A dark specter over the faith now

It is Sunday morning and most assuredly it is cold. Where can one find a ray of hope? Where can yours truly find a ray of hope? I am now made to feel ashamed that I attend a Lutheran Church. I'm actually not going to attend this morning. Our new U.S. president has now made the Lutheran Church a target. He has targets all over the place. 

This new effort to criticize the Lutheran Church surprises me not one bit. I had seen it coming. Of course I was not assuming he was going to win the presidency again. Biden dropped out but that was not enough. Biden's mistake was to agree to a debate with Trump. Biden was not perfect but he was a good-hearted person. He was in politics for the right reasons. He was willing to be a warrior in the people's interests. 

You expected him to be perfect? Well no one in that role is going to be perfect. We can nit-pick anyone from a variety of angles. But Biden had the courage to be "in the arena." What person would want to come forward as the nominee of the Democratic Party nowadays? There is tremendous risk as in someone like DJT launching legal actions if not against you, then against some of your top people. 

But it may come down to Biden himself. Republicans like to talk about "lawfare" but it's their own guy who hovers most of all with this weapon. And when he wins like with extorting huge sums of $ from ABC News and now CBS and goodness knows who else when all this is done, his people will bristle and say the facts supported them. Because that's what lawyers always say. It's called advocacy. 

But the intent with such things can be dark. To support an autocratic leader. To help someone attain king-like status. Clearly that is what Trump is going for. Can't you all see? 

And now that great bulwark of the Christian faith - the Lutheran Church - is drawing his ire. One of his lieutenants, Michael Flynn, is taking the lead on this front. Does MAGA really think they can destroy the Lutheran Church? Well I have learned unfortunately that we just cannot bet against him. Legal charges bounce off him. And when they seem to stick as with E. Jean Carroll, it just does not matter. 

The factual record shows that Trump was not even an astute businessperson. He in fact was quite the opposite. He learned the skills of entertainment and this allowed him to "sell" the contrary image of being a genius businessperson. Walk up and down main street of small-town America and you'll find most folks having bought into the generous image. It is a false image. 

DJT was born into tons of special advantages. People like this normally invite scorn from the common folks. Instead, Trump used his charm offensive through entertainment media to sell himself entirely. He did it through the magical TV screen. 

And should we be surprised? We allowed O.J. Simpson into our homes for many years because of his football abilities. Therefore when it became clear he had committed double murder, most of us were hesitant to outright condemn him - we wanted to listen to his celebrity lawyers like that Mr. Kardashian. Familiar name? 

Vince Bugliosi wrote the book that made O.J.'s guilt a conclusive no-brainer. Bugliosi tried lecturing us through our cloud of delusion that formed from having admired O.J. for so long in sports. Sports! That complete alternative universe for our attitude as vicarious participants. Our attention is riveted on the players who look so fresh and graceful in their uniforms. Years later many of these players are run-down wrecks because of how they had entertained us. They suffer. They die prematurely. 

But we can always count on a fresh set of bodies to get our attention on Sunday. That is all we care about, though we don't want to admit it. 

So Trump found the formula of hypnotizing us from the TV screen in the like fashion. He crafted his image as a super business guy, he sold it. It not only worked for the 2016 election, he kept it going to get elected again in 2024. And in between he was responsible for the awful spectacle of J-6. And for that, who was held accountable? DJT has become so all-powerful, we may find that the good people who investigated and prosecuted the wrongdoing of J-6 are the ones who will be hung out to dry. 

This process moves forward in a way that seems unstoppable now, as with all things Trump. I'm just reporting the fact that he has power and he is using it. Do I object? Does it matter if I do? 

Is anyone with me in Stevens County re. my concerns? Do you all care if the Lutheran Church even survives this awful wrecking ball? Does our congressperson Michelle Fischbach agree with Trump and Flynn that the Lutheran Church is awful? 

Of course the Lutheran Church is not a monolith. Perhaps Trump, Flynn and Fischbach would approve of certain categories with Lutherans. The fringe synods with a conservative reputation I suppose. Would they approve of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of rural Morris? I don't know - I have seen signs that church is softening some. I compliment them for that! But, if they're winning my compliments, that may be bad news for them. 

I am sure they would never countenance any actual gay activism. And they would not approve a known gay to be a pastor. I think such matters are small potatoes. Gay people can overlook this IMHO. A friend of mine who goes to Good Shepherd tells me "gays are welcome to worship at our church." 

Well hallelujah. I just wonder what the church's standing now would be with the hardcore MAGA element. Can Good Shepherd separate itself from the local ELCA churches well enough? The poor ol' ELCA of course has the "liberal" tag, and will that become the kiss of death? Seriously, I think it could well be. 

