One "Christian Nation" Under God?

     

     I am always amazed by the fact that although we call ourselves “a Christian Nation” and we boast about the fact that we have more churches in the United States than any other country in the world, the teachings of God, the Father, and His Son, Christ Jesus, play minor roles in the integrity and spiritual correctness of our moral decisions. For example, it does not appear that we ask ourselves questions like “What grade would Jesus, who knows what’s honestly is in our hearts, give us for the policy decisions we’ve just made?” "How would God feel about the Republican Party's intentional attempt to create a health care policy that is going to result in pain, suffering, and death for millions of Americas?"  “Are our policy decisions concerning entitlements, tax cuts, voter ID laws, immigration . . . in accordance with His teachings?” “Are we conducting ourselves in compliance with the example He modeled on Earth?" "Are we writing and passing legislations that are in the true spirit of His principles (in accordance with His Word  in His Holy Bible)?  And finally. are we living and practicing the laws, principles, and values from His Word that we have incorporated into the two most important documents in our nation – The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States?” 

     In fact it appears to be quite the opposite: Our decision-makings are so far afield of His teachings that they would probably put us in good standing with the other guy – Satin. Moreover, what appears to be more amazing is the fact that organizations, like the Republican Party, which claim to be the beacon of Christian values and morality, are the worst offenders. Their anti-Christian policies, which are becoming more frequent, are increasingly producing more severe consequences: Reductions in real wages; reductions in the size of the middle class; increases in the number of people living below the poverty line; and deregulation of civil rights, workers’ rights, gender rights, equality for all, representative government, and individual rights.

     Currently, it appears that the republicans are winning all the social and economic battles. They won the battle concerning “no new taxes.” They won the battle concerning the topics and the framing of the economic debates. And most significantly, they won the battle concerning spending cuts: they forced our country to make deep cuts to badly needed social and education programs, while refusing to make any cuts in defense spending, for weapon systems the Pentagon neither wanted or needed.

     On the surface it appears that the republicans won the economic debates because their economic ideologies were better and more effective than those of the democrats. I don’t believe this is true. Moreover, there is one inescapable fact that all honest God-fearing Christians cannot overlook: Jesus would never cut entitlements, because He knows that cutting entitlements make the poor poorer. This means that death from poverty and other conditions in poverty-stricken neighborhoods increases. God knows that cutting entitlements is literally a death sentence for the poorest Americans. And the majority of poor Americans are children. God knows that the deeper the cuts, the more children you sentence to death.

     

     Cutting entitlements or social programs that help “Americans in need” might be a good strategy for giving corporations and wealth Americans. It might appease the Republican-Tea Party, but let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind: Agreeing to these actions makes you and I and every American conspirators in what has already become “the biggest mass genocide of Americans by Americans – And most of the victims are children!!!!!!

  God help us!!!         

by

James A. Porter

    

The Great Big Diversion: Justice Kennedy Retirement

The Great Big Diversion: 

Justice Kennedy Retirement

I do not believe that Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring. I believe that he is being forced-out of office by Donald Trump and his corrupt base. Think about it: Justice Kennedy is a moral and highly principled man. Unlike Donald Trump, his word can be trusted. The American citizens can rely on him to perform actions that are in the best interest of the United States – especially when he promised to do so. Yet, for some strange reason(s) he decided to perform a series of maneuvers that are sharp departures from his norms: Kennedy, who is known for his thoughtful and well written decisions, submitted two documents in the past few days that rival Donald Trump’s tweets in appearance and sparse contents. The first was a page and a half opinion for the majority ruling concerning the the supreme court ruling on immigration . The second was his five-six sentence retirement letter to Donald Trump. Both documents seem to lack the level of thoughtfulness that we associate with Justice Kennedy.  

    

My personal hypothesis is the following: Although Justice Kennedy’s retirement will have a major impact on women and their health and reproductive rights for decades to come, I believe that he was asked to retire by Trump handlers for the purpose of insuring that the supreme court will have a strong republican conservative majority before the date on which Muller will reveal his findings to the court concerning Donald Trump's criminal actions. Trump and his handlers believe that control of the supreme court is the last and most important step that Trump needs to take to ensure that he stays in power: (The Judicial Branch of our government is the only remaining leverage that the American citizens have over Donald Trump. He controls the Executive Branch, and the Legislative Branch consists of democrats without voices, retiring republicans, and intimidated-coward conservatives.  The Trump-McConnell’s plan is to insure that the court has a 5 to 4 conservative majority before Trump and other key White House officials are brought-up on charges by Muller.  This is the reason for Kennedy’s abrupt retirement and Trump-McConnell haste to have “the new guy” on the bench as soon as possible.   

