Shrewd Awakenings: Our Culture of Non-Conformity

The Covid 19 pandemic has helped the USA (AKA America) to discover its founding roots, and Liberty is stronger than ever!

I don’t know what some of these governors were thinking when they implemented controls on what could and could not be done to purchase specific items, worship in various socially distant ways, or enjoy the outdoors…But when those thoughts became actual rule, people rightly stood their ground to confront the tyranny.

This is exactly how the fight for civil rights began. Individuals must have dominion over there autonomy otherwise government actions will be encouraged to encroach on their personhood. Our Creator made us whole beings in order to experience a life rich with wonder, joy, risk and pain…This is the Love that is God, not the protection that is the mommy state.

In the USA the government can give certain rights, but the government itself does not have the civil right of a tyrant because our representatives are elected to make sure the balance of power leans on the side of the people, each of whom have the responsibility of their own actions. One, two or thousands of individuals can protest the government when their Constitutional rights are infringed upon, that’s why we have a Constitution to list these rights out specifically!!

This pandemic is quite a bit different than the pandemic of 1918. A century ago we had the radio and the press to inform the masses, yet very little was known about viruses and their transmission. A News of the World report from November 1918 lists the following as recommended precautions against contracting the flu: “Wash inside nose with soap and water each night and morning; force yourself to sneeze night and morning then breath deeply; do not wear a muffler; take sharp walks regularly and walk home from work; eat plenty of porridge.” Hygiene practices were much different with indoor plumbing and sanitation being mostly for the wealthy. And there were far fewer hospitals not to mention life saving technology.

Today’s pandemic is brought to you by the World Health Organization. The WHO’s primary role is to direct international health within the United Nations’ system and to lead partners in global health responses. This organization has been politicized because of various governmental influences and funding. It is very American to question the authority of the WHO. If America is basing it’s health informatics on information coming from this organization, and this organization recommends tracking the health of EVERYONE on the planet…would we do this? Of course not!! But then again, if a simple majority of our population in America is sufficiently frightened of what “could be” then perhaps the government would implement this authoritarian system, and if some of us “opt out” does this add to the polarization in our country? I think some of our government leaders would just love for this to happen because it would reinforce their need to be in charge and force compliance…Sound familiar? Isn’t this what is currently happening in various communities in regard to covid19?

Shrewd Awakenings…Truth or Consequences

Enough time has gone by now…

Yes my friends, it was a game show. You, the viewing audience have been allowed to witness a game for which truth still leaves many questions as actual facts are manipulated for a ridiculously consequential outcome.

Before “Beulah the Buzzer” sounded (in this case Beulah was the vote to acquit President Trump on two articles of impeachment) each contestant (in this case 100 Senators) had to answer to the viewers (in this case the American people) three questions. What were the three questions?

Here is my take:

1) Did the House enter into legitimate impeachment inquiry proceedings?

2) What did the “High Misdemeanor” accomplish?

3) Can a Senator keep their seat if he or she didn’t impeach President Trump?

Here are my answers:

1) There was no whole House vote to enter into the impeachment inquiry, but just because there is a House majority of Democrats, the majority should be careful to not enter into a partisan process as they did. To force a one sided Democratically called witness review which was done in partial secrecy was wrong, and to leak some of this secret testimony to the press for speculative and sensationalist review was compromising to the process. Even though beginning the inquiry was done legitimately, its implementation was ultimately problematic to their case.

2) The “High Misdemeanor” of saying Joe Biden’s name in relation to a corrupt Ukrainian Company during a head of state phone call accomplished the Democrat’s mission to find a ruse for the impeachment of President Trump.

