Sunday Sacraments: Wine, Peyote, Cannabis, and Holy Water

A divine sip of wine is one way to worship God.

According to Christians "alcohol is a gift from God that makes life more joyous," but that over-indulgence leading to drunkenness is sinful or at least a vice.

Wine is very much part of holy services in Lutheranism, Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Anglicanism.

Here's further details on Sacramental Wine.

Moving on...

The Native American Church, also known as Peyotism and Peyote Religion is a native American religion that teaches a combination of traditional Christianity, with sacramental use of the entheogen peyote. The church was founded over a hundred years ago in Oklahoma.

Moving on...

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, and the herb yielding seed..."

In many cultures and religions that predate the United States and Christianity, the cannabis plant has been used as a spiritual and religious sacrament.

Many religions have adopted cannabis from Hinduism to Rastafarianism to Christianity.

Just recently there's been the emergence of an entirely new religious philosophy: Cantheism: 

Another not so well-known church that uses marijuana is the Holy Herb Sacrament - The Religion of Jesus Christ

Moving on...

Let's talk Holy Water.

In Christianity a member of the clergy blesses people with Holy Water, and it's used in baptism.

Holy Water is a natural symbol of purification and has been used by religious peoples as a means of removing uncleanness, either ritual or moral. 

Holy water is used in Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, certain Lutheran synods, Anglicanism, and various other churches.

So, however you're celebrating this Sunday I hope it's a peaceful day.

Today is 'I Forgot Day' in Case You Forgot

Don't feel bad if you forgot today is "I Forgot Day."

This day is for you and me. There are no recriminations for not recalling what happened years ago, or hours ago.

As a 71-year-old man I'm glad when I remember things, but I think it's important to celebrate a no-pressure day where I can be excused for my faulty memory.

While we may be surrounded with calendars, whether physical or digital, we still forget important dates, occasions, and tasks. That's why today is like a pardon for being human.

So, Who Came Up with the Idea?

This unusual holiday was created by Gaye Anderson, from DeMotte, Indiana. 

She started this holiday because there was a period in her life where she was having a hard time remembering simple things like her kids' birthdays and wedding anniversaries.

However, instead of being bothered with her forgetfulness, she created this day to just relax and well, forget.

In addition, this day is meant to encourage people to apologize and make up for all the events and occasions they might have forgotten. The idea is also about adopting action plans that help us remember things.

With a memory like Swiss cheese, this day is always a real challenge to improve my retention rate which is so low on the Richter scale it barely registers from day to day.

Have a great day... and don't worry about it!

Flying the 'Unfriendly Skies' in the 21st Century

Once upon a time a certain airline coined a slogan that made it famous. Do you remember, or have you ever heard the jingle 

Fly the Friendly Skies?" 

United Airlines used that slogan from 1965 to 1996 then dropped it. I think air travel was starting to lose its luster around then for numerous reasons hence goodby friendly skies.

The days of efficiency and warmth at United Airlines and their competitors are long gone in the 21st Century. Air travel has turned into a hellscape for travelers.

Pandemic mask regulations turned air travel into a nightmare for passengers with people freaking out about wearing their masks and causing flights to be sidetracked. Assaults have become commonplace in the last two years. 

This July 4th weekend travelers are watching their flights vanish in a chaos of cancellations because the airlines can't handle the massive demand. There are not enough pilots, air traffic controllers, steward and stewardess, ground crews, and on and on.

More than 1,500 flights in the US were cancelled yesterday and many more cancellations are expected this weekend.

This chaos can be blamed on the pandemic. Airlines were downsizing due to lack of customers, and they were encouraging pilots to take early retirements. Apparently, no one planned for the day the pandemic was no longer an issue and customers would return.

You don't want to be in an airport anywhere in the country today. There's a lot of pissed off people who spent significant amounts of money for their first weekend escape in two years who are watching their plans collapse in crowded airports.

All but two of the 13 major airlines have higher cancellation rates this year compared to pre-pandemic averages in the same time period between 2017 and 2019.

On one hand I get it. People want to travel. But it seems to me the odds of flying are a risky proposition this year. Turn on the news for confirmation. I'm just saying there's other methods of travel.

Welcome Ketanji Brown Jackson: The First Female African American Justice Starts Work Today

Ketanji Brown Jackson is taking her place on the Supreme Court today. 

