Warnings confirmed! Again. Our Mental map is failing us.

 

Today’s two newspapers I’ve monitored daily for decades are ladened with stories and opinions confirming my warnings that things are going to get a lot worse before we wake up to our delusions that hope, elections, and charity will turn things around.  I decided to blog about today’s tsunami of evidence even before reading the Post’s “Today’s World View” article by Ishaan Tharoor titled “From Climate Change to civil wars, global crisis are not slowing down in 2024”.  Tharoor calls himself “your humble harbinger of bad tidings” then goes on to apologize “There’s lots that can go wrong in 2024, and many crisis that will get worse.” 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/22/global-crises-humanitarian-war-2034-year-sudan-palestine-myanmar-burkina-faso/

And after you reading it you might notice half a dozen (or more) other trends he didn’t mention.  Pandemics, the evolution of weaponry with AI, the new human induced mass extinction of species, accumulating toxic waste, relentless micro plastics, growing volume of space junk, or the five other sources of massive harm to our vital national or global electrical grids.  Any of which will likely contribute to a cascade of chaos given that each is linked to other problems for which viable and affordable solutions have been ignored for decades.  Just as we have ignored the irrefutable assertion that “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....” Jen Easterly, Director of Cyber & Infrastructure Security Agency, Oct. 29, 2021. (FYI: CISA is our nation’s newest US federal agency created during the middle of the Trump Administration).

As time allows me this morning, I will continue to add specific news stories from both papers to this blog post.  Normally these would be clippings that would be inserted into one of hundreds of specific “issues” files I’ve maintained for nearly 40 years.  But today these collected stories will all be put in a special file labeled “Dec 17, 2023 – two days after ‘Joy to the World”.  Then put into a bookshelf nookie titled “warnings Ignored”, along with a few other special books and articles.

[Jan 5 update.  I've been so overwhelmed and distracted by other undesirable trends that I didn't list any from Dec. 17...or even file them properly.  And today's two newspapers have multiple articles regarding the trends pointing to another world war.  Both stories of the expansions of conflict in Middle East and Ukraine...with Russia using N. Korean missiles - and China making moves to gain support in the Pacific.]

Unlikely to have grandchildren of my own this special collection of issues and their history will hopefully excuse me from being blamed for not trying to stop the catastrophic future consequences that are coming.  Inevitable consequences!  Consequences because of my generation’s delusional ‘Mind map’ that believed our US Constitution could be the savior of our American freedoms and security.  This and each political party’s fatal ‘hope’ that elections would finally enable our elected officials to achieve the desired seven intentions in its Preamble.  So much for a “woke” people.

My very first hit of morning news actually came from listening to another C-span interview with another book author in C-span’s series of ‘books that have influenced’ our nation’s readers.  DECEMBER 27, 2023 | PART OF WASHINGTON JOURNAL 12/27/2023   Washington Journal.  Michael Barone on His Book Mental Maps of the Founders.  Washington Examiner senior political analyst Michael Barone talked about his book, Mental Maps of the Founders: How Geographic Imagination Guided America’s Revolutionary Leaders.    After hearing only the last five minutes of this interview and his reference to the prophetic phrase regrading “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” he offered his limited historic history of where this phrase originated, and why.  This may spur me to write a future blog using what I’ve already collected researching it.  So much to do....so little time!

 

 

 

 

 

God Bless America? or all people and nature.

 

Every Christmas every American should be reminded that Jesus was not an American.  But he and other spiritual leaders did provide our nation with the most profound reasoning for every nation’s existence. To ensure the protection of human life and the environment. This holy intention for every religion can be found in the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence.  Unfortunately, what most patriotic Americans think and feel about Christmas is a result of what we have learned from well-intentioned patriotic propaganda.  From both political parties.

 I’m guessing such ‘American’ patriotic pride has been the result of our nation’s wars with others.  Starting with our gaining freedom from the King of England.  Unfortunately, that only turned out to be for us rich white guys with the creation of the US Constitution.  Even after a Civil War forced that great error - putting states right above human rights- our shallow ‘national patriotism still exists.  And in both the north and the southern states, and not always in the same way.  But our worship of the US Constitutional still infects our minds as a proud ‘truth’.  It exists in the MAGA crowd, and even those who’s heart swells with the phrase ‘God bless America’ – without saying ‘To hell with the rest of the world’.

 President Donald Trump and those who voted for him did NOT take our nation in a Godly direction.  I have no doubt that many sincerely believed they did.  And still do.  I will give Trump credit for doing one profoundly wise thing (remembering that even a broken clock is right twice a day).  And that thing was not his leadership in demanded that scientists rapidly develop a Covid vaccine.  They would have done that for any President.   Trump deserves great credit for listening to whomever insisted that he create a new federal agency (CISA, the Cyber & Infrastructure Security Agency) and the director that remains there still.  Oct. 29, 2021, that Director, Jen Easterly said, “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....”

 That profound truth is difficult for most Americans to even grasp!  And most still don’t see its relevance to protecting nearly every aspect of our lives every day into our future, and our children’s future.   

 Someone once said, ‘that a lie, said once, is a lie.   But a lie repeated a 1000 times becomes the truth.’  There is truth to that saying. But it’s not an objective truth.  It’s only a political, economic, or religious truth (note the three types of truth that Neil Deas Tyson offered). 

It was the Truth’s that we hold to be self-evident that reflect the fundamental principles we must abide to sustain us, our nation, and the rest of the world (including the health of nature that supports all life on this glorious planet).  The science of climate change is not exact.  But it’s far more objective that the opinions of those who hold political, economic, or varying religious truths as self-evident. 

