DEAR AMERICA,

Dear America,

How and when can we even begin to understand what we have done? When will the reality of our grossly misbegotten erroneous choices and actions be thoroughly internalized? When will we acknowledge that we have taken too often the low road, especially of late, truly beginning its malevolent appearances when we got involved in Vietnam, a war that should never have been, when the divisions within this nation took on deeper meanings and importance. 

With some moments of hope, too often dashed too quickly, since then we have gone downhill. We have enraged allies, cozied up to enemies, and simply made choices on the wrong side of right and too often lacking content of humanitarian concern.  Arrogantly, we pursued that course and initiated a growth industry of panning America, placing all in a negative light. The American shine began to tarnish, in places even to rust. And yet stubbornly we continued on. We began to wallow in the. filth of the ditches, blundered into dangerous and inhospitable arenas, became lost, and let us and the world down. 

We doubled down on our errors and now the bill is due. No more delay. Unfortunately, we chose the wrong credit card with which to pay the bill. The leaders of the nation dwindled in stature and honesty, morality not to be seen. Filthy souls were covered over with false fronts. Both religious and secular leaders disappointed and wounded us deeply. 

More important, most important, we began to cannibalize ourselves, eating away at the unity of the nation, breaking the nation into tribal areas and tribal concerns. With cynicism, anger, and hopelessness on the rise, people began to arm themselves to an absurd degree and formed   militias of their own, which inevitably morphed into the revolutionary treasonous behavior of January 6th and so much worse in the resultant soulless administration now in place, perhaps the last one democratically elected within a once upon a time America.  All ranks of the nation began to kowtow to a man who used fear and promises of wealth and power, and our industrialists, our legislators, our judges, deserted us. Those who opposed took themselves out of harm's way. We, the people, were left mostly abandoned and defenseless or even buying into the program. 

When what should not, could not ever be, became. a horrocious reality. When the president needs to be reminded that he is not a king, that he must obey the law, and he games the game, we are in trouble. When that President and his supporters feel he can govern by Executive Order, ignoring the legislative and judicial branches of this nation, shredding the Constitution, we are in grave trouble indeed. When too many of the electorate fall prey to the flow of his treacherous snakelike words, we are in deep trouble. 

When news articles warning of his monarchist ambitions, his dangerous plans and foolish deranged statements, even from media who had supported him, when one sees articles of the following topics, well. worry, my friends. Worry indeed. He welcomes legal battles so as to have his domesticated Supreme Court collude with him and approve his violations of the law.

 He talks of immigrants as something other than human and allows, no, even encourages behavior worthy of an award from Hitler. A group of 88 Brazilian deportees, handcuffed, shackled, with children aboard roasted in the hot sun of the Amazon. for hours, refused permission to get off; to at least open the door to get air. It took the Brazilian federal police to force their release. Anyone who has ever waited on a plane in the heat knows the brutality of this. To subject children to this as well! What is the matter with us? What is the matter with the people we have allowed to take power in this nation? 

When the president, in the midst of his constant barrage of cutting costs, plans to redevelop Guantanamo Bay and use it to "house” 30,000+ deported immigrants, at a cost ever ongoing, of trillions of dollars and guess who will be paying that tab.... anyone with any remnant of a soul within should be screaming to the heavens, to the people in charge. Protesting this plan. This is not a housing situation. This is the beginning of the new growth industry here in America. The American version of a concentration camp. 

A shout out to my fellow Jews. You should be shaking in your shoes. You should be feeling chills of fright running down your spine. You should be overwhelmed with nausea. When hate rises to this level, when people can discuss calmly, approvingly, of plans to imprison a designated group of people, cast aside, set aside, the feeling of Deja Vue   should overwhelm you with horror. Your mouths, your minds, your hearts, your souls, should be opposing this. Any decent person should oppose.

  Why can we not turn our fertile minds to solving this issue rather than punishing it, treating the symptoms rather than the cause and results and do so in humanitarian manner. With soul front and center.

When a 99-year-old survivor of Auschwitz speaks at a commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz, that obscene Hell on Earth, and his speech cries out against the rising hatred of this world, there is something very wrong. When he speaks about the anti-democratic movements and their role and responsibility in this phenomenon, preaching, as they do, of "hostility and hatred toward others.... (and define) racism, antisemitism and homophobia.   as virtues", well, folks, time to wake up and acknowledge our errors. And fix them.

 My dear fellow Americans, we need to delve deeply within ourselves. Find our souls. Clean them up and put them firmly where they belong. In active combat and opposition to the filth of hate. Stop trying to disguise it. Bare the falsehoods being told, the claims of false religion and false patriotism. If hate and racism and violence directed at one group is not fought against and destroyed at its point of origin, then the inevitable will take place. That hate will grow and swallow up all before it. And those to the side and then turn around and go at those behind. Its appetite is insatiable and there is no escape. There is no one not a potential victim. 

  America. Find yourself. Please. Before it is too late. Freshen the drawers of your mind. Be a true American. Be a good person. Be a kind person. The alternative is unthinkable. 

On the morrow of the morrow.   

    

       

DOES IT EVER?

In fact, the complete sentence should be 'does it ever end?' Does it ever stop? Must we be under a constant barrage of bad news missiles detailing all that is wrong in this world. Is it impossible to find something worthy of cheers, good enough, powerful enough, to reassure us that we are not totally lost on this road to perdition? Is there no room in the news for good news? Or is it that the good is so overwhelmed by the bad that we just have given up and given in? 

Why do we have the already limited and censored info bits released under smothering covers of deception and distortion, making a bad situation worse? Worse, the electorate falls for the false feeds and enables those in power to claim emergency or exigent circumstances empowering them to grab more of the reins of control, pervert more of the government, violate more of the Constitution and traditions of this nation. 

Our President, G-d help us -and soon - and his coterie of sniveling craven cowards, then issue forth a stream of unilateral decisions, Executive Orders, which fly in the face of every stated and unstated rule and tradition of the conduct of this nation and its governance. Unilateral decisions and behaviors intolerable, even illegal, under the true structure of our nation. The demand for more power grows, is given or taken, and suddenly we have a pseudo monarchy. Our traditional role as model for workable democracy, falls by the wayside, along with the trashed hopes and dreams of so many.    

A short while ago there was a brouhaha re a series of overflights by drones. Conspiracy theories abounded, from domestic villains to aliens and Iran somewhere in the middle. Despite reassurance from Biden that they were FAA authorized, Trump ramped it up to a feverish pitch and vowed a Day One revelation of truth, yet another component and promise/threat of that deviant Day One behavior.  Well, not on Day One, but yesterday, it was announced - the FAA. Quelle shock!     

Trump's Day One behavior, the Executive Orders from that day and continuing in an unstoppable flow, are unfortunately quite indicative of not the promise of his regime, but the threat of his regime. This nation is under threat by the Army of Trump. Order by Order he is dismantling this nation's government, shredding its Constitution, defying every precept to be found in the Declaration of Independence. Every ounce of decency is being wrung out of this nation and its government. Its   guide is the infamous awful Project 2025, long denied but now quite apparently in play.

Not yet two weeks after Day One, we have already had major upheavals in this nation. We have standing armed forces in our streets. Openly unconstitutional. We have a policy of "domestic resettlement" and deportation of immigrants, a policy which echoes the policies of Hitler and other maniacs and criminals and not to forget our own Japanese internment camps. Have we not yet learned to distinguish between right and wrong, moral and immoral? 

We have created levels and sub levels of mensch and Untermensch, to be held in our new version concentration camps, awaiting deportment or more? Perhaps a source of labor combined. with those immured in the “health farms” of RFK Jr. Waste not, want not - and the children..... Surely a most wonderful achievement! Modern day slavery brought to you by the graces of Trump et al. Think not, think never? All things come to those who wait - and anticipate- and see how well his patient scheming has succeeded. Nothing is beyond this man. 

The ultimate ugliness here that we must see and recognize for what it is, is that we have allowed this. If we would have said no, this would not be in place. Future plans would not be in place. Project 2025 would be consigned to the shredder. We are going deeper and deeper into the trail set by the villains of history. We have returned to our worst days. Racism. Antisemitism. Misogyny. Homophobia. All doing quite well, thriving here in the new America. We have had a major upheaval of this nation's ethos, it's purpose. It's very life and the lives of its citizens. Here once again, is that question. Does it ever end?

Unfortunately, with an almost all but official King Donald in operational place, we are running out of time. What exactly is fueling this bizarre behavior of Trump? Well, the question must be asked, is this truly bizarre? Did we not know about this? Did we not ignore the truth of it? The truth of it, of Project 2025? 

Did we not look ahead and see into the near future of the awful consequences of federal money withdrawn from programs which feed the hungry, the poor, the elderly, the refugee, provide medical care and medicines to those in need? What shall we say when we have bare shelves in the stores as we have no workers, deported one and all. As the areas of disasters cannot be rehabbed for we have no workers. When all medical personnel will be in short supply as we sent them all away. When our techie industry starves for fresh input.  When we can no longer feed our family, and our children cry from hunger. Will we think then that we have done so well, so good for this nation, grateful for our election of Trump?? As we watch the Uber rich go by in their fancy cars on their way to the 5th or 6th home. Even as you shiver in the dark, in the cold.   Will we understand what we have done? Will it be too late? 

