Not every American shares the âindignationâ for the effects of the murderers in our country. The ongoing onslaught of violence, murders, and incredible injustice challenges our best intentions. These deep divisions create space for dehumanizing the other and are amplified by politicians and others with a microphone.
Such tragic outcomeâŚ
Not every American shares the âindignationâ for the effects of the murderers in our country. The ongoing onslaught of violence, murders, and incredible injustice challenges our best intentions. These deep divisions create space for dehumanizing the other and are amplified by politicians and others with a microphone.
Such tragic outcomes seem inevitable.
With a sad and heavy heart I offer gratitude for all the blessings of this life, and in the work for peaceful community, I offer my life. Take my life, not the young ones who hold our futures.
We are a sick nation; our civility eroded by countless careless opportunistic acts. The healing we must have is dependent upon our communities and our local leaders. Itâs dependent upon us, each and every one of us, in our daily, ordinary lives.
In grief, gratitude, love, and work, I earnestly pray for integrity and wisdom in our leaders and in our own lives. All depends upon our fortitude in love.
Kim, Not long ago, Reverend Senator Raphael Warnock said, âA vote is a kind of prayer,â a statement I incorporate in virtually every postcard, letter, and conversation with voters. I sensed, reading your comment, that you seemed to have a special insight into Warnockâs thought process, and, now, thanks to your comment, my appreciation for Warnockâs words also has deepened.
Barbara, thank you for sharing Sen. Rev. Ralphael Warnockâs words. May he beat that opportunist that is running against him. Pray that GA voters will support him.
@JoyDawn, Because the regrettably popular Governor Kemp, having won his race, is now campaigning hard for Walker, I expect many of us will be post carding, phone banking, canvassing (if weâre local), whatever it takes to help ensure this standout Senator keeps his seat.
I've done my bit for Sen. Warnock- I wrote Vote Forward letters and Swing State post cards and donated. I expect a lot of us have done similar things... let's hope our efforts pay off If so, that means we'll hold the Senate more firmly and won't have to have Kamala be the 51st as much.
Still writing postcards for him -- another batch will go into the mail today. Early voting starts next Monday; the runoff is Dec. 6. There's still time. PostcardstoVoters.org
Barbara, I appreciated hearing from you. I would note, aside from rendering the likes of Kyrsten Sinema irrelevant, holding a 51 majority vs. a 50-50 split means that Dems would hold the controlling vote on each committee allowing for Democratic majorities more readily to get legislation out of committee and onto the floor. Though little if any would get through the House, the goal would be to draw sharp distinctions between the two parties.
There are plenty of ways to help Sen Warnock, postcards phone banking, calling your friends and relatives in GA, donating cash. Praying is good, taking action helps more.
I wasn't aware that Sen. Warnock had said that, but it is *exactly* how I feel when I'm writing postcards or posting on social media. Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Beautifully spoken Kim; I needed your words when I am still reeling from the unspeakable at Club Q. There are some folks such as Army vet, 3 purple hearts, Richard Fierro that instinctively respond quickly, giving instructions & receiving help from at least 2 others to disable sudden violence. Thank you Richard & thank you Kim.
I heard an interview with Richard Fierro on NPR yesterday. His daughter's high school sweetheart was among the victims, his daughter and wife were wounded. Just hearing him speak was very uplifting and I admire his courage and non-political point of view.
It is good to make contact with you today. It is always good to be in touch with you. Connection. That is our mission; it is our love for one another. Salud, Bryan Sean McKown.
Thank you, Karen. Iâm deeply troubled by these endless acts of violence that appear to be stoked by âleadersâ in our country. I feel powerless. And yetâŚ
And yet you aren't powerless, your words touch everyone they reach and motivate them to resist the violence. We will prevail, but not as quickly as we'd like.
