Your thoughtful articles give us an “eagle” view of what is happening to our society-a disorienting sea change. Thank you from the bottom of our collective 💔.
Apparently nothing. (OK. There was Hunter Biden's laptop.)
We have a president who was twice impeached then re-elected, guilty of rape and a bunch of felonies, accused of fomenting an insurrection and the violent transfer of power, his volume of bold-faced lies defies cataloging.
The acceptance of this behaviour in our elected leader, diminishes us all.
We don’t have to wait for the BIG thing. Do small things that you can, when you can.
The Big Things:
July 17.
Aug 2.
But…anyone can protest anytime, anywhere.
The Small Things:
Grab a sign. Find a few friends. Go to a busy corner.
Do some stickering. Hang a flag in protest. Put a sign on your yard or car.
Chalk a few sidewalks or streets. Make some phone calls or emails. Send some postcards to elected officials. Find an overpass or fence and hang a sign. Wear a tshirt with a message of protest. Shop small local and blue. Don’t shop at red businesses or at large corporations like Amazon, Walmart, or businesses that support Republicans financially. Donate to a food pantry. Volunteer. Make art and share joy. Post on social media.
When farm workers strike, stand with them and don’t buy from large corporations, buy from your local farm market. If they don’t have what you want, do without.
This is beautifully written, and expresses well that the current situation needs much more than booting the current jackasses out of office. Our unity has always depended upon shared core values, and those are morphing out of place right now. One additional point - two very important values desperately need shoring up: belief in our system of justice that applies to all, and belief that elections will be free and fair and the results accepted by all.
Spoken dissent shared with family, friend & foe must consistently express our rejection & non-acceptance of all the above atrocities! So many respond by minimizing the insanity & rationalizing it with what tidbits & crumbs are thrown our way. Infuriating & so disheartening!!!!
You know, James, I actually agree with more than you might think. You’re right—fairness, honesty, and community are fraying. But that’s not some vague cultural drift. It’s big money, entrenched elites, and corporate cronies squeezing everyday Americans dry.
You nailed it: billionaires game the system while workers scrape by. That’s not capitalism it’s corruption. It’s why public trust collapses and why patriotism gets twisted into factional brawls. Too many powerful players on Wall Street, in Big Tech, and yes, in Washington—sold out the very values they claim to champion.
Where we split is on solutions. You call for more “public services,” but I’d argue we need more accountability. Strong local communities. Families that teach real responsibility. Leaders who serve citizens, not lobbyists. That’s how we restore honesty and fairness not by handing more power to the same institutions that already failed us.
But I’ll give you this: you’re dead right about values. They’re only real when practiced. That’s why I push truth, accountability, and civic duty because without them, no clever policy or slogan will save us.
That still matters—no matter how much the elites hate it.
Many make reference to the cultural divide in America. You’ve done a great job of outlying how that is expressed, enacted, and practiced. And to claim our values we must acknowledge that there are many in power who deliberately began eroding the cultural values strategically in order to access our collective fears and addictions so they could maximize their power objectives.
Your posts have given me a significant understanding of the threads of today’s events. Thank you!
Your writings are a salve for my soul.
Your thoughtful articles give us an “eagle” view of what is happening to our society-a disorienting sea change. Thank you from the bottom of our collective 💔.
Thank you for your essays, James. Every one of them is enlightening and valuable.
Underlying all is what passes for scandal now.
Apparently nothing. (OK. There was Hunter Biden's laptop.)
We have a president who was twice impeached then re-elected, guilty of rape and a bunch of felonies, accused of fomenting an insurrection and the violent transfer of power, his volume of bold-faced lies defies cataloging.
The acceptance of this behaviour in our elected leader, diminishes us all.
We don’t have to wait for the BIG thing. Do small things that you can, when you can.
The Big Things:
July 17.
Aug 2.
But…anyone can protest anytime, anywhere.
The Small Things:
Grab a sign. Find a few friends. Go to a busy corner.
Do some stickering. Hang a flag in protest. Put a sign on your yard or car.
Chalk a few sidewalks or streets. Make some phone calls or emails. Send some postcards to elected officials. Find an overpass or fence and hang a sign. Wear a tshirt with a message of protest. Shop small local and blue. Don’t shop at red businesses or at large corporations like Amazon, Walmart, or businesses that support Republicans financially. Donate to a food pantry. Volunteer. Make art and share joy. Post on social media.
When farm workers strike, stand with them and don’t buy from large corporations, buy from your local farm market. If they don’t have what you want, do without.
By Karen
This is beautifully written, and expresses well that the current situation needs much more than booting the current jackasses out of office. Our unity has always depended upon shared core values, and those are morphing out of place right now. One additional point - two very important values desperately need shoring up: belief in our system of justice that applies to all, and belief that elections will be free and fair and the results accepted by all.
Spoken dissent shared with family, friend & foe must consistently express our rejection & non-acceptance of all the above atrocities! So many respond by minimizing the insanity & rationalizing it with what tidbits & crumbs are thrown our way. Infuriating & so disheartening!!!!
You know, James, I actually agree with more than you might think. You’re right—fairness, honesty, and community are fraying. But that’s not some vague cultural drift. It’s big money, entrenched elites, and corporate cronies squeezing everyday Americans dry.
You nailed it: billionaires game the system while workers scrape by. That’s not capitalism it’s corruption. It’s why public trust collapses and why patriotism gets twisted into factional brawls. Too many powerful players on Wall Street, in Big Tech, and yes, in Washington—sold out the very values they claim to champion.
Where we split is on solutions. You call for more “public services,” but I’d argue we need more accountability. Strong local communities. Families that teach real responsibility. Leaders who serve citizens, not lobbyists. That’s how we restore honesty and fairness not by handing more power to the same institutions that already failed us.
But I’ll give you this: you’re dead right about values. They’re only real when practiced. That’s why I push truth, accountability, and civic duty because without them, no clever policy or slogan will save us.
That still matters—no matter how much the elites hate it.
Many make reference to the cultural divide in America. You’ve done a great job of outlying how that is expressed, enacted, and practiced. And to claim our values we must acknowledge that there are many in power who deliberately began eroding the cultural values strategically in order to access our collective fears and addictions so they could maximize their power objectives.