The mid-term election officially begins two weeks from today but has already begun in many states. I ask the obvious question: What is this election about?
Some say it is about gas prices and while I abhor the fact that fossil fuel companies have made money like bandits during the COVID crisis and up through today, and people are hurting at the gas pump, I don’t see the election as being about gas prices. If it was, we would be going after the fossil fuel companies for their greed and I don’t see that happening.
Furthermore, Putin, the invader of Ukraine, is also responsible for gas price increases (along with his OPEC+ enablers) and they are not being punished in this election. Indeed, the current administration has done a yeoman’s job in gathering European countries to resist Putin alongside Ukraine. Gas prices are up all around the world, and far more than in America where prices are less than most places.
As for inflation, it is a bummer. I am against it. But it too is everywhere and it too is in large part due to the war in Ukraine that has caused starvation in many countries around the world because the world is so dependent on Ukraine and Russia for grain, soybeans, sunflowers and more. Putin’s war has seriously slowed down exporting farm goods.
Speaking as someone who does not belong to the church of Donald. J. Trump, but is a simple citizen who tries to follow a Christ path that is also deeply ecumenical, I ask myself: What are the real issues in the current election?
I see it as a choice between a possible (we’re not there yet by a long shot) government “of the people, by the people and for the people” (Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg) vs. a government of the Koch brothers, by Opus Dei and for the corporations and billionaires who flood elections with dark money.
All these puppeteers are pulling the strings behind six of the current supreme court puppets beginning with the “chief,” John Roberts on whose watch the voting rights act was demolished twice.
Yes, the same voting rights act that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (honoring whom, after all, we have a national holiday) was martyred. And thousands of others who marched, went to jail, were attacked by police dogs, fire hoses and so much more until the Voting Rights Act was passed.
To dismantle the voting rights of the disenfranchised, which is a front and center goal of the church of Donald J. Trump (once known as the Republican Party) is to piss on the grave of Dr. King and all those he marched with, went to jail with, and died for.
This election can remind us that sacrifice is required of us at home as well as for those on the battlefront defending against Putin’s aggression. That sacrifice includes gasoline and food prices for the time being. It does not include sacrificing democracy however. It means defending it.
To be continued.
See Matthew Fox, Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth.
And Fox, A Spirituality Named Compassion.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: “Vote As If” T-shirt design. From PettauanShop
Queries for Contemplation
What sacrifices do you see yourself asked to make at this time of defending Ukraine from Putin’s invasion? And how do you name what are the important choices in the upcoming election?
Recommended Reading
Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth
Fox’s spirituality weds the healing and liberation found in North American Creation Spirituality and in South American Liberation Theology. Creation Spirituality challenges readers of every religious and political persuasion to unite in a new vision through which we learn to honor the earth and the people who inhabit it as the gift of a good and just Creator.
“A watershed theological work that offers a common ground for religious seekers and activists of all stripes.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice.
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
In A Spirituality Named Compassion, Matthew Fox delivers a profound exploration of the meaning and practice of compassion. Establishing a spirituality for the future that promises personal, social, and global healing, Fox marries mysticism with social justice, leading the way toward a gentler and more ecological spirituality and an acceptance of our interdependence which is the substratum of all compassionate activity.
“Well worth our deepest consideration…Puts compassion into its proper focus after centuries of neglect.” –The Catholic Register
9 thoughts on “What Is This Election About Anyway?”
Matthew, Today you speak of the mid-term election which officially begins two weeks from today but has already begun in many states. I ask the obvious question: “What is this election about?” Some say it is about gas prices, others say inflation. You however, see it as a choice between a possible government “of the people, by the people and for the people” vs. a government of the Koch brothers, by Opus Dei and for the corporations and billionaires who flood elections with dark money. “All these puppeteers are pulling the strings behind six of the current supreme court puppets beginning with the ‘chief,’ John Roberts on whose watch the voting rights act was demolished twice!! These were the same voting rights act that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and thousands of others marched for and, went to jail, were attacked by police dogs, fire hoses, and so much more until the Voting Rights Act was passed. To dismantle the voting rights of the disenfranchised, is to piss on the grave of Dr. King and all those he marched with, went to jail with, and died for. I am committed to live with the “inconvenience” of the gasoline and food prices for the time being. But this does not include sacrificing democracy. It means defending it !!!
