Descending Into Democracy

Every once in a while I surprise myself. While observing the current political landscape, I happened to recall having written something a few years ago about the perils of democracy. I know...to most Americans this sounds like political heresy, but it's actually very much in tune with the thinking of our founding fathers. These brilliant, prescient men founded not a democracy but a constitutional representative republic designed to protect the people from both their government and themselves.

Somewhere in his wonderful work (I don't have the time to search for his exact words), Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville, said, in effect, that only two types of equality can exist: the equality of all, or the equality of none. Once we chip away at the sovereignty of all, political power will ultimately be wielded by only one or perhaps a few. In speaking of the equality and sovereignty of all, he was not equating either to democracy, for democracy results in the grasping of power by the majority and if uncontrolled becomes only another form of tyranny.

After a brief search, I discovered I had posted these thoughts eleven years ago on December 30, 2009. Anyway, I thought it particularly applicable given what's been taking place in our country during the past decade. I won't repeat it all here since it's much easier simply to provide a link, should you be inclined to read it:

Democracy? No Way!

Pray for the U.S.A., folks.

The Stupid Things People Say

Did you hear the latest from ex-President Obama? Unlike most former presidents, he just can’t help telling us what he thinks of his successor, while at the same time proving that the Obama presidency was unsurpassed in incompetence. Every time he opens his mouth he confirms his inability to understand our nation and its people. Of course this is to be expected from someone who despises the country that was foolish enough to elevate him to its highest office.

As a man who admittedly considers religion no more than a crutch, something the riffraff cling to as a way to deal with frustrations. Yes, indeed, he said this in a closed-door speech when he was first running for president. Here's a link to a recording of his 2008 comments about small-town Americans: Obama 2008.

Today, Obama has shifted his focus to Hispanic-Americans, with whom is is not at all happy. While publicly mulling over the results of the recent election, he criticized the Hispanic voters who cast their votes for Donald Trump. He was greatly displeased because some actually consider abortion an intrinsic evil and gay marriage anything but a marriage. His actual words (listen to him here):

"People were surprised about a lot of Hispanic folks who voted for Trump. But there's a lot of evangelical Hispanics who, you know, the fact that Trump says racist things about Mexicans, or puts detainees, you know, undocumented workers, in cages -- they think that's less important than the fact that, you know, he supports their views on gay marriage or abortion, right?"

No, Mr. President, wrong! Certainly, there are many evangelical Hispanics, but there are many more Catholic Hispanics. And many of these Christian Hispanic-Americans consider abortion the muder of innocent children. They also reject so-called gay marriage. They are against these things because as believing Christians most Hispanics know them to be sinful.

But several other facts seem to escape Obama's notice. Many first- and second-generation Hispanic-Americans are intimately familiar with socialism because they lived under it and experienced its deprivations first-hand. They know what life is like in Cuba and Venezuela and Nicaragua, and came to this country to avoide the socialistic hells those nations have become. 

Equally important, though, Hispanic-Americans benefitted tremendously from President Trump's economic policies that drove Hispanic unemployment to its lowest levels in history, and also did wonders for Hispanic entrepreneurs. What Obama likely doesn't know -- because he really seems to know very little -- is that Hispanic-Americans are three times more likely to be entrepreneaurs than other Americans. They strive mightily to live the American dream and pass its benefits on to their families, something that Obama apparently considers a nightmare. 

Then, we had to listen to Obama's comment about Trump putting "undocumented workers in cages." The truth, which the mainstream media has avoided like they avoid the truth about the China virus, is that the "cages" were not the brainchild of the Trump administration, but were actually installed and used by the Obama administration to separate various groups of illegals. Jeh Johnson, Barack Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security, when confronted with photographic evidence, admitted this and told NPR's Mary Louise Kelly that the "cages predate the Trump Administration." Johnson went on to say, "You can't just dump 7-year-old kids on the streets of McAllen or El Paso. And so, these facilities were erected...they put those chain-link particions up so you could segregate young women from young men, kids from adults, until they were either released or transferred to HHS. Was it ideal? Of course not." But it was done by the Obama administration.

