He got up and read some poetry he had written with some fierce and suggestive lines. But before that, he had something to say that made us sit up and pause.
Friday, March 21, 2025
A Hyde Park in Every Town?
He got up and read some poetry he had written with some fierce and suggestive lines. But before that, he had something to say that made us sit up and pause.
Saturday, March 1, 2025
How Come One Is Famous While the Other One Isn't?
I couldn't just absorb the moment, though I wanted to sit there and do just that. I had to think quickly, and gratefully, I did. But the reason I had to do so is still pretty astonishing.
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
I Read All That. For What?
I looked at my considerable library the other day and sighed. The following books--nearly all of which I read cover-to-cover-- are there on the shelves (in alphabetical order of the authors):
- Twilight of Democracy--Anne Applebaum
- Oath of Honor--Liz Cheney
- Disloyal--Michael Cohen
- Border Wars--Julie Hirshfield Davis and Michael D. Shear
- Betrayal--Jonathan Karl
- I Alone Can Fix It--Carol Leonnig and Phillip Rucker
- The Fifth Risk--Michael Lewis
- Unthinkable--Jamie Raskin (actually, I gave this one away after reading)
- A Very Stable Genius--Rucker and Leonnig
- Midnight in Washington--Adam Schiff
- Fear--Bob Woodward
- Peril--Woodward and Robert Costa
Sunday, February 2, 2025
They Wouldn't Print It, So I Will
After all, this is what I have a blog for--
Every year, my congregation has a booklet that it puts out, filled with missives on the season written by its members, spanning about 300 words. It's strictly volunteer, but many people, like me, pretty much do it yearly. The church leadership gives us a biblically-based theme, and we expand on it.
In past years, I've heard good things about my entries. But in those years, there was reason to note that Christmas was a time for peace and joy and hope--which were pretty much the themes suggested this year, too.
Except I don't feel that way this year. If you read below, you'll see why. I don't think it's absurd or otherwise subversive; it's just where I am and will be for some time. The original shock of the election results has led to a depth of attitude that I find, and feel to be, uniquely devastating.
So I wrote about it in this year's contribution. And got it sent back to me. The leadership of the congregation, which I joined because it pretty much dovetails with my personal feelings on religion and its purposes (and still does), won't run it. They get it, I was told, they understand, but to publish anything this despondent would give them a reputation that might put it in jeopardy with other congregations they have combined forces with. So here, too, is a place where political considerations hold sway, where being politically correct has to take precedent.
Not here. Not in this blog, where I've been anything but. I have much more to say on this topic, but we'll settle for this right now. I was asked to modify my attitudes, but I refused. "I can't fake this," I replied, and I won't.
I don't want to waste the effort, so I'll run it here. I'll leave it up to you. Would you run it as an example of how people might be potentially feeling, or dismiss it as the attitudes of one? Is this such an awful thing to say as representative of one person belonging to one congregation and thus should be left to him to speak for himself?
If so, okay. Again: This is what I have a blog for--
For Christmas Booklet, 2024
This isn’t writer’s block. I’ve had that.
Nope. Not it. Writer’s block means the words are inside but just won’t emerge right now. They strain without coherence. They arrive, though. They always do. They just need a minute.
This is different. I’m without words. Not sure I’ve ever been here before.
Is this the definition of hopelessness? Where there’s no possible way to describe how you’re feeling? Where you could never imagine depths into which you still feel yourself falling?
I’m there. Which is to say, nowhere.
Not counting on that angel to show up and say, “Do not be afraid.” Uh-uh. Wouldn’t matter anyhow. We’d have to argue about the meaning of that, too, about someone born of migrants, who will soon be hunted down by a vicious ruler, using the power of government to assure dominance.
This is fundamental. This is a direct threat, allowed by those who should have known better. Who have found simple logic wanting.
Who define being human in ways I cannot fathom, with condescension and superiority. Who allowed thought to be eclipsed by raw emotion and an anti-reality.
And, in immense self-delusion, actually believe that God wills this. They have allowed themselves to be led about as far away from The Mount as can be.
I taught some of them, too, in subjects in which they should have connected with their civic responsibilities, their human obligations. I feel responsible, though I certainly didn’t lead them there. But nobody could have anticipated abrogation of thinking wrapped around Christian nationalism.
I am afraid. There’s no getting around it. I am afraid for my country. I am afraid for myself. I am afraid for humanity.
It’s the only thing left when you’re backed into a corner with no way out and no defense. When you don’t know what’s coming but you can guarantee that it’ll hurt a lot.
Zechariah was struck into silence by Gabriel when he doubted his good fortune and had every right to believe he was being blocked from it. I’m there now.
I’m done talking. All that writing I’ve done, all that reading, all that fleshing out of ridiculousness, has resulted in an empty return.
When I see hope, I mean the real thing, I’ll say something to somebody about it. It’s not on the horizon right now.
I can’t. The words aren’t there.
Talk later. I hope.
I don't want to unnecessarily embarrass the powers that be that stood in the way of publishing, but after all, I did want to make it public, and this is really the only way I still can. I wonder, now that they think about it, whether they regret the decision to 'spike' it or not.
It reflects what's going on all over--that people are retreating for reasons that are taken out of context or mostly imagined. I find that astonishing. What is freedom of expression, after all, if you can't say something that someone, anyone (maybe even everyone) might have an issue with? Otherwise, it's empty.
Yet, I must remember my own context. Church publications normally don't want to stir up controversies and disagreements. Better to play it safe. Doing otherwise would be highly unusual.
But these times are, themselves, highly unusual--in which certain things had better get said before we dull ourselves to accepting the unacceptable. Which is, based on the acquiescence of high-level media entities, just around the corner.
So there it is. I print it because someone prevented me from doing so, and--far more importantly--not one word of it needs to be changed or deleted because my feelings have been somehow reduced. If anything, that volume has grown.
Enjoy. Or ruminate.
Be well. Be careful. With some luck, I'll see you down the road.
Mister Mark
Saturday, January 18, 2025
A Bag That Wouldn't Open
Those of us who travel a little have favorite bags that we insist we take with us. They may be roomier or more attractive or more convenient or be part of a matching set we wouldn't do without.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
I Can See Them Coming: Repeats of 1850 and 1957
- Pritzker, Illinois: "You come for my people, you come through me."
- Newsom, California: Has called for a special session to bring more resources to combat attacks on immigration, abortion, and LGBTQ rights.
- Hochul, New York: Has promised to combine forces with Attorney General Letitia James to "protect New Yorkers' fundamental freedoms."
- Walz, Minnesota: Has promised to make Minnesota a 'safe haven' for people to practice their rights.
- Healey, Massachusetts: Has refused to participate in deportation plans;
- Polis, Colorado: Has joined with other Democratic governors and ex-governors to form Governors Safeguarding Democracy. He and Pritzker are co-chairs.
Monday, November 4, 2024
The Country's Really at Stake Tomorrow
- Try to stifle all media opponents by legal or quasi-legal means;
- Try to expand book banning to include anything written about gays or trans-people;
- Take away any effort to contribute to battling climate change;
- Get us out of NATO and leave Europe at the mercy of Russia;
- If he gets both houses of Congress on his side, take away Social Security and Medicare;
- Ditto for control of Congress--before the above mentioned, he will end abortion in the U.S.;
- Cripple the economy with a misguided, repeatedly stupid attempt to foist China with tariffs; and
- Put immigrants into concentration camps, where they will suffer and die by the thousands.