I write to you, my friends, on a wet, gray, chilly day — the day before Easter and a risen Savior.
And similar to how early Christians were sad on the day following the crucifixion of Jesus — when all hope seemed lost — I too feel downcast and dejected today.
Though I always want my posts to be hopeful and optimistic, I also want to always be real and authentic. And today, on this numbing and nasty day, as winter refuses to release its grip on our lives, I’m sad for two reasons.
I’m sad for personal and political reasons.
On the personal front, I’m going through some heavy stuff with my family. I lost my Mom in February, which ought to be enough on one’s plate for at least a year. But alas, that’s not how these things go.
My Dad is in his 70s and dealing with significant memory and behavioral issues. He’s getting closer to not be able to care for himself and it absolutely rips my heart out of my chest. This is so much harder than I thought, because my Mom was mostly caring for my Dad, and I feel like I’ve nearly lost him, as well. (Anyone with tips on this? Please share below in the comments. 😩😢)
On the political front, I’m saddened by what happened in the Tennessee legislature — the state I call home. The removal of two black state reps was disgusting. The only good news from that is that it looks like the loss may only be temporary: Momentum builds to reappoint 2 Tennessee House Democrats after expulsion.
But that’s not the only dark clouds out there.
Meanwhile, far-right talk-show hosts completely full of anger are stoking those who are in the grip of the madness of the Republican Party. And they’re given 15-min segments to do it in, and they’re not challenged at all, regarding their falsehoods.
It breaks my heart that so many folks (and especially older Americans) are ingesting this poison in plateful doses of sugar-like, dopamine hits that are ripping our country apart. It’s also ripping apart families.
If you watched the above, here’s a short reply and rebuttal to the insanity above. (Or, you can watch the short version below and get a gist of the longer version above.)
It is all the things I’ve listed happening on the Right that has me down, politically speaking. It’s all gloom and it’s very dangerous.
The rain keeps falling down. The sun seems so distant.
I understand fully why some react to the venom from the Right with equal-like anger. Maybe it’s even needed; I don’t know.
Certainly, on the scary days, it seems like it. Folks like the Lincoln Project, Steve Schmidt, and others, they’re great at fighting fire with fire. Certainly better than I could ever be. (And usually even better at it than the Democrats; I’m sorry, but you know this is true.)
Fighting back that way is not really my style. And I’m also not sure it’s the solution.
I think we win this with love and kindness.
I think we win this by constantly reminding those who hate that we don’t hate. That we love. That we love God (or at least have faith and/or strong morals).
That we love America and baseball and capitalism and all the other things they think we hate. That folks like me, who they may detest, served our beautiful country, owned a small business for almost a decade, and attend church on Easter and other Sundays, too.
Long-term, the Republicans cannot draw enough districts or skew enough precincts to stop this:
Their over-reach will cause more people to pay attention, organize, and rise up in numbers that they cannot stop.
Decency and courage will eventually prevail.
And by showing love and portraying light, we can reduce the storms of hostility, paranoia, and fear.
Through smiles, good cheer, and joy, we can overcome this darkness.
And I will tell you something else, too.
I will no longer allow them to misuse and own Christian theology.
They have hijacked the message and made Christianity a religion of judgment and oppression.
But the story of Jesus is not that. It’s a story of the power of love. Of forgiveness. Of bearing insults, lies, and hatred. Taking it all — every single thing they could throw at Him — and not retaliating.
It’s a story of loving those who hate you and praying for them.
A story of Jesus asking God to forgive them, even while hanging from the cross, for “they know not what they do.”
I used to be the Fox News watcher. The Drudge Report addict. The gun-toting Southerner who hated those on the Left.
We hate what we don’t understand.
But deep down, when you got past my anger issues, I was a good person.
I would help anyone.
So, I’m challenging you today to smile and wave to that angry neighbor. Maybe reach out and facebook message that old friend whose posts you unsubscribed from.
They are only seeing anger. They are only hearing falsehoods. Show them some light. Show them some love.
We do not need to convince the unconvinceable.
We only need to reach small slithers in the middle so that a coalition of pro-democracy, pro-decency folks can fully regain control of our country.
And though the skies may be gray right now, though the future seems uncertain, the forces of decency have won most elections of late: in 2018, 2020, 2022, and in 2023 in Wisconsin.
Much as they could not stop Jesus with a cross, they also cannot stop light and love, no matter how much they slander and project.
Do not despair in these coming days. The light of dawn is emerging, and nothing can stop light (or truth).
And if you’d like more regular doses of optimism regarding our political situation, make sure you sign up for email notifications. It’s free to do so. 👊❤️🙏
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. I plan to have an optimistic and hopeful tone to every post. Even if we take some punches or get knocked down in the days and weeks to come, the “better angels of our nature” must stand back up and keep moving forward.
P.P.S. If you enjoyed this post, I’ll bet you’d love the book below about President Obama.
Stan I just wanted to say that caring for a parent with memory (and behavioral) issues is super hard, and you asked for tips from your readers? My tip is ask for help. Hire help if you can, either a caretaker who can give direct care and give you a break, or other types of help, like with the other aspects of life that get neglected because taking care of your father is pulling your energies away from them. Try to free up as much time as you can so that you are left with time to connect with your dad, not just the responsibilities. Remember that you are human. Give yourself and your dad both a ton of grace. Best wishes.
You helped me to end my day with hope. Thank you.