The Nightmare is Continuing...

Greetings again... Hello... I notice I actually have a subscriber - well , bless you and don't be shy! Would always love to get a comment!
 
My heart and spirit have been so heavy since the election.  How can I describe the dismay over the election of this ---- yes, nutjob.  I hope I can still say that.  Some might say it's not respectful.  But here's a person who has shown he has NO respect for our Constitution and the civil liberties supposedly enshrined in it.  Here's a person who has also shown he as NO respect for many of his fellow human beings.  So my feeling is: how can I "respect" someone such as that?

If you've been paying attention, his nominees are indescribably bad. One of his latest nominees is Ms. DeVos, whose "efforts over the years have done more to undermine public education than support students," according to NEA President Lily Garcia.  Read about this travesty of a nomination and how she didn't even deny "buying influence."  in this article from commondreams.

Then there's the brutality of the tactics against protesters of the DAPL led by the Standing Rock Sioux.  These are peaceful protesters and yet, they have been met with horrible tactics of militarized policing.  The latest incident left a woman in danger of losing her arm.  Please read about this and her father's reaction.  

The nightmare part is that things are likely to get even worse with the "incoming administration."  From the article:  "While he ran a populist candidacy, Trump is building a cabinet for the 1%. If his history of dealing with protests is any indication, he’ll protect their interests – his interests – by force" 

In addition to news stories, commondreams also has op-ed or "views" articles which are often quite good.  This one, by Deborah S. Rogers is very good .  If there were ever a time for solidarity, this is it.

So, don't forget: you too, can subscribe to this blog and get posts by e-mail.  Look for that signup gadget in the navbar on right - or wherever it might be in a mobile set up.  And let me hear from you.  I really am in need of some encouragement to keep going here.  I work very hard to create good posts, and would love some interaction!

P. S.  

I seemed to have a time getting the text to flow around the graphic as I wanted.  When I checked it seemed to read ok.  Let me know if anyone has any problem with the graphic coveringn part of the text... thanks. 

Again, if you find this post - or any post here - of any value, please comment and/or share.  Thanks!

Open Memo Re: Pence at Hamilton

Hello - anyone out there?

I'm sure most of you have seen or heard of the visit paid by Mike Pence to the show Hamilton on Friday night and the lecture given on behalf of the cast.  WOW!  And a certain so-and-so had the NERVE to call it "harassment!" If you haven't seen this or would like a refresher, here are two good articles:

First: a report from the bbc .  Second: this is a really neat article .  

Now my Memo:

Memo Re: Pence's Visit to Broadway Show Hamilton

To: DJT:  Sorry, but you are shameful, so I won't use your name.  Speaking truth to power is NOT harassment.  It is what a little thing called DEMOCRACY  is all about.  Remember the U. S. is supposed to be about "We, the People" - that is, ALL OF US.

To: Mike Pence: First, you should realize how lucky you were to even have seen this show.  Second, I echo the thanks given you for staying and listening to the cast's open letter.  Third, I hope you will now think on this and follow the example of Jock Semple.  He tried to throw Katherine Switzer out of the 1967 Boston Marathon - and was against women competing in it.   But he later supported women in the race and he and Switzer actually became friendly.  I think there are some lessons in that story - one might be support opportunities for others, don't oppose them! Feel free to read a reminiscence by Switzer here .  And here is Semple's Wikipedia page.

To: Brandon Dixon and the cast of Hamilton:  Thank you for speaking truth to power so eloquently, powerfully, civilly, and respectfully.  That's the sort of discourse the U. S. needs.  Indeed, let us keep spreading your message.

And please, if you find this post or any post here of value, please comment and/or share.  Thank you!

Post at Daisies and Diamonds

So greetings again.  I just put up a new post at my other blog, Daisies and Diamonds.  There's a link to the blog in the link list in the navbar at right (or wherever in mobile - I have  no idea!)

It's a new poem and I thought some of you who visit here might also enjoy it.  I hope you will check it out.  It would be nice to get some views there that are from actual human beings.  And of course, comments are always welcome!

To check out the poem go to this link:  Harmony, Healing, Hope .

And as always, if you find this post - or any post of value - on either site, please comment and/or share.  Thanks!

