My first son surprised himself… how impressed he was with his father (me), when he noticed I had a Critical Theory reading list on my bookshelf (back when I lived at the church): Horkheimer, Marcuse, Habermas. It was one of those, “Wait, my parent actually knows about something I think is important “ epiphanies. Ben was leading a Marxist […]
Fear Not 2.0 — The Stoics’ Advice
Fear Not 2.0 — Courage of the Creche, Installment 1
It sounds sort of Catholic, but maybe Mary is their guardian angel? Or that could be Gabriel? …And she’s just a companion on the same, desperate road…
Allegations of Racial Disparities and Neglect at Riverview Medical Center
A Black patient is raising serious concerns about his recent hospitalization at Hackensack Meridian Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, New Jersey, alleging that he experienced inadequate care, premature discharge, poor communication, and treatment that left him feeling marginalized and medically unsafe. The patient, admitted after collapsing on a tennis court, reports that in six days of hospitalization, he was […]
Fear Not 2.O — The Church When the Nation Become Idolatrous (part 2)
When someone talks about moving abroad to get away from Trump’s America, I think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was studying at Union Seminary in New York City in 1930-31, and could have remained in the U.S. In fact, Union professors and other church leaders implored him to stay. But he knew he needed to return because of the gathering storm […]
Fear Not 2.0 — The Uplift of Fellow Travelers
Last Tuesday was a good day for those opposing this Administration – people who cannot stomach MAGA policies, actions and goals… neighbors who reject President Trump’s leadership team and methods. The election made something important visible: it turns out we are not alone (even though this stretch of political history often leave us feeling we are). In the face of […]
Fear Not 2.0—March With The Church!
Desperation sets in when we are hoping for, but not seeing ANYONE or ANYTHING that can prevent the President from grabbing power that isn’t his. No one can convince Trump not to break the norms or the laws that get in his way. And the most obvious centers of power to hold Trump in check – Congress and the Supreme […]
A Great America is Destroyed from Within Not Without
Dear Mr. President, Five years ago I blogged: A Great Civilization Is Not Conquered From Without Until It Has Destroyed Itself From Within (W. Durant). This was while watching Apocalypto. If Trump the GOP, and MAGA want “America to be Great Again”, 1st stop the bleeding within… https://renaldocmckenzie.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-great-civilization-is-not-conquered.html “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed […]
Is Poverty Really Down by 50 % in Jamaica?
Dear Editor, Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently announced that Jamaica’s poverty rate has been cut in half, now reportedly standing at 8.2%. While this headline grabs attention, it warrants deeper scrutiny — not celebration. Especially during an election cycle, where optimism can be weaponized, and statistics, selectively interpreted. As a Jamaican scholar and author of Neoliberalism (written while studying at the University […]
Rollout Plan for “Tariffs on China? A Tax on the Poor”
Dear Mr. President, Re: Tariffs on China? A Tax on the Poor Applying a 125% tariff on China in response to their retaliatory trade actions, the true casualties will not be foreign economies—but America’s poor. Tariffs are taxes. When levied on the low-cost goods that supply Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, and corner shops across the country, these taxes become a […]
A Warning to the President: Musk’s Betrayal and the Illusion of Loyalty
Dear Mr. President Donald J. Trump, I know you are fond of Elon, but so too was Biden—and yet, Musk betrayed him. If he could turn on Biden, what makes you think he won’t do the same to you? Musk’s fortune swelled under Biden’s administration, not merely from innovation but from the artificial winds of government intervention. Biden’s tax credits […]