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Preserving Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law Remarks by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson First Circuit Judicial Conference, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico May 1, 2025  Good evening! Thank you for that generous introduction. I am delighted to be here with you all this evening—in warm and wonderful Puerto Rico. As Chief Judge Barron indicated, I have the honor of having been appointed as the Circuit Justice for the First Circuit, replacing my mentor, friend, and former boss, Justice Breyer. And I do realize that I have big shoes to fill. But actually I feel right at home in this position, given that I spent my formative years as a law clerk and a lawyer working in this circuit and have especially fond memories of the judges and the courts of this particular community. When my other mentor, Judge Patti Saris, and I sit down for the fireside chat portion of this presentation in a few minutes, we will cover some of those experiences, and I am looking forward to that. But, first, I thought it important to provide some prepared remarks about this especially challenging moment for all of us (as judges) and for the rule of law.
Before I turn to those remarks, though, I do want to acknowledge and thank Chief Judge Barron for inviting me to speak this evening. And I would also be completely remiss if I did not take a moment to acknowledge the recent passing of Judge Bruce Selya, for whom I had the honor of clerking. In my memoir, I describe Judge Selya as “a brilliant, meticulous, and scholarly practitioner of the law,” and I can also attest to the fact that he treated his law clerks like family. I have wonderful memories of clerking for him, which Judge Saris and I will hopefully touch upon when we sit down together. But while I have the podium right now, let me address what I think is the elephant in the room: which is the relentless attacks and disregard and disparagement that judges around the country, and perhaps many of you, are now facing on a daily basis. It seems as though every time I read the news or turn on the television these days, I see the affronts, and I am also reminded of the vital work that judges do to protect our constitutional order. Unfortunately, that solemn duty seems both more urgent and more difficult with each passing day. Across the nation, judges are facing increased threats of not only physical violence but also professional retaliation, just for doing our jobs. And the attacks are not random; they seem designed to intimidate those of us who serve in this critical capacity. The attacks are also not isolated incidents; that is, they impact more than just the individual judges who are being targeted. Rather, the threats and the harassment are attacks on our democracy—on our system of government. And they ultimately risk undermining our Constitution and the rule of law. Perhaps because today—May 1st—happens to be National Law Day, I am taking this point of personal privilege to reaffirm the significance of judicial independence and to denounce attacks on judges based on their rulings. A society in which judges are routinely made to fear for their own safety or their own livelihood due to their decisions is one that has substantially departed from the norms of behavior that govern in a democratic system. Attacks on judicial independence are how countries that are not free, not fair, and not rule-of-law-oriented operate. And, as you well know, having an independent judiciary—defined as judges who are “indifferent to improper pressure” and “determined to decide each case according to the law” is one of the key ingredients that makes our free, fair, and law-centered society work.(1) In his seminal Remarks on Judicial Independence, Justice Breyer helpfully underscores this. The speech I am referring to is published in volume 95 of the Georgetown Law Journal, and I strongly commend it to all of you and to anyone who cares about this issue. Justice Breyer explains that (and I’m quoting now) "Constitutional guarantees of tenure and compensation may well help secure judicial independence, but they can by no means assure it. Ultimately, independence is a matter of custom, habit, and institutional expectation. And to build those customs, habits, and expectations requires time and support—not only from the bench and bar but from the community where judges serve."(2) Then comes the kicker: “Unfortunately,” he says, “it may prove easier to dismantle that independence than to attain it.”(3) You might be interested to know that that concern—about the fragility of judicial independence in light of its significance to a free and democratic society—is truly evergreen. As Justice Breyer notes, no less an authority than Alexander Hamilton once commented that “the independence of the judges, once destroyed, the constitution is gone; it is a dead letter, it is a vapor which the breath of faction in a moment may dissipate.”