that is distinctly unwelcome in most Pagan circles nationally, for the same reason that many Christians do not want to be associated with White Christo-Fascists
Most of Heathenry is not Odinism either. For example, my favorite Heathens are politically liberal, enthusiastically accepting of LGBTQIA people, and recognize the divinity of Loki, as long as they personally do not have to attend any of the Lokean Rites.
Meanwhile, people who profess Odinism are none of those things, ordinarily. People who call themselves Odinists are usually misogynist to the max, hate LGBTQIA people, and are generally clueless about ancient Norse Paganism. However, we Leftist Heathens do not go around saying the Odinists are not Heathen. They are just not our particular favorite kind of Heathen.
Honestly, the quibbling among Christians about who gets to call themselves Christian is what has led to numerous wars throughout history.
I think it's a bunch of phony double-talk for people to refuse to acknowledge that people with whom they deeply disagree politically are Christians. Christians are people who venerate Jesus and think he's a God, whatever whack-a-doo aspects of religion and religiosity they might profess.
People get to choose their religious label themselves in the Freedom of Religion scheme we have going here in the USA. No one is consulting you or any other experts in the finer points of doctrine when they claim their preferred religious label.
So you CAN in fact name yourself Christian and then you are a Christian. And it's sadly interesting and revealing that so many Christians try to deny that so many Christians are downright evil.
All anyone has to do is look at the Nazis: all of the Nazis were Christians, and prayed to Jesus on Sunday while committing genocide against European Jewry, LGBTQIA people, the disabled, and Jehovah's Witnesses, who are fellow Christians, the other six days of the week. Massive hypocrites, yes, the Nazis were massive hypocrites. And yes, the Nazis were also Christians.
In the USA, we never really know who is what kind of religion unless we know a person personally. So "I did not mean to be offensive," is simply not good enough. It's a better idea to consider not calling Christians who are hateful by another religion's name entirely. Would you have written, "those people aren't really Christians, they are Hindus..... or Jews.... or, gasp, Unitarians...."
I hope you've learned a lesson from calling Christians "pagan" in a public forum. Your apology is accepted, thank you.
And here's an article for you, on what Christians did once they gained power in the 3rd century of the common era. Christians lie about that particular time period a great deal. The article is from 2010, but the events were in the 3rd century, so the date does not matter.
I am wondering if you know what paganism is. Or if you know that the Catholic church usurped the festivals and ceremonies of the practitioners of paganism - Saturnalia became Christmas. Here is more. For me, there is no place more ยจholyยจ than nature where the presence of a mystery greater than any human can describe can be felt and the responsibility for the care understood. Also remember the tortures and murders (the Crusade, the Inquisition, Queen Elizabeth I, Salem witch trials, etc.) all fine Christians. https://bigthink.com/the-present/pagan-roots-of-catholicism/
I don't know as a practitioner, and I know that on the outside one never truly understands. I have had feminist friends who are self proclaimed Pagans, and because I am not Christian I have been called both Pagan and Heathen by people, but it is more complex than that. I presume you did not read my links or you would have seen that I am going by the definition of Paganism that I posted. It would include the elements of the White Supremacist so called Christianity that I have discussed. I would point out that in the Salon article that John posted called "Christian fascism is right here, right now: After roe, can we finally see it?" the author, Chris Hedges, a theologian also says that the Christian fascist movement has elements of paganism in it.
Worship of Odin and using the Nazi Hakenkreutz (Swastica) are historically pagan practices. I am not the only one to use the word Pagan, to describe the elements of the so called White Supremacist Movement. The Southern Poverty Law Center calls it Neo-Paganism, which is perhaps the term I should have used.
If you read Prof Kathleen Belews book, Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America she says that there was a merging of the White Power Militia groups and the White Evangelical Church in the 1990s after the Oklahoma City bombing of the Federal building, but these elements of Odinism are mixed in.
I am sorry that using the word Pagan to apply to bad people was so distracting that many could not see the substance of what I was saying. This is cultural appropriation, but I have no problems with people taking from cultures the elements that they like. What I am saying, which is why I removed the word Pagan, and said I would replace it with Heathen, is that Christianity follows the teachings of Christ. Racism, sexism, homophobia anti-immigrant stances are not part of the teachings of Christ and therefore even if someone calls themselves "Christian," if they embrace these ideas I call it "pseudo Christianity." And yes, I do know about the repression of the Catholic church as an outsider, and the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, the Salem witch trials etc... I live in a religiously diverse community in which families are mixed by color, country, language as well as religion. Good friends are Ottoman historians and I know about the fate of Muslims and Jews under Isabella and Ferdinand, although Kristin Downey implies that Isabella had less influence than her priest and husband over the treatment of both the Indigenous people here, and in the Inquisition in Europe, in her book Isabella: The Warrior Queen, which I read aloud to my daughter who was in middle school at the time. I also know that the Ottoman Empire welcomed Jews and Muslims who were in danger in Spain and other parts of Europe during this time and was in that way a very tolerant society. At the same time, Pagan is a term applied by Christians to those who did not worship one God, and yes, Odinism has elements of worship of Nature, but their ideas of nature might be different from yours. They might see nature as forcing women to have babies when they don't want them because their pregnancy was a natural occurrence. They might be living off the land, and hunting and fishing. A friend who is an aquatic eco-biologist worked on conservation projects up in the Pacific Northwest and was telling me about colleagues she had who felt that a Black man working with them should leave because he makes "people uncomfortable." and everyone who makes people uncomfortable should just go. This woman was into nature and had a form of racist Christianity. Many things can go from good to bad with a slight twist, so you can share some things as a Pagan in common with White Supremacists. From having learned about why Martin Luther left the Catholic Church and what aspects of it he found untenable, like the selling of letters that would absolve people of their sins in heaven known in German as Ablassbriefte (Letters of Indulgence), I understand the historical corruption in the Catholic Church. In seventh grade we studied Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism in school as part of our Social Studies curriculum. I think back then it was billed as "world religions", and this covered most of who was in our school other than the sizable Secular population. Later on, I ran a group which looked at minority religions in the school, and tried to be more aware of how the school could accommodate them, such as the food needs of people practicing Jainism, or scheduling tests during times of fasting in Islamic religions or the Christian Orthodox church and their different calendars.
I don't know where they get their ideas about "Christianity," but it sure ain't from any Bible based on the original New Testament. Or even the Old Testament. Seems more like rule by high priest warlord.
I wish it were that simple. History shows us that the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice only if enough humans choose to direct it that way. For instance, If TFG and his abhorrent family were in charge, there wouldn't be a moral universe or any justice. We need to remember that a substantial number of people don't want a moral universe.
The good thing right now is that tfg and none of his abhorrent family members are in charge. Just wished they, especially the head of the monsters, would not get that much press coverage.
Marli, do you not realize that there are many others breathing "life" into the tfg machine....they are called "the enemies of freedom"....they have always existed. They have found a host within the Republican party and the religious "wrong".
People who see themselves as "good" are being used. For instance, if you believe abortion is wrong, don't have one. No one is forcing a woman to have an abortion. I don't think any woman is saying let's go out and have some fun, then go to the hospital or clinic and get an abortion.
Too many people are not thinking for themselves. Do we really want to do away with Medicare and Social Security??? Do we really not want to "Give a Hand Up"?
Does everyone have that perfect life....never a debilitating accident, or disease...never losing a job.....needing to sell their home because they made a bad investment??? Mental struggles one never expected or children with a variety of problems in which expensive care is required, older family members who have given their whole lives but now need care they cannot afford even though they have saved....etc.
It is the Democratic Party that has shown the most care and respect for our country and for freedom, for "the Building Back Better Project", etc. for its people for freedom...for investing in freedom ie; Ukraine,etc.
We need a HEALTHY two party system. I do want to express my gratitude for the few Republicans who do love this country and still have not had their brains and hearts sucked out by the tfg gang.
I read Farah Griffinโs deposition and concluded if tfg were elected again, with his love of violence, weโd have armed police patrolling our streets, shoot-on-sight orders (no juries necessary), constant hateful rhetoric and tests of loyalty, among many other maladies.
I just don't get involved with a lot of "ifs". Americans rightfully have a case of PTSD from this guy and the covid tragedy he perpetuated.
Given that. I'll quote a line from the Desiderata.
"But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness."
Here is the complete text:
Desiderata:
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Thank you, Barbara. I couldn't agree more. You're right about the PTSD we are all experiencing. I have Desiderata framed in my house. My children and step-children grew up reading it. It is always my go-to when I'm feeling discouraged. Very applicable here.
I haven' t seen Ehrmann's quote for awhile, perhaps since we were teens, and yet it seems such useful life guidance in so many situations. Thank you for reminding us!
THE reason I am convinced that our US Constitution is a living document, neither a bible nor other god-written document fixed in the age of man at the peak of some sect or tribal order. In the pursuit of equality, the beginning can never be foretold as such may be in times, now or in the future.
Yes but luckily the majority of the American people are not on the side of those few elected representatives in congress and the senate and sure its a slow process but the passage of all the legislation Joe has got through shows it can be done. Just ignore the whining.
Somehow, when people cop that quote from MLKjr, they forget all the times he spoke about our need to come together as a community to create that arc of a moral universe. He knew it wouldn't happen on its own. I wonder why people so often pick up the quick and easy quotes, and leave the hard part out: our own responsibility to bear on the outcomes of history.
When the pendulum of history starts its swing back, which is what is now happening in this country, those who don't want to come along with it often turn to violent or immoral actions to temporarily slow it down while they try to avoid tumbling into the abyss below that arc of which MLK spoke.
Peter, I simply would add, at least in my view, that a basic premise underlying HCRโs LFAA is that virtually all of Americaโs historical movements have met with repeated frustration and failure before making noticeable progress, often through small acts that may seem at first not particularly relevant to the larger struggle for profound social change and justice, which is ever unfolding.
On one hand, the prospect of constant chaos among House Republicans appeals to me. They will weaken a broken party even more and provide endless perverse entertainment. But then I realize that it will badly hurt the country, slowing the remarkable progress of the last two years as critical problems increase and intensify.
The Biden Administration should treat the Republican House the way the Republicans have treated Democrats since Reagan. Let them fight for every single thing. And make Quiverin' Qevin's life so miserable he finally doesn't want to get up in the morning. And make good friends of the seven sane ones.
True Michael, " ... critical problems increase ..." and are intensifying along many fronts. Ignore the perverse entertainment value & take political advantage of the reactionary chaos. Just one example among many: I understand three (3) separate Prosecutors are investigating Hanging-by-a-Thread Santos. Take him off the field. We don 't need an ethics investigation; we could use prompt indictment(s) & convictions while the Biden Team addresses 'critical problems' international, national & local as citizens continue to participate. This is not a spectator sport.
GOP total disregard for Public Welfare is linked in myriad ways to the decline in bargaining power of Labor which is linked in myriad ways to income inequality, all of which enables the GOP anti-democratic movement. What is the optimal way to unravel this pernicious feedback loop?
100, as Michael Moore and HCR have pointed out many times: it is up to โWe The Peopleโ to work like mad โto unravel this pernicious feedback loopโ! We must work to get as many dems and progressive independents elected, get them into positions to steer our ship back onto its course of equality and caring about the American, and ALL, people. It is UP TO US!
"We" need to move to where our votes can change the election results.
For retirement, I just moved into a red district for the first time since voting age. My son fears I'll be shot for becoming politically active here -- can't think of a better way to go.
Citizen60, I live in a red Fl county and sported the t-shirt, adorned the yard with signage, bumper sticker on my ๐ Civic, and knocked on doors. Tell your son I lived to tell the story with nary a scratch !
I have lived in red districts for decades. I NEVER talked politics for fear of being ostracized. A lot of the people I knew were sure Jesus would have been a Republican. I often wondered if they read the Bible. Jesus was more about you shall than you shall not. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Citizen60, Iโve been an climate activist for the last 30 years and before that worked on wilderness protections. My colleagues and I have had rocks thrown through the office windows, received unidentified white powder in the mail, had tires slashed, and received credible death threats investigated by the police. The only change any of us made was to take ourselves off Twitter. (Iโm back on as of 2022).
But I live in a now blue trifecta government state where I can retreat to very liberal, completely blue enclaves to rest and recover. Not hard to find here either.
Kudos to you for doing the brave thing and being active in a red state! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
And at a time when my resources have taken a dive. Not that my meager help made a difference. The supposed check from Soros is still in the mailโฆ. Ha
As was reinforced from our Tending to Democracy Giving Circle (The States Project), small contributions absolutely count! Together they add up to real money. Sheila B on here says emphatically TSPโs contribution in MN made the difference in her stateโs blueness (bluity?).
Impressed this week with the series on NPRs On Point program. About conflicts between corporate capitalism as we know it and the future of democracy. Have to hurry away right now, but you can look up On Point and access all the programs from there. Good discussions. Nobody claiming to have all the answers, but general agreement about the problem and some possible directions.
I am getting caught up in some reading I set aside while all hell broke loose. Missed some good articles in Atlantic that also have pertinent insights. The Atlantic March 2020 cover article "The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake" is fascinating not only for the social insights, but for its relevance to changing economic system. Just before starting that, I read the entirety of latest Atlantic issue (Dec 2022). Whole thing is worthwhile & pertinent. Some articles may be available online. If not, time well spent checking the library.
Dog at door insisting. Try to catch up with you all later.
So, I keep wondering about the intelligence of people who keep re-electing religious demagogues and cruel misers and white supremacists to political office. To me, it seems like our political experiment won't achieve stable success until enough of the population internalize the values of true equality at the core of a strong democracy. We've made compromises to avert a civil war, yet we got one anyway. We tried to make government work for all Americans and got such a pushback that set the stage for Trump. We need another ingredient in the recipe for democracy, but I don't know what it is.
I think an ingredient that is missing is education that actually teaches critical thinking, and history that is not whitewashed. And an ingredient that should be removed is dark money that used to be called bribery before Citizens United was passed by the Supreme Court
Excellent response Karen. Dark money in politics is ruining the campaign system, replacing discourse with propaganda and directly connecting election success with the amount of money raised.
I want to also add to your list the damage inflicted on the American people by 24 hour news-cycle news, especially Fox and the like. They, for awhile all alone, have fabricated myths that describe Democrats as child predators and baby murderers, and that any election Democrats win is through fraud. They are the โre-education facultyโ of the extremist right.
Charlie Sykes of The Bulwark interviewed Nick Confessore of the NYT this year. I relistened. They spew purely hate because it makes money. Carlson (Tucker, not Gretchen) is The Man at Fox bc of its ratings.
That's it in a nutshell, Jane and Thank You, Jeri and Karen. Everything feels like a gigantic, frustrating Mobius strip, unlikely to be unraveled in my lifetime..
