Category Archives: Democracy under attack

Christian nationalism, Democracy under attack, White supremacy

Benicia’s Mary Susan Gast to speak on dangers of ‘Christian Nationalism’

Rev. Dr. Mary Susan Gast

The Rev. Dr. Mary Susan Gast will speak at Community Congregational Church on Sunday, October 26, at 4:00 pm on the topic of Christian Nationalism, its roots and impact.

She states, “In the late 1970’s a movement began to emerge in the U.S. that we now recognize as Christian Nationalism. ‘Christian Nationalism’ is not simply being Christian and being American. It is the fusion of one particular take on Christianity with a vision of the United States as the birthright of the descendants of white Christian European settlers.

Bishop William Barber has observed that the adherents of Christian Nationalism believe that Christianity ‘calls on us to be anti-gay, against people who may have had an abortion, against immigrants, and against the poor. But what the Scriptures actually say is that God loves all people.’”

Her presentation on October 26th will examine the Biblical and historical bases for these diverse understandings of the application of Christian teaching, along with the effects of Christian Nationalism on our democracy and civil society.

Dr. Gast notes that the affirmation of Christian Nationalism among many current national leaders raises questions for many regarding the effects of that ideology on government policy.

“In August this year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a video on social media. It featured two pastors of Hegseth’s fellowship of faith asserting that women should not have the right to vote.

Doug Wilson, one of the pastors on the video, later affirmed to the Associated Press that he believes the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote ‘was a bad idea.’

In early September many members of the current administration attended the National Conservatism Conference. Speakers at the event included:

    • Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts endorsing ‘the righteous anger young men feel when our elites say they can be replaced by immigrants or machines’
    • Charlie Haywood, who has called for the ‘total denigration of ‘career’ as the main goal of women’
    • and U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt who declared America belongs to ‘us’. . . ‘the sons and daughters of the Christian pilgrims that poured out from Europe’s shores to baptize a new world.’

Gast is a Liberation theologian with advanced academic degrees from Michigan State University and the Chicago Theological Seminary.  Over the past 50 years she has made presentations in the U.S., South Africa, and China addressing the ways in which patriarchal and colonialist interpretations have distorted Christian teachings to the detriment of women and others regarded as not-quite-human.

Community Congregational Church is located at 1305 W. Second Street in Benicia. The event is free, and the public is invited.

Benicia parks, Democracy under attack, Donald Trump, Proposition 50, Stephen Golub

Benician Stephen Golub: Vote for Prop 50, Vote for Prop 218

Vote for America and Benicia

By Stephen Golub, first appearing in The Benicia Herald, Oct 5, 2025

Vote for Prop 50, Vote for Prop 218, Vote for America and Benicia

This Election Day, and via mail balloting before then, Benicians have a chance to help our democracy survive and our parks thrive. I urge you to vote for California Proposition 50 and Benicia Proposition 218. Briefly, here’s why:

Proposition 50: The Election Rigging Response Act

Literally every day, Donald Trump and his administration do unprecedented damage to America’s democracy, economy, national security, identity, public health and a host of other priorities. An unprecedented, blatantly and dangerously political speech to our nonpartisan military leaders. The prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey and the promise to go after many other perceived political enemies. Alienation of democratic allies like Canada while kowtowing to dictators like Putin. Spreading disinformation about Tylenol while slashing staff and funding for vaccines that could stem the next pandemic. Foreign and domestic public health cuts yielding millions of deaths. Inflation-spurring tariffs. Masked, unidentified agents grabbing even legal immigrants off our streets. The list is nearly endless.

Proposition 50 can help halt this tidal wave of attacks on everything that makes this country great. If passed, it will allow California to remap the state’s congressional districts in response to Republican-controlled Texas, Missouri and other states taking unprecedented steps to massively tilt the electoral playing field through their own redistricting.

The proposal is crucial because, if the electoral rules are fair, the Democrats will very likely win back the House of Representatives next year, given the growing unpopularity and damage of Trump and his policies. That in turn will help check his egregious abuses of power.

Unfortunately, in getting states to redraw their congressional maps so as to produce more likely Republican wins, he could retain control of the House even though many more Americans may vote for Democratic candidates across the country.

That’s just not fair. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat or Independent, please vote for Prop 50 so we can have a fair election and put a check on Trump’s efforts to decimate our democracy and well-being.

Proposition 218: For a Citywide Parks, Landscape, and Lighting Assessment District

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If we want Benicia to remain beautiful, enjoyable, safe and fiscally sound, we have to shell out the necessary money. By establishing a new Parks, Landscape, and Lighting Assessment District, Proposition 218 will help ensure that our parks, trails, open spaces and recreational areas are up to snuff.

I don’t like any new taxes or fees. Who does? But especially with our town facing acute budgetary challenges as Valero closes its refinery, we need to tap new resources to financially survive and eventually thrive.