Thatâs right guys. We are prevailing. Itâs just that there is a lot more that must be done and who else is there to do it but each one of us? Thatâs the responsibility we embrace; Ike, Jack and Lyndon each got that in their own ways. When we more clearly know where weâve been we have a good shot at understanding where we are now and where we can and must go. Donât let any naysayer take you off your many good tasks ahead. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I have written to the Congressional Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention about the shootings at UVA that my family member was exposed to. Colbert Monday night read Congress the riot act on gun violence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4hBrbCsiCw Ending it has so many moving parts. The heart of the crisis is the legislators whose campaigns are funded by the NRA and gun manufacturers who are cowed into looking the other way or making empty excuses about mental health and the 2nd amendment. For now, I will focus on violence in schools, how we keep our kids safe while working to curb gun access nationwide.
Me as well, Kim. We have in this country people, entities, who are exploiting and profiting off of our divisions. They continue to drive the wedges in between us, and they do it for one reason alone: money. Hate sells. Keeping people angry and fearful sells. Demonizing those you disagree with sells. Stoking resentment against those who are different from you sells. And on and on it goes. Done in the name of an interpretation of the First Amendment. Even politicians are now riding these waves of hatred and getting elected on platforms that mirror these fears and anger. It is a vicious, vicious cycle that continues to spiral out of control. It is easy to feel powerless when confronted with the daily onslaught of all this. AND YET...we persist. Change starts within each one of us and we have seen that justice and truth CAN prevail when we band together and fight for them. Damn the torpedoes and steer the course. I tune a lot of it out to keep my wits about me, but I also seek out reinforcement among people with whom I share a similar mind...like "all y'all"! (Southern-speak that means "everybody") Okay, maybe that's doing nothing but increasing the "division" in the country, but I have to believe that the shrill voices of hatred and ignorance have little substance and will eventually be seen for what they are. That will only happen if we hold steadfast to what we believe. It is what has held this country together for 246 years, so we can't forsake it now. A happy and meaningful Thanksgiving to you and all on here...and God bless us every one.
As someone who rejects the "lone madman" shooter meme, it behooves us to recall that the dark media networks are a unifying voice for the radical right Fascists in America.
The gunmen are similar to Isis and Al Queda; a vile pseudo-political movement which encourages individuals to kill in the name of racism, misogyny, antisemitism and homophobia; although they would call it "purification."
They are not alone. They are the point-men for the movement, and have been indirectly encouraged to kill and usually to suicide as self-styled martyrs.
I sincerely hope that our government recognizes the loosely-knit but intentional "conspiracy" of mass shootings. Not only are the shooters "mentally ill," they are almost always young white males who are isolated. The repeated stereotype and the use of semi-automatic weapons should be a call to prohibit such weapons and dismantle the information technology that encourages these loose cannons.
Thank you, Kim. Your words are the silent prayer we live with in our country. The conflict and confusion, violence, Gun laws and ownership, part of our national conversation that is always with us. With the hope we will someday see the Truth.
Kim I think you have expressed the sadness that many of us have felt as we experience the tragedies and injustices that divide us today. I agree that these divisions "create space for dehumanizing the other." And clearly the healing you call for is "dependent upon each and every one of us."
I would like to offer a somewhat different view of your statement that "We are a sick nation." We are a complex nation with many differences. A nasty group of cynical power grabbers who know how to set the stage for "them vs us" stories, continue to use riling up fear and rage, as well as extolling ignorance, to achieve their goals. This leaves us open to all the injustice, violence and lack of civility that is the inevitable result....in some folks. At the same time, this past election has given me great hope that these folks and their willing dupes are not the majority, and donât hold all the power. Tthey just make more noise, that's all. (a paraphrase of my favorite line spoken by Jean Arthur to Jimmy Stewart in âMr. Smith Goes to Washingtonâ at his darkest hour of despair.)
So the healing that you call for is that much more possible because a majority of us really want it, and are attempting to practice it in our daily lives.... and it's already happening! Thousands if not millions of us are writing postcards, making phone calls, sending texts, to support candidates who we believe are motivated by justice and compassion and love of our country, even as they seek the power of public office. We got a lot of them elected, we're still working for Senator Warnock, and we will continue to work as we focus more and more on local and state elections from now on. So while there are many "sick" aspects to our nation, we are healing just like a human body, by recognizing, and treating the illness, but also by recognizing, strengthening and "cheering on" the cells that are already healthy so they may grow and flourish and take over. Blessings,
Thank you, Kim. Like so many of us, I've been heartsick here for some time seeing the loss of respect for others that drives so many interactions. Your final sentences touched me; I will join you in those prayers.