Should I just stay away from the fray and cease having anything to do with this newly controversial Lutheran Church? Does the DJT regime want everyone to attend some sort of mega-church with a Bible-thumping fundamentalist pastor? Might this end up becoming our only choice? 

I have been a keen observer through all that has happened in Trump's rise. He may wipe out the Lutheran Church. His people are now critical of the Catholics too. But that may be too daunting for them. 

Paula White

DJT wants Paula White to speak for all Christians. We may end up with no choice. And by the time you realize you should object, it will be too late. Study the history of how autocratic leadership rises up. The public can be like the boiling frog. I fear it is already happening. The dominoes are falling. 

Watch for Trump to find a way to take over the Federal Reserve. He'll push interest rates down to zero if not into negative territory. If this situation is allowed to persist, what do you think would happen to America? Trump would not care. He'll take care of himself in the end. He could end up in Russia. 

Could the Lutheran Church ever be revived? Would the strength of God be enough? Is there hope? Remember how the besieged citizens of L.A. gathered in the church building as the last bastion in the concluding scenes of "War of the Worlds" (1953). So I have to say there is a ray of hope.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Snow falls and basketball entertains

The Eskimos have many terms for the different kinds of snow. Our storm here in Minnesota today (Saturday) has me thinking we need various terms for the different kinds of snowstorms. Supposedly it's severe today because the city declared a snow alert last night. It started at midnight. I began to wonder because my senses told me it's not that serious, did not appear to be headed that way. 

So I arose this morning. I backed out of the garage, back through the driveway and then out to Northridge Drive and from there downtown. Not an ounce of concern about the conditions. Routine. So maybe today's storm could have a certain type of term applied to it. Something to differentiate from the storms that bring big drifts quickly and require all the heavy equipment. 

At age 70 I can still walk to town and back on any day of the year. As long as I can see my neighborhood of Northridge Drive from town - even a shadowy image - I can make it. But with each passing year? 

 

Look to hoops

What gets us through such a challenging February? Basketball! What a game our U of M women played against Iowa! Close loss. But if we played Iowa ten times, I think we could win at least four. 

High school basketball! Let's look at how the MACA Tigers are doing. We are 14-6 now in a most upbeat season (BBB). 

Unlike the girls, we are showing superiority over Minnewaska Area. We should watch this rivalry closely because our one-time activities director left Morris to make a lot more $ at 'Waska. To date the 'Waska girls are thumping us but not the boys.

 

Boys: Tigers 70, 'Waska 57

The heading in the West Central Tribune this morning does not actually say "Tigers," it says "Morris/CA." We are not "Morris/CA" we are "Morris Area Chokio Alberta" or MACA. If the newspaper does not like how we do things, they can run an editorial. But it should refer to us by our proper name. 

Morris people do not tend to agree with me on anything, though. And when they disagree they can often use foul language. Even people in the dignified professions of law and medicine can show a potty mouth. Mick Rose warned me about how the doctor/lawyer types of town had the long knives out for me. And then Dr. Busian wrote the letter to the editor that most likely ended my newspaper career. It may not mean much to you but it still means a lot to me. 

And upon writing this on this white Saturday morning, I may invite epithets once again by the doctors/lawyers, or maybe I should specify dentists. I am not pointing fingers at any of our current dentists in Morris who I gather are fine people. I try never to resort to the potty mouth - it isn't necessary and it sets a bad example for the kids. But again, I'm sure I will run into disagreement because this is Morris. 

Our BBB Tigers raced to a 34-20 halftime lead over the Lakers in this game at 'Waska. And then in the next sentence the West Central Tribune article tells us about the 'Waska scoring leaders in the game. We are informed that Tristan O'Neil scored 20 for 'Waska. Tenzin Dahl had 17. I'll bet Tenzin is Sydney's brother. Sydney and her 'Waska GBB mates look like they're going places. 

The MACA boys outscored 'Waska 36-33 in the second half. We rolled to the 70-57 win. Who led us in scoring? The West Central Tribune does not tell us. It has "stats not available" for us. Not available? What's the story? Why are they not available? 

"Minnesota Scores" tells us the MACA record is now 14-6.

 

Girls: BOLD 60, Tigers 42

Hey, the WC Trib has the MACA individual scoring totals for the Friday girls game. Unfortunately I cannot report a win. Instead it was BOLD getting its fourth straight win, 60-42. Lainey Braulick scored 27 points to lift her Warriors at our Tiger Center. Layla Pfarr scored 16. 

For MACA. . .yes I can report that my next-door neighbor Addison Cihak scored 14. Way to go! And Chloe Fehr scored ten. Cihak and Fehr were joined on the scoring list by Samantha Konz 6, Maddie Fehr 4, Mylie Fehr 4 and Leah Berlinger 4. 

Our won-lost record is 7-15.

