"But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. I meet young people every day whose disappointment with the church has risen to outright disgust."
The majority of Christians today that blindly follow Trump and MAGA beliefs are lost and have turned their backs to the teachings of Christ. If Martin Luther King were alive today, he would have to be fighting for the same thing again. I wish he was still alive.
I am listening to a great podcast called The Wicked Game by Lindsey Graham. It covers the history and the elections, one by one. Currently the episode is about Fremont vs. Buchanan and surrounding events, especially the fight over slavery, but immigration is also surfacing. Bloody Kansas was violence taken into private hands and President Pierce was blamed for not subduing it. Hearing about this I am wondering, what could Pierce have done? Can we expect our Presidents to be responsible for the hearts of men, or to control them? It is the hearts of men that is the problem, and the solution.
Thank you for this wonderful newsletter about Dr. King.
It reminds us, as we need to be reminded in these challenging times, what wonderfully inspirational and clear headed writer he was.
Regarding the Iowa causes, with a 50% vote total win the news should be good but is only ok at best. Only about 110k people turned out to vote this year or half of turnout in 2016. In a local poll, 27% of GOP voters said they weren't voting for Trump in Nov.
Trump is seeing results similar to the meaning days of his Apprentice TV show.
His audience has gotten tired of the star and want to change the channel.
How can those Iowa farmers listen to trump with a straight face? They were the ones who saw their markets dry up. Didn't they notice that the money came from the government, not from sales? Do they all remember that time as one in which the world just stopped being very hungry and didn't need their products?
Per Wikipedia, the money to reimburse the farmers for the effects of the tariffs came from--the CCC. Yes, that one. The FDR one. The one that gave my father a job when he left college in the 30s. HE knew who got him the help--he was a life long Democrat.
The NYT had another of its "let sit in the diner and listen to folks" bits. My favorites were the ones who thought it was a good idea to vote for Trump because there would be civil war if he loses. Uh, isn't a better way to avoid a civil war just to not start one?
I think it is important that we honor MLK. We can do that by looking at all of his speaches not just "I have a Dream". This includes his anti war speech just before he died. We need to bar all war supporters from his memorials. If not then we dishonor him.
It is no small thrill to be referenced here by Robert Hubbell. I've commented about wearing a Biden T-shirt on every grocery run until 11/5/24. And the reaction has been encouraging. The more I post, the more I hear about surges in Biden T-shirt sales. The way I see it, even if THREE people in the same grocery store are wearing Biden shirts, it'll feel like Biden shirts ARE EVERYWHERE. And it will only snowball from there. I bought a new shirt from IndivisibleMarin.org and I can't wait to wear it.
It is a revelation that, nearly 56 years after Dr. King's assassination, those who decline to honour his work are viewed as either mentally imbalanced or seen as themselves worthy of disdain.
I was lucky to join others and watch the 1963 2-hour interview of MLK by David Susskind today. It’s a moment in time (smoking on set, women MIA) but it was so worth the time. Watching a leader answer honestly while refusing to judge (most) others was beautiful to see.
My response below to Mark"s off topic concern about Biden losing Michigan related to Congressmen Tlaib's condemnation of Biden: A strategy suggestion:
Karen Borst-Rothe
6 mins ago
i just looked up Tlaib's website FB pages and added my comments to her and to one of her clearly provocative follower.
I said that the Biden administration has been doing all in its powers (much behind the scenes) to harness Netanyahu, a president who, by the way, is immensely disliked by 75% of Israel citizens; they are just waiting to get him out of power.
So my point is offering up arguments ON THEIR FB page to illustrate how taking a single issue (however, critical it is), that is foolish since the outcome they ostensible hope for (a livable situation for Palestinians) would be dashed if they convince enough of their people not to vote for Biden. A vote for a third party would a vote for Trump.
I also noted Trump's announcements about what he would do -- it would be catastrophic for the very people they are concerned about.
Of course, It's hard to see complexity when innocents are being killed but it's important to see the factors and the complexities.
Soooo, I suggest others do something similar when you see a distortion that might persuade constituents but actually would hurt everyone. We can possibly influence some to see the complexity and the problem with knee-jerk decisions about not voting or voting third party.
Dr. King's letter is incredible; thank you for the link and for prodding us to read it. Indeed, oppressors never willingly release the oppressed! Instead they double down on their evil acts (see Abbott, Paxton, Reeves). This will ALL come back to haunt them; we must stand together!
Robert, thank you for the nudge to read Dr. King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail, and for providing the link. I've read excerpts but never the whole thing. I'll admit that when I saw the five and a half pages of densely typed content, I found myself resisting (too much else to do) but something in your words made me stop, breathe and read, and I'm so glad I did. It was as though Dr. King were right here speaking to me about what is happening right now. It made me want to be worthy of his call.
I was embarrassingly stunned to read about preparation for non-violent actions. "So we had no alternative except that of preparing for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and national community. We were not unmindful of the difficulties involved. So we decided to go through a process of self-purification. We started having workshops on nonviolence and repeatedly asked ourselves the questions, "Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?" and "Are you able to endure the ordeals of jail?"
I don't think I could answer "yes" to either, although for me the first question is actually, "Are you able to accept blows?" So I need to accept my limitations and do what I can. Thank you for creating one of the communities of like-minded folks that make that possible. Blessings,
I agree and would add brave. I'm still shaking as I try to post this on FB and Twitter X - I couldn't do the non-violent protesting - so I must do what I can. Thank you, Sheila!
Robert, Heather Cox Richardson’s piece describing the actions of the despicable Governor Abbott and his Texas thugs in preventing federal border agents from responding to migrants in distress, Heather mentions that it was the Texas National Guard and something called the “Texas Military Department.”
It turns out that 22 states have these ‘militias’, a scary thought today, as goon governors like Abbott and DeSantis use them as Brownshirt squads. Frankly, I am terrified by how these Republican governors are daring the President to respond with force, much as South Carolina did in 1861.
And to commit these atrocities on this weekend commemorating the civil rights movement is more than despicable, it’s disgusting.
The decline of Christianity actually says it all..too bad the evils being foisted on so many by people like Abbott et al are done in "the name of" Christianity. Perhaps they should read the Bible .
Oh dear Robert and Jill- my deepest sympathies to you both! Covid is a beast. Just out of it myself and my sister has it now. But Paxlovid will set her up. A miracle drug. Hoping for a speedy recovery for her and no covid for you. We cannot live without you! Happy New Year!
"But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. I meet young people every day whose disappointment with the church has risen to outright disgust."
The majority of Christians today that blindly follow Trump and MAGA beliefs are lost and have turned their backs to the teachings of Christ. If Martin Luther King were alive today, he would have to be fighting for the same thing again. I wish he was still alive.
I am listening to a great podcast called The Wicked Game by Lindsey Graham. It covers the history and the elections, one by one. Currently the episode is about Fremont vs. Buchanan and surrounding events, especially the fight over slavery, but immigration is also surfacing. Bloody Kansas was violence taken into private hands and President Pierce was blamed for not subduing it. Hearing about this I am wondering, what could Pierce have done? Can we expect our Presidents to be responsible for the hearts of men, or to control them? It is the hearts of men that is the problem, and the solution.
Robert
Thank you for this wonderful newsletter about Dr. King.
It reminds us, as we need to be reminded in these challenging times, what wonderfully inspirational and clear headed writer he was.
Regarding the Iowa causes, with a 50% vote total win the news should be good but is only ok at best. Only about 110k people turned out to vote this year or half of turnout in 2016. In a local poll, 27% of GOP voters said they weren't voting for Trump in Nov.
Trump is seeing results similar to the meaning days of his Apprentice TV show.
His audience has gotten tired of the star and want to change the channel.
How can those Iowa farmers listen to trump with a straight face? They were the ones who saw their markets dry up. Didn't they notice that the money came from the government, not from sales? Do they all remember that time as one in which the world just stopped being very hungry and didn't need their products?
Per Wikipedia, the money to reimburse the farmers for the effects of the tariffs came from--the CCC. Yes, that one. The FDR one. The one that gave my father a job when he left college in the 30s. HE knew who got him the help--he was a life long Democrat.
The NYT had another of its "let sit in the diner and listen to folks" bits. My favorites were the ones who thought it was a good idea to vote for Trump because there would be civil war if he loses. Uh, isn't a better way to avoid a civil war just to not start one?
I think it is important that we honor MLK. We can do that by looking at all of his speaches not just "I have a Dream". This includes his anti war speech just before he died. We need to bar all war supporters from his memorials. If not then we dishonor him.
It is no small thrill to be referenced here by Robert Hubbell. I've commented about wearing a Biden T-shirt on every grocery run until 11/5/24. And the reaction has been encouraging. The more I post, the more I hear about surges in Biden T-shirt sales. The way I see it, even if THREE people in the same grocery store are wearing Biden shirts, it'll feel like Biden shirts ARE EVERYWHERE. And it will only snowball from there. I bought a new shirt from IndivisibleMarin.org and I can't wait to wear it.
It is a revelation that, nearly 56 years after Dr. King's assassination, those who decline to honour his work are viewed as either mentally imbalanced or seen as themselves worthy of disdain.
I was lucky to join others and watch the 1963 2-hour interview of MLK by David Susskind today. It’s a moment in time (smoking on set, women MIA) but it was so worth the time. Watching a leader answer honestly while refusing to judge (most) others was beautiful to see.
My response below to Mark"s off topic concern about Biden losing Michigan related to Congressmen Tlaib's condemnation of Biden: A strategy suggestion:
Karen Borst-Rothe
6 mins ago
i just looked up Tlaib's website FB pages and added my comments to her and to one of her clearly provocative follower.
I said that the Biden administration has been doing all in its powers (much behind the scenes) to harness Netanyahu, a president who, by the way, is immensely disliked by 75% of Israel citizens; they are just waiting to get him out of power.
So my point is offering up arguments ON THEIR FB page to illustrate how taking a single issue (however, critical it is), that is foolish since the outcome they ostensible hope for (a livable situation for Palestinians) would be dashed if they convince enough of their people not to vote for Biden. A vote for a third party would a vote for Trump.
I also noted Trump's announcements about what he would do -- it would be catastrophic for the very people they are concerned about.
Of course, It's hard to see complexity when innocents are being killed but it's important to see the factors and the complexities.
Soooo, I suggest others do something similar when you see a distortion that might persuade constituents but actually would hurt everyone. We can possibly influence some to see the complexity and the problem with knee-jerk decisions about not voting or voting third party.
Best wishes for a quick recovery
Dr. King's letter is incredible; thank you for the link and for prodding us to read it. Indeed, oppressors never willingly release the oppressed! Instead they double down on their evil acts (see Abbott, Paxton, Reeves). This will ALL come back to haunt them; we must stand together!
Plus, sending healing vibes to Jill❣️
Robert, thank you for the nudge to read Dr. King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail, and for providing the link. I've read excerpts but never the whole thing. I'll admit that when I saw the five and a half pages of densely typed content, I found myself resisting (too much else to do) but something in your words made me stop, breathe and read, and I'm so glad I did. It was as though Dr. King were right here speaking to me about what is happening right now. It made me want to be worthy of his call.
I was embarrassingly stunned to read about preparation for non-violent actions. "So we had no alternative except that of preparing for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and national community. We were not unmindful of the difficulties involved. So we decided to go through a process of self-purification. We started having workshops on nonviolence and repeatedly asked ourselves the questions, "Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?" and "Are you able to endure the ordeals of jail?"
I don't think I could answer "yes" to either, although for me the first question is actually, "Are you able to accept blows?" So I need to accept my limitations and do what I can. Thank you for creating one of the communities of like-minded folks that make that possible. Blessings,
I agree, Terry! Just did the same thing. Dr. King and the SCLC were thoughtful, careful and well-prepared. Remarkably so!
I agree and would add brave. I'm still shaking as I try to post this on FB and Twitter X - I couldn't do the non-violent protesting - so I must do what I can. Thank you, Sheila!
Absolutely!!!
Hope Jill has an easier time, and that you discover where everything is in the kitchen😃
Robert, Heather Cox Richardson’s piece describing the actions of the despicable Governor Abbott and his Texas thugs in preventing federal border agents from responding to migrants in distress, Heather mentions that it was the Texas National Guard and something called the “Texas Military Department.”
It turns out that 22 states have these ‘militias’, a scary thought today, as goon governors like Abbott and DeSantis use them as Brownshirt squads. Frankly, I am terrified by how these Republican governors are daring the President to respond with force, much as South Carolina did in 1861.
And to commit these atrocities on this weekend commemorating the civil rights movement is more than despicable, it’s disgusting.
The decline of Christianity actually says it all..too bad the evils being foisted on so many by people like Abbott et al are done in "the name of" Christianity. Perhaps they should read the Bible .
Oh dear Robert and Jill- my deepest sympathies to you both! Covid is a beast. Just out of it myself and my sister has it now. But Paxlovid will set her up. A miracle drug. Hoping for a speedy recovery for her and no covid for you. We cannot live without you! Happy New Year!