The Century of the Common Man - When?

​Mon, Jul 14, is Bastille Day in France. I was reading an influential political pamphlet published in January 1789, shortly before the outbreak of the French Revolution, by the French writer and clergyman Abbé Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès called, "What is the Third Estate?" In the pamphlet, Sieyès argues that the third estate – the common people of France – constituted a complete nation within itself, providing in the end all the men necessary to man the army, to staff the churches, to administer the law, and every other operation of society. It therefore had no need of the dead weight of the two other orders – the first and second estates of the, respectively, clergy and aristocracy.

I remember that back in the 1940's or 50's in America there was a Democrat named​ Henry Wallace who​ warned us about Fascism taking over America. It was a harbinger of what is happening now.​ He wrote a book in which he described the middle class as disadvantaged because their time was adsorbed by making a living for their families and they could not possibly have all of the unbiased information to make the best choice of their representatives in the government because of the greed for power and influence and money in the political arena. ​He warned us from the grave about the MAGA movement that is presently trying to take over America. It was a harbinger of what's happening now.

Henry A. Wallace was a prominent American politician from Iowa, serving as Franklin D. Roosevelt's Vice President (1941-1945) and later as Secretary of Commerce. He was indeed a progressive Democrat with strong views on the "common man" and the dangers of concentrated power and wealth.

While he wrote numerous articles, speeches, and books, the book that most directly addresses themes similar to what is happening right now, particularly concerns about forces that could mislead or subjugate the "common man" by manipulating information and power, is "The Danger of American Fascism," published in 1944.

In this work, and in many of his speeches (like "The Century of the Common Man"), Wallace expressed concerns about:

The poisoning of channels of public information: He feared that certain groups with a lust for money and power would "poison the channels of public information" to deceive the public.  He stated, "With a fascist the problem is never how best to present the truth to the public but how best to use the news to deceive the public into giving the fascist and his group more money or more power."

The common man's struggle against powerful interests: He argued that the ultimate objective of these forces was "to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection."

The manipulation of patriotism: He noted that such groups "claim to be super-patriots, but they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution."

"The American fascist would prefer not to use violence. His method is to poison the channels of public information. With a fascist the problem is never how best to present the truth to the public but how best to use the news to deceive the public into giving the fascist and his group more money or more power." (From "The Danger of American Fascism")

"If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are undoubtedly several million fascists in the United States." (Also from "The Danger of American Fascism")

"Their final objective, toward which all their deceit is directed, is to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection." (From "The Danger of American Fascism")

From his famous 1942 speech, "The Century of the Common Man," he spoke about the importance of education and the ability of people to "read and think and talk things over" as essential for freedom, implicitly recognizing that barriers to this could hinder true democracy.

Wallace's concerns were deeply rooted in his observations of economic power, monopolistic practices, and the rise of fascism in the 1930s and 40s, and he saw these as threats to the well-being and informed participation of the general populace, or what might be termed the "middle class."

​Henry A. Wallace was a believer in God and the truth. May God bless him. 

In the end ​"You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32)

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A wilderness of mirrors...

​We live in a world where fantasy and reality blur in a wilderness of mirrors.

In reality the little things that bite us are often worse than the big things.

The big things are the hands we are dealt and have no choice but to play.

The little things, however, are like pesky flies or death from a thousand cuts.

I have committed sins, made repentances, and done good deeds, and

It won't be long before I take my leave of earthly struggle with circumstances.

I am made from the dreams of my ancestors, their DNA is in my blood.

I carry their traditions, habits, and taboos in my heart of hearts.

I was awakened to consciousness at the moment of my birth and at my death

I will be planted like a seed waiting to sprout again, and, at such time,

Like a meadowlark rising at dawn, I will fly up toward the eternal blue sky,

To sing hymns at Heaven's gate and seek an entrance to Paradise,

I hope to conquer death in the manner of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

By the favor and will of Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

M​ay His Kingdom come and His will be done,​ on Earth as it is in Heaven. 

