GEORGE, MEET DONALD, DONALD, MEET GEORGE

 On the off chance that you do not know to whom I am referring or whom I am referring to whom, that would be George Washington and Donald Trump. Worlds apart. Donald, in case you don't recall, when offered the crown after the defeat of the British in the American Revolution, George turned it down. He said we had just gotten rid of one monarch and need no other. No more. 

Evidently, that message, that example, went plumb right over your head. In fact, it was not only that you did not turn any such offer down, but that you made the offer to yourself, by yourself and did not even wait for an answer from the American people. Worst of all is how quickly you glommed onto the self-made offer and crowned yourself. King Donald I The Fool. And Americans went from one true patriot who refused to partake of that offer, to a man of gimme, gimme, gimme mentality 250 years later.  

Worse, he was not even responding to an offer other than himself to himself. 

What a fall from grace!  

Even worse than that is how We, the People, who once proudly declared themselves the authors and owners of a Declaration of Independence and a Constitution, as well, the first among the land, enabled him to do so. This man's intentions were clear as glass from the get-go. He spoke about himself in third person quite often, a prerogative of royals. Once he laid his greedy hands on the power of the presidency he did not stop there. 

Instead, he moved steadily ever onward or would that better be phrased as backwards. Far past any other president in the history of this nation. By the time he reached his last year in office, he was already well ensconced on his seat of royalty and deep into the planning of how to steal the election and become King of this Nation. 

He encouraged rebellion and violence and then, as a King, denied it all and claimed his Seat of Royalty as a given. Over the next four years he waged a war of his own absurdities and convinced too many of the Righteousness and Inevitability. of His Cause. They bought into it - hook, line and sinker. Result - The first full term of King Donald I The Fool. To the great detriment of the nation, and ... 

EVERYTHING BECAME CAPITALIZED AS WE MOVED EVER DEEPER INTO THE EVER-DARKENING REIGN OF DONALD I THE FOOL. Now, too little and quite likely too late, we feel the throes of the body politic of America wrapped tighter and tighter, and we are not even halfway through. Look. Understand how bad the situation has become. Understand how many rights this man has stolen. How many powers he has usurped and reapplied. Misapplied. How intense has become the effort to cancel the democracy and impose the monarchy, now in its first full term, and completing the first year of King Donald I The Fool.

The only change is change for the worse, more egregious, bold, greedy and disrespectful as he transforms and reformates the ideas of Power to the People to Power to the Monarch. Hour by hour, day by day. Month by month. We are losing all that we had fought for. Over these 250 years. We have ceded control over our lives. To the man who would be king.

And have no doubt about it. He has grown so bold in his assumption of power and in the secondary assumption that he will never lose it, for he is too frightening, too mighty, even mightier and more frightening than is The Wizard of Oz. So assured is he of permanent seat on the throne, that he has openly assumed the behavior, the customs and the speech of royalty. 

He greets people as if he is a king. With flyovers and ranks of black horses. He deems it impossible to stop his expensive wasteful trips to Palace Mar a Lago and flits here and there on the public's many dollars to play golf at a sequence of many palaces. Mind you, those palaces have become overladen with his crass grossly undistinguished tons of gilt round the White Palace, all the while he continues to destroy its dignity. 

Perhaps the most insulting of his actions is how he has gathered his court around him and allowed them to run the nation. Glaringly up front and center he is deteriorated and deteriorating. Faster and faster. More and more obvious. He can neither see nor understand the incompetence of the appointed members of his administration and on they barrel through every single idea and thought that this nation stands for.

 His body is a hulking mess. He boasts of being able to identify animals, animals such as a 3-year-old would know. He trips over himself. Both feet and tongue. He has allowed his dementia, perhaps Alzheimer's, perhaps another form of dementia to rule his mind. He has turned off the brakes of mouth and tongue and out spews insults, inanities, inaccuracies, lies, whatever comes out of that mouth, no modulation at all. 

He embarrasses us before the eyes of the world and endangers the peoples of the world as well.

 And all the while we have allowed this.

We have allowed it in too many of our yesterdays.

We have allowed it to seep into our todays.

Nor do we seem anxious to stop its seepage, inevitable and harmful into our tomorrows.

The question now arises: Who is the more demented? He or the people he has trashed. For continuing to allow it to thrive and to flourish. 

TUNNELS AND TIMES

  In almost every facet of science fiction and fantasy, there is always a tunnel. A wormhole. A black hole. And always, trouble awaits.  Some of these are short lived while others are longer. Some head up and out into space. However, there are at least several shows that I can think of where the tunnel went deep into the ground. At times the voyages through these openings proved to be beneficial, while at other times not so much.

Unfortunately, these days we appear to be going through a time tunnel which is manifestly not proving to be beneficial. In fact, it is proving quite frightening to contemplate and to live with. Why it has become such a state of being is quite puzzling. If anything, based on the actual events it should have become otherwise, diametrically opposite of what happened. And yet it did not happen that way at all.

Perhaps in running through the events we can figure out exactly what happened. And what did not happen.? And why it did not? To begin. At 6:29 AM. on October 7th, 2023, thousands of Palestinians, Hamas terrorists, Islamic Jihad terrorists and thousands of others who claimed to be civilians, apparently hoping no one would see their knives and machetes and axes and guns, poured over the border. Into Israeli territory they came: on gliders. farm machinery, bulldozers, armored vehicles, on foot, reinforced trucks, whatever worked. They came in in screaming and shouting. Bloodlust pouring out of their eyes. Hatred emerging from their mouths. And violence in every step of the way.

 They sought out victims. Wherever they could be found. It mattered not where the victim or who it was. A three-month-old baby. Or an 84-year-old elder. Nothing mattered. All that counted was to kill as many as possible. In as vicious and violent manner as possible and inflict pain and cruelty in unfathomable degree. These beasts were the ones who invaded. These beasts were the ones who kidnapped and tortured and starved and mutilated others. Would it not make sense that they would be deemed anathema by the rest of the world? And yet, that is not what took place - and is continuing in ever rising waves of hate and destruction, of death and maiming.

Nor is this limited to one country or two or five. No. It has been deemed acceptable within the majority of the nations of the world. Whether there are Jews in that country or not. Nothing matters other than the spewing of hate. Nothing matters other than the violence perpetrated upon the people of the Jewish nation. Nothing. Only harm and hurt. Only hate on open spigots. Unable or unwilling to be shut. Be it in Britain or France. Or the Netherlands. Or the United States. Or Belgium. Always an excuse why something was not there to prevent it. Or why it took so long for aid to arrive.

They ignored warnings gathered by the intelligence service of Israel. That attacks were going to happen. Not only did they ignore, but they removed security personnel, making the situation more dire, allowing for open gateways for these beasts to rampage. And always and forever, even as they sometimes got around to condemning the attacks, they would always add on 'It must be taken in   context'. What context is there? There is no context. Israel did not invade; they were invaded. Israel then defended itself against an enemy that purposely put their armaments and their soldiers in civilian places so that civilians would be hurt. They stole the food from the mouths of the civilians so that Israel would be blamed. Context?!Things were taken in the wrong context. The true context is that from even before the official establishment of the State of Israel these beasts were opposed to it. And all they did to change during the years since then. is to increase the violence and the horror. And the terror.

It seemed as if all the tunnels were blasted wide open. And the past came through into the present. And the present began to intrude upon the tomorrows. In three millennia, nothing had changed. Oh, some terminology was changed. To make it appear as if it was something different but, please do not think that anybody was fooled. When you called Pogroms, intifadas, and attempted to whitewash that intifada as not calling for blood and murder and extermination - you fooled no one. All who joined in knew exactly what they were calling for and wholeheartedly they jumped into the pool of hate.

From the river to the sea.

Globalize the intifada.

Gas the Jews. 

Convince nations. Such as Australia. To prepare home and hearth. For Hamas. And their supporters.

Convince the world to buy once again into Jew Hatred. Call for the death of all Jews, all Israelis, all Israeli soldiers, anyone and anything that smacked of anything positive for Jews.

Allowed for the radicalization of the beasts of hate.

Weekly vicious nasty Hate protests were allowed. Jewish professors and professionals, artists, journalists were doxed. Called out. Jewish businesses and homes were vandalized. Fires were set and people were burned. Jews were cast as outliers, ostracized. Our children were threatened and beaten in the streets. Pressure was applied to academics to be quiet, to shut their mouths. 

These are the tunnels and their contents. That came to life again. Once more we were in Nazi Germany. Once more, we were subjected to forces and libels, blood libel ramped up immeasurably. These are the tunnels of hate. That never disappear. These are the tunnels of hate. Which are aimed specifically at the Jewish people. At the Jewish Nation. At the Jewish state.

But we will no longer tolerate this. We will no longer stand there and allow you to spew putrid words and sayings. We will no longer allow you to destroy our institutions. To attack our children. No more. We will do as we must. And as we most, we must, and we will.

Put that into your filthy heads. Into your twisted minds and skewed souls. Understand that any violence that arises is of your doing. Take many steps back through those tunnels. Find the proper path to be a human being. The sooner the better.

SOMEWHERE THERE IS ONE.

  The woman who made this statement came from a beleaguered and embattled county in a state with similar descriptive terms. It is an embarrassment before the world that this nation should have entire swaths of areas where children and families go hungry. Where one is not assured of having food. milk and clean water, any water, in fact available for them. These necessities for life are, for most of the rest of us, taken for granted. 

Money that has been promised to them, to help them get back up on their feet, has been denied to them - courtesy of this Trump administration. Evidently it is far more important to pave over gardens, shred public buildings and institutions, and build totally out of place ballrooms and pay for multi-flights to the monstrosity of his Mar a Lago monstrosity, where he can act as the Lord of the fiefdom and play golf at a course where somehow he always manages to beat his golf partners!

This woman, so tired in her endeavors, asked, stated, that "there must be a rainbow somewhere. I am not so sure about that. Even if there were to be a rainbow someplace in the sky. The odds tell us that this would be a rainbow. of broken colors and an empty pot at its end, for the gold will have long ago been stolen. It will have gone into private deep pockets rather than public funds, where if managed properly could better life for so many. We could teach how to fish rather than throw the fish at them. We could do so much if only we managed to recover our hearts. And souls. And set aside our selfishness. And the more, more and more philosophy which has engulfed us. Much to the detriment of all the peoples of this besieged world.

Instead, we engage in make believe. We spout empty, meaningless words and phrases, vocal renditions which are too often suffused with hate and encouragement and praise for violence. It has become almost a rite of passage these days, with the stock response is a hypocritical five minutes of sorrow by the powers that be. small meaningless words of "thoughts and prayers", promises to do better, and then the status quo remains or even worsens. There are no consequences which matter, so why the hell not? Feed your desires. Go ahead and kill someone, many someones. then promise that it will happen again.  

 Our values are skewed. We have tossed out much   of the benefits of mankind's progress through the centuries. Kept too much of that which leads to dark roads. Of enmity. Of hatred berserk. And of no limit, no borders. We have focused on, made our target out of those who differ from us. In any which way for it matters not. We simply pick up a thread, elongate and thicken it, creating an ugly false depiction of a reality that is not actually there. Over the centuries, even as we have gone off target for a time, we always remained true and loyal to the main road of hate. Always to return to it. With ever greater vigor and determination to take it to the next step. That is JewHatred. That acidic form of violence, hate that apparently has grown ever more powerful and toxic over the millennia.

 This morning, approximately seven men in two cars were headed to Bondi Beach for a replay. Over in Israel soldiers of elite unites are working with the civilians of the bloodied Kibutzim and Moshavim, so close to the border. Teaching them how to better be able to defend their families, their friends, themselves until the army reaches their location. How not to be taken by surprise. How to fight so that they might live. 

Australia and the US have envoys to the world to combat anti Semitism. What a pathetic joke that is. Even if words of advice were able to reach a level of possibility it never goes further than that. The world is too busy with their ugly games of life. Those games which mean limitations, repression and suppression of others. It leads to headlines of threats. Of curses aimed at a Muslim who stepped in to stop the slaughter of more Jews. It leads to calcification of the mind, of the channels in the brain, along with a consistent and insistent education of twisted propaganda. To be found in the texts of any and all of the nations of Muslim faith.

Left alone out there on the ledge, Israel and Jewish people around the world have come to understand, finally, that no one is coming to their rescue. We must be the defenders of ourselves. We must ignore all the tsk, tsk words emanating from the false mouths and tongues. We must learn to truly know. within every atom of our body, that we can depend on no one else but ourselves. Today we have this friend, but tomorrow we have that enemy. Even the "friends" are profuse with their threats and advice. all inimical to our survival.

Many articles have been written re these constant attacks, growing, ever more vicious, this warfare waged upon the Jewish nation. We have been told to ignore the awful pictures and videos of the hostages and discount the truth of their appearances and the manner in which they were held as victims.  Of the sight of them as they came out from those tunnels. But all we heard were falsehoods and whining re the prisoners, the captured terrorists held in Israel. Next time perhaps we can pursue equivalency and proof of that by the heretofore useless IRC?

We read in the papers many opinions and. essays which bring tears to the eyes of the reader. The emotion is deep. The emotion is intense. And the emotion never leaves us. All that is well and good. But it does not give us what we need. What we need is truth and honesty from the outside world. What we need is a decision and action to stop this JewHatred in its tracks, to take whatever steps necessary to do so. What we need is to be given fair treatment, allowed to defend ourselves wherever and whenever, and however and not be held to ridiculous "proportionate" statistics. That is not the ways are fought or won. 

However. That will never happen.

I don't know why this is so. I believe in trying to find explanation we are going in the wrong direction as it gives validity to this ugliness and the falsehoods engaged and manufactured so as to mesh with the falsehood of the "Palestinian" story. All so as to provide weight to their claims, false, as to their ties to this land. Manifestly false.     

When one holds their story up to the sun one can see the holes in their false provenance. The term Palestinians is a skewed version of Philistines, an ancient and extinct enemy of the Israelites, reintroduced by the British in their mandate over Israel.  Current day 'Palestinians' are simply Arabs. Who live in the nation of Israel. With all the same rights, all the same privileges, all the same responsibilities, all the same taxes. 

Those who now call themselves Palestinians are either those few descended from Arabs who lived in this area alongside Jews who remained on this land. or those from elsewhere in the region. Those who came and/or were sent here to better the fortunes of their masters.  What we do have today, are our Israeli Arabs who work in every field of the nation. At every level. Who can vote. And be elected and hold office, hold army positions.

What we have today is a bunch of lies which the world as usual has chosen as truth.  They have   glommed onto hate mongers and spoilers of all that is good, that is possible in this world. 

Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. 

When will we be able to look back? And wonder at how stupid, how foolish we were. Would that not be a wonderful tomorrow?  

Where are our rainbows?

NOT TODAY. FAR MORE IMPORTANT TOPICS.

  Brett Stephens. Just about my favorite opinion writer from the New York Times. He hit it right on the head again and did not spare the words or emotion. Love it!! He deemed Trump the most loathsome hypocritical individual ever to occupy the White House. Uh-huh - and will all those in agreement raise your hands. Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum. Watch those hands go up. But I have had it with him right now. His faces. His snide remarks. His nasty attitude His selfishness. His filthy lies. 

So today. I'm leaving him alone. Except for the paragraph above, that is. Today is my day to write of that which is of utmost importance to me. An importance that will never diminish. Not ever. Always to remain in my heart. Never to be forgotten or stray far from my thoughts. It is about Chanukah but not in the way you are thinking. In fact, other than lighting the candles, I have banished this holiday from my home. And at an appropriate time, (ad meah ve'esrim), I will have my discussion with the Lord Above as to why he has ruined this Chag, this holiday of light, I so loved.

The attack in Bondi Beach. The attack on the subway train. The stabbing in the street. The raucous violent demonstrations. The calls for the death of Jews, among whom I number, are bad enough. Especially, as we can see no end to this. Certainly not anytime soon. These beasts of hate have no fear, no concern. Why should they? The heads of numerous governments speak hypocritical   words as another terrible act is perpetrated upon the Jewish people. Again, and again. Words mean nothing unless there is solidity within. And force and consequence behind. Apparently, the current Heads of Government are just a bunch of wimps. They count for naught for they are hot air and nothing else. Sometimes not even that.

The rest of this posting is about five special people who are greatly missed, where scabs have not yet formed over the most recent wounds let alone the ones more distant in time, but hurting just as much, leaving an ache in our hearts and throats. 

This holiday, usually in December, this year added yet another arrow to the heart. I lost my beautiful sister, my friend for life, with whom I never fought, with whom I shared a room for 15 years, to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for tuning me on to the oldies, and a lifelong appreciation of them.

Six months ago, we lost her, after a hard and brave struggle against a nasty illness she did not deserve. All these months later I still reach for the phone to call and share whatever was on my mind. Several times a day, in fact. Her birthday is December 15, and what a day to try to think of her, to remember and keep her close, when horrific violence, a massacre again, was perpetrated upon our people.  

I love you, Tzip. And always will. You'll always be with me. And if I can't talk to you on the phone, I'll talk to you in my head. Keep Mommy and Daddy close. Take care of our Zaydies and be sure to hug our Yitzy several times a day. 

I love you, my big sister, forever.   

The deaths of my two Zaydies bookended Chanukah. I was a little girl when my first Zaydie passed. But I saw my father cry. I had never seen that before. And it helped me to understand that I was never going to see my Zaydie sitting in his rocking chair by the window. Asking me if I was a good girl. And taking out his little purse and giving me a few pennies or a nickel. My other Zaydie died when I was older. in high school. There is no connection stronger than the connection of grandparents to grandchildren, unless it's with great grandchildren! Now when we get together, we tell our children stories about grandparents. The traditions they set up. Funny things they did. And each and every one of us benefited from his paper hanging skills. I miss them both and wish I had known then all that I should have asked them, all the family lore and background. Stay close with all the members of our family who have preceded us. Be it in peacetime, or war. A natural death or by the scummy hands of the Nazis and their collaborators. Give Tzipi hugs. Make her feel at home and safe. Make sure Mommy doesn't go around 'justing', cleaning all the clouds up there, and that Daddy doesn't argue with G-d too much. And please, my Zaydies, take care of Yitzy, a little boy taken from us too soon.  

As for you, Pop. I can remember you on your last night of Chanuka, when you signaled to us somehow that you wished to be in a chair for the lighting of the candles. We did just that, as you wished. We lit and said the brachot, the blessings, and there you were, Pop. You always loved the tunes of the tefilot, the prayers, and with your eyes closed, no strength to even open them, you waved your hand to the rhythm of the brachot and the Maoz Tzur. We were smiling and crying at the same time. 

You were such a good man. A man who would not stray off the righteous and honest path. Not one bit. A man who gave so much charity to so many, mostly anonymously. I believe that people knew how good you were, Pop, because your funeral was standing room only. We certainly had a service for an audience that spanned the gamut of ethnicity and religions, colors and gender. You were beloved by all. Especially us, especially me. Everyone loved you. Everyone respected you. 

I miss our conversations, sharing of letters that we wrote. I remember how you worked with me so that I could hang with my friends, the group of boys and girls that we were from school, Mommy never knew, till much later!! Our own conspiracy!  

You were a good son and son in law. A great and awesome Pop and you took care of all the relatives. I know you will continue to do so and you will take the same care and love for Mommy up there, as you always did. Just as you will take Yitzy in hand and discuss the "New Shulchan Aruch" and whatever else the two of you get up to, both of you with the same vein of mischievous pranks.  Join together in love and friendship. 

My Pop. 20 years on and I still miss you. That hole in my heart when I want to ask your advice. 4th Day of Hanukkah - you were taken from us. And on the fifth night our little boy, who had fought so hard, who was so brave, who bore that pain like a hero - was gone from among us. He could be so mischievous and would make us laugh. I had to convince his mom that chocolate was not candy; hence, he could chow down on it and load his pockets up because it was not candy! 

Yitzy was the beloved pet of all within the family. He was that special. A super athlete. A serious boy who loved to learn. Who delved deep into nature. Who wrote an article about birds, and tried to scare his grandmother with his ugly lizard. Not an Angel. Just this special boy, everybody's best friend.  Just Yitzy.  

His family turned themselves inside out trying to ease his year of pain. His mother spoke "doctor talk" better than most doctors in her steep and devoted efforts to learn all she could and perhaps   find that magic cure that we all wished for. Both his parents were by his side every second and he took walks with his dad as he could into his beloved park behind their home. 

In his final months, he amazed all who knew him. Even the medical staff of the hospital, with words of wisdom far above a typical almost 13-year-old boy. Words of acceptance, his only concern that we remember him, and he would remember us. That we should not be angry at Hashem, for he wasn't. For obviously, he believed, he had been sent here for a purpose and his purpose was completed, and so G-d was taking him back home.  

 His last wish? To have a Torah written in his name?  So special was he that within three days we had more than enough for that Torah.  So special. that the new campus of the school was named for him. This year, his second-year gone from us, will be commemorated by special classes and prayers using the Torah written in his name.   

 So, tell me. How could I possibly be happy on this holiday?  No way. And I am so glad that you can't see me or hear me cry as I soaked the keyboard with my tears. 

Yesterday, today and tomorrow - for as long as I am able, I will love all of you. And miss all of you. And be grateful for having had the time that I have had with you. Would it had been more.

No, I am done with Chanukah.  

TODAY

 Today has become a term of uncertainty, of fear, and of wonder. In our todays, serious questions as to where to go, what to do, how to act. What if? And the what ifs have become questions existential in manner and reality. If I go there, what will happen? If that happens, what will I do? What if the worst happens? How am I supposed to act? Do I risk my life to save others? Or do I save my own? Or ones who are with me. Is there actually a protocol or pamphlet which discusses the question of “How to behave in a terrorist attack.?” Will that help me get a better rating on my insurance?

Sounds ridiculous, does it not? Yet several organizations to which I belong have had guest speakers come in to explain exactly that protocol of behavior. The speakers also warn those caught up in these unthinkable horrors not to be heroes. Run. Hide. Fight. This is what we have been told over and over again. 

However, that's not so easy. Particularly if you are with someone. Are you supposed to desert someone? Save yourself at the cost of others? Trample over them? Don't help them up? And if the last step is fight, what does that mean? That all hope is lost? That the only thing left is to take out at least one before you are taken out? People can spill out answers, they can fall glibly off the tongue, but there is no way of knowing what one will do unless one is cursed enough to actually find oneself in this situation. At that point, do not forget to pray!

 Most of us have read and heard the hostages brutally taken by Hamas and what happened to them over the term of their captivity. Their imprisonment. In cages. In mud. In holes. In horror. In uncertainty beyond that of most anyone we know. One wonders how they remained alive and   retained hope. Were they regretful of their heroism in aiding some to get out even as they were caught, sealed up inside the dark uncertainties of kidnapping and brutality. What were their 'todays'? How did they make it through each day after day?

When someone hears that a person lives in Israel, their mouths grow wide. As do their eyes. They ask, "But it is so dangerous there. Aren't you afraid? You could get killed at any moment!" Well, yes and no. I do not have that fear where I have a place in Israel. Last June, I too had to go into my security room. But one did not run screaming in horror. One just knew what we had to do, where we to go. Where there was a security room. And get there. And listen for all clear. The kids outside riding bikes or scooters simply took their bikes inside, clearing the play area and took them right back out at all clear. 

Generally, we rode, walked, hiked the land unafraid.  Alert and aware? Yes, even as one has to be anywhere in this world of ours. But no one hunkered down in a security room hour after hour, day after day. Yes. There were, are, some terror attacks and one does the best one could to avoid that. But they were the exception rather than the rule. 

The questions can be otherwise. What about other situations? What about other countries? Or someone could be riding in a car and suddenly is t-boned.  Or a car mounts the sidewalk. Or someone is attacked getting on a subway train. Or sitting in a classroom. Or dancing at a party. Ot walking down the street. There is no guaranteed safe place in this world. One never knows what could happen. What will happen. The only thing one can do is be prepared. Try to do the right thing. Whatever one deems that to be.

Unfortunately, we live in times when the todays. can be outrageously dangerous. In fact, I feel safer in Israel than I do here, in America. In Israel, security is enforced and taken seriously. The security personnel are not fat old men who perhaps have a gun and perhaps not. Perhaps know how to use it and perhaps not. Perhaps know security protocol, but most do not. We are aware of our surroundings and of the people nearby. 

Actually, we are safer in many ways than people in other countries where people are not used to terrorism and engage in the daydream wherein, they are immune to any such moments of horror. Being unprepared, being unaware, and being naive as to reality. is being the most dangerously foolish one can be. 

This is not a lesson easily learned. How could this be? Yes, in that country, that other country, they do these things. But not here, not in these Western civilized nations. But take a look around. Open eyes and mind. America. Multiple times. The same thing in Canada. Australia. England. France. Ireland. The Netherlands. Belgium. I could go on and on and on, yet people are deaf, dumb and blind. to the reality of life these days. They gasp. They wring their hands. They deny its growing frequency and its tolls on lives and refuse to prepare for it.

Unfortunately, there are times, terrible times, when we are let down by the people who are actually there to protect us. In Australia videos and witnesses are showing that the police froze. Even as civilians took that step up and out to wrestle guns from the terrorists. In New York police hesitated to separate violent protesters from those being protested, who were chased and threatened, and suffered actual violence. The administrations of these warped, “places of learning”, the professors.    even the cities did nothing to stop this. In many of these places, it was even praised, aided and abetted by those who actually were responsible to stop it. 

Why? All sorts of answers run through one's mind. None of them comforting thoughts. The todays for many are growing worse and worse. Particularly, if one is Jewish. Especially, as we now have a friend of the beasts, perhaps a beast himself, deeply immersed in, and championing of, toxic JewHatred, who will take the NYC mayor's seat in a matter of weeks. He refuses to condemn a chant calling for the death of Jews and the elimination of the State of Israel. Who has engaged in such activities himself.  

We can, must, all, ask what is next? Think about it. Seriously. We must understand that no longer do we have the Today that we had.  That would be here forever now, emulating the yesterdays we have come to expect. However, we are falling back, way back, into the days and yesterdays of hate and violence. Of deprival of rights. Of limitations. Of narrowing of possibilities. Of separation. Even unto death. These abominable yesterdays and todays are meshing into even more frightening, ever more horrifying tomorrows. 

This cannot be allowed. We must learn how to avoid. How to protect ourselves. How to bring about the todays and the tomorrows we need. Do not engage in the fantasy that this will end in and of itself. Do not think the worst cannot happen here. It can happen. And in fact, is happening. Round the world as well. It will continue to happen and worsen unless we all wake up and smell that proverbial coffee. Whatever brand.

YESTERDAY. TODAY. TOMORROW.

WHICH VERSION DO YOU WANT? 

DEJAVU

 Three hours in the doctor's office. See you on Wednesday

YES, BUT ...

  Yesterday. As most of us do every morning, as we stumble around or energetically prepare for the day to come, we listen to the news. In whichever way we desire. Yesterday morning, happening all too often these days, we heard shouts and excited voices. Automatically, we turned to raise the volume and to listen.

What we heard yesterday morning. was what we have been hearing far too often these days. It is something that for many, many years we hoped. was, if not gone, at least tamped down, to be at least semi rare, occasionally, but never to grow. Never to become once again a monster ready to consume the world? Ready to use the acid of its Hate to destroy, destroy and more.

What is one to say when with a backwards look, a current look, and a truly frightening look into the future, all appear to be the same. No change. Hate. From generations past. Horrific intentions of the fascist movement and communist movement as well. Just about one hundred years ago there was an almost successful attempt to totally exterminate all Jews round the world.   

Look back nearly 80 years ago to the recognition of the State of Israel. Though it was a dismembered State, millennia had gone by before even this minimal step took place and at least a partial truth was recognized as such. Nor was it to be considered as a gift as so many claim it to be these days and wish to cancel that "gift giving". Is the papal seat, the Vatican, in the midst of the city of Rome considered a gift go the Catholic religion? Are the several dozen Muslim states considered as a gift to the Islamic religion? Is Holland a gift to te Protestant religion? Is there a nation considered to be a gift to those who are atheists? Or agnostics?

 So why then should a Jewish state be considered a gift to the Jews? And nondemocratic due to its "gifthood". Even deemed, most illogically, a state which practices genocide! When the very people against whom genocide is claimed are prospering, doing well and are an integral part of the nation, from government to the people on the street. Why accuse a nation who has experienced the worst of genocide of committing a scientifically planned determined extermination on a group of people when it is so evidently not true, so criminal. A lie put forth by Haters who have never given up their Hate, merely ramped it up to the likes of Oct7.

Why is it when that nation is attacked, when the people whose state it is, are targeted there and throughout the world, why, why, are there people who join in with Glee. With words of Hate and incitement to violence itself, up to and including murder. Slaughter. Of men, women and children, babies, elderly. It matters not to these Haters. I ask again, why is it that the more volent the attack, the more frequent the attacks, WE get just that. More violence. More attacks. And on and on, a vicious cycle that never seems to have an end of an out.

And yet. despite the awful attack at Bondi Beach. in Sydney, Australia, considered to be among the Western nations, among the more. civilized and tolerant, there it was. Why were Jews in the USA attacked the same days, in a Jewish professor's class at Brown, and directed at a house of Jewish decoration in LA?? No answer forthcoming to explain this away other than ever ongoing Hate.

 The Jews around the world - what did they do? do? It was the first night of Hanukkah. The Holiday of Light. The light that chases away the darkness. The light that illuminates the darkest corners of humanity? And provides the light for humanity to move forward. To see into the dark. To make it disappear. And to rescue those who remain in the dark.

What did they do? They did exactly what we have been doing since the beginning of time. Since the first steps of Abraham into the world as a Jew. We have stood up against terror. We have stood up against those who are determined to exterminate us. We have done whatever we must. And we'll continue to do so. Those who claim they are stronger than us and will beat us down think again. We are people of courage and determination. We are the people of stiff neck snd stubbornness.    Reinforced with the open hands and arms and heart of the strongest protector in the world. The Lord Above. Who has been with us for lo these many millennia. Wo will not leave us.

So, what did we do? Almost every single Jewish organization that I can think of, other than the organizations of Jews who have turned against their fellow brothers and sisters, and supported those who wished to kill us and them as well. other than these suicidal Jews who do not realize that nor not accept the truth, what did we do? We sent out emails and calls. We announced proudly that the community lighting of the menorahs, those taking place in community celebrations in defiance of those who wish to crush us eill take place. And indeed, took place. And will always take place. Whatever the hell is the celebration, be it in community celebrations or in the homes.   T

They will all continue. Always and forever/

So, to the beasts, all members of the same monster tribe, be you born into it or join it in your sick evil. give it up. You have lost already. You will not defeat us. Rather, we will defeat you. Though we would rather live in peace and partnership. in unity, and brotherhood. Just as we admire that brave Muslim soul who stood up and ran and jumped on one of the animal's backs. wrestled the gun out of his hands. chasing him off.  

We ask why Australia did not pay attention to the warning of a planned attack on the Jewish community. How many more times must Israel uncover and reveal a planned attack only to be ignored? Only to see people die once again. Why?   

And as for all the hypocrites here in America. In Australia. In any country where these attacks have taken place. Or have been praised. You were all guilty. Stained and tainted. The same indelible ink of  JewHatred. Bottom line, all your words of sympathy mean nothing now. Nothing unless you act upon them. Don't tell me it's horrible, I already know that. Don't tell me it is awful and must not take place. Because you allow it to take place, you've encouraged it to take place by not imposing consequences. And by not out loud and strongly condemning those who perpetrated it upon us?  

You will never succeed. Read the following. Understand that we will never cease to light up the world. We will never cease to fight against the darkness. And those who oppose us will get their just consequences, all who veer off the path of righteousness. All.

Here is a letter written by a young Rabbi to his constituents. On the eve of Hanukah as to the public lighting of the menorah of the community. I have included no names. Simply the letter.

Dear Family,

I write to you with a heavy heart this morning.

Many of us woke up to the horrifying news of the antisemitic terror attack in Australia.

This attack again reminds us that antisemitism

is not a phenomenon of the past, or a distant memory, but a living threat.

As we know, Kol Yisrael avrevim zeh bazeh, we are one people and one nation, and an attack on any of us affects all of us.

We will be joining with other area synagogues for a Menorah lighting this evening, where we will both celebrate the holiday of Chanukah and mourn our fallen brothers and sisters. I encourage everyone to join us, and to add to their performance of mitzvot and engagement in prayer in response to these events.

As the Alter Rebbe of Lubavtich said “A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness.” Each action we take, each candle we light, pushes away the darkness of the world in this difficult time.

May Hashem avenge the blood of the innocent victims, bring comfort to their families, and protect the Jewish people wherever they may be around the world.

May we know no more sorrow.

With pain and hope,

Rabbi

YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMMOROW 

ENOUGH!

HAS THE TIME NOT COME?

  I think that for today's posting I will borrow the words of others, allow them to speak for me but will also intersperse them with my own take and commentary. Fair warning: I spent most of the morning perusing two well-known national newspapers, shouting all the while at the awful subject matter.

 Does nothing ever get any better? We are selling ourselves out, flowing fast down the swift rivers to conditions of steep impossible to navigate waterfalls such as we have not seen for decades upon decades. Yet, even as the majority of the world's nations understand our deterioration, here, in this nation we are apparently oblivious to the reality upon us. 

" ...a cardinal rule of journalism. Whenever you see elephants flying, don't laugh. Take notes. Because if you see elephants flying, something very different is going on that you don't understand but you and your readers need to."

"... democracies that ' Undermine political liberty. and sovereignty, migration policies, strife. Censorship of free speech. Suppression of political opposition.... And loss of national identities and self-confidence''. (Thomas Friedman)

No more place to call home, to be at home. Take a look around.  Understand how many Americans no longer feel at home here. For whatever dumb, yet dangerous excuse that can be ginned up to make them feel uneasy and uncomfortable.

The next Civil War in this nation, the same war whose possibility I have long been dreading. For this war will be brutal and bloody and of long duration and lead to the end of this nation. 

Much of what has been going wrong in this nation weighs heavily upon all of us. Granted, we are not leaders who lead us down the wrong path. But we have put those leaders in place. And for some reason, so many, too many of us have forfeited our own independent way of thinking, the right to think for ourselves. We have mimicked the words of others, particularly the extremes, replete with vile Hatred. We have ceded and lost the ability to separate right from wrong, good from bad.

The situation goes from bad to worse. The worst awaits us, should this crazed and demented, and incompetent man actually violate the Constitution yet again and run for a third term. G-d help us. Much of the wrong taking place emanates from him and those who enable him.  With deed and speech. Just follow the dots.

"The Rose Garden Club" - No roses anymore. Only ugly cement. And umbrellas. Low class. 

East Wing of the White House, a beautifully balanced home of the people of this nation. No more. For this imbecile of low taste has without permission torn down that wing in order to make room for a useless extravagant ballroom. Whose purpose is only to feed his oversized ego and recreate not a Camelot but a return to his own Gilded Age, suffused with gaudy gilt.  

Now there is a federal lawsuit from the National Trust against him for exactly what he has done to the East Wing of the White House.  

He has been caught out with stumbling world salad speech. Huge gaps in memory. Overweight. Unable to pass simple tests to check for dementia. He has been glaringly uncertain as to exactly where he is, why he is there and who is there with him? He is in constant stumbling motion, physically, mentally, emotionally. He cannot keep his head up and his eyes open at meetings. He is overstuffed with delusions of grandeur. And is a crude vile insult spouting man, with no tact, only nastiness and gobbledygook. And certainly, not to forget his huge and ever flowing lies.

Here are some more examples of all that he has done. Insulted.  Lied. Babbled. Given aid and comfort and advantages to our enemies. 

Reneged on promises to allies: Taiwan. Japan. Ukraine. Europe. The people of his own nation.

 Given China advantages in AI and related fields Even as he boasted that he would never do that and that we are oh so much stronger than they are.                   What a crock.  

 He has allowed Ukraine to be shattered and is pushing a 'peace treaty' wherein half of Ukraine would be ceded to Russia - like a prize given to Hitler - and place hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians under Russian control.   

Next, he says it does not matter that Putin does not talk to him. Please remember this was once his bosom buddy, besties, BFFs.

So how about a garbled piece of a talk he gave at one of his "praise me" I am so great moments. He is talking about two candidates for further damage to the Federal Reserve, both Kevins, and not a word of their "qualifications", but why would that be important as the vast majority of his appointees all pass the useless test with flying colors.

"Yes, I think he is. (at the top of the list). I think you have Kevin and Kevin. They're both - I think the two Kevins are great. I think there are a couple of other people that are great." (Such a relief knowing that!)

Yet another presidential moment of hard work as a President. By golly, he is going to fix the golf courses in Washington, DC. Such a critical thing for a president to do, particularly in times so fraught with danger. Of course, we can all breathe easy now. Can we not?

Of course, not to forget those oh so guilty illegal immigrants trying so hard to fulfill their dreams, just as our ancestors filled theirs and allowed for our dreams. In fact, please know that the power of these immigrants is such that they have broken the entire economy, and they are at fault for the rising prices. Bet they didn't know they had such power. I guess they were too busy shielding themselves from the blows and the threats and wondering where their children are. Where their parents are. Oh, for sure, let's keep up with this ugliness! Do you feel safer now that the bodega owner or his engineer daughter is now imprisoned?

Need more reassurance? How about the proposed new ruling that all visitors to the USA have to present their social media for the past five years? What if there is no social media to present? What if they voiced an opinion critical of Trump or one of his buddies. What if it then is extended to any citizen trying to reenter this country? What if in the past five years they had made a statement, several statements, critical of Trump and his crew of incompetents? Dictatorship, anyone?  Freedom of speech, excluding Hate inciting talk? Bah, humbug, for who needs that! So greatly overrated.

Our President at the moment cannot expend too much energy and time on presidential matters, other than to pardon those who should never be pardoned. Unless, of course, there is advantage for Trump in that pardon, to convince him to come over to him. Perhaps even to donate a million or two for that ostentatious ballroom.  He must hurry, for there are more thousands awaiting a pardon from the president who himself will need to seek a pardon. Certainly, from history. 

I came across a poem entitled Crossroads, by April Bernard. It portrays our situation at present. We too are at a crossroads of life and must decide, as individuals and as a nation, with whom we are going to walk, arm and arm into a cloudy future. Unsure if the choice made, to leave the devil is just that - a dream, and is she, in fact, continuing to walk arm in arm with the devil. A choice that we are now facing, and I am not confident about the road and choice to be taken. Where is Robert Frost when he is needed?! 

Finally, there is the statement of Machado. Freedom. Democracy. And the necessity to be ready and willing to fight for freedom. It is “A choice that must be renewed each day, measured by our willingness and our courage to defend it.” That choice is not only for the individual. Or for the nation. Both must be in sync.

Are we in this nation, in this world, this bloody world of yet another massacre of Jews at a celebration. With many children around. Shot down by two animals with guns. It is a choice we must make and for the positive. Keep on building. Keep it strong. If we are to have not only the obligations, but also the benefits, of a true freedom, we must emulate the bravery of a single woman and be of courage and determination. Not allow those who would take our nation down a road leading to autocracy, oppression, and a future greatly to be feared.

Why is it that we take from our yesterdays all that is wrong. 

Why is it that we allow our todays to soak in vats of blood.

What will be our tomorrows? Will we walk in confidence, or will we walk cringing in fear, always awaiting yet another blow.

Our choice. Our road.

TIME AND TIME AGAIN

  "The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole."

"The continued progress of existence as affecting people and things":

"Time or an amount of time as reckoned by a conventional standard:"

"The personification of time as an old man with a scythe."

 Or the iconic mind picture of a lover saving all the time he can, planning to spend it all, for all eternity, with his beloved.

Time can mean much to many and if questioned, will arrive at answers and definitions differing from others. None will be all correct and none will be all wrong, for time, or Time, is a concept which changes with the moment and the context. It is the story of two people doing exactly the same thing within the same limit of passage of time, yet one separately, will tell you the time flew by, and the other will state emphatically how long and dragged out that passage of time was for him. Neither is all right nor all wrong.

The relative speed of the passage of Time can be significant or of little matter. A decision which must be made in the blink of an eye. a decision better kept on a back burner. If the decision maker is competent, then the time necessity will be met. It is when we violate the correct interpretation of time necessity that we run into trouble.  

The world today is plagued by a cadre of incompetent and unaware readers of time. Over and over again we hesitate on the more urgent decisions. We then rush into the other decisions. where we have misread the time necessity grossly. The consequences can be vital to life and liberty, to security, but we will only find out what will happen when they appear. That is the moment when the blame game begins, and the lies grow and fester.  

This is true in the public and the global world and in the lives of individuals and smaller units. Why have we never internalized the truth of this? Haste   makes waste - yet on we go, until in extreme reaction we turn the maxim around but, unsurprisingly, end up with the same waste. Why, over the millennia we have not learned this truth is beyond reason, other than the fact that humans are flawed, have little to no patience and hence, we reap the disastrous consequences of poor thinking. 

However, when comparing the results of poor individual thoughts to the more compounded   aftereffects of a large, even global sizzle situation, it is more warranted to analyze, decide, and act - or not - depending upon the situation and its needs. At times the wiser position is to act, quickly, but with thought, while at other times the correct decision    is to leave it alone and it will resolve itself by itself. 

However, what is one to do when the decision maker is flawed. So much so that it can be seen by the blind eye and heard by the deafened ear. The politics of the day, of the individuals and the nations involved, demand an answer. Even as the head knows that the decision is incorrect, is based on false premises and very shaky grounds. Fated to turn on a dime at the worst moment, and all is exposed before the eyes of the world, generally with worse to come. The agita, the tears, the applause, the laughter, the ever-deeper confusion - mix and shake - for that is the inevitability sure to accompany the wrong decisions made.

Now take a look around. Run a finger down the roster of the Heads of Government. Of more nations than you can believe. Understand the consistency of the toxins it spews forth from its mouth. More confusion. More negativity. More violence. More hate. and more HATE!! Why we persist in following this most obvious wrong road through life has remained without an answer since time began. 

Will we ever learn? Will we ever understand that we must learn to do things the right way. Hopefully the first time. to give thought before leaping, to know the truth that lies beneath and the falsehoods which belie it all? Can we ever dream of a time when truth dominates, when instinctive comprehension will take its proper place and role? And decision making will be clear and timely, on target, with proper consensus as to the necessity of said decision and its timing for implementation?

The history of mankind does not lend an optimistic air for these answers.

Our yesterdays are rife with foolish decisions. Ones made on pride. On toxic nationalism. Overflowing with a traditional hate of no sense. And no right to exist.

Our todays are of no better hope or prediction. Our stupidities and our ignorance persist, and the only change appears to be a rise in the level of toxicity with no Narcan available.

Our tomorrows await our choice.

Either we shape up or we ship out -another maxim we must do better at comprehending of its truth and importance of implementation.

Would that we do.

Would that we are willing and able to do so.

The gift and meaning of time is there before us and for us. 

We simply must learn the best way to maximize its benefits for us. For the world at large and for the individuals within. 

Personally, I think the sands of our time are falling at ever faster rate.

Not good.

WHATWHATWHATWHAT!!!~!!!

  What the hell?!!  What in the name of all that's holy is happening in this world? When and where and why did we all, at least most of us, a goodly portion of us, lose common sense, lose the ability. and the desire to discern between right and wrong. Between good and bad. Between true leader and   fake.

How is it that we can have a head of government here in this country, this once proud highly functioning country, a leader to the world, a role model in the world - How is it possible that we now have one so deeply, grossly enmeshed in the depths of dementia. Who cannot keep his head up nor his eyes open. Who chooses almost 100% the wrong choice. Then, when everything backfires, he and his fellow imbeciles and incompetents claim it is a roaring success. 

Think not?

Prices rising. Day after day.  

Inflation ever ongoing.

Massive firings in big, major businesses of America.

Tariffs wreaking havoc in the business world, here and round the world.

Farmers going bankrupt because they cannot export their produce.

Rising rates of hunger and homelessness. Even among the working poor and struggling middle class.

Growing economic uncertainty among all.

A president who has taken a hammer to all that we find traditional, of value. 

 He has destroyed the White House in his demolition, without permission, of the East Wing.

 To build an absolutely tasteless unnecessary unwanted other than by him, wasteful ballroom. This is not the Gilded Age, Donald.

Speaking of the Gilded Age. Can we perhaps blame his inability to keep his eyes open and his mind functioning due to the shiny cheap gilt now running wild through the halls of the White House?

The beautiful Rose Garden, the beautiful gift to the nation from Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, paved over. To become a low-class replication of a cement patio in Mar a Lago. Shame on you, Donald.

Or to parade before the body public as a married couple who continuously spat and spit. Who pull apart. Unless Melania is actually keeping him upright these days in physical manner. Upright in legal and moral and constitutional manner - another pack of stories there.  

A would-be dictator. Who has chosen to continue in further public destruction of much that we hold true and proud. He has also chosen to shred the Constitution. Disavow the Separation of Powers. Ignore the laws passed by our Congress over our years of existence. He is to hold and control all the reins of power.

A president who establishes his government in the ugly paths of favoritism. Of nepotism. Of any ISM that you could think of that is inimical to the continuation of this nation, as she should be. As she was meant and structured to be.

A man who was so enamored of his own self, as genius in his own mind, though in nobody else's, who uses fear and incompetence and intimidation to structure his government.

A man who so needs praise that he will reach out within his own blackened soul and insist that he deserves, that he in fact has earned, some of the greatest prizes in humanity. He has single handedly. deserved and won the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Prize in Physics. And any prize bestowed upon him by any visitor to the White House. Even to the point of claiming a Peace Prize from FIFA, the soccer organization!! 

SAD. PATHETIC. OUR PRESIDENT???

Furthermore, he is a man of no dignity. He panders to the fakery of Hollywood, makes himself MC and Host at the Kennedy Center Honors. A once most tasteful event. Therein, to continue the debasing of himself and this nation. And continues his tasteless and tactless dispensation of a stream of pejorative terms "gifted" to others. Ever so funny. Ever so clever.  NOT!! Embarrassing!!! 

And finally, this man claims to have put to rest, what is it, 8 wars by now? Somehow gone unnoticed, has been the almost instantaneous resumption of hostilities, the signed treaties and the boasting worth less than the paper written on.        them has returned to a state of warfare.

The world is discovering that this man is nothing more than a big bag of hot air. Perpetually leaking. Perpetually failing and falling. His words, his guarantees are fast becoming ever more worthless. Hence, his influence wanes as well. Once. He promised peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Peace between Cambodia and Thailand. Safety for the perpetually kidnapped schoolgirls of Nigeria. Once he promised an end to Hamas, all hell to pay if not so. With more and more of the world catching on, what will be the end of it all?   

What, what, what has been happening in this world? How are we supposed to understand this? When will we, can we, find a way back? When will we know that the time has come? To invest all our efforts into a total turn around. To return to our history. To our ethos. To the fabric whole and clean, of the United States of America.

Once upon a time, in our yesterdays, we made many, many mistakes. But always we struggled forward.

In those todays we recognized at some point, where we had strayed and took giant steps to remedy the matter.

Once, we knew who we were. Once, we were proudly the nation of immigrants. Today, we are a nation who Criminalizes. Abuses. Imprisons.  Rounds up in most meaning manner, the immigrants this nation so desperately needs. They are the oil to our squeaking economy. The future inventors. 

We falsify records. We "mistakenly” Deport actual citizens. We all are under threat when Trump threatens to do away with birthright citizenship. But at one time or another, someone in our family was a birthright citizen. Could denial of that citizenship be tainted all the way down to us - you and me?   One never knows. Not with this government.    Then, and then ... Our families shredded? Our children lost to us? Justice mocked and reviled? Torn from our homes? Thrown into overcrowded Prison cells?  

The question is: What will be of our tomorrows?   Will we delve deep enough and find those who are willing to work hard? To remediate this nation? To give of themselves? Without thought of amassing wealth and power for oneself.

Will we have tomorrows of promise? Or of days. ever ongoing in the wrong direction?

CAN YOU SEE IT AS WELL?

Are you seeing what I am seeing? Are you wondering why this is happening? Why is it allowed to continue? Are we all idiots, by accident, or willfully so? Deniers of truth. Or is it that we are tired to the bone and feel that looking away, pretending we do not see that which is there is the only way for us to survive. To remain sane. 

Or is it that we are ashamed of what we have allowed. Of what we have enabled. Are we confused and find ourselves up the creek without a paddle as we try to figure out how to atone and how to amend. How to turn this country. this nation, this world around. At times we even have begun to wonder whether that is a Sisyphean task or even worth the effort, so far have we fallen and so lost have we become. Little Bo Peep and her lost sheep are nothing as compared to our status quo.

Remember the one called Sleepy Joe? Well, what do we have now, and why are we not hearing the same sobriquet applied. now to the even more Sleepy Donald, almost never able to keep eyes and mind awake and alert while holding meetings with government or foreign figures. 

So semicomatose is he, even verging on status comatose, that he cannot remember nor recall the topic of the moment. The issue or purpose of the meeting. Who is actually there? And who was supposed to be there? He cannot remember names nor people and calls out as one lost in the wilderness. He does not even recall if he is to sign anything. Yet another of his edicts that flow down the river from his perpetually befogged mind, pleading of his appointees, just about as incompetent and misguided and misinformed as he is, mewling piteously at them for information as to what he is to sign. 

Edicts and edicts and evermore edicts. And all these edicts are meant to enforce his control over this nation. To violate the Constitution. To deny what he has said or promised. Both nationally and internationally. No hell has rained down on Hamas who refused to disarm and who refuse to return the body of Ran Givili to his family. So that he may be honored as a hero that he is. And always will be.

Trump's goal to achieve a total authoritarian government over this nation inspires others in leadership position among the world to strive for that same goal. Both extremes, right and left are seeking power. ever bolder in actions and speech. Viler and overarching in their attempts to poison the world. Their deeds encourage Hatred and evil grows apace. 

Those not arriving on the Mayflower are no longer sure and confident of their welcome in this land. Once our country. No longer so. Trump and his enablers, his ugly followers are trashing this nation. Defying, denying what it means, what it was meant to be. We are conducting mass arrests like third world nations. We are separating families. Some of them to be forever lost to each other. We are arresting our own citizens because they may have brown skin or speak Spanish. We are encouraging ignorance and violence, and negativity. 

