This isn't about Donald Trump.
The Republican Party knows they are spiraling toward irrelevancy in a (small d) democratic world. They know they will not win a fair, open, honest, un-gerrymandered election.
There is no explanation I can see for their utter, in-your-face disregard for American electoral tradition. The pretense is gone.
I…
The Republican Party knows they are spiraling toward irrelevancy in a (small d) democratic world. They know they will not win a fair, open, honest, un-gerrymandered election.
There is no explanation I can see for their utter, in-your-face disregard for American electoral tradition. The pretense is gone.
I keep telling myself these are the death throes of a dying political dynamic that can no longer stand on its own two feet. The historic tradition of the plantation and the company town, ruled over by a handful of white males, morally endorsed by an all powerful, all-seeing sky-god, are the real "family values" of the modern Republican Party.
I believe if they burn down the house on the way out, we'll build another, better one.
Yes, privileged white man's dying screams of the patriarchal/corporate caste system. We are being whipped and killed on their way out. The unfairness and stupendity of these acts, particularly during a horrific pandemic is attempting to disenfranchise our democracy. This enforced powerlessness is what people of color, women and caged children feel everyday.
Yes, indeed. So are we going to sit in the stands, watch and thereby collude with our immolation? If you are watching your children inside the house burning, what are you not going to do?
A very wise man said to me a few years ago, they can go with the flow or they can go kicking and screaming but by golly, they are GOING to go! When animals are threatened the reptilian brain takes over. They get fiercer, more irrational, they pull out all the stops. This is what’s happening now and will continue to until they can’t anymore.
How are people stopped from "burning" houses down? What is required?
I suppose enough people in leadership positions with personal integrity, honesty, and humility. Right now, in one political party, I think we are falling short on all three.
(Humility isn't thinking less of yourself. It's thinking of yourself less.)
Ralph, thank you for pointing out the big picture, and calmly indicating that perhaps a sane person in authority, assisted by similarly sane, principled supporters, can smother the flames. Certainly, the current thug controllers think of nothing but themselves, and that has brought us to our current near-calamity. We really need the Georgia Senate win to keep this country from going off a cliff.
But this dependence on “people in leadership positions” is part of what ails us at the moment. We just can’t continue to count on — lean on — these “leaders” by themselves. We need to pull ourselves together — figuratively and literally — and start picking up our own “toys” and not waiting for “mommy” or “daddy” to do it for us.
A peoples organization, founded on and led by principled morality, could have the power to move the immovable and lead the leaders in serving our society. Going back to the “good ol’ days” just ain’t gonna cut it in this new century.
This forum is an excellent place to start. In the responses to yesterday’s letter, Cathy Learoyd and R Dooley and I had a thread going prompted by Cathy’s question along the lines of: “Why can’t we start a movement of Prof. Richardson’s readers?”
I’d been thinking about that possibility for awhile now, and was energized by her question. Given the levels of corruption and immorality within our systems and institutions, we can’t count on anyone but ourselves...us!
If we put our minds — and hearts — and talents and commitment together we can redesign the machinery of our civilization to actually do what we want it to do...and what “leaders” keep promising it will do...eventually.
First we need a story to tell......what would the new world look like. Then we need a practical path to get there. With that we form the kernel from which we can all "spread the gospel" and grow the group. BUT the key to making it believable is the need for little victories on the road to the goal...this keeps the group together without backsliding, motivates the troups and "confirms" the riteousness of the cause, goal and methos.
Ralph - I love your definition of humility! Thank you for that. Okay - so the "stopping the burning" requires decent, intelligent (in mind and emotion) leaders possessing integrity. Right on. Given the imminence of "burning down" --it hasn't happened yet or perhaps, actually, the match is heading toward the house this very moment -- given the "givens" in the Leadership Department, and "imagine" you are the one the rest of us has been waiting for to blow out the match or otherwise halt the momentum -- what are you going to do? how are you going to do that? What do you need to do that - inwardly and outwardly?
Assume inside you, is the answer to that question. And, also decide if you are willing to choose to do whatever it takes - including moving out of your comfort zone into your "vital zone" which means moving into the "unfamiliar" "not of the family" (tradition, habit, custom, how we always see ourselves) so it feels risky - a little, more, a lot risky. We each and altogether are being asked to seize this moment to enter into new ways of viewing self and other/country/enemy/ etc. and expanding our consciousness. The very fact that you are asking an important question indicates you are open and you've hit the path. The "answer" lives in the unknown and I will do whatever it requires to hear - see - feel - touch - come to it - know it. Be on the lookout for synchronistic events. A friend asks you to go with her to a political/spiritual meeting.....and usually, you'd say no ---- for example. Do the opposite to your habitual responses.
Personally, I’m going to fly an American flag on the front of my house with a Biden Harris sign right below while sitting in a lawn chair wearing a red ball cap.