I hope she has a hard shell because the group she's going to be working with are detested by a majority of Americans.

The Supreme court she's joining has the worst popularity ratings the institution has ever experienced. Only 25% of Americans have confidence in SCOTUS. The prior low was 34%. In other words, only one in four Americans believe the Supreme Court is legitimate and trustworthy.

It's like joining the infamous Chicago "Black Sox" baseball team the summer after they were caught cheating. Getting respect will take years and a new generation - or court in Jackson's case.

A new term begins in three months.

Jackson's supporters say that her time serving on the low courts has prepared her for the high court and a divided multi-member body. 

The point is she's not going into the job with her eyes closed. She's fully aware of the conservative takeover but believes she can make a difference someday.

By all reports, Jackson is looking forward to her career. I wish her all the best in her fight for justice.

A Fairytale Fail: Trump's Fictional Fantasy Unraveled

When we last looked into Trump's fairytale about the 2020 election being stolen, it appeared his lies would prevail with his loyal minions continuing to enable his false narrative.

Then one of the minions in the White House had a "Go to Jesus" moment and decided to point out that the emperor had no clothes.

Ex-White House aide to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Cassidy Hutchinson, pulled the veil back on what Trump was actually doing on Jan. 6 as the Capitol was being assaulted by his supporters.

The reality that Trump was the Pied Piper that lured his rabid followers into an insurrection was laid out in great detail by Cassidy who had a ringside seat to his fatal fantasy.

When White House counsel Pat Cipollone told Cassidy that "we need to make sure that this doesn't happen" referring to Trump going to the Capitol, she realized just how deranged he was. 

Upon learning of his actions in the presidential limousine where he tried to take the wheel away from the secret service driver because he didn't want to go back to the White House, Cassidy was convinced he was living in a fantasy world where lies are truth and truth is fake news.

In order to expose Trump's lies Cassidy took a brave step in cooperating with the Jan. 6 committee. She's already been threatened by MAGA morons since her live testimony yesterday.

It wasn't easy for her to unmask Trump who she supported during her time in office. Yet she did it. Whatever her reason for exposing Trump was I applaud her for telling the truth. That's something few Trump supporters can claim - telling the truth.

She exposed the dark underbelly of the beast, and it was ugly. I can only hope the Department of Justice finds her testimony as damning as I did.

Bad News for Trump: Today's Surprise Jan. 6 Committe Hearing Was Revealing

I was prepared to wait until mid-July for the next Jan. 6 hearing, so it was a surprise to find out that one was suddenly scheduled for today.

The panel has been keeping the hearing's topic secret since announcing it yesterday. The witness list is also a mystery.

I'm not Sherlock Holms, but I suspect their going for the jugular using never seen before-testimony by a Trump insider.

(UPDATE: Here's the hearing)

This is the panel's sixth hearing on the insurrection. The first five laid out how Trump knew he lost the election (the Big Lie) how he pressured Mike Pence to cheat, the role domestic terrorists played in the assault on the Capitol, and the role Congressional lawmakers played in a false elector scheme.

We've seen a variety of witnesses from the Department of Justice, Trump advisors, to two election workers whose lives were threatened and turned upside down because of the Big Lie. 

I think there's another good reason for this sudden turnabout. To be frank, I suspect today's hearing was cobbled together since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade last week in an effort to keep pressure on the Republicans and to fire up their base while feelings are so raw.

Dissecting 'The Good Old Days'

How many times have you heard conversations about "The Good Old Days?"

I lost count decades ago.

(Photo: When I was a one-year-old. Good times) 

The Racial Component

Chances are if you live in the South or parts of the Midwest, you fly a Confederate flag and talk longingly about the good old days in Dixie before the Yankees came. It's a generational thing. Likely, the environment you grew up in those states was rife with Confederate Battle flags on cars, trucks, buildings, and clothing.

Obviously, the white southern version of the good old day's clashes with the reality of slavery and the hell African Americans lived though.

Dissecting the Good Old Days

Social scientists tell us that over time, our memory of an event changes so that we are more likely to remember the positive aspects than the negative ones (referred to as Fading Affect Bias - FAB).

As a parent I understand FAB perfectly. I have three sons (all grown up) but I remember their infant/toddler days with nostalgia. If I want to be honest those days of dirty diapers, endless tantrums, and frequent fighting they exhausted me. Yet, when I see pictures of their chubby little faces it makes me long for when they were little.