From the un-redacted transcript of President Trump’s phone conversation with Ukrainian President Zelensky, President Trump says, “…There’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it…It sounds horrible to me.” President Trump never said, “…so if you could get the Attorney General to investigate Biden’s involvement with the corrupt company (AKA Burisma Holdings), this would be a great help to my campaign.” But that is exactly what the Democrats would want you to believe. Instead, President Trump who is the chief law enforcement officer of the USA wants to know on behalf of a lot of people (AKA taxpayers) if Burisma would ever be investigated for corruption. Interestingly, Biden’s action of holding back United States taxpayer funds to the Ukraine government in 2014 for six hours while he forced the firing of a Ukrainian investigator who was looking into Burisma corruption does appear to be a quid pro quo by Biden and was never brought up as being a wrong action even though he is on camera bragging about it in 2018.

Also from the transcript, “…Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100% my person, my candidate, who will be approved by the Parliament in September. He or she will look into the situation, specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue…” President Zelensky said that his intention was to investigate the company known as Burisma Holdings, not a person and specifically not the aforementioned Biden.

And, as far as United States funds being held back, has anyone considered that President Trump could have been waiting for the new prosecutor general to be actually approved by the Parliament into the position first? Ukraine’s government and the new President Zelensky should have their actions vetted carefully before the United States has trust in their future good intentions. With his own distrust of US federal employees working within and among his executive branch, President Trump likely wanted to do this inquiry himself, an action which is not illegal nor unprecedented.

3) Each Senator has their seat for six years. Any Senator who has three or more years left for their term and who voted to impeach knows it will have almost zero effect on their next campaign. Any Senator who has less than three years left for their term and who voted to acquit had to think twice about this vote because of the message it sends to their constituents, essentially a message of support for President Trump. Hopefully their individual votes were done based upon constitutional principles instead of party loyalty…You decide.

But here is the consequence, our Constitution hangs in the balance. From the start, the lack of a whole House vote to investigate an allegation from the very beginning brought on a partisan process. Even the majority vote to acquit in the Senate adds credence to the partisan misbehavior by the House. What we had was an abuse of power on behalf of the House of Representatives. Oh well…for now Beulah says, “Case dismissed!!”

Shrewd Awakenings…Our Great Awakening

It is now the year 2020 and it’s about time that we see the political climate around us with 20/20 vision.

person eye — Photo by Victor Freitas on Pexels.com

How many of us get our news from social media snippets and/or “friendly” network broadcasters? Are they and their sources reliable? Are the fact checkers that give us the Pinocchio’s really digging deep enough in their fact checking? Are we being presented the whole story? Unless we are willing to give up our day jobs (or even get off the couch) and become an investigative reporter, we probably rarely if ever do the reading and research necessary to have a truly informed opinion.

In the mean time the majority of us are typically left to our biases. Having a bias is not a bad thing…It is an absolutely human thing. It gives you a basis from which to start your exploration of a topic and to be tested when faced with an opposing view; in other words, the ability to have an open mind from which to use to reason.

If you hold strongly onto your bias, then you have the inability to find justice. Potential jurors are scrutinized for bias before they are allowed to serve on a jury. This is a very important part of a society based on law and justice.

Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. Can a liberty minded society be “cleansed” of biases? Of course not! Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views (Oxford Dictionary). The opposite of this is Fascism. Social justice must impose Fascism in order to control the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges. In the USA each person would necessarily need to give up their liberty in order for the implementation of a true social justice agenda. By what biased authority would we want this agenda implemented? The answer to this question leads to our great awakening…

Liberty entails the responsible use of freedom under the rule of law without depriving anyone else of their freedom. This sounds like a just society to me 🙂

We are already USA Strong!

Your property and care of it is your wealth, your informed curiosity leads to your opportunity, and your positive relationships reinforce many of your privileges. These are guaranteed to you in the U.S. Constitution.

A Religion for Our Time

Religion is a practice. Belief in core Priciples along with rituals of song, prayer and symbolism help to engage an individual in spiritual growth. The world’s major religions are practiced by many people, however there are just as many people for whom these religions do not resonate. This does not mean that non-religious people do not desire a spiritual anchor. Many find great meaning in nature, music, movement, and volunteerism. Given today’s active lifestyles there should be a religious practice that would work for most anyone who wishes to engage meaningfully with Devine inspiration, spiritual healing and God. If there was such a practice, how would it be taught? And, would it be necessary to commune with others in a physical church to make it truly a religion?