Scientists can get things horrifically wrong.  As a biology student at Colorado State University in the mid-70s, I was taught that world hunger was a result of overpopulation. And that overpopulation was a threat to our species.  It was logical to believe. It made sense - and I went on to teach that to others.  Until 1979 when I learned it wasn’t true.  I’m sure my professor’s believed it was.  They didn’t lie.  But I felt hugely betrayed. And what I learned from that is to question everything.  Including whatever assumption science might present.  But I still trust science’s findings, which are infinitely more reliable than political, religious, or economic truths.

And I don’t believe we have a Christian nation no matter how many people believe it.  Truth is not a function of popular vote.  Just because a majority wants it...doesn’t mean it’s right, needed, healthy, or sustainable.

Real American patriotism would lead to a new “Interdependent” political party.  It would consist of citizens who are now political party homeless.  Those who believe that all people are created equal and endowed by nature/God. with fundamental rights to survive and thrive.  They would pledge “Liberty and justice for all” and mean it!  Because they know that ‘all’ can’t have liberty absent global justice.  They would know that freedom requires a virtuous people who voluntarily follow the Golden Rule and protect the environment (God’s creation).  

Unfortunately, our “American” ignorance or arrogance keeps us from understanding these fundamental truths.  And we believe our democracy and the next election will make things better. 

Voting for anyone who is running for office only encourages them.  Spend your time educating those who are already in the office.    It’s clear to everyone already there now that democracy doesn’t work for the average guy of any party.  Functional policy makers need to prioritize everyone doing well. Not just US citizens.  And that isn’t going to happen without wisdom and systemic change.

Today on C-Span’s Washinton Journal, David Pepper. Author of a new book “Saving Democracy:  A users guide for every American” told a truth when he said, “Democracy is a constant fight”. ‘Not just an event that happens every federal election with short term thinking’.  Or a battlefield every 2 to 4 years to win a few swing states. It must be a much broader battle. Another truth he spoke...we must “see the problem clearly.”  But he doesn’t.

He goes off the rail believing that any current US government can actually achieve any of the seven intentions mentioned in our Constitution’s preamble.

 He speaks wisely urging us consider our individual civic “footprint” of influence in our life.  Think about all we do and depend on for nearly everything in our home and society.  From utilities to schools, to churches, volunteer groups, garden clubs...   Our participation in each of these makes each of us an influential entity.  It is your sovereign right and even duty to use it.  Find others who you can speak to.  Discuss what’s most important to you and your family.  Look for common ground, organize them, and if possible, convince them that their citizenship means far more than just voting.  

 But democracy is NOT what we should be fighting for.  I don’t want Trump to be President.  Or Joe Biden.  Or anyone who doesn’t desire ‘justice for all’, ‘protecting basic human rights’. and the environment we all depend on.   I would favor a dictator whose priority was these three things.  If the majority doesn’t favor these, they get what they deserve.   If you haven’t noticed that is what “we the people” have.  A dysfunctional government.   Democracy is only important in that it allows people to speak and worship freely.  They can have their say. 

But what we really need is the global “Rule of Law” and have that clearly defined.  That is an ideal with the potential to sustainably maximize humanity's freedoms and security for generations.  To do this it must have three essential elements. First, the laws must be made and enforced by a democratic process. But that’s never enough.  Second, the laws must be applied equally to all people regardless of sex, wealth, skin color, religion, nationality, ethnicity…). And last, the only purpose of any law is the protection of human rights (see Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and our environment (funding the SDGs).  These are essential to sustaining the health and prosperity of future generations for thousands of years.

It will take more than hope, votes, prayers, and a very strong feeling about Jesus, or being an American to make that happen.

 

 

Joy to the World! Is possible. If that is truly what we desire.

 

“Joy to the World!”  A Christmas Carol and a future Blue Christmas.

I wish ‘Joy to the world’ were the prime Christian theme EVERY Christmas ...as well as every other day of the year for those who aspire to walk the path of Jesus.  That’s my religious fantasy.  And now a possible action plan.     The Christmas Carol was inspired by “Psalm 98”.  It “sent the English poet Isaac Watts to his desk in 1719 to pen one of the most beloved hymns of all time. “ Robert Knight  “When heaven and nature sing:  The wonders of God's love.”  December 25, 2023 Washington Times op-ed.  Knight said “It was a melding of heaven and earth, with heaven providing the light and love that make life worth living.”  (full op-ed and song lyrics at the bottom).  This is one of two reasons why this Christmas season will be my last depressing ‘Bah-humbug’ season.

Knight’s Washington Times op-ed and the Washington Post editorial both offered me a new vision of how Americans and maybe humanity could transform this commercialized consumption-oriented holiday season into increasingly urgent need to take care of nature - and each other.  The idea of a “Blue Christmas” detailed in the Washington Post 'This Christmas, share the most precious gift: Your time" made me cry like a baby.  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/24/christmas-loneliness-community-time/   

I’ve never been able to reconcile the dark gap between the joy expected of everyone in this special season of love versus the unimaginable toll of preventable deaths, suffering, loneliness, and environmental destruction that “we the people” and our governments continue to allow. 

There is no rational, moral, or justifiable excuse for this debilitating greed, apathy, indifference, and the belief that we are separate and independent from one another and nature.  

The epidemic of loneliness in the US alone has been called our nation’s greatest health problem by our nation’s own Surgeon General.  And that burden is growing globally with the hopelessness more people feel each day given the mounting unsustainable trends and growing political and religious polarization.   The Blue Christmas meme could go global if Christianity and all other religions believing in the Golden Rule could understand the reality that “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....” Jen Easterly, Director of Cyber & Infrastructure Security Agency, Oct. 29, 2021. CISA is the newest US federal agency.

It is in this light that of the words in the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” can be best understood as true ‘faith based’ patriotism   And what is possible for the sustainability of nature, humanities’ future, and all nations.   

