360, 365

     Wondering what the title means? I came across it in a book I was reading where it was used and explained by the main character and it struck a note. It means that one must have an outlook of 360 degrees for 365 days, meaning a looking about at all times in full circle every single day.
     Wow, I thought. What a perfect description of the world we live in today, especially given that today is 9/11. While there are many today who were young or not even born then, do not feel within their bones the cannot be described adequately enough feelings during that moment, those hours and the days afterwards, we obviously had not learned the 360, 365 maxim, or did not practice it often enough. I remember where I was when a woman shouted out a window that JFK was killed and I will never forget where I was when I saw the beyond belief attacks on the Towers, the grinding day that followed, the days afterwards when all walked around with a shocked stare and adults were tonguetied when it came to explaining this to the kids.
      The worst ever though, is that while reading this, I thought to myself that it was so true, perhaps even more so these days. Why? Because we not only have to be aware of enemies outside our country, but also the enemies within. We have people on the right and on the not even so right wing that are content to destroy our government, our Constitution, take down the country, go along with it out of belief or fear or desire to ride the coattails to personal benefit.
     We have, within this country, our country that no longer feels as if it is ours, roundups of human beings, trashing of human beings, physically and verbally, plans to raid homeless encampments and have them placed in "government backed facilities". Really? Truly? If you do not get a shiver down your spine then you are missing the point. The government today, here in our own country, is now being run by a would be dictator, who has taken over , suborned many of the powers of the other two branches of government and has run his branch by fiat, many of them close to insane or reach the level of Caligula in their intents.
      360, 365. We have let that ball drop, sinking into a smug sense of safety as the economy first tanked and then began its rise again in 2008. We have sat still while Trump shredded our relations with allies, longtime friends. We have observed his love affairs with the dictators and murderers of the world. We have heard his vocal admiration of them and his emulation of them as far as he can take it. We have ignored the trashing of our rights, of the free press, seen him destroy people with his vicious tweetings and his infantile tantrums with dangerous powers attached.
     360, 365. I wrote of the necessity of a heightened awareness, a 360, 365 need for Jews to be in a state of heightened awareness of the power and violence of hatred. We need to powerfully thrust back against the takeover of the extreme, the fanatics, the haters on and from all sides. And we need to keep up the fight. McCready lost yesterday in North Carolina, and as disappointing as that was, there was also a note of optimism. In a state where Trump had won in 2016 by 20 points, that lead had nearly vanished. Perhaps, we can hope and pray, that people are coming to their senses, even among the deeply duped, but we must do more, and quickly, to defeat Trump and all he stands for in 2020 and return to what should be, build a better future for us all.
     Again as a postscript for macro and micro worlds - the situation is similar by you. The citizens of the world need to watch the rise of populism, the apathy of the crowds or the size of the crowds. Which way will you choose? And for here in the Village, have we not yet reached the point of new days yet? When will we replace the old, the faded, the useless ideas that do not work, replace them with new ideas, new people ,new energies infused into UCO and the proper use of the experience of those who came before, but back on the right track.
     When will we all remeber 360, 365 and practice it. It stands for a difficult world, a dangerous world, but it is the one we live in. Perhaps with 360, 365 we can fix it, but first we have to get there. I wish us all good luck and  a good fight with victory at the end of it all. 
     May we all remeber those who were slaughtered on that terrible day, those who have lost their lives in the nonending war that followed, and may we all pray for a better world, a world where war is no more, and 360, 365 is not so necessary.