Something is beginning, but the question is what exactly is beginning. Is it the end of America as we know it, or actually knew it, prior to 2016? Is it the beginning of the restoration of America under Joe Biden, with a sane and honest government? Is it the beginning of a blatant and open acknowledgement of the privatization of our government by Trump, as the DOJ turns private lawyer for him in the defamation suit by a women he allegedly raped? Whatever is the beginning of something needs to be clarified. Yet is it possible to clarify anything in these days of smoke and fog, real and figurative?
America is burning. The West Coast is on fire. The forests are burning in huge numbers of acres. People are begin rescued by helicopter as they are surrounded by fire. The cities burn as the temperatures rise to unbearable levels as ACs give out. The tempers of the people rise, bringing violence ever closer to the surface and snow falls in Denver after record breaking days of heat. And there are five things out there in the Atlantic and we still have months to go, even as we approach the letter S in naming of storms so Alpha, Beta Gamma here we come? All we need to add to the plague of the virus is locusts and there they are - in East Africa. So should we change the topic sentence in this paragraph to the world is burning?
Other things are ending as we hit the end of the beginning, the beginning of the end? We are bumping up against 190,000 dead here in America, making 200,000 reachable within days, the Sturgis rally added nearly 300,000 new cases, the rest of the world is facing a rising tide of infection again, and so, the end for many - unfair, painful, lonely.
Urged to expect a vaccine before Nov. 3, we now find that a Phase 3 trial has been halted as a patient falls ill. The CEOs of major drug companies sign a pledge that they will not bypass safety regulations and push the vaccines unsafely. Hmmm. We will see on that one.
And in my head the visions of a Mad Max world. Food production failing, water a precious and often unreachable commodity of life, rules of civilization trampled upon past recognition or possibilities of revival, and terror rules the days and nights as tribal warfare erupts and viciousness is the name of the game in the war for survival on a dying planet. Whodunit? Wedunit.
So why bother if this is the ever approaching version of our future expectations in and of life. Why bother fighting against Trump, a man who has violated so many of the protections we set up for the environment, for decency, for equality, for talk rather than fighting? Because there is still a chance, albeit an ever narrowing one, to turn it around. Not for much longer, not a very wide opening, but it is there. Time is a - fleetin' and we need to get a move on -NOW. So it begins as two states open for Early voting, by person or mail, and the chance is upon us. NOW is the time to VOTE. NOW is the time to save ourselves and the reluctant others who will benefit from our efforts.
Another why. Why bother questioning things here at CV if all this is going on and we are such a minor cog in the machinery of life? Because this is where we live, a microcosm of the macrocosm out there. Here too our environment is deteriorating. Our security has been endangered. Our residents are also finding tribal allegiances, closing ears and eyes to reason and fact. Our financial situation is ever more shaky and the whole mess is wrapped in a cloak of secrecy so deep and so entrenched that perhaps only a natural end will change the situation.
Just as Trump must go, so, too, must David Israel. Both are detrimental to the public they so do not serve wisely nor well. Questions must be asked and answers must be demanded, given, and questioned. The truths must be uncovered. The administrations of both must be opened for inspection and review, no more hiding out under false flags and statements. Recall. Impeachment. Term limits. Demands that will not stop, including blocking the UCO building until we must be heard and demands met.
Open up communication with WPRF as to opening the Clubhouse, plans for the winter and for a world under attack. Plans for a new agreement, a new financial contract, adjustment of fees as we are still denied some facilities. Demands that need to be met and not only by talking with David and incompetent sycophants who will go along with anything he says. Yesterday there was even a miracle as one brain dead proponent of his came back to life, still brain dead but not realizing it!! Same old, same old and this is what must stop. Here and out there.
As a matter of fact, the entire world needs to shake itself out. We are turning back the clock to dangerous times. Rabid right wingers holding posters of their hero, shouting his name - Trump - rush the Reichstag, carrying the Nazi colors. Rightwing exacerbators push violence and then hide behind protesters engaged in protesting rather than violence. Crowds protesting all over the globe. The hour is upon us. The beginning is upon us and if we do not react in the right way, in encouraging those in government to do their best, to allow the best to shine, for there are some worthy ones, if we do not do what must be done-then it is the beginning not of good stuff, not of hope, but of despair and what? The sixth extinction?
Time to step up, folks. Time to get our heads out of the sand, the TV, the phone screen or whatever we use to hide from the realities of life. Time to vote. Time to exercise our rights and change the world. We can if we but try.
And I am going to the movies today!!!!!
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
I DON'T KNOW (SIGH)
I forget who it was who stated that there are the "known knowns, the known unknowns, and the unknown unknowns". In other words, we do not know it all, no matter how much we pretend that we do, or that others pretend for us. In other words, we should stop behaving in that oh so wrong manner and take ourselves down a peg. In doing so, we might actually raise our standards of behavior and reintroduce morality, common sense, honesty and honor into the mix. Wouldn't that be great!
At present we are apparently at the farthest edge of the world as far as the previously mentioned traits are concerned. Why is it that day after day, be it in the print media, the media of the airwaves or the online media, we read constantly of the lies put forth by Trump et al, by the vast corruption that has smothered the DC area in layers so thick that it will take years to dig out from under, to simply get back to where we were before, never mind advancing!
The man in charge of keeping the USPS in good shape, serving the people of this great nation, is the very one, under orders of Trump, who is taking it apart, not so unconnected to the political election upcoming. He has violated the contribution rules, bribing people, and take any Cabinet member and the story is the same, the only difference being the details. Why are we tolerating this? The answer, said with a sigh, I do not know. The add on - I do not understand.
In an open plea to my fellow Jews - how can you be voting for this man. Take a look around you. When was the last time under what president that we had such open and vile anti Semitism? So much defacing of buildings and threats? So much killing? So much fear of simply walking down the streets? Watching a violent mob of right wingers, armed with guns, rifles, knives, bats, who thrust themselves into crowds of protesters who are armed with nothing other than righteous anger and the Constitution and history of the country.
Who was the last president who openly and often praised these extremists, the very same people who shouted out about Jews, the very people who talk of Jews still with horns on their heads, as money hungry ,cruel, caring for naught but themselves, who put anti Semitic memes on their material, including Trump until he was called out on it. This is the one who is to save Israel? Pardon me, but we have a more powerful and trustworthy guardian over Israel and do not need him and his false flag operations. He will never be a true and permanent friend to Israel. The wheels of the bus are always turning, and he will and has ridden over their wishes, as in the sale of new jets to an Arab country which will greatly upset the balance of power there and endanger Israel to a degree never seen before. Such a friend we can live without!
The man who screams of globalists, the man who shouts that there are companies and people who only want money, who are war mongers, love to fight and kill, full of, I guess, the "suckers and losers" he spoke so nastily of, this is not the man for us. Certainly not, and most certainly not for this country. Ever. Never ever again. To hear this man who robs from the country to pay his bills, who uses campaign funds to pay his legal costs, this cheater, this tax fraud, this liar, this nasty man, this is not a friend to the Jews nor indeed to anyone other than himself, his bottom line and perhaps those of his children who support him, knowing which side of their bread is buttered.
No friend to the Jews is a man who speaks highly of apartheid rules that were the norm once in South Africa. This man does not believe in charity, allowing a great food hunger to roll over this land of ours, a land of plenty, yet run down by his incompetence, his greed and selfishness. This is a man who is anti rights for all, preferring those entitled to be blond and white. Period. No immigrant blood to refresh our country. No new ideas. No grace. No voting equality. No sense of fair play at all. A man who cynically makes use of religion to push his own cause.
This, my friends, as the saying goes, is not, most manifestly not, good for the Jews. So how do some of you vote for this man who has repolluted the air, the water and the land we use, who has sacrificed national monuments and beauty to corporate greed, who has allowed barbaric behavior to rule the day. This, is not good for the Jews. Nor is it good for anyone.
Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof" Justice and charity shall you pursue. So we are told in the Bible, and so we try, but this man, this man is the epitome of the opposite. This man has directly and indirectly, by his overwhelming incompetence and lack of empathy and understanding, lack of any sense of decency at all, has contributed to the deaths of literally hundreds of thousands and damaged the lives of close to seven million more and still counting!!
And now he wants to foist a dangerous vaccine upon us days before the election, for political gain, and then what? We watch those foolish or blind enough to take it collapse, fall over and die? Where does this man draw a line - or is there never one to draw, never anything out of bounds as he pushes towards his dream of an American Trump despotic dynasty ruling the land and to hell with all else.
Yes, there are unknow unknowns, but we also know there are known unknowns and we know all those of the Trumpian world. It is not a world good for anyone. Nary a soul unless there is a Trump connection. Their arrogance is immense, the danger they pose of huge proportions and the unknown unknowns are how deeply will he damage the fabric of this country? Will it be beyond repair? Will we follow the once great democracies of ancient times and wither away, be a joke of what we once were and should always have been? Knowns and unknowns. The one known that I am sure of is that this man and his ilk must be sent forth to trouble us no longer.
Known? Get out there and Vote!!
At present we are apparently at the farthest edge of the world as far as the previously mentioned traits are concerned. Why is it that day after day, be it in the print media, the media of the airwaves or the online media, we read constantly of the lies put forth by Trump et al, by the vast corruption that has smothered the DC area in layers so thick that it will take years to dig out from under, to simply get back to where we were before, never mind advancing!
The man in charge of keeping the USPS in good shape, serving the people of this great nation, is the very one, under orders of Trump, who is taking it apart, not so unconnected to the political election upcoming. He has violated the contribution rules, bribing people, and take any Cabinet member and the story is the same, the only difference being the details. Why are we tolerating this? The answer, said with a sigh, I do not know. The add on - I do not understand.
In an open plea to my fellow Jews - how can you be voting for this man. Take a look around you. When was the last time under what president that we had such open and vile anti Semitism? So much defacing of buildings and threats? So much killing? So much fear of simply walking down the streets? Watching a violent mob of right wingers, armed with guns, rifles, knives, bats, who thrust themselves into crowds of protesters who are armed with nothing other than righteous anger and the Constitution and history of the country.
Who was the last president who openly and often praised these extremists, the very same people who shouted out about Jews, the very people who talk of Jews still with horns on their heads, as money hungry ,cruel, caring for naught but themselves, who put anti Semitic memes on their material, including Trump until he was called out on it. This is the one who is to save Israel? Pardon me, but we have a more powerful and trustworthy guardian over Israel and do not need him and his false flag operations. He will never be a true and permanent friend to Israel. The wheels of the bus are always turning, and he will and has ridden over their wishes, as in the sale of new jets to an Arab country which will greatly upset the balance of power there and endanger Israel to a degree never seen before. Such a friend we can live without!
The man who screams of globalists, the man who shouts that there are companies and people who only want money, who are war mongers, love to fight and kill, full of, I guess, the "suckers and losers" he spoke so nastily of, this is not the man for us. Certainly not, and most certainly not for this country. Ever. Never ever again. To hear this man who robs from the country to pay his bills, who uses campaign funds to pay his legal costs, this cheater, this tax fraud, this liar, this nasty man, this is not a friend to the Jews nor indeed to anyone other than himself, his bottom line and perhaps those of his children who support him, knowing which side of their bread is buttered.
No friend to the Jews is a man who speaks highly of apartheid rules that were the norm once in South Africa. This man does not believe in charity, allowing a great food hunger to roll over this land of ours, a land of plenty, yet run down by his incompetence, his greed and selfishness. This is a man who is anti rights for all, preferring those entitled to be blond and white. Period. No immigrant blood to refresh our country. No new ideas. No grace. No voting equality. No sense of fair play at all. A man who cynically makes use of religion to push his own cause.
This, my friends, as the saying goes, is not, most manifestly not, good for the Jews. So how do some of you vote for this man who has repolluted the air, the water and the land we use, who has sacrificed national monuments and beauty to corporate greed, who has allowed barbaric behavior to rule the day. This, is not good for the Jews. Nor is it good for anyone.
Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof" Justice and charity shall you pursue. So we are told in the Bible, and so we try, but this man, this man is the epitome of the opposite. This man has directly and indirectly, by his overwhelming incompetence and lack of empathy and understanding, lack of any sense of decency at all, has contributed to the deaths of literally hundreds of thousands and damaged the lives of close to seven million more and still counting!!
And now he wants to foist a dangerous vaccine upon us days before the election, for political gain, and then what? We watch those foolish or blind enough to take it collapse, fall over and die? Where does this man draw a line - or is there never one to draw, never anything out of bounds as he pushes towards his dream of an American Trump despotic dynasty ruling the land and to hell with all else.
Yes, there are unknow unknowns, but we also know there are known unknowns and we know all those of the Trumpian world. It is not a world good for anyone. Nary a soul unless there is a Trump connection. Their arrogance is immense, the danger they pose of huge proportions and the unknown unknowns are how deeply will he damage the fabric of this country? Will it be beyond repair? Will we follow the once great democracies of ancient times and wither away, be a joke of what we once were and should always have been? Knowns and unknowns. The one known that I am sure of is that this man and his ilk must be sent forth to trouble us no longer.
Known? Get out there and Vote!!
Monday, September 7, 2020
FINALLY! MAYBE? HOPE SO.
One can always hope. One can hope that the good guy will win in the end. One can hope that doing the right thing will pay off. One can hope that being a Don Quixote and tilting at windmills will have a worthwhile result. One can hope in the most dire of situations - be it the slaves of Rome, the slaves of America, the oppressed in the rest of the world, the victims in the death camps of Nazi Germany. Someone, somewhere, somehow will make it through and the truth will out and there will come an end to injustice and horror.
Words of wisdom can come from the strangest of sources. We associate Elvis with a crazy new trend of music, a set of wiggling hips, a famous draftee, and the ruin of a man at the end of his life. However, he was also a man of the people and came out with bit of folk wisdom as well, one being this: "Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't going away." And ain't that the truth!!
So maybe we have reached that point in time when the truth has finally at least begun to come out on top. The man who cried wolf, making up stories of fake news, of Deep State, of being persecuted by the media and awful Democratic terrorists, is now facing a backlash. Or, to use a bit more of folk wisdom, he is now the boy who cried wolf and no one is ready to believe his outrageous lies and stories any more, other than his rabid supporters who have given up on truth and decency.
His most awful statements re veterans, re his refusal to visit and honor them in their places of rest, his asking what was in it for them, this Captain Bonespurs, and his worrying about his hair!!! in a day of rain, hence the cancellation! Well, hoist by his own petard. Even were he telling the truth here, and I very much doubt that, who can believe a chronic liar who denies the words that come out of his mouth in the very second afterwards?
More than that, he has surrounded himself with a group of courtiers who swear to his every lie. They are as corrupt as he is, and as Elvis said, the truth will out. You can bet on that! Moreover, that truth will out at all levels, be it the federal, state or local level and even unto the lowest level of town and village. Speaking of Villages and truth, we are sorely lacking in that right here in CV under the regime of David Israel and his henchmen of yes saying know nothings who are destroying our Village and the peace of our latter years. These are the same people who have yessed him as often as they can and must, stayed with him for their petty shared powers, and in the duration, have wrongly neglected their service owed to the Villagers and have ruined us or brought us to the edge of ruin many times.
To name a few of the hidden issues of our Village: replacement for the Millennium Agreement; golf course future; replacement of fences and ongoing security issues; opening up of the Clubhouse to activities, to shows, and to meetings; open and transparent administration; an end to favoritism in UCO and the recycling of worn out needing replacement placeholders; the lack of passing on of important information to the Villagers. Hence, the missing of a September 3 meeting wherein it is almost etched in stone that West Palm, only a few blocks away from us, will be the recipient of, and excuse me for the language, but so it is said, the "shit and piss" of the horses of Wellington, those over entitled horse people who care for nothing other than their own ease and comfort and will literally bury all else under their crap for their own convenience. Did anyone tell you about this? Why not? If we had our regular meetings, all this would have come out. Instead we are locked away in ignorance and disinformation, if any at all. And last, but not least by any measure, we have that awful 10 year lockdown with Atlantic Broadband, the worst ever!! What went on behind the scene there? I wonder.