Every day for the last 30 years I have monitored both the moderate Washington Post and the conservative Washington Times newspapers searching for relevant stories on current issues related to our health, culture, community, national, and global security.  I note both troubling trends and workable/affordable solutions for seemingly hopeless problems.   And today, it feels like I hit the jackpot.  

Sure!  The Israel/Hamas and Ukraine/Russia wars (and other conflicts we don’t hear much about have no peaceful end in sight.  Followed by no solution to the dysfunction of our political two-party system dominated by Christian and Jewish citizens.  Not until we collectively grasp and globally apply the self-evident truths of the founding principles so wisely expressed in our Declaration of Independence.

After this day I will no longer shed tears over this profoundly sad and deadly disconnect.  Christmas for me will now focus on a community event to bring people together instead of being focused on a family gathering to exchange gifts and overeat.  I’m certain this is what Jesus would most approve of.  And instead of being a warm/stressful but unmemorable family gathering it could be growing spiritual community event.

Washington Post editorial board’s opinion 'This Christmas, share the most precious gift: Your time"   December 25, 2023

The holidays are a season of joy, which for many Americans peaks on Christmas Day. Yet there is another side to the celebrations, as the Rev. Stephen Blonder Adams of downtown Cleveland’s Old Stone Church, a Presbyterian congregation, learned when he began advertising a “Blue Christmas” service last year. The idea was to offer a gathering just for people struggling with sadness and loss; he expected five attendees or so. Nearly 60 showed up, including an elderly couple who drove 45 minutes from Akron to attend.

Christian congregations around the country are seeing a similar trend: high demand for holiday-season services specially designed for those who find grief and loneliness as much a part of the yuletide experience as parties and gifts.

At Washington National Cathedral, the Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope began this year’s Blue Christmas service on Dec. 19 with this message: “We take time this evening to acknowledge that the holidays are emotionally difficult for many. For those who have lost loved ones, this time of year can be lonely. For those who have lost relationships, employment or suffered financial or any other setbacks, it can be a time of fear, uncertainty, pain and confusion.” Later in the evening, the Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin Sr. offered hope: “For all of us who have gathered and find ourselves in need tonight, we are not forgotten.”

The United States and much of the world are in the midst of a loneliness epidemic. Despite being connected to seemingly everything online, people are struggling to make deep and meaningful connections in real life. The coronavirus pandemic forced many to retreat — literally — inside their homes, and more than 1.1 million Americans died of covid-19. The nation is still dealing with the grief and fallout, even as social media culture urges society to move on. Young people, especially, are finding it difficult to build in-person friendships and connections again. And a body of research shows that a sense of connection to others determines well-being as much as physical or medical factors.

Each December, it’s easy to get caught up in the seasonal rush. To finish work projects. To decorate the house. To wrap the presents. To bake cookies. To check the to-do list — repeatedly. But this Christmas, let’s remember that the best gift of all is giving of our time.  A year from now, almost no one will remember whether the turkey or ham was perfectly cooked. What friends and family will remember is who was around the table for the meal. Or who took an extra moment at work to really listen to what you had to say. Or that person who shared a laugh with you and made your day a bit brighter as you both waited in the long checkout line at the grocery store.

Many of the most beloved Christmas tales and movies — such as “A Christmas Carol,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Home Alone” — convey the message that life is better when lived among community and family. It’s a moral so familiar, it can seem trite. Yet the United States is a nation diverging from its lore, now often described as a nation divided — or self-absorbed. Many lament that volunteerism is declining and nonprofits are struggling to find people to help those in need. Social clubs and other groups that make up America’s uniquely vibrant civil society are fraying.

But there is reason to hope. This month, someone asked on the social media site Reddit, “Is there an everyday skill the typical American possesses that people outside of the U.S. typically struggle with?” One of the top answers was Americans’ skill at talking with complete strangers. Americans are known to strike up conversations everywhere — in elevators, in checkout lines and in restaurants with the diners sitting at the next table over. It’s a reminder of our ability and our yearning to connect with others.

This Christmas, take time to reach out to family, friends, colleagues, the neighbor you haven’t heard from in a while. Say hello to a stranger and ask whether they’re okay. Spend that extra minute. Time is the most valuable present anyone can give — or receive.

 

WASHINGTON Times:  Best Christmas carol   “When heaven and nature sing:  The wonders of God's love.”  By Robert Knight   December 25, 2023

