april 2022
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As James Madison observed in Federalist 51 (the second-best Federalist Paper), “If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” Yet American postliberalism asks us to empower men and women who frequently don’t even pretend to be virtuous, who often glory in their vice, all for the “common good.”
Writing eleven years after the ratification of the Constitution, Adams wrote to the officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts to outline the responsibilities of the citizens of the new republic. The letter contains the famous declaration that “our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” But I’m more interested in the two preceding sentences:
Because We have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition, Revenge or Galantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net.
Put in plain English, this means that when public virtue fails, our constitutional government does not possess the power to preserve itself. Thus, the American experiment depends upon both the government upholding its obligation to preserve liberty and the American people upholding theirs to exercise that liberty towards virtuous purposes. -David French
Because We have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition, Revenge or Galantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net.
Put in plain English, this means that when public virtue fails, our constitutional government does not possess the power to preserve itself. Thus, the American experiment depends upon both the government upholding its obligation to preserve liberty and the American people upholding theirs to exercise that liberty towards virtuous purposes. -David French
Rachel Mivka, in an article from the USA Today in Jan 2021, wrote this about Ted Cruz:
The agenda is not always explicit. When Sen. Ted Cruz talks of “restoring” America, he means to recover what he believes is its original identity as a Christian nation. Historian John Fea argues that Cruz’s outlook reflects the Seven Mountains Dominionism of his father — a conviction that Christians are called by God to exercise dominion over every aspect of society by taking control of political and cultural institutions (religion, family, education, government, media, arts and entertainment, and business). While Cruz is too politically savvy to endorse dominion theology outright, he uses code words like “religious liberty” to sustain Christian privilege and cultural authority.
The agenda is not always explicit. When Sen. Ted Cruz talks of “restoring” America, he means to recover what he believes is its original identity as a Christian nation. Historian John Fea argues that Cruz’s outlook reflects the Seven Mountains Dominionism of his father — a conviction that Christians are called by God to exercise dominion over every aspect of society by taking control of political and cultural institutions (religion, family, education, government, media, arts and entertainment, and business). While Cruz is too politically savvy to endorse dominion theology outright, he uses code words like “religious liberty” to sustain Christian privilege and cultural authority.
April 24, 2022:
Sad to watch Perjury Taylor Greene lie on the stand and play like it was just a game to the Magas that showed up to be her "audience." Even when confronted with a video she claimed to not remember it or claim the video was edited. One of them I remember her posting because the Magas were drawn to it like flies to butter.. A judge interested in properly getting a case adjudicated would have thrown her audience out of the courtroom. The judge seemed to show a lot of disinterest. If nothing comes out of that hearing then Perjury Taylor Greene will take it as license to say whatever she wants....even moreso than what she does now.
Sad to watch Perjury Taylor Greene lie on the stand and play like it was just a game to the Magas that showed up to be her "audience." Even when confronted with a video she claimed to not remember it or claim the video was edited. One of them I remember her posting because the Magas were drawn to it like flies to butter.. A judge interested in properly getting a case adjudicated would have thrown her audience out of the courtroom. The judge seemed to show a lot of disinterest. If nothing comes out of that hearing then Perjury Taylor Greene will take it as license to say whatever she wants....even moreso than what she does now.
Marjorie Greene is now being asked about this video, suggesting by Pelosi could be executed for treason.
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) April 22, 2022
“I don’t recall saying all of this,” Greene just said.
pic.twitter.com/cUVT4Bcr06
Much has been given us, and much will rightfully be expected from us. We have duties to others and duties to ourselves; and we can shirk neither. We have become a great nation, forced by the fact of its greatness into relations with the other nations of the earth, and we must behave as be seen as a people with such responsibilities.
— Theodore Roosevelt, 1905
— Theodore Roosevelt, 1905
“It’s time for Americans to wake up to a fundamental reality: the continued unity of the United States of America cannot be guaranteed. At this moment in history, there is not a single important cultural, religious, political, or social force that is pulling Americans together more than it is pushing us apart.” -David French; Divided We Fall
Two decades into the 21st Century, the U.S. is less united than at any time in our history since the Civil War. We are more diverse in our beliefs and culture than ever before. But red and blue states, secular and religious groups, liberal and conservative idealists, and Republican and Democratic representatives all have one thing in common: each believes their distinct cultures and liberties are being threatened by an escalating violent opposition. This polarized tribalism, espoused by the loudest, angriest fringe extremists on both the left and the right, dismisses dialogue as appeasement; if left unchecked, it could very well lead to secession.
