My Journey to the Middle
Welcome to 'Slane From the Middle,' where we explore critical issues like politics, faith, and many other turning points. My path to creating this podcast began with personal experiences and a need to speak out against forces threatening our foundational values.
In today's world, one has to truly work to find "their truth".
Simply listening/reading/watching any one source does not guarantee the truth in today's media, based on clicks and likes!
This is my story, and why I believe it's more important than ever to engage in these vital conversations.
A Political Awakening in Kansas
My career in education offered a unique vantage point into Kansas politics. In the 1990's, I knew our representatives in Topeka – Duane Umbarger (R), Richard Reinhardt (D), and Val Defever (R). As educators, we were urged to contact them when Christian Nationalists began their stealthy takeover of the State Board of Education in that decade. We felt safe, believing our moderate, pro-education Republican leaders would protect us. However, the 2002 Kansas Republican Primary changed everything. Christian Nationalists successfully purged moderates from the legislature, an act that reshaped my understanding of power and faith (See documents below). This brazen tactic stunned me, revealing a campaign of infiltration that began in seemingly minor elections like local school boards, leading us to where we are today.
Lawrence Journal World
Evolving Faith, Enduring Values
Raised in the Methodist Church, my wife and I were deeply involved in our church's youth activities at the turn of the century. Yet, observing the Republican Party adopt tactics of personal attacks, disregard for truth, and moral compromise – which became a standard political strategy – caused me to distance myself from organized religion. I've watched their power grow since 2002, while most people only noticed in the last decade as their attacks became more overt at the national level, culminating in the unethical gaining of control over the SCOTUS. My journey led me to a different understanding of faith, one rooted in personal conviction rather than political opportunism.
Fighting for the Future
My life and faith was greatly affected by the 2002 Kansas Republican Primary. The group now known as Christian Nationalists unethically purged moderates throughout my state . I remained in the Republican party solely to vote against Christian Nationalists, but I sadly witnessed their effective propaganda network in action over the years. In 2017, I finally left the Republican Party after Trump’s first tax plan did nothing for my family. My depression deepened as I saw our nation become consumed by hate. By mid-May of the past year, with international alliances crumbling, I felt defeated and was in a very dark place. At that point, MY GOD gave me a renewed purpose and a stronger faith. Freedom of Religion 'made America great,' and while I respect individual and denomenational beliefs, I strongly oppose Christian Nationalists unethically imposing their beliefs as law. My motivation to speak out ignited when I learned of KS Republicans' (Christian Nationalists') plan to take control of our Kansas Supreme Court in the upcoming election. I'm fighting for my grandchildren’s freedom to choose their own faith and my own future. The current administration harms our future daily, with tariffs impacting the middle and lower classes and foreign policy destroying our place in the world.