Why do we love the monks walking for peace?

 Back before Christmas, my family took a road trip to spend the holiday with my military son. While driving through rural Alabama near Selma, we encountered a group of orange-robed Buddhist monks going the other way. At that point, I hadn’t heard of the monks’ Walk for Peace, but my wife had. She was starstruck.

Since that day in December, the popularity of the monks has taken off. The official Facebook page for the Walk for Peace says that the walk is estimated to take 120 days and cover 2,300 miles. The walkers, 19 Vietnamese Buddhist monks, set out on October 26, 2025, from their monastery in Fort Worth, Texas. A live tracking map shows them currently near Greensboro, North Carolina. The stated goal of the group is “to raise awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world.” 

The walk has not been without incident. One monk was hit by a car near Houston, resulting in an amputated leg. (Houston traffic is awful, but that’s worse than any of my experiences.) The monk later rejoined his comrades.

I must say that I’ve been surprised by the warm reception for the monks as they travel through Trump country. There have been friendly crowds that seem to grow larger as the walk continues. This may seem incongruous from a region that often seems less than welcoming to people of different colors, creeds, and faith traditions. I’d be willing to bet that a lot of the people lining the streets and waving are people who voted Trump and want to “deport them all.”

I’m not sure exactly why the Walk for Peace seems to resonate with so many people. It may be that the monks are just an oddity as they pass through various communities, something to be gawked at before it goes away. 

Or maybe there is more to it. Maybe the Walk for Peace taps into a desire to stop the spiraling violence both at home and abroad. Within a few days of my encounter with the monks, the US attacked Venezuela and then spent weeks threatening Greenland with annexation under either friendly or hostile terms. In Venezuela, the US left the old regime intact while taking every shipment of oil since Maduro’s capture. The money for the oil is reportedly going into a not-so-secret account in Qatar that is, of course, not authorized by Congress.

At home, the situation is similar. In Minneapolis, ICE is violently clashing with protesters, and Trump seems ready to send in the army under the Insurrection Act. In response, Gov. Walz has mobilized the Minnesota National Guard for possible deployment “to help support public safety, including protection of life, preservation of property and supporting the rights of all who assemble peacefully.” 

This sets up the frightening possibility that federal troops and state troops could come into conflict with one another. I’m old enough to remember when Republicans were aghast at the idea that Barack Obama would send the army into Texas. The Tea Party protesters of yesteryear have no problem with Trump’s federal incursion into Minnesota, however. “Don’t tread on me” has become “comply or die.”

Why does Walz feel the need to protect his citizens from federal agents? In the wake of the Renee Good killing, the Department of Justice said there would be no investigation into Jonathan Ross’s actions, practically unheard of in an officer-involved shooting. The DOJ has also blocked access for state and local investigators in Minnesota. Police chiefs in Minnesota have criticized ICE’s police work over violations of civil rights and the use of excessive force, including stopping off-duty police officers based solely on their appearance, drawing weapons without cause, and numerous assaults, including knocking phones out of the hands of people trying to record ICE encounters. 

To top it off, ICE’s version of events cannot be trusted. Initially, the government claimed that Renee Good was a “professional agitator” who targeted agents with her car. After multiple videos discredited that version of events, the investigation into another shooting involving ICE in Maryland last month. The original statement from the Department of Homeland Security about the Christmas Eve incident in Glen Burnie, Maryland, claimed that two men tried to ram ICE vehicles. Now it seems that one of the immigrants was already in ICE custody when he was injured. That is a drastic alteration of the government account. 

These incidents are part of a larger pattern of deceptive claims by ICE and the Border Patrol. Back in November, a federal judge in Chicago took the agencies to task for “cute responses… or outright lying” in legal filings that were disproven by video evidence from body cameras or other sources. Among the judge’s findings were that federal agents deployed flash bangs, tear gas, and pepper spray on peaceful crowds without warning, yelling “fuck yeah” as they did so, agents drove erratically and brake-checked other vehicles to create a pretext for traffic stops, and Border Patrol dropped all charges against a woman accused of vehicle ramming and pulling a gun on agents. The Border Patrol agents shot the woman five times during the altercation, but the failure to press charges suggests a lack of evidence for their accusations.