Yes. Citizens United. That was a "free speech" decision, wasn't it? I think that a basic requirement that truth be the basic requirement in any communication, whether in advertising, political ads and speech, public announcements, etc. Should be passed into law - a "truth in communication " act. It should be criminal to transmit falsehoods knowingly, including requiring large media organizations to vet and cite the sources AND to describe the uncertainty in their information.
The first amendment is being used as a cudgel to foist lies on the population, just like the 2nd amendment is used to foist and spread military weapons in the country. To counter this reactionary use of liberal tools, the modern body of laws needs to be adapted to the current reality. This would include a right to privacy, truth, and freedom FROM religious coercion (one of the points made by HCR in today's post).
The Citizens United Decision affected more than communication. It basically determined that corporate spending in elections is โfree speech โ. This allowed the creation of super PACs that allow the wealthiest donors to funnel immense amounts of money through shady nonprofits that donโt disclose their donors...Dark Money. The outcome has been catastrophic to our elections as it allows the oligarchs to own the politicians.
I blame Citizens United and a constant din of propagandized "news" on the Right for many of the country's voting patterns. I don't think the voters are stupid. I think cynical corporate elites, Rupert Murdoch, and his media spawn manipulate the populace with tribal issues like immigration, abortion, and gun rights to produce leadership that serves the multi-million and billionaire class.
I agree the Murdoch media has manipulated and brainwashed a large portion of voters. But I believe that if people receive a good education that includes critical thinking skills:
Ask questions.
Gather relevant information.
Think through solutions and conclusions.
Consider alternative systems of thought.
Communicate effectively
They are much less inclined to become brainwashed disciples of the Murdoch media
It's written throughout history that "the people" -- the majority of them -- will be happy with bread and circuses in some form.
The Founding Fathers were well aware of this as they "creatively designed" a new form of government. They could not anticipate constant lies at the speed of light.
Media works to stoke fear with inflated reporting on accidents, problems, and misery, now when not so many are afraid of going to hell in the afterlife. Critical thinking is easily overshadowed by fear, especially when fear seems much more relevant in media than in the real world.
I had a rare political conversation with my โsalt of the earthโ neighbor last night. The conversation began with โyou watch CNN and I watch Foxโ. The correct statement would have reflected his reliance on Fox, mine on reliance on the printed word. I ran into a brick wall. Raging against public housing in the closest city, which is an hour and a half away, I tried to bring him back to the issues surrounding us in our rural area. He wasnโt listening. Viewpoints among his kind are not going to change. There is no intellectual curiosity. Poorly educated, Iโve watched his entire family struggle over the past twenty years. The cycle perpetuates, though one of the younger couples has found some success in selling moonshine. ; ). *sigh* Tuesday I leave for Florida and and my FJB flag flying neighbor.
While Iโm enervated by the progress weโve made with Biden at the helm, We have a long way to go.
I have a friend who belongs to a group that helps young women from poor families get to and remain in college. Their thought is that one will help family members too eventually. My friend says what happens instead is their families shun the successful ones.
Gail, We sold our FL place and decided to remain up north for numerous medical reasons, but an unforeseen relief occurred when we no longer wondered if our FL home would be burned to the ground while we were โawayโ by one of the angry right wing neighbors who said, โBless your heartโ to your face when heading to church and hoped you would die a violent death once they got around the corner.
We laughingly tolerate each other down there for the most part, but I remember reading about your move in a previous post. Weโre in the Keys, so itโs a bit more tolerant but medical considerations may make a move necessary. I canโt imagine settling any farther north in FL, or in any of the gulf states for that matter. Staying in VA for the holidays this year has proved my cold intolerance. Expat may be my future.
I would say that intelligence is not correlated with the current trend toward Trump love, religious fanaticism and the movement of the Republicans toward becoming Nazi's.
Rather, people who are quite bright, and could tear down a John Deere Tractor engine never having seen one before, swap out a rod bearing, and then put it all back together without even ordering the repair manual, are voting against their own best interests and FOR the Republican Nazi party.
Those folks are quite bright. However, those folks have NOT read the US Constitution, they have not read John Adams biography and background and his MA constitution. They have not read Thomas Jefferson's many writings on the importance of Public School nor have the read Pascal's lengthy treatise on God in the Harvard Classics volume 48. Lastly, their path never leads them to the library.
So, I would say: Folks (like I once was) who vote AGIANST their own best interests and FOR Nazi's are ignorant but not unintelligent. In an environment SATURATED with lies, propaganda, and dehumanization (AM radio and FOX News), these people simply do not have the the background necessary to sort out HOW the United States came into existence or why it did.
They have not read John Adams gigantic treatise on past governments, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, and even I have not been able to grind through it completely which, honestly, DROVE John Adams to our current form of government.
So, we do have a problem, but it is not intelligence.
The problem is lack of reading, lack of investigation, lack of deep education where questions overtake and dominate conclusions, and an inability to challenge the "TRUTH" of religion (which is ZERO since it is based on belief, not facts). In their world Conclusions are what is communicated, not questions. The preacher at the front of their church? He does not ASK questions. He pronounces conclusions! Simple ones that are false.
I was once one of these folks Jerry, and, having left my old East Texas farm I pursued, by an accident of chance, a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at UT Austin where I had a small dorm next to the UT Library. Where I studied.
There I found the NY Times. There I found my first evidence of John Adams. In that Library I learned to ask questions instead of fearing to ask them for fear of going to hell.
I have this conversation so often I feel tired. The people who love Trump are NOT unintelligent.
They are just afraid of asking questions, do not know John Adams, and are not near and routinely in contact with a library.
I like how you put that, Mike. Where I am coming around to is this: what they want is what the RepubliQans are offering; a white Christian Nationalist country. Their religion does not encourage independent thinking nor a well-rounded education, and it does offer white supremacy and the banishment and punishment of "others".
Ally, correct, religion breeds fear and uniformity and control.
Religion does not support diversity, thoughtful discourse, questions.
Rather, since GOD IS SILENT to EVERYONE, including preachers, well, preachers are left to foist conclusions on an unsuspecting congregation that foster his world view (whatever that small world might be).
I know. I listened to them for years out in rural east texas messing my pants worried about going to hell (for looking at a girl's bra strap, or saying SHIT, or whatever).
Now, as an old man, I almost wish to become a preacher so I can tell people the truth:
Mike, if youโre ever out here, Iโll have to introduce you to my friend and fellow ET escapee/survivor. I now have two friends telling me some version of โwell, itโs different in East Texasโ
Mike: Thank you. I am converted. I will stop saying they are stupid. Your testimonial here and your veneration of questions and libraries is a much healthier way of seeing our family members and neighbors who are not asking questions or looking for facts. I am so glad you ended up reading worthy words.
I, like all of us, am a product of luck, chance, and drive. Lots of folks I know personally are quite bright and in love with Trump for the reasons that I originally voted for Reagan.
But, I was not stupid in 1980, in fact, I was at the top of my Chemical Engineering class in a way that made people think I was some kind of newfound genius.
I was not. I just could work 16 hour days without many or any breaks and I did not have a girlfriend to distract me.
But, until 2001 (or maybe 2) invasion of Iraq, I voted Republican.
And this is where our schools come in. When are we going to make our educational system a priority in this nation? It seems to me that one of the things the founding fathers expected was the ability of every โmanโ -- person -- to be able to have an education. The fact that schools are funded by taxes from the surrounding neighborhoods has to end. Our schools should be funded equally across the board. And teachersโ salaries? What a joke. We pay the least to the most important people to whom we entrust our children during their formative years. Until the education system is funded properly and allowed to teach the truth of our founding and our history, we will have a problem with the intelligent but uneducated.
Intellectual Curiosity prompts the asking of good questions. This requires willingness to expend the time and energy into โinventingโ those questions that lead to answers
Iโve learned a discussion vehicle for dealing with those of opposing views; instead of expousing my opinions as fact, I ask them a series of questions that lead them to recognize the reality of the issue in question. They do their own work and after figuring out that I led them to a logical conclusion on their own, its then (finally) that they get mad and tell me to screw myself
You're right, Mike. I live in TX and have worked and lived among intelligent and kind people who swallowed Trump's messages whole. I just wonder how this country might counteract the strong overprint of religion, how to guide people away from white nationalist, how to stop being afraid of those that are different.
And with Rush Limbaugh and similar playing non-stop, morning to night, in their homes, cars, and now work places their entire lives from childhood to present, they now have MAโs and Phdโs, have their own children in colleges and still are the voracious readers they were raised to be, is testament to the power of brain-washing and how it lead to this comment about presidential candidate Barack Obama: โI feel like I donโt even know who he IS.โ
Profesor Richardson, todayโs letter woke me up. At least reminded me how Hitler gained power. We should be more than worried. You wrote about the repub base, โRejecting the equality at the heart of liberal democracy, many of them hope to enforce religious rules on the rest of the country and admire Russian president Vladimir Putin and Hungarian leader Viktor Orbรกn for replacing democracy with what Orbรกn has called โChristian democracy,โ or โilliberal democracyโ that enforces patriarchal heterosexual hierarchies. That reminds me of how Fascists including Hitler and Stalin, as well as Putin and Orban, gain power. This Atlantic article from October 2022: โThe way the Nazis used โthe politics of legalityโ to gain absolute power after a failed coup is an ominous lesson about the fragility of a republic.โ
I fear we are closer to the mechanics by which Hitler use to gain power with the death of Hindenburg and a remarkable cast of inept German Leadership that virtually stood aside as the slithered into place.
The talent and ability free Republican Leadership isnโt much different than the cluster of jerks that ensured the end of the Weimar Experiment.
We even have the turmoil at the border that could prompt any of the dozens of demagogues to proclaim a coup and seize leadership.
Trumpโs tweet reveals: he has no idea of what Marxism is about; heโs an unabashed racist (no surprise); and he doesnโt know the difference between Chinese and Taiwanese. He also doesnโt think that someone who was naturalized over 50 years ago is American.
The Speakership contest is likely to be the most consequential in US history. It represents the best chance to marginalize the far right wing of the Republican party and to preserve effective government.
My biggest concern is that if a bipartisan coalition forms around a candidate from outside the chamber that the choice will be tied up in frivolous litigation since it has never been done before.
The real test will be whether any coalition Speaker could strip Committee assignments from guys like far right extremist Jim Jordan on grounds that he defined Congressional subpeonas. The other issue is whether it is wise to have an unelected Speaker be next in line after the VP in the Presidential succession. Unless of course it was George W. Bush. But he doesn't personally have the legislative creds to be particularly effective in the role.
Still thinking Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican co-Chair of the problem solvers caucus who has voted with Democrats 67% of the time during th last Congress and won relection with a comfortable margin wouldn't be a better choice.
But either way it will take a lot of Democratic support to overcome the Freedom caucus crazies. Hakeem Jeffries needs to get Democrats on the same page about this.
This sentence stopped me completely, Georgia: "The other issue is whether it is wise to have an unelected Speaker be next in line after the VP in the Presidential succession" Horrifying thought that the Pillow Guy could be second in line to the White House.
Can't we watch the Debacle Parade for a little while before the adults try to herd the rabid cats? I'm really looking forward to some Republicans humiliating themselves. I know it's a long shot, but they might do it so well their own voters recognize them for the fools they are.
Unfortunately I think not--not with funding for Ukraine on the line along with the debt ceiling issue which could easily provoke a world financial crisis. There will still be plenty of debacle opportunities as they thrash around seething that they have lost power, and they will be far less dangerous.
Okay Allenby, I can kind of agree with that, except what is taking so long?? I have seen so many AHA! moments that just get ignored. I thought videos of the January 6 riot would wake up the deluded but noooo. Imagine seeing Jordan with his idiotic lies posters during his wacko hearings rather than put in jail for ignoring a subpoena. Or George Santos taking an oath of office. ๐คก๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ. Beam me up Scotty. There is no intelligent life down here.
Mitch Daniels would be good as an outsider and 2nd in line for the Presidency. John Kasich also.
Good candidates for doing this exist; it just isn't going to happen. McCarthy will promise everything to anybody in his caucus who will give him what he's been salivating for. And Everybody knows it.
Two conditions are proposed to have a speaker from outside the house. First is that a sufficient majority would need to support a recommendation from the incoming 118th membership and second that the ballot to select the speaker would not be a roll call, but a secret ballot, to ensure the fear of retribution isn't what guide members' voting. The second could be called for whether the speaker was to be chosen from outside or within the House membership.
No, William, you cannot....You can be a Fascist, and then the other things you mentioned, but never all of them together....feel better? Have a great weekend.
William, you beautifully demonstrate the fundamental problem of labels! They don't describe the specifics that led some other to apply them. One of the essential components in working with a problem is first describing it specifically and then refer to the specifics and not the general characteristics. This is a more cumbersome process but much more accurate and therefore more useful. Kinda like using the contents of an article rather than just headlines.
โThe year 2022 has seen an important split in the Republican Party.โ
Their deal with the yellow-haired devil has circled back to rip the Republican Party apart. The charismatic party leader is now the monkey on their back; screeching in their ears and scratching at their eyes. And no one deserves that cute, just adorable little monkey more than Mitch McConnell.
Gym Jordan, the proof you should never let a PE coach do more than decide whether to order Chinese takeout for lunch is back to doing what he does best - projection. Complain about the Biden Administration doing what he and Trump did for the past seven years.
"What they need's a damned good whacking" as the Beatles pointed out about the Piggies.
I still think that the so-called Christian zealots are doing what Christian zealots have always done, use religion to gain and keep power. Christianity is the method to their madness. Havenโt seen one โChristian virtueโ exhibited by any one of these maniacs, top of the list are Franklin Graham and Ginni Thomas.
While I agree with you about zealots in general, whatever religion they use as their cloak, the reference to Sharia law evokes an anti-Muslim meme that perhaps you did not intend.
"in the case of extremist Republicans, to use the government not to provide a basic social safety net, regulate business, promote infrastructure, or protect civil rightsโas it has done since 1933โbut instead to enforce right-wing religious values on the country. "
Please google Leonard Leo, to learn more about how that effort is funded and enforced. Leo is the money grub hub of a vast network of dark money he funnels from dodgy donors to antidemocratic causes. And particularly to overturning civil rights protections and the Separation of Church and State. It's not just the Federalist Society and stacking the Supreme Court.
Lisa Graves of TrueNorth Research is a very good source.
"But on his social media platform, Trump took a stand against the bill that funds the government."
. . . . . . โThen he went on to blame the deal on McConnellโs wife, Trumpโs own Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, using a racist slur."
"This exchange reveals the dynamic dominating political leadership at the end of 2022."
IMO this exchange continues to reveal that trump is literally and certifiably insane. MSM and other reputable media (including Heather's Letters) need to call trump's words and actions out exactly for what they are and stop giving any "air space" or credence to his rants. Those who follow, support, and listen to trump are also completely off their rockers (with an overlay of evil) and that needs to be repeatedly said out loud. Journalists, reporters, network/cable anchors should be sticking a microphone in the faces of republicans in congress and challenge them on every word that comes out of their mouths and not let them off the hook; be relentless.
