Hello Parker J. Palmer. Your Let Your Life Speak book was one of those that nudged me toward studying Quakerism. I am so happy to see you on Substack! We are a different sort of group here. I hope you enjoy your stay. :)
American Nationalism is the opposite of fascism, it is not based on race, color, creed or national origin.
American Nationalism requires foreign born people to renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which they have heretofore been a subject or citizen.
If they come here illegally and break our laws they should be deported and never allowed to return.
Your first post gets my blood flowing, Parker! You validate my involvement, and that of millions, in the Indivisible movement. We must focus on the power of community in protecting democracy. We expected 500 to show up for our Hands Off! march and rally. More than 1,500 showed up in our reddish High Country part of North Carolina.
Good that you’re here on Substack. Pretty soon, Facebook would be branding you an 86-yo revolutionary and banning you!
PARKER PALMER on Substack! My heart is full. You’ve been an inspiration to me for more than three decades! I’m a teacher, community school coordinator from Canada. Our Professional Development program was STEEPED in your work and “The Courage to Teach”. The best! So glad you are here. You, and others like Nel Noddings, Margaret Wheatley & Roland Barth, shaped my whole career:) 🩷
Now I write and speak and facilitate workshops and have a podcast, all on community, love and how we can foster these things, and focus on them more, in order to be happier, healthier and more connected. To thrive! Healthy, connected communities, mean a healthy, connected society!
I'm currently taking a course involving your book "Healing the Heart of Democracy". I see that the book was originally published in 2011. What I'm wondering is, in this 2024 edition, did you rewrite/update the entire book, or just add the new Introduction?
Mr Parker, thanks for "liking" my question; however, I REALLY would like the answer to my question.
The reason I ask, is that the political environment has dramatically changed, for the worse, from 2011 to 2024. At the present, our democracy is quickly sliding into an autocracy.
Sorry, I didn't realize that this was a different question than the one I answered. In the new introduction to the book, I noted our dangerous drift away from democracy and toward autocracy or some form of authoritarianism, and I wrote about ways I would modify my thesis in that light. However, I know of no other answer to autocracy, etc. than the voice of We the People, well-organized and disciplined and aimed at calling OUR democracy back. So in that sense, I would not change the book's main thesis: We the People MUST learn to talk to each other, lest those who would turn us into a non-democracy succeed in their clear aim of dividing and conquering us by setting us against one another. Do I think we can bring everyone into this conversation? No. Do I think we can bring a majority of Americans into this conversation? Yes. The polls suggest that that's the case. If there's another way to save our democracy, I'd like to know about it, but I see nothing in history that points in that direction.
P.S. You might like to see this article I wrote in early 2016, 8 months before the general election that put this dangerous man into the White House. The early signs of autocracy, etc. were very clear to me: https://onbeing.org/blog/will-fascism-trump-democracy/
Mr Palmer, thank you for your reply, and the link to your prior article about Trump bringing facism to America. You, certainly, nailed the situation we are now facing.
With Trump's second term, and the speed of his destruction of our government, and rule of law, I do fear for the future of democracy. Will we have free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028? I believe that the continued voter suppression, via removal of people from the voter rolls, and the recently passed SAVE Act, along with the volumes of disinformation,
and infusion of big money are biggest problems for the continuation of democracy. (I am attaching a link to one of my favorite podcasts, about the reason Trump won)
I'm a lifelong Democrat. I care about protecting the rights of everyone. This has motivated me to go door to door, and to volunteer in the campaign office, every election since Obama's 2007 Primary, either as Canvass Captain or running the office.
In the past, we only canvass Democrats, Independents, and Republicans that once voted Democrat. Maybe, next time, we should start going to the doors of Republican voter's, to, at least, try to have a meaningful conversation.
These conversations are becoming more difficult everyday. I just heard a person ask someone if they still supported Trump, if so what does he like about him. The man responded that he thinks Trump is a forward thinker, and gave the example of his support of the mass deportation.
I believe that these are the "hearts" that need broken open.
Unfortunately, there are no Trump supporters in my class.
Thanks so much, Carol. I do believe, as you suggest, that we liberals and progressives need to extend our outreach to the independents and conservatives who are available for creative conversations. I’ve been doing that, and I’m finding it promising.
Thanks for the lifeline, and reminder of what I most deeply know to be true. It's too easy to despair right now, and we need these reminders, maybe more than anything else. Not courage in a bottle, but courage in the stars, among whom, from whom, and in our own way as whom, we live and breathe.
Parker … as always … your words bring such great wisdom and comfort! Thank you for sharing yourself with us. I would love to share community with you. 🩷
Thank you. I need to hear this regularly. My Quaker roots remind me that in order to stand for justice, peace, integrity and love I must stay "centered" or grounded in the eternal.
Hello Parker J. Palmer. Your Let Your Life Speak book was one of those that nudged me toward studying Quakerism. I am so happy to see you on Substack! We are a different sort of group here. I hope you enjoy your stay. :)
In the Light, @Mmerikani.
Indeed- healing the heart of democracy - we the people- means action.
Just discovered you dear Parker J. Palmer. What a breath of fresh air, thank you!
American Nationalism is the opposite of fascism, it is not based on race, color, creed or national origin.
American Nationalism requires foreign born people to renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which they have heretofore been a subject or citizen.