This isn't about Donald Trump.
The Republican Party knows they are spiraling toward irrelevancy in a (small d) democratic world. They know they will not win a fair, open, honest, un-gerrymandered election.
There is no explanation I can see for their utter, in-your-face disregard for American electoral tradition. The pretense is gone.
I keep telling myself these are the death throes of a dying political dynamic that can no longer stand on its own two feet. The historic tradition of the plantation and the company town, ruled over by a handful of white males, morally endorsed by an all powerful, all-seeing sky-god, are the real "family values" of the modern Republican Party.
I believe if they burn down the house on the way out, we'll build another, better one.
But it's getting harder to be an optimist.
Yes, privileged white man's dying screams of the patriarchal/corporate caste system. We are being whipped and killed on their way out. The unfairness and stupendity of these acts, particularly during a horrific pandemic is attempting to disenfranchise our democracy. This enforced powerlessness is what people of color, women and caged children feel everyday.
Yes, indeed. So are we going to sit in the stands, watch and thereby collude with our immolation? If you are watching your children inside the house burning, what are you not going to do?
A very wise man said to me a few years ago, they can go with the flow or they can go kicking and screaming but by golly, they are GOING to go! When animals are threatened the reptilian brain takes over. They get fiercer, more irrational, they pull out all the stops. This is what’s happening now and will continue to until they can’t anymore.
How are people stopped from "burning" houses down? What is required?
How are people stopped from "burning" houses down? What is required?
I suppose enough people in leadership positions with personal integrity, honesty, and humility. Right now, in one political party, I think we are falling short on all three.
(Humility isn't thinking less of yourself. It's thinking of yourself less.)
Ralph, thank you for pointing out the big picture, and calmly indicating that perhaps a sane person in authority, assisted by similarly sane, principled supporters, can smother the flames. Certainly, the current thug controllers think of nothing but themselves, and that has brought us to our current near-calamity. We really need the Georgia Senate win to keep this country from going off a cliff.
But this dependence on “people in leadership positions” is part of what ails us at the moment. We just can’t continue to count on — lean on — these “leaders” by themselves. We need to pull ourselves together — figuratively and literally — and start picking up our own “toys” and not waiting for “mommy” or “daddy” to do it for us.
A peoples organization, founded on and led by principled morality, could have the power to move the immovable and lead the leaders in serving our society. Going back to the “good ol’ days” just ain’t gonna cut it in this new century.
This forum is an excellent place to start. In the responses to yesterday’s letter, Cathy Learoyd and R Dooley and I had a thread going prompted by Cathy’s question along the lines of: “Why can’t we start a movement of Prof. Richardson’s readers?”
I’d been thinking about that possibility for awhile now, and was energized by her question. Given the levels of corruption and immorality within our systems and institutions, we can’t count on anyone but ourselves...us!
If we put our minds — and hearts — and talents and commitment together we can redesign the machinery of our civilization to actually do what we want it to do...and what “leaders” keep promising it will do...eventually.
First we need a story to tell......what would the new world look like. Then we need a practical path to get there. With that we form the kernel from which we can all "spread the gospel" and grow the group. BUT the key to making it believable is the need for little victories on the road to the goal...this keeps the group together without backsliding, motivates the troups and "confirms" the riteousness of the cause, goal and methos.
Hmm... I'm thinking...
Ralph - I love your definition of humility! Thank you for that. Okay - so the "stopping the burning" requires decent, intelligent (in mind and emotion) leaders possessing integrity. Right on. Given the imminence of "burning down" --it hasn't happened yet or perhaps, actually, the match is heading toward the house this very moment -- given the "givens" in the Leadership Department, and "imagine" you are the one the rest of us has been waiting for to blow out the match or otherwise halt the momentum -- what are you going to do? how are you going to do that? What do you need to do that - inwardly and outwardly?
My question because I’m stymied. WHAT can I do?
Assume inside you, is the answer to that question. And, also decide if you are willing to choose to do whatever it takes - including moving out of your comfort zone into your "vital zone" which means moving into the "unfamiliar" "not of the family" (tradition, habit, custom, how we always see ourselves) so it feels risky - a little, more, a lot risky. We each and altogether are being asked to seize this moment to enter into new ways of viewing self and other/country/enemy/ etc. and expanding our consciousness. The very fact that you are asking an important question indicates you are open and you've hit the path. The "answer" lives in the unknown and I will do whatever it requires to hear - see - feel - touch - come to it - know it. Be on the lookout for synchronistic events. A friend asks you to go with her to a political/spiritual meeting.....and usually, you'd say no ---- for example. Do the opposite to your habitual responses.
Personally, I’m going to fly an American flag on the front of my house with a Biden Harris sign right below while sitting in a lawn chair wearing a red ball cap.
Yes!?!
love it!