I’ve digressed a bit, but the message of the monks is likely attractive to a lot of Americans right now. “Peace, lovingkindness, and compassion” are a lot more appealing to most of us than “wars and rumors of wars,” both at home and abroad. 

Texas Democratic senatorial candidate, James Talarico, recently drew fire from conservative Christians for saying, “I believe Christianity points to the truth. I also think other religions of love point to the same truth. I've learned more about my tradition by learning more about Buddhism and Hinduism and Islam and Judaism. And so I see these beautiful faith traditions as circling the same truth about the universe, about the cosmos, and that truth is inherently a mystery.”

A lot of people decried Talarico’s statement as heresy, but I think they missed the point. In fact, I think the Walk for Peace is a good example of what Talarico may mean. 

I’m a Christian. I believe that Jesus is the ultimate Truth, but I also believe that Christians can lose their way and be deceived and distracted. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, taught love, even when it comes to our enemies and foreigners, compassion, and nonviolence. 

Contrast the teachings of Christ with what we hear from the Trump Administration. Stephen Miller said the US has the right to take Greenland, simply because we are powerful enough to do so. Kristi Noem operates under the slogan, “one of ours, all of yours,” implying collective punishment for attacks on federal agents, a violation of both domestic law and the Geneva Convention. The Trump Administration’s tendency to bear false witness is well established, but Jedd Legume recently reported that an obscure filing revealed that ICE has not paid for third-party medical care for detained immigrants since October. As a result, many detainees are experiencing medical emergencies and chronic illnesses that are going untreated. 

One of the buzzphrases online among the Christian Right is “toxic empathy.” From the perspective of those on the outside looking in, few would criticize American Christians for being too compassionate and not being judgmental enough. Would Jesus say that any amount of empathy would be enough to be toxic?

Trump’s fixation on Greenland, his war on immigrants (not just illegals), and other acts like his attempt to steal the 2020 election and his sexual assaults have a lot in common. Trump’s schemes usually center on dishonesty, intimidation, a lust for whatever catches his fancy at the moment, and a lack of regard for others. It’s “might makes right” rather than caring for the less fortunate and certainly not protecting them. Just ask dissidents in Iran and Venezuela.

In the current Administration, bullying, deception, and cruelty often seem to be the point, rather than a means to an end. These tactics are used even when there is no benefit to them. Even when they are counterproductive.

Maybe we love the monks because they are tapping into something that we know in our hearts is right. Maybe we cheer them because they are doing what we know we should be doing. Maybe they’re standing up where we are afraid to do so. 

I’m a Christian, but we Christians are not doing too well in the peace and compassion departments. Maybe, as Talarico suggests, we could learn something from other religions about how to conduct ourselves. The monks and their Walk for Peace provide a good opportunity for that. 

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TRUMP BACKS DOWN Trump backed down from his latest tariff threats after announcing the “framework” of a deal that would allow the US “pockets of sovereignty” for additional bases. The deal seems to be close to the current status quo, but as I’ve said in the past, Trump cares more about headlines than the content of a deal.

The president of Finland said the crisis is not over yet, and I agree. Trump is famously wishy-washy, and no deal he makes is written in permanent ink. Write that down, stamp it, and take it to the bank.

CHURCH PROTEST Anti-ICE activists interrupted a church service in Minnesota, saying a pastor there worked for ICE. It has been correctly pointed out that Jesus engaged in a violent protest inside the Temple, but I still say this sort of tactic should be avoided. Even if there is biblical precedent, it is likely to be counterproductive.

CLINTON CONTEMPT Nine Democrats joined Republicans on the House Oversight Committee in voting to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt. The Clintons rejected a congressional subpoena regarding testimony about Jeffrey Epstein after they could not reach an agreement with Republicans on terms of the testimony. 

UNJUST WAR The Catholic archbishop who oversees the US military has said that any invasion of Greenland would not be a just war and that soldiers would be justified in refusing to obey orders.

IN OTHER NEWS, Donald Trump has still refused to release the full Epstein files.

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Where does this end?

