"America First" is Heresy

“America First” is Heresy.  “America for and with others” is a much better philosophy on which to maintain our democratic republic.  That means an America that comes to serve others, rather than to be served.  Make America GOOD Again should be MAGA on a blue baseball cap. 

“America First” doesn’t make America good, let alone great.  March 4, 2025, The Independent reported that 15,000 people (10% of them children) had died due to “savage cuts to USAID.”  In Rome, Alistair Dutton, head of Caritas International, an organization of 162 charities working in over 200 countries charged that these abrupt cuts will “will kill millions of people and condemn hundreds of millions more to lives of dehumanizing poverty.”[1]  In an interview with the associated press, Cardinal Micheal Czerny of the Vatican observed that what the USA gives in aid is not even 1% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. The Bible calls for 10% to be given to charity.[2]  

When did Americans become so stingy and cheap?  “America for and with others” is the generous America I remember.  In 1973, Canadian journalist Gordin Sinclair gave a stirring speech, praising the willingness and ways Americans come to the assistance of others around the world: “This Canadian thinks it’s time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous… people in all the world.”[3]

Since 2003, President George W. Bush’s life-giving PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief) program has saved some 25 million people who would otherwise have perished.[4]  Now, this administration’s cuts are sentencing millions to death.  I guess he calls that “winning.”

“America First” is a divisive, destructive ideology; an agenda destined to destroy harmony, peace and collaborative efforts to construct and maintain a world of peace and prosperity.  Trumpeting “America First” contradicts the hallowed grounds of American domestic and international policies that made the world safe for democracy.  The shining beacon on the hill guarding human rights, maintaining peace, and championing the liberation and freedom of the oppressed, has turned off its lights.  Children of the 1950s and 60s remember Superman flying across black and white TV screens as the music flared, while the voice proclaimed that we were the people of Truth, Justice and the American Way.  Now blatant lies dominate and destroy truth.  Justice is whatever greedy republicans and corporate capitalists say it is.  And the American Way is people abandoned in fire and flood torn communities because FEMA is no more.  Worst yet, the Naval Academy Library is burning books.[5]

“America First,” was first voiced by Know Nothings in the 1840s, a nativist party against, among other things, immigrant Catholics from Ireland.  They burned Catholic churches in Philadelphia in 1844.  In the 1920s, The KKK blared “America First” as it tried to make America Great for white people.  Jews, Blacks and Catholics were not considered real Americans.  In the 1930s, The America First Committee rallied people to an isolationist stance.  Charles Lindberg, among others, lent support to its Fascist leanings and anti-Semitic rantings.  Dr. Seuss ridiculed such political opinions in cartoons, connecting the movement to Nazism.[6]  On Feb 20,1939, American Nazis filled Madison Square Garden with a “Rally for America.”  Watch the video of the event[7].  Cyrus Vesser in Time Magazine argues that America First’s policies, and dangerous analysis of global politics, contributed to the conditions that led to the devastation of World War II.[8]

     

 [9]  

 [10]  

 [11]

“America First” is not good for the vast majority of people in the USA.  This bold, distorted vision of unbridled freedom is just a mask for the cynical and greedy grab for everything by the billionaire class.  “America First” means Musk takes it all, and the rest are left to look for work.  Bezos and Zuckerberg and their buddies are fine.  Everyone else is adrift with no social security, no government because no one works there anymore, and no hope for a representative democracy.  Those were gifts the American people gave to themselves and the world for almost 250 years.

“America First” means someone can run for President more than twice (Does that include President Obama?).  But no worries.  That will never happen.  If the Republicans can’t win in 2026 or 2028, elections will be cancelled.  And Fox News will say that cancelation is Making America Great Again.  Actually, it will be making our country not America anymore. 

“America First” is Heresy because “America First” destroys America and much of the rest of the world.  Necessary alliances, trade agreements and jobs are destroyed by “America First.”  Ukraine is abandoned by “America First.”  First Buddy Putin is strengthened and supported by “America First.”  And America’s and the world’s poor are abandoned.

“America First” Kills.  It supports those who bomb and maim men, women and children in Gaza.  “America First” kills the present of thousands being kicked out of their jobs into the streets, with no time to prepare for the transition.  “America First” kills the future, the hopes and dreams of generation Z and Alpha, whose chance to go to college just evaporated along with Pell grants.  Those who thought they were voting for a sane and sensible common-sense candidate, now must realize the insanity they have unleashed. 

