Repeat Your Mantra, Watch it Evolve!

I'm revisiting a post that remains timeless for me, yet morphs even in a few months time.

History books have told us that Columbus discovered America, that Manifest Destiny was desirable means to an end, and the Civil War was about state’s rights.  Today we are at a crossroads where we can no longer justify the past vision of our history.  This is creating anxiety, anger, and denial from those who still cling to this old view of a country, they so want to believe, conceived in righteousness and purity.  How we embrace this new horizon of truth and discovery and bring everyone along for the ride is the question we must all ask ourselves.  

Correcting a path, balancing power, and repairing wrongs is the blueprint, with the details to be worked out along the way.  Uncertainty is a word we must accept as our collective reality for a very long time.  The response to uncertainty is not easy, especially when pride is so dominant in our culture.  Pride is great, but a beast unless humility is its counter balance.

Do we, as a nation, have the ability to do this?  That question will be answered very soon, because we are on a collision course with our future destiny.  Literally, this is the best of times, these are the worst of times!  I truly believe we have recently embraced the worst of times in handing our country over to people who can take advantage of our vulnerability and indecision.

I'm just like all of you, trying to do my best, and learn.  Here are my suggestions, please give me yours.

The options, if you choice to take them: 

     READ!  Find voices that are speaking truths and presenting options.  If you feel my views speak to you, I would be happy to give recommendations on many subject levels.  I'm well-read across many genres and will let you know if I don't have an answer.  I'm pretty good at finding those that do.  I'm an eternal student of history, philosophy, politics, and life.  But, it's easy these days to find anything on-line.  That is both good and bad as there is no meter to tell you what truth is and what is fiction/fabrication.  It's up to you to decide where your heart lies.

    Go to the library, lectures and book signing events!  Remember, news articles are the main source of information, be it on-line, or by subscription, BUT the majority of news is soundbites.  Very little depth of information is given; thus, one sidedness/black and white presentation is easiest.  This is old and antiquated!  With a bit of research, you can dig deep for truths, and many times the truth is mucky and hard to distinguish the more you dig.  But, today, dig you must!  It's much easier to sit in your comfy chair and tune out.  Please, don't.  We need you!  Even if it's for 30 minutes on the weekend.  There are many new on-line/print smaller magazines and journals out there with multi-dynamic prospective.  Again, if you’re overwhelmed where to start, just ask.

    Support intelligence!!  We are at a very high intellectual time.  Yes, we are!  There are more in-depth books, articles, pamphlets, websites, historians, philosophers, etc., producing amazing work than ever before.  THIS is why there is a backlash against critical thought.  There has been no greater time for scholars to question and obtain access to documents and research more easily than ever before.  My philanthropy, what I can afford, goes to supporting these people in every way I can.  They hold our prosperity in their hands and it's a HUGE responsibility.  Buy their books, read their social media posts, and go to lectures if you can.

    DISCUSS!  This is tough in this current climate!  I would say, pick your battles carefully, matter of fact, try to remember that just because someone says or believes something it doesn't mean it is true.  This is the hardest for me!  It's not my job to give them truth, it's my job to present questions that will make them evaluate their decisions and believes.  I fail miserably many times with those that are pure and simple “button pushers” that really take pride in not really caring, but riling. The best way is through example, which is the hardest because it takes loads of valuable time.  This last one here, is my most difficult to learn and practice.  I have a very hard time with this!

    Politicians say what they think you want to here!  Demand they tell you the truth or go away.  Educate yourself on topics and face off with them.  We must demand more from our taxpayer dollars.  They work for us, and we need to demand more of their attention.

Lastly, be passionate about what you believe in!  Yes!  Make sure you are versed in why you believe it, without relying on religious dogma.  You can be very religious, but "the bible" is not an answer and it's not critical thinking AND you can still believe in its value without using it as “the” answer to a discussion.  And, most importantly, we are not the greatest country...what?  We are a country that strives for great things, there lies the difference.  We don’t know it all, matter of fact, we are a very young country that is huge and clumsy.  Don’t be afraid of learning from other country’s expertise and experience. We did not, soley, save the world in WW II.  Countries worked together to accomplish a great defeat of totalitarian, fascist, racist tyranny. We are NOT that strong.  We cannot fix the world and the world cannot fix us. It’s the most difficult struggle always, to act in unity for the betterment of society across nations.  Is it possible?  I really don’t know, but I don’t mind trying to find out.

