So that I repented, counted my blessings, and backed away from the edge.

I’m often struck by the parallels between my life and that of Jimmy Stewart in his role in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I’ve had much the same triumph, much the same joy, and much the same failure and debilitating despair. Probably most noteworthy are the many occasions when my Heavenly Father, in some form not unlike Clarence, has interceded on my behalf, so that I repented, counted my blessings, and backed away from the edge. SC

Wake me when it's over.

 

Cut each other some slack.

Each and every one of us is a distinctive product of our gene pool, our environment, our life experience and our faith. Our beliefs, our convictions, and our partisan leanings are inherent in the unique and singular individual which, through time, we each become. As a result, some of us lean blue, and others red. It’s not simply what we choose to believe. To a large extent, it’s what we’ve become. We need elected officials and government policies that recognize and allow for those differences. We need to accept that we’re different and cut each other some slack. There's a term for it; it's called "liberty and justice for all." SC

TRUTH or CONSEQUENCES

The presidency of the United States of America is no place for senile, old men who have a vendetta, a personal agenda, and an insatiable appetite for power. While partisan politics is an inescapable element of elections, once elected, in order to be effective, our president must govern with the sole purpose of serving the best interests of all Americans, regardless of party and partisan agendas. The foremost responsibility of our President is promoting the unity of our citizens and behaving in a way that is worthy of the respect of all Americans and the world. Our President is essentially the personification of America, our unwavering pursuit of truth and justice, and our determination to persevere as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. If and when our president proves incapable of acting responsibly and serving the best interests of all Americans, our Constitution provides means for his peaceful and timely removal. As citizens, it falls to us to act in the best interests of all our fellow citizens and the unity and prosperity of our nation. SC

A MORE PERFECT UNION

America’s ideals of liberty and justice for all have been a work in progress for a long time. Progress has been tediously slow, but steady. Mistakes have been made. Setbacks have been painful and frequent. Progress has come only through determination, dedication, and constant struggle, but it has come. Democratic government requires pursuing the greater good and addressing the needs of a greatly diversified electorate, comprised of frequently opposing and passionately held beliefs. It’s a volatile and uneasy accord, which is achieved only through compromise and concession. Make no mistake. The decisions we make as we deal or fail to deal with the current kerfuffle will shape our children’s future for decades to come. Our democracy works as intended only when each of its three branches demonstrate a healthy respect for Truth, Justice and its fellow branches. Events currently unfolding will literally determine whether our democracy survives and whether our government of, by, and for the people will continue its time-honored pursuit of liberty and justice for all. Embrace the future, be civil, and participate in the essential process of democracy. A perfect union is a mighty lofty goal, but a more perfect union is attainable when we work together. SC

Years ago, I self-published a little book called GLAD DAYS LONG AGO. On the back cover I wrote the following. I believe it's true.

"Each and every day, each and every one of us, regardless of our circumstances, has a choice. We can squander our time fingering old welts, second guessing past decisions, and tormenting ourselves over the poor choices of others; or we can embrace a new day brimming with opportunities for doing justly, loving mercy, and building foundations for a bright new tomorrow. Time is precious; choose wisely." SC 

Suffering and deprivation of biblical proportions

The current administration, for whatever reason, seems determined to defund, deregulate, and dismantle all America's essential institutions and any safeguards against government overreach. I want you to imagine America without taxes, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, affordable health care, worker’s protection, environmental protection, Public Schools, civil rights, coordination between states, repairs to our infrastructure, a reliable electrical grid, road and freeway repairs, or anything resembling a functioning democracy. It's not a pretty picture. It’s a scene of incomprehensible suffering and deprivation of biblical proportions. It’s terrifying. But it’s absolutely essential that you think about it. And then act. SC

It's costing lives as we speak.