Well, the truth will out in all places. I just hope it is in time and in my own lifetime!! A child fleeing the Holocaust, searching for her father, said, "If only people would hate less." Well, yes, and if only people would realize the truth of things that would happen. So maybe? Finally? Let us hope.
And get out there and VOTE.
Words of wisdom can come from the strangest of sources. We associate Elvis with a crazy new trend of music, a set of wiggling hips, a famous draftee, and the ruin of a man at the end of his life. However, he was also a man of the people and came out with bit of folk wisdom as well, one being this: "Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't going away." And ain't that the truth!!
So maybe we have reached that point in time when the truth has finally at least begun to come out on top. The man who cried wolf, making up stories of fake news, of Deep State, of being persecuted by the media and awful Democratic terrorists, is now facing a backlash. Or, to use a bit more of folk wisdom, he is now the boy who cried wolf and no one is ready to believe his outrageous lies and stories any more, other than his rabid supporters who have given up on truth and decency.
His most awful statements re veterans, re his refusal to visit and honor them in their places of rest, his asking what was in it for them, this Captain Bonespurs, and his worrying about his hair!!! in a day of rain, hence the cancellation! Well, hoist by his own petard. Even were he telling the truth here, and I very much doubt that, who can believe a chronic liar who denies the words that come out of his mouth in the very second afterwards?
More than that, he has surrounded himself with a group of courtiers who swear to his every lie. They are as corrupt as he is, and as Elvis said, the truth will out. You can bet on that! Moreover, that truth will out at all levels, be it the federal, state or local level and even unto the lowest level of town and village. Speaking of Villages and truth, we are sorely lacking in that right here in CV under the regime of David Israel and his henchmen of yes saying know nothings who are destroying our Village and the peace of our latter years. These are the same people who have yessed him as often as they can and must, stayed with him for their petty shared powers, and in the duration, have wrongly neglected their service owed to the Villagers and have ruined us or brought us to the edge of ruin many times.
To name a few of the hidden issues of our Village: replacement for the Millennium Agreement; golf course future; replacement of fences and ongoing security issues; opening up of the Clubhouse to activities, to shows, and to meetings; open and transparent administration; an end to favoritism in UCO and the recycling of worn out needing replacement placeholders; the lack of passing on of important information to the Villagers. Hence, the missing of a September 3 meeting wherein it is almost etched in stone that West Palm, only a few blocks away from us, will be the recipient of, and excuse me for the language, but so it is said, the "shit and piss" of the horses of Wellington, those over entitled horse people who care for nothing other than their own ease and comfort and will literally bury all else under their crap for their own convenience. Did anyone tell you about this? Why not? If we had our regular meetings, all this would have come out. Instead we are locked away in ignorance and disinformation, if any at all. And last, but not least by any measure, we have that awful 10 year lockdown with Atlantic Broadband, the worst ever!! What went on behind the scene there? I wonder.
Well, the truth will out in all places. I just hope it is in time and in my own lifetime!! A child fleeing the Holocaust, searching for her father, said, "If only people would hate less." Well, yes, and if only people would realize the truth of things that would happen. So maybe? Finally? Let us hope.
And get out there and VOTE.
Sunday, September 6, 2020
KINTSUKUROI
Are you scratching your head now, wondering what the heck the title means? I did also until I read an explanation. It is a Japanese art of repair and meshes very well with the thinking of wabi-sabi, the respect, honor and appreciation of older things, items and thoughts that might be broken. Kintsukuroi goes a step further and is a great bullet thought for us today, here in this country and in the world.
This art believes that a piece of pottery that has broken and then repaired is better than the original for the experience it has undergone, for the manner of repair and for the valuation of it by those who repair it. How repaired? The cracks are filled in with the most precious metal one can find and/or afford. Be it zinc, copper, brass, gold or silver - the repaired item is now more precious to its owner and more valued and treasured.
This philosophy intimates that life experiences have meaning and importance. It holds on to the thought that a break or two does not make something - or someone - valueless, an item to be discarded and abased. It is the ultimate recycle, refurbish, renew mantra of the day and would work so well if all bought into it.
How much better would it be if we all realized that one act of stupidity, one act of selfishness, one act of greed, does not make one irreparable, to be ignored, to lose all value in this society. It believes that like things, humans can also be repaired and come out better on the other side. Is that a pipe dream? Maybe, for some, but there is enough proof out there that if taken in hand, in a fair and positive incarceration, a criminal can be turned around. It is even better if we are to avoid incarceration and fix that 'piece of human pottery' before that occurs. And yes, I am not a grown up Pollyanna and know that all things are not perfect, but how much better society would be if we but tried to do the right thing, to repair rather than to discard, to value rather than trash, to lend a helping hand rather than a kick in the ribs? Yes, and especially until we are proficient in the workings of such a program, there would be those who slip through this net of repair, but not as many as one would think, especially as the numbers of entrants would hopefully lessen as we catch the cracks before they shatter the vessel.
Expensive? Oh, yes. But have you looked at the costs to society in terms of funds demanded, personnel required, and the absolute waste of warehousing people in a hopeless and violent world with apparently no redeeming features, no exits, no doors, no windows to open for fresh air and repair. How much more pleasant and clever is it to reuse that cracked item rather than throwing it and its values, its uses, its beauty, away.
Unfortunately, our society does the complete opposite now, writing off whole groups of people, each seeing the other as a vessel too damaged, to cracked, to be repaired, no matter the metal used to do the fixing. It is said we all have our internal biases, and I agree with that, and so should we all if we are honest. There is NO group exempt from that. We are all damaged vessels, all needing repairs. If we were to work on that, rather than listen to a man who shouts so loud and in so hateful a voice, that all vessels who hear him too often, give way to their biases and allow their internal cracks to become external ones, how much better off we would be. Instead, we have what we have now, a man described by a former "thug" of his as “a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a racist, a predator, a con man.”. Truly, this is a vessel that was cracked ajar in childhood, never repaired, even as the crack grew, until it was and is too late to fix. The only answer is to sideline him, remove him from the possibility of harming society even more, from cracking more vessels into non repair states of being. Even unto withholding the metal needed to fix them, the possibility of such being anathema to him. It would then limit his powers, and his abilities to impose himself and his greed and immorality upon others.
Think of the numbers and the deeds. Statements to trash our Constitution. Words meant to subvert the meaning and the role of America. Support for murderous White Right Wing terrorists. Open statements of disparagement of our veterans, especially those who have given all they could, unto severe damage and death. A man with no morals.
A man of the worst ilk around. A man who says we are "rounding a corner in the pandemic" even as the numbers grow, and we are now expected to hit 410,000 deaths by January 1. The numbers of infected grow until they are off the chart, even as we approach, now, seven million. Those are people, folks, not statistics. Imagine your neighborhood empty and the one next to it and on and on until most cities are empty and the countryside is deserted. These are people, fathers and sons. mothers and daughters, friends and neighbors, family. And no, vaccines unsupervised by true scientists, experts in their field, will only kill more of us, perhaps his ultimate goal.
Wabi-sabi and kintsukuroi- a winning combination? If only we would try. Let us reach out and fix, rather than shatter. Let us at least recognize that we are all imperfect vessels, all needing to be repaired and valued for what we are and can be. Better than to be thrown away onto the heaps of discards of our society. Which philosophy is better for you and me, for all of us, for our kids?
And certainly, use the metal known as voting, once, the right way, fairly and legally and place this irreparable vessel on the sidelines where he can cause no more harm. We can then try to repair the damage he has done to the vessel of a civilized and progressive society. Kintsukuroi.
This art believes that a piece of pottery that has broken and then repaired is better than the original for the experience it has undergone, for the manner of repair and for the valuation of it by those who repair it. How repaired? The cracks are filled in with the most precious metal one can find and/or afford. Be it zinc, copper, brass, gold or silver - the repaired item is now more precious to its owner and more valued and treasured.
This philosophy intimates that life experiences have meaning and importance. It holds on to the thought that a break or two does not make something - or someone - valueless, an item to be discarded and abased. It is the ultimate recycle, refurbish, renew mantra of the day and would work so well if all bought into it.
How much better would it be if we all realized that one act of stupidity, one act of selfishness, one act of greed, does not make one irreparable, to be ignored, to lose all value in this society. It believes that like things, humans can also be repaired and come out better on the other side. Is that a pipe dream? Maybe, for some, but there is enough proof out there that if taken in hand, in a fair and positive incarceration, a criminal can be turned around. It is even better if we are to avoid incarceration and fix that 'piece of human pottery' before that occurs. And yes, I am not a grown up Pollyanna and know that all things are not perfect, but how much better society would be if we but tried to do the right thing, to repair rather than to discard, to value rather than trash, to lend a helping hand rather than a kick in the ribs? Yes, and especially until we are proficient in the workings of such a program, there would be those who slip through this net of repair, but not as many as one would think, especially as the numbers of entrants would hopefully lessen as we catch the cracks before they shatter the vessel.
Expensive? Oh, yes. But have you looked at the costs to society in terms of funds demanded, personnel required, and the absolute waste of warehousing people in a hopeless and violent world with apparently no redeeming features, no exits, no doors, no windows to open for fresh air and repair. How much more pleasant and clever is it to reuse that cracked item rather than throwing it and its values, its uses, its beauty, away.
Unfortunately, our society does the complete opposite now, writing off whole groups of people, each seeing the other as a vessel too damaged, to cracked, to be repaired, no matter the metal used to do the fixing. It is said we all have our internal biases, and I agree with that, and so should we all if we are honest. There is NO group exempt from that. We are all damaged vessels, all needing repairs. If we were to work on that, rather than listen to a man who shouts so loud and in so hateful a voice, that all vessels who hear him too often, give way to their biases and allow their internal cracks to become external ones, how much better off we would be. Instead, we have what we have now, a man described by a former "thug" of his as “a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a racist, a predator, a con man.”. Truly, this is a vessel that was cracked ajar in childhood, never repaired, even as the crack grew, until it was and is too late to fix. The only answer is to sideline him, remove him from the possibility of harming society even more, from cracking more vessels into non repair states of being. Even unto withholding the metal needed to fix them, the possibility of such being anathema to him. It would then limit his powers, and his abilities to impose himself and his greed and immorality upon others.
Think of the numbers and the deeds. Statements to trash our Constitution. Words meant to subvert the meaning and the role of America. Support for murderous White Right Wing terrorists. Open statements of disparagement of our veterans, especially those who have given all they could, unto severe damage and death. A man with no morals.
A man of the worst ilk around. A man who says we are "rounding a corner in the pandemic" even as the numbers grow, and we are now expected to hit 410,000 deaths by January 1. The numbers of infected grow until they are off the chart, even as we approach, now, seven million. Those are people, folks, not statistics. Imagine your neighborhood empty and the one next to it and on and on until most cities are empty and the countryside is deserted. These are people, fathers and sons. mothers and daughters, friends and neighbors, family. And no, vaccines unsupervised by true scientists, experts in their field, will only kill more of us, perhaps his ultimate goal.
Wabi-sabi and kintsukuroi- a winning combination? If only we would try. Let us reach out and fix, rather than shatter. Let us at least recognize that we are all imperfect vessels, all needing to be repaired and valued for what we are and can be. Better than to be thrown away onto the heaps of discards of our society. Which philosophy is better for you and me, for all of us, for our kids?
And certainly, use the metal known as voting, once, the right way, fairly and legally and place this irreparable vessel on the sidelines where he can cause no more harm. We can then try to repair the damage he has done to the vessel of a civilized and progressive society. Kintsukuroi.
Friday, September 4, 2020
THE BATHWATER AND THE BABY TOO
Every day it gets worse. Every day I tell myself it cannot get worse and yet it does. So the question is, how much do we tolerate? Actually, how much CAN we tolerate, before the baby goes out with the bath water? Why does not every American see the truth, clear and stark, right in front of their eyes? How can they delude themselves so much that they do not see that baby go screaming and kicking down the drain.
Are you looking around wildly now, seeking that baby, news of a terrible tragedy? Well, do not look for that, please. What you must look for is the figurative baby, American democracy, go down those very tubes, swirling around those drains, drains meant to absorb and cancel our democratic rights, our amazing history and our obligations for the future, TO the future.
How can it be that every single American does not see the truth of the matter staring them in the face. The man is demented. While in some cases that situation would be worthy of pity and sadness, in this situation it is existentially dangerous, not to him, but to us, every single one of us. To be enmeshed in his idea of Amerika, to be caught up in the soulless world that he proposes to bring about, is to lose hope - every single one of us. No one among us, from the most rabid opponent to the most devout and deluded supporter will be exempt and immune from the consequences of throwing that baby away.
The lies trip over themselves. He went for a beginning of a physical exam. Nope, it was for the end of it. He was slipping and sliding down an icy ramp on a brutally hot day. He ran the last few steps - no, he lost control and ran with the force of gravity dragging him down. I know, for I know what happens when one fights to retain control over one's body due to a neuro degenerative disorder. Evidently, along with all his physical and visible symptoms, the man has developed dementia, a severe and growing in intensity case of it. Sympathy deserving? Maybe, but not when he takes this nation along with him on his uncontrolled and uncontrollable journey to hell.
Worse for the people of this nation, this dementia seems to drip downwards to local government as well. Governors denying the need for masks and precautions because they are Republican. Crazed rednecks bringing their guns to town to strut around, being he-men of their childhood. Law enforcement personnel who had insufficient training so as to handle themselves properly in crisis, and whose biases surface during such times, demeaning themselves, their victims and other personnel who do the right thing.
And here in the Village, we have a President who mutters to himself, laughs at unknown jokes, perhaps heard only inside his own head, and who denies reality. Our road and walkways are disintegrating because under HIS presidency, his aegis, the most recent paving job was wrong from the getgo, almost criminally so, as we were just about bankrupt, rescued by a brilliant woman who is no longer with us, and this man says he wants to "do it right this time" to "not have a debacle like last time." Well, Mr. Israel, who the hell do you think it was that messed it up in the first place, trying to lie and cover it up, signing ridiculous contracts, no safety features in place, something simple like having a project manager on site.
Nor have things improved, as we are on the brink of needing a new contract with WPRF, yet nothing has been done - at least not openly, always under cover of moral darkness and apparently, financial incompetence. We signed, under your aegis, the most ridiculous ten year!!! contract with Atlantic Broadband who has violated every promise made in the contract we so stupidly signed under your urging and are suffering because of it, with terrible service all around.
Just deny appears to be the mantra of the apparently demented leaders we are dealing with at just about all levels. And worse, the dementia appears to be contagious as others become lost under the spells of these people, just as do and did those under Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Orban and Putin and the screaming religious demagogues of twisted religions.
Why must we wait till the rumors of dementia break into the open. After how many more meetings of UCO will it be till the statements and observations are too weighty to avoid and ignore any longer. How much more will it take for Americans, of every stripe, to understand that Trump has fallen into a long, deep and endless night from which there is no exit. Calling soldiers killed in severe battles in WWI losers!!! and suckers!!!! Telling people to vote twice!! Telling people to lose confidence in the bedrock of our democracy - the right to vote, the right to have untainted voting, something which he violates every damn day! And the right to know that there will be a peaceful transfer of power, not a continuation of the budding we now have of a civil war redux right here in America once more.
So, people, we must strain that bathwater we are dumping, make sure there are no babies contained within. Make sure it contains all the dirt of recent years. Insure that the next bath drawn for this country will be as pure as we can make it, not too hot, not too cold, and maybe not even just right, but the efforts and the caring will be there. That is America. Can we not get it back once more? Can we not try to be what we are supposed to be, learn from our mistakes and improve upon them. We must, folks, else we are lost, we are that poor baby thrown away, those kids dumped over the border or warehoused in rooms and cages. We are the children caught in a judicial system which just ain't working, a system gone mad and run by the inmates. A system corrupted and tainted by its officials, its morals and mores missing, zeroed out, as the snuffling and gorging at the public trough continues apace.