I saw an interview on msnbc with Tim Miller about the Club Q massacre. He said local authorities refused to enforce the state's red flag laws that would have removed the guns from the killer a year ago when he had threatened to blow up his mother with a bomb. The law that could have prevented this was already on the books!
It's Colorado Springs.....haven for radical right regressives and fundamentalists. As far as I am concerned what happened falls also on them. We here in Oregon passed a gun initiative and already there is a lawsuit and a whole bunch of sheriffs saying they won't enforce it.
They would rather be called to the next mass shooting or a domestic or road rage incident. I really get tired of all the calls for doing something about gun violence when people refuse to address the elephant in the room.
There are several elephants in the room. The power of the gun lobby, which has managed to co-opt interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. Toxic masculinity (seriously -- how many XX-chromosome people have been mass shooters?). Economic power, on which the Constitution provides no checks and balances -- and (as HCR has called attention to many times) as soon as you call for checks on economic power, you're trashed as a commie, socialist, pinko, etc.). The room is crowded with elephants.
"you're trashed as a commie, socialist, pinko, etc."
That's sure the truth of it. Most Americans are afraid of those political choices. They're afraid of the words. It's Pavlovian. I believe it generates from the late 1940s and then the 1950s. So much indoctrination has been focused on the American people by our government and assorted other entities. A plethora of movies and tv series telling the American people about "those dirty commies." McCarthyism arose from the underworld and held sway over the Government and the people. It's hard to change such deeply-ingrained images and associations as so many of us have lived through. Hopefully, more of the younger people will rise up and realize that those terms are just words. Beyond that, we have to find a sustainable method of life and government if we are to carry on as a species. I imagine that lifestyle based more on the Danish model. There's a reason they always rank at or near the top in the annual U.N. happiness survey of the happiest nations on earch.
Keep reading HCR and you'll see that red-baiting (often coupled with other things, like racism, misogyny, and anti-immigrant movements) goes back long before the 1940s. Take a look at the period following World War I (and, not coincidentally, the Russian Revolution), including the Palmer Raids, the prosecution and eventual execution of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, and the white attack on the Black community of Tulsa. Then go back even farther, to the Haymarket affair of 1886. Organized (and organizing) labor was continually accused of being socialist or communist, which is a big reason so much of organized labor in the U.S. was so conservative and vocally anti-communist: to prove their loyalty. (The same could be said of the Democratic Party, especially after the New Deal.)
P.S. What do you mean by "McCarthyism arose from the underworld"? Meaning from organized crime?
1. "The underworld"? No, I'm not thinking of organized crime which is just a manifestation of the underworld, as was Joe McCarthy. I think of the underworld more in terms of Dante's nine circles of Hades--circles or sins which are born of FEAR. Until we, as individuals or a nation, work through our fears, we are subject to some degree of being controlled by those negative elements. The underworld could also be simply described as the dark side of our nature, the weaknesses we carry.
2. Yes, I was aware of most of the earlier movements toward justice before reading HCR. I emphasize the effect of the U.S. late '40s and '50s anti-communists/socialist' movements because of their "nuclear" spread (similar to the nuclear bombs dropped two years before). But how did that attitude spread so quickly and thoroughly during that time period? I see it this way. We know that all nations involved in war develop a propaganda machine to keep people fighting. In WWII (1941-45), the U.S. developed a very sophisticated propaganda system. Following the end of WWII, television was the new medium which spread the government's anti-communist/socialist message in a huge and effective manner. The atmosphere of Fear was spread like wildfire. And here we are....
