There is nothing wrong with the free movement of people, or products around the world. That helps everybody. However, that is not what the vice president is talking about. Allow me to translate Harris’ comments; the US approach is to secure monetary imperialism, managed trade, compliant client states, all for the benefit of politically connected elites in the US, at the expense of most of the populace. All of this is done by the use and threatened us of US force, hence the need for 800+ bases all over the planet, propping up odious regimes everywhere.
At least she is open about all this being in the “interest” of the US (again, think elites), rather than anything resembling legitimate national defense. Interests are always aggressive, violent and have nothing at all to do with defending territory, sovereignty, or transit in international waters. Of course, none of any of this has anything to do with the Christian scriptures.
My only quibble (minor really) is the KJV use of the word charity. KJV is quite poetic, yet not very scholarly. The New Jerusalem (Catholic, and very solidly translated) and the New Revised Standard Version, we use in the Lutheran church both use the word love rather than charity. I do not think that this changes your excellent point at all. While relying on better scholarship than KJV, it also makes more sense in the broader sweep of the New Testament. Can I claim my prize for Bible nerd of the day? 😊
I often prefer the KJV for exactly the reason you cite: the poetry of the language. It resonates with me. The NIV and other "modern" translations are sometimes too dry and uninspiring, at least to my ear.
I'm pleased to see others now quoting Scripture. That's bound to drive Dennis mad! :)
At the END of all things, it doesn't depend on being Jewish, Christian or Muslim. It's a matter of being a Good Samaritan, taking care of someone you don't even know. The Jews looked down on Samaritans as being inferior to Jews.
Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and fed you? or thirsty, and gave you drink? When did we see you a stranger, and took you in? or naked, and clothed you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came unto you?
And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me.
The others will essentially say Lord, we would have done all those things if we knew it was you, but that won't cut it!
America's leadership is made up of competing imperial warlords. Harris said it herself. The curtain has been pulled back, the facade has been shattered. MAGA and the Biden clique represent two different versions of a shared vision for the so-called "indispensable" nation. They both suffer from a severe case of delusional American Exceptionalism.
I always have to question people when they say things like "it's in America's interests". The problem is that America has no interests. Only people have interests and not all people share the same interests. So, when they say "it's in America's interests", exactly whose interests are they addressing.
I can attest to the fact that it's almost never my interests (and probably not yours) that are being served by American foreign policy. As a matter of fact, it's costing me (and my progeny for generations to come) one helluva lot of money with no tangible benefit. So, once again, exactly whose interests are they serving?
Harris makes it sound like she and Biden are business geniuses guiding America into a new period of prosperity. Can we imagine an administration and Congress in our history with less fiscal sanity than what we have now? Will they wake up to the reality of the declining dollar hegemony? It seems the answer is a resounding, "No!"
And we are said to be the rational animal, but as the globe warms I see lots of brand new gasoline powered heavy pickups and vans everywhere. People don't want to be told what to do but behave in ways that will eventually require imposition of rules. We see so little reason in DC, but in the neighborhood as well. What lies behind both is profit in command.
Clif: I believe wholly that we as the human race are frequently still just as ugly, gritty, cruel, tragic, unfair and inhumane as we've ever been to each other, and that when we do still, but rarely see humane behavior its precious still...
What came to my mind was another word that will is not in the lexicon of the US foreign or domestic policies: compassion. If I might be permitted, here is a good definition of compassion and empathy from the Merriam Websters dictionary listing of compassion: "Compassion and empathy both refer to a caring response to someone else’s distress. While empathy refers to an active sharing in the emotional experience of the other person, compassion adds to that emotional experience a desire to alleviate the person’s distress." And it is vital to our personal and communal health: https://ccare.stanford.edu/research/wiki/compassion-definitions/compassion/.
(If you need to edit this long note, I understand).
How nice to be living in a replay of the Fall of the Roman Empire, take two. (Sarcasm enhanced).
Great post, thank you! Love/ Charity/ Agapé. Peace comes from love, rather than from the end of a gun, or from a bomb, or from hatred or “othering.” Israel is powering its defeat of Palestine out of loathing and distrust, as is the US attempt to teach Somalis to not attack Red Sea shipping by means of force, rather than reaching out in love/charity to ease the tensions in the world. But after their history of violence, the world would rightfully suspect any change-of-course toward a more tolerant world view. The die has been cast, over and over in hatred.