You, me, every single one of us, must work together to save that poor threatened baby. We are the only ones who can, who must. We must rescue our country and our governmental entities from the corrupt and/or demented, power hungry characters who are existentially threatening our very lives in so many ways. So vote - as soon as you are allowed. Go early, go mail in, go bring it in, go on Election Day - but vote. Make sure it counts. Your vote will be the one needed to rescue the country. Make sure it is there.
Are you looking around wildly now, seeking that baby, news of a terrible tragedy? Well, do not look for that, please. What you must look for is the figurative baby, American democracy, go down those very tubes, swirling around those drains, drains meant to absorb and cancel our democratic rights, our amazing history and our obligations for the future, TO the future.
How can it be that every single American does not see the truth of the matter staring them in the face. The man is demented. While in some cases that situation would be worthy of pity and sadness, in this situation it is existentially dangerous, not to him, but to us, every single one of us. To be enmeshed in his idea of Amerika, to be caught up in the soulless world that he proposes to bring about, is to lose hope - every single one of us. No one among us, from the most rabid opponent to the most devout and deluded supporter will be exempt and immune from the consequences of throwing that baby away.
The lies trip over themselves. He went for a beginning of a physical exam. Nope, it was for the end of it. He was slipping and sliding down an icy ramp on a brutally hot day. He ran the last few steps - no, he lost control and ran with the force of gravity dragging him down. I know, for I know what happens when one fights to retain control over one's body due to a neuro degenerative disorder. Evidently, along with all his physical and visible symptoms, the man has developed dementia, a severe and growing in intensity case of it. Sympathy deserving? Maybe, but not when he takes this nation along with him on his uncontrolled and uncontrollable journey to hell.
Worse for the people of this nation, this dementia seems to drip downwards to local government as well. Governors denying the need for masks and precautions because they are Republican. Crazed rednecks bringing their guns to town to strut around, being he-men of their childhood. Law enforcement personnel who had insufficient training so as to handle themselves properly in crisis, and whose biases surface during such times, demeaning themselves, their victims and other personnel who do the right thing.
And here in the Village, we have a President who mutters to himself, laughs at unknown jokes, perhaps heard only inside his own head, and who denies reality. Our road and walkways are disintegrating because under HIS presidency, his aegis, the most recent paving job was wrong from the getgo, almost criminally so, as we were just about bankrupt, rescued by a brilliant woman who is no longer with us, and this man says he wants to "do it right this time" to "not have a debacle like last time." Well, Mr. Israel, who the hell do you think it was that messed it up in the first place, trying to lie and cover it up, signing ridiculous contracts, no safety features in place, something simple like having a project manager on site.
Nor have things improved, as we are on the brink of needing a new contract with WPRF, yet nothing has been done - at least not openly, always under cover of moral darkness and apparently, financial incompetence. We signed, under your aegis, the most ridiculous ten year!!! contract with Atlantic Broadband who has violated every promise made in the contract we so stupidly signed under your urging and are suffering because of it, with terrible service all around.
Just deny appears to be the mantra of the apparently demented leaders we are dealing with at just about all levels. And worse, the dementia appears to be contagious as others become lost under the spells of these people, just as do and did those under Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Orban and Putin and the screaming religious demagogues of twisted religions.
Why must we wait till the rumors of dementia break into the open. After how many more meetings of UCO will it be till the statements and observations are too weighty to avoid and ignore any longer. How much more will it take for Americans, of every stripe, to understand that Trump has fallen into a long, deep and endless night from which there is no exit. Calling soldiers killed in severe battles in WWI losers!!! and suckers!!!! Telling people to vote twice!! Telling people to lose confidence in the bedrock of our democracy - the right to vote, the right to have untainted voting, something which he violates every damn day! And the right to know that there will be a peaceful transfer of power, not a continuation of the budding we now have of a civil war redux right here in America once more.
So, people, we must strain that bathwater we are dumping, make sure there are no babies contained within. Make sure it contains all the dirt of recent years. Insure that the next bath drawn for this country will be as pure as we can make it, not too hot, not too cold, and maybe not even just right, but the efforts and the caring will be there. That is America. Can we not get it back once more? Can we not try to be what we are supposed to be, learn from our mistakes and improve upon them. We must, folks, else we are lost, we are that poor baby thrown away, those kids dumped over the border or warehoused in rooms and cages. We are the children caught in a judicial system which just ain't working, a system gone mad and run by the inmates. A system corrupted and tainted by its officials, its morals and mores missing, zeroed out, as the snuffling and gorging at the public trough continues apace.
You, me, every single one of us, must work together to save that poor threatened baby. We are the only ones who can, who must. We must rescue our country and our governmental entities from the corrupt and/or demented, power hungry characters who are existentially threatening our very lives in so many ways. So vote - as soon as you are allowed. Go early, go mail in, go bring it in, go on Election Day - but vote. Make sure it counts. Your vote will be the one needed to rescue the country. Make sure it is there.
Thursday, September 3, 2020
UNDERSTANDING THE PHRASE
Law and order. Meant to be a reassuring statement, one that promised a rosy future, a safe place to live and work, and a step towards a perfect society, law would prevail and order would be the result. Sounds tempting, does it not, particularly in times of great societal upheaval and resultant insecurity. When there is a yearning for quiet, for a bit of so necessary 'quiet' time, there grows a hunger for that law and order. But truly, how many of us think it through and truly understand what that phrase has come to mean, how it has been taken over by the wrong crowd, shall we say, its assurances and meanings perverted to the nth degree. It is now a most dangerous phrase not meant for public consumption in a society truly following laws and living in order.
One of the oldest political tactics around, people seeking power within a society often create a chaotic situation within that society and then come riding to the rescue as they promise 'law and order. They incite violence, incur disorder as a result, raise the interference and the accusations to a strong degree, a destructive level to that society and gather in the frightened, the threatened, those wishing to have a more controlled society. Suddenly, we have a law and order candidate and a scapegoat paying the price for the incitement of disorder by his/her opponent.
This is precisely the situation we have right now, all over the world, and in and of particular concern, right here at home, in America. We have, on one side, a man who incites violence with his every lie, with his every exaggeration, a purpose of his life. He states that were he to be President, there would be law and order, with all seemingly ignoring the fact that, well, he IS the president, and where is that vaunted law and order he promises.
In fact, that law and order has gone by the board, destroyed in the name of winning another term of destructiveness, another chance to remain in office for ever and a day. Another chance to continue to dismantle the real law and order of a good society, introduce fear and despotism, use terrorist tactics of repressive governments and induce a different kind of law and order.
On the other side we have a person who understands the importance of both law and order, but knows that there is a good one, representing positive thought and behavior, and there is a tainted one, stinking of tyranny, of all that America holds in contempt. When the judges of the Nazi regime were held to charges, put on trial, for their participation in the Nazi society, enforcing their laws, complicit and implicit in the war crimes, their excuse was that they were doing their jobs, enforcing the laws of that society, keeping the order those laws provided.
Trump is an ignorant and evil man, a person who believes in power, in repression and oppression, in the rule of and by fear. He cares naught for people, only for the bottom line, most preferably his believing deeply in using public office to enrich himself and his cronies. This is a law and order that ruins a society, that is the enemy of goodness, of grace, of progress and needed change. It is the destruction of a progressive, onward thinking and moving society. It is a law and order which perverts the very phrase and its meaning, turning positive to negative.
All society needs to change. At times, the enthusiasm, the desperate need of and for change, seems overwhelming. There is protesting. At times the elements of society clash in their protests. There are leaders, the young, whose idealism lends itself to this developing disorder, usually instigated by outsiders, and many from the opposing side, all meant to re-enforce their own law and order proposals. But watch what happens over time. Those 'rabid' protesters, those crazy kids, grow up. They turn to the laws and order of that very society and grow into it, changing it from the inside, becoming the lawyers, the legislators, the leaders of the next generation. The law changes for the better and the order is improved, allowing more access to the best of society to more, to those who have been denied access before.
The law and order we want is not that which proposes to destroy confidence in the country. It is not the law and order which tells people to vote twice!!!! It is not the law and order of a man who never understood nor ever will understand, the meaning of honesty, of compassion, of civil rights, of unity, of just and moral laws. Moral laws. A foreign concept to him, yet so integral to a good and progressive society that takes care of its own. The very principle that those Nazi judges disregarded.
We all want law and order. Besides the great TV series by that name, a show which portrays the difficulty in enforcing moral laws and in improving society, we all value the benefits of laws, of the order they maintain, of the surety and confidence they inspire, allowing people to think and to improve on situations. That is the law and order we want and need, not the one presented by Trump, defiled by his very use of them. Defy him, turn him down, and VOTE for Biden. Fight the difficulties this election and these times present and VOTE. Early, mail, regular time - but VOTE. It is our only chance to pull our country and society back from the brink of the crumbling edge of the cliff we now stand upon. Think and VOTE for the future, a good one, for your children.
One of the oldest political tactics around, people seeking power within a society often create a chaotic situation within that society and then come riding to the rescue as they promise 'law and order. They incite violence, incur disorder as a result, raise the interference and the accusations to a strong degree, a destructive level to that society and gather in the frightened, the threatened, those wishing to have a more controlled society. Suddenly, we have a law and order candidate and a scapegoat paying the price for the incitement of disorder by his/her opponent.
This is precisely the situation we have right now, all over the world, and in and of particular concern, right here at home, in America. We have, on one side, a man who incites violence with his every lie, with his every exaggeration, a purpose of his life. He states that were he to be President, there would be law and order, with all seemingly ignoring the fact that, well, he IS the president, and where is that vaunted law and order he promises.
In fact, that law and order has gone by the board, destroyed in the name of winning another term of destructiveness, another chance to remain in office for ever and a day. Another chance to continue to dismantle the real law and order of a good society, introduce fear and despotism, use terrorist tactics of repressive governments and induce a different kind of law and order.
On the other side we have a person who understands the importance of both law and order, but knows that there is a good one, representing positive thought and behavior, and there is a tainted one, stinking of tyranny, of all that America holds in contempt. When the judges of the Nazi regime were held to charges, put on trial, for their participation in the Nazi society, enforcing their laws, complicit and implicit in the war crimes, their excuse was that they were doing their jobs, enforcing the laws of that society, keeping the order those laws provided.
Trump is an ignorant and evil man, a person who believes in power, in repression and oppression, in the rule of and by fear. He cares naught for people, only for the bottom line, most preferably his believing deeply in using public office to enrich himself and his cronies. This is a law and order that ruins a society, that is the enemy of goodness, of grace, of progress and needed change. It is the destruction of a progressive, onward thinking and moving society. It is a law and order which perverts the very phrase and its meaning, turning positive to negative.
All society needs to change. At times, the enthusiasm, the desperate need of and for change, seems overwhelming. There is protesting. At times the elements of society clash in their protests. There are leaders, the young, whose idealism lends itself to this developing disorder, usually instigated by outsiders, and many from the opposing side, all meant to re-enforce their own law and order proposals. But watch what happens over time. Those 'rabid' protesters, those crazy kids, grow up. They turn to the laws and order of that very society and grow into it, changing it from the inside, becoming the lawyers, the legislators, the leaders of the next generation. The law changes for the better and the order is improved, allowing more access to the best of society to more, to those who have been denied access before.
The law and order we want is not that which proposes to destroy confidence in the country. It is not the law and order which tells people to vote twice!!!! It is not the law and order of a man who never understood nor ever will understand, the meaning of honesty, of compassion, of civil rights, of unity, of just and moral laws. Moral laws. A foreign concept to him, yet so integral to a good and progressive society that takes care of its own. The very principle that those Nazi judges disregarded.
We all want law and order. Besides the great TV series by that name, a show which portrays the difficulty in enforcing moral laws and in improving society, we all value the benefits of laws, of the order they maintain, of the surety and confidence they inspire, allowing people to think and to improve on situations. That is the law and order we want and need, not the one presented by Trump, defiled by his very use of them. Defy him, turn him down, and VOTE for Biden. Fight the difficulties this election and these times present and VOTE. Early, mail, regular time - but VOTE. It is our only chance to pull our country and society back from the brink of the crumbling edge of the cliff we now stand upon. Think and VOTE for the future, a good one, for your children.
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
THE DECAY INSIDE
Many had friends and acquaintances who were suffering from a debilitating disease or syndrome, yet looked wonderful on the outside. Or, have seen the sudden burst of energy and lucidity from one perched on the very edge of death. I believe it is the physical body being overcome by the mind and inner strength of the person, the need to communicate, to appear as part and parcel of society. Their outside hides the inner decomposition that is taking place until suddenly, it is right there.
This is comparable to the state of our country today. However, our outer beauty, our appearance of or as a country with an inner peace and mission, as a country blessed with both quality and quantity, and as a country who knows that it is judged by how it treats its weakest and neediest citizens, well, that country is long gone. Eaten away inside by worms of insecurity, distrust of the very government which is supposed to oversee it all, the stench of ever increasing violence amid the swamp of hatred and bias, a president who encourages that violence - well, the country has had no chance these past four years to keep us whole, inside and out.
The rot spreads, evidently catching, contagious to a high level. Shivers should have run down the spine of society as Germans, waving red and black flags, stormed the Reichstag, attempting to get in, shouting all the while Nazi slogans, faces distorted with hate and yes, insanity, an inner madness and rot that has grown so deep and so malignant that that it now comes right through to the open view of all. One cannot remain sane in the midst of all that is going on, certainly not if one yields to the temptation to become one of them, to take on his/her own wisp of power, puffing them up with self importance and murderous ability to inflict harm and even death to others, to perceived enemies. Unfortunately for mankind, this thematic behavior and beliefs have grown around the world including right here in the very country meant to challenge despotism, to stand as the bulwark of democracy. We have failed.
Worse than failure are the consequences and the causes. The main cause here is a president surrounded by those who cater to his every insane whim, who enable him to spread his poisonous verbal trash even as he cheers on violence, blames it on others and speaks approvingly and sympathetically of a murderer, never mentioning the truth, the victim shot dead. The damage to society has now grown exponentially, almost to the point of no return.
The worst of it all is actually multifold. The rust of lies eating away at the trust for government. The worms of doubt casting great suspicion on the outcome of the election. Who will meddle? Will anyone meddle successfully? What about ballots in various forms? Most horrifying - the vision of the implosion of our nation as the current illegitimate President refuses to concede, remains in the WH, instigating yet another constitutional crisis, one to an existential threat level. The blood on the streets as the military is called in to evict him, the militias of all sides joining in with assault rifles, tear gas, grenades, treating each other, neighbors, friends and family, as enemies to be hunted down, shot and or imprisoned.
Nor is the other version any better, perhaps even worse. Should that man and his ugly cohorts win, well, there goes the nation. Shut the windows and lock the doors, for here come the thugs, glorified in uniforms of death, hunting down the "terrorists" of Trump's mind. Here come the enemies of mankind, the Trump children, perhaps even worse than their father. Here comes the "patriotic education" that Trump touts, a metaphor for enforced political education of the most awful kind, forced, false, destructive of any good and hope and progress for America and indeed, for mankind.
Then, of course, we have the great fear that such a win could only arise through vast and nefarious machinations and interference in the vote and its count. What then?
There is no scenario that appears to leave us with hope, with trust, with a leader to actually lead, to help us solve the huge issues facing us today. The COVID crisis exacerbated by the criminal neglect and mishandling by Trump. The economic crises set in motion as a result. The growing plague of hunger and homelessness, with so many families affected. The growing hatred between citizens, the nastiness with which we treat immigrants and migrants, indeed, all we do not like.