Polarizing political climates are a symptom of needed spiritual intervention. The focus of each individual must be diverted from physical needs and wants and placed squarely in the hands of a higher power. In my past writings I have pointed out that our mainstream dialogue is trending toward more order which is why more social justice initiatives and socialist programs are being pushed as necessary for equity in our U.S. Culture. The political emphasis on centralizing government rather than respecting individual liberty has huge implications on the human soul. This is patriarchy or what I call the Male Principle in action. It amazes me that women who call themselves “Feminists” are buying into this patriarchal system. The alternative, having a matriarchal system is no better. The “male” symbolizes confidence, protection and humor. The “female” symbolizes passion, modesty, and creativity. In this instance male/female does not connotate sex or gender, instead their meaning is purely related to human nature as order/chaos. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines human nature as the fundamental dispositions and traits of humans. Taken together the male and female traits are present within all humans to various degrees, and our cultures are manifestations of these traits. Witness now the physical focus on trans men and women, race, gender inequality (AKA intersectionality)…Why the need to physically transform oneself into a “category of traits”? Why not instead accept your natural physical presence and utilize your fundamental human traits to transform your spirit and hence your life with all of humanity? I believe the Bible is a guide for this transformation, however its religious message can be incredibly difficult for the average person to understand. You cannot find yourself by expressing feelings through physicality.

Devine transformation occurs somewhere between the human traits of confidence/passion, protection/modesty, and humor/creativity. The Genesis is hidden from the eye, but felt with the heart. The transformation is fully physical in the form of good works not your identity of sex or race or even your material acquisitions. The goal is love, of yourself and others. And if God is Love, then our good works in our homes and communities make us into the image of our Creator.

Now for the teaching…Imagine the egg as a symbol of this transformation. The yolk feeds the embryo (germinal disc) and is attached to the shell internally by a membranous strip (chalaza). The egg white (albumen) cushions the yolk and supplies water to the growing embryo. There is an air chamber that holds oxygen. Inner and outer membranes form the protective layers between the eggwhite and the shell. We know all this exists inside the shell and yet we are unable to actually view it unless of course we dissect the egg. Consider that your soul is the embryo and your human nature is the yolk. The chalaza anchors your soul and human nature to a membrane that protects your emotional maturity. The egg whites cradle your emerging soul and ensure that the oxygen remains removed from you until you are ready for the physical transformation to do good works in the physical world. But the symbolism does not stop here.

Now consider the Easter Egg. Let’s decorate the shell with symbols of the human capacity for love. The diagram below shows the outer shell of the egg with a blue heart near the top, a red heart toward the middle and a purple heart near the base. Out from either side of the red heart internally are two more hearts, one orange and one green. Attached to the inside and opposite to the red heart is a large yellow heart, and the large yellow heart is connected to the blue and purple hearts almost directly like the chalaza of an egg. Everything happening within the shell is not able to be seen, but if you can imagine the internal dimension then you can quite possibly connect to it’s deeper meaning. This rainbow of hearts manifests Devine inspiration and offers a guide for spiritual healing and growth:

God (yellow), man (blue) and woman (red) are primary colors. Chaos (orange) and order (green) are a blend of God with woman and man respectively. Community is a blend of man and woman (as the color purple). This image is very similar to a previous image I created from a previous blog. Order and Chaos balance with Transformational Suffering from which Good Works and Meaning emminate and ultimately connect to God or Christ…This is Devine transformation and can be achieved by anyone willing to believe in the process.

