Combine w Boston. Could do one in city and one out here in metroWest. My church is in Wellesley, we would host. Wellesley Books is great indie store, we often work w them.
We would love to see you up in Flagstaff AZ also. We have a wonderful independent bookstore (Bright Side Bookshop) and a lot of great churches. A couple of churches which might be interested in hosting you are, Episcopal Church of the Epiphany and Flagstaff Federated Community Church.
I really enjoyed this issue of your newsletter. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your gift of writing. Actually, I enjoy all of your newsletters.
I like your message about love, that we´re called to do something more than "win." But I´m having trouble squaring that message of depolarization with what your wrote later on about countering "noxious lies about Haitian immigrants." Don´t get me wrong -- I don´t mean to hate on the Haitians. Still, if we´re going to do more than win we´ll have to find to speak to rather than demonize those who have concerns about immigration. Otherwise we may win but we won´t love.
(Hope I don´t come off as obnoxiously contrary. All of my friends are all in with Kamala and, weirdly, I find myself out of synch. Not that I like Trump. But there´s an itty-bitty part of me that thinks Trump might be preferable to Kamala. It´s something I´m in the closet about. If people knew I´d be crucified, so to speak. People would have trouble continuing to be friends with me. They´d think I was a bad person. It´s a difficult place to be so I´m having trouble with it. Can I dislike Kamala and still be an OK guy? Is there a place for me in this online congregation of love?)
Where did I demonize those who have concerns about immigration? One can—and ought to—identify and name untruths, and one can do so—I think I did so—without demonizing.
I'd be curious to know why you think Trump might be preferable to Kamala. For me, elections aren't about liking or disliking someone. They're about making choices that, given two less-than-perfect candidates, will be better, in my view, not just for me but also for my neighbors.
Regardless of how you vote, indeed regardless of what anyone does, I believe everyone is a beloved child of God. So you need not fear in that regard.
Why do I dislike Kamala? For starters, there´s the lying. Here are three lies, all from the recent debate.
(1) Kamala implied that Trump supported neo-nazis when he said "there are good people on both sides." He did not. In fact, Trump specifically said that he was not referring to neo-nazis and white supremacists.
(2) Kamala implied that Trump was referring to literal human bloodshed when he used the word "bloodbath." Again, not true. Trump used the word bloodbath metaphorically to refer to a financial meltdown.
(3) Kamala repeated the lie about Trump saying people should inject Bleach. He said no such thing. The "disinfectent" Trump was talking about was part of the spectrum of light.
Kamala made it sound like Trump was a madman for saying that Haitian immigrants were eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio. But the fact is that some Haitians do eat dogs and cats. Some Haitians sacriface animals as part of Voodoo rituals. So if they do it in Haita, is it really such a reach to think they´ve taken their customs with them here? There is some video evidence that it´s happening. I realize this is an uncomfortable situation. We want to support the Haitian people. I do! Certainly this is a vulnerable population that deserves our compassion. But the truth is the truth. If the media can lie and say that Trump is telling people to inject Bleach, why should I trust what they say about the Springfield story?
Now, Trump is no truthteller. But if Kamala is going to demonize Trump for lying she should be careful not to do the same herself.
It's fascinating to me to read "Trump is no truthteller. But..." I do wonder whether you're holding Kamala Harris to a different bar than you're using for Donald Trump.
As far as your comments about Haitians: The ease with which you dismiss the testimony of the officials in Springfield, Ohio, and trot out "some Haitians..." is troubling, as is your assertion that there is "some video evidence" that it is happening. Every credible source has said that the video evidence that is being posted on social media is incorrect; the most common piece of video was an American-born woman in another city in Ohio who was misleadingly and incorrectly identified as Haitian.
Finally: Some Americans do horrendous things; do you wish to be tarnished in the same way?
I think the news source you listen to is one sided. How many lies did Trump tell in the debate? I've seen articles that say 162. So if you are not going to vote for Harris because of 3 lies, then there is a disconnect there. And there is a reason why neo nazis like Trump, look at the people attending his rallies. He has shared meals with them too. Maybe do more research from different news sources than those on the right? I have I've seen the video about him saying there is good people on both sides, who else would he be talking about? I understand not liking Harris though, I'm not a huge fan of her, but the thought of having another 4 years of trump scares me. Project 2025 scares me. I know he has distanced himself from it, but then he was the key note speaker of the National Heritage foundation. People that served with him during the first 4 years wrote it. So I don't believe him. Anyway, I wish we had someone better to choose from.