I know.... preachy...can't help it 1. I have passionate beliefs

                                                  2. I descend from several ministers with strong views😄😎😎😙

Guilt by Association according to Centrist Democrats

I wrote this today in haste, but it's a blog post with all the flaws, but I hope it helps someone out there.  I know I needed to get it off my chest.

The late eve of various election results last night, 8/7/18, and into the morning, even before definitive results were in, a blood bath on twitter began to stew from prominent centrist leaning democrats.  I apologize to those that feel they fall in this category, but do not agree with what has transpired.  What's happening?  Outrage at progressive voices of any kind, particularly Bernie Sanders...still,  Jill Stein...is she still around, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.  But, let's recap their issues.

Well, I would say it's not really issues as much as it is a reconstruction of the past to fit a narrative that places their chosen one, Hillary Clinton, on a pedestal of flawless purity.  I understand...they feel she's been robbed.  It should have been a landslide, but it wasn't.  You can't ask that question of a centrist.

It's hard to go here because I'm constantly berated by centrist democrats if I mention any issues that came up for me, such as the DNC controlling of who would be the democratic candidate, wall street connections, etc.  Or, why Hillary chose a lame horse as a running mate, when she could have Bernie or Elizabeth Warren as a running mate, and unite the party, garner the youth vote across many spectrums.  These were and are legitimate concerns that only receive anger from centrist I have seen.  As a man, how dare I criticize a woman.  Uh....I get it.  There is a lot to be defensive about.  Women have been shafted for years, so have black people, so have gay people, so have trans people.  It's not a sole reason to elect someone, though.  "Ahh, see...YOU gave us Trump!"  Is the argument I hear ad nauseam.  There is never a debate.

They say Hillary was the chosen one and Bernie invaded the party.  They wanted him relegated to a 3rd party run, which they continue to denounce should ever be a 3rd party option, making us all scratch our heads.  Say what?  They ignore that Bernie Sanders tapped into what was the pulse of a movement that has now taken even further shape, they don't seem to care about other than winning at all costs.  Irregardless of what that movement has done to address issues, Hillary refused to give any credence to, matter of fact they deem silly to dare to hope for; such as a $15 minimum wage, dare to believe universal healthcare would ever happen (she said never, actually), dare to stand up for the Dakota pipeline protestors (this included Obama whom I loved for his progressive social issues, moderate thou they were, but not his fiscal/war issues).  Hillary, plainly, under estimated how devoted to causes the youth were, and Bernie and his grassroots methods tapped right into it.  There were many things in play, but the timing was everything.  But, all I hear is, "see..that gave us Trump!".  I don't ever think anything is that black and white.  Do you?

I could go on, but what they don't see while they express their anger  (these specific centrist) and distrust of progressive ideas is they can't stop it any more than Trump can.  They don't see their alignment with the same close-mindedness of Trumpeters, and that is frightening.  They use the same shaming, name calling tactics on progressives that Trump uses on democrats. They still see progressives as pollyanna's. They aren't even realist, they are defeatist.

Just vote blue, doesn't matter who.  Let's not hope for much, just vote for the bunch.

They are drawing the pitchforks for anyone outside the lines.  They have tried and persecuted Bernie Sanders for having Tad Devine on his team, and doing so by association alone.  Tad Devine is not on trial, nor is Bernie Sanders. "Sanders must be in collusion with the Russians!"  Where's Kevin Bacon?  We need to define how many degrees of separation here.

Guilt by association by the pitchfork brigade.  Condemn Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Walter Mondale, John Kerry, and Mike Dukakis as well because Devine has been a long time democrat strategist his entire life, a well respected one who also worked on many campaigns in the US and other countries that include the Ukraine, that one probably a bad decision on his part.  Evidence?  Don't need it!  Bernie is Frankenstein and he needs to burn!  Ugh...

What about the same guilt brigade for Hillary Clinton?  Bill and Hillary Clinton have been long time smoozers with the Trumps.  No guilt by association there?  How about Bill's "accidental" meeting with Loretta Lynch?  Or, his "accidental" violation of stepping into a voting precinct to shake hands in Massachusetts where Bernie was showing strength, blocking voters which is against Presidential policy (you know he and Hillary are lawyers, right?).  Maybe Trump has a "well Bill did what he wanted, so I can too" attitude.  I know, all of that seems trivial compared to Russia.  We can't be hypocrites here.  Obama met with Putin and Russian delegates as well, but the circumstances where within Presidential protocol.  Jill Stein ate dinner at a table with Putin and has consistently been forthright about it, but no one listens.  She is an ant compared to the giant monster that demands our focus. Why focus on the 1% vote when a huge majority don't vote?  Because you have an easy target and you're lazy.  

Can we prescribe a chill pill for the immature behavior of the centrist lot please?  I DON'T dislike Hillary Clinton!  I actually think in another time and place she would have won by a landslide, but NO ONE seems to want to look at the climate of the time and see history, see the voters screaming for progression, not regression.  I will vote blue as often as I can to get Trump out, but that is not what this is about. 

History, at peak strife, seems to go through a metamorphosis in time, and this is no different.  In the midst of the turmoil, which we are in, it's vital to see the past clearly.  It is also the most difficult time to do that because of societal ego and trauma.  The trauma is different and surprising for those that consider themselves educated, socially aware, and successful. It's different for those who are struggling to get by, and then for those who are losing the struggle. Historians are so vital now, and they must talk about what really happened, so we can go beyond the trauma and heal.  We must have debate, not condemnation and childish name calling, please.  

We all need to listen to each other to do this justice or we will finally get rid of Trump and have no leaders to move us forward after so much destruction.  THAT, my friends, is a ripe environment for chaos and weakened over throw of governments. We can't just focus on getting Trump out, there are many cells in place that will continue the mission.  We need leaders that are not from the old guard which doesn't mean the old guard needs to go, they just need to step back and support new energetic voices that have the drive, stamina, and passion to do the work without moneyed interest.  People won't vote if they think lobbyist will decide the outcome.  I know....centrist view: "that's pollyanna pie in the sky".  Aren't we tired of Chicken Little, folks.  Good people that I'm talking about.  We need to see the shades of gray in us all.  I clearly don't have all the answers, but I do have some damn good questions.

You can't go back to the past we constructed in our heads.  It didn't exist the way we thought.  Important!  This is the same problem the conservative right wing has, let's not do the same.  They want to go back to the 50's where white men could do anything, women would be there to serve them and they could say they weren't prejudice as long as black's knew their place, gays didn't exist (right?).  "What?  Homophobic?  I don't care, I just don't want to see it...or acknowledge it exists.  What's wrong with that?"

So, are centrist going to be "can't we just go back to the Clinton years?" where we weren't in debt to our eyeballs and people could make a living, unions were great, wasn't that the best of times?  That sounds nice, but it wasn't quite like that, was it.  Clinton gave us the huge conglomerates of today, NAFTA, failed to restructure Social Security and Medicare, incarceration doubled, sex scandals, yada, yada...  We have to see the good and the bad to learn and improve or we repeat and stay delusional.  THAT is pollyanna.

Squashing the progressive movement will only alienate the people who came out in the thousands to every event Bernie Sanders spoke.  You never acknowledge this fact. This happened despite efforts to squash it by the media, etc. Don't discount that something new is desired.  It doesn't have to be Bernie Sanders, nor at this point should it.  He's old and so is Joe Biden.  We should not be afraid of younger voices who will need the advice and support of someone more important than anyone, and that is Hillary Clinton, believe it or not (I know...you thought I hated her).

Hillary Clinton can help turn this movement into something really potent and vital, by backing and guiding young progressives.  Is she willing?  Have we asked?  So can Bernie, so can Joe Biden, so can Nancy Pelosi, so can John Lewis, so can Al Franken, so can so many democrats who have the experience to share.  It's time to pass the torch, and not only win the country back, but set our sights on improving the future with intelligent, thoughtful DEBATE.  Not, name calling ridicule.  It's gotten so dirty on the side I believed held our future.

If you demand there only be two parties, then there has to be room for progressives, democratic socialist, centrist, conservative democrats within the umbrella.  If not, we need other parties accepted by the DNC and the RNC.  I have a feeling the RNC would love to separate from the Tea Party, but I have no clue, at this point, what a Republican is.

