Democratic Relations – Page 2

New Nattering Nabobs of Negativity

August 13, 2016
Byron Carrier

It was an earlier September 11th, back in 1970, when Nixon's vice-president Spiro Agnew let loose his alliterative "nattering nabobs of negativity." It helped launch the so-called Moral Majority, which morphed into the belligerent Tea Party, which shouted Donald Trump into our lives. Thing is, Republicans have long-been their own nattering nabobs of negativity. It's the only thing they do! They deliberately didn't cooperate with anything President Obama politely posed. They stopped our government from working at all, then blamed the malaise on Obama. They're…

May 8, 2016
Byron Carrier

When repugnant tactics work, it's time for Repuglicans to celebrate and use them. Republicans are in upheaval. How to bring in rude and annoying Tea Party Conservatives and the similar millions who like Donald Trump? I have an re-branding idea that could capitalize on this underlying attitude, claiming the traits that used to go unspoken. All republicans need to do is change one letter in their name, dropping the "b" in inserting a "g." The naive might think cleaving to the root word "repugnant" would…

March 23, 2016
Byron Carrier

Donald Trump excuses and sympathizes with his supporter who attacked a protester from behind, beating him up. Trump said the attacker was "fed up" with such disruption, as if the protester caused the attack. Don't dare protest or we'll beat you up, goes his implied threat. Further, he went on to say there are millions who are similarly fed up. Fed up with what? Perhaps constant irate anger without sensible content is wearing in them. A national brain imbalance of raging mid-brains has millions gone…

February 14, 2016
Byron Carrier

Following on my earlier blog on Oregon Silliness, events dragged on, petered out and popped with the sad death of Robert Finicum. He may or may not have been shot reaching for his 45 in a tense stand-off. This was sad, but he's no martyr, and the tragedy should warn and redirect us all on the relevant issues. The impetus for outsiders to occupy the Malheur Wildlife Refuge was largely organized by Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven Bundy who had earlier (2014) mounted a tense…

January 11, 2016
Byron Carrier

Here in Oregon a group of armed men seized a remote federal wildlife refuge, some claiming they are patriots ready to kill and be killed protecting their freedom and land. How silly. They are angry because a father and son got longer prison sentences for arson, probably lit to cover up their poaching. What are the guns for? Do they intend to shoot the sheriff, or maybe the receptionist at the BLM, or anyone daring to object to their rude and childish tactics? In the…

April 4, 2014
Byron Carrier

I stand before you today with a mixture of trepidation and daring. Like often, I think we can consider touchy and complex issues with broad-minded thinking and good-hearted caring. I’ve no particular authority or expertise other than tending to think for myself and speak out loud in a setting of the “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” So I dare, though I am uneasy; I trust we can handle it together. The topic is easy for some, unsettling for others. Homosexuality is a…

February 5, 2013
Byron Carrier

Better than Guns "Speaking is difficult, but I need to say something important. . . Violence is a big problem. Too many children are dying. Too many children. We must do something. It will be hard, but the time is now. You must act. Be bold, be courageous, Americans are counting on you. Thank you." Gabby Gifford I do not mock Gabby here; I join her in desperate vulnerability. We’re all vulnerable. We’re vulnerable to a whole host of problems before and beyond guns –…

January 25, 2012
Byron Carrier

Thirty years ago as a young student minister in Michigan I preached against our government’s persecution and prohibition of drugs. In the back of the room the local police and prosecutors sat, glowering. In the front, in the pulpit, I rolled what appeared to be a joint. However, because marijuana was illegal, I had to use imaginary marijuana, relying only on the placebo effect for our shared spiritual experience. I toked it up, held my breath, and passed it around as a communion. Most people…

January 25, 2012
Byron Carrier

It seems paradoxical that here on Perihelion Day, when we’re the closest to the sun, we’re so cold. If we’re three million miles closer now than we are on July 4th, Aphelion Day, why aren’t we hotter now and colder then? It depends more on the angle of relationship than the distance. Our northern hemisphere gets a glancing-off short day of sunlight that also has to penetrate more atmosphere at that shallow angle. So, while we’re closer than ever, we’re coldest because of our angel…

January 25, 2012
Byron Carrier

The issue I wish to address today involves the inevitable tensions that can grow between the good souls of a church or fellowship. My concern is twofold: how do we maintain and improve a dynamic, satisfying fellowship for all of us, and how do we model the dynamic mutuality possible in a pluralistic democracy? These issues go to the heart of our congregational and societal relations. I’m glad I don’t have any particular complaint or crisis in mind. This really has to do with…

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God or no-God is not the point; Earth is. Both believers and non-believers are welcome here, for we all share a common source, opportunity, and responsibility: life as it is and could be. This ranges from simply improving one’s own life to your helping save and restore Eden’s, not just to “sustain” it, but veering it to thrive as never before. If you value your life, each other’s, and Earth’s – welcome!

Learn more…

New Nattering Nabobs of Negativity

The New Repuglican Party

Trump’s Base Base

From Silly through Sad to Sensible?

Oregon Silliness

Homosexuality in the Human Community

Better than Guns

Alternatives to the War on Drugs (2002)

Perihelion Promise

From Passive Tolerance to Dynamic Mutuality