Today there is a rumor going around that Trump's mysterious visit to Walter Reed last year was a result of a series of mini strokes and Pence, the Devil's Spawn, was on stand by. Oy vey!! Is that story hard to believe? Not at all, for the man has obviously been going from bad to worse, his dementia overtaking his limited thinking power, such as it ever was. Money and bluster cover up many sins. Consequently, we are now living under a demented person of meanness, of pettiness, a most dangerously incapable man who refuses to cede power, to admit his lack of qualifications and indeed, any redeeming quality to him at all!!
The decay inside our nation is deep, corrosive and growing. Every day we grow closer and closer to a despotic, tyrannical state of America. Every day we grow closer and closer to full blown Civil War, and if you believe that it never will happen, well, it has already begun. Just pick up any paper, magazine, newscast and read the truth. Feel the danger deep within your soul, for no person will be immune to this awful state of being.
Folks, be watchful, very much so. Be strong in your determination to keep America as it should be. Elect a person willing to fix our problems, at least make a start to necessary processes rather than making it worse. Vote for one who knows history, who respects history, who learns from history, who truly loves our country. Certainly not a Captain Bonespurs whose country is the bottom line of the Trump Organization and he has run his presidency with that bottom line in mind, gulping huge helpings of funds from the public trough.
VOTE! Mail in. Bring in. Bring those of others. Drive people to voting sites. Help the elderly and those who need aid. Bottles of water in the heat, an umbrella in the rain. A chair to rest upon. Encouragement to do their civil right and duty and VOTE!! Save our nation. Save ourselves.
Now the figures of death grow apace with over 183,000 dead and over 6 million infected. Those numbers chill me to the very bone marrow. VOTE for an administration and leaders who value life, not flick it away as of little or no importance. VOTE.
This is comparable to the state of our country today. However, our outer beauty, our appearance of or as a country with an inner peace and mission, as a country blessed with both quality and quantity, and as a country who knows that it is judged by how it treats its weakest and neediest citizens, well, that country is long gone. Eaten away inside by worms of insecurity, distrust of the very government which is supposed to oversee it all, the stench of ever increasing violence amid the swamp of hatred and bias, a president who encourages that violence - well, the country has had no chance these past four years to keep us whole, inside and out.
The rot spreads, evidently catching, contagious to a high level. Shivers should have run down the spine of society as Germans, waving red and black flags, stormed the Reichstag, attempting to get in, shouting all the while Nazi slogans, faces distorted with hate and yes, insanity, an inner madness and rot that has grown so deep and so malignant that that it now comes right through to the open view of all. One cannot remain sane in the midst of all that is going on, certainly not if one yields to the temptation to become one of them, to take on his/her own wisp of power, puffing them up with self importance and murderous ability to inflict harm and even death to others, to perceived enemies. Unfortunately for mankind, this thematic behavior and beliefs have grown around the world including right here in the very country meant to challenge despotism, to stand as the bulwark of democracy. We have failed.
Worse than failure are the consequences and the causes. The main cause here is a president surrounded by those who cater to his every insane whim, who enable him to spread his poisonous verbal trash even as he cheers on violence, blames it on others and speaks approvingly and sympathetically of a murderer, never mentioning the truth, the victim shot dead. The damage to society has now grown exponentially, almost to the point of no return.
The worst of it all is actually multifold. The rust of lies eating away at the trust for government. The worms of doubt casting great suspicion on the outcome of the election. Who will meddle? Will anyone meddle successfully? What about ballots in various forms? Most horrifying - the vision of the implosion of our nation as the current illegitimate President refuses to concede, remains in the WH, instigating yet another constitutional crisis, one to an existential threat level. The blood on the streets as the military is called in to evict him, the militias of all sides joining in with assault rifles, tear gas, grenades, treating each other, neighbors, friends and family, as enemies to be hunted down, shot and or imprisoned.
Nor is the other version any better, perhaps even worse. Should that man and his ugly cohorts win, well, there goes the nation. Shut the windows and lock the doors, for here come the thugs, glorified in uniforms of death, hunting down the "terrorists" of Trump's mind. Here come the enemies of mankind, the Trump children, perhaps even worse than their father. Here comes the "patriotic education" that Trump touts, a metaphor for enforced political education of the most awful kind, forced, false, destructive of any good and hope and progress for America and indeed, for mankind.
Then, of course, we have the great fear that such a win could only arise through vast and nefarious machinations and interference in the vote and its count. What then?
There is no scenario that appears to leave us with hope, with trust, with a leader to actually lead, to help us solve the huge issues facing us today. The COVID crisis exacerbated by the criminal neglect and mishandling by Trump. The economic crises set in motion as a result. The growing plague of hunger and homelessness, with so many families affected. The growing hatred between citizens, the nastiness with which we treat immigrants and migrants, indeed, all we do not like.
Today there is a rumor going around that Trump's mysterious visit to Walter Reed last year was a result of a series of mini strokes and Pence, the Devil's Spawn, was on stand by. Oy vey!! Is that story hard to believe? Not at all, for the man has obviously been going from bad to worse, his dementia overtaking his limited thinking power, such as it ever was. Money and bluster cover up many sins. Consequently, we are now living under a demented person of meanness, of pettiness, a most dangerously incapable man who refuses to cede power, to admit his lack of qualifications and indeed, any redeeming quality to him at all!!
The decay inside our nation is deep, corrosive and growing. Every day we grow closer and closer to a despotic, tyrannical state of America. Every day we grow closer and closer to full blown Civil War, and if you believe that it never will happen, well, it has already begun. Just pick up any paper, magazine, newscast and read the truth. Feel the danger deep within your soul, for no person will be immune to this awful state of being.
Folks, be watchful, very much so. Be strong in your determination to keep America as it should be. Elect a person willing to fix our problems, at least make a start to necessary processes rather than making it worse. Vote for one who knows history, who respects history, who learns from history, who truly loves our country. Certainly not a Captain Bonespurs whose country is the bottom line of the Trump Organization and he has run his presidency with that bottom line in mind, gulping huge helpings of funds from the public trough.
VOTE! Mail in. Bring in. Bring those of others. Drive people to voting sites. Help the elderly and those who need aid. Bottles of water in the heat, an umbrella in the rain. A chair to rest upon. Encouragement to do their civil right and duty and VOTE!! Save our nation. Save ourselves.
Now the figures of death grow apace with over 183,000 dead and over 6 million infected. Those numbers chill me to the very bone marrow. VOTE for an administration and leaders who value life, not flick it away as of little or no importance. VOTE.
Tuesday, September 1, 2020
THE DREAMS GO ON
I just refused to this morning. What, you might ask? Simple. Read the news, catch up on developments of yesterday and overnight, of weeks of thinking and new revelations. I decided that today was going to be different. Today was a day for dreams, for good , rather than for the stench of the living nightmare we find ourselves mired in, up to and even over, our heads. So today, dreams. For we must continue to dream. Without dreams we lose our way, lose our direction, our incentive to go on, to live in a better and sweeter world. So today, dreams. And as you read of mine, think of yours. Dream, for one day, one day......
Ask anyone of my acquaintance of more than three minutes and you will know of my favorite dream, my most favorite place in the whole world - Hawaii. We have been there numerous times, yet it is not enough. I know that it, too, must have its issues, homelessness. the expense of living there, the usual bits and pieces of daily living, but I go there to refresh. The air kisses the cheek. The people are friendly, helpful, even the people on the streets, not only those in the hotel. There is no honking of horns, for even in their awful traffic jams, all sit patiently, living the "hang loose" philosophy. The piece de resistance: no matter which island you choose, there are numerous vistas that stun the eye and heal the soul, one around every corner. For more, just watch the sun as it sinks into the Pacific at sunset or check out the almost permanent rainbows, the symbol of good things, of promise and hope.
And as we keep on searching, hoping to find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow's arc, so too do we keep hold of our dreams. So onto more, the stuff of hope, of laughter and light. The miserable pandemic has introduced new things in our lives and mixed with old favorites.
Loving to walk through flea markets, the bigger, the better, we have found ourselves immersed in the hundreds of hours of old Flea Market Flip. We have watched and admired the ingenuity of refurbishers, of the gems and treasures that are found in the huge flea markets featured on the show. So, to the point - after it is okay to travel and we find ourselves in a somewhat more normal world, we are going to Brimfield! We are going to Elephant's Trunk. We are going to find all the old wood till my soul is sated and my creativity challenged. All I need is the courage to forge ahead in my new avocation of woodworking and dare to attempt my own refurbishing and recycling.
This week - the first step. Find an unpainted, or old piece of small whatever, perhaps a step stool, and redo it. No harm, no foul. Only the fulfillment of a dream I never knew I had until the virus came a visiting! Lesson learned - while life goes on, dream, think of better things and times and do what one can to improve the situation and now I am veering into forbidden territory of the day, for one and all know the first step I would take to fix this challenged world of ours. Begone, monster, back into your own cage. Off to dreams again.
I dream of returning once again to a homeland of destiny and ancient promises, where I am always welcome, where to be a Jew is not to worry about daily anti Semitism, but to live a life in one's own state, just like the rest of the world. I love America - at least what used to be America - but back, Evil One, not today. Even as I love it, I know through every bone in my body, every bit of my soul, that there could come a time when once again we are chased out of home and hearth, and yes, here, in the USA. So, a dream of mine -to have another home there, a place of refuge , a place where history finds a resting place in my heart. Not to mention the wonderful relatives we have there and of course, visiting our grandkids who are studying there in gap year programs. Now all we need is for the virus to abate, and for EL Al to resume flights. Dreams.
On to an ongoing, long term dream that has finally come to fruition, better than I could have hoped for. My entire life I saw the sadness that lay beneath my Bubbie's life. Even after she died, I remembered it and vowed to do something about it. But what could I do? Finally, only recently, in the past year or two and more so since March, we have worked on tracing families, on all sides, particularly my Bubbie's. It was chasing ghosts most of the time, for these were people long dead, in natural life spans, and under the murderous hands of the Nazis and their collaborators.
But I was determined. I would find my namesake, my great grandmother, my Bubbie's mother. I would find out at least the end of her family - my family. And the best ever took place. We found twigs of survival. We found a child here who survived. We found a young man who fled into the forests. We found one who had been sent to Siberia, and survived! And I cried, for here was the antidote to her sadness. Here was family, a niece or nephew who made it. Another generation further. The cherry on top - we talked to them, correspond with them, and our hearts have opened wide just as they have absorbed us into theirs.
With the dream of finding family and answers, more have arisen, but we will tackle those as well. We will dream of a reunion of the family, a dream once thought to be impossible. We have learned to forge on, try new paths, and reach out. We have lived dreams long unexpressed and unfulfilled. Now it is different. So reach out and dare to dream. Do not allow the tenor of the times to stifle yours. Dare to go bold, to answer the questions of your life. Try new dreams, develop new ones. But always, dream on.
And sorry, it just cannot be helped - further the possibility of your dreams and all of ours, by VOTING!!!
Ask anyone of my acquaintance of more than three minutes and you will know of my favorite dream, my most favorite place in the whole world - Hawaii. We have been there numerous times, yet it is not enough. I know that it, too, must have its issues, homelessness. the expense of living there, the usual bits and pieces of daily living, but I go there to refresh. The air kisses the cheek. The people are friendly, helpful, even the people on the streets, not only those in the hotel. There is no honking of horns, for even in their awful traffic jams, all sit patiently, living the "hang loose" philosophy. The piece de resistance: no matter which island you choose, there are numerous vistas that stun the eye and heal the soul, one around every corner. For more, just watch the sun as it sinks into the Pacific at sunset or check out the almost permanent rainbows, the symbol of good things, of promise and hope.
And as we keep on searching, hoping to find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow's arc, so too do we keep hold of our dreams. So onto more, the stuff of hope, of laughter and light. The miserable pandemic has introduced new things in our lives and mixed with old favorites.
Loving to walk through flea markets, the bigger, the better, we have found ourselves immersed in the hundreds of hours of old Flea Market Flip. We have watched and admired the ingenuity of refurbishers, of the gems and treasures that are found in the huge flea markets featured on the show. So, to the point - after it is okay to travel and we find ourselves in a somewhat more normal world, we are going to Brimfield! We are going to Elephant's Trunk. We are going to find all the old wood till my soul is sated and my creativity challenged. All I need is the courage to forge ahead in my new avocation of woodworking and dare to attempt my own refurbishing and recycling.
This week - the first step. Find an unpainted, or old piece of small whatever, perhaps a step stool, and redo it. No harm, no foul. Only the fulfillment of a dream I never knew I had until the virus came a visiting! Lesson learned - while life goes on, dream, think of better things and times and do what one can to improve the situation and now I am veering into forbidden territory of the day, for one and all know the first step I would take to fix this challenged world of ours. Begone, monster, back into your own cage. Off to dreams again.
I dream of returning once again to a homeland of destiny and ancient promises, where I am always welcome, where to be a Jew is not to worry about daily anti Semitism, but to live a life in one's own state, just like the rest of the world. I love America - at least what used to be America - but back, Evil One, not today. Even as I love it, I know through every bone in my body, every bit of my soul, that there could come a time when once again we are chased out of home and hearth, and yes, here, in the USA. So, a dream of mine -to have another home there, a place of refuge , a place where history finds a resting place in my heart. Not to mention the wonderful relatives we have there and of course, visiting our grandkids who are studying there in gap year programs. Now all we need is for the virus to abate, and for EL Al to resume flights. Dreams.
On to an ongoing, long term dream that has finally come to fruition, better than I could have hoped for. My entire life I saw the sadness that lay beneath my Bubbie's life. Even after she died, I remembered it and vowed to do something about it. But what could I do? Finally, only recently, in the past year or two and more so since March, we have worked on tracing families, on all sides, particularly my Bubbie's. It was chasing ghosts most of the time, for these were people long dead, in natural life spans, and under the murderous hands of the Nazis and their collaborators.
But I was determined. I would find my namesake, my great grandmother, my Bubbie's mother. I would find out at least the end of her family - my family. And the best ever took place. We found twigs of survival. We found a child here who survived. We found a young man who fled into the forests. We found one who had been sent to Siberia, and survived! And I cried, for here was the antidote to her sadness. Here was family, a niece or nephew who made it. Another generation further. The cherry on top - we talked to them, correspond with them, and our hearts have opened wide just as they have absorbed us into theirs.
With the dream of finding family and answers, more have arisen, but we will tackle those as well. We will dream of a reunion of the family, a dream once thought to be impossible. We have learned to forge on, try new paths, and reach out. We have lived dreams long unexpressed and unfulfilled. Now it is different. So reach out and dare to dream. Do not allow the tenor of the times to stifle yours. Dare to go bold, to answer the questions of your life. Try new dreams, develop new ones. But always, dream on.
And sorry, it just cannot be helped - further the possibility of your dreams and all of ours, by VOTING!!!
Monday, August 31, 2020
A TEAR SOAKED LAND - OR IS THAT BLOOD?
Imagine this scene upstairs: Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, FDR, JFK, Paul Revere, John Paul Jones, Nathan Hale, and a slew of others are sitting, agitated, shouting, crying, distraught beyond all descriptive terms. They cannot understand what has happened to their country, what has become of all their efforts to build and improve this land, this country they served. They acknowledge their errors, but in the American spirit, cheer on the efforts to correct and amend those errors. But now? Now they are confused, in despair and wonder aloud how a despot like Trump ever got to sit in that seat of power. How did America come to be headed by a snake, one who compares with all the dictators they fought against throughout the history of our country.
Downstairs, in the world of today, people walk around with shoulders hunched around their ears, with frowns upon their faces, speaking with trepidation only after sounding out the political views of their co-conversationalist. There is a fear of what will happen if one speaks the truth to one who disagrees with them. There is a growing fear that we are becoming a despotic state, a country ruled by fear, by the very fears aroused and instigated by the one who should be out there railing against it.