Why do we not see the danger he and his. pose to our nation, to ourselves. Why do we not see his sheer unfitness for his office. Why do we continue to hurt ourselves, damage and demean our nation, and lose sight of who we are meant to be. 

Can we not see it? Acknowledge it?

In some of our yesterdays we were there.

 Our most recent todays we have fallen far astray and even further afield.  

 Our tomorrows grow grayer and grayer.

Do we, can we, gather ourselves together, and fulfill the promises we once held true and faithful.    Truly American. True to the possibilities of all nations of the world. 

Let us hope so.

Together.

It is the only way.

RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION

  From the beginning of time humanity has had to make choices. One of the most frequent situations of choice was one between restoring and/or rehabilitating or chucking it. When materials and expertise were not present in quantity and quality, the choice was much more severe. Possibly even reaching a point of absence of that item. Or, the possibility of happenstance attempts at restoring it to its function, hopefully to remain so for a long period of time.

We, or at least those of my generation and even into the generation below, have moments of remembering the repairman coming to the house with a bag of tools and replacement parts. Or, of loading those heavy TV's and cumbersome radios and cameras into the car and schlepping to the repairman. Hoping and praying that it could be fixed. At a reasonable price. Rather than being discarded. With the horror of replacement of buying a new one hitting us upon the head with a hammer. Money not available or free to spend upon non necessities of life, almost always led to the attempt to restore to working order. For as long as possible. Generally, with the members of the family standing anxiously alongside the home repairman or riding along in the attempt to restore it to life, a valuable component in the life of that family with the memories of it part of the family lore.

It was a pride of ownership. A reluctance to let something go, for the meaning behind it and its presence and existence within the household. It was also a society where the old adage of waste not, want not was still of active application and understanding. Purchases were undertaken not on a whim, but only after careful consideration and comparison. Of quality and cost. Of benefit. It was almost a tangible atmosphere of concern of the family as they watched an item go down the stairs and out the door. Perhaps to return, perhaps not.

Today, we live in a throwaway society. There's no patience to fix something. No patience to investigate as to exactly what the cause of the problem is, if it can be fixed relatively easily. Even when one desires to check the box first of restoration and rehabilitation, it is not so easy to carry it out in actuality. Those capable of restoring and rehabilitating are few and far in between. So many times, when an appliance is broken and the repairman comes to check it out, the conversation generally rolls around as to why it cannot be fixed. Why it would be only temporary. Why it pays to buy a new one rather than attempt to fix this old one. Always along those same lines. I am not even sure if the training programs for repairman of multiple types of items actually receive training in the art of repairing such.  Far more capable of installing and explaining the newly ever more complicated set of directions necessary to start and operate this new item.  

It is generally only when one ventures into neighborhoods where recent immigrants live, that one can find a repairman knowledgeable and capable of repairing and restoring. In fact, when one finds one of these rare treasures it is with a look of horror that they respond to your suggestion of perhaps one needs to totally discard it. It is anathema in their culture. There is no throw it away train of thought. Money and items are too scarce, too important and too difficult to replace without at least making a strong effort to fix the problem at its source. Then they are regarded as magicians and are given the title of "genius". 

In the new development where we live in our other country, one has the opportunity to make that choice. If one ventures into neighborhoods of immigrants, or any monetarily challenged folks, who tend to think twice and then again before discarding a broken item, chances are there will be those folks who can repair and rehabilitate. Often quite successful in their attempts and restore it to   its place within the hearth and home. At times one is amazed at how simple the repair actually was. And then wonders why the hell do we insist at   present to keep on discarding items which can be rehabilitated. Whose materials are precious and non-renewable. Allow for pride of ownership. For the meaning behind it. To carry weight and to prevent waste.

Now transfer the whole idea of repair and rehab to humans, or the awful decision, the horrendous choice to willfully discard, dehumanize, and devalue other humans. Because of their differing appearance. Or different viewpoints. Or whatever. vile hook used to further the nefarious plans resulting from those awful choices made. The choices of humanity re humanity are heavily spiced and tainted with greed and hate and convenience. There are rarely, if any, valid reasons as to why we should accept a decision to discard humanity, rather than work to make it better. To always inch up the ladder of true progress. To reach the deepest depths and heights of goodness to be found within humanity. 

Many will raise the rather righteous call upon humanity to understand that there are those within the mass who are neither capable of reformation nor willing or wanting to do so. These are the people who have, due to Nature and/or Nurture have declared themselves outside the camp of humanity. Who have given up all attempts to reform. Who have chosen of their own free will to continue on this path of no return.

However, before we assign one to be non-redeemable, one must be very sure of the righteousness and justice behind that decision.  Even in a throwaway world we do not extend that way of life and thought to humans.   It is only with hard and demanding work and process wherein we do our utmost, that a decision to outlaw one from the rest of humanity can be rightfully and righteously reached. The difficulty and the permanence of such a decision cannot be downplayed nor discounted. If and when one does do so, one is actually being dismissive of one's own humanity.   

The question that arises is thus: What does one do with those who willfully, even with enjoyment, have declared and made themselves to be declared as outside the camp of humanity? What are we to do with such people who have denied their own humanity and then rage ruthlessly through the ranks of those unprepared and unknowing as to how to reckon with such violence and toxicity?

Those are difficult questions to answer. Yes, indeed there are people who are so evil that they have forfeited the right to deserve to live. The weight of that decision and its implementation lays heavily upon the one making and/or carrying it out. That decision diminishes one, causes a piece of one's soul and heart to shiver, possibly even break. But that is a burden which unfortunately those who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of protecting humanity will carry. It is we, the others, who benefit from these most difficult decisions, who owe them an eternal and endless, unmeasurable gratitude. Yet too often that gratitude is forgotten, even turned inside out, as we so often care to 'disremember' unpleasantness and pass the blame and consequences onto others, to rebound upon them, as all the while we act as if our hands were nowhere near the deed nor its inception. 

This all leads to a necessity of a clear and definite definition, not politically influenced, as to what exactly is the line which must not be crossed in the determination of war crimes, crimes against humanity.  These days we waffle and drift with the winds of the political nature of nations. These currents all too often result in fragile and incorrect definition and assignment of guilt. We turn blind eyes and deaf ears to the cries of those slaughtered. We ignore the truth. The perpetrators of these crimes are given a pass because it suits us at that moment to do so. Truth is pushed aside. Negated. And the innocents suffer twice over what should never have been theirs in the first place.  

So often the ugliness that results from this playing around with truth, with convenience overwhelming all else, causes a blurring of the lines. Purposeful intentional slaughter of civilians. Gross maltreatment of prisoners of war. All are downplayed. Ugly and unfortunate realities of the world, of the nature of nations occupying this globe, skew the truth.  Ancient and ugly tropes and memes of hate, toxic beyond understanding, rule the day. Falsehoods are passed on into the history books with terrible consequences.

One day, perhaps. we will all see the truth for what it is. The falsehoods for what they perpetuate and perpetrate upon mankind. One day we will know better. But until then how do we accommodate that which is right and deny that which is wrong? How is it possible to convince those deeply entwined in ugliness to forsake it. To come to that which is necessary for humanity to move forward. For all to live a better life. How indeed do we get rid of these prejudices? These venomous hates which periodically decimate the ranks of the people of this globe and inflict only more tragedy upon us all.

We did not know those answers yesterday. 

We sure as hell don't know them today.

Will we know them tomorrow?

Not so sure, as we appear to be slow learners. 

Too slow, in fact, for our own good.