I realize social media platforms dominate the blather and BS that the masses are exposed to but for crying out loud stopping the abject madness needs to start somewhere. The democratic party needs to stop playing by some "rule book" that doesn't exist . . . don't bring the proverbial knife to a gunfight! And, why in heavens name the democratic opponent to g. santos didn't (obviously failed) expose him as a fraud is where we stand today in (lack of) diligence.
I remember hearing a few years ago, the earth slipped ever so slightly on its axis . . . it's as good a reason as any as to why things haven't been the same since . . . that's my story and I'm sticking to it :)
No Janet, as someone who has made his living trying to treat "certifiably insane" people, I think what we're up against is not insanity but rather a profound narcissism combined with a vengefulness which launches him to seek revenge against anybody who doesn't concede his all-important "greatness."
I get he may not fall into the myriad of medical/psychological clinical diagnosisโs of mental illness but IMO he is still โcertifiableโ (and a criminal) and needs to pulled from the โairwavesโ. And, media needs to stop pandering to his vitriol and challenge everything he says. The dems need to be done with the hand wringing and fearful of going
after a former occupier of the WH because it looks โpoliticalโ โฆ. Weโre way past that - The man is a two bit criminal and has been allowed/enabled to hold this country hostage for far too long with his evil ways that get more unhinged every day!
Golf today in NE (temps in the 50โs) so weโll โtee upโ trump and smack those drives for extra distance. ๐Unfortunately, my golf game has improved since 2016. Iโd gladly trade a few points on my handicap for him to go away! ๐
Dear Professor Cox Richardson,
I think the White Christian Nationalist wing of the Republican party should be named and shamed. Instead, you just wrote about "enforcing religion." I think the language you chose is too mild.
It's not just "religion" they want to enforce, it's a particular variety of white people's Christianity. They are White Christian Nationalists bent on shaping our laws and our public sphere to fit their religious doctrines. This, in a supposedly secular nation, is offensive and illegal, even unconstitutional.
So calling it "religion" is like George Santos calling his pack of lies "resume embellishment", in my world.
I am senior clergy in a minority faith, and have been a religious rights activist for decades, so it's a sensitive issue to me personally. Thank you for considering my point.
Blessings on your work.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. What they are doing is NOT following Christ. I saw a quote a few days ago - maybe on here somewhere - that said instead of fighting to put Christ back in Christmas, letโs fight to put Christ back in Christian. Better words were never spoken!
Dianna Beers "I saw a quote a few days ago - maybe on here somewhere - that said instead of fighting to put Christ back in Christmas, letโs fight to put Christ back in Christian."
Just to add on:
โ๐๐ถ๐ต ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ข๐ฏ.โ Gosh, I wish Iโd have come up with that. I didnโt. The author is lost to me, but I saw it sometime this week on social media somewhere.
โ๐๐ถ๐ต ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ข๐ฏ.โ Whew. Thatโs strong stuff, folks. It may have come from those who oppose the trite โ๐๐ถ๐ต ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฎ๐ข๐ดโ because Starbucks has red holiday cups that donโt have a Crรจche or a Christian Cross or a pagan-inspired Christmas tree on the front. Who knows? --Joey Kennedy, Alabama Political Reporter
https://www.alreporter.com/2015/11/18/put-christ-back-in-christian/
They would oppose the Jesus of the first three Gospels even he walked on water across the Potomac.
Christ would have been surprised that he is worshipped as a god (or more correctly, demi-god.) Every historic attempt to reform Christianity has failed, because the the institution of a church always survives. It's one saving grace is Christ's spiritual message of love, not a religious worship of a "Christ" that never existed.
Great idea! Somehow they have put their "idea of Christ" in "Christian" and removed the real Christ that is told of in the bible!
Not only are they not following Christ, they represent what disgusted Jesus the most--hypocrisy. When I found out that trump had won the presidency and I fervently asked God to allow the GOP to self-implode, not only did I not expect Him to answer my prayer so cleverly, but as He always does, to best it! The infighting has already begun in earnest and will continue breaking up in smaller and smaller groups until everybody is against each other. And then out of nowhere George Santos, a guy who reflects the GOP psychosis to a T, appears to pissoff his constintuents and further divide, divide, divide. It's all so divinely delightful!
In a lot of ways I agree Caroline. Words matter. Witness just for one for instance, the hatchet job (deviously brilliant execution) the far right has done on just one word: Liberal. Repeating it over and over again, associating it with 'anything' wrong and a direction the wrongs come from - over and over for decades till the media even picks it up and repeats it completely out of any contextual meaning and truth. Now it's parroted as synonymous with far extreme outcomes of communism, socialism, etc., which as we know and history shows has been the prime highway for autocracies. Parroting the falsehoods and all the while enjoying the fruits of a liberal democracy, chock full of requisite checks and balances, which the hard rightist's are hard at work destabilizing.
First time today in Swedish media I notice 'fossil gas' is called by it's real name, instead of 'natural gas'. That was in connection with Finland opening a LNG terminal to import gas replacing Russian gas. 'natural gas' is green washing and there has been a long time waiting for words to change.
Sorry to argue, Olof, but I must dissent. "Natural gas" is just that, a natural byproduct of a chemical process that long-burried and heated organic material undergoes. It will be produced naturally whether it's used by humans or not. It was called that before the alarms about global warming started ringing. It IS natural, though now we know that it's use needs to be minimized.
So, "Natural" is not greewashing. Your short-on-history and short-on-science and short-on-economics comment is due to brainwashing.
I am absolutely shocked that in HCR posts that someone resorts to name calling and demeaning (brainwashed)! Itโs fine you have an opinion on various topics (although it seems the article below sort of blows that up a tad), but this forum, for me, is for educated discussions and not the sort of divisive rhetoric we find elsewhere.
You are exactly right. Ad hominem is not welcome here. Itโs condescending and divisive. Shuts off thoughtful communication. Thanks for calling you like you (and I) see it.
For anyoneโs reading pleasure. Interesting conversation. I had to go take a look. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/should-it-be-called-natural-gas-or-methane/
Thanks, Christy, for pointing us to this fascinating Yale Study on the terms natural gas and methane options. Seems "natural" has a positive response vs. methane. Didn't know that 70%+- percent of natural gas is methane.
Sandra, there is a good analysis & update on "natural" gas venting & flaring authored by Nicole, Zoha & Sarah at insideclimatenews.org. on 2/25/2022. Attention LFAA Authors: the subject is worthy of book length treatment including a chapter on old Fred C. Koch circa 1940.
Excellent information in the link you posted about climate communication and the factual meaning of 'natural gas'. Thank you, Christy.
Jerry Helfand, as to 'brainwashing', you would benefit from reading the link about climate communication below, posted by Christy. Your argument with Olof's comment is confusing. To quote the Yale study,
'Natural gas is composed of 70-90% methane, a potent greenhouse gas and major contributor to global warming. The American public perceives โnatural gasโ much more favorably (76% favorable) than other fossil fuels like oil (51% ) or coal (39%). They also believe natural gas is much less harmful to human health than is coal or oil.
'How much does natural gas benefit from its name, which includes the word โnaturalโ?'
Olof's post pointed to the public's lack of knowledge about what 'natural gas' is and, therefore, unaware of its major contribution to global warming.
Getting our facts straight and the use of language in that regard are paramount in rescuing earth and ourselves.
I read the link. Yes, I agree, though the new bits of info I learned from the comments is that many didn't know that natural gas is mostly methane with some other gasses of higher molecular weights. I didn't know that so many didn't know this fact. In that sense, I would agree that methane, which is provided in a much more pure form to households after gas processing, should be used. Consumers should know what they are using.
However, as we transition to a higher proportion of renewable sources within our total energy mix, we will continue as a species to require hydrocarbon based sources for decades to come, even as the transition accelerates. Vilifying a key source of energy while it is needed by humans to live is counterproductive.
From your reply, Jerry, it appears that you do not understand the nature of our dialogue having to do with how the use of language influences the opinion of people with regard to 'natural' gas. Commenters who replied to your 'argument' concerning Olof's lesson about the nomenclature for what is essentially methane gas recognize the importance of knowing what has been called 'natural' gas consists of. It makes a big difference. No one was 'vilifying' your claim, but took exception with you calling Olof, 'short-on-history and short-on-science and short-on-economics comment is due to brainwashing.' Several of us didn't take well to your incorrect assessment of Olof's teaching. 'Counterproductive', Jerry, so goes your resistance to an essential counterpoint.
Think of the gas as a product. That is how the industry set gas as a โbridge,โ fuel to transition from coal without sacrificing comfort.
The Sierra Club even supported natural gas for years.
But the extraction of product itself destroys water quality surface and subsurface, in some areas conveys radioactive elements and just transmitting it to maintain normal comfort levels is destroying watershed integrity in many areas.
But the โnatural,โ term developed by the.industry does create benign even beneficial aura. Like mentholated filtered cigarettes are healthy.
Vilifying (which is also counterproductive).
Jerry Heifand, your comment was civil disagreement, until you decided to include that last paragraph: โ So, "Natural" is not greewashing. Your short-on-history and short-on-science and short-on-economics comment is due to brainwashing.โ You may or may not have noticed that this discussion forum commenting on Professor Richardsonโs letters is populated by intelligent people who respect one another. Commenters here do not insult one another (although we may indulge in humor at the expense of the forces of ignorant and hate out there in the world). Perhaps you would consider making amends to Olof for making several unwarranted characterizations of his level of knowledge.
Yep, and one of the major contributors of this Natural Gas (methane) in the atmosphere are Cow Farts. They've even made studies on its effect. Perhaps Sweden should become vegetarian to remedy this.
Perhaps America should. This country is the worlds largest contributor of cow flatulence.
And the flatulence that comes from the mouths of the Republican Party. (Sorry, a slightly vulgar post.)
Hearng hamburger commercials I have begun to flinch. The EU has asked cattle and sheep farmers to grow more wheat to feed more people. I was visiting a farming friend in France from whose window I had always seen beasts and was instead seeing a wheat field. I learned why. (If Iโm repeating this is these columns, please forgive.)
Another major sorce of methane is the melting of the "Frozen Tundra" ( not in Green Bay ) in the not-so-Permafrost in the Artic.
Itโs actually mostly cow burps, rather than farts, that contain the methane: https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/33/which-is-a-bigger-methane-source-cow-belching-or-cow-flatulence/
Umm...how are they harvested (from whichever end of the animal)?
Elizabeth, with reference to methane, 'What is natural gas? Natural gas is a fossil energy source that formed deep beneath the earth's surface. Natural gas contains many different compounds. The largest component of natural gas is methane, a compound with one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4). (USEnergyInformation)
As well as their burps...cows, that is.
Not terribly clever or amusing, and belies the lethal nature of the predicament we are in. Perhaps when the waters rise to your chin you'll reconsider the sarcasm.
Richard, you sound overly distressed about a comment, which does not in any way reflect my quite small carbon footprint. I don't own a carbon fueled car & ride a bike most of the time. Are you suffering from gas pains or something?
"a natural byproduct of a chemical process that long-burried and heated organic material undergoes. It will be produced naturally whether it's used by humans or not." So are not all fossil fuels "natural" in that meaning? The thing is not that fossil fuels are "produced" under ground, it's that we use them above ground. My post was a reply on the theme 'words matter'. Your arguments don't hold, and your straw men on 'science', 'history', 'economics', and brainwashing are irrelevant.
What Christy's Yale-link below tell about how people think about facts, depending on use of words, is just what I would call green-washing.
I have seen different figures on how much the shift from oil and gasoline to fossil gas has lowered the CO2-emissions in the US, 20-30%. The amount of leaks in the vast handling of methane, and their consequences on climate are of course difficult to estimate. I am not arguing that, on the contrary I see this powerful shift as yet another remarkable sign of American pragmatism. Confronted with the challenges of climate change, most of what I see happening is about technology and what is profitable. When it comes to the hard part, of people changing their habits, I am convinced words matter.
True, but that does not mean that a change in nomenclature wouldn't be beneficial to our coming to terms with it's nature, including it's downside. Our overuse of the resource has a toxic nature, belied by the term "natural." Global warming is natural in that it is the environments reaction to man-made CO2, but the consequences are a disaster, "natural" or not.
The snarkyness is uncalled for.
Frankly, I have to say that the snarkiness produced by this topic is something I've never encountered before on this forum.
What bunk! Brainwashing??? And so it all begins, again. Around and around we spin. In the winter of our discontent is it a sweater or a web? Me thinks the elves are back. Fossil gas ! Refreshing, definitive , accurate. Natural gas okay too. As long as you go outside to purge these impulses Iโm good with either.
Pat, global warming IS a clear and present danger. For all the doubters that abounded when Gore published an inconvenient truth, decades of research, most of it quite accurate, should have been enough to allay doubts. How to go about addressing the challenge is straightforward from the point of view of a straight comparison of climatic effects of various energy sources. However, when one considers the sheer scale of the needed transformation and the technical challenges that need to be overcome to achieve it, and considering the energy needed by billions of people worldwide to survive, the transition is simply not simple, easy, nor evenly implemented. Villifying the other side based on language nuances delays the cooperation and thus the solutions needed.
'nuances'! Have you ever heard of propaganda, disinformation, the 'subtle' use of 'nuances' in controlling the knowledge and behavior of the people?
'What is natural gas? Natural gas is a fossil energy source that formed deep beneath the earth's surface. Natural gas contains many different compounds. The largest component of natural gas is methane, a compound with one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4). (USEnergyInformation)
So that means you are positively sold on going hell bent for better energy alternatives and I applaud your forward thinking, but while โVillifying the other side based on language nuancesโ you digress. Responsibility is terrifying, eh. You need not throw grenades at Olof for your logic to shine.
Speaking of language nuances, it's "vilifying".
vilifying
Excellent comment. Thank you.
โ๏ธ โ๏ธ โ๏ธ
Actually, altho I am old and sometimes called a 'fossil' my farts are methane, a natural gas, same as the problematic natural gas that comes from the ground, first used by the Chinese in 500 BCE.
Rob Were I a Brit, I would offer you a fart(h)ing for your methane.
I am/was a Brit, and since Brexit I wouldn't give you a penny for it. :)
A-L My mother was born in Scotland and raised in Egypt, where my grandfather was director of customs under the Anglo-Egyptian Protectorate (until 1922), After the loss of India and much of the empire, Brexit was the final nail in the imperial empire.
Rob, for a good time ask Alexa to fart she will ask you what kind of fart. A big fart, a little fart, a squeaky fart, a juicy fart. If your little grandkids are around theyโll be rolling on the floor laughing. The variety is endless.
Grandkids are an easy audience. Back in the '90s I got my grandsons a book "Grossology" which explained every gross bodily function; poop, snot, stinky feet, farts etc. with illustrations. It even had a plastic vomit on the cover of the original. They loved it. I just got my great-grandson a copy, it is still in print (no plastic vomit tho).
