On This Day Filled with Many Ironies, Here are My Thoughts

I pretty much anticipated today. Though sleep was deep and healing last night, I knew what this day would bring. I'm no prophet, but my instincts were correct. 

On the one hand is a crowd of some size gathering in various places to be near him as he is sworn in. They wear their predictable regalia. They say predictable things. And if the cameras are on them and an interviewer stands before them, their answers will chill our bones. Yes, we've seen it before. 

On the other hand, this is a federally recognized holiday for one of America's most significant leaders. MLK Day means different things to different people. For most white churches, it's just another day and the offices will be open and the pulpits will be silent. For many in professional settings, offices will be open, the employees are not given a day off, and the doctors are plying their trade. Restaurants will be open, people need to eat, and servers need to earn their minimal salaries and earn the tips. 

Like many of you, I have read Dr. King's speeches, listened to his soaring rhetorical style, and even visited some places where he trod. The Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama was chilling, to walk where the protestors including Dr. King walked, got beaten, and where the blood ran. With my wife and a good friend, we visited Sweet Auburn, noting that several years prior, we could not have walked that area together. We walked into Ebenezer Baptist Church and observed the pulpit from which Dr. King preached. We encouraged our friend to stand where he stood. Reluctantly he did. It was a treasured moment. 

We lived in Memphis in the early to mid-70s and then the late '70s into the early '80s, and our home was not far from where the horrendous event occurred with the trash truck crushing the workers. We walked the streets where the shot rang out that startled America and showed us who we were. 

Dr. King understood the plight of the Black farmer. This one brief film captures his understanding. My friends and I remember the four years of Trump's first time in the oval office. We recall his erratic style of leadership and his appointment of various people who would do his bidding. We recall Sonny Perdue in particular. We remember that Trump and Perdue dismantled portions of the Office of Civil Rights, much like Reagan did back in the '80s. We know that many complaints of discrimination simply were tossed aside, much like former Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Espy, recalled in our interview with him for the documentary about Black farmers versus USDA. 

No, I am not thrilled that Trump was re-elected. I hoped better for America. We deliberately stayed home and did not vote, or went to the polls and voted for a convicted criminal to the highest position in America. We voted our values, including our racist and sexist values, and the most qualified person, a woman, a Black woman, a Black, qualified woman, will do something else for the next four years rather than lead our country. 

While on the one hand we are not pleased with what the Democratic administrations have done or not done on behalf of Black farmers. We've written much about that on these pages. Just hit the key words in the search bar and you can read them. We are not at all pleased with what Trump's previous administration did during and after his presidency. Again, Miller's shenanigans are recorded on these pages as well. 

So, while I am torn on this day, an inauguration that I do not support and a federal holiday in honor of Dr. King, I commit myself to work with my friends on behalf of Black farmers of our country. Yes, we are parts of the larger "Black Farmer Movement," and we will protest, write, speak, research, film, and all manner of other things on behalf of a marginalized farmer group of our country. 

We will strategize. We will research. We will know a lot about who is in the secretary's office in that monolitic USDA office building in Washington, DC. We will connect with her, ask for meetings, demand change at the county level, the source and origins of many problems of Black land loss. 

We will not stop just because a new administration is in place. We will work that much harder. There will be a different philosophy permeating the halls of office buildings, ag office buildings in our states across the US, and in meetings of the county committees in those states. 

We will demand change. We know what got us here. We also know what will destroy us if we let it. Until every breath is gone from our bodies, we will work on behalf of what is of ultimate value to us. 

So, on this day of multiple ironies, these thoughts of mine are now placed here for your viewing and consideration. 

Battling Institutions of Power and Privilege: Major Medical and State Farm

Since June, 2019, my wife and I have been engaged in "battles" with several institutions of power and privilege. We have been engaged with the worlds of medicine, pharmacology, hospitals, major medical insurance, and home owners insurance. 

We have appreciated this engagement with varying degrees of appreciation and satisfaction. 

My wife wisely sorted through options and enrolled us in Medicare prior to moving home to Texas. Medicare is primary and AARP supplements are secondary. Part D covers medications. Her leadership has been a blessing. 

Insurance is a huge deal in our world. If you have it, you are blessed, and if you don't, you're in trouble. Some of you have followed my health care journey on this platform or on Facebook. Either one, you've read some rather dramatic things about my health, hospitalizations, and medications. Those have at time been frightening, painful, and costly. 

As an aside before going further, I believe that all of this is about justice. In our society, I think it is wrong for some to have everything covered and for others to live without insurance or to die without insurance and the medical care that it covers. A young man I met several months back told me about the story of his father, a pastor without insurance suffering from the deadly condition of diabetes, and now he is going blind. That grieves my soul, very, very deeply. 

There are many structures in our world. Structures are insulated and have rules for their existence. Those structures of power and privilege are inhabited by people who sustain that power and who decide who benefits from the structure. 

I have had the best of medicare care from my physicians here in my home town to my medical care team with University of Texas Southwestern. I have had the best of the provision of medicines from the  Refill Center affiliated with the Chickasaw Nation, Walgreens, and the pharmacy at the hospital in Dallas. I have had the best of care inside hospitals affiliated with UT Southwestern and here in my hometown as well. 

I have had the best of medical insurance. Putting those packages together, my wife and I have paid $0.00 for prescriptions. My cancer meds are very expensive, and that zeroes out. What my insurance companies don't cover, a grant from UTSW covers. A monthly supply is zeroed out. I owe nothing on very, very expensive drugs. 

I am clearly a person of privilege in the medical, hospital, pharmaceutical, and major medical insurance worlds. I did not "earn" that privilege but am the beneficiary of that privilege by nature of a chain of events and a conglomeration of events. I do not take that privilege for granted. 

On the other hand, my wife and I have been engaged with another monolitic entity, home owners insurance purchased from State Farm. We have had State Farm insurance for years, as far back as we can remember. We do the bundle thing where everything is covered from home to automobiles. 

It has become clear to us that my wife and I have no "privilege" with State Farm. Despite the fact that we are long time customers of State Farm, we are indeed secondary to the monolithic system called State Farm insurance. It has also become clear in dealing with our assigned State Farm adjuster that State Farm is his "customer" and we are not. 

Back in August, we awakened to a river of water that inundated our kitchen, breakfast area, most of our living room, hallway, utility room, pantry, two bedrooms, one bathroom, and one closet. It flowed beaneath some fairly expensive kitchen cabinets, utitility room cabinets, and bathroom cabinets. It destroyed priceless comic books, which insurance did cover partially. 

The company that dried the floors came immediately, set up over the course of nine days 39 heaters and blowers that eventually dried it out. The adjuster said that many were not necessary, despite the fact the he is not the expert on that, but the young man who did the work is the expert. Thus, he approved only 1/2 of that company's charges. This began an intolerable process three or four days after the deluge. 

When it was time to hire a "pack out" company, the State Farm adjuster brought in his own preferred provider, and we brought in two providers who had been highly recommended to us. One was a low bid and one that was a high bid. State Farm's? It was low but it set the bar for what the adjuster would approve. The label for that guy, a guy our team had met before? The title was "the Walmart of packers." I saw the manipulation from the start. Let the manipulation and low-balling begin.

The adjuster argued with the company that packed us out despite telling him to go ahead and pack us out. We're here in January, and the pack out will be completed today. The leaders of th pack out company saw how the adjuster was treating us and actually came onsite a time or two to level the playing field. 

The adjuster for State Farm did a "quick and dirty" review of the damage, minimal at best, three days after the deluge occurred. Once we saw how the State Farm adjuster was operating, we hired our own public adjuster to represent us and to attempt to mediate the differences. When the public adjuster and the State Farm adjuster finally met at our house, approximately four months after this nonsense started, mediation began and the State Farm adjuster actually spent more time then than he did at the beginning of the process. 

You may wonder what was the need for a public adjuster? It was simple. The State Farm adjuster was willing to cover 1/2 of the charges that were to be incurred. We saw how hard they worked and the measures they took to take care of our belongings. State Farm's payment early on was 1/2 of the reasonable charges of the water mitigation and the pack-out, and ultimately the same would be for the renovation.

By this time we were weary of the low-balling of the State Farm adjuster and hired our own public adjuster. The difference between our adjuster's estimate and that of State Farm was enormous. 

Eventually things began to thaw a bit. We don't know exactly why. Was it because we hired a competent public adjuster? Was it because Charla challenged the State Farm adjuster and his low-balling, disrespectful, demeaning/sexist treatment of her? Was it because our State Farm agent contacted him on our behalf? Was it because of the scathing letter from my oncologist who nailed him for his treating me/us that made treatment for cancer even more complicated? 

We are now in our second temporary house. Curious that State Farm did not release sufficient funds to fix our house, but they will pay a ton of money for temporary housing and storage of our belongings. Figure that one out. 

I've researched State Farm and its reputation for these sorts of things, and its reputation is quite sketchy. It is known as the company who pays the least after the longest period of time. I think the company's philosophy is wear them out and then they'll settle. 

That said, it is clear that the State Farm adjuster has one customer. It is not us. It is the entity of power and privilege, State Farm, the very wealthy insurance company. 

At the end of day, I am proud of the way my wife has handled all of this nonsense. I regret being in a position that I had to take care of my cancer treatment and was nothing more than a back channel supporter for her. 

We followed the rules based on the game plan lined out by State Farm. State Farm failed us at the adjuster level. They failed us at the cover our expenses of renovating the house level. Despite what our coverage says, the State Farm adjuster has a rationale that is going to try to put something in but not equal to what we have now. 