Seek a Just Unity

Greetings again all.  I'm not sure I'm over the election results yet.  My mind and spirit are still quite troubled.  One of the things the author of a 'views' piece at commondreams warned about was "normalizing" this dangerous (can I still say "nutjob"?) so and so.  Well that is what appears to be happening ALREADY.  They have a recent report on their site.  We must NOT stand for this!!!  We nead journalists and media outlets to do the real job of informing.  We all need to make sure that hate, bigotry, misogyny, discrimination against any group, disrespect of civil liberties, and disrespect of the environment DOES NOT STAND!!!

Read the report  .

But the calls for "unity" to work with him have somewhat troubled me.  Now, I support unity, have written often about it here, but something about the calls in this situation made me vaguely unsettled.  Then I happened on this excellent piece by Paul Louis Metzger.  And he put form and shape to the vagueness I was feeling.  I hope that everyone will take the time to read it.  It is certainly worth the time.  And I still believe that we need to unite to solve common problems, but, at least for a while, will think and write just a bit more carefully about unity.  We will need to make sure that whatever unity we achieve is, as Metzger hopes it would be, a "just unity."

And let us not forget that there IS much at stake here.  Please also read this beautiful op-ed by Steven W. Thrasher.

You may also wish to check out this article about preparing for January from commondreams. There are two links in it to sites which give info about preparing for the nightmare administration which awaits.

And don't forget to pray - or call for protective vibes. 

Please, if you find this or any post here of value, please comment and/or share.  Thanks!

Aspiration/Recognition

Ah, greetings again.  Here's a new poem - first one I've written in a bit.  It was inspired by the first cartoon in a post at The Intercept (not the one accompanying the title, but the first one after the text in the article itself;  it's by Shannon Wright).  View them all at the link below:

10 Cartoonists React to Trump Winning the Election

So, hope you will enjoy this offering: 

Aspiration/Recognition

"To be is an aspiration 
Recognition as part of creation
Potential released instead of inhibited
Intrinsic humanity exhibited
Body, soul, mind and spirit all facets
Of a life which seeks to keep in balance
Simply desiring a thriving entity
Forming existence into an identity

Please remember, if you find this post or any post here of value, please comment and/or share. Thanks!

Election Horror

That's the only way I can describe the election results.  How can this have happened?  This is so troubling on so many levels.  I just don't know how to begin to describe my concerns, except to say, anyone who voted for this nutjob voted to make America meaner, nastier, and a much more scary place because of him and the mindset to which he has catered.  It truly is a horrible result.

There is a columnist at The Guardian, Jessica Valenti, who is a real strong feminist - and progressive.  She has two very recent columns that express so much of what I've been feeling:

The pre-election column

And the quite new, post-election column .  From the article:  "The truth is that this shameful election result was backlash, pure and simple – a reaction to women’s growing rights, racial progress and a cultural shift that no longer centers straight white men. They were votes based on fear, bigotry and ugliness."  That does NOT mean I wish to throw anyone under the bus, but that as one commenter at commondreams pointed out in comments to their original election result article, nonwhites that voted Democratic were certainly not all upper or even middle class.  Who propelled this horrible result?

Valenti goes on with a note of hope and ends:  "And that we owe it to ourselves and our country not to let fear stop us now. Not ever."

I'll tell you today, I can use all the hope anyone can throw out.  Yes, it's that bad.  Segway to:  John Nichols and a fine article at commondreams with some ideas.

It certainly is a dark moment.  I just hope - and pray - we can make it through.

P. S. 
Jon Swartz at The Intercept has a good article about what to do next  .

And if you found this post - or any post here - to be of value, please comment and/or share.  Thanks!

Some Unity Sayings...

Greetings once again...

Here's something "just for fun" - a "board" from which to read some sayings I came up with about Unity.  There are five rows across and each word in the saying begins with the  respective letter of the word "unite."  And as a bonus, I believe that the two major diagonals also give sayings if you read from top left to bottom right or from bottom left to top right.

You can also try using some of these words to come up with your own sayings. Would love for you to post one if you do.  I did this in Paint so I hope the text part is readable. Let me know if it came out ok.

Now here it is: