Mueller: Christmas Witch Hunter

The Christmas season is upon us, and it's time to make a list of what to get for the famous and infamous. Even those who seemingly have everything one could possibly want are in need of something. In no particular order, my 2018 list:

World Leaders:
Vladimir Putin, a human soul.
Donald Trump, a year's supply of antipsychotic drugs.
Kim Jong Un, a new barber.

Political types:
Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Education, a case of Smart Water.
Lindsey Graham, Putin sycophant, a set of Russian nesting eggs.
Rudy Guliani, a dictionary with the definition of truth.
Ohio senator, Rob Portman, a spine implant.
Paul Manafort, a "Get Out of Jail" card.
Robert Mueller, a "Witch Hunter" cap.
Donald Trump, a witch's hat.

Newsmakers:
Parkland shooting survivors: sensible gun legislation.
Meghan Markle, peace among the Royals.
Baron Trump, an anchor baby certificate.
Melanie Trump, lessons on how to smile.
Ivanka Trump, a few more Chinese patents.

Athletes:
Hue Jackson, a permanent home (retirement home) in Cincinnati.
Aaron Rodgers, a new Green Bay Packer team.
Phil Mikelson, a new book, "Putting a Moving Ball"
Justify, triple crown winner, a giant vault to hold his stud fees.
Serena Williams, a certificate for an anger management class.

As for the rest of you, refurbished chia pets and a "Merry Christmas."

The Other Woman in the House

There are two women in our house. My dear wife, Sandy, does all the important things, cooking gourmet meals and telling me that the glasses I can't find are pushed up on my forehead.

The other woman is quite petite, and not very shapely. Her name is Alexa, and what she has going for her is she knows a lot of shit.
If you're interested, she can tell you the temperature in Wasilla, Alaska, the home of Sarah Palin. And more importantly, she can tell you that it is impossible to see Russia from Wasilla. And in case you want to know, she can tell you that on December 6, Mars is 97.4 million miles from earth. She can also tell you things you should know but have forgotten  -- there are 16 fluid ounces in a pint.

In addition, Alexa can do things -- turn your TV or lamps on or off. She can wake you up at 6 AM by playing Eva Cassidy or any other music you choose. Since Alexa is an Amazon product, she can buy almost anything you want, and it will be delivered to your door after your credit card takes a hit.

But Alexa can be discretely obtuse. When asked how babies are made, she replies "through the process of reproduction." Duh! Methinks that does not answer the question. Apparently, the AI world of Alexa is not familiar with sex,  Alexa is just like the girl I dated a long time ago. She knows her history, literature, current events, geometry,  physics, chemistry, meteorology,  but not so much about human anatomy.

And in spite of her soothing voice, There are many things Alexa doesn't get. For example, she thinks:
- Trump is the strong suit in a game of euchre.
- Atlantis is located in the Bahamas,
- Bloody Mary is a queen and not a cocktail.
- George Washington is a university and not the first US president, or vice versa.
- an autonomous car is made by a no-name company.
- Donald Trump is 6 foot 3inches tall and weighs 239 lbs. because that's what the White House said.

There are also, many things Alexa can't do:
- make the sun shine on a cloudy day.
- eliminate homelessness, poverty, and greed.
- improve my tennis game.
- stop school massacres.
- repair a leaky faucet.
- re-establish the rule of law in Washington D.C. and state capitals.
- clean my gutters.
- eliminate gerrymandering.
- wash my car.
- make the President take his meds.
- make Brussel sprouts palatable.

In spite of her limitations, I must admit that Alexa is more knowledgeable than I am; and in spite of a rather lack-luster appearance, she is nice to have around. She always answers me, and never gives me the "really?" response.

A Big, Very Big One

Dictators, in particular, are fond of erecting large, flattering statues of themselves. It seems they need to see a physical structure to reinforce the notion of their fleeting greatness.  They also tend to have large military parades to reassure themselves of their power. And then when their moment in history disappears, their statues come tumbling down ala Saddam Hussein.

In light of that, I was fascinated to learn of the new statue of Sadar Patel in Gujarat, India. Rather than a figure of imposing power, this represents a man in quite ordinary clothing, shoes with toes missing, an unflattering middle-aged girth. Sadar was a key figure in India's freedom movement in the 1940's and a popular deputy prime minister.