Two decades into the 21st Century, the U.S. is less united than at any time in our history since the Civil War. We are more diverse in our beliefs and culture than ever before. But red and blue states, secular and religious groups, liberal and conservative idealists, and Republican and Democratic representatives all have one thing in common: each believes their distinct cultures and liberties are being threatened by an escalating violent opposition. This polarized tribalism, espoused by the loudest, angriest fringe extremists on both the left and the right, dismisses dialogue as appeasement; if left unchecked, it could very well lead to secession.
The most pervasive obstacle to good thinking is confirmation bias, which refers to the human tendency to search only for evidence that confirms our preferred beliefs. Even before the advent of social media, search engines were supercharging confirmation bias, making it far easier for people to find evidence for absurd beliefs and conspiracy theories, such as that the Earth is flat and that the U.S. government staged the 9/11 attacks. But social media made things much worse.
From the September 2018 issue: The cognitive biases tricking your brain
The most reliable cure for confirmation bias is interaction with people who don’t share your beliefs. They confront you with counterevidence and counterargument. John Stuart Mill said, “He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that,” and he urged us to seek out conflicting views “from persons who actually believe them.” People who think differently and are willing to speak up if they disagree with you make you smarter, almost as if they are extensions of your own brain. People who try to silence or intimidate their critics make themselves stupider, almost as if they are shooting darts into their own brain. -Jonathan Haidt; The Atlantic
From the September 2018 issue: The cognitive biases tricking your brain
The most reliable cure for confirmation bias is interaction with people who don’t share your beliefs. They confront you with counterevidence and counterargument. John Stuart Mill said, “He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that,” and he urged us to seek out conflicting views “from persons who actually believe them.” People who think differently and are willing to speak up if they disagree with you make you smarter, almost as if they are extensions of your own brain. People who try to silence or intimidate their critics make themselves stupider, almost as if they are shooting darts into their own brain. -Jonathan Haidt; The Atlantic
April 18, 2022: Christian Century: Three reasons gerrymandering is bad for democracy (no matter who does it)
The best available solution to gerrymandering is for states to assign redistricting to nonpartisan commissions, not elected legislators. The nonpartisan part of this has proved easier said than done; we are living, after all, in a time when zero-sum partisanship reaches far beyond professional politicians. Still, if more states would take this route, that would be a significant step toward fairer, more competitive districts.
Our democratic system pivots on legislators accountable to citizens living in particular places. Gerrymandering makes accountability optional, alienates citizens, and subverts the very idea of place. The practice does great harm to democracy—whether it’s done by one major party, by the other, or equally by both.
The best available solution to gerrymandering is for states to assign redistricting to nonpartisan commissions, not elected legislators. The nonpartisan part of this has proved easier said than done; we are living, after all, in a time when zero-sum partisanship reaches far beyond professional politicians. Still, if more states would take this route, that would be a significant step toward fairer, more competitive districts.
Our democratic system pivots on legislators accountable to citizens living in particular places. Gerrymandering makes accountability optional, alienates citizens, and subverts the very idea of place. The practice does great harm to democracy—whether it’s done by one major party, by the other, or equally by both.
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For months, Fox News’ Tucker Carlson tirelessly promoted anti-vaxxer conspiracy theories on his show but wouldn’t say whether or not he had been vaccinated for COVID-19. According to Daily Beast reporters Justin Baragona and Lachlan Cartwright, however, Carlson bragged about being unvaccinated during a Saturday, April 2 appearance at an evangelical Christian fundamentalist megachurch in La Jolla, California.
Certainly, not all Christians are anti-vaxxer extremists. Many Catholic and mainline Protestant churches have helped their members find COVID-19 vaccines. But anti-vaxxer attitudes are common among far-right white evangelicals, including those who attend Awaken Church in La Jolla (a San Diego suburb) and applauded Carlson’s speech on April 2. --Alex Henderson; AlterNet 4.12.22 |
April 15, 2022:
There is a blog called "A Biblical Worldview" that adds to the name this qualification: "The most politically incorrect blog on the internet, devoted to the glory of the LORD Jesus Christ." I thought, well OK, let's see what it is here. The latest post was from April 9 and titled "The End is Near." He writes a bit of history to back his comments and then mentions, BTW, that organizations like BLM can be summarized this way: Money appears to be the goal of this group, and now that they have a lot of it from corporations and private donors alike.. ????????
But the author expands his rhetoric with comments that would make Tucker Carlson proud: Rulers in power making it illegal to buy the very medicine that would cure the ailment, they also closed businesses, caused people to lose their livelihoods, forced medical treatment on free citizens, and forced people to wear face diapers in order to manipulate them and cause psychological damage. {??} Of, course, we know who is responsible for that kind of insane rhetoric and hyperbole.
The authors next post it is titled "Black American Must Do Better" and, of course, he rakes the incident with Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars as a major part of his theme that "Black American Must Do Better." He then pontificates on right wing nonsense being sent around the internet. Because, you know, when you are pushing "A Biblical View" of the world..the best place to get the news is from some right wing nutjob pushing propaganda and then adding Bible verses to explain it as racist and how because of the Oscars event "black people need to do better."???really??
I, unfortunately, do have experience in understanding these right wing positions as I used to push them myself not all that long ago. The author (I have to say the author because I dont know if its male or female..though my guess would be that it is a white male) likely feels very smug and proud of having addressed the problem with such "Biblical expertise. The author does use Bible verses but they are kind of a filling. The intent of the verse, in the authors mind, aids the authors worldview...but only in the authors mind. Not in the real world. But, that how right wingers and Christian Nationalists operate.
There is a blog called "A Biblical Worldview" that adds to the name this qualification: "The most politically incorrect blog on the internet, devoted to the glory of the LORD Jesus Christ." I thought, well OK, let's see what it is here. The latest post was from April 9 and titled "The End is Near." He writes a bit of history to back his comments and then mentions, BTW, that organizations like BLM can be summarized this way: Money appears to be the goal of this group, and now that they have a lot of it from corporations and private donors alike.. ????????
But the author expands his rhetoric with comments that would make Tucker Carlson proud: Rulers in power making it illegal to buy the very medicine that would cure the ailment, they also closed businesses, caused people to lose their livelihoods, forced medical treatment on free citizens, and forced people to wear face diapers in order to manipulate them and cause psychological damage. {??} Of, course, we know who is responsible for that kind of insane rhetoric and hyperbole.
The authors next post it is titled "Black American Must Do Better" and, of course, he rakes the incident with Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars as a major part of his theme that "Black American Must Do Better." He then pontificates on right wing nonsense being sent around the internet. Because, you know, when you are pushing "A Biblical View" of the world..the best place to get the news is from some right wing nutjob pushing propaganda and then adding Bible verses to explain it as racist and how because of the Oscars event "black people need to do better."???really??
I, unfortunately, do have experience in understanding these right wing positions as I used to push them myself not all that long ago. The author (I have to say the author because I dont know if its male or female..though my guess would be that it is a white male) likely feels very smug and proud of having addressed the problem with such "Biblical expertise. The author does use Bible verses but they are kind of a filling. The intent of the verse, in the authors mind, aids the authors worldview...but only in the authors mind. Not in the real world. But, that how right wingers and Christian Nationalists operate.
If democracy dies in darkness, it sickens at twilight, and the last few days of this most recent legislative session were anything but a shining example of Florida’s lawmaking body at work.
Let’s be clear — the nature of democracy is not that all parties should agree on issues, policies or strategy. Far from it. A healthy democracy is made stronger through the opposition of viewpoints that must eventually reach resolution and compromise on the capitol floor.
What is true, however, is that while not everyone needs to agree on policy, the foundation of a democracy is that we must all agree upon and honor the process through which policy is created. -Andrew Gothard; Gainesville Sun
Let’s be clear — the nature of democracy is not that all parties should agree on issues, policies or strategy. Far from it. A healthy democracy is made stronger through the opposition of viewpoints that must eventually reach resolution and compromise on the capitol floor.
What is true, however, is that while not everyone needs to agree on policy, the foundation of a democracy is that we must all agree upon and honor the process through which policy is created. -Andrew Gothard; Gainesville Sun
April 12, 2022: Christian Headlines: U.N. Assembly Votes to Suspend Russia from Human Rights Council
This week, the United Nations General Assembly voted to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council amid allegations that Russian soldiers in Ukraine committed human rights violations.
This week, the United Nations General Assembly voted to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council amid allegations that Russian soldiers in Ukraine committed human rights violations.
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is reporting 205 new cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Mississippi. No additional deaths have been reported. The new cases were reported to MSDH by 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 6.
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April 7, 2022: The Bulletin: Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed by Senate as first Black woman on Supreme Court
The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Thursday afternoon, making her the 116th justice – and first Black woman – to serve on the nation's highest court.
The Senate's historic vote was 53-47, and three Republicans – Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah – joined every member of the Democratic caucus in voting for her confirmation.
The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Thursday afternoon, making her the 116th justice – and first Black woman – to serve on the nation's highest court.
The Senate's historic vote was 53-47, and three Republicans – Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah – joined every member of the Democratic caucus in voting for her confirmation.
What is most alarming is the underlying ideology that leads so many on the right to consider Democratic victories invalid – even if they concede there was nothing technically wrong with how the election was conducted. It has become a core tenet of the Republican worldview to consider the Democratic party as not simply a political opponent, but an enemy pursuing an “un-American” project of turning what is supposed to be a white Christian patriarchal nation into a land of godless multiracial pluralism. Conversely, Republicans see themselves as the sole proponents of “real” America, defending the country from the forces of radical leftism, liberalism and wokeism.
Even if they don’t subscribe to the more outlandish conspiracies propagated by Trumpists, many Republicans agree that the Democratic party is a fundamentally illegitimate political faction – and that any election outcome that would lead to Democratic governance must be rejected as illegitimate as well. Republicans didn’t start from an assessment of how the 2020 election went down and come away from that exercise with sincerely held doubts. The rationalization worked backwards: They looked at the outcome and decided it must not stand. In other words, accusations of fraud gain plausibility among conservatives not because of empirical evidence, but because they adhere to the “higher truth” of who is and who is not legitimately representing – and therefore entitled to rule – “real” America. -Thomas Zimmer; Georgetown University
Even if they don’t subscribe to the more outlandish conspiracies propagated by Trumpists, many Republicans agree that the Democratic party is a fundamentally illegitimate political faction – and that any election outcome that would lead to Democratic governance must be rejected as illegitimate as well. Republicans didn’t start from an assessment of how the 2020 election went down and come away from that exercise with sincerely held doubts. The rationalization worked backwards: They looked at the outcome and decided it must not stand. In other words, accusations of fraud gain plausibility among conservatives not because of empirical evidence, but because they adhere to the “higher truth” of who is and who is not legitimately representing – and therefore entitled to rule – “real” America. -Thomas Zimmer; Georgetown University
| So that's what I do.□ |
In case the legislators think a pastor couldn’t possibly understand the political realities of the day, (Pastor Andy) Stanley reminded them that one location of his congregation meets in heavily conservative Forsyth County and another meets in the more liberal Atlanta suburb of Decatur.“I understand this,” he said. “It’s like two different countries.”
Yet success — making Georgia “amazing” — will only happen in the middle, Stanley emphasized.
“Do you love the state of Georgia more than you love your party? If not, maybe you should do something else.”
“I understand, but not as well as you do, it is hard to raise money in the middle. It’s hard to get people angry enough to vote in the middle. It’s hard to get people to turn out and vote if you’ve not made them afraid of their enemy. … It’s hard to do what you do if you don’t play this silly game, and I just wish we would stop with, ‘Oh no, we’re losing, we’re losing, we’re losing.’”
In politics, Stanley said, “the goal is to always appear as if you’re losing but not to actually lose. What a terrible way to lead. What if we just stop with all that and when we catch each other doing that, we call each other out.
Sitting in political rallies where such divisive rhetoric is used, he challenged partisans to say, “Even though I’m in your party, even though I’ll probably vote for you, I’m not buying it and I’m not going to respect it by clapping for it.”
Taking such a stand “requires a lot of personal maturity and personal security. To lead from the middle, it will require you to love our state more than you love your party. Do you love the state of Georgia more than you love your party? If not, maybe you should do something else.” -Baptist News Global
Yet success — making Georgia “amazing” — will only happen in the middle, Stanley emphasized.
“Do you love the state of Georgia more than you love your party? If not, maybe you should do something else.”
“I understand, but not as well as you do, it is hard to raise money in the middle. It’s hard to get people angry enough to vote in the middle. It’s hard to get people to turn out and vote if you’ve not made them afraid of their enemy. … It’s hard to do what you do if you don’t play this silly game, and I just wish we would stop with, ‘Oh no, we’re losing, we’re losing, we’re losing.’”
In politics, Stanley said, “the goal is to always appear as if you’re losing but not to actually lose. What a terrible way to lead. What if we just stop with all that and when we catch each other doing that, we call each other out.
Sitting in political rallies where such divisive rhetoric is used, he challenged partisans to say, “Even though I’m in your party, even though I’ll probably vote for you, I’m not buying it and I’m not going to respect it by clapping for it.”
Taking such a stand “requires a lot of personal maturity and personal security. To lead from the middle, it will require you to love our state more than you love your party. Do you love the state of Georgia more than you love your party? If not, maybe you should do something else.” -Baptist News Global