Thank you Cheryl, Tim Miller from Colorado has many skills, Tim has a best seller on the NYC List. Tim is a bulwark on the Bulwark platform & is a frequent panelist on msnbc at 4 pm Eastern.
As Tim summarized, Colardo's "Red Flag" law has only two (2) sources that can raise the Red Flag: a) the local police in this case the Red Flag Hostile Colorado Springs Police who have effectively set up a red-flag-free-zone in Colorado Springs and, b) the victim (in this case the Perp's mother) who also did not raise any flag of any color.
About one (1) year ago, the Perp's Neighborhood had to be disrupted & evacuated because of the Perp's grave bomb threat & threat to kill his mother. Police footage of the take down is all over the media now. As anyone can instantly see, The Perp is a very large man, much bigger than Richard Fierro.
I cannot imagine what this guy looked like in full body armor with an AR type automatic weapon. Still Richard Fierro charged him directly covered with blood & disabled further harm to anyone. Yes, Richard's daughter lost her boyfriend to sudden violence. Devastating.
Thanks for filling in the details. Yes, I've seen Tim many times on msnbc, and read many if his Bulwark writings. Also bought his book, WHY WE DID IT, though haven't read it yet. I hold him in very high esteem.
His brief interview with Steve Bannon recently was also right on. He didn't let Bannon get away with any of his crap. Called him on it, then said, " I'm not doing this." Tim is way up there on my list of courageous truthtellers.
Love has no opposite, even though fear tries its worst to manifest that place. As the introduction in Course in Miracles, (first copyright 1975 by the Foundation for Inner Peace) statesâŚ
1. âThis is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that you can elect what you want to take at a given time. The course does not aim at teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of loveâs presence, which is your natural inheritance. The opposite of love is fear, but what is all encompassing can have no opposite.
2. This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way:
Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.
Herein lies the peace of God.â
This stays with me throughout decades. Itâs why I am a warrior for the awareness of Loveâs presence. It is our natural inheritance. It is there in all things.
Thank you, Kim. A thanksgiving of fortitude in love, bounty and blessing for us all.
In grief, gratitude, love, and work, I join you in the prayer for integrity and wisdom for us all. (I also devoutly appreciate the use of the Oxford comma.)
Thank you for this excellent post. I was stuck by Eisenhower's words in contrast to what comes out of the mouths of so many Rs....basically calling for violence. I too am sad, but also have gratitude for those who make it their lives' work to make things better for all of us. It is a struggle because it is so much easier to be uncivil and hateful, than it is to be thoughtful, compassionate, and civil.
It's the week of Thanksgiving in America, and we have had two mass shootings in the past three days. And a third, if we go back another week. We do not need more heroic Americans stepping in to disarm these mass shooters. Stepping out one's front door has become an act of heroism today. Will today be the day I experience a mass shooting? Our votes are prayers, indeed. And I pray that the men and women of Congress act to end gun violence in America. I, for one, will not call them heroes. I will be grateful that they finally remembered how to do their job.
They are, mostly Rs, happy to have guns everywhere, so every angry mentally unstable person in the land can to their dirty work while all they offer is thoughts and prayers.
Not every American shares the âindignationâ for the effects of the murderers in our country. The ongoing onslaught of violence, murders, and incredible injustice challenges our best intentions. These deep divisions create space for dehumanizing the other and are amplified by politicians and others with a microphone.
Such tragic outcomes seem inevitable.
With a sad and heavy heart I offer gratitude for all the blessings of this life, and in the work for peaceful community, I offer my life. Take my life, not the young ones who hold our futures.
We are a sick nation; our civility eroded by countless careless opportunistic acts. The healing we must have is dependent upon our communities and our local leaders. Itâs dependent upon us, each and every one of us, in our daily, ordinary lives.
In grief, gratitude, love, and work, I earnestly pray for integrity and wisdom in our leaders and in our own lives. All depends upon our fortitude in love.
Kim, Not long ago, Reverend Senator Raphael Warnock said, âA vote is a kind of prayer,â a statement I incorporate in virtually every postcard, letter, and conversation with voters. I sensed, reading your comment, that you seemed to have a special insight into Warnockâs thought process, and, now, thanks to your comment, my appreciation for Warnockâs words also has deepened.