Amen!   (Bob Mrotek 2025) 

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The Peace and Camaraderie of Heaven

 In the Mongolian Teng religion dating back to Genghis Khan,

"Heaven" is referred to with reverence as "The Eternal Blue Sky."

This folk religion believes the purpose of life is to be in harmony with the universe.

The "Blue Sky" reference is reflected in the flag of Ukraine,

With blue sky above and the reflection of the sun below, 

as a field of golden yellow sunflowers.

In my dreams and in my prayers, I long for the peace and camaraderie of Heaven.

In Heaven, there will be no yesterday and no tomorrow—there will only be peace.

It is a place to forget about time, and never be early, or late, or lost.

There will be no regrets from the past, nor worry about the future.

In my dreams, my hope for The Eternal Blue Sky comes alive.

There are two places where hope is alive, and two places where hope is absent.

Hope exists here on Earth as an expectation based on faith in the Resurrection.

According to Dante Alighieri, and the teachings of the Christian faith,

There is also hope of a heavenly reward after an expiation of sins in Purgatory.

However, there is no hope in Hell, where it is too late for expiation.

There is also no hope in Heaven—because we no longer need it once we are there.

In my dreams and in my prayers, I long for the peace and camaraderie of Heaven.

The Prophet Muhammad said, "Heaven lies at the feet of your mother."

I long to sit at the feet of my mother again—and my father.

And like Reb Tevye in the "Fiddler on the Roof" song, "Tradition,"

To sit with the learned men would be one of the sweetest things of all.

In the Gospel of John 21:9 to 21:13, Jesus cooked breakfast for the apostles.

That is the camaraderie I seek...To have breakfast with Jesus. Amen

(Bob Mrotek 2025)

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On the Road to “Heaven Only Knows Where"

On the road to "Heaven only knows where," everything is temporary.
When reality comes crashing down and breaks through the ceiling of my fever dream,
The pain of anxiety is almost unbearable, and yet I must bear it—
Like Jacob Marley wears the chains that he forged in life.
Nothing can defend against the pain of existing.
Life is uncertain, to say the least.

There are billions of people on this planet, and
We all have our issues,
But somehow life goes on
And things get more or less sorted out.
It is an up-and-down journey.
One mountain in our way hides another,
And the next unto the farthest beckons.

No one knows exactly which path they are on,
And no one knows where that path will take them.
You and I and everyone else will come
To an untimely Earthly end—
Someday, somewhere, somehow.
In the meantime,
We must keep the faith
That this isn't all there is to life, if you believe in God.
Keep peace in your heart,
And be not afraid.

Just do all the good you can,
By all the means that you can,
In all the ways that you can,
In all the places that you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people that you can,
As long as you are able.

When people have nothing to look forward to with confidence,
They seek something or someone to feed their sense of well‑being—
Be it athletics,
Or intoxicating substances,
Or sexual promiscuity,
Or political ideologies—
Including those espousing racism,
Misogyny, machismo, homophobia,
Or fanatical religious exclusivism.
It is God, our Heavenly Father who created us all,
That they should be turning to. 

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Don't go back to sleep!

 While civilizations come and go the truth remains unchanged and unchangeable. 
At the end of the line nothing survives intact but the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 
Anything other than what is true has no permanent existence and therefore will never really be true, but will be, a fading untruth for it has no basis in fact.
The created universe is the registration in the physical world by an immutable and eternal metaphysical Creator.
God is unchanging in His character, Hill will, and His promises. 
St.​ James (1:17), put it like this: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” 
The early breeze at dawn is our wake-up call from God's Holy Spirit.
Don't go back to sleep! That is when ​we are most vulnerable​ to “acedia" (sloth).
The Lord loves an early riser who acknowledges the promise of the Resurrection.
The line of communication is always open to Our Father in Heaven, the "One" who rules the Universe and to Him and through Him we are all connected through Jesus Christ.
Call on Him and He will answer you and reveal to you who you are in relation to Him and guide you on the correct path with the insight and the light of the Divine Presence.

