SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

  That is the sound of sanity exiting the world. That is the sound of democracy dying. That is the sound of hate rejuvenated and celebrated. That is the sound of truth overwhelmed by distortions and egregiously vitriolic lies. It is the sound of hope leaving this world. It is the sound of the declining, endangered democracy in America. It is the sound of fascism growing by leaps and bound in official Florida under its first openly fascist governor, DeSantis. It is the sound of the ever more triumphant snake of Eden, gloating how his temptations for humans have been accepted and enhanced. It is the sound of growing hopelessness in the face of growing odds, growing hate, and closing doors and windows, along with blockaded roads with little room for viable detours.

75 is a number to be celebrated. It is represented by a diamond, be it for a jubilee or anniversary or birthday. It is not meant to be a celebration of hatred sanctioned by organizations with apparent nefarious goals, and buying into the oldest hate in existence. True, I am waiting (in vain, I believe) for my diamond gift for my 75th, will be waiting still by my 76th, G-d willing, as I love and appreciate the true diamonds in my life - my family and friends. But the world cannot wait in vain.

 Seriously, what the hell has happened to our world since the reestablishment of an ancient 'kingdom' of Judea, of Israel, in 1948? What happened to the world which recognized its dereliction of duty in the dark years of 1933-1945 and beyond, and attempted to atone for it by declaring the State of Israel. What has happened? Is it because the Jews of the world, the country of Israel, have refused to lay down and die to satisfy the enmity and greed of the world, refusing to stay silent, even as they raise awareness re the growing vicious antisemitism now infecting the world? There is no logical answer for an awful illogical grossly evil, wrong phenomenon and that hinders the fight against it.

Nor is there an understanding of why so many Americans have signed up to join the ranks of the denigrators of democracy, the demeaners of women, the opponents of anyone outside their own rigid confining brutal set of viewpoints and guidelines. Florida is well on its way towards open declared fascism as the proponent of this philosophy engages in political cynicism, running and not running for office, ruling over his captive legislatures, passing and enacting laws of repression and suppression. Sending  "101 Highway Patrol Troopers, 200 Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers, 20 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, 800 Florida National Guard soldiers, 20 Florida Department of Emergency Management employees, five "fixed wing aircraft" and two aviation crew teams, two mobile command vehicles with their command teams, 17 unmanned aerial vehicles and support teams and 10 boats." to the border to keep us safe!? On our dime! Better we were safe from those of his ilk who push hate, bigotry, limitations rather than the openness and welcome that should be primary in a democracy.

Donald Trump, instead of being jailed, rants about locking people up for speaking 'wrong' about him. He and DeSantis and others who buy into their poison engage in ever growing attacks on the right to and of free speech. The right to vote. The right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as laid out in the Declaration and Constitution. Who enable people, even doctors, to forget their humanity, forget what is right and refuse to treat or deal with people via the  "Protections of Medical Conscience (pdf) bill, which lets medical professionals and health insurance companies deny patients care based on religious, moral or ethical beliefs. While the new law doesn’t allow care to be withheld because of race, colour sex, or national origin, there are no protections for sexual orientation or gender identity. "

Really? So thus there is now a legal path towards discrimination, towards refusing to allow these oh so bad people we despise - your choice - to live among us, to pray among us, to engage in commerce with us, to have their children mingle with ours, to have rights and lives of humans? Does anyone hear the echoes of horror of the not so long ago past -indeed, of the present and increasingly likely future. The echoes growing stronger, louder.

The UN celebrates a holiday of hate aimed at an extermination of a people, the denial of an almost successful attempt to do so known as The Holocaust, tramples on the right, the fair, the just, denies the truth. and nations follow along, dancing to the evilly seductive tunes of a crooked pied piper.

Locally, we sue teachers who refuse to kowtow to hate and censorship. We bow to the oh so wrong and its perpetrators. We forget that we are Americans, charged with the responsibility and privilege of keeping alive and viable and vibrant the principles of the Founding Fathers, expanding on those principles, keeping alive the hopes and dreams of the peoples of the world, doing the right - not the wrong! We have strayed off that straight, true and difficult road, much to our detriment.

Even in local politics we have the wrong being raised over the right. Local boards sell out to developers, worsening the living conditions which originally brought people to Florida, endangering the air quality, the very ease of breathing as we cut trees, shred Preserves, pave the state over with tar and cement. Even local developments hide the troth, refuse to do the right.

With reference to the first amendment, an official stated thus "“ ...  it’s the responsibility of all leaders to protect First Amendment rights. These views are not who we are as a country, and they are what we stand against in the world,” This is applicable to all our problems, our current state of affairs. Only together can we beat back these increasingly viable attacks upon us, our beliefs, our freedoms and rights. The growth of virulent hatreds must be combated, defeated and vanquished permanently.

Together we can do so much. Together is the path - internationally, nationally, locally, and even more local. Every level of life, every venue of life benefits from doing the right thing, protecting those who are in need, and supporting of rights and progressive lives for all.

Together we can close the leak, shut down that ssssssssssssssssssss.

Together.

Together - Together we can achieve it all. 

Together we can

HEAL THE WORLD.

HEAL YITZY!

Yitzchak Elimelech ben Chana Sarah

May he be granted refuah shelaymah bimheyrah beyameinu. 

May he be granted a timely and complete healing.

May Hashem hear all our voices raised in prayer. 

Amen. Amen.