Barbara, thank you for sharing Sen. Rev. Ralphael Warnockâs words. May he beat that opportunist that is running against him. Pray that GA voters will support him.
Peace, JoyDawn
@JoyDawn, Because the regrettably popular Governor Kemp, having won his race, is now campaigning hard for Walker, I expect many of us will be post carding, phone banking, canvassing (if weâre local), whatever it takes to help ensure this standout Senator keeps his seat.
I've done my bit for Sen. Warnock- I wrote Vote Forward letters and Swing State post cards and donated. I expect a lot of us have done similar things... let's hope our efforts pay off If so, that means we'll hold the Senate more firmly and won't have to have Kamala be the 51st as much.
Still writing postcards for him -- another batch will go into the mail today. Early voting starts next Monday; the runoff is Dec. 6. There's still time. PostcardstoVoters.org
Barbara, I appreciated hearing from you. I would note, aside from rendering the likes of Kyrsten Sinema irrelevant, holding a 51 majority vs. a 50-50 split means that Dems would hold the controlling vote on each committee allowing for Democratic majorities more readily to get legislation out of committee and onto the floor. Though little if any would get through the House, the goal would be to draw sharp distinctions between the two parties.
There are plenty of ways to help Sen Warnock, postcards phone banking, calling your friends and relatives in GA, donating cash. Praying is good, taking action helps more.
Did you miss the OP's point, that taking action is a form of prayer?
Good point, Susanna, voting is another way to support Sen. Warnock and voting is an action that is a kind of prayer. I think that's what it is.
That Warnock is a wonderful man, and what a great thought to incorporate into your letters!
I wasn't aware that Sen. Warnock had said that, but it is *exactly* how I feel when I'm writing postcards or posting on social media. Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Beautifully spoken Kim; I needed your words when I am still reeling from the unspeakable at Club Q. There are some folks such as Army vet, 3 purple hearts, Richard Fierro that instinctively respond quickly, giving instructions & receiving help from at least 2 others to disable sudden violence. Thank you Richard & thank you Kim.
I heard an interview with Richard Fierro on NPR yesterday. His daughter's high school sweetheart was among the victims, his daughter and wife were wounded. Just hearing him speak was very uplifting and I admire his courage and non-political point of view.
It is good to make contact with you today. It is always good to be in touch with you. Connection. That is our mission; it is our love for one another. Salud, Bryan Sean McKown.
Beautifully said Kim!
Thank you, Karen. Iâm deeply troubled by these endless acts of violence that appear to be stoked by âleadersâ in our country. I feel powerless. And yetâŚ
And yet you aren't powerless, your words touch everyone they reach and motivate them to resist the violence. We will prevail, but not as quickly as we'd like.
Thatâs right guys. We are prevailing. Itâs just that there is a lot more that must be done and who else is there to do it but each one of us? Thatâs the responsibility we embrace; Ike, Jack and Lyndon each got that in their own ways. When we more clearly know where weâve been we have a good shot at understanding where we are now and where we can and must go. Donât let any naysayer take you off your many good tasks ahead. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
And a happy Thanksgiving to you as well.
attempted like
attempted ike
Thanks MaryPat.
Thanks.
I have written to the Congressional Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention about the shootings at UVA that my family member was exposed to. Colbert Monday night read Congress the riot act on gun violence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4hBrbCsiCw Ending it has so many moving parts. The heart of the crisis is the legislators whose campaigns are funded by the NRA and gun manufacturers who are cowed into looking the other way or making empty excuses about mental health and the 2nd amendment. For now, I will focus on violence in schools, how we keep our kids safe while working to curb gun access nationwide.
Thank you for this Colbert clip. Shared.
