A Mother's Letter ...

 A Mother’s Letter to a Daughter Who Supports Trump

Honey, I can be in the same conversation with you and your sisters and not be able to get one word in. So I just sit and listen. How many times have my daughters told me ‘You’re probably right mom, but I’m doing it anyway’.

You said you had called to just say I love you. Have I ever doubted that you do? Have I ever made politics a condition of my love for my family? I’m old, I have a few years left to enjoy my children and theirs. Does anyone actually believe I care so deeply for issues for my own sake only? 

It’s not just abortion. It’s health care, Medicare, Medicaid, Defense, Education, Safety regulations, Climate concerns, human rights, and every single other service the citizens of this country depend on - programs for the poor, for aiding and assisting women with children, for a woman’s right to get paid the same as her male counterparts, for the homeless and for the veterans of wars our soldiers should never have had to fight, and on and on. You will watch corporations and CEOs grab up billions of dollars as programs collapse for lack of funding and federal and state support.

Donald Trump, Former President of the United States (R) and Current U.S. Presidential Candidate: “And on day one, I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing Critical Race Theory, and I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate or a mask mandate.”

Without vaccines, as his proposed pick for the health department head does not 'believe' in vaccines, this country will open up to death on a greater scale than any other pandemic or plague that's come before.

How I feel about Trump is fully justified after inhabiting the same planet with him for 76 years. He was raised by a crook, and has always been a crook. He has catered to his own pleasures and passions with no regard for the needs of anyone else. He uses and tosses away women with a wave of his hand. He is and always has been, evil personified.

What about the people the man holds up as good examples of leadership? Putin, Kim Jong Un, Netanyahu… It’s not just a myth that birds of a feather tend to flock together.

Have I ever said that about any other President? Not even Nixon. At least Nixon was somewhat acquiescent and resigned. 

Have I ever said we are headed for disaster before? Have I forsaken my country before because of its leadership that I didn’t agree with?

You girls adored my mother. She was everything we admire and hope to be. She spoke with authority because of her years of service to others. She nursed our soldiers in England during WWII. She wasn’t a nurse to make money, she genuinely loved making people well, to help them recover from disease and illness. When she retired after 45 years of nursing, she volunteered in the community and at the hospital. She donated to worthy causes. She inspired in you the call to service to your Country. I bet if she was telling my family the truths about the Trump men she knew of, they would be listening.

For 33 years, my ex-husband made it clear to me that my thoughts and ideas were worth a pinch of salt in a sewer.

No, I’m not educated, but I am not without an understanding of human nature. I see the man you believe could not call someone you respect ‘losers and suckers’ as the worst possible human being to lead this Country. He is bent on spewing lies; he will disparage and ruin the reputations and livelihoods of those who oppose him. He will try to free his corrupt cronies from prison, and work to free the men and women who attacked the US Capitol at his request on Jan 6, 2021. He will divide and conquer.  

But the people have spoken. This is what they want. What they celebrate as a victory is to me defeat.

I no longer have a Country, nor can I rest my hand over my heart and pledge my allegiance to a flag under which that man stands promoting division between its citizenry. I do not and will never honor that man with the title of president, and I will go to my grave trusting my instinct on this.

The Country I have always loved opened its arms to the poor and to those who had no hope! Lady Liberty needs to be torn down as she no longer holds the hearts and dreams of those seeking freedom and refuge from tyranny. Send away the French, Irish, Italians, Germans, British, Arabs, Jews, Blacks, Asians, Mexicans, Spanish, Catholics, and scores of others who have become her loyal and devoted citizens.

I will no longer be a threat to those who call me a libtard and moron for the votes I’ve cast for human rights for all, for all citizens to be seen as equals in this Country because I will not vote again. 

I will mourn over the graves of those who fought with their service and lives to spare us from the likes of Hitler wannabes and beg for their forgiveness for us coming full circle to everything they fought against.

I will pray for my loved ones, as they are now all I have left in this world.