This bias isn't news by any means. Ancient Greeks coined the term nostalgia a few thousand years ago. Psychologists believe FAB exists so we can keep a positive outlook on life.

Have you ever remembered a movie from your childhood as one of your favorites, only to see it again and wonder "what was I thinking?"

According to Psychology Today our brains don't like uncertainty. That's why millions of Americans have had such a struggle with the Pandemic. We can't predict when it will end.

However, when we remember the past, all uncertainty is removed. We got the job. We found a life partner. We bought the house. We graduated.

By comparison, the present is scary and open-ended. Part of our longing for those Good Old Days is that we know everything turned out okay, or even if it didn't, we know we got through it.

Nostalgia for the good old days will never entirely go away. Its why artists have written songs about it since the beginning of time. It's only when our longing for days gone by keeps us from enjoying the present that we need to rethink how we're remembering the past.

Guess what? It turns out great when we realize we're living the good old days right now.

June 26: A Rundown of Today's Holidays - Are You Ready to Celebrate?

Here's a list of holidays in case you'd like something to celebrate today.

America's Kids Day - Kinda generic but still a good reason to celebrate.

Beautician's Day - Got a favorite beautician? Here's a great opportunity to thank him or her for the good job they do for you.

Descendants Day - A good excuse for families to trace their personal lineage. 

International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking - A good reminder to us all that drugs are a real problem in our society but there's hope for those who break away from them.

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture - An opportunity to speak out against torture and those who employ it.

Log Cabin Day - Do you like log cabins? Well, here's your chance to celebrate living in one.

National Canoe Day - Do you canoe? If the answer is yes, get it out and find the nearest river.

National Chocolate Pudding Day - Be part of the in-crowd and celebrate with a big bowl of chocolate pudding. It doesn't get sweeter than that.

Tropical Cocktails Day - This is the holiday I'll be celebrating today. All day. Cheers! 

A Tale of Two Americas: Roe vs Wade Overturned; 1st Gun Control Bill in 30 Years Passed

If we're being honest with ourselves, we all know there's two Americas.

In conservative America yesterday it was a day to celebrate because the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade. In doing so it threw out a precedent protecting women's rights to their own bodies for political reasons.

Related: Pence: 'We Must Not Rest' Until Abortion is Outlawed in Every State

The Democrats warned that the court would seek to undo other constitutional rights if it overthrew Roe vs Wade. That's happened now. What's next?

Related: Justice Thomas: SCOTUS 'Should Reconsider' contraception. Same-Sex Marriage Rulings and more

The Supreme Court's decision got a rapid response from the "other America" with protesters pouring out into the streets of America minutes after the decision was made public.

Related: "We Won't Go Back!" Spontaneous Protests Break Out Across U.S. After Supreme Court Overturns Roe

                       On the Same Day

The House passed a landmark gun bill, sending it to Biden to sign into law. After 30 years liberals were finally able to pass some bipartisan gun legislation. This represented a win for one America. A loss for the other one.

VIDEO: House Passes Gun Reform Legislation

The Fallout for Both Landmark Cases

The Roe reversal reshapes Democrats' battle to keep Congress.

A fractured Supreme Court upended American politics

Senate breakthrough clears the way for toughening US gun laws

How deep is the divide between these two Americas? No doubt we'll find out in the years ahead, but right now the chasm between Democrats and Republicans is widening with states like Texas talking about succeeding from the Union.

Do You Feel it? The Political Landscape is Shifting

Political tremors have been reported in Washington DC and the rest of the country during the last two weeks.

Millions of Americans have tuned into an unlikely reality show that's been a smash hit. The House hearings on the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has gotten huge ratings each episode. Good news for Democrats. Bad news for Republicans as they watch Trump, and his minions sink into a quagmire of their own lies about the 2020 election.

After five hearings, with more to come in July, the committee has rocked the Republican Party's world as GOP lawmakers get linked to Trump's plot to overthrow the election.

One of the latest revelations is Republican lawmakers were asking for pardons before Trump left office. As we all know someone doesn't ask for a pardon unless they did something wrong.

