America, We Have a Problem! Part 3 - Finding Our Way Home

 

 

 

This is the third part of my series, "America, We Have a Problem." The first defined our problem as a continuing revolution against all-too-familiar forces. The second talked about the sidetracking that I experienced on the way to finding a way to respond. (Follow the links if you are unfamiliar with the blogs.) In this third part, I share a way to foster a meaningful resistance to the coup in DC.

 

America is in a tough place right now. There is no respect for the rule of law or the guardrails provided by the separation of powers in the Constitution. Strangely, this is unprecedented but not unexpected. In fact, the actions by this Administration were published ahead of time by the extreme right-wing Heritage Foundation in their Project 2025. The Administration disavowed all knowledge of this document until January 20^th, when he started issuing Executive Orders enacting the Project’s goals. We are under siege by an organized, well-financed group of people who are conducting a coup against our Constitution. Unfortunately, we cannot count on traditional political solutions. Our political leaders opposing those who would tear up our Constitution need the rest of us to do far more than we have done in a very long time. We must resist every day and in every way.

 

The resistance needed to reclaim our constitutional way of life needs to happen in two layers: institutional leadership and the rest of us. The Constitution entrusts the power to shape and guide our national life to those who are elected to lead. Further, non-governmental institutions have followed this same tradition and rely on individuals to provide leadership. Therefore, we must empower and protect these duly elected or appointed leaders to "preserve, protect, and defend” our Constitution and the way of life that it defines.

 

All our institutions need to be part of this renewed revolution. These institutions include all levels of government, public and private education, non-profit organizations, religious communities, journalism, healthcare, and business communities. For our purposes, a social institution is an organization that is charged by a society to distribute the resources of that society according to the values and structure defined by the Constitution. The government distributes influence and power over public policy. Education distributes knowledge and the skills needed to critically utilize and process the world around us. Religious institutions distribute the resources of morality and faith. Non-profits distribute the resources needed by segments of our society in need, what was once called charity. Journalism disseminates accurate information about our life together. Healthcare distributes the community's health resources. And the business community distributes the capital and financial resources of society. Each of these systems of institutional life has a role in the revolution and is under the guidance of "We the People." They operate with our permission to serve our needs. An effective renewal of the revolution demands that the leaders of these institutions have what they need to be our voice in their domains.

 

But there is only so much these leaders can accomplish. These leaders are human beings and have the same needs as the rest of us. They may yield to the greatest pressure. They may lose sight of their mission as servants of society. They will become confused, coerced, confounded, coopted, and serve interests contrary to "We the people." This is our present circumstance, where the second layer, the rest of us, becomes critically important. We must help these leaders stay the course of the revolution.

 

The present crop of oligarchs has turned back the clock of the revolution because a perception exists that MAGA will vote against anyone who opposes their goals. This makes our leaders powerless, given the human weaknesses listed above. But we can change that! That is our superpower. We can remove that false perception and remind our leaders that they are accountable to "We the people" and not the 1%. But, to do so, the rest of us need to have their backs. These leaders need to know that they can count on us to back them up with our votes, money, words, and actions. They need to be reminded that they are in their positions to serve the public good, not private interests. How do we defeat this Administration and those who support them? By giving those leaders who serve the public interest our full-fledged and public support to do what they need to do to restore our constitutionally governed way of life. The bulk of the resistance needs to be done by the rest of us, supporting those taking active steps to resist within their respective institutions.

 

How do we do this?

 

First and foremost, we must keep the vision and values of the revolution alive by educating our children and grandchildren about its history. The arts, particularly music, are powerful tools for this. Set your music subscription services to the music of the 60s. Seek out contemporary protest music. I personally enjoy the works of John McCutcheon, Linda Sussman, Finn O'Sullivan, Louise Wisechild, Lucinda Williams, Ani DiFranco, Chris Rosser, Sean McConnell, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Hozier, Rage Against AI, and Tom Paxton. Let their music, along with the protest music from the 1960s, be the soundtrack of your daily life, keeping the values of the revolution alive and kicking in your mind and soul.

 

Another way of keeping the vision and values alive is to re-read some of your favorite books from your life during the last period of the revolution. Read or re-read Grapes of Wrath, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, or any other book that tells the story of justice and those who seek a better world. Re-read Orwell and Huxley to remember what a dystopia looks like. Then turn on “Star Trek,” “West Wing,” and “M.A.S.H” to remember and renew our ideals of what could be. Look for other shows, literature, graphic arts, and other expressions of contemporary artists to hear, see, and feel the current vibe of the revolution. Immerse yourself and your family in the art of the revolution.

 

Second, avoid supporting those who are undermining the revolution. Do not do business with people you do not trust to serve the best interests of your community. I am not a big fan of organized boycotts. They help get the word out but are easily manipulated and diluted by messaging from the oligarchs. Instead, do your research and decide which companies and organizations represent your vision and values. Teach yourself and your children how to assess the values of the organization. Share your buying choices with your neighbors. Recognize your time, energy, loyalty, and money as useful currencies in the revolution. Spend them well.

 

Third, Speak up! Lift your voices in the streets, town halls, coffee shops, and other places where people gather. But do so with respect for the others around you. A quiet word will be received much more readily than words magnified by anger, frustration, or arrogance. For example, avoid graffiti on public buildings or any other acts of blatant vandalism. Pay attention to your values and the values of your audience. Ignoring them hurts the revolution and aids the oligarchs!

 

Fourth, be a continuing and persistent presence on social media. Many decry the internet and social media as destructive to our culture. However, these media outlets are tools that, when used responsibly, can serve our institutional and personal needs in the face of resistance. Ignore the supposed anonymity of the internet and see yourselves as participants in a very public and visible forum. Use your values and vision to guide our participation. Do not say anything online that you would not say in a personal, face-to-face setting. Don't shout with all caps. Respect those who are online with you. Recognize the difference between rhetoric and facts. Avoid sensationalism and let your words speak for themselves. Observe community standards. When we make a mistake and post something that is untrue or hurtful, delete it and apologize. Tell your story and only share the stories of others when you believe you have permission to do so. Share insights and ideas. Share the vision and values that guide your daily living. Post information about resources for others to use in their resistance. Tell the stories of people being injured by the injustice of the anti-revolutionaries. Use social media as a tool for resistance, not a crutch for your personal biases and prejudices. Share your vision and values with others responsibly.

 

Fifth, in our society, our most precious power is the vote. Every political leader in our country (except for a few small towns where they vote by hand and in person) has been elected by a minority of the eligible voters. Winning these elections is a travesty of democracy. They may represent less than 30% of the American people. The meaningfulness of an election directly correlates to an increased percentage of participation by qualified voters. A show of hands only works when everyone is present and raises their hands. The revolution for the rest of us demands that everyone eligible to vote registers, educates themselves, and then shows up at the ballot box.

 

A second part of voting responsibility involves helping others use their vote to serve their vision and values. We need to advocate for open and honest elections, support "Get Out the Vote" efforts in our communities, and, if possible, help others register, educate themselves, and get to the polls. Again, an election is valuable to our constitutional way of life only to the extent that it reflects a greater and greater percentage of eligible voters going to the polls.

 

Sixth, we need to employ tangible ways to support leaders and candidates for leadership. The most valuable way is defending them when they come under attack with lies, innuendo, and outright violence. I have been the target of one of these smear campaigns, and I can attest to the pain when people who could defend you remain silent. It happens in city halls, county courthouses, State Legislatures, Congress, board rooms, clubhouses, churches, synagogues, mosques, and thousands of other places where influence and social power reside. Take a public stand defending those who have accepted the responsibility of leadership, especially in revolutionary times when the voices for justice are being drowned out by the megaphones provided to the MAGA crowd by the oligarchs. Send your leaders notes of support. Send money to help their campaigns. Speak up for them in your social circles. Publicly support them on social media. We are each responsible for ensuring that our public servants know we have their backs! This extends to all our public servants, even those who do not share our values. Defend them when they speak truthfully and act with integrity. And hold them accountable when they do not.

 

Finally, and most importantly, we must live with authenticity if we are going to mount a successful resistance against the forces of injustice and despair. We need to offer a credible and principled presence, especially in the eyes of those who disagree with us. This means we must live our daily lives publicly according to the values and vision we espouse. We must avoid hypocrisy and deception. These are the weft and warp of the oligarch’s web that they are using to ensnare their prey, your family, friends, and neighbors. We can distance ourselves from these oligarchs by living according to our principles and values. In fact, we will get the attention of the broadest part of the American People if we do so. They will be skeptical of our integrity at first. But over time, if our authenticity is clearly visible, they will take notice and listen more carefully to what we have to say.

