In Solidarity with Orlando

Hate cannot overcome hate. What happened in Orlando was an act of hate inspired by a warped religious ideology. I fear the response by many will be inspired by the same. Attention Radical Christians: The LGBTQ community is not being punished for their “sins,” and the horrible being that committed this act is not representative of all Muslims. Attention Radical Islamists: Your perverted ideology, which results in violence and the murder of innocent people, is contradictory to the peaceful religion you are representing.

Admittedly, I am not a religious scholar and do not participate in any organized religion; however, I do believe in God and am certain, to the very core of my being, that God ( or any Word you chose to suit your beliefs) is about truth, peace, and love. What happened in Orlando, and what almost happened at L.A. Pride, were acts based solely on hatred. Yes, America was targeted but the LGBTQ community was attacked in the most horrific way imaginable. As a very long-time member of this community, I can state emphatically that attacks on members of the gay community happen daily.

I've never told this full story before, but here goes. About 25 years ago, I was leaving a women’s club in Phoenix and watched in horror as the woman who walked out the door a minute or two behind me was attacked by three men who jumped out of the back of a pick-up truck with baseball bats. With the friend I was with, I hid behind a car in the parking lot. There were no cell phones then. We saw someone else coming out of the club and signaled for her to stop. She went back in and called the police. The woman was brought to the hospital and died three days later. Her life mattered and I was a coward. I live with that shame every day. I was paralyzed by fear and someone died.  This tragedy in Orlando cannot help but invoke that memory, which is never too far from the front of my mind. 25 years hence, murder is still being committed in the name of hate. I hated the “men” who killed that woman and yet murder goes on. My hatred accomplished nothing. I have not let my fear stop me from acting to protect a victim since that night.

Hate will solve nothing. What it will do is cause more division and violence. Attention Every One of Every Faith: Your deity does not want you to hate. Think long, hard, and honestly; have you ever hated? If you answered yes, has that hatred ever created a positive result? Again, hate cannot conquer hate. If you are getting wet in the rain, is more water the answer to keeping you dry? No, you’ll need an umbrella. Find your umbrella.

Attention Fellow Members of the LGBTQ Community: Fear must be overcome. Courage is simply acting through your fear. Be courageous. We all have fears. I’ve been taunted, chased, and shunned but I carry on and will die before I hide who I am. Do not let the cowards take your identities. Be proud and march on. 

Can One Person Make A Difference?

In a Handbasket:

Well, it seems like the world is going to Hell. Religious attacks---Jihads, if you will---hijackings, threats in Washington, partisan politics, and terror all around. I feel as though this blog is becoming a chore to write as I just do not know what to say to make a change. It's clear our country---I dare say the world---is separating. Hatred is rampant and opinions are dictated by the media---facts be damned. Can one person initiate change any longer? Maybe if we start with ourselves. What if each of us looks in the mirror and asks, "What can I do to help today?" What would happen if we all just helped one person, once a day? What are the alternatives?

The governments of the world appear to be useless and the citizens of each nation are restless and in some cases out of control. The U.S. government, for example, will not be the tonic that heals our disease; yes, hatred is a disease---highly contagious and equally treatable. What can the government do to help our society? Sure, Welfare programs are great for those who are truly in need, but what about individuals who can help but chose not to? Are they not the ones crying the loudest that government spending on social programs should be cut or stopped all together? Is it so wrong for one of these people to buy a homeless guy a sandwich? Why he's homeless doesn't matter; what matters is he's hungry. For all the people who claim the government has no right to dictate their choices, what are you doing to affect positive change?

I understand that I am quite ignorant on the subjects of government spending and politics in general. Perhaps I am equally naive on individual responsibility. I believe one's primary responsibility is to herself but not far behind is the obligation to do good works. I have no aspirations of going to "Heaven" and am not afraid of the religious construct of "Hell." I simply believe that the only way to alter the path of hatred and destruction, which we are so rapidly advancing down, is to start with one; one person, one act, one day. The planet may be composed of nations but those nations are made-up of individuals. You don't have to join a "do-gooder group" or any organization at all to take a look in the mirror, make up your mind, and act. Try it just once.

The Race of Terrorism

There is only one race:

The only race to encompass people is the human race. Ethnicity is not race. Religion is not race. Nationality is not race. Race is a socially constructed delineation that divides the people of the globe. People are all members of the human race but not all humans are people. In order to be considered a person, one must possess a soul---or whatever word you chose to denote a personal essence. Terrorists have no soul, therefore they are not people. They are in fact human animals with no inner essence that can define them as people. They hate for hate's sake. They hold ideologies, that may at one time have been humane, which they have perverted into tenets of violence. As with all animals, humans have the ability to plan and attack to meet their own goals. People, however, are capable of reason and logic which allows for the ability to weigh consequences. Terrorists are so egocentric, they are concerned only with their needs and care not about the effects of their violence. 

