Tag: Politics

A Response to a Response.

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This lands in the “If you know, you know” category, but my brother recently sent a response to my “Open Letter to Family” post from back in August. I appreciate the dialog. I sincerely do. Any sort of political exchange these days that doesn’t devolve into a shouting match (or strained silence) should be celebrated. So, hurray us! With that, let’s dive in.

First up: religious faith, politics and the governance of a country. My wanderings through the world have led me to the conclusion that belief in (a) god doesn’t necessarily equate to wisdom and being a caring, compassionate human being. Some of the cruelest, most self-serving, and childish adults I have met profess to be strong Christians. At the same time, some of the cruelest, most self-serving, and childish adults I have met are avid atheists. And… some of the most generous, empathetic, and giving humans I have met have a deep religious faith. And… it’s also true that some of the most generous, empathetic, and giving humans I have met have either no faith, or a faith other than Christianity.

I think that while faith can be a good source of guidance on how to lead a good, moral life, the evidence would seem to indicate that it isn’t the only way. There’s also some evidence to indicate that many people use their loudly professed faith as a cover for actions that are in complete opposition to the very tenets of that faith. So as long as I’m not telling you what you have to believe and you’re not telling me what I have to believe and — especially — our government isn’t telling both of us what we have to believe, I think we can set aside using any particular faith as a litmus test on how to proceed.

One last side note: this may be neither here nor there, but it’s probably pretty clear that I don’t subscribe to any particular faith. I’m solidly in the agnostic camp. It seems like my options are to either believe that everything in the universe somehow came from nothing or everything in the universe came from something that always was. Either way, we have to engage in some magical thinking to explain how we walking bags of sentient ocean water came to be. Given that, I’m perfectly comfortable operating in the unknown and honestly saying “I don’t know.” Any time I encounter someone who gets rigid and dogmatic and claims some proprietary insight into the ultimate unknowable aspects of our existence, that causes my left eyebrow to shoot up.

Actually, one more side note on this subject. My guess is that if somehow there were some collective human amnesia that swept over the world tomorrow and erased all signs and memories of the thousands of forms and versions of belief in the supernatural, in short order we humans would come up with some new stories to explain our corner of the universe. And those new origin stories would probably be different than the multiple beliefs that exist today. Humans are good at concocting stories — it’s our superpower. Conversely, if we wiped away all scientific discovery to date, we’d eventually get back to exactly where we are with our understanding of the universe. The testable, replicable approach to observing and explaining the physical world should yield the exact same results.

New topic: Immigration. I’m 100% in agreement that countries need to have laws that provide for the control of their borders. Agreed. Also agreed is that it is the executive branch whose job it is to carry out and enforce those laws.

I think where we have some difference is how those laws are being enforced. If the law isn’t being enforced in the same way for everyone, or if the enforcement is being conducted in an unlawful manner, then the law and the power of the government become a tool of intimidation and coercion.

Some examples? These are the three that I find most concerning, although there are more:

  • Arresting and detaining U.S. citizens: While ICE policy explicitly states it cannot use its civil enforcement authority to arrest a U.S. citizen, there have been documented cases of citizens being erroneously arrested and even deported. 
  • A shocking lack of due process for those who have been arrested: See above. The fact that I can be swept off the street by Federal agents into an unmarked vehicle by unidentified, armed dudes in face masks is pretty unsettling. And if it’s not a straight-up kidnapping scenario, then I’m lucky that the courts get to take their leisurely time to figure out if I’m guilty or not. In the meantime, I can lose my job. I can lose my housing. My wife and kids can go hungry. This is not a fictitious scenario.
  • Targeting individuals based on protected characteristics: I guess the good news here is that the Supreme Court ruled last month that ICE can use race, language, ethnicity, profession, etc., as grounds for suspicion. That’s tongue-in-cheek about the “good news” part. As I mentioned before though, I don’t know who would trust the federal government with such broad legal rational for arresting and detaining someone. If ICE can willy-nilly arrest brown-looking construction workers, they can just as easily use that same logic to arrest white-looking loggers. We seem to have moved away from “innocent until proven guilty” to “guilty because Trump thinks you look guilty.” That should be alarming.

