WHAT TO SAY?

       While it is a privilege to be able to write every day, have the right to express oneself without censor other than one's own, it is sometimes difficult to decide what to write and to face that blank screen, the bane of all writers.
     So what to write of today. I can write of the good friends I will be meeting later today or the excellent PT I will be seeing today as well. Or I can write of the disgust, the ever growing disgust and dissatisfaction of the electorate here, within the Village. There are constant questions now as to why and what is going on. For example - why was the Broadband meeting cancelled? If it meant that David Israel had given up on his useless and anti by laws quest to impose his ideas of broadband upon us, then that would be great. However, and make that a big however, he is not trusted and people are asking just what he is doing now in secret. Is he firming up an illegal contract and/or payments to CSI? Is he planning some other boondoggle or another Big Lie to CYA his own posterior re the roads and their deteriorating conditions? Or perhaps he is planning on how he can impose new and more restrictive by laws that will include his repressive ideas and activities? And what about the proposal for one unit one vote for an owner, limited to one vote no matter how many units one owned? Where is that? The silence is deafening for he knows should that come into reality, he is gone.
     What are the plans for the budget in the special Operations meeting? What pipe dreams of WPRF are going to be expected to be fulfilled at what cost to our own budgets and fees? And what other boondoggles or sudden needs to make up deficits are we going to have to swallow. It does not matter what they are for, for if they have David Israel's approval, then all the little puppets will follow along, nice and tame. This UCO is demagoguery in real life and just symbolic of what Trump will impose on us should ugh! he get in but again not so sure of that victory.
     Pence, his VP candidate, was not so well received in Washington yesterday by other Republican figures.  NYS Attorney General Schneiderman in NY is investigating the Trump Foundation. Oooohhhhh, could it be that it is not such a wonderful and upright entity?!! Oh dear, Donnie, what have you done.
     The founder of LinkedIn is challenging Trump to release his tax records and if he does so by Oct. 19, 5 million dollars will be donated to veterans causes. So, Trump, get those records out and do not think that a little schmooze with Dr. Oz will be the end of the demand for your health history. Goose and gander - again. And what is with the fact that Pence could not get his mouth around the words to condemn Dukes or call him a racist. Want to return to the word deplorable and their presence in the Trump camp? The fact that there are good, but deluded people in that same camp does not erase the nastiness of other supporters. No indeedy.
     So what else could be written about. Oh yes, our lovely advanced world which seems to find that returning to hatred always is a possibility. So for those of you who say it could never happen here, turn your eyes to Washington and read how a room was reserved in the name of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee by a former(?) aide of hers, reserved for The US Campaign to End  the Israeli Occupation on Capitol Hill and promised real live BDS activists as a tempting morsel for the audience. Other Congressmen and women suddenly had their names held in secret after Lee pulled out, blaming it on this aide and how she allegedly did not know a thing about it. Uh huh. Great to have sacrificial lambs to throw under the bus. David knows all about that.
     And what about the Newsweek Middle East editor who oh so wonderfully maintained her neutrality in reporting. Here is a comment from her.

Leila Hatoum tweeted "I'm not owned by corporate+ I don't worship the $ nor do i care what Zionists think of me."

 She has several other lovely statements but what has happened to journalistic neutrality, the writing of the news, the presenting of both sides? Ha!! Wonder if she took bias lessons or how to slant lessons from our own editor here in the Village so will Newsweek Middle East turn into an international The Rag? Wow, interesting thought.
     Well, I found something to write about but wish it was a tad cheerier but one must write what one sees and must present the truth as seen by the writer's eyes. 
     And dear fellow who knows who you are, enough already with the SHADDUP comments and the same to you dear Gracie. I am not moving and am so bored with the same comment from you. And hey, where is that article of yours? Can't think of anything? Want me to give you a few ideas? Just sayin'.  

SEEING THE CAMPAIGN FROM THE OTHER SIDE

     I have spoken with several non Americans and read the opinion of others and almost to a tee they are all concerned about the campaign and what it means for America and for the world. For the first thing, they are amazed at the fact that a man such as Trump can actually run for President of the United States. They are shocked! This man has no depths, no experience and claims to care for the underserved yet how can he? He never was of them but always of the rich and privileged. He speaks in hateful terms and language of those who are different, be they disabled or of differing ethnic and religious backgrounds - that is, different from those that he professes.
     They wonder at the fuss made at the fact that Hillary Clinton is running for the same office and she is a woman, So what, they ask me. So many countries have had women at the helm, even in some Moslem countries so it is about time they say that America woke up and joined the modern world.
     Our neighbors on this planet of ours also does not understand this crazy fuss with health, especially when one candidate has released records yet the one who has not, Trump, is doing all the yelling about them and in any case they want to know what is the fuss about pneumonia. One gets medicine and gets better and as I stated yesterday, the fact that she toiled on while in its throes only goes to her stamina and determination. I was told that their leaders can go off and have surgery and so what? They can continue governing and ruling or whatever while they recuperate and one bad cold does not eliminate one from a job or position. As an aside, I have had pneumonia myself, several times and one takes the meds and rests from a day or so to a week, and gets on with life. Neither is one cut off from the world while recuperating and getting over it. Again, a mountain out of a molehill.
     Interestingly enough, I came across an African proverb which goes like this: "If you want to go faster, go alone. If you want to go farther, go together." Sounds remarkably similar to the sentiment of the Clinton campaign which states "stronger together". That is the spirit that Clinton puts forth, exactly the opposite of the divisive campaign words of Trump.
     And of course, despite all the hateful words and statements of Trump, when Clinton makes a statement about deplorable supporters of Trump, wow. What a storm. So what? I do not care about percentages, but it is true that so many of those who support Trump are those who are either demagogues in their own minds or fiefdoms, or support the whole political reality of dictators, or are racists, misogynists, anti Semites and neo Nazis, the alt rights, people of the ilk of David Duke, so why the screaming. And yes, of course there are good (misguided, in my opinion) people who are Trump supporters for one reason or another and that is exactly what I have found to be the truth. His supporters have one issue with which they agree with Trump and overlook all the rest of his garbage. These are friends and family members and they are not deplorable at all - we just do not talk politics! However, the rest of the screamers and the media are ignoring the rest of her speech.
     She explains the other basket of people who feel left out or worried and these are the people she worries about, feels for but the media only paid attention to the first basket and ignored the second just as Matt Lauer ignored the ridiculous Trump statements and refused to press him for answers on serious issues even as he pushed Clinton. Now the Donald wants to have no moderators at the debates lest they come down on him so as to insure a fair debate. And people still support him? What will he do in real life, tell the prime minister of some country to go away or bring his health records, or perhaps cozy up to Putin, an enemy and a liar par excellence!
     Here are some profound words, yet simple words, which might help put things in perspective and force one to think through about one's choice in this or any election, be it here in the Village or in Macedonia or Canada or Israel or America. They are not mine, but words I borrow from a writer, words which made a deep impression on me in their simplicity and in their deeper meaning.
      "We are our memory. We are what we remember. And what others remember about us.....Even more than that....we are our lapses of memory. We are what we forget, what in defense we blot out of our memory, chase from our consciousness..."
     Pull your memories together. Think of situations of the world and of politics, of events in the life of the planet and in the future choices which will have to be made. Can you truly imagine some people in a leadership role with such serious and life changing matters? I know that the image of Trump as a future President sends chills of fear down my spine (just as the image of David Israel continuing in office does or some of the Commissioners of the County, or some other politicians) so gather ye rosebuds while ye may and think and remember and sift those memories lest it be too late for us all. Let us send a message to the world that we have not gone nuts, that we have not all partaken of that Kool-Aid nor smoked something we should not.
     When will people finally come to their senses? Clinton has released detailed information on her views on major issues, on proposals and plans and Trump? Nada!! Clinton has released tax information and forms. And Trump? Nada!!! Clinton has released health information while Trump? Nada - that is other than a ridiculous one page or paragraph letter after a five minute oral conversation with a doctor. Truly!! Trump now declares he has donated millions to charity mostly through his Donald Trump Foundation - but no proof and that Foundation is filled by OPM - other people's money so where is his personal giving? Nowhere to be found. Clinton's? Out there in the open. So why, when Hillary is generally forthcoming and detailed, running a campaign as it should be run, why oh why is Trump excused from all this? Goose and gander. Remember? Her major sin appears to me to be the decision to keep her pneumonia quiet as she continued her campaign with determination but a body needs some rest so there it is. No harm, no big deal and in fact, I find it admirable as it speaks to her strength to continue on, to soldier on in what she feels is her duty. Refreshing.
    

