Warning: this is disturbing, really disturbing. A couple days ago, I was on a walk. (Don’t worry, I was wearing a face mask, of course, and my walk is not the disturbing part.) However, as I was walking, from a distance I could see a piece of paper that said “White power worldwide.” Understandably, this drew my attention. As I headed toward it, I saw there were even more: multiple pages near the white power page, fluttering in the breeze. Multiple pages that had already blown around in the wind. And then, not just a single piece of paper, not just several pieces blowing around, but an entire notebook on the ground. When I saw that, I knew something had to be done. I could not let that much hate circulate on the sidewalk, for just any ole person to walk past. What might happen if some innocent children walked near this filth of an idea? Or worse…a dog? A pit bull who might join the White Power movement, perhaps, and register to become a Republican voter. I’d bet they would let his vote count somehow. I did not want Rex to see this stuff, that’s for sure.
I recognize that I am using racist, fascist, and Nazi, all sort of interchangeably, even though they aren’t exactly the same. (Not all Republicans are racist, either.) As for the others, they are quite similar. Give me a pass, will you? While you’re at it, you can see for yourself:
Racism: 1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others. 2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
Racist: n. A person who believes a particular race is superior to others. adj. Of, relating to, or advocating racism.
Fascist: a person who believes in or sympathizes with fascism. A member of a fascist movement or party, a person who is dictatorial or has extreme right-wing views.
Fascism: a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.
Nazi: 1) a member of a German fascist party controlling Germany from 1933 to 1945 under Adolf Hitler 2) one who espouses the beliefs and policies of the German Nazis: fascist
I sucked up my Covid and “white power” fears, and decided to pick up the entire notebook and the pages that surrounded it, which were littering the sidewalk, the planted city tree, and the ivy they were flirting with. Not only did I want to pick up the litter itself, I didn’t want that evil message to circulate in the air, the ether, the world. (Too late, of course). Also, I was curious. I brought the Nazi notebook home, and put it on our outside table to let it decontaminate for a few days in the sun. I know that you don’t have to do that anymore, so they say, but Jack and I like to be extra cautious. What can it hurt, right?
After its decontamination period, I brought the evil notebook into the house. I wanted to read it, see if I could get inside of a mind that believes we need “white power worldwide.” (I hate to break it to you, buddy, but white people have had white power somewhere for centuries. It’s called “the world.”)
So, into house the hateful notebook came. Then I did a deep dive to explore other nuggets I might find…and find I did. First, I had to separate the blank pages, because there were still a lot of them. Those pages went immediately into the recycling. Next, with blank pages safely recycled, I began the journey of the remaining fascist notebook, starting on the first page. A welcoming “I fucken hate all of them.” Followed by a Nazi symbol. Wow. Originally, I had picked up the notebook to explore the mind of the teenage boy I had imagined it belonged to, but this might be more than that. I kept looking. More blank pages followed blank pages. I wasn't that careful on the first pass, I guess. There was a page with a phone number scribbled on it. For a split second, I wondered if I should call it, to tell the person who answered that I had his friend’s notebook, but I knew that I didn’t want to meet that person either. Ick.Then I struck the mother lode. Within the mostly-blank notebook, there were two significant things tucked away. A calendar/datebook. Also, a small book of ministries, “The Daily Bread.” It was even up-to-date, March-April. This sure was one organized Nazi.
This sure was one organized Nazi.
It made me sad to see; I could almost weep for this misguided soul who could “fucken hate all of them,” and at the same time carry his “Daily Bread” around. Does he even know what the daily bread means? The daily bread is Christ’s body, if my semi-Catholic upbringing (and fading memory) are to be trusted. For Christ’s sake! Sheesh!
My Grandma was a devout Catholic, but by the time my parents got to me, the fourth of four kids, they didn’t have me baptized or make me attend mass. Actually, they only baptized their first child. I did go to mass with my Grandma anyway, though. Sometimes. I used to joke that “I’m not Catholic anymore, and I still feel guilty about it.” That’s funny, right? Since I hadn’t been baptized, I never sampled the “body of Christ,” because it’s sacrilegious to take communion without being baptized. I didn’t really want to eat the body of Christ, anyway. I’m not a cannibal, for Pete’s sake. I was curious about the “blood of Christ,” too, but I didn’t drink that either, for the same not-wanting-to-be sacrilegious reason. No big loss there, because I found out later it’s just grape juice. The “body of Christ” is crackers. (Post spoiler alert, sorry). It makes sense, though. Christ was not an enormous man.
I wonder if the Nazi guy, whose notebook I was spying into, has ever had communion. Or maybe he hates Catholics, too? How surprising. Then again, we can’t be surprised by any of it, can we? He’s a weird dude, a contradiction, to say the least. An enigma!Back to our story: the magazine “The Daily Bread” (aka Christ’s body) and the other scripture stuff the Nazi was carrying around is simply fascinating to me. In fact, one of the notes he had written had the headline: Bible Study. On it, he pondered, (after writing something completely unintelligible because he had very, very bad hand writing): “And from the Glory of God Romans 3 what then are we to Abell?” (He did not spell Abel correctly, but I will give him a pass for now. It’s hard to be a good Nazi while also studying scripture.) As you might have guessed, I don’t know much about the Bible, and I don’t know much about Cain and Abel. Or Abell (sic). Still, I like a good puzzle, and I would say that it is a pretty good question. Actually, I’m just guessing that it’s a good question, because I don’t even know what it means. “What then are we to Abel?” I’ll think about it. Stay tuned. Until next time…
And from the Glory of God Romans 3, what then are we to Abel?
The Nazi Notebook writer, examining the Holy Bible