Prior to the Victorian era, this humor was enjoyed by all, young and old. Private correspondence is full of it.
Anyone who saw "Fanny and Alexander" will recall the scene where this is demonstrated (grandkids and all).
Great movie!!
๐๐๐๐
Lucky you, to have odorless farts. LOL. โNatural gas is an ODORLESS, gaseous mixture of hydrocarbonsโpredominantly made up of methane (CH4).โ
Just kidding!
In matters flatulatory, the odorless variety, long known affectionately as the "SBD" kind, "Silent But Deadly", are the worst. In a similar vein, apropos of nothing at all, I offer this charming little vignette of history:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_P%C3%A9tomane
Talk about killer party tricks!!
All true! Thanks for that Wiki gem. ("A Passing Wind"!)
Thank you, Olof, for your excellent point regarding the labeling of the fossil fuel called 'natural' gas. More on climate and energy follow.
'War scrambled the global energy landscape'. Excerpts from Climate Forward, NYTimes newsletter:
Russia used its fossil fuel riches to fund its invasion of Ukraine. It went on to use its oil and natural gas as a weapon, thoroughly upending the global energy landscape. The war drove up the prices of almost everything else that needs energy to be produced and shipped around the world, including, most alarmingly, food.
Europe faced a reckoning. Having relied so much on Russian gas for light and heat , European Union lawmakers scrambled in 2022 to find alternate sources of energy. The worldโs gas producers were all too happy to comply, including the United States, the worldโs largest gas exporter, which promised to ship liquefied natural gas for many years to come.
Watch what happens in 2023. Will Europe build more pipelines and more gas import terminals to lock in reliance on hydrocarbons for electricity and heat? Or will Russiaโs war in Ukraine speed its shift to renewables?
The International Energy Agency said there were signs that the energy crisis could act as an โaccelerantโ to a clean energy transition, only to caution that โeven in a world of high and volatile fossil fuel prices, it cannot be taken for granted that todayโs cost advantages for clean, efficient equipment will translate into more sustainable investment choices.โ
Oil and gas made a killing.
Even as the war laid out the strategic risks of relying on fossil fuels, oil and gas producers made record profits as demand surged for oil and gas from anywhere but Russia. Net income in the sector is expected to reach a record $4 trillion in 2022, double that of the previous year, according to the I.E.A. The consulting firm Deloitte has projected increases in natural gas investment in 2023.
Democracy delivered two tipping-point elections.
In May, Australians ousted the conservative coalition that had made one of the worldโs most climate-vulnerable countries also among the most recalcitrant when it came to reducing its emissions of planet-warming gases. The new government, led by the Labor Party, passed a law requiring Australia to sharply cut its emissions by 2030 and then a budget to ramp up renewable energy.
In October, Brazilians rejected their incumbent, climate-science-denying president, Jair Bolsonaro. Newly elected Luiz Inรกcio Lula da Silva is to be inaugurated on Jan. 1. Reining in Amazon deforestation will be one of his biggest challenges.
The United States delivered a landmark law.
Historyโs biggest polluter finally passed big climate legislation, with big climate money attached.
The $370 billion package nudges businesses to shift to renewable energy and makes public money available for research into new climate innovations. โWhat weโre seeing is the green shoots of a new kind of industrial policy,โ David Victor, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, said at a Brookings Institution event this month.
The big breakthrough at this yearโs climate negotiations was an agreement to create a fund to help poor countries cope with the irreversible economic losses and damages made worse by the pollution spewed by wealthy nations. Expect calls in 2023 for real money.
The sun came through.
Something extraordinary happened amid so much suffering.
Solar power grew so fast that the I.E.A. concluded that it could outshine coal as the largest source of global electricity by 2027.
To be sure, coal use grew a bit this year, particularly in countries seeking to get off Russian oil and gas. But the direction of change was clear: Renewables are set to double in the 2022-27 period, as compared with the previous five years, and to surpass coalโs share of total energy by 2025.
Also, in December, researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory cracked the code on what might eventually be a way to produce limitless, zero-carbon energy. Watch where this still-experimental nuclear fusion research goes next year, and beyond. (NYTimes-climate) See gifted article below.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/30/climate/climate-2023.html?unlocked_article_code=XFeanH8FQrEw9soTiOOJg4MwJWAEcshTZFfQu14hXjbsP4WE1DCNG5Ix0JC88EaGhExrdyAa7BABKHAwBEzZlrznnFCX6yTwt8XceasEyyXzCVFkQQk1XZVmpRItHQCTKBcv8UOPGbzosRQyqz-_Go6bMhZX-CgJa7S6s6R9l1ppp5HWOWN3ZK3uRY8X5yzOladSQnskPX6b5fmEEkmbGYow0EcCPZ9nj7sIXnGWRIH2XzJRtx1SUWzMLBLYBx5knMOE_ksrmtxhTvdswTotSwQgsoi0FdiRVVAB1mbJi5fjjbfOuZTQaGcB4nzQmgPmJ7idKzyG&smid=share-url
Winding up the year with bathroom humor, perhaps the most universal jokes, as they are the oldest. For the best laughs, thereโs Aristophanes and Rabelais.
Not much time left this year for research: quotations, please?
Frank Luntz taught them that words matter, even more than Lee Atwater did. It goes way backโฆ
Glad someone remembers him for his screwing up our country.
I find it extremely ironic that by definition, Christ was a Liberal in his day. The Founding Father โPatriotsโ were Liberals in their times
Expressing this notion to the Cognitive Dissonance Crowd gives them Head Explodey Words mean things. History happened, no matter how much these knuckledraggers protest
Take back the meaning of words. Make them eat them
And โRadicalโ has not gotten adequate usage to describe the far right. I keep thinking of the Paris mob and Robespierre. But then thatโs history, a subject unknown to far too many of US.
The other horror in todayโs letter: that there was no one to meet the Bidens at the White House. Another Trump (your choice descriptive curse word here) fiasco.
When I heard this, I couldn't help but recall when Barack and Michelle opened the door to welcome Trump and Melania to the White House. Trump pushed in past the Obamas, leaving Melania standing alone on the stoop. The barest glance between the Obamas, and as one they stepped forward smiling to enclose Melania between them, and gently usher her in with them. The contrast is striking, but not surprising.
I recall that. Their graciousness is very much a part of their legacy.
That was the most pathetic move by tfg! My teeth almost feel out.
Walking ahead of Queen Elizabeth was a close contender.
Feeding the athletes fast-food burgers.
So many pathetic moves.
How about the press conference at Blenheim Palace? Standing beside his host, Prime Minister Theresa May, tfg said that he thought Boris Johnson would make an excellent Prime Minister. Or in Paris, on Bastille Day, during the presidential goodbyes, he said to the 64-year-old Brigitte Macron "You know, you're in such good shape." Then, to the President of France, "She's in such good shape!"
Virginia, not a fiasco. It was a deliberate #%&@ slap in the face from the thg family to the Biden family.
We all saw that painful moment. Really made me angry about the pettiness of the previous guys.
Listen to Jason Stanel this morning and his statements were chilling. The continuing Orbranization of America. Scary.
You must have seen that amazing Polish film, "Danton"? and seen his statue, which stands on the site of his house? "De l'audace, encore de l'audace, toujours de l'audace". He didn't know how quickly Maximilien would follow him.
Interesting, this conversation about "greenwashing."
The largest (arguably sole) contributor to global climate change is humans, and our current human civilization. It doesn't matter if we are burning wood, or burning oil, or burning methane, or burning Unobtanium (from the fictional world of Pandora in the film Avatar). We are, because of our numbers, changing the climate balance because we convert material resources in exponentially growing numbers without any (significant) natural predators. Our "natural predator" is becoming the air itself, along with the water and soil. And, of course, our own wars against ourselves, based on real and imaginary slights and shortages.
What do you think would be a new appropriate label for them? White Christian Nationalists is a label they proudly wear. It disgusts me, as a Christian, to see that term used in connection with these people whose values are so antithetical to Christ's message.
How about NAZIs (oops! they were National SOCIALISTS), or Neo-confederates? Or, just get down to brass tacks and call them the HBSK - Hate and Bull S%#t Kleptocracy, or simply 'Haters'. I see them as SLS - Stupid Lost Souls. Whatever we call them, they will spin it to their liking, just as happened with "Deplorables". Thanks. Pay scant attention to this post, it was mostly a cathartic (or more accurately an emetic) exercise for me.
Steve,
I think "Nazi" and "Fascist" are accurate labels for any and all Republicans (those hiding under rocks hoping Trump goes away and those at his feet licking them).
1. Republicans use violence to get what they want.
2. Republicans bottom feed the human population to source their events for violence.
3. Republicans use name calling and demonization and dehumanization to get votes.
4. Republicans use threats to get what they want.
5. Republicans are in partnership with a Propaganda Machine Fox News to lie.
If that is not a Nazi, I do not know what is.
Agreed! I heard an acquaintance say the christian nationalists are just about protecting our own nation first beforeโฆ and I cut her off. I couldnโt stomach the lip service to these evil people. Theyโve presented themselves so closely tied to being Nazis, itโs time to call them what they are!
"America First" was minted on coins put out by the KKK.
Someday, more ppl may start appropriately calling it The Repugnant Party.
As I've been doing for years..
๐
Mike, this is not a criticism of your comments, which note a good list of problems. Please read it as a reflection, if you will. I personally struggle with the use of the Nazi label as a shorthand expressing disgust with the cultural and political behavior that we find odious in others. Despite the ignorance and hatred being demonstrated by the extreme right wing base or the "principles-bereft" Repug politicians who seem desperately determined to cling to their cushy positions, this label may serve as an all too convenient shorthand for unacceptable policy and actions. In addition, it may constitute a profoundly insensitive cultural appropriation on our part. I am trying hard to break my own habit of referring to the hateful words and deeds, now bursting out of the cultural closet, with this awful shorthand of a label. We owe the victims and their families of that horrible stretch in Europe's and our own history, a deeper reverence/understanding for the profound generational suffering, not to mention, our own countryโs all too reluctant recognition of โthe right thing to doโ. Surely we must resist turning the reference into a mere cheap political tool, a label, an accusation. Even MTG has appropriated the term with an imbecilic link of the mask mandates to Nazi like orders. While I object to excluding groups of humanity as a political tool, as much as the next reflective person, but I do not want to use "Nazis" as a epithet of all that's wrong about "them" and all that's right about "us". Surely we owe the memory of the millions who have suffered, a profound and โalways consciousโ awareness of the differences. Just a thoughtโฆ.. Perhaps fascism can serve? Perhaps something else? Perhaps I am overreacting?
K Barnes
You are not over reacting. Applying "Nazi" to the White Christian Nationalist movement does disservice to the millions of Jews who suffered and died under Hitler.
Current events have left us DESCRIBING behaviors with words we already know rather than creating new names. I've always thought Deplorables was an accurate descriptor.
So did they - and they elected Trump.
Perhaps you have a point.
But. What would you call a Nazi BEFORE they sponsored the camps?
Actually there is already a similar coined term. Everybodyโs responses sent me looking to see what already might be out there. Christofascists is a simple and very self explanatory term.
https://newtranscendentalist.medium.com/christofascism-by-dorothee-s%C3%B6lle-633273379b68
I've been using Christofascist for a while.
I don't tie Christ-anything to the behaviors of this group. I see this is a branch of thinking that is not even based off of Christianity, just like ISIS is not following Islam and there should be some other term. Perhaps an all encompassing term that includes every group that pretends that they are following an established religion when their practices are not fitting with believers of that faith. I like the "Neopagan" term of the Southern Poverty Law Center. However, using the term "Pagan" was offensive to practitioners who are members of this group, so perhaps the term best used in anti-Christians.
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2001/swedish-academic-mattias-gardell-discusses-rise-neo-paganism-america
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2008/10/31/tales-creeps-white-nationalist-horror-story
https://hedayah.com/app/uploads/2021/09/2021MAR2_CARR-Hedayah-Project-US-Country-Report_Final.pdf
It seems to me that there should be a large class action lawsuit against these groups for getting any religious status at all, and getting tax exempt status. It the Supreme Court is going to back this, let us make them really busy with defending right wing so called "Christian" groups from being able to be treated as religions. If the Supreme Court upholds that, then they will uphold anyone who claims to be having a religion. One can then just as easily say that one is a Christian group who believes that aborting unwanted babies is sanctified. In the freedom of the faith one gets to have abortions. The same with LGBTQ+, so that what they support then has to be spread to everyone. How about human sacrifice? That is basically what these White Power Militia groups are practicing by murdering people. Let us tie that into the abortion laws. Of course, if it just gets punted back to the states, then Texas will certainly accept murder of people by religious groups because it already does with its' gun laws. I recently read about a man accidentally killing a 9-year-old girl who was in her parents care in Texas, while trying to shoot someone who had robbed him. Apparently, he was justified in his actions, so no consequences for just murdering someone's child. I assume these priorities exist elsewhere too.
I'm fine with calling them Antichristians, but that doesn't make sense to most people.
They are also Christofascists: a Christian robe worn over fascist shoulders.
Isn't the term Fascists more direct?
For me the point is that they vehemently identify as Christians. Ignoring their self identity which is central to their unity feels a bit like sticking my head in the sand and just hoping it will all go away because after all they arenโt โrealโ Christians.
I vote NeoConfederate. Its easy to make an association to past traitors
I prefer not to call them Nazis, because Nazi suggests a degree of extremism and organization that I donโt think applies. I think Fascists is a better fit. I imagine Spain under Franco as their ideal, where everyone knows their place and church and state work together to enforce nationalism and the patriarchy.
They are fascists and some are theocrats. I call the whole miserable bunch the party of death and have recently added the word treason to that.
Party of death, given climate change denial, is excellently descriptive. Thank you. Iโd like to add โpoisonous medievalistsโ as a descriptive.
poisonous certainly.
Steve, in certain situations, emesis can be cathartic, don't you think? I kind of like HBSK myself.
Fascists. Look up the definition. Describes wealthy libertarians to a T.
James Buchanan wrote in his papers as discovered by Nancy MacLean in her book Democracy in Chains, that stealth would be required to implement the libertarian platform. He knew then if people knew the end results of the low to no taxes and regulation the people would reject them. Even the PACs funded by the Koch network today know this and it got publicized to their horror. The average libertarians and conservatives hang onto the philosophy of small government, freedom and liberty while refusing to see the endgame of no public schools, roads, police, hospitals, and more.