THIS STRANGE CAMPAIGN

       This has got to be the strangest presidential campaign ever, at least in my memory. One candidate refuses to discuss issues - probably because he really does not have any formulated plans, only blustery words and vague promises. This candidate uses the Big Lie technique and the media just fall down dead at his feet, refusing to pin him down on his statements or ask him what all any of his wild statements have to do with the issues that perplex America. The same demands he makes of the other candidate seem to pass him by and yet no one tackles him on them.
     Trump rants about the Clinton Foundation. What about his shady ties with China and its biggest bank, or Trump University and pardon me if I use university in that name as it is the furthest thing from being one, issues jingoistic statements about Clinton's income or money and refuses to say one word or publish any of his tax statements. What's that all about?
     And of course we have the "health" issue. Over and over again he makes snide remarks based on nothing but hot air and nastiness re Clinton's health. Perhaps she cannot bench press the same as him though I must say that Trump is not exactly a prime example of a man's greater bodily strength, but she certainly is an example of the strength of women in facing any health issue. Friday she was diagnosed with pneumonia, not an esoteric infection yet she maintained her schedule and stood at the Memorial ceremony on Sunday in the heat before giving out. That is the sign of a determined and strong minded person. She could outlast the stubbornness of Putin or the insanity of North Korea's ostensible leader.
     There is a ridiculous hysteria about this pneumonia issue. It is a big whoop in the long run and her concussion from three years ago is over and I beg anyone to prove to me that Trump has not had a continuous series of concussions and that is why he is the way he is!! Seriously, Kennedy had Addison's disease and functioned just fine. Johnson had his gall bladder removed and proudly showed his stitches around. Lincoln also functioned just fine despite his health issues and would that we had a president such as he was once more. FDR? "Nuff said on that! Pneumonia is an eminently curable infection or illness and I assume Clinton will receive the best care possible.
     So perhaps we can return to the issues or address them for the first time with seriousness and detail from the Trump campaign. Perhaps we can agree to discuss all these extraneous issues for one time with both sides opening health records, financial records and what not. Oops, Clinton has already done that so what is Trump hiding behind his bombastic oratory about Clinton and what his "amazing" presidency will do for us.
     Just read an article concerning the probable panic of the market should G-d forbid Trump win, No, No, NO! In any case, it is not a pretty picture that is painted and all you deluded Trump supporters out there had better watch your investments for it seems that money seems to gravitate one way when dealing with Trump and that is it goes into his pockets and out of those who invested with him. Do not invest with him in the form of a vote. Do not do silly things like vote for ignoramuses who do not know where Aleppo is or even what it is as a gesture of protest for that protest will badly backfire on all of us.
     And while we are thinking in terms of the big world out there, turn your thoughts to the little one in here, behind our gates. Our ostensible leader is just as bad what with financial shenanigans, secret plots to impose his projects on us, secret contracts - what the hell is up with CSI (not the health service company) and broadband, what is the truth about our budget raise, what is going to be done to prepare for the enormous expense of road repair, when is UCO going to open up to all, when will we replace the editors of The Rag and return the paper to its proper role and level, and just what the hell does he do all day in the office. Even yesterday he was in there all day - uploading three committee reports does not take all day and can be done from home as well, so why does he hide in there. Something wrong there folks, seriously. First step, look to your associations and clean out the trash that has accumulated there, replace those delegates who are stuck in a rut and that rut is not the one that is healthy for the association or Village, step up to the plate before the damage is done and look at the candidates in the next two elections and let us get some fresh air in. People are tired of this UCO and do not even bother to attend the DA and it is not just because it is the summer. This has gone on for four months already.The people are here; it is just that what with the zombie delegates, the automatons that vote as they are commanded, the independent thinkers just do not bother to come with the thought of what's the use ringing in their heads.
     Let us make a change. Yesterday was a day where so many spoke of the unity of the nation after 9/11 as differences were put aside and we came together in support of our country. They spoke of the desire for peace, for blessing so what about it, David? Up for peace talks? Ready to open UCO? Ready to practice the civil rights that all Americans have by virtue of being American and living in this country? Ready to do the right thing? (And by the way, for those reading the Messenger, my name was used in error under a letter to the editor comment as I neither wrote it nor sent it.)
     Folks, where are we going as a country and where are we going as a Village, as a community? Ask yourself those questions and think hard. Hear that clock ticking and for Pete's sake, Gracie, stop sending those ridiculous and repetitive remarks and by the way, the only one calling names is you, dearie. Making a statement is not a name calling issue. Would you perhaps like to compose an article and post it, but only if you leave out the silliness and stop hiding behind Anonymous as does your other compatriot though his vitriol is disgusting to say the least. Oh well, the refuge of the know nothings and the vicious- anonymity that is truly not.

