TRUMP - Some people think......... How do you feel?

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

These do not look like scary people. They are mostly young families with children - fleeing violence. And they have about 800 miles on foot, to go, before they can even reach the US border.

Migrant caravan in Mexico en route to the US – in pictures

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

It doesn't have to be that way.

As they say. The right wing and the left wing are part of the same bird.

Except the body is not in the centre of the wingspan. It isn't centred and there is too much weight on the far right end of the right wing, and that is putting the bird in free fall.

 

[chansen]

Your metaphor has officially jumped the shark.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Your metaphor has officially jumped the shark.

The bird fell on it.

 

[blackbelt1961]

This is the kind of paranoid crap being promoted by the far right that has led to tragedy. The Pittsburgh shooter was convinced he knew who was funding the "caravan" - where was he getting that "information"? - Regardless of whether or not he was a Trump supporter, he was a disturbed white supremacist antisemite convinced of who was funding the caravan - and then he went and killed 11 Jewish congregants in a synagogue.

After that Trump just kept the xenophobia going with the racist attack ad full of lies. He'll say anything to win, no matter how untrue or awful. And his news network supports it.

Sure it is those poor people who don't have a pot to piss in are paying for all the gas and and transport

Rolls eyes

 

[chansen]

And the caravan is travelling at a rate of 20-30 miles per day, because as everybody knows, trucks can only do 2 mph.

 

[Northwind]

Except the body is not in the centre of the wingspan. It isn't centred and there is too much weight on the far right end of the right wing, and that is putting the bird in free fall.

And yet the bird has two wings. What are you doing to bring balance if you believe it's off balance?

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

And yet the bird has two wings. What are you doing to bring balance if you believe it's off balance?

Leaning left. That's my focus. There is no compromising with neo nazis. No meeting in the middle on those views, no risking racist policies just because of economics - no compromising with the parties pushing those ideas, or even getting close to them, to appeal to that base - and the far right is certainly relying on support from them, stoking the xenophobia. There is no meeting in the middle on anti-feminism, no going back to the 50s. Views further to the left of centre are much needed to bring balance. The centre doesn't seem know what it's in the centre of at the moment, in my opinion. Being in the centre for the centre's sake isn't good enough today.

I inquired about canvassing for the NDP. All I got were emails asking for money so far.

 

[Jaebius]

And yet the bird has two wings. What are you doing to bring balance if you believe it's off balance?

Balance is best imho. It's always good to have a healthy debate going between ideologies

 

[GeoFee]

Hi,

Watch trump rallies. He’s having fun. Everybody is having fun. And there are always more people than the venue can hold.

Skimming the thread, this seemed a good place for me to start. I am picturing King Herod in the day of Jesus. He was brilliant and determined. His architectural achievements are historic. Including a port city, making Jerusalem a player in the globalizing market. This theme is picked up in the book of Revelations. The bit about the great harlot in bed with the merchants and the politicians. The weeping and wailing as the market collapses as the consequence of avarice and greed.

Now I am seeing temple elites in full support of Herod. By that support obtaining political security and material advantage. Does this not echo Christian endorsement of political personalities addicted to the pursuit and appropriation of power. Looking closer I see crowds of persons supportive of Herod, celebrating in the lime light of his celebrity. Like the crowds gather to celebrate the irrepressible man of power at the helm of our common destiny. As Herod was at the helm in the day of Jesus.

And where is Jesus in all of this? Based on what I find in the four gospels, I take it that his body, animated by his spirit, is present wherever humanity is suffering the abuses of power. Those excluded for reasons defined by persons in places of power and privilege. These despised and ignored as rich persons walked by them in the streets of the city. Quick my mind turns to notice who is embraced by Abraham and who is consigned to Hades.

Two witnesses come forward as I type. They are the Psalmist and Mark the Evangelist. In Psalm 146 we notice the priorities of God in the world. We are told not to put our trust in powerful people. We also hear that God gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. And, that God protects the foreigners among us. The psalmist concludes with notice that God will frustrate the plans of the wicked. These being the powerful people we are advised not to trust.

Mark agrees with the Psalmist. Well into his twelve chapter we are encouraged to be cautious about teachers of religion. These being much concerned with pomp and circumstance without any concern for justice. Because of this they are headed for punishment. Remember the rich and who failed to notice and care for Lazarus? Shall I name the millionaire evangelists who are in collusion with the millionaire in the White House? I will notice the millions who bow before there rhetoric and fund their capitalist enterprise.