We are not first, not even close.  The U.S ranks 27^th in both education and health[12] (we were 6^th in 1990).  We are 48^th in life expectancy[13] behind places like Panama, Albania, and Denmark (is that why he wants Greenland?).  At $89,678, we are 7^th in GDP per capita.  But that puts us well behind Ireland $107, 243 and Switzerland $111, 716[14] 

The USA has 341 million people.  The rest of the World is some 8.1 billion.  Going it alone is not only sad, stupid and sinful.  Going it alone is suicide.  If we won’t help others, we should not expect others to help us. 

Make America Good Again.   Remember, there is one who teaches, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.”  Listen to him.  Not those preaching America First.

[1]  Report: How Jesuit Refugee Service is responding to the Trump foreign aid freeze | America Magazine 

 

[2]  Vatican's Caritas outraged at 'reckless' USAID cuts, says millions will die, others left in poverty

 

[3]  Gordon Sinclair - The Americans Radio Broadcast

 

[4]  Nearly 15,000 will have died already because of Trump and Musk’s cuts to USAID, advocacy program claims | The Independent 

 

[5]  Naval Academy removes nearly 400 books from library in new DEI purge ordered by Hegseth's office

 

[6]    America First (policy) - Wikipedia

 

[7]   Revealed: Forgotten 1939 Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden - NZ Herald ).

 

[8]  History Shows How Dangerous 'America First' Really Is | TIME

 

[9]   When a Jewish laborer took on 20,000 US Nazis in Madison Square Garden | The Times of Israel     and    Revealed: Forgotten 1939 Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden - NZ Herald

 

[10]   feb 20 20939 nazis in madison square garden - Search Images

 

[11]   Political messages of Dr. Seuss - Wikipedia

 

[12]   Study: The US ranks 27th in education and health care | CNN   and Measuring human capital: a systematic analysis of 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016

 

[13]    Life Expectancy by Country and in the World (2025) - Worldometer

 

[14]   GDP per Capita by Country 2025

Listen to Martin Kerr and Jesse Wells. Protest Music !!

AWAY IN BOMB SHELTERS

By Martin Kerr

WAR ISN'T MURDER

By Jesse Welles

 

Jon Stewart's explanation on corporate trickle down.  

“When corporations fail you pay for it. But when they succeed, it’s theirs.  They socialize their losses and privatize their gains. Why do we allow that?

[Voice of an apologist for Capitalism on cable news] “Consider this wealthy people do not stash their billions in safe deposit boxes loaded with $100 bills. They don’t do that and they don’t spend it all at the mall. They don’t spend like crazy. No wealthy people invest. It is investment that creates jobs and economic growth.”]

See this is the lie they tell you. That all this money flowing towards corporate moneyed interests is actually for your benefit. That government intervention for corporations is our free market, but government intervention for workers is socialism. And that’s the reason for all the socialism scaremongering. It’s a false choice to make you believe that this country has but two options: a socialist, authoritarian, hamburgerless, Venezuelan nightmare, or accept the status quo where large corporations benefit from government help, then use some of those profits to lobby the same government for more government help.

They want you to believe that in the free market, while your wages stay low, someday the largesse will eventually trickle down. And in the meantime, enjoy watching your tax dollars help billionaires launch themselves into ******* space.”

(“Jon Stewart's explanation on corporate trickle down.”  Bing Videos. Accessed Dec 22, 2024)

Posted by Rick Malloy, S.J.  Dec 22, 2024.  

 

Heather Cox Richardson (2023) Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America (Viking), p. xii-xiii.

“The key to the rise of authoritarians… is their use of language and false history

Authoritarians rise when economic, social, political, or religious change makes members of a formerly powerful group feel as if they have been left behind. Their frustration makes them vulnerable to leaders who promise to make them dominant again. A strongman downplays the real conditions that have created their problems and tells them that the only reason they have been dispossessed is that their enemies have cheated them of power.

Such leaders undermine existing power structures, and as they collapse, people previously apathetic about politics turn into activists, not necessarily expecting a better life, but seeing themselves as heroes reclaiming their country. Leaders don’t try to persuade people to support real solutions, but instead reinforce their followers’ fantasy self-image and organize themselves into a mass movement. Once people internalize their leader’s propaganda, it doesn't matter when pieces of it are proven to be lies, because it has because become central to their identity

As a strong man becomes more and more destructive, followers’ loyalty only increases. Having begun to treat their perceived enemies badly, they need to believe their victims deserve it. Turning against the leader who inspired such behavior would mean admitting they had been wrong and that they, not their enemies, are evil. This they cannot do.

Having forged a dedicated following, a strongman warps history to galvanize his base into an authoritarian movement. He insists that his policies – which opponents loathe – simply follow established natural or religious rules his enemies have abandoned. Those rules portray society as based in hierarchies, rather than equality, and make the strongman's followers better than their opponents. Following those “traditional” rules creates a clear path for a nation and can only lead to a good outcome. Failing to follow them will lead to terrible consequences.”