So, centrist Democrats, if you can't play nice, I implore you to stop spending precious time insisting on a two party system for a country of such mammoth size.  Stop thinking that you have all the answers, look at the past with all of our personal flaws of fear within the democratic party, and let's fix this honestly moving forward, not just to get rid of Trump at any cost without a rutter to steer.  That will happen if we stop dividing, get candidates to declare intension to run as President and get this going.  Debate and work hard for our future?

Historical evaluations and answers if we chose to heed from European/Holocaust historian Timothy Snyder. This is not a sporting event, it is our sovereignty.  We need to learn to work together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJe4NlOjAJo

This message is brought to you by my own personal views and do not represent anyone but myself.

Who are we? What will it take for us to act?

In today's article in the Boston Review Democracy is a Habit, (link to article) Melvin Rogers introduces us to an unlikely viewpoint on Democracy, American philosopher, John Dewey. 

“The democratic road is the hard one to take,” Dewey concluded in Freedom and Culture. “It is the road which places the greatest burden of responsibility on the greatest number of human beings.” Precisely for this reason, Dewey believed the culture of democracy—the habits and sensibilities of the citizenry—in greater need of scrutiny than its constitution and procedures. For what are constitutions and procedures once you have deformed the ground upon which their proper functioning depends? Dewey was convinced that the moral and political life of America is neither given to us nor assured by God. It is made and re-made by us. And by us, it will either grow and flourish or die."

This is passion, my friends, and we need not suppress it.

This evening we learned of the Republicans filing articles of Impeachment, not on the President, but on US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, whom we all know, if fired/impeached will strategically cut the Mueller investigation at it's knees, thus protecting our President from being accountable for any of his actions.  

At any other time in history this would be the practice of a corrupt government that doesn't practice any form of democracy.  But, today, this is the United States of America.  I believe Dewey was right on!  Yes..."for what are our constitutions and procedures once they have deformed the ground upon which their proper function depends?"

Our country pails today in comparison to just a short time ago when we were progressing to a humanistic society, flawed yes, but we were moving forward.  I remember just over the past few years, before Trump, conservatives beginning to say how bad things were because they couldn't joke about their little harmless racial or sexual innuendos.  They were made uncomfortable by the direction the country was headed.  That was the slow rumble.

Fast forward to today, and their dream of a return to a more "civil" time, when women and blacks knew their place in society, where gays were ostracized, ridiculed, and reviled, was not a part of their utopia remembrances, so they would claim.  But, we know better.  I cannot tell you how many times a Republican told me "I'm not a racist, but..."

So, I will not tone down my passions, as many democrats have recommended.  I'm pissed off and I challenge everyone to channel your anger into expression.  For me it's writing...and, here I go.... 

Slimy spineless Republicans are doing EVERYTHING possible to shield their obsessive lying Fuhrer from being held accountable for lies, obstruction, corruption, collusion, immorality, stripping immigrant parents from their children, race baiting, and most importantly, violating every principle we hold dear in our democracy by conspiring with a foreign government, and that's just for starters.

There are too many days until November mid-terms, there are too many days until the 2020 Presidential election, where we don't even have candidates canvasing against him yet.  Who will lead us?  No one has a clue.

We have turned our country over to a two bit mafia showboat shielded by a corrupt party who have increased our debt astronomically, and will leave the mess for the next elected leader, if there is one.  He has used frothing at the mouth evangelicals who worship at the golden cow to make them believe he is one of them.  Apparently, they are one of him.  He cowers to a much wiser Russian, former KGB, over-lord that demands our sovereignty in payment for his debts.

God help us all if we remain prostate by our democrat representatives who just spout words of indignation for the cameras, yet actually do nothing.  I would be screaming at everyone Republican, especially the ones who claim they are middle of the road (highly doubtful), embarrassing them in front of their colleagues.  I would scream at everyone of them saying "How Dare You!"  I would challenge my colleagues in the Democrat party to join me and do the same, making their comfortably unaware lives miserable.  I would hound every lobbyist and demand they verbally acknowledge their loyalty to money and power over country and humanism in front of a camera.  Of course...as you can image, I wouldn't last long, finding myself in a parallel universe to Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany.  How long do we wait for that scenario?