This statue, known as the Statue of Unity, is a record 597 feet tall.

In comparison, the Statue of Liberty is a mere 305 feet.


My fear is that Donald Trump will hear of this statue and will want to build one of himself, only larger of course. He is into building things with his name attached. After all, he is the one who after the World Trade Towers collapsed on 9/11 proudly remarked that Trump Tower was now the tallest in NYC. He is, also, the man who admires dictators, whether Kim Jong-un or Vladimir Putin, and their military parades.

How could he resist building a "big, a very big" statue of himself? And, of course, Mexico will pay for it!

Or perhaps, he will redo Mount Rushmore.



Or maybe a classic nude.

No, that's just disgusting.

How Would St. Francis Vote?

St. Francis

Today, election day, 2018, I was fortunate to come upon "The Franciscan Benediction," and it spoke to my condition, discomfort with our leaders spewing forth multiple self-serving lies, anger with the political use of fear  and hate, tears for those suffering from the abuse of power and wealth, and finally foolishness for not doing my part in the cause of social justice.





Let's hope that today Christians will embrace their discomfort, anger, tears, and foolishness, and at the very least, go out and vote.

The Minority Menace

At the present time, the Republican Party controls the presidency, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and a majority of the 50 governorships. Therefore, one would be tempted to conclude that since the USA is nominally a democratic nation, the Republican Party is the majority party; and of course, that is an erroneous conclusion.

More Americans identify themselves as Democrats than Republicans. President Trump is a minority president. He received 46.1% of the votes cast in 2016, fewer votes than his opponent, Hillary Clinton. In the Senate, although the GOP is in control, they were elected by only 46% of the popular vote. The GOP controls the House of Representatives as a result of gerrymandered congressional districts, allowing a popular minority to garner a majority of the seats. And then, the Supreme Court, whose members serve for life, has a Republican majority because of a two minority presidents (George W. Bush and Donald Trump).

In addition, those who govern in the US do not represent the population. The majority of our country is not composed of old, white, wealthy males.

Thus, it's no surprise that many consider the United States to be a marginal democracy. Each person's vote does not count the same. The will of the largest number of  US voters is irrelevant in our system of government.

Our Founding Fathers were squeamish about true democracy and created undemocratic constructs like the Electoral College and the US Senate. Because of the Electoral College, we have minority presidents like Donald Trump. Because of the structure of the US Senate, we have a situation in which a vote in Montana counts many times more than a vote in Illinois. But if one happens to be a US citizen in Puerto Rico, forget it. You have no senator; thus, no voice.

And, on top of that, they created a Supreme Court, an institution immune to the will of the people. And, as we have seen in the case of Brett Kavanaugh, although only 41% of the citizens approved of him, he was placed on the Court for life because of a few votes in the Senate.

2000 Supreme Court

The minorities reached new levels of power in the 2000 Presidential election, which was decided by ONE vote in the Supreme Court. Although more voters voted for Al Gore, George W. Bush became the next president because 5 of the 9 Supreme Courts Justices voted for him. The will of the majority of voters counted for nothing. One vote was more valuable than that of the rest of us.

Framers of constitutions frequently worry that the rights of the minority will be trampled by that of the majority. Is it not ironic then that in the US minorities can control the seats of power to the detriment of the majorities?

It appears, all things considered, if the will of the US people is to be served, an overwhelming majority is required, and even then the majority's power will be limited.

The past two years have demonstrated the menace of minority power. At any time in our history, a president like Donald Trump, even if elected by the Electoral Colege, would have been impeached. But since the GOP is in power in Congress, and is eager to maintain power, they are protecting the president and hoping that the Supreme Court with two Trump appointees will do the same.

Sadly, "promoting the general Welfare" as stated in the Consitution is not likely to occur under minority rule. Minorities, almost by definition, focus on their own welfare, not the common good.

The Concise Advise Column

A staple of American daily newspapers has been and continues to be is the "advise column." I'm not sure the advice they offer is sound, but I do know they provide many readers entertainment. Perhaps we all tend to revel in others' problems, and secretly breathe a sigh of relief, saying "Thank God, my life is not that screwed up." Possibly, the readers are also fans of TV shows like "Dr. Phil." Viewers can find relief in the fact that others have much more serious problems than their own.