You refuse to capitulate to doom and gloom. Up until November 5th, 2024, I had hope. 

It's in your and your children’s generation's hands now; whatever good comes will be your crowns, whatever bad, you will have to fix.

But never, ever, believe that I would say any of this without hearing me first say that I fear for my family's future as much as did your grandparents when they joined the Allies to fight Hitler, Mussolini, and the Japanese empire in WWII.

And, although I believe you do not recognize the weight of the consequences of the election outcome, I do understand that you did not grow up in the post-war emphasis on reconstruction of our country and others who had been threatened with their whole infrastructures being destroyed. The United States of America rebuilt Germany, and Japan, and gave aid to every country destroyed in the war. Democracy was the single goal and intent, to the end that dictators would never get a foothold in the door again. We were taught, even as your grandparents struggled to keep mind, body, and soul together, to love one another, to feed the poor, to shelter the homeless, to spread hope and cheer to all, regardless of any, and all differences we may have. And they did. They gave their resources, time, energy, and whatever they could get by without, to ensure the safety of our borders from forces from inside and out that weren't hungry for food and shelter, but were madmen seeking our destruction.

We made an advance in being altruistic; we had come to realize that sticking our heads in the sand, not shouldering the responsibilities of fighting evil for others the same as we would for ourselves, would lead to the ruination of our own Country’s freedoms. We never, ever believed that our country was in danger of being overtaken to be ruled by dictators.

But Pearl Harbor put an end to that fantasy. And changed how we viewed our country, no longer just an island alone, an indestructible fortress, but a member of a global world.

Trump and his party of right-wing fascists want none of what I was raised on. You won't give much heed to it as it wafts insidiously through the cracks engulfing first the poor and the hungry, because propaganda will turn your head. I hope when the elderly in your life start to tell you of the increase in their troubles, that you'll see some of it, but most in this country will shout hoorah and good riddance to what we once held dear.

All I can end with is that I love you and my family more than life itself. That I could carelessly mislead you or any of them is not in my character, let alone my want. I just want to be left be to live out my remaining years in peace, and I see little of that on the horizon.

Published with permission of the author!

Endorsement of Kamala Harris for President - The Atlantic Magazine, Oct. 10, 2024

 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰’𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀, 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.

 

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀, 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗡𝗼 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀. 𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘅 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗵𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀. 𝗛𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲’𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀.

 

𝗔𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟱. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽’𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗼, 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀.

 

𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽’𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀—𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟴𝟱𝟳. 𝗪𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟴𝟲𝟬 (𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘁, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟴𝟲𝟰). 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 𝗕. 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗜𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟲, 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲’𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟰. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟰 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘇𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁.

 

𝗢𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀, 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗼𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿.

 

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗽𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗿-𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁. “𝗪𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆,” 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟴𝟲𝟬. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿’𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.

 

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗼𝘅 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀, 𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀’𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲. 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺, 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀. 𝗦𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿, 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘁. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿.

 

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽’𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀. 𝗡𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆’𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗯𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

 

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰, 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀—𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆, 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗱. 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽.

 

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽’𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗹𝘆. 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗻, 𝗕𝗼𝗯 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗲, 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗠𝗰𝗖𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝘁 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗻𝗲𝘆, 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀. 𝗪𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆.

 

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮, 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗵 𝗡𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟬—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽, 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁.

 

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆, 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻; 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀; 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁, 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟭𝟴𝟲𝟬 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱, “𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀.” 𝗜𝗻 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.

 

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘅 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. 𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘅 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲, 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗢𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁, 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆.

October 26, 2024
HEATHER COX RICHARDSON
OCT 26, 2024



Beginning in 1943, the War Department published a series of pamphlets for U.S. Army personnel in the European theater of World War II. Titled Army Talks, the series was designed “to help [the personnel] become better-informed men and women and therefore better soldiers.”

On March 24, 1945, the topic for the week was “FASCISM!”

