Gleaning Facebook: January Six A Year Later

 

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America; and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

I am so saddened as I listen to the eloquence and sad truths expressed by the President and Vice President this morning and from Members of Congress on the House floor today; the people who need to hear these words will never hear them. The Trumpists will continue to spread the Big Lie and bow their knees to the Big Liar and listen only to their Facebook & Fox "friends". Even a year later when we have overwhelming evidence of the depravity of the former president and his supporters a huge majority of the base of that party continue to claim to believe that Big Lie; continue to support that Big Liar.

To my friends who are dedicated, as I am, to a progressive America -- in the tradition of Lincoln, TR, FDR, Ike, JFK, LBJ, Carter, Clinton, and Obama: we should not abandon our progressive principles But the Republic -- government of We the People -- must come first. That means joining with the Goldwater, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush supporters who will reject Trumpism.

We must join with those unlikely allies to preserve our basic (small-r) republican values. Who would think Terrell Shaw would ever be metaphorically arm and arm with Dick Chaney's daughter or Bill Kristol or Mitt Romney or famously right-wing Adam Kinzinger. But I must. I will join with anyone -- anyone -- who will defend (small-r) republicanism against the Trumpists, however much I disagree on the usual, and very important policy.issues.

I will continue to fight

to protect our environment;

to make voting easy and secure for every American;

to make our society open and safe for all regardless of color, orientation, religion;

to make heath-care unrelated to wealth,

and more.

But for any of that to matter we must defend "the Republic for which [our flag] stands."

How many times in the last 74 years -- almost every day of my teaching career -- have I, with head uncovered and hand over heart, promised to do that?

The final line from "American Anthem" by Gene Scheer expresses my wish ...

"..Let me know in my heart when my days are through

America, America, I gave my best to you."

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Comments

Jaki Day May I share?

Terrell Shaw Jaki Day Of course.
Howard Smith Terrell, I know it comes as no secret that I wholeheartedly agree with your comments. And, it goes without saying whichever party would attempt to undermine our nation's ideals of being a representative democracy we must stand against them. At one time I was an "I like Ike" Republican largely because of Southern Democrats who for the most part controlled the Democrat Party back then. These "Dixiecrats" suppressed the values of republicanism, largely because of their racial prejudices. So I opposed them and became a young Republican. Now I am a Democrat because today's Republicans don't like Ike anymore and the republican, little "r" values he represented. I still do. Representative Liz Cheney recently said the GOP must be either loyal to Trump or the Constitution but cannot be both. Republicans have a decision to make. Regardless of which party I have supported my loyalty was determined long ago and has never wavered. I choose our constitutional republic.

Alvin Jackson Sr. Well said my friend.