Rather than tell lies about others to have them labeled as communists, the new McCarthyism is to lie about yourself from being labeled a communist (or worse, a woke liberal)
Irrationality in the Republican ranks
I rarely hang out on Facebook and I think I have been to TikTok maybe twice. But I friend of mine posted a link to a TikTok video that I loved. You’ll find that link here: Keep America Ignorant I don’t know what this person’s political beliefs are but there is SO much in the current cultural war that has been made political when it isn’t. Why don’t more Republicans who love this country and who actual have rational thought processes get engaged in the battle for our democracy? Instead we have right-wing sycophants who follow a single leader and thought thread to the exclusion of all others.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s voter rights, CRT, or health mandates to improve the health of the commonwealth, Republicans are against it. Why is that? Because there is a single off-kilter person whom they follow slavishly. No, I am not talking about Vladimir Putin, I am talking about Donald Trump. Why do they follow this guy? Because of fear. Fear to think independently. Fear to lean into what is right. Most of these folks are Christian. How do they reconcile their terrible behavior with the Truth?
I am not the smartest guy in the room. I am just grumpy. Because of what I DON’T see: moving this country forward takes BOTH parties. It takes collaboration. It takes compromise. We see the current outcome of single party imposing its will on the people when we look at Russia. Shouldn’t that cause us to row *together* and save this democratic ship before it completely runs aground?
The Danger of “the believable lie”
If I posted every thought I had about politics and lies, this would be a depressing blog indeed. I have to admit that my thoughts and reactions have been evolving over the past 5 years of political churn so although I don’t post very often, I can see where two posts may seem in opposition to each other. On the subject of lying, my view hasn’t changed: The “believable lie” is the most culturally destructive force on the planet.
Anyone who can clearly discern truth and is willing to accept truth, even though it may be an uncomfortable truth, probably feels under assault daily. We focused on the obvious untruths that flowed like water out of the Trump administration, but recent events in Ukraine have reminded me that lying to shift the mindset of a nation isn’t limited to the USA. We see that Russia, the originator of the art misinformation to blind the masses, has one-upped the US.
What I find most interesting is that believable lies often end in violence. Early on in our history it was the lie of the inferiority of black people. That led to subjugation and death, which continues today. More recently it was the lie that the last Presidential election was “stolen” and that led to the insurrection at the Capitol and the death of several. Our penchant for accepting “little white lies” has resulted in us being able to stomach BIG lies; Lies that take on a life of their own, lies that hurt, maim and kill, not only physically, but intellectually and spiritually.
Listen to what Putin says about the Ukraine: That it has a puppet regime supported by the West. That the West is supporting Neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine that suppress democracy. He, and his supporters, say these lies with complete conviction and repeat them often which makes the barefaced lie into a believable lie over time. The same tactics my friends in the Republican Party use to press their lies forward. Say anything with conviction and repetitiously, and it becomes “true”. That makes this Republican grumpy.
I am not sure what will be the way out, both for the US and the nest of lies that drive the culture and for Ukraine and the nest of lies that drives the Russian forces forward. The solution used to be to find the truth and embrace it. But with more information available to us than ever before, our ability to discern truth and then accept it has become more and more diminished.
As a Christian, my hope doesn’t reside in the ability of people to “get it”. Truth resides only in one place: our Triune God. So, if you are a praying person, pray that truth, God’s truth, will take hold in hearts that both broken and corrupted by sin. There is only One Way out.
Freedom in 2019
I doubt my resolution to keep up this blog will succeed but it is worth a shot: I resolve to be more regular in my blogging. Job and subject matter not withstanding, I hope I can make good on my resolve…
We think that freedom is lost when we are denied some prior right to access. Perhaps loss of freedom is when we could speak freely and no longer are granted that right. Or cross borders whenever and wherever we would like. But the current administration is stripping freedoms from us daily and we hardly notice. We used to freely discuss inconsistencies and challenge bad or misleading data. We are no longer allowed to do that as it is labeled “fake news”. In fact, normal discussion is no longer allowed. The discussion can only be about the President Himself. Discussing facts or engaging in dialog is no longer tolerated if it doesn’t center on the President. There is no freedom to make America Great in any way but the President’s way. All other avenues are “liberal conspiracies” or “deep state” activities.