In fact, some of us actually enjoy the pain of others, and Germans have a great word for such feelings, schadenfreude. A young woman smiles when she learns that her ex-boyfriend has been fired from his job. A Michigan football fan enjoys the chaos surrounding Urban Meyer at Ohio State. Although we may not be proud of ourselves, we have all secretly partaken in such pleasures.

Whatever the reason, entertainment or schadenfreude, advice columns continue to be popular. Since studies show that many subscribers would rather do without the editorial page than the advice column, the know-it-alls who write the columns will be with us for some time.

I, in fact, would like to be one of the know-it-alls. Although my knowledge is quite limited, my hubris is such that I think I could offer good advice.

For example, my advice for some questions I have seen recently is quite incisive.

Q: Should I tell my boyfriend he has body odor?
A. Hell no. Find another boyfriend.

Q: Why doesn't my son's girlfriend come around?
A. Obviously, he told her that you are a bitch.

Q: My daughter's teacher asked her to spend the night. Should  I allow her?
A. The fact that you had to ask that question tells me your daughter needs a new mother.

Q: My obnoxious brother-in-law wants me to introduce him to my best friend. She deserves better. What should I do?
A. Tell your brother-in-law she is a lesbian with homicidal tendencies.

Q: My male boss annoys me by standing within my personal space. What can I do?
A. Tell him to back off because you're disgusted by his nose hair.

Q: I just learned that my brother-in-law is a rapist. What to do?. 
A: Nominate him for the Supreme Court or a high-level position in the Trump administration.

Q: My mother-in-law has an annoying habit of dropping in at our house unannounced any time of the day or evening. How do I put a stop to this?
A. Always lock the door, and post a sign that reads: "Sex in Progress. Call ahead."

Q: My wife no longer speaks to me. Worried in DeKalb.
A. I wish I knew the reason. Many husbands would pay big to get your secret.

Q: Should I quit my day job to write a book?
A: Not unless you want to starve.

Q: How old is too old to wear a miniskirt?
A: Seven.

Q: Our new neighbor, a single female, is always flirting with my husband. What should I do?
A: Tell her your husband is suffering from a sexually-transmitted disease.

Q: My husband fantasizes about Jennifer Garner.* Does he have a problem?
A: Not at all. He has good taste.

Most advice columnists answer these questions at great length with an abundance of psycho-babble. The best answers are the concise ones. For example, it's quite clear, in fact, way too clear that females, seven years old or older, should not wear miniskirts. End of discussion!

*For the sake of full disclosure I used Jennifer Garner's name so I could include her photo






, 

Deus Vult etc.

Recently I was following a pickup truck that was flying a Confederate flag and concluded that the driver had racist leanings. In 2018 those who go to the trouble of purchasing and displaying that flag do so because they want to make a statement, a not so subtle statement that whites are superior to blacks. As I came closer, I noticed the owner had a Trump bumper sticker. No surprise there. But then I noticed a Latin phrase in Old English script. That was a surprise. Is this white supremacist fluent in Latin? Possible.

On the other hand, what did she mean with the phrase, "Deus Vult"? Simply translated it means "God wills," or "God wills it." By itself, it means very little without an explanation of what it is that God wills. Does God will that little boys urinate on "Chevy"? That was the subject of a decal next to Deus Vult.

Once home I did a bit of searching and found that "Deus Vult" is an insider reference used by white supremacists to express their Islamophobia. Members of the alt-right, a phrase used to include racists, xenophobes, and other hate groups, apparently chose this phrase as a dog whistle to each other during the 2016 election.

Why? Apparently, the phrase is a piece of Crusader iconography. It was the battle cry of Pope Urban II's first crusade. In that context it means God wills the destruction of Muslims. Thus the alt-right uses it to justify their Islamophobia. In fact, vandals have used it to deface mosques and other structures.

The use of code words or political "dog whistles" is typical of hate groups. Realizing their hatred is not shared by the general public, they rely on insider signs to identify each other.

Most recently, it has become popular to consider the hand signal which in the past meant "okay" to be a "white power" sign used by Donald Trump's base supporters.  A Coast Guard employee on the hurricane duty checked to see that he was in view of the TV camera, flashed the sign and then pretended to scratch his face. He was relieved of his duty.

A few weeks earlier, at the Brett Kavanaugh hearings in the Senate, many maintain that Zina Bash, Kavanaugh's former law clerk,  flashed the same symbol while sitting behind the nominee. The video went viral and was considered by many to as a message to white supremacists.

The alt-right has many other signs and codes.

The numbers, 1488 or 14/88,  appear frequently in neo-Nazi propaganda. It refers to two racist concepts.  First, 88 represents two H's (8th letter of the alphabet) for HH (Heil Hitler). "14" refers to the "Fourteen Words" of white supremacist David Lane. His 14 words are: "We must secure the future of our existence and a future for white children." Others say it refers to the 14 words: "Because the beauty of the White Aryan woman must not perish from the earth." Either way, the words speak to the hearts of white supremacists.*

Another code of the alt-right is to enclose someone's name in triple parentheses. They use the parentheses to identify (star) Jewish journalists. However, this code is no longer very effective because Twitter has eliminated its use and many other journalists have used the parentheses to make such identification meaningless.


There are many more political dog whistles of the various hate groups, but one of the most pernicious is the reference to "helicopters" or "helicopter rides." The reference is to the practice of removing political opponents by taking them for a helicopter ride over the ocean and then throwing them out. When these hate groups suggest someone should be taken for a helicopter ride, they are suggesting a modern alternative to lynching.
Hate groups feel the use of code words and signs gives the "insiders" an added sense of belonging, but the fact remains, these people are consumed and driven by their fear of the "other."

*Many consider the hand signal to be a hoax; others consider it to be meaningless since it such a popular gesture which was used to mean "okay."

A Walk in Wildwood

Buck and I planned to play golf last week, but he phoned me: "Instead of wasting our time and energy messing around with golf clubs, balls, and carts, why don't we just take a walk in the park, and not spoil it ala Mark Twain?"

I agreed, but not without pointing out that he owed me eight dollars from our last golf outing. We decided to meet at Wildwood, one of our metroparks.

We took one of the lesser-used trails and ended up at a bench next to Ten Mile Creek. "Ah, here we are," he said as he sat down. "Enough with the walking; this is our spot. We can sit here and enjoy the wonders of nature."

After a few minutes of meditative  silence, he pulled a flask and a couple of cigars. "And there's no reason we can't enjoy our vices and nature at the same time. Here you go, have a Montecristo, and there's some good scotch in the flask."

"I didn't know not playing golf could be so enjoyable, " I said

"I'm here," he said, "to educate you on the finer things in life. And the good thing is this education is tuition free."

"Give it up, Buck. You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

"Probably so. I've wasted much of my life sharing pearls of wisdom with you and all to no avail."

"I'm glad we have established that," I said as I created a near perfect smoke ring.

Buck took a slug of scotch, and savored it for a while. "Speaking of education reminds me of  our 'very stable genius' in the White House. Did you know he is refusing to get up from his desk because he was told you can't indict a sitting president."

After an appropriate groan, I was not to be outdone (or perhaps underdone). "Well at least he promised us he would hire the very best, Like Ben Carson, Secretary of HUD, a very stable genius in his own right who declared, 'Illegal immigrants caught voting should be stripped of their citizenship.'"

"You know," Buck said, "the only person Trump ever hired who was actually qualified to do their job was Stormy Daniels."

"It's not charitable of us to make fun of  Putin's Apprentice," I said. "He needs our admiration. After all, it's all about Donald. When informed of Aretha Franklin's death, the first thing he said was, 'She used to work for me.' A classic narcissistic response."

"Yeah, and we were so looking forward to his Russian-style military parade."

"Well, he didn't get his parade, but he found another hair-brained way to waste our money, the Space Force."

As dark clouds started to move in, we decided we had better start back to the parking lot. "That was a lot of fun," Buck said. "What would we have to talk about if we didn't have a very stable genius in the White House?"

N.B. Since any factual information in the above is pure coincidence,  I can't provided actual sources. Unfortunately, the Trump's quote about Aretha Frankilin's death and Carson's comment about immigrants are factual.

Respect Our Flag and the Values It Represents

Just for the record, when NFL players kneel during the National Anthem, they are protesting police racial violence. they are not breaking the law or dishonoring the flag. They are in fact implementing their 1st Amendment right of free speech. Their protest has nothing to do with the flag or the military, although Donald Trump tries to re-define their protest in those terms and distract us from the chaos that is his White House.

Our flag, however, is being disrespected almost every day by those who label themselves patriots.

On June 22, 1942, the National Flag code became Public Law 77-623, chapter 435, which among other things states: "No part of the flag should ever be use as a costume or athletic uniform." All of those tee-shirts, baseball caps, swimming suits etc. which feature the flag or a part of the flag are against the law. (The law does allow for flag pins to be worn on the left lapel and flag patches worn on the uniform of military personnel and other public service members.)

Two Violations

This law also states: "The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard."

Those popular paper plates featuring the flag, omnipresent around the 4th of July, are against the law. Those car dealers and other retailers who display the flag in their ads are violating the law.

In fact, the way the flag is displayed at many NFL football games violates the law which states: "The flag should always be permitted to fall freely." It is not to be stretched out over a football field and held in place horizontally.

The National Flag Law is continuously being violated in a variety of ways, but an athlete kneeling in the presence of the flag is within her/his rights, and not disrespecting the flag.

Our flag represents our country, based on our Constitution, which protects citizens' right to protest . The flag and the democratic values it represents should be honored and respected.

But, then there is this guy.

No One, Including Trump, Is Above The Law

When Michael Cohen, Trump's personal lawyer, under oath, said he broke campaign finance laws at the direction and in coordination with Donald Trump, he directly linked Trump to federal crimes against the integrity of our elections.

However, Trump thinks he is above the law. He used his twitter account and the bully pulpit of his office in an attempt to influence the jury in the case of  his former campaign chair, Paul Manafort. Now that Manafort has been convicted of fraud and tax evasion, he is sending signals to Manfort that he will pardon him if he doesn't spill his guts to the investigators.

Although Special Counsel Mueller's investigation has resulted in 35 indictments and five guilty pleas, Trump calls it a "witch hunt" and attacks his own Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, for removing himself and politics from the investigation. Implicit in all of this is that he wants to fire Mueller and end the investigation of his campaign.

According to Cohen, Trump ordered him to pay Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, prior to the 2016 election, to keep quiet about their sexual affairs with Trump and thus prevent voters from being influenced by that knowledge. Two felony crimes.

In addition, Cohen implicated Trump in the crime of receiving illegal and undisclosed contributions and funnelling the money through the Trump organization.

No matter what his base thinks, Donald Trump is not above the law. Fortunately, our Founding Fathers foresaw a situation like the present, and in Article One of the Constitution, made provisions for the impeachment of a president.  In their discussions, they were particularly worried about a president or presidential candidate interfering with elections and the Electoral College.*

The only problem we face at the present time is that we have a majority in the House and the Senate who either are afraid to challenge Trump or are basking in the power of controlling the three branches of government. (They will control the Supreme Court if they are successful in appointing Brett Kavanaugh.)

The irony is that we have the opposite of what the Fathers feared--a majority lording it over a minority. Now we have a minority-elected president and a minority party controlling the House and Senate. A minority lording it over the majority.

That being the case, if citizens want to make Trump subject to the rule of law, they will have to exercise their right and responsibility to vote, thus giving the power back to the majority, and thus returning to a true democracy.

* In addition to impeachment, the Courts ruled during the Watergate era that a president can be indicted. 
"Though the President is elected by nationwide ballot, and is often said to represent all the people, he does not embody the nation's sovereignty. He is not above the law's commands: "With all its defects, delays and inconveniences, men have discovered no technique for long preserving free government except that the Executive be under the law...." Sovereignty remains at all times with the people, and they do not forfeit through elections the right to have the law construed against and applied to every citizen."

Catholic Bishops Still Don't Get It

While the Pope is in Ireland apologizing for years of clerical sexual abuse, bishops are still trying to cover it up. 

Although  a Pennsylvania' grand jury determined that hundreds of Roman Catholic priests abused over a thousand children and went on to describe the church's "behavior as a playbook for concealing the truth," the state bishops' conference lobbied the Pennsylvania legislature to prevent legislation which would have extended the statute of limitations for child abuse.

Prior to that, several bishops went to court in an attempt to prevent the grand jury from from releasing the report on clerical sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

Church leaders still mount court battles to prevent or reduce payments to victims.

