Speak out! About politics, religion, everything.

Over on my Salem Political Snark blog, yesterday I wrote "Speak out about Trump's attempt to steal the election." 

Almost certainly Trump won't succeed in this. His defeat was so large, extending over five states that he won in 2016 and lost in 2020 (Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia), there's no way lawsuits and recounts are going to overturn Biden's win.

Still, it's important for everyone who cares about democracy to speak out against this attempt to thwart the will of voters, even if it has little chance of coming to pass. I shared some excerpts from a September 2020 piece by Marc Elias, "What Did You Do When Democracy Was at Stake?" 

This is what Elias had to say about speaking out.

To combat this threat to our democracy, it is not enough for us to file lawsuits. It is not enough for the media to report the news. And it is not enough for citizens to shake their heads at the damage he is doing.

We must display civic courage and speak out.

Justice Scalia wrote that “requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed.”

We must all commit to civic courage where it is the least comfortable—in the town square, in front of our neighbors and families, in our workplaces and in our daily lives.  We must each, as individuals, stand up and speak out about the importance of our democratic institutions and fundamental rights.

Absolutely. 

If someone says, "The only reason Biden won was Democratic voter fraud," it's important to say to them, "You're wrong. No voter fraud has been found in any state. Biden won a free and fair election."

Probably you won't change their mind. But you might. 

What's certain is that you have stood up for the truth by speaking out about a falsehood. And this is as important to do in areas other than politics. If someone says, "Human-caused greenhouse gas emissions aren't causing global warming," the proper response is, "You're wrong. Global warming is happening because of carbon pollution by humanity."

There are many values worth honoring. Truth is one of the most important, because without truth, it is difficult to truly love, help others, be courageous, or do the other things that make life worth living. 

I started this blog in 2004 in large part because I wanted to speak out against religious untruths. I'd call them "lies," but since some people sincerely believe the falsehoods promulgated by religions, often it makes sense to say That isn't true rather than You're lying.

If someone says, "I know that God exists," ask "How can you be sure?" Press for details. See if they can point to demonstrable evidence that God is real. Don't be content with bland statements like "I feel Him with me." 

I'm not saying that you should go out of your way to puncture someone's religious belief bubble. People have all kinds of reasons for believing in God or some other supernatural entity. If they keep their faith private, no problem. Each to their own.

But when claims about the nature of reality are made, truth claims, then lovers of truth have to speak out in defense of their beloved. Untruths need to be called out. If a religious believer simply says, "I believe in God because this makes me feel good," great. There's nothing wrong and a lot that is right about feeling good. 

That's akin to a Trump supporter saying, "I don't want to accept that Biden won because this hurts." OK. That's honest. We all turn a blind eye to some things that are unwelcome or uncomfortable to us. And many aspects of life lie outside of the bounds of objective truth. 

Art, music, philosophy, friendship, charity, the list goes on and on.

The way I see it, this makes defending truth, where it exists, even more important -- since the comparative rarity of objective truth points to its preciousness. Biden has defeated Trump. That's the truth. Trump doesn't want to admit this. 

Yet almost all leading Republicans are afraid to speak the truth to Trump. They fear his tweetful wrath. They fear for their own re-election if they go against Trump's fantasies. So they stay silent, or tell reporters, "I acknowledge that Biden won, but I can't say this openly on the record."

That's cowardice. Truth is more important than any person. Sure, we have to use common sense. To cite a common example, if you were hiding Jews in your house in Nazi Germany, speaking the truth if the Gestapo knock on your door isn't the thing to do.

But usually, speaking out about the truth is the thing to do. The sooner Trump comes to grips with the fact that he has lost, the better our country will be. Every Republican who stays silent about the election outcome is hurting our democracy.

Comments

[S]

Yes, write your Senators and Congressmen.

Start a petition.

Watch Fire on Ice (https://www.fastcompany.com/90362252/leonardo-dicaprios-new-hbo-documentary-explains-climate-science-and-solutions)

And take a beginner’s course in Quantum Mechanics.

Group consciousness is part of the Quantum field. It’s a delicate and fragile thing... easily manipulated.

The science behind quantum technology has given us all the powerful modern day tools that have the power to build up or break down. Without quantum physics we wouldn’t have computers, photo detectors, lasers, light emitting diodes or nuclear power.