by  

James A. Porter

The 12 Most Important Facts Americans Should Know about President Trump’s Immigration Policy

1.   The population of the U.S. is 4.4% of the world’s population. The population of the other countries in the world is 95.6%. Additionally, America’s 4.4 percent is becoming strongly divided by race, gender, wealth, politics and religion. It accurate to say, “The United States is no longer ‘one nation under God;’ instead, the U.S. is ‘a multi-fragmented nation that is rapidly losing its respect and its position as the greatest country in the world.

2.   China’s middle class is bigger than the entire population of the U.S. Private entrepreneurship in China is increasing by leaps and bounds. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, is aggressively encouraging the growth of small businesses. Additionally, China’s government is rapidly transforming many of its policies from communism to capitalism.

3.   Xi Jinping’s main goal is to make his country the number one country in the world in eight years. Ironically, our immigration policy is helping him to achieve this goal: Every country Donald Trump and the United States rejects – Xi Jinping and China embraces. Currently, China has a strong established presence in Africa and South-East Asia, and a growing presence in South America.  

4.   China is one of the world’s leaders in the fight to reduce global warming. China is leading the world in the production of alternative fuel in many significant areas. It is rapidly becoming the major supplier of alternative fuel for many European countries.

5.   American agricultural exports are down in significant numbers for the second year in a row. Some Europeans nations are suggesting that the down turn of agricultural exports indicates a growing push-back against U.S. immigration policies. Moreover, it is quite possible that the markets we are currently losing, we will never regain.

6.   Xi Jinping, the leader of China, holds the three major titles of power: President of the People's Republic of China, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission. In many important ways, Xi Jinping style of leadership is like the style of former President Reagan. For example, both men came into office with clear and well-articulated visions of their objectives and goals they planned to accomplish during their times in office. Also, both men saw overwhelming increase in their popularity as they accomplished their objectives. Moreover, their efforts resulted in sharp rises in superpower status for their respective countries.

7.   Many experts believe that India will become the number 2 nation in the world by 2030. Only China will be ahead of India in global domination. Although these experts believe that the United States will be third in the world, many of them could not rule out the possibility that the United States will be fourth with Russia taking the third spot.

8.   The United States influence throughout the world is diminishing. A growing number of countries are voting against American policies throughout the world. The United States is increasingly excluded from important world conferences.

9.   There are so many countries that are converting to alternative fuel (in accordance with the world’s global warming agreement) that coal and oil producing countries, like the United States, will have large supply of these products without world markets for them. The full impact of this shift in alternative fuel will occur around 2030, but Americans will begin to see significant signs as early as 2024 or within the next six to seven years.

10. If the United States continues its current immigration policies, by the end of President Trump’s first term in office, the best paying and most attractive jobs in the world will not be in the United States of America. The best companies in the world, including those that are own by Americans, will be in foreign countries with favorable immigration policies that allow companies to attract the world’s best, brightest and gifted people – including the best and brightest from the United States of America. 

11. Remember: The United States has 4.4 percent of the world’s population. The rest of the world has 95.6 percent of the population. As the United States’ 4.4 percent continues to break itself into fragments – based on race, gender, age, wealth, politics, and religion; the rest of the world is discovering that they are other countries, like China and India, that are willing to fill the voids left by the United States. Currently China is providing many countries in South America, Africa, and South-East Asia with expert consultants in buildings and highway construction and agriculture and manufacturing exports.   

12. Can you imagine the wealth of skills, knowledge, trade secrets, cultural/civic information, and youthful-energetic- human resources China and India will gain if the United States decides to reject “the 800,000 dreamers” of DACA?  

               

    by

James A. Porter

Fences: Build That Wall

Fences also came as immigrants,
carefully disassembled and tucked
between the interpretations of the "Books
in the Old Testament,"
neatly printed in the misinterpreted yellow journalism
of  Spencer and Darwin.
Others were stuffed in old envelopes
(hidden in the lines of letters,
whose wrinkled yellow shadiness, evidenced
pages that were read again and again
for indoctrination purposes). Diligently they were kept
to be reassembled as pillars in our laws
and the grand structure of pious euphemisms,
(with their believers unaware that  cries of  "Manifest Destiny"
would become a deliberate process of ongoing subjugation),  
and the walls of enclosure to the free mental movement
of the endogenous masses.         In cleaver disguises, as
methods to ensure civil obedience, these fences went
undetected


Unlike the ones that came as immigrants, however,
the earliest ones we erected on the landscape
were noticed and unwanted,
for back then (in the beginning) we valued the open range
and the freedom to chart our own course, and to move freely
--without obstruction to ourselves and others.