If my above theory is correct, it falls upon upon the people of the world to stop the terrorist animals. National governments must work together to stop the terrorist groups without destroying whole countries whose innocent citizens are the ones paying the price. It should be crystal clear today, in light of the Brussel's attacks, that bombing Syria has not worked. ISIS is a world-wide terrorist organization. A member may be sitting next to you at this moment. Bombing Syria to destroy ISIS is analagous to attacking the American South in order to destroy the KKK. This group must be destroyed from the inside. Developed nations have the technology and access to intellegence to such a level that developing a new strategy to defeat the vile beasts is cetainly plausible.

Hate breeds hate and hate is what led to these and all other terrorist attacks. Please, do not add to the hatred.

Lobbyists and Congress and Drugs....Oh My

     I guess I cannot avoid political commentary this election season. Right off the bat, let me say that Trump is a vile idiot and Hillary is a sneaky genius. I haven't trusted a politician since Lincoln...and yes, I might just be that old.

This election is quite heated and is causing even greater divides in our already fraying nation. Let us all please remember one very important thing; the President is not the one with the power. With relatively few exceptions, anything proposed by the Executive Branch must be approved by Congress. Does that mean congress wields the power? Yes and no. Congress has power over the president, and the nation as a whole but it is in fact the Lobbyists who control congress; thus lobbyists are in control of our nation. Let me rephrase that, the money stemming from big lobbyists and their clients is in charge of our country.

     The largest lobby in the U.S. is the pharmaceutical industry. According to the non-partisan watchdog group, Center for Responsive Politics ( https://www.opensecrets.org/ ), thus far in 2016, pharmacy groups have contributed to candidates, political parties, and outside groups to the sum of $18,218,665. Contributions to sitting congress members total $4,569,909 to Democrats and $7,035,182. The previous year, 1,369 lobbyists acting on behalf of 344 pharmaceutical and health related clients spent over $238 million. The highest recent figure,$272.8 million, came in 2009, at the time the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was on the floor. These companies, Bayer, Pfizer, Glaxo etc. have agendas to keep their products on the shelf at the highest price the market will tolerate. They do not want marijuana legalized nationally as it will greatly cut into their profits. They did not want the ACA to pass because it cut into their profits. Look at the numbers again and you'll have a better understanding of why so many seniors can't afford to take care of themselves. So much money is being poured into D.C. that prices on medicine must remain high in order for these companies to maintain their projected profit margins.

     If we really want change to occur in this nation, the whole process needs to be revamped. Lobbyists need to be eliminated as well as the party National Committees. With the exception of the Electoral College, I wish the process would revert to the original format; whoever has the most votes is President and the runner-up is Vice-President.

Money, Money, Money,Money

Let's Really Make Change:

     

    I was reading about the changes that are coming regarding the faces on paper money. Apparently, Harriet Tubman will be gracing the $10 bill; replacing Alexander Hamilton (the 1st Secretary of the Treasury). Andrew Jackson, our 7th President who set in motion the "Trail of Tears", will remain on the $20 bill. The government's reasoning for this inane decision is that the $10 bill is the most easily and often counterfeited and this change will halt that problem, albeit temporarily. Have they considered putting Tubman on the 10 and Hamilton on the 20? Problem solved. But I have an even better idea to revamp the whole thing. As Americans, what do we value almost as highly as money? Television! Let's replace the current faces with those that are really important to us.

One Dollar Bill- Hawkeye Pierce:  Hawkeye was a sinful idealist who protested the inhumanity of war through wit and rash tantrums. I selected him because he not only espoused his ideologies verbally, he took action...and made a killer martini.

Five Dollar Bill- Archie Bunker: As much as I hate to replace my favorite guy, Honest Abe, I think his antithesis is appropriate for this honor. Archie continually showed us the stupidity of bigotry and it's cause; ignorance. The next time you encounter a bigot of any kind, just remember Archie and laugh like hell.

Ten Dollar Bill- George Jefferson: Now this is a guy who loved money. George was also a racist and was an odd mirror image of Archie. The difference is, George "moved on up" while Archie stagnated in Queens. Although he was thoroughly obnoxious, George was an example of an African-American who made it out of childhood poverty, to the suburbs, and finally to a "penthouse in the sky." Who better exemplifies the American Dream?

Twenty Dollar Bill- Mary Richards: This lady was nerdy and hip at the same time. She was a walking contradiction who broke boundaries in 1970s, misogynistic America. SHE left her fiance at the alter and took off on the road alone, landed a white-collar job, and maintained an adorable studio apartment. She had her share of dates but was more than willing to stay single knowing she did not need a husband to make her complete. Hats off to you, Mary.

Fifty Dollar Bill- Cosmo Kramer: What can be said about Kramer? He truly was a hipster doofus, before being one became fashionable. He lived on his own terms and breached societal rules on a daily basis, most often in ignorant bliss. Kramer is my hero; a man who invited strangers into his apartment in order to avail them of the opportunity to smoke inside. A fellow who gave his left-over Chinese food to a homeless man then upon return asked for his Tupperware back. In the traditional sense, he was not a model citizen, however I feel that if we had more Kramer's among us, the world might be a richer, and certainly funnier, place.