“You are away from home, separated from your families, no longer at a civilian job or at school and many of you are risking your very lives,” the pamphlet explained, “because of a thing called fascism.” But, the publication asked, what is fascism? “Fascism is not the easiest thing to identify and analyze,” it said, “nor, once in power, is it easy to destroy. It is important for our future and that of the world that as many of us as possible understand the causes and practices of fascism, in order to combat it.”

Fascism, the U.S. government document explained, “is government by the few and for the few. The objective is seizure and control of the economic, political, social, and cultural life of the state.” “The people run democratic governments, but fascist governments run the people.”

“The basic principles of democracy stand in the way of their desires; hence—democracy must go! Anyone who is not a member of their inner gang has to do what he’s told. They permit no civil liberties, no equality before the law.” “Fascism treats women as mere breeders. ‘Children, kitchen, and the church,’ was the Nazi slogan for women,” the pamphlet said.

Fascists “make their own rules and change them when they choose…. They maintain themselves in power by use of force combined with propaganda based on primitive ideas of ‘blood’ and ‘race,’ by skillful manipulation of fear and hate, and by false promise of security. The propaganda glorifies war and insists it is smart and ‘realistic’ to be pitiless and violent.”

Fascists understood that “the fundamental principle of democracy—faith in the common sense of the common people—was the direct opposite of the fascist principle of rule by the elite few,” it explained, “[s]o they fought democracy…. They played political, religious, social, and economic groups against each other and seized power while these groups struggled.”

Americans should not be fooled into thinking that fascism could not come to America, the pamphlet warned; after all, “[w]e once laughed Hitler off as a harmless little clown with a funny mustache.” And indeed, the U.S. had experienced “sorry instances of mob sadism, lynchings, vigilantism, terror, and suppression of civil liberties. We have had our hooded gangs, Black Legions, Silver Shirts, and racial and religious bigots. All of them, in the name of Americanism, have used undemocratic methods and doctrines which…can be properly identified as ‘fascist.’”

The War Department thought it was important for Americans to understand the tactics fascists would use to take power in the United States. They would try to gain power “under the guise of ‘super-patriotism’ and ‘super-Americanism.’” And they would use three techniques:

First, they would pit religious, racial, and economic groups against one another to break down national unity. Part of that effort to divide and conquer would be a “well-planned ‘hate campaign’ against minority races, religions, and other groups.”

Second, they would deny any need for international cooperation, because that would fly in the face of their insistence that their supporters were better than everyone else. “In place of international cooperation, the fascists seek to substitute a perverted sort of ultra-nationalism which tells their people that they are the only people in the world who count. With this goes hatred and suspicion toward the people of all other nations.”

Third, fascists would insist that “the world has but two choices—either fascism or communism, and they label as ‘communists’ everyone who refuses to support them.”

It is “vitally important” to learn to spot native fascists, the government said, “even though they adopt names and slogans with popular appeal, drape themselves with the American flag, and attempt to carry out their program in the name of the democracy they are trying to destroy.”

The only way to stop the rise of fascism in the United States, the document said, “is by making our democracy work and by actively cooperating to preserve world peace and security.” In the midst of the insecurity of the modern world, the hatred at the root of fascism “fulfills a triple mission.” By dividing people, it weakens democracy. “By getting men to hate rather than to think,” it prevents them “from seeking the real cause and a democratic solution to the problem.” By falsely promising prosperity, it lures people to embrace its security.

“Fascism thrives on indifference and ignorance,” it warned. Freedom requires “being alert and on guard against the infringement not only of our own freedom but the freedom of every American. If we permit discrimination, prejudice, or hate to rob anyone of his democratic rights, our own freedom and all democracy is threatened.”

—

Notes:

https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=armytalks

War Department, “Army Talk 64: FASCISM!” March 24, 1945, at https://archive.org/details/ArmyTalkOrientationFactSheet64-Fascism/mode/2up

9.20.24 My Faith and My Politics

 I was a Christian long before I became political ... God was in my life from the beginning ... I knew that ... a Presence, kind and loving, always there, for little Tommy Eggebeen.

I was a Christian long before I became political.