Our western civilization is heading for its collapse. Historically, we are now well into the apocalypse by which what oppresses the earth will be eradicated. This making possible the liberation of human souls for the restoration of nature by obedience to the way of God. A way that is hostile to the way of power expressed as religion in collusion with politics. This being a core them of the Hebrew bible. The story of Exodus makes clear that empire has a limit. It also makes clear that those who hear the word of God will vacate the economies of exploitation and oppression and seek an economy of balance; where none have too little and none have to much.

I have absolutely no bias specific to any political or religious dichotomy. My position is well expressed in the meeting of Joshua with an angel of the Lord. Joshua wants to know whose side the angel is on. Turns out the angel is not on either side. Seems to me that the God revealed in Jesus by the Holy Spirit is not one who chooses sides in the realm of religion and politics. He freely offers the love of God and without reservation pronounces the forgiveness of God. Even for those who conspired to murder him. When I hold sin against another I hold sin against myself. I am judged as I judge. As are we all.

I am a nobody at the heart of nowhere. From my youth I have been called to speak the word of God. In the beginning I was inept and incapable. Encouraged by Jeremiah, I persisted, as an athlete persists to obtain the prize. Over the years the spirit of God has refined the gift entrusted to me. I am not saying the mark of my high calling has been reached. I am saying that there as been enough progress along this way to assure me of God's presence within me. That presence inspiring me as my fingers find their way along these keys. All in the hope of being found a good and faithful servant in the day of accounting.

Jesus referred to Herod as a fox. A cunning and clever creature of the night, adept as stealing hens from the hen house. A predator. There are many points of correspondence between Herod and Trump. At least it seems that way to me. Only God knows!

George

 

[Northwind]

Balance is best imho. It's always good to have a healthy debate going between ideologies

I agree. I've learned more from people whose views are different from mine than from those who think like I do.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I agree. I've learned more from people whose views are different from mine than from those who think like I do.

You keep saying that. What have you learned from the extreme right, though?

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

For myself. There is no listening to far right views. They've got nothing. History has heard it before and it's recorded. It didn't bode well for the marginalized, for minorities, for women, then, and it is not boding well now.

 

[Northwind]

Views further to the left of centre are much needed to bring balance. The centre doesn't seem know what it's in the centre of at the moment, in my opinion. Being in the centre for the centre's sake isn't good enough today.

I never said anything about centre. How would the bird fly with wings that were only at the centre. And a bird that leans too far left still flies wonky.

I'll repeat what I said before. We can disagree without being disagreeable.

 

[Northwind]

You keep saying that. What have you learned from the extreme right, though?

I've told you before. If nothing else, I've learned how the other side thinks. Extreme left is no better than extreme right.

 

[Northwind]

For myself. There is no listening to far right views. They've got nothing. History has heard it before and it's recorded. It didn't bode well then, and it is not boding well now.

Well you do seem to have a hard time hearing views that are different from yours. I wonder what would happen if you listened and heard. It doesn't mean you have to change your views. Just listen.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Well you do seem to have a hard time hearing views that are different from yours. I wonder what would happen if you listened and heard. It doesn't mean you have to change your views. Just listen.

Well, actually I have heard enough, unfortunately. But I think we've come too far to validate their opinions.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I've told you before. If nothing else, I've learned how the other side thinks. Extreme left is no better than extreme right.

The extreme left - the hooligans - is very small compared to the extreme right. Which includes neo nazi groups around the world and politicians - like Bolsonaro, Orban, Silvini, and even Trump, in power today - and the threat of more like a domino effect.

Even David Frum said in the Munk debate that he suspects that the 15 or so black clad Antifa travelling around the US and causing trouble at rallies are probably police informants. Quite something for a conservative former bush advisor to say.

The furthest on the left - day to day folks - are working in non-profits serving marginalized communities, sticking up for civil rights, womens rights, trans rights, disability rights etc. - and right now fighting to keep them from being rolled back. The reason we need them is people will die without those rights protected. They're not the ones wearing black hoodies and bandanas throwing sticks and stones at rallies.

 

[Northwind]

And the folks on the right would have an equally compelling (in their view) reason for needing that perspective.

 

[GeoFee]

You keep saying that. What have you learned from the extreme right, though?

To be sober and vigilant.