December 7th. A date we still remember though it seems to be fading as the years go by. But we need to remember that day when our country was attacked and quite frankly, we came near to losing who and what we were as a result. We lost not only much of our fleet of battleships, but we also lost our heads and minds as we chased decent and loyal citizens and residents, accusing them without proof of infamy, of treachery planned and our American values were lost.
Lest one think that we have learned our lesson, I refer you to the third ban out of Trump's dictatorial and xenophobic mind and administration and I ask you - have we learned how to deal with infamy or are we still lost in hatred and mass accusations.
I will make no bones about it. I am not particularly fond of Arabs or Moslems. I see many things wrong in the attitudes that are taught by many of their imams. I think the religion has been hijacked and certainly, as a Jew supporting Israel and the rights of the Jewish people to have one little Jewish state, I have qualms about them. But! A big but. The concern and worry over some does not mean the worry and hatred for all. I have long spoken about the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, a Moslem group facing death. Right is right and hatred is hatred, especially hatred of the mass group without distinction.
That is what we now have coming out of the works of Trump's perverted and twisted mind and that of his administration. He has enabled haters, extremists, anti Semites, xenophobic critters to crawl out of the woodwork and sow more seeds of evil and disaster. This is infamy. No denying it.
When we talk casually of nuclear war, or hear the majority of the country reject the President in strong terms, turning down invitations to visit him, when Lindsey Vonn, a gold medalist in skiing says she is skating for America, the country and not its president, and that she will refuse a White House visit should she win again - here again is infamy. Not her actions, but those of the administration that have led her and us to this point. Infamy indeed.
While Pearl Harbor was ringed by fire and ash, by the deaths of thousands, today our infamy is not from without but from within. We have supposed patriots, or so they claim, who have allegedly sold our country downriver to Russia for financial gain and political advantage. We have a president whose financial dealings with Deutsche Bank are now under investigation and we now have the Republicans not supporting the investigation, not supporting wherever the truth will take us, but instead are trying to shut it down, shut down perfidy and wrong, ignore evil and immorality.
We have more present day infamy with the filthy and horrific entitlement behavior of men towards those in their power, towards those they can threaten and intimidate. But no longer! Time magazine has recognized the courage it takes to finally speak out, speak up and we must recognize that there is something lacking in our gestalt in America today and for decades. We have let personal greed overcome and overtake the benefits for the whole, the goodness that America, the word and the state implied. We have gone wrong, and are just as much under bombardment in a different way as was Pearl Harbor so many years ago.
We must ask ourselves if we are willing to allow this man and his henchmen to hijack us with deeds of infamy. So now we go to court to enforce bans of hatred. We use supposed law to justify rending families. And yet we do not ban Russians, those who allegedly colluded with the present administration from before election and afterwards, or do we now allow our enemies to be chosen by who will benefit us financially and who will not. Be sure that I have no wish to ban anyone other than the particular enemies we do have but it seems that we are careless with our branding today.
It behooves us to think and choose carefully. It seems that we are our worst enemies. We refuse to recognize how our former allies - be it France or England or Australia, etc. - are now in the process of rejecting us and our warped actions and dealings, with our degenerated 'leader'.
Infamy comes in different forms at different times. We need to recognize it in all its manifestations and be prepared to deal with it, acknowledge it and act accordingly but with attention to our American founding values. If not - we will have committed infamy and the question now is - will we recover? Yes, remember December 7, 1941, but also remember today and what has been happening. Infamy is as infamy does.
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE - OR NOT
Every once in awhile one dreams of a different life, of what could have been or might have been. I have wondered what it would have been like if we never had to worry about money, always had what was needed to help the kids, give as much charity as we wished - but that was never to be. But I am grateful, for we were always able to keep that roof overhead, food on the table and clothes on the back and as time went on, even add in a few trips, small, simple, but there and grant a few wishes.
But what about the young couples today who now face a disastrous tax liability, whose deductions are slashed, destroyed, gone, even as the Fat Cats loll in even more obscene displays of wealth, build humongous homes while there are so many without a home. I remember when NYC was rife with homeless, sleeping on the benches of the transportation centers, on the sidewalks, in doorways and then for some years the problem eased somewhat but a few years ago there began a growth again, and one walked by as people slept on the sidewalks, surrounded by bags of belongings and signs asking not to be disturbed. Even here, in West Palm, we began to see more homeless, more people pushing wagons loaded with bags, sitting by libraries, inside and out, and each time I see this I shudder. No place to lay one's head. No place to be alone. No place to do anything, be it take a drink of water or suffer thru a cold. This, to me, is awful.
Even worse, I see no better future opening up. Corporations have been granted permission and free rein to be even greedier than ever. Just what is it that makes men desire to build up money stores in some bank account, serving no one and no purpose other than to give them further bloated salaries and bonuses. Money for expansion, for raising the wages of the regular workers, for better benefits - uh uh, no way. Why?
As for homeless, we are creating even more of a situation. We have ICE going after any and all illegal immigrants, be they violent criminals who rightfully should be deported or someone who did not notice that a light was out on the car. Stopped, off they go, families torn asunder, children crying for parents, families left with big income holes and an inability to continue to pay rent or taxes and out they go, on the street. When nabbed and turned back over the border, they are often walked across the bridge and just left, no money, no clothes, no nothing and in Nuevo Laredo, a dangerous and violent place. The echoes and images of Jews thrown out into no man's land, left to die of hunger and thirst, of exposure, as no one seemed to want them, of the refugees of the world today, as they are forced out of countries and into others who are often just as poor and destitute and unable to absorb more needy people.
And in the meanwhile, hope is dimming for a better world in the near future. The United States is a long way down the road towards isolation, towards cutting off trade with others as it raises difficulties and hinders free trade. Its influence is waning as people have begun to write it off as just about a Third World country, what with the filth that has come out and the open selling of the country down the road as long as one got power and enriched one's bottom line. Indicted or arrested people are trying to weasel out with more lies, we find that now Pence has suspicion hanging over him - not really a surprise - huh! guess his wife let the boy play outside without supervision!
There is no more truth in the halls of the country. The White House briefing is a joke, either useless or rife with lies. Trump lies and Sanders swears. The media and free press is attacked. The President is described in words that should never have been able to be attached to a supposed leader. Politicians sell their souls. Hypocrisy reigns. Our country's back yards of parks and monument areas are being decimated - I believe, illegally as well and everyday it seems as if a new court case is opened against the government. We have a Supreme Court now that will hark back to the Dark Ages and one wonders when it will all end and at the end what will be?
What is life in the fast lane anyway? Certainly the news is coming so fast down the track that we are all living in a fast lane. I believe we would all prefer a lane where things go smoothly, where hope is generated, where one can win and achieve the better things in life, raise a family, enjoy life, without stepping over and on everyone else.
And folks, some of us are in Act III of life, but consider those who are in Act I and II. Do we not owe them some hope, some good future, some fast lane dreams? Do we not owe them the possibility of the American Dream where each generation improved over the previous one? Think about that and how we can revive that dream.
But what about the young couples today who now face a disastrous tax liability, whose deductions are slashed, destroyed, gone, even as the Fat Cats loll in even more obscene displays of wealth, build humongous homes while there are so many without a home. I remember when NYC was rife with homeless, sleeping on the benches of the transportation centers, on the sidewalks, in doorways and then for some years the problem eased somewhat but a few years ago there began a growth again, and one walked by as people slept on the sidewalks, surrounded by bags of belongings and signs asking not to be disturbed. Even here, in West Palm, we began to see more homeless, more people pushing wagons loaded with bags, sitting by libraries, inside and out, and each time I see this I shudder. No place to lay one's head. No place to be alone. No place to do anything, be it take a drink of water or suffer thru a cold. This, to me, is awful.
Even worse, I see no better future opening up. Corporations have been granted permission and free rein to be even greedier than ever. Just what is it that makes men desire to build up money stores in some bank account, serving no one and no purpose other than to give them further bloated salaries and bonuses. Money for expansion, for raising the wages of the regular workers, for better benefits - uh uh, no way. Why?
As for homeless, we are creating even more of a situation. We have ICE going after any and all illegal immigrants, be they violent criminals who rightfully should be deported or someone who did not notice that a light was out on the car. Stopped, off they go, families torn asunder, children crying for parents, families left with big income holes and an inability to continue to pay rent or taxes and out they go, on the street. When nabbed and turned back over the border, they are often walked across the bridge and just left, no money, no clothes, no nothing and in Nuevo Laredo, a dangerous and violent place. The echoes and images of Jews thrown out into no man's land, left to die of hunger and thirst, of exposure, as no one seemed to want them, of the refugees of the world today, as they are forced out of countries and into others who are often just as poor and destitute and unable to absorb more needy people.
And in the meanwhile, hope is dimming for a better world in the near future. The United States is a long way down the road towards isolation, towards cutting off trade with others as it raises difficulties and hinders free trade. Its influence is waning as people have begun to write it off as just about a Third World country, what with the filth that has come out and the open selling of the country down the road as long as one got power and enriched one's bottom line. Indicted or arrested people are trying to weasel out with more lies, we find that now Pence has suspicion hanging over him - not really a surprise - huh! guess his wife let the boy play outside without supervision!
There is no more truth in the halls of the country. The White House briefing is a joke, either useless or rife with lies. Trump lies and Sanders swears. The media and free press is attacked. The President is described in words that should never have been able to be attached to a supposed leader. Politicians sell their souls. Hypocrisy reigns. Our country's back yards of parks and monument areas are being decimated - I believe, illegally as well and everyday it seems as if a new court case is opened against the government. We have a Supreme Court now that will hark back to the Dark Ages and one wonders when it will all end and at the end what will be?
What is life in the fast lane anyway? Certainly the news is coming so fast down the track that we are all living in a fast lane. I believe we would all prefer a lane where things go smoothly, where hope is generated, where one can win and achieve the better things in life, raise a family, enjoy life, without stepping over and on everyone else.
And folks, some of us are in Act III of life, but consider those who are in Act I and II. Do we not owe them some hope, some good future, some fast lane dreams? Do we not owe them the possibility of the American Dream where each generation improved over the previous one? Think about that and how we can revive that dream.
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
SIXTEEN TONS AND WHAT DO YA' GET?
Sixteen tons of muck. Sixteen tons of filth and this is being conservative. We have descended so far down, so deep in the muck and mire of immorality that I wonder sometimes if we will ever find our way back.
Yes, there has always been garbage going on in the political and entertainment worlds. People seem to not be able to control some of their baser instincts and even as the world liberalized a bit, there were those that took it as license to do whatever the hell they wanted to do and not worry about the consequences. Big people, little people, the stories just keep on coming out. Names and personalities that shock us. And some of the accused are wise enough and smart enough at this point to apologize, hoping that the apology will gain some sympathy for them, but there are others, led by the chief predator, Trump, who deny their own words and voice and just lie as a matter of course. Well, let us hope that they are hoist by their own petard, caught in their own lies, and face real damage in the courts of law. And I do not care who the accused is - position as President does not excuse prior immoral and illegal behavior and the offender needs to face his accusers and pay his debts. May that day come soon for you know who!
But the point is, is that it seems that we have all sold our souls to the devil in return for what? For position? For power? For wealth? For the opportunity and the implied 'right' to pull out not a particularly pretty part of one's anatomy and rub it in public and think women or young boys will swoon at the sight and become willing sex slaves?
I cannot wrap my head around this type of thinking, this willful blindness, this crude attempt to rule over all, to have no rules to follow other than where the baser desires seem to indicate. And the same people who offend in this area are the same people, in many cases, that scream the loudest in 'defense' of traditional values, shout how Christian value supporting they are, how family oriented they are, how strong and selfless they are in defending the honor of the country against the onslaughts of the gay community, of the transgender people, of any group of people whose ideas of sexual fantasy or rights differed from the 'traditional' one of simply imposing oneself on a person of the other gender - or not - as the case may be.
This immorality, this sense of entitlement, floods into other areas as well. Agreements and implied agreements to support the wishes of their big honcho donors. Drooling at the thought of raping the environment, of soiling the pristine parts of our country, disregarding the native Americans and their sacred lands, the crass willingness to destroy our environment, to violate the laws of the world which now understands the necessity to work on change in deeds and attitudes. So we ignore the spills that contaminate the land and sink into the water table of half the nation. We ignore it because the Fat Cats are making even more money even as they destroy the rest of the nation.
And leading the charge against all that is decent and right - why, the Republican party. They now have changed their statements and publicly support the pervert Moore, both Trump and the RNC. What matters decency against the tides of maintaining numbers in the Senate? What matters morality against the ability to keep passing bills which destroy all but the 1%? What matters truth against the deep need to support the lies already told, and the future lies to keep power, power, and more power!!
I am so tired of all this crap and yes, crap is what it is. We need to pick ourselves up and force our supposed representatives to step up to the plate of morality, of right and righteousness. We must throw in their faces the inherent wrong and evil in selling their votes for a supposed clause which will never remain because members of their own party will move against it. But sell their vote they did and put the American people in jeopardy is the what they did.