Here in my backyard, consider Cesar and Joswar, legally here in Spokane with Ben Stuckart as their legal guardian (Ben is a former City Council president here in Spokane and an acquaintance of ours). Cesar and Joswar were here to pursue permanent US residence. Joswar and Cesar checked every single box to be here legally, they had jobs, they were following every law laid out for them. They were checking in as requested for their asylum hearing where they were unlawfully arrested by ICE and then held in federal prison in Tacoma for months. Rather than languish in prison for an undetermined period of time, both have chosen to self-deport. That’s not justice.

Cesar and Joswar were detained on June 11th of this year. That afternoon, Ben rallied several hundred protesters to peacefully protest the arrests, with the hope of obtaining the release of Cesar and Joswar. The next day, the U.S. Justice Department sent out a mass email to all 93 U.S. attorneys ordering federal prosecutors to prioritize cases against protesters who defy federal immigration enforcement and to publicize those types of cases. In a move that can reasonably be seen an intimidation and silencing tactic, Ben and nine other US citizens are now up on federal charges for conspiracy to “impede or assault law enforcement officers”, which can carry a sentence of six years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

Local fun fact: Rich Barker, the former US District Attorney here in Spokane, is the husband of one of my coworkers. Rich refused to bring federal charges against Ben and other protestors because he felt the charges were politically motivated and lacking in substance. Within a month, he was forced to resign. And just so you know, the Barkers are good, solid Mormon stock. Rich isn’t some radical left-wing type.

Within just the past few months, I’ve seen federal governmental abuses of power, lawlessness and political coercion/intimidation within a (couple) stone throws of my front door. I think the most dangerous threat to the rule of law and the Constitution is those who use loopholes in the law to weaken and tear down the rule of law. Turning the power of law away from the basis of civil society and into a tool to enforce conformity and silence is frightening.

As a good summation of the state of affairs with the militarization of America’s police and law enforcement (and more importantly, the “police-ification” of America’s military), pour yourself your favorite drink and give this a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcTZ_en5FTM Ezra Klein, the host of the podcast, definitely has his viewpoint but he asks some fair questions about where all of this is headed.

All right. New topic, of sorts. Am I being hypocritical in now wanting be an immigrant myself? I don’t think so. Especially given that I will be following the laws of the country we’re looking to move to. What would be hypocritical is if I expect special treatment solely because I’m a middle-class white guy. Whiiiich… is exactly what I have here in the good ol’ US of A. And I don’t like it. My rights and freedoms are only as solid as the rights and freedoms of those who are the most profiled, targeted and oppressed. And as of today, that feels pretty damn tenuous.

So here’s where I land, at least for now: I’m not looking to leave because I hate this country or because I’ve given up on its ideals. I’m leaving because I’ve seen too clearly how those ideals can be weaponized against the very people they’re supposed to protect. I’ve watched neighbors be indefinitely detained, prosecutors fired for refusing to play politics, and citizens threatened with prison for peaceful protest—all within walking distance of my home. At its best, the America I believe in doesn’t play favorites based on skin color or political loyalty. It doesn’t confuse enforcement with intimidation or mistake conformity for order. Maybe I’m naive to think I’ll find something better elsewhere, but I do know this: I can’t stand here and watch the rapid erosion of due process and equal protection under the law while pretending my comfort and safety somehow exist separate from everyone else’s.

An Open Letter to Family, Seven Months In.

libmark731 Comment

Hello, family.

I wanted to update you on where Maggie and I stand regarding the current state of our country. While our daily life in Spokane continues to grind along, we’re deeply troubled by what’s happening nationally.

Our Primary Concerns

Three issues are particularly worrying to us:

Federal overreach and Constitutional violations: ICE now operates with a budget 80% the size of the entire United States Marine Corps, essentially functioning as a federal police force. Armed, masked, unidentified federal agents are pulling people off streets and shoving them into unmarked vehicles—not just in distant cities, but here in Spokane, on our streets.