At Christmastime, we're surrounded by sights and sounds that remind us not only that God loves us but also all of his creation.  It was Psalm 98 that sent the English poet Isaac Watts to his desk in 1719 to pen one of the most beloved hymns of all time, "Joy to the World."  The psalm begins with a celebration about singing to the Lord a "new song."  Midway through, it says:  All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. … Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it.” Nature and humanity were instantly sanctified when God embodied himself as a baby born in Bethlehem to a Jewish virgin. This was no esoteric outpouring of a personality-free "force." It was a melding of heaven and earth, with heaven providing the light and love that make life worth living. In "Joy to the World," every living thing celebrates the birth of Christ, even "fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains" that "repeat the sounding joy." The opening verse exuberantly proclaims:  Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heav'n and nature sing, And heav'n and nature sing, And heav'n, and heav'n, and nature sing. About 3,500 years ago, under divine direction, Moses wrote the Book of Genesis, explaining that nature and the universe were the creation of a God who wanted not only to become known to people but also to be worshipped. To ancient humans, nature was often viewed as a strange mix of mystical forces that were sometimes useful and often dangerous. Because it is our bent to worship something, nature became an extension of various gods who, according to myth, capriciously interfaced with people. Time and again, although blessed with direct revelation, including the Ten Commandments, God's chosen people — the nation of Israel — succumbed to the pagan customs of the surrounding peoples, some of whom they had conquered. When God had enough of their idol worship and child sacrifice, he smote them badly, only to forgive and restore them when they repented. It happened over and over, and it's how God deals with us, letting our sins take us to self imposed bad outcomes before we ask forgiveness and are restored. But why does God require worship when God doesn't need anything from us to run the universe? Because the Lord is holy and gave us life, we do it out of love and gratitude. God also knows that if we don't worship him, we will fall into worshipping idols of our own making: carved wooden figures, bank balances, iPhones, sports teams and movie stars. We're also tempted either to treat nature badly by draining it of any meaning beyond the material or to worship it instead of its maker. Moderns like to make fun of the ancients, who saw mystical forces in the stars and clouds and heard voices in the roar of the seas. Having achieved so much through science and industry, we sometimes forget how little we know about reality and worlds yet to be glimpsed. We forgo the poetry of creation at our own expense. Infinite variety astounds us in both directions, from a million moving parts in each human cell to a cosmos full of galaxies millions of light-years away. A healthy, joyful appreciation of its mysteries as a springboard to spiritual insight into God's love is what C.S. Lewis called "the deeper magic," not to be confused with witchcraft or parlor tricks. Behind it all is a God who obviously has a sense of humor since he created us. But God also exudes justice. He does not take sin lightly, having shown us better ways to live. But God also has such a deep love for us that he sent part of himself — his only begotten Son Jesus — to live a brief, miraculous life 2,000 years ago before dying for the sins of the world. After Isaac Watts wrote "Joy to the World," music publisher Lowell Mason in Boston put it to music 117 years later, and it became one of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time. It is the Sustainable Development Goals humanity must rally around to take care of nature and our human family.  Failing that...our descent into hell on earth is inevitable. The final verse is sublime: He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love. If you listen with an open heart, whether on a snowy city street or on a tropical path, you can feel the deeper magic. And you might hear heaven and nature sing. Robert Knight is a columnist for The Washington Times. His website is roberthknight.com.  Copyright (c) 2023 Washington Times , Edition 12/25/2023

 ***************************

 

Joy to the World with lyrics is a Popular Christmas carol.  Praising God and his earth and nature creation.

 

Joy to the world, the Lord is come

Let Earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And Heaven and nature sing

And Heaven and nature sing

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns

Let all their songs employ

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love (and wonders of His love)

And wonders of His love (and wonders of His love)

And wonders, wonders of His love

Joy to the world, the Lord is come

Let Earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And Heaven and nature sing (and Heaven and nature sing)

And Heaven and nature sing (and Heaven and nature sing)

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the world, the Lord is come

Let Earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And Heaven and nature sing (and Heaven and nature sing)

And Heaven and nature sing (and Heaven and nature sing)

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

 

 

You may remember the 'other' Joy to the World' song's hippy lyrics from 1970

(Evidence of love for nature and replenishing the human race ;-) .. suggesting some affinity for "the Laws of Nature and Nature's God" (take care of nature and one another)

 

"if I were the king of the world

Tell you what I'd do

I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the war”

Make sweet love to you

Sing it now, joy to the world

All the boys and girls

Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea

Joy to you and me."

Is the US in decline?

“The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been two hundred years.

These nations have progressed through this sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith;

from spiritual faith to great courage;

from courage to liberty;

from liberty to abundance;

from abundance to selfishness;

from selfishness to complacency;

from complacency to apathy;

from apathy to dependence;

from dependency back again into bondage.” Sir Alex Fraser Tyler: (1742-1813) 

"The normal cycle in the life and death of great nations has been first a powerful tyranny broken by revolt, the enjoyment of liberty, the abuse of liberty -- and back to tyranny again. As I see it, in this country -- a land of the most persistent idealism and the blandest cynicism -- the race is on between its decadence and its vitality." - Alistair Cooke

"You know your country is dying when you have to make a distinction between what is moral and ethical, and what is legal." -- John De Armond

"The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded."    -- C. L. De Montesquieu   [Montesquieu, Charles Louis de Secondat] (1689-1755) Baron de Montesquieu    Source: The Spirit of the Laws, VIII, 1752

"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." Theodore Roosevelt - (1858-1919) 26th US President - Source: letter 01/10/1917

Give a school grade to each of the seven intentions in the Preamble to our U.S. Constitution

To form a more perfect Union

To establish justice

To insure domestic tranquility

To provide for the common defense

To promote the general welfare

To secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

To establish and maintain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

"In every declining civilization there is a small 'remnant' of people who adhere to the right against the wrong; who recognize the difference between good and evil and who will take an active stand for the former and against the latter; who can still think and discern and who will courageously take a stand against the political, social, moral, and spiritual rot or decay of their day."  -- Donald S. McAlvaney   Source: Toward a New World Order, 360 (2nd ed. 1992)

“...we have two choices: either, live with all this —and condemn future generations to the same, or worse, if they have a future at all—or, make revolution!”  —Bob Avakian

"Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall, when the wise are banished from the public councils, because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded, because they flatter the people, in order to betray them." -- Justice Joseph Story : (1779-1845) US Supreme Court Justice 1833

"Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read it, 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read, 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty. -  Abraham Lincoln, Speeches and Writings, 1832-1858

“Civilization is fragile.  It’s continuance requires respect for the law, tough-minded education, collative thrift, private investment, individual self reliance, and common codes of behavior and civility, and it exempts no one from those rules.”  Victor Davis Hanson, Civilization in Reverse, Washington Times, 1-20-12  

Economic decline?   Moral decline?   Social decline?   Cultural decline?   Political decline? 

Scientific stall?   A Chinese official recently commented about their governments policy of growth saying the “Scientific revolution is the ultimate revolution”.  

From: <SIUHIN@aol.com>   Date: Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 8:30 PM   To: ufpj-activist@lists.mayfirst.org

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION REPORT ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Introduction:  The human rights situation in the United States of America has provoked serious concerns within the international community, American NGOs and mass media.