CIVILITY?  that is reserved for those who deserve respect.  NONE of these people do.  This IS War and not a damn one any of our Representatives has any guts to take on!  It's shameful....

Ok.....your turn....

Opinion Tad Devine isn’t just connected to Bernie

In everyone’s hast to divide the democrats and progressives, staunch middle of the road democrats 
are poncing on Bernie Sanders because of the new list out on Mueller’s extensive investigation, 
where the name of Tad Devine pops up quite a lot. Devine was Bernie Sanders senior advisor 
during the 2016 Presidental campaign. Let’s look at Tad Devine.

Mr. Devine has a long history in the democratic party as a senior advisor for the campaign of 
John  Kerry 2004 and Al Gore 2000, and an aide to Michael Dukakis on his campaign. News 
reports will selectively focus on the Ukranian campaign of Viktor Yanukovych that Devine 
worked on with Manafort in 2010. Ukraine, not Russia, but news reporters know how to spin
a tail with selective word usage that leads us down rabbit holes of assumptions. Yes, we are all 
guilty of falling for this to feed our anger. Devine working with Manafort is reason for concern 
because of the Mueller investigation into Manafort. But, should we make assumptions?

While this evidence is important, we again have democrats chomping at the bit to attack Bernie 
Sanders. He will have to address these new connections, but I doubt middle of the road 
democrats will care to listen. This juggular reaction will serve to decay any sense of unity 
within the left and middle of the democratic party regardless, and it’s sad. There will be a 
quick, continuing indictment of progressive ideas, that will squash a movement that is ripe to 
make sweeping changes in our country, for the better. Many will suffer, such as the momentum 
of progressive women like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cynthia Nixon in New York. 
Many democrats will not care when people like Pelosi, Feinstein, and Crowley start their 
take back of the party into moneyed controlled, middle earth. They will encourage Hillary 
Clinton to try it again, which, right now would be a welcome change. 

But, let’s not mistake all this collusion for what was in the hearts of the Sanders movement 
across America that could not be denied. Let’s not forget the people who championed the 
progressive ideas that Hillary Clinton said were impossible, universal healthcare and $15 
minimum wage. Let’s not forget that the Dakota Pipeline, that both Clinton and Obama, 
who both I admire, was a movement that was progressive and passionate, and they should 
have stood up with the protestors. They were silent. BUT, we are arguing apples and oranges 
when we talk about the current Republican President and Republican representatives.

I hope we can reserve the pick forks for the real criminals before us right now who have 
control of our government and not get distracted by what if’s even before Mueller begins 
with his findings. Time will reveal the truth. Until then let’s keep our eyes on the prize and 
get people out of our government who have every intention of changing the rules to serve 
themselves above the country, and are willing to compromise our sovereignty. There is no 
doubt in my mind that Clinton, Obama, Bernie, Ocasio-Cortez, Nixon, Crowley, Feinstein, 
and Pelosi are well meaning patriots. I cannot say the same for anyone in
the Republican party right now, and THAT is what we must focus on.

The DOW controls your Country!...follow the trail...

Think Republicans will do anything for this country other than destroy it???  When Trump announced his pick of Dow pesticide exec to be in charge of the USDA many didn't dig deep enough into connections (actually No. 3 from the Dow Company, that by the way is the leading producer of plastics and chemicals in America, which include Dow Automotive plastics, Styrofoam insulation, and silicone products-Dow Corning).  Oh…let’s not forget the big merger in 2017 of Dow and Dupont. But, that's small beans if you don't follow the money.

ALEC, a powerful big business “bill” mill for influence on our representatives.  Dow is one of their leading contributors of money going into lobbying. 

Remember “Napalm” and our Vietnam vets and Vietnam citizens who now suffer from Agent Orange?  Dow was the creator of Napalm. Just do a google search on Dow Chemical Company and see their long history of environmental waste.  Monsanto owned by....Dow.

Then there’s Rupert Murdoch, who owns the Wall Street Journal, AND the Dow Jones Co = News Corp, that also owns the search engine, FACTIVA/PROQUEST that news researchers use to find articles/news/etc.  These, search engines, may or may not be biased on what you find, but it’s interesting that it is owned by Rupert Murdoch..hmmm. That is an idea I hope someone with more time on their hands than I can investigate. 