BLUE SKIES, BLACK SMOKE

     It was a glorious blue that day, the week of school opening and a beautiful beginning . Or so we thought. Little did we know that at 8:46 AM our world had changed forever and life as we knew it was no more. We went from blue skies to intense red fires to a deep and dense black smoke and finally to white ashes and huge piles of smoking rubble under which were the buried bodies of so many. Nearly 3,000 people died that day, 6,000 wounded, and the hearts, minds and souls that were broken are beyond counting.
     "Today is the greatest
       Day I have ever known.
       Can't live for tomorrow.
       Tomorrow's much too long."
                                   (Smashing Pumpkins - Today)
     For so many the tomorrow was too short, cut off forever and the tomorrow's of the living were changed, drastically and unbelievably. I remember reading almost obsessively about that day, every newspaper, magazine,  a shelf's worth of books, all trying to understand what had happened. And the conversations held with survivors or with their kin were even harder. I felt the relief of knowing that someone I knew, a friend or family member had been delayed and thus was safe. I cried over the stories of heroism and selflessness and I highly recommend the book 102 Minutes - and a box of tissues.
     The hardest, most difficult moments of that day and the days to follow were the moments when I knew that someone I knew was now dead, unbelievably so, when I tried to explain it to the kids in school, when I opened my office for calls from teachers to family members in the area and the shocks that came on one after the other with the Pentagon and  Shanksville, Pa.
     But the one that was visceral, the one that I still have the most difficult time dealing with, internalizing its reality, perhaps because of my own fear of heights, is the sight and The Sound - the sound of bodies thudding to the ground after falling from floors on high. The sight of these bodies, the sight of so many people literally hanging on to the outside of the building as they tried to breathe, to get rescued. Anyone there as a first responder or caught in the horror speaks in a whisper about that Sound.
     So what do we do to insure that this is not a recurring sight or sound, that no more buildings are heaps of terrorist generated ashes, of bodies broken, of families bereft? I really do not know; I only hope that there are people who do and yet terrorism has only grown in the 15 years since and today there are kids who really are unsure of what happened, its impact on our lives - and theirs- who never knew life before and what has been lost since. So they take off their shoes and put their stuffed teddy on the table and move thru nonchalantly while we adults still are unsure of this all. And yet, and yet, one did try to blow a plane up using a bomb in his underwear and one with a bomb in  his shoe so who are we to complain when we are sent thru scanning machines and must take off our shoes and jackets.
     This is life today and personally, I see no change for the better as terrorism is urged on benighted victims of those who export terrorism to the world. It is a world that is confused, almost obscured by the ashes that keep falling in our memories, blurred by our tears that we cry when we think of those lost to us.
     Today there is a field called futurism, its workers called futurists. It is concerned with the events and trends of the present especially as they portend of the future. They look at the world and warn us or congratulate us depending upon what they see and understand. I read the best explanation of their motivation in a book and it is a definition or statement that we must all read and believe and change our thoughts and behaviors accordingly.
     It is up to us. I have been saying that for a long time and what is frightening to me is when I see much of what I say reflected as well in the writings of important people of the world. I wish for these people to come up with the answers and not just raise the same questions. It is what frightens the bejesus out of me when I read an article stating that some people will be spoilers and vote for the Libertarian slate, not understanding that this will allow Trump - dear G-d!!! - to win the election. The thought of him as President is a soul shaking quake and where is there to run, to hide, as we lose what has made us a country as we continue to lose any remnants of the unity we found within us after 9/11? And what will we do as we lose our civil rights all in the name of law and order and promises that oh yes, just some sacrifice on our part and he will fix all the woes of society? People, please think carefully before you fill in that ballot or pull that lever. Every vote has a consequence.
     So become a futurist. Think what one wishes the future to be, one of war and hatred or perhaps one where the hatreds have at least somewhat cooled and people can begin to hear each other again. Read the following and think.
     "The future is a door.
       Two forces - forces that we drive...race to that door.
       The first force is evolution. Humanity changing, growing, becoming better than it was.
       The second force is ruination. Humanity making its best effort to demonstrate its worst tendencies. A march toward self-destruction.
      The future is a door that can accommodate only one of those two competing forces.
      Will humanity evolve and become something better?
      Or will we cut our own throats with the knives we made?"
                   (stated by a character, Hannah Stander, in Invasive, by Chuck Wendig)

Watching and crying. The memorial service still stirs the pain and the hurt, the rage and the shock. May G-d bless us all.     And we have people who threaten to refuse to honor the national anthem?! They should be thrown out of the game and let them exercise their freedom of expression elsewhere other than where they are getting paid millions for playing a game. Shame on them!

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WHIRLING, WHIRLING

     This morning I arose a tad dizzy and found that the world was dizzy along with me. A presidential candidate, albeit a minor one, though a spoiler in a sense, did not know where, or even what, Aleppo is. Shudder - and this wants to lead a country?
     Another presidential candidate, from a major party, so with please G-d no, a chance at election, has taken a most mystifying tact. He praises the leader of a country that is inimical to us all, a leader who is a dictator, one who does away with his opponents, who has hacked into our systems and does an interview on a Russian sponsored station here in America, and repeats all his dangerous idiocies.
     He understands nothing about people, particularly women and states that sexual violence and attacks on women in the armed forces is understandable given conditions, such as mixing the genders. Uh huh, any more get out of jail cards for the violators of societal norms, for the perpetuators of violence on and against women, oh Donald? I would like to know what goes on in that excuse for a mind that he has for when he looks at a woman all he can ostensibly see are sexual and visual topics and remarks, even when talking of his opponent in the race. And what exactly does that have to do with anything as it is what is between a person's ears and what is in his heart that counts, their viewpoints on issues, their plans - and we get nothing on that end from the Donald. And not such a beautiful face either!
     Then there is pandemonium in NYC and what is worse, it contains virulent anti Semitism and vigorous adherents from Black Lives Matter, pro Palestinian forces and worst of all, members of the Neturei Karta sect which I do not even count as Jews, but rather as renegades and proponents of murder for that is what they would have as the outcome should their G-d awful plans ever come to fruition. The point of all this nonsense at the City Council? A plan to have the entire council vote against the BDS movement and support all the similar ones passed by so many state entities and even in NY State. Such hate in perhaps the most Jewish city of all outside Israel! That people would behave this way!
     And the hate and the violence and the anti American actions of these people are echoed all around the country. Nut jobs who kept quiet for a while have felt empowered to run for public office so once again we have David Dukes in a campaign, we have open Nazi and neo Nazi actions and protests and the rest of the world seems to follow along with Nazi salutes and signs at a match in Italy, diplomatic snubbing, rants from supposed proposed partners in peace and yet at the same time we have Israel tending to victims of the Syrian vicious war that has come close to one million victims; we have Israel first at so many international disaster scenes no matter the religious focus of that nation - just to help other humans, and we have Israel as the source of lessons, teaching and advice on how to fight terrorism, how to recover from an attack, how to find the perpetrators, Israel who cooperates in the war against terrorism and who accepts so many police officers from other countries, including America, to share in all that deals with terrorism and terrorists.
     And with all this going on, we have right here in CV, a bit of the same taint, the same smear of garbage and hate, as he who must be obeyed refuses to relinquish his hold on the Village, who censors all who oppose him, never mind the benefit of the Village, who is megalomaniacal in thoughts, who has stated openly that only he can rule the Village as all its needs and necessities are within his head. Seems he has learned from the same school as Trump who also states that he and he alone "I" can run the country. Where is our freedom of the press? What has happened to our radio station, our TV station? They are useless, dead, a mere faint echo of what they were under prior people who refused to give in to orders and pressure. Our vaunted paper has turned into The Rag, entities around the Village - and even outside the Village - are threatened and pressured to deny space for opponents and meanwhile the Village retrogresses and sinks in a morass of neglected infrastructure and misplaced and ignored needs of the future, the near future, as all is ignored by the useless and dangerous UCO leadership, those who follow blindly in the orbit and path of David Israel. I would like to see these people mingle with the Villagers and not only at meetings, but in the very fabric of life, listen to the Villagers, solicit the opinions of all and hear the truth, hear the disgust of the people about and against David Israel and certain henchmen. But this will never happen as dictators or would be dictators, even minor and insignificant ones who overshoot their target, just want to maintain their position and their presumed powers over others.
     It is time for the citizens of the world, the country, the states and the Village to throw out the ruination of us all and go back to sense and sensibility. Go back to the right, the fair, the just, the principles upon which this country was founded. Go to the movies and see Hell or High Water and realize it is not a shoot 'em up but rather a paean to the mid country, to those of our fellow Americans who are suffering in dire poverty, in despair, even as banks and big companies run rampant over us, even as Big Pharma denies us fair costs for medicines that are needed - even to save lives - and for companies that decide that they will not really approve of certain meds that people need because they are too expensive, rather than forcing the drug companies to puncture their balloons in another way. And why is Medicare not allowed to bargain with the companies for the cost of drugs rather than just have to eat it? If they were allowed to do so, the companies would cave, at least to a certain extent but I wish the candidates would tackle this issue and state a plan to fix this. Hello, anyone out there who really cares for the people? Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello? .......