The present report is based upon verified information from authoritative international and national sources and summarizes broad factual information on multiple, including systemic, problems related to the human rights observance that the American society faces.

In the USA, among the most grave challenges are growing social inequality, racial, ethnic and religious discrimination, continuing detention of prisoners without charges presented, partial justice, prisons operating outside the legal field, torturing, governmental authorities influencing judicial processes, weak penitentiary system, restraint of freedom of speech, Internet censorship, legalized corruption, limitation of electoral rights of citizens, racial and ethnical intolerance, infringing children's rights, extraterritorial application of American law which leads to infringing human rights in other countries, kidnapping, "witch-hunt", disproportionate use of force against peaceful manifestations, death penalty applied to underage and mentally disabled offenders, etc.

That being said, international legal obligations of the USA are still limited to participation in three (1965 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1984 Convention against Torture) out of nine basic treaties on human rights that provide for control mechanisms. The USA has not yet ratified the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and 2006 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Such a situation makes a drastic contrast with the ambitions of the USA to become a global leader in the protection of democratic values, shows the double standard attitude actively used by the USA authorities and requires effective measures to resolve the large-scale problems that exist in the humanitarian and human rights areas in accordance with the international obligations of the USA…. (See the rest of the report at attachment; not provided)

 "The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out...without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable." H.L. Mencken 1880-1956 American journalist, satarist, social critic

There appears to be a consensus that America is in decline and our political system is sclerotic. Statistics can be tortured to make any point but some statistics are useful. The United States has the most expensive medical care in the world, yet ranks 50th in life expectancy. According to the CIA fact book in 2011 nations like Jordan and Greece are ahead of us.  cw

Fareed Zakaria genius falls short RE source of global insecurities.

    

Dear Editor,  (Washington Post never printed...)

Fareed Zakaria is a genius at explaining the basis of the global insecurities we all face today and difficulties ahead.  He appears however, to be blind to the fact that most threats exist due to our unquestioned endorsement of humanities flawed global governing system that puts the protection of national sovereignty above the protection of human rights.

Those who first approved our US Constitution made the same catastrophic error.  They codified states’ rights above the most basic human rights into our nations system of government.  That horrific compromise nearly three centuries ago inevitably led to a civil war that killed more Americans than all the wars our nation has fought in since then, combined!  

A massive blood loss that inspired Abraham Lincoln to write that our nation’s founding document, the “Declaration of Independence” is our “Apple of Gold”.  And our “constitution”, its “Frame of Silver” (a biblical reference).  This may explain why the phrase “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” are found in the first sentence of the Declaration.  These two sets of laws providing profound logic for the best-known phrase asserting that we are all created equal and endowed with certain “inalienable rights”...and among them are the right to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’

And after the horrors of World War II (the greatest loss of human life from any war) humanity endorsed on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - idealizing a rationally sane path to “Never Again!”  Unfortunately, those who created the UN made a similar compromise establishing the protection of national sovereignty above human rights.  That clearly never worked.

Those who believe peace, freedom, security, and a sustainable environment are possible under existing international law and the US Constitution are simply delusional.   Both systems are based on an imaginary mental construct -‘independence’ - which exists nowhere in the known universe.  Without our recognition that all of humanity is connected and irreversibly interdependent – both human law systems doomed to fail. 

The global eradication of smallpox (a virus that killed more humans than all of humanities wars, genocides, revolutions, and homicides combined) should have enlightened us to the need for a global approach.  

While it is clear that nations will not give up their sovereignty (something that rightly belongs to individuals and not governments, kings, or dictators -  it is possible for the business world to step in and invest in the protection of the most basic human rights-and the environment - by achieving the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.  

These goals represent the most comprehensive and holistic approach to undermining most of the global threats we face today.  Indebted governments and charity won’t do it.  And capitalism, to remain valid, must be about more than just making more profit.  And investing in sustainable communities globally would be a wise use of any business's obscene profits.  

Globalization is not going away.  But stable national governments are.  And without them, chaos and plunder will continue to rule the world.

 

NO Washington Post mention of Dec. 10th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the Sustainable Development Goals so far.

 

Dear Editor,  (you’ve had 3 days to alert me of any interest printing this letter.  I’m assuming you have none. And your paper has had zero mention of either UDHR or SDGs in all of December.)

 

George Will must get tired of always being right. In his “Two parties. Two spending solutions that won’t work” he offered phenomenal math evidence proving his point.  But he overlooked the fundamental principle of cost prevention.

Our persistent budget deficit and tsunami of US debt reflects a lack of will in our election sensitive reactionary government, because voters persist in electing who ever reacts the best to their party’s pet issue.   Meanwhile any wise investments in prevention are rarely seen. 

Will’s article was printed on Dec. 10^th, 2023, the 75^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was created after the horrors of World War II because those surviving clearly felt the need of preventing another war, genocide, or the use of WMD.  They believed the protect human rights was vital to this end.  But the UN was never given such power. And nations to this day fallen short of doing.  And humanity is now suffering the consequences with new national security threats like pandemics, environmental destruction, refugee flows, violent extremism, and populist leaders incapable of dealing effectively with any of these mounting pressures.  

Meanwhile, Mr. Will and the Washington Post failed to spotlight the one alternative we now have.  Buying them - by achieving the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

Last June, Bank of America Chair & CEO, Brian Moynihan spoke about the state of the economy, the U.S. financial system, and capitalism on C-span.   He said, ‘the SDGs will cost approximately’ “$6 trillion annually”. “Governments are too debt burdened” and “charity is insufficient”.  “Business leaders” “like the oil companies” and others need to step up and prioritize a balancing of ‘short-term gains’ with ‘long term interests’.  ‘Profits must be good for business and society down to the community level’.  “Capitalism” “requires a greater purpose than making more profit.’