Both women and men must nurture new life and teach good works, doing this with guidance from their Creator. Women and men carry on the traditions of Devine inspiration for their homes and communities to bring meaning. The Judeo-Christian teachings are the basis of these traditions. No matter what gender or race you are, it is human nature that drives your soul and God’s presence is the mystery working in your soul. You are in charge of doing the good in the world on God’s behalf. Understand that each individual shares the same journey of our human race….This is our church, and at its core it is religious.

Hold and egg in the palm of your hand. Sense the frailty of its mystery. Consume the meaning of its message and put it to work in your life.

Shrewd Awakenings: Let’s March for Some Common Sense!

The third annual Women’s March is scheduled to happen on Saturday January 19, 2019. This March has had its share of controversy over the past year, from the cochairs and their association with antisemitism to locally organized women’s marches that shun inclusivity of perspective. Just what is the aim of this March and what does it really do for me that I cannot accomplish for myself? Originally organized in 2017 to protest the inauguration of President Trump, this March from the outset was begun to raise awareness of the possible backward legislation that could develop from the new administration. Speakers decried setbacks to women’s issues like abortion, but mostly they were upset that a “womanizer-in-chief” was elected over a female presidential hopeful. To be clear, I didn’t vote for either of these candidates. I thought that both were too polarizing to allow constructive work to be done for the people. But I would ask, what is this work and more importantly how does it effect people, especially women? Also, would women’s marches really influence federal policy? Women want constructive work to happen on policies that affect them and their families. Access to affordable and private health care, family friendly work environments, manageable costs of living, excellence in education and safe communities are top priorities for most women. But these priorities are not what I see being the focus in our government system (I include Unions as part of this system too). Two party control is in actuality one party obstruction and the people they represent are not being served and therefore the people they serve do not progress on the above mentioned policy priorities. All women are uniquely qualified to stand up for exceptionalism. The United States is an example (or should be an example) of exceptionalism. Because of her authentic capacity for emotional maturity, openness, fortitude and humility a woman has the ability to directly influence her family and social circles toward changes that impact lives daily. The power is all hers if she should choose to apply it. Transformation is then realized on a personal level rather than nationally, and the innovation, once perfected, is emulated from there throughout the culture because it is authentic and heartfelt. This is the March of a woman!

Shrewd Awakenings: How Are You Using Centering Energy?

Female energy at it’s core is Chaos. Male energy at its core is Order. These are opposing emotional energies, and no matter where you are on the LGBTQ or cis-gender spectrum, you can exhibit these energies in a variety of unhealthy ways.

What humanity needs is a balance which can only be found through centering energy…Christ knew this, Ghandi knew this and MLK knew this as have many others who understood the human need for freedom.

Government is not our friend in the quest for freedom because government is control inspired by men and women who are imperfect. To expect that a government authority could administer an efficient program for all with equal results is impossible. This is why government must be limited in its scope and why the individual must have maximum freedom to explore their unique potential.

The Enlightment ideas based on reason, individualism and skepticism did not occur overnight. Influenced by 17th century philosophers such as Descartes, Locke, and Newton with prominent promoters like Goethe, Voltaire and Adam Smith, the further development of these ideas formed the basis of our U.S. Constitution. We could conclude that the Enlightment is the centering energy for our government.

Are our law makers on Capitol Hill using centering energy? I think many are not! They take an oath to uphold the Constitution and yet all I see are the energies of order and chaos at work:

Chaos demonstrated by:

Identity groups causing disruptions
Women literally crying as a force to be reckoned with
A porous southern boarder
Out of control deficits and spending

Order demonstrated by:

Emigration that helps parties and not people
Equality of outcomes as a means to an end
People forming separate group identities
Media platforms pushing compliance of liberal platitudes

We must be very careful not to live enmeshed in these opposing energies. Our binary form of government leadership only adds to this push-pull hysteria. To balance these energies leadership must become more “enlightened” and model best practices of reason through understanding, skepticism within context and legislation honoring our inalienable rights. And we the people must become more “enlightened” and model good works while loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Shrewd Awakenings: On Representative Government

In a Representative Democracy the people elect officials to represent them when creating laws and policies. It burns me when I hear people leave out the “representative” part of our type of Federal Governance system. It makes a very big difference in our core principle of government by, of and for the people. Our Founders knew that if the Federal Government became a monolith then it had to be a system of many voices. One person, one vote is not enough to counter tyrannical behavior from a perceived majority. States, counties, towns, neighborhoods, on down to the individual…All have special needs and wants and all must have a way to ensure happiness at home where the responsible individual is productive in his or her own right.