 

Girls: 'Waska 61, Melrose 40

Winning is now such a habit for the Minnewaska girls with Sydney Dahl and other impactful players. They hosted Melrose on Thursday and breezed to a 61-40 win. So their W/L record now is 20-2. Fans are greatly anticipating the post-season. That would include me. 

Sydney was outdone by one point by Megan Thorfinnson. Thorfinnson scored 17 points and Dahl 16. Three-pointers made the difference in this comparison: Thorfinnson made three, Dahl one. 

Here's the rest of the scoring list: Jayda Kolstoe 9, Alia Randt 4, Lauren Stryhn 3, Olivia Danielson 3, Kendall Danielson 3, Carly Jergenson 2, Amber Peabody 2 and Berlynn Green 2. 

Randt, Stryhn, Kendall Danielson and Kolstoe each made one '3' to complement the big scorers of Thorfinnson and Dahl. 

Dahl grabbed six rebounds to lead. Stryhn, Olivia Danielson and Thorfinnson each had two assists. Dahl stole the ball three times. Thorfinnson blocked three shots. 

'Waska has its second game versus MACA set for February 18 at Morris. I really hope the 'Waska coach does not get pressure to have his team let up in that game. Why are the kids working so hard in practice if not to give 100 percent in games?

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Now it's Lutheranism in the crosshairs

I saw this coming a long time ago: Lutherans running afoul of Trump and MAGA. My concern was at the point where I sent an email to the top official, bishop, of the ELCA. This was five or six years ago. 

"Lutherans" have managed to stay out of the headlines in connection to Trump and MAGA. We can add "Elon Musk" to those references, as it appears Americans are just sitting back and allowing the outsized (do ya' think?) influence of Musk. There is nothing I can do about that. 

Bishop Eaton responded to my email. My email warned of how the Trump forces might go on the attack against the ELCA of the Lutheran faith. That's the denomination that became known for "progressive" attitudes. That is anathema in the eyes of Trump, Musk et al. 

And right now MAGA is rolling past all obstacles in ways we could never have expected, even at the height of our angst. Well let's correct that: our angst is even higher now. But can it lead to corrective action? 

We here in western Minnesota have a congressperson who would not utter a peep of objection to what Trump says. We have chosen this. 

You could not expect the ELCA to experience smooth sailing under the cloud of MAGA. Both the in-town ELCA churches of Morris are pastor-less now. Word is, it's extremely difficult to fill such vacancies now. We're liberal according to the prevailing zeitgeist in greater Minnesota. 

I think it's unfortunate if you have chosen the MAGA route simply because you're upset about "trans." I know many people have flipped out on this. They have flipped out even more than when gay rights really started coming at us. That was the catalyst for the retreat from the ELCA. 

Is it even worth it to stick with the ELCA now? You give money to your church and then the pastor leaves. We are rudderless. Are we supposed to just stick with an ELCA church for sentimental reasons? 

I reminded the late beloved Truman Carlson that his own children were confirmed at a Lutheran church. Happened to be First Lutheran which is (still) my church. Not sure how much longer I can stay there, and I'm sure many people would say "we don't care what you do." Fine, no problem. My faith life might just end up being between me and my creator. "The creator" is at the center of Native American faith tradition. Maybe they have the answers. 

Carlson bolted from the ELCA and he did not wish to even engage in constructive conversation about it. He was a pillar of wisdom and conformity as young people went through school in Morris. He'd just smile if I attempted to challenge him. Such are the MAGA folks now, so many of them anyway. 

Elizabeth Eaton

I advised Bishop Eaton that Trump had a basis for really attacking Lutheranism if he wanted to. And we are being reminded right now that Trump equivocates not one bit, not one inch. As we speak he is the bull in the China closet, probably not drawing much concern until people realize their financial interests are in jeopardy. Jesus Christ was not influenced so much by money. 

I warned Eaton that Trump could give a speech at one of his rallies about Martin Luther's extreme anti-Semitism. So extreme that Luther's words contributed to the holocaust many years later. This is easily researched. Lutheran leaders who try to apologize for this will say Luther was simply getting "old and grouchy." He was definitely in possession of his faculties.  He wrote a whole treatise. Those who would want to conceal this have a harder time because of the sunlight of the Internet. It cannot be concealed. 

Maybe it does not concern you because you are anti-Semitic. To my knowledge I have never been wronged by a Jew. If that changes I can readily inform you through online communications. Oh, you're offended  because they "reject Christ?" Is that it? In a heartbeat I would say that everyone is entitled to their own personal religious beliefs. 

How much longer can the ELCA be allowed to exist while still having breathing room? My fears of several years ago are now being borne out. The headline from Yahoo! News: "Musk assails funding for Lutheran groups as MAGA's ire toward mercy for immigrants continues." 

I nodded my head - it is finally happening. I wonder if Bishop Eaton remembers my prescient email now. 

