We are with you John. I cannot take this hatefulness another 4 years. I cannot understand how we got to this point. I live in Tennessee where our voices have been silenced by the ‘ Christian Right’ hateful republicans. Tennessee has the lowest voter participation in the country and is one of the worst in education, health , income , etc. On the up side, the Democrats are motivated to change this trajectory. I am sick of living in Hillbilly Elegy.
It's the Democrats who are not voting. They have gerrymandered our state to where it is almost impossible for a Dem to win. But we are going to change this. HOPEFULLY WE WILL SEE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT THIS YEAR. DEMS HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD. IT IS A STRUGGLE FOR SURE.
Well if they don't vote, that's a plus. (And Marsha Blackburn - R-TN - even voted NO on the FEMA funding.) Sad, scary times ... but better days are ahead!
You are not living in Hillbilly Elegy (I purchased & read his book hot off the press, we have hillbillys in My State too !) It’s one of many pain filled stories of what can happen when we don’t give equal opportunities for Everyone, at Every Phase of Life, to enjoy Learning how to build their own better life. And yes, my simple words are often very difficult to live! And the difficulty teaches each of us new ways to succeed in the face of bleak ‘in this moment’ reality.
SO, my challenge everyday is to turn my will & my life over to a power Greater than My Self. Even in the face of absolute (seemingly impossible reality).
GO FIND PRAYERS AND PRACTICEs that Uplift YOUR DAY!
We are not here Alone. FIND new energies and go with what feels safe and helpful ! I had a teacher for a whole year in graduate school who started our class with her mantra: KEEP HOPE ALIVE!!
We had to say it with commitment, such that her face would quietly beam in a brilliant smile… and the class would BEGIN!
I have to disagree. Tennessee is a Hillbilly Elegy state. I pray everyday and the only thing that is going to change this state is if and when Dems and Independents finally get tired of the 💩 and vote. We can move into the 21st century. The poor and ignorant have no clue how they are kept down and have no voice. All in the name of Christianity.
Yes, like the should-be condemned double wide trailers they live in with their Trump flags flying high. Aside from toxic Christianity, racism is also an issue here in Tennessee, everywhere in the south really, it never left the south after the Civil War.
The bought and paid for politicians won’t adequately fund education, so the population, especially of the southeast, stays uneducated, poor, employed in low wage jobs, and frankly stupid. This situation keeps the morbidly rich on the top of the heap. They have theirs; screw everyone else.
A small quibble pre Civil War through Reconstruction were much worse. In our lifetime this is the worst ever. I just hope we don't prematurely let the MAGA's back in like in Reconstruction.
Yes John you are right, they cannot have America. She is worth fighting for. I will fight with every fiber of my being. And it’s hard sometimes to fight for a country that one loves so much and knows that it doesn’t love you back!
Perhaps MAGA / christo-fascists should try some of that conversion therapy they are always promoting- try it on themselves to get out of their cult. The term cult is generally used quite loosely - but, in the last 10 years the hateful cancerous discord that Trump has caused and the people that STILL support him, I can't think of any other word to describe that other than cult. Everything from crime, unemployment, and the deficit increased under Trump.
For people living in solid red states like me here in Tennessee- if people here are so worried about crime, then why do they keep voting for republicans in Nashville? If they are so worried about public school funding, why do they keep voting for republicans in Nashville who want to defund the public schools and libraries with their school voucher scams. Gun violence. Drug addiction, domestic abuse. The list goes on and on here in at the state level with all the issues - but yet people keep voting Republican - and somehow trying to blame Democrats, when the Republicans have the SUPER majority here in Tennessee.
The Republicans create the problem, ignore the problem...... give thoughts and prayers which are empty words, they cannot solve the problem, instead what does Governor Bill Lee here do.....he tells people on September 27th to pray and fast, when hurricane is bearing down. No solutions, no evacuations, no shelters, no action. Sit at home and pray without eating., while the hospital goes underwater then requiring helicopter rescues.