I heard the phrase "unbridgeable chasm" used in a conversation with a survivor of Mengele's twin experiments in Auschwitz. No one from the "normals" could ever understand what happened, how these kids felt, how these adults still feel, the anger, the denial of justice, the lack of knowledge as to exactly what was inflicted upon them. The very fact that the family company denied their knowledge of him, supported him for decades, and their escape from prosecution is aggravating, but think now of the mirror image.
No, as of yet we do not have that degree of hate, but do you honestly think it is far away, not actually here right now? Think again. Think of the cages of the detainees, the lack of food, blankets, water, hygienic conditions. The separation of families, just like the train stations at any concentration and death camp. The roundups, with trucks and armed forces, shouting, threatening, no warning and no escape. Steps taken along a very bad road and we are taking them. Be under no illusions about that. Watch the words, the faces, the distortion of mind and body as the right wingers express their hatred of other Americans. Other Americans!!! We are at war with each other. That is now a fact. We now have another unbridgeable chasm and personally, I cannot see a clear path through, over, under, or around.
Bad things start with missteps. They continue with purposeful missteps. They continue with increasing acts of hatred, of violence, of the bitterness of words. These words lead to actual violence. This violence, encouraged by those who benefit from it, grows apace and people are killed. Once one is killed, others will follow. This is a tired, evil, path of history and we never seem to learn, do we? Time and time again we persist in doing the evil dance with enemies of mankind.
Folks, even as the tears of great Americans flow upstairs, so, too, do they flow downstairs. Why are 17 year old kids coming from out of state, armed with an assault rifle? Why are cavalcades of hatemongers encouraged by the President who calls them great Americans plowing into protesters? Trump encourages this because he knows he benefits from every act of violence, building upon the fear of people, exaggerating the facts, trying to build up a picture of a war torn America salvageable only by one such as himself.
The goal? To rid this nation of anyone and all who do not look, think, believe, or act like them? What has happened to us?
Citizens using paintballs and pepper spray against fellow Americans who basically have been declared worthless. The results? "an escalation of violence is something beneficial to Trump. Strongmen leaders incite crises so they can pose themselves as the law-and-order solution.”
No mistake about it. No more warnings about blood in the streets. That is here. That is a fact. If we do not stop this movement in its tracks then we, America, are doomed. Doomed to lose our country, our place in history, our dreams of a future better and safer for all. Gone. In a shout of hate, a spray of burning acid, a spurting of blood. When we ignore the lies, the ever growing stock and harm of these lies, then we doom ourselves. We are the partakers of our own destruction.
So folks, get out there and VOTE. That is the only way. Mail it in. Bring it to the office. Stand there till it is your turn, Stand there and watch that all get a chance to VOTE. You, me, all of us. The burden is upon us. Let us shoulder it willingly and play our role in saving this country.
Downstairs, in the world of today, people walk around with shoulders hunched around their ears, with frowns upon their faces, speaking with trepidation only after sounding out the political views of their co-conversationalist. There is a fear of what will happen if one speaks the truth to one who disagrees with them. There is a growing fear that we are becoming a despotic state, a country ruled by fear, by the very fears aroused and instigated by the one who should be out there railing against it.
I heard the phrase "unbridgeable chasm" used in a conversation with a survivor of Mengele's twin experiments in Auschwitz. No one from the "normals" could ever understand what happened, how these kids felt, how these adults still feel, the anger, the denial of justice, the lack of knowledge as to exactly what was inflicted upon them. The very fact that the family company denied their knowledge of him, supported him for decades, and their escape from prosecution is aggravating, but think now of the mirror image.
No, as of yet we do not have that degree of hate, but do you honestly think it is far away, not actually here right now? Think again. Think of the cages of the detainees, the lack of food, blankets, water, hygienic conditions. The separation of families, just like the train stations at any concentration and death camp. The roundups, with trucks and armed forces, shouting, threatening, no warning and no escape. Steps taken along a very bad road and we are taking them. Be under no illusions about that. Watch the words, the faces, the distortion of mind and body as the right wingers express their hatred of other Americans. Other Americans!!! We are at war with each other. That is now a fact. We now have another unbridgeable chasm and personally, I cannot see a clear path through, over, under, or around.
Bad things start with missteps. They continue with purposeful missteps. They continue with increasing acts of hatred, of violence, of the bitterness of words. These words lead to actual violence. This violence, encouraged by those who benefit from it, grows apace and people are killed. Once one is killed, others will follow. This is a tired, evil, path of history and we never seem to learn, do we? Time and time again we persist in doing the evil dance with enemies of mankind.
Folks, even as the tears of great Americans flow upstairs, so, too, do they flow downstairs. Why are 17 year old kids coming from out of state, armed with an assault rifle? Why are cavalcades of hatemongers encouraged by the President who calls them great Americans plowing into protesters? Trump encourages this because he knows he benefits from every act of violence, building upon the fear of people, exaggerating the facts, trying to build up a picture of a war torn America salvageable only by one such as himself.
The goal? To rid this nation of anyone and all who do not look, think, believe, or act like them? What has happened to us?
Citizens using paintballs and pepper spray against fellow Americans who basically have been declared worthless. The results? "an escalation of violence is something beneficial to Trump. Strongmen leaders incite crises so they can pose themselves as the law-and-order solution.”
No mistake about it. No more warnings about blood in the streets. That is here. That is a fact. If we do not stop this movement in its tracks then we, America, are doomed. Doomed to lose our country, our place in history, our dreams of a future better and safer for all. Gone. In a shout of hate, a spray of burning acid, a spurting of blood. When we ignore the lies, the ever growing stock and harm of these lies, then we doom ourselves. We are the partakers of our own destruction.
So folks, get out there and VOTE. That is the only way. Mail it in. Bring it to the office. Stand there till it is your turn, Stand there and watch that all get a chance to VOTE. You, me, all of us. The burden is upon us. Let us shoulder it willingly and play our role in saving this country.
Sunday, August 30, 2020
SPEECHLESS AND SHAKING
It just keeps getting worse and every 'wild' statement or prediction I have written appears to be coming true. Did I really see it coming? Did I really think it would come to this or was I hoping that warnings would be enough to ward it all off? Honestly, even as I was hoping, I really was hopeless, for from the beginning Trump has been, to me at least, and apparently to a growing number of others, a true representative of evil, and that should be with a capital E.
Physically, he is repulsive to any onloooker. There is never a smile on that weird looking face, only an orange complexion slashed through by a smirk, and that attitude reinforced by a perennial pose of arms crossed against his chest or a finger pointing somewhere out there. From that pursed and tiny mouth spews forth filth. Words of hatred. Words of treason. Words that speak against democracy. Worse, words that encourage the actions taken against democracy, against the government and its structure, opposed to the Constitution, refuting the ideals and goals put forth in the Declaration of Independence. In short, he is the clear and present danger to our survival as an American democracy and the pity of it all, the danger of it all, is that we have allowed it to come to this.
His warmongering is typical of that of a coward. Free from the risks of warfare and wounding, Captain Bonespurs always wishes for military displays, the might which he feels can be used, not against our enemies, for he has made allies of so many and enemies of allies, but the ability - which he has used - to use military force against the citizens of this country. The very people he is sworn to protect, to serve, to defend, to be a President of the United States of America!!
Constant displays of military personnel and equipment. Constant threats of sending in troops. Now the cutting of intelligence briefings from the leaders of Congress - a major change and not a good one. A letter sent to the Joint Chief and the Secretary of Defense asking where they stand on the issue of troops should Trump refuse to vacate the WH upon sustaining a loss at the polls - and I guess presuming that Trump does not shut down the polls or further interfere with its progress! An accusation by another Senator that Trump is killing people with his constant rallies and railings against the truth re the virus, the discouraging of masks, and the constant lies that lead to more infections. I have so stated this long ago - so glad that others are catching up - but is it too late for us and our country? Is it too late for those who will continue to die and send us over a count of 200,000 dead?
One of his former aides stated that it all looks a "bit" like the Weimar Republic, the weak government that was taken over and overthrown, tossed away along with the hope of democracy in Germany, and set in motion WWII and the rest of history. The most frightening thing about that statement is that 'bit' is not enough. The constant use of terminology such as law and order, or enemies of the people or tirades and threats against the media, the rising tide of hateful and provocative words, resultant deeds. Did I forget the blood in the streets as the new tribes of America war against each other?! It is upon us today, with violent instigators from the right wing extremists out for trouble, with the shooting and killing of protesters by a 17 year old armed with an assault rifle!!!!
The callous use and instigation of violence, of fear mongering, of threats to our democracy, of plans stated to remain in office, to flout the law - and that is not a threat but a reality - the callous use of individuals to further his campaign - via trickery and lies. And the violation time and time again of the Hatch Act which is supposed to prevent the use of governmental officials in politics. Well, throw that one away for it is the opposite of reality, the common rule of the Trump campaign today. Use all officials and clear the way! Rules and laws be damned.
To me, the most frightening thing is the deterioration of the fabric of our lives as a people united in a united country. I fear that we are no longer Americans, but rather are tribal entities. These tribes cut right across the lines of family and friends. Where does it end? Will we have an new country wherein we encourage the informing upon others as do all Fascist countries? Will we continue the farce of democracy that we have now, with the threats to that basic necessity of democracy -free and tamper free elections?
Will we ever have trust again in our government? Will there ever be reason again to want that trust? And will the drip down of secrecy in government, of lies in government, of distorted government, ever stop? A NJ mayor sends a ridiculous thousands of dollars fine to a 17 year old girl who organized a protest. In Tennessee protesters are liable for a felony charge and isn't that just so coincidental that a felon can not vote there!!
And the secrecy that is growing in leaps and bounds! That secrecy, those lies spoken and not, seep down even into the lowest levels - such as we have here in CV where the administration in the person of David Israel has virtually shut down UCO, held no open meetings, cancels Executive Board meetings the night before or even the day of, cancels Delegate Assemblies and so many others, and we, the residents, those who pay the fees, have no clue as to what is going on. If one tries to get into the building where UCO is headquartered, well, just try it.
No, there is a definite atmosphere of fear and worry. There is a definite despair growing. There is less and less to say and more and more reason to shake. The only alternative, the only antidote, is to get out there and VOTE. Prevent the awful tragedy that would be a retention of that EVIL man in office. Better he proceed to jail where he belongs. Prevent the downfall of this country, the best experiment of mankind so far, faulty, backsliding at times, but always trying to be better, not Be Best, that ungrammatical, nonsensical ridiculous program of Melania which makes a farce of the whole thing as the chief violator of this program is her husband - Trump!!
No, there is no choice here. Shaking and dreading, fearing the worst, we must gather our courage and determination and not let anything stand in the way of our voting. It is a vote for liberty, for justice, for freedom, for honest government, for democracy, for hope of a future where we pay attention to improving the environment, where people count, not money. VOTE! That is our only hope and answer to the tragedy now unfolding in our country and in fact, the entire world. VOTE. Only you can save this country and the future of your children.
Physically, he is repulsive to any onloooker. There is never a smile on that weird looking face, only an orange complexion slashed through by a smirk, and that attitude reinforced by a perennial pose of arms crossed against his chest or a finger pointing somewhere out there. From that pursed and tiny mouth spews forth filth. Words of hatred. Words of treason. Words that speak against democracy. Worse, words that encourage the actions taken against democracy, against the government and its structure, opposed to the Constitution, refuting the ideals and goals put forth in the Declaration of Independence. In short, he is the clear and present danger to our survival as an American democracy and the pity of it all, the danger of it all, is that we have allowed it to come to this.
His warmongering is typical of that of a coward. Free from the risks of warfare and wounding, Captain Bonespurs always wishes for military displays, the might which he feels can be used, not against our enemies, for he has made allies of so many and enemies of allies, but the ability - which he has used - to use military force against the citizens of this country. The very people he is sworn to protect, to serve, to defend, to be a President of the United States of America!!
Constant displays of military personnel and equipment. Constant threats of sending in troops. Now the cutting of intelligence briefings from the leaders of Congress - a major change and not a good one. A letter sent to the Joint Chief and the Secretary of Defense asking where they stand on the issue of troops should Trump refuse to vacate the WH upon sustaining a loss at the polls - and I guess presuming that Trump does not shut down the polls or further interfere with its progress! An accusation by another Senator that Trump is killing people with his constant rallies and railings against the truth re the virus, the discouraging of masks, and the constant lies that lead to more infections. I have so stated this long ago - so glad that others are catching up - but is it too late for us and our country? Is it too late for those who will continue to die and send us over a count of 200,000 dead?
One of his former aides stated that it all looks a "bit" like the Weimar Republic, the weak government that was taken over and overthrown, tossed away along with the hope of democracy in Germany, and set in motion WWII and the rest of history. The most frightening thing about that statement is that 'bit' is not enough. The constant use of terminology such as law and order, or enemies of the people or tirades and threats against the media, the rising tide of hateful and provocative words, resultant deeds. Did I forget the blood in the streets as the new tribes of America war against each other?! It is upon us today, with violent instigators from the right wing extremists out for trouble, with the shooting and killing of protesters by a 17 year old armed with an assault rifle!!!!
The callous use and instigation of violence, of fear mongering, of threats to our democracy, of plans stated to remain in office, to flout the law - and that is not a threat but a reality - the callous use of individuals to further his campaign - via trickery and lies. And the violation time and time again of the Hatch Act which is supposed to prevent the use of governmental officials in politics. Well, throw that one away for it is the opposite of reality, the common rule of the Trump campaign today. Use all officials and clear the way! Rules and laws be damned.
To me, the most frightening thing is the deterioration of the fabric of our lives as a people united in a united country. I fear that we are no longer Americans, but rather are tribal entities. These tribes cut right across the lines of family and friends. Where does it end? Will we have an new country wherein we encourage the informing upon others as do all Fascist countries? Will we continue the farce of democracy that we have now, with the threats to that basic necessity of democracy -free and tamper free elections?
Will we ever have trust again in our government? Will there ever be reason again to want that trust? And will the drip down of secrecy in government, of lies in government, of distorted government, ever stop? A NJ mayor sends a ridiculous thousands of dollars fine to a 17 year old girl who organized a protest. In Tennessee protesters are liable for a felony charge and isn't that just so coincidental that a felon can not vote there!!
And the secrecy that is growing in leaps and bounds! That secrecy, those lies spoken and not, seep down even into the lowest levels - such as we have here in CV where the administration in the person of David Israel has virtually shut down UCO, held no open meetings, cancels Executive Board meetings the night before or even the day of, cancels Delegate Assemblies and so many others, and we, the residents, those who pay the fees, have no clue as to what is going on. If one tries to get into the building where UCO is headquartered, well, just try it.
No, there is a definite atmosphere of fear and worry. There is a definite despair growing. There is less and less to say and more and more reason to shake. The only alternative, the only antidote, is to get out there and VOTE. Prevent the awful tragedy that would be a retention of that EVIL man in office. Better he proceed to jail where he belongs. Prevent the downfall of this country, the best experiment of mankind so far, faulty, backsliding at times, but always trying to be better, not Be Best, that ungrammatical, nonsensical ridiculous program of Melania which makes a farce of the whole thing as the chief violator of this program is her husband - Trump!!
No, there is no choice here. Shaking and dreading, fearing the worst, we must gather our courage and determination and not let anything stand in the way of our voting. It is a vote for liberty, for justice, for freedom, for honest government, for democracy, for hope of a future where we pay attention to improving the environment, where people count, not money. VOTE! That is our only hope and answer to the tragedy now unfolding in our country and in fact, the entire world. VOTE. Only you can save this country and the future of your children.
Friday, August 28, 2020
LORDY, LORDY!
