Category: Deacons

#YouCan’tFixStupid

~ Steve Swope ~ 3 Comments

My last post was about how the neo-Nazi’s and Antifa were #NotWelcomeHere in my hometown of Newnan, Georgia.

People of good will know that those in the neo-Nazi movement are just ignorant fools and the fools confirmed that for us yesterday. The permit that the city issued to these clowns allowed them to hold their ‘rally’ from 3pm to 5pm at the Greenville Street Park in downtown Newnan. They set out to march to the park….and got lost.! Yes, in our small city, they got lost. These nuts arrived at the park at 4:15pm. Promptly at 5:00pm law enforcement shut down the rally and sent them packing. These idiots want to run the world; but they clearly couldn’t even run (or find) a lemonade stand.

The really great news is that thanks to our city leaders, the Newnan Police, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Department, the State Patrol and many others, there was no violence and no injuries. There were about twelve arrests, mostly for misdemeanor or felony stupidity.

The good that came from this is the solidarity shown by the wonderful citizens of Newnan in opposition to hatred.

#NotWelcomeHere

~ Steve Swope ~ 1 Comment

I love the town that I live in. My wife and I have raised our kids here and our grandchildren visit often. It’s a peaceful multi-ethnic community 45 miles southwest of Atlanta. Unfortunately, today we’re being invaded.

Two groups are coming to our city that are not welcome here. The racist, ignorant neo-Nazi group NSM is planning a rally this afternoon. To counter that rally the violent Antifa group is coming too. Neither of these groups represents what our city or our citizens stand for.

To the credit of our city leaders and law-enforcement our community is ready for whatever happens this afternoon.

All of our downtown businesses are closed for the day. Because Saturday is one of the most important days for any retail or dining establishment this could have represented a huge loss for those businesses. The citizens of our city resolved to come downtown on Friday night and patronize all of the businesses and restaurants. Last night, when my wife and I went downtown we found the streets packed with good citizens, stores jammed with with shoppers, and restaurants filled to capacity. That’s the kind of city we live in.

These two groups are not welcome here but the United States Constitution guarantees them the right to assemble in my city, your city, and any city. Our citizens have responded to their hatred with kindness and compassion for our local merchants. We can only hope that there will be no violence, no one gets hurt, and these unwelcome intruders will leave and never come back.

#DeleteFacebook – An Idea Whose Time Has Come

~ Steve Swope ~ Leave a comment

From the March 24th cover of The Ecomomist

I have never been a big user of Facebook. I rarely posted to it and when I did it was simply a link to my blog. I almost never spent time reading posts on Facebook because a lot of them were political nonsense, silly memes or users shouting at each other.

The recent news that Facebook allowed the private information of over 50 million users to be compromised by Cambridge Analytica and thus various political Continue reading “#DeleteFacebook – An Idea Whose Time Has Come” →

#NoTariff is Good – They are a Can of Worms

~ Steve Swope ~ 1 Comment

#NoTariff is a good tariff. #NoTradeWar is easy to win. They are a can of worms.

The recent announcement by Trump that the United States will impose a 25% tariff on steel and 10% tariff on aluminum is a case of incredible economic ignorance, foolhardy hubris or both. Some of the greatest minds in economics, both Republican and Democrat have expressed the same sentiment, sometimes in even stronger terms. This week 107 Republicans sent a letter to the president urging him not to impose the tariffs. In the letter they state correctly that, “tariffs are taxes that make U.S. businesses less competitive and U.S consumers poorer.” I’m pleased that my representative, Drew Ferguson signed the letter. Continue reading “#NoTariff is Good – They are a Can of Worms” →

Skiing Thoughts

~ Steve Swope ~ Leave a comment

 

I have just spent two days skiing at Snowbasin and have the following thoughts:

  1. I don’t ski as fast as I once did, damn!
  2. My legs are not 30 years old, despite what I wish!
  3. A lunch break is a good, no make that an excellent idea!
  4. Skiing is easier than playing the banjo!
  5. There are only four things to do with skis, turn right, turn left, go straight or sell them.
  6. A hot tub with five (very large) guys in it is not something that I want to join.
  7. In the crazy world we live in, getting away to the beauty of nature, where everyone is happy, and pointing your skis downhill into fresh powder refreshes the soul.

Passion of the Christ in Faith and Art – #4

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Dali
“Christ of St. John of the Cross” – Salvador Dali, 1951

We are concluding our program about the Passion of the Christ in Faith and Art at
St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan.  On Tuesday, February 27, 2018 we are covering the Crucifixion, Death and Burial of Jesus.  The presentation is at this link: The Passion in Word and Art 2018 – Session 4

#Dreamers – Congress Call in Day

~ Steve Swope ~ Leave a comment

DACASpeak Up!  Congress is dithering as usual and your voice is needed.  DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals expires soon.

Polling in the United States consistently shows that an astounding 87% of all American citizens support bi-partisan action in Congress to protect the nearly 1.8 million Dreamers, young people who were brought into the United States by their parents as children.  There is no other issue in our country where such a huge majority of Americans are in agreement.  The problem is that Congress, as usual, cannot get its act together.  We can change that and each of us should speak up.

Please participate in the DACA Call-in Day to Congress on Monday, February 26, 2018! Continue reading “#Dreamers – Congress Call in Day” →

Passion of the Christ in Faith & Art – #3

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Behold
“Behold the Man” Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, 1605

We are continuing our program about the Passion of the Christ in Faith and Art at
St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan.  Tonight we are covering the Trial of Jesus.  The presentation is at this link: The Passion of Christ in Faith and Art – Session 3

A #Refugee Poem – How do You Read It?

~ Steve Swope ~ Leave a comment
IMG_0760
Refugees – A Syrian Man and Son in Athens, Greece / Photo Courtesy of Mikaele Sansone, CRS

Recently a good friend of mine who knows about my work with #CatholicReliefServices and #Refugees gave me a poem written by Brian Bilston.  As I read it, I was shocked at first and then as I continued it was clear to me that the poem expresses the very sad dichotomy that exists in our society regarding the plight of those fleeing war and persecution and any moral obligation that we have to assist them. 

I think it correctly expresses the sentiment of those who look (and read) down without compassion and fail to see or care about these families escaping war and potential death.  Then the poem expresses the sentiment of those who look (and read) up, with their eyes open, with compassion and mercy, just like the Good Samaritan who came to the aid of a stranger.  Perhaps as Lent begins, we should try to look (and read) upward and #ShareTheJourney with these refugees who are simply fellow human beings.

REFUGEES
They have no need of our help
So do not tell me
These haggard faces could belong to you or me
Should life have dealt a different hand
We need to see them for who they really are
Chancers and scroungers
Layabouts and loungers
With bombs up their sleeves
Cut-throats and thieves
They are not
Welcome here
We should make them
Go back to where they came from
They cannot
Share our food
Share our homes
Share our countries
Instead let us
Build a wall to keep them out
It is not okay to say
These are people just like us
A place should only belong to those who are born there
Do not be so stupid to think that
The world can be looked at another way
(now read from bottom to top)

—   Brian Bilston

The Passion of the Christ in Faith and Art

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Passion
The Taking of Christ by Caravaggio

We are conducting a program about the Passion of the Christ in Faith and Art at St. Mary Magdalene in Newnan.  I am doing the “faith” part and Mrs. Carol Toole is doing the “art” part.  We are having fun and hopefully the attendees are learning something too!!  The presentation for Session #2 is at this link: Passion of Christ in Faith and Art – Session 2.