Within the last week, a retired Mexican Cardinal threatened abuse victims and indicated they should be "ashamed." * 

One would think that in 2018 the Catholic Church would have reached the point of holding abusers accountable, and helping the survivors achieve the justice they deserve.

The victims do not need any more apologies; they need justice.They need their church to take action. The first and most minimal action is to stop covering up the abuse. the second and more important action is to assist the victims in their pursuit of justice.

When a mass shooting occurs, the White House, the GOP legislators, and the IRA  send their "thoughts and prayers," but refuse to take any useful action to keep guns out of the hands of mentally unstable individuals. The Catholic Church, unfortunately, seems to be taking the same course in reference to clerical sexual abuse. In addition to "thoughts and prayers," the bishops may set up a "commision" to study the problem.

Thoughts, prayers, apologies, and commissions are inadequate evasions. It's time to do the right thing, prosecute the abusers, eliminate the enablers, and seek justice and offer support for the victims.

* cf. article in Crux by Ines San Martin, August 21, 2018

Are Statues of Black Footmen/Jockeys Racist?

I grew up in northern Ohio in the 1950s, and I was always repulsed at the sight of a statue of a black footman/jockey. Even at a very young age I considered such figurines racist. a representation of a black man as a subservient slave. In fact, during those years,  my father once confronted a neighbor with such a statue in her front yard, and she replied, "Oh, I'm not racist, but isn't he such a cute n----r?" She obviously did not consider it in racial terms. To her it was yard art similar to a garden gnome. On the other hand, her use of the n-word revealed her true feelings.

For all the years since, I have regarded the owners of black footmen as racists, and in many cases, they were. 

However, more recently, I happened upon some interesting information which might contradict my assumptions and may cause me to reconsider.

Charles Blockson, a historian and collector of Underground Railroad memorabilia, claims that the presence of a black footman with a lantern indicated that the home was a stop on the Underground Railroad. If the lantern was lit or if a green scarf was attached to the footman's arm, the runaway slave knew the house was safe; if however,  a red flag was attached, the slave knew that he should not stop.

Some claim that even the clothing of the footman was a code. A striped shirt indicated this was a place to swap horses. A tailed coat meant overnight lodgings. A blue sailor's waistcoat meant this homeowner could get you to a port to depart for Canada.*

Not everyone accepts Mr. Blockman's theory, but even if the footman was some sort of code in the days of the Underground Railroad, it definitely no longer had that significance in the 20th century. Those who displayed it, did so for other reasons.

In addition, there is another theory as to the origin of of this particular yard ornament.  According to the River Road African American Museum, a 12-year old black boy, Jocko Graves, wanted to help George Washington cross the Delaware to attack the Hessian troops in Trenton. According to the story, Jocko was too young to join the Revolutionary effort, so he volunteered to watch Washington's horses, and then froze to death in doing so. To honor the boy's sacrifice, Washington reportedly commissioned a statue which became the basis for the modern lawn ornament of a black footman. 

The story of Jocko Graves appears to fall into the same category as young George chopping down a cherry tree. A story created more to demonstrate Washington's gratitude than Jocko's sacrifice. On the other hand,  the theory about the Underground Railroad may have some basis in fact. The slaves and the homeowners needed some means of communication and this method may have been used from time to time.

That being said, I still consider the black footman ornaments racist. I have a difficult time believing that those homeowners who display this black caricature are attempting to honor fugitive slaves and those who helped them.

Although the concrete footman no longer serves as a hitching post or a lantern bearer, some claim to display the figurines to recall the Old South or exhibit an equestrian theme, which is another way of honoring the good old days of segregation and Jim Crow, the days when a black man knew "his place" in society. More than being a welcome sign, the figurines tell us "This is White space." And, of course, "Blacks are not welcome."

If collectors of Americana want to preserve examples of the black footmen as part of our past, they should be careful to make clear these modern caricatures (large lips and protruding eyes) represent  repugnant symbols of subservience to African Americans. Their only value is that they remind us that some white citizens in the 20th century had a need to ostensibly tell African Americans that they were second class citizens.

*Snopes labels Blockman's theory as "unproven."  