There are gross exaggerations and outright lies coming from this administration every day. Without truth, there can be no freedom. Freedom is the living out of the truth of our Design every day. Freedom is acting on the truths that drive us onward daily. Lies derail freedom in every way. An administration that does not operate on the basis of truth is is as free as a dictatorship.
I marvel that our President can lie so openly and still receive support from his base. Most recently he insulted our Military by promising, in a lie, that they will finally receive, after a 10 year wait, their first raise. A raise of 10 percent! No doubt the families of the military would appreciate and even deserve a 10 percent raise. But it was a lie. But then again, lying is a natural as breathing in this administration.
My hope in 2019 is that somehow this damaged and broken and perhaps sinking ship of state with right itself in truth. We need the freedom that truth can only bring.
A slight change of plan
Yeah, still grumpy but I’ll tell ya, there is just TOO much to complain about as a conservative these days. Our “Tweeter in Chief” continues disappoint and enrage, so who needs another voice adding that cacophony? So, I am going to take a broader approach to blogging. Rather than try to maintain my three blogs, I am going to stick to two. One tech, one non-tech (mostly), this one…
Stand by…
Embrace it
Indeed. One of my favorite comics, Non Sequitur had this yesterday:
http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2017/03/18
I love it! Embrace the Inanity ! As I oscillate between hope and despair, the solution may well be to just embrace the weirdness of this time in US politics and roll with it. I have noticed that tactic now from a few of my “POTUS Supporter” friends on Facebook. Even if I post a refutation of some Twitter rant that clearly is based on dementia, perfidious postulating, or paranoia, the response is a “smiley” emoticon or some other oblique response. I think that is so folks who are not enamored of the current POTUS, look like “haters” or some other malcontents. TWO can play at that game and Wiley Miller nails it. Embrace the Inanity!
I’ll need to lower my IQ a bit, easily done by listening to country music, so my intellect won’t be too overtaxed by trying to reconcile the completely inane statements that emanate from the White House with reality. Just embrace it!
I’ll TRY…
Where to begin?
I haven’t been able to keep up with all the inane Executive orders rolling in from Pennsylvania avenue. But, let’s start with the ban on refugees from the 7 Muslim countries our “Fearless Leader” recently signed. Apparently, he isn’t too fearless because the reason given for the EO was to ensure our safety (his too, presumably). So, that set me to wondering….of the 85,000 refugees and the subset of 38,000 that were Muslim that came to the US in 2016, how many actually committed a terrorist act? How many are we aware of that actually planned a terrorist act and were caught? And, of course, the condemning statistic that makes this such a joke is how many US citizens committed terrorist acts here without having to worry about an entry visa? This is all “straw man” politics! Raising the specter of nations of Muslims just waiting for a visa so that they can commit terrorist acts here. That dog don’t hunt, as they say here in Texas.
This delivered to us by a self proclaimed genius of a businessman! Well, any businessman worth his salt makes decisions based on hard facts and there aren’t any facts to back him up. Just “alternative facts” can can be neither retrieved or refuted.
The goal is pretty clear: POTUS will sign executive orders that will confirm and support his campaign promises and when they eventually get overturned by congress, the courts or the will of the people, he will blame the Democrats, judges of Mexican heritage, and Liberals in thwarting his efforts. If the White House even dug down a fingernail’s depth, they would find plenty of conservatives like me, grumpy and not so grumpy, that think his approach is all wrong. A little rationality and compassion might even turn the tide. But, as it is, compassion has no place in the White House and rationality, well, let’s just say it appears to have taken a vacation….