Thomas Homan, Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Trump, stated that "The kids are being housed in the same facilities built under the Obama Administration. If you want to call them cages, call them cages. But if the left wants to call them cages, and the Democrats want to call them cages, they they have to accept the fact that they were built and funded [by the Obama administration] in FY '15, and I was there."

President Obama, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, and dozens of others have all knowingly lied about these so-called "cages" being a Trump travesty. They use the old Lenin-inspired tactic of repeating the big lie again and again until people actually come to believe it's true. ("It must be true because everyone's saying it.") And, of course, the media has supported the left in this effort by repeatng the lie over and over. Eventually, though, the people begin to comprehend the real truth and realize that the lie really is a lie.

I have long considered President Obama to be the most ineffectual and incompetent president of modern times. But he just might be relived of this title when Joe Biden actually moves into the White House.

Persecution, Truth, and Freedom

On a pedestrian bridge in the very heart of Oslo, Norway there is an illuminated sign that sums up perfectly what has happened to Europe, a collection of nations that once formed the very heart of Western Civilization, the heart of Christendom. The sign reads: "Truth Is Flexible."

Recently I read several articles, interviews really, with four very different people: a woman philosopher, a male Hollywood actor, a well-known Evangelical preacher, and a Catholic Cardinal. And yet, despite their differences in occupation and background, each stressed the importance of speaking the truth during our largely untruthful times.

Jennifer Frey is a professor of philosophy at the University of South Carolina. At the time of her interview (read the entire interview here), she was quarantined because she had contracted COVID-19. Married and the mother of six, she was, of course, separated from her family. And yet, although a victim of the pandemic, she disagrees strongly with the closing of schools, political decisions that tell us how non-essential education is to many of those we've elected to represent us. In her words:

"So it seems like somehow we've decided that education comes last, or that teachers cannot in any way take on risks. My personal preference is for what my own university has done: they have enabled those who are in a high-risk category to completely teach online. Face to face instruction is strictly voluntary. I volunteered, and I don't regret my decision. And I have Covid!"

Dr. Frey describes her earlier self as one of the "new atheists" who had gone to college to study English, but found most of the teaching focused on identity politics rather than literature. Remarkably. an undergraduate philosophy course changed her, introduced her to Augustine and Aquinas, and ultimately led her to Catholicism. It also led her to the truth that although human history changes, human nature remains the same. Her initial exposure and later study of humanity's great written works changed her deeply:

“It’s always both. Joy and terror! To me the real value of great books, the reason why I will fight for them with my dying breath, is that they help you transcend your time and place. They make you see that this thing of being a human, you’re experiencing it in a certain limited way, but it’s so much bigger than you.”

The entire interview is fascinating, but her comments on the "temptation" to place personal and ideological considerations, or "any practical goal," above the truth are worth mentioning here:

"One thing that is a constant temptation...is to let your ambitions get to be more important than the truth. And tying your pursuit of the truth to your ambitions and your political ends, so that what you are willing to think about and write about is determined by your ambitions within the academy. That's something that I've had to fight my entire life. If I wanted to have a fancy job I wouldn't be writing about the things I care about. So, you have to ask yourself, 'Why am I even doing this?'"

If you would like to know more about Dr. Frey and her thought, you can access her podcast and her blog:

Apple Podcast: Sacred and Profane Love

Blog: The Virtue Blog

Jim Caviesel is an actor, perhaps most famous for his unforgettable portrayal of Jesus in the 2004 movie, "The Passion of the Christ." He is a remarkable man, a Catholic working in the midst of Hollywood. The interview may be found on LifeSite, a wonderful pro-life website that YouTube has suspended because LifeSite speaks the truth about abortion and other life issues. Like most of the mega-companies that control social media, the folks at YouTube (a Google subsidiary) can't stand the truth when it conflicts with their leftist ideology. They actually call Christian teaching, the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, "hate speech," and of course try to suppress it. 

In another LifeSite interview, Caviesel described the challenges of being openly Catholic in an industry that largely rejects the Church and its teachings:

"It's part of the cross you take up when you choose to believe in Him...we all have the desire to want to be liked...but what we should be asking God is the desire for humility."

