12 Comments
User's avatar
Phil Johnson's avatar

Actually, at 84, I am in dread of our country's existence and reflect on Rodney King's now-famous statement, when he was being pummeled by yclept "keepers of the peace": "Can't we all just get along?". What was true then is no less true today: there is no peace. More the shame; we never learn... God have mercy on us all.

Expand full comment
Doug Spraley's avatar

I am a registered Republican and in 2016 I noticed the Republicans were lying and I got more concerned about politics. Democrats may lie but not to the detriment of society. MAGA republicans, Fox News, X, are spreading hate and hate is contagious, I am very thankful for Substack to bring everything into perspective and bring down the hate. I will be 73 very soon, old guy, and have lived during the good times. I am hoping we can get our shit together and generations can live the good life or better. Get republicans out of office. Stop the rich from buying politicians. Old timer Congress democrats grow some backbone or step aside. We are tired of the same old song and dance. Listen to and work for the people.

Expand full comment
Ma's avatar

So true! I went down that same rabbit hole. Thank you for helping me start to get out of it. Too bad I can’t hit myself as hard as I hit others.

Expand full comment
Nenapoma's avatar

Thank you Ryan . Its been a week of emotional turmoil . I m not gonna hold compassion and empathy for a person who hated everything I m about . I m not gonna sanitize his legacy.

Expand full comment
Bonnie Hargrave's avatar

Appreciate the poetic prose from Loryn Brantz. I had never read this, and it's timely advice. Resist. Resist. Resist.

Expand full comment
Bruce Stowell's avatar

Thank you for putting words our issue of compassion and political warrior

Expand full comment
Liz Scheffler's avatar

Thank you. The image I am holding is actually a Harry Potter one--when all the wands are raised. Each is a point of light. What happened this week was horrible in that you argue in the public square and then vote at the ballot box. This holds for Mr. Kirk, as much as it held for those in Minnesota. as it did in 1968 when we lost both MLK and RFK only a short time apart. The only way to overcome the darkness is to become the beacon of light. Wands up. Luminos.

Expand full comment
Debra Garries's avatar

Thank you! I'm starting to get my head on straight again and this helps! We've got to keep speaking out and doing what is right - peacefully.

Expand full comment
Gabrielle's avatar

We must act with love. But, action against evil is the only possible resistance. We can act against them with love. But ACT we must.

Expand full comment
Protect the Vote's avatar

America: The Land of Violent People

Children raised in video games that give you points if you kill so many “enemies”(enemy defined as not you) Movies that entertain us with violence, killing nondescript people who are threatening with guns or other weapons and trailers emphasizing violence TV programs that normalize violence and study why murders happen

Most of us are immersed in violence day in and day out yet it has become so normalized we don’t recognize that we are a violent society Where does it end? Now the US military is killing potentially innocent foreign civilians that it suspects are somehow “criminals” Our country is becoming no different than Russia killing innocent Ukrainian citizens

So many examples of violence to political figures to perpetration and fomenting of violence by the current Nazi party One need only look at the “election” of Cheeto and what it points to: that nearly 50% of our society’s population like the ilk that the Nazi’s are bringing

Expand full comment
Nano Lawson's avatar

World affairs, politics, foreign and domestic are available here. It’s like CBS was in my youth. Lol at 72 I don’t know what kind of advertisement that is for you all, but it means sanity to me. Thank you and keep up the good work.

Expand full comment
J.R.'s avatar

Same age here. And I marched on Washington, DC from high school on. The news owned by corporations is for shit now. I gave up all of my subscriptions and will not watch the “if it bleeds it leads” so called news. Thankfully, we are here on Substack.

Expand full comment