A republic, if you can keep it

 "A republic, if you can keep it" is a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

The story goes that after the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Franklin was asked by someone whether the United States was a republic or a monarchy. Franklin replied, "A republic, if you can keep it.” The quote is often used to emphasize the importance of maintaining a democratic government.

“We live in a world where the only US president ever to attempt a coup has a too-close-for-comfort chance of being re-elected on a platform of overt fascism. That changes everything. We do not have the luxury of indifference.

We do not have the luxury of being “just” journalists, lawyers, elected officials, educators, students, co-workers, entertainers, parents, family members, or citizens. 

At this moment, we must be defenders of democracy in everything we do. If not, we betray and abandon the Constitution. There is no in-between. The question has been called.”

— Robert Hubbell, April 2, 2024

DISCLAIMER: I am not a Christian.

Before you speak to me about your religion, first show it to me in how you treat other people; before you tell me how much you love your God, show me in how much you love all His children; before you preach to me of your passion for your faith, teach me about it through your compassion for your neighbors.

In the end, I'm not as interested in what you have to tell or sell as I am in how you choose to live and give.

~ Cory Booker

To the church of my youth,

What the hell did you expect me to do? 

You told me to love my neighbors, to model the life of Jesus. To be kind and considerate, and to stand up for the bullied.

You told me to love people, consider others as more important than myself. 

You taught me to sing "red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight." 

We sang it together, pressing the volume pedal and leaning our hearts into the chorus. You said that “He loved all the children of the world”. 

You told me to love my enemies, to even do good to those who wish for bad things. You told me to never "hate" anyone and to always find ways to encourage people. 

You told me it's better to give than receive, to be last instead of first. To help the poor, the widow, the stranger at the gate. 

You told me that Jesus looks at what I do for the least-of-these as the true depth of my faith. You told me to focus on my own sin and not to judge.  You told me to be accepting and forgiving.

So I payed attention.

I took in every lesson.

And I did what you told me.

But now, you call me a libtard. A queer-lover. You call me "woke." A backslider.

You call me a heretic. You make fun of my heart. You mock the people I’m trying to help.

You say I’m a child of the devil.😈 

You call me soft. A snowflake. A socialist. You shun the very people you told me to help. 

What the hell did you expect me to do?

I thought you were serious, but apparently not.

You hate nearly all the people I love. You stand against nearly all the things I stand for. I'm trying to see a way forward, but it's hard when I survey all the hurt, harm, and darkness that comes in the wake of your beliefs and presence. 

What the hell did you expect me to do? 

I believed it all the way. 

I'm still believing it all the way.

Which leaves me wondering, what happened to you?

(original post by Chris Kratzer. Go

To his profile to see his original writing. Some words modified by author unknown).

It truly scares me, as it should you, that millions of people are loyal to Donald Trump and continue to give their hard earned money to an indicted “billionaire” to fund his legal fees. The first thought I had was the phrase, “There's a sucker born every minute!”

"There's a sucker born every minute" is an expression that means there is no shortage of naive people ready to become victims of frauds and cheats.” As Mark Twain famously said, “It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”

Don’t underestimate the power of propaganda (see “Understanding Media” by Marshall McLuhan). Citizens are confusing Biden with Netanyahu, believing not voting for Biden is a viable protest of Netanyahu’s Gaza policies. In reality, Netanyahu is more similar to Trump. Trump’s supporters are being controlled similar to 1933 Germans and a President Trump guarantees the end of Palestinians in Gaza. We are again not voting for what we want, but for what we don’t want. We don’t want Trump and his Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, MAGAts slaughtering Americans like Netanyahu is doing to Gazans. Democrats are for a two state solution. Republicans are not.

People living paycheck to paycheck are giving their hard earned money to a self proclaimed billionaire. A true oxymoron and an example of sanctimonious. These people have indicated that they are willing to arrest and execute you for the crime of not believing as they do. Nothing in American history comes close. The only similarity I can think of is 1933 Germany. That is not hyperbole. 

One hundred years from now, how would you like history to remember you? A freedom fighter or part of the reincarnation of 1933 Germans? You do have a choice and you can make that choice on November 5. Choose wisely. 

Can we talk for a second?

You want me to invite Jesus into my heart, to accept him as my Lord and Savior, to be a part of your faith and church. You fear for my salvation and the choices I make. You say that living your conservative brand of the Christian life is the best and truest way to live, and heaven with all of us together is going to be even better.

On the surface, that sounds great. I truly appreciate your concern and hope. If what you say and believe are true, I'm thankful you love me enough to draw it to my attention.

Yet, with all due love and respect, as I consider your faith, your lifestyle, and the beliefs you hold to be true, I guess I have a lingering question deep down inside I just can't seem to get rid of.

Why would I want to spend eternity with you?

I'm not trying to be hurtful or crass, I really want to know.

Give me the reasons.

Make your best case.

Help me to settle this uncertainty in my soul.

Because, if I'm not mistaken, in your mind, you're headed to heaven when you die. Your right beliefs and right choices have rewarded you with an escape from hell. It's going to be bliss, an eternal life with streets of gold where all your aspirations are fulfilled.

Which, if I'm honest, makes me a bit queasy and unsure.

Because, if I simply go by what it's like being around you and experiencing your presence on earth, what you might enjoy as heaven, may just be hell for me. 

I know this may seem a bit harsh, but I think you'd want me to be honest. I can't deny what I hear you say and what I see you do–the lifestyle you choose to live in the here and now. Because, if heaven is like that, only more and forever, I gotta be honest, with all due love and respect, that's not the date I want to take to the prom.

I mean, if heaven is with you as you are on earth, but just more amplified and given full release, here's what I’ve already observed.

Like right now, in this life…

It seems the best response that you can come up with to tragedy and suffering is your “thoughts and prayers.”

Your best ideas for church are massive buildings, celebrity pastors, slick worship services, and the franchising of Jesus.

Your best plan to secure the presence and relevance of your faith in society is banning books, sabotaging public schools, forcing your beliefs and rituals upon society, partnering with the rich and powerful, and attempting to overthrow the government.

Your best take on Jesus is a white man, wrapped in the American flag with an AR-15 strapped over his shoulders ready to massacre his enemies. Not to mention a six pack of suntanned abs.

Your best application of the Beatitudes is to ignore them as much as possible.

Your best way to combat systemic racism is to demolish diversity, harbor white supremacy, and insist that our racist history and present doesn't exist.

Your best expression of love towards the LGBTQ community is to demonize their existence, celebrate their suicides, throw them out of your homes and churches, and pray the day comes when it's legal to hunt them.

Your best solution for abortion is to force births no 

matter how dangerous or cruel, deny women's rights, and control their bodies.

Your best expression of hospitality and compassion towards the refugee is razor-wired buoys, racial hatred, threats of death, and the denial of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Your best vote is for a president who brags about grabbing women's genitals, mocks the disabled, belittles veterans, proudly exemplifies the Seven Deadly Sins, and has no remorse or repentance towards any of it.

And heaven is going to be more of that on steroids, forever?

In fact, some of you are so excited, because you believe that when you are made completely holy in heaven, your heart will become so pure that you’ll look down at the people burning in hell, even your family members, and rejoice with laughter and praises to God that they are being tortured forever.

I'm sorry, I hate to disappoint, but that's gonna be a chorus I refuse to join. And to hear that filth forever, that is no heaven for me, and I just can't understand how that could be heaven for you.

So please, answer me this.

As much as it all sounds so delicious.

Why would I want to spend eternity with you?

~ Chris Kratzer