Yesterday I offered David Orr’s definition of hope as “a verb with the sleeves rolled up,” and asked DM readers how they found their hope. Replies were both inspiring and practical.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared another fine definition of hope, just a week before he was martyred: “The refusal to give up.”
I wish to share a very hopeful vision of the present struggle the country is going through, offered on July 4th by Michael Moore. I confess that watching fireworks from a craggy viewpoint near Crockett, California last night, I asked myself: “Will this be the last Independence Day we ever truly celebrate?”
If Trump and his Project 2025 gets voted in this November, and with SCOTUS committed to turning our Constitution inside out, this is an authentic—and even necessary—question to be asking. Our current leader, President Biden, is not only frail but was losing the election before the debate, and is now losing in the polls by even more points.
Moore’s essay—which I highly recommend—makes several important observations, and ends on a very hopeful—even inspirational—note.
He begins with a Richard Pryor joke: “Who are you going to believe? Me, or your own lying eyes?” And criticizes the leaders of the Democratic Party for wanting us to deny what we saw last Thursday night, with shibboleths like “it was a cold” or “an off night,” etc.
Instead, he insists, “what we saw was heartbreaking” and scary for our ever “more fragile democracy.” Moore offered appreciation of Biden—“the most progressive President of my lifetime”—and offers a list of his accomplishments including his “almost religious zeal to fight greed” born of a “true compassion” for those “dealt a bad hand in life.”
Moore criticizes those who put him on the debate stage for their cruelty and “elder abuse,” and the risk to his life that is at stake if we push him to remain. “Leave Mr. Biden alone. Let him rest. Let him go home.”
Let him resign with dignity at a celebration on the White House Lawn, and swear-in Kamala Harris as president. No big drama at the Chicago convention.
America will be the better for having their first female president—another gift from Biden who chose her as vice president. “The first of many women and people of color who would lead us to our better selves.”
Michael Moore, “We Are Asking the Wrong Question about Joe Biden on this Fourth of July,” Substack, July 4, 2024.
See Matthew Fox, Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality.
And Fox, Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth.
And Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society.
Banner Image: Kamala Harris takes the oath of office for the vice presidency, January 20, 2021. Photo by the White House. Wikimedia Commons.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you also, with Michael Moore, appreciate what Biden has accomplished, and yearn that the next president will “lead us to our better selves?” I like that as a qualification for a president, don’t you? Is that worth rolling up our sleeves for and working to “preserve the good” found in Mother Earth, our Original Blessing?
Recommended Reading
Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox lays out a whole new direction for Christianity—a direction that is in fact very ancient and very grounded in Jewish thinking (the fact that Jesus was a Jew is often neglected by Christian theology): the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality, the Vias Positiva, Negativa, Creativa and Transformativa in an extended and deeply developed way.
“Original Blessing makes available to the Christian world and to the human community a radical cure for all dark and derogatory views of the natural world wherever these may have originated.” –Thomas Berry, author, The Dream of the Earth; The Great Work; co-author, The Universe Story
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.
“I am reading Liberating Gifts for the People of the Earth by Matt Fox. He is one that fills my heart and mind for new life in spite of so much that is violent in our world.” ~ Sister Dorothy Stang.
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics
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9 thoughts on “Hope and Pragmatism from Michael Moore”
Who is the ‘perfect’ leader? Was it Churchill with his excessive love of whiskey and cigars? As ordinary citizens was it our intention and beliefs back then that we would rather sacrifice, bleed and possibly die for democracy, than live life in a world under a fascist dictator? The decision on what we could or could not do was presented to us, was it not?
To say that the next election cannot be fought with Joe Biden is like us asking to win but only if we can fight a ‘bloodless’ battle. Many, many, many will be willing to go the ‘the wall’ and fight for democracy with the version of Joe Biden that we currently have. To choose only to fight a ‘bloodless’ battle for democracy with a ‘perfect leader’ is a path chosen by the weak, the fearful and those lacking fight and ‘fire in their bellies’. Let us not ever be weak and fearful when courage and our own blood needs to be offered up now more than ever. – BB.
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Yes! Hopefully, Joe Biden, his family, and close political advisors will convince him to retire gracefully and appreciatively, in order to begin the process of allowing Kamala Harris, with her energy and intelligence, to continue to lead the progressive and humane movement of saving and continuing to improve our democracy for All, God willing!
This, I believe is the link to the Michael Moore essay on July 4th to which you refer. I’m rolling up my sleeves.
https://www.michaelmoore.com/p/we-are-asking-the-wrong-question
Me too.
Important to remember: ALWAYS follow the money.
A huge amount of the money behind the “Biden old” and “Biden quit” hit pieces is from the Trump/Republican party. Another large portion is from Putin and billionaires who fund Fox and Murdoch outlets (NY Times and MANY national and local news outlets). DIVIDE AND CONQUER. And a lot of the hyperventilating is from news outlets stirring up excitement in a cage match-clickbait attention/profit generating competition — journalists racing to be the first to get the inside scoop on Biden’s resignation, even if they have to shove him over the cliff to get it. . They are absolutely fine with destroying the country to make some bucks. and get a good headline Yay, journalist traitors! (sarcasm).
Nobody is telling Trump to drop out because he’s a senile, gibberish-spewing racist rapist Hitler-wannabe. They stand solidly behind him and THAT’S HOW THEY WIN. No circular firing squads of people freaking out at the drop of a hat. If people truly want to stop the fascist takeover, they have to stop the dithering. No last-minute campaign for any other candidate would be organized, effective, and strong. They would get a lot of excited cage-match press but would WEAKEN THE PARTY AT A CRUCIAL MOMENT. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION/MAGA COURT WANTS THE DEMOCRATS TO DO.
WE NOMINATED BIDEN. NOW WE WORK TOGETHER WITH HIM TO GET THE JOB DONE. NO ALLOWING ENEMIES TO DIVIDE OR DISTRACT US IN THIS CRUCIAL MOMENT
Well thought out and said!
I appreciate Michael Moore’s praise of Biden, but Kamala is not well-equipped to be president. She is not equipped to be president. Just because she is a woman, as I am, does not mean she is fit for the job. I would much rather have Elizabeth Warren as president–she has years of great experience legislating, litigating, making appropriate choices and decisions as a Progressive. We don’t need more neoliberalism in our choice of Democratic presidents.
Katherine Sogolow, PhD.
Complete gas lighting by Michael Moore. He prefers Kamala because he thinks she will better execute the will of Michael Moore towards Israel. Give me a break -elder abuse -and lying – who has done that to and about Biden more than Kamala . Many many people have been Elder abuse of Biden was mentioned 2 years ago. Nice cherry on top – Moore thinks he is hiding his knowing Joe biden was not competent by alluding to the problem was a few recent mini strokes. No honest compassion from Michael and nothing is more harmful to our society then moral superiority.