If he does nothing else in his career, J. J. Spaun, on June 15, 2025, earned a thundering footnote in the lore of professional golf. His U.S. Open victory was the stuff of legends, giving him instant notoriety. Unlike Spaun and other celebs in politics and entertainment, very few everyday Americans merit that kind of attention. But most of them couldn’t care less about achieving a place in history, preferring to joyously pocket $4.3 million for a week’s work, fade happily into the sunset and never look back. You on the other hand readily confess. You covet owning a footnote in history, however obscure — a footnote perhaps to be stumbled upon, solely, by a great, great, nerdy grandchild obsessed with ancestral trivia. Leaving behind some evidence, some relic of self is an ego driven notion, especially for people roaming life’s 4th quarter, grimly hanging on to some sense of purpose. Considering your vocation, this footnote must come in the form of prophecy — a commentary on the human condition. How dull a subject is that? And who cares? And what could be more arrogant than daring to comment on a subject that for at least 30 centuries has already consumed the most illustrious brains in human history? Think of them — Hegel, Socrates, Plutarch, Plato, Dostoevsky, Voltaire, Franklin — you get the idea — millions of words devoted to exploring and defining the indefinable human condition. Well, you can partially excuse your arrogance by limiting your contribution to a mere 981 words.

In 1776, some exceptional men founded a country that for the very first time set forth the precept of Individual Sovereignty — which is the basis of Individual Liberty. Nothing astonishing about that except that it changed the world — forever. Simply and directly stated, this precept is the engine that united a self-reliant people and built the rarest of nations. Against all odds, 249 years later, that engine still functions. But there also exists an active, adverse precept — a global doctrine — that repudiates and continuously strives to eradicate individual liberty. It has a name — Group Identity — a toxic ideology based on autocratic coercion, the hallmark of almost every regime in the world. There you have it, Matilda — a proclamation that accuses Group Identity as Mankind’s Supreme, Existential Evil — a fatal transgressor responsible for the nonstop butchery of the human race — a butchery that continues to this very day, at this very hour. But for this exercise you must put aside all discussion of tribes, empires, kingdoms, monarchies, dictatorships and aristocracies that existed prior to July 4, 1776.  On that day, 56* men signed a declaration that ordained individual liberty as the foundation of a new nation. Thomas Jefferson said his work “was intended to be an expression of the American mind.” But he was dissatisfied that the Declaration suffered 86 edits, and was angered by the removal of his clause that rebuked King George for the slave trade on the American colonies. You seriously doubt that one percent of Black America is privy to that historical detail.

Subsequently, The Constitution was ratified, giving primary power to the States. Individual sovereignty was off and running. But a mere 27 years later, that individualism was delivered a death blow when, in direct violation of The Constitution, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall judged and confirmed the Supremacy of the Federal Government over State sovereignty.

If John Marshall was the author of Federal Supremacy, he had a lot of help during his reign and in all the decades since. Everybody knows the Federal Government is one massive train wreck. With or without Trump, Individual Sovereignty will not survive because the people don’t know what it means; and if they do know, they don’t want it. In a nutshell, individual liberty means you stand alone. You are free to work, or not, be responsible and accountable for your own life, to live where you want, to succeed and save, or piss away your earnings and  fail, to own property, own business, worship, bear arms, love or hate — without government patronage and financial aid. In other words, free to make your bed and lie in it.

Similarly, people don’t know the meaning of Group Identity — a politically correct definition for Gang. America is packed with gangs. Criminal gangs, Political gangs. Neighborhood gangs. Racial gangs. Gender-based gangs. People are free to become gang members. But freedom ends there, because your allegiance is not to your own identity, but to the gang. Think Mafia. Think political party, and you understand. Think skin color, gender and race; and you understand. Think political extortion.

Free individuals ask nothing from the Federal Government except  to be left alone. However,  group identity special interests do want and do expect a free ride in the form of direct subsidies, housing, food, healthcare and affirmative action,  The gangs in Washington always respond enthusiastically to all manner of welfare and civil rights demands. They divvy up the public treasury and get a free ticket to voter loyalty.

Sovereign Individuals will not be subjugated. Like nuns, gang members take vows of obedience. Ask any member of the KKK,  Nazi, Politburo, CCP or U.S. Democrat parties.

Sovereign Individuals can certainly be evil and do evil things. But individual crimes most often have local boundaries — homicide. assault, battery, theft,  felonies, business fraud, etc.

By contrast, Group Identity, so often defined by political ideology, is the author of all war. Catastrophic destruction and genocide are its trademarks.

No surprise, your footnote, in truth, is not original and therefore will go unpublished. But you nonetheless lay claim to the prophecy, circa, July 4, 2025: “The  adoption of individual sovereignty and rejection of Group Identity by all nations and races will see the world embark on a new renaissance, defined by lasting peace and righteousness.”

Or, as someone once said — live by the Golden Rule.

* Note: On July 4, 1776, 50 members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. Months later, six (6) members added their names. Ed.

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If left alone, most individual members of the human race live and let live. The vast majority carve out lives for themselves peacefully, all the while respecting the innate rights of their fellow humans. The majority of these self reliant individuals work for a lifetime. They work for themselves or employers. Their work is productive. The work underpins and cultivates what is known as an economic system. Basically, these individuals have been responsible for what you call civilization. Meanwhile, fewer members of the human race, a minority, don’t work. Some can’t. One segment of this minority steals. Many organize themselves into gangs. Small gangs operate in towns and cities. The Mafia is a well known gang. Larger gangs — some numbering in the thousands, organize themselves into armies that wage war against their neighbors for the purpose of stealing property and all manner of wealth, and enslaving the subjugated majority. In ancient times, great cities rose up on the backs of slave labor. In modern times, the working majority in a country like America devise a government to protect themselves against various types of gangs and individuals who steal human life, property and wealth. What the majority in America had not counted on was that the government they created — the Federal Government — would itself become a major-league gang on steroids — a government responsible for stealing lives, wealth and future of all working Americans. Without detailing the countless government iniquities, suffice it to say your country’s debt at this moment is approaching 37 trillion simoleons — a contemptible, indefensible crime of grand theft waged against the people.  Regrettably, suffice it to say, members of the working majority lose no sleep over a catastrophe beyond their control. And the minority that doesn’t work couldn’t care less. So this is the deal, Matilda. Congress doesn’t care. State Governments don’t care. SCOTUS doesn’t care. If Trump cares, he won’t live long enough to make a dent in the debt. Simultaneously, and incredibly, however, the Trump Administration does care about something far more important than a strangling debt crisis — nothing less than the perilous controversy over biological men playing women’s sport. If you want a peek at what’s wrong with the gang in Washington D.C, consider transgenderism in women’s sport — a study in absurdity on the federal level. Ask yourself — why is this idiotic quarrel any business of the Federal Government? Answer: Because in direct violation of the Title IX civil rights law, California has passed its own law including language that allows males who “identify” as females to participate in women’s athletics. The Trump administration’s response? Threaten California with loss of federal funding that, believe it or not, has been in place for decades to liberate women. (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.) Have you upchucked yet? One, why in holy hell do schools, especially universities, receive federal funding? Two, why don’t female athletes boycott sanctioned events? Three, why do parents of female athletes put up with the oppression? Four, why do school coaches allow this travesty? Whatever eventually transpires, the Federal Government has no business being involved in any professional or amateur sport in America, period. But, you see, the Federal Government is absolutely drunk with power over domestic life. In a continuing, massive violation of The Constitution, it can’t keep its tyrannical arms from meddling with jurisdictions originally assigned to The States. But do you hear your U.S. Representatives and Senators speaking out about reducing federal power? No way, baby. Not a chance. Once you’re part of the gang, you walk the line — no different than being a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, Latin Kings, Crips and Bloods, Vice Lords, MS-13, Jewish Defense League, Mexican Mafia, etc. The U.S. Congress has had decades to prove its dedication to The Constitution and has failed repeatedly, like spoiled children who waste generations of family blood, sweat and tears. Trump, D.O.G.E. and his disciples will make headway, sure; but don’t kid yourself. The elephant in the room is immovable until the States decide to act. In that regard, give a shout out to the nineteen states ** that have acted — a glimmer of hope amid the gloom and doom. And while Congress refuses to rescue America from the grip of fiscal insanity, you do have a little advice for the tireless efforts of these leaders: Bug off. Let schools, parents, athletes and fans work it out. The best athletes can qualify independently for Olympic and professional careers. So, yes, grow up and bug off.

Ed. Note 1: FYI, while minority members (who won’t or can’t work) vote for and depend on the Federal dole, charitable giving in America totaled $557 billion (2023). In China (2024), philanthropy stood at $17 billion; in France, $8.5 billion. Food for thought.

Ed. Note 2:  By comparison, depending on your source, the Federal Government social welfare budget runs between 1-1.1 trillion simoleons — between 16-18 % of the total federal budget.

Ed. Note 3: The following 19 States have acted for the Convention of States Resolution. Ga., Alaska, Fla., Ala. Tenn. Ind., Okla., La., Ariz., N. Dak., Texas, Mo., Ark., Miss., Utah, Wisc., Neb. W. Va., S.C. If the GOP majority acts responsibly, N.C. will be the 20th state. 

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This is Easter week 2025. Tomorrow, Christians will observe Friday, April 18, as the day Christ was crucified, and celebrate Sunday, His resurrection. Some scholars place His death on either a Wednesday or Thursday. The dates may differ but there is little disagreement over the event. A Jewish assembly, you might say a legislative body (the Sanhedrin), conspired to kill Him. That’s a pretty blunt way to state it, but why mince words? Some people make the mistake of thinking Roman troops captured Jesus in Gethsemane. Debatable, but not true. Roman authorities would never stoop to do the work of Jewish authorities. Christ presented no threat to Rome. He was, however, a real and present danger to the Jewish hierarchy — to a high priest named Caiaphas and his predecessor/father-in-law Annas. The Jew’s Temple guards arrested Him and took Him to Caiaphas’ house to be interrogated in the dead of night. Basically, the Jewish leaders wanted to dredge up evidence to justify putting Jesus to death. They looked for false witnesses. But there was no evidence. Like present day detectives without evidence, Caiaphas counted on securing a confession. Accusingly, Caiaphas asked, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” Scripture says that Christ replied, “So you say.” But He allegedly followed with ” . . . . .from this time on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of the Almighty.” That testimony was all the evidence Caiaphas would need. Blasphemy! Blasphemy — punishable by death according to Mosaic law. Guilty as charged, “they spat in His face and beat Him.” By today’s standards, Christ would go unnoticed. Today, people who talk with God or claim to have healing powers are judged as crackpots. Christ committed only one crime that is still “punishable” in 2025. He challenged the authority of the ruling class of 30 AD. The rest of His indictment was window dressing: He hung out with the society’s riffraff. He worked on the Sabbath by healing people. So Jesus suffered crucifixion. Why? Why wasn’t He stoned in the Garden according to Jewish law? No one really knows. But Biblical scholars suggest that the High Priests didn’t want an unremarkable stoning. They wanted a public condemnation that would forever eliminate Jesus from the public consciousness and relegate Him to the ash heap of history, dishonored and forgotten, citing Deuteronomy 21:23. “Anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse.” You know the rest. Although it was none of Rome’s business, Pilate thought he was creative, asking the crowd to choose between Barabbas and Christ. You must question: Where was Christ’s crowd during His scourging and trial? Chances are they were afraid to be seen and persecuted by the ruling Rabbis. Chances are they were at home and not even aware of His trial. Whatever details are true, Christ was doomed to die at the hands of those who despised him. They happened to be the big shots. They hated to hear “I am the Christ, son of the Blessed.” But when He accused them of hypocrisy, when He said their  rules and rituals did not come from God, the die was cast.

This week, Christians will celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. At a time like this — at all times, really, you question what Christ might think of the state of Christianity. Of church governing bodies. Of church governance. Of church & state. Of worship rituals and rules. Of denominations. Of sin. Of the Pope. Of Israel. Of anti semitism. Scholars say you can find answers in both the Old and New Testaments. Perhaps, but the best theological minds have been at it for centuries and still disagree on key issues. You can only imagine how Jesus might grade Christianity, circa 2025. Something tells you the churches would get high marks for charitable outreach and biblical study. But He also might take issue with the corporate and political structure of religions. You can’t imagine a meeting between Him and His Holiness in the Vatican. Would Jesus opt for an Armani suit and would His Holiness dress down and lose the tiara and papal ring? Sacrilege aside, you think Jesus would cast aside the showy trappings of religious symbolism much as He cast out the money changers on the temple steps. Well, imagining doesn’t help.  Christ didn’t leave behind a diary. In scripture, you won’t find conversation; you find questions and Christ’s brief replies and parables.  Perhaps the question shouldn’t be, “What would Christ think today?” Perhaps it should be, “What would Christ do?”

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