(Bob Mrotek 2025)

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Life is today!

 

Life is today! Death is yesterday. Tomorrow is hope.

Hope is expectation reinforced by faith.

Faith stands between doubt and certainty.

Without doubt there would be no need for faith.

Without faith, there is no hope, just empty desire.

The Guru guides the lost along the right path.

The word Guru is from the Advaya Taraka Upanishad

The syllable gu means shadows.

The syllable ru, a person who disperses them,

Because of the power to disperse darkness,

The Guru is thus named. My Guru is Jesus Christ.

Above all else expect the unexpected.

The only real constant on earth is change,

And, as the ancients say, "This too shall pass away."

In order to deal with uncertainty we need to maintain

An equilibrium between well being and tradition.

The old ways can be good, or bad, and so too, the new.

The first Rule of Civilization is Peace, the Ethics of which is

Kant's “Categorical Imperative" and the Morality of which

is "Do unto others what you would have them do to you,"

The Golden Rule that Jesus taught His Disciples (Matthew 7:12)

Keep Peace in your heart...always!  

(Bob Mrotek 2025)

Oh my soul...

 Christian spirituality is to love God, and strive to do His will,

And learn to accept His choices without complaining.

Knock on His door in supplication with every beat of your heart.

He may not always give us what we want but He always gives us

What He deems best according to His will and His eternal plan.

The Lord says, "Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you

Great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremia 33:3)

Then I heard the Lord say, "Whom shall I send? Who will be

Our messenger?" I answered, "I will go! Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

Oh, my soul, perpetual wanderer, companion to my fragile body

Where will you lead me now? Please take me to kingdom come,

God's will be done, to remain there in peace forever.

(Bob Mrotek 2025) 

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Just do it!

In periods when there is an authoritative geopolitical tumult,
​Initiated by a doofus ignoramus and his cohortes,
It is time to make way for the chariot of equilibrium.
And listen to the rumbling of the wheels and the grumbling
Of the people who are on their way to vacate the thrones
And re-establish the government of, by, and for the people.
No earthly power can halt the people on the​ march.
It is a majority who will rule peacefully with respect for
Their loyal opposition who provide a balance of perspectives.
Together they will remove the dung blocking the path forward,
Left by the horses of the self-proclaimed high and mighty.
Now is the time for all good citizens to save their democracy.
Rules should be enacted through representatives by two means:
The Categorical Imperative and the Golden Rule.
First by reason and rationality in moral decision making.
Second by empathy and shared prior experiences
That constitute an historical cultural natural order of things.
Make no laws that can't be universally accepted, and  
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind," and
"Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39)
If we really mean "In God we trust," Then we should do so!    

Let Liberty and Justice Prevail

All governments suffer from a recurring problem.

Power attracts pathological personalities.

It is not that power is what corrupts, but

Power is like a magnet to the corruptible.

There is nothing new under the sun.

It's been that way from the beginning. 

It was that way in the past, it is that way now, 

And it will be that way in the future, maybe, 

But only if we let Liberty and Justice die. 

Remembering the past is not much different 

Than imagining the future if the cycle be unbroken.

"But if my people, who are called by my name, 

Will humble themselves and pray and 

Seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, 

Then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sins 

And I will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

(Bob Mrotek 2025)

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Hello Someday!

Being is, and non-being is not.

Becoming is not the passage from not-being to being. 

But from being in potentiality to being in reality.  

Good news! I woke up this morning in my right mind!

Most of my life I was plagued by an inner voice that said 

"Someday you are going to die and all of this shall pass away." 

Then today I woke up very early and I said to myself:

"Do you want to be thinking about dying on your last day on earth?"

I answered myself: 

"Hell no! I would rather be thinking about life eternal!" 

So, when that last day finally comes, what more can I say 

Other than, "Hello Someday," and beyond?

Quietly I lie down on the bed again and fall asleep 

Because the Lord put me in my right mind.

Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is a maybe.

What I do today I must do like life depended on it. 

(Bob Mrotek 2025) 

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