So these first barriers of discrimination   on the new land created resentments;
the critters complained, wailed, groaned, and lamented these hindrances
to enjoying the cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes;
the cattle simply accepted their fate as prisoners;
the buffaloes and wolves fought back against these barriers
--and lost.


Fortunately, these fences disturbing the soil were few,

and we took time every day to carefully mend them
and to erect them only when absolutely necessary,
like around the forts and the parameters of the jails          --just a few.


Unfortunately, we slowly began making more and more
and more of them:
big ones, high ones, strong ones, big and high ones,
strong and big ones -- more and more and
more of them everywhere. Made in barbed wire, chicken wire,
vinyl, bamboo, stockade, metal, split rail, board-on-board,
louvered, lattice, cement, stone, chain link, cyclone, ornate
wrought iron, aluminum, deer, plastic, PVC -- electric...
more and more of them everywhere,
around homes, schools, businesses, farms, communities,
-- churches!

"To keep them out" we told ourselves.
"To lock them up" we told ourselves.
"For safety reasons" we told ourselves.
"To protect our property" we told ourselves.
"To set boundaries" we told ourselves.
"Race, creed, color, ethnicity, or socio-economic status
has nothing to do with it," we told ourselves.
And to prove this point our current plan is to build more:
Bigger ones, higher one, stronger ones in this country
-- in all states.


On foreign soil we will tear down the cultural, moral, and spiritual enclosures 
that proud and noble civilizations erected;
without regards to the moral manner of disposition.
(Blowing them up should never be an option,
especially when we know
that children --  pure, precious and pretty,  are playing "tag" nearby.)

Yet, we blow them up,  and tear other nations down,
Then we make new fences: bigger,
stronger, and higher ones in bright yellow paint.


We don't mend fences anymore.



"To keep them out" we will tell ourselves.
"To lock them up" we will tell ourselves.
"For safety reasons" we will tell ourselves.
"To protect our property" we will tell ourselves.
"To set boundaries" we will tell ourselves.
"Race, creed, color, ethnicity, or socio-economic status
has nothing to do with it," we will tell ourselves,
while the biggest, strongest, and highest
fences that also came as immigrants will remain
-- undetected,


just like our ironic gift
to ourselves:


Life in prison -- without
the possibility of parole!
                                                           by  James A. Porter

Forward Thinking

     Forward thinking is a beautiful concept. Its very name –Forward Thinking promotes the images of innovations brought about by assertive (or aggressive) proactive thoughts. It appears to be the new way of thinking that is loaded with creative ideas. Cooperate America seems to be telling us that it is an excellent way to increase company productivity. Politicians are telling us that it is the key to balancing national and state budgets, reduce unemployment, improve our schools, provide universal health care, and most importantly – reduce the heavy tax burden that is keeping American corporations from hiring more American workers. Everyone is doing it now: “forward thinking,” or at the very least, they are claiming to be doing so.

     Maybe you are one of the converted or someone who is planning to become one very soon. Before you jump on the bandwagon or travel too far on this “forward thinking” trip, there are a few points we need to consider: 1. Knowledge of history is a vital tool for understanding what works, what doesn’t work, what to avoid, what to embrace, and so much more. Knowledge is power, and studying the works and ideas of those who came before us is the best way to gain knowledge.  2. Some things are worth preserving. Since every change causes an effect, we must always be mindful of the things we are loosing when we make a change. We should always ask ourselves, “What are we gaining?  And what are we giving up in the process?” 3. And finally, forward thinking is sometimes reckless, ill conceived, immoral, unproductive, and dangerous – especially when it is self-serving and driven by greed. 

       However, there are many wonderful examples of forward thinking around us. Our world is filled with examples of men and women whose visions changed the world, changed the thinking of humankind, and improved our lives. We should study them and encourage others to do likewise. This is one of the best strategies for insuring the enrichment of all our lives.

By

James A. Porter

The NFL Demonstration During the National Anthem

The Moral Hypocrisy of President Trump and the Baby Boomers in His Base of Supporters

Is Appalling!!

