Preaching to the choir Professor Where does it get us. Congress approved this contorted Cabinet and now we are stuck with them. There is no measure of protection for the US citizens at home or abroad. We are all so much less safe and secure
Thanks for reading, Susan. I really appreciate you taking the time to engage with this one.
I write with Lincoln Square’s readership in mind because I know this audience is politically literate — not just informed, but discerning. They already see through a lot of the nonsense in our politics. My goal isn’t to tell them what they already know; it’s to give structure and language to what they’re seeing, so they can name it, challenge it, and help others do the same. That’s the real power of writing for a community like this.
Take something like argumentum ad baculum — the appeal to force or threat instead of reason. Most people already recognize when a politician or pundit is operating that way. But when we can call it what it is, give it a name and context, it sticks. It turns a feeling into a tool. Suddenly, it’s not just “that thing Trump always does” — it’s a fallacy you can identify, reject, and explain in your own conversations. And maybe next time, the person on the other end of the argument is pushed to actually use logic instead of intimidation or manipulation.
That’s why I think posts like this matter. Not because readers here need convincing — but because we’re helping them sharpen what they already know, and giving them the words to take it further. Never underestimate the choir — or the power of the choir. The choir doesn’t just listen. The choir sings. And when they sing clearly and in unison, other people hear the tune.
Thanks again for holding the space for this kind of writing. I’m grateful to be part of it.
Thanks so much, Maxine. You nailed it—groupthink is exactly what’s happening, and the gaslighting is next-level. What really gets me is how some of these folks will turn around and try to accuse us of being the ones under groupthink just because we vote Democrat. I always tell them: I can actively disagree with Biden—or any Democrat for that matter—and still be welcomed in the room. I have disagreed with this administration. The difference is, those disagreements are usually in good faith. We argue, we push, and nine times out of ten, we can find some common ground and move the conversation forward.
But these Republicans? They don’t understand that there’s no “middle ground” on basic humanity. You can’t compromise your way into dignity. There’s no both-sides angle to “maybe diversity is good” or “hey, perhaps we shouldn’t ban history and criminalize compassion.”
The moment the debate becomes “should marginalized people even exist comfortably in society,” you’re not in a policy disagreement—you’re in a morality crisis. And I refuse to play footsie with that.
Appreciate you for reading and chiming in. Comments like yours keep the conversation sharp. Take care!
How scared must most of us be before we take action that will result in change? I mean change that rebuts the whole-sale deceit & Orwellian nature of Trump’s reign. I keep reading all the ways S. Miller, ICE, our very own SC are dismantling our way of life w/o much blow back. Sure, we march & protest! But how do we put an end to this madness? We know now the Courts will not save us. It is a very bleak day.
It is sickening how they all fall into line. Group think--Ugh. A Lesson to us all. Now they all rally back to the big beautiful bill. Of course that was a given from the get go. Thanks Kris for your good insights into this behavior. Take care.
As a theologian and a psychologist, I never underestimate the ability of a theocracy to be bat shit crazy. After all, who needs caution or reason when you have God on your side? I think the Republicans are delusional. We are all the worse for it.
Martha, I 100% agree. Time after time I’ve seen people use religion and magical thinking to justify absolutely abhorrent behavior—and this isn’t just some abstract thing in history books or HBO dramas. The logical contortions people twist themselves into are mind-boggling for anyone who actually thinks critically.
You nailed it: when people believe God is always on their side, caution, humility, and reason go out the window. That’s exactly how theocracy masks itself as virtue—and how delusion gains power. One day, I plan to write about this in depth on my personal Substack. Not sure yet how close to the edge I want to go on Lincoln Square, but believe me, I’ve got stories.
Thanks for reading and for dropping such a bold and honest comment. 🙏🏾
I think there should be a class action suit against Trump and Isis terrorizing these older people that have been in the United States since they were kids the 1 60 year-old man that had three senses during the military and they beat him and threw him in jail that was just ridiculously stupid and then the 165-year-old woman that had been here since she was a child. It’s a shameful thing to have to watch and I despise those people for doing it. These people had no other cause they had to come with their parents and they lived here long and prosperous, I hope.
There has to be a much better way of dealing with this problem than the way they’re doing it because they’re not Rite that just is totally wrong and I have never think it’s right
Thanks for reading and sharing your heart, Mary. 🙏 I’m not a lawyer, but I do think there might be legal viability to what you’re saying—especially around systemic abuse, elder mistreatment, and government overreach. If someone were to pursue a lawsuit, they could potentially argue that constitutional rights (due process, equal protection) were violated and that specific policies inflicted measurable harm on people who were vulnerable or long-established residents.
That said, it would take a skilled legal team and a whole lot of courage. But your instincts about injustice are right on the money—and I appreciate you speaking up. 💙💙💙
Preaching to the choir Professor Where does it get us. Congress approved this contorted Cabinet and now we are stuck with them. There is no measure of protection for the US citizens at home or abroad. We are all so much less safe and secure
Thanks for reading, Susan. I really appreciate you taking the time to engage with this one.