Then there’s the Dow Jones Industrial Average, simply called the “DOW” which is part of the Dow Jones Co....owned by Rupert Murdoch.  You getting comfortable now. Who’s cleaning the swamp?  Who is the swamp?  Trump just announced he wants Rupert Murdoch to oversee the USDA.

So…that clean the swamp thing…yeah…another bold face lie from 45 which will go unchecked by the slim in the swamp in DC who bow to the DOW/Murdoch machine.  

Vote every Republican out.  Vote every Republican out. They control Congress and the House THEY are responsible for action NOW to save our country.  Anything less than action is a violation of their duties to us, the American citizens and a violation of our dignity and sovereignty.  

They will not act!  Why? Rupert Murdoch, the Koch Brothers, shall I go on?  Do you think we are under tyrannical rule yet?  Keep following the money....

Opinion piece! Yale and the Supreme Court

Let’s look at the undercurrent of how Yale could decide the future of the Supreme Court by drooling over the possibility of a Yale graduate being the new Supreme Court nomination, and thus telling democrats “it’s ok!  We vetted him!”.  I’m sure Yale does not see this support of Brett Kavanaugh as bias behavior, but I do, vehemently.  This is why.

We are talking about the law here after all and no one screams “bias” more than the republicans right now, except when it’s in their favor.  These are special times!  So, we are at a precedence for how Yale should have acted.  I would suggest it’s probably too late as two of their leading law professors have come out quickly without contemplation in strong support of Kavanagh, without any qualification in their articles/interviews that there is a biased connection.  I’m also sure, these professors, Akhil Reed Amar, Amy Chua/kavanaugh-is-a-mentor-to-women, and her husband Jed Rubenfeld don’t believe, as lawyers, they are capable of bias, even though the daughter of Chua and Rubenfeld clerked with Kavanaugh, and Chua sent many a student to clerk with Kavanaugh.  No….no bias here.  That part is even disclosed in Chua’s article with pride oozing.

Akhil Reed Amar interview with Fox News.Amar with Fox News

Taking this nomination out of world context will be the mojo that motivates these outright beliefs that a Yale graduate is “the man for the job”.  Had they recused themselves from comment I would have not given a thought to them being asked in an interview about Kavanaugh’s credentials through his association at Yale.  No. What we got was a press blitz from not one, but two high ranking professors of Yale Law School (I would argue three as Chua is married to another high-ranking law professor, Rubenfeld).   

What is good here is seeing the problem with moneyed centrist culture.  Amy Chua’s article in the Wall Street Journal will speak to all the upper-class people who believe that their hard work and ethics have gotten them where they are today.  They would never see that their daughter getting a coveted clerkship, that no poor person, no matter how smart could do, (or at least the odds are astronomically not in their favor) as anything other than her own hard work and talent.  It’s so pervasive they will surely take offense to my remarks to the contrary.

Amy Chua and her husband Jed Rubenfeld are no strangers to getting press.  Rubenfeld was caught in a controversy over his New York Times mishandling-rape op-ed article on college sexual assault in defense of the accused’s rights and what constitutes consent.  Student’s at Yale were very upset at his stance.professor-jed-rubenfields-students-passionately-reject-his-reductive-paternalist-op-ed-on-sex-assault  

Chua and Rubenfeld have written books and many articles for high profile magazines.  Chua, a controversial parenting book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, and together The Triple Package: Superiority, Insecurity, and Impulse Control.

“First, that anyone – from any background – can have the Triple Package. Even if you’re not from a Triple Package group, there are Triple Package families and Triple Package individuals. The way in is through grit: making the ability to work hard, persevere, and overcome adversity into a source of personal superiority. This kind of superiority isn’t ethnically or religiously exclusive. It doesn’t come from being a member of a group at all. It’s the pride a person takes in his own strength of will and his own accomplishments.” Amy Chia quote from an interview on her and Rubenfeld’s book together The Triple Package: Superiority, Insecurity, and Impulse Control.

Yeah, about that.  So are poor people just lazy?  Are not three jobs enough hard work to led to overcoming adversity?  I guess I'll have to read the book to find out. Kind of tired of centrist democrats bending to "but...it could be so much worse...now where's my flame retardant suit 😳😳

Why a grassroots movement is as American as apple pie

Here's the thing.....if you don't believe that grassroots on the ground work (going around to communities and canvassing, holding town halls) will win in 2020, you've not been paying attention.  