Me as well, Kim. We have in this country people, entities, who are exploiting and profiting off of our divisions. They continue to drive the wedges in between us, and they do it for one reason alone: money. Hate sells. Keeping people angry and fearful sells. Demonizing those you disagree with sells. Stoking resentment against those who are different from you sells. And on and on it goes. Done in the name of an interpretation of the First Amendment. Even politicians are now riding these waves of hatred and getting elected on platforms that mirror these fears and anger. It is a vicious, vicious cycle that continues to spiral out of control. It is easy to feel powerless when confronted with the daily onslaught of all this. AND YET...we persist. Change starts within each one of us and we have seen that justice and truth CAN prevail when we band together and fight for them. Damn the torpedoes and steer the course. I tune a lot of it out to keep my wits about me, but I also seek out reinforcement among people with whom I share a similar mind...like "all y'all"! (Southern-speak that means "everybody") Okay, maybe that's doing nothing but increasing the "division" in the country, but I have to believe that the shrill voices of hatred and ignorance have little substance and will eventually be seen for what they are. That will only happen if we hold steadfast to what we believe. It is what has held this country together for 246 years, so we can't forsake it now. A happy and meaningful Thanksgiving to you and all on here...and God bless us every one.
As someone who rejects the "lone madman" shooter meme, it behooves us to recall that the dark media networks are a unifying voice for the radical right Fascists in America.
The gunmen are similar to Isis and Al Queda; a vile pseudo-political movement which encourages individuals to kill in the name of racism, misogyny, antisemitism and homophobia; although they would call it "purification."
They are not alone. They are the point-men for the movement, and have been indirectly encouraged to kill and usually to suicide as self-styled martyrs.
I sincerely hope that our government recognizes the loosely-knit but intentional "conspiracy" of mass shootings. Not only are the shooters "mentally ill," they are almost always young white males who are isolated. The repeated stereotype and the use of semi-automatic weapons should be a call to prohibit such weapons and dismantle the information technology that encourages these loose cannons.
I agree! What we are missing is indignation at the violence in out country and leaders that glorify violence.
Thank you, Kim. Your words are the silent prayer we live with in our country. The conflict and confusion, violence, Gun laws and ownership, part of our national conversation that is always with us. With the hope we will someday see the Truth.
You stated my thoughts, Kim, and you said them more eloquently than I would have. đđźđđź
HCR, 11/22
Kim I think you have expressed the sadness that many of us have felt as we experience the tragedies and injustices that divide us today. I agree that these divisions "create space for dehumanizing the other." And clearly the healing you call for is "dependent upon each and every one of us."
I would like to offer a somewhat different view of your statement that "We are a sick nation." We are a complex nation with many differences. A nasty group of cynical power grabbers who know how to set the stage for "them vs us" stories, continue to use riling up fear and rage, as well as extolling ignorance, to achieve their goals. This leaves us open to all the injustice, violence and lack of civility that is the inevitable result....in some folks. At the same time, this past election has given me great hope that these folks and their willing dupes are not the majority, and donât hold all the power. Tthey just make more noise, that's all. (a paraphrase of my favorite line spoken by Jean Arthur to Jimmy Stewart in âMr. Smith Goes to Washingtonâ at his darkest hour of despair.)
So the healing that you call for is that much more possible because a majority of us really want it, and are attempting to practice it in our daily lives.... and it's already happening! Thousands if not millions of us are writing postcards, making phone calls, sending texts, to support candidates who we believe are motivated by justice and compassion and love of our country, even as they seek the power of public office. We got a lot of them elected, we're still working for Senator Warnock, and we will continue to work as we focus more and more on local and state elections from now on. So while there are many "sick" aspects to our nation, we are healing just like a human body, by recognizing, and treating the illness, but also by recognizing, strengthening and "cheering on" the cells that are already healthy so they may grow and flourish and take over. Blessings,
Chaplain Terry Nicholetti - connection - it is in connecting that we find our strength and our love for one another.
Well said, kim.
Thanks, Cathy. Means much coming from you.
Your words spoke to my soul. We have power if we work together in hope and love.
We do, indeed.
Thank you, Kim. Like so many of us, I've been heartsick here for some time seeing the loss of respect for others that drives so many interactions. Your final sentences touched me; I will join you in those prayers.