We are now going to arbitration because our public adjuster and the State Farm adjuster do not agree. The arbitration process may or may not work. I'm not optimistic. 

The State Farm property claim process should be easier. A public adjuster should not have to be hired if the State Farm guy does his job. In this case, he failed miserably. 

State Farm is reputedly  one of the best in the nation; however, one set of evaluations says otherwise. On a 5.0 scale, the rating was overall performance was 3.8. The rating made by users was lower. It was a 3.1. AM Best rates it at a A++. My wife and I will undoubtedly fall in the lower ratings by users. 

Bottom line, what are our complaints? What have we found that is unjust in terms of their treatment of long term loyal customers? 

1) Incompetent State Farm adjuster; 

2) Failure of the State Farm adjuster to evaluate the house quickly and thoroughly;

3) Failure of the State Farm adjuster to collaborate with entities we hired (water, pack-outs, renovation);

4) Failure of State Farm to move swiftly in getting the Hinsons back in their home; 

5) Failure to negotiate in good faith such that we hired the public adjuster to represent us and our interests; 

6) Failure of the State Farm adjuster and the system to negotiate in good faith such that we now have to hire arbritators; and

6) Failure of the State Farm adjuster to honor the insurance policy. 

There may be more. 

I am tagging two offices of state farm.

1.) For payments: 

State Farm Insurance Companies

Insurance Support Center -- East

P.O. Box 588002

North Metro, GA 30029

2.) Headquarters: 

State Farm Insurance Headquarters

Bloomington, IL 

3.) Claims

Auto/Home/Property Claims

800-SF-CLAIM (800-732-5246)

The irony is that we were treated fairly and justly in the narrative of the first few paragraphs by the medical community and insurance. As I near the end of cancer treatment, we are deeply grateful for the medical care that I received and the ease with which providers were paid. 

In the later few paragraphs, we, apparently are in the same boat as a lot of people across Americak. We are being treated unfairly. I think the shenanigans by State Farm's employee hampered my cancer treatment. Apparently so does my medical team. 

"Blessings Upon You as You Walk the Uneven Path of Grief and Loss"

I am frequently teased or queried about what has become a common phrase that I use to say grace over people who are grieving. That phrase, "Blessings over you and those you love as you walk the uneven path of grief and loss." As a therapist and as a professor, I have been familiar with processes of grief from personal and from academic perspectives. It was publication or maybe a professional presentation by an old friend, Dr. Terry Hargrave, who gave me information and perspective on loss. The grief we experienced is shaped by the degree of closeness to the person who has passed, the degree to which we anticipated the passing, and whether or not the one who has died has fulfilled his/her obligations.

Given those factors, as I have said in several eulogies, "There are as many faces of grief as there are people here in the sanctuary this afternoon." I remember saying those words at my mother's memorial service and again several years later at the memorial service for our old friend, Dr. Robert Hobbs.

It was in a conversation with a niece, my oldest brother's daughter, as we sat in her mom and dad's kitchen talking there in their communal space one afternoon. Everyone knew that her step-mother, her mother, was soon to pass as cancer was seen throughout her body on the latest scan. We were all sad and living in that anticipatory grief space.

As we sat across the table from each other, that phrase, "Blessings over you as you walk the uneven path of grief and loss," just rolled off my tongue. She was caught by surprise and asked what I meant. I don't remember exactly what I told her that day, but surely it was about dynamics of grief and all, those three things noted above, and that life as we live it is sort of a "path" and along that "path" we experience the ebbs and flows of grief. It's not a linear process by any means. On some occasions we are knocked to our knees by a memory or moment of intense grief, and then on another occasion we can be kneeling over in laughter at something funny our loved one said or did.

Some of us have a keen sense that our time on earth is nearing an end. Naturally, none of us know when or how. Frequently, the young die too soon and some of us pass having done what we were born to do. 

This notion captured my attention yesterday when a long time friend called. We had a friendly chat and as the conversation was ending, his comment to me was that "we needed to get together one last time." The comment was especially poignant as both us realized that our time on earth is coming to an end. To provide more "texture" to the conversation, he has been a friend and mentor and as close as brothers in the fight for justice for Black farmers. I am not prepared to say goodbye to him. We both agreed as we laughed, that "we are the aging of America." 

Dealing with death is quite a common phenomenon these days. Farmers we have met through the years were middle aged when we met them. We now call them legacy farmers. Middle aged men and women grow old and pass on to their ancestors. Names come to mind: Dorothy and Eddie Wise, Matthew and Florenza Grant, Richard Grant, and Harry Young just to name a few. Yesterday I got word that two men I have respected for decades have recently experienced strokes. 

Farming is no doubt a hard business, but it should not be harder for Black farmers. 