I served a two year term as a City Councilor representing one of seven wards in a nonpartisan capacity. Several things motivated me to run for this seat:

The property tax rate in my city rose 18% in one year. I witnessed the complete awe in my neighbor’s faces and we all wondered how such an oversight could have happened.
I became involved in a bipartisan civic group that challenged this increase and we learned quite a bit about the proper functions as well as the dysfunctions of our city government.
Having served as president of other organizational boards as well as chaired numerous church and civic committees, I was very familiar with democratic processes, never missing an opportunity to also participate in strategic planning workshops and community forums.
With my children grown and my business running smoothly I had the flexibility to contribute my time to City Council demands.
I wanted to be part of the solution instead of whining about the problem. As they say, whiners never prosper. Life long learners need apply!

As a councilor I then became more aware of how dysfunction at the governance level had occurred:

Previous councilors who had my seat were not proactive about getting to know their ward constituents and businesses. Communication was not a priority and therefor transparency was lacking. It was no wonder that citizen apathy had set in.
The long standing councilors had not read their governing manual which I discovered was outdated and in need of many revisions. Had the Council been more educated about their powers, perhaps the City Administrator would not have been allowed to cross certain ethical boundaries (which he had done many times in my presence). Council duty #1…Administrations always need to be held accountable!
The “conservative” councilors who continually voted no to any type of spending also had no ideas about how to control spending, creatively raise revenue or educate themselves on our many cash reserves and how they could be used, nor did they ever probe the City Administrator about his ideas for raising revenues beyond direct taxation. Our commercial base had become so small that the tax burden was placed significantly on home owners.
All previous Councils blindly left their faith in city operations to a City Administrator who did not have an annual review process by the Mayor and Council. This was another aspect of how the Council did not understand their power…Perhaps this was intended by the Administrator?
Because of #4, this left a power vacuum. The Mayor’s role became more controlling which set the Ward representatives up for political gamesmanship and subsequent dysfunction. Please tell me how this works for constituents?

How many other cities are run like this and is it no wonder that Washington DC is in a similar mess? Representative government only works when those who are elected know their functions within the governmental system. This education begins at home as well as in our schools. Communication and transparency are critical to having an engaged public. When we elect representatives we must be confident that they understand their roles and responsibilities otherwise we can wind up with a vacuum of leadership ripe for dysfunction and control. Is the United States headed in this direction? Here are some of my observations:

Congress seems oblivious to their responsibilities. They are allowing the State’s to slowly undo federal laws and the Administrative branch to spy on its citizens. Where is their oversight?
Presidents can be too loyal to special interests. Whether because of donor cash or partisan concerns, Constitutional protections for the nation as a whole are ignored by a passive Congress.
The press is complicit in political gamesmanship. Reporting has become less factual and more based on hearsay and emotions which tend to keep the more astute public frustrated and disengaged…A sure way to continue apathy amoung certain voters.
Civil protections are being reframed as special protections. A public that is divided into categories conveniently focuses attention away from core values that unite people. These core values are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Forgetting this principle allows the Constitution to be rendered ineffective and useless thereby creating a vacuum for tyrannical control.

In conclusion, I recommend that we must start to reframe “special protections” in a way that connotes faithful service to others. Government cannot solve social issues. Faith and service based organizations must do this work along side of their communities. This is the real meaning of church and state separation. How can we strengthen this very important message? I will explore this in my next blog…

The Shrew