My name is James A. Porter. I spent 24 years in the United States Army and I fought in Vietnam, Desert Shield, and Desert Storm. President Trump and I are 71 years old, and we are also Baby Boomers (or members of the generation of Americans that were born between 1940 and 1964.) 

The Baby Boomers who support Trump, especially white males, seem to be his followers that are the most outraged by NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. This display of anger by them is ironic because the fact is no generation of Americans have disrespected the American Flag, the national anthem, military veterans, and active duty soldiers more than the baby boomers that are now Donald Trump's supporters. 

During the war in Vietnam, they ripped-up and burned the American flag, and they assaulted, injured, and spit in the faces of soldiers returning from the war. Their violent actions against soldiers became so great that those of us returning from the war were told by our military leaders to wear our civilian clothes instead of our military uniforms for safety reasons.  Their demonstrations became so intense that several large cities, including New York, cancelled Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and Armed Forces parades for several years.

It should be noted that despite the harsh treatment that returning veterans received from Trump's Baby Boomers, veterans made a concerted effort to understand the Boomers issues and concerns.  Moreover, some of us began to speak-out on their behalf. Many of us became “veterans against the war. ”Eventually, our joint actions lead to the end of the military draft on January 27, 1973 and the end to the Vietnam War on August 15, 1973.

It would be nice if Baby Boomers would make the same type of concerted effort to understand the social issues and concerns that black Americans are facing: Daily life experience, today, for most black Americans is Vietnam, Kent State shootings, Berkeley protest, and Richard Nixon (in Donald Trump's body) all rolled into one.

God, help us!

By James A. Porter

WHERE I'M FROM ...

I AM from the Presence

– the ancestry of Him in i.

Born of Truth, baptized by Love,

soulfully mentored by Grace.

i,

cradled in the arms of Mother Earth, learned to dance,

in Halloween costumes of Fall leaves,

      puddle-wonderful ponchos of Spring reign, 

summer scandals of sea shells,  

and formal frosty footgear of Winter Wonderlands.

The Transparent Eyeball accounts for my source 

– in all things:     “Word” Up!

As i journey through the woods in myself

dancing to the pow-wow thunder 

of nature’s harmonic counterpoints

 – free from dissonance, i have become forever,

while happily discovering:                

Every Moment is Thanksgiving          

on my journey to “Awe!”

--The Eternal Gift of Christmas.

by

James A. Porter

An Endangered Nation

    
     I love quality debates. I love debates in which two debaters, with opposite points of views, present their arguments – each clearly and concisely articulating interesting, informative, persuasive ideas, supported by cited respected research. Oh, I love the feelings of sitting and listening to the first debater, in a cool, calm, coherent manner convincing me that his side of the argument is correct. “This is good stuff!” I find myself thinking, as his presentation sways my thoughts in his favor. I am convinced that he's going to win! His argument is so good that I cannot envision him loosing the debate.
     Of course, my opinion changes a few minutes later, as I sit and listen to the second debater delivering the opposing argument. His delivery, which is as thorough, thoughtful, interesting, and persuasive as the first debater’s, pulls my thinking in the opposite direction.
     I find that long after these types of debates (the physical presentations) are over, a tug-of-war between the two sets of wonderful ideas rages on in my head –sometimes for days and months to come. And this is good! Because the chief reward that these types of discourses bring is the fact that they make me more aware and appreciative of differences. They make me a better person by making me more sensitive to the beliefs, needs, thoughts, and fears of others: I can truly empathize with those on the left and those on the right, those on the top and those on the bottom.
      I don’t think that I am alone; I think well- balanced, quality debates have similar effects on everyone.

     Strong (or excellent) leaders encourage these types of balanced debates that allow the citizens to gain an authentic grasp of the issues from both sides. Strong leaders know that the end results are going to be the development of understanding, empathy, and the feelings of fairness in everyone. Moreover, strong leaders know that it will help the citizens to develop a real appreciation for the quagmire these leaders are in, and sympathy for the difficulty of the decisions these leaders are going to make.  

     Unfortunately, in today’s political climate of weak leadership, where both sides of the debate are too afraid to discuss raising taxes (especially on the riches ten percent of Americans), or closing the most flagrant tax loop-holes, or eliminating earmarks and subsidies for rich corporations, or any issue that benefits poor Americans (minimum wages, entitlements, etc.) these types of quality debates are becoming endangered species. And the United States is becoming an endangered nation!
God help us!
                                              by James A. Porter