 Donald Trump has attacked one country and is claiming to be its acting president. He is threatening numerous others, including a NATO ally. At home, food prices continue to climb, armed ICE officers are detaining, assaulting, and threatening Americans, and the Trump Administration has opened an investigation into Jerome Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve, because the Fed won’t bow to the president’s wishes on interest rates. The pace of Trump’s power grab, both at home and abroad, is quickening.

Where does it end? Nowhere good.

Image by Chat GPT

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There are signs that some Republicans are starting to break with the president. Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski has cosponsored a bill with Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) that would ban the Departments of Defense and State from occupying, annexing, or blockading the territory of a NATO member state. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a recommended Twitter follow, joined House Democrats in sponsoring a similar bill to block a military invasion of Greenland.

Other Republicans, such as Thom Tillis, are speaking out to oppose the lawfare against Powell. The North Carolina Republican has said that he will block Trump’s nominees to the Federal Reserve until the issue is resolved.

Tillis, in somewhat purple North Carolina, said, “I am sick of stupid,” before qualifying his remarks by adding, “Who on earth believes that the president could possibly have the depth of expertise to make some of these detailed decisions that he’s making? So, of course, it’s his advisers.”

I think Tillis is at least half right. Trump doesn’t know what he’s doing, and his advisors are doing bad stuff, but the buck stops with Trump, who seems stuck on stupid himself. Trump does not have the expertise to make these decisions, but he’s making them anyway.

Even a few Republican defectors could help Democrats pass the bills, assuming Republican congressional leaders allow them to come to a vote, but Trump will never let them become law. Passage of the bills would be a slap in the president’s face, and he would certainly veto them. Trump recently vetoed clean water bills that passed unanimously in revenge for political opposition… by Republicans. Sadly, the override attempt failed, but dozens of Republicans broke ranks in an attempt to save the bills.

I’ve long said that Trump was a closet leftist, but his socialistic leanings have accelerated recently as well. Trump has embraced his inner Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, advocating for price controls on credit card interest and firing shots against defense contractors and corporate landlords. If there are any pro-business and fiscally conservative Republicans left, these policies should draw criticism as well.

With Trump’s behavior increasingly unhinged and overtly authoritarian, the dam may be finally about to burst. The combination of an impending midterm disaster and a lame duck president might finally break the spell.

The problem is that I’m not sure that Congress is enough to stop Trump at this point, even if it gets its act together. Trump has likely committed war crimes and other unlawful acts that go beyond the scope of the Supreme Court’s absolute presidential immunity. If Trump leaves office, he can be prosecuted and might well spend the rest of his life in prison. On the other hand, he has immense power and a fiercely loyal following. Trump might well decide that it is worth fighting to avoid accountability or removal.

Some of Trump’s plans can be slow-walked by internal opposition. When Trump ordered military officials to plan an invasion of Greenland, they reportedly tried to distract him with other ideas. That won’t work for three years, though. Opponents will eventually be forced out like the Minnesota prosecutors who resigned to protest the DOJ’s plan to investigate ICE protesters, among them the widow of Renee Good. People who leave are likely to be replaced by Trump loyalists in either an official or acting capacity, further securing his hold on the government.

That leaves two lawful possibilities. The 25th Amendment is the constitutional means of removing a president who is mentally or physically unfit for office; however, this process requires the vice president and cabinet members to act. While I can see JD Vance possibly attempting a 25th Amendment coup, the chances that a majority of Trump’s cabinet would recommend his removal are remote.

The other constitutional possibility is impeachment. With Republican majorities, this possibility is also remote. (As a refresher on impeachment, the House impeaches with a simple majority vote. This is akin to an indictment. The Senate then holds a trial where “two-thirds of the Members present” must vote to convict to remove an official.)

Cornered animals can be vicious. Expect the same of an increasingly isolated Donald Trump. Trump is so narcissistic and self-centered that he might well be willing to let America or even the world burn rather than face accountability.

The country is turning against Trump, but getting rid of a president who has three years left on his term is not easy. That is especially true of one wth control of congressional majorities. The framers of the Constitution did not anticipate that future Americans would get themselves into a mess as bad as the one we find ourselves in. At this point, many of our guardrails have already failed.

I don’t know where this ends. I expect the violence to get worse before it gets better. Trump has the advantages of presidential authority and the power of the federal government behind him. He will use these advantages to the utmost.