A sentence early in the Yahoo! News article: "And now it seems that Republicans are coming after Lutheran groups." Well of course. This on the heels of VP Vance criticizing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

Michael Flynn

Trump follower Michael Flynn, who seems a basically weird/deluded person, began stirring the waters relative to Lutherans. Really? The "Minnesota Nice Lutherans?" We have not all gone over to Good Shepherd Church of rural Morris, the outpost of Trump sympathizers. 

Flynn got major attention with his pronouncement that Lutheran organizations are using religion "as a money laundering operation." 

This got the attention of Elon Musk. Early on Sunday Musk vowed that his mysterious DOGE will cut off funding to "Lutheran organizations." He wrote "the DOGE team is rapidly shutting down these illegal payments." 

It appears that DOGE is not a real government agency. But a lot is surreal right now, so soon into this new so-called presidential administration which has caused earthquakes of anarchy. Musk's minions step into the void or abyss to impose their will. Trump himself is now the most powerful person in the world. Our congressperson would express no reservations. Go and ask her, see if she'll even respond. 

The Yahoo! News article continued: "And it certainly seems as though Musk, Flynn and the broader MAGA movement are bearing down on people based on their religious expressions of care to marginalized people." 

Flynn is targeting groups like the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, an organization now called Global Ridge that provides aid to resettled immigrants. 

To those of you upset about "trans," I will tell you I'm in total agreement. I don't even want to talk about it. I have supported reasonable accommodations for gay people including gay marriage because I think marriage is just a legal thing. Let's enact all this on humanitarian terms and then just move on. At the same time we do not need "gay pride activism." We don't need a gay pride float in the high school homecoming parade. The Christian faith is being forced into needless schisms. 

Girls and women's sports should be open only to biological females. Progressives are cutting their own throats by arguing otherwise. 

We need a movement now to stop the Flynns and the Musks but I've been shouting from the rooftop for a long time about this.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Our clothing choices of today

It has been said of my boomer generation that we can take credit for "casual Friday." Haven't heard the term much in recent years. I remember someone commenting that "casual Friday" might be the boomers' biggest contribution to our culture. Kind of a hostile assessment. 

Did we open the door for crude language to be more accepted? Think how you could get in trouble for saying certain things around teachers. Surely that aspect of school must have lightened up. Look at how so many important public figures speak now. The editors still feel they have to "bleep" the F-bombs. But are you sensing that this limitation is now fading? We can read the exact words more often now? 

Culture surely evolves. Is it possible that "casual Friday" has really taken over as our look every day of the week? A good place to judge contemporary fashion, or maybe I should say the lack of it, is at the entry to our big grocery store in Morris. It of course is "Willie's." Rather a monopoly, don't you think? 

People stream in and out. You can observe as you sit in the "cafe" area. One can readily conclude that comfort reigns when it comes to clothing choice. I think it is a blessing. Still, a part of us has to be nostalgic for the age when the two genders differed more in their appearance. How do you like the term "unisex?" I don't recall the term from when I was young. There are so many terms of today that would have been foreign to the boomers when young. 

"When young": maybe get more specific, Brian. How about the '70s and '80s? The '70s included my late teen years. Many girls wore "mini skirts." The boomers can remember when buying clothes seemed like a more expensive proposition. We had the main street clothing stores! Stores marketed to either men or women in many cases. 

Hats in 1920s

In Morris we had the Palmer's and Wayne's stores for men on main street. Boomers can remember the main street men's clothing stores from their hometowns. Go back further in time and you'd find that such stores sold a lot of "hats" for men. Look at old photos of crowds at baseball games and yes you'd see a sea of hats among the men. I wonder what made that so standard at one time, and then why did the habit fade away to obsolescence? 

Of course people smoked openly too. The changes do not happen suddenly. Therefore it might be hard to appreciate them. 

Significant changes happen all the time as with "debit cards" having become so routine now. How much longer will "cash" even last? Do you feel more nervous using cash these days? I don't want to use a $20 bill at Willie's unless my purchase comes to between $10 and $20. Anything smaller and I almost feel guilty having to be given so much change. That's irrational but I do have the thought. 

The entrance to Willie's gives us a snapshot of society out here in outstate Minnesota, year 2025. Comfort reigns with clothing choices. Get up in the morning, grab a sweatshirt and sweatpants maybe one size too big. One size too big spells comfort, highly desirable. But guys my age can remember when a sense of "fashion" suggested your clothes should be tight-fitting. That was irrational! To this day I resent having been pushed into that thinking. 

And why did it come about? If you went to school with loose-fitting clothes, you'd be considered an oddball and get teased. Popular TV shows showed us young men who (according to the popular meme) were heartthrobs, and they'd wear pants that looked like they were painted on. I'm fond of pointing out the show "Starsky and Hutch" as typical. 