 

Unfortunately, we are human, and we will slip into deception, either of ourselves or others. We will fail to live up to the principles we espouse. When we fall short, we can admit it, apologize for it, and do better! This will be even more astounding to people because the first rule in the oligarch's playbook is never to apologize or admit a mistake. Authenticity needs to be the warp to the weft of our principles if we are to weave a credible resistance that has the power of integrity behind it.

 

America, we have a problem. Our values and vision are under attack by our old enemy, the oligarchy. The revolution of the 1960s was just one chapter. The MAGA crowd has opened a new chapter under the manipulation of the Heritage Foundation (the modern-day John Birch Society) with the complicity of the newly elected administrations in Washington and statehouses around the country. But we can offer a meaningful and ultimately successful resistance. But we must do so using all the tools, resources, and skills available. We must keep the vision and values alive through music, the arts, and a vital public presence in social media. We must support the leaders in all the institutions in our culture who share this vision of the America that could be. We must vote, speak up, and protect their backs as they step out to lead. But ultimately, our success will hinge on the integrity of our words and actions over the long haul.

 

We must resist violence and live with integrity in our words and actions. We must apologize when our anger and fear get the best of us. When you feel your vision slipping away, find the support you need to recover it. Gather with neighbors and friends to share your vision and values and listen to theirs.

 

In Part 4, I will discuss what we need to sustain our resistance through the coming months and years of the cultural struggle. This struggle will demand that we deepen our spiritual health and discover the resilience, courage, and hope to see this through to the dawning of a new America from the ashes that are gathering about our feet. The Phoenix will rise from these ashes, and I hope that all of us are around to see it soar.

 

Bob

America, We Have a Problem Part 2 - While I wasn't looking...

 

This week, I planned on writing the second part of the blog, following up on what we can do to engage in our Cultural Revolution threatened by Trump and his MAGA crowd. I worked on several bits and pieces for the blog. I found my central idea and started to build the outline. But when I wasn't looking, something started happening. I found myself lingering in bed, later and later each morning. I had trouble concentrating when I sat down in front of the computer screen. Generally, writing lifts my spirits, but every time I touched the keyboard, I could feel the energy running out onto the table. In lieu of writing, I played on my iPad and snacked! Yep, something was going on. Saturday morning, as I lay in bed debating whether I wanted to bother getting up or not, a little voice whispered in my inner ear. You're grieving, and you don’t know it!

 

Most folks encounter unacknowledged grief from time to time. Retirees may experience unacknowledged grief when they leave their work life behind. They miss the routine, satisfaction of the work, or the people with whom they worked. Empty nesters may grieve when their last child leaves the coop. People who have gone through a life-changing health event, such as a serious illness or a major surgery, may grieve the loss of their 'healthy outlook.' Some grieve when a close friend moves out of the neighborhood. These events can cause symptoms much like those I have been experiencing. We may not attribute our depression or lack of energy to grief. But, when we fail to connect the dots to grief, the depression will deepen and, in some cases, steal our joy completely.

 

 Yep, I am grieving! All the signs point to a loss. But which one? Unfortunately, loss is a common companion for people in their 70s. We lose friends and family. We have said goodbye to things we used to be able to do with ease. We are saying goodbye to the future as the inevitable, inexorably approaches. Then there are the everyday little losses that accumulate in our souls. These can be as simple as running out of your favorite coffee or hearing that your favorite restaurant has closed. In sitting with grieving people as a Hospice Chaplain, I was amazed at the things that triggered or deepened a person's grief. Yep, I am grieving.

 

The first step in dealing with grief is to acknowledging it and then, if possible, identify the corresponding loss. This acknowledgment is a powerful tool that can help us regain a sense of control over our emotional well-being.

 

I found my first clue came by looking back at my journal and figuring out when the depression began to appear. It started around the second week of November and has been encroaching on more and more of my life ever since.

 

In our culture, the common expressions of grief are denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance. While these are often labeled as stages, most people don't experience them in a staged manner. Each person grieves in their own unique way and in their own time. However, these five experiences are quite common with all grief. As I reflected on the last three months, I found instances of all of them. Our grief is personal and unique to us, and that's okay.

 

Also, my latest bout with depression began when I heard myself giving voice to my loss of hope with some very close friends. The conversation was about the turmoil following the change at the White House. I am generally a hopeful person who stares into the abyss and still sees the candle burning in the darkness. I was astounded when I heard myself confess that I had lost hope! Losing hope was a life-changing loss for me. It was devastating. I had found the cause of my grief.