It is quite ironic that Vice President Moron-Harris should so rightly state our materialistic goals, not just trumping charity but not even a point for consideration, while at the same time acting as though autocracies are somehow worse. I thought the whole point of condemnation of autocrats was their stone-cold hearts.
Posting the comment below in this Washington Post article, 'Navalny’s health in harsh prison system was major concern before death' got me a lot of American opposition as I knew it would, but that's what I believe as a Canadian believing in equity.
Responding to every disparaging comment caused me to refine my replies with some really hard hitting facts. Sadly, the Washington Post deleted the most thought provoking responses but they didn't suspend me this Time.
It costs $120 American/$161 Canadian Dollars for an annual subscription.
Fortunately, I was able to negotiate an annual subscription for $45 US dollars or $61 Canadian for the last few years.
"If Putin is responsible for Navalny's death, one individual, Biden is responsible for the death of over 10,000 CHILDREN in Gaza for supplying the bombs."
I also tweeted the CNN and MSNBC major News anchors asking "Why doesn't MSNBC & CNN give equal Propaganda hype to US reporter Gonzalo Lira killed in a Ukraine prison or the US persecution of Julian Assange?"
There is nothing wrong with the free movement of people, or products around the world. That helps everybody. However, that is not what the vice president is talking about. Allow me to translate Harris’ comments; the US approach is to secure monetary imperialism, managed trade, compliant client states, all for the benefit of politically connected elites in the US, at the expense of most of the populace. All of this is done by the use and threatened us of US force, hence the need for 800+ bases all over the planet, propping up odious regimes everywhere.
At least she is open about all this being in the “interest” of the US (again, think elites), rather than anything resembling legitimate national defense. Interests are always aggressive, violent and have nothing at all to do with defending territory, sovereignty, or transit in international waters. Of course, none of any of this has anything to do with the Christian scriptures.
My only quibble (minor really) is the KJV use of the word charity. KJV is quite poetic, yet not very scholarly. The New Jerusalem (Catholic, and very solidly translated) and the New Revised Standard Version, we use in the Lutheran church both use the word love rather than charity. I do not think that this changes your excellent point at all. While relying on better scholarship than KJV, it also makes more sense in the broader sweep of the New Testament. Can I claim my prize for Bible nerd of the day? 😊
Yes, you win!
I often prefer the KJV for exactly the reason you cite: the poetry of the language. It resonates with me. The NIV and other "modern" translations are sometimes too dry and uninspiring, at least to my ear.
I'm pleased to see others now quoting Scripture. That's bound to drive Dennis mad! :)
At the END of all things, it doesn't depend on being Jewish, Christian or Muslim. It's a matter of being a Good Samaritan, taking care of someone you don't even know. The Jews looked down on Samaritans as being inferior to Jews.
Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and fed you? or thirsty, and gave you drink? When did we see you a stranger, and took you in? or naked, and clothed you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came unto you?
And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me.
The others will essentially say Lord, we would have done all those things if we knew it was you, but that won't cut it!
America's leadership is made up of competing imperial warlords. Harris said it herself. The curtain has been pulled back, the facade has been shattered. MAGA and the Biden clique represent two different versions of a shared vision for the so-called "indispensable" nation. They both suffer from a severe case of delusional American Exceptionalism.
I always have to question people when they say things like "it's in America's interests". The problem is that America has no interests. Only people have interests and not all people share the same interests. So, when they say "it's in America's interests", exactly whose interests are they addressing.
I can attest to the fact that it's almost never my interests (and probably not yours) that are being served by American foreign policy. As a matter of fact, it's costing me (and my progeny for generations to come) one helluva lot of money with no tangible benefit. So, once again, exactly whose interests are they serving?
The US isn't a Democracy. It's an Oligarchic Plutocracy!
I never accused the U.S. of being a democracy.
wr, my comment is in reply to this in your comment, "So, once again, exactly whose interests are they serving?"
Harris makes it sound like she and Biden are business geniuses guiding America into a new period of prosperity. Can we imagine an administration and Congress in our history with less fiscal sanity than what we have now? Will they wake up to the reality of the declining dollar hegemony? It seems the answer is a resounding, "No!"