That would depend on how far gone our democracy is. Whether the people will have any voice that matters. Will our elections have turned into the jokes of Yes/No of authoritarian countries? Will we be able to throw off and repair the damage done by years of Executive Orders? Will it be possible to revive our withered, useless legislative and judiciary branches, already way down that road to uselessness? Will our children have been already so indoctrinated that to bring them back is a huge project, and can we dissolve the work force atmosphere of informing on each other? 

Will it in fact be possible to rebuild the faith and trust of the electorate. Will they know how to find good leaders. and empower them the right way. Or all we already too far gone.  

 Does this ever end? Can it ever end? Can we defeat those who follow previous dictators and manipulate democracy to overthrow itself? Do we allow Trump to follow Julius Caesar? Adolf Hitler? Any number of dictators of African countries under siege, in South American countries? It is time for us to wake up. Overtime, in fact. We need to recognize and demand honesty, responsibility and truthfulness to be found within our elected officials. We need to wake up to our responsibility. Active participation in the functioning of this government, of this nation. Bob the Builder says, "Yes we can'. I am not so sure anymore. Think I need to go out and read that book my grandson so loved. The Little Engine That Could. With determination he did. So must we.  

Does it ever end? Perhaps if we wake up before it is too late. Hope that this nation lasts until the next national elections. And comes to its senses. Rolling up our sleeves and re-righting this nation. Can we last that long? Will it make a difference? I leave it to you and me, to all of us. We must answer that question and God help us if we answer it incorrectly. No redo. No retake. No curve on the grade. The absolute ugly truth and consequence of it all. 

 We have all got to knock on heaven's door at the same time as we knock on our heads. and get the machinery in there working once again. We must make our needs clear, work towards them and understand the payments we must make in our efforts. Nought is for nought in this world. 

Let us wake up. 

The time is here. 

The time is now.    

 On the morrow.

NO, VIRGINIA, NOT TO WORRY ...

  I do not know about Santa Claus, but the Gulf of Mexico remains as such. Disregard the looney renaming of it as the Gulf of America, as relevant and real as those maps which edit Israel out of existence. Same moronic vein of thought. Nor does saying so, make it so, but for those who have never grown up, that is called magical thinking. Generally, it disappears upon maturity. Hmm, wonder what that says about the misinformed, misthinking crazed inefficient cartographers - and those who buy into their lies and employ them further in the creation of nonexistent maps of imaginary delusions. 

The above brings us back to the topic of faith. There are those who believe that whatever is in print, is to be taken as words from Sinai, straight from the Lord above and His Chosen, those who have presented themselves, elevated themselves, to be the spokespeople of the Heavens. Faith in such must be carefully. earned. Too many of the words printed today, be it online, be it in hard copy, too many of the spoken or ranted or chanted words are false, meant to delude and distract, meant to pull the wool over the world's eyes. 

 Behind that wool curtain lies destruction and dismay. I expect people who read my postings to judge for themselves, to accept for themselves, disregard what they wish, for that is their right. That is the right of all people, to think independently. What is not the right of people is to impose their views upon others, to force them to follow in their footsteps, regardless of their own personal preferences and beliefs. Words are meant to inspire words and thought. Words are meant to. retrain, reformat. and not to rain down hammer blows upon all opposing viewpoints. Nor to threaten the thinkers of other ways as if to deny them rights that belong to all. Other than words of hate, of inciting mayhem and brutality.

Personally, I feel as if I have a huge overstock of faith waiting, biding its time, anxious to be dispatched to a home, be it an institution, a person, a theory, a hope, somewhere into the world to find something. Someone worthy of that faith. In fact, worthy of the faith of any and all of us. It is important for one to have another with whom to share the load, be it to complain or to praise. To be grateful or to be needy. Whatever it is, there must be someone out there to meet that need, to decrease the depth of the chasm before us, threatening to swallow us whole, bereft of any supportive person or belief, no placement of faith to be shared with that one or thing worthy of it. True to it. To live a faithless life is to be alone and too often unable to cope with life as it presents itself.

Yes. I have faith in myself. I have faith in my religion and my tradition. That it will carry me through. Yes, that faith is not seeking a place. The faith that is seeking is to find a true representation or personification of that faith. Where is a religious leader. Where are the religious leaders who can truly speak for us all? Who do not merely represent their own picture, that relevant to their own sect or level but rather to all. 

Jews are no different than the other people of the world. Today we are so bisected and trisected, into small entities vulnerable to the rampages of hate. To the danger of flawed thinking. We need to remember that we are one. It makes no difference whether your parents came from Syria, or your parents came from Europe. It makes no difference whether you are here for 10 generations, or you are only the second or even the first. Primary and foremost is to recognize that faith, a true faith, a true representation of faith, a true religious leader of that faith, is what will keep us alive and if not well then at least safe, able to live and provide for our families. It is that faith which is ever seeking a home. I have found some who come close, quite close. Some who were able to talk calmly with me during a difficult time, who do not condemn but rather extend comfort and understanding. They give me hope. and in fact, they do in some part at least give me faith.

But what about the rest of my world? What about the rest of the world for all? My Bubby used to say when she tried to impress some point on me was "Give Zach a kuk".  Give yourself a look. Permit yourself to look around and see the truth of the matter. See with eyes of true vision and understand the truth. Well, unfortunately, as we look at their religious leaders of so many in the world's religions, we see the same doubts. The same fault lines. I have spoken to so many of other religions as well. People who have left the Christian movement, highly disillusioned, lapsed Catholics, refusing to overlook errors of the church or even to participate in fixing them. Members of the Jewish religion who we go up or down the scale of outward religious observance. Sikhs that have cut their hair. Muslims who have left their imams and set Allah aside for another day. Why is it? Why is it that the very thing which should give us strength, which should inspire us in humanity, is the very thing which has separated us, disillusioned us, disappointed us.

I wish I knew the answer. I really do. I wish I could stop the roiling thoughts in my head. I. suppose these thoughts and these questions are more relevant, of more urgent need to find answers to in the current phase of my life. One has no time to think about this when younger, building a career, and family. One does not think so much of what comes after. Is it the deep, dark, cold 6 feet down? An eternity of staring into the darkness? Is it a place of Hellfire and smoke and pain? Is it a place of sweet music and opportunity to learn, to develop as one could not on this earth? Is it a combination of both or is it nothing? And if there is a time of punishment, what is that punishment?  It could be a searing moment of recognition and acceptance of what one was lacking in life and a deep feeling of atonement. Or is it to be a prolonged horrific event? I don't know. I guess it all depends upon your image of the Lord above.

My thoughts on this range widely. I do not understand. how the all-powerful Being, that Supreme Being which created the world, who created us, allows some of the awful horrific. actions of humans, to allow seeds of hate to solidify in our cultures, never dying, always awaiting fresh floods of blood. The prospect of war always front and center. Yes, humans have free will. But also, we have been told God knows what we are going to decide. Why would one not stop this? As a parent, knowing your children are going to go at it, rain blows upon each other with irreparable harm, would you not stop it? Would you leave them alone to deal with the lasting harm of those blows? Or would you step in? Before the damage? As you should.  

Now upgrade to that Supreme Being. We have been taught to see that Lord as beneficent and kind.  So, knowing all, why would he not stop this fight? All these fights, before we beat the crap out of each other possibly irreparable harm resulting. The lecture to come after the misdeed? I can't accept that. That would mean a cruel G-d, cruel beyond all acceptable levels. It would mean that G-d watches us for amusement, cares not very much for us, and demands from his rather amusing creations a level of worship, a degree of praise. If not. given tenfold more disasters take place. 

Is this Supreme Being so needy as to be fulfilled and validated only by the praise of his underlings, his creations?  Do these paeans of praise serve to remind us of Him or to reassure us that God has not forgotten us - or to remind G-d that we have not forgotten Him? That he remains a central focus in our life, the tentpole of our existence. I don't know. I just cannot sync certain questions and certain thoughts clearly and comfortably with others. It leaves me in an uncomfortable quandary.  

Do I play the game? The safe better. Who bets on every number on every color and thus wins something even as what I lose is more than what I win. But where am I supposed to stash my questions? Did God really mean to destroy the entire world at the time of Noah? Was it right and proper for the cities of Sodom and, Gomorrah to burn and to ignore the shouts of pain and anguish and terror emerging? That the Lord knew that what he was doing was so wrong that he told Lot's wife not to turn around, not to see nor hear the awfulness of the deed?  Why? Would it weaken her faith? Would she grow angry with God? I don't know. Should not the Supreme Being be over and above all of this pettiness, these human emotions and flawed thinking? Again, I don't know. Some people I question agree with me. Some people do not. Some people are vehement as they disagree with me. With others I am able to chew further on these thoughts, to ameliorate some concerns even as other issues arise. But apparently there is no end to questions and answers, the physical end and then what? And there is faith again

Is faith meant to be taken as an assumed not to be questioned. A state of belief. that precludes any and all doubts. All questions treated as heresy. All individual deviations from that straight line, each dot of color outside the lines seen. as incitement to others to act out and act up, to commit sacrilege? To be distrusted by and distrustful of the Lord? Are we to accept all those who present themselves as His at face value? Do we even have the ability to discern the real from the scam, and accept all, even that which we question? Can we be so blind as to not even recognize our redemption when it hits a smack in the face because there is a smidgen of something we have quarrel with? Some stupidity of dress or speech or look? 

I don't know I guess all I can do is to remind people to "give zach a kuk" and open and close eyes. See the world within and the world without. Look into your inner self. See who you are. What you are. Understand your beliefs, your thoughts, your fears, your hope. your dreams. Then give another look, this time to the world outside. The world we live in. How can we mesh both worlds together in a positive manner? How can we contribute to the betterment of this world? To a lessening of the confusion of people? 

If I knew that answer I would be sitting someplace, a happy place, satisfied that I had somehow contributed to the betterment of this world and    the reigning of peace, rather than that of war, a better world for all.  Is it all a pipe dream?  A bit of fudge laced with marijuana, or a gummy laced with the same. I hope not. I don't do drugs, so I would never have that dream. 

However, surprisingly, I do still have some remaining faith in the innate goodness of man, though, that goodness is too often overcome by the streak of evil also within. Too often we find mankind turning to the creature within to the claws and the talons the fangs and the beaks. We forget who we are and what we are meant to be. Instead of helping each other, we feed upon each other. We lose faith in ourselves and in others. In our despair we misplace our faith, feed it into that which is so wrong and plod down a path paved and stained with the outcomes so bloody, so harmful. 

 Why can't now we find within ourselves the stamina, the backbone, to shun those wrong paths, avoid those scam artists, those fakes. Why cannot we find or have faith enough in ourselves and our shared humanity and find, create, to find livable solutions? Why do we insist on all or nothing? Why are we constantly refighting the same battles over the same issues? 

If only I knew the answers. If only I knew how to teach those answers to make them clear to the rest of the world.

 If only.

 On the Morrow.

WHAT DOES IT EVEN MEAN?

  Faith, as defined in the OED, the British dictionary, has approximately 14 definitions. The most frequently used meanings of faith, refer to trust in someone or something, some idea, an ISM of a sort. The others mainly refer to faith in God, a Supreme Being. One worthy of faith, loyalty and a deep and abiding repository for one's trust.  Other dictionaries define faith as in a belief, a believing in a politician. 

What is the chance of that today? Can we put our faith and loyalty safely and securely attached to one or two people, have faith that their motives are pure, at least for the most part? That they are capable of acting in righteous. and compassionate understanding of and for others? I see an empty circle awaiting a winner to enter and light it up, allowing its light to shine upon the world, to illuminate the deepest darkest corners of the world.   However, nothing doing. Nothing at all.    

 The other main category of faith refers to a God, a Being of power and awesome in its every aspect. A Being with whom we connect with a mutual loyalty, for we need that G-d as much as He needs us, for without worshippers, what is a god? Or does that G-d become a god, as the gods of Mt. Olympus, or the Parthenon, wherever there was once worship of said entity. The other side of the coin is: where would the worshippers be without a Being to aid, to watch, to guard and protect them, to provide structure and commandments for a righteous society? A sort of mutual and beneficial loyalty, one easy to understand and follow, for the most part, or so it is hoped. 

Perhaps this is a somewhat arrogant presumption in the eyes of some, but there is a sense of sense about this thought, for if the God becomes a God due to the fact of worship what if there is no one worshiping that God? It is like the tree in the forest - if no one hears it fall, did it fall? If no one worships that God any more is that God now a god. Take a stroll through history and count the numbers and types of gods who were once gods with a capital G but no longer so. Or is it that they were never true gods of capital G and had to fall and fail as humanity searched for the right and proper and true God. 

There are adherents to all thoughts about the origins of a Supreme Being and all the contradictions contained within. There are also very similar origin stories within the cultures of the world, of the beginnings of the Earth, so surely it is reasonable that one can begin this journey and remain on it, along with the constant belief in that Supreme Being's existence. I cannot answer these questions. I don't even know some of the questions to ask. That does not preclude me from continuing to seek and search. Perhaps I will find myself back at the point of origin at the end of it all. But the search, my journey, is important to me. Well worth my struggle.   

Is it upon a person to criticize the faith of another, particularly in a chosen God? In fact, some cynical souls espouse the practice of bet on them all, for   somewhere in there is the right one. Play the odds and be safe. But to me that is a shallow copout.   Perhaps that's because I am not a champion spokesman for change and prefer to stay with my God, the same God that belonged to my people as my people belong to Him. As I do. 

However, all should be free to worship as long as that God belief and faith in that God does not demand bloodshed. Nor the horror of dictatorship and domination over others. Unfortunately, there are too many in this world who twist and pervert their faith into something other than it should be and claim that their God empowers them to behave so.

Faith in a G-d is challenging when bad things happen. But then again, not necessarily so. People emerge from tragic situations on both ends of the belief spectrum. Some wonder where He was   during that time while others always felt His presence. Desertion of faith as compared to a deeper belief. Right? Wrong? No clue and I cannot speak for others. I do know that the loss of my youngest grandchild remains a challenge to me. While I retained my faith there remains a great deal of anger and confusion and wondering. Right? Wrong? Upon me to decide, to understand.   

There has been a revival of late of faith too often accompanied by ever longer and stronger lists of do's and don'ts. Precepts are supposed to be internalized and not questioned by the believer. The leaders of the revival religions are venerated almost as a god, their words and decisions DM'ed from Above, not to be questioned and if so, leave and find another version of that religion that fits you better. Challengers are generally not welcomed, and these outliers are often shepherded to the door.  It is a policy of color within our lines or find another coloring book. 

Dissent is contagious, anathema to these versions of religion, those questioned do not enjoy being challenged, hence the refusal to tolerate any deviance whatsoever from the straight and narrow as interpreted and defined by the leaders of that sect. Too often there is a real enmity between various sects and that is a disgrace. Not for me. Not at all. I have always questioned, seeking answers, reasons, a deeper understanding. Not all were or are comfortable with that. Tough, is my answer. Even as I, and others, see, too often a dislike and contempt of or for other sects which culminate in violence and disparagement of fellow worshippers of the same religion. And G-d weeps. Of that, I am sure.  

Religious faith is one thing. It should be personal. Should have room within for personal feelings and approaches to worshipping and serving G-d. Not to be so restrictive in manner so as to deny the inspiration, the reassurance and the structure of a faith simply because it differs from your particular opinion. 

However, there is another faith. Let us say secular faith and particular faith in politicians, in the leaders, in those who run governments. Their role is to care for the people; to do a job and in most cases, they actually do that job and do it well. However, for quite some time these days there is something very rotten, obviously so with the present government. The stink of its corruption is overwhelming. Too many are acquiescing, falling prey to the poisonous air it emits and to the fear it exudes. We the people, we the nation are suffering. for it. Its corruption spreads by the second, exponentially, and will soon subsume all within its grasp. Woe upon us if we do not draw a line under it and say - NO MORE.    

There is much to write and think on this topic, but there is always -

 On the morrow. 

 

    

NEIL'S MESSAGE TO US

 “Wow! Rachel Maddow has horrible ratings. She’ll be off the air very soon. MSNBC IS CLOSE TO DEATH. CNN HAS REACHED THE BOTTOM. This is a good thing. They are the Enemy of the people!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform."

And please not to forget the misspelling of this demented man of the nation, Colombia, as Columbia the university. There is very, very much wrong with this man. There is so very, very much wrong with this country at this point in time but I cannot, must not, believe we are so foregone. beyond any point of redemption, that we cannot find or dig ourselves, and uncover a way back from this crumbling ridge of democracy.

Today, the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camp known as Auschwitz, reminds us of how easy it is to find oneself enmeshed in a nationalism of fascistic degree and intent. A government which empowers its own paramilitary forces. When in power, the criminals of these paramilitary forces are pardoned and even rewarded for the crimes they have committed. Anathema to any kind of sane government, one beneficial to the nation and the world.

More in your face objectionable is the cynical way in which these enemies of mankind, of this nation, of you and me, use the principles and laws of democracy, of legality and worm their way up the ladder and into positions of power. Positions where they can impose their horror upon all who oppose them. Call it retribution. Call it vengeance. Call it a natural instinct of man. Call it whatever you want. But it does not belong here in America. It does not belong in the America found in the national anthem as sung by Generald Wilson at the Chiefs/Bills game. It cannot be found nor supported within the cheers of the crowd hearing his amazing performance. Nor can it be found in what I saw and heard yesterday.

Yesterday it was my pleasure to attend a wonderful performance of the play Beautiful Noise, The story of the music of Neil Diamond. I hadn't actually thought of the amount or realized the amount of music he had contributed to the. American song book. And what was even more amazing and heartwarming was the participation of the audience singing along, singing with gusto, particularly in three songs. One was Halli, Halli. Another was, of course, Sweet Caroline, all singing together, all in common enjoyment and acknowledgement of a bit of culture in common. Even as we looked around and recognized the Heinz Variety pack of the audience. They sang as Americans, one and all. I saw many, many different faces, many origins many signs of different religions, many ages, of different orientations and all sat there peacefully, together, smiling at each other, singing, gesturing as is traditional. 