Agreed, John, that trump has CULTivated his flock (pun intended) and fruit from the bad seed is ripening just in time for the biggest election in history. Al the rest of us possessing reason need to vote in the reality that our lives depend on it.
I have two Maga friends, that I know of. I think they both feel “loved” and “protected “ by trump…and they love him back. They don’t consider themselves belonging to a cult but they do feel they belong to a movement to make America “great” again. They are mostly concerned with crimes. And sadly, despite the repeated efforts by trump to bear false witness against anyone who tries to stand up against him, they believe trump is being truthful. I care for both of these unhappy human beings very much. I pray for them. I have faith and great hope in the goodness of humanity.
Amen - and America needs to get this right for all to see, at home and abroad - prayers continue for open minds, soft hearts and a decisive election result
I don’t either, it’s all out there for all to see but his supporters refuse to see it, they blind themselves to his hypocrisy!He’s a felon, a rapist and a man who encouraged a riot and refused to believe he lost an election and still they support him. I am appalled by this refusal to believe what is right in front of their very eyes, the only reason I can think of is that these supporters are Fox supporters and have been totally brain washed by this right wing media and several others. The owner of Fox who is an Australian admits he set out to destroy our democracy, he’s done a fantastic job. I also think many of these people who support Trump lack the ability to think critically. Trump will destroy our Democracy if given the chance, he already had a head start.
We are with you John. I cannot take this hatefulness another 4 years. I cannot understand how we got to this point. I live in Tennessee where our voices have been silenced by the ‘ Christian Right’ hateful republicans. Tennessee has the lowest voter participation in the country and is one of the worst in education, health , income , etc. On the up side, the Democrats are motivated to change this trajectory. I am sick of living in Hillbilly Elegy.
It's the Democrats who are not voting. They have gerrymandered our state to where it is almost impossible for a Dem to win. But we are going to change this. HOPEFULLY WE WILL SEE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT THIS YEAR. DEMS HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD. IT IS A STRUGGLE FOR SURE.
And thus struggle does not end!
It’s a lesson in HOW to LIVE !
LIVE LOVE and THRIVE 😘
Well if they don't vote, that's a plus. (And Marsha Blackburn - R-TN - even voted NO on the FEMA funding.) Sad, scary times ... but better days are ahead!
Use your anxiety, your FEAR to RAISE YOU UP !
Go for it 🤗 😄
I’m with YOU ALL in TENNESSEE 🤗😘💕
We CAN do this TOGETHER 🫶🏼
You are not living in Hillbilly Elegy (I purchased & read his book hot off the press, we have hillbillys in My State too !) It’s one of many pain filled stories of what can happen when we don’t give equal opportunities for Everyone, at Every Phase of Life, to enjoy Learning how to build their own better life. And yes, my simple words are often very difficult to live! And the difficulty teaches each of us new ways to succeed in the face of bleak ‘in this moment’ reality.
SO, my challenge everyday is to turn my will & my life over to a power Greater than My Self. Even in the face of absolute (seemingly impossible reality).
GO FIND PRAYERS AND PRACTICEs that Uplift YOUR DAY!
We are not here Alone. FIND new energies and go with what feels safe and helpful ! I had a teacher for a whole year in graduate school who started our class with her mantra: KEEP HOPE ALIVE!!
We had to say it with commitment, such that her face would quietly beam in a brilliant smile… and the class would BEGIN!
I have to disagree. Tennessee is a Hillbilly Elegy state. I pray everyday and the only thing that is going to change this state is if and when Dems and Independents finally get tired of the 💩 and vote. We can move into the 21st century. The poor and ignorant have no clue how they are kept down and have no voice. All in the name of Christianity.
Yes, like the should-be condemned double wide trailers they live in with their Trump flags flying high. Aside from toxic Christianity, racism is also an issue here in Tennessee, everywhere in the south really, it never left the south after the Civil War.
What an inspiring teacher!
