John Adams Nightmare

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“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

John Adams, letter to the Massachusetts Militia, October 11, 1798

Our second president predicted that our republic, if it were to fail, would fall as a result of corruption from within. He was remarkably prescient. Many of his writings emphasized the idea that the government’s success relies on the moral integrity of its citizens.

“Liberty cannot be preserved, if the manners of the people are corrupted, and if they are not virtuous.”

John Adams, “Thoughts on Government”, 1776.

We are living John Adams’ nightmare.

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Trump on California, Burn

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This is what our once and future president wrote this morning about the tragic fires in the Los Angeles area which have, as of this writing, taken two lives, forced tens of thousands out of their homes, and caused millions of dollars’ worth of property damage.

How can anyone be such a monster? And how could we have elected him once again?

Newsom‘s office has dismissed these claims as “pure fiction” and accused Trump of playing politics. The governor has focused on ensuring that firefighters have the resources they need to combat the fires.

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Poor John Roberts

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John Roberts is annoyed. I had picked a stronger word, but Merriam-Webster says my word is considered vulgar in both Britian and the United States, so I chickened out.

Please take note. When the Chief Justice of the United States is annoyed he clearly expects us all to pay heed. I spent all of three seconds taking heed. And then began laughing uncontrollably.

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Holiday in Haifa

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This was first posted last year and drew a very positive response. The Holy Land seems fairly quiet at this moment and my fingers are crossed that it will remain that way. In this time of turmoil, I post it again and wish all of you the very best of the holiday season.

This is what coexistence looks like ☮️☪️✡️✝️

This is the town square in Haifa. Haifa is a city where Muslims, Jews, Christians, and Baha’i’s live together in harmony, creating a unique spirit of unity. Celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas, the city’s “Holiday of Holidays” festival celebrates this beautiful coexistence, lighting up Haifa with joy, peace, and shared traditions. Religious symbols of all four religions appear side by side in the square.

Haifa is the third largest city in Israel. No other country in the middle east has a scene like this.

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Worry, But Be Happy

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It is not unusual. But it is interesting. This year we celebrate Christmas, as usual, on December 25th. Kwanzaa, the African-American cultural holiday is always celebrated from December 26th to January 1st. Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday, is the wild card falling from late November to December. This year it begins at sunset, December 25th. So we have a triple header in the space of forty-eight hours.

I am tempted to note that confluence with a sense of hope, urging everyone to look to the season as a reason to be optimistic about the year about to start. To steal a line from singer-composer Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy“. I can’t do it. I can’t do it because I am very worried and very concerned about the year ahead.

But I do wish you the very best for the holiday. Let’s make the most of it.

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