And when I became political, it flowed out of my heart, full of the Christ that lived, and still lives, in my heart.

Was I good little boy?

Hardly ... and I'm still far from good ... but God is as close to me as ever ... "I am with you always!" ... and that's the light of my life, it's my hope, and my peace, in the midst of this and that and everything else.

My commitment to Democracy grows out of my earliest commitments to Christ ... my sense of compassion for the bruised and the beaten flows from the love and grace of Christ ... my commitment to good government working for all the people flows from God's creation purpose - a love for all, a desire to redeem and make everything new ... can I be any less in my world view than God?

All that I am politically flows from all that I have always been in Christ, "before the foundation of the world" ... primordially, eternally, and infinitely.

I was, and am, and will be a Christian, by the grace of God, the very same grace I believe embodied in our best dreams and highest virtues ... 

I've a long way to go, and so does my nation, and on this side of the great divide of time and eternity, we may never fully reach the goal, but I'm not about to give up, I'm not about to surrender my values, I'm not about to go backward into the darkness, but forward into the light.

So help me God ... Father, Son and Holy Spirit ... Mother, Daughter, and Divine Love ... Creator, Redeemer, and Giver of Life ... Above, Within, and Beyond.

A Poem a Day - who are these people?

 Most mornings, I begin with poetry, from an anthology, "A Poem a Day" - I've used this book since 2002, so I've read many of these poems before, if I get to it, which I do, most mornings, though there have been years in between when the book was on the bottom of a book pile, so no poems read, other than other poems and other books. With little margin notes, and smiley faces, or frowning.

Anyway, the upshot of this little note is this: the world is full of good and creative folk who sought, through poetry, to make sense of life, to offer good counsel, or complaint - to squeeze the fruit for all its worth - to get the last drop of bitterness or sweetness outta it ... to laugh and cry and moan and groan, or something like that.

Furthermore, many of them are unknown to me, so a quick tour of Wiki, and there they are - someone has written a note about them, maybe a short notice, or pages and pages ...

I think of me - why not?

And, you, too ... of course.

Laboring away ... we build our sand castles ... we do this instinctively ... it's in our DNA ... a castle that welcomes and provides, celebrates and stands strong ... in time, every castle is washed away ... but the gift remains ... something good, wise, decent, provocative, inventive, conciliatory, wise, or not, has been given, and that which is given, for the sake of life, is added to the energy of the universe - it is not lost, but incorporated, into the stars.

G.I. Joe

 G.I. Joe … 

A vast story line of women and men and their struggle to preserve the world, defend freedom, practice honor, and lift up the weary and the weak.

A remarkable pilgrimage through 50 years of story telling, where courage and hope shake hands, to form a dynamic partnership empowering the vision of good and decent world.

A world threatened by Cobra and similar forces bent upon domination and control, willing to destroy what they can’t have, and more than eager to take whatever they can, evil feeding upon the death of freedom, a curious madness of desire, that religions of various sorts might label “sin” - the darker elements of life present, perhaps, in all human beings, to some extent, and in some, reigning supreme.

The Bible says, in so many words, where there is sin, there is grace, and where there is sin all the more, grace all the more abounds.

This is the stuff of great story telling, and if religion can be characterized at all, I choose to call it Story. 

Like any great story, from Melville’s Moby Dick, with Ahab’s fixation on a white whale, to the more popular writing of Edgar Rice Burroughs, with his Tarzan stories, and John Carter of Mars.

Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness, from which the film, Apocalypse Now was created … evil abounds, it’s all mixed up into the fabric of heat, despair, loneliness, and desire.

In my youth, the Western stories of Zane Grey - where the heroes are genuine men of valor, often misunderstood, putting their lives on the line for the women they come to love, their families, justice and peace, to stave off the evil schemes of rustlers, rubbers, grifters and con-men.

And one of my childhood favorites: The Hardy Boys - daring adventure, sons of the the world famous detective, Fenton Hardy … along with their friends - always coming upon crime of various sorts, and with courage and diligence, a commitment to doing what’s right, the Hardy Boys solve the crimes, the culprits apprehended, and duly punished.