I'm talking about '60s and '70s TV which was a real niche in our cultural history. And what I mean is: we all had a sense of shared culture. No Internet yet so we would simply listen to radio and turn on the TV to watch the well-known network shows. We knew on a particular night what a network would be offering. Whereas today everything has gotten "dispersed" to where it's basically unrecognizable in comparison to the previous age. 

I remember when kids at school buzzed about the previous night's "Night Gallery" episode. 

 

Rodney Crowell, tight jeans

Why tight fit?

I could have nightmares about the tight-fitting clothes I felt pressured to wear. We're talking good old-fashioned peer pressure. I developed inhibitions about even buying clothes. I felt self-conscious. I guess there's a mental disorder called "social anxiety disorder." 

I'll repeat that clothes seemed expensive compared to today, therefore you didn't want to make a mistake when buying clothing. And I hated "fitting rooms." I would still hate them but I wouldn't even consider them now. Clothing with time came across as being inexpensive. 

By contrast, I had to answer to my father who was the classic Depression-era product: consider it a grave matter to spend any money at all. Kids of the Depression people could get a real complex over this: just fretting about spending money. 

Our society plodded past that, to where you could go to places like Wal-Mart and fill your cart with neat stuff reasonably priced. And, no store clerks descending on you saying "can I help you?" I hated having a store clerk stare at me as I decided what kind of underwear to get. 

At Wal-Mart and similar places we were liberated. I'd make the proper judgment about what size to wear and then I'd often just buy it. I'd have to be close. And if the worst happened, you might have to discard it which wouldn't be catastrophic. But I wanted to avoid fitting rooms, and as far as trying to return something, I felt a little awkward and even guilty doing that. 

 

For the feet

Oh, shoes! The Wal-Marts of the world allowed you to browse and to slip on shoes in private for your patient and relaxed consideration. The only way to go! Not like the "shoe stores" of an earlier main street America! They'd tie a shoe for you and then wait to hear your judgment. I'd just want to get the hell out of there. 

And hey, I do not even remember "athletic shoes" from when I was in high school. We had "tennis shoes" which were, well, primitive by comparison and probably would not meet the "dress code" in school hallways. 

"Remember 'Pro Keds?' "

The dress code in school was a roadblock. No jeans? Really? Was that because of the "motorcycle movies" that had a suggestion of rebellion? Hey you jerks who ran the school: the purpose of pants or trousers was just to cover your legs. Quit being so political. 

But there were times when you'd feel "on the edge" of propriety if you spoke up against the Vietnam war. I kid you not. We were told to love America and conform, or at least John Wayne told us that. Remember we had the "shared culture" in those days. Voices that went against the grain were really marginalized. Shut down really. Many people worked to try to shut down MLK, partly because of his attitudes about the war. 

 

Prepare to blush

Tight-fitting pants or the "Starsky and Hutch" look could be hard on your genitals, I felt. A boy experiencing an involuntary erection had a harder time trying to conceal this embarrassment. And the tightness could even serve to bring on an erection. Who needs that? Who needs that in an inconvenient situation like when you're expected to go up to the front of the church for communion? 

You get to age 70 and you sort of forget about such hazards.

A note about looser-fitting shirts: they do not develop perspiration odor nearly as fast. So put on all your loose-fitting clothing, America of the year 2025. Pile into Willie's to buy your week's food at the inflated prices - always going up. 

I have joked before about how watching all the people enter and exit Willie's reminds of the famous Thoreau quote: "The majority of people lead lives of quiet desperation." 

Do not forget the 58,000 U.S. lives lost as direct fatalities of the Vietnam war. Lives snuffed out, for what? It was for the military industrial complex. Boomers led the way for standing up against that. So please don't just associate us with "casual Friday."

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

A "brave new world?" It presents danger

Happy Tariff Week. Although frankly I wish the media would not report this unless it is absolute fact, absolute fact that it is starting. We can never rule out pure posturing with the Orange Man. The media is along for the ride even if it is being used. 

If even one lawsuit about "deceptive editing" by the media succeeds, what a change will come for our whole media ecosystem. Money absolutely talks. Do you think that ABC News really wanted to admit guilt with its $15 million payment on the "rape" thing? Of course they didn't and that isn't the point. 

You settle these things to avoid risk. That's just what CBS News may do as well. 

Trump owns the most powerful office in the world and then he has his lawyers draw up lawsuits against anyone he can think of. He'll start legal actions just to see how far he can go. And I figure he does this - vexatious litigation - with the knowledge that he'll lose some of the time. But he has to test. And he probably finds he can "sucker" some courts into bowing his way. 

Who'd want to alienate someone with Trump's power? But how much power would he have now if he hadn't gotten the big delay in the immunity case? More important than getting the delay, he got the Supreme Court to rule in his favor and to create new precedent, new law. The lower court got that whole matter exactly right and they presented their conclusion in very sharp, almost sarcastic language. 