I think what’s missing in your comment is the difference between a thoughtful discussion about immigration reform and the lies that are being told about the Haitian immigrants. These Haitians are here legally and they aren’t doing the pet eating and crime that others are saying. So that’s a lie in my book. It’s actually harmful. When I have listened to the town there and hear about the bomb threat I can only imagine how the children in that town feel. Not to mention too. The fear in the immigration community! So yes, we should have good healthy debate about immigration but let’s not tell
Lies to bolster the argument. That’s not fair and not nice.
I'm sure you already have Bay Area bookstores you're a fan of, but I've partnered quite a bit with A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland. Happy to connect you with Kathleen, the owner. I'm also happy to host something, interview you, or brainstorm options in the greater Bay Area. Lots of great bookstores, people, and churches here.
Olympia Washington is a lovely city, an hour or so from Seattle. Browser’s Bookshop is owned by one of my parishioners and I’d happily make an introduction. And this ELCA pastor would also happily welcome you as preacher were you to journey this way!
We have a great Indie bookstore here in Waco, Texas -Fabled. They host many authors and might be a good choice for your book. https://fabledbookshop.com/ Elizabeth is the book buyer.
Washington DC would love to see you! Solid State Books on H St NE would be a great choice. And Busboys and Poets (many DMV locations) sells books and hosts author events all the time. And of course the venerable Politics and Prose (not only in Upper Caucasia, but also on the Warf and Union Market) would be a good choice.
When you’re in the Bay Area (I’m assuming you mean San Francisco), there’s a wonderful independent bookstore in Orinda, in the East Bay area, Orinda Books. They have an active book talk program and your book would fit their program nicely.
NYC vote! …in addition to the Farmary for those of us without cars.
Working on it.
Salt Lake City vote!
I did a reading at the King's English in 2013! Great bookstore.
Cape Cod, please!
Where on the Cape are you?
Combine w Boston. Could do one in city and one out here in metroWest. My church is in Wellesley, we would host. Wellesley Books is great indie store, we often work w them.
I’m in Falmouth! I bet Titcomb’s or Eight Cousins would do an event. Or another independent bookstore deeper down Cape!
Tucson, AZ! Or even Phoenix, I would make the drive :) Anything outside of the brutal summer months is absolutely lovely here.
Portland Oregon!
Yes, Portland please! Here’s a possible independent book store:
https://annieblooms.com
Prescott AZ. Peregrine Books is our local indie bookstore. We've got a good farmers market and a lively music scene :-)
I had to look at a map to know where Prescott is!
You can stop here and then take yourself up to the Grand Canyon!😁
We would love to see you up in Flagstaff AZ also. We have a wonderful independent bookstore (Bright Side Bookshop) and a lot of great churches. A couple of churches which might be interested in hosting you are, Episcopal Church of the Epiphany and Flagstaff Federated Community Church.
I really enjoyed this issue of your newsletter. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your gift of writing. Actually, I enjoy all of your newsletters.
I like your message about love, that we´re called to do something more than "win." But I´m having trouble squaring that message of depolarization with what your wrote later on about countering "noxious lies about Haitian immigrants." Don´t get me wrong -- I don´t mean to hate on the Haitians. Still, if we´re going to do more than win we´ll have to find to speak to rather than demonize those who have concerns about immigration. Otherwise we may win but we won´t love.
(Hope I don´t come off as obnoxiously contrary. All of my friends are all in with Kamala and, weirdly, I find myself out of synch. Not that I like Trump. But there´s an itty-bitty part of me that thinks Trump might be preferable to Kamala. It´s something I´m in the closet about. If people knew I´d be crucified, so to speak. People would have trouble continuing to be friends with me. They´d think I was a bad person. It´s a difficult place to be so I´m having trouble with it. Can I dislike Kamala and still be an OK guy? Is there a place for me in this online congregation of love?)
Where did I demonize those who have concerns about immigration? One can—and ought to—identify and name untruths, and one can do so—I think I did so—without demonizing.
I'd be curious to know why you think Trump might be preferable to Kamala. For me, elections aren't about liking or disliking someone. They're about making choices that, given two less-than-perfect candidates, will be better, in my view, not just for me but also for my neighbors.
Regardless of how you vote, indeed regardless of what anyone does, I believe everyone is a beloved child of God. So you need not fear in that regard.
Why do I dislike Kamala? For starters, there´s the lying. Here are three lies, all from the recent debate.
(1) Kamala implied that Trump supported neo-nazis when he said "there are good people on both sides." He did not. In fact, Trump specifically said that he was not referring to neo-nazis and white supremacists.
(2) Kamala implied that Trump was referring to literal human bloodshed when he used the word "bloodbath." Again, not true. Trump used the word bloodbath metaphorically to refer to a financial meltdown.