The struggle between good and evil, with the lines often blurred, as the one force intermingles with the other, and vice versa, much like the ancient Ying Yang symbol … a reminder, perhaps  uncomfortable, but important, and real: that a simple binary image of life, good vs. evil, fails the test of reality.

In truth, these elements are intertwined with one another, and embedded in each other - an image of social forces, and the human soul.

The images can be expanded in meaning to include all the polar opposites of life - hot and cold, youth and age, wisdom and foolishness, life and death, time and eternity, the courage of the Joe’s and the hatred of Cobra. Yet, within each, the Joe’s are always tempted by violence - the challenge, of course, is how to use violence without succumbing to it’s allure - the Joe’s are physically strong, with the finest equipment and training available to the forces of freedom. The world’s literature, including religious readings, are full of how the good succumbed to the temptations, the allure, the heady exaltation of a bloody victory, until the soul reaches a point when the shedding of blood becomes no longer a means to peace, but a means to satisfy the blood lust inherent, in one degree or the other, in every living creature. 

That is, to conquer or be conquered, to kill or be killed. Even the Hebrew Scriptures, Ecclesiastes’ preacher, Kohelet, says:

a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up …

a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

The Apostle Paul speaks of the same dynamic when he writes, in a moment of humble confession and honest self-appraisal:

Woe is me … who can deliver me from this body of death … the good I want to do, I don’t do … and the evil I don’t want to do, I do.

Ying Yang all over the place … in all the religions of the world, and in all great literature.

It makes for big stories, the very stories told by the gifted writers, led by Larry Hama (a Vietnam veteran) who over the last 40 years has written more than 400 Joe stories … and all the talented artists who’ve made G.I. Joe a living witness to humanity’s best and our worst - the need for greatness, greatness in character, loyalty, vision, and sacrifice.

I think of all the great stores of the last 100 years that have captured so much of our attention, our affection, our love, our study and meditation.

Harry Potter, for example - one story after the other, all centered in the great virtues of kindness, loyalty, love, devotion, caution, mindfulness, self-understanding, humility, sorrow and compassion.

The Star Wars world, much the same, with Luke and his father representing the Ying Yang tug of war - with anger being the portal to the Dark Side, an all-consuming evil bent on destroying all those who stand in its way toward total conquest.

And the classic masterpiece of Tolkien, The LORD of the Rings, with Gollum, the poor creature totally ensnared in the hate of “the one ring to rule them all,” and Bilbo and ultimately Frodo who are threatened by the same power, but ultimately prevail over it, because of virtue, goodness, kindness, and the power of working together for a common good.

From LORD of the Rings: Galadriel speaking to Frodo

But even now there is hope left. I will not give you counsel, saying do the, or do that. For not in doing or contriving, nor in choosing between this course and another, can I avail; but only in knowing what was and is and in part also what shall be. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true.

“While the Company is true” … it couldn’t be better said of G.I. Joe and Company - remain true to one another, save one another, work with and for one another - while the “folks back home” like to think of their soldiers carrying the weight of freedom and defending their homes, in reality, in combat and the rigors of war, it’s not the “lofty” thoughts that compel a soldier, but the immediate thoughts of comrades … those with whom they’re fighting, the guy in the trench, the fox hole, right next to you … you know his name, and you know that he can depend on you, because you won’t fail, and you know that you can depend on him, because he won’t fail, either.

From Gettysburg to Ukraine, soldiers fight for one another, and that’s how they fight for us!

The power of the Company …

Behind the immediate work, toil and hardship, the larger purpose, the first purpose … it may not be on the mind at any given moment, but it’s the compelling power behind those who command, who see the maps, and weigh the larger strategic issues, one against the other, bearing the burden of potential loss, and the hope for victory.

Behind everything, the first purpose - to preserve the world of freedom, democracy, human dignity and the rights of all to seek life, to do their best, to make something of themselves, to find their place in the world, as life has given life to them. 