 

In the last two weeks, I have written extensively about recovering hope in the face of a cascade of painful news from Washington, DC. I was struggling to recover hope. But whether there was hope or not, the damage had been done to my psyche. I discovered that I was no longer invulnerable to existential despair. And that loss was devastating. It was personal. It touched on every part of who I am. And as long as I failed to recognize it as the source of my grief, I was not only staring into an abyss, but I was falling into it! Such is the power of unacknowledged grief.

 

This brings us to the first step in dealing with unacknowledged grief. “When you find yourself in a hole, quit digging.” As long as I was unable to recognize my grief, I kept digging away. I blamed myself, the people around me, the headlines, and my health. In the process, I was falling deeper and deeper into the hole of anxiety, helplessness, and despair. I had to drop the shovel and look up at the edge of the hole that had engulfed me. When I realized that I was making myself miserable with my guesswork, I stopped guessing and started looking for the source. Amazingly enough, as soon as I recognized that I was grieving the loss of my identity as a hopeful person, I stopped falling. I was still depressed, but I could feel solid ground beneath my spiritual feet. I stopped digging and started looking up.

 

Relying on my experiences with other grieving people, I knew that I needed to find comfort in my routines without becoming a captive of my habits. I needed some normal to steady my journey, so I focused on my everyday routines. As I have written before, routines are those actions we take to deal with the details of life. Shaving, washing dishes, etc., can help us get back in the groove. Routines require that we stay awake and mindful of what we are doing. Otherwise, we become trapped in our routines, and they can devolve into unhealthy patterns. And, by not paying attention, we repeat the unhealthy behaviors.

 

For example, I enjoy writing. I have several habits that help me find the sweet spot of writing where everything else disappears, and I enter that Zen-like state called "the flow." However, a small part of me stays attentive. It alerts me when my words are not as clear as I would like. It reminds me to get up and move around periodically. I am in my routine of writing. But, if I quit paying attention and start habitually pounding out words on the keyboard, things go awry. I become trapped in the habit, and everything suffers: my writing, body, and soul. Eventually, when I step away from the keyboard, I am exhausted.

 

After identifying my grief, I could take refuge in my writing routines and was able to process my grief. That is the power of routines. They free up just enough of our lives so that we have the energy and mindpower to process and work through our grief. I assume that most folks do not routinely write. Some folks clean the house. Others read fiction. Many go for walks. Regardless of the routine, allow them to gently open your life to the feelings you are experiencing and then feel them.

 

A woman I worked with following the loss of her husband found solace in housework. Between dusting and mopping, she would sit and remember the life she shared with him. Then, she would get up and start another project. In one of our last visits, she noted that she had the cleanest house on the block and, with a twinkle in her eye, added, "And I have cleaned a lot of stuff out of my heart, too!"

 

One further step proved helpful, as well. I mentioned at the top that I had discovered that I was grieving during a conversation with some trusted friends. These friends are part of my tribe. They are always there when I need them, or they need me. I meet with some by Zoom. I contact others via phone, email, text, and FB. Our life on the road would not be possible without these valued and trusted voices. The safe space they provide allows me to hear myself talking and see what my friends hear in my words. Through them, I could see my grief and discover its source. They allowed me to talk my way through the moment by simply listening. My friends respect each other too much to rush to judgment or a quick fix. Instead, they offer a sacred space where my soul can whisper and be heard. In these difficult days, we all need a trusted tribe of friends.

 

Suppose you are depressed and feel empty, angry, or desperate to find a way out. In that case, you might ask yourself if you are grieving and then, if so, try and specifically identify the loss that may be causing it.

 

Then, give yourself room to grieve by staying engaged in your routines. Share your feelings with trusted friends. Commit yourself to taking care of yourself so you can muster the strength to resist the changes being forced upon us. Next week, I will share some ways we can engage in resistance by supporting the revolution against those who would drag us back into the first half of the 20^th century. 

 

 

 

In the meantime, regardless of the scary clown show in DC, we need hope to keep going. Therefore, commit yourself to finding and maintaining that hope. It will help keep your grief at bay as we continue resisting the counterrevolution against all we fought for in the last 50 years. Stay healthy. Your voice is needed for the revolution.

 

Until next week,

Bob