Mary Did You Know (Lyrics bt Jennifer Hardy)

 

Fr. Malloy’s Midweek Message. December 20, 2023

Read Mary’s Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55. 

This is prayed every evening in the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours.

Friends,

Mary’s song sung at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel is a powerful prayer that proclaims the “Greatness of the Lord.”  Mary rejoices in all the God is doing for the salvation of the world and all the peoples of this planet.  God has mercy.  He cares for the poor and sends “the rich away empty.”

Jennifer Hardy has rewritten the words to the popular Christmas Song, “Mary Did You Know.”  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_pae1ZfxWw ).  Hardy’s lyrics poetically parallel Mary’s Magnificat.

Mary Did you Know?

Mary did you know, that your ancient words would still leap off our pages?

Mary did you know, that your spirit song would echo through the ages?

Did you know that your holy cry would be subversive word,

that the tyrants would be trembling when they know your truth is heard?

 

Mary did you know, that your lullaby would stir your own Child’s passion?

Mary did you know, that your song inspires the work of liberation?

Did you know that your Jubilee is hope within the heart

of all who dream of justice, who yearn for it to start?

 

The truth will teach, the drum will sound, healing for the pain

The poor will rise, the rich will fall. Hope will live again

 

Mary did you know, that we hear your voice for the healing of the nations?

Mary did you know, your unsettling cry can help renew creation?

 

Do you know, that we need your faith, the confidence of you,

May the God that you believe in, be so true.

Lyrics by Jennifer Henry (inspired by the popular song of the same name) Mary did you know? – Rewrite! – SCM Canada

 

On behalf of Cristo Rey Jesuit, I wish you all a Wonderful (full of wonder), peaceful, Merry Christmas.

Peace,

Fr. Rick Malloy, S.J.

Keep Safe.    Keep Sane.    Keep Smiling

        

El Miercoles Mensaje del Padre Malloy, S.J. 20 de Diciembre, 2023

Lee el Magnificat de María, Lucas 1, 46-55. 

Se reza todas las tardes en la Liturgia de las Horas de la Iglesia.

Amigos y Amigas

El canto de María al comienzo del Evangelio de Lucas es una poderosa oración que proclama la "Grandeza del Señor".  María se alegra de todo lo que Dios está haciendo por la salvación del mundo y de todos los pueblos de este planeta.  Dios tiene misericordia.  Cuida de los pobres y despide "a los ricos con las manos vacías".

Jennifer Hardy ha reescrito la letra de la popular canción navideña "Mary Did You Know" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_pae1ZfxWw).  La letra de Jennifer Hardy hace un paralelo poético con el Magnificat de María.

¿Sabías, María?

¿Sabías, María, que tus antiguas palabras aún saltarían de nuestras páginas?

¿Sabías, María, que tu canto espiritual resonaría a través de los siglos?

¿Sabías que tu grito santo sería palabra subversiva

que los tiranos temblarían al saber que tu verdad es escuchada?

 

¿Sabías, María, que tu canción de cuna despertaría la pasión de tu propio Hijo?

¿Sabías, María, que tu canto inspira la obra de la liberación?

¿Sabías que tu Jubileo es esperanza en el corazón

de todos los que sueñan con la justicia, que anhelan que comience?

 

La verdad enseñará, el tambor sonará, curación para el dolor

Los pobres se levantarán, los ricos caerán. La esperanza volverá a vivir

 

María ¿sabías, que oímos tu voz para la curación de las naciones?

María ¿sabías, que tu grito inquietante puede ayudar a renovar la creación?

 

¿Sabes que necesitamos tu fe, tu confianza?

Que el Dios en el que crees, sea tan verdadero.

Letra de Jennifer Henry (inspirada en la popular canción del mismo nombre) Mary did you know? - Mary did you know? – Rewrite! – SCM Canada

En nombre de Cristo Rey Jesuita, les deseo a todos una Maravillosa (llena de asombro), pacífica, Feliz Navidad.

La Paz,

P. Ricardo Malloy, S.J.

Sigamos Seguro.    Sigamos Sano.    Sigamos Sonriendo

ADVENT: Prayer is the answer

 

ADVENT PRAYER

 Richard G. Malloy, S.J., Ph.D.

