Righteous Anger

I’m a bleeding heart liberal. If there’s a person who’s downtrodden or subjugated or treated unfairly or farted the wrong way, I’m there to fight for them! I want everybody to have free healthcare, free food, and free love! I hate war and violence and I am not really even very good with confrontation of any kind. I love puppies and wildflowers, and I’m pretty sure the moon affects my life and thoughts. That all said, I’m ready to beat the shit out of some MAGAts.

I’m a liberal with violent feelings. I am so sick and tired of being told that I’m not patriotic and that I’m not a “real” American because I lean toward progressive politics. I’m so sick and tired of a huge swath of Americans being okay with Donald Trump and ICE and all of their cronies.

I’m an American. I love this country and I’m deeply patriotic. I may not wave the flag all over the place to signal the other patriots but I am as American as apple pie and racism! I’m sick of what this country has become and I’m ready to fight to the death to win it back.

The time for passive and peaceful protest is over. It doesn’t work. They are just laughing at us. They trample on the constitution and the rule of law. They look you straight in the eye and crap all over your flag.

They do the most un-American things and some of you voted them in so that they could do it. Look what you did. What are you gonna tell your children?

My father was a preacher. I’m not the most religious person, but I do know the Bible and there is some universal truth to be gleaned from it for sure.

When Jesus came to Jerusalem and entered the temple, he looked around the sort of “waiting room” or “courtyard” around the entrance of the temple. It was full of people making money in the name of God. Tricking people into buying indulgences and ways into heaven. Selling stuff they didn’t need all in the name of praising God in the temple “the right way.” Problem is they were the ones making up the rules that made the people have to worship “the right way.” Sound familiar?

Jesus was enraged! He was out of his mind with anger, but calmly went and collected some sharp pieces of pottery and some strips of leather. He sat quietly and fashioned a whip with several tongues and sharp pieces of broken pitchers and pots fastened to the ends of each tongue.

Once his whip was finished, he simply stood up and beat the living crap out of all of those money changers. He ran them from the temple and restored peace, safety, and religious freedom. Sound familiar?

It’s called righteous anger. Let it swell within you. Let it power all of the beauty and lover of what’s right that you are. Let it rise up and fight through you. They’re coming for our country. I mean Maga. I mean Donald Trump and ICE and his idiot vice president and his ridiculous homeland security advisor. I don’t even wanna mention their stupid names. I’m so completely sick of this.

There is a time for peace, but there’s also a time when peace doesn’t work. Look around folks, we are at war. NOW.

Stand up! Let’s go!

Jeff Berkley is a San Diego songwriter, musician, and producer, whose soulful writing, guitar mastery, and visionary production have shaped the Southern California music scene. He has collaborated with icons like Jackson Browne, David Crosby, the Indigo Girls, and Ben Harper; in 1999 won the Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Award. With his bands Berkley Hart and Jeff Berkley & the Banned, he has earned multiple San Diego Music Awards, including Artist of the Year in 2023, and was inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame. Berkley has released numerous acclaimed albums and continues to perform, produce, and create music rooted in heart and storytelling.