* Interview hosted by the City Club of Cleveland.  Posted on C-span.  Program ID:  529044-1  https://www.c-span.org/video/?529044-1/bank-america-ceo-remarks-city-club-cleveland

The cost savings in blood and treasure from taking care of nature and people should be self-evident.   The costs of preparing for the consequences, or even building resilience in preparation for the preventable, is going to be deadly expensive. 

Civilization defined by others. Are we there yet?

The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been two hundred years.

These nations have progressed through this sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith-

from spiritual faith to great courage-

from courage to liberty-

from liberty to abundance-

from abundance to selfishness-

from selfishness to complacency-

from complacency to apathy-

from apathy to dependence-

from dependency back again into bondage.

Sir Alex Fraser Tyler: (1742-1813) Scottish jurist and historian

“How well a civilization protects its children, its elderly and animals is the single greatest mirror of its self-image and an indicator of its ascent or decline.” - Rising Serpent

"Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt". - H L Mencken

“The history of civilization is largely the history of weapons”.  George Orwell. 

"You can't say civilization don't advance... in every war they kill you in a new way." -  Will Rogers 

"History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline.  There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster."   General Douglas MacArthur   (1880-1964) WWII Supreme Allied Commander of the Southwest Pacific, Supreme United Nations Commander

“There is no social engineering that can radically renovate a civilization and change its character, and at the same time keep it going, for civilization is an affair of the human spirit, and the direction of the human spirit cannot be reset by means that are, after all, mechanical. The best thing is to follow the order of nature, and let a moribund civilization simply rot away, and indulge what hope one can that it will be followed by one that is better. This is the course that nature will take with such a civilization anyway, in spite of anything we do or do not do. Revolts, revolutions, dictatorships, experiments and innovations in political practice, all merely mess up this process and make it a sadder and sorrier business than it need be. They are only so much machinery, and machinery will not express anything beyond the intentions and character of those who run it.”  – Albert Jay Nock

"Civilization is the lamb’s skin in which barbarism masquerades." - Thomas Bailey Aldrich

"In the crowd, herd, or gang, it is a mass-mind that operates—which is to say, a mind without subtlety, a mind without compassion, a mind, finally, uncivilized." - Robert Lindner

'The central question is whether the wonderfully diverse and gifted assemblage of human beings on this earth really knows how to run a civilization." - Adlai Stevenson

"If we are to preserve civilization, we must first remain civilized." - Louis St. Laurent

"You're obliged to pretend respect for people and institutions you think absurd.  You live attached in a cowardly fashion to moral and social conventions you despise, condemn, and know lack all foundation.  It is that permanent contradiction between your ideas and desires and all the dead formalities and vain pretenses of your civilization which makes you sad, troubled and unbalanced.  In that intolerable conflict you lose all joy of life and all feeling of personality, because at every moment they suppress and restrain and check the free play of your powers.  That's the poisoned and mortal wound of the civilized world."  -- Octave Mirbeau  (1848-1917) French journalist, art critic, pamphleteer, novelist, and playwright.    Source: Torture Garden, "The Mission," Chapter 8 (1899 - Le Jardin des supplices)

"The true civilization is where every man gives to every other every right that he claims for himself": -   Robert Ingersoll 

“Civilization is a hopeless race to discover remedies for the evils it produces.” -  Rousseau 

“You can best serve civilization by being against what usually passes for it.” Wendell Berry

“Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones.  But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal.  A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts, Mead said. We are at our best when we serve others.”  Credit: Ira Byock   Here lies the drama of the story   https://allgoodthinking.com/arhive/4901/ 

GOP candidates and the media ignore today's 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the SDGs.

 

 

Yesterday several of the GOP presidential hopefuls spoke in Sioux Center, Iowa. Two students (Dawson and Allie Feenstra), children of Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), wrote a prayer.  Dawson read it.

Its second half -“WE PRAY THAT WE MAY CONTINUE TO BE ONE NATION UNDER YOUR REIGN, KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. WE PRAY FOR THE CANDIDATES TODAY. PLEASE GIVE THEM CLEAR MINDS AS THEY SHARE THEIR VISION FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE. WE ALSO PRAY FOR OUR CURRENT LEADERS AND ASK THAT THEY MAY LOOK TO YOU FOR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION. FILL THEM WITH WISDOM, JUSTICE AND MERCY. HELP THEM TO BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS. WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU HAVE THE COURAGE AND ABILITY TO BE THE DISCIPLES OF YOU, IN ALL THAT WE DO. WE PRAY THAT ALL THOSE HERE WILL BE BLESSED WITH YOUR DISCERNMENT TO CHOOSE A STRONG, GOD-FEARING LEADER, WHO WILL BRING PEACE, UNITY AND JUSTICE TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY. WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN.”   (The complete prayer text and C-span coverage link of the debate at the bottom.)

Taking this prayer seriously is hard.    First, most of ‘we the people’ within our un-united States rarely know “THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG”.  Half don’t vote the other half is under the illusion that voting can fix our dysfunctional government.   They believe that if a majority could impart their tribe’s values into our policy maker’s “CLEAR MINDS” “THEIR VISION FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE” would happen. 

Unfortunately, most people vote their special economic, religious, or political truths.  And they do not “LOOK” to Jesus “FOR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION”.  If they did they would find “WISDOM, JUSTICE AND MERCY” that could actually make their lives better, healthier, free, and safer. Maybe even more righteous.  

But most voters narrow, and often selfish beliefs rarely reflect any objective truths.  Those “Truths” that all Americans should now “hold” to be “self-evident” - that were clearly noted in our Declaration of Independence.  This profoundly patriotic Declaration along with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) are perhaps the two most important and valuable documents in human history. 