Addressing the war in which we are currently engaged, a war both cultural and religious, Caviesel states that the persecution of Christians isn't confined to the past, to the early history of the Church,

"Barbaric Christian persecution is something that still goes on today...No one ever rode to victory on the back of fake moral platitudes. We have to speak the truth boldly."

These are words one doesn't expect to hear from a Hollywood actor. But even more surprising is his prediction that massive persecution of Christians is coming, and coming soon. Of course, Caviesel is correct: Christians are already suffering from severe persecution in other parts of the world, especially in the Middle East, East Asia, and Africa. In Europe and North America, although the persecution is more subtle, Christians are beginning to realize they are the prime targets of those who wield political power in many formerly "Christian" nations, including our own. 

Speaking of abortion, a presage of things to come, Caviesel stated that "We have murdered on a level that is unprecedented" and rightly called many of our abortion laws "Luciferian." He doesn't soften his words as he sums up what is happening in our world today:

"You'll wish that you never even knew what democracy was. This Christian way of living will soon be gone...We're talking about massive, massive persecutions."

Caviesel issues a call to action, encouraging us to not to sit on our hands:

"The goal would be to create a sense of urgency and relevance to Christians and non-Christians who should engage in this issue."

Really, Caviesel is asking us to follow the lead of St, Paul:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" [2 Tim 4:7].

Yes, indeed, we must "fight the good fight" and avoid the apathy that infects so many Christians today, those who falsely assume that remaining quiet is "the holy way to go," seemingly unaware that worldly powers are intent on destroying Christian culture and life. Rather than being strong evangelists for their faith, too many Christians seem more intent on "going along to get along." Concerned about such attitudes, Caviesel turns to Jesus in the Gospel:

"When I read the gospels, I've never seen a Jesus who would sit there and say, 'Too bad for him.' And that is not the gospel I know."

He also expresses concern about the Christian family, asking, "What happened to prayer? What happened to prayer in the family?"

Is Jim Caviesel right about what we can expect in the near future? Personally, and based on the direction our nation seems to be headed, I believe he is. And he's also very right about the need for Christians to resist, to let themselves be heard, to fight the forces of evil that surround us.

Franklin Graham, the son of the late evangelist, Billy Graham, has followed in his father's footsteps. He, too, is concerned by what he see in our society. In a recent interview with Laura Ingraham, he stated:

"I think we are in a moral freefall in this country. And the only hope for our country, I believe, is God. And for that to happen is we've got to come to Him in repentance, turning from our sins, and putting our faith and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ. And I think if we do that, then God will hear our prayers, and He will heal our country."

On Veterans Day, as he spoke to honor those who have served our nation honorably in times of war and peace, Rev. Graham stated:

"It seems our nation is under attack -- attack from within, from socialists who want to bring anarchy to our streets. The hard-won freedoms that we have enjoyed in America are very much at stake."

And in another interview, looking to the future, he added:

"I think we will see these kinds of attacks from the left against Christian businesses, Christian organizations, and that will happen. I think they will try to come after churches, attack churches, attack exempt organizations doing humanitarian work, social work throughout the country."

Rev. Graham also reminded Christians that:

"To show us the only true way to salvation and eternal life, the Bible points directly to 'the message of truth, the gospel' [Eph 1:13] and tells us that the 'truth is in Jesus' [Eph 4:21]. Jesus Himself said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me' [Jn 14:6]. That's the most important truth anyone can hear."

And just a few days ago, Graham tweeted the following passage, from Isaiah 59:1-4: 

The Holy Word of God says:

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,

That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy,

That it cannot hear.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God;

And your sins have hidden His face from you,

So that He will not hear.

For your hands are defiled with blood,

And your fingers with iniquity;

Your lips have spoken lies,

Your tongue has muttered perversity.

No one calls for justice,

Nor does any plead for truth.

They trust in empty words and speak lies;

They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.”

It's as if Isaiah is pointing to directly to us and to our times, isn't it? Well, in one sense I suppose he is. He was, after all, a prophet. And today justice and truth are forgotten or simply pushed aside by too many, including too many Christians.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, the new Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Religious Freedom, stated that the bishops of the United States are engaged in "legitimate and ongoing struggles to protect our [American] first and most precious freedom." 

