Deep Something

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Looking Back at 2025: A Year of Loss, Resolve, and Reckoning

February 11, 2026February 11, 2026 B. John 74 Views 0 Comments Stoicism, Resilience, Civic Engagement, Reflection, grief, aging, Reinvention, Intentional Living

At 66, I did not expect 2025 to take as much as it did. My mother died. I lost my job. Certain illusions about stability quietly disappeared. It was not a year of fireworks or easy victories. It was a year of subtraction. And yet, beneath the loss, something steadier emerged: clarity. About health. About purpose. About what still matters when titles and timelines fall away.
If 2025 was the year of endurance, 2026 must be the year of intention. Fewer illusions. More intention. The road continues. In this year-end reflection, I write honestly about grief, layoffs, aging, civic resolve, and the discipline of choosing steadiness anyway. I hope you’ll read the full piece and walk a little of that road with me.

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When Elected Officials Skip the Phone Call and Go Straight to the Pitchfork

February 5, 2026February 5, 2026 B. John 61 Views 0 Comments education policy, Hillsborough County, DeSantis administration, ICE protest, fact-checking, school governance, Civic Engagement, Florida Politics, Student walkout

Apparently, in Florida politics, the due-diligence phase has been replaced by vibes, outrage, and a quick dash to social media. Two Hillsborough County Republican legislators worked themselves into a moral panic over students protesting ICE at a local high school — and then skipped the most basic step of governance: checking the facts. Instead of making a phone call, they fired off a letter demanding an investigation and the permanent revocation of a principal’s educator license. Because when you hear something alarming, why verify it when you can threaten someone’s career instead?

Here’s the inconvenient truth they missed: the protest happened after instructional time. Not during class. Not instead of math or English. After. That small detail didn’t stop Florida’s education commissioner — a hand-picked appointee of the governor — from piling on with a scolding warning about “diverting students from instruction.” Strong language, zero curiosity. What followed wasn’t leadership or oversight. It was performative outrage, public intimidation, and a clear message to educators and students alike: civic engagement is welcome only when it stays quiet, invisible, and politically convenient.

Politics Religion Society

The Universal Liturgy: Civic Duty as the Fruit of Faith

February 5, 2026 B. John 85 Views 0 Comments public square, Civic Engagement, social holiness, moral responsibility, Wesleyan theology, faith and democracy, justice and compassion

What if voting, showing up at a council meeting, or speaking up for a neighbor weren’t just civic responsibilities, but acts of faith? Many of us treat spirituality as a private matter, safely contained within the walls of a sanctuary. But across religious traditions, the message is consistent: faith that never enters the public square is incomplete.

From John Wesley’s insistence on social holiness, to the prophets’ demand for justice, to Eastern teachings on interconnectedness, belief is proven through action. Civic life is where compassion becomes concrete, and values are tested. Read the full essay to explore why civic engagement may be the most honest expression of faith we have right now.

Featured Politics Constitution Presidency

Patrimonialism: When the State Becomes a Business

July 14, 2025July 14, 2025 B. John 883 Views 1 Comment Resistance, Corruption, Authoritarianism, Constitutional Crisis, Trump Administration, Patrimonialism, Civic Engagement

Donald Trump’s second term has brought a dangerous shift in governance—what experts call patrimonialism, where loyalty and personal enrichment take precedence over law and accountability. This essay explores how this system threatens the foundations of American democracy, drawing on historical lessons, constitutional principles, and the growing resistance movements across the country. But it also offers hope—and a roadmap for action.