DEMOCRACY MATTERSThe American Experiment: A Saint Julian Press Retelling We must consider this in the context of America’s long history and the honorable intentions of our Founders. Today, Donald J. Trump is acting as an emperor or the man who would be king. His hold and control over the Republican Party is antagonistic and anathema to our heritage as a democratic republic and endangers our national security and global leadership. His comments on NATO alarm our European allies. His favored bias towards Putin (Russia) and against aid to Ukraine is evident. This is a dangerous path for the nation; it is a 1939 historical moment that concerns the nation. We must not ignore this moment in our history. Trump’s recent actions and rhetoric on NATO, and dictating to Republican Congressional members that the bipartisan border security–asylum reform bills and assistance to Ukraine must not be passed, is beyond alarming. Simply because he wants to run his 2024 campaign on these issues betrays the nation. Like decrees from an emperor’s throne directing what legislation to support or not, such actions erode our democratic values and norms. His dictatorial power goes unquestioned by his base and Republican legislatures alike in most instances, with a few rare exceptions challenging his rule. The Republican Party, which once saw our global leadership as critical to the welfare of the nation, is fading away. The GOP is no longer guided by consensus but by the indiscriminate whims of a narcissistic autocrat who does not know what true strength of character is. Someone who is enamored by and beholden to the bullies and strongmen of the world. Forget quaint tea parties and dusty parchments. America's birth wasn't a polite disagreement with the Crown but a psyche-shredding rebellion. In the Age of Enlightenment, our nation’s Founders, haunted by the specter of royal shadows, didn't just swap out a king for a fancier hat; they upended the entire notion of divinely ordained rule. This is the rawest, realest truth etched into our national DNA. We must remind ourselves, and “Citizen Trump,” of this noble rebellion and heritage by denying him, once again, access to the Oval Office. Donald Trump is not a divine savior ordained or anointed by a higher power. He is a man without a higher vision or greater wisdom. As Proverbs 29:18 states: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Take a moment. Imagine the Federalist Papers, not as bedtime stories for law students but as fiery pamphlets lobbed against the gilded cage of monarchy. Think Hamilton and Madison, our intellectual rockstars, conjuring a government where power wouldn't be some glittering crown jewel but an aggressive, three-headed beast, each head chomping at the others' ambitions. And where they warned us time and time again of narcissistic despots and demagogues. For Americans in revolutionary times, this was their middle finger to the King and all who desired to be king; a rebellion still echoed in their bones. Scholars and filmmakers like Burns and Novick have delved deeper and shown us the Founder’s tightrope, walking between two abysses. They craved a steady hand, a captain to steer the ship of state, but not some emperor in shining armor. So, they built a contraption of checks and balances, like one of Benjamin Franklin’s inventions, designed to ensure power wouldn't mutate into a king-sized fist. Trump has already shown the nation that he would erase all checks and balances. His desire for autocratic power is unquenchable; it is an emulation of the strongmen authoritarians he so admires and hopes to imitate. Ditching monarchs and emperors wasn't about efficacy; it was about exploring the very idea of inherited power. The American Revolution wasn't a fancy dress party gone wrong; it was an “I-told-you-so” to the whole “divine right of kings” elitist model. The Founders envisioned a nation where authority dripped down, not from some bloodline's whim, but from the very people, the rabble, the you-and-me. We, the people. They built a republic, a messy, beautiful tapestry woven from individual rights and the audacity of self-rule. Remember those dire warnings in the Federalist Papers about the mob's fickle finger? The Founders weren't just king-phobic; they were wary of unchecked power. Whether it perched on a throne or swayed with the whims of a crowd, they saw it as a recipe for disaster. The Constitution wasn't legalese for dummies; it was a middle finger to both king and mob rule. It was a nuanced tango with power, informed by the scars of absolute authority. This is the bedrock of our national identity, the ever-evolving story of liberty, a testament to the Founders' foresight and our ongoing struggle to be, well, we the people. Our culture wars and extremist political polarity have become a threat to our national security and global leadership. We must, through our voices and votes, reject all forms of authoritarianism and autocracy. We must assist Ukrainians in their fight for freedom against Putin. Otherwise, America and our global democratic allies will live in a world that displaces all our values and freedoms. America's international influence will decline. The nation and the world depend upon us as American citizens for our democratic resilience and strength. We must save democracy for future Americans and the world. Let us renew our dedication to serving this nation and the world in the cause of freedom and liberty. This is our heritage, a heritage benefiting all of humanity. We must continue to resist and not give in to our political fatigue and exhaustion. Today, let us renew our resolve and resistance, passing the tea and the torch to a new generation of Americans; this American revolution is far from over. Ron Starbuck, Publisher/CEO/Executive Editor Saint Julian Press, Inc., Houston, Texas © 2024 Saint Julian Press Suggested Readings & Books
Echoes of Barmen Hope Over Fear An American Experiment: A Saint Julian Press Retelling We Must Think and Act Anew America: Blest Be the Tie That Binds From Dogma to Democracy: How Enlightenment Ignited the American Spirit The Radical Love of Jesus: A Call for Compassion We Are Citizens of the World We Must Disenthrall Ourselves A Threat to American Democracy The Shining City Upon the Hill Citizen — C. Andrew Doyle (Ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas) And There Was Light — Jon Meacham
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Publisher's BlogRON STARBUCK is the Publisher/CEO/Executive Editor of Saint Julian Press, Inc., in Houston, Texas; a poet and writer, an Episcopalian, and author of There Is Something About Being An Episcopalian, When Angels Are Born, Wheels Turning Inward, and most recently A Pilgrimage of Churches, four rich collections of poetry, following a poet’s mythic and spiritual journey that crosses easily onto the paths of many contemplative traditions. Archives
April 2024
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