You probably will not see it represented on your TV, which is why Trump had a chance and won. The media made themselves vulnerable by the conflux (I know...I love that word, and sp. ck. tries so hard to deny me!) of entertainment news being the driving mechanism for reporting, and the loss of support for real journalism. This coincided with news programs being 24/7 in nature like CNN, which was an entity that stood unmatched previously, i.e. middle east conflict under George H. Bush. Quite frankly, what comes of this is having to fill so much time with news where they chose repetition and entertainment over quality. That was an easy choice because quality takes work, manpower, more reporters to pay, without the economic boost and ratings. We have under estimated the impact this has had on the populous trust, and the level of journalism as a whole.

The media has to come to terms with their conglomerate control of what gets to the public. This is one of the biggest obstacles we face that has been beyond totalitarian for a very long time. When news is predominantly propaganda, especially dangerous propaganda, we have an emergency. I read that....we have an EMERGENCY! But, what we can transform from that is an Emergence.

Grassroots movements, such as those nearly perfected by Bernie Sanders. I know.....both left and right leaning people have issues with him, which to this day I cannot quite understand, but that's another story. Put that aside and ask what we can learn from the phenomenon. We are seeing, and maybe we have found ourselves here because we weren't ready to quite see the writing on the wall, grassroots movements as the best answer for attacking the conservative regime that is Trumpland. The most important reason is why it will be effective.

I can guarantee you it is a method that conservatives will not attempt beyond rallying empty sound bites of fear and bigotry. Bottom line, they are afraid of public opinion. They are outnumbered. How many town halls have republicans had, or if they have had, have been successful? The larger the crowd, the more safe they feel. This is why grassroots will not work for them. This is why their only power is in division. This is their method and grassroots can stamp it out.

Support the grassroots movement, don't be afraid of the people who want to equate this movement with Communism, Socialism, or Marxism. The movement has aspects of many movements, but ultimately it is an America Liberty movement bent on what, truly, this country was founded on, equality and fairness. They were only partially successful. We have the opportunity to talk their fight and finish it. Our forefathers were very flawed, but they were also very educated through higher learning, but most importantly through meeting and dialog that met there own desire for service to what was best for the populous. 

This is what we can learn from those we see as representative of America. Can you see Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, John Adams, George Washington, Thaddeus Stevens, Harriet Tubman, Tecumseh, Thomas Jefferson, etc. in the eyes of your passionate leaders? If you can't, ask them why? If you can't, ask yourself why you should support them? Find leaders who are passionate about American democracy for all. I truly think they are out there. I'm seeing several right now. Join me in the search for our future leaders. This is an EMERGENCE!

Let's share on Facebook, Twitter, or any other readily available way, to get these aspiring representatives of America known and exposed to the populous. Trump has and will do everything to undermine our ability to organize. We have to find addition methods beyond organized rallied protests. They are important, but canvassing locally is just as important right now. Let's not underestimate this going forward before it's too late.

I promise to do my best to follow those I discover and share. I hope all of you will do the same. We have a tremendous opportunity before us to shape an America just like our early liberty fighters. Yes, it's scary, but I chose to focus on the amazing possibility and fight like hell.

My thoughts on Morality, Reverence, and Free Speech

It's sad to realize that sometimes freedom of speech is not freedom. Sometimes it represents oppression and hopelessness. Sometimes it protects the ugliest of human expression, and emboldens those that use it to their advantage, and we are forced to stand in dismay. 

Apparently you cannot reconcile freedom of speech with moral character, for in a really truly democratic society moral character should not have to be defended at all.  So, we create laws to protect morality, so we believe, but we end up having a protection that violates what we created it for in the first place. Thus, laws are flawed. Thus, laws are used and interpreted depending on motives. Thus, laws are used and manipulated by moneyed interests. Thus, laws should never be used as absolutes. Absolutes create lack of freedom.

There are no absolutes in any law. But, when law and morality are used together you have hope for a just system. Not perfect in any manner, but overall well serving to the community.  This, I believe, is what we thought we had. Clearly, we are waking up, delirious, from a bad dream.