The committee revealed an email from Rep. Mo Brooks on Jan.11, 2021, asking for "all purpose" pardons for every lawmaker who objected to electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania

Requesting pardons were Rep. Andy Biggs, Rep. Louis Gohmert, Rep. Scott Perry, Rep. Matt Gaetz, Rep. Mo Brooks, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green. Apparently, Rep. Jim Jordan didn't ask for a pardon but did request an update on the status of requests by other members.

The question is will the J6 committee request these lawmakers to testify in future hearings? If they do, and they don't, will there be subpoenas? It's nervous time for Republicans who want people to focus on the midterms and to ignore the mountains of evidence being presented by the committee.

A new development

Law enforcement officials searched the Virginia home of former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark Wednesday.

That's significant because Clark was part of a plot by Trump to take over the Department of Justice and to make them conduct unlawful voting fraud investigations. The DOJ is ramping up it's investigation on the attempt to overthrow our electoral system.

The good news is that means the DOJ is closing on Trump's closest allies. Trump is closer than ever to being indicted by the same DOJ he tried to take over.

Once Upon a Midterm Election so Dreary...

Editor's note: My muse for this post was Edgar Allen Poe.

Once upon a midterm election so dreary, I worried our democracy was weak and weary.

I knew if the GOP took back the House total condemnation of democracy would be the result all would see.

Republicans are promising a purge of our government - from President Biden to AG Merrick Garland. No Democrat in the land would be safe against Trump's master race. Fascism will have a new place in the world.

Looking deep into the darkness of what could be, I can see the Republic sinking into total anarchy.

Surely, said I, surely there's something we can do to avoid this horror? Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore. I need to look behind every door. 

Desolate yet undaunted, in my search for hope, someone spoke, and said, "Democrats and Independents need to turn out in record numbers to vote."

Only this, and nothing more.

Trump and Cronies Should Face a Criminal Investigation for Putting Two Election Workers Lives at Stake

Where's the accountability?

Trump and his minions need to be hauled into the Department of Justice for targeting two American election workers (AP Photo of Wandrea "Shay" Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman) whose lives were put in jeopardy due to a fake ballot scheme in Fulton County, Georgia.

Wandrea "Shaye" Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman had their lives turned upside down when Trump targeted them and encouraged his supporters to pressure them into confessing that they illegally added Biden ballots to the counting machines.

At one point of the continual harassment campaign Moss testified that people pushed their way into her grandmother's house, claiming they were making a citizen's arrest.

Meanwhile the FBI told Ruby Freeman she had to leave her house for an undetermined amount of time because of credible death threats.

There was no fraud as the Republican governor and secretary of state explained to the Jan. 6 committee. 

Trump sycophants like Rudy Giuliani traveled around holding quasi "press conferences" accusing the women of cheating for the democrats. 

Giuliani and his goons literally launched an all-out attack besmirching their reputation and making the election workers targets for MAGA morons everywhere. No American citizen(s) should be subjected to this kind of life-changing abuse by the nation's commander in chief.

It's shameful. It should also be illegal. But I haven't heard a word about the DOJ looking into their baseless crusade against both women that could have cost them their lives. Not a damn word.

Here's a video of the two women's testimony before the Jan. 6 committee on 6/21.

Moss and Freeman's story is only one example of the wild voting conspiracy theories spread by the Trump campaign. When Trump started showing edited clips of the two women at work and accused them of cheating, he was personally putting them at risk.

An interesting aside: Among the many threats and instances of harassment, a woman claiming to be Kanye West's publicist came to Freeman's house to encourage her to confess to voter fraud.

The connection is clear. It's just another case of Trump committing a crime and routinely getting away with it.

The 'Big Lie' is Devouring Democracy

After exhausting all avenues to change the results of the 2020 election Republicans have settled on ignoring reality.

The courts rejected 62 lawsuits that Trump's minions filed to try to overturn the voter's will. Then Trump cronies attempted a coup that failed.

The only tactic left was denying reality and defying all norms to secure a solid base of Trump believers' loyalty. 

So, openly lying has been embraced by the shambling Republican Party that is cannibalizing itself in an effort to please their chosen Lord and Master Trump.

The Big Lie is expanding every day. Just look at Texas. The state Republican Party adopted a resolution last weekend that rejects President Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election. 

Up to this point it's been individuals running for office proudly aligning themselves with the Big Lie to get Trump's endorsement. Meanwhile, Trump sycophants in the Senate and House have gone along with the election fraud narratives spread by Fox News and other right-wing media outlets.