Military deployment against citizens: We’re witnessing the normalization of using federal forces against American citizens on American soil. Just as of yesterday (8/24/25), Trump announced he is (illegally) activating the National Guard in 19 states. This is after deploying United States Marines in Los Angles. Armed National Guard troops are now deployed now in D.C.? How is that okay? With anyone?

What the hell? This is in no way what America’s Founders envisioned. The silence from traditional “small government” and “Constitutional” advocates like the John Birch Society on these issues has been deafening.

Update as of today (8/25/25): Trump signed an executive order to activate the National Guard in all 50 states. That’s pretty bleak, folks, if you’re at all concerned about rule of law versus rule of power.

Messing with our electoral process: Texas has redistricted their House of Representatives districts, not on the regular schedule, but at the request of Trump?

Trump meets with Putin in Alaska for a 3-hour private limo ride and then announces that since Vladimir doesn’t like mail-in ballots, Trump is issuing an executive order to do away with mail-in ballots? We should all be asking… why does Putin care about our voting mechanisms?

Why This Feels Different

Trump’s character issues (34 felony convictions for election fraud, stemming from a cover-up of an affair with a porn star? The glaringly obvious Epstein connections? The E. Jean Carroll rape conviction?) combined with his actions in office have moved me beyond distrust of my government to active fear of my government.

We are witnessing:

  • Stripping people of due process. The federal government cannot legally deport people without giving them their day in court. And yet… here we are.
  • An executive branch that admits wrongly deporting people, then ignores court orders demanding correction
  • The pursuit of rule of power over rule of law
  • This is more tangential, but what’s with the odd coziness between Trump and Putin? It would be the irony of ironies if the true conspiracy here is that Russia infiltrated the John Birch Society and turned it into a mouthpiece for Russian interests… It seems plausible. Two days ago, Russia conducted a missle attack on an American electronics factory in Ukraine. Not a peep from Trump. See also: messing with the electoral process, as already mentioned.

Historical Parallels

I compiled an incomplete list of political actions from 1930’s Germany and 2025 America. See if you can identify which political leader took which actions:

  • Used populist appeals claiming to represent “the people” against elites
  • Scapegoated minority groups and outsiders
  • Attacked press freedom, labeling unfavorable media as “enemies” or “fake”
  • Attacked academics and intellectuals
  • Claimed only they could “fix” the nation’s problems
  • Used propaganda and legal tools to target minorities and “enemies”
  • Refused to accept electoral losses, claimed fraud, threatened democratic institutions
  • Deployed force to intimidate, detain, or suppress opposition
  • Showed antagonism toward an independent press and transparency
  • Expressed hostility toward institutional norms when they constrained power
  • Worked to circumvent checks and balances
  • Associated with political violence by supporters

The comparison? Every single action applies to both Trump and Hitler. The eventual scale of Germany’s horrors differ dramatically from where we are right now, but the foundational patterns? They’re remarkably aligned. Frighteningly so.

Our Decision

Given our country’s headlong lurch toward authoritarianism, Maggie and I are exploring moving out of the country. We plan to visit Panama in January (perhaps in October, if the stars align) then spend a month or so exploring living/working options. If current American trends continue, we aim to establish permanent residency there.

This decision hasn’t come lightly. We’re giving up:

  • Proximity to our children and family (this is obviously the one that has brought on the most tears and literal physical illness)
  • Careers that we enjoy
  • Retirement savings
  • A wonderful social network
  • Decades of the life we’ve built here

What outweighs all of this is the prospect of living in an increasingly oppressive police state. If we can get out now and provide our children a path out too, the writing on the wall says we should act sooner rather than later.

What I’m Asking

I’m not requesting any specific action from you, except this: if you share concerns about America’s rapid slide into an authoritarian police state (just because they aren’t currently targeting you doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist), Constitutional erosion, the stripping of rights from people legally here on American soil, the deployment of a MASSIVE and heavy-handed federal police, and an executive branch lacking a moral compass, it’s time to start talking.