And among all the lost virtues is the virtue of patriotism and loyalty to one's country. These people seem to have one loyalty - to themselves and their bottom line. So play golf, yes, but legislate fairly, an emphatic NO!! Be loyal to our welcoming of immigrants, including members and generations of their own families - Nope again! Sell the nation down the river to our enemies if one benefits financially from that sale - oh, yeah!! And yet they are the loudest to scream patriotism even as they sell our country out.
I am so disgusted. I am so tired of trying to explain these behaviors to my grandchildren. I am growing more and more desperate in trying to figure out how to change this before we have gone beyond that which can be fixed. I am worried, no, frantic, at the thought of the future that awaits the world and in particular our country as I truly can envisage new Civil War, with people fighting in the streets, with blood running and a death toll that will be beyond believable, and a nation that will never recover.
I know I am but one person sitting here in the early morning hours, unable to sleep, yes, because as I age sleep comes with more difficulty, but also because I worry; far more than the usual worry about family, I worry for my country. I worry for my world. I worry about what will be and though I, as one person, have not the ability to change the world, then perhaps even if just one person reads these postings and thinks of something to do, to stem the tide, then I have done my job. Now others need to do theirs.
Yes, there has always been garbage going on in the political and entertainment worlds. People seem to not be able to control some of their baser instincts and even as the world liberalized a bit, there were those that took it as license to do whatever the hell they wanted to do and not worry about the consequences. Big people, little people, the stories just keep on coming out. Names and personalities that shock us. And some of the accused are wise enough and smart enough at this point to apologize, hoping that the apology will gain some sympathy for them, but there are others, led by the chief predator, Trump, who deny their own words and voice and just lie as a matter of course. Well, let us hope that they are hoist by their own petard, caught in their own lies, and face real damage in the courts of law. And I do not care who the accused is - position as President does not excuse prior immoral and illegal behavior and the offender needs to face his accusers and pay his debts. May that day come soon for you know who!
But the point is, is that it seems that we have all sold our souls to the devil in return for what? For position? For power? For wealth? For the opportunity and the implied 'right' to pull out not a particularly pretty part of one's anatomy and rub it in public and think women or young boys will swoon at the sight and become willing sex slaves?
I cannot wrap my head around this type of thinking, this willful blindness, this crude attempt to rule over all, to have no rules to follow other than where the baser desires seem to indicate. And the same people who offend in this area are the same people, in many cases, that scream the loudest in 'defense' of traditional values, shout how Christian value supporting they are, how family oriented they are, how strong and selfless they are in defending the honor of the country against the onslaughts of the gay community, of the transgender people, of any group of people whose ideas of sexual fantasy or rights differed from the 'traditional' one of simply imposing oneself on a person of the other gender - or not - as the case may be.
This immorality, this sense of entitlement, floods into other areas as well. Agreements and implied agreements to support the wishes of their big honcho donors. Drooling at the thought of raping the environment, of soiling the pristine parts of our country, disregarding the native Americans and their sacred lands, the crass willingness to destroy our environment, to violate the laws of the world which now understands the necessity to work on change in deeds and attitudes. So we ignore the spills that contaminate the land and sink into the water table of half the nation. We ignore it because the Fat Cats are making even more money even as they destroy the rest of the nation.
And leading the charge against all that is decent and right - why, the Republican party. They now have changed their statements and publicly support the pervert Moore, both Trump and the RNC. What matters decency against the tides of maintaining numbers in the Senate? What matters morality against the ability to keep passing bills which destroy all but the 1%? What matters truth against the deep need to support the lies already told, and the future lies to keep power, power, and more power!!
I am so tired of all this crap and yes, crap is what it is. We need to pick ourselves up and force our supposed representatives to step up to the plate of morality, of right and righteousness. We must throw in their faces the inherent wrong and evil in selling their votes for a supposed clause which will never remain because members of their own party will move against it. But sell their vote they did and put the American people in jeopardy is the what they did.
And among all the lost virtues is the virtue of patriotism and loyalty to one's country. These people seem to have one loyalty - to themselves and their bottom line. So play golf, yes, but legislate fairly, an emphatic NO!! Be loyal to our welcoming of immigrants, including members and generations of their own families - Nope again! Sell the nation down the river to our enemies if one benefits financially from that sale - oh, yeah!! And yet they are the loudest to scream patriotism even as they sell our country out.
I am so disgusted. I am so tired of trying to explain these behaviors to my grandchildren. I am growing more and more desperate in trying to figure out how to change this before we have gone beyond that which can be fixed. I am worried, no, frantic, at the thought of the future that awaits the world and in particular our country as I truly can envisage new Civil War, with people fighting in the streets, with blood running and a death toll that will be beyond believable, and a nation that will never recover.
I know I am but one person sitting here in the early morning hours, unable to sleep, yes, because as I age sleep comes with more difficulty, but also because I worry; far more than the usual worry about family, I worry for my country. I worry for my world. I worry about what will be and though I, as one person, have not the ability to change the world, then perhaps even if just one person reads these postings and thinks of something to do, to stem the tide, then I have done my job. Now others need to do theirs.
Monday, December 4, 2017
AS THE STOMACH TURNS
Anna, in the King and I, sings of how the people act like toads, with their cringing and crawling. Well, for us, today, here in America, I would use the term slugs, moral slugs. What else can we call those who follow the weasel McConnell as he says that all in the Senate wanted to pass this tax plan because it was good for them politically. Yup. There is the crux of the matter. The Republican Party has sold its collective soul to the devil, full speed ahead, never mind the people they are running over, destroying, as they rush to fulfill the wishes and bidding of an insane degenerating madman, as they lose all semblance of a moral spine.
Now a lawyer for Trump, a personal lawyer, states that he wrote the tweet for Trump which stated that Trump had fired Flynn because he told the FBI a lie. Well, that was proof of obstruction of justice so what lawyer would do this??? Certainly not a competent one, but therein lies the question. Is this yet another one of Trump's minions who gets thrown under the bus, who throw themselves under the bus, all for Lord Donald?
And the lies do not stop there as Nunes whines that the FBI is hiding things even as for the past few months the Committee has been reviewing, with the FBI, secret documents. So what the hell....... Lies, lies, all of you people are slugs! Feinstein says the case against Trump is being built and we can only hope, try to retain and restrain our roiling stomach under the deluge of nauseating news, hoping that Feinstein is correct.
The most frightening stomach turning news we keep getting is the growing tension between us and North Korea. Now it is being suggested that families of soldiers and diplomats in South Korea leave the country. We are running drills there and in Hawaii. So tell me, where can one hide from nuclear war and nuclear winter and nuclear wasting of the world? Are we to become true slugs who live underground, raggedy, fighting for lives and crusts of breads with other survivor groups? What are we doing? I understand that it has become quite fashionable to become a "prepper", buy land in the mountains, in far off countries, to build up supplies but really? Truly? C'mon.
In the meanwhile we have the nauseating stories from the new book re Trump about his binges and his fits. We read of his thwarting of the reins of Kelly as he 'sneaks' in his minions. We know his lies. We know of his sexual predator behavior. And yet - there he is, sitting in the Oval Office. Even his base has begun to realize the harm he is proposing to do to them. What will happen when with the new tax bill, people cannot pay their new assessments. Or they cannot afford the food for the table, they are too weak and tired to work, too cold because they cannot pay the fuel bill or the electric bill for the AC in the days of summer heat. Or when the disasters occur and FEMA has no money to help because the corporations are riding high on their reduced taxes, loopholes for their executives, and the social safety net develops huge and ever growing holes. Will we turn into a third world country where the few elite live high on the hog and the rest are in tatters, with children begging for a morsel of food, and mothers crying over their children, fathers frustrated at their inability to build a future - or even a present - for their family?
What do we say when a twice removed from office person, known to be a pedophile chasing over young teen girls, is running for office and there are people who support him, claiming these values for Christianity, will protect them against the 'scourge' of LGBTQ and McConnell, the moral slug now says that they will let the people of Alabama, those benighted people, choose. And you know what, so what? He will join the rest of the molesters whose stories are coming out.
And every day the stories change and the stories grow. We hear of more dirt being uncovered in the FBI investigations. We hear of more weird behavior on the part of the President. We look into the future and see what? I see a country that is shrinking into itself. I see a country that has turned on its history. Where once we had pictures of old time crowds of immigrants at Ellis Island, where one we had recognition that immigrants were the lifeblood of the country, add- ing to its cultural mix, where once we had pride in that, now we have hatred. When people were trying to find a place of safety from Irma and the Department of Homeland Security said there was a truce on pickups of illegal immigrants, ICE said basically screw you and continued to arrest and raid. I see the mists of night fog and hear the shouts of "Raus, raus. Juden, schweinhunt" and the sounds of the popping of rifles. I see the degeneration of a country and the uncovering of the nastier parts of people.
Yes, once there was a place known as Camelot, and once there was a place known as America, a place to fulfill dreams, to even dream for the first time of a better life for all. A place where justice reigned and progress was sought. Once there was such a place. Is it doomed to be forgotten in the mists of time? Who will make that decision? Or has it already been made for us.
Now a lawyer for Trump, a personal lawyer, states that he wrote the tweet for Trump which stated that Trump had fired Flynn because he told the FBI a lie. Well, that was proof of obstruction of justice so what lawyer would do this??? Certainly not a competent one, but therein lies the question. Is this yet another one of Trump's minions who gets thrown under the bus, who throw themselves under the bus, all for Lord Donald?
And the lies do not stop there as Nunes whines that the FBI is hiding things even as for the past few months the Committee has been reviewing, with the FBI, secret documents. So what the hell....... Lies, lies, all of you people are slugs! Feinstein says the case against Trump is being built and we can only hope, try to retain and restrain our roiling stomach under the deluge of nauseating news, hoping that Feinstein is correct.
The most frightening stomach turning news we keep getting is the growing tension between us and North Korea. Now it is being suggested that families of soldiers and diplomats in South Korea leave the country. We are running drills there and in Hawaii. So tell me, where can one hide from nuclear war and nuclear winter and nuclear wasting of the world? Are we to become true slugs who live underground, raggedy, fighting for lives and crusts of breads with other survivor groups? What are we doing? I understand that it has become quite fashionable to become a "prepper", buy land in the mountains, in far off countries, to build up supplies but really? Truly? C'mon.
In the meanwhile we have the nauseating stories from the new book re Trump about his binges and his fits. We read of his thwarting of the reins of Kelly as he 'sneaks' in his minions. We know his lies. We know of his sexual predator behavior. And yet - there he is, sitting in the Oval Office. Even his base has begun to realize the harm he is proposing to do to them. What will happen when with the new tax bill, people cannot pay their new assessments. Or they cannot afford the food for the table, they are too weak and tired to work, too cold because they cannot pay the fuel bill or the electric bill for the AC in the days of summer heat. Or when the disasters occur and FEMA has no money to help because the corporations are riding high on their reduced taxes, loopholes for their executives, and the social safety net develops huge and ever growing holes. Will we turn into a third world country where the few elite live high on the hog and the rest are in tatters, with children begging for a morsel of food, and mothers crying over their children, fathers frustrated at their inability to build a future - or even a present - for their family?
What do we say when a twice removed from office person, known to be a pedophile chasing over young teen girls, is running for office and there are people who support him, claiming these values for Christianity, will protect them against the 'scourge' of LGBTQ and McConnell, the moral slug now says that they will let the people of Alabama, those benighted people, choose. And you know what, so what? He will join the rest of the molesters whose stories are coming out.
And every day the stories change and the stories grow. We hear of more dirt being uncovered in the FBI investigations. We hear of more weird behavior on the part of the President. We look into the future and see what? I see a country that is shrinking into itself. I see a country that has turned on its history. Where once we had pictures of old time crowds of immigrants at Ellis Island, where one we had recognition that immigrants were the lifeblood of the country, add- ing to its cultural mix, where once we had pride in that, now we have hatred. When people were trying to find a place of safety from Irma and the Department of Homeland Security said there was a truce on pickups of illegal immigrants, ICE said basically screw you and continued to arrest and raid. I see the mists of night fog and hear the shouts of "Raus, raus. Juden, schweinhunt" and the sounds of the popping of rifles. I see the degeneration of a country and the uncovering of the nastier parts of people.
Yes, once there was a place known as Camelot, and once there was a place known as America, a place to fulfill dreams, to even dream for the first time of a better life for all. A place where justice reigned and progress was sought. Once there was such a place. Is it doomed to be forgotten in the mists of time? Who will make that decision? Or has it already been made for us.
Sunday, December 3, 2017
SULPHUR OR SWEETNESS
Imagine the scenario. We are looking at a scene of great bustle, a room filled with angels with rolled up sleeves carefully ladling out material from barrels placed in front of them, ensuring that every little soul that passes their station gets a percentage of it. The scent of the room is floral, smelling of aromatic flowers and spices, replete with the gentleness of love, mercy and compassion.
Those small white vaguely human looking shapes passing these angels are the souls of the soon to be born. They are given all that we need to make Earth a place of love and honor, of compassion and mercy, of gentleness, of peace, of concern for all humanity and not only for oneself.