THE POWER OF WORDS

   There are times when comments can be avoided, not necessary, for the words speak for themselves. Today I am going to present some words from various sources that speak for themselves and of course these are on topics that concern me, about which I have written before.
     "Bauer is professor emeritus of history and Holocaust studies at the Avraham Harman Institute of Contemporary Jewry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and serves as an academic adviser to Yad Vashem. Born in Prague in 1926, he moved to Israel with his family in 1939. He received the Israel Prize in 1998.
........quoted Bauer, 90, as saying the BDS Movement does not want “a better Israel, they want no Israel at all.” 
     “Now of course, they love Jews. Especially dead Jews. The ones who died in the Holocaust, they’re marvelous, they were terrific. Live Jews is something else,” he was quoted as saying.

Bauer unequivocally equated anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism, describing the former as an empty slogan. “They want to destroy the Jewish state; they want to destroy it because it’s a Jewish state. That means you are an anti-Semite.”

"When Mr. Lauer asked if Mr. Trump actually believed he knew more about the Islamic State than American generals, the candidate replied: “The generals have been reduced to rubble.” When Mr. Lauer brought up Mr. Trump’s admiration for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, noting that Mr. Putin had invaded Ukraine and was suspected of hacking Democratic emails, Mr. Trump refused to say a negative word about him..."

"Chris Wallace, the Fox News anchor who will handle the third presidential debate, drew criticism this week when he said, “I don’t view my role as truth-squading.”

    Okay, my turn. First, I must state that it is a good thing that Lauer is not a moderator of any official debate as he did a truly lousy job of this pre debate meeting on the Intrepid. Second, what does Chris Wallace think IS his job other than to seek out the truth during the debate to the best of his ability and within the confines of the rules?
    
Second, what is with this bromance of Trump and Putin? 'Nuff said on that! Clear as daylight.

     How much more garbage are we going to get from the mouths of anti Semites and yes, also as clear as day, anti Israel or anti Zionism is  anti Semitism. The behavior of the Dutch PM in purposefully snubbing Netanyahu by taking his hand away, refusing to shake hands with him on a receiving line is shameful and I congratulate the Israeli PM for his grace and in the telling look on his face, the contempt he had for this coward and anti Semite. And while we are on this topic what is with the lack of diplomacy and tact lately among the diplomatic corps?

     And here is a lovely little tidbit. Brian Eno refuses to allow the Batsheva Dance Company from Israel to use any of his music in their performances. Truly? Perhaps he would prefer a Wagner opus instead? As far as I am concerned his music should be banned and let us see and hear his squawks at that point? As for me and mine - none of his music will ever be heard again in our homes. Period.

     In addition, yesterday I read a huge article in the NY Times reporting on workshops at a college for freshmen teaching them about "microaggression" and how to recognize and avoid it. Love it when people make up these things and then take themselves so seriously. It used to be that college was an eye opening experience where a student's mind would be opened and filled with the knowledge of the word, would learn to think outside the box of his/her prior bubble, and yes, at times would hear words or sequences of words or read passages or hear speakers talk on uncomfortable topics for that was college. Today we need to watch for microaggression. Example? Do not ask an Asian student to help you with math or even say a word about another race or creed or whatever in your own car with yourself alone or with friends of similar thought. Be aware of target words, of safe zones and it goes on and on. Bottom line - we say nothing of any value and we are selective in what is called microaggression with reference to various groups. For example, I read about towards African Americans, Asians, Native Americans but did not read about Jews or Moslems. Interesting.

     This world is a weird and confusing place lately. It seems as if truth is ignored and lies that are blared with insults galore are treasured. Nonsense is spoken of no value, such as discussing who looks "presidential" from Trump who obviously never has looked into the mirror when he rants on. The issues - forget it. Unity? Nope.

     And isn't that lack of unity and the shameful use of hate so wrong and so much more hurtful at this time of year, so close to 9/11 when hatred blew up, literally, in our faces and thousands were killed, vaporized. The best words on that topic come from a child of 14 who never knew her dad, having been killed before she was born. Read her words and hear them in your hearts and souls. No further comment is necessary.
    
"I've always been aware of the world," she says. "The world should be a place where it's okay to be who you are, and to love whom you love and believe what you believe. Underneath, what we're made up of is the same."

    
    
    

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE....