Now we're looking at state GOP parties that are adopting election lies as the main part of their agenda. Don't be surprised if other state GOP parties decide to follow Texas. The Big Lie is a cancer that doesn't appear to have a cure. It's spreading throughout the land at an alarming rate.

How could this happen in America?

We're slipping into fascism as Trump slithers his way back towards a second term. Political pollsters and pundits are predicting a Red Wave in the midterms.

Make no mistake. Trump's cult is fully motivated to turn out in big numbers this fall. The economy is chaotic and rife with supply chain issues that stretch across the world, and it'll be Biden and the Democrats who get blamed.

In spite of all that, things could turn around before November. It's possible these Jan. 6 hearings will shock Democratic and Independent voters who value our liberty and freedoms picking Democracy over the economy.

One more thing to consider. When the Supreme Court takes down the Roe vs Wade decision, which is what the leaked draft showed, women - especially young women - will be motivated to vote in record numbers. Just what Democrats need. That young vote.   

In closing its ironic and scary as hell to consider the possibility that a lie could be what took down our democracy.

Before Trump was Elected President Doonesbury Took on His Rhetoric and Failed Ventures

Before his presidency and TV show The Apprentice, Donald Trump was a moving target of scorn and vicious satire by cartoonist Gary Trudeau.

His strip regularly mocked Don the Con with three characters who supposedly worked for him. 

There was J.J. who reluctantly painted a mural of Trump based on the Sistine Chapel, on the ceiling of the bathroom of Trump's boat "Trump Princess" because she needed the money.

Then there was the captain of the ship Duke (a caricature of Hunter S. Thompson, the gonzo journalist).

Finally, there was Boopsie who was hired to be in the background of a game show Trump created about himself, years before The Apprentice.

Trudeau's portrayal of Trump really cracked me up when it came out. I instantly became a regular reader of the controversial cartoon strip right up until today. 

By the way, here's a link to a Doonesbury website with current and old strips. I highly recommend reading #SAD!: Doonesbury in the Time of Trump.

One of the things I admire about Trudeau's satire is he's unafraid of making fun of the most powerful man in the US, regardless of political party. I loved his portrayals of Clinton, Bush, and Reagan.

There were other political power players that he mocked. Newt Gingrich was shown as a lite but unexploded bomb, and a floating feather was the stand-in for Vice President Dan Quayle.

If you would like to know more about Gary Trudeau and his Pulitzer Prize winning comic strip go here.

Thanks for stopping by. See you tomorrow.

It's a Mean World Charlie Brown but You Don't Let That Get You Down

When I was in high school back in the mid-60s my Drama class put on a play featuring characters from the popular Sunday newspaper cartoon strip Peanuts. 

I remember thinking how dumb it was and not wanting a part in the play. My buddies would have had a field day if I played Charlie Brown or Snoopy. I was sure I'd be hazed about it for life.

A funny thing happened years later. I grew a new appreciation for Charles Schultz's (right) characters. 

I began taking inspiration from Charlie Brown's naive attempts to find something positive in a negative world. This video from A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (2010) is a good example.

The simple genius of Peanuts lies in Schulz’s ability to get to the heart of large matters (unrequited love, loneliness) and critical life questions (is there a Great Pumpkin?) through the lens of emotionally precocious children.

My three boys loved watching Peanuts specials on TV. My wife and I enjoyed watching them with the kids. Two generations appreciating cartoon characters originally created in 1950 (the year I was born).

I particularly like the way Charlie Brown keeps coming back after each failure.

He's a poor man's philosopher. No matter how mean people are to him, Charlie rises above their pettiness and keeps looking for rainbows with his loyal dog Snoopy.

According to Schultz's biographer the events and relationships in Peanuts are for the most part events and relationships distilled from his life. I find that fascinating. Converting one's life into a cartoon strip and becoming rich and famous along the way is quite an achievement.

I can't help wondering if I hadn't been too cool to get involved in the play how I would have portrayed Charlie Brown?

A Conversation with Forrest Gump About the Challenges America Faces Today

Dave - Good morning, Forrest! Thank you for taking the time for this interview.

Forrest - Thank you! You seem like a nice man.

Dave - America is in chaos Forrest. What do you think about that?

Forrest - You have to do the best with what God gave you.

Dave - Could you say more about it?