I was told Hildegard wrote to Bernard that she was against the crusades…ii also tend to be a pacifist and cannot condone all the arms to Ukraine. Humans must find another way than destroying one another and the Earth Mother.
What I find glaringly revealing are the consequential results of what happens when humanity sacrifices the reality and exisistientiality of the Sacred Laws of our interconnectivity, inter-reliability, and our interdependability upon all that gives life. The impact of humanity sacrificing, denying and rejecting these life giving Sacred Laws, which maintains and sustains all life; has produced many chaotic imbalances, resulting in wars, famine, disease, the climate crises, extinction of many species, and the death and destruction of the all and the everything of creation. Humanity has sacrificed the Original Blessing, the beauty and goodness of being and living in balance, harmony and alignment with these Sacred Laws out of its own dominating ignorance, selfish arrogance and egocentric pride, deeming itself as a superior species, believing itself to be above and seperate from this reality of the Great Webb of Life of which we are all a part of. It is this imbalanced and disharmonious delusion and illusion that we must sacrifice, within and upon the altar of our own hearts, minds, souls and lives, before its to late.
May God’s Spirit of Love~Wisdom~Truth~Peace~Justice~Compassion~Mercy~Loving
Oneness… prevail in the hearts & minds of all voters in the upcoming US elections because it will have a profound effect on society and democracy, not only in America but around the world, and our hopes of continuing to ameliorate the climate/environmental crises with such existential consequences for humanity and our planet. May God’s Spirit continue to guide and strengthen us All in doing God’s Will to continue to help bring about God’s Just and Compassionate Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven….
????
I too will vote and pray for our democracy. I will recognize that I must sacrifice as well. thank you for your strong words . They help me find courage to speak for truth and justice. Bless all of us. Pat Ferrari
Election Day USA—2022
Election Day in the USA approaches
Will wisdom or foolishness prevail?
Many hearts and minds tainted by qanonsense and narcissistic deceit.
Fear seems to rule and to an ungodly fire adds fuel.
My own heart in silence nevertheless cries out, “LORD have mercy!”
Fascist autocracy poses a “solution” while true democracy suffers from its pollution.
White male patriarchy continues to peddle lies, bigotry and more—it too driven by fear of losing control.
Where is Divine LOVE in the midst of this mess?!
Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms crumble…[Psalm 46:6 “the moosage”]
Important article
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/10/25/sanders-warns-gop-midterm-win-would-pull-us-far-far-far-right
I agree with everything that Matthew says. However, I am afraid that too many Americans have become completely selfish and have no concept of sacrifice, unless it is others who are sacrificing for their good–like soldiers, who have a truly obscene suicide rate after serving their country. I remember President Carter asking for sacrifice during gas shortages, and he only served one term.
Ron DeSanto has set up a system of almost complete autocracy. His election posse has done nothing about the provable actual election fraud by some in the richest community in the state, who voted twice, once in Florida and once in their home states. And I know that if by some good chance he loses the election, there will be endless challenges and quite possibly seizure of ballots.
Not enough churches have taught the immorality of so many of the laws that have been passed to restrict voting rights and disenfranchise poor people and people of color. Too many either turn a blind eye or support the ending of democracy. And yet, we still need to vote and do everything that we can to encourage others. Voting Forward is a non-partisan effort to do so. In my letters, I have stressed the sacrifices of so many in wars and in the work for human rights.
Kenneth Ross
November4, 2022.
Th e points of view expressed on this website will be adjudicated by this election. President Abraham Lincoln alluded to the coming adjudication when he famously proclaimed ‘The Law of Deception Non-continuation’, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, all the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all of the time!”