  • Discuss your concerns within your social circles
  • Call your elected representatives and demand accountability
  • Make sure your passport is current and consider having an exit plan

The time for silent worry may be passing.

With love and concern, Mark

Republicans and self-defense

libmark73Leave a comment

All right, Republicans. You’re on the brink of reversing Roe v. Wade and wrapping up a nearly 50 year crusade. Without getting into the tactics used (the bombing of health care clinics, targeting practitioners, bullshit political maneuvers at the US Senate level, etc.)… congratulations. It seems you’ve finally caught the car.

Now what?

If the rights of one human being (if that is what we are now calling an unborn fetus) are given unquestioned priority over the rights of another human being, in this case let’s focus on the woman carrying that fetus, how are you going to square that with the championing of your “Stand Your Ground” laws?

For instance, here is the text of Idaho’s Stand Your Ground law that provides a legal justification for the use of deadly force to protect both oneself or someone else from harm: A person may stand his ground and defend himself or another person by the use of all force and means which would appear to be necessary to a reasonable person in a similar situation and with similar knowledge without the benefit of hindsight.

A hypothetical: if a woman has a pregnancy that threatens her health, wealth, property or well-being, doesn’t she have the right to use all force and means necessary to protect herself?

Will Idaho have to amend this particular law to read that everyone except pregnant women has the right to stand their ground?

The way I read the proposed reversal of Roe v. Wade, coupled with the desire of right-wing America to grant full personhood to the unborn fetus, and the various Stand Your Ground laws around the nation, it leaves me scratching my head. They can’t all be in effect at the same time.

Maybe, as with many things, this just comes down to marketing. We progressives, and others silly enough to think that women can make these important decisions on their own, need to stop protesting and marching for abortion rights. Instead, we need to start protesting and marching for a federal Stand Your Ground law.

About as racist as it gets…

libmark732 Comments

I grew up in a John Birch Society household. From birth to age 18+, those were the waters in which I swam. My family made up nearly 100% of my social scene and if I wasn’t hanging out with immediate or extended family, we had “Bible study” most Saturday nights with other John Birch Society families. It wasn’t a cult, per se, but it was a very narrow view onto the larger world. During the summers of my 6th, 7th and 8th grade years, I attended week-long John Birch Camps. It was exactly what it sounds like. My grandparents would pay for me to go. My mom volunteered as a cook at the camp. We campers slept in cabins and after an early breakfast there were “American history” classes, “Constitutional law” classes, “Civics” classes, etc. The afternoons were largely given over to free time for swimming, canoeing, volleyball and other such wholesome camping activities. And I was as happy as a white clam.

As I got older, the casual racism of jokes about Mexicans and African-Americans didn’t really strike me as that odd. Of course, our one black neighbor who lived several miles away (and was named, ironically enough, Robert Lee) was exempt from being lumped in with the butt of the jokes. As were those Mexican ranch hands who worked on my grandparents’ ranch. The concern was largely focused on those darn urban minorities who were undermining the work of us real Americans.

And so… here I am, at age 48, reading this article from The New Yorker about the past — and possible future — of the Republican Party. Over the years, I’ve been able to push the more extreme right-wing and conspiratorial views of my family to the periphery and just focus on being cordial and getting along. But now that extreme right-wing and conspiratorial views form the mainstream of the Republican Party, it’s a lot harder to ignore. Especially when I read that the founder of the John Birch Society espoused that the civil rights movement of the 60’s would lead to a “Soviet Negro Republic” and needed to be halted.

Right.

African-Americans needed to be denied the right to vote (among other liberties) because they were going to carve out a separate nation with MLK as their president. While that forecast was obviously pretty far off base, the article below from the New York Times was published a full decade before I was born into my JBS household. But my parents joined the Birch Society in 1960 or 1961, I believe. That means they have been stewing in this type of thought for 60+ years.

I’m not sure what, if anything, to do with this information other than tuck it away and recognize it as one of the “Founding Documents” of the current Republican Party. I’m sure it was merely an oversight, but somehow this forecast and warning of a Soviet Negro Republic was never mentioned around the John Birch camp nightly campfire.