But the matter got bumped on up to the Supremes which is now loaded with Trump influence. Ginni Thomas has clout there too as a mere justice's wife. She has been an open advocate pushing all things Trump. And yet we're all supposed to be worried about "left wing" bias as with CBS News, allegedly. 

The corporate media or deep pockets media may be rapidly dying. The deep pockets interests shiver with fear about lawsuits. Trump is the lawsuit king, or let's just say he massages our white collar legal system that always has openings for his kind. Certainly not like the average Joe being spotted committing a traffic infraction. 

I thought it was delightful what "SNL" did at the end of the campaign with the top Democratic political figures. Surely you're a fan of Mia Rudolph. Yes it was charming and made us feel for Kamala, her husband and Joe Biden. It was a "positive" portrayal. And most likely the scriptwriters favored her. 

Now we're told such a thing was absolutely terrible. Democrats are never allowed to get their foot in the door for having possible ideas these days. You might say that's the "zeitgeist" we have now. I'm old enough to remember when Democrats held sway with the same kind of advantage in the 1970s. 

And I can remember when the arch conservative types were the pro-war people in the '60s. Whereas today, MAGA sells itself as being anti-war. Anti-war folks were once branded as "commies." Although "commies" has become sort of a throwaway term for anyone who opposes the agenda of people who present themselves as "conservative." 

I know exactly what the "conservative" philosophy is, mostly because I believe in reading an occasional book. And the real philosophy breaks in many ways from what the no-nothing MAGA crowd proclaims at present. Surely you've heard the term "anti-intellectual." William F. Buckley was a totally intellectual "conservative." You're probably too young to remember his "Firing Line" TV show. The theme music featured a piccolo trumpet! Again, y'all are probably too young. 

So we're supposed to be against wars today. Seems like a pretty logical stance. But I thought that conservatives associated drug use with the left wing hippie types. What happened to that attitude? Is that out the window too? Does a new zeitgeist come along sometimes that is just whimsically created? Like out of thin air? Because we're now supposed to support Robert F. Kennedy. Oh forget about his famous last name. He's a former heroin addict. 

RFK Jr.

Don't you think a Democratic Party nominee with this background would be absolutely assailed? From the rooftops? 

 

Sleight of hand?

I'm so amazed because people like J.D. Vance are explaining away the obvious inflationary affects of DJT's policies. You cannot corner them on this. One of those corporate media programs a few days ago - I'm sure Sunday morning - tried cornering Vance on this. Hell, do you think Vance would say "uncle?" 

Man, he and his kind field this question just like when asked about how huge tax cuts for the wealthy will expand our dangerous deficits. What they do, is sort of talk in circles saying that their party's policies will succeed in the long term! I can't even follow them. 

And then when they get pressed on how the big tax cuts have never had the promised trickle-down (to the masses), they'll say - ahem - "it'll be different this time." You have to follow the bouncing ball and sing along, I guess. 

I'm getting too old to do that. I know the truth and I have the wisdom. But that and ten cents will get you a cup of coffee. Oh, it takes more than ten cents now. I will warn you that significant new inflation is probably on the way. I wonder if our society can sustain this. And if not, heaven help us for what could happen. 

If DJT succeeds in taking over "the Fed," it could mean the end of the U.S. of America. Human beings will continue to live here, I just wonder on what terms. And all the smart-alecks of "conservative talk radio" will have just disappeared. Will the Christian faith survive?

Addendum: Is yours truly going to be exonerated for my skeptical view of the stock market through the years? Can't you all see? The mega-rich ruling class wants to see an economic implosion in America with resulting wreckage for the market. This is so they can get back in and "buy low." Just wait and see. Watch Jim Morrison? Just kidding, I guess.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Boys beat KMS, girls down Benson

Nice to be able to report on MACA boys and girls basketball action from Friday night. It is not often I get to do that any more. But here we go on this very windy Saturday morning out here in coyote country. 

Big win to report for the MACA boys, 86-63 over the KMS Saints. And the girls? Well, the MACA girls team has for sure had a bumpy ride this season. But they have certainly showed they are capable of winning. So it's nice to report the winning outcome of 70-52 over Benson. 

While we're at it, let's acknowledge the Minnewaska girls' win over Sauk Centre last night, score of 51-48. That was a real matchup of powers. Our MACA girls will finish their regular season against 'Waska on Feb. 18. I wonder how that will go. The game will be in Morris.

Boys: Tigers 86, KMS 63

The Tigers assumed a halftime lead of 43-34. We scored 43 again in the second half. Coach Jacob Torgerson saw four of his players score in double figures. The charge was led by Alex Asmus who poured in 18 points. Drew Huebner and Jack Kehoe each scored 15. Tyson Grove added to the mix with eleven. Tyler Friesen with his nine points was within a whisker of double figures. 