One Hundred Dollar Bill- Lucy Ricardo: There was no way that face wasn't going on a bill. Lucille (Ball) and Lucy (Ricardo) were very different women. Unlike Ball, Lucy was subservient to her husband in 1950's New York. However, what we must realize is that Lucy was clever enough to usually get her way, however disastrous the consequences may have been for her husband and neighbors. More often than not, she did get in the show. Her plans and schemes may have verged on the insane but the results she achieved were usually in her favor. Here's to Lucy (and Ethel). I raise my glass of Vitameatavegamin to you!

Why Not Peyton?

Peyton Manning vs. Dr. Huxtable

Ok, Bill Cosby was accused of numerous sexual assaults, including rape, and had his life turned upside down. Cosby has yet to be convicted of anything yet his career and reputation have been destroyed. We all form our own opinions based on media reports and intuition long before the inside of a court room is ever seen...sometimes. I grew up loving Bill Cosby, back to his days of Fat Albert, and with a heavy heart have convicted him of these heinous accusations. I'm glad his career is over, his reputation ruined, and his squeaky clean facade dismantled. So then, why isn't everyone doing the same with Manning? Unlike Cosby, I never liked Manning; he always seemed a little shifty to me and I just couldn't believe others couldn't see through his act. Well, now the stage lights have come on and his make-up is off...so where's all the outrage? Why is poor little Peyton being given a pass? (excuse the pun) Tom Brady got caught deflating footballs; he is the Nixon of the NFL. It was the talk of the town for months. Yes, as a society we spent our time discussing the weight of footballs and weather or not they factored in the outcome of a game...A GAME! When Johnny Manziel, the quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, has one too many drinks and makes a public ass of himself, the media has a field day. Apparently public degradation of an alcoholic is amusing; but let's not forget the media wouldn't keep publishing these things if there wasn't an eager audience. I could go on for pages about the abuses perpetrated, on and off the field, by these athlete "heroes." But back to good old Peyton, the Good Ole Boy.

Really Ladies????

Why so quick to persecute Mr. Cosby but not Manning? Both had good guy images. Both excelled in their fields. Both made commercials. Both are white.....oh wait, no they're not....is that it? Are the very people that cry for a color blind society really oblivious to this? That's not even the worst of it. What about the female physician twho was allegedly abused by Manning WHILE she was treating his injury? Why aren't the empowered women who also happen to be football fans as outraged as I? Why is Tennessee's response to this, and all the other sexual assault charges they face, on the back pages? 

The most troubling question that has been rattling around in my brain is this: Why do we value the career of a quarterback over that of a physician? Her career was ruined; he just won a trophy and sells insurance on TV. Physicians heal people; sexual predators harm them.

 I ask that all my friends who truly want a color-blind, gender-neutral society to get angry. I want you to repost this. I want you to really think. Cosby was accused by numerous women, Manning was accused by one(that we know of); does that make it ok? Does a person's first act of sexual abuse get a pass? No! So for all of you that personally convicted Bill Cosby, I ask: Why not Peyton?

I Pledge to Simplify

     The Pledge of Allegiance continues to be a topic of heated debates. The sticking point is the word "God." This can be resolved quickly if we take into consideration another word in the Pledge; "Liberty." If, during the recitation, we are pledging to honor the liberty of our fellow citizens then we must allow everyone the agency to determine which god they honor, if any at all. If you adhere to atheism, just remain silent during the phrase "Under God." If you refer to God by another name, freely say that name, "Under Allah... Vishnu...Jesus...etc." Being allowed to freely and openly aver your choice of a god or remain silent during this particular phrase is paramount to remaining an indivisible nation.

Bellamy's handwritten draft of Pledge of Allegiance

(http://rbscp.lib.rochester.edu/1779)

     "Indivisible" is perhaps the most significant word in the Pledge. Written by Francis Bellamy (a Christian Socialist) and first published on September 8, 1892, the original version of the Pledge had no mention of God; nor did it mention the United States. Bellamy was affected greatly by the American Civil War and was prompted to write the Pledge, specifically to include not only the word "indivisible," but the phrase "one nation." The revised version in 1923 added (among other grammatical changes) "the United States of America." It was not until 1954 under the perceived threat of Communism that "Under God" was incorporated into the Pledge. This again brings me to my confusion when people say they want the "Old America" back yet at the same time want God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Personally, I would rather go back to 1923 than 1954; I'd love to go to a Speakeasy and try the Charleston. 
     If we are to stay one, indivisible nation, we must address conflicts such as this collectively. The best part of being American is that we are each entitled to our opinions. That being the case, disagreements and opposing views are guaranteed to ensue. To differ, disagree, and vary in opinion is fine; it is actually wonderful as if we all keep our minds open, new ideas will follow. Opposing each other with closed minds creates divisions and that is exactly what we are pledging not to do! Conversations, not arguments, are conducted with open minds and result in wonderful, new ideas. Let us then respect our neighbor's liberty and discuss guidelines under which we will remain an indivisible nation.