Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States The … Read more
A grievance is a real or imagined wrong or cause for complaint. Grievances manifest themselves in the form of people taking offense at, or being upset by, perceived unfair treatment. Aggrieved persons who feel rebuked or marginalized often have unmet needs from their childhoods. Harboring a grievance can actually feel good. People frequently cling to … Read more
We can be shocked by the events of January 6th, but we shouldn’t have been surprised. Anger and cynicism toward the Federal government has been stoked by conservative media and the Republican Party since at least Ronald Reagan. History will rightly remember today’s violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued … Read more
To members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are two different things. The Kingdom of Heaven is where God lives. The Kingdom of God is God’s kingdom on Earth. In other words, the Kingdom of God is the Church. We Latter-day Saints have … Read more
One of the hallmarks of Democracy is the peaceful transfer of power from one elected administration to the next. This is especially important when the outgoing and the incoming administrations are from opposing parties. It is, of course, difficult to lose a hard-fought contest, but the mature response is always for the loser to stand … Read more
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,Glory … Read more
When a new presidential administration takes office in the United States, there is a large turnover of employees in the Executive Branch of the Federal government. There are two categories of employee: the political appointees and the career civil servants. The political appointees come and go, while, of course, the career civil servants provide continuity … Read more
Now that the Biden/Harris transition has begun, there is talk about what will or should happen to Donald Trump after his presidency. The conversation ranges from those who want Trump, his family, his supporters, (and half of Congress!) in prison as soon as possible, to those who advocate “reaching out,” to his supporters and “moving … Read more