LikeShow more reactions

Comment

A Presidency in the Gutter

Donald Trump has done many things that I thought a President of the United States would never do. He courts racists and Neo-Nazis. He makes fun of the handicapped. He invites Russian to the Oval Office and reveals classified information about one of our allies. He lies constantly. He attacks the FBI and JOD. He attempts to end the Mueller Investigation. He refuses to release his tax returns. He pays money to a stripper to prevent her discussing their sexual encounter. He values the word of Vladimir Putin over that of our own intelligence agencies. And, he ordered ICE to take young children from their parents who were seeking asylum in the US and imprisoned them.


This list could on and on, but today he went a step farther. In a text, he bad mouthed Omarosa Onee Manigault-Newman, his former aide whom he had previously praised. His text: "When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog."

The President of the United States calls a black female a "dog." 

I presume that "dog" is his a thinly disguised, misogynistic euphemism for "bitch." In his mind, women are dogs and bitches. He obviously has no respect for women, and he has previously made it clear he has no respect for blacks. In fact, Omarosa reported in her book that Trump uses the pejorative term, "n...er," in the Oval Office.

As a result of the 2016 elections, this is what the office of the President and the Oval Office has become: a shameless cauldron of racism and misogyny. That is why it is imperative that the citizens of this country send a message in the 2018 elections that this is unacceptable.






,

Buck on Phil's Dorky Dance

Buck, my cantankerous friend and sometimes golfing partner, has been experiencing some health problems over the last two years. I attribute his ill health to the 2016 election of Donald Trump. Buck, a longtime registered Republican, was shocked when the GOP nominated Trump as their presidential candidate, and voted for a third party candidate, and like many was amazed Trump won the election.

He and I no longer meet for our weekly breakfast at Nick's Diner. These days, when we periodically get together, we meet later in the day at Havana Haven, a cigar lounge that features a humidor of quality cigars, a bar with a variety of  tasty scotch, comfortable leather lounge chairs, and few large screen TVs usually featuring the Golf Channel with the sound muted. (For those of you worried about second hand smoke, Havana Haven has an elaborate ventilation system.)

Last week, after we each had fired up a Rocky Patel, the bartender, Maria, came to take our drink order. Of course, Buck is quick to respond, "I'll have a double of Glenfiddich, single malt, 12 year on the rocks. And my manservervant here will have soda as he has to drive my Rolls for me."

Maria looked my way and I said, "Don't mind my grandfather; he has an undiagnosed brain disorder. I would like a double shot of Delmore single malt, straight. And the old guy is paying."

As she walked away, Maria muttered under her breath but loud enough for us to hear, "And I could have gone to the beach today, but I'm stuck in this nursing home, medicating retired clowns."

The Golf Channel was showing video of Phil Michelson dancing in his signature long sleeved shirt, presumably a commercial for something. Buck could not resist, "And Maria thinks we are clowns?. If you can't dance, don't do it in public, and definitely not on TV. If he has do do it, he should go to the basement and close the door."
"Well," I offered, "he probably made more money in that minute than you and I made in our best years."

"But we still have our pride," as he sent a large puff of smoke ceilingward.

"And your pride is paying for these drinks. Thanks."

"Whatever, Phil demonstrated his lack of pride at the US Open when he ran after a putt and hit it while still moving. Who would do that?"

"A very wealthy pro golfer wearing a long sleeved  business shirt."

For some time, we enjoyed our cigars and scotch in silence. Up to this point we had avoided politics, but I knew Buck was bound to bring it up. "What," he asked, "do Stormy Daniels and American farmers have in common?" 

"They are independent, hard-working entrepreneurs," I offered.

"Wrongo, bongo! They both got screwed by Trump and were paid to keep quiet."

Why did I not see that coming?

Ron's Tidbits: Blogging Again

Ron's Tidbits: Blogging Again: 2016 was the last year I blogged on a somewhat regular basis. As you recall it was in 2016 that a  minority of citizens elected Donald T...

Blogging Again

2016 was the last year I blogged on a somewhat regular basis. As you recall it was in 2016 that a minority of citizens elected Donald Trump President of the United States. Prior to that election and ever since, the internet, at least in the United States,  has been a hotbed of distasteful, disgusting hatred coupled with the notion of "alternative facts."