What you wish for not just in our leaders but all world leaders. We all have to play together in the same sandbox. Pray we learn to get along.
It is our only sandbox. Trash it at our perilâŚ
I saw an interview on msnbc with Tim Miller about the Club Q massacre. He said local authorities refused to enforce the state's red flag laws that would have removed the guns from the killer a year ago when he had threatened to blow up his mother with a bomb. The law that could have prevented this was already on the books!
It's Colorado Springs.....haven for radical right regressives and fundamentalists. As far as I am concerned what happened falls also on them. We here in Oregon passed a gun initiative and already there is a lawsuit and a whole bunch of sheriffs saying they won't enforce it.
They would rather be called to the next mass shooting or a domestic or road rage incident. I really get tired of all the calls for doing something about gun violence when people refuse to address the elephant in the room.
There are several elephants in the room. The power of the gun lobby, which has managed to co-opt interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. Toxic masculinity (seriously -- how many XX-chromosome people have been mass shooters?). Economic power, on which the Constitution provides no checks and balances -- and (as HCR has called attention to many times) as soon as you call for checks on economic power, you're trashed as a commie, socialist, pinko, etc.). The room is crowded with elephants.
"you're trashed as a commie, socialist, pinko, etc."
That's sure the truth of it. Most Americans are afraid of those political choices. They're afraid of the words. It's Pavlovian. I believe it generates from the late 1940s and then the 1950s. So much indoctrination has been focused on the American people by our government and assorted other entities. A plethora of movies and tv series telling the American people about "those dirty commies." McCarthyism arose from the underworld and held sway over the Government and the people. It's hard to change such deeply-ingrained images and associations as so many of us have lived through. Hopefully, more of the younger people will rise up and realize that those terms are just words. Beyond that, we have to find a sustainable method of life and government if we are to carry on as a species. I imagine that lifestyle based more on the Danish model. There's a reason they always rank at or near the top in the annual U.N. happiness survey of the happiest nations on earch.
Keep reading HCR and you'll see that red-baiting (often coupled with other things, like racism, misogyny, and anti-immigrant movements) goes back long before the 1940s. Take a look at the period following World War I (and, not coincidentally, the Russian Revolution), including the Palmer Raids, the prosecution and eventual execution of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, and the white attack on the Black community of Tulsa. Then go back even farther, to the Haymarket affair of 1886. Organized (and organizing) labor was continually accused of being socialist or communist, which is a big reason so much of organized labor in the U.S. was so conservative and vocally anti-communist: to prove their loyalty. (The same could be said of the Democratic Party, especially after the New Deal.)
P.S. What do you mean by "McCarthyism arose from the underworld"? Meaning from organized crime?
1. "The underworld"? No, I'm not thinking of organized crime which is just a manifestation of the underworld, as was Joe McCarthy. I think of the underworld more in terms of Dante's nine circles of Hades--circles or sins which are born of FEAR. Until we, as individuals or a nation, work through our fears, we are subject to some degree of being controlled by those negative elements. The underworld could also be simply described as the dark side of our nature, the weaknesses we carry.
2. Yes, I was aware of most of the earlier movements toward justice before reading HCR. I emphasize the effect of the U.S. late '40s and '50s anti-communists/socialist' movements because of their "nuclear" spread (similar to the nuclear bombs dropped two years before). But how did that attitude spread so quickly and thoroughly during that time period? I see it this way. We know that all nations involved in war develop a propaganda machine to keep people fighting. In WWII (1941-45), the U.S. developed a very sophisticated propaganda system. Following the end of WWII, television was the new medium which spread the government's anti-communist/socialist message in a huge and effective manner. The atmosphere of Fear was spread like wildfire. And here we are....
3. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you Cheryl, Tim Miller from Colorado has many skills, Tim has a best seller on the NYC List. Tim is a bulwark on the Bulwark platform & is a frequent panelist on msnbc at 4 pm Eastern.