"He drew a circle to shut me out Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in." These lines could easily be mistaken for a little scrap of scripture. Of course, they are not. It's a poem by Edwin Markham. Its message however is scriptural. Those of you who read your bibles will be familiar with 1 John 4:16 ("God is love"). Love of course, is synonymous with compassion, empathy, consideration and inclusion. Benjamin Franklin wrote "A stitch in time saves nine." Franklin's message observes that prompt intervention can provide an early fix to a problem before it grows exponentially worse. USAID (US Agency for International Development) is an independent executive branch agency responsible for administering foreign aid and economic development assistance outside the US. Among the goals of USAID is to assist struggling people of foreign countries so that they can remain where they live with some degree of security and dignity, and in this way avoid a grueling journey to the US or some other country where they are unwanted. This of course is the expedient thing to do. It's generally the most cost-effective solution to avoid mass migration of hungry, homeless, populations. It represents a prompt intervention to minimize a potentially devastating migration of displaced people. It's the loving thing to do. It's what Christ would do. Cutting funds to this program does not save money. It costs lives. It's costing lives as we speak. Cutting humanitarian aid is inhumane and betrays callous, unchristian, self-serving intentions and ignorance of biblical proportions. SC

American Patriotism

My little footprint on the Internet is not much of a platform, but it’s my platform, and I intend to use it to make my voice heard. My mom and dad were members of “The Greatest Generation”. They encouraged me to use my own voice and my own head. I owe this to Mom and Dad.

Back in the 1950s, when I was a kid, with the exception of the country’s Native Americans, it was fresh in the minds of most people that their families weren’t originally from here. They’d arrived here from foreign shores. In order to do so, they’d made sacrifices, unimaginable sacrifices, and they’d faced hardships. They counted their blessings. They considered their citizenship to be one of those blessings. They appreciated their freedom. They appreciated the opportunities those freedoms provided, and they appreciated the veterans whose efforts had made those freedoms possible. They were patriotic.

Their families had arrived in this country with little or nothing, and they felt entitled to nothing beyond the promise that America and democracy provided, that if they worked hard and participated in the preservation of our fragile Republic, great things were possible. They knew it was so; they’d seen others prosper. They were prepared and entirely willing to defend their freedoms and their democracy against all threats, both foreign and domestic. The United States of America and all the benefits inherent in the amalgamation of our states are only possible as long as we remain united, and the welfare of all our citizens is entirely reliant on the preservation of our Union. When that is gone, America is gone.

Throughout my life, the veterans and those who Tom Brokaw referred to as “The Greatest Generation,” comprised a large part of our citizenry. As their generation has faded away, America’s diverse cross-section of humanity has been transformed. The fabric of our great nation has coarsened, and our edges have frayed. Our appreciation and comprehension of Freedom, what it means, and what it requires, has been largely lost. For many, the patriotism of our forefathers is a foreign and incomprehensible concept.

Not until recent years has it occurred to most of us that, minus America’s time-honored institutions and those who continue to support them, it’s entirely possible that the America of our country’s founders and generations of veterans and patriots may cease to exist.

Our country's best hope for the future is not partisanship, It's citizenship. It's constant vigilance, civility, and dedicated participation in democracy and a government of, by, and for the people. Vote for Republicans. Vote for Democrats. Vote for Independents. For now, at least, it’s a free country. Vote as your heart and conscience dictate, but for God’s sake, vote! Be an advocate for those who support law and order and encourage scientific advancement and responsible stewardship of our planet. Speak out for those who advocate for an honest representation of our history, so that future generations can benefit from our many mistakes. Vote for those who support truth, justice, and the American way.

Shannon Thomas Casebeer

Here's the good news.

Are you ready for good news? While it's likely there are dark days ahead, there is hope. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. Over the months ahead, the electorate will understand painfully well what they've traded away for a handful of empty promises and lies. They'll want their healthcare back. They'll want affordable groceries and merchandise. They'll want access to their national parks and the countless other treasures and benefits that have been privatized and relinquished to the privileged few. The upcoming midterms and the election of 2028 will not be won by sticks, but by carrots. They won't be won by misinformation and empty threats. They'll be won by incentives and positive measures to win back and earn the admiration and respect of the American people, our allies, and civilized society around the world. They won't be won by familiar faces burdened by old luggage, but by new faces with new ideas and realistic hopes for a bright future. Stay informed. Stay hopeful. And watch for those new faces. SC

The United States of America is only as secure as the Federal government which unites us and safeguards our freedoms.

"The main function of the U.S. federal government is creating and enforcing laws to ensure order and stability within society. The U.S. Constitution outlines the nation's law-making process and establishes institutions to carry out this function. Our Founding Fathers feared the concentration of power in a single individual or branch of government. To prevent this, they separated law-making powers among three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislature, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, creates laws. The executive branch enforces laws under the leadership of the president. The judiciary, which includes a federal court system headed by the Supreme Court, decides the constitutionality of these laws. This separation of powers prevents one branch from gaining influence over the others."