I write with Lincoln Square’s readership in mind because I know this audience is politically literate — not just informed, but discerning. They already see through a lot of the nonsense in our politics. My goal isn’t to tell them what they already know; it’s to give structure and language to what they’re seeing, so they can name it, challenge it, and help others do the same. That’s the real power of writing for a community like this.
Take something like argumentum ad baculum — the appeal to force or threat instead of reason. Most people already recognize when a politician or pundit is operating that way. But when we can call it what it is, give it a name and context, it sticks. It turns a feeling into a tool. Suddenly, it’s not just “that thing Trump always does” — it’s a fallacy you can identify, reject, and explain in your own conversations. And maybe next time, the person on the other end of the argument is pushed to actually use logic instead of intimidation or manipulation.
That’s why I think posts like this matter. Not because readers here need convincing — but because we’re helping them sharpen what they already know, and giving them the words to take it further. Never underestimate the choir — or the power of the choir. The choir doesn’t just listen. The choir sings. And when they sing clearly and in unison, other people hear the tune.
Thanks again for holding the space for this kind of writing. I’m grateful to be part of it.
Thanks so much, Maxine. You nailed it—groupthink is exactly what’s happening, and the gaslighting is next-level. What really gets me is how some of these folks will turn around and try to accuse us of being the ones under groupthink just because we vote Democrat. I always tell them: I can actively disagree with Biden—or any Democrat for that matter—and still be welcomed in the room. I have disagreed with this administration. The difference is, those disagreements are usually in good faith. We argue, we push, and nine times out of ten, we can find some common ground and move the conversation forward.
But these Republicans? They don’t understand that there’s no “middle ground” on basic humanity. You can’t compromise your way into dignity. There’s no both-sides angle to “maybe diversity is good” or “hey, perhaps we shouldn’t ban history and criminalize compassion.”
The moment the debate becomes “should marginalized people even exist comfortably in society,” you’re not in a policy disagreement—you’re in a morality crisis. And I refuse to play footsie with that.
Appreciate you for reading and chiming in. Comments like yours keep the conversation sharp. Take care!
How scared must most of us be before we take action that will result in change? I mean change that rebuts the whole-sale deceit & Orwellian nature of Trump’s reign. I keep reading all the ways S. Miller, ICE, our very own SC are dismantling our way of life w/o much blow back. Sure, we march & protest! But how do we put an end to this madness? We know now the Courts will not save us. It is a very bleak day.
you are giving them too much credit. they are all in it for the money. plain as day. hey, how many politicos were in venice this weekend?
It is sickening how they all fall into line. Group think--Ugh. A Lesson to us all. Now they all rally back to the big beautiful bill. Of course that was a given from the get go. Thanks Kris for your good insights into this behavior. Take care.
As a theologian and a psychologist, I never underestimate the ability of a theocracy to be bat shit crazy. After all, who needs caution or reason when you have God on your side? I think the Republicans are delusional. We are all the worse for it.
Martha, I 100% agree. Time after time I’ve seen people use religion and magical thinking to justify absolutely abhorrent behavior—and this isn’t just some abstract thing in history books or HBO dramas. The logical contortions people twist themselves into are mind-boggling for anyone who actually thinks critically.
You nailed it: when people believe God is always on their side, caution, humility, and reason go out the window. That’s exactly how theocracy masks itself as virtue—and how delusion gains power. One day, I plan to write about this in depth on my personal Substack. Not sure yet how close to the edge I want to go on Lincoln Square, but believe me, I’ve got stories.
Thanks for reading and for dropping such a bold and honest comment. 🙏🏾
And thanks for the feedback and the courage to state this.
I think there should be a class action suit against Trump and Isis terrorizing these older people that have been in the United States since they were kids the 1 60 year-old man that had three senses during the military and they beat him and threw him in jail that was just ridiculously stupid and then the 165-year-old woman that had been here since she was a child. It’s a shameful thing to have to watch and I despise those people for doing it. These people had no other cause they had to come with their parents and they lived here long and prosperous, I hope.
There has to be a much better way of dealing with this problem than the way they’re doing it because they’re not Rite that just is totally wrong and I have never think it’s right
💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
Thanks for reading and sharing your heart, Mary. 🙏 I’m not a lawyer, but I do think there might be legal viability to what you’re saying—especially around systemic abuse, elder mistreatment, and government overreach. If someone were to pursue a lawsuit, they could potentially argue that constitutional rights (due process, equal protection) were violated and that specific policies inflicted measurable harm on people who were vulnerable or long-established residents.
That said, it would take a skilled legal team and a whole lot of courage. But your instincts about injustice are right on the money—and I appreciate you speaking up. 💙💙💙