They also miss several points; as the infrastructure that supports their money grubbing lives crumbles due to lack of tax money for upkeep, and those people who work for their meager wages grow too indebted to buy their goods; there will be no roads to transport goods, no water for their customers to drink, no skilled employees to man their assembly lines and no one to cook the food they canโt procure
Libertarians can only exist AFTER someone else has filled the societal cookie jar; its like an annuity fund in depletion
Then you go โoff gridโ. Iโm pretty sure most of them donโt plant gardens, raise meat, generate electricity or otherwise get their hands dirty. If some do, then good; let them practice individualism as a reality as opposed to the myth they embrace today
FREEDUMB!!!!
this statement: Libertarians can only exist AFTER someone else has filled the societal cookie jar; its like an annuity fund in depletion
I love this. So well stated.
While walking today, I thought of the ultimate hypocrisy is politics- libertarians working for the govt while undermining the very organization. They want no taxes, but take tax money for their compensation. They want no govt services, but happily benefit from them.
Dave - i am going to borrow your statement to use frequently!
Feel free, thanks for the support
I also am a stringer for both โDave Fake Newsโ and its sister โDave Real Newsโ
I also like to blow their minds when asked:
How is that 2nd A personal responsibility thing working out with the rising guns deaths around the nation going?
How about, โA bunch of cowards with a bunch of guns are no match for a school shooter behind a doorโ??
They are Nazis. Plain and simple. And I join you in being sickened that the name Christian has been hijacked, as have words like evangelical or even quotes from Scripture. They have weaponized the words of Jesus whose repeated and final ask of his followers was that they love one another.
Jen, one word:
Yes.
But then I sigh and, with a piece of scripture,
Tell them that God bids us do good for evil;
And thus I clothe my naked villainy
With odd old ends stolโn forth of Holy Writ,
And seem a saint when most I play the devil.
Shakespeareโฆโฆ.Richard III
And โMy words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.โ Hamlet, Sc III. That's what Shakespeare thought of "thoughts and prayers".
Yes, they are Nazis.
American Taliban
Cult Of White Supremacist Haters Impersonating Theologians (COWSHIT)
Elizabeth COWSHIT wins the Expectorating Methane Award for 2022. Might you play with BULLSHITSY as you try for a repeat award in 2023?
Hahahaโฆ โI am humbled to receive this esteemed award. Iโd like to thank my father, who gave me a love of language and word play, my mother, an artist who nurtured my creativity, my high school English teacher who challenged meโฆโ
Now, to your challenge:
BU = Big Utilities? Bullies United?
Wait, what social group or philosophy are we targetting here? Hmmm. Dumpster has spent his entire life using bullshit to prevail. Letโs take apart his methods:
BU = Beat Up? Born Ugly? Bully Underlings? Brutal Upbringing
BULL = Build Up Little Lies? Brought Up Lying? Brutal Upbringing Launches Loveless
S = Sleaze? Sucker? Sock? Savage? Sycophant? Self-Hating?
L = Lies? Legal? Lavish? Ladder? Lick? Leverage?
Brutal Upbringing Launches Lying Self-Hating Idiot Totalitarian Tyrant, Ergo: Republican
This does spell BULLSHITTER, but itโs unsatisfying, somehow hollow and trying too hard. Iโll have to think about it some more. Somebody else have at it!
Elizabeth Your mother and father would probably be proud of you. Others might wonder why you devote so much time to these bizarre word games. My dad would have found my bizarre humor tasteless and time wasting. Thus I am delighted to find you, a kindred soul, on LFAA. I know of no one who could have slithered from COWSHIT to BULLSHITSKY so smellily.
Brilliant!
Now THIS is creative!!
How about White Supremacists?
What about calling them โChrist-less evangelicals?โ
Christ-less evilgelicals
Have you heard of Christ on a crutch?
Pat Was that โChrist on a crunchโ eating Jesus gum balls? A modern day loaves and fishes parable? Sounds like a gathering of Christ-less evilgelicals. Oi vey, Mother of Mary, Allah u Akhbar.
Yes and how sadly they mock the poor man who was in his time a brave rabbi.
Pat Jesus wept for them.
Aรฏ, Madonna buona!!!
Perhaps we need a new word to describe jihadists that are devoted to Christianity instead of to Islam? They seem very much the same?
How about โanti-christsโ?
I like Christofascists as being the simplest and most self explanatory.
https://newtranscendentalist.medium.com/christofascism-by-dorothee-s%C3%B6lle-633273379b68
Yep. Extremists no matter the belief system end up being very similar. It's why we need to look seriously at the fact that religion is the only socially sanctioned delusion. Extremists are delusional in that they believe they "know the truth" and use religion to justify any means to impose it on others. If we can finally acknowledge that accepting religion is not the same as accepting truth and in fact, people are drawn to versions of religion that is congruent with their psychology and serves their purposes.
White Patriarchists
Fascist. Look up the definition. It describes the wealthy libertarians perfectly.
The motto of Libertarianism "I've got mine and I'll be damned if I'll help you get yours."
Yours looks pretty appealing, too! A fellow teacher ate someone elseโs lunch in the staff room because it was left unattended for a few minutes. He thought it was up for grabs. Made the weakest of apologies when the lunchโs owner returned. He thought it was fair game as nobody spoke up. So libertarian that he thought insurance was wrong. Everyone should โtake responsibilityโ for their own.
They rarely see the hypocrisy. Like on working for the govt being paid by taxes.
Might is right, since I have the might, I determine what is right.
I am leaning towards Patriarchal Racist Anti-Democracy Christian Terrorists (PRACT). There is so much to cover in the description!!!!
Georgia PRACT members would be Pra(o)ctologists. Reminds me of the whirly bird, who flew in narrowing concentric circles until it flew up its own ass hole. Now Iโm being asinine.
I decided to make one change:
Patriarchal Racist Anti-Democracy Pseudo-Christian Terrorists
Cannot abide using the unmodified term Christian for these people.
PRAPT? or PRADPCT? The second is not only unpronounceable but hard to memorise.
White nationalist Pharisees
They made Jesus blond, seemingly of European heritage. Donโt like him as he was, nor what he said about loving thy neighbor as thyself.
Carol I recall a fascinating documentary on the gradual whiting of Semite Jesus over centuries and, in the African Catholic Church, the darkening of Jesus more recently. Now there are Black Jesuses. Must be puzzling for Christ-less white suprematists.
Wonder why it took the Catholic Church ten centuries before they glorified the Virgin Mary, when it only took three centuries to condemn Mary Magdalene (discoverer of Jesusโs empty tomb) as a โwhore.โ
And to whom did Peter report when there were three Popes at the same time?
A bit confusing.
Yes, but when you're making up a story, you can modify it as needed to maintain your power.
J I remember a movie from, I believe, the 1950s: THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. I found it considerably more credible than Cecil B. De Millieโs THE TEN COMMANDANTS, which had some real whoppers based on a less-than-credible Biblical account.
Perhaps the most credible movie portrayal of Moses is in Singing in the Rain:
โMoses supposes his toesees are roses
but Moses supposes erroneouslyโฆ.โ
Even this was altered from an earlier version.
Thank you for the laugh. I need all that I can get these days!
Yes, we've seen a few examples of that in very recent years.
It's all in the mind.
Well of course. He was a 14th century Italian, wasn't he? All the good portraits date from then.
A-L Of course, a Semite Italian. In early Catholicism, the image of Jesus on the cross was not used, since it was not considered a good way to market a new religion. Of course this was long before Machiavelli,
Caroline, you must have heard of this group.
https://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/
Lynell, I am now on their site. I am not a Christian, but believe in all they so beautifully stated. Thank you for expanding my world. I live as part of a non-denominational ashram in western India. Meher Baba is our spiritual master (1894-1969) and he would have fully supported this group. He preached Love and Selfless Service as the only things that matter for us as human beings.
We could definitely use more Meher Baba's in the world today. Thanks, Elisabeth.
Elisabeth,
Jai Baba. My partner Jim & I were followers and made a couple of trips to Ahmednagar & Baba's Samadhi at Meherabad. This was in 1975 & 77. If interested in this personal history, I am at roboyte@att.net.
Morning Lynell, and thanks for that link. I am debating (internally) whether to engage in a "discussion" with my former colleagues. At the moment, I am disinclined, since one of them just posted an "everyone lies" defense of Santos. This is a former sergeant of mine, also a former pastor, defending that lsos (lying sack of ๐ฉ). I cannot fathom how they have sunk to where they've sunk.
Hey Ally, Itโs so tempting to go to battle with those who are spouting gross
lies. But a better use of your precious life energy is giving support to those you agree with and giving support to those
who might be confused or undecided. For those on the far right it is all about power games and feeding their hate addiction. Stay away imho! Blessings, Ned
Agreed. Engaging with these folks has become a lot like playing chess with a pigeon. (obscure comparison, I know. But they do tend to knock over the pieces, poop on the board, and flap off claiming they've won...) I really hate giving them free rent in my head, so I've pretty much quit engaging.
Ah, Ally. Great post! And did you see that Trump called the insurrectionists โTrashyโ? Hereโs my response to Robert Hubbell for posting this little gem of info from the Jan 6 committee: โOMG - Trump called the insurrectionists โtrashyโ!!! What did he want - a lot of Prada wearing male fashion models who would look good at one of Ivankaโs lawn parties? To me this little anecdote says it all!!! I am anmazed and grossed out while also chortling with snarky laughter. Will Trump campaign on a platform of promising free upscale couture so his followers can show up to riots looking good and he can be proud of how they look? Steve Bannon looks pretty trashy to me. And just imagine how trashy Trump will look in his orange jump suit. Thank you, Robert, for highlighting this. Endless fun for late night comics and cartoonists! It hasnโt been this good since โcofveveโ. We all need a good laugh in grim times.โ
Ned, I'm an enormous fan of political cartoons--well, animation in general fascinates me--but my favorite cartoonist, prize-winning artist Mike Lukovich of the Atlanta Journal & Constitution, always draws Steve Bannon with flies buzzing around him, perhaps inferring Bannon as the P. O. S. that he is. Mike's most recent via Twitter:
https://twitter.com/mluckovichajc/status/1608175699017220097?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Quite honestly - trumptydumpty has ALWAYS been the epitome of trashiness - gold fittings everywhere? He has not conception of what classy is!
What....camo isn't upscale??? And how about the guy with horns and face paint. The ones we see around here like the Proud Boys are dressed in their best military wannabe outfits and with all kinds of stuff hanging off them in addition to their weaponry.
I have to wonder if fpotus would have been more impressed if the proud boys had shown up in their โuniformsโ. Since I canโt post a photo, Iโll link to an article about the kilt maker.
https://www.wusa9.com/amp/article/news/local/protests/proud-boys-maga-march-kilts-owner-outraged-virginia/65-35d16c8b-1ff7-49bb-89f2-13c85e3f6c3c
I happen to own one of their pride kilts.
Having engaged briefly with a couple of your ex-colleagues, I would say they are not worth the energy and time it would take to type a response. Their beliefs are are the very reason that large segments of the population are wary of LE. All I saw was arrogance/hubris.
Well said, Michele. Arrogance and hubris on display.
Ally, I am saving these words. They express so well everything I've experienced the few times I was naive enough to try.
Thank you for your kind words. I cannot take credit for the chess analogy; I first saw it with reference to X45.
Ally Iโm reminded of an Egyptian delicacyโstuffed pigeon, though I would need a hazmat suit, were I to stuff these Christ-less Evangelicals.
lol
Ned, you are SO RIGHT. Er, I mean, a truer word was never said.
Perhaps the only response to those who have drunk the Koolaid, is to say, "you're being conned." and then move on.
There was someone running in Oregon for political office some time ago who lied about himself. As I recall he went nowhere. No, not everyone lies on their resumes and in the voter's pamphlet. Oh yes, probably most of us have told a lie here and there, but not on the scale of Santos. I would be disinclined to take him on and I would hope you would save your energy for healing.
Yes, nothing he said was true....and then there is the $700000 he magically loaned the campaign when he was said to have lived a pretty challenged fiscal life prior. The big question, for me, is WHO or WHAT was behind that $700,000? Why would ANY lying, much less, indiscriminate lying on a resume be tolerated for a position as important as leading our country? Republicans and Democrats alike should be calling for recall in his district and we should all be crying out "FOUL!!"
Which word in Lsos is redundant? ๐
Morning, Ally! I wonder, are there any former colleagues who are on your side? But anyway, I support whatever you decide to do/say. Former pastor, eh.
Yes there are. Two of the best (another former sergeant and my best friend in the department) had great fun at briefing once. Dan and I had both gotten haircuts from his sister in law and our hair was roughly the same length (men had restrictions on length; women did not, and โextreme hairstylesโ were forbidden to both genders.
Sarge looked at Dan and said โOlsen, your hair is too long. House your hair is too shortโ. We had a good laugh.
Too funny!
LSOS, ๐
Iโm borrowing
As my Dad would say
โTen Que, in fact, 11 Queโ
Translation: Thanks
Lynell,
It was reassuring to see this website. Thank you. I can't sign it, because I am no longer a Christian. I left at age 13. But I have enormous respect for what each of those church leaders espoused. Very encouraging!
Another good group is "Faithful America" they are a group that is against Christian Nationalist and thru their being so out spoken, have really put up opposition that has made a difference in many cases. Although I am not a Christian, I support them.
Thanks, Gloria. Love their motto:
"Love they neighbor. No exceptions."
I went to the site, but couldn't sign on to their statement because I don't identify as a Christian. I am a Buddhist. I was disappointed, but I guess it makes sense since they are CHRISTIANS against Christian nationalism.
I signed it anyway, though I follow no organized religion. I am a Jewddhist I guessโฆ.
As long as you are not Jew ish.
The hubris!!! I bet his face was not even purple as he spouted out that 4th grader defense.
Hubris is one of my favorite words....in the hopes that the gods will punish him.
I tried to sign it, but the site wouldn't accept my signature without my confirmation that I identify as Christian. I don't know how yours went through unless you checked the I identify as Christian box.
Exactly. Since there was other way to sign the statement, I checked I was a Christian. They should either give one a โnoโ option or state only Christians can sign. I left a comment to that effectโฆ.
Thank you! I opted not to do the check, but great idea to suggest a "no" option
Thank you for the link! I'm digesting ๐ค
I agree with you, Caroline. Words matter. Lies are not โalternative truthsโ, โembellishmentsโ or any other comfortable malarkey. Lies are lies. And the radical white nationalists who call themselves Christians are not pushing religious freedom or anything else that even resembles Christianity. They need to called out for who and what they are, loudly, distinctly, and frequently. They are hateful and violent.
I did hone in on that word embellishments. A lie is a lie.
What a great comment, Denise. Have a great weekend.
Dr. Richardson is a historian, not a novelist who has that luxury.
100% right, on all points, in my world.
Excellent point, Reverend Kenner. Thank you!
While enforcing 'white people's Christianity' is true of the 'the White Christian Nationalist wing of the Republican Party' it is only one part of racist right wing Catholic extremist and GOP power broker Leonard Leo's agenda - Leo is at the hub of the dark money network which is promoting and funding this enforcement. Especially through the judiciary.