Quantum physics/quantum mechanics (they’re the same thing) is the science of probabilities. The probability is Trump won’t be in office as of January 20, 2021. But we can’t be 100% sure, so it is important to speak out.

"If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don't understand quantum mechanics."
—Richard Feynman

And then there’s the opposite end of the spectrum:
“I don’t think Science knows, really”
—Donald Trump (https://youtu.be/tRQwqWN5k_M) 🤯

We don’t know science as well as we should but it definitely knows us.

[um]

>>
[1] speaking out about the truth is the thing to do.
[2] The sooner Trump comes to grips with the fact that he has lost, the better our country will be.
[3] Every Republican who stays silent about the election outcome is hurting our democracy.<<

ad [1].
If the truth doesn't bring the change to the underlying reasons why people follow Trump, it will be of no avail.
For those who live in abundance abstract ideas like TRUTH have meaning, but for those who suffer from the decisions of the establishment, be it Republican or Democrat, it will make no sense.

There was that stage magician that told local people in India that their holy man in the village was playing a trick and there was nothing divine in it. But if you are a parent and your child is bitten by a cobra and there is no medical facility in the near 200 miles around etc you go to the representative of god for help. If the child dies at least you have the feeling as parent to have done whatever you could to save your child.
Telling the TRUTH to these people WITHOUT giving them in the same time access to proper medical facilities is just playing games over the back of the poor.

[2] What will change is the language of the government. It will become CAT CLEAN again, but the facts remain that the amount of wealthy will shrink and their wealth grow and the number of outcasts will growq and their misery too. Who has caused the USA to become more and more a third world country? The previous governments!

[3] Democracy is meaningless if not all are given a say in the government for their own welfare.

PS
Capitalism, market economy, is doomed to disintegrate unless it incorporates some values of socialism.
The same holds for socialism and communism ..... have a look at the clever Chinese ...they manage to uphold their ism by incorporating for the masses certain things of capitalism ... the welfare of the masses has made a huge step forwards in China. In the USA it is the reverse because establishment is not clever enough to see to it.

Human beings are no lemons to be squeezed out.

Yes ... truth should be told ... which truth???

[s*]

Trump is better to choose..
More for the people instead of big Pharma etc..

[S]

Trump is better to choose..
More for the people instead of big Pharma etc..

Posted by: s* | November 12, 2020 at 11:43 PM

Trump is a huge fan of Big Pharma.

Big Pharma isn’t all bad and we need the vaccines. That said, I voted for Biden who is sane enough to appreciate what has to be done to stop the spread of the virus. If you don’t take the necessary precautions and end up spreading this virus to other people then karmically your guilty of murder. If you don’t want to wear a mask or get the vaccine that’s fine as long as you never leave your house. You don’t have the right to harm others.

[s*]

I dońt agree Sonia..
But that does not matter..
To each their own ideaś.
It is a pitty when difference of opinion split the people into camps..
So eachone can have their own ideaś and live up to that..
That is how I see things..
Maybe it was better not to tell my thoughts actually..

[s*]

. If you don’t take the necessary precautions and end up spreading this virus to other people then karmically your guilty of murder. If you don’t want to wear a mask or get the vaccine that’s fine as long as you never leave your house. You don’t have the right to harm others.
Sonia.

This goes far over the top in my way of thinking.

Anyways...everyone must make their own conclusions ofcourse.

[s*]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkcPtxU7Hko

[s*]

And...I never go.., do a vaccin..that is not at all good for my and others health.

Never!!

Inshallah <3
<3

[S]

@s*

I’m just saying if you put other people at risk and someone loses a child because you exposed them to this disease, how would that make you feel? What if your grandkids died from COVID because other people didn’t take precautions?

Also, I’m not saying Trump is the worst president of all time because of the way he has handled COVID. There are like a thousand other reasons why he’s the worst president ever. His complete lack of humanity for one...

[S]

I agree it’s sad we have this great divide in our country. But you have to call a spade a spade. If you drink poison you’re going to get sick. If you inject bleach into your veins you’re probably going to die.