“Spiritually we seem to be in an enormous vacuum.  Humanly speaking there is the same burning question - what is the point of it all?  And in the end, even that question sticks in one’s throat.  Scarcely anyone can see or even guess at, the connection between the corpse-strewn battlefields, the heaps of rubble we live in and the collapse of the spiritual cosmos of our views and principles, the tattered residue of our moral and religious convictions as revealed by our behavior.  And even if the connection were fully understood it would be only a matter for academic interest, data to be noted and listed.  No one would be shocked or deduce from the facts a need for reformation.” - from The Prison Meditations of Alfred Delp, S.J.  Fr. Delp was executed by the Nazis Feb. 2, 1945.

 Some think our world has become insane and inhumane: wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, an evermore unjust distribution of the world’s goods, systemic racism and sexism, global warming, on and on.  We feel the tug of the abyss in our hearts, much like Fr. Alfred Delp, S.J., who was executed by the Nazis in the Spring of 1945, and who describes well both his and our times.  Advent is a time to slow down and quiet down and listen for the small whisperings of God’s love and presence amidst the pains and confusions of life.

Sometime during Advent, see if you can find Paradise Road.  This movie about a group of women held in concentration camps by the Japanese during WWII is an extraordinary story of human courage, care and compassion.  It shows how even the simplest practices of beauty and art (in Paradise Road the formation of a human voice orchestra) can counter and transform even the most horrific situations, and counter the most bestial acts humans can perpetrate against one another.  Like those abused and mistreated women, we also are called to be human and loving in a too often brutalizing and bruised world.

If I told you that doing “X,” one simple practice, will guarantee that you do better in confronting the insanities of ours and every age, will help you feel less stressed out throughout December, and actually appreciate, even enjoy, life in our days, despite all the problems and pain, would you want to know what “X” is?  You already do.  It is prayer.

The answer is prayer, that simple yet difficult practice of paying attention to God.  Prayer is a way of allowing God to grace us with inner harmony and outer peace.  Prayer is a practice that helps us reach our heart’s deepest and truest desires: our heartfelt search for meaning, and our ultimate origin and destiny, i.e., God.  Prayer is that discipline of slowing down, breathing, getting quiet, feeling the rhythms of life, and touching (and being touched back by) our infinite source of joy and jubilation, respect and renewal, hope and healing: the Lord of love and life.  Prayer is looking at Jesus, contemplating what the Gospels tell us of him, and paying attention to what the Risen Christ present and active in our lives is doing here, now, today!  Prayer is sacraments and singing, loving and listening, inspiring and imagining.  Prayer is an evermore fascinating adventure, the most challenging task in life, and the most incredible experience available to us.

So why don’t we pray?  We live in a time that finds belief in God difficult.  We have seen the past century knee deep in blood and know the violence of our times.  Murder rates are down in Baltimore and other places, but still way too high. We have felt, deep down in our dark, quiet nights, the fear and fragility of being a mere human being.  We don’t pray because slowing down and listening brings us face to face with the difficulties and dangers of our human experience.

Advent is for people who have felt the need of a God who cares, a God who will come to us in our weakness and save us.  Advent is a time of waiting, a time to wait anxiously and see if the dark days stop getting shorter and once again increase in light.  Fr. Alfred Delp and The women in Paradise Road knew this waiting.  Advent is a time to know that God comes to us as we are, in all our confusion and chaos, tragedy and tension.  Truth be told, God comes to us in our stale, stinking, sinful condition.

“Unless a man has been shocked to his depths at himself and the things he is capable of, as well as the failings of humanity as a whole, he cannot understand the full import of Advent.” - Alfred Delp, S.J.

 Once we reach out in prayer for a way through the morass of the human condition, we meet a God who is here with us, Emmanuel.  This God comes to us.  This God saves us.  This God promises peace.  Can we believe it?  Will we believe it?

Thomas Merton, writing in an introduction to Fr. Delp's prison meditations, notes, "In effect, the temptation to negativism and irrationality, the urge to succumb to pure pragmatism and the massive use of power, is almost overwhelming in our day."

Our times can tempt us to prostitute ourselves to pure pragmatism and block out the deep and haunting questions of human existence.  But such blocking out also will dampen and extinguish the ability to feel exhilaration and joy.  Then we can sink into negativity and irrationality.  Still, the practice of prayer will keep us from being overwhelmed and open us to the grace of sanity.

Advent Prayer is waiting prayer.  If we wait attentively, we will feel less stress, less pain, less lack of purpose.  As we pray, we can begin to feel the quickening of hope in our and the whole world’s soul.  Sitting in a church chapel 15 to 30 minutes a day, reading the Bible each night before sleeping, going to daily Mass, praying a rosary daily, or reading a good spiritual book, will give us inner strength, and energize us for the tasks ahead.  Life will be seen more as promise and possibility deep within the paradoxes.  Once again God will be born: in our hearts, through our prayer.

Have a Blessed Advent Season.