One day, after a Trump supporting murderer kills journalists, in what most likely was an action brought about by our president, I drove by a gun shop that had a huge Trump flag posted on the entire right wall of their store. I live in the north in a very liberal town. This was the day after the shooting.  

The first amendment, the law, protects this owners right to be an asshole on a day when he should be flying the American flag at half mast, to represent reverence for life. Instead, he, what I must assume is a white male, sticks the middle finger to the American flag, to the American Constitution, all in the name of defiance against reverence.  There is nothing honorable or patriotic about what's happening to this country right now. I know what patriotism is, and this is spitting in it's face.  No freedom.

This would have never happened prior to this administration. The boldness and defiance of right wing conservatism is fed by this administration and we shall all suffer for it. All in the name of a freedom I do not recognize. Freedom of speech that will protect the ugliness that will come. And it will come, make no mistake.  Will we be left prostate? 

The price of protecting freedom of speech sometimes is a loss of moral character,  and those who don't have moral character know that well.  They use it to their advantage. We are coming to terms with the fact that we cannot police moral character.  Matter of fact, many police squash your freedom of speech because you fear that your life will be in danger.  You must suppress your freedom to survive. This is the frightening reality for a very large portion of the population. This is tyranny which squashes freedom.

We felt this country was founded on the principle of moral character, only to discover that history is not that kind.  We are still grappling with what that means. It will prove our greatest struggle.  I am aware as never before that I do not trust my fellow human anymore.  This is a travesty of spirit.

I clearly don't have all the answers. But, I do know, for myself, this is the most important fight ahead of us. How do you define our moral character without religious zealots deciding for us? How do we define freedom FROM religion?  After all, this clearly was the intention of our founders. Separation of church and state. That is at stake now.

 Law and religion are very similar. Thus, religion is flawed. Thus, religion should never be used as absolute. There are no absolutes in any religion.  Religion has not gained our trust. Religion has, throughout time, represented oppression more often than it has stood against oppression.  This is important now because religious zealots want to change law to represent their beliefs. If you truly study history you will realize this mission is in direct conflict with what created our constitution in the first place.  We did fight England for our independence, but we also decided who we were going to be going forward as a nation. Considering separating our laws from the church was no small consideration.  I have to believe it was one of the most important parts of who we were desirous to become.

I am not an atheist. You can believe in God, and faith, and still  have the highest moral character, while questioning what place it has in government and law. For me, I believe my country was founded on protecting and valuing my freedom of choice.  My responsibility to my country is to validate this by my moral character. Religion, where I use it or not, is part of my choice, not to be regulated or mixed with my country's responsibility to protect my choice.  This is the America I believe in, the America we all deserve to value and protect, with the ultmost reverence and dignity.  Trump represents everything we are not.   

How can I celebrate Father's Day?

I'm a father, and a damn good one.  Some of that comes from having a screwed up family life.  My father was 18 when I was born and never in my life.  I met him for the first time about 10 years ago.  For a while things went pretty well.  What I learned from this past 10 years, biology does not make a father or parent.  I was an adult, so he viewed my life as set, and he could just be my distant friend, absolved of any responsibly.

While it didn't work out as I had hoped, my appreciation for a man who was not biologically related to me, by family standards was my step-grandfather, treated me from day one as his child.  It's probably why I adored him so much as a child, even though we would have a very turbulent ending to our relationship and I never saw him again before he died, he was the only stability for me in a wildly stressful childhood.  The man above is my biological father.  Pictures are deceiving.

So, when father's day came I had mixed feeling like I do at every holiday.  I don't like holiday's as they bring up how displaced I felt at holiday gatherings.  Being a father now has helped as I just make every holiday about my child and my responsibility to him to be my best.  I know I do too much, and I worry his life will be too easy because I'm so damn afraid he will experience anything awful.  That's something I'm working on, with difficulty.

Writing and reading have been my meditation for the past 10 years, which coincides with meeting my biological father for the first time....hum....

So, today, I chose to try my best to thank the man above for his DNA, and possibly steering me into who I am because of his absence.  My mom, who was mentally ill for the majority of her adult life died in January and this man had to know because his daughter see's my posts.  I didn't receive a "sorry"text, a postcard, a call, nothing.  That's just another example of his absolved responsibility.