After the horror of the Civil War, Lincoln said, "with malice toward none, with charity for all"
159 years have passed. Have we progressed?
Clif, the same words from Lincoln pulsed through my brain.
Now we have charity for none -- how's that for "progress"?
And we are said to be the rational animal, but as the globe warms I see lots of brand new gasoline powered heavy pickups and vans everywhere. People don't want to be told what to do but behave in ways that will eventually require imposition of rules. We see so little reason in DC, but in the neighborhood as well. What lies behind both is profit in command.
Clif: I believe wholly that we as the human race are frequently still just as ugly, gritty, cruel, tragic, unfair and inhumane as we've ever been to each other, and that when we do still, but rarely see humane behavior its precious still...
What came to my mind was another word that will is not in the lexicon of the US foreign or domestic policies: compassion. If I might be permitted, here is a good definition of compassion and empathy from the Merriam Websters dictionary listing of compassion: "Compassion and empathy both refer to a caring response to someone else’s distress. While empathy refers to an active sharing in the emotional experience of the other person, compassion adds to that emotional experience a desire to alleviate the person’s distress." And it is vital to our personal and communal health: https://ccare.stanford.edu/research/wiki/compassion-definitions/compassion/.
(If you need to edit this long note, I understand).
How nice to be living in a replay of the Fall of the Roman Empire, take two. (Sarcasm enhanced).
It would truly be in the best interests of the American people if we were to treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated.
Great post, thank you! Love/ Charity/ Agapé. Peace comes from love, rather than from the end of a gun, or from a bomb, or from hatred or “othering.” Israel is powering its defeat of Palestine out of loathing and distrust, as is the US attempt to teach Somalis to not attack Red Sea shipping by means of force, rather than reaching out in love/charity to ease the tensions in the world. But after their history of violence, the world would rightfully suspect any change-of-course toward a more tolerant world view. The die has been cast, over and over in hatred.
It is quite ironic that Vice President Moron-Harris should so rightly state our materialistic goals, not just trumping charity but not even a point for consideration, while at the same time acting as though autocracies are somehow worse. I thought the whole point of condemnation of autocrats was their stone-cold hearts.
Somewhere on twitter "X" jake Sullivan is quoted:
"We do not believe "that" that serves the national security interests of the United States".
"That" was referring to that nasty hindrance the 4th amendment and the US constitution in general.
"National security interests" are extra legal! Immoral certainly!
Posting the comment below in this Washington Post article, 'Navalny’s health in harsh prison system was major concern before death' got me a lot of American opposition as I knew it would, but that's what I believe as a Canadian believing in equity.
Responding to every disparaging comment caused me to refine my replies with some really hard hitting facts. Sadly, the Washington Post deleted the most thought provoking responses but they didn't suspend me this Time.
It costs $120 American/$161 Canadian Dollars for an annual subscription.
Fortunately, I was able to negotiate an annual subscription for $45 US dollars or $61 Canadian for the last few years.
"If Putin is responsible for Navalny's death, one individual, Biden is responsible for the death of over 10,000 CHILDREN in Gaza for supplying the bombs."
I also tweeted the CNN and MSNBC major News anchors asking "Why doesn't MSNBC & CNN give equal Propaganda hype to US reporter Gonzalo Lira killed in a Ukraine prison or the US persecution of Julian Assange?"
To confirm Biden is responsible for Israel killing CHILDREN in Gaza. It would stop if Biden stopped delivering the bombs!
'US says it will block UN resolution for Gaza ceasefire as Israel bombs Rafah'
https://www.euronews.com/2024/02/18/us-says-it-will-block-un-resolution-for-gaza-ceasefire-as-israel-bombs-rafah
Kamala Harris is an imbecile in the moral realm.
Good news for Kamala Harris: https://babylonbee.com/news/kamala-harris-moves-to-second-place-in-worst-diversity-hire-of-all-time
Harris sets up a strawman and then speaks against it. Standard nonsense.
Check this image out
https://watchman2016.substack.com/p/image-for-the-day-from-httpsnothingnewunderthesu-614
Kamala Harris explains what. Matthew Karnitschnig explains why: https://www.politico.eu/article/how-the-us-broke-kosovo-and-what-that-means-for-ukraine/