Through the Becket Fund, for instance, Leo makes common cause with other religious extremists who are expanding the Freedom to Worship to mean "Freedom of religion protects the right of conscience, not just in houses of worship but in workplaces, schools, hospitals, government offices, and anywhere else we go in this world,โ (Leonard Leo, 2017)
This misreading of the First Amendment is used by Leo's Supreme Court cons to overturn the Separation of Church and State to deny civil rights protections and legitimize discrimination against a wide range of minorities in America. Just as the cons misreading of the Second Amendment is saturating America with guns and fueling the epidemic of gun violence - of which Leo's GOP allies in Congress outlaw tracking by the NIH.
Here is an article from "Soapbox" describing how Leonard Leo became such an effective power broker. https://newrepublic.com/article/166993/leonard-leo-christian-right-future
Good addition to the issue!! Leo most certainly appears to be a long time power broker in this "religious" coalition of madness.
Ms. Kenner,
Your point is well taken. The form of religious theocracy the Republican party is attempting to institute is fascist and white nationalist. Chris Hedges has written deeply about this movement in this country.
Here is a link to an article he wrote in June of this year for "Salon." https://www.salon.com/2022/06/28/christian-fascism-is-right-here-right-now-after-roe-can-we-finally-see-it/
The attempt by these far-right Christian fascists is an offense against the principle of separation of church and state. Their attempt to weaken this principle is a dire threat to the integrity of our democracy in this country.
Thank you for raising the issue.
Being Jewish this call for a Christian nation really disturbs me to the point I'd like to leave. My brother's family has achieved permanent residence in Canada but I don't qualify. The Republican message really has me fearful for the future.
I am not Jewish or Christian, but my child attends a school that has both Christian and Jewish holidays off. Even if you don't qualify for permanent residence in Canada right now, you might find a way to do this. I know that many families sent their children to university in Canada in 2016 as a reaction to Trump's getting married. However, I know it is hard to get Canadian citizenship and permission to work there. If the USA becomes a Christian nation you might be able to apply to Canada under a different status than you have currently applied.
Shellee, Donโt leave! Your voice is needed! Did you know there are lawsuits in some of the worst red states challenging the new, horrific abortion laws based on religious freedom: Jewish teaching says only at birth is the fetus a viable human being. If those suits hold, we can reverse the damage done by the craven erasure of Roe v. Wade. I am the daughter of a Jewish mother and very lapsed Catholic father. I chose Buddhism and other non-denominational spiritual paths and also feel threatened in the US, or anywhere antisemitism is taking hold again, very publicly. I also feel afraid for every Black person in America, every woman, every openly gay person, every โdifferentโ person. โDifferentโ from the white supremacistsโ idea of โacceptableโ. Please stay and fight. None of us are alone.
๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐
Thank you. "Religion" does not even refer to Christianity; it could mean most any human spiritual practice. There is a much wider world out there where religion and Christianity are not synonymous at all, and I do wish writers--especially mainstream Christian writers in the US--would attend to that difference.
Christofascism is my term for White Christian Nationalism. But given our dominant cultures' careful avoidance of historical knowledge, I suppose "fascism" might not immediately bring to mind racial supremacism in the same way it does to me. White Christian Nationalist Fascism is redundant, but might get the point across.
I think I get what you're saying and agree.
I don't think this is Christian of any kind, except in the practicers imagination. Christofascism sounds like an oxymoron. Can the two be connected together? It can be religion, but not really Christian was all I was saying. It is just that they call it Christianity, but I don't think it fits the bill. I do not agree that just because people call themselves something makes them that thing. My mom and I were just discussing atheist Muslims yesterday. Is Islam a religion that accepts an atheistic viewpoint the way that some do? No! Therefore I think the two things rule each other out. Does following the teachings of Christ include misogyny and racism? Does it promote violence? No!
Honestly?
I do not care whether they are "really" Christian or not. They call themselves Christian, they believe they are Christian, and they would call most mainstream, liberal Christians false angels of light.
That is not my fight at all, since I am not Christian at all--except that part of the culture that I probably will always carry with me, having been brought up among these Christofascists.
They want to combine *their version* of Christianity with fascist authoritarianism, capitalist hyper-productivity, and private-sector-based efficiency in all things, especially violence.
The no-true-Scotsman fallacy is in fact a fallacy, and it applies here. It matters not one whit whether what they are doing is in harmony with your interpretation of the New Testament. They are still Christofascists.
If you have a problem with that, please take it to your local evangelicals and explain to them why they cannot use the term Christian to characterize themselves.
Caroline, refer to Margret Atwood for more caustic language on the White Christian Nationalists. In particular, "The Handmaid's Tale".
I call them pseudo "Christians." They are not really Christian, because the Bible does not make a case for White Supremacy. Also, they clearly don't believe in a God that is merciful and kind. Their God is racist and sexist. How does that make sense? So, given that they have a different God from the Christian God, I believe they really have a pagan religion worshiping "Whiteness and maleness."
Well, that is sadly ironic. I am so sorry you are using the word "pagan" above to describe Christians you dislike and disdain.
With a capital P, the word Pagan is normally used in modern times to identify polytheistic people who worship the Old Gods, like Zeus, Lugh, and Odin, along with a panoply of Goddesses, like Hera, Freyja, and Brighid.
That's exactly what kind of senior clergy I am. I am a Pagan priestess, devoted to the many Gods and Goddesses of antiquity. I have spent decades defending our rights to worship as we please in this country, despite the dislike and disdain most Christians dish on Paganism.
And with a small p, the word Pagan has now been used in a slur, in a thread my comment began. My cup runneth over with Christians fighting among each other for dominance over who gets to call themselves Christian.
It is so sad to see Christians refusing to admit that members of the Christian family of sects are Bad Actors in our country's political system. They call themselves Christians, yet other Christians say they are not Christians. Welcome to religious cognitive dissonance. You-all are ALL Christians. Police your ranks, but don't accuse Christians of being Pagans because you personally dislike the way they express their Christianity.
Why does anyone think the Founders staked our democracy firmly on separation of Church and State? They saw what happened in Europe between various Christian sects fighting over who was the REAL Christian, and wanted none of that nastiness to touch our secular democracy.
I did not mean offense to Pagans. I am using it in the sense that it is a religion based on perceived "ethnicity."
However, I am neither Christian or Pagan, although I have been called Pagan, so I am speaking about this based on my understanding of White Nationalist "Christianity" as being influenced by Norse mythology--Odinism.
https://revealnews.org/article/an-ancient-nordic-religion-is-inspiring-white-supremacist-jihad/
https://americanhumanist.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/paganism.pdf
I would have been more accurate to say heathen instead of pagan. I apologize and did not mean to be offensive, merely descriptive. I do not agree that this is all Christianity. You cannot just name something Christian and it is Christian. You have to follow agreed upon ideas of what Christ's teachings are. Odinism is not just a sect of Christianity, it is a set of beliefs that are incongruous with Christian teachings.
It is not descriptive of Christianity to call it Odinism. Odinism is a separate religious entity, and one that is distinctly unwelcome in most Pagan circles nationally, for the same reason that many Christians do not want to be associated with White Christo-Fascists
Most of Heathenry is not Odinism either. For example, my favorite Heathens are politically liberal, enthusiastically accepting of LGBTQIA people, and recognize the divinity of Loki, as long as they personally do not have to attend any of the Lokean Rites.
Meanwhile, people who profess Odinism are none of those things, ordinarily. People who call themselves Odinists are usually misogynist to the max, hate LGBTQIA people, and are generally clueless about ancient Norse Paganism. However, we Leftist Heathens do not go around saying the Odinists are not Heathen. They are just not our particular favorite kind of Heathen.
Honestly, the quibbling among Christians about who gets to call themselves Christian is what has led to numerous wars throughout history.
I think it's a bunch of phony double-talk for people to refuse to acknowledge that people with whom they deeply disagree politically are Christians. Christians are people who venerate Jesus and think he's a God, whatever whack-a-doo aspects of religion and religiosity they might profess.
People get to choose their religious label themselves in the Freedom of Religion scheme we have going here in the USA. No one is consulting you or any other experts in the finer points of doctrine when they claim their preferred religious label.
So you CAN in fact name yourself Christian and then you are a Christian. And it's sadly interesting and revealing that so many Christians try to deny that so many Christians are downright evil.
All anyone has to do is look at the Nazis: all of the Nazis were Christians, and prayed to Jesus on Sunday while committing genocide against European Jewry, LGBTQIA people, the disabled, and Jehovah's Witnesses, who are fellow Christians, the other six days of the week. Massive hypocrites, yes, the Nazis were massive hypocrites. And yes, the Nazis were also Christians.
In the USA, we never really know who is what kind of religion unless we know a person personally. So "I did not mean to be offensive," is simply not good enough. It's a better idea to consider not calling Christians who are hateful by another religion's name entirely. Would you have written, "those people aren't really Christians, they are Hindus..... or Jews.... or, gasp, Unitarians...."
I hope you've learned a lesson from calling Christians "pagan" in a public forum. Your apology is accepted, thank you.
And here's an article for you, on what Christians did once they gained power in the 3rd century of the common era. Christians lie about that particular time period a great deal. The article is from 2010, but the events were in the 3rd century, so the date does not matter.
https://churchandstate.org.uk/2016/06/christian-atrocities-three-centuries-of-pagan-persecution/
(Sorry, I meant the 4th century of the common era....)
I am wondering if you know what paganism is. Or if you know that the Catholic church usurped the festivals and ceremonies of the practitioners of paganism - Saturnalia became Christmas. Here is more. For me, there is no place more ยจholyยจ than nature where the presence of a mystery greater than any human can describe can be felt and the responsibility for the care understood. Also remember the tortures and murders (the Crusade, the Inquisition, Queen Elizabeth I, Salem witch trials, etc.) all fine Christians. https://bigthink.com/the-present/pagan-roots-of-catholicism/
I don't know as a practitioner, and I know that on the outside one never truly understands. I have had feminist friends who are self proclaimed Pagans, and because I am not Christian I have been called both Pagan and Heathen by people, but it is more complex than that. I presume you did not read my links or you would have seen that I am going by the definition of Paganism that I posted. It would include the elements of the White Supremacist so called Christianity that I have discussed. I would point out that in the Salon article that John posted called "Christian fascism is right here, right now: After roe, can we finally see it?" the author, Chris Hedges, a theologian also says that the Christian fascist movement has elements of paganism in it.
https://www.salon.com/2022/06/28/christian-fascism-is-right-here-right-now-after-roe-can-we-finally-see-it/
I posted an article by the American Humanist Society on paganism to define what I was talking about.
https://americanhumanist.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/paganism.pdf
Worship of Odin and using the Nazi Hakenkreutz (Swastica) are historically pagan practices. I am not the only one to use the word Pagan, to describe the elements of the so called White Supremacist Movement. The Southern Poverty Law Center calls it Neo-Paganism, which is perhaps the term I should have used.
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/1998/new-brand-racist-odinist-religion-march
If you read Prof Kathleen Belews book, Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America she says that there was a merging of the White Power Militia groups and the White Evangelical Church in the 1990s after the Oklahoma City bombing of the Federal building, but these elements of Odinism are mixed in.
I am sorry that using the word Pagan to apply to bad people was so distracting that many could not see the substance of what I was saying. This is cultural appropriation, but I have no problems with people taking from cultures the elements that they like. What I am saying, which is why I removed the word Pagan, and said I would replace it with Heathen, is that Christianity follows the teachings of Christ. Racism, sexism, homophobia anti-immigrant stances are not part of the teachings of Christ and therefore even if someone calls themselves "Christian," if they embrace these ideas I call it "pseudo Christianity." And yes, I do know about the repression of the Catholic church as an outsider, and the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, the Salem witch trials etc... I live in a religiously diverse community in which families are mixed by color, country, language as well as religion. Good friends are Ottoman historians and I know about the fate of Muslims and Jews under Isabella and Ferdinand, although Kristin Downey implies that Isabella had less influence than her priest and husband over the treatment of both the Indigenous people here, and in the Inquisition in Europe, in her book Isabella: The Warrior Queen, which I read aloud to my daughter who was in middle school at the time. I also know that the Ottoman Empire welcomed Jews and Muslims who were in danger in Spain and other parts of Europe during this time and was in that way a very tolerant society. At the same time, Pagan is a term applied by Christians to those who did not worship one God, and yes, Odinism has elements of worship of Nature, but their ideas of nature might be different from yours. They might see nature as forcing women to have babies when they don't want them because their pregnancy was a natural occurrence. They might be living off the land, and hunting and fishing. A friend who is an aquatic eco-biologist worked on conservation projects up in the Pacific Northwest and was telling me about colleagues she had who felt that a Black man working with them should leave because he makes "people uncomfortable." and everyone who makes people uncomfortable should just go. This woman was into nature and had a form of racist Christianity. Many things can go from good to bad with a slight twist, so you can share some things as a Pagan in common with White Supremacists. From having learned about why Martin Luther left the Catholic Church and what aspects of it he found untenable, like the selling of letters that would absolve people of their sins in heaven known in German as Ablassbriefte (Letters of Indulgence), I understand the historical corruption in the Catholic Church. In seventh grade we studied Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism in school as part of our Social Studies curriculum. I think back then it was billed as "world religions", and this covered most of who was in our school other than the sizable Secular population. Later on, I ran a group which looked at minority religions in the school, and tried to be more aware of how the school could accommodate them, such as the food needs of people practicing Jainism, or scheduling tests during times of fasting in Islamic religions or the Christian Orthodox church and their different calendars.
Thank you for your amazing explanation and sources. I wish you a 2023 that transforms ๐บ
I don't know where they get their ideas about "Christianity," but it sure ain't from any Bible based on the original New Testament. Or even the Old Testament. Seems more like rule by high priest warlord.
โThe arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.โ ~ MLK
I wish it were that simple. History shows us that the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice only if enough humans choose to direct it that way. For instance, If TFG and his abhorrent family were in charge, there wouldn't be a moral universe or any justice. We need to remember that a substantial number of people don't want a moral universe.
The good thing right now is that tfg and none of his abhorrent family members are in charge. Just wished they, especially the head of the monsters, would not get that much press coverage.
Marli, do you not realize that there are many others breathing "life" into the tfg machine....they are called "the enemies of freedom"....they have always existed. They have found a host within the Republican party and the religious "wrong".
People who see themselves as "good" are being used. For instance, if you believe abortion is wrong, don't have one. No one is forcing a woman to have an abortion. I don't think any woman is saying let's go out and have some fun, then go to the hospital or clinic and get an abortion.
Too many people are not thinking for themselves. Do we really want to do away with Medicare and Social Security??? Do we really not want to "Give a Hand Up"?