But he then reminded us that we cannot stand by idly as our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world suffer horrendous persecution:

"But even our problems as towering as they can be at times and as ominous as the future might now seem, they pale in comparison, don't they, to the 'via crucis' that is currently being walked by so many of our Christian brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who are experiencing lethal persecution."

The Christian martyrs of the 20th century account for over half of the martyrs who gave their lives for Christ throughout the entire 2,000-year history of the Church. Reflecting on this, Cardinal Dolan added: 

"This 21st century, I'm afraid, doesn't seem to promise much better. This century, only two decades old, has already seen 1.25 million people killed around the world, simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ. And that threat to religious believers is growing."

The Cardinal stressed that we all must become advocates:

"We want to make people aware of the great suffering of our brothers and sisters using all means at our disposal...We need the enthusiastic backing of our people, not just our leaders. If we don't have that, we're not going to get too far."

In addition to the action of public advocacy, he also calls on Catholics to storm heaven with prayers for persecuted Christians, developing a "culture of prayer" within our families, our parishes, our communities, and our nation. 

Yes, indeed, we certainly live in interesting times.

Timely Thoughts

I've hesitated to post anything about the recent elections and their aftermath, but I suppose it's time to write at least a few things about it all. What follows are, of course, my personal views and I do not speak for the Catholic Church.

The Presidential Election. To say I am disappointed in the apparent results of the presidential election would be an understatement. I suppose the outcome is not yet confirmed, so things could change. After all, Al Gore made the nation dance to his tune for well over a month back in 2000. But from a Catholic and Christian perspective Joe Biden does not fill me with hope.

Like Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden is one of those “devout, practicing Catholics” who actually rejects much of what the Catholic Church teaches. He seems to support the suppression of religious freedom for which the left wing of his political party is becoming increasingly famous. I suspect this will continue and likely intensify under a Biden administration unless the Supreme Court steps in to protect Americans’ first amendment rights. 

Big government likes the idea of controlling all aspects of peoples’ lives, including their religious teachings and practices. Even in a pandemic, when it comes to the celebration of the liturgy, the bishops make the relevant decisions, not government officials. The UK is also experiencing similar intrusions by government as officials ban the celebration of Mass by Catholics. Speaking in the House of Commons, former UK prime minister, Theresa May, put it well when she said, “Making it illegal to conduct an act of worship for the best of intentions sets a precedent that could be misused for a government in the future with the worst of intentions.” 

The American left has also become increasingly anti-Semitic. AOC and her “squad” of Marxist know-nothings openly despise Israel (and Jews) and have infected many in the Democrat Party with their ideology of hate. They also seem to have the ear of Joe Biden.

More disturbing, however, is Joe Biden’s support of the wholesale slaughter of unborn children up until the moment of birth. As I’ve said before, anyone who will support abortion, the horrific, dismembering killing of the most innocent human lives, will support anything. Mr Biden also tosses Church teaching into the trash by supporting homosexual “marriage” and so-called “transgender” rights. In truth, science (a gift from our God) shows that transgenderism does not exist. Just check the DNA. It’s not changed by either surgery or hormonal additives. A male remains a male, a female a female, just as God made them. 

The Washington Post and the New York Times, two newspapers with a direct line to Joe Biden, just announced that, as President, one of Biden’s first moves will be to scrap all of President Trump’s pro-life policies. When the Supreme Court supported Hobby Lobby and the Little Sisters of the Poor, protecting them from invasive governmental mandates regarding contraception, Joe Biden clearly stated what he would do as president: “As disappointing as the Supreme Court’s ruling is, there is a clear path to fixing it: electing a new President who will end Donald Trump’s ceaseless attempts to gut every aspect of the Affordable Care Act.” 