Others to score: Ben Tiernan 8, Jonah Huebner 5, Charlie Hanson 3 and Tanner Friesen 2. 

So there are two "Friesens" on the team. We already see multiples with the Huebner and Asmus names, a common sort of thing in high school sports. Wonderful to see the family involvement. But a sportswriter has to be careful to always try to distinguish between siblings. A first initial sometimes isn't enough as with the Holland girls of a few years back: sisters both with the first initial 'B'. Sometimes I think it's always easiest to type the first names in full with brothers/sisters. 

Tiernan and Asmus each made two 3-pointers. There is only one "Asmus" in the stats. Grove and Hanson each made one '3'. 

Jackson Armstrong stood out for KMS with 18 points and he was a terror in 3-point shooting: six makes. Gavin Mulder scored nine points for KMS. "Mulder" is a significant name from Morris school history. Three of the Saints each scored eight points: Talen Riley, Alex Zurn and Miles Morrison. Kody Tollefsrud and Teagen Diederich each scored six. 

Diederich and Riley each made two 3's while these Saints each made one: Zurn, Morrison and Mulder. Zurn collected five rebounds to lead. Diedrich with his four assists led there. Diedrich, Zurn and Mulder each had two steals. 

It feels like a historic day because the West Central Tribune had individual stat details for MACA as well as the opponents. Granted it's just points and 3's for MACA and nothing else. But it's better than we usually get from Forum Communications.

 

Girls: Tigers 70, Benson 52

We should be totally happy about this MACA win even while acknowledging that Benson is struggling pretty bad. I assume they are still the "Braves." Montevideo remedied this problem long ago. Benson has stretched this out much like Donald Trump stretches everything out. Doesn't his new administration make you feel warm and patriotic? Well, maybe not. 

Our Tigers had four players reach double figures in the Friday win. Samantha Konz was the standout with 16 points. Then we see Chloe Fehr with 14, Ryla Koehler with 13 and Adlee Gades with ten. Addison Cihak (my next-door neighbor) was right behind with nine points. 

Those of us who live on Northridge Drive can really be hit by the northwest wind, as we are reminded on this Saturday morning. We are seeing a lot of "snirt" out and around. Normally it's early spring when this really becomes evident. Believe me we are not in early spring yet, pilgrims. 

Maddie Fehr contributed seven points and Olivia Huebner one.

In 3-pointers it was Koehler leading the way with three. Konz and Gades each made two and Cihak one. 

Benson appears to have a couple pretty talented players. Elle Kletscher and Kaida Helgenset scored 20 and 19 points respectively. They showed 3-point shooting talent, Kletscher with six makes, Helgenset with five. These two had their names show up all over the stat report. But the blocked shots performers came out of nowhere. That would be Tess Nygaard and Madizyn Razink. Hey, the letter "z" in both first and last names! Neat.

 

My "Morris of Course" post that I put up yesterday reminds of my suggestion that we should push for getting an "inflatable cover" for Big Cat Field. We could have varsity softball totally unimpeded starting right after basketball. Sound like a dream? Here's the link and thanks.

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2025/01/rush-of-winter-sports-will-leave-us.html 

Addyson Kath (file pic)

'Waska girls 51, Sauk Centre 48

This was a closely-watched game because of the reputation of the two combatants: both top-notch. The Lakers won the Friday showdown by a margin of three. Addyson Kath emerged as a force for the victor: 18 points, seven rebounds, four steals and one blocked shot. 

'Waska entered this game ranked seventh but Sauk Centre stood at No. 5. Fans gathered at the 'Waska gym to watch and celebrate the success. Our MACA Tigers will play the Lakers on Feb. 18. It wasn't pretty the last time. 

Kath was complemented by Jayda Kolstoe and Sydney Dahl, both in double figures: Kolstoe 14 points and Dahl 13. Three Lakers each scored two points as 'Waska needed every last one. Alia Randt, Lauryn Ankeny nd Oliva Danielson each scored two. 

Kath made four 3-pointers and Kolstoe three. Dahl put the ball in once from 3-point range. Kath grabbed seven rebounds. Ankeny supplied an assist. Kath with her four steals led there. 

The triumvirate of Kath, Dahl and Megan Thorfinnson each blocked a shot. I bet you didn't think you'd be reading the word "triumvirate" this morning. 

'Waska is 18-2 now.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

MACA boys own 10-6 record

The MACA boys' four-game win streak got snapped on Tuesday. The opponent was Dawson-Boyd and the site was Tiger Center here in Morris. The final score was 68-52. 