So, today, I am feeling the words of Isaiah the prophet as he described the "suffering servant," as a "man of sorrow and acquainted with grief." I feel terribly acquainted with grief today, as do many of you my readers. 

This was compounded by Representative Pearson from Tennessee as he is grieving the death of his brother by suicide. What a tragedy that is and how deep must be that pain. 

So, as life and death are realities of life, "Blessings upon all of us as we walk the uneven path of grief and loss."

It is Time for Your Conscience to Interfere

November 13, 2024

President Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20050
 
Vice President Kamala Harris
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20050

The outcome of the election was certainly not what any of us expected. Just maybe your staff will recognize our names as we have written you on numerous occasions. We have sent a host of letters to you individually or collectively on 14 occasions, White House staff on 8 occasions, Secretary Vilsack on 12 occasions, and congressionals on multiple occasions as well. Our issues and concerns have been consistent and ignored.

However, given the time you have left in your administration, there are some important issues that we would like to discuss with you before the next Trump administration takes over. Perhaps you know of these matters because South Georgia went to the Republicans partially because of Black farmers.

In a lead-up to the election we had provocative conversations with Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Jill Stein. Our issues were important enough that they agreed to be interviewed by us on “Justice for Black Farmers” and “Seeking Truth and Justice,” the Marti Oakley Podcast Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio.

As we have written to you recently on August 21, 2024 and on October 24, 2024, there is a large number of items that are extremely important to us. These matters cut across very important areas in your administration: Black farmers primarily across the South and rural America. We are not convinced that your offices clearly understand the pain and suffering that has taken place on the farms and in the communities where Black farmers and their families reside.

We have long supported the Democratic party as it has been historically more supportive of our efforts than has the Republican party and we have still been punished. We can point to the Bill Clinton administration as the time when we experienced the most support and got things done.

It is time for your conscience to interfere. As we have said to your administration many times that “Tom Vilsack runs USDA like a plantation”……giving millions of tax payer dollars to those who agree with him and leaving the county committee system in place that has been known for decades to be the death knell for struggling Black farmers. The county committee system is a major indicator of this administration’s complicity in the demise of Black farmers and so many others. We have seen how Vilsack used his equity commission and its member organizations to justify leaving in place the county committee system process.

We warned you of the failed Vilsack political agenda using the race card. You were told by others that the continuation of Vilsack’s failed political agenda was not working and it played out in real time in Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and elsewhere in the Southern region during the 2024 election cycle.

The “go along to get along” strategy was thought to have been working until election day 2024. Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr., Princeton University professor has clearly stated that using race/identity politics and more to control has failed on so many levels for our nation to see. Yes, it failed on election day 2024.

In view of the Republicans again taking the White House and not knowing what the administration change will mean to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), we are taking our cues from Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr., professor at Princeton when he states, “This is us,” and Donald Trump, “he is the manifestation of the ugliness within us.”

Some may think we are too demanding given the fact that your administration is soon to conclude; however, we are reminded of Dr. King’s letter from the Birmingham jail when he said that for Black people, wait means never. The critique that the white ministers had of him was that he was moving too fast, that he needed to slow down, to do things incrementally. His quote, “justice too long delayed is justice denied.” From 1910 to 1997, Black farmers have lost approximately $326B from the loss of land and potential income. In 1920, 950,000 Black farmers operated farms. In 1910, Black farmers owned over 19,000,000 acres of land. Now, there are approximately 30,136 Black-owned farms of approximately 3,245,991 acres. There is immense pain that comes from the loss of their land and the generational wealth that will not go to their children and grandchildren. Yes, a few Black farmers received funds under the “distressed borrower” clause of the Inflation Reduction Act and some received funds under the discrimination section of the IRA, but we believe that is too little given their pain and suffering.

Time is growing short. We feel the burden of the clock ticking. Therefore, we would like to meet with you to discuss three large matters:  1) Black land loss and the USDA; 2) pain and suffering of Black farmers and their families; and 3) fixing the systemic institutional racism at USDA and the need there for new leadership, systemic change, transparency, accountability, and justice.

Both the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees and the Justice for Black Farmers Group would like to meet with you and other Black farmers and their advocates as did President Bill Clinton in the White House. He was effective in developing a plan with not only the problems but with implementing the solutions.

We weep on each occasion when we read the names of the Black farmers who have died early in the fight against racism within the halls of USDA as they poured body, mind, and spirit into saving their land and livelihood. Countless women and men have died all too early because racism with it weight and burden is all too heavy to bear. And so the words to the Bob Dylan classic, “Blowin’ in the Wind,” ring all too true, especially the question, “How many deaths will it take ‘til we know that too many people have died?” The answer comes, “The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind. The answer is blowin’ in the wind.”

We are the voice of the voiceless. Too many people have died.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,

---S---

Lawrence Lucas
President Emeritus, USDA Coalition for Minority Employees
Representative, Justice for Black Farmers Group
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064681597169
www.blackmeninAmerica.com
LawrLCL@aol.com
856-910-2399

 ---S---

Waymon R. Hinson, Ph.D.
Representative, USDA Coalition of Minority Employees
Representative, Justice for Black Farmers Group
www.letjusticering.blogspot.com
Psychologist
Waymon.hinson@gmail.com
903-271-4654

 

Jesus, Lord, Come This Way

          ,

       

Jesus,  

            Surely you see this mess

            That we are in

            And know the stress

            And its roots in sin,

Is that so?

Jesus,

            You left some lofty place

            That is far beyond my eyes

            To come into this troubled space

            As we head downhill to our own demise,

Is that so?

Jesus,

            You cast your lot with us                                

            You pitched your tent here

            What do you make of all this fuss

            And the people who die year after year

For decades centuries?

Jesus,

            From your other worldly view

            Surely you see Black people lynched

            Dead on arrival at the hospital

            Because a cop’s knee his neck pinched

And drained his life before our eyes?

Jesus,

            Our people are enraged                                             

            Our people are mourning

            As this war is waged

            With plenty of warning.

What about that pain and suffering?

Jesus,

            You walked and traversed

             Lots of miles beneath the sun            

             People saw you and cursed

             At you and the stories you spun

To what ultimate good?

Jesus,

            People who look like me

            Carry guns and offer threats

            Hanging that effigy from that tree

            When said and done, any regrets

By those folks?

Jesus,

            That young man dead

            Hunted like a deer or rabbit

            By men racism inbred

            Hatred their deadly habit.

Is it so?

Jesus,

            If you were to come again                                                    

            And live amongst us once more

            Could we say thank you and amen

            Or would you close the door

Are we too beyond hope?

Jesus,

            You saved her from the religious

            You kept her from dying

            From rocks and the prestigious

            Pompous cruel lots of folks crying.

Do you see the connections?

Jesus,

            You talked to her by the well

            You told the truth about her life

            Racism simply aside fell

            She was not somebody’s wife.

And you forgave her sins?

Jesus,

            You who faced the angry mobs

            Your human body did hang from the tree

            Can you hear our painful sobs

            Do you feel our frequent pleas

For respite from the pain?

Jesus,

            And that gives me hope

            For a brighter day and time

            When no longer is a rope

            A gun a knee the answer until then I’m

Going to pray grieve and shout

Help my corner of the world turn itself around

And know racism and what it’s about

Is just another deadly ungodly sound

That neither you nor I nor them can bear.

Jesus,

            We want to hear

            And live not in fear

            Shedding another one more one more tear

            While on this planet rear

Our children.

Jesus,

            Save us we plead

            We have made the world a mess

            Our hateful selfish harmful evil deed

            Racism our greatest sin we do confess.

Jesus, 

            And one more thing before I go

            It's surely something you already know

            This land of ours is about to decide

            That one person might heal our divide

But I'm not so sure. 

Jesus, 

            Some have seemingly sold their souls

            To the white guy with his talk and curses real loud

            While she speaks words of joy and points up ahead

            She prays, sings, and laughs as we hold on by a thread.

Jesus, 

            And so it is done, and tears fill our eyes.

            America has made her choice.

            Character no longer matters to those who have a voice

            And the crooked guy takes the prize with all his lies. 

So I linger in deferred hope for this land. 

           

Jesus,

            Please forgive

            Please forgive

            Please forgive

            Please forgive

           

Voting for the Common Good

 "I think that a vote is a kind of prayer for the kind of world we desire for ourselves and for our children. And our prayers are stronger when we pray together,” says Reverend Senator Raphael Warnock. 

A vote is a sacred obligation. When I stood in the voting booth, I paused and pondered what voting was all about. It is one of the best things about democracy, and it is one of the worst things about democracy. We all get to vote, and we vote our prejudices. All public servants are not created equal. 

Recently, I asked my friends who are Republicans and my friends who are Democrats to share with me how their faith shapes how they vote. Zero Republican friends shared anything. Several Democratic friends shared how faith and voting align. It actually makes sense that I’d have few takers. Despite my commitment to keeping names out, or other identifiers, and they could use my professional email address, it made sense that few would. I am convinced that most of us do not take the time nor energy to deconstruct how faith and voting connect. That would take a lot of energy. I am likely not seen as a trustworthy source by those on the right. All someone has to do is skim my Facebook page and where I stand on parties and all becomes pretty clear, and surely that troubles some and delights others. Frequently, someone who is clearly on the right will wade into discourse on my page and dependent upon how sensical their comments are, I may challenge them, ask some questions, or whatever, or my friends will roll up their sleeves. I wouldn’t want to take on some of my friends as they are pretty smart and nuanced in this political world.

Essentially, my democratic friends who answered my question about faith and voting indicated that their faith is at the core of who they are and that they always measure the externals with what their faith says. Some spoke of Jesus and what He did and what He wants believers to do now, not in terms of a party, but in terms of what is right and what is wrong.

My friends who are Republicans who did not venture to reflect upon how their faith influences their decisions in voting left their ideas on their web pages. Trump is God-appointed. He is not a moral human but his decisions ripple forward for decades. Elect him and we’ll have a solid, conservative Supreme Court and other courts across the land. Ignore his history of racism, sexism, xenophobia, his bankruptcies, his criminal convictions including the sexual assault of Ms. Carroll, because he is God’s chosen one like Cyrus, King of Persia. January 6 was not that big of a deal. Those patriots who were arrested, jailed, and charged with crimes, were all set up by the Department of Justice doing the Democrats’ bidding. Their candidate’s crude jokes, coarse language, poor communication skills, word salad, uninformed at various issues such as tariffs, and other things just don’t matter.

As much as I am troubled by his record of wrongs which runs pretty long and deep, I am also disturbed that Vice President Harris does not get any credit for her religious upbringing, her church membership, that she reads her Bible, and that she is praying woman. By all accounts, she seems to be a good person, even a godly person, even though her economic plan could be more nuanced and her foreign policy is questioned. I like her. I like her a lot. I think she would make a wonderful president. Yes, Kamala Harris would, in my opinion. And she has a wealth of public experience.

If our teenagers are listening, they’ve certainly learned a lot. Trump has taught them to mock the disabled, never apologize, never admit to being wrong, science is to be doubted, empathy is for losers, be fearful of other races that are not white, cheating is ok, bullying is fine, stealing from charities is fine, reading is a waste of time, attacking dead people, especially the military, is fine, distorting the truth is normal, projecting blame upon others, and take credit even when it doesn’t belong to you. Name calling and insulting are privileges of the powerful. America is a “garbage can of the world.” Immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.” They eat pets. President Biden is a “stupid fool.” Immigrants are criminals, commit crimes beyond belief, and are low-lifes. All of this despite compelling evidence from multiple research sources that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes, by far, than American citizens already living here.

And, they are defensive of and for J. D. Vance, the Vice-Presidential candidate. They seem to  ignore, or refuse to scrutinize his frequent flip flopping or his obvious miscalls on several political matters such as his critique of Harris giving money to Black farmers to the neglect of white farmers, which is grossly untrue if you follow my pages or those of Stucki and Rosenberg. I wrote to Mr. Vance a while back and called him out. He needs to get informed on the farmer issue.

Beneath the surface, I think Republicans are angry that their candidate was not in office the last four years, that the election was stolen, that any court case of whatever that went against him was a set-up, that he is not as bad as people think, and, besides, we are not selecting a man to serve as an elder in our churches. Perhaps anger would categorize many of us if our candidate was not elected president, and perhaps it’s unfair to point out this phenomenon as unique to Republicans in this day and age.

Democrats who gave me their opinions say they vote their conscience. By their report, their consciences are shaped by the Man from Nazareth. Republicans are in some ways like their candidate in that he makes transactional decisions. If you do this for me, I’ll do that for you. I read and hear things like, he’ll give us conservative courts so we’ll vote for him regardless of his values. He’s given us an America free by and large of abortions, so that’s a good thing, even though more women are dying or have nearly died from physicians’ fear of losing their licenses.

A long time ago, I determined to vote for the candidate who would most likely benefit “my people.” I’ve been asked multiple times, “Who are your people?” I reply, “My people are Black, brown, poor, marginalized, LGBTQ, Black farmers, people who fall between the cracks of society.” They are all around us, on the left, on the right. All we have to do is look for them.

That sounds curiously like Jesus in Luke 4 as He quotes some of Isaiah 61. Read that section as He’s just come back from the wilderness and temptations and all, and He offers His first public sermon in the synagogue. Read what He says and reflect upon what He lays out as His “mission statements” for his ministry on the earth. I think they sound more like one party than the other.

Recently I had an opportunity to listen in on a Zoom call of a large denomination as three key leaders discussed voting and issues. This sort of thing is not mentioned in the pulpits of my denomination other than “go vote to help us become a Christian nation again.” And I rebel at that notion. Instead, this denomination has a clearly thought out set of principles for voting.

“Vote of the Common Good,” they said and their document reads. The “gospel imperative to love our neighbors, to do justice, and to care for the vulnerable” are literal quotes and lined out for us to read. Do our votes help to make society better?

Taking care of creation is another “common good” imperative. Stopping pollution, ensuring clean water and air, and being good stewards of our natural resources are all key. Protecting the environment and caring for people wounded by environmental degradation is critical.