And if by chance you missed it in the news, today (Dec 10, 2023) is the 75^th anniversary of the UDHR.   While both documents written centuries apart both offer fundamental principles.  Wise principles that have been offered by faith, philosophy, and moral leaders for millennia.  No one in their sane mind would argue against the assertion that ‘All people are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights’ -- and among those are ‘the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’.  But not the ‘happiness’ that our culture today has ill-defined as persistently ‘feeling good’.  When originally written ‘happiness’ meant finding one’s bliss in one’s unique talent for best serving your community. 

Dr. Benjamin Rush (Thomas Jefferson’s friend and signer of the Declaration of Independence Jefferson drafted) suggested that Jefferson edit “happiness” out.  And replace it with “health”.   Again, one would be insane to argue against having a healthy mind, body, spirit, family, community, environment, economy, or sustainable political system maximining human freedoms and security.  Yet every person now has a different understanding of what happiness is.  It’s no coincidence that Thomas Paine wrote in the pamphlet “Common Sense” that protecting “freedom” and “security” are the only legitimate purpose of any form of government.  Why is our culture so sick?  Rates of suicide, obesity, mass shootings, depression, loneliness and medical care cost continue to climb.

Even more important is reading ‘Common Sense” pages leading up to the freedom/security assertion.  In those pages he makes clear that no man can live a healthy and sustainable life without others.  We need others to survive and thrive.  And must come together and negotiate a political solution for engineering a government system that will keep us from killing one another.   

I’m guessing if Thomas Paine were alive now, he would be shocked that our nation has lasted this long – being so blind to the wisdom, logic, and common sense he offered.  Basic principles that he had gained from the logic of others from other nations before his time.

I searched every article in today’s Washington Post for any mention of today’s special anniversary of the UDHR.  None!  But in its major editorial “An immigration solution south of the border” in the last two paragraphs it suggested “lawmakers spend less time worrying about border enforcement and devote more energy to helping to build an international framework enabling countries south of the border to absorb migrants...like a sponge”...“to help the Americas cope with what is becoming a crisis for everybody.”  Wow!  Investing in root causes instead of breaking the bank and dividing ourselves with expensive reactionary policies that will never work.

It was thrilling knowing that the Post editors finally made this ‘preventative’ case by stating a self-evident truth regarding the root of our border problem.  And the most cost-effective global means of ending it by alluding to “Honduras...immigrants from China, Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, India, and Uzbekistan.”   This example represents only one of multiple global push factors driving our nation deeper into debt.  Simply because US policy makers are elected by people who don’t understand the fundamental principle that- “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....”.  These were the words of Jen Easterly, Director of Cyber & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), our newest US federal agency in October 2022.

So in bringing “PEACE, UNITY AND JUSTICE TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY”, any GOP winner will need to be filled with “WISDOM, JUSTICE AND MERCY”.  But who will “HELP THEM TO BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS”.  Who will remind them of the fundamental value based in every religion - The Golden Rule?  Or that Abraham Lincoln called our Declaration of Independence our “Apple of Gold” and the Constitution it’s “Frame of Silver” (a biblical reference).     

Pray that GOP voters will “ALSO ASK THAT”  GOP candidates “HAVE THE COURAGE AND ABILITY” to make vital distinctions.  Like the difference between “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” referenced in the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence- and the laws they are favoring now.   Both political parties need to embrace the fundamental principle that “everything” in reality “interdependent”!  And the laws they prioritize must be congruent with “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God”. 

 What is so freaking complicated about ‘taking care of nature and each other’?  Wouldn’t any real Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, or indigenous culture deems this to be wise?    It perplexes me to this day...how complicated the world has become since we humans (in our glorified arrogance) have created human principles that are literally killing us by the thousands.  Flawed principles like ‘Peace through Strength’!  Instead of global peace via “liberty and justice for all”.  Those profound word you may recall being at the end of our “pledge of alliance” to our flag.  Or the flawed principle that ‘Market forces will take care of it’.   Covid19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the Hamas/Israel kill fest should kill that capitalist principle.  When people and corporations value profits for taking care of themselves while nature and billions of people suffer... don’t expect less chaos.    

Yet here’s two thrilling and encouraging bits of news from the last 4 months.  

1.       Last June, Bank of America Chair & CEO, Brian Moynihan spoke about the state of the economy, the U.S. financial system, and capitalism. *  He said, ‘the SDGs will cost approximately’ “$6 trillion annually”. “Governments are too debt burdened” and “charity is insufficient”.  “Business leaders” “like the oil companies” and others need to step up and prioritize a balancing of ‘short-term gains’ with ‘long term interests’.  ‘Profits must be good for business and society down to the community level’.  “Capitalism” “requires a greater purpose than making more profit. * Interview hosted by the City Club of Cleveland.  Posted on C-span.  Program ID:  529044-1  https://www.c-span.org/video/?529044-1/bank-america-ceo-remarks-city-club-cleveland

2.       And last week Wash Post Dec. 6^th printed addition,  “After long banning polio campaigns, Taliban declares war on the disease”   By Rick Noack.  The Taliban was once killing vaccine workers as a result of a flawed CIA tactic used to find DNA evidence to track Osama Bin Laden.  Now they are defending vaccination workers and clinics. Even forcing families to have their children vaccinated and insisting that their counterparts in Pakistan do the same. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/05/taliban-afghanistan-polio-vaccination/?itid=sr_1

WOW!  If only Americans and policy makers could have such a remarkable and beneficial change in beliefs.  FYI: When polio is finally eradicated globally - polio vaccines will no longer be needed.  But if we fail to eradicate that virus from earth it will only increase the possibility of it mutating - and the global campaign would need to continue. The global eradication of Smallpox decades ago started with a Soviet proposal.  An effective Smallpox vaccine had been available for decades. George Washington inoculated his troops against Smallpox 246 years ago.  His smarts back then may have played a decisive role in his rabbled rebel army defeating the un-inoculated British forces.  In 1997 a GAO study documented our nation’s domestic economic savings in investing just $32 million in the global eradication campaign - to be a US taxpayer savings of $17 billion.  Because we no longer needing to vaccinate our own children against Smallpox.  Prevention pays monstrous dividends!!