Forrest - Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get.

Dave - Any thoughts about Trump's attempt to overthrow our democracy?

Forrest - My Mama always said you got to put the past behind you, before you can move on.

Dave - Do you think there's any hope for our country ever becoming united again?

Forrest - Miracles happen every day. Some people don't think so, but they do every day.

Dave - Will this nation return to normal after Trump and his minions are held accountable for their coup attempt?

Forrest - What's normal, anyways?

Dave - What do you think about QAnon?

Forrest - Stupid is as stupid does.

Dave - Do we all have a destiny?

Forrest - I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental, like on a breeze. But I think maybe it's both. Maybe both are happening at the same time.

Dave - What do you think about people who are lucky?

Forrest - Now, Mama said there's only so much fortune a person really needs... and the rest is just for showing off.

Dave - Well, our times up. I sure appreciate your willingness to share your wisdom with us Forrest.

Forrest - That's all I got to say about that. Now I'm going to go for a run in my magic shoes. They can take me anywhere.

Editor's note: Most of the Forrest quotes above came directly from the academy award winning movie FOREST GUMP.

It's a Golden Age for Dystopian Writers

If you're a writer of dystopian literature this age of chaos in America is a goldmine. A bonanza. A winning megadollar lottery ticket. The jackpot. The end of the rainbow.

Just look at the subject matter around you. Take politics for example. You could write book about a renegade president who didn't accept that he lost in a re-election bid and who decided to stage a coup.

I know. It already happened in the real world, and we're witnessing an ongoing attempt to subvert our electoral system. But in your book, you could come up with a happy ending and hold all of the insurrectionists (from Trump down) accountable with long jail sentences.

You'll have plenty of time to write your version of what happened to the traitors who tried to destroy our democracy because it'll be at least two years before AG Merrick Garland announces who (if anybody) will be indicted by the Department of Justice for trying to overturn a legal election.

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Fun Fact: The first time the word dystopian was recorded in print was in 1962

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Of course, there are many other subjects that are fodder for a thrilling dystopian novel in our current society and abroad.

Take COVID 19. The final story hasn't been told about its origin, or the number of variants it spawns before scientists can successfully eradicate it. Lots to work with here.

How about a financial Armageddon where America sinks into so much debt that society has been reduced to foraging bands of poor people who are hunted down for meat by the elites who have killed all the traditional meat sources like chickens, cows and pigs?

As a dystopian writer it may be inspiring to see what's happening in the country with the current blue (Democrat) and red (Republician) states that represent a break from reality where conservatives desire an authoritarian agenda as opposed to the Democratic agenda embraced by liberals.

I don't think I have to point out the similarities to our Civil War to a canny dystopian scribe. Blue and Red forces clashing in a fight for freedom! You get the idea.

Listen. I could go on. But you get the picture. This is a Golden Age for dystopian wordsmiths and students of history.

Congressman Loudermilk Lied About 'Tour' - So What's Next?

After watching this footage it's obvious that GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk has been lying about the supposedly innocent tour he conducted on the day before the insurrection.

Photo - Unidentified man taking shots of staircases, security points, and hallways while on tour given by Loudermilk on Jan, 5, 2021. Man in red MAGA hat near Loudermilk in background)

Continue reading for background on video.

Yesterday the Jan. 6 committee asked Loudermilk to voluntarily answer some questions about the tour he gave on Jan. 5th after releasing snippets of it to the public.

In response Loudermilk lashed out at CNN after the video's release and claimed the committee was trying to smear him.

The committee first reached out to Loudermilk last month. They indicated that they had evidence that "directly contradicts" previous claims by Republican lawmakers who said there were no tours, no large groups, no one with MAGA hats on" at the US Capitol complex on Jan. 5th.

Thus far, the committee has refrained from explicitly accusing Loudermilk of leading a "reconnaissance tour" as some Democratic lawmakers are calling it. But they do want to talk with him.

Because Loudermilk's story had shifted repeatedly the committee wants to ask him questions about his visitors - on a day when all Capitol tours had been cancelled because of the pandemic.

Committee chairman Bennie Thompson sent a letter to Loudermilk recently that said,

""We have surveillance footage that shows a tour of approximately ten individuals led by you to areas in the Rayburn, Longworth, and Cannon House Office Buildings, as well as the entrances to tunnels leading to the U.S. Capitol. Individuals on the tour photographed and recorded areas of the complex not typically of interest to tourists, including hallways, staircases, and security checkpoints." Etc.