Does everyone have that perfect life....never a debilitating accident, or disease...never losing a job.....needing to sell their home because they made a bad investment??? Mental struggles one never expected or children with a variety of problems in which expensive care is required, older family members who have given their whole lives but now need care they cannot afford even though they have saved....etc.
It is the Democratic Party that has shown the most care and respect for our country and for freedom, for "the Building Back Better Project", etc. for its people for freedom...for investing in freedom ie; Ukraine,etc.
We need a HEALTHY two party system. I do want to express my gratitude for the few Republicans who do love this country and still have not had their brains and hearts sucked out by the tfg gang.
Dear Emily, you said exactly everything I feel, so well put! Thank you kindly for that.
Very well said, Emily.
100% agree Marli. Where does the need to expose the previous Administration to every wrongdoing end and the obsession/paranoia begin?
Why do I see photos of him on an article about legislation passed? Why give him the quote?
And he seemed to be on Twitter.
There are far worse in the wings.
The wings need to be fumigated. Very quickly.
Absolutely!
I read Farah Griffinโs deposition and concluded if tfg were elected again, with his love of violence, weโd have armed police patrolling our streets, shoot-on-sight orders (no juries necessary), constant hateful rhetoric and tests of loyalty, among many other maladies.
I just don't get involved with a lot of "ifs". Americans rightfully have a case of PTSD from this guy and the covid tragedy he perpetuated.
Given that. I'll quote a line from the Desiderata.
"But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness."
Here is the complete text:
Desiderata:
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
by Max Ehrmann ยฉ1927
Thank you, Barbara. I couldn't agree more. You're right about the PTSD we are all experiencing. I have Desiderata framed in my house. My children and step-children grew up reading it. It is always my go-to when I'm feeling discouraged. Very applicable here.
Timely and appropriately quoted Barbara M!
I haven' t seen Ehrmann's quote for awhile, perhaps since we were teens, and yet it seems such useful life guidance in so many situations. Thank you for reminding us!
Barbara M., I love you entire comment so much, I could not just send you a "heart". thank you!!!!
๐๐
Thank you, Barbara M!
And still there is no mention of women in our constitution, no Equal Rights Amendment.
THE reason I am convinced that our US Constitution is a living document, neither a bible nor other god-written document fixed in the age of man at the peak of some sect or tribal order. In the pursuit of equality, the beginning can never be foretold as such may be in times, now or in the future.
Yes but luckily the majority of the American people are not on the side of those few elected representatives in congress and the senate and sure its a slow process but the passage of all the legislation Joe has got through shows it can be done. Just ignore the whining.
Donโt ignore, fight like hell. Because as chump said, if you donโt, youโll lose your country. He just had the wrong target, as he always did.
Somehow, when people cop that quote from MLKjr, they forget all the times he spoke about our need to come together as a community to create that arc of a moral universe. He knew it wouldn't happen on its own. I wonder why people so often pick up the quick and easy quotes, and leave the hard part out: our own responsibility to bear on the outcomes of history.
When the pendulum of history starts its swing back, which is what is now happening in this country, those who don't want to come along with it often turn to violent or immoral actions to temporarily slow it down while they try to avoid tumbling into the abyss below that arc of which MLK spoke.
Exactly. Mary is the only reasonable Trump. Just look at Ms Vanceโs tweet and the end of this post.
Peter, I simply would add, at least in my view, that a basic premise underlying HCRโs LFAA is that virtually all of Americaโs historical movements have met with repeated frustration and failure before making noticeable progress, often through small acts that may seem at first not particularly relevant to the larger struggle for profound social change and justice, which is ever unfolding.
But not in my lifetime, I fear
Hang in there. Happy new year
At least we hope the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice. Seems to occasionally plateau
These days have been challenging. So many retrograde developments
Aaaaaameeeen
On one hand, the prospect of constant chaos among House Republicans appeals to me. They will weaken a broken party even more and provide endless perverse entertainment. But then I realize that it will badly hurt the country, slowing the remarkable progress of the last two years as critical problems increase and intensify.
Something has to give.
The Biden Administration should treat the Republican House the way the Republicans have treated Democrats since Reagan. Let them fight for every single thing. And make Quiverin' Qevin's life so miserable he finally doesn't want to get up in the morning. And make good friends of the seven sane ones.
Great, TC! Just the right approach....
True Michael, " ... critical problems increase ..." and are intensifying along many fronts. Ignore the perverse entertainment value & take political advantage of the reactionary chaos. Just one example among many: I understand three (3) separate Prosecutors are investigating Hanging-by-a-Thread Santos. Take him off the field. We don 't need an ethics investigation; we could use prompt indictment(s) & convictions while the Biden Team addresses 'critical problems' international, national & local as citizens continue to participate. This is not a spectator sport.
Of course, it will hurt the country, isnโt that their goal??
It would appear that the wellbeing of the country is the least of their concerns.
GOP total disregard for Public Welfare is linked in myriad ways to the decline in bargaining power of Labor which is linked in myriad ways to income inequality, all of which enables the GOP anti-democratic movement. What is the optimal way to unravel this pernicious feedback loop?
100, as Michael Moore and HCR have pointed out many times: it is up to โWe The Peopleโ to work like mad โto unravel this pernicious feedback loopโ! We must work to get as many dems and progressive independents elected, get them into positions to steer our ship back onto its course of equality and caring about the American, and ALL, people. It is UP TO US!
"We" need to move to where our votes can change the election results.
For retirement, I just moved into a red district for the first time since voting age. My son fears I'll be shot for becoming politically active here -- can't think of a better way to go.
You so rock!!!
I sport my OMG GOP WTF sticker proudly in my ruby red districts. Iโm surprised I still have four intact tires. You go girl!
Citizen60, I live in a red Fl county and sported the t-shirt, adorned the yard with signage, bumper sticker on my ๐ Civic, and knocked on doors. Tell your son I lived to tell the story with nary a scratch !
And your activism may embolden the quiet Blues in your area to be more active.
Iโm not sure about GRMI but try wearing coat hangars in your cowboy hat through the grocery store in Idaho. Whooeey!
I have lived in red districts for decades. I NEVER talked politics for fear of being ostracized. A lot of the people I knew were sure Jesus would have been a Republican. I often wondered if they read the Bible. Jesus was more about you shall than you shall not. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Citizen60, Iโve been an climate activist for the last 30 years and before that worked on wilderness protections. My colleagues and I have had rocks thrown through the office windows, received unidentified white powder in the mail, had tires slashed, and received credible death threats investigated by the police. The only change any of us made was to take ourselves off Twitter. (Iโm back on as of 2022).
But I live in a now blue trifecta government state where I can retreat to very liberal, completely blue enclaves to rest and recover. Not hard to find here either.
Kudos to you for doing the brave thing and being active in a red state! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
And at a time when my resources have taken a dive. Not that my meager help made a difference. The supposed check from Soros is still in the mailโฆ. Ha
Iโm waiting for my Soros check as well! Your help ALWAYS makes a difference, Jeri. Have a great weekend. Xo
I was told checks would be distributed during cocktail hour at the Soros jamboree Saturday night. Forgot to buy tickets. /s
As was reinforced from our Tending to Democracy Giving Circle (The States Project), small contributions absolutely count! Together they add up to real money. Sheila B on here says emphatically TSPโs contribution in MN made the difference in her stateโs blueness (bluity?).
Jeri, I find your comments to be a great help to my sanity. Thank you.
Stop gerrymandering.
Impressed this week with the series on NPRs On Point program. About conflicts between corporate capitalism as we know it and the future of democracy. Have to hurry away right now, but you can look up On Point and access all the programs from there. Good discussions. Nobody claiming to have all the answers, but general agreement about the problem and some possible directions.
I am getting caught up in some reading I set aside while all hell broke loose. Missed some good articles in Atlantic that also have pertinent insights. The Atlantic March 2020 cover article "The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake" is fascinating not only for the social insights, but for its relevance to changing economic system. Just before starting that, I read the entirety of latest Atlantic issue (Dec 2022). Whole thing is worthwhile & pertinent. Some articles may be available online. If not, time well spent checking the library.
Dog at door insisting. Try to catch up with you all later.
So, I keep wondering about the intelligence of people who keep re-electing religious demagogues and cruel misers and white supremacists to political office. To me, it seems like our political experiment won't achieve stable success until enough of the population internalize the values of true equality at the core of a strong democracy. We've made compromises to avert a civil war, yet we got one anyway. We tried to make government work for all Americans and got such a pushback that set the stage for Trump. We need another ingredient in the recipe for democracy, but I don't know what it is.
I think an ingredient that is missing is education that actually teaches critical thinking, and history that is not whitewashed. And an ingredient that should be removed is dark money that used to be called bribery before Citizens United was passed by the Supreme Court
Excellent response Karen. Dark money in politics is ruining the campaign system, replacing discourse with propaganda and directly connecting election success with the amount of money raised.
I want to also add to your list the damage inflicted on the American people by 24 hour news-cycle news, especially Fox and the like. They, for awhile all alone, have fabricated myths that describe Democrats as child predators and baby murderers, and that any election Democrats win is through fraud. They are the โre-education facultyโ of the extremist right.
That was Q-Anon, but repeated by Fox because it generates outrage and repeat viewership for breathless updates.
One giant confirmation loop.
Charlie Sykes of The Bulwark interviewed Nick Confessore of the NYT this year. I relistened. They spew purely hate because it makes money. Carlson (Tucker, not Gretchen) is The Man at Fox bc of its ratings.
That's it in a nutshell, Jane and Thank You, Jeri and Karen. Everything feels like a gigantic, frustrating Mobius strip, unlikely to be unraveled in my lifetime..
All this, but greed and power are no strangers to democracy. But propaganda calls them โpatriotic.โ When in fact they rot our base.
Yes. Citizens United. That was a "free speech" decision, wasn't it? I think that a basic requirement that truth be the basic requirement in any communication, whether in advertising, political ads and speech, public announcements, etc. Should be passed into law - a "truth in communication " act. It should be criminal to transmit falsehoods knowingly, including requiring large media organizations to vet and cite the sources AND to describe the uncertainty in their information.
The first amendment is being used as a cudgel to foist lies on the population, just like the 2nd amendment is used to foist and spread military weapons in the country. To counter this reactionary use of liberal tools, the modern body of laws needs to be adapted to the current reality. This would include a right to privacy, truth, and freedom FROM religious coercion (one of the points made by HCR in today's post).
The Citizens United Decision affected more than communication. It basically determined that corporate spending in elections is โfree speech โ. This allowed the creation of super PACs that allow the wealthiest donors to funnel immense amounts of money through shady nonprofits that donโt disclose their donors...Dark Money. The outcome has been catastrophic to our elections as it allows the oligarchs to own the politicians.
Thank you, thank you Karen.
Yes!!!!!
I blame Citizens United and a constant din of propagandized "news" on the Right for many of the country's voting patterns. I don't think the voters are stupid. I think cynical corporate elites, Rupert Murdoch, and his media spawn manipulate the populace with tribal issues like immigration, abortion, and gun rights to produce leadership that serves the multi-million and billionaire class.
I agree the Murdoch media has manipulated and brainwashed a large portion of voters. But I believe that if people receive a good education that includes critical thinking skills:
Ask questions.
Gather relevant information.
Think through solutions and conclusions.
Consider alternative systems of thought.
Communicate effectively
They are much less inclined to become brainwashed disciples of the Murdoch media
It's written throughout history that "the people" -- the majority of them -- will be happy with bread and circuses in some form.
The Founding Fathers were well aware of this as they "creatively designed" a new form of government. They could not anticipate constant lies at the speed of light.
Media works to stoke fear with inflated reporting on accidents, problems, and misery, now when not so many are afraid of going to hell in the afterlife. Critical thinking is easily overshadowed by fear, especially when fear seems much more relevant in media than in the real world.
The education needs to start NOW. From preschool level. It cannot wait.
Fear + anger = runaway ratings = big $.
It's not getting better, is it.
Exactamente, Karen.
Unita!
๐ฝ๐๐ฒโจ
I had a rare political conversation with my โsalt of the earthโ neighbor last night. The conversation began with โyou watch CNN and I watch Foxโ. The correct statement would have reflected his reliance on Fox, mine on reliance on the printed word. I ran into a brick wall. Raging against public housing in the closest city, which is an hour and a half away, I tried to bring him back to the issues surrounding us in our rural area. He wasnโt listening. Viewpoints among his kind are not going to change. There is no intellectual curiosity. Poorly educated, Iโve watched his entire family struggle over the past twenty years. The cycle perpetuates, though one of the younger couples has found some success in selling moonshine. ; ). *sigh* Tuesday I leave for Florida and and my FJB flag flying neighbor.
While Iโm enervated by the progress weโve made with Biden at the helm, We have a long way to go.
I have a friend who belongs to a group that helps young women from poor families get to and remain in college. Their thought is that one will help family members too eventually. My friend says what happens instead is their families shun the successful ones.
That is a sad state of affairs, but neither unexpected or new.
The one who escaped to college became pregnant and dropped out. Sheโs half team moonshine. ๐
Gail, We sold our FL place and decided to remain up north for numerous medical reasons, but an unforeseen relief occurred when we no longer wondered if our FL home would be burned to the ground while we were โawayโ by one of the angry right wing neighbors who said, โBless your heartโ to your face when heading to church and hoped you would die a violent death once they got around the corner.
"...who said, โBless your heartโ to your face when heading to church..." Yep!
We laughingly tolerate each other down there for the most part, but I remember reading about your move in a previous post. Weโre in the Keys, so itโs a bit more tolerant but medical considerations may make a move necessary. I canโt imagine settling any farther north in FL, or in any of the gulf states for that matter. Staying in VA for the holidays this year has proved my cold intolerance. Expat may be my future.
Wish I had said this. Well, I have since the 90โs.
Jerry,
I would say that intelligence is not correlated with the current trend toward Trump love, religious fanaticism and the movement of the Republicans toward becoming Nazi's.
Rather, people who are quite bright, and could tear down a John Deere Tractor engine never having seen one before, swap out a rod bearing, and then put it all back together without even ordering the repair manual, are voting against their own best interests and FOR the Republican Nazi party.
Those folks are quite bright. However, those folks have NOT read the US Constitution, they have not read John Adams biography and background and his MA constitution. They have not read Thomas Jefferson's many writings on the importance of Public School nor have the read Pascal's lengthy treatise on God in the Harvard Classics volume 48. Lastly, their path never leads them to the library.
So, I would say: Folks (like I once was) who vote AGIANST their own best interests and FOR Nazi's are ignorant but not unintelligent. In an environment SATURATED with lies, propaganda, and dehumanization (AM radio and FOX News), these people simply do not have the the background necessary to sort out HOW the United States came into existence or why it did.
They have not read John Adams gigantic treatise on past governments, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, and even I have not been able to grind through it completely which, honestly, DROVE John Adams to our current form of government.
So, we do have a problem, but it is not intelligence.