Wow! I woke up this morning a bit dazed. I actually was able to fall back asleep at 3 AM and now I am late with the pill regimen. Dearie me! By the time I finish with the timed pills it will be time for lunch rather than breakfast. Oh well. Nothing I can do about that. Ahh, the woes of old age. And then I looked over my shoulder - carefully, so as not to set my back afire - and had a shock. Oh my!
There he was, the almost birthday boy - tomorrow, as a matter of fact - and there, too, was my shock. Holy cow! He will be 74 and I am married to an old man. When the hell did that happen? How did it happen? When I look in the mirror I am puzzled at times, for there, looking back at me is my mother, even as I know it is me, and my matching partner is right there, to my left When did we get so old? What happened to the handsome young man with a head full of jet black hair, a straight back, and a gentleness to be valued and treasured.
So, did the world age with us? Did we lose vital parts of our beings, our inner selves, as we lost physical abilities and attributes? What does being old - or getting older - actually mean? It really is deep food for thought. Ahh, food. Can't think about that. Too many pills to take before that can happen. Back to the topic.
I think, at times, that we are, the two of us, somewhat bewildered and dismayed at the rise of ugliness again, the vicious and viral hatred that people seemingly cannot be rid of. We look at each other and wonder, not so much about ourselves, for we are at the tail end of our time on earth - hope I can eat before that happens! - but our kids, our grandkids - what will life be for them? Will there be an even uglier outburst of anti-Semitism? Will the world explode or implode with its self destructive anger? What will be?
And I look over at my old man husband and then think that at least we were lucky and blessed enough to live a life together, to share the joys and woes of children - gotta' remind those kids of that again - and the absolute bliss of grandchildren. Waiting on the time for great grand kids. Someday. Hopefully I will eat again before that happens!
So what does getting older mean in this world? It means a tad of confusion at the speed of life, the rate of change, the obsolescence of gadgets just as one feels at least a tad okay with it. It means sad wonder at the deterioration of manners, of decency, but also the comfort at knowing that there are still stalwart warriors out there who fight for the ideals of my youth, and quite frankly, still my ideals, and perhaps even stronger - or is that strong feeling my empty stomach reminding me, shouting, "Feed me!" Down, kiddo. At least another hour and a half to go. Patience is a virtue.
There are also good points at aging. No one looks awry at you when you take a little nap in the middle of the day. No one tells you to hurry up. People actually hold doors for you. Store owners, at least here in Florida, know to point out the facilities when you wander in with an anxious look on the face. Not in Manhattan!!
And again, and always, there are the joys and comforts in knowing that the two of us are together. There is the excitement in working together on new ventures. There is the comfort of simply sitting there in the living room, laughing and talking over old memories. There is a joy in life to aging as well - as long as one gets to eat breakfast!!
There are the simple joys of somehow finding oneself watching a movie Alabama Moon on YouTube and having no idea I got there. Sweet movie. Watch it. There is the excitement - and the anger - that one feels when accessing the world of the Web, that satisfying and exasperating entity, the reaching out for information and the sadness at the lies perpetrated on it and even worse, the amount of people who believe those lies.
So, Happy Birthday, my old man. Enjoy the best wishes and the love of family and friends as they reach out to wish you all the best. Know that I still love you and intend to keep you around for as long as the Good Lord allows. Lordy, Lordy - I sure hope this hour and a half goes by quickly, as quickly as the years together have gone by.
Yom Huledet Sameach - ad meah ve'esrim. Beyachad. Tamid beyachad.
There he was, the almost birthday boy - tomorrow, as a matter of fact - and there, too, was my shock. Holy cow! He will be 74 and I am married to an old man. When the hell did that happen? How did it happen? When I look in the mirror I am puzzled at times, for there, looking back at me is my mother, even as I know it is me, and my matching partner is right there, to my left When did we get so old? What happened to the handsome young man with a head full of jet black hair, a straight back, and a gentleness to be valued and treasured.
So, did the world age with us? Did we lose vital parts of our beings, our inner selves, as we lost physical abilities and attributes? What does being old - or getting older - actually mean? It really is deep food for thought. Ahh, food. Can't think about that. Too many pills to take before that can happen. Back to the topic.
I think, at times, that we are, the two of us, somewhat bewildered and dismayed at the rise of ugliness again, the vicious and viral hatred that people seemingly cannot be rid of. We look at each other and wonder, not so much about ourselves, for we are at the tail end of our time on earth - hope I can eat before that happens! - but our kids, our grandkids - what will life be for them? Will there be an even uglier outburst of anti-Semitism? Will the world explode or implode with its self destructive anger? What will be?
And I look over at my old man husband and then think that at least we were lucky and blessed enough to live a life together, to share the joys and woes of children - gotta' remind those kids of that again - and the absolute bliss of grandchildren. Waiting on the time for great grand kids. Someday. Hopefully I will eat again before that happens!
So what does getting older mean in this world? It means a tad of confusion at the speed of life, the rate of change, the obsolescence of gadgets just as one feels at least a tad okay with it. It means sad wonder at the deterioration of manners, of decency, but also the comfort at knowing that there are still stalwart warriors out there who fight for the ideals of my youth, and quite frankly, still my ideals, and perhaps even stronger - or is that strong feeling my empty stomach reminding me, shouting, "Feed me!" Down, kiddo. At least another hour and a half to go. Patience is a virtue.
There are also good points at aging. No one looks awry at you when you take a little nap in the middle of the day. No one tells you to hurry up. People actually hold doors for you. Store owners, at least here in Florida, know to point out the facilities when you wander in with an anxious look on the face. Not in Manhattan!!
And again, and always, there are the joys and comforts in knowing that the two of us are together. There is the excitement in working together on new ventures. There is the comfort of simply sitting there in the living room, laughing and talking over old memories. There is a joy in life to aging as well - as long as one gets to eat breakfast!!
There are the simple joys of somehow finding oneself watching a movie Alabama Moon on YouTube and having no idea I got there. Sweet movie. Watch it. There is the excitement - and the anger - that one feels when accessing the world of the Web, that satisfying and exasperating entity, the reaching out for information and the sadness at the lies perpetrated on it and even worse, the amount of people who believe those lies.
So, Happy Birthday, my old man. Enjoy the best wishes and the love of family and friends as they reach out to wish you all the best. Know that I still love you and intend to keep you around for as long as the Good Lord allows. Lordy, Lordy - I sure hope this hour and a half goes by quickly, as quickly as the years together have gone by.
Yom Huledet Sameach - ad meah ve'esrim. Beyachad. Tamid beyachad.
Thursday, August 27, 2020
DEAR G-D, YOUR CREATIONS ARE CALLING.
So we have reached this point. I do not know how much lower we can go. We are invoking the name of G-d even as we sink so low that G-d must be blushing in shame. He must wonder, as do all parents when kids go astray, where and how did He go wrong. He did not. We did.
We invoke G-d's name even as we speak with the Devil's tongue. I have long spoken of Pence as the Devil's Spawn, and last night's speech merely provided proof of that as he finally opened his mouth in public. Would that he had kept it shut!! We have fallen or marched into, whatever choice you make, right into the two refuges of scoundrels - religion and patriotism - wherein important ideas are co-opted into a nefarious plan that is actually the opposite of those two terms.
Biden, a man of faith, is attacked as a man of no faith, even as the man who manipulates G-d roars his approval of these tactics. We are told we will live in a socialist world, well, we already do in many ways. Try Medicare and Medicaid. Try aid to farmers. Try aid to the unemployed. Whenever a society's governing organ reaches out to improve the lot of the people, as a group, well, sorry, folks, that is socialism in operation. And no one is demanding that we carry socialism out to its extreme, re ownership, even as the shriekers maintain silence re their own fascistic behavior and trending thoughts and actions.
The tone of all the speeches at the RNC are all frightening as hell. Threats as to life under Biden. Threats that are manifestly false. Lies that show their ignorance of history, of facts, of truths. Lies that cut through every single speaker's speech at the convention. Lies that are egregious in tone, in meaning, in representational aspects of this new Fascist Republican party. And if we are honest, that is now its true name.
It is a party which has no facts straight and twists and turns the facts on their heads. And no one cares!!! It amazes me. The man who mishandled the pandemic to the tune of 180,000 dead, claims now to be a hero in overcoming it and all the little rats follow along. Really? When did we overcome!!?? Pardon the use of that word in this context.
And speaking of overcoming, theses fascists are depicting a world wherein immigrants will stream over the borders with no rule or regulations. They try to make all be afraid, to turn to them as the only hope of safety. The lies are amazing in such a negative way. That is manifestly untrue. What Biden wants is a fairer and more open system in keeping with the ethos of America. He does not recommend using a 'Heat Ray' that burns the skin of those at whom it is pointed; he does not recommend storing children in cages or abandoned in hotel rooms. Or losing them altogether. Killed with kindness, I guess! Biden wants us to be America!! The same America that allowed us or our ancestors in to this blessed country now undergoing the throes of death as a democracy. And in the meanwhile, what about those naturalized citizens who cut the line who are living a the WH on our dime - Melania and her parents. They travel all around with them, on Air Force One as well!! So lovely is Fascism in operation!!
Worse, while we are all arguing at our own funeral as America, a very annoyed and frustrated G-d sends some of His handiwork our way, but do we hear? Nope. We remain deaf to our own disgusting words, to our terrible pictures we draw, to the awful and frightening hatred that we are growing quite rapidly, and ignore the world and its collapse around our own ears.
So, in conclusion, Dear Lord, please hear the prayers of one insignificant worshipper. Please provide aid to those of us who care, who want peace and truth, love or even a neutral relationship rather than ones filled with hatred and blood. Deal Lord, help us see the light. Before it is too late.
Thank you.
We invoke G-d's name even as we speak with the Devil's tongue. I have long spoken of Pence as the Devil's Spawn, and last night's speech merely provided proof of that as he finally opened his mouth in public. Would that he had kept it shut!! We have fallen or marched into, whatever choice you make, right into the two refuges of scoundrels - religion and patriotism - wherein important ideas are co-opted into a nefarious plan that is actually the opposite of those two terms.
Biden, a man of faith, is attacked as a man of no faith, even as the man who manipulates G-d roars his approval of these tactics. We are told we will live in a socialist world, well, we already do in many ways. Try Medicare and Medicaid. Try aid to farmers. Try aid to the unemployed. Whenever a society's governing organ reaches out to improve the lot of the people, as a group, well, sorry, folks, that is socialism in operation. And no one is demanding that we carry socialism out to its extreme, re ownership, even as the shriekers maintain silence re their own fascistic behavior and trending thoughts and actions.
The tone of all the speeches at the RNC are all frightening as hell. Threats as to life under Biden. Threats that are manifestly false. Lies that show their ignorance of history, of facts, of truths. Lies that cut through every single speaker's speech at the convention. Lies that are egregious in tone, in meaning, in representational aspects of this new Fascist Republican party. And if we are honest, that is now its true name.
It is a party which has no facts straight and twists and turns the facts on their heads. And no one cares!!! It amazes me. The man who mishandled the pandemic to the tune of 180,000 dead, claims now to be a hero in overcoming it and all the little rats follow along. Really? When did we overcome!!?? Pardon the use of that word in this context.
And speaking of overcoming, theses fascists are depicting a world wherein immigrants will stream over the borders with no rule or regulations. They try to make all be afraid, to turn to them as the only hope of safety. The lies are amazing in such a negative way. That is manifestly untrue. What Biden wants is a fairer and more open system in keeping with the ethos of America. He does not recommend using a 'Heat Ray' that burns the skin of those at whom it is pointed; he does not recommend storing children in cages or abandoned in hotel rooms. Or losing them altogether. Killed with kindness, I guess! Biden wants us to be America!! The same America that allowed us or our ancestors in to this blessed country now undergoing the throes of death as a democracy. And in the meanwhile, what about those naturalized citizens who cut the line who are living a the WH on our dime - Melania and her parents. They travel all around with them, on Air Force One as well!! So lovely is Fascism in operation!!
Worse, while we are all arguing at our own funeral as America, a very annoyed and frustrated G-d sends some of His handiwork our way, but do we hear? Nope. We remain deaf to our own disgusting words, to our terrible pictures we draw, to the awful and frightening hatred that we are growing quite rapidly, and ignore the world and its collapse around our own ears.
So, in conclusion, Dear Lord, please hear the prayers of one insignificant worshipper. Please provide aid to those of us who care, who want peace and truth, love or even a neutral relationship rather than ones filled with hatred and blood. Deal Lord, help us see the light. Before it is too late.
Thank you.
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
RUN FROM THE WATER, HIDE FROM THE WIND
The above is seemingly the mantra of Florida, borrowed by Louisiana, in its behavior and instructions re hurricanes. Personally, my mantra is to get the hell out of the area altogether, but it is not possible all the time, so not bad advice. However, one cannot hide nor run from the truth or bad news 100% of the time. Nor can an additional mantra of the GOP and the RNC be tolerated. One cannot stomp on the truth, demean the country, abase its citizens, show contempt for all conventions of society and civilization, and expect that "stomp" on the truth will always work, though it does too much of the time.
Unfortunately, this second mantra has trickled down into all levels of government, and why not? If the big dude gets away with it, well, goose and gander, so just stomp away, just hide and run, but please know that the truth will out. Responsibility, blame and guilt, will be assigned properly and the dues will be demanded. And paid.
What is confusing is the interim. So now we hear that Sheldon Silver is finally going off to prison for his crimes. When asked for home detention rather than dying in prison, the judge said it was, " “corruption, pure and simple.” and "his time has come....he needs to go to jail." I ask now, why is this case different as Trump is so corrupted that I doubt he can even walk a straight line or tell the truth about anything, even what he just watched on TV!! Corruption is just that and no coloring outside the lines of truth can disguise that fact.
His wife tells us that we need and deserve an honest man. Well, honesty is as far away from Trump as I am from understanding the physics of atomic fusion! Being honest about racist feelings, about mistreatment and contempt for women, of violations of rules by misusing the White House and other governmental fixtures and personnel for his own gain and political benefit, alleged tax fraud, hiding medical truths, and we can go on and on. The facts are there, and run, hide, stomp all you will, but the truth is the truth. And the truth will out. It always does. Hopefully, in time.
The truth is also extremely relevant here in CV as well. At present we have a do nothing, or worse, president of UCO, the governing body. He evidently believes quite deeply into his cold soul that silence, hiding, running from the truth, is the way to go. Worse, there are more and more stories of his extremely erratic behavior inside the walls of UCO, bizarre behavior and comments, and a deepening penchant for delay, for concealment, for cancellation of governmental activities or simply banning delegates and interested residents from all meetings. It is only now after much complaint and questioning that this supposed expert on tech stuff has recognized the fact that ZOOM exists and is being used all over the world - and even right here in the Village. We will see if the promise to ZOOM at one meeting even happens.
We can demand answers as to why the Clubhouse is closed to all meetings. Why has the delegate assembly been canceled for over half a year already? The theater can take about 225 people with social distancing, been offered to the Village for meetings, but David insists on keeping the budget, the finances, the issues and needs of the Village under shrouds of secrecy, of lies, of behavior rivaling that of Trump in his dictatorial style of government, in his lies and evasions, in his ignoring of the rules of society and our own bylaws, in his alleged demented and paranoid behavior. He refuses to prepare for future needs, crucial needs, and what are we supposed to do in the meanwhile, even as deadlines and needs grow stronger. Even as questions need to be answered as to what is going on with property nearby, with our own security and fencing, with the growing needs to police the violations around here such as hoarders, junk cars, violations of safety precautions, non permit building that endangers entire associations, deteriorating roads and a lack of funds still hanging over us from the misuse of funds, the extremely poor contract, from the last debacle of repaving. and a total shutdown of UCO for all intents and purposes.