As Tim summarized, Colardo's "Red Flag" law has only two (2) sources that can raise the Red Flag: a) the local police in this case the Red Flag Hostile Colorado Springs Police who have effectively set up a red-flag-free-zone in Colorado Springs and, b) the victim (in this case the Perp's mother) who also did not raise any flag of any color.
About one (1) year ago, the Perp's Neighborhood had to be disrupted & evacuated because of the Perp's grave bomb threat & threat to kill his mother. Police footage of the take down is all over the media now. As anyone can instantly see, The Perp is a very large man, much bigger than Richard Fierro.
I cannot imagine what this guy looked like in full body armor with an AR type automatic weapon. Still Richard Fierro charged him directly covered with blood & disabled further harm to anyone. Yes, Richard's daughter lost her boyfriend to sudden violence. Devastating.
Thanks for filling in the details. Yes, I've seen Tim many times on msnbc, and read many if his Bulwark writings. Also bought his book, WHY WE DID IT, though haven't read it yet. I hold him in very high esteem.
His brief interview with Steve Bannon recently was also right on. He didn't let Bannon get away with any of his crap. Called him on it, then said, " I'm not doing this." Tim is way up there on my list of courageous truthtellers.
'NOVEMBER 22, 2022 12:01 PM'
'Politicians in Colorado Springs Chose Flouting Gun Laws Over Peopleâs Lives'
'The Club Q shooter had threatened his family and told police he would kill them, too. El Paso County politiciansâŚ'
TIM MILLER (thebulwark) See link below
https://thetriad.thebulwark.com/p/politicians-in-colorado-springs-chose
Thank you for the Link FERN; Tim lays out all the necessary facts compassionate facts.
Yup. They're a "freedom zone" regarding unfettered access to and usage of any firearm.
They need to be on the receiving end if the results if their misguided idea of what "freedom" is. đŞđĄ
Legal action in the works, criminal & civil, state & Federal. I am certain Tim will cover it.
Sad isn't it.
Love has no opposite, even though fear tries its worst to manifest that place. As the introduction in Course in Miracles, (first copyright 1975 by the Foundation for Inner Peace) statesâŚ
1. âThis is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that you can elect what you want to take at a given time. The course does not aim at teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of loveâs presence, which is your natural inheritance. The opposite of love is fear, but what is all encompassing can have no opposite.
2. This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way:
Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.
Herein lies the peace of God.â
This stays with me throughout decades. Itâs why I am a warrior for the awareness of Loveâs presence. It is our natural inheritance. It is there in all things.
Thank you, Kim. A thanksgiving of fortitude in love, bounty and blessing for us all.
Unita! đ
đ˝
Christine, Gratitude and thank you.
Thank you for this heartfelt message.
In grief, gratitude, love, and work, I join you in the prayer for integrity and wisdom for us all. (I also devoutly appreciate the use of the Oxford comma.)
This octogenarian feels the same way. May I share your beautiful statement?
I`m going to read it out loud this coming Thursday at dinner.
Thank you for this excellent post. I was stuck by Eisenhower's words in contrast to what comes out of the mouths of so many Rs....basically calling for violence. I too am sad, but also have gratitude for those who make it their lives' work to make things better for all of us. It is a struggle because it is so much easier to be uncivil and hateful, than it is to be thoughtful, compassionate, and civil.
And yes, I wish everyone here a joyous and serene Thanksgiving in hopes that everyone experiences civility and love.
It's the week of Thanksgiving in America, and we have had two mass shootings in the past three days. And a third, if we go back another week. We do not need more heroic Americans stepping in to disarm these mass shooters. Stepping out one's front door has become an act of heroism today. Will today be the day I experience a mass shooting? Our votes are prayers, indeed. And I pray that the men and women of Congress act to end gun violence in America. I, for one, will not call them heroes. I will be grateful that they finally remembered how to do their job.
Damn tootin'
They are, mostly Rs, happy to have guns everywhere, so every angry mentally unstable person in the land can to their dirty work while all they offer is thoughts and prayers.
Kim ---Your words are a gift. Thank youďżź