Finally, there was the one song The one that had the audience stopping in their tracks twice. Once in the body of the play, and a constant background motif, and a second time when the audience was on its feet, cheering and clapping. They were stopped in their tracks when the two Neils spontaneously, with no musical accompaniment, began to sing the song. All else stopped as the song was quickly picked up by the audience as the music joined in. An entire theater singing with heartfelt voice and intent and yes, an unspoken but clear demand, that we, all of us, know and insist that this is America.

The America, all our ancestors, or we ourselves came to. For the dream, carrying that dream, all those dreams with us, bags, suitcases, children and dreams. One package indivisible. That is the America we were all and continue to "Comin' to   America". Where dreams can come true. Where people can breathe free without fear of ICE charging into places of worship and tearing them away from life, from family, from all that is good. Back to a world where poverty and fair, terror and hopelessness and death await. Where the shameful invasion of gurdwaras of Sikhs, their place of prayer was invaded and profaned this weekend by agents of ICE. 

Shameful!! Disgraceful!! Dismaying!! Where is the America of the Lady of the harbor? Where will we be? Where will she be? In a year or two, or less. Certainly not as it is today. Think of those you know within your congregation whose entry was not exactly according to every letter of the law or whose parents entered illegally some time ago and then ...where are you? 

A new noncitizen of this country, not American, an enemy of the state, disease ridden, a criminal and drug addict or merchant, unless and until proven otherwise, and by then you are far away in a foreign land. Yes, this horrible new America is a threat to us all, for we are all the same. Under the growing authoritarianism within this nation, we are all subjected to the same threats. Corruption and greed and reins of power are the driving forces. Huge dollops of fear are oh so generously provided to us by our new masters, be it the Trumpian line or one of the others, such as, well, take your pick from any of the new elite: the techies, the business CEOs,     even Musk, who is presently tampering with several governments, one not being enough, apparently. 

Such a future will be our consequence, unless and until we understand and accept the truth of what we have allowed and are continuing to allow, to excuse, as we give this wild and demented man free reign to forge ahead. To corrupt all governmental institutions. To unilaterally trash employees who might speak out against his plans and actions. To destroy our democracy. To rain down in unforgiving and unstoppable blows of a hammer on our Constitution and our Declaration of Independence. Congress will be as big as the Reichstag was to Hitler and the Diet is to Putin. We will be the ones who allowed this to happen. We. Nobody else.  

 Unless we stand tall against the fascistic policies of Trump et al, this is what we will be leaving to our kids.  To ourselves as well, for corruption small leads to corruptions larger and larger, more dangerous and intrusive. There will be no justice emanating from a corrupted and twisted judiciary system. There will be no appeal to a Supreme Court dominated by bribe taking judges. There will be no relief from the legislative branch for it will be as useless as heat in the tropics. People will fall prey to those who wield the power. The ability, the desire and even the knowledge of how to discern the truth and how to speak out for it will be lost.

 There are those who claim that Trump has some good within. "I'm searching, I'm searching." The release of 7 - SEVEN! - hostages is but a trickle. Where is his promised Hell should all the hostages not be freed before his inauguration? Silence. Only silence. Or perhaps a permission for Israel to once again send its people into harm's way and fight the battle of the world again. To combat those who hate the world and would do the same to them should they have the opportunity. Hell. Hell no!! Only a dead and thunderous silence.   SILENCE. THUNDEROUS AND CONDEMNING.

 If you are not afraid, you are fooling yourself. You are denying the evidence of your ears and your eyes and your mind. You are denying the ever growing, more rapid destruction of a dream, a beautiful. dream. A blessed country, flawed yes, but always striving to be better. That vision, that hope. is now dying on the vine. With every offense we overlook or forgive, with every excuse we create for the. egregiously wrong, we are sucking the life out of that vine and its fruits. We are denying the truth of our past. and our present. and quite possibly our future.   

  Where do we find the person we can trust? Give   him/her/them our faith. Where is the belief that will hold true to its goodness promised? Where is our America? Not the America of the opening statement of this posting but the America who sings proudly, hopefully, that "We're Comin' to America"?  

We are here. Why are we throwing it away? 

On the morrow.  

APPARENTLY SO AND ON WE GO

 

Faith can be defined as trust. It can be defined as reliance. It can be defined as belief. It can be religious, or secular. It can be in oneself, and it can be in others. It can, in fact, be a combination of any and all. What is incumbent upon us is to pick and choose carefully, mighty carefully lest we get tangled up in false and dangerous faiths and loyalties. I have a faith in myself to be true to myself, to not sell out my principles but to remain with them through storms and floods. I have a faith in a tradition of thousands of years of Judaism and the beneficial role it has played in this world, the structure it has given to my life and that of my family. I hold it proudly. 

Some might misinterpret or disapprove of how I express or present my faith. However, last time I looked, this was still a free country. though perhaps it is teetering on a ledge where it should not be. In any case, all individuals are free to have a faith of choice and comfort. Faith that harms or demeans another faith is not a true faith but rather a misinterpretation of its words or a purposeful twisting of its contents. Hence, all extreme views claimed as an immutable doctrine of faith are wrong. Period. Yet in full disclosure, there are those who drive me to the brink in this matter, so bestial are they. 

There is a difference between Faith and faith. One is real with true meaning. The other is a great big blustery, outward presentation of the currently trendy faith, the one that provides advantages and legs up, the one that demands nothing of Honor, of Justice. of Care. It is a faith of lies and unfortunately, too many advocate for it these days, and most regrettably that includes my two countries - the USA and Israel. Do we adhere to a true and beneficial one or do we loudly espouse it with loud voice and a different presentation on the inside?  Or are we quietly, strongly, deeply, immersed   in a faith which gives us hope, even in times of woes or troubles. 

Within all faiths, by whatever name, by whatever God, by whatever professed tenets, there is good and bad among the worshippers. We are, none of us, perfect and we commit errors, large and small, by accident or on purpose. There is that which is understood properly, and that which is misunderstood. Perhaps on purpose.  Too often we choose to engage in nitpicking and fault finding in other religions and forget the faults within our own, mostly due to our own errors of thoughts and/or faulty comprehension of our own. We are all humans. 

People of true faith can look into the mirror, see the planks in their eyes, feel the weight of their errors upon their shoulders and know what they must do.   Atonement. Do we? Not as often as we should nor to the degree and level it should attain. 

And now we return to our current topic, albeit we segued a bit. But still on faith and why this man and his coterie of cowards are dangerous, why our swallowing it, abiding it, encouraging it, is so manifestly misplaced faith, a lack of seeing deep into his tainted and charred soul, battered and sold and resold to the Devil many times over, and see, feel, the truth.

No, I see no true faith within that man. He has faith only in his own nastiness and his apparent expertise to frighten the shit out of cowering cowards. Well, that's his problem. That is their problem. I will not make it my problem. We are not meant to stand quiet when we see evil, when we. see cruelty. We are meant to stand up and say something. Do something. This man wields a power of fear that WE have given him. The same as adherents of Hitler gave to him. WE are at fault in this and upon us will be the consequences of our misplaced trust and poor evaluation of character - or lack thereof.

Indulge me and peruse and understand the following scenarios, ones that are taking place all over this nation and growing in number, exponentially so. Where will you be when this takes place? Will you turn aside? Will you stand tall? Will you defend what is right? Or will you subject yourself to the fear that this man has instilled within this nation, a nation now ruled in the main by felons and perverts, by drunkards and the confused, of monsters of no care for others. Even a convicted felon as president. Who is demented, seeing hallucinations i.e. in the form of a massive giant faucet able to be turned on and off in California and questioning as to why they did not turn on this faucet to quench that horrible, horrible fire!!! Or to be able to make a wish and whoosh! disappear FEMA  and exactly who will manage these crises? Him? His greedy followers? His befuddled and confused? Perhaps RFK JR will establish more slave farms - oops - drug addiction farms. Who is the demented President now and who has been such for many years already.

  Now the delayed scenario. Will you hear the shouts and desperation of our ancestors, not long ago who cried out for permission to immigrate to a country of hope, a nation of immigrants, a promise to the world from inception?  

Father: Son of two illegal immigrants from Mexico who brought him in as a child of four. Despite all the red tape he faced he has managed to support his family as he runs a small bodega and educated his American children. Citizens of this once great nation. Engineer, factory owner and contractor.

Mother.: a child of legal immigrants from Venezuela. She is now a nurse in an oncology unit. Presently existing in an environment of terror. Her family, her husband, her children, have a gun pointed at their heads. Every day is a day is of fear whether he will return. Her beloved husband will be ripped away from them, shoved into a bus, held in a, yes, a concentration camp. Lost to them. A deep loss for them and for us as a nation.  

Children: Three of them. All of them born here, citizens by birth as they are the offspring of a citizen. But according to Trump and his followers, they are tainted as their father is one of the dreamers. So, are they citizens? In fact, do they have Native American blood, for according to Trump, the demented, Native Americans are not native Americans!! So, who is?  Is anyone? And that includes you!

As with the books where readers can choose their own ending, you pick out the ending that you think realistic, preferred, good for your soul and a ticket to enter the Above. Your soul is being judged. Will you stand aside?  Allow them to drag this dreamer who has spent all his life here other than the four years after his birth? Will you deny the contribution he has made to this nation, to the taxes he has paid, the social security taxes he has paid and will not get - but we will. Will you say to his family just get the hell out if you wish to remain an intact family?     You also have the genes of crooks and criminals and disease. So go!!

Or can you, will you choose another ending. Allow this family to remain, to continue their beneficial and positive role in society, to accept their citizenship, by birth or by long term positive existence within this nation. By simple humanity. Will you work to better our system of immigration? Will you work to better the incorrect situations we all now face? 

Will you stand there as I am dragged away? Will you look away from the concentration camps? Renewed right here in good old USA. Will you dare to take in someone to hide? Will you be afraid of the consequences that already are being spouted as in the threat "if someone disobeys or enables an immigrant to stay and so on and so on and so on.

All of us out there, all our ancestors at some time, somewhere, someplace, somehow all faced discrimination. We all faced times of terrible bloodshed. We all were trampled beneath the feet of those who ruled us. Those self-selected and elected elites with no faith other than in their own superiority. Are you going to join the enemies of your people? Are you going to become the violator rather than the violated?

The choice is yours; the conscience is yours. The lessons from history learned or not, spurned or not, are yours. The faith is yours. I know mine. I am comfortable in mine, but I do not and will not force it upon anybody else. Are you willing to do so?  I hope not. 

For the many morrows to come....

For the sake of us all ....

Apparently So

 Apparently, I pushed a few buttons among the readers of the blog. I am happy about that for it means that people have the patience to read my rather lengthy postings. (LOL) But I do believe that some of what I said was misunderstood or misplaced. It is my personal thoughts and beliefs and if offended, accept my apologies, but do not take it personally, or as meant to harm. 

One of the primary misunderstandings is a supposed declaration that if one is a Trump fan, then one is not a person of faith. Wrong. Very wrong. Donald Trump or King Donald has no connection to faith whatsoever. However, one does not vote for him as a man of faith and a man of a practicing and observed religion. One voted for him because one felt that his power and policies were what America, and the world, needed. Or, because they simply did not like his opponent for whatever reason. Or for sheer stubborn intransigence, and/or for lack of. understanding of the import of this election and the policies endorsed by them.

Let me take one of the topics. Personally, I do not like Donald Trump. I dislike him intensely. I believe he's demented, cruel man with very few positive attributes. I believe he is a danger to democracy. To all that is good and caring. He cares for naught other than his own family members - if they obey him and for his own aggrandizement. For the exercise of his power, and his ability to instill fear. preventing any defiance of his statements and actions. 

The apparent king to be of this nation, well, I refuse to cede that point to him. I do not like his policies. I do not like his personality. In fact, they don't like anything about him. He is a convicted felon, a social pervert, a misogynist par excellence. Yes,   I have said so often. However, I have not spoken to, nor do I mean to talk re his personal faith. I have no idea what it is or what it is not. I know he did not place his hands on the Bible when he swore the oath, which he promptly proceeded to violate anyway. At one time during his first period of rule he held the Bible upside down. Furthermore, he has done yet another of his crass actions by having a golden Bible enhanced with gold trim, with his name in order to raise money. Putting it on the same level as say the Crypto coin which he has embossed with his own image. Or the sneakers of gold he has sold for the same purpose. Quite crass, even blasphemous. Well on his way to being a proper king, is he not? He certainly is not a regular churchgoer. and there is no one spoken of as his pastor or Reverend or fellow companion on a journey of faith. He chooses to be his own 'religious guide', certainly not, in my opinion, is one of true faith.  To practice a good faith, it must be well enmeshed with humanity and dignity and honor and honesty and justice and peace and kindness and caring. I see none of that here.

Personally, I believe that Donald Trump's faith is the faith in the religion of Donald. He has set a virtual crown upon his head, elevated his children as members of the royal family. His faith in his power and expertise in the use of fear, finding a home within the chicken hearts of the Republicans and the techie masses of billionaire masses and all the little people out there and fly over America who think that he is going to better their lives Even as he destroys them with his tariffs. His tax cuts for the rich, for the Uber wealthy. The slashing of programs which helped these very same people to gain medical care. to get farm subsidies to get food subsidies. This is not a man of true faith. I see no god figure here other than his own self elevation to god. Not mine, should not be yours. Should not be anyone's.

So we covered Donald's faith or lack of it, or a false presentation as such. it. We have covered the fact that it makes no never mind if one is a person of faith or a denial of faith if one pulled the lever for Trump. I am simply saying or reiterating now that I do not see a recognizable true faith which should be clearly seen by people of faith to recognize and approve of.

January 27th. International Holocaust Remembrance Day. There is to be a ceremony at Auschwitz commemorating the 80th anniversary of its liberation. I personally know of one survivor of Auschwitz, as a young girl, who is returning with her daughter. to proudly and defiantly stand there. To defy the Nazis. Those who created their own false faith. She is going to walk in as she did all those many, many years ago. And she is going to walk out as she did many, many years ago. She is one of the bravest pieces people I have ever encountered, and it has been my privilege to know her since I was a child. Her daughter is one of my closest friends. These are people of faith. These are people who, against the whole odds, crushed by the grief and the horror of Nazism, the brutality of the guards, were able to retain their faith. and trust in the Lord above. I am in awe.

Where is this kind of faith and inspiration in Trump and his coterie of followers, in the Proud boys. in the Oath Keepers, in any of the other pathetic white power groups. Perhaps we ought to find it in the Latinos, those of the non-thinking cadre who   chose camaraderie with a wealthy man. over Brotherhood and Sisterhood. Latinos. People of Hispanic origin. People of Spanish speaking countries. Those who have come here seeking a life or a dream or relief from gangs and violence, and dictators, or a chance of a future for their children. Relief from the horror of their lives back in the old lands. Just as so many have done over the course of this nation's existence. The hundreds of thousands. of Jews who spilled into this country, shaky with relief, fleeing lands of horror death and horror. Of poverty beyond belief. Russia and its Pale of Settlement. The Eastern European countries with    a strong tradition and supply of antisemitism of brutality and violence. Or the Arab lands where they were treated as second class, 3rd class citizens. They had their own immigrants and their own limitations, and did they all enter legally? I have no idea. Nor do I care. They and the people who fled from other countries, be it from Italy where poverty was endemic and severe, or from Ireland where so many died of starvation and the cruelty of the English overlords, or Scotland where the people were chased from homes. and crule tule,alvation. and that the Baco with the potatoes and the heart heartedness of the English.

They all came. for a future, for their children, for themselves. for their ancestors. They came for life just. as these people do. Are there some criminals among the immigrants legal and not? Of course. Were their Irish criminals or they know Italian criminals? Were there no British criminals? Were there no Jewish criminals? Or from other immigrant groups? The answer is of course there were. That is part and parcel of being a collection of human beings, including a plethora of criminals to be found in the native-born Americans No matter the origin, no matter their professed faiths.

 So why in the name of all that's holy, literally, why do we swallow whole this trash that every single one of these immigrants are criminals of violence, of greed, of nefarious sexual misdeeds and desires/ hell. they are rampant in our new administration from the president on down right through his appointed officials. Nor are they all drug dealers and addicts nor disease ridden. Again, check your local precincts for native born and might as well check out the plans of RFK Jr., for his 'drug farms', i.e. slave labor camps for drug addiction.   It is disgusting and even more disgusting is the fact that otherwise thinking people have swallowed this whole hog. have bought it lock, stock, and barrel and worse, spout it openly.

Why is it that people do not understand what this man is doing? He has violated his oath to protect the Constitution, to defend his nation, immediately upon inauguration. We knew that was going to happen. He made no secret about it. We now have armed members of the Standing Army of this nation, not the National Guard, roaming our streets, bursting into schools, into hospitals, into homes, on the street, kidnapping people, yes, kidnapping. And why? For the crime of being illegal immigrant. or legal immigrant not fitting the. rules that he has now set in place, grandfathering all into his parameters. What are we doing? We are now going to throw people out of this country, out of this nation, who have families, homes, businesses, jobs. Thoroughly a part of our economy. Who pay taxes and social security, which they cannot collect on - but we benefit from their input of funds. They are manual workers. They are doctors. They are policemen. They are engineers. They are shop owners. They are the builders of factories. And yes, there are some who are not. Well, golly gee, how about that? They are, as we are, as you and I are -    human.   

Do we all have to love each other? No, but we cannot hate all who are not us, for whatever reason. Differences are not automatically bad. We must behave decently. There is no decency in Trump, not even in his current support of Israel - until it displeases him. His apparent support of Israel earned him votes.  A true belief? Never. He does support a strong nation in the Middle East that is always, always and forever a strong and true ally to the USA.  It serves him well. Great. if it helps Israel. But as of this very minute writing this blog, I see no hell breaking loose. All the hostages were not returned before his inauguration, Hell? Where?

Loyalty to no one other than himself and his children and his obedient miscreants. We are all in for a rough time. I do not know how we are going to come out at the end of this dark tunnel in 4 year's time. In fact, in fact, that we even come out of that dark tunnel. Perhaps he will be the leader for life as this demented man, this narcissistic creep desires. Will we accept a line of inheritance from him directly down into his children. Yes, a monarchy within the United States of America and George Washington is convulsing in his grave.

More on the morrow of the morrow. This posting is incomplete.

WHAT IS ONE SUPPOSED TO DO, TO THINK, TO BELIEVE?