(4) So what can we judges do, in this moment, to ensure that judicial independence is preserved for the protection of our Constitution and the People of the United States? I offer two ideas, for now—and I hope that this can be the start of many such conversations in the months to come. First, judges can work to educate our fellow citizens about what we do and about the importance of our particular role in defending the Constitution and the rule of law. Justice Breyer focuses on civic education quite a bit in the remarks I mentioned; he even gives specifics about the kinds of things judges might say to lay people to help them understand the connection between judicial independence and their own wellbeing. I am also happy to report that judges throughout the First Circuit are doing yeoman’s work when it comes to community outreach and education. I highlighted the District of New Hampshire’s sponsorship of several innovative civics programs for middle and high school students in my taped (1) Stephen Breyer, Judicial Independence: Remarks by Justice Breyer, 95 Georgetown L.J. 903, 904 (2007). (2) Id. at 904. (3) Ibid. (4) Id. at 905. statement for last year’s conference. I will give yet another Shout Out to Chief Judge Landya McCafferty, for her work with a group called Speak Up for Justice, which endeavors to “bring the country together to voice support for the judiciary,” including convening widely attend virtual events.(5) Judges can, and should, support that effort, and to the extent that we are able, get involved with similar initiatives. My second suggestion is that we look inward and focus on supporting one another during these challenging times—helping each other to hold on despite the difficulties—and continually reminding ourselves of the core values that guide us in our daily work. Apparently, Justice Kennedy once told a group of Russian judges that “only other judges can fully understand the loneliness of a judge confronted with the task of independently deciding a truly difficult case.”(6) Acknowledging that shared experience helps. And I do know that loneliness from my own service as a district judge in the District of Columbia. It is very stressful to have to decide a difficult case in the spotlight and under pressure. And especially for a single district judge, having to manage a high-profile, fast moving, consequential case involving a challenge to government action is enormously difficult. When you add to that having to endure baseless attacks on your intelligence and integrity— coming from people who are not so subtly trying to influence your decision making—it can sometimes take raw courage to remain steadfast in doing what the law requires. For me, I have found sustaining strength in historical role models—judges throughout history who have faced similar challenges and moved through them with duty, honor, and a clarity of conscience. I am thinking about towering figures like Julius Waties Waring (SC), John M. Wisdom (LA), Elbert P. Tuttle (GA), John R. Brown (TX), Richard T. Rives (AL), and W. Arthur Garrity (MA), just to name just a few. Three district judges from the not-so-distant past have been especially inspirational to me, and I offer you their stories as examples. These judges displayed the kind of courage that some of us might find the need to summon today. (5) Speak Up for Justice, https://speakupforjustice.law. (6) Breyer, supra note 1, at 904. Starting with the Civil Rights Era: Everyone is aware of the Supreme Court’s unanimous opinion in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. But as some of you remember, in the wake of Brown, the promise of integration was met with fierce opposition across the American South. Many Southern elected officials vowed defiance, segregationists erupted in protests, and African Americans faced severe threats of violence for even attempting to bring civil rights lawsuits in federal court. In the midst of all the social turmoil on the ground, district judges were essential to pronouncing what the law required and thereby ensuring that the promise of Brown was actually and ultimately realized. One of those judges was Judge Frank M. Johnson, who President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama in 1955, one year after Brown. At the time of his appointment, the strong winds of the civil rights movement were catching sails across the south—and particularly in Alabama. Rosa Parks’s arrest ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott. And within three weeks of his first day on the job, Judge Johnson, who sat in Montgomery, was assigned to one of those cases that judges find thrilling at first—before the wave of nausea hits. In his first major ruling, Judge Johnson joined a three-judge panel in striking down Montgomery’s bus-segregation law as violating the Fourteenth Amendment. And in subsequent cases, he continued to faithfully apply the principles of equal justice under law and the promise of the Fourteenth Amendment, leading to the integration of Alabama’s universities and juries, and expanded access to court-appointed counsel for indigent defendants. Now, as I am sure you can imagine, Judge Johnson’s decisions were pretty unpopular at the time, and often placed a target on his back in the community in which he lived and worked. But biographers say he was generally nonplussed about this—and it certainly did not impact his decision. He said, quite simply, that he was just doing his duty; “it is the obligation of every judge to see that justice is done within the framework of the law.”(7) So, when the late John Lewis reflected on Judge Johnson’s legacy, he noted that, “[i]n the face of social ostracism, countless threats to his life, two cross-burnings on his lawn, and the firebombing of his mother's house, Judge Johnson held fast to his principles and raised the Constitution as a lonely shield against his adversaries.”(8) Judge J. Skelly Wright, who sat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana from 1949 to 1962, is the second judge I want to mention—he was another leading civil rights era judge. While Judge Johnson was ruling on the defiant acts of Alabama’s executive officials, Judge Wright had to contend with Louisiana’s legislature—their defiance of Brown v. Board took the form of new state laws aimed at evading the Supreme Court’s ruling. When cases were filed that challenged the constitutionality of those laws and were assigned to him, Judge Wright was undaunted. First, he held that Louisiana statutes that entrenched racial segregation in public schools could not be sustained as applied, and ordered the New Orleans school board to end the practice—he was the first judge in the Deep South to issue that kind of directive. Then, despite facing private violence and public insults, Judge Wright continued to issue integration orders—not just to public school officials, but to Louisiana universities, common carriers, voting officials, and more. His view of what the law required ultimately prevailed—and so did the rule of law. Indeed, I can honestly say that it was bravery and honor of judges like Skelly Wright and Frank Johnson—their steadfast commitment to the rule of law despite the death threats, social exile, and cross-burnings—that hastened the end of racial segregation in this country, and to that extent, are at least indirectly responsible for me being here speaking with you today. (7) Frank Johnson, Jr., Finding Justice Within the Law, Birmingham News, Aug. 15, 1993, at C1 (reprinting Johnson's address before the American Bar Association Section on Individual Rights). (8) John Lewis, Reflections on Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr., 109 Yale L.J. 1253, 1256 (2000). Let me close by mentioning the courageous work of one more district judge, who served during another period of national strife. In the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, Judge John J. Sirica of the District Court for the District of Columbia was randomly assigned to preside over the trial of the five burglars who had been arrested at the DNC’s headquarters. Imagine how Judge Sirica must have felt, sitting in his chambers, minding his own business, when this case came across his desk—one lone federal judge having to serve at the center of that political storm. He did not flinch. Judge Sirica demanded the truth—and it was in his courtroom that the truth about President Nixon and his administration’s involvement in political espionage began to emerge. Judge Sirica followed the law and the facts where they led, ignoring the political consequences that I am sure he knew would befall the Presidency—and the political party that had appointed him to the bench. As he put it, “Despite efforts in our executive branch to distort the truth…the court system served to set the record straight.”(9) So today, when I get discouraged about the news of attacks on judges and worry about the personal sacrifices and weighty responsibilities of the role, I think about those three courageous district judges, and others, who also served during times of great peril. Rather than bowing to the pressure, they stayed the course, using the authority that had been vested in them to do the right thing—and by that I mean, to rule independently in each case and in the manner that they believed the law required. And history now honors each of them for that noble service. I will end there, with that note of what I hope is inspiration and encouragement. Other judges have faced challenges like the ones we face today, and have prevailed. I urge you to keep going—keep doing what is right—for the good of the country. And I do believe that history will vindicate your service as well. Thank you for hearing me out on this, and we can now turn to a discussion of happier things—my own upbringing and background as a child of the ‘70s, and my path to this important position of national service at this pivotal time. (9) Anthony J. Gaughan, Watergate, Judge Sirica, and the Rule of Law, 42 McGeorge L. Rev. 343, 345 (2016). By Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin  Joel Webbon, one of the authors of Project 2025, wants us to believe it’s "God’s will" that women either become quiet, gentle, and submissive, or be left alone. And just to spice up the patriarchy, he throws in a “Deus vult,” because apparently the Crusades are back in fashion. Let’s be clear: This isn’t theology. It’s insecurity wrapped in Bible verses. Jesus didn’t build his movement by demanding silence from women. He built it WITH women who spoke up, stood up, and showed up... especially when the men didn’t. -He listened to the Samaritan woman long enough to have an actual theological debate. -He followed the lead of the Canaanite woman who changed his mind. -He entrusted the resurrection to women before anyone else. The first preachers of the risen Christ were not men puffing their chests, they were women who refused to stay quiet. So no, Joel. “God’s will” is not making women small so men can feel big. “God’s will” isn’t about obedience to your fragile masculinity. “God’s will,” if anything, looks like women telling the truth, even when the men can’t handle it. And if that makes them "alone"? Well, I guess they'll just have to settle for being surrounded by Love, courage, and the full company of saints and prophets. The world doesn’t need quieter women. It needs fewer insecure men with microphones. The Dream of The Christian Right   Mark has a new blog! It's called Southern Fried Heresy. People are already saying it's groundbreaking. Take a look!  Endnote: A few weeks ago the "Like" button below stopped being functional on all blog posts. We're not sure what happened but we plan to look into it when we get time.
 So far, we’ve fallen short of our summer action fund goal. We're issuing a sincere, heartfelt plea for your help. Our nation is facing an emergency. Trump is rapidly destroying our economy and our republic. Things are already out of control, and we have 4 years to go. This summer is a key time to speak up and make our (your) voice heard. Please don't scroll by without stepping up. Any amount helps. We need dedicated new monthly supporters to back our efforts. We represent you as we participate in every live action event we can during the summer season, in DC and around the nation. Trump and his MAGA base have made it clear they don't respect the rule of law. This is serious. We need all hands on deck. We must have a budget to carry out action moving forward. Do what you can during these dire times. Here's the Secure Link https://donorbox.org/friends-of-tcl Here's The Reality We Face  There were some system problems at our store with some of the links. It's been fixed. We have two new designs. We create designs as a way to subsidize our ministry. We've been user supported for 16 years.  Link To Order Gulf Of Mexico Merch: Wide Selection of Styles, Cuts & Colors For Men and Women! https://the-christian-left-store.creator-spring.com/listing/gulf-of-mexico-est-1550 Link To Order Resist Like Al Green Merch: Wide Selection of Styles, Cuts & Colors For Men and Women! We need more people to step up like al Green! https://the-christian-left-store.creator-spring.com/listing/resist-like-al-green -- The Christian Left Connect With Us On Linktree  Via Occupy Democrats Senator Claude Malhuret - Speech to French Senate, 03-04-2025 Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen Ministers, My dear colleagues, Europe is at a critical turning point in its history. The American shield is crumbling, Ukraine risks being abandoned, Russia strengthened. Washington has become the court of Nero, a fiery emperor, submissive courtiers and a ketamine-fueled jester in charge of purging the civil service. This is a tragedy for the free world, but it is first and foremost a tragedy for the United States. Trump’s message is that there is no point in being his ally since he will not defend you, he will impose more customs duties on you than on his enemies and will threaten to seize your territories while supporting the dictatorships that invade you. The king of the deal is showing what the art of the deal is all about. He thinks he will intimidate China by lying down before Putin, but Xi Jinping, faced with such a shipwreck, is probably accelerating preparations for the invasion of Taiwan. Never in history has a President of the United States capitulated to the enemy. Never has anyone supported an aggressor against an ally. Never has anyone trampled on the American Constitution, issued so many illegal decrees, dismissed judges who could have prevented him from doing so, dismissed the military general staff in one fell swoop, weakened all checks and balances, and taken control of social media. This is not an illiberal drift, it is the beginning of the confiscation of democracy. Let us remember that it took only one month, three weeks and two days to bring down the Weimar Republic and its Constitution. I have faith in the strength of American democracy, and the country is already protesting. But in one month, Trump has done more harm to America than in four years of his last presidency. We were at war with a dictator, now we are fighting a dictator backed by a traitor.  Via Occupy Democrats Eight days ago, at the very moment that Trump was rubbing Macron’s back in the White House, the United States voted at the UN with Russia and North Korea against the Europeans demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops. Two days later, in the Oval Office, the military service shirker was giving war hero Zelensky lessons in morality and strategy before dismissing him like a groom, ordering him to submit or resign. Tonight, he took another step into infamy by stopping the delivery of weapons that had been promised. What to do in the face of this betrayal? The answer is simple: face it. And first of all, let’s not be mistaken. The defeat of Ukraine would be the defeat of Europe. The Baltic States, Georgia, Moldova are already on the list. Putin’s goal is to return to Yalta, where half the continent was ceded to Stalin. The countries of the South are waiting for the outcome of the conflict to decide whether they should continue to respect Europe or whether they are now free to trample on it. What Putin wants is the end of the order put in place by the United States and its allies 80 years ago, with its first principle being the prohibition of acquiring territory by force. This idea is at the very source of the UN, where today Americans vote in favor of the aggressor and against the attacked, because the Trumpian vision coincides with that of Putin: a return to spheres of influence, the great powers dictating the fate of small countries. Mine is Greenland, Panama and Canada, you are Ukraine, the Baltics and Eastern Europe, he is Taiwan and the China Sea. At the parties of the oligarchs of the Gulf of Mar-a-Lago, this is called “diplomatic realism.” So we are alone. But the talk that Putin cannot be resisted is false. Contrary to the Kremlin’s propaganda, Russia is in bad shape. In three years, the so-called second largest army in the world has managed to grab only crumbs from a country three times less populated. Interest rates at 25%, the collapse of foreign exchange and gold reserves, the demographic collapse show that it is on the brink of the abyss. The American helping hand to Putin is the biggest strategic mistake ever made in a war. The shock is violent, but it has a virtue. Europeans are coming out of denial. They understood in one day in Munich that the survival of Ukraine and the future of Europe are in their hands and that they have three imperatives. Accelerate military aid to Ukraine to compensate for the American abandonment, so that it holds, and of course to impose its presence and that of Europe in any negotiation. This will be expensive. It will be necessary to end the taboo of the use of frozen Russian assets. It will be necessary to circumvent Moscow’s accomplices within Europe itself by a coalition of only the willing countries, with of course the United Kingdom. Second, demand that any agreement be accompanied by the return of kidnapped children, prisoners and absolute security guarantees. After Budapest, Georgia and Minsk, we know what agreements with Putin are worth. These guarantees require sufficient military force to prevent a new invasion. Finally, and this is the most urgent, because it is what will take the most time, we must build the neglected European defence, to the benefit of the American umbrella since 1945 and scuttled since the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is a Herculean task, but it is on its success or failure that the leaders of today’s democratic Europe will be judged in the history books. Friedrich Merz has just declared that Europe needs its own military alliance. This is to recognize that France has been right for decades in arguing for strategic autonomy. It remains to be built. It will be necessary to invest massively, to strengthen the European Defence Fund outside the Maastricht debt criteria, to harmonize weapons and munitions systems, to accelerate the entry into the Union of Ukraine, which is today the leading European army, to rethink the place and conditions of nuclear deterrence based on French and British capabilities, to relaunch the anti-missile shield and satellite programs. The plan announced yesterday by Ursula von der Leyen is a very good starting point. And much more will be needed. Europe will only become a military power again by becoming an industrial power again. In a word, the Draghi report will have to be implemented. For good. But the real rearmament of Europe is its moral rearmament. We must convince public opinion in the face of war weariness and fear, and especially in the face of Putin’s cronies, the extreme right and the extreme left. They argued again yesterday in the National Assembly, Mr Prime Minister, before you, against European unity, against European defence. They say they want peace. What neither they nor Trump say is that their peace is capitulation, the peace of defeat, the replacement of de Gaulle Zelensky by a Ukrainian Pétain at the beck and call of Putin. Peace for the collaborators who have refused any aid to the Ukrainians for three years. Is this the end of the Atlantic Alliance? The risk is great. But in the last few days, the public humiliation of Zelensky and all the crazy decisions taken in the last month have finally made the Americans react. Polls are falling. Republican lawmakers are being greeted by hostile crowds in their constituencies. Even Fox News is becoming critical. The Trumpists are no longer in their majesty. They control the executive, the Parliament, the Supreme Court and social networks. But in American history, the freedom fighters have always prevailed. They are beginning to raise their heads. The fate of Ukraine is being played out in the trenches, but it also depends on those in the United States who want to defend democracy, and here on our ability to unite Europeans, to find the means for their common defense, and to make Europe the power that it once was in history and that it hesitates to become again. Our parents defeated fascism and communism at great cost. The task of our generation is to defeat the totalitarianisms of the 21st century. Long live free Ukraine, long live democratic Europe!  Would you like to make a difference right now? Be a contributing partner with us. We've been at this for 15 years. We plan to step up our direct action efforts this spring and summer. Action requires funding. Read more here and make a contribution today. Any amount helps.
Blog Post Continues Below Graphic  We're one month in to Trump's 2nd term and our Democracy is already facing a perfect storm. The number of emergencies currently swirling in front of Americans is overwhelming, and that's the way Trump, Vance and Musk want it. They and their minions are the cause. Earlier this week Trump posted, “He who saves his Country violates no Law,” to Truth Social and X. It's just another way to say what Nixon famously said to David Frost, "If the president does it, then it's legal." Trump followed up by ordering independent agencies to follow his read of the law, not the courts. Last week JD Vance stated ‘Judges aren’t allowed to control’ Trump’s ‘legitimate power.’ That shouldn't be surprising if one knows who Vance admires most as a political philosopher, one Curtis Yarvin, who says the US needs to get over its phobia of dictators and install one. Ever since Trump was elected for another term Elon Musk has been busy making threats on X to any lawmaker who dares contradict anything Trump says or does. If they step out of line he'll throw his vast wealth behind a primary challenger.  As most of us have been painfully aware, Musk has been bulldozing the Federal government indiscriminately. Marc Elias from Democracy Docket recently wrote Musk an open letter after Musk attacked him on X. The letter makes some profound observations. We highly recommend reading it. Then there's Gaza, Ukraine (Trump calling Zelensky a 'dictator,' and saying Zelensky 'started the war'), NATO, Europe, Russia, and Putin, each with a unique set of Trump generated emergencies, nevermind Canada, Greenland and Panama. As if that wasn't enough inflation is rising again and trump says it's not his fault. Tens of thousands of federal workers are being thrown out of their jobs. Trump now says he's OK with massive cuts to Medicaid after promising to never touch the health coverage millions of Americans depend on. All this while immigrants who fled horrible circumstances now live in constant fear of ICE dragging them back to the living hell they left, or worse, GITMO. We haven't even touched on Republicans rubber-stamping some of Trump's most troubling and incompetent cabinet members, Kash Patel being the most recent. Despite all the nation has been through with Trump, 80% of white evangelical "Christians" consistently vote for him. That said, it's obvious organized Christianity in the US has gone off the rails. Republican ideology is as far away from the teachings of Jesus as you can get. It's a cruel, selfish ideology that throws 'the least of these' under the bus. Our modern economic system has become the 'law of the jungle.' Only the richest, strongest and smartest receive help. Those who really need help are viewed as "lazy freeloaders who deserve what they get, which is nothing." This is conservative ideology in a nutshell whether its followers realize it or not, and it's the opposite of everything Jesus ever said. A counter-narrative is desperately needed. We are experienced and well equipped to present that counter-narrative. We've already been doing so since 2009, for 15 years. The Christian Left (TCL) is an online ministry and community for Christian progressives and their allies. It’s a place to gather any time of day, 7 days a week, no matter where you live. Every day we discuss daily events, enjoy fellowship, and take action on behalf of 'The least of these.' We put the words and actions of Jesus front and center in everything we do. There's never been a more important time to join us with your financial support. The "Christian" Right spends billions on conservative policy messaging every year, and they tie it to the Christian faith. They tie it to Jesus. That’s blasphemy in our opinion. (Note: The first link in this paragraph is a 'Daily Beast' article from 2014. Nothing has changed since then regarding 'The Gathering.' It still takes place every year.) The founding members of The Christian Left take part in political action. They have traveled all over the country to participate in gatherings and events where political action is taking place on behalf of the oppressed. The Christian Left is an official action partner of Vote Common Good as well. How many Christian organizations do you know of these days advocating for progressive policy? There aren't many and we were one of the first in the era of social media. See our full-page ad in Sojourners Magazine. Tens of thousands of people have told us over the years that TCL is a literal lifeline for them. We were one of the first national Christian ministries to fully support marriage equality. Many LGBTQIA+ folks tell us they felt hopeless and rejected by Christians until they found TCL. That's just the beginning of our story. One of the things we hear almost every day is some variation of: "Finally! A place for me!" The Christian Left a haven. Members won’t be harassed by conservative “Christians,” Republicans, or naysayers of any kind. We don't allow it. Anyone can be a member. All we ask is that people join us if they want to be a part of what we have to offer, not to debate with us, insult us, or try to convince us of their point of view. We are not a debate society. Become a Friend and Supporter of The Christian Left today. Make a contribution to our ongoing work and activities. Sign up to make it a monthly contribution if you can. We’re user supported. We are not underwritten by any corporation, church, individual or group.  We have expanded our secure methods of accepting contributions. You can use PayPal or any credit card with our new secure system powered by ‘Donorbox’ with ‘Stripe’ integration. Best of all, it's easy!
Here's The Secure Link: https://donorbox.org/friends-of-tcl -- The Christian Left  It's obvious organized Christianity in the US has gone off the rails. Republican ideology is as far away from the teachings of Jesus as you can get. It's a cruel, selfish ideology that throws 'the least of these' under the bus.
Despite this glaring truth, 80% of white evangelical "Christians" consistently vote for Donald Trump. Our modern economic system has become the 'law of the jungle.' Only the richest, strongest and smartest receive help. Those who really need help are viewed as "lazy freeloaders who deserve what they get, which is nothing." This is conservative ideology in a nutshell whether its followers realize it or not, and it's the opposite of everything Jesus ever said. A counter-narrative is desperately needed. We are experienced and well equipped to present that counter-narrative. We've already been doing so since 2009, for 15 years. The Christian Left (TCL) is an online ministry and community for Christian progressives and their allies. It’s a place to gather any time of day, 7 days a week, no matter where you live. Every day we discuss daily events, enjoy fellowship, and take action on behalf of 'The least of these.' We put the words and actions of Jesus front and center in everything we do. There's never been a more important time to join us with your financial support. The "Christian" Right spends billions on conservative policy messaging every year, and they tie it to the Christian faith. They tie it to Jesus. That’s blasphemy in our opinion. (Note: The first link in this paragraph is a 'Daily Beast' article from 2014. Nothing has changed since then regarding 'The Gathering.' It still takes place every year.) The founding members of The Christian Left take part in political action. They have traveled all over the country to participate in gatherings and events where political action is taking place on behalf of the oppressed. The Christian Left is an official action partner of Vote Common Good as well. How many Christian organizations do you know of these days advocating for progressive policy? There aren't many and we were one of the first in the era of social media. See our full-page ad in Sojourners Magazine. Tens of thousands of people have told us over the years that TCL is a literal lifeline for them. We were one of the first national Christian ministries to fully support marriage equality. Many LGBTQIA+ folks tell us they felt hopeless and rejected by Christians until they found TCL. That's just the beginning of our story. One of the things we hear almost every day is some variation of: "Finally! A place for me!" The Christian Left a haven. Members won’t be harassed by conservative “Christians,” Republicans, or naysayers of any kind. We don't allow it. Anyone can be a member. All we ask is that people join us if they want to be a part of what we have to offer, not to debate with us, insult us, or try to convince us of their point of view. We are not a debate society. Become a Friend and Supporter of The Christian Left today. Make a contribution to our ongoing work and activities. Sign up to make it a monthly contribution if you can. We’re user supported. We are not underwritten by any corporation, church, individual or group. We need 100 new monthly supporters in order to ramp up our efforts to counter the false narrative of The "Christian" Right and Trump 2.0. Trump and his MAGA base have made it clear they don't respect the rule of law. This is serious, serious stuff. We need all hands on deck. We will do everything we can but we need a budget to carry out action. We have expanded our secure methods of accepting contributions. You can use PayPal or any credit card with our new secure system powered by ‘Donorbox’ with ‘Stripe’ integration. Best of all, it's easy! Here's The Secure Link: https://donorbox.org/friends-of-tcl (If this blog post speaks to your heart please make a contribution of any amount. Make it monthly if you are able. One of our priorities is to inform as many people as possible that not all Christians are Republicans. This community is proof. Many of those we reach weren't aware they had any options. They often feel isolated and alone, surrounded by MAGA extremists in their own churches. To carry out such an outreach requires a budget, even to reach any meaningful percentage of our own Facebook followers. We have to pay to reach our own audience with Meta by "Boosting" important posts with a budget.) In a recent blog post we talked about Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, who led the inaugural prayer service in Washington, DC. Trump and Vance were present. They heard the teachings of Jesus ... and they didn't like it one bit. Since then the world of MAGA fake "Christians" have been in meltdown mode. In our blog post mentioned above we stated, "The look on the faces of Trump and Vance says it all. They call themselves 'Christians,' but their reaction to the actual teachings of Jesus says they don't know Jesus. If you know Jesus, you know his teachings. If you don't, you don't." Now some MAGA "Christians" have taken their ignorance of Christ's teachings to a new level. They label empathy as a sin. If you know Christ, you know this nothing short of blasphemy.  Our own Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin has some thoughts about this: The Radical Empathy of Jesus In the long arc of Christian theology, we have witnessed many bastardizations of Jesus's message, but few are as spiritually dangerous as the emerging concept of the “sin of empathy.” As I sit here reflecting on this morally corrupt notion, I am reminded of our Jesus' words: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Those who would condemn empathy as sinful fundamentally misunderstand both the nature of sin and the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus did not stand apart from human suffering – he wept at Lazarus's tomb, he felt compassion for the hungry crowds, he touched the “untouchable” lepers. Jesus' ministry was, in fact, defined by a radical empathy that drew him into the depths of human experience. To suggest that feeling deeply for others' pain somehow corrupts our moral judgment is to forget the Christian concept of the Divine enter into human struggle and suffering. The cross itself stands as a symbol of Jesus' identification with human pain and resistance to systems of oppression. When Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, he highlighted empathy as the vital force that moves us from mere religious observance to true righteousness. The priest and Levite had correct doctrine, but the Samaritan had what mattered most – a heart that could be moved by another's suffering. We must resist this dangerous teaching. The sin is not in feeling too deeply for others, but in hardening our hearts against their cries. As James wrote, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." This is empathy in action, and it stands at the very heart of the gospel. Let us not mistake emotional distance for spiritual maturity. The way of Jesus is the way of deep empathy, solidarity with the oppressed, and liberating love that transforms both oppressed and oppressor. Through divine empathy, we participate in God's ongoing work of liberation and healing. We must resist this dangerous teaching. Jesus practiced radical empathy. Imitating him is far from sinful. It is, in fact, what we are called to do. Go forth and empathize boldly!  The Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington led the inaugural prayer service in Washington, DC Tuesday. Trump and Vance were present. Rev. Buddle spoke of the teachings of Jesus. "Let me make one final plea Mr. President ... In the name of our God I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families," said Budde, "some who fear for their lives. And the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They may not be citizens, or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and they are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues. May I ask you to have mercy Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here." The look on the faces of Trump and Vance says it all. They call themselves "Christians," but their reaction to the actual teachings of Jesus says they don't know Jesus. If you know Jesus, you know his teachings. If you don't, you don't. Trump said he "didn't like the sermon" afterwards and said "they could have done better." The entire video below is great. Rev. Buddle's direct pleas to Trump begin at 6:30. If you'd like to learn more about Jesus and his teachings, read the first four books of the New Testament. That's where he speaks.   White House Press Secretary Condemns Bishop’s ‘Egregious’ Sermon At Trump’s Inauguration The press secretary said the Bishop “should apologize to President Trump for the lies that she told.” (The Christian Left) Calling the teachings of Jesus "lies" once again says it all. The White House Press Secretary doesn't say anything Trump doesn't approve.
 Double face, Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler (2016). Photo credit: p. klashorst / Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0 DEED) We feel this article is worthy of preserving as a blog post. Here’s the link to the article by Russ Baker The list of parallels, of echoes, grows steadily: • Exalting one’s own “tribe” (white supremacy) • Vilifying and scapegoating the “other” — claiming opponents are “criminals” • Intimidating others with rhetoric, and even violence • Creating camps to hold undesired human beings • Intolerance of the least fortunate; expressing delight at others’ suffering • Glorifying male sexuality • Encouraging couples to make more members of the “superior” race • Demanding total loyalty • Expecting obedience to all demands of the leader, without question • Oversimplifying complex matters, promoting self-serving “common sense” solutions • Disseminating propaganda and targeted disinformation to low-information citizens • Trying to impress with military-style pageantry • Exploiting superstition • Invoking a mythical past to justify self-aggrandizement and predation • Coveting other countries • Appointing poorly qualified and horribly mismatched people to top positions At the inaugural prayer service, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, made a direct appeal to President Donald Trump to have mercy on the LGBTQ+ community and undocumented migrant workers. Trump said afterwards that he "Didn't think it was a good service. They could do much better." |
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