With so many voices out there spewing hatred, I was reluctant to continue blogging for fear I would be just another angry voice. Of course, I could choose not to be angry, but the fact is I was angry. I was angry that our country was systematically and at the highest levels rejecting our core values. 

Honesty, for example, became a joke. Our President would repeatedly lie to us, and his followers and political allies would just laugh it off as "Trump being Trump." I was angry when in the early days of the current administration I saw the President of the United States sharing confidential information with a Russian diplomat. But that was just the beginning of a series of embarrassing, uncaring actions that culminated in the practice of taking children from their parents and putting them in cages which DHS euphemistically labels care centers. At that point, I thought we were at the bottom, but then POTUS attacked our allies in Europe and NATO and went to Helsinki to play nice with Vlad Putin.

While I am still angry, I am an old man and refuse be caught up in the 24/7 news cycle and the clever distractions of Trump tweets or Russian bots. I will continue to be informed and attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff, but I do not intend to mud wrestle with neo-Nazis.  I will not throw mud on the white robes of the KKK; they have already soiled themselves.

What I will do is write about what interests me, whatever that happens to be at any given time. That may be religion, popular culture, sports, history, books, and yes, politics. I trust I will be able to refrain from hatred (Twitter and Facebook are better suited for that), but hopefully still retain a bit of sarcasm and satire.

That having been said, I am resurrecting Ron's Tidbits.

(If  I were honest, I would have mentioned the real reason I am returning to blogging: my wife told me to either go in the back room and write blogs or get a real job.)

Easter 2018 by Jim Bacik

For those who do not have the opportunity of reading Father Jim Bacik's meditations, I took the liberty of sharing his Easter Mediation (2018). May the liberating power of Easter be with you.

Sunday Meditation

Easter Sunday     B Cycle   April 1, 2018

James J. Bacik

Reading: 1 Corinthians 5: 6b-8   (optional)

On this great feast of Easter, the most important liturgical celebration of the year, the epistle interprets the resurrection of Christ from the perspective of the Exodus event commemorated at the Jewish Passover meal. By the time of Jesus, the Jews celebrated their liberation from bondage in Egypt with a sacred meal that included unleavened bread and roasted lamb. As part of the Passover celebration, pious Jews disposed of the old bread leavened by yeast, which they considered sinister and corrupting, and baked new unleavened bread, symbolizing a new purified life. The roasted lamb reminded them of the Exodus when God commanded the Israelite families in Egypt to slaughter a lamb, sprinkle the blood on their doorposts, roast the lamb and eat it in haste, ready to depart Egypt (Ex 12: 1-30).

Drawing on this symbolism, Paul instructs us: "Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough." Since Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed, we should celebrate, not with the old yeast of "malice and wickedness," but with the "unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

By linking Easter and the Exodus, the epistle invites reflection on the liberating power of the paschal mystery, the death and resurrection of Christ. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus began his public ministry by presenting himself as a liberator who will free the captives and preach the good news to the poor. In his personal interactions, he freed individuals from their fears, guilt and isolation. He healed lepers confined to the outskirts, freeing them to return to their families and friends. He liberated women from their social isolation and included them in his preaching and mission. His preaching called for forgiveness and reconciliation that breaks the cycle of violence and recrimination. Through his death and resurrection, Christ extended his liberating power to all people, in all times and all places.

By liberating us from all that enslaves us, Christ freed us for personal growth, for serving others, for contributing to society, for promoting the common good, and for extending the reign of God in this world.

Easter is a joyous feast because it proclaims the ultimate defeat of all the forces that impede, limit and confine the human spirit and celebrates the final triumph of Christ's liberating grace, which brings us full human development. Christ, the paschal lamb, has given us a fresh start so we can put aside the enslaving patterns of the past and enjoy the new life of authentic freedom.

We can imagine people who can benefit from this liberating message: the married woman who still feels guilty over a teenage abortion; the collegian who is struggling to escape the drug culture; the executive who is caught up in the whirlwind of frenetic activity; the social worker who is overwhelmed by an excessive case load; the citizen fighting cynicism over partisan polarization; the parishioner who feels unfairly constrained by the pastor and his staff; and the pastor who feels burdened by administrative responsibilities. Human existence is inevitably limited and constrained, which means the Resurrection, with its liberating power, is good news for everyone, including ourselves.

In what specific way can the Easter celebration be liberating for me?