No, the governments on all levels of this country need help, need reformation- and now. We can vote the best way in November and get rid of that ugly man in the White House and his ugly cohort with him, but we are stuck right now with David, unless we actually rise up. Demand a recall. Do the hearing the right way. Demand open government. Have a sit - in at UCO. Stand or sit with posters and blockade the building. Demand that he come out from hiding and answer questions. Demand that delegate assemblies be opened again and questions be posed with answers forthcoming.
Enough already with this corruption on all levels in this country. Enough of people who think they are IT and can do whatever they want, if they want, how they want, when they want. No! There is a responsibility and duty owed to the people of and on all governmental levels and we need to demand that all elected officials and all appointees answer to those duties. If not? Then get the hell out of town and let in the air, the truth, the light and proper government.
If we do not speak up and out on all levels, then we are at fault and deserve the governments we get - such as right now. It is all on us. That is the truth and no running or hiding or stomping will change it. Vote Trump and his evil out and as for David - "Come out, come out, wherever you are." We are waiting and will not go away.
Unfortunately, this second mantra has trickled down into all levels of government, and why not? If the big dude gets away with it, well, goose and gander, so just stomp away, just hide and run, but please know that the truth will out. Responsibility, blame and guilt, will be assigned properly and the dues will be demanded. And paid.
What is confusing is the interim. So now we hear that Sheldon Silver is finally going off to prison for his crimes. When asked for home detention rather than dying in prison, the judge said it was, " “corruption, pure and simple.” and "his time has come....he needs to go to jail." I ask now, why is this case different as Trump is so corrupted that I doubt he can even walk a straight line or tell the truth about anything, even what he just watched on TV!! Corruption is just that and no coloring outside the lines of truth can disguise that fact.
His wife tells us that we need and deserve an honest man. Well, honesty is as far away from Trump as I am from understanding the physics of atomic fusion! Being honest about racist feelings, about mistreatment and contempt for women, of violations of rules by misusing the White House and other governmental fixtures and personnel for his own gain and political benefit, alleged tax fraud, hiding medical truths, and we can go on and on. The facts are there, and run, hide, stomp all you will, but the truth is the truth. And the truth will out. It always does. Hopefully, in time.
The truth is also extremely relevant here in CV as well. At present we have a do nothing, or worse, president of UCO, the governing body. He evidently believes quite deeply into his cold soul that silence, hiding, running from the truth, is the way to go. Worse, there are more and more stories of his extremely erratic behavior inside the walls of UCO, bizarre behavior and comments, and a deepening penchant for delay, for concealment, for cancellation of governmental activities or simply banning delegates and interested residents from all meetings. It is only now after much complaint and questioning that this supposed expert on tech stuff has recognized the fact that ZOOM exists and is being used all over the world - and even right here in the Village. We will see if the promise to ZOOM at one meeting even happens.
We can demand answers as to why the Clubhouse is closed to all meetings. Why has the delegate assembly been canceled for over half a year already? The theater can take about 225 people with social distancing, been offered to the Village for meetings, but David insists on keeping the budget, the finances, the issues and needs of the Village under shrouds of secrecy, of lies, of behavior rivaling that of Trump in his dictatorial style of government, in his lies and evasions, in his ignoring of the rules of society and our own bylaws, in his alleged demented and paranoid behavior. He refuses to prepare for future needs, crucial needs, and what are we supposed to do in the meanwhile, even as deadlines and needs grow stronger. Even as questions need to be answered as to what is going on with property nearby, with our own security and fencing, with the growing needs to police the violations around here such as hoarders, junk cars, violations of safety precautions, non permit building that endangers entire associations, deteriorating roads and a lack of funds still hanging over us from the misuse of funds, the extremely poor contract, from the last debacle of repaving. and a total shutdown of UCO for all intents and purposes.
No, the governments on all levels of this country need help, need reformation- and now. We can vote the best way in November and get rid of that ugly man in the White House and his ugly cohort with him, but we are stuck right now with David, unless we actually rise up. Demand a recall. Do the hearing the right way. Demand open government. Have a sit - in at UCO. Stand or sit with posters and blockade the building. Demand that he come out from hiding and answer questions. Demand that delegate assemblies be opened again and questions be posed with answers forthcoming.
Enough already with this corruption on all levels in this country. Enough of people who think they are IT and can do whatever they want, if they want, how they want, when they want. No! There is a responsibility and duty owed to the people of and on all governmental levels and we need to demand that all elected officials and all appointees answer to those duties. If not? Then get the hell out of town and let in the air, the truth, the light and proper government.
If we do not speak up and out on all levels, then we are at fault and deserve the governments we get - such as right now. It is all on us. That is the truth and no running or hiding or stomping will change it. Vote Trump and his evil out and as for David - "Come out, come out, wherever you are." We are waiting and will not go away.
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
IN POINT OF FACT
There are times when I wonder if we actually could be living in that long nightmare we all had as children, perhaps this was all a dream, or perhaps we were even in a parallel universe where history was turned on its head. America became Amerika, and we lived in a grey, shrouded world, where truth was a four letter word and lies the currency of the day.
Lies are apparently the way to go these days. Trump is a "great' leader with awe inspiring leadership, particularly in handling (or mishandling) the pandemic. This, as we near 180,000 dead. That figure of 200,000 no longer appears to be an impossibility and is, in fact, a definite probability. Such leadership we could all, literally, live without!!
The lies flew through the air last nite with the greatest of ease. More name calling, calling on poor Nessie from Loch Ness; leave the poor sea serpent alone, you troglodytes! Find some reality to hinge speeches on rather than the hysterical speeches of Junior, a Hitler, literally, in the making or his way, way, off nutjob of a girlfriend. The open insertion of the family into the proposed long term goal of Trump is blatant.
The longer I think about it, the more I examine his words and deeds, and the moral collapse of the RNC and the GOP, the more I see his monarchy building program growing and growing. The man and his family know no bounds, seek only the good and welfare of themselves and Americans can go along with their own destruction and debasement or go to hell - which is where he has us now.
Sounds off the wall and I cannot believe that I am actually believing this, but in point of fact, I see no alternative. The man is and always has been a clear and present danger to us. His appointees are all slimed with corruption, greed, incompetence, and have worn out several pairs of knee pads as they kowtow to their master.
Too much talk of overstaying terms of office, ignoring of election results if displeased with them, tampering with the underpinnings of democracy - postal service, free elections, service for the people, and shredding the Constitution and all its provisions. No more checks and balances. No more separation of Church and State - and brother! That one frightens me, even as Junior spoke last nite of the importance of his triad of principles, including CHURCH - just like the triad of Hitler and the Nazis.
The threats and even the acts of calling in the military, armed forces, to fight their own neighbors, shades of China, of the USSR, of Russia today, Belarus, Hong Kong and the list keeps on going - well, are we to be that or are we to be Americans?
Even as the numbers grow of Republicans who are finally bailing, openly admitting that they served a madman as a leader, a greedy, racist, misogynistic man of no culture, only darkness, and a core of icy hardness, we are still facing horrifying memes that he and his urged on and fertilized with their own statements.
Kushner apparently has become an important part of this administration. That is a given. But, a big and loud but, the new meme posted by oppositional Republicans, that EVIL resides in Kushner, "Evil is real. And it lives in Jared Kushner," - well, folks, here go the antennae as we find the Jew in the administration and begin the laying off of all blame on that Jew. Apparently, the nastiness of Trump carries right on through even to those who oppose him - but now we must ask - how do they oppose and where are their goals and aims?
In point of fact, we, America and Americans, are at a crucial point and must choose. We must choose carefully. We must be strong. We must be aware of the underlying plans and boiling ugliness beneath the surface of those who appear so civilized. A tie and a jacket mean nothing. Nor does a bullet in the back of a man going into a car where his three children are sitting. That is not law enforcement.
We are lost at present, way off in our meanderings down all the wrong paths of life. We have made so many wrong choices. The swamp of Trump has grown enormously. The "monsters be there' memes of the maps of the Middle Ages have implanted themselves in our time and we needs be aware of them.
But these monsters are us. Us. By action and lack of action. By words and lack of words or the use of the wrong words. Let us return to humanity and the belief in being humane. Let us return to working to progress rather than to retrogress and slam the doors and windows on all progress and hope, on all dreams of and for the future, on all that America is supposed to be.
Your vote is that important. It is not just one vote. It is many votes. Yours is the most important. So is his. As is hers. So is mine. As are all of ours. VOTE. Please.
Lies are apparently the way to go these days. Trump is a "great' leader with awe inspiring leadership, particularly in handling (or mishandling) the pandemic. This, as we near 180,000 dead. That figure of 200,000 no longer appears to be an impossibility and is, in fact, a definite probability. Such leadership we could all, literally, live without!!
The lies flew through the air last nite with the greatest of ease. More name calling, calling on poor Nessie from Loch Ness; leave the poor sea serpent alone, you troglodytes! Find some reality to hinge speeches on rather than the hysterical speeches of Junior, a Hitler, literally, in the making or his way, way, off nutjob of a girlfriend. The open insertion of the family into the proposed long term goal of Trump is blatant.
The longer I think about it, the more I examine his words and deeds, and the moral collapse of the RNC and the GOP, the more I see his monarchy building program growing and growing. The man and his family know no bounds, seek only the good and welfare of themselves and Americans can go along with their own destruction and debasement or go to hell - which is where he has us now.
Sounds off the wall and I cannot believe that I am actually believing this, but in point of fact, I see no alternative. The man is and always has been a clear and present danger to us. His appointees are all slimed with corruption, greed, incompetence, and have worn out several pairs of knee pads as they kowtow to their master.
Too much talk of overstaying terms of office, ignoring of election results if displeased with them, tampering with the underpinnings of democracy - postal service, free elections, service for the people, and shredding the Constitution and all its provisions. No more checks and balances. No more separation of Church and State - and brother! That one frightens me, even as Junior spoke last nite of the importance of his triad of principles, including CHURCH - just like the triad of Hitler and the Nazis.
The threats and even the acts of calling in the military, armed forces, to fight their own neighbors, shades of China, of the USSR, of Russia today, Belarus, Hong Kong and the list keeps on going - well, are we to be that or are we to be Americans?
Even as the numbers grow of Republicans who are finally bailing, openly admitting that they served a madman as a leader, a greedy, racist, misogynistic man of no culture, only darkness, and a core of icy hardness, we are still facing horrifying memes that he and his urged on and fertilized with their own statements.
Kushner apparently has become an important part of this administration. That is a given. But, a big and loud but, the new meme posted by oppositional Republicans, that EVIL resides in Kushner, "Evil is real. And it lives in Jared Kushner," - well, folks, here go the antennae as we find the Jew in the administration and begin the laying off of all blame on that Jew. Apparently, the nastiness of Trump carries right on through even to those who oppose him - but now we must ask - how do they oppose and where are their goals and aims?
In point of fact, we, America and Americans, are at a crucial point and must choose. We must choose carefully. We must be strong. We must be aware of the underlying plans and boiling ugliness beneath the surface of those who appear so civilized. A tie and a jacket mean nothing. Nor does a bullet in the back of a man going into a car where his three children are sitting. That is not law enforcement.
We are lost at present, way off in our meanderings down all the wrong paths of life. We have made so many wrong choices. The swamp of Trump has grown enormously. The "monsters be there' memes of the maps of the Middle Ages have implanted themselves in our time and we needs be aware of them.
But these monsters are us. Us. By action and lack of action. By words and lack of words or the use of the wrong words. Let us return to humanity and the belief in being humane. Let us return to working to progress rather than to retrogress and slam the doors and windows on all progress and hope, on all dreams of and for the future, on all that America is supposed to be.
Your vote is that important. It is not just one vote. It is many votes. Yours is the most important. So is his. As is hers. So is mine. As are all of ours. VOTE. Please.
Monday, August 24, 2020
2018VP1
What the heck is that? That is the number given to the asteroid that has, according to NASA, a "slim" chance of hitting the earth on - wait for it - November 2, the day before the election. Huh! Does that raise hackles and hairs on everyone? Does it send a shiver down your spine? Do you mutter to yourself how fitting this would be, a perfect matching end to our own man made disaster?
Do you look around at the country - California afire, TWO huge storms/hurricanes bound for the Louisiana coast over 48 hours, and the worst existential threatening election this country has ever had? I believe it is even worse than the election of Lincoln to the Presidency. Why? For all were willing to accept the results, while today, the candidate Trump threatens to overturn the government by refusing all results contrary to his victory. In addition, he is doing everything he can to insure that he wins, including the very distinct tactic of fear and hate mongering.
Now realistically speaking, the asteroid has, statistically speaking, no realistic chance of getting through, but I wonder, were we actually hit sometime ago, like five years ago, by some invisible force, perhaps the aliens that Trump talks of, and we are now reaping all the consequences!!
It troubles me when I look around or have a discussion with an otherwise intelligent person and listen to them spouting the nonsense, the impossible threats they state with complete conviction would result from a Democratic victory. What happens to their brains when the word, or topic, of Trump and Trumpism, is raised? And people still ask how could things happen? How could country after country fall self imposed victim to the malignant viruses of the extreme right? Or extreme left, for that matter? How could it happen there, here or anywhere? Well, just take a look around and see it happening right in front of your eyes. Then take a look back in time and see the hysterical rallies of the Nazis or any tyrannical regime, and watch the people cheer on their own terrible future awaiting them.
Sometimes I am almost ready to endorse the weird theories of Trump about alien interference! How else can one explain the almost total implosion of this country beginning about five years ago? What the hell happened to the gray matter between the ears? Yes, Trump is demented, accuses his competition of being so as he mistakes his own image in the mirror for Biden, but the rest of the nation? Have we en masse resigned our souls, consigned them to the Devil, in return for a chance to rule, to lord it over those even more entrapped than us? Is that what America and Americans are really all about?
I so hope and pray that is not the truth of the matter. One day, hopefully soon, very soon, we will all wake up and smell the truth. We will wonder how so many of us fell under the evil spell and influence of a crazed, hate filled, moral vacuum of a person? We will wonder how we let it get so far? I hope and pray that this realization comes before we find ourselves falling over the edge of the cliff as we blindly follow along, looking not where we are going or where we are being led, only following in the emotions of the moment.
Fake tampering with ballot drop boxes. Impossibilities that are named such as duplicate votes. Virus infected boxes!!!! Unscientific and dangerous rushing of medical treatments before safety procedures have been instituted and followed. What the hell does he care if more Americans die, only caring about his remaining in office, to supervise the deconstruction of America.
And what does America do at this point in time? We politicize life saving acts such as wearing masks. We turn to listing the most favorite Sesame characters, perhaps yearning for that sunny day on a street where the air is clear. Can we all find the path to Sesame Street again? Can we ever be that sunny country, naive, but caring, stumbling, but trying? Or will we resign ourselves to the new Amerika, the one where there is a new open royalty established, preview it all at the RNC this week as Donald I appears every night and/or a family princeling or princess is always present on stage. Hail Donald, the Prince of Darkness!
Think I will go check the route of 2018VP1 again. Think I can dig an apocalypse shelter quickly, stock it up, and await the end? Hmmm - or are we already there!!
People, just get out there and vote. Get that ballot and bring it over yourself. Put on a raincoat, a jacket, a tank top, whatever the weather demands, take a chair and nourishment, a book to read and a mask to wear and wait in line. Demand your right to vote and do it!! Do not leave it for the other, for every vote is needed in this threatened and threatening election. And do not forget to bring your own pen!!
Do you look around at the country - California afire, TWO huge storms/hurricanes bound for the Louisiana coast over 48 hours, and the worst existential threatening election this country has ever had? I believe it is even worse than the election of Lincoln to the Presidency. Why? For all were willing to accept the results, while today, the candidate Trump threatens to overturn the government by refusing all results contrary to his victory. In addition, he is doing everything he can to insure that he wins, including the very distinct tactic of fear and hate mongering.
Now realistically speaking, the asteroid has, statistically speaking, no realistic chance of getting through, but I wonder, were we actually hit sometime ago, like five years ago, by some invisible force, perhaps the aliens that Trump talks of, and we are now reaping all the consequences!!