If they come here illegally and break our laws they should be deported and never allowed to return.
God Bless the United States.
We ARE stardust. Thanks for reminding folks, dear Parker.
Your first post gets my blood flowing, Parker! You validate my involvement, and that of millions, in the Indivisible movement. We must focus on the power of community in protecting democracy. We expected 500 to show up for our Hands Off! march and rally. More than 1,500 showed up in our reddish High Country part of North Carolina.
Good that you’re here on Substack. Pretty soon, Facebook would be branding you an 86-yo revolutionary and banning you!
Thank you for “coming back” to your important availability. I have never been interested in joining FB.
Absolutely beautiful response!
PARKER PALMER on Substack! My heart is full. You’ve been an inspiration to me for more than three decades! I’m a teacher, community school coordinator from Canada. Our Professional Development program was STEEPED in your work and “The Courage to Teach”. The best! So glad you are here. You, and others like Nel Noddings, Margaret Wheatley & Roland Barth, shaped my whole career:) 🩷
Now I write and speak and facilitate workshops and have a podcast, all on community, love and how we can foster these things, and focus on them more, in order to be happier, healthier and more connected. To thrive! Healthy, connected communities, mean a healthy, connected society!
Thanks brother
Thank you, Stephen. Welcome aboard!
Thank you for choosing to share your big mind and bigger heart with us on SubStack!
Thanks , Parker, you have kept inspiring me whenever I’ve needed a kick. I thank God Sue Jones gave me “A Hidden Wholeness” some 25 years ago.
Thanks so much, Alan. Sue Jones was a saint, and I'm so glad she gave you that book.
I'm currently taking a course involving your book "Healing the Heart of Democracy". I see that the book was originally published in 2011. What I'm wondering is, in this 2024 edition, did you rewrite/update the entire book, or just add the new Introduction?
Mr Parker, thanks for "liking" my question; however, I REALLY would like the answer to my question.
The reason I ask, is that the political environment has dramatically changed, for the worse, from 2011 to 2024. At the present, our democracy is quickly sliding into an autocracy.
Sorry, I didn't realize that this was a different question than the one I answered. In the new introduction to the book, I noted our dangerous drift away from democracy and toward autocracy or some form of authoritarianism, and I wrote about ways I would modify my thesis in that light. However, I know of no other answer to autocracy, etc. than the voice of We the People, well-organized and disciplined and aimed at calling OUR democracy back. So in that sense, I would not change the book's main thesis: We the People MUST learn to talk to each other, lest those who would turn us into a non-democracy succeed in their clear aim of dividing and conquering us by setting us against one another. Do I think we can bring everyone into this conversation? No. Do I think we can bring a majority of Americans into this conversation? Yes. The polls suggest that that's the case. If there's another way to save our democracy, I'd like to know about it, but I see nothing in history that points in that direction.
P.S. You might like to see this article I wrote in early 2016, 8 months before the general election that put this dangerous man into the White House. The early signs of autocracy, etc. were very clear to me: https://onbeing.org/blog/will-fascism-trump-democracy/
Mr Palmer, thank you for your reply, and the link to your prior article about Trump bringing facism to America. You, certainly, nailed the situation we are now facing.
With Trump's second term, and the speed of his destruction of our government, and rule of law, I do fear for the future of democracy. Will we have free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028? I believe that the continued voter suppression, via removal of people from the voter rolls, and the recently passed SAVE Act, along with the volumes of disinformation,
and infusion of big money are biggest problems for the continuation of democracy. (I am attaching a link to one of my favorite podcasts, about the reason Trump won)
I'm a lifelong Democrat. I care about protecting the rights of everyone. This has motivated me to go door to door, and to volunteer in the campaign office, every election since Obama's 2007 Primary, either as Canvass Captain or running the office.
In the past, we only canvass Democrats, Independents, and Republicans that once voted Democrat. Maybe, next time, we should start going to the doors of Republican voter's, to, at least, try to have a meaningful conversation.
These conversations are becoming more difficult everyday. I just heard a person ask someone if they still supported Trump, if so what does he like about him. The man responded that he thinks Trump is a forward thinker, and gave the example of his support of the mass deportation.
I believe that these are the "hearts" that need broken open.
Unfortunately, there are no Trump supporters in my class.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-feds/id1456045551?i=1000678511774
Thanks so much, Carol. I do believe, as you suggest, that we liberals and progressives need to extend our outreach to the independents and conservatives who are available for creative conversations. I’ve been doing that, and I’m finding it promising.
Hi, Carol. I did not update the entire book in 2024, but added a chapter-length introduction written than year.
If you were writing the book today, would you have different thoughts?
Thanks for the lifeline, and reminder of what I most deeply know to be true. It's too easy to despair right now, and we need these reminders, maybe more than anything else. Not courage in a bottle, but courage in the stars, among whom, from whom, and in our own way as whom, we live and breathe.
Thank you, Leigh. I love what you say here about "courage in the stars!"
Parker … as always … your words bring such great wisdom and comfort! Thank you for sharing yourself with us. I would love to share community with you. 🩷
Thanks so much, Patricia. What would we do without community?
Thank you. I need to hear this regularly. My Quaker roots remind me that in order to stand for justice, peace, integrity and love I must stay "centered" or grounded in the eternal.
Thank you, Dale. Like you, I need to return to that root system regularly.