From a long-time blog reader: “I read your blog this morning about Spiritual Life and wanted to send it to my friend. Your Spiritual life piece was perfect. Thanks for sharing. I know you don’t like to get involved in politics, but I am worried about our democracy. You reach so many people, and I wondered if you could write on this topic. I appreciate your consideration.” – B.
I appreciated this reader’s great faith in me and her anxiety about our democracy. I feel it, too and so do many other millions of people. But I think I have different ideas about it than most, especially when it comes to worrying. I’m not in the advice business, giving or taking, nor am I a political pundit, but I decided to share my feelings about this plea, which I hear often, in case it is helpful to people like B.
But I want to say that it is a great gift to be able to help people and to uplift people, and do some good for people who need help. That is precious, and I will honor and respect it.
I was a political writer for some time, in Washington and elsewhere, and now and then, something comes up that I want to say. But it’s not what I wish to do regularly. The blog is my spiritual and creative home, and I’m not going anywhere.
Our democracy is experiencing a severe middle-life crisis. Our government and political system are feared and mistrusted by many millions of our fellow citizens. The issue of most interest to me is not what the Republicans are doing or what the Democrats are doing; there are many better-qualified people than me to comment on that, and the real difference between them is shrinking all the time. Both are corrupted by money, ambition, and moral cowardice.
The issue for me is why are so many people disenchanted with our form of government. Perhaps I just answered that. This goes far beyond Donald Trump, who is, to me, way beyond his time, a disintegrating relic of an aborted populist revolution.
He lost last time; he will lose every time. He is a political freak and doesn’t have what it takes to be a successful American politician. And I believe him to be mentally unwell.
As such, he deserves empathy more than fear and condemnation.
As I see it, Trump believes in nothing and has a genius for antagonizing people he should be wooing. He is a loser and a betrayer of the many angry and wounded people who supported him and threw away their hard-earned money on him. The movement he began lives on. He is coming apart. The system is agile and adaptable. It will deal with what it has to deal with.
I see him as a fading ghost hanging on by his fingernails, a week-old dead fish, and I will not spend any significant percentage of my life worrying about him. He is his own worst and most consistent enemy. Writing about him makes my heart sink. Writing about what I am writing about makes it sing.
The issue not being discussed – the big one – is why just about half the country hates our democracy so much and what can be done about it? We need to be listening, not just wringing our hands and wailing. Living in the country, I have some sense about why this has happened. But we all need to know a lot more. These people aren’t going away, and they need to be heard.
The Republican Party has nothing to say to me, they have thrown people like me under the bus, but to my surprise, neither do the Democrats. The answers have to come from elsewhere, and I believe it will. Just pick your favorite lobbyist. I am looking for my political messiah to help guide me out of the wilderness. I will wait, no strings attached.
I won’t be writing a lot about politics. When I have something to say, I’ll say it, as always.
As many of you know and have seen, I want the blog to be a safe place, not just another debating ground or fear and hysteria incubus. That is beginning to happen, not that I’ve got my own shit together.
Right now, political discussion is a toxin, a pandemic all of its own, and I don’t want it to be corrupt the blog, which is meant to be a source of thought, inspiration, and truth.
I worry about our democracy, but it is not at the center of my consciousness. I won’t let these people do that to my head. But I am not afraid and do not live in fear or worry. If you pay attention, very little of what our modern media tell us comes true, and very little responsibility is taken over the mistakes. Media is big business now; they are all about money, not truth. I don’t go there.
My response to this trouble has been to do good, do more good, and then enable others to do good with me. That has been one of the great and uplifting experiences of my life, and rather than abandon it to join in the hatred and eternal argument, I will keep doing just what I am doing. Politics is a poison right now, and the people who drink it are already sick.
I believe I am learning how to live meaningfully and honestly, and politics are just not a part of that. Pain is inevitable; suffering is a choice.
Writing online for so long, I’ve come too close to hatred and anger, and it has not been suitable for many of my readers or me.
I make many mistakes in my life; I also try to learn from them and change.
One of my new mantras is this quote; the source is unclear: “Something will grow from all of this…, and it will be me.” That is one of the truths I have come to live by. Life happens, some good, some good. I learn something from all of it. Anger and fear accomplish nothing and teach us nothing.
When I began the Amy Of Good, I wrote that the purpose of this project was to do good rather than argue about what interest is. It was the right decision in 2016; it’s the right decision now.
That is still the creed and our moral underpinning.
I believe history has proven it to be the right idea for me. I will write about politics whenever I feel I have something that is not being said and needs to be said. I hope that is rare.
If I were to become a regular political commentator, that would draw more hate and grievance, and tension. Nobody needs more; I think the blog has evolved into something unique and meaningful to people.
It’s my job to protect that, and I will. The blog has saved me in many ways, and I will do everything possible to return the favor.
Something will grow out of all this…it will be me, among many others. It won’t be anger and fear. I choose life. That’s the choice each one of us will have to make.
I’m new to your blog. I’ve read several of your books about the animals and the farm. Loved them all. Now I love Maria too, and her blog. When you mentioned Emma I looked her up and found her book, “90% of the game…”. What a great book and an amazingly beautiful person she is.
Thank you for lifting our spirits and our hopes for today and the future. I needed every word.
Thanks Deborah, and welcome. We are working to be safe place.. Glad you love Maria, she is the best of it all..
I enjoy the topics of your blog and reading about the good things you do. Political pundits are a dime a dozen and very few are worth reading, in my opinion. My New Years resolution was to stop posting political comments on Facebook, and delete those “friends” who do so. No one is interested in my political views, nobody will change my own views, so why bother? I’m sure my blood pressure is improved. Best to you, Maria and all on the farm.
Thank you, for your words and feeling expression. It’s the gentle reminder I needed to appreciate all that we have in our lives . We just have to stop for a minute and let it in. Good pushes out the bad. I hope you are feeling better!
Thanks for this and for the blog and the good you do and for the books about dogs that I love to read and etc etc etc. When I opened FB this morning there it was: a shooting at a small Episcopal church in AL with deaths last night. My husband is a retired Episcopal priest but actively serving our church in Gettysburg PA. Some days it feels like another stab in the heart. How much more? My retirement fund is disappearing so I relate to your post about living frugally. Ukraine is suffering. That’s where I focus to do good. I support a shelter for dogs snd donkeys near Kiev. I support Best Friends Animal Society and I am a member of the Army of Good albeit not as able to donate since my focus shifted to Ukraine. But the doing good is the balm. Being creative is a balm. Blessings and grace and good health to both you and Maria and the animals. Sincerely and with thanks, Marty Randall Chambersburg PA
Wise words Jon! I read your blog and Maria’s blog daily. It sets the tone of my day and helps me to be able to look beyond myself and try to help others. I love being able to be part of the Army of Good in my own small way. I also remember “small acts of great kindness” . That mantra is a meaningful way for me to live. Maria’s blog helps my creative spark to stay lit! Blessings to both of you and all of your animals, even those 3 scandalous dogs conspiring for more treats.
Your right about not in immersing oneself in the political news. I have been watching some of the January 6th hearings. But literally I can’t watch too much without feeling sick. I feel strongly if we want a democracy we have to know the truth and clean the rats out of Washington. Jon, your little story about your devious dogs today and looking at your photos (that keep getting better) brighten my days during this insane time in our world. I understand “B”s concern for our country.
Thank you for your insight to the Democracy struggles. It really is about refocusing about what is good and let that overwhelm the terrors. I wonder if there are up and coming leaders who can refocus what democracy is about and if they will have the impetuous to move the gigantic machinery in a better direction. All I can do is vote. Thank you.