The growing leftist movement within the Democrat Party, in its evolving “woke” state, has become increasingly totalitarian. This, of course, is the ultimate goal of all political correctness. PC thought and practice have definite Marxist origins (see discussion here) and are a key element of the left’s political agenda. It’s an agenda of control, one which employs such tactics as “cancel culture” to suppress those who do not toe the leftist ideological line. That’s right, folks, you will be punished for expressing contrary — i.e., conservative, religious, or other unacceptable — views or, perish the thought, actually doing things of which the reigning powers disapprove. 

The left looks to those who have traditionally supported the Democrat Party, but their political grip on these folks is beginning to slip. The party demands that African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, women — basically anyone other than white males — must not think for themselves or do what is best for them and for their families. They must remain on their respective plantations and do what their “masters” tell them. How did Nancy Pelosi put it not long ago when actually challenged by a liberal media type who questioned her response to the homeless? “We feed them!” she shouted. Yes, indeed, she feeds them and cares for them and keeps them dependent, hoping they don’t succeed. Nancy and her friends on the left need the needy to reman always in need.

Governors, Mayors, and Other Elites. Did you happen to catch California Governor Gavin Newsom’s apology? Of course, it was issued only after he was caught dining with a crowd of friends at Napa County’s toney French Laundry Restaurant  (By the way, meals there reportedly start at $350 a head, before wine.) Newsom and his large group of friends, including the head of the California Medical Association, sat together indoors, without masks, and certainly not separated by any social distancing. This elitist and grossly incompetent governor threatens citizens with arrest for breaking his rules, but willfully violates them whenever he pleases. Below is a  photo of the governor and his friends flaunting what they demand of regular Californians. Oh, yes, if you think the governor used his own money to pay for his meal, guess again. I’m pretty sure it was paid for by either of two possible sources: the taxpayers or one of the lobbyists who was present that evening.

In the former Soviet Union, the Communist Party elites were called the nomenklatura and enjoyed extensive privileges unavailable to the average citizen. In other words, they lived like royalty while the people lived in a socialist hell. This is the kind of society the American left would love to see. It’s another good reason for voter-imposed term limits. Send them all packing before they discover how easy it is to feather their own nests. As one wag stated the other day, “If you want to live well during a pandemic, just get yourself elected to something.”

U. S. Bishops. The U.S. Bishops were quick to congratulate Joe Biden after the election. Following the lead of the mainstream media, Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, stated, “We recognize that Joseph R. Biden, Jr. has received enough votes to be elected the 46th President of the United States. We congratulate Mr. Biden and acknowledge that he joins the late President John F. Kennedy as the second United States president to profess the Catholic faith.” 

Of course, the USCCB said nothing about Mr. Biden’s rejection of Catholic teaching on a multitude of moral issues. But they did say a lot about “democracy.” This makes one wonder about their understanding of our almost 250-year-old political system which, as a constitutional republic, is in no way a democracy. Assuming Mr. Biden ultimately becomes president, it will be interesting to see how the bishops react when a President Biden implements his distorted moral vision through legislation, regulation, and executive order.

It seems the bishops of Italy responded very differently to the pandemic. The following observations were taken from an article by Sofia Abasolo published in late September in the Catholic Herald. (Click here to read the entire article.) I thought it worth including some of her comments here;

“One example of this occurred during the pandemic emergency. When the country went into lockdown, the bishops were slow to point out that religious worship was a constitutionally protected right, and as such could not be subject to state intervention. Mass was interrupted for several weeks, provoking much criticism from clergy and laypeople alike. And yet I couldn’t help but notice that at no point were churches shut. They remained open for solitary worship every day of lockdown, and worship was legally protected as an essential need, just like buying newspapers or groceries.

“There were two weeks when going out for a walk was prohibited, but going to kneel before the Eucharist was not. What’s more, the sacraments were always available – priests had to be approached to hear Confession and administer the Eucharist (complying with the new hygiene standards), but they were never legally prohibited from doing so, and they never rejected my requests when I asked.

“When it looked as if cinemas would open before Mass was reinstated, the bishops finally spoke up in resistance, and the government responded by amending their decree, announcing the return of Mass (with limits on numbers of attendees) as restaurants and cafes opened up their doors.”

“The bishops finally spoke up in resistance...” How many of our bishops have publicly resisted the government’s intrusion into the religious freedom protected by our Constitution?

Persecution of Christians. Pew Research Center, among the more reliable sources of information on what’s happening in the world from a religious perspective, has issued a study on religious persecution for 2018. This is the most recent year for which complete data is available. The results of their study are not encouraging. The persecution of Christians has increased worldwide to a level higher than any year since 2007, when Pew began these annual studies. The study claims that Christian persecution and harassment occurred in 145 of the world’s 198 countries. It also determined that 75% of all victims of religious persecution are Christians. Some other shocking findings: 

• 8 Christians are killed every day because of their faith;
• 23 Christians are raped or sexually harassed daily;
• 182 Christians churches or buildings are vandalized weekly
• 102 Christian homes or businesses are damaged or destroyed weekly

Every year these numbers have grown, something that should give us pause and prepare us for things to come. President Trump has aggressively pushed for greater emphasis on religious freedom at the United Nations. He has consistently called on the entire international community and business leaders to protect this most basic human freedom. He also established a new Conscience and Religious Freedom division within the Department of Health and Human Services. We can only hope that a Biden administration will continue this focus on religious freedom and not just resurrect the failed policies of the past. Some links to relevant Pew Research:

Increased Government Restrictions on Religion

Religious Restrictions Around the World

COVID-19 Deaths. Here’s an interesting fact you probably won’t encounter in the mainstream media because they seem to focus only on that which increases public fears. Do you know that 1% of U.S. counties account for 34% of U.S. deaths from COVID-19? Isn’t that interesting? Also, almost 15% of U.S. counties have experienced one or no COVID-19 deaths. 

I’ve included below a list of the 50 U.S. counties with the greatest number of COVID-19 deaths (as of November 14). I am fairly certain most, if not all, of these counties are run by Democrats. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s city is represented by 4 of the top 10 — Brooklyn (Kings Cty), Queens, Bronx, and Manhattan (New York Cty) — a fact he and Governor Cuomo inexplicably blame on President Trump. The rest of the “top 10” include Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Miami, Detroit, and Houston. 

50 Counties with the Most COVID-19 Deaths

RANK	COUNTY NAME	STATE	TOTAL DEATHS
1	Kings County	NY	7,450
2	Queens County	NY	7,321
3	Los Angeles County	CA	7,266
4	Cook County	IL	5,797
5	Bronx County	NY	5,019
6	Maricopa County	AZ	3,797
7	Miami-Dade County	FL	3,707
8	New York County	NY	3,204
9	Wayne County	MI	3,119
10	Harris County	TX	2,908
11	Middlesex County	MA	2,351
12	Nassau County	NY	2,229
13	Essex County	NJ	2,172
14	Bergen County	NJ	2,083
15	Suffolk County	NY	2,023
16	Philadelphia County	PA	1,934
17	Hidalgo County	TX	1,765
18	Palm Beach County	FL	1,622
19	Clark County	NV	1,617
20	Broward County	FL	1,585
21	Hudson County	NJ	1,542
22	Hartford County	CT	1,532
23	Orange County	CA	1,524
24	Westchester County	NY	1,486
25	Middlesex County	NJ	1,462
26	Fairfield County	CT	1,454
27	Bexar County	TX	1,449
28	Union County	NJ	1,391
29	Essex County	MA	1,390
30	Dallas County	TX	1,373
31	Riverside County	CA	1,367
32	Oakland County	MI	1,282
33	Passaic County	NJ	1,277
34	Worcester County	MA	1,212
35	Suffolk County	MA	1,205
36	Macomb County	MI	1,166
37	New Haven County	CT	1,157
38	Norfolk County	MA	1,147
39	Richmond County	NY	1,105
40	San Bernardino County	CA	1,097
41	Ocean County	NJ	1,087
42	Hennepin County	MN	1,044
43	Cameron County	TX	996
44	Providence County	RI	986
45	San Diego County	CA	926
46	Tarrant County	TX	924
47	Montgomery County	MD	905
48	Montgomery County	PA	904
49	St. Louis County	MO	901
50	Prince George's County	MD	883

It’s all very interesting.