     Remember that game, especially when we went for rides in the car, before cell phones or video systems in cars. It was when people talked to each other, when siblings fought for the window seat in the back seat of the car and when things seemed a whole lot rosier.
     Today we often see things that we pretend we do not and we allow life to go on even when we should perhaps stop and think for at least a moment. So what does my little eye see today? Let me take stock.
     I spy...ah, yes, a beach in the middle of the road in front of my building and running down the middle of the road between the two Andovers. It was a bigger beach right after the big rains over the weekend but what it is, is all the sand from the disintegrating roads washed to the middle by the rushing waters. But not to worry, folks, for David Israel  reassures us that things are not dire, we have years to go on these roads. Not quite sure how, when they began their "new" life already five years behind the eightball, but perhaps there are still miracles in the world of today. In any case, what my eye does not spy is a massive reserve build up for the replacement of these roads - even after the report from Federated who showed the lacks and faults of these roads and the true disasters they are.
     I spy the next disaster as we approach the end of the Millennium Agreement and have done NOTHING about it. We have no attorney versed in these matters, we have do nothings in UCO who sit on their thumbs and rotate, speaking of oh yes, they are well aware, etc. but their actions, or rather inactions, speak louder than their words. Just as we do not see actions on new by laws. David Israel is hot to trot on this one for he feels he will be able to enshrine his repressive laws and attitudes in new by laws and as such has not publicized anything about this, waited for a certain person to arrive in the Village to head this effort and has not publicized anything. No town hall, no suggestions allowed or even solicited. Nope, we are all expected to sit on our thumbs, be good little boys and girls and obey he who must be obeyed.
     I spy a Village deteriorating as we speak. I spy a Village where it seems nothing gets done unless there is a whole lot of shouting and finger pointing and then finally there is some action, too little too late. Why is that? Is it because the head honcho sits there in isolation in his office all day and half the night? Doing what, I might ask. Looking for ways into our computer files? So he boasts
anyway so why not take him at his word?
     We have an entity here called WPRF that believes that life in the Village revolves around the Clubhouse so therefore all things go there first- unnecessary murals, costly at that, lake business there takes a priority to the neglect of most other waterways in the Village, shows get cut and now do not really start until December and even with a whimper rather than a bang. There used to be shows almost every night but now, uh uh. In this instance perhaps we are also somewhat at fault as there is a big mystery in my mind why people do not attend more shows. Many of these shows are the same ones that run in theaters all over South Florida - and for more money too - so why not buy and take advantage, I do. Going to shows here and outside the Village is one of the great perks of living here but what can we say when it appears that aside from one or two people, no one from the honchos of UCO are ever there at a show and certainly never David Israel. Great role model and when he speaks in committee meetings about how to get more people to shows, I could vomit at the hypocrisy that emerges from his mouth.
     I spy lots of things that are wrong here but I also spy lots of things that are right and why I love to live here - so sorry, Gracie, not going anywhere.
     And there are lots of things to look at in the outside world. First thing, yesterday my eyes spied a shirt which read - America The Land of the Free - and I wondered if that still applied to us here in the Village, so for five bucks I got a shirt where maybe I will add that corollary - aside from CV - and then wear it to the DA. Might make a point or two. LOL.
     More seriously in this game of I Spy, while awaiting my turn in the MRI machine - not a pleasant experience as I held on to that emergency bulb for dear life and sang songs to myself to keep my sanity! - the TV screen so graciously presented us with vignettes of the campaign. Out of my mouth, involuntarily, came the statement "He is such as idiot!" and the agreeing smiles and smirks came alive throughout the waiting room. How can one take seriously a man who throws his hands out and says that what he wants he gets. That is one of the first lessons we teach our kids, that is not the way of the world and they need to deal with it. It is called maturity. How do we take seriously a man who deals with his opponent by attacking her looks because she is female? Well, Donald old boy, yours aren't anything to write home about yourself, so why not stick to the issues, something we have had little enough from you. So the man is a joke - but not such a joke since he is now the Republican candidate for President of the United States and shame on the RNC that they allowed this and are funding him.
     I Spy lousy business elsewhere in the world. Here is a sample as we get closer to the anniversary of 9/11. Still the same idiocies. It never ends, does it? There is a speaker going to lecture some "progressive" organizations, but how progressive are they? Here is his topic - exposing the neocons and their Zionist partners-in-crime who had the means, motive, and opportunity to pull off this game-changing event.” This is about 9/11.
       When does this stop? Tell me, please.
      I Spy the hatred still roiling the world, seemingly for an eternity. I see women still being held in thrall to others and the women of Saudi Arabia are now running a campaign on Facebook and Twitter for their freedom. The women of a city freed from ISIS held a burqa burning campfire. And women here in the USA, women in responsible positions, are still being harassed by their ugly bosses, ugly in soul, who are ruled by those damned little heads of theirs. For how long and when do we lose this backward attitude that the guy in college who sleeps around is a man on campus but the women involved are sluts? When? When do we stop blaming the victims for the actions of their violators?
       I Spy the wars all over the globe. I see Europe split again into separate countries, something I always expected actually. I see clans and tribalism take over and ruin countries. I see viciousness in wild and violent attacks on those who differ from anyone else and even religion takes its share of this hatred and violence. I Spy all this and wonder when we can all do I Spy and see the beauty of the world, the good side of humanity and when it will be difficult to espy the selfish leader for finally, we will have the true public servant in office.
      I Spy the beauty of friendship and love here in the Village and wonder why more cannot take part in this? I wonder why and will continue to do so even as I wage a war for it. Perhaps we should all have a game of I Spy and rather than chase Pokemon characters around, we can chase down vignettes of good and share it with others. It's an idea.

SECRETS? WHAT SECRETS? ARE THERE SECRETS ANY LONGER?

     Secrets are things that happen, statements that are made, pieces of information that are hidden for one reason or another. Almost since the beginning of time there have been secrets, mild, silly, childish ones that can cause much harm and serious adult ones that can lead to crisis conditions. A secret once confided in another is guaranteed to be a secret no longer at some time and yet people have never fully internalized this fact, particularly as they practically burst with their secret and feel a visceral need to tell someone, anyone!
     Secrets seem to play a big role in this campaign. Hillary Clinton is accused of all sorts of dastardly deeds by not keeping secrets or of being careless with them. The fact is that these "secrets" for the most part were not actually classified as secret at that time and even years later only a relative few have been reclassified, a bit like the barn door and the horse. Either it is or it isn't at the time of its birth or not. One cannot go back and change those proverbial horses in midstream so as to better suit the new times.
     In addition, these supposed secrets would have not been so secret if posted or sent thru the State Dept. server as that was doubly hacked by both Russian and Chinese entities - so secrets? What secrets?
     New secrets? Okay.... the Clinton Foundation accepted donations from the Saudis. They then used these donations to fund research and aid projects all over the world. Not the first time that not so good people have donated money to good causes. Perhaps it goes a long way to assuage their guilt but for whatever reason, the money was there to be used for good purposes. Would I rather that all monies collected all over the world originated with "clean" sources? 100% - but in reality.....does not work that way.
     Now the great shouter, Trump, who has maligned Hillary Clinton over this, has been found to have personally made millions of dollars via deals in Saudi Arabia. Hmmmmm. Here we go with pots and kettles again. Not seeing the donation to charities much here either. Perhaps that is yet another secret that Trump wishes to hold onto along with his taxes or rather non payment of taxes as he weaseled out of them due to ridiculous loopholes in the real estate laws of taxation or the secrets of his health standing or his charitable donations or his true plans for the country should he G-d forbid, shudder, shudder, achieve election.
     And yet just as his Saudi deal was exposed along with other statements he has made or allies he works with or his heroes he admires and plans to emulate, there are no secrets any longer - not for him and neither for anyone else.
     The other day I read of a device, quite expensive, in the hundreds of thousands but well within a government's reach or even a very wealthy individual, that will capture any and all cell phones. You know, I have said from years ago that we were all being listened to and knowing that words can often be misinterpreted upon presentation techniques, I am careful about what I say and should there be any possibility of use against me, I always say - "FBI, CIA, NSA, DIA and any other initial organization - just joking!" Paranoid? Maybe? But who knows who is listening. There is a guy amongst us right here who tells people he can crack anyone's computer, life story, cards and activities so who knows? Better safe than sorry I say.
     So secrets become no longer a secret and the harm ensues. Projects that harmed fellow Americans, be it the poor soldiers subjected to the radiation in the deserts of Nevada or Arizona, wherever they were, to the awful playing loose and carelessly with lives, black and white with experiments with untreated syphilis, or acid trips or anything else the government did in the 'good old days" - all are secrets no longer. Monies spent on pet 'pork' projects hidden in the small print of thousand page documents and bills are discovered and people scram to cover their anatomies. And it does not change as one gets to the smaller localities and political entities.
     States and cities, towns and villages, big business - all have their secrets and believe me so does Century Village in West Palm. How monies and funds have been moved, trifled with, misspent and misused - all tried and have come to the fore, sometimes sooner and sometimes later. Elections that were shady, to say the least, repression of rights, plans for future nefarious deeds, the hiding of information and the covering over of the truth, of the carelessness with our home - all come out. The truth will out. I repeat, the truth will out.
     So we continue to battle these secrets be it a planned $20,000 for a mural or the lack of activity over algae in the water and by the way, all those sites that are tested in the reports are all in the Clubhouse lake. Well, hate to break it to ya' the majority of the residents do not live around that lake! How about testing all the locations in a better sampling and then let us see and read the truth of the numbers reporting on the chemicals and minerals in the water. How about reporting it openly and not keeping secrets any longer. How about doing things in a timely and righteous manner rather than waiting till enough people have shouted about it to the skies and it cannot be hidden any longer.
     And how about one of the biggest secrets of all. What is the true new fee or raise that we will have to pay in next year's payments. WE get a confused and technical report from O'Brien with a semi mumbling tone with technical terms and we still do not know - what is the amount, what does that include, does that include the monies we need to amass for the reserves for the roads and how will those reserves be segregated and safeguarded against other uses, what about the raise that WPRF will cause and demand in its infinite wish list using our monies and what about the monies and plans for the post Millennium when hopefully we can unscrew some of those screws that the Levys shot within us - such as the cars being provided to him and his wife along with such other lovely perks.
     Secrets. They are generally ugly - unless they are for surprise parties for someone or for a great gift or visit or something else along these benign lines. Otherwise - not good, not for anyone other than for the one planning to benefit from it at the cost to many others. Secrets. They do come out, sooner or later and it seems that time does not heal all wounds and the scars these secrets leave are far from healed. Secrets - a bad deal all around.
     So, from another posting - ist das worklich so? Is this really so? And if so, why must it be so? Why can we not demand transparency and honesty, truth and true public service? That appears to be the biggest secret of all.
     PS - Want confirmation of the loss of the secrecy culture? Go read today's papers about the "relentless grinding" away at the secrecy of Apple and the new phone for this year. Secrets? Better not depend on them.

IF I AM NOT FOR MYSELF THEN WHO AM I?

       That is the beginning of a famous statement made by Hillel, a great rabbi and leader of the Jewish people and indeed, all humanity. "If I am not concerned for myself, then who am I" - for I then disregard myself, my value as a person, as a human being, of value in the world - and then there is a corollary, the second part of this statement and piece of philosophy. "And if I am (only) for myself then what am I?" If my cares and concerns extend only as far as what matters to me, for me, all about me - then what am I - and notice the reference of what, as a thing, not any more a human being.
     I think as a child I practically learned this in my crib, its words, the words made into a song that we sang joyfully and danced to the tune and as we grew older we learned it as a statement of philosophy. The third part states "And if not now then when?" It urges us to action and not soon, or later, or when the time is better or I am busy now - but NOW.
     Hillel was not alone in the ancient world in expressing this philosophy. The Roman poet Horace wrote "It is your affair when your neighbor's house is on fire." Yes, if it is next to yours then you could have problems and it is common sense to wet down your house, form a bucket brigade or whatever but - also be concerned for the residents of that house. Are they okay? Where will they go? How can I help?
     I think we have lost much of these sentiments and instructions or philosophy. When we look at these election campaigns the viciousness of them smacks one in the face. Look at the presidential campaign and ask yourself where the issues have gone. Instead of hearing about them, questioning the candidates about them, we are stuck in a vicious rut of nastiness and hate. Immigrants are all sorts of nasty people according to Trump and his putting on a Jewish tallit or prayer shawl given to him in an African American church which adopted the tallit makes no never mind nor does it change his rants of hate. For him to then raise the "Christian" heritage that we must return to - well, the shivers go down my spine for combine that with his other statements that only "I" can keep law and order and after America is safe again we can take a look again at the issues of immigration, and on he rants and the echoes of history, a bloody history, resounds clearly and frighteningly. Well, we have been there before in the world, have we not? Every dictator says the same thing - only I can keep you safe, only after I insure the safety of whatever community it is then .....whatever . It is almost rote by now for these people, the chief of whom now is Trump and the current dictators such as Putin and the ghost of Hussein and Hitler and Mussolini and the dictators of Africa and Asia are cheering him right along.
     And now let us narrow our focus and look closer to home, right here in Century Village and reread what I have written - now and before, numerous times. We have a president who has stated that basically only he can continue to "lead" us in the Village using circular and faulty reasoning by practically stating that since he has been in office for so many years - that is after he played one of his usual tricks and used the dead summer months to overturn term limits after it had already been voted to remain several times - he might as well continue and anyway, only he can save the Village, run it ad infinitum.
     So yes, he has a great deal of experience - and can run the Village - right into the ground! He has the experience of ruination of the physical plant in its many aspects, in the loss of civility and decency, in the encouragement of elitism in that only certain people can be in UCO and be reused and circulated until they are dizzy and vote as such, experience in being unAmerican in his repression of rights and in using his so called patriotic job in the NSA to boast though the doubts of mine are still there - and his sudden dramatic change from saluting normally at the pledge to the ostentatious salute - puh leese! And there is definitely something wrong with a person who is always walking alone - after the assemblies and meetings, sitting all day in the UCO building - even yesterday! One who isolates oneself from the rest of humanity, never coming out to mix with them - well, the rest is understood.
     The fact that more and more of these types of people are finding themselves getting elected, the fact that elections can now be tampered with as easily as the old ones with the vote early and often strategy, the Tammany Halls of the nation, the fact that a demonstration of this was posted on Gary's blog for all to watch and shudder over - and the fact that David Israel did NOT post it though he usually touts all techie technology and advances so to speak - this says a lot and it provides much for us to think about.
     WE can start small, right here in the Village on our quest to improve the world, the Tikkun Olam that is such a factor in the thinking and obligations of the Jewish religion and ethos. We can demand answers, refuse to vote like automatons in the DA, demand new delegates who respond to the association and its wishes, read and think and see and hear the truths as they present themselves and stop engaging in purposeful blindness as we do not want to expose how stupid we were in following him blindly - for those who did. We can run for office and promise honesty and transparency and care for the Village rather than for our own supposed power and position. We can refuse to vote for stooges and come next year we can turf David Israel out of office - in the same powerful way we will refuse to allow Trump into the Oval Office except as a visitor perhaps, if then.
     People, if we do not take power over our own lives, if we do not take care of our own home, if we do not speak the truth, here in the Village or here in the USA, then we have only ourselves to blame. We must look towards the future - now - in all that we do and propose to do. Be proud of ourselves, of our country and do not allow for people to disrespect you and turn to dramatics to supposedly make a point as in the people who refuse to honor our flag and country - and ourselves and the people who fought and are still fighting to defend it and keep us safe. Do not allow those who would repress you, take away your rights to succeed.
     If we think about all this and what we must do then we will be able to take pride in our labors on this Labor Day holiday. There is no holiday for truth and hard work though. And please, those of you - and I and you know who you are - and so do many others - keep your garbage to yourselves!
     Just a note, today is the 44th anniversary of the Munich massacre of the Israeli athletes. 44 years and while not being murdered, they were snubbed at the Olympics and are still the targets of terrorists wherever Israelis go. Not much improvement have we? This is why I state again and again that we must do something, act now. As Hillel stated, "If not now, then when?"

IST DAS WORKLICH SO?

     Ist das worklich so? Is this really so? Is this the reality of it all? Such is the phrase or question that Albert Einstein is rumored to have whispered when he solidified his E=mc2. Never mind that most people in the world still do not understand it (me included). It is reality and think what came of it. Think of how the world and its path was changed - for good and bad, for there are generally two sides to any issue which must be weighed carefully. But sometimes things just happen, have their own momentum and then the question is how does one stop this momentum if it is bad or destructive or evil? The answer? You begin with yourself, whether it be comfortable or not, popular or not. The truth is the truth, humanity is humanity, and principles are principles.
     There were and still are many times during the history of the world when the voices of the many are silent.  Elie Wiesel wrote in the opening of Night, his autobiography, the following: "Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget the flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children....Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my G-d and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as G-d Himself. Never."
     That was a time when no one stood up for the Jews and other millions worked and tortured and beaten and starved and experimented on unto death. The world was silent then and the question now is - will the world continue to be silent in the face of all that is taking place, all the evil that is being perpetuated around the globe? Faith can be restored in G-d, but can faith be restored in humanity and if not - then we are doomed.
     The problem is that we do not hear what is being said by people. We tend to gloss over things, ignoring, playing deaf or tsk tsking and then we go on with our lives. There is an interesting story from the Talmud about hearing things. It states that a famous rabbi of the times never taught anything he had not heard, yet in another place it was stated that this same teacher taught things no other ear had ever heard. How to reconcile the contradiction?
    A famous modern day rabbi and leader during the time of the founding of the State of Israel, explained. In fact, this rabbi did only teach what he heard from his teacher, but, a big but, he listened so carefully that he heard things no one else had heard. Lesson? We need to listen very carefully and intently. Hear the truth of what someone speaks and do not look away or deafen one's ears to it.
     So when next we are driven to distraction by the world, when next we despair, we need to ask the question "ist das worklich so?' and then answer that with another question - if it is a bad reality then why must it be so? The other day I read a columnist's column, one that I follow on a weekly basis (that is when the US Post Office remembers to deliver it to my home) and he stated that at times now he feels that the world is spinning off its axis and I was vindicated, validated. I do not wish for this to be true but others are feeling the same way I am and I am  not alone - not alone in this feeling and not alone in the belief that one must speak up, speak out, demand the truth and heed this warning, also by Elie Wiesel. For those of you who do not know who he was, he was a survivor and a teacher and a writer and a husband and a father and a son and a Jew who spoke for the world, the voice of the conscience of the world. He said:
     "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
     The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference.
     The opposite of sacred is not profane, it's indifference. 
      The opposite of life is not death, it's indifference."
    Elie Wiesel refused to be indifferent as he lived his life and we must follow the same path. Be the evil in whatever locale, world, nation, state or locality - we must speak up and if it sometimes sounds harsh, well sometimes the warnings and the wake up calls must be harsh to catch the attention of the audience. The prophets of the Old Testament were not out to make friends with soft and cooing words; they spoke the truth, but always with a word of hope at the end of the message. If we do the right thing there will be a better time. Do you not think that now is the time to strive for that end goal, to speak out against evil and injustice wherever we see it, to speak out about hate that masquerades as something else, to see the truth whatever and wherever it can be found? I do, I most definitely do.

LIGHT AND DARK

     As a good grandmother and former Language Arts teacher, I generally read or have read and taught the books that the kids are assigned, especially the summer reading which has no instructor input or guidance. In that capacity, I recently read Anthony Doerr's book All the Light We Cannot See. It is a different book, a bit difficult to get into or catch its rhythm, but once involved in the story, it holds the interest, reads quickly and has an afterpunch. Once the reader is done there are many thoughts that come to the fore. It is that aftereffect that causes me to recommend it if you have not yet read it.
     In wonderful discussions with my 15 year old, the meaning of light and dark, where are they, are these concepts necessarily oppositional or can they live symbiotically, can we use light, can it be engendered, can we fight off the dark or negate it - all these questions and more arose.
     The story has many threads and in my opinion would have been a better book to have been read during the school year rather than during the summer, but the threads of the plot, of the lives of the characters, with the two main ones being children and then teenagers, these threads weave themselves into a good strong and meaningful story. The rest of the plot - find out for yourselves. The library has many copies available as it is a bestseller.
     But the question remains as to where light and dark are in this world and in the recent past. How long do we hold on to these concepts and instances or can we leave them behind? Should we leave them behind? Can we reimagine and recreate the light or the protective dark or will we just confound ourselves and find a good solid morass which enmeshes us in more troubles than we had thought possible. The biggest question of all is what will people do? Will they grow into their roles and see the light which cannot be seen or will they flounder and give in not to the protective dark or the enlightened thoughts but will they fall and creep into the evil dark, not even actively, but by sheer shutting of the mouth allow the dark to overwhelm the world. And oneself.
     And now look at our world, 70 years after one of the darkest periods of history, though trust me, there have been other dark periods as well. The Crusades for one killed more people in Europe than it did the "enemy" in the Holy Land. So much for that. We profess to be enlightened now, learned from the past and the errors made then but really and truly? Nope. A definite nope.
     Perhaps I am ultra sensitive. I attended day schools, had courses in Jewish history throughout my school career and have read widely and continue to do so, though thank G-d I do not have to read the cereal boxes any more! But all kidding aside, what is one to think of the debacle of the University of California which has allowed and perhaps even encouraged the rise of anti Semitism on its campuses, a virulent anti Semitism which physically threatens its targets - Jew and non Jew alike and the latest story is the shameful targeting of an Indian American Hindu, so targeted that he has been driven from his position of President of the Graduate Students Association and his law school at UCLA and he will finish his studies at NYU School of Law. The administrators allegedly were as cowardly as those of Nazi Germany, taking refuge in mushy language, in excuses and in simply disappearing when a question was asked or an answer challenged. Hate speech is not free speech. Hate speech leads to acts of hate and to death, to burning, to disaster. I quote from an article about this topic. The article is entitled: UCLA: No place for Jews and the paragraph is: "Milan Chatterjee is a brave man who took a stand against taking a stand.  He will be paying for that decision for a long time.  If there is anything positive in this charade, it is the realization that anti-Semitism is a virulent form of hate that masquerades as social reform.  BDS is anti-Semitism.  Milan Chatterjee needn’t be Jewish to experience anti-Semitism."
     It is amazing, in a bad way, that this vicious sentiment, this virus, flourishes again. In Serbia there are gangs roaming spouting anti Jewish statements and plots and yet almost the entire population of Jews was wiped out in WWII and most of these screamers have not even met one in their entire lives. Poles are burning Jews in effigy and denying that any Poles killed Jews in and after WWII. Jedwabne and Kielce any one? The neo Nazis flourish in Germany and the ultra right wingers flourish in many European countries once more. An MSNBC host, Christopher Hayes, posted on Twitter, encouraging some nasty stuff. He is the editor of The Nation, a far left magazine and left a  Twitter comment to say this:"perfect time to start a good, frank BDS convo." Really? I think not.
     There is much that is dark and if one thinks that there is no anti Semitism here in the
USA think again, for you do not even have to leave the Village.  How many times have I walked past a conversational group or overheard at the pool and what I heard was not exactly loving comments re Jews and Jewish practices. I myself have received anti Semitic statements and unfortunately there are Jews themselves who participate in this activity, forgetting that others will never forget who they are.
     Yesterday I asked if we had all become figurative Sunni or Shiite, devolving into non negotiable camps of thoughts. I truly hope not but if we allow all the light we cannot see to continue to remain unseen and unfelt then we indeed will have mortgaged our future to hate and evil, to a dark and penetrating darkness that is not easily overcome.
     Read the book, think and choose where you wish to be. It is that simple and remember - it starts with one group and continues on and on until there is no one left but the perpetrators of evil.
    