Yet underneath it all, every once in a while there is a nasty scent of sulfur wafting thru and under it all. Every once in a while once of those little white shapes wanders off following the sulfur and it ends in a nasty smelling room, reeking of evil, of darkness. Here the dark angel, a fallen angel, ladles wildly, angrily, as he tries to fill the soon to be born soul with all that is evil in the world.
These souls in both rooms, both scenarios, are to compete on this earth for the souls that came before and after. Which will win? The gluttony, the evil, the greed, the envy, the war mongering, the increasing distance between haves and have nots or will it be the compassion, the safety nets that care for all, the love that will convince us to work for people and not for ourselves and only ourselves. Which will it be? Will these souls be strong enough to withstand the temptations of evil in all its forms? Will they be clever enough to discern those dark souls who wish to force harm upon the face of this earth or will they be fooled?
It is always easier to see evil and fault in others. We can roll the names of foreign leaders who have crossed the lines, or just know they are there whether we know their specific names or not. Duterte. Mugabe. Terrorist leaders. Neo Nazis. Stalin and Lenin. Putin. The cartels. Trump et al. And yes, I purposely insert Trump there for I believe he is ultimately a spoiler, one who works only for himself, who cares nothing for others, only his bottom line and the reinforcement of his power. Two top aides of Trump are co writing a book called "Let Trump be Trump" and read that book, look at its excerpts and then wonder what it is that makes people feel it is okay to work for a madman, for a personification of evil, of greed, of envy, of dishonor and falsehood. It is because we lose sight of the real truth in the world but at least Comey has it straight now.
“But justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” Amos 5:24
It is accompanied by a paraphrasing of a Buddhist line.
"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun; the moon; and the truth."
People, we have to make a choice. We have to choose between a man and his minions who represent dishonor, falsehood, greed and gluttony, envy, war mongers and all the rest and between those who will serve society honorably, for the good of all. It will be a society where we do not honor those who chase after the disadvantaged, throwing them into the modern day equivalents of camps and cattle cars, rending asunder families, allowing disease, sickness, hunger and pain to grow within the ranks of our society.
We have allowed these damaged souls to gain an upper hand at this point but we must, as the Bible says, "gird our loins" and be ready to fight the evil, to improve our world, to prove worthy of all that we were given and for all those to come after us. In the future, what will be our evaluation? What will be the sum of all that we leave behind?
The souls of beauty and aromatic riffs or the scent of sulfur, of those who feel they can talk evil, be evil, act evil, and get away with it. The lives of those unable to fend for themselves are upon us. We cannot shirk that responsibility and if we try, well, woe upon us. Me? I am afraid for and of the future. And you?
Those small white vaguely human looking shapes passing these angels are the souls of the soon to be born. They are given all that we need to make Earth a place of love and honor, of compassion and mercy, of gentleness, of peace, of concern for all humanity and not only for oneself.
Yet underneath it all, every once in a while there is a nasty scent of sulfur wafting thru and under it all. Every once in a while once of those little white shapes wanders off following the sulfur and it ends in a nasty smelling room, reeking of evil, of darkness. Here the dark angel, a fallen angel, ladles wildly, angrily, as he tries to fill the soon to be born soul with all that is evil in the world.
These souls in both rooms, both scenarios, are to compete on this earth for the souls that came before and after. Which will win? The gluttony, the evil, the greed, the envy, the war mongering, the increasing distance between haves and have nots or will it be the compassion, the safety nets that care for all, the love that will convince us to work for people and not for ourselves and only ourselves. Which will it be? Will these souls be strong enough to withstand the temptations of evil in all its forms? Will they be clever enough to discern those dark souls who wish to force harm upon the face of this earth or will they be fooled?
It is always easier to see evil and fault in others. We can roll the names of foreign leaders who have crossed the lines, or just know they are there whether we know their specific names or not. Duterte. Mugabe. Terrorist leaders. Neo Nazis. Stalin and Lenin. Putin. The cartels. Trump et al. And yes, I purposely insert Trump there for I believe he is ultimately a spoiler, one who works only for himself, who cares nothing for others, only his bottom line and the reinforcement of his power. Two top aides of Trump are co writing a book called "Let Trump be Trump" and read that book, look at its excerpts and then wonder what it is that makes people feel it is okay to work for a madman, for a personification of evil, of greed, of envy, of dishonor and falsehood. It is because we lose sight of the real truth in the world but at least Comey has it straight now.
“But justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” Amos 5:24
It is accompanied by a paraphrasing of a Buddhist line.
"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun; the moon; and the truth."
People, we have to make a choice. We have to choose between a man and his minions who represent dishonor, falsehood, greed and gluttony, envy, war mongers and all the rest and between those who will serve society honorably, for the good of all. It will be a society where we do not honor those who chase after the disadvantaged, throwing them into the modern day equivalents of camps and cattle cars, rending asunder families, allowing disease, sickness, hunger and pain to grow within the ranks of our society.
We have allowed these damaged souls to gain an upper hand at this point but we must, as the Bible says, "gird our loins" and be ready to fight the evil, to improve our world, to prove worthy of all that we were given and for all those to come after us. In the future, what will be our evaluation? What will be the sum of all that we leave behind?
The souls of beauty and aromatic riffs or the scent of sulfur, of those who feel they can talk evil, be evil, act evil, and get away with it. The lives of those unable to fend for themselves are upon us. We cannot shirk that responsibility and if we try, well, woe upon us. Me? I am afraid for and of the future. And you?
Friday, December 1, 2017
AHHH, THE VAGARIES OF LIFE
Oy! Ow! Creak. Whine. Crack. The back! My knee. Oof! Where the hell did I put those blasted keys? Did I already take that pill? And what about the book - seems familiar. Didn't I already read this?
Sound familiar? Many of us are at the point where we can take the time we spent in getting to work and back home again, doing the job, squeezing in the tasks of home and family, take all that time and put it to a different use. But it seems that just at the time that we have that extra time that time starts to fly and before we are used to writing one month, it is already time to start writing the next year's date.
Where did it all go? And is it not amusing how our kids now throw at us what we threw at them. You have to check in, we said. You have to call. Let us know where you are and then we caution the grandkids to do the same. But now WE have to check in and if we are not where they expect us to be we now go into emergency procedure. They all call or text each other and then our phones go berserk. We get a lecture how we need to let someone know where we are at all times, and they forget that we are still the adults here, still the parents, but it is cute though. Very amusing.
And just as we get this free time and begin to wonder with what to fill it, we begin to see the world around us and its vagaries. Suddenly the passions of youth return. Suddenly we become passionately interested once more in politics. We have the time to read and think and listen to the broadcasts and the ever incoming headlines on the phone screen. We remember the protests of yesteryear and our feet seem to ache to join in once more - though the body may not always be willing. We remember what we fought for as kids and then wonder what the hell happened and why we have to do this all over again.
So we look around and we see. We see a man masquerading as a president , all the while embarrassing other seniors, is immersed in madness to the nth degree, is shattering the alliances we have with other long time allies, threatens women, famous and not, is a consummate liar, and we feel the nausea rise within us.
We rage at his attempted interference with legislative processes. We rage at the incompetence of Congress and their lack of courage, their selfishness, their lack of patriotism, their greed and we think again - better get out on those protest picket lines once more. Our job is not yet done, not yet over.
So in the vagaries of life we find ourselves back at the beginning , albeit a tad changed, damaged, but still filled with righteous anger, dismay and yet, also with hope, that we can turn this around and make America what she always was - a leader of the world, a moral guide to other nations and a country which made mistakes but tried not to repeat them, to fix them instead, a nation which recognized that immigrants have built this land, infused our culture with the new and the old. We can but try. We must try.
But in the meanwhile there goes that phone or whatever it truly is these days. I have apps on there I never heard of and the question is - who put them on there in the first place?? Snapchat. Instagram. Twitter. I do not know how to use these things and truly, I use my phone to call and text - and yes, I text, though it took me some time to figure that out. Sending emails on the phone - learning. Picture taking - oy vey! And the size keeps growing. Where, oh where, did my old flip phone go? And call waiting on the phone - I always lose the first person!!
Oh no!! Now it is playing some noisy music. How do I shut this off? It just got louder. Not good. Gotta call my techie. Ge!!!! Help!!! Ah, at least within the vagaries of life I do have my constant, Gerry. Gotta go. Pill time. Life. A joy and a responsibility. Let us go at it in the proper and beneficial way and have fun at the same time.
Sound familiar? Many of us are at the point where we can take the time we spent in getting to work and back home again, doing the job, squeezing in the tasks of home and family, take all that time and put it to a different use. But it seems that just at the time that we have that extra time that time starts to fly and before we are used to writing one month, it is already time to start writing the next year's date.
Where did it all go? And is it not amusing how our kids now throw at us what we threw at them. You have to check in, we said. You have to call. Let us know where you are and then we caution the grandkids to do the same. But now WE have to check in and if we are not where they expect us to be we now go into emergency procedure. They all call or text each other and then our phones go berserk. We get a lecture how we need to let someone know where we are at all times, and they forget that we are still the adults here, still the parents, but it is cute though. Very amusing.
And just as we get this free time and begin to wonder with what to fill it, we begin to see the world around us and its vagaries. Suddenly the passions of youth return. Suddenly we become passionately interested once more in politics. We have the time to read and think and listen to the broadcasts and the ever incoming headlines on the phone screen. We remember the protests of yesteryear and our feet seem to ache to join in once more - though the body may not always be willing. We remember what we fought for as kids and then wonder what the hell happened and why we have to do this all over again.
So we look around and we see. We see a man masquerading as a president , all the while embarrassing other seniors, is immersed in madness to the nth degree, is shattering the alliances we have with other long time allies, threatens women, famous and not, is a consummate liar, and we feel the nausea rise within us.
We rage at his attempted interference with legislative processes. We rage at the incompetence of Congress and their lack of courage, their selfishness, their lack of patriotism, their greed and we think again - better get out on those protest picket lines once more. Our job is not yet done, not yet over.
So in the vagaries of life we find ourselves back at the beginning , albeit a tad changed, damaged, but still filled with righteous anger, dismay and yet, also with hope, that we can turn this around and make America what she always was - a leader of the world, a moral guide to other nations and a country which made mistakes but tried not to repeat them, to fix them instead, a nation which recognized that immigrants have built this land, infused our culture with the new and the old. We can but try. We must try.
But in the meanwhile there goes that phone or whatever it truly is these days. I have apps on there I never heard of and the question is - who put them on there in the first place?? Snapchat. Instagram. Twitter. I do not know how to use these things and truly, I use my phone to call and text - and yes, I text, though it took me some time to figure that out. Sending emails on the phone - learning. Picture taking - oy vey! And the size keeps growing. Where, oh where, did my old flip phone go? And call waiting on the phone - I always lose the first person!!
Oh no!! Now it is playing some noisy music. How do I shut this off? It just got louder. Not good. Gotta call my techie. Ge!!!! Help!!! Ah, at least within the vagaries of life I do have my constant, Gerry. Gotta go. Pill time. Life. A joy and a responsibility. Let us go at it in the proper and beneficial way and have fun at the same time.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
--------------------------------*%$#@******!!
No idea, none at all. What does one say when the ostensible leader of a country, one's own country, is demonstrably insane, racked with hubris of more than a Greek tragedy level, more off balance than any Shakespearian character, and holding the keys, or rather the button that could send this world, this spinning orb, into disintegration, along with the billions upon billions of people who inhabit it.
What makes matters worse, is that the man is a hater, a virulent and vicious one, who brings out the worst in people, who encourages the haters of the world and who apparently has decided that he no longer need hide this part of himself. So on with the vicious lying videos from British hate groups, on with the nasty retorts to criticism by Teresa May of Britain, and there is no more dissemblance as to the truth of this man and his impossibly distorted mind.
We need to assume blame for allowing him to run and then get elected into office. He was not a joke to ignore, though many looked at him that way. We needed to institute proceedings to remove him as soon as he began to reveal his further plans once he was elected. His bizarre statements, his insertion of himself into every story or news line, his over 1.600 brazen lies, his contorted conspiracies that oh, yeah, Obama is once again not a USA born citizen, and Trump's inauguration had the most people, and on it goes.
Tax welfare for the obscene Fat Cats. Hatred for all those who are other than WASP. Back to the old memes of prejudice and people, do not think it begins and ends with Moslems. David Duke had a paroxysm of glee and gratitude toward Trump for showing those hateful videos purporting to show Moslems perpetrating misdeeds upon Christians. They are as relevant and related to truth as the old canards of the Elders of Zion, of the blood libels upon Jews, of the huge hooknosed man chasing little blond girls and stomping on the poor as he runs after her.
The world is exploding with the rotten news of sexual misdeeds. The pressure of these actions proved finally to be too much to keep hidden any longer and WHAM!!! Out came the truth, but the truth about Trump seemingly does not matter. Now he indulges once more in bizarre twistings and denials as he claims that the tape is not of him, the voice is not him and he is as pure as the driven snow.