Loudermilk didn't bother to respond to the letter but said yesterday - after being confronted with the video - that the Capitol Police had cleared him of any wrongdoing after they viewed the video footage.

Apparently, Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger is either a MAGA minion or just plain stupid. The select committee watched the same video and pointed out some really obvious red flags.

The video shows a man taking photos of tunnels, hallways and staircases within the Capitol complex. The rest of the group didn't appear interested in taking the same photos instead opting for normal visitor type photos of historic content.

The committee's clincher came with a video and audio of the same man taking photos marching on the Capitol on Jan. 6, voicing threats to Democratic lawmakers. Maybe Chief Manger was unaware of the second video showing one of the tour group the next day during the assault on the Capitol. His review doesn't sound like it was too serious.

The man's name hasn't been released by the committee who talked with him but didn't charge him with anything. Yet.

This whole incident is just another example of how far Republican lawmakers will go to protect Trump and his minions from justice.

Are You Prepared for a Civil War?

Rumors of war are in the air we breathe today. They're choking rational discourse and motivating Trump cult followers to tear down the government and to replace it with an authoritarian state. 

Experts on national security, terrorism and related topics are warning that the United States is on the verge of a second civil war or a sustained right-wing insurgency, and that Jan. 6 was just a warm-up for a future coup attempt.

Steven Hassan is one of the world's leading experts on cults and other dangerous organizations, as well as how to deprogram people who have succumbed to "mind control." He's the director of the Freedom of Mind Resource Center and has written several bestselling books, including "Freedom of Mind," "Combating Cult Mind Control" and, most recently, "The Cult of Trump."

In a recent interview Hassan discussed Trump's enduring power over his followers and why it has outlasted his presidency. He argued that the right-wing Christian churches, Fox News, conspiracy theorists, right-wing social media and other propaganda machines are keeping Trump's cultists loyal and further radicalizing them. 

Hassan explained that the biggest single bloc of true believers are members of right-wing Christain fundamentalist churches and other groups. These are authoritarian religions where the members believe their pastor is an apostle who is directly connected to God and getting revelations.

The most troubling part of the interview was Hassan's assertion there's a ninety-five percent chance there will be a civil war. He contends that about a third of the cult will double down and engage in acts of violence, and that the middle third will make their decision based upon what their peers are doing. The last third will not follow commands to go to war.

No matter how you cut it, we're talking about millions of Americans who are likely prepared to assault our democracy in the name of Trump.  

Are you prepared for a civil war?

Believing Lies or Your Eyes: What Gets You Through the Day?

The Big Lie lives in millions of fevered brains that are blind to reality or just don't give a damn about truth. 

Especially if embracing the Big Lie brings endorsements, advancements, or confirmation of popular conspiracy theories.  

Watching the second installment of the Jan. 6 Committee hearing yesterday was sobering. Witnesses testified about Trump grifting his own followers by seeking donations to help him get his stolen presidency back. Instead, the donations he squeezed out of his base went into Trump's personal PAC and hotels.

With his minion's assistance Trump has made over $250 million dollars fleecing followers according to testimony from one of the witnesses today. The reality that Trump was shamelessly ripping his devotees off was spelled out with evidence shared by the committee.

So why are people clinking to Trump's lies despite a ton of evidence disproving each fraudulent claim?

I have theories but no definitive explanation. My wife and I have members from both sides of our families who've been drinking the orange Kool aid far too long. We called and texted family members who said they weren't going to watch any of the hearings.

They don't trust their lying eyes, I guess.

They all-spouted Fox News propaganda for reasons why they weren't going to watch. It's hard to live with the fact that people you love are that far gone... that they are in fact cult members. Because when you break this whole Big Lie down it's nothing more than a continuation of a brainwashing process that goes back to his days of hosting The Apprentice.

It's no coincidence that the majority of Trump's base were fans of that show. He was entertaining and they believed his bullshit about being a financial wizard. The believe anything he says now.

I've got this lifetime habit of believing what I see. I recently got cataract surgery on both eyes when the world around me grew dimmer. Now I see with crystal clarity. 

America is coming to a crossroad that either leads to a continued democracy, or a fascist state. Are your eyes wide open?