It troubles me when I look around or have a discussion with an otherwise intelligent person and listen to them spouting the nonsense, the impossible threats they state with complete conviction would result from a Democratic victory. What happens to their brains when the word, or topic, of Trump and Trumpism, is raised? And people still ask how could things happen? How could country after country fall self imposed victim to the malignant viruses of the extreme right? Or extreme left, for that matter? How could it happen there, here or anywhere? Well, just take a look around and see it happening right in front of your eyes. Then take a look back in time and see the hysterical rallies of the Nazis or any tyrannical regime, and watch the people cheer on their own terrible future awaiting them.
Sometimes I am almost ready to endorse the weird theories of Trump about alien interference! How else can one explain the almost total implosion of this country beginning about five years ago? What the hell happened to the gray matter between the ears? Yes, Trump is demented, accuses his competition of being so as he mistakes his own image in the mirror for Biden, but the rest of the nation? Have we en masse resigned our souls, consigned them to the Devil, in return for a chance to rule, to lord it over those even more entrapped than us? Is that what America and Americans are really all about?
I so hope and pray that is not the truth of the matter. One day, hopefully soon, very soon, we will all wake up and smell the truth. We will wonder how so many of us fell under the evil spell and influence of a crazed, hate filled, moral vacuum of a person? We will wonder how we let it get so far? I hope and pray that this realization comes before we find ourselves falling over the edge of the cliff as we blindly follow along, looking not where we are going or where we are being led, only following in the emotions of the moment.
Fake tampering with ballot drop boxes. Impossibilities that are named such as duplicate votes. Virus infected boxes!!!! Unscientific and dangerous rushing of medical treatments before safety procedures have been instituted and followed. What the hell does he care if more Americans die, only caring about his remaining in office, to supervise the deconstruction of America.
And what does America do at this point in time? We politicize life saving acts such as wearing masks. We turn to listing the most favorite Sesame characters, perhaps yearning for that sunny day on a street where the air is clear. Can we all find the path to Sesame Street again? Can we ever be that sunny country, naive, but caring, stumbling, but trying? Or will we resign ourselves to the new Amerika, the one where there is a new open royalty established, preview it all at the RNC this week as Donald I appears every night and/or a family princeling or princess is always present on stage. Hail Donald, the Prince of Darkness!
Think I will go check the route of 2018VP1 again. Think I can dig an apocalypse shelter quickly, stock it up, and await the end? Hmmm - or are we already there!!
People, just get out there and vote. Get that ballot and bring it over yourself. Put on a raincoat, a jacket, a tank top, whatever the weather demands, take a chair and nourishment, a book to read and a mask to wear and wait in line. Demand your right to vote and do it!! Do not leave it for the other, for every vote is needed in this threatened and threatening election. And do not forget to bring your own pen!!
Sunday, August 23, 2020
NUMBERS IN LIFE
Yesterday I tested my husband, a crucial test, which, luckily, he passed with flying colors. The question was simple: did he know what tomorrow was. After a teeny bit of a pause, he answered correctly: it would be the 54th anniversary of our engagement. Yup, men are supposed to remember these things. Upon being pressed further, he also remembered why we had chosen Aug. 23 as the day for that to occur. It was also my parents' anniversary.
It would have been 79 years today for my parents. Unfortunately they will be celebrating it with the extended family upstairs. But the legacy they left behind remains with us all. In fact, Gerry and I set out almost unconsciously to base our marriage on the example they provided. Put the other first. Listen. Share the moments in life, all moments, good and bad, happy and sad, and be there for each other.
Marriages face challenges, and many are broken under them. I can remember the challenges my parents faced throughout the years, and yet, always, they were together. From ages 14 and 16 - they were together. At the moments of his death they were together, as my dad died at home, per his request. All through life, they were together.
So today, as Gerry and I remember those two stupid young kids getting engaged, looking forward to a life together, we also look back and remember the lives of a couple who set the standard, who set a high bar, who cherished loyalty and love, companionship and aid, advice and humor, and always to understand that a disagreement was of momentary importance, but the important things in life were forever.
I wonder, today, how they would have dealt with this pandemic, this quarantining, this new world of ours. I think they would have faced it together, as they did every other time of crisis in their lives, pre and after marriage. Living through a Depression, where there was often hunger in the home, and certainly very few pennies to pinch together, to times of illness and emergencies, to the needs of their children - always, they were together, working things out, pushing for a solution and accepting what could not be changed or could not revert to what was.
I think they were - are - our paradigm for our lives now. We need to accept that life is different now. Perhaps never to change back to what was. Hopefully, we will find a vaccine, a safe one, a tested one, and soon, safely soon, but till then, and even after, life will be different. Not the way I would have chosen to spend perhaps the last years of our lives, but on the other hand, knowing that one has to accept change and challenge, we forged forward.
As a result, on the 54th anniversary of engagement, and on the G-d willing upcoming 53rd anniversary of marriage next month, we are closer than ever. We have learned a most important life lesson. There are things that will never change and are certainly, we find, not so important, but there are also things that do change. Two become one, even as the individual grows independently as well. Two develop new responses to challenges, encourage each other to try to attempt new activities. And through all this, if one is lucky, if one has the role model par excellence, to follow, then one is blessed.
So today, as we live a not very exciting life, we will enjoy the day. No sky jumping, no drone controls, no huge celebrations; rather, a day of sharing as we work on research for another project, as we talk of family, as we hold hands and watch TV - maybe a horror movie, for that was one shared liking we had and spoke about as we first dated. And we bless our luck for the life we did share and will continue to share as long as the good Lord allows us. For our children and the dividends, the grandchildren, that source of ever and always unconditional love. And maybe we will have some ice cream for a treat.
Only one shadow over all this. I never received a proposal!
So how did we end up here, 54 years after engagement, 53 - almost - years of marriage, of modeling after my parents - and Happy 79th Anniversary to you - but we did! And we are blessed for that.
So, Gerry, will you pop the question today and what will my answer be? The air is tight with suspense and tension. Will it be alleviated? Only time will tell. Tick tock. Tick tock.
It would have been 79 years today for my parents. Unfortunately they will be celebrating it with the extended family upstairs. But the legacy they left behind remains with us all. In fact, Gerry and I set out almost unconsciously to base our marriage on the example they provided. Put the other first. Listen. Share the moments in life, all moments, good and bad, happy and sad, and be there for each other.
Marriages face challenges, and many are broken under them. I can remember the challenges my parents faced throughout the years, and yet, always, they were together. From ages 14 and 16 - they were together. At the moments of his death they were together, as my dad died at home, per his request. All through life, they were together.
So today, as Gerry and I remember those two stupid young kids getting engaged, looking forward to a life together, we also look back and remember the lives of a couple who set the standard, who set a high bar, who cherished loyalty and love, companionship and aid, advice and humor, and always to understand that a disagreement was of momentary importance, but the important things in life were forever.
I wonder, today, how they would have dealt with this pandemic, this quarantining, this new world of ours. I think they would have faced it together, as they did every other time of crisis in their lives, pre and after marriage. Living through a Depression, where there was often hunger in the home, and certainly very few pennies to pinch together, to times of illness and emergencies, to the needs of their children - always, they were together, working things out, pushing for a solution and accepting what could not be changed or could not revert to what was.
I think they were - are - our paradigm for our lives now. We need to accept that life is different now. Perhaps never to change back to what was. Hopefully, we will find a vaccine, a safe one, a tested one, and soon, safely soon, but till then, and even after, life will be different. Not the way I would have chosen to spend perhaps the last years of our lives, but on the other hand, knowing that one has to accept change and challenge, we forged forward.
As a result, on the 54th anniversary of engagement, and on the G-d willing upcoming 53rd anniversary of marriage next month, we are closer than ever. We have learned a most important life lesson. There are things that will never change and are certainly, we find, not so important, but there are also things that do change. Two become one, even as the individual grows independently as well. Two develop new responses to challenges, encourage each other to try to attempt new activities. And through all this, if one is lucky, if one has the role model par excellence, to follow, then one is blessed.
So today, as we live a not very exciting life, we will enjoy the day. No sky jumping, no drone controls, no huge celebrations; rather, a day of sharing as we work on research for another project, as we talk of family, as we hold hands and watch TV - maybe a horror movie, for that was one shared liking we had and spoke about as we first dated. And we bless our luck for the life we did share and will continue to share as long as the good Lord allows us. For our children and the dividends, the grandchildren, that source of ever and always unconditional love. And maybe we will have some ice cream for a treat.
Only one shadow over all this. I never received a proposal!
So how did we end up here, 54 years after engagement, 53 - almost - years of marriage, of modeling after my parents - and Happy 79th Anniversary to you - but we did! And we are blessed for that.
So, Gerry, will you pop the question today and what will my answer be? The air is tight with suspense and tension. Will it be alleviated? Only time will tell. Tick tock. Tick tock.
Friday, August 21, 2020
COMING OR GOING, LIGHT VS THE NIGHT
Of all the comparisons made between what is, and what can be, should be, will be, what sticks the most in my mind is the imagery of a country shrouded in darkness, rife with greed, overtaken by lies and violence, ruled by a militaristic government masquerading as beneficial for the citizens. Worse, it maintains a hereditary government, from father to son to daughter, all to maintain the corruption, the greed, the hatred, all bankrupting what was once the United States of America.
To the contrary, we have the chance to turn this country around, before it crosses the line, allowing our history and greatness to cross the River Styx rowed by a victorious Charon. It will not be easy, turning this country around. We are coming from behind. It will demand hard work, sacrifice, and unity. A union of people of all types, a diversity such as we have not seen in lo these past four years as we became more of a tribal nation rather than one - America. In fact, the only America I saw growing was that spelled Amerika.
What else does one call a country where a major political party calls out for the Storm, brags about it, pushes it and its hateful supremacist mantras? What else do we call a country when the president of that country calls for tear gas and troops to push though a see through manipulation of Church and Bible? What else do we call a country where the President calls for ARMED sheriffs and other law enforcement personnel to stand 'watch' over the polls? Gee, nothing like any kind of intimidation, would you say! Nothing like that statement and plan to delineate the true nature of that man, Trump.
This is an election that pits a true patriot, nothing glamorous, no emphasis on charisma, false as it is, but on a man who knows what life is, who reaches out to others - who likes ice cream - a man of my heart! - who knows what it is to meet burdens and struggles and deal with them. A man who knows that to tell the truth is the only way to go. "This will determine what America’s going to look like for a long, long time.”
What is the truth? Over 5.5 million cases. Over 174,000 deaths, rising daily. The worst performing country in the world. And no. There is no miracle. No Lysol cure. No poisonous oleander cure. No hydroxychloroquine. No demons and alien spirits in the night. No body washes. Nothing but attention to rules of safety, to the words of the experts, to truly scientific research projects to find a vaccine, a safe one, a good one and then manufacture enough of it to go around. Primary is to teach the people of America to trust the government once again, who will take the vaccine.
We are all tired of the pandemic, tired of the restrictions, the holes it has left in our lives. Certainly, I did not anticipate spending so many of my supposedly golden years cut off from family and friends, missing my theater and movies, even using the libraries differently. On the other hand, I have learned some important truths, discovered new hobbies, shared new moments with my life partner, and am enjoying life, albeit I do miss some of the past life. But it will return. I feel that strongly - but, a big and major but - only with the right leaders, the right attitudes and the unity of the country.
The speakers at the DNC spoke out on all topics. They spoke of a better time, a return to the light, an end to the darkness that has begun to overwhelm this country. They represented a diversity, the true America, the salad bowl of America, where the differences and similarities are cherished. Where immigration is not considered a sin or a crime. Where families are not ripped apart. Where help is forthcoming. Where there is a fair share of the burden on all, not only the middle and lower economic classes. Where corporations are not treated as special humans needful of aid and sympathy. Where science is trusted, used to help us, where the environment is once again a prominent concern, where we look towards the future needs of the world. Where the country is exposed to the light of day, to the light, harsh as it might be, of truth, to the warm feelings generated by knowing that we are becoming a nation once more. And for me, and for many others, to feel welcome once more in this nation, not to hear the daily rantings of hate filled pus pockets of humanity calling for my expulsion or even death.
We sing and ask that "G-d shed His Grace on Thee". Let us truly mean that, hope for that, work towards that, for remember, there is a partnership between man and G-d. All need to pull their weight, to share the burden. Then, only then, will there be any Grace at all.
First step: VOTE for Biden and the Democratic party candidates who share that vison, not the ones who do not. Find goodness and honesty and support it. VOTE!!
To the contrary, we have the chance to turn this country around, before it crosses the line, allowing our history and greatness to cross the River Styx rowed by a victorious Charon. It will not be easy, turning this country around. We are coming from behind. It will demand hard work, sacrifice, and unity. A union of people of all types, a diversity such as we have not seen in lo these past four years as we became more of a tribal nation rather than one - America. In fact, the only America I saw growing was that spelled Amerika.
What else does one call a country where a major political party calls out for the Storm, brags about it, pushes it and its hateful supremacist mantras? What else do we call a country when the president of that country calls for tear gas and troops to push though a see through manipulation of Church and Bible? What else do we call a country where the President calls for ARMED sheriffs and other law enforcement personnel to stand 'watch' over the polls? Gee, nothing like any kind of intimidation, would you say! Nothing like that statement and plan to delineate the true nature of that man, Trump.
This is an election that pits a true patriot, nothing glamorous, no emphasis on charisma, false as it is, but on a man who knows what life is, who reaches out to others - who likes ice cream - a man of my heart! - who knows what it is to meet burdens and struggles and deal with them. A man who knows that to tell the truth is the only way to go. "This will determine what America’s going to look like for a long, long time.”
What is the truth? Over 5.5 million cases. Over 174,000 deaths, rising daily. The worst performing country in the world. And no. There is no miracle. No Lysol cure. No poisonous oleander cure. No hydroxychloroquine. No demons and alien spirits in the night. No body washes. Nothing but attention to rules of safety, to the words of the experts, to truly scientific research projects to find a vaccine, a safe one, a good one and then manufacture enough of it to go around. Primary is to teach the people of America to trust the government once again, who will take the vaccine.
We are all tired of the pandemic, tired of the restrictions, the holes it has left in our lives. Certainly, I did not anticipate spending so many of my supposedly golden years cut off from family and friends, missing my theater and movies, even using the libraries differently. On the other hand, I have learned some important truths, discovered new hobbies, shared new moments with my life partner, and am enjoying life, albeit I do miss some of the past life. But it will return. I feel that strongly - but, a big and major but - only with the right leaders, the right attitudes and the unity of the country.
The speakers at the DNC spoke out on all topics. They spoke of a better time, a return to the light, an end to the darkness that has begun to overwhelm this country. They represented a diversity, the true America, the salad bowl of America, where the differences and similarities are cherished. Where immigration is not considered a sin or a crime. Where families are not ripped apart. Where help is forthcoming. Where there is a fair share of the burden on all, not only the middle and lower economic classes. Where corporations are not treated as special humans needful of aid and sympathy. Where science is trusted, used to help us, where the environment is once again a prominent concern, where we look towards the future needs of the world. Where the country is exposed to the light of day, to the light, harsh as it might be, of truth, to the warm feelings generated by knowing that we are becoming a nation once more. And for me, and for many others, to feel welcome once more in this nation, not to hear the daily rantings of hate filled pus pockets of humanity calling for my expulsion or even death.
We sing and ask that "G-d shed His Grace on Thee". Let us truly mean that, hope for that, work towards that, for remember, there is a partnership between man and G-d. All need to pull their weight, to share the burden. Then, only then, will there be any Grace at all.
First step: VOTE for Biden and the Democratic party candidates who share that vison, not the ones who do not. Find goodness and honesty and support it. VOTE!!
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