Or, as I might say in a sermon, As God has given life to life, so preserve it, with all your might … and more specially, is this not love?

To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. Everything, says Jesus, hangs on these two commandments.

Ultimate purpose - the universe, God, the final mystery and power of the stars - gives life … receive it with joy, protect it for all, enlarge upon it, and pass it on.

It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened.

But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why.

But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand.I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going, because they were holding on to something.

That there is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.

There is good, there is evil … and there’s no value in denying the reality of evil.

As Serpentor says:

Know that I am the one you seek! I am the one born to rule, destined to conquer! Let those who fear me follow me. Let those who oppose me die! For I am Serpentor, and this I command!

Saving grace … that which keeps the Company true … loyalty to the great dreams of America … 

That which keeps the violence in check … a necessary violence.

It’s dangerous to speak of “necessary violence” in defense of freedom, but do we have a choice.

I’m a pacifist of sorts, but not an absolutist … 

I think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great German theologian who finally decided, that for the sake of loving his nation and seeking the greater good, he could no longer stand by and watch his nation plunge ever deeper into the maelstrom of hate. So he joined forces with some family members and friends in the military, all opposed to Hitler, to engage in a plot to assassinate Hitler, the bomb plot, which ultimately failed, and in its failure, the Nazis were able to identify the perpetrators, arrest them, and murder them.

Bonhoeffer knew that his participation in the bomb plot was a step toward evil, but a necessary violence to save the nation from further bloodshed and destruction. 

The question of a “just war” comes into play, and I will say, clearly, that such a notion is fraught with danger, especially as nations, driven by self-interest, can easily dress up their little wars, or big wars, of conquest.

I have no doubt that WW1 and WW2 qualify as “good wars” to defeat the forces of imperialism (WW1) and fascism and militarism (WW2) … but the war in Vietnam, for example, was a misconstrual if ever there was one … perhaps the first invasion of Iraq was justified, and when Saddam was ousted, the war ended. The second invasion, because of alleged “weapons of mass destruction” was a mistake, at least in my judgment.

But the point is clear: history is a mixed bag.

In the stories of ancient Israel, we have King Saul, a decent sort of guy, but unqualified to lead … then along comes King David, a gifted, brilliant leader, but also a man of cruelty and craven character. After him, his son Solomon, noted for his wisdom, but in the end, imposing upon his people the harshest kind rule.

As Bonhoeffer himself said (my summary): Rarely can we choose between good and bad … most of our choices are between good and good, or bad and bad.”

It’s not a clear, clean, world in which we live … we need police, we need armies, we need the means to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Can the very means of protection run amok?

Of course they can.

Police brutality … or a jaded foreign policy … it can all go south in a hurry. It shows up in the Joes, too … the killing of others, in defense of liberty and truth, takes a huge toll on the human spirit. Yet the Joes ward off the worst of it and maintain their balance.

In terms of the American government, a strong and healthy civilian leadership balances the inherent dangers faced by the military. It’s a solid working relationship vital to the wellbeing of our nation - a strong military and a wise civilian leadership … when it works well, it works to the advantage of liberty and justice, and provides both a context of restraint for the military, and, at the same time, reminds the civilian leadership to not “lag in zeal” when it comes to protecting democracy.

G.I. Joe is the quintessential message of necessary evil in this world of ours, a violence that can be kept in check by loyalty, patriotism (not nationalism, please), and a willingness to sacrifice life and limb for the purposes of democracy and freedom.

There is a fundamental reality here lifted up in all the Joe stories: strength for the sake of freedom, and never for its own sake.

This is the spirituality of the Joe story … and the heart of the Christian message … Jesus, if you will, life and limb given for the sake of creation, to preserve its goodness and peace … no holding back on this purpose - life given totally for the sake of others.

Spirituality?

Religion?

Of course - all woven together in the good stories of G.I. Joe, in the brilliant writing of gifted story tellers and in the artists who bring it all to life.