We are 8 Senators away from getting the most disastrous tax bill foisted upon us. The disciplinarian of the administration, Kelly, who has proven to be just as flawed as the rest of them, has allowed Trump free rein, we are ruled over by an administration composed of haters, of disloyal Americans who are loyal only to their pocketbooks and wallets, true to their hatred of all others , are almost at the point where in that benighted state of Alabama they will elect a true and massive pervert into Senatorial office and folks, where the hell do we go from here.
Trump has gone off the rails, over the side, deep into the crap of hatred and folks, along with himself and his crooked teammates, he is dragging us, right into the muck and mire, into the danger and the truth seems to be that many people have not changed. They still hate. They still wish to pick on and destroy the 'other'. They disregard truth. And the country stands on the brink of destruction, if not physical - and that remains to be seen, depending upon and if, someone pushes the button, but certainly, those virtues of which Teresa May spoke - of decency, virtue and tolerance, will certainly be lost here. We will have lost our raison d'etre, our very heart and soul and will be no longer other than just the remains of a name and the memory of what once was. Think it will never happen? Well, look back at history and check on all the haters, the visibly insane men who came into office and remained there, killed millions, destroyed the world as it was, and whose spiritual descendants continue to be heads of state to this day. I do not know whether to hunker and bunker down, cry, or run through the streets like a Cassandra of Troy, warning of the impending doom and destruction. Folks, we are in a bad way, a very bad way.
What makes matters worse, is that the man is a hater, a virulent and vicious one, who brings out the worst in people, who encourages the haters of the world and who apparently has decided that he no longer need hide this part of himself. So on with the vicious lying videos from British hate groups, on with the nasty retorts to criticism by Teresa May of Britain, and there is no more dissemblance as to the truth of this man and his impossibly distorted mind.
We need to assume blame for allowing him to run and then get elected into office. He was not a joke to ignore, though many looked at him that way. We needed to institute proceedings to remove him as soon as he began to reveal his further plans once he was elected. His bizarre statements, his insertion of himself into every story or news line, his over 1.600 brazen lies, his contorted conspiracies that oh, yeah, Obama is once again not a USA born citizen, and Trump's inauguration had the most people, and on it goes.
Tax welfare for the obscene Fat Cats. Hatred for all those who are other than WASP. Back to the old memes of prejudice and people, do not think it begins and ends with Moslems. David Duke had a paroxysm of glee and gratitude toward Trump for showing those hateful videos purporting to show Moslems perpetrating misdeeds upon Christians. They are as relevant and related to truth as the old canards of the Elders of Zion, of the blood libels upon Jews, of the huge hooknosed man chasing little blond girls and stomping on the poor as he runs after her.
The world is exploding with the rotten news of sexual misdeeds. The pressure of these actions proved finally to be too much to keep hidden any longer and WHAM!!! Out came the truth, but the truth about Trump seemingly does not matter. Now he indulges once more in bizarre twistings and denials as he claims that the tape is not of him, the voice is not him and he is as pure as the driven snow.
We are 8 Senators away from getting the most disastrous tax bill foisted upon us. The disciplinarian of the administration, Kelly, who has proven to be just as flawed as the rest of them, has allowed Trump free rein, we are ruled over by an administration composed of haters, of disloyal Americans who are loyal only to their pocketbooks and wallets, true to their hatred of all others , are almost at the point where in that benighted state of Alabama they will elect a true and massive pervert into Senatorial office and folks, where the hell do we go from here.
Trump has gone off the rails, over the side, deep into the crap of hatred and folks, along with himself and his crooked teammates, he is dragging us, right into the muck and mire, into the danger and the truth seems to be that many people have not changed. They still hate. They still wish to pick on and destroy the 'other'. They disregard truth. And the country stands on the brink of destruction, if not physical - and that remains to be seen, depending upon and if, someone pushes the button, but certainly, those virtues of which Teresa May spoke - of decency, virtue and tolerance, will certainly be lost here. We will have lost our raison d'etre, our very heart and soul and will be no longer other than just the remains of a name and the memory of what once was. Think it will never happen? Well, look back at history and check on all the haters, the visibly insane men who came into office and remained there, killed millions, destroyed the world as it was, and whose spiritual descendants continue to be heads of state to this day. I do not know whether to hunker and bunker down, cry, or run through the streets like a Cassandra of Troy, warning of the impending doom and destruction. Folks, we are in a bad way, a very bad way.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
GOING, GOING, GONE
What is it that is gone? It is truth. It is reality. It is honesty. And it is all our rights as guaranteed by our Constitution. Where is it that they have gone? Into the ether of Trumpworld, a very bad place to be. In that ether are the disappearing terms of free speech, of equality, of safety, of separation of church and state, of free and equal access to the internet, of the right to be free of threats and harm, of the expectation of protection by our government. All these and more are gone because so Trump has willed and so all the Republicans have fallen in line, lost all their spines and all their shall we say, "manly" organs. Even the women who stood up to Trump on the medical care bill are melting away and we, the people, where are we? Why we are waiting as lambs to the slaughter to shoulder $1.4 trillion dollars added to the debt, watching the obscenely wealthy have yet more money to spend even as we, the plain old people who struggle to pay our debts, put food on the table and keep a roof over our head are gong to be forced to absorb a tax increase - yes, increase. And what are the Republicans doing now? They are crowing like idiots, seemingly thrilled by the fact that they actually might get something passed and screw the people if that is what it takes.
And screw their safety too. We now have their basic rights and needs threatened and what else? Why their very survival. Why is that? Because that idiotic and moronic Donald has opened that fat mouth and engaged in threat exchanges with the other screwball in North Korea and now that country has achieved a goal - it can not only reach mainland USA, but has Hawaii practicing bomb drills and now even the East Coast can be reached! Never mind the airheads, the dangerous airheads of D. C. for what I am concerned about is the population of the cities and the countryside, in danger because we have a despotic, unthinking, selfish administration, a degenerating leader in place and a hopelessness which has gripped the country.
Do we have any hope? Well, we have the brave people who are standing up to him, taking him to court, suing him, protecting those unable to protect themselves. We have the Budget Office who might possibly shock some people into their senses when they come out with the cost of this tax bill. We have the people who are speaking out and quite frankly, I am concerned that this opposition might actually progress further if the situation worsens and hope fades. Are we doomed to have another Civil War? Are we doomed to see our country split into smaller independent and separate nation states? Will America be a dream whose time has come and gone? Do you think that I am talking out of my hat? Not really, for with others, including an essay in the Times yesterday, re the horrific fact that our President is NOT a loyalist patriot, we should all be scared, frightfully so.
With this man at the helm we are being steered into stormy waters. He denies facts that are in evidence. He encourages and supports perverts - as he is one himself - and the plaintive plea of a victim of Moore rends the heart for is this what we are to expect in Trumpworld? "What you did to me when I was 14-years old should be revolting to every person of good morals. But now you are attacking my honesty and integrity. Where does your immorality end?"
Cry for her, people, cry for her, for she is not alone and will certainly not be the last. And with the Democrats and the Republicans now not even talking to each other and with the small minded Ryan and McConnell running around so happy because their boss now seems to love them - where will this all end?
Why do people even believe the promises this man , this excuse of a man, makes? I do not think he has kept any promise or kept his word on anything, other than to twist and lie, to force reality to change to his image and version and to leave us in a precarious and dangerous state.
"Mene,, mene, tekel oopharsin" So it was written on the wall of the palace of the Babylonian king. He was warned that he has been evaluated, found wanting and his days are numbered. In our situation the question is - whose days are numbered? The days of Trump and his cohorts or the days of us and our Republic? Our choice? Maybe. But we had better make that choice soon or have it taken out of our hands.
And screw their safety too. We now have their basic rights and needs threatened and what else? Why their very survival. Why is that? Because that idiotic and moronic Donald has opened that fat mouth and engaged in threat exchanges with the other screwball in North Korea and now that country has achieved a goal - it can not only reach mainland USA, but has Hawaii practicing bomb drills and now even the East Coast can be reached! Never mind the airheads, the dangerous airheads of D. C. for what I am concerned about is the population of the cities and the countryside, in danger because we have a despotic, unthinking, selfish administration, a degenerating leader in place and a hopelessness which has gripped the country.
Do we have any hope? Well, we have the brave people who are standing up to him, taking him to court, suing him, protecting those unable to protect themselves. We have the Budget Office who might possibly shock some people into their senses when they come out with the cost of this tax bill. We have the people who are speaking out and quite frankly, I am concerned that this opposition might actually progress further if the situation worsens and hope fades. Are we doomed to have another Civil War? Are we doomed to see our country split into smaller independent and separate nation states? Will America be a dream whose time has come and gone? Do you think that I am talking out of my hat? Not really, for with others, including an essay in the Times yesterday, re the horrific fact that our President is NOT a loyalist patriot, we should all be scared, frightfully so.
With this man at the helm we are being steered into stormy waters. He denies facts that are in evidence. He encourages and supports perverts - as he is one himself - and the plaintive plea of a victim of Moore rends the heart for is this what we are to expect in Trumpworld? "What you did to me when I was 14-years old should be revolting to every person of good morals. But now you are attacking my honesty and integrity. Where does your immorality end?"
Cry for her, people, cry for her, for she is not alone and will certainly not be the last. And with the Democrats and the Republicans now not even talking to each other and with the small minded Ryan and McConnell running around so happy because their boss now seems to love them - where will this all end?
Why do people even believe the promises this man , this excuse of a man, makes? I do not think he has kept any promise or kept his word on anything, other than to twist and lie, to force reality to change to his image and version and to leave us in a precarious and dangerous state.
"Mene,, mene, tekel oopharsin" So it was written on the wall of the palace of the Babylonian king. He was warned that he has been evaluated, found wanting and his days are numbered. In our situation the question is - whose days are numbered? The days of Trump and his cohorts or the days of us and our Republic? Our choice? Maybe. But we had better make that choice soon or have it taken out of our hands.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
HERE HE IS.....MR. PRESIDENT
It seems to be the start of the pageant and award season so it behooves us to take a look at the contestant for being Mr. President. And what can I say other than boy, do we have a lousy candidate in place.
A president should be inclusive, inviting, encouraging. What we have is one who makes racial slurs as easily as ABC. While supposed to be complimenting the Navajo talkers, brave warriors of the WWII campaign, he needed once again to bring in a slur based on his own stupidity and nasty attitude towards a political opponent and boast how wonderful his speech, which he decided not to give but rather speak extemporaneously - bad move - and as usual, was his usual crass self.
He slurs gender as well at every moment he can find the time or opportunity. Caught on Access Hollywood boasting of his piglike behavior and attitudes towards and with women, he has now decided to forgo his excuse of 'locker talk" and just deny it ever happened and the tape of it? Why that was a fake of course. Any news that comes out that he decides was not such a good idea after he has spoken or tweeted, why just call it fake news, go after the media and shame, shame on him as he is now caught out as having given $10,000 to Project Veritas - a misnomer if ever there were one - an organization which tries to spread mis and dis information aimed at trapping the liberal media or personalities. Filthy stuff at best! And here he is donating to them. Pig!!
A President is supposed to talk truth, to represent all that makes our country great and work, yes, to make it greater, to use his own term, but not for just a small group of Americans. He roars about how he is for the working people, but yet we know the truth. He claims to be against special visas for foreign workers yet guess who has had all his requests for them satisfied. The secret settlement he made in reference to his building with undocumented, non union Polish workers who worked without safety practices has come out and when, oh when, will the "base" realize that he is using them as a stepstool rather than as a representation of benefits for them.
A President is supposed to pick aides and advisers who will serve the country with loyalty and who have done so before, yet what we have is a conglomeration of mostly old, white men who have ripped off the country and the world and amassed obscene fortunes and their goals now? Why to insure that fortune grows and how? Why by taking down any and all regulations that would prevent that and/or watch out for the little man.
His people, unfortunately, have also colluded, many of them, with Russia and why? Who truly knows what happened in their boss's twisted mind or theirs, but there they were emailing, chatting, meeting and who were these people - why generals, captains of industry and commerce and loyalty to the country, to its people, to its benefit - simply not in the picture.
Hopefully all these sins and inappropriate and possibly criminal behavior will come home to roost as people turn witness and informant to save their own hides. Perhaps we can hope for some Republicans with spine who will refuse this awful and dangerous tax bill, and perhaps we will convince our friends and foes alike that America has regained its sanity, its powers, its proper leadership so we will be worthy of a leadership role within the world's community, our enemies will stop harassing our planes and ships and our allies will once again join with us to improve the world, fix the environment, stop picking on the weak, the desperate and instead defend them, protect them, rather than find those who take joy in chasing them down.
Perhaps then we will have worthy people representing us in Washington, serving the needs of the people rather than their own egos, and will prove loyal to the country rather than to a Party.
I, for one, would declare this pageant for the right to claim the title of Mr. President as null and void as the remaining contestant was not worthy of the title and it was time to start all over again, time to regain our sanity, time to truly honor a true and loyal and unselfish Mr. - or Mrs. - President!
And hey, false Mr. President, yes a Merry Christmas to you, a Happy Holidays greeting to you but please remember that there are other citizens of this country and they would like to see a reminder of that in perhaps a menorah somewhere within that vast forest you have moved into the White House!! Happy Chanukah to your family, including the Jewish branch. No Happy Kwanza to you as I see no African American branches. Too bad.
People, wake up. Storm the walls. Demand satisfaction. Tie up the phone lines, the snail mail, email, twitter and whatever. Just fill it all with complaints and demands for an honorable president and government. If we don't who will?
So - Merry Christmas. Happy Kwanza. Happy Chanukah. And if I have missed the New Year holidays of others, I am sorry. May we all share in the joy of holidays and in their true meaning.
Happy Holidays!!
A president should be inclusive, inviting, encouraging. What we have is one who makes racial slurs as easily as ABC. While supposed to be complimenting the Navajo talkers, brave warriors of the WWII campaign, he needed once again to bring in a slur based on his own stupidity and nasty attitude towards a political opponent and boast how wonderful his speech, which he decided not to give but rather speak extemporaneously - bad move - and as usual, was his usual crass self.
He slurs gender as well at every moment he can find the time or opportunity. Caught on Access Hollywood boasting of his piglike behavior and attitudes towards and with women, he has now decided to forgo his excuse of 'locker talk" and just deny it ever happened and the tape of it? Why that was a fake of course. Any news that comes out that he decides was not such a good idea after he has spoken or tweeted, why just call it fake news, go after the media and shame, shame on him as he is now caught out as having given $10,000 to Project Veritas - a misnomer if ever there were one - an organization which tries to spread mis and dis information aimed at trapping the liberal media or personalities. Filthy stuff at best! And here he is donating to them. Pig!!
A President is supposed to talk truth, to represent all that makes our country great and work, yes, to make it greater, to use his own term, but not for just a small group of Americans. He roars about how he is for the working people, but yet we know the truth. He claims to be against special visas for foreign workers yet guess who has had all his requests for them satisfied. The secret settlement he made in reference to his building with undocumented, non union Polish workers who worked without safety practices has come out and when, oh when, will the "base" realize that he is using them as a stepstool rather than as a representation of benefits for them.
A President is supposed to pick aides and advisers who will serve the country with loyalty and who have done so before, yet what we have is a conglomeration of mostly old, white men who have ripped off the country and the world and amassed obscene fortunes and their goals now? Why to insure that fortune grows and how? Why by taking down any and all regulations that would prevent that and/or watch out for the little man.
His people, unfortunately, have also colluded, many of them, with Russia and why? Who truly knows what happened in their boss's twisted mind or theirs, but there they were emailing, chatting, meeting and who were these people - why generals, captains of industry and commerce and loyalty to the country, to its people, to its benefit - simply not in the picture.
Hopefully all these sins and inappropriate and possibly criminal behavior will come home to roost as people turn witness and informant to save their own hides. Perhaps we can hope for some Republicans with spine who will refuse this awful and dangerous tax bill, and perhaps we will convince our friends and foes alike that America has regained its sanity, its powers, its proper leadership so we will be worthy of a leadership role within the world's community, our enemies will stop harassing our planes and ships and our allies will once again join with us to improve the world, fix the environment, stop picking on the weak, the desperate and instead defend them, protect them, rather than find those who take joy in chasing them down.
Perhaps then we will have worthy people representing us in Washington, serving the needs of the people rather than their own egos, and will prove loyal to the country rather than to a Party.
I, for one, would declare this pageant for the right to claim the title of Mr. President as null and void as the remaining contestant was not worthy of the title and it was time to start all over again, time to regain our sanity, time to truly honor a true and loyal and unselfish Mr. - or Mrs. - President!
And hey, false Mr. President, yes a Merry Christmas to you, a Happy Holidays greeting to you but please remember that there are other citizens of this country and they would like to see a reminder of that in perhaps a menorah somewhere within that vast forest you have moved into the White House!! Happy Chanukah to your family, including the Jewish branch. No Happy Kwanza to you as I see no African American branches. Too bad.
People, wake up. Storm the walls. Demand satisfaction. Tie up the phone lines, the snail mail, email, twitter and whatever. Just fill it all with complaints and demands for an honorable president and government. If we don't who will?
So - Merry Christmas. Happy Kwanza. Happy Chanukah. And if I have missed the New Year holidays of others, I am sorry. May we all share in the joy of holidays and in their true meaning.
Happy Holidays!!
Sunday, November 26, 2017
HARD WORKER
Such a hard worker, he is. It is not easy to play golf four days in a row and then find the energy to tweet those vital statements and also appoint a man to head the office of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Such a thoughtful appointment, negating the customary process and appointing a man who has openly criticized this bureau and its duties.
But this is not the first time that Trump has appointed people to positions that are diametrically opposed to the welfare of the Americans. They have rolled back regulations that protected the consumer, that helped clean up the environment or at least get started on it. Regulations and rules to prevent another Great Recession such as we had in 2008 and continued for years until the Obama administration pulled us out via its rules and regulations.
The misnomered tax 'reform' which is actually a tax plan for the benefit of the wealthy is beloved by no one, even including many businessmen but Trump will push this thru for as usual, he supports anything that will benefit HIM and his estate and bank accounts.
The Obamacare that took care of so many, that allowed more widespread healthcare, was attacked and attacked yet again even as Trump has tried to disembowel it to the detriment of those who need it. Its registration numbers are up, by many of his own base as well. The problem is the lack of understanding and recognition that his policies do not help his base at all, and are, in fact poised to hurt them badly, in their health, in the air they breathe, in the water they drink, in the cars they ride. The future of their children is in jeopardy.
And yet this farce of a President continues on, further embarrassing us as we present ourselves to the world. His delusions of grandeur are sick, very sick, and indicative of a blown mind, a mind that has degenerated and continues to do so. All is seen thru the mirror of his ego and his twisting of reality. There appears to be no end to this.
Trump already has a fake Time cover of himself as Man of the Year, just as so many kids do when they take a picture of this with themselves as the topic. It is a standard photo op but only this man convinces himself it is so. This year he has decided to preempt Time which will announce of Dec. 6 and has tweeted that he turned it down because Time said it was a maybe choice and he would have to sit for photos an interview. What an ego!!! Time never announces in advance and G-d forbid he be that man on the cover for though it would be meant in black humor and in concern, he would take it as a compliment, so dense is he.
He fights as a child with CNN and any and all others who displease him and tries to interfere with a business merger that involves CNN. Why CNN? Because they report the news as it is and is editorial policy is out to set the facts straight and they make no bones about it. He praises Fox, but even they are beginning to show the strain of supporting him and finding a positive spin on his craziness. What will he do then?
His job is to be the representative of America to the world. His job is to fight for the benefit of the American, not the fat cat American. His job was to cut all ties to all possible conflicts of interest and yet he has not and yet his businesses continue to gain from his position as President. His job was to appoint people to positions where they would be watchdogs and thinkers for the American people. Instead, he has done the opposite. His job was to insure a safe world because of the involvement of the United States in it and its affairs, with its allies, with moral leadership. His job was to unite a badly divided and angry country and instead he has done the opposite, causing even more polarization. His job was to be loyal to his country, to appoint people to be by his side who were true Americans, loyal, true blue and yet the stink of collusion with our enemy, Russia, hangs like a pall over him.
In other words, he has not done his job. He has done more to harm this country than any other man or President. He needs to go and the American people need to make it clear that we will not stand for this anymore, that one who follows after him had better realize this and act accordingly, with the benefit of the people in mind, a truly beneficial behavior rather than lies and more lies. And we need Americans serving in Congress once more, not Republicans or Democrats,but Americans. We must all be Americans. We must.
But this is not the first time that Trump has appointed people to positions that are diametrically opposed to the welfare of the Americans. They have rolled back regulations that protected the consumer, that helped clean up the environment or at least get started on it. Regulations and rules to prevent another Great Recession such as we had in 2008 and continued for years until the Obama administration pulled us out via its rules and regulations.
The misnomered tax 'reform' which is actually a tax plan for the benefit of the wealthy is beloved by no one, even including many businessmen but Trump will push this thru for as usual, he supports anything that will benefit HIM and his estate and bank accounts.
The Obamacare that took care of so many, that allowed more widespread healthcare, was attacked and attacked yet again even as Trump has tried to disembowel it to the detriment of those who need it. Its registration numbers are up, by many of his own base as well. The problem is the lack of understanding and recognition that his policies do not help his base at all, and are, in fact poised to hurt them badly, in their health, in the air they breathe, in the water they drink, in the cars they ride. The future of their children is in jeopardy.
And yet this farce of a President continues on, further embarrassing us as we present ourselves to the world. His delusions of grandeur are sick, very sick, and indicative of a blown mind, a mind that has degenerated and continues to do so. All is seen thru the mirror of his ego and his twisting of reality. There appears to be no end to this.
Trump already has a fake Time cover of himself as Man of the Year, just as so many kids do when they take a picture of this with themselves as the topic. It is a standard photo op but only this man convinces himself it is so. This year he has decided to preempt Time which will announce of Dec. 6 and has tweeted that he turned it down because Time said it was a maybe choice and he would have to sit for photos an interview. What an ego!!! Time never announces in advance and G-d forbid he be that man on the cover for though it would be meant in black humor and in concern, he would take it as a compliment, so dense is he.
He fights as a child with CNN and any and all others who displease him and tries to interfere with a business merger that involves CNN. Why CNN? Because they report the news as it is and is editorial policy is out to set the facts straight and they make no bones about it. He praises Fox, but even they are beginning to show the strain of supporting him and finding a positive spin on his craziness. What will he do then?
His job is to be the representative of America to the world. His job is to fight for the benefit of the American, not the fat cat American. His job was to cut all ties to all possible conflicts of interest and yet he has not and yet his businesses continue to gain from his position as President. His job was to appoint people to positions where they would be watchdogs and thinkers for the American people. Instead, he has done the opposite. His job was to insure a safe world because of the involvement of the United States in it and its affairs, with its allies, with moral leadership. His job was to unite a badly divided and angry country and instead he has done the opposite, causing even more polarization. His job was to be loyal to his country, to appoint people to be by his side who were true Americans, loyal, true blue and yet the stink of collusion with our enemy, Russia, hangs like a pall over him.
In other words, he has not done his job. He has done more to harm this country than any other man or President. He needs to go and the American people need to make it clear that we will not stand for this anymore, that one who follows after him had better realize this and act accordingly, with the benefit of the people in mind, a truly beneficial behavior rather than lies and more lies. And we need Americans serving in Congress once more, not Republicans or Democrats,but Americans. We must all be Americans. We must.
Friday, November 24, 2017
THE DAY AFTER
There is always the day after, after the buildup and the expectations, after the preparation. And then what? Does it match the dreams of the day or was it a big letdown and where and how do we move on? For me, the best thing about Thanksgiving Day is not the meal, for trust me, there is always a reason for a meal in the Jewish religion; in fact, every Friday nite will do the trick!! So what was it?
It was the watching of all the cousins testing out the relationships again. It was watching them bond and make plans together. It was watching the parents turn into kids again, old family jokes, and seeing the aunt and uncle parts come into play. It is hard when families are scattered so seeing them together is a treat beyond words.
So I am thankful for having this opportunity once again and look forward to the next time, but what about those for whom the day after is just as bland or dangerous as the day before and the day before and all the days after? We need to keep them in mind not just the day after but for all time until the problem is resolved.
The Dreamers. Those poor souls who stand to get evicted from what for all intents and purposes is their country, the one where they grew up, where they live, study, work and yes, are beginning to raise families of their own. Olivia Wilde took advantage of her follower, Ivanka, and sent her a message. “I see you’re following me on Instagram. This Thanksgiving I would be grateful if you use the influence you have to advocate for a CLEAN Dream Act by December,” she began. “Every day that passes without a clean Dream Act means anxiety and deportation for immigrant youth.”
Will it be heard? Probably not, for so hardhearted is the administration under which we live. More and more it behaves like a growing demagogic family, with family members butting in, tweeting and shouting and participating in areas where they do not belong. Junior shouts just like his father, daring people to provide justice as they investigate him. The Trump family thinks it is immune but perhaps, on the day after, we can manage to shake that up, at least a bit.
There are signs of hope. Flynn's lawyers have informed Trump's lawyers that there is no more sharing of info and plans. Simply put, that means that Flynn is going to co-operate with Mueller. Another nail in the coffin, hopefully. Trump shouts his alternative reality - lies - as he rails against Obamacare even as the enrollment continues apace, more than ever, even as he tries his hardest to sabotage it, he and the members of Congress who have their own gold plated medical care plan!!
Even more encouraging is the fact that Billy Baldwin has come out against Trump and his sexual behavior, telling all how Trump hit on his wife who showed him the door, uninvited as he was!! We must remember that Trump is just as guilty, if not more, as those perverts caught up in the wave of disclosures and as much as they deserve to be punished - even more so does he. It appears that being outed shames them, but that man just boasts and boasts.
Finally, we have the words of Colin Kaepernick who has certainly put his money where his mouth is. He has had repercussions for his actions but continues, no violence, positive actions and here is his message from yesterday - and for the day after and for all the days and years after until America comes back to the right path, to her proper historical and moral roles. May it be soon.
It was the watching of all the cousins testing out the relationships again. It was watching them bond and make plans together. It was watching the parents turn into kids again, old family jokes, and seeing the aunt and uncle parts come into play. It is hard when families are scattered so seeing them together is a treat beyond words.
So I am thankful for having this opportunity once again and look forward to the next time, but what about those for whom the day after is just as bland or dangerous as the day before and the day before and all the days after? We need to keep them in mind not just the day after but for all time until the problem is resolved.
The Dreamers. Those poor souls who stand to get evicted from what for all intents and purposes is their country, the one where they grew up, where they live, study, work and yes, are beginning to raise families of their own. Olivia Wilde took advantage of her follower, Ivanka, and sent her a message. “I see you’re following me on Instagram. This Thanksgiving I would be grateful if you use the influence you have to advocate for a CLEAN Dream Act by December,” she began. “Every day that passes without a clean Dream Act means anxiety and deportation for immigrant youth.”
Will it be heard? Probably not, for so hardhearted is the administration under which we live. More and more it behaves like a growing demagogic family, with family members butting in, tweeting and shouting and participating in areas where they do not belong. Junior shouts just like his father, daring people to provide justice as they investigate him. The Trump family thinks it is immune but perhaps, on the day after, we can manage to shake that up, at least a bit.
There are signs of hope. Flynn's lawyers have informed Trump's lawyers that there is no more sharing of info and plans. Simply put, that means that Flynn is going to co-operate with Mueller. Another nail in the coffin, hopefully. Trump shouts his alternative reality - lies - as he rails against Obamacare even as the enrollment continues apace, more than ever, even as he tries his hardest to sabotage it, he and the members of Congress who have their own gold plated medical care plan!!
Even more encouraging is the fact that Billy Baldwin has come out against Trump and his sexual behavior, telling all how Trump hit on his wife who showed him the door, uninvited as he was!! We must remember that Trump is just as guilty, if not more, as those perverts caught up in the wave of disclosures and as much as they deserve to be punished - even more so does he. It appears that being outed shames them, but that man just boasts and boasts.
Finally, we have the words of Colin Kaepernick who has certainly put his money where his mouth is. He has had repercussions for his actions but continues, no violence, positive actions and here is his message from yesterday - and for the day after and for all the days and years after until America comes back to the right path, to her proper historical and moral roles. May it be soon.
"I realize that our fight is the same fight. We're all fighting for our justice, for our freedom, and realizing that we're in this fight together makes it all the more powerful.
If there's one thing that I take away from today and seeing the beauty of everybody out here, it's that we're only getting stronger every day, we're only getting larger and larger every day. I see the strength in everybody.
The dancing, the rituals – that is our resistance. We continue to fight. We continue to fight for justice. We fight for our freedom, and we continue on that path."
Thursday, November 23, 2017
GIVING THANKS
It is hard for people to say thank you. It is awkward at times. Sometimes the other person does not want to hear the thank you for it embarrasses them. Other times we do not realize that we owe a thank you to somebody. Thus it is a good thing that we have such a day as today where we can give both general and specific thank yous, but I must caution those who stand ready to greet the adulation they think is coming their way - forced thank yous mean nothing, as little and as worthless as forced apologies.
The best thing to do? Think and review. What are you truly grateful for, that you can thank your stars every day that it has come your way? Most of us think of family, the partner, the children and those blessed grandchildren who come with unconditional love.
We can say thanks for the friends, old and new, and reach deeper to strengthen friendships and renew those that somehow lapsed over the years. And we must recognize those in our lives who are not 'friends' but who have given much to us in terms of quality of life - the health care personnel, the service providers in the various aspects of life, and simply the person on the street who greets you with a smile and a friendly greeting, for that does add a touch to the day.
It used to be that we could say a hearty thank you for the privilege of living in our country, but today we have some issues do we not? And yet, we are still lucky to live here in the USA even though there is much to be fixed and for my overseas and international readers, you, too, must think of your country and ask what you owe it in gratitude and what needs to be fixed for there is no perfect Eden on this planet.
For those of us lucky and blessed enough to be able to not worry about food on the table, a roof over our head, clothes on our back, and even some comforts in life, we must remember that there are others out there who do not have theses necessities of life and most often thru no fault of their own. There are many causes of this be it from political reasons to catastrophes of nature. We must share our bounty with those who have need of it.
This last bit is worrisome, for in times of the world such as we are presently living, sometimes we are short in what we feel we need. We are angry at the status quo and we descend into hatred and blame. We are bombarded by people who promise the world if only they get the power! And when they do get it, suddenly they are the demagogue who replaces the old one. These demagogues come in all sorts of sizes, disguises and genders and frankly, the extremes on all sides are no good.
To me, what is most frightening is the ease at which people shift gears into that hatred, blaming others for situations that have nothing to do with them, or falling for the lies of politicians and we here in America have one such person in place. So what to be thankful for here? Well, one year down and we have survived though we have received some bad wounds. We can be thankful for a stronger resistance, a defiance. We can be grateful to those who have decided not to stand on the sidelines any longer.
As for the elephant in the room, the ever growing scandal of sexual harassment and worse by men towards and with women- let us be thankful that at least the wounds of the victims will be assuaged somehow by talking, getting it out there and hopefully forcing people to look deeply at themselves and no, this does not matter if you are Democrat or Republican, for it affects all, though I must say that the Democrats are quicker to admit it and take responsibility while the Republicans tend to bluster and deny - a la Trump!
So I am thankful for much in my life and even have seen the hits come with a silver lining, difficult as it might be to see at times. I am certainly grateful for the ability to run this blog and for my loyal readers. Thank you. And thank you, dear Lord, for the blessings You have bestowed upon me and my family over the years and hope there will be many more good and bountiful years to come.
So Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone. Enjoy!!
The best thing to do? Think and review. What are you truly grateful for, that you can thank your stars every day that it has come your way? Most of us think of family, the partner, the children and those blessed grandchildren who come with unconditional love.
We can say thanks for the friends, old and new, and reach deeper to strengthen friendships and renew those that somehow lapsed over the years. And we must recognize those in our lives who are not 'friends' but who have given much to us in terms of quality of life - the health care personnel, the service providers in the various aspects of life, and simply the person on the street who greets you with a smile and a friendly greeting, for that does add a touch to the day.
It used to be that we could say a hearty thank you for the privilege of living in our country, but today we have some issues do we not? And yet, we are still lucky to live here in the USA even though there is much to be fixed and for my overseas and international readers, you, too, must think of your country and ask what you owe it in gratitude and what needs to be fixed for there is no perfect Eden on this planet.
For those of us lucky and blessed enough to be able to not worry about food on the table, a roof over our head, clothes on our back, and even some comforts in life, we must remember that there are others out there who do not have theses necessities of life and most often thru no fault of their own. There are many causes of this be it from political reasons to catastrophes of nature. We must share our bounty with those who have need of it.
This last bit is worrisome, for in times of the world such as we are presently living, sometimes we are short in what we feel we need. We are angry at the status quo and we descend into hatred and blame. We are bombarded by people who promise the world if only they get the power! And when they do get it, suddenly they are the demagogue who replaces the old one. These demagogues come in all sorts of sizes, disguises and genders and frankly, the extremes on all sides are no good.
To me, what is most frightening is the ease at which people shift gears into that hatred, blaming others for situations that have nothing to do with them, or falling for the lies of politicians and we here in America have one such person in place. So what to be thankful for here? Well, one year down and we have survived though we have received some bad wounds. We can be thankful for a stronger resistance, a defiance. We can be grateful to those who have decided not to stand on the sidelines any longer.
As for the elephant in the room, the ever growing scandal of sexual harassment and worse by men towards and with women- let us be thankful that at least the wounds of the victims will be assuaged somehow by talking, getting it out there and hopefully forcing people to look deeply at themselves and no, this does not matter if you are Democrat or Republican, for it affects all, though I must say that the Democrats are quicker to admit it and take responsibility while the Republicans tend to bluster and deny - a la Trump!
So I am thankful for much in my life and even have seen the hits come with a silver lining, difficult as it might be to see at times. I am certainly grateful for the ability to run this blog and for my loyal readers. Thank you. And thank you, dear Lord, for the blessings You have bestowed upon me and my family over the years and hope there will be many more good and bountiful years to come.
So Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone. Enjoy!!
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
GO FORTH AND BE A JOKE UNTO THE NATIONS
Maybe it is best not to be designated a role model for other nations. The prognosis does not turn out well at all. In biblical times the people of Israel were to be a light unto the nations, to set an example, to lead the way onto the correct path and look what happened. Destruction and exile and today, an unfair expectation that holds Israel above other nations and their actions. Tough going.
And what about that other nation, not Biblically appointed, but historically appointed- the United States of America. I believe that for many a year we held that position, took it seriously and even as we stumbled, fell, bled, we picked ourselves up again and used the law to make things right. But what a change now. No more do we stand as an example of the right thing to do. Nope, for instead we stand as an example of a nation gone wrong and have become an isolated nation among other nations as the world looks at us as a growing joke.
Wise nations choose wise leaders and if they disappoint they are replaced by others. Sometimes there are errors but usually we have found our way back though it seems that today we are lost, hopelessly lost and we are the ones crying out to be rescued from the desert.
We have a leader at whom people look askance. Just what is he doing now, people wonder. His obsessive behavior, his nasty tweets, his lack of morals, his backing of Roy Moore, his own confession of molesting women, deny it though he now does, his outlandish policy statements and the erratic behavior of his aides- all combine to make him and us a joke unto the nations.
We have lost our way. We have developed a corps of cruel people, people willing to chase after immigrants, legal or not, after special categories of immigrants, adults and children alike, families be damned. Just substitute the uniforms and the dates and the nationality of the people and we have the gendarmes of France, the police of the Netherlands, the informers of Poland as they turned on Jewish people in their town and country, people who had lived there for centuries and people who had come more recently. It did not matter, for the point was to get rid of them just as the point here seems to get rid of them and while all were focused on a physical wall, it seems that Trump et al have built a legal wall that is restricting immigration, and all are "just doing their jobs". Frightening. Here we are not a joke unto the world but an example again, an example of what not to do, of what is wrong and hateful.
But other nations of the world follow in our footsteps for if we are so busy persecuting our own people, turning on our history, our very essence, then why cannot they do the same thing. So the wars in the African states continue and the Rohingya are killed and raped and chased in the hundreds of thousands, we ignore our 'allies' use of child soldiers, all the better to fit our policies and we are now a dangerous joke unto the nations.
We have Richard Spence holding one of his awful events in secret, in disguise and too bad for him that the farmer cancelled him, chased him out, when he was found out!! We have that certifiable spokewoman, Kellyanne Conway, all the aides and the President himself who are under deep and dark gray clouds of suspicion of collusion with the enemy and what, people, do we tell our children, our grandchildren? What do we tell them to explain how we have lost our way, how we have allowed nasty and cruel people to rise to the top, like scum on water, but we have neglected to skim them off!
So we have military officers with the President who behave disreputably with women, and Senators and Representatives who think they have the right of droit de seigneur, and Hollywood figures who think they are in different categories, and minor little men who think their little power is sufficient to oppress the women under their control.
And it seems that no matter who speaks up, be it the ex RNC head, or newcasters with disgust, or people on the street, the nation itself has inverted, with vices and lacks and deficiencies rising forth and all we seem to worry about is if one is standing or kneeling during the anthem. Why not worry what that anthem represents and when it once more comes back to the path of nations that light the way, then perhaps all will stand once more. No more horrific joke unto the nations of the world. Please.
And what about that other nation, not Biblically appointed, but historically appointed- the United States of America. I believe that for many a year we held that position, took it seriously and even as we stumbled, fell, bled, we picked ourselves up again and used the law to make things right. But what a change now. No more do we stand as an example of the right thing to do. Nope, for instead we stand as an example of a nation gone wrong and have become an isolated nation among other nations as the world looks at us as a growing joke.
Wise nations choose wise leaders and if they disappoint they are replaced by others. Sometimes there are errors but usually we have found our way back though it seems that today we are lost, hopelessly lost and we are the ones crying out to be rescued from the desert.
We have a leader at whom people look askance. Just what is he doing now, people wonder. His obsessive behavior, his nasty tweets, his lack of morals, his backing of Roy Moore, his own confession of molesting women, deny it though he now does, his outlandish policy statements and the erratic behavior of his aides- all combine to make him and us a joke unto the nations.
We have lost our way. We have developed a corps of cruel people, people willing to chase after immigrants, legal or not, after special categories of immigrants, adults and children alike, families be damned. Just substitute the uniforms and the dates and the nationality of the people and we have the gendarmes of France, the police of the Netherlands, the informers of Poland as they turned on Jewish people in their town and country, people who had lived there for centuries and people who had come more recently. It did not matter, for the point was to get rid of them just as the point here seems to get rid of them and while all were focused on a physical wall, it seems that Trump et al have built a legal wall that is restricting immigration, and all are "just doing their jobs". Frightening. Here we are not a joke unto the world but an example again, an example of what not to do, of what is wrong and hateful.
But other nations of the world follow in our footsteps for if we are so busy persecuting our own people, turning on our history, our very essence, then why cannot they do the same thing. So the wars in the African states continue and the Rohingya are killed and raped and chased in the hundreds of thousands, we ignore our 'allies' use of child soldiers, all the better to fit our policies and we are now a dangerous joke unto the nations.
We have Richard Spence holding one of his awful events in secret, in disguise and too bad for him that the farmer cancelled him, chased him out, when he was found out!! We have that certifiable spokewoman, Kellyanne Conway, all the aides and the President himself who are under deep and dark gray clouds of suspicion of collusion with the enemy and what, people, do we tell our children, our grandchildren? What do we tell them to explain how we have lost our way, how we have allowed nasty and cruel people to rise to the top, like scum on water, but we have neglected to skim them off!
So we have military officers with the President who behave disreputably with women, and Senators and Representatives who think they have the right of droit de seigneur, and Hollywood figures who think they are in different categories, and minor little men who think their little power is sufficient to oppress the women under their control.
And it seems that no matter who speaks up, be it the ex RNC head, or newcasters with disgust, or people on the street, the nation itself has inverted, with vices and lacks and deficiencies rising forth and all we seem to worry about is if one is standing or kneeling during the anthem. Why not worry what that anthem represents and when it once more comes back to the path of nations that light the way, then perhaps all will stand once more. No more horrific joke unto the nations of the world. Please.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN
We have all heard or even have the poster which states that all I have learned I learned in kindergarten. There is some truth to this for the elements of basic society living are taught and hopefully caught while in kindergarten. However, and a big however at that, it seems that many have not learned these lessons and unfortunately many are now in positions of power over us. Terrific!!
Whether these lessons are learned beginning in the dynamics of the home and/or reinforced in the classroom and continued, it seems that many men have learned the lessons of crude and cruel power. It seems they have become inordinately proud of and focused on one part of their anatomy almost to the exclusion of all else and demand that women worship it, whether they like it or not. Bullying par excellence and it seems to make no difference the level or profession or even the amount of power wielded - they just do it.
What makes it worse is that like kindergartners, when caught, these offenders take to denying, to lying, and there are those who back them up, the latest being the statements that it does not make a difference what Roy Moore did, for his vote is needed in the Senate for the tax bill and whatever other nefarious plans the chief molester in residence, Trump, has lined up.
So what is one to do? How does a woman continue when the eating away of her soul is at the very end of living with. When there is a limit to pushing the horror down anymore. So first one woman breaks forth with the truth and then another and another and yet another and they seems to come in tidal waves. So bad is the problem and so much have we behaved as dangerous kindergartners who have not yet learned the lessons of private and personal space and the limits on one's lesser impulses.
But these immature and impulsive behaviors do not end with molestation. They continue in to other spheres of life. It is particularly hard to teach our young to behave better, to think better, when the very President needs to have picking up behind him, like the elephants and horses in the parade. But it is not for society to pick up the crap that he or anyone else dishes out. So, no, it is not acceptable for Kellyanne Conway to try to excuse her monster of a boss for his statement or tweet that he should have left those basketball players in prison - in Communist China - where the rights of all, particularly prisoners are not exactly respected!! Yes, they did wrong, but it was a stupid misdeed and certainly not deserving of ten years of hard labor in the Chinese gulag!!! And for Trump to sulk and then wish undone what was done - unacceptable!!!
It is also unacceptable for Trump to get into these shouting matches with families of athletes and who knows where and when that will end. It apparently makes no difference to Trump whether one is an athlete, a family member, a politician, or with whomever he has a bone to pick. On he rants and raves, shouting metaphorically and the worst thing about this is the excuse making of others for him when all the time the truth is that he and his need to go - far away!!
There are some victories such as the decision made by the judge that permanently blocks the threats of Trump against sanctuary cities. There are moments when someone proves that kindergarten has been successful to a degree and the student has been able to move on. But how many others have not and how many others are going to tread all over us, trample on the rights of all those who are not them and remember, this applies to all races and ethnicities and religions, shamefully so, so please, do not pat yourself on the back, thinking that because one is African American or Jewish or Catholic or a Protestant pastor, that one is immune from the base kindergarten impulses.
We all need to go back to school and this time, when we don the little fake graduation robes and hats for kindergarten graduation, please make sure that we have learned all that we were supposed to and that we have learned that book and class learning must translate to societal action - all on the positive side. Most important, we hopefully will learn that impulses need to be controlled and that all classmates are to be respected.
Think this will ever happen? Great doubts assail me, but perhaps I am being too pessimistic. Whatever, we do not truly have much time to turn this around, do we? Kindergarten education cannot be a lifetime - or can it?
Whether these lessons are learned beginning in the dynamics of the home and/or reinforced in the classroom and continued, it seems that many men have learned the lessons of crude and cruel power. It seems they have become inordinately proud of and focused on one part of their anatomy almost to the exclusion of all else and demand that women worship it, whether they like it or not. Bullying par excellence and it seems to make no difference the level or profession or even the amount of power wielded - they just do it.
What makes it worse is that like kindergartners, when caught, these offenders take to denying, to lying, and there are those who back them up, the latest being the statements that it does not make a difference what Roy Moore did, for his vote is needed in the Senate for the tax bill and whatever other nefarious plans the chief molester in residence, Trump, has lined up.
So what is one to do? How does a woman continue when the eating away of her soul is at the very end of living with. When there is a limit to pushing the horror down anymore. So first one woman breaks forth with the truth and then another and another and yet another and they seems to come in tidal waves. So bad is the problem and so much have we behaved as dangerous kindergartners who have not yet learned the lessons of private and personal space and the limits on one's lesser impulses.
But these immature and impulsive behaviors do not end with molestation. They continue in to other spheres of life. It is particularly hard to teach our young to behave better, to think better, when the very President needs to have picking up behind him, like the elephants and horses in the parade. But it is not for society to pick up the crap that he or anyone else dishes out. So, no, it is not acceptable for Kellyanne Conway to try to excuse her monster of a boss for his statement or tweet that he should have left those basketball players in prison - in Communist China - where the rights of all, particularly prisoners are not exactly respected!! Yes, they did wrong, but it was a stupid misdeed and certainly not deserving of ten years of hard labor in the Chinese gulag!!! And for Trump to sulk and then wish undone what was done - unacceptable!!!
It is also unacceptable for Trump to get into these shouting matches with families of athletes and who knows where and when that will end. It apparently makes no difference to Trump whether one is an athlete, a family member, a politician, or with whomever he has a bone to pick. On he rants and raves, shouting metaphorically and the worst thing about this is the excuse making of others for him when all the time the truth is that he and his need to go - far away!!
There are some victories such as the decision made by the judge that permanently blocks the threats of Trump against sanctuary cities. There are moments when someone proves that kindergarten has been successful to a degree and the student has been able to move on. But how many others have not and how many others are going to tread all over us, trample on the rights of all those who are not them and remember, this applies to all races and ethnicities and religions, shamefully so, so please, do not pat yourself on the back, thinking that because one is African American or Jewish or Catholic or a Protestant pastor, that one is immune from the base kindergarten impulses.
We all need to go back to school and this time, when we don the little fake graduation robes and hats for kindergarten graduation, please make sure that we have learned all that we were supposed to and that we have learned that book and class learning must translate to societal action - all on the positive side. Most important, we hopefully will learn that impulses need to be controlled and that all classmates are to be respected.
Think this will ever happen? Great doubts assail me, but perhaps I am being too pessimistic. Whatever, we do not truly have much time to turn this around, do we? Kindergarten education cannot be a lifetime - or can it?
Monday, November 20, 2017
OVER THE TOP
First let me apologize for the lateness of the posting, but we traveled early this morning to join our kids for the holiday. There was no time to even turn on the computer! And I must tell you that it was so pleasant not to hear about that man for close to three hours as I only read on the plane and do not listen to the news or talk shows of the morning. So peace was upon us.
What was interesting was watching the other passengers as they looked at papers or talked among themselves. There were great big sighs after a news article was read, shrugs when one questioned the other about "what now" and just an atmosphere of anguish and concern as to what could be done.
So Thursday when we are thankful for so much - for health - if we have it - or for help if we need it- for family, for the ability to live in a good retirement, to be able to help family members, for friends - no one with any sense will be thankful for that man. Instead we will be wondering again how this came about.
But it is not difficult to indeed figure out. When one looks at the Moore campaign in that dim state of Alabama, and read that pastors are afraid to mention his name, to outright condemn him and his actions, or worse - make excuses and call those poor women liars - well, what could we have expected in the presidential election when people say such things, and elected a self confessed molester.
Charles Blow, in an op-ed piece today wrote superbly about the epidemic of women and men and the molesting of the former by the latter. Basically, it is a culture that must be eradicated and it is seemingly ingrained in most, if not all men. I do know some good men who would never ever do such things, never cross their mind but let's face it folks, the majority do use power, as little as it might be, to frighten and demand of women what should not be. I remember when I was 13 or 14 and I walked into a darkened room, empty as far as I knew, and suddenly the lights were switched on and two boys or young men really about 5 or 6 years older than me stood there with their things hanging out. I ran out, not really sure what had just happened and did not tell a soul for I thought I had done something wrong or else why would they have done that? I still cringe today at the memory. There are more stories and harassment out there than we could ever imagine.
Meanwhile this is a world wide problem and needs to be addressed but with men in positions of power, who knows and when a molester is openly elected, then what are we to expect. In fact, we right now have an infant with very few brakes, if any, on his ego and his id for that matter. He lies thru his teeth , talks of himself in third person - not a good thing, and expects gratitude to be given in flowery terms and for a long period of time. This is his thinking as an infant and the lack of realization that he is president not only of his supposed base but of all Americans.
But actually, he seems to be unable to do this. He perseverates. He whines. He lies. He thinks only of his own fortune and that of his family. He does not do the work of a president. He golfs! and golfs! He gets into arguments over twitter with members of his own party let alone all the rest of the people. He takes it all personally and cannot deal with it and cannot let go of any opposition, be it Jeff Flake or Hillary Clinton.
This man, his mode of thinking, his level of thinking, his mental deterioration - it all must go. And so must his followers who would remain behind and continue his path for they are all just as guilty as he is for pressing on with their interests and to hell with the interests of America. they have truly gone over the top.
What was interesting was watching the other passengers as they looked at papers or talked among themselves. There were great big sighs after a news article was read, shrugs when one questioned the other about "what now" and just an atmosphere of anguish and concern as to what could be done.
So Thursday when we are thankful for so much - for health - if we have it - or for help if we need it- for family, for the ability to live in a good retirement, to be able to help family members, for friends - no one with any sense will be thankful for that man. Instead we will be wondering again how this came about.
But it is not difficult to indeed figure out. When one looks at the Moore campaign in that dim state of Alabama, and read that pastors are afraid to mention his name, to outright condemn him and his actions, or worse - make excuses and call those poor women liars - well, what could we have expected in the presidential election when people say such things, and elected a self confessed molester.
Charles Blow, in an op-ed piece today wrote superbly about the epidemic of women and men and the molesting of the former by the latter. Basically, it is a culture that must be eradicated and it is seemingly ingrained in most, if not all men. I do know some good men who would never ever do such things, never cross their mind but let's face it folks, the majority do use power, as little as it might be, to frighten and demand of women what should not be. I remember when I was 13 or 14 and I walked into a darkened room, empty as far as I knew, and suddenly the lights were switched on and two boys or young men really about 5 or 6 years older than me stood there with their things hanging out. I ran out, not really sure what had just happened and did not tell a soul for I thought I had done something wrong or else why would they have done that? I still cringe today at the memory. There are more stories and harassment out there than we could ever imagine.
Meanwhile this is a world wide problem and needs to be addressed but with men in positions of power, who knows and when a molester is openly elected, then what are we to expect. In fact, we right now have an infant with very few brakes, if any, on his ego and his id for that matter. He lies thru his teeth , talks of himself in third person - not a good thing, and expects gratitude to be given in flowery terms and for a long period of time. This is his thinking as an infant and the lack of realization that he is president not only of his supposed base but of all Americans.
But actually, he seems to be unable to do this. He perseverates. He whines. He lies. He thinks only of his own fortune and that of his family. He does not do the work of a president. He golfs! and golfs! He gets into arguments over twitter with members of his own party let alone all the rest of the people. He takes it all personally and cannot deal with it and cannot let go of any opposition, be it Jeff Flake or Hillary Clinton.
This man, his mode of thinking, his level of thinking, his mental deterioration - it all must go. And so must his followers who would remain behind and continue his path for they are all just as guilty as he is for pressing on with their interests and to hell with the interests of America. they have truly gone over the top.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
TO BE OR NOT TO BE
Hamlet was not sure of the answer and neither am I - but we are not asking the same thing. He is choosing life or death and I am talking of pride, of hope, of faith, of philosophy of life.
So let me ask a few questions and answer honestly. As compared to two years ago, are you as sure of a good future. Same comparison for the rest. How do you feel about pride in America? Do you still feel a shiver down your back when you recite the pledge or sing the anthem? Do you have more or less faith in our politicians and supposed leaders? Have you now finally begun to question your choice at the polls? Do you yearn for a change? Are you bewildered by the deep divisions revealing themselves in our society? And do you wonder how we will fix this?