  It is presumed that as one ages, one begins to build a private store of belief, in matters of faith or things of magic, or simply thoughts created and developed within one's mind. And heart. And soul. They are the structure of a person's life. Faith in something, anything that glues that structure together and depending upon the circumstances of one's life that glue might change enormously. Or not at all. It could weaken in one facet of faith or strengthen another. Possibly even changing places   or even trading rankings. 

 A new faith might be taken up with full and deep emotion and commitment or with a cynical turn of phrases of mind, reevaluation of what is needed to succeed and attain one's goals. It can be adopted, taken up with a passion or shrugged aside as useless with naught to do with an individual's success or failure in life. It can be relative to the life of that person and the place that individual has or aspires to fill in society, whatever the size of the relevant community. 

 It can be regarded as a minor, not very relevant piece of a person. A secular matter or toleration of a faith of sorts, paying homage to that deemed necessary, to some power, divine or otherwise, monotheistic or polytheistic.   Call it what ever name one deems appropriate or comfortable. It could even be a glue generated by self-pride, a sense of self-achievement, no interfering hand, divine or not, merely and only the feeling of "my strength, my intellignece, my efforts built what I have, and I owe naught to luck or outside intervention, secular or otherwise". 

It has long been a question of mankind. It has absorbed philosophers over the millennia. Is God.  that divine power above and over all,  actual, a true being of incomprehensible powers and beliefs of concern or lack of care for the smaller beings on the surface of this globe. Does this God have care or concern for what he deems His creations. Or are we as the playthings of a child, scattered, left scattered when playtime ends and, as does interest. 

Can we as humans exist on any kind of elevated platform of life, able to inspire ourselves, push ourselves to do better, to be better, to help others. Do we need a power above us to push and goad us, to threaten and to reward. Do we fulfill that need via our own completely not divine power? Is it a true faith of discovery, recognition and acceptance of such a One, a Being, who controls all strings of life and death, of wealth or poverty, of happiness or sadness, of health or   sickness? 

Can we truly sublimate ourselves to this mysterious Being whom no one has ever seen, and how do we deal with those who claim they in fact have seen and even conversed with that being and warn us of might be awaiting us if we do not wakeup and shakeup and get on with life, a proper and meaningful, kind and caring life, truly accepting and practicing the tenets of belief, that all are G-d's creatures and we must a accept and live that precept. Behave accordingly, and aid those who are in need, rather than condemn them to a lifetime of misery, hatred, and hopelessness. To truly accept and live by that belief, an injunction of faith. And do so STAT!!  

 Those who reject that Power, as described in the faith of the times, are too often the subjects and targets of contempt aimed directly at them with purpose in mind. Why do we not instead tell ourselves that G-d is powerful enough to handle rejection and leave the rest alone. Stop manufacturing rashes needful of scratching and relief for none of that should exist. Anyone's belief or lack of, is that person's business. Most definitely not ours.  In fact, it is when we stick our nose where they do not belong that trouble inevitably erupts.

What is critical for any being to live a good life is to believe in the inner goodness of people, their ability to reform and be mindful and watch well of the innate vices and weaknesses of humanity. Able and even willing to subjugate themselves to the rule of others whilst often cruel, in the name of some lack of self-directed virtues and the wisdom to make good and moral decisions, of confidence in themselves, of the ability to distinguish between that which is right and that which is wrong. Why is that so difficult?

 I don't know. It is quite frightening when one pays attention to the news and so many acts of violence are perpetrated upon the innocent. When so many think the way to solve or resolve a discussion or disagreement is to stab the other. It is when we resort to violence or force to opposes that violence, when grabbing their arms, hoping to gain their attention, we are chasing our own tails. We need instead to grab hold of that erroneous person, gain their attention, and wake them up. Hit them with the truth. The whole truth. Not that generated by a form of a false faith, or of false promise. 

We have gone so far from the actuality of good, of altruism, of a hopeful, supportive belief, so distant that we continue to fall prey to the simply wrong of life as we swallow the ugliness disguised by pretty clothing and false words. Doing so and choosing the temporary and the selfish, having nothing to do with morality and justice, we are creating a foundation chock-a-block with structural failure. We must resist the temptations, turn our backs to the wall and step aside from the false pictures and false promises. Oppose them and understand their actual meaning and consequences. Feel the truth of the matter and know, and acknowledge that you know, for the alternative is a doomsday certainty.  

 If we do not wake up and ASAP! we are in for a world of woe, and we will be marooned there with no faith at all to sustain us in times of danger and darkness. Look around and ask yourself if you are truly a believer in the negativity of current supposed leaders of America. Look at their policies. Look at your own history and wonder where you would be if these things had been applied to you or your family or perhaps, they actually were and think of the evil results of that. Do you actually wish to push that onto others, to see yourself as above them? 

Delve deeply within your own soul and feel the twisted wrongness of this thundering waterfall of Executive Orders. Think of the Imperial court Trump is establishing. Think how he pardons rebels wishing to overthrow this nation, beat up and even killed officers of the law, threatened people with harm, even death, were convicted of conspiracy and assault. Now free, pardoned by their leader, Trump, the fascist, once again reveling in their ability now to go and buy more guns, ever so much better to kill the opponents of their nefarious schemes. 

Do we have the stamina to withstand and push back against what is now a very real possibility, even probability, of a different America. Imagine individuals, even strangers, even made-up people. Do not engage in the huge unfathomable numbers for they defy true feeling and understanding. Think individuals. Think yourself.   

Do you have a faith to keep you steady in times of need, in times of Earth shaking, shattering events.   If not, do you need one? Can you find one? Can you rediscover the one you left behind?

Come struggle along with me in this muddy morass of a world. Our world. 

On the morrow. 

Do not forget that we now have a president violating the Constitution, the one he vowed to uphold. So much for that. Guess once a felon, always a felon, one way or the other. We now have active-duty troops running around this nation asking people for papers, grabbing them off the streets. Kidnapping them from schools. And hospitals. Not to forget either that we now have a president violating yet another amendment, Amendment 14, which places your own citizenship under gray skies, black clouds building fast. Think Hitler. Think Putin. Think Trump. Think haters. Think of yourself.

On the morrow.

WHO SAID? WHAT SAID? INTERPRETATION, PLEASE

Today's world is a roil and a boil. So much so, so high is the heat, that we cannot distinguish and separate one bubble from another, one cause from the other nor one consequence from another. All seemed to be intermeshed with a resultant synergy completely negative in outcome and even present circumstances. It is a most troubling and frightening prediction of what we face in the future and what is contributing to that negativity in the world of today. 

Who will be able to resist this future, prevent its reality? For the life of me, I do not know. Which generation will have the brain power, the keen eyesight, the open ears and minds to understand what has been happening to this country and the courage to overcome the "fear" factor under whose tenet Trump operates, openly stating it, advocating for the power of fear and his use of it for his nefarious purposes. It will be a hard row to plow. The crop not necessarily going to be at the level and the quantity that we wish, and indeed need, so desperately.  

The world today is one of increasingly sharp-edged corners. Nary a piece of padding. nor a rounded edge to be found. Nothing to provide some relief to those walking the increasingly treacherous paths of life. Hope, a dream of an America as she was intended to be, as she should continue to be, grows ever dimmer and elusive. America has not lost its soul - yet. 

The people of America need to avoid the Kool-Aid of Reverend Jones and take the clear and clean waters of truth, honor, justice, and democracy, of rights for all, of fair society, of cooperation rather than enmity. Not a perfect world, but one ever striving to get closer to that goal. Wake up and remember the truth of America, the dream of America, and demand it. Take it back. True possibility? Unknown. But if we abandon the gestalt of the world of Hamilton, then we are lost, perhaps deservedly so. 

However, campaigns and policies need leaders to inspire, to lead, to think, to plan. Where are the leaders? Certainly not in Washington. Certainly not among the cowering cowards of Congress. Certainly not within the masses of billionaire techies who have chosen and accepted their 30 pieces of silver and sold out the rest of the nation. Nor are they among those who deny climate change, its horrendous speed of disintegration, even as the world is now clearly in constant combat to overcome its awful consequences. As it both floods and dries out the nation. As it freezes or boils the people of the world. 

They would not be found in the state houses and legislatures of the nation. No, for they adhere to the corrupt and crooked practices of our leader, G-d help us, who has chosen to ally ourselves with three other nations of the worst levels of humanity. Who are those nations? Iran. Libya. Yemen. Joined with them in denying the Paris Accord, humanity's last hope to keep a viable world. Joined with them even as we wage war against them for other criminal misdeeds and actions they commit. What are we thinking? We, who elected this man back into office. We, who have allowed him to nominate and push through, employing fear to place his most grossly unfit people into offices that are supposed to protect this nation. Help it grow. Smooth out the wrinkles. Yet these are the very ones who will not do so, and in fact, under orders, will do exactly the opposite. Creating and causing more wrinkles, destroying that which has been beneficial. 

Shall we turn to our leaders in the religious world? Well, let's see. We have those of the Christian world such as Vance, who believe that we in America are living in a Christian nation, tolerating other religions who must always walk a fine line. Never 100% sure of a permanent welcome. Nor the right to remain as citizens of America. 

