Growing up two of my biggest heroes were Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Two deeply spiritual and religious leaders of the progressive political movement, who led extraordinary, and in many ways, unprecedented, civil rights victories.

They both led victories to honor the humanity, and divinity, of ALL people  against, at the time, a seemingly insurmountable opponent. MLK went up against the American Empire. Gandhi went up against the British Empire.

Both used a tactic called non-violent civil disobedience. Both were greatly inspired by the teachings, and example of Jesus Christ.

Instead of engaging in physical combat. They would simply hold the moral highground, the higher consciousness.

Their movements, vowed to only return hate with love and to never resort to physical violence with violence.  They refused to cooperate with laws that were dehumanizing, and unjust, while articulating a higher vision of what’s possible for all of humanity.

This tactic was so revolutionary and so astonishingly effective that I presumed everyone realized that this was the new formula to create positive change in the world moving forward.

Moving and operating from this consciousness was the way for any successful movement to gain donations, volunteers, positive media attention, votes in the ballot box. It was the way to change mind, open hearts, and free souls.

Quite simply, It works!

Then, in the last ten years in particular, something changed, and changed drastically.

The spiritual higher ground was discarded. The higher consciousness disappeared. The teachings and example of Jesus Christ were considered archaic.

Messages of “only love can conquer hate”  and “only light can drive out the darkness” were forgotten, and openly mocked as “spiritual bypassing”

Now progressives freely labeled anyone they disagreed with as Hitler, Nazi, Fascist, threats to Democracy, etc.

I watched in astonishment online, over the past few years, as they openly advocated all kinds of violence, shooting, stabbing, hanging, punching, kicking, and of course, imprisoning those they disagreed with.

Now longer was there any clear and inspiring vision of a more beautiful world being shared where the humanity and divinity of everyone is honored and appreciated, or any strategy of how to get there.

Almost everything they talked about seemed to have devolved into hatred toward, and unconscious reactivity to their opposition.

I noticed their hatred was focused in a few particular areas.

They had, and continue to have, a particular hatred for old White men.

They hate millionaires and billionaires

They really hate rednecks (poor, rural White people.)

They, of course, hate Trump-supporters

But I have to say the group that I’ve noticed they hate the most is Christians.

This all came to a head on Sept. 10th with the murder of Charlie Kirk.

I watched a lot of you who call yourself “progressive”, and “liberal” who claim to be for “tolerance”, either outright celebrate his murder, or subtly, or not so subtly, find ways to justify it.

Including a surprising amount of young women.

I watched the same thing happen with the assassination attempt of President Trump, the murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare, and on and on it goes.

Meanwhile you’re now losing in the realm of donations, volunteers, media attention, and votes in the ballot box.

You’ve lost millions of previous supporters over the past few years, and you also lost me.

However, the good news is there is something you can do that would turn things around.

Rediscover what the movement has lost, and the true key to your previous success: Deep spiritual connection.

Find out who, and where, God truly is, beyond any veils of separation. Put God first in the movement again. Study the life & teachings of Jesus. Make your movement a soulful, spiritual movement again. Return to the principles of Gandhi & MLK.  Always practice nonviolence in your direct actions.

Strive to love EVERYONE and I do mean everyone! Including old white men, millionaires, billionaires, rednecks, Trump supporters, and Christians.

Regain the moral high ground.

Allow yourself to be led again by spiritual and religious leaders of integrity, strength, and courage.

Welcome strong, young, virile, masculine men to be leaders in your movement again.

Learn to pray, meditate and ask for divine guidance daily.

Imagine  a clear vision of a more true, good and beautiful world and communicate that vision consistently and effectively.

Engage in healthy, conscious dialogue again with people you disagree with instead of just resorting to name-calling, and hysterical outrage, blocking people, and attempting to cancel people for having a different perspective. (Nobody is Hitler except Hitler)

Stop being distracted by focusing on what you’re against and the people you’re against. Focus on what, and who, you’re for.

Be for creating a more loving, peaceful, joy-filled, intelligent world, that makes space to honor the sacredness of everyone, and everything, as a divine creation of God.

As Gandhi once said: Be the change you want to see in the world.

Start with yourself and do your very best to lead by example.

I’ll do my best to do the same.