The bought and paid for politicians won’t adequately fund education, so the population, especially of the southeast, stays uneducated, poor, employed in low wage jobs, and frankly stupid. This situation keeps the morbidly rich on the top of the heap. They have theirs; screw everyone else.
we have a chance to turn. NC Blue this year. I am going to mail postcards and do phone banking. I am hopeful and next Tennessee
We must not let Trump-ets overwhelm our Great Experiment : DEMOCRACY.
GET OUT THE VOTE ! Build new Social Networks in your corner of Our Nation. Engage and Enjoy with good humor, and Kindness to reconnect ALL of Us.
Call your relatives and talk about all the GOOD things you share now & from your past… return to Joy… to Hope … To Belonging!
A small quibble pre Civil War through Reconstruction were much worse. In our lifetime this is the worst ever. I just hope we don't prematurely let the MAGA's back in like in Reconstruction.
Yes John you are right, they cannot have America. She is worth fighting for. I will fight with every fiber of my being. And it’s hard sometimes to fight for a country that one loves so much and knows that it doesn’t love you back!
Perhaps MAGA / christo-fascists should try some of that conversion therapy they are always promoting- try it on themselves to get out of their cult. The term cult is generally used quite loosely - but, in the last 10 years the hateful cancerous discord that Trump has caused and the people that STILL support him, I can't think of any other word to describe that other than cult. Everything from crime, unemployment, and the deficit increased under Trump.
For people living in solid red states like me here in Tennessee- if people here are so worried about crime, then why do they keep voting for republicans in Nashville? If they are so worried about public school funding, why do they keep voting for republicans in Nashville who want to defund the public schools and libraries with their school voucher scams. Gun violence. Drug addiction, domestic abuse. The list goes on and on here in at the state level with all the issues - but yet people keep voting Republican - and somehow trying to blame Democrats, when the Republicans have the SUPER majority here in Tennessee.
The Republicans create the problem, ignore the problem...... give thoughts and prayers which are empty words, they cannot solve the problem, instead what does Governor Bill Lee here do.....he tells people on September 27th to pray and fast, when hurricane is bearing down. No solutions, no evacuations, no shelters, no action. Sit at home and pray without eating., while the hospital goes underwater then requiring helicopter rescues.
Agreed, John, that trump has CULTivated his flock (pun intended) and fruit from the bad seed is ripening just in time for the biggest election in history. Al the rest of us possessing reason need to vote in the reality that our lives depend on it.
I have two Maga friends, that I know of. I think they both feel “loved” and “protected “ by trump…and they love him back. They don’t consider themselves belonging to a cult but they do feel they belong to a movement to make America “great” again. They are mostly concerned with crimes. And sadly, despite the repeated efforts by trump to bear false witness against anyone who tries to stand up against him, they believe trump is being truthful. I care for both of these unhappy human beings very much. I pray for them. I have faith and great hope in the goodness of humanity.
Amen - and America needs to get this right for all to see, at home and abroad - prayers continue for open minds, soft hearts and a decisive election result
I have voted. I have never felt so hopeless. Thank you John for this article. Once again you are spot on .
Thanks, John, interesting work. Leigh
I just want to understand WHY they support him, I don’t get it and I never will EVER
I don’t either, it’s all out there for all to see but his supporters refuse to see it, they blind themselves to his hypocrisy!He’s a felon, a rapist and a man who encouraged a riot and refused to believe he lost an election and still they support him. I am appalled by this refusal to believe what is right in front of their very eyes, the only reason I can think of is that these supporters are Fox supporters and have been totally brain washed by this right wing media and several others. The owner of Fox who is an Australian admits he set out to destroy our democracy, he’s done a fantastic job. I also think many of these people who support Trump lack the ability to think critically. Trump will destroy our Democracy if given the chance, he already had a head start.
Beautifully said, John.
Excellent piece, especially the last four paragraphs. This is indeed our golden moment. Thank you.