MACA was left with a won-lost mark of 10-6, 6-1 in section, 4-3 in conference. We're 6-2 on the home court, 3-3 away, oh and 1-1 neutral. Maybe the Tuesday loss was just a bump in the road. 

I love the D-B nickname: "Blackjacks." Not sure what the background was when coining it. But we should appreciate the more unconventional names like "Silverstreaks" for Osakis. A neat trivia game is to recall nicknames of the old, now-defunct high schools out here. For example, Appleton "Aces" and Graceville "Shamrocks." 

I believe Campbell was the "Camels." Cyrus and Herman had the "Panthers" name. Every small town out here once had their own football and basketball teams. Then the birth control pill came along I guess. 

Dawson-Boyd took control through the early stages Tuesday. The halftime score was 39-19. The Tigers did outscore the Blackjacks in second half play 33-29. 

I am very happy on this Thursday morning to report stat details for MACA. I don't get to do that very often unfortunately. Two of the orange and black members scored in double figures: Alex Asmus with 16 points, Tyson Grove with eleven. Then we see Jack Kehoe 9, Drew Huebner 8, Charlie Hanson 4, Ben Tiernan 2 and Jonah Huebner 2. 

Asmus built his team-best total with four 3-pointers. Grove and Kehoe each made one from long-range. Kehoe topped rebounds with six. Oops! the West Central Tribune has "Huebner" with one assist. Which one? Actually this is a fairly easy oversight for a sportswriter. "Huebner" and Tyler Friesen each had one assist. If you write about a particular team very regularly, you stay aware of the name distinctions. 

Asmus had two steals. Looks like there was only one "Asmus" involved in this game. Friesen blocked a shot. It is very common for siblings to be on a team. 

Dawson-Boyd had four players make double figures. Brayson Boike led the charge with 17 points. Gunner Liebl and Drew Hjelmeland each scored 14. Carson Stratmoen put in eleven. For good measure, Beau Johnson scored seven points and Haxton Hastad five. 

Is Gunner a "gunner?" Well it was Stratmoen who was the sharpshooter from long-range: three 3's. Johnson, Boike and Hjelmeland each made one '3'. Boike attacked the boards for the team-best 13 rebounds. Hjelmeland pulled down nine. Liebl and Hjelmeland each delivered five assists. Liebl and Stratmoen each had three steals. And Boike blocked three shots.

Girls: Tigers 54, Monte 45

The GBB Tigers must have really felt lifted with their  Tuesday win. It was by a score of 54-45 over Montevideo. The West Central Tribune has "stats not available" for our Tigers. However - Eureka! - I can report three individual scoring totals that were on the radio station website. Ryla Koehler with 12 points, Chloe Fehr with eleven and Samantha Konz with ten. I wish that the full scoring list could have been shared. Hey guys, it's not too much to ask, is it? 

A girls win feels almost historic now. Remember how Brett Miller used to give us so much quality text reviews of Tiger sports on the radio station site? It's gone with the wind. The station must feel this kind of effort is not needed from a business standpoint. I was held to such incredibly high standards at the end of my newspaper tenure, so high I had to leave under great duress. Honestly, it was almost laughable. 

Ah, the things people have to do to impress their bosses sometimes. Glory hounds. 

Adding to the satisfaction of the girls' Tuesday win was that it was at home. Wait a minute, were the boys and girls both playing at home on Tuesday? I just double-checked with the "Minnesota Scores" site and it looks like they were. Staggered start times I assume. 

Here's a one-finger salute to the West Central Tribune for not having the MACA stats. And they refuse to even call us "MACA." It's a Forum-owned newspaper. They owned the Morris paper once and then they bailed out of here. 

The Tigers led Monte at halftime 28-25. We outscored the T-Hawks in second half play 26-20. Teagan Epema led Monte's scoring with 20 points. She made three 3-pointers. Hallie Helgeson led rebounds with five. Epema with her seven assists led there. She also stole the ball three times.

 

 

Sophie Hart

The U of M women

The University of Minnesota women's basketball team has some heavy-lifting to do today (Thursday). They are way out west. So there's a late starting time of 9 p.m. The assignment in that fire-devastated part of the country is to play USC. The Trojans are ranked fourth nationally. They own an 18-1 record. 

But don't count out our U of M women. We are 18-3 and have been ranked in the top 25. I think there's a good chance we'll have a decent run in the NCAA tournament. We could really get on a roll, and that could make the team a true marquee attraction for this state. The potential is there. 

"Coach Dawn" has the team humming. (I have a hard time with her last name.) 

Us fans sure got encouragement from the Wisconsin game. The Gophs beat the Badgers 71-50 on Sunday. The first half was a stalemate and then our rodents really took over in the second. The game was at home. Grace Grocholski had another super game, this time scoring 17 points. Sophie Hart was right behind with 16. Mallory Heyer got her second double-double of the season: 15 points, 11 rebounds.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com