Anyone who still supports Trump at this point is likely to be either someone who is completely disengaged politically and reflexively votes Republican or a die-hard supporter who will view any attempt to hold the president accountable as treasonous. That January 6 adjacent group has a YUGE potential for violence.

If we can have free and fair elections, Democrats may well win majorities in both houses, but would it be enough to impeach? A 60-vote majority is very unlikely. Would Republicans in Congress break away or circle the wagons to protect Trump as they have in the past?

How does this end? No one really knows. What we can speculate on is that we may be entering the last phases of either Trumpism or our constitutional republic. I don’t know what America will look like after three more years of Trump.

Many will dismiss these concerns as Trump Derangement Syndrome or fearmongering, but Trump has already gone much farther afield than any president of our lifetime (unless you are old enough to have lived under Woodrow Wilson). It is not reassuring to hear people tell me that Trump won’t invade Greenland or try to seize power permanently because many of those same people said that he wouldn’t ignore the outcome of the 2020 election or send federal agents into the streets to round up grandfathers and wives who happen to be immigrants.

The checks on executive power that Trump is cheerfully casting aside were put in place to prevent just such a man from consolidating power. With each roadblock that is removed, the odds of a tragic and violent outcome increase.

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Ginger (Photo by Sarah Thornton)

A PAWS TO SAY GOODBYE I walked 3,330 miles with our shiba inu, Ginger, over the course of 3,244 recorded walks, but Ginger never returned from her last walk. While walking near our house last weekend, she was attacked by a neighbor’s dog, sustaining injuries so serious that we had to put her down.

Ginger was a very gentle and skittish dog, despite the claim of a neighbor, who believed that she attacked their dog. She didn’t. I saw the whole thing, and there was no fight, but after that, we kept Ginger on a leash to be good neighbors.

I don’t want to dwell on last week’s attack, but there are good memories. Ginger, like many of our animals, came to live with us while I was on a trip. My son fell in love with her at a Humane Society event and took her home. All of our dogs and cats are rescues of one form or another.

Ginger was a military rescue. The Humane Society told us that a service member had adopted her in Japan, where she was destined for the meat market. When we got her, she was missing an eye, which gave her a perpetual wink. She also had asthma. Even when sitting quietly, she would breathe heavily and often sounded like she was snoring. She was already fairly old when we got her seven years ago, but nobody was really sure how old she was. Our best guess is that she was about 10 or 12.

I never really thought of Ginger as my dog, but she thought of me as hers. She had been timid around everyone else, but she quickly adopted me, coming right up to me as soon as I got home. Sitting around the house, she would usually be watching me, and if I went near the front door, she was quick to jump up and run after me.

Not long after we got her, before we kept her secured, we couldn’t get her inside when a hurricane blew through Georgia, and she disappeared for several weeks. We thought we had lost her, but she eventually turned up a few miles away, identified by her chip. She never liked storms after that.

Even though she was skittish, Ginger could also be ornery. She liked to run and was usually difficult to get back when she got started. The saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks is at least somewhat true, because she did learn some tricks, like shaking hands, but “come back” was not a trick she cared to learn.

Ginger was a very patient and gentle dog. We had a couple of new puppies during the time that we had her, and she was patient with them as well as with other dogs who came to visit. She also got along well with other dogs on the few occasions when we boarded her. When we offered her treats, she took them very gingerly, definitely not biting the hand that fed her. She didn’t even mind vets and never needed a muzzle when it was time for her shots, unlike one of our other dogs, who became infamous for his aversion to white coats. (That was Rocky, the chihuahua, another great dog that we lost to a coyote last year.)

About the only thing Ginger didn’t seem to like, other than loud noises, were possums. I did see her go after a few of these nocturnal beasts that roamed around our house. Our other dogs liked to toy with them as well.

Ginger didn’t deserve what happened to her any more than she would have deserved to be butchered in Japan, but at least she lived a happy life in between the two. I can’t find it in me to be angry at the other dog or its owners. I’m just profoundly sad for both our family and that of the other dog. I’ll miss her wagging tail when I come through the door.

Ginger, you were a very good girl.

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