Introduction

[Christopher]

Now that we are in the introduction, we will have many extra articles, documents and maybe even books to read on the side and add to the discussion!

[Shane]

I'm already capturing some of Medaille and Robert Coles in the intro. I'm excited to read this.

[Christopher]

Shane wrote: "I'm already capturing some of Medaille and Robert Coles in the intro. I'm excited to read this."

I think it would be good to go through Medaille’s book slowly like this book!

[Christopher]

As we are reading “Non-Negotiable” there are a great number of articles and further reading in the notes on the pages and a chapter by chapter “further reading” section in the back of the book with links to documents, articles, essays and speeches. I am linking here to “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” How can we reflect on this document with the eyes of our vision for the American Solidarity Party?

https://www.un.org/en/universal-decla...

[Christopher]

Our current relativistic and subjectivistic culture is destroying a knowledge of objective truth and objective morality. We must understand that subjective truth, or what each person believes inside their mind as being the truth, is only correct inasmuch as that subjective truth is in line with objective truth. In other words, many people’s “truth” is actually error. We must study to understand better the objective truth and morality. We must work to align our subjective truth to the objective Truth. Here is a general audience concerning truth by Pope Francis.

http://www.vatican.va/content/frances...

[Christopher]

We are, after all, the AMERICAN Solidarity Party. What do you see as some of our unique traits as Americans which can help us to continue our struggle for human rights and dignity? Here is Washington’s inaugural address from 1789, cited in the introduction of our book, “Non-Negotiables.”


https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/ame...

[Christopher]

Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is refered to in the introduction of our current book, and further in as well. The sentiments, wisdom and call to courage by Rev. King is well worth our reflection. Please read or listen to it here and share your thoughts in connection with our book so far.

https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/ki...

[Christopher]

So, my friends, how has out book, “Non-Negotiable” been for you thus far? What are you taking away from it? Have you read any of the extra material? Has anything in particular struck you?

[Irene]

I read the book and was disappointed. The title led me to anticipate a discussion of principles that could guide discernment of a range of social issues. Instead, this was a partisan argument for the 4 hot button issues of the culture wars: legalized abortion, legalized euthanasia, the proper definition of marriage, employer acceptions to worker policies on the basis of religious beliefs. Nothing in the arguments presented here were new; all have been articulated frequently. I personally think we need a larger conversation about what makes a society just and a culture humane. I don't think it can be boiled down to these 4 issues without talking about equality, access to the necessities to sustain life between conception and death by old age, about human dignity for everyone at every stage of life, etc.

[Christopher]

If we can get a conversation going from chapter to chapter (we are now on chapter 1 this month) it can be much more productive. The links in the further reading section in the back of the book bring a lot more to the table as do the articles with links provided throughout the book notes as well.

[Irene]

Sure, a discussion of each chapter is fine. I just wanted to post my over all impression of the book and this was the only place to do that. I am not going to hunt down the various footnotes or the texts in the bibliography. I have a hard copy, so don't have links to anything. Honestly, there was no argument in this book that I found intriguing enough to want to pursue further.

[Christopher]

I also have the hard copy. There is the whole section at the end. I am sorry you were disappointed.

[Irene]

Yes, I saw the bibliography or "for further reading" section. This is not a topic I am interested in reading that extensively about. So many books so little time. I think the title led me to expect a very different content.

[Christopher]

Maybe we can read something along the lines of “The Servile State” next. Nearly 100 years old but quite prescient nonetheless.

[Charlie]

Yeah that sounds good.