(3) Kamala repeated the lie about Trump saying people should inject Bleach. He said no such thing. The "disinfectent" Trump was talking about was part of the spectrum of light.
Kamala made it sound like Trump was a madman for saying that Haitian immigrants were eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio. But the fact is that some Haitians do eat dogs and cats. Some Haitians sacriface animals as part of Voodoo rituals. So if they do it in Haita, is it really such a reach to think they´ve taken their customs with them here? There is some video evidence that it´s happening. I realize this is an uncomfortable situation. We want to support the Haitian people. I do! Certainly this is a vulnerable population that deserves our compassion. But the truth is the truth. If the media can lie and say that Trump is telling people to inject Bleach, why should I trust what they say about the Springfield story?
Now, Trump is no truthteller. But if Kamala is going to demonize Trump for lying she should be careful not to do the same herself.
It's fascinating to me to read "Trump is no truthteller. But..." I do wonder whether you're holding Kamala Harris to a different bar than you're using for Donald Trump.
As far as your comments about Haitians: The ease with which you dismiss the testimony of the officials in Springfield, Ohio, and trot out "some Haitians..." is troubling, as is your assertion that there is "some video evidence" that it is happening. Every credible source has said that the video evidence that is being posted on social media is incorrect; the most common piece of video was an American-born woman in another city in Ohio who was misleadingly and incorrectly identified as Haitian.
Finally: Some Americans do horrendous things; do you wish to be tarnished in the same way?
oh well...I tried.
I think the news source you listen to is one sided. How many lies did Trump tell in the debate? I've seen articles that say 162. So if you are not going to vote for Harris because of 3 lies, then there is a disconnect there. And there is a reason why neo nazis like Trump, look at the people attending his rallies. He has shared meals with them too. Maybe do more research from different news sources than those on the right? I have I've seen the video about him saying there is good people on both sides, who else would he be talking about? I understand not liking Harris though, I'm not a huge fan of her, but the thought of having another 4 years of trump scares me. Project 2025 scares me. I know he has distanced himself from it, but then he was the key note speaker of the National Heritage foundation. People that served with him during the first 4 years wrote it. So I don't believe him. Anyway, I wish we had someone better to choose from.
I think what’s missing in your comment is the difference between a thoughtful discussion about immigration reform and the lies that are being told about the Haitian immigrants. These Haitians are here legally and they aren’t doing the pet eating and crime that others are saying. So that’s a lie in my book. It’s actually harmful. When I have listened to the town there and hear about the bomb threat I can only imagine how the children in that town feel. Not to mention too. The fear in the immigration community! So yes, we should have good healthy debate about immigration but let’s not tell
Lies to bolster the argument. That’s not fair and not nice.
I'm sure you already have Bay Area bookstores you're a fan of, but I've partnered quite a bit with A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland. Happy to connect you with Kathleen, the owner. I'm also happy to host something, interview you, or brainstorm options in the greater Bay Area. Lots of great bookstores, people, and churches here.
Great Good Place for Books has already agreed to be the bookseller at an event we already have planned. Good thinking!
Boston!! Brookline Booksmith is a great place to go.
Traverse City!
Olympia Washington is a lovely city, an hour or so from Seattle. Browser’s Bookshop is owned by one of my parishioners and I’d happily make an introduction. And this ELCA pastor would also happily welcome you as preacher were you to journey this way!
Agreed that Olympia is lovely and midway between Portland and Seattle.
Co-sign for Browers! Fantastic shop.
It’s a long shot 😊 but Indiana’s largest independent bookstore is Morganstern’s here in Bloomington and we’d love to have you!
We have a great Indie bookstore here in Waco, Texas -Fabled. They host many authors and might be a good choice for your book. https://fabledbookshop.com/ Elizabeth is the book buyer.
Hi Jeff, Thank you for another article that makes me think and deepen my faith.
Regarding book tour… come to Newtown , Pa. About 30 minutes outside of Phila.
Newtown Bookshop
2120 S. Eagle Road
Newtown, PA 18940
Great independent owned bookstore featuring authors and work groups
Washington DC would love to see you! Solid State Books on H St NE would be a great choice. And Busboys and Poets (many DMV locations) sells books and hosts author events all the time. And of course the venerable Politics and Prose (not only in Upper Caucasia, but also on the Warf and Union Market) would be a good choice.
When you’re in the Bay Area (I’m assuming you mean San Francisco), there’s a wonderful independent bookstore in Orinda, in the East Bay area, Orinda Books. They have an active book talk program and your book would fit their program nicely.