The problem is lack of reading, lack of investigation, lack of deep education where questions overtake and dominate conclusions, and an inability to challenge the "TRUTH" of religion (which is ZERO since it is based on belief, not facts). In their world Conclusions are what is communicated, not questions. The preacher at the front of their church? He does not ASK questions. He pronounces conclusions! Simple ones that are false.
I was once one of these folks Jerry, and, having left my old East Texas farm I pursued, by an accident of chance, a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at UT Austin where I had a small dorm next to the UT Library. Where I studied.
There I found the NY Times. There I found my first evidence of John Adams. In that Library I learned to ask questions instead of fearing to ask them for fear of going to hell.
I have this conversation so often I feel tired. The people who love Trump are NOT unintelligent.
They are just afraid of asking questions, do not know John Adams, and are not near and routinely in contact with a library.
I like how you put that, Mike. Where I am coming around to is this: what they want is what the RepubliQans are offering; a white Christian Nationalist country. Their religion does not encourage independent thinking nor a well-rounded education, and it does offer white supremacy and the banishment and punishment of "others".
Ally, correct, religion breeds fear and uniformity and control.
Religion does not support diversity, thoughtful discourse, questions.
Rather, since GOD IS SILENT to EVERYONE, including preachers, well, preachers are left to foist conclusions on an unsuspecting congregation that foster his world view (whatever that small world might be).
I know. I listened to them for years out in rural east texas messing my pants worried about going to hell (for looking at a girl's bra strap, or saying SHIT, or whatever).
Now, as an old man, I almost wish to become a preacher so I can tell people the truth:
GOD IS SILENT. TO ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
THINK. ASK QUESTIONS.
IF GOD IS SO SILENT WHY ARE YOU SO AFRAID?
Mike, if youโre ever out here, Iโll have to introduce you to my friend and fellow ET escapee/survivor. I now have two friends telling me some version of โwell, itโs different in East Texasโ
Mike: Thank you. I am converted. I will stop saying they are stupid. Your testimonial here and your veneration of questions and libraries is a much healthier way of seeing our family members and neighbors who are not asking questions or looking for facts. I am so glad you ended up reading worthy words.
Melinda,
I, like all of us, am a product of luck, chance, and drive. Lots of folks I know personally are quite bright and in love with Trump for the reasons that I originally voted for Reagan.
But, I was not stupid in 1980, in fact, I was at the top of my Chemical Engineering class in a way that made people think I was some kind of newfound genius.
I was not. I just could work 16 hour days without many or any breaks and I did not have a girlfriend to distract me.
But, until 2001 (or maybe 2) invasion of Iraq, I voted Republican.
My ignorance then remains my shame now.
Donโt be ashamed of evolving via increased exposure to information you previously were not aware of, or had not the inclination to explore
Your story implores others to expand their horizons. There is only so many minutes in a day. You canโt be completely aware of all situations
And this is where our schools come in. When are we going to make our educational system a priority in this nation? It seems to me that one of the things the founding fathers expected was the ability of every โmanโ -- person -- to be able to have an education. The fact that schools are funded by taxes from the surrounding neighborhoods has to end. Our schools should be funded equally across the board. And teachersโ salaries? What a joke. We pay the least to the most important people to whom we entrust our children during their formative years. Until the education system is funded properly and allowed to teach the truth of our founding and our history, we will have a problem with the intelligent but uneducated.
Intellectual Curiosity prompts the asking of good questions. This requires willingness to expend the time and energy into โinventingโ those questions that lead to answers
Iโve learned a discussion vehicle for dealing with those of opposing views; instead of expousing my opinions as fact, I ask them a series of questions that lead them to recognize the reality of the issue in question. They do their own work and after figuring out that I led them to a logical conclusion on their own, its then (finally) that they get mad and tell me to screw myself
Yeah, I know, perverse
You're right, Mike. I live in TX and have worked and lived among intelligent and kind people who swallowed Trump's messages whole. I just wonder how this country might counteract the strong overprint of religion, how to guide people away from white nationalist, how to stop being afraid of those that are different.
And with Rush Limbaugh and similar playing non-stop, morning to night, in their homes, cars, and now work places their entire lives from childhood to present, they now have MAโs and Phdโs, have their own children in colleges and still are the voracious readers they were raised to be, is testament to the power of brain-washing and how it lead to this comment about presidential candidate Barack Obama: โI feel like I donโt even know who he IS.โ
The need for education. Real education.
It sorta helps to remember that democracy (small d) has never yet been achieved across this nation. Incremental steps for over 245 years now....
My sentiments exactly, Jerry. Thank you.
Profesor Richardson, todayโs letter woke me up. At least reminded me how Hitler gained power. We should be more than worried. You wrote about the repub base, โRejecting the equality at the heart of liberal democracy, many of them hope to enforce religious rules on the rest of the country and admire Russian president Vladimir Putin and Hungarian leader Viktor Orbรกn for replacing democracy with what Orbรกn has called โChristian democracy,โ or โilliberal democracyโ that enforces patriarchal heterosexual hierarchies. That reminds me of how Fascists including Hitler and Stalin, as well as Putin and Orban, gain power. This Atlantic article from October 2022: โThe way the Nazis used โthe politics of legalityโ to gain absolute power after a failed coup is an ominous lesson about the fragility of a republic.โ
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/10/nazi-germany-hitler-democracy-weimar/671605/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
They still have hope, we need Ike, cults donโt deprogram themselves
I fear we are closer to the mechanics by which Hitler use to gain power with the death of Hindenburg and a remarkable cast of inept German Leadership that virtually stood aside as the slithered into place.
The talent and ability free Republican Leadership isnโt much different than the cluster of jerks that ensured the end of the Weimar Experiment.
We even have the turmoil at the border that could prompt any of the dozens of demagogues to proclaim a coup and seize leadership.
Trumpโs tweet reveals: he has no idea of what Marxism is about; heโs an unabashed racist (no surprise); and he doesnโt know the difference between Chinese and Taiwanese. He also doesnโt think that someone who was naturalized over 50 years ago is American.
Still can't define "fascist?"
Who canโt
The Speakership contest is likely to be the most consequential in US history. It represents the best chance to marginalize the far right wing of the Republican party and to preserve effective government.
My biggest concern is that if a bipartisan coalition forms around a candidate from outside the chamber that the choice will be tied up in frivolous litigation since it has never been done before.
The real test will be whether any coalition Speaker could strip Committee assignments from guys like far right extremist Jim Jordan on grounds that he defined Congressional subpeonas. The other issue is whether it is wise to have an unelected Speaker be next in line after the VP in the Presidential succession. Unless of course it was George W. Bush. But he doesn't personally have the legislative creds to be particularly effective in the role.
Still thinking Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican co-Chair of the problem solvers caucus who has voted with Democrats 67% of the time during th last Congress and won relection with a comfortable margin wouldn't be a better choice.
But either way it will take a lot of Democratic support to overcome the Freedom caucus crazies. Hakeem Jeffries needs to get Democrats on the same page about this.
This sentence stopped me completely, Georgia: "The other issue is whether it is wise to have an unelected Speaker be next in line after the VP in the Presidential succession" Horrifying thought that the Pillow Guy could be second in line to the White House.
Can't we watch the Debacle Parade for a little while before the adults try to herd the rabid cats? I'm really looking forward to some Republicans humiliating themselves. I know it's a long shot, but they might do it so well their own voters recognize them for the fools they are.
The Speaker is next in line after Harris if something happens to Biden. That is the other risk that is looming. Be careful what you wish for.
Been waitingโฆ. They have NO shame
Unfortunately I think not--not with funding for Ukraine on the line along with the debt ceiling issue which could easily provoke a world financial crisis. There will still be plenty of debacle opportunities as they thrash around seething that they have lost power, and they will be far less dangerous.
Okay Allenby, I can kind of agree with that, except what is taking so long?? I have seen so many AHA! moments that just get ignored. I thought videos of the January 6 riot would wake up the deluded but noooo. Imagine seeing Jordan with his idiotic lies posters during his wacko hearings rather than put in jail for ignoring a subpoena. Or George Santos taking an oath of office. ๐คก๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฉ. Beam me up Scotty. There is no intelligent life down here.
Mitch Daniels would be good as an outsider and 2nd in line for the Presidency. John Kasich also.
Good candidates for doing this exist; it just isn't going to happen. McCarthy will promise everything to anybody in his caucus who will give him what he's been salivating for. And Everybody knows it.
Oh please, not W. His damage will never be fully calculatedโฆ. Hope Biden and Harris have dependable security
Other suggestions from Republicans have been Paul Ryan and Newt Gingrich---this is entirely about what is the lesser of evils that is doable.
Realizing that that is the case is sickening...
OMG no!
Two conditions are proposed to have a speaker from outside the house. First is that a sufficient majority would need to support a recommendation from the incoming 118th membership and second that the ballot to select the speaker would not be a roll call, but a secret ballot, to ensure the fear of retribution isn't what guide members' voting. The second could be called for whether the speaker was to be chosen from outside or within the House membership.
Wait, do you mean Brian Fitzpatrick? He seems like a great alternative to any other current republican members discussed.
Yes Brian Fitzpatrick. I have been writing about him for about a month now. Thanks for the catch!!! I edited my original post.
Hope sane republicans and democrats will get behind him (or someone similar), it will completely change the trajectory of the next two years!
Write your Representative and tell them that--Republican or Democrat!!!
Just did!
I'm confused (not unusual). Can I be a Marxist, a Fascist, a liberal, a Progressive and a Democrat all at the same time?
No, William, you cannot....You can be a Fascist, and then the other things you mentioned, but never all of them together....feel better? Have a great weekend.
William, you beautifully demonstrate the fundamental problem of labels! They don't describe the specifics that led some other to apply them. One of the essential components in working with a problem is first describing it specifically and then refer to the specifics and not the general characteristics. This is a more cumbersome process but much more accurate and therefore more useful. Kinda like using the contents of an article rather than just headlines.
That depends on who you are asking, right?โ๏ธ
โThe year 2022 has seen an important split in the Republican Party.โ
Their deal with the yellow-haired devil has circled back to rip the Republican Party apart. The charismatic party leader is now the monkey on their back; screeching in their ears and scratching at their eyes. And no one deserves that cute, just adorable little monkey more than Mitch McConnell.
Now that's a vivid image. Thanks for that this morning!
๐ตโ๐ซ
I love the visual. Thanks, Ralph.
Gym Jordan, the proof you should never let a PE coach do more than decide whether to order Chinese takeout for lunch is back to doing what he does best - projection. Complain about the Biden Administration doing what he and Trump did for the past seven years.
"What they need's a damned good whacking" as the Beatles pointed out about the Piggies.
Straight to the woodshed.
Salud, TC. On to the Beatles!
๐ฝ
https://youtu.be/O3bCtx7SNAE
George got his licks in while John and Paul were out if the studio
Indeed.
Cheers, Dave.
๐ฝ
I still think that the so-called Christian zealots are doing what Christian zealots have always done, use religion to gain and keep power. Christianity is the method to their madness. Havenโt seen one โChristian virtueโ exhibited by any one of these maniacs, top of the list are Franklin Graham and Ginni Thomas.
All religious zealots in all religions. think the Taliban and advocates of Sharia law.
While I agree with you about zealots in general, whatever religion they use as their cloak, the reference to Sharia law evokes an anti-Muslim meme that perhaps you did not intend.
I read the comment as only a reference to a type of law that severely dictates how women should live and be treated.
The comparison of what White Christian Nationalists want compared with the requirements of Sharia Law is not as much anti-Muslim as it is anti-woman.
"Once they show you who they are, believe them" Maya Angela (paraphrased)
"in the case of extremist Republicans, to use the government not to provide a basic social safety net, regulate business, promote infrastructure, or protect civil rightsโas it has done since 1933โbut instead to enforce right-wing religious values on the country. "
Please google Leonard Leo, to learn more about how that effort is funded and enforced. Leo is the money grub hub of a vast network of dark money he funnels from dodgy donors to antidemocratic causes. And particularly to overturning civil rights protections and the Separation of Church and State. It's not just the Federalist Society and stacking the Supreme Court.
Lisa Graves of TrueNorth Research is a very good source.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/leonard-leo-federalists-society-courts/
https://www.npr.org/2022/08/12/1111606448/supreme-court-independent-state-legislature-theory-honest-elections-project
https://truenorthresearch.org/2020/10/snapshot-of-secret-funding-of-amicus-briefs-tied-to-leonard-leo-federalist-society-leader-promoter-amy-coney-barrett/
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-testifies-on-the-right-wing-capture-of-our-courts
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/politics/leonard-leo-courts-dark-money.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/politics/leonard-leo-network.html
Trump and his cronies remain what they have always been; criminals.
"But on his social media platform, Trump took a stand against the bill that funds the government."
. . . . . . โThen he went on to blame the deal on McConnellโs wife, Trumpโs own Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, using a racist slur."
"This exchange reveals the dynamic dominating political leadership at the end of 2022."
IMO this exchange continues to reveal that trump is literally and certifiably insane. MSM and other reputable media (including Heather's Letters) need to call trump's words and actions out exactly for what they are and stop giving any "air space" or credence to his rants. Those who follow, support, and listen to trump are also completely off their rockers (with an overlay of evil) and that needs to be repeatedly said out loud. Journalists, reporters, network/cable anchors should be sticking a microphone in the faces of republicans in congress and challenge them on every word that comes out of their mouths and not let them off the hook; be relentless.
I realize social media platforms dominate the blather and BS that the masses are exposed to but for crying out loud stopping the abject madness needs to start somewhere. The democratic party needs to stop playing by some "rule book" that doesn't exist . . . don't bring the proverbial knife to a gunfight! And, why in heavens name the democratic opponent to g. santos didn't (obviously failed) expose him as a fraud is where we stand today in (lack of) diligence.
I remember hearing a few years ago, the earth slipped ever so slightly on its axis . . . it's as good a reason as any as to why things haven't been the same since . . . that's my story and I'm sticking to it :)
No Janet, as someone who has made his living trying to treat "certifiably insane" people, I think what we're up against is not insanity but rather a profound narcissism combined with a vengefulness which launches him to seek revenge against anybody who doesn't concede his all-important "greatness."
I get he may not fall into the myriad of medical/psychological clinical diagnosisโs of mental illness but IMO he is still โcertifiableโ (and a criminal) and needs to pulled from the โairwavesโ. And, media needs to stop pandering to his vitriol and challenge everything he says. The dems need to be done with the hand wringing and fearful of going
after a former occupier of the WH because it looks โpoliticalโ โฆ. Weโre way past that - The man is a two bit criminal and has been allowed/enabled to hold this country hostage for far too long with his evil ways that get more unhinged every day!
Golf today in NE (temps in the 50โs) so weโll โtee upโ trump and smack those drives for extra distance. ๐Unfortunately, my golf game has improved since 2016. Iโd gladly trade a few points on my handicap for him to go away! ๐