Our system is under threat. Our institutions are being dismantled and privatized. Our freedom, our democratic republic, and our American way of life are being privatized by the wealthy few in an effort to secure their power and end forever government of, by, and for the people. If you value your freedom, support the federal government which from our country's founding has valued and upheld the voice of we the people and secured the time-honored institutions which make possible one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. SC

The most alarming threat to life as we know it on the planet

Here, in Missouri, where I live, we've been experiencing multiple horrific weather events each week. "How long," one may well ask, "will this go on?" Most reputable scientists agree, there is no quick fix. Our best long-term hope is to elect officials who (unlike our current President) realize that the climate crisis is the most alarming threat to life as we know it on the planet. SC

Faith burns most brightly when all other hope is spent. Yesterday's dreams light the way to a bright tomorrow.

 

Regardless of your belief system and your faith or lack thereof, certain things are true. The universe exists. It did not always exist. The universe came into being as the result of the actions of some awesome, incomprehensible force. It's likely that force exists today. Time exists. Seasons come and seasons pass. There is darkness. There is light. There is truth. There is falsehood. There is good. There is evil. There is Justice. There is injustice. All actions and all inactions including yours have consequences. You can choose to live in harmony with these truths, or you can deny them. Each and every day, each and every one of us, regardless of our circumstances, has a choice. We can squander our time fingering old welts, second guessing past decisions, and tormenting ourselves over the poor choices of others; or we can embrace a new day brimming with opportunities for doing justly, loving mercy, and building foundations for a bright new tomorrow. During my youth, I was unfailingly optimistic about the future. Music of the time told of a day when good would prevail over evil, truth over lies, and brotherhood over racism and bigotry. We've made gains, but fulfilling the dreams of our youth will require constant vigilance and unwavering devotion. I will never cease in my efforts to achieve the dreams of our youth. I will never give up. I'll die with that dream in my heart and the matchless land of liberty in my eyes.

Shannon Thomas Casebeer

Its incomprehensible to me. SC

I'm saddened, sickened, and embarrassed that any informed person continues to support trump and his vendetta against "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—anything excellent or praiseworthy". Its incomprehensible to me. SC 

Step out and speak up for truth, justice, and America's institutions. SC

The United States of America is the most celebrated and incomparable club in all the world. As citizens, we receive benefits and, based on our ability, we pay dues. We pay dues in the form of taxes, and we receive benefits in the form of civil liberties, our grid, fresh air, clean water, our judicial system, law enforcement, National Parks, freeway systems, education, Social Security, and the list goes on and on and on. This club is not self-sustaining. It requires work and investment. It's worth it. It's currently under threat. Our essential institutions are being defunded, deregulated, and dismantled. Step out and speak up for truth, justice, and America's institutions. Do it now, before it's too late. SC

Here's where you're wrong.

Many of you have become convinced that defunding, deregulation, and a general dismantling of all our institutions with a chainsaw is a good thing. Over the next few months, as shelves go empty and savings accounts go bust, you'll realize you've been bamboozled. Regulations protect workers rights and the environment. Federal assistance for almost everything is how small businesses, and the economy survive, and America's institutions are fundamental to our success. You don't have to believe me. Just buckle in and see what happens next. SC

Here's the irony

Here's the irony. From my early childhood up to this moment in time, as a result of my faith, I've been friend and advocate for the freedom, choices, lifestyle, acceptance, and overall wellbeing of every creature on the planet, regardless of their station, faith, disability, means, or lack thereof, as long as they support the freedom and wellbeing of others, and today, as the result of my empathy and tireless advocacy for all, I'm detested by half the populace. SC

Money, greed, and an unrestrained appetite for power are incrementally disassembling America's democracy.

Throughout history, honesty and integrity have been the distinguishing characteristics of civilization. Doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God have been synonymous with the faithful pursuit of common decency and civilized society. Truth and common decency have been the accepted norm, while deceit, corruption, and a total disdain for justice have always been and must continually be universally recognized and unequivocally condemned by any society which feigns service to a just and merciful God. Civilization requires strict adherence to an unwavering pursuit of reality-based truth and an unconditional condemnation of naked lies, deliberate misinformation, and a brazen contempt for justice. Across the country, concerned citizens are taking to the streets to point out what should already be crystal clear to everyone. Money, greed, and an unrestrained appetite for power are incrementally disassembling America's democracy. We're nearing a tipping point. Join the resistance now. SC