Economic sustainability is another illustration of the “common good,” ensuring that all workers have a “living wage,” reducing the wealth gap, and investing in education are other principles.

“All are sacred” is another manifestation of “common good,” protection of civil rights for everyone, “freedom of speech, religion, movement, due process and fair treatment under the law” are illustrations of this principle. Voting rights, systemic racism, and humanitarian policies here and around the world are listed.

“Affordable health care and safe living conditions for all” are other illustrations of the “common good.” Affordable healthcare, access to mental health services, strong food systems, affordable housing, reasonable gun safety laws, and prevention of violence are notable facets of this principle.

While it is not the focus of this blogpost to tell anyone how to vote, it is evident that in this particular day and age that one candidate probably does a better job at these things than others.

Prayerfully and mindfully vote and then cast your vote out of the principles by which you live your life with God as your witness.

America, Do You See What I See? Do You Hear What I Hear?

His followers insult Puerto Rico, calling it a floating island of trash. 

Calls Kamala Harris the "antichrist." 

Labels Democrats as smart and vicious. 

Has Dr. Phil misrepresent history and insults DEI.

Immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our nation." 

Trump's 2024 rally in MSG mimics the 1939 Nazi rally.

Immigrants commit more crime, take our money, vote for Democrats, and other mangled nonsense. 

Hitler did some good things, per John Kelly, a quote of JDT.

Wants the kind of generals Hitler had, but the top six:  one suicide and the other five sentenced to death.

Failed during the COVID pandemic. The US' death rate was far beyond that of other countries because he dallied. 

Created far less jobs than any other president since Reagan while the most has been Biden. 

Is in bed with white nationalists. Just go back and listen to the sound bites from Charlottesville. 

He claims to be God's annointed. 

Chose a VP who voted against aid to Israel and then  changed his mind. 

Increased the national debt by approximately $8T during his term. 

Favors the richest of the rich by reducing their taxes which increases taxes on the middle class.

Thinks that tariffs is a good idea when it will only create higher costs for us. 

Uses awfully coarse language in rallies and public speeches. 

Is complicit with Project 2025 and its authors. Says he is not familiar with it but his name is mentioned numerous times and he's been seen traveling with the Heritage Foundation president before he was fired. 

Insulted a Hispanic family whose daughter was murdered by saying behind closed doors, "No f***ing Mexican is worth that much?"

Insulted both the audience and Arnold Palmer and his family by commenting on his private parts. 

Continues to show mental decline and growing inabilities to reign his impulsivity in.

May be, according to some high ranking officials, be compromised and held hostage by Putin.

Insults people left and right like refusing to pronounce Ms. Harris' name correctly. 

Selected a running mate with a sketchy history of re-eventing himself for the sake of expediency and votes. 

Selected a running mate with 1 1/2 years experience in Congress and is a smooth talker, but is woefully inexperienced. 

Runs a negative, bombastic, insulting campaign, full of disinformation, and in particular insults VP Kamala Harris, claiming that she is dumb or  that she is "mentally incompetent" or "retarded?"

Asserts frequently that Harris wants illegals to vote for her. 

Made FBI stop investigating Kavanaugh's sexual offenses.

Has large groups of physicians and mental health professionals claiming that he is incompetent to run our country.

Often speaks in "word salads" pulling random things out of wherever and puts them in a random sentence structure, and using that to describe how brilliant he is. 

Says repeatedly that FEMA is out of money because the Harris gave it all to illegal immigrants. 

Provided Putin with COVID supplies while American citizens were doing without and dying.

Has continued to talk periodically with Putin in violation of the Logan Act.

Led the White House that shut down investigation into Kavanaugh's background which might have altered his acceptance to the Supreme Court.

Has lied about FEMA and hurricanes wreaking havoc in the SE. 

Says that immigrants have bad DNA while explains their propensity to murder.

Gives poor data and explanation into immigrants and crimes. 

Lies, lies, lies, lies, and more lies. 

Claims he is a very honest person which resulted in laughter by his interviewer.

Continues to assert that tax breaks to the wealthiest benefits middle class and lower class.

On camera has slurred speech, run out of energy, and speaks "word salads" which continues a little bit of everything, which he explains as his brilliance.

Told the audience that Putin can do whatever he wants with those NATO nations not paying their 2% of their GDP. 

After being found guilty of fraud and owing millions of dollars, shows up at a sneak.com and hawks his $399 gold plated shoes with a T on them. 

Asserts that there will be a blood bath if he is not elected.

Asserts that he will go after people who opposed him. 

Asserts that just a one hour or one day blood bath will stop crime in the US

Refuses to rebuke Putin in the death of Alexii Navalny.

Rambles on incoherently, misses key names and places, and slams Biden for less of the same.

Declares vengeance upon those who have opposed him.

Will serve as a dictator for one day. Just one day? 

Promises to pardon J6 participants who are in jail or prison. 