[Vinny]

False values created by west to create a society opposite to Values of Saints is backfiring now. Osho Rajneesh tried to twist the values of Saints and what happened to his commune in Oregon is well known. Mischief to twist teachings of Saints started with East India Company and America adopted that mischief and now paying heavy price for it.

[S]

@Vinny

India’s greatest tourist attraction and biggest commercial product (just after call centers and generic drug companies) is its holy men. C’mon...

[Spence Tepper]

70 million people voted for him. Let that sink in. It can happen here. Fascism can take over our nation in a heartbeat. Nearly half the country is fine with betraying democracy, having little actual comprehension of it. Why tell the truth Emden our is so profitable to do otherwise? When do many people defend the lies with their entire being.

But truth does matter. Truth is important. Lies should never be defended. Lies you may live and love causes division within your own self, and a lot of human misery for others.

Real peace, real harmony requires honoring Truth.

https://youtu.be/9eMoCW1Pq54

[s*]

https://youtu.be/en8z3kFS-Yo

Whatever..
Maybe someone wants to see this...

[s*]

https://youtu.be/zU8wzllYdz4

For comfort ✌️🙏♥️✨

[Dungeness]

@ "You're wrong. No voter fraud has been found in any state. Biden won a free and fair
@ election."

Oh but haven't you seen the magic of cymatics? It's the power of sound to
create order out of chaos:

https://twitter.com/tedgioia/status/1327511170190864384?s=21

The ballot fraud occurred just prior to the count with sound causing
the votes to re-arrange themselves in "special ways".

Lawyers theorize the "sound" was the collective scream coming from
voter nightmares imagining "Four More Years".

[S]

Hi s*

Thanks for sharing the Tom Woods link. I believe it’s important for one to expose themselves to opposing beliefs. He makes a good case for his argument but I don’t think it’s the whole picture. Even so, I’ll give it some thought and write more on it tomorrow.

[s*]

Ahh that’s good Sonia,
See things from more sides and not only out of fear mongering idea’s
Thanks you,
s*

[Hail history]

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/jon-voight-trump-biden-video-election-b1721687.html

Speak out, you gotta speak out against the madness, you got to speak your mind if you dare.

[S]

Hi s*,

So, Woods is a Libertarian... I’ll just stop at that.

You know, China now has phenomenal success managing COVID. And I mean PHENOMENAL. They far surpass every other country in the world. But these are the kinds of measures they’ve been taking https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/04/01/coronavirus-covid-19-china-radical-measures-lockdowns-mass-quarantines/2938374001/.

[s*]

Dear Sonia,
Itś too much for me to really see how this world is going to be..
So..I do what I can for myself and my loved ones and also for people around..
Everyone has to make their own choices,,decisions, that is how it is..
We will just see what will happen..

God knows..so I think..

[anami]

For the record, Sweden is taking stricter Covid measures after all...

--Sweden stages coronavirus U-turn, banning public events with more than eight people--
“There should not be social situations with more than eight people even if they are not formally affected by the law. This is the new norm for the whole society, for all of Sweden. Don’t go to the gym. Don’t go to the library. Don’t have dinners. Don’t have parties. Cancel.”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/sweden-stages-coronavirus-u-turn-banning-public-events-with-more-than-eight-people-11605538856

[S]

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/jon-voight-trump-biden-video-election-b1721687.html

Speak out, you gotta speak out against the madness, you got to speak your mind if you dare.

Posted by: Hail history | November 15, 2020 at 04:01 AM

Well, now we know where Angelina gets her quirkiness.

[Theendoftheworldasweknowit]

For the record, Sweden is taking stricter Covid measures after all...

--Sweden stages coronavirus U-turn, banning public events with more than eight people--
“There should not be social situations with more than eight people even if they are not formally affected by the law. This is the new norm for the whole society, for all of Sweden. Don’t go to the gym. Don’t go to the library. Don’t have dinners. Don’t have parties. Cancel.”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/sweden-stages-coronavirus-u-turn-banning-public-events-with-more-than-eight-people-11605538856

Posted by: anami | November 17, 2020 at 07:50 AM

😳 😳😳
And this is what Prime Minister Stefan Löfven had to say:

“It’s going to get worse. Do your duty and take responsibility to stop the spread of infection.

“There should not be social situations with more than eight people even if they are not formally affected by the law. This is the new norm for the whole society, for all of Sweden.”