We have those pastors who support the crazed violence of the Proud Boys and The Tribe. We have the leaders of the Catholic Church, whose top leader, the Pope, has constantly condemned Israel. Yet acclaimed as a leader for Peace. Coulda' fooled me. We have rabbis joining with those on lines calling for the demise of Israel and all world Jewry.  Leaders of Buddhism and Hinduism have forsaken, pushed aside, kicked aside, their principles of nonviolence and engage in open warfare with each other and other enemies of their thinking. We have imams who preach hate, destruction. from the pulpits. Arousing fevers of war and hatred among their congregations. 

We have those people who are supposed to represent and demonstrate how to edge closer to the perfection of the Lord, of whatever name. How close we can get to God, to His perfection. Now they are "kofer b'kol" hostile and renegade to all that they should be and represent. Vigorously thrusting aside all that they are supposed to be. adherents of and for. It is so wrong in so many ways. Their congregations are bereft of shepherd. Bereft of hope.   

Huge buildings purportedly for worship are erected, built with no faith within, no true religion in the pews. Pastor or Priest, or Rabbi or Imam or Lama strut their feathers, flaunt their success, even as their failure becomes more and more apparent. They mingle with the political world and climb up. those dirty, filthy ladders of moral degradation and decay and are visibly smug and self-satisfied, oh so proud of that success. 

Where is the place to turn for aid and comfort? Where is the place they can trust? The people they can trust to help direct their prayers accordingly? How to phrase requests and need for hope and answers? To find answers. and encouragement and hope. Where can they find reinforcement of their dream of a better world? A true possibility of actually achieving that goal or edging ever closer to it.  

The answers are difficult if ever even to be answered with confidence. How are we supposed to be able, clever enough, to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong in the religions we espouse. Is it that our religions that have gone amiss, strayed from their purposes and goals? Has religion turned into Religion, with true meanings weakened and faith disappeared? In fact, what has happened to faith?  Much of professed faith has also gone awry and has become Faith, no humbleness, no acknowledgement of place and purpose to be found. 

Damned if I know, though I have begun my journey of introspection and strive to find a cohesive school of thought incorporating former thinking and beliefs, a strong tradition, along with a reassessment and melding of the new and the old, the pure and the somewhat tainted, though perhaps the taints and stains belong on false leaders and upon my imperfections in understanding. Still, I most try, if only for myself and my inner comfort.

More ...On the morrow.  

 

'WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM..."

No, I did not watch that obscene twisting and distortion of a once proud democratic tradition. I could not watch a man who represents all that is anathema to me not hear the words he glibly spouts with ugly tongue and ugly soul, (along with ugly face). Clearly seen through a thin veneer, is the truth. The is no loyalty within this man. There is no inspiration other than to fear and corruption. There is no trusting his words and promises other than to know that his ugliest proposals will come true, enabled by his flying monkey minions of danger and horror. 

Any promises made with some redeemable presence will be lost, fade away, be forever consigned to the box of American discards of its national soul. Deeply striated and antagonistic classes of society will emerge, bolder and darker than ever. Our leaders will prove to be false in every way possible, will betray us, leave us in the fields for the wild beasts to finish off, and lo and behold, these beasts are us. Safety and sanity are outmoded words of no current meaning or status, garnering only snickers and sneers. 

How can I believe this? I counter with "how can it not be known?" It has been public knowledge for years, and those who scoffed will now see that which they have enabled. Nor can we look to religion to be our savior. For. it too has been corrupted. This demented evil old man who shouted, gathered Christian support, spouted their truisms, did take his sacred oath with hand on Bible. 

Why should he, for belief in a true faith, by any name, means generosity, compassion, honesty, morals and principles of eternal format and practice. No, no room at this inn for anything resembling such precepts. In actuality there is no truth to this man, no depth plumbed and unplumbed which does not lead to greed, narcissism, falsehoods and power-hungry thick veins running through his corrupt soul.    of rule. and to cancel not merrily culture, but America in every aspect of what America was. is. always meant to be. 

Canel culture? Bah, humbug! Cancel America is more like it.   

 The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of this nation, are spit upon, demeaned and discounted. Already the safety ropes and nets for those seeking asylum, a constant plank in the platform of America, though somewhat worm eaten at times, has been cut. Plans to engage in fascistic raids of workplace, school, homes and streets are already in place and in motion. ProJet 2025, alive and well, sickeningly so.   

"Papieren, bitte?" Papers, please! Now soon to be rampant in our streets and buildings. Now in English as armed soldiers of the standing army, illegal under our Constitution, will enforce those misguided crooked rules, buy into the fascistic nation, and we will scurry through the streets hoping we go unnoticed. We already have ceded much to that man and his coterie of evil, much we once held dear, sacred and eternal, now discarded and exchanged for the 'virtues' of greed and power, the driving mantra, the more the better.  

Elon Musk raises his right hand, stiff armed, palm down and echoes of Hitler grow ever stronger and clearer, the Proud Boys leaders and The Tribe, glory in its revival and in the pardoning of their most violent leaders of Jan 6. An abomination to all.  Western nations once our allies look with great concern and uncertainty into the. future as America abdicates its responsibilities and conventional ties On the other hand, the fascist and authoritarianist governments wallow in Trump's reflection and now twisted images and tropes of once enemies of ours, now engaging in economic warfare and a complete new Cold War, now presented to us as allies. Danger to the nth degree.      

Make no mistake about this. The war is on, the war between democracy and progress of it should vs.  fascism and authoritarianism which has consistently harmed humanity through the centuries.

Where do we now turn for guidance and leadership? Throughout the generations truncated searches for truth were cut short, challenged and beaten. False leadership presented to us in cloaks   of disguise, their true nature hidden deep within. An almost complete severing of old ties holding humanity together as we now emphasize the differences rather than the similarities. As we allow Project 2025, once denied, to forge forward. Brought to us by full sponsorship of Trump et al.

 

Truth. We must continue to deepen the depths and breadth of the search for true leaders. True leadership. To find religious leaders truly imbued with Faith. Remember that outer strictures of a religion, no matter the name given to the religion, we must stop this dangerous competition and animosity between and among us. For we are all to face the same destination, the same future on this very embattled planet of ours. 

The political sphere has failed in its responsibilities, gravely so. Can we look to the religious world, one of supposed holiness, to be that which we need? Who will be the ones to teach people how to cut the hampering strings and ropes of competition and enmity. Who will gain our trust and our loyalty and deserve it. Enmity and comity. Two sides of the same coin. We must choose the side with no image of Trump, the self-appointed Emperor of the New Ugly World. 

If not religion, then what? Faith alone, without the trappings of Religion?

Maybe. Could be.

But carefully. Perhaps cynically as well. 

On the morrow. I hope. 

MENE, MENE

  Thus was the beginning of a warning to the Emperor of Babylon -you have been weighed and found wanting and there will be an accounting for it. Unfortunately. I believe that we, humankind of these times, have also been weighed and found wanting - terribly so. The gap between the haves and the have nots grows day by day. Worse is the fact that we are not only not addressing this gap, but we are exacerbating it, fomenting its growth. The policies of this country, the policies of many other countries in the world foretell of the worse, even the worst, to come unless we rapidly change our ways; however, that is not looking too likely a possibility.  

We are building and reinforcing a skewed society. It is quite obvious, and a serious accounting will have to take place. Soon. We will be forced to    acknowledge our deficiencies, our backwards values, will be forced to investigate ourselves and not via corrupted committees but rather from a higher source.  I fear the payment due after the   accounting is over will not be a slap on the wrist   nor a ruler on the knuckles. Far more serious than that.

We will reap the nasty crop we have sown and tended so well. The unfairness of our world, the grossness of it, the thumbs on the scales of justice and the consequent loss of justice and honesty in society at large. The devaluations of true values and the insistence on violating the gifts of this earth to us. We never learn, do we? Even when there is a slight reawakening, it is quickly squelched and on we go. Same old, same old. Or even worse. 

We might ask ourselves, we actually must ask ourselves how this situation has come about. Why have we not realized that this would be the only outcome possible. We've charged down this road. over and over again, banging our heads on rocky overhangs and travel along perilous rut filled roads and slippery curves. The road narrows, ever. tighter, ever more difficult to maneuver. Certainly not successfully, certainly not without harm to us and our loved ones. 

We have forgotten the ties we have in common. The dreams we share. Despite the accents of our speech. Despite the color of skin, despite national origin, despite the different religions or the interpretations within a religion, or no religion, these differences are of no lasting true account. Yet we make it so, perversely so. In so doing we damage not only the 'others', but ourselves as well. Too late we realize that indeed, one cannot look overlong into that abyss without absorbing some of the characteristics of the monster down below. That is a fact of life. Unfortunately, we are proving it so well.   

We know better. We have been better. But for some reason not so clear we have bought into the philosophy of a man crazed with desire for wealth and power. Impressed only by himself, he reserves the privileges of an Emperor, of a powerful tyrant of old - and newer ones as well. No slack here. He has coins cast with his image upon it. He has bronze statues made, arm raised high in the air,    fisted at the end as did the old tyrants.   Mercurial in behavior, only he and his family are entitled. His followers, ever eager for a crumb of what he has, cower in fear before him, grovel in front of him, and whisper in fear of his dastardly and demented actions and statements.   

This man makes mockery of all that we know is right and proper, moral and just. His ego is larger than the universe, equally as inflated as is his opinion of himself. He is the new emperor of the world, and we have allowed this, bought into it without thought of what lay ahead. Despite all that we know, we allow him to go forth even more, the ruts on the road more dangerous for us, but on we go, perhaps refusing to admit how wrong we were - and are - and we continue to follow him wherever he leads. Perils and traps and pitfalls of the road increase in number and danger. 

We take him at his word. We create excuses for his misfunctions. As of today, he has taken our nation down a road of misdeed and malfunctions, a nation ruled by a dictator, ruler by edicts known as Executive Orders, by threats of being cast to the ground, out of a job, disgraced for daring to disobey or simply just because. Because the man is nuts, pure and simple! And here, I insult nuts. What have we done? What have we allowed, even encouraged? Perhaps we deserve what we are facing these days and unfortunately our risky and uncertain future.  

 He will shred our society, hammer it into the   ground. It will be nigh unto impossible to raise us up and rectify all that has gone wrong. What will we do when our economy collapses? When we   have no workers? When will we have no little stores or businesses. Only the Giant corporations who care not for the little people. When supermarkets have empty shelves and poor pickings at the fruit and vegetable section. The middle class will cease to exist, its higher living standards a thing of the past, and will perforce become one with the lower economic levels, even to the point of poverty. Higher education and training, of growth of opportunities will vanish as mist in the air. 

 What we want will be no more. Dreams and wishes of our ancestors who came here for that purpose, for better life for themselves and their children, will be no longer our dreams, our realities. That is not the society we will live with. This is what we had, and this is what we now lack. We spurned the blessings of the past. and we denied the ever clearer images of the future.

We did this by adhering to the wrong values. By being selfish beyond any point of responsibility and probability, of what is right and just. We chose poorly and put into place leaders of poor capability and monstrous egos. We then followed these leaders as lambs follow their shepherds.

Worse, is the reality that we, the citizens born here, raised here, once appreciated and proud of our citizenship within a most wonderful nation, will now be denied that status. Where does one draw the line when a right etched into the Constitution is voided, declared null. Where does this loss of citizenship end? Is there an end?

More on this, the disappointment of our leaders, political and cleric, along with the lay members. How they have done us wrong. Yesterday's debacle of the release of three tortured battered brutally attacked women ripped from their lives are part and parcel of the consequences of poor choice. Our poor choice. and the pathetic specimens of leaders. that we thus created.   

More - On the morrow.  

AYIN TACHAT AYIN - AN EYE FOR AN EYE

  Such is the commandment straight from the Old Testament. An exact match or an exact equivalent repayment. Recompense for the damage done. It is a difficult and touchy subject, for many have used it as reason and justification for inflicting violence upon others, while some say it is basically the underpinning of that thought and procedure which allows material compensation for damage done as well as applicable criminal charges. 

 But how does one measure or calculate the damage done in this war now halted in a shaky ceasefire. If anyone believes that this cease fire will hold for six weeks, well, I have a couple of bridges and tunnels for sale. Are there righteous claims on both sides of this horrendous war? Possibly. Probably, if we stretch the point, but to whom do we attach blame and from whom should recompense be demanded and what is that looking like in reality.

This topic is a disastrous mess. The whole enveloping topic is a disastrous mess. Gaza is essentially destroyed with major efforts necessary to rebuild in the immediate future, and as far as one can see. It is a huge undertaking, demanding of time and certainly demanding of monetary input and expertise. From whom do we demand recompense? Think. 

Who took the original eye? Who then multiplied that action and grew it into a mass procedure, borders and limits unknown. Even as the perpetrators of that eye hunt claimed the oh so piteous and pitiable position as victim. Even as behind their backs their knives and guns were in operation, as the blood of the slaughtered pooled round their feet, so obvious yet so invisible to the onlookers. Invisible to the eyes of those who should see it and know it - for what it is, what it was, what it signifies not only for the present, but for the future as well. Well, apparently, we need more optometrists in the world to repair the faulty vision of the world and negate any possibility of return of such violent cases of poor and distorted vision.   

If we are to be able to take up and fulfill the obligations of such a task, we must dig deep, delve deep into the issue. and understand from whence did this violence come? It is not even necessary to go back hundreds and hundreds of years, for one lie built upon another lie and yet another lie and yet another lie does not make it the truth. Nor is there anybody alive or was alive at that point to speak. All hearsay.   Provocative of more and more violence. Any pathway to truce, to amity, seems nigh unto impossible.   

Hauntingly terrible is the state of constant war in the Middle East, declared or not. Nation against nation. Sect against sect. Religion against religion. Clan against clan. Gang against gang. It matters not. The little people fall in place behind their leaders. Mesmerized by the rhetoric, drawn to the hoopla, they fall prey to the fevers of war and the images of glory for themselves. They do not see clearly to the truth. They do not smell the fetid   odor of the swamp just ahead. They do not wish to see or hear, for the possibility of killing Jews, of looted wealth is overpowering.  

When the facts hit the fan and the filth is spewed all around, it is clear that even in the height of their madness, in the depth of the savagery, they knew and understood what they were doing. They called home boasting of their achievements. They treated women as inanimate treasure pieces of war. These bold warriors took as prisoners the elderly, infants and children, the wounded, those who were to be kept as loot, as bartering material, as sources of criminal enjoyment and indulgence.  The world, the leaders of the world? Where were they? Nowhere near Israel. Nowhere were there any clear and unequivocable statements of permanent understanding and sympathy for Israel, support in its war against brutal animals, beasts in human clothing. As soon as hours after the Oct 7 attack, nations of the world colluded, admitting or not of that action and demanded of Israel to HALT! Stop in her tracks. Empty sockets went unseen, the rule of ayin tachat ayin ignored, twisted and defiant of the truth. Who lost eyes and who were the takers?   

Whose cries were heard and acknowledged and   whose were not? Their cries accompanied by waterfalls of crocodile tears melted the hearts of the world, as their leaders led them astray. Severely so. Enabling, encouraging, their followers, their dupes, to join in the fray. The interest upon the recompense due and unpaid piled up, grew out of bounds as the death tolls mounted on both sides. Pitiful, but then again, one must keep in mind as to the truth of responsibility and instigation, of first step. Who were the eye takers? And who were those who lost their eyes? Who were the defenders and who were the offenders. Who sought to free their family members from horrific captivity and who were the ones who placed them there?    

This situation is not resolved, most definitely not. Not with the leaders remaining in power. Not when the world continues to demand recompense and defamation for and of the true victims of violence. The violence which then ensued is the recompense. Ayin tachat ayin. An eye for an eye. How many eyes did their actions, their foolish beliefs in their vile leaders cause?

Do not think that leaders of either side are exempt from blame. As usual, unfortunate steps taken by them, for reasons of greed, of power-hungry hands, of criminals, of cowards, of warmongers. Those who followed blindly. Well known figures of the clerics did not speak out against the violence, and in too many instants justified it, and as always, blaming Israel. The nerve - to defend sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, children and parents. The truth never in play.

Where are our leaders? Where were they 15+ months ago? Where were they when they were supposed to be keeping the nation safe? Why is it now a 'victory' when we hand over close to 2,000 beasts of terror for a pitiable 33 hostages? Alive? Dead? Who knows. The 'partner' in this ceasefire is not known for its truthfulness, yet we are supposed to buy it all, hook, line and sinker. Why are we allowing the hostages to be kept in unbearable captivity? 

Are we that stupid, naive, and follow leaders who time and again send us into yet another brutal cycle, one that never ends? What is the matter with us, with our leaders, and why the hell did we allow, continue to allow these leaders to most definitely not lead us down the right paths, allow our eyes to fall prey to those who demand them, and continue on, learning nothing from experience. We are blind to their failure to fulfill their responsibilities, thus allowing for the enemy, the eye takers to do just that in mass numbers.

 We have failed., All of us. Religious and secular. Moslems. Jews. Christians. Catholics. Hindu. Buddhist. All shout and drown out the other.    All spoke of what they knew not or cared for. And we, the 'little people' should not have been nor continuing to be so small, so acquiescent to false leaders, to voices of dissent powerful enough to shred our unity, for their own nefarious needs and desires and this encompasses extremists on both sides of the spectrum.   

This ceasefire is not meant to last. Hamas and the world will see that so. It is a deal with the Devil, and we know the Devil too often wins. Will we leave hostages in their captors' hands and Israel without any leverage with which to gain their release?  Certainly, the world will offer nothing but defamation and blame upon Israel. Nothing but.

We have allowed this. We have bought into the wrong people, the wrong ideas. It has brought us to a Hobbesian dilemma, with no good solutions or answers. Terrorists freed in massive numbers, to repeat their violence and hostages freed. Maybe. But how many more in the future as this is a clearly successful gambit for the eye takers. On the other hand, how can we possibly deny the grief and the hopes of the families of the kidnapped, members of our people and we are all family, are we not, like it or not.

I am so relieved that the decision is not within my hands, but then again, aren't all these decisions given strength and actuality by our voices, loud or unspoken, for silence says much as well?

Let us see what happens today and do what we must, whatever is necessary.

Ayin tachat Ayin.

On the morrow.