Compares his persecution to that of Navalny who was murdered in Russia.

One of his supporters, Jack Posobiec, vows to finish what happened on January 6, and from Trump, crickets. 

91 charges filed against him with 4 indictments.

Courts and/or judges rendered verdicts of $454M in a civil fraud case and $83.3M in a defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll. 

In February alone, Donald Trump encouraged Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to NATO allies that do not contribute sufficiently to the military alliance.

He refused to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin for the death of Alexei Navalny, 47, a Kremlin critic who died suddenly on Feb. 16 in a Russian penal colony — instead likening himself to Navalny, arguing they were both political prisoners.

And in a Fox News town hall Tuesday evening, he praised Russia for being “a war machine.”

Uses his platform to insult people such as Jimmy Fallon at the Oscars.

Claims to be God's chosen.

Convicted against Ms. Carrol.

Convicted by the state of NY which likely shows that his wealth is a shell game.

Has followers who believe he is a messiah or prophet, ordained of God.

Plans to turn our democracy into an authoritarian theocracy

Denigrates the Constitution.

Creates "events" to fool his followers by using "pseudo events" that are essentially "performative fiction."

Admires Hitler and Mussolini and is following their playbooks.

Will likely sell out Ukraine to Putin.

Is quoted as admiring Putin, Xe, and other dictators.

Vows to bring back Christianity, or his version of it, as a national religion, despite the specific clause in the Constitution that asserts that Congress shall not make any religion a state religion.

Mismanaged and criminalized the presidency.

His administration had an incredibly large number of charges against them, more than any other.

Judged to be the worst president in the history of the USA.

Not even his mother thought fondly of him and warned about him getting into politics because he would be a disaste.

Declared his wealth, but actually was given $400M by his father.

Despite his alleged wealth and power, he plays the victimization game.

Vindictive and self absorbed.

Convicted felon who can't legally carry a gun but can run for office.

Attempted to steal an election despite telling his closest of employees that he knew that he'd lost to Biden.

Insults numerous people including Biden and his stutter.

Attempted to run the government like he did his businesses.

Has had six bankruptcies, but claims to be good at business.

Added $7.8T to the US debt by giving huge tax cuts to the wealthiest while little to none of it trickled down to us.

Promises a blood bath if he is not elected. 

Judged to be a security risk, i.e., Biden should not give Trump classified materials unless he is elected. 

Believes that Joe Biden won the presidency over Barack Obama. 

Blames everyone but himself in his multi-court, multi-charges debacle.

Hawks Bibles and tennis shoes as fund raisers for this his legal fees.

Now selling $500K watches along with shoes and Bibles. 

Autographs Bibles and the American flag. Isn't the latter illegal?

Pulls campaign contributions over into paying for his enormous legal fees.

Believes that violence, threats of violence, and incendiary language are a normal part of his discourse.

Whose followers painted a picture on the back of a pickup truct of Biden tied up.

Verbally and in writing attacks judges, judges families, various DAs, President Biden, and other people with his inflammatory rhetoric.

Coaxes a crowd of young Christians at a rally in AZ to chant "bullshit, bullshit, bullshit....."

Convicted by a jury of his peers in NYC of felony charges on 34 counts.

Promises billionaires that he will slash their taxes if they vote for him.

Insults judge, attorneys, and others such that he has to have a gag order placed on him.

Insults the jury and the decision of his 34 convictions.

Asks Speaker of the House Johnson to work with him to get the court's decision nullified.

Asking Republican lawmakers to create a law that will transfer state cases to federal courts.

Promises to pay back those who have been against him.

Asserts that J6 was a peaceful gathering and that there was a lot of love there, while he and his family were in a tent on the capital grounds watching the insurrection unfold,

Speaks in incoherent "word salads" such as in the case of his monologue about religion.

Claims to be 6'3" 215, but the photo shows him pudge and overweight against other man who are that same height and weight.

Tells some of his followers that he does not like them, that he just wants their votes.

Has a history of screwing those who work for him, promising to pay when the job is completed, but when it is completed he denis payment as the work was inadequate (read his book for that one).

Guilty of sexual assault and defaming the woman to the tune of approximately $1/2M.

His followers refuse to examine his failing mental health, cognitive deficits, and faulty memory, but instead focus on Biden and his gafes and stuttering as some mental illness.

Insults Taylor Swift, asserting that she is working for Biden, and getting more young voters to vote for the Democrats.

Tells 30 lies in the first debate with President Biden,

Mocks others, the "other abled," and Biden's stuttering problem. 

Mocks those coming across the border as taking "Black jobs," and what are "Black jobs," and alas, that is bigotry wrapped up in bigotry. Reverend Warnock said it and I believe it. When I heard the former president use that terminology, I looked at my wife and cringed. I knew of the dark place this was coming from.