An irony here is that last year we had a chance to adopt a real estate transfer tax that would have (among other things) significantly helped ease the financial pain of Valero departing, to the tune of perhaps $10 million dollars for the eventual sale of its property. The fact that the measure failed is water under the bridge. But Prop 218 could yield a similar sum spread over a number of years.

Let’s not throw away another$10 million or more again. If we repair and maintain our parks and related facilities, the benefits will spread beyond the immediate targets of the expenditures. It will help ensure that funds aren’t drained away from police and fire protection, which understandably consume a good chunk of Benicia’s budget. It will help property values to rise. It will help maintain Benicia as a wonderful place to live in and move to.

But we have to act fast. The mail ballots all property owners have received must be returned to the City (not simply postmarked) by October 14.

Now, what if you already returned your ballot but have since changed your mind? No worries. You can call City Management Analyst Sharon Denney at 707-746-4215 to arrange to replace that ballot with a new one.

As of this past Monday, only about 35 percent of the votes had been cast. So please, consider how this measure can help Benicia in so many ways. Vote Yes on 218.

Benicia resident and author Stephen Golub, A Promised Land

Stephen Golub writes about democracy and politics, both in America and abroad, at A Promised Land: America as a Developing Country.

…and… here’s more Golub on the Benicia Independent

Back to top

Christian nationalism, Democracy under attack

John Fugelsang: Right-wing Christians use the Bible ‘as a prop’ & ignore Jesus’ message

This guy says it! John Fugelsang says it perfectly. Way better than I could ever say it. A 6-minute interview – yes!!
……………………………………– Roger Straw, The BenIndy

Many thanks to Ali Velshi and MSNBC for airing this important conversation.

Democracy under attack, Donald Trump, Local vigilance, No Kings!, Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible

Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible holding No Kings rally October 18

Mark your calendar,
Sat Oct 18 in Vallejo…
(Scroll down for more locations & times…)

Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible is holding a second No Kings Day of Action on Saturday, Oct. 18 starting at 10 am at Unity Plaza, John F. Kennedy Library, 505 Santa Clara St. in Vallejo. The event will include inspiring local speakers and live music as well as songs from our Resistance DJ.

We will then march briefly through downtown Vallejo, ending around noon. As with all Indivisible events, this rally will be strictly nonviolent, joyful and uplifting.

The event will be one of more than 2,200 scheduled across the United States, protesting current presidential overreach that is causing harm by depriving ourselves and our neighbors of health care, food and the right to constitutional judicial recourse.

There will be barrels for our food drive for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties. Please bring packaged or canned foods, no glass or perishable items.

Scheduled speakers include Cassandra James, Solano County Supervisor; Allyssa Victory, ACLU Senior Staff Attorney; Will McGarvey, Executive Director, Solano Pride Center; Jaclyn Eyvonne, Vallejo Poet Laureate with original poem for this event; Mina Diaz, former Vallejo City Council member; Pastor Kim Kendrick, Community Congregational Church, UCC; and a representative from the North Bay Rapid Response Network, an organization protecting immigrants in our region.

Please dress for the weather, bring water, signs and sunscreen and your peaceful, joyful energy!

NO KINGS DAY ALL OVER THE BAY!

>> IN BENICIA: October 18th NO KINGS DAY! 1-2pm at the Gazebo (map: First and Military Streets). Bring your signs, your neighbors, friends, and family, and your goodwill. We’ll “parade” this block for the hour on the sidewalk.

>> IN VALLEJO: (as above) Vallejo-Benicia INDIVISIBLE is sponsoring a NO KINGS rally on Saturday, October 18, 10AM – 12PM, in Unity Plaza / JFK Library, 505 Santa Clara St. The Vallejo event is listed on the Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible Facebook page (including a map).

>> ALL OVER THE BAY AREA: Here’s a LIST of NO KINGS Oct 18 events in the Bay Area, starting with Benicia – scroll down and click on an event for more details. Or… go to the big nokings.org or mobilize.us map and zoom in. Then click on a city for detailed info.

MORE… (nokings.org)

About No Kings

In June, we did what many claimed was impossible: peacefully mobilized millions of people to take to the streets and declare with one voice: America has No Kings. And it mattered. The world saw the power of the people. President Trump’s birthday parade was drowned out by protests in every state and across the globe. His attempt to turn June 14 into a coronation collapsed, and the story became the strength of a movement rising against his authoritarian power grabs.

Now, President Trump has doubled down. His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities. They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting and detaining people without warrants. Threatening to overtake elections. Gutting healthcare, environmental protections, and education when families need them most. Rigging maps to silence voters. Ignoring mass shootings at our schools and in our communities. Driving up the cost of living while handing out massive giveaways to billionaire allies, as families struggle.

The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.

Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and bigger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan; it is the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, shouted by millions, carried on posters and chants, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.

Because this country does not belong to kings, dictators, or tyrants. It belongs to We the People – the people who care, who show up, and the ones who fight for dignity, a life we can afford, and real opportunity. No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.

MEMORIES: BENICIA’S JUNE 2025 NO KINGS RALLY: