Assume the Good Will of Others

By Charlie Johnston, founder of CORAC

One of the most deeply damaging psychoses of the modern world is to automatically assume the bad will of others when they disagree with you. Except for occasional crabby moments, I have always assumed the good will of all I meet – until they prove me otherwise. It has served me well. Many people who started off having animated words with me have become friends. A few are even close confidantes.

Decades ago, when I was a young local political columnist, I was seated next to the wife of a sometimes-controversial county Republican chairman. We were having a nice, lively chat when she started gushing about how much she and her husband loved my work. I thought it was probably true because they had refused to even talk to anyone from my group of newspapers before I came on the scene, but I was a bit puzzled. I asked her why that was, when I had probably criticized her husband more than any other single reporter in our market area. She was baffled for a moment and then earnestly said, “But you always treat us like real people instead of some evil cartoon. When you criticize, Bob (her husband) thinks of how to improve rather than how to get back at you. And you’re a lot of fun.” It pleased me and reinforced one of my central ideas from the time I started writing: never lose sight of the humanity of the people you cover.

I would have a much harder time of it today. In those days, believing that most people in authority wanted to do the best they could, but often stumbled, was a lot easier than today when so many – particularly on the left – think any vicious thing is justified in the pursuit of raw power. Even so, looking for the best in people until they prove they are hell-bent on the worst often brings out the best in them and serves as a nice cushion for what are merely stumbles.

Unfortunately the old Saturday Night Live running sketch, “Point-Counterpoint,” while comedy then, has proved to be prophetic in foreshadowing the modern style of public debate (though usually without the piercing wit).

In better times insults and ‘gotchas’ were primarily the province of dull-witted lowlifes who lacked the intellectual bandwidth to come up with a coherent argument. (I do not speak here of the cutting witty banter that has been an art form for ages). On a rough day, anyone could resort to toxic banter – but anyone with any breeding would have the wit and honor to apologize. And a real apology, at that, not some feeble attempt to mollify an angry mob. Today, such venomous banter is the norm. It is a great poverty.

Certainly, when times get harder people’s tempers get shorter. Heaven knows with inflation running rampant, food shortages looming, and winds of war whipping up around the globe, times have gotten much harder and people’s tempers much shorter, fueled by real anxiety for what the future of these dystopian times can possibly hold. Yet we are called by Christ to be the light of the world. We cannot be light while spreading darkness and assuming the worst of those who disagree with us.

Charlie Johnston

FDA Pushes Shot For Babies

On June 15, the FDA gave “emergency use authorization” of the dangerous shot for babies 6 months old to children aged 5, despite the terrible evidence and simple common sense. Over and over, the FDA is proving itself to be an enemy of the people.

Our greatest strategy is to persuade parents not to submit their children to this destructive experiment. Recently, Moderna had to destroy millions of doses of their vaxx because people simply don’t want it. We still have power, despite the ill intentions of government health agencies.

Talk to anyone you know with young children. Make them aware that children are not in danger from covid, the shots don’t work, the plandemic has been over for two years, the shot has dangerous side effects, the manufacturers have no liability for the damage the shot causes, and there is NO long-term safety data. There is absolutely NO reason to be pushing these genealtering drugs on children. Make a cheat sheet with references.

Hands Off Our Children. This was written by Children’s Health Defense before the FDS malfeasance, but skip down to the middle of the article for resources on how to raise awareness.

Tell the FDA Hands Off Our Children >

Kids’ Vaccines Have Terrible Efficacy >

America Is Now the Only Country That Authorizes COVID Shot For Infants >

Clear Warning Signs: Food Supply and Power Grid

Everybody!! Clear warning signs have been sent. The food supply and the power grid are at risk. Do your homework, for goodness sake. This is serious business.

You don’t need to go full apocalypse to be reasonably prepared for known dangers. Cover first things first. Water, food, shelter, medications as needed. I am simply installing screens on my windows so I can get a cross-breeze; rain barrels for water (though we are experiencing a drought just now, they are still filled from spring); and a well-rounded non-perishable food supply that doesn’t depend on refrigeration. See? That’s not high-tech or high-budget. You can go higher-tech if you want to, but time is getting short. Have your preparations made.

Some resources:

The Ultimate Guide to Preparing for a Power Outage >

Summer Blackout – Houston Edition, because you can’t get more miserable than Houston in the summertime! (Well, you can but I couldn’t find a New Orleans edition.)

Food List – CORAC Newsletter April 22, Sustainability section.

Emergency Food Buckets costly but convenient.

The J6 Project

There has been renewed interest in supporting those unconstitutionally held in prison for attending the J6 rally. Many have been imprisoned for more than a year under unlawful conditions. If you’d like to send encouragement and friendship to one of these political prisoners, contact Kristen Martinez at kannmartinez@sbcglobal.net for a name, address and general instructions.

The People’s Convoy

A documentary of the original American People’s Convoy is here > 

If you missed the story this past spring, here’s a concise look at the movement. It’s worth a look to see how many good people there are in this country who believe in the strength of America.

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

Last newsletter, we talked about finding a CSA near you. You can check for your area here. Once you’ve found a CSA you like, schedule a farm tour. All the CSA’s I know of, love to show their farms to subscribers. Invite the people in your CORAC local circle to go with you. You’ll have a grand time, and will build a relationship with a local farmer. You never know when that could prove golden.

Joy. It’s Not Optional

This is an older blog from 2016. That’s so cute; I thought I knew what stress was back then. We need joy more than ever in 2022. There are some solid strategies for cultivating joy in your life, despite circumstances. For a Christian, joy is not optional. Read the articlle >

2000 Mules Left Tracks

American Thinker just published an analysis of the fraud that the movie 2000 Mules uncovered. With his typical wit and deep-dive reflection, Charlie Johnston reviews the evidence now before the American public. Read the article >

How the Vaccines Kill

With each passing day, the news connected to the COVID shots grows worse. The shots don’t prevent COVID, don’t inhibit transmission and the vaccine injuries encompass almost everything that can go wrong with a body. Young people are dropping at such a rate that the medical world is scratching its head, pretending to not understand what could be causing all the damage. Read the article >

Reporting Injury

If you or someone you know has suffered in the aftermath of the vaccine, the best thing you can do for the human community is report it. Our best chance to make sure this doesn’t happen again (a mandatory vaccine that has not been safety-tested) is to have an accurate understanding of the damage. It’s the government’s job to do it, but they won’t, so we must. One place you can report where your information will be treated with respect is Dr. Lee Vliet’s database here >

Defend Your Church

We are all familiar with the threats to Catholic churches by pro-abortion groups, pro-LGBTQ group and general haters. I think it’s a sign we’re doing something right, to be targeted by such people, but that doesn’t mean we should sit still and be abused by them. They have been explicitly warning us for over a month. There is no excuse for not being prepared. Check with your parish men’s groups or Knights of Columbus; if they don’t yet have a plan, make one!

Here’s a sample plan from one of our members:

Obviously, the response to a group of women dressed up as “handmaids” will be different than the response to a potential shooter. The least force to handle the threat, the better.

For unarmed protestors, it would be sufficient for parishioners to block the aisle and form a wall, beyond which the protestors could not move, and gradually move the protestors back to the exit. A prepared community would never allow protestors to approach the altar, threatening both the priest and the Eucharist.

Here is a church security plan from Catholic Mutual, an insurance group >

Another from Homeland Security >

FACE – Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances

The same legislation that prevents pro-lifers from approaching clients at abortion clinic entrances also protects us from angry women disrupting the Mass. They may not “injure, intimidate or interfere with any person lawfully exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”

18 U.S. Code § 248 >

Know that when you defend the sanctity of the Mass from disruption, you have Federal law on your side.

Excerpt From Fr. Frank Pavone

…the Supreme Court is expected to give an unprecedented victory to the pro-life cause by returning to the people and their elected representatives the ability to protect by law our youngest children, those yet in the womb.

To those who have eyes to see, it is clear that we are in a spiritual and moral civil war between good and evil, and between commonsense and insanity. If we dare to name the enemy, we are branded as the enemy, and we are punished as the enemy, both in the civil arena and in the Church. The same cancel culture has infected both arenas.

It is a civil war, and there is no room for neutrality in any profession, walk of life, or facet of the State or the Church. And we who refuse to be neutral or silent must stand together.

Like so many of you, I have a deep and authentic love of the Church and respect for the proper place of authority in the church. But I have no respect for the abuse of authority, and no intention to defer to those who, instead of encouraging God’s people to be vocal and courageous at this unique moment in our history, try to browbeat us into cowardly silence, meanwhile using every kind of spiritual and canonical reason to rationalize this abuse of power.

There is no need for this, no justification. We can all be united in our love for the Church, for the unborn, and for America. Do not be discouraged or deterred, no matter what happens. Let’s stand together, let’s work together, let’s pray together, and let’s defend America, the unborn, and one another!

Mark my words: together, we will see the victory!

Fr. Frank Pavone
Priests for Life

Authoritarianism in the Church

The Vatican is tightening its authority over diocesan decisions that were previously the jurisdiction of the local bishop. Last week, Francis decreed that bishops must seek a written license from the Vatican to approve a new religious institute in their diocese. That puts bishops in an untenable position. It can be anticipated what sort of institutes will likely not be approved. This requires some serious prayer. Read more >