There is no question that society is changing, evolving, but to what? Will we have a return to past mores, an evilness, that allow men to do whatever they want, to indulge sophomoric dreams, to treat women as chattels, or will we change and learn to respect each other. As I watch and read and listen to the latest in this issue I am not sure of a good result for it has become embroiled in nasty politics. What is all the indignation on the side of the Republicans when it is the Great Molester that they follow as their presumed head? Why are they shouting for an investigation of Franken but willing to back Roy Moore for office as another Senator, as the Republican Party in Alabama supports him in his run? Why are we picking and choosing between objects worthy of further investigation and those not? Please, tell me the difference and again, why does Trump get off scot free even as he indulges in major hypocrisy as he condemns Franken and not himself nor Moore. The truth is that all these men are pigs, indulging themselves, forgetting that they too have or had mothers and sisters and daughters. Once the line is crossed there is no right to condemn others for the same deeds and yet, are these politicians not doing this and is it not worse than anything when a pastor comes out and says women are the predators - "they are chasing young boys down the road"!!!!!
Where are the heroes who know how to stand up to the dirt and filth we have in our presumed leaders? Jeff Flake warns his friend that they, the Republicans are doomed if they become the party of Trump and Moore and I hate to break it to him, but they are already there. When Republicans of Palm Beach, a group of Republican Attorneys General and a made up group called the Trumpettes decide to hold galas at Mar a Lago to make up for those who rightfully pulled out, then we know that we have gone wrong, made a wrong turn somewhere as a nation.
Where is our hope to build a good future for our families, for the world, when the man at the top is obsessed with his former opponent, as if the campaign is still on, still tweeting away, still lying, still threatening, like a tin-pot dictator to haul his former opponent into court!!! For that matter, between tweeting his nasty remarks, adding to his lies which amount to an average of five per day since elected!!! - how and when does he find time to do anything other than wander off to one of his golf courses or another and then golf away the hours of days and weeks?
We have an army whose nuclear connected general has raised doubts as to action when the president asks for it, raising issues of legality, trust. We have a government that is focused to the point of obsession on immigrants, attacking one of the foundation principles of our nation, trying to set up an algorithm that will recognize the "terrorists" applying for entry into the country and so what if innocents are caught up in this, so what if Americans are by the dozens and hundreds are caught up in this as social media is raked through to see who has criticized the government.
To be or not to be? Are we to be the United States of America, a proud nation of the world, a nation which is true to itself, a nation which looks to better itself, to weed out the bad, the evil, those who would harm rather than help? Or are we to be the nation of Trump and Moore and McConnell and Nazis and more? Do you not wish to feel pride in our country once more, to recite the pledge with patriotic pride? I do, so very strongly do I desire that. But am I optimistic? Not in any way. There is too much out there that we have to deal with and still too much hypocrisy and blindness and misplaced fear. To be or not to be? To be the United States of America or not? Your choice. Our choice. What will it be?
So let me ask a few questions and answer honestly. As compared to two years ago, are you as sure of a good future. Same comparison for the rest. How do you feel about pride in America? Do you still feel a shiver down your back when you recite the pledge or sing the anthem? Do you have more or less faith in our politicians and supposed leaders? Have you now finally begun to question your choice at the polls? Do you yearn for a change? Are you bewildered by the deep divisions revealing themselves in our society? And do you wonder how we will fix this?
There is no question that society is changing, evolving, but to what? Will we have a return to past mores, an evilness, that allow men to do whatever they want, to indulge sophomoric dreams, to treat women as chattels, or will we change and learn to respect each other. As I watch and read and listen to the latest in this issue I am not sure of a good result for it has become embroiled in nasty politics. What is all the indignation on the side of the Republicans when it is the Great Molester that they follow as their presumed head? Why are they shouting for an investigation of Franken but willing to back Roy Moore for office as another Senator, as the Republican Party in Alabama supports him in his run? Why are we picking and choosing between objects worthy of further investigation and those not? Please, tell me the difference and again, why does Trump get off scot free even as he indulges in major hypocrisy as he condemns Franken and not himself nor Moore. The truth is that all these men are pigs, indulging themselves, forgetting that they too have or had mothers and sisters and daughters. Once the line is crossed there is no right to condemn others for the same deeds and yet, are these politicians not doing this and is it not worse than anything when a pastor comes out and says women are the predators - "they are chasing young boys down the road"!!!!!
Where are the heroes who know how to stand up to the dirt and filth we have in our presumed leaders? Jeff Flake warns his friend that they, the Republicans are doomed if they become the party of Trump and Moore and I hate to break it to him, but they are already there. When Republicans of Palm Beach, a group of Republican Attorneys General and a made up group called the Trumpettes decide to hold galas at Mar a Lago to make up for those who rightfully pulled out, then we know that we have gone wrong, made a wrong turn somewhere as a nation.
Where is our hope to build a good future for our families, for the world, when the man at the top is obsessed with his former opponent, as if the campaign is still on, still tweeting away, still lying, still threatening, like a tin-pot dictator to haul his former opponent into court!!! For that matter, between tweeting his nasty remarks, adding to his lies which amount to an average of five per day since elected!!! - how and when does he find time to do anything other than wander off to one of his golf courses or another and then golf away the hours of days and weeks?
We have an army whose nuclear connected general has raised doubts as to action when the president asks for it, raising issues of legality, trust. We have a government that is focused to the point of obsession on immigrants, attacking one of the foundation principles of our nation, trying to set up an algorithm that will recognize the "terrorists" applying for entry into the country and so what if innocents are caught up in this, so what if Americans are by the dozens and hundreds are caught up in this as social media is raked through to see who has criticized the government.
To be or not to be? Are we to be the United States of America, a proud nation of the world, a nation which is true to itself, a nation which looks to better itself, to weed out the bad, the evil, those who would harm rather than help? Or are we to be the nation of Trump and Moore and McConnell and Nazis and more? Do you not wish to feel pride in our country once more, to recite the pledge with patriotic pride? I do, so very strongly do I desire that. But am I optimistic? Not in any way. There is too much out there that we have to deal with and still too much hypocrisy and blindness and misplaced fear. To be or not to be? To be the United States of America or not? Your choice. Our choice. What will it be?
Friday, November 17, 2017
AND THEN?
The calls for impeachment grow. The women who were molested by him call out in stronger voices that he too needs to face the consequences. The growing concern that the man is deranged in addition to having a simply awful personality, never having grown up. He and his administration, his appointees, all seem to be lacking the ethics gene and the reek of dollar rule is high. The fetid smell of the swamp grows ever stronger.
So let us say that he is impeached, convicted, charged with obstruction of justice, replaced via the 25th Amendment, whatever the cause - then what? Apres Trump - what?
Trump and Trumpism is not one figure. As in The Walking Dead, all the followers of Negan, a human monster, call themselves Negan and it appears that all of Trump's followers call themselves Trump by any other name. That means that even if he were not physically in office, his philosophy would continue and perhaps get even worse. The lack of ethics, the conflict of interests, the sheer incompetence and inexperience, the total lack of honesty, the ever growing return to nepotism, the overwhelming disregard for the majority of Americans all in the name of "helping" the wealthy - all this would continue - and more.
The hatred and prejudice that were unleashed with his candidacy will continue and emerge even more, grow into mainstream America and woe upon us. Should his VP, Pence, take over, it will be much worse as this man has the self discipline to put forth and carry out his sinister plans and beliefs without enraging everyone every day. He will go quietly and do his thing and we will find ourselves in a Pence - Bannon world, a world composed of hatred, of nastiness, of a nativist culture that is malignant and destroys all that it touches.
What is hanging over the country and the world is the very real fear that Americans will not stand for this, will not go down quietly, without protest. Sure, there will be those in government such as those in the House who voted for this horrific tax bill, and people who will follow anyone who empowers them, but there are others who will find a backbone and who will go down fighting - and I mean that in the true and full physical sense of the word. Rioting in the street will be nothing as compared to Americans fighting Americans. The country and the nation will break into parts and pieces. Texas will go it alone, always nuts. Alabama will truly recede into the benighted mores of 17th century society, the empty states will band together for population and power and the Unite States of America will be no more.
Think I am nuts, going to the extreme? Well, there are many who are beginning to fear this possible scenario. There are those who warn us re impeachment and insist that there must be plans for afterwards. Apres Trump must have delineated plans or else the battle is lost and the war lost for sure.
Never before , at least since the Civil War, has there been such hatred, such animosity, such division among the people of our country. Never before have we become so vicious towards our immigrants. Yes, we had prejudicial attitudes before, but this violence, this determination to 'rid' the country of those who actually help build the nation, this eagerness of people willing to sign up and be legally vicious - well, if that does not send a chill down your spine then I know not what to say to you other than to go back in history and see how ordinary people became the killers and executioners of Nazi Germany, of Turkey with the Armenians, of Bosnia, of the Tutsi, the Rohingya and the list never ends, does it?
We must insist on transparency, on honesty, on full compliance with the letter and the spirit of the law. The Russian ambassador sys there is a huge list of Trump officials with whom he spoke. Kushner keeps lying thru his teeth. Mueller is rapidly gearing up for his climax and findings and in the meanwhile the rot underneath, our own moral failings are being exposed hour by hour.
Why do and did so many men think it okay to paw at women, to force themselves on women and children and boys. Why is it okay for a man to say one thing, be extreme in outspokenness re LGBT and then have it disclosed that he himself is gay. It should not make a difference re a person's orientation and yet there it is. We hide the truth from ourselves and others and then wonder why all is going to hell in a handbasket.
And then? A scary thought. A vison of the stuff of nightmares - unless we wake up and prepare and plan and change the path. It can be done, but time is running out, the sands of time do not stop and wait for us to catch up. And then? You go figure it out.
So let us say that he is impeached, convicted, charged with obstruction of justice, replaced via the 25th Amendment, whatever the cause - then what? Apres Trump - what?
Trump and Trumpism is not one figure. As in The Walking Dead, all the followers of Negan, a human monster, call themselves Negan and it appears that all of Trump's followers call themselves Trump by any other name. That means that even if he were not physically in office, his philosophy would continue and perhaps get even worse. The lack of ethics, the conflict of interests, the sheer incompetence and inexperience, the total lack of honesty, the ever growing return to nepotism, the overwhelming disregard for the majority of Americans all in the name of "helping" the wealthy - all this would continue - and more.
The hatred and prejudice that were unleashed with his candidacy will continue and emerge even more, grow into mainstream America and woe upon us. Should his VP, Pence, take over, it will be much worse as this man has the self discipline to put forth and carry out his sinister plans and beliefs without enraging everyone every day. He will go quietly and do his thing and we will find ourselves in a Pence - Bannon world, a world composed of hatred, of nastiness, of a nativist culture that is malignant and destroys all that it touches.
What is hanging over the country and the world is the very real fear that Americans will not stand for this, will not go down quietly, without protest. Sure, there will be those in government such as those in the House who voted for this horrific tax bill, and people who will follow anyone who empowers them, but there are others who will find a backbone and who will go down fighting - and I mean that in the true and full physical sense of the word. Rioting in the street will be nothing as compared to Americans fighting Americans. The country and the nation will break into parts and pieces. Texas will go it alone, always nuts. Alabama will truly recede into the benighted mores of 17th century society, the empty states will band together for population and power and the Unite States of America will be no more.
Think I am nuts, going to the extreme? Well, there are many who are beginning to fear this possible scenario. There are those who warn us re impeachment and insist that there must be plans for afterwards. Apres Trump must have delineated plans or else the battle is lost and the war lost for sure.
Never before , at least since the Civil War, has there been such hatred, such animosity, such division among the people of our country. Never before have we become so vicious towards our immigrants. Yes, we had prejudicial attitudes before, but this violence, this determination to 'rid' the country of those who actually help build the nation, this eagerness of people willing to sign up and be legally vicious - well, if that does not send a chill down your spine then I know not what to say to you other than to go back in history and see how ordinary people became the killers and executioners of Nazi Germany, of Turkey with the Armenians, of Bosnia, of the Tutsi, the Rohingya and the list never ends, does it?
We must insist on transparency, on honesty, on full compliance with the letter and the spirit of the law. The Russian ambassador sys there is a huge list of Trump officials with whom he spoke. Kushner keeps lying thru his teeth. Mueller is rapidly gearing up for his climax and findings and in the meanwhile the rot underneath, our own moral failings are being exposed hour by hour.
Why do and did so many men think it okay to paw at women, to force themselves on women and children and boys. Why is it okay for a man to say one thing, be extreme in outspokenness re LGBT and then have it disclosed that he himself is gay. It should not make a difference re a person's orientation and yet there it is. We hide the truth from ourselves and others and then wonder why all is going to hell in a handbasket.
And then? A scary thought. A vison of the stuff of nightmares - unless we wake up and prepare and plan and change the path. It can be done, but time is running out, the sands of time do not stop and wait for us to catch up. And then? You go figure it out.
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