As with most other global investments in protecting children and other innocent lives, the environment, civil societies from war, genocide, terrorism, hunger, diseases, environmental degradation, and political polarization...we help ourselves and could save trillions of dollars.  Plus gaining the trust and helpful alliances for the chaotic days and years ahead.  They are coming unless we get serious about addressing the root causes of the multiple interconnected and interdependent problems humanity faces.

In our democracy there is something you can do as a citizen to make a significant difference.  And it’s not by voting.  Begin to develop a gentle and working relationship with your US Representative...regardless of their party affiliation (it’s a dirty job...but somebody other than oil lobbyists need to do it).  

Help inform him/her/they on the fundamental patriotic ideas expressed in our Declaration of Independence.  Encourage them to support the funding of the SDGs by advocating for businesses in their district to link their profit goals with the 17 SGDs while investing in the basic needs of people in your own local community.  Suggest they listen to the Bank of America CEO interview.  

You can personally inform others and encourage business leaders and other influential people in your congressional district to join on an ‘Open Letter’ intended to generate the political will in all 435 US Congressional Districts before the 2024 elections.  Expand their interests and values given that ‘everything is interconnected, interdependent, and vulnerable’.   And investing a moment of time by putting an ‘entity’  (not a personal name), but a current or former title of influence, after a business name, school, church or other entity of influence.  Then put the city and Congressional District in which it is located.  We are seeking at least 10 entities per US Congressional District by July 4^th, 2024.   Send your entity to 435campaign@earthlink.net.  Encourage others to join on the Open Letter.

Here is an example of how it will appear.  This is what has been done only in Maryland within the last two weeks.

MARYLAND

1.       Rotary Club of Rockville, President & former Presidents.    8CD

2.       United Nations Association, Former Chair. Rockville      8CD

3.       Maryland United for Peace and Justice, Catonsville, President.  7CD

4.       Baltimore Nonviolence Center, Director     7CD

5.       Alliance for Child Survival, Director. Rockville    8CD

6.       435 Campaign, Editor.  Rockville    8CD

7.       American Public Health Association, former Action Board member. Rockville.  8CD

8.       The Unforgotten, Executive Director & Board   7CD

9.       Friends of Redgate, Board.  Rockville     8CD

10.   I Support the Girls, Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator.  Rockville   8CD

11.   Girl Scout Troop 34247, Leaders.  Silver Spring    8CD

The SDGs are targeted for 2030.   We are more than half way there.  And more than hope and prayer is needed. 

**********************

PRAYER:  WILL YOU PLEASE BOW YOUR HEAD AND PRAY WITH ME? OUR LORD AND HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO GATHER TOGETHER THIS MORNING TO TALK FREELY ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENT WITH THOSE WHO WANT TO GOVERN. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THIS COUNTRY WE LIVE IN, WHERE WE CAN OPENLY WORSHIP AND PRAY WITHOUT PERSECUTION. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MINDFUL BLESSINGS THAT YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON OUR NATION. WE PRAY THAT WE MAY CONTINUE TO BE ONE NATION UNDER YOUR REIGN, KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. WE PRAY FOR THE CANDIDATES TODAY. PLEASE GIVE THEM CLEAR MINDS AS THEY SHARE THEIR VISION FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE. WE ALSO PRAY FOR OUR CURRENT LEADERS AND ASK THAT THEY MAY LOOK TO YOU FOR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION. FILL THEM WITH WISDOM, JUSTICE AND MERCY. HELP THEM TO BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS. WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU HAVE THE COURAGE AND ABILITY TO BE THE DISCIPLES OF YOU, IN ALL THAT WE DO. WE PRAY THAT ALL THOSE HERE WILL BE BLESSED WITH YOUR DISCERNMENT TO CHOOSE A STRONG, GOD-FEARING LEADER, WHO WILL BRING PEACE, UNITY AND JUSTICE TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY. WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN.    DAWSON AND ALLIE FEENSTRA.   Graduate and student, offering blessing at

DECEMBER 9, 2023   Campaign 2024

Republican Presidential Hopefuls Speak in Sioux Center, Iowa

Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) hosted conversations with 2024 Republican presidential candidates and their family members at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa. Participants were Gov. Ron DeSantis (FL) and first lady Casey DeSantis, Ryan Binkley and wife Ellie Binkley, Vivek Ramaswamy and his son, Karthik, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and her daughter, Rena Haley Jackson. In addition to the candidates discussing their plans for the nation, topics also focused on family background and religious faith. 

https://www.c-span.org/video/?532196-1/republican-presidential-hopefuls-speak-sioux-center-iowa

FYI:  A new Netflix movie was released Dec. 8, 2023.  Leave the World Behind: Cast, Release Date, Trailer & Plot of Julia Roberts Movie - Netflix Tudum    Grobar, Matt (April 14, 2022). "The Obamas' Higher Ground Boards Sam Esmail's Netflix Pic Leave The World Behind". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 14, 2022.

 Leave the World Behind is a 2023 American apocalyptic psychological thriller film written, directed and produced by Sam Esmail. It is based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam. The film stars Julia Roberts (who also produced the film), Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, and Kevin Bacon as they attempt to make sense of the gradual breakdown in phones, television and technology which points to a potential cataclysm.

Leave the World Behind had its world premiere at the AFI Fest on October 25, 2023. It was released in select theaters on November 22, 2023, before its streaming release by Netflix on December 8, 2023.