    
    

SUNNI OR SHIITE - IS THAT WHAT WE ALL ARE?

      Yesterday I wrote that I had read the column of Thomas Friedman in the Times and that of Roger Cohen the day before and was disturbed by them. Not so much as disagree with them but from the fact that I found myself agreeing with their analysis and its implications. This morning I wake up to lots of articles analyzing Trump's contradictory trip to Mexico on the one hand and his immigration speech in Phoenix. To put it bluntly, I am confused, upset and worried.
     Cohen describes Trump with these words: "...bullying, his petulance, his egomania, his ignorance, his mendacity, his racism, his hair trigger temper, his arrogance, his disorganization and his misogyny..." He feels that his campaign is a hate filed one.
     Then we have Friedman who is going right along the same lines and worries about "The damage that Trump could do to our nation with his blend of intellectual laziness, towering policy ignorance and reckless impulsiveness.....(and) is in a class of his own. ....Hillary has some personal issues she needs to confront but she has the chops to be president."
     He then asks the question of my title: "Are we all just Shiites and Sunnis now?"
     And this is what bothers me. First we have the fact that so many of the so called politicians and servants of the public to be are running along the lines of Trump or are in place from a prior election and that bodes no good for the people of the USA. For an example, reread the adjectives describing Trump and think about how many can allegedly be applied and/or are descriptive of the current president of UCO in his attitudes and behavior and how many describe some of his followers, including the racism or ethnic hatred of others.
     Be that as it may, it also disturbs me to realize that we have allowed our leaders of this caliber, allowed a current presidential candidate of this caliber, to reach this point and it does not speak very well of us for we allowed this. We did not take Trump's campaign seriously - and neither did many people in Germany who had the power to stop Hitler in his tracks, but they thought that he was a joke, good to control the restive people, and they could in turn control him. Well, now who had the last laugh - or cry - there and what about here?
     Are we so hate filled, so anti each other that all we can see are the Shiite or Sunni markings, so to speak, on the foreheads of all? Are we to break down, Balkanize in our stupidity and nastiness? Are we to keep doing things in the dark, secretly, sell our souls for what we perceive to be for our benefit, selfish or not?
     Are we constantly going to ignore the fact that the truth will out? Today's Jerusalem Post and I am waiting for American papers and news media to catch up on this, states that there was a secret addendum agreement on the Iran nuclear deal which allows for Iran to keep extra enriched uranium, all the better to make bombs, my dear, and it was agreed to so as to avoid delay of relieving some of the economic sanctions of Iran!!! Truly, as if that was my concern instead of the existential threat that Iran was to Israel, to the peace of the Middle East and indeed, the peace of the world. Look at the nonsense they are pulling in the seas off their shores and we give them leeway?
Here is an example of one of the useless treaties and pacts between Sunnis and Shiites that have been proliferating like weeds and mean nothing in the reality of the world. It is the pacts and ceasefires of the Ukraine which never seem to hold. It is the ceasefires and pacts between Israel and some of their oh so lovely terrorist gangs that surround them that also never seem to hold as the next rocket comes flying over the border into a kindergarten building or the next attack comes in a restaurant or bus bombing.
     Sunnis and Shiites. Who are we and what are we? Has the entire world descended, gone backwards in evolution, and reformed into smaller tribes and clan groupings, lost the idea of nationhood, where that means the acceptance and absorption of all? Just listen to Trump's speech yesterday and he is right back where he started, perhaps even worse. After a talk with the President of Mexico he then contradicts what was reportedly said and agreed upon and now restates the wall issue - oh yes, it is going up and Mexico is paying for it all, and the illegal immigrant issue with his sweeping the country clear of all illegal immigrants and tossing them out, no distinction allowed for time lived here, contributions to society, the splitting of families, the distinction between criminals and good people of society - nothing, just get 'em out and who will do that? Are we going to have a deportation police force?
     And yet even as we look at this world we must question this splitting of the seas of humanity into hostile groupings. Just as the world seems to be splitting, so too is our world here in CV and our larger world of the country. We had a stalemate with  no action taken to relieve issues that we needed to deal with here, we allow a vacancy to stand on the Court and we allow this Village to disintegrate, with words of hate to flow, with speech repressed and the people denied their rightful representation and administration.
     Are we all Sunnis? Are we all Shiites? Or can we all become one again, with peaceful opposition all over and respect for the opinion of others, no threats to shut them down, to lock them away in asylums (thank you, PC!!), to even kill them should we come to that and in many places of the world that level has long ago been attained - or rather fallen to.
     Are we to be governed by people of Trump's caliber and character or rather lack of, or will we regain our senses and go for the better options - even if they are not perfect for perfection is not a reality item. We are all human and what is it that is said? That it is only human to err, to make a mistake. The point which makes us greater is that we can all recognize an error and fix it so why can we not leave our Sunniness or our Shiiteness behind us and form an usness? Simple, but oh so difficult. And meanwhile, where is that damn clock? Are we closer and closer to midnight after all? Tick. Tock.