Book 3, Self-Published
I used self-publishing saving much
But with no review, edit or such
It is there perfect, never trampled, pristine
Like powdered snow, that’s never been seen
Not a single comment, not a single buy
No publisher, no editor, no-one but I
To blame, and no value yet, not a single star
In a way it is absolutely perfect thus far
Nothing but a feeling of completion for the third-time
Of my passionate thoughts and occasioned rhyme
Last night Joe Biden gave a great speech that demonstrated his ability to be emphatic, to unite, and to restore decency and respect to the Office of the Presidency. This was culmination of a convention that appropriately demonized, and ridiculed Trump and his administration. It appropriately showed the diversity of our country and it’s potential, as well as the great challenges ahead for us. Correctly the Democrats presented the case for voting, voting in numbers that will make it impossible for Trump to claim that the election was fraudulent and thereby stay in power as the votes are counted and recounted for months or maybe longer, followed by court challenges that will suspend our democracy for an unknown timeframe.
My concern is that the American people already understand and know that Trump is not decent, is not truthful and is not traditional in any way we would recognize as a President of the United States… and pointing it out is like so what? Those that will vote for him already know that… they say things, like I wish he wouldn’t tweet, but I like his policies and actions and they say they are afraid of what the Democrats will do, they fear the tax and spend, and emphasis on the Green Deal, and other demonized progressive policies. They don’t adequately appreciate the tearing down of institutions that we really need, because the government bureaucracy doesn’t work anyway in their view… the reality is that it does, and it is working despite the constant and unwarranted onslaught from Trump’s administration. The USPS is a marvelous and trusted institution. It will resist, as it should, and Congress will not allow for the gutting of our institution of postal service. It will be difficult but it will be OK and we the people will work around the problems to ensure our votes are presented and counted.
My worry is that although, Joe Biden will certainly be a President for the entire country, as opposed to Donald Trump who is a President for only his supporters… especially those that give him the adulation that a narcissist needs, and craves. Joe must win. But to win, Joe Biden and the Democrat’s must then address the concerns that all Americans have with real policies and plans. What are the specific plans to address the pandemic? What are we going to do to get American’s back to work? How and when do kids go back to school? Is our food supply safe? How will we assure our access to vaccines and pharmaceuticals? How do we pay for everything?
I have no doubt that the Republicans next week in their convention will present that everything is coming back to normal, ignoring the depth of combined crisis of pandemic spread and death, job losses, economic ruin. They will mirror the Democrats and make it about personality and fear mongering that Joe Biden will let our cities burn in protest and rioting, and will increase taxes putting the economic recovery at risk… Again, they will not have plans and policies to present. If they did, it would be good, because it would cause the Democrats to respond and maybe, just maybe we could get back to debating and negotiating what a future could look like, and how we get there.
For me character, and intent matters, and I will vote for Joe Biden. However the Republicans could play a great role yet, by making their convention about policy and plans and drawing a contrast between the two party platforms. Sadly that won’t happen, and we will not get the benefit of future debates on the things that do matter for Americans. To do so we would need two decent candidates that could be equally trusted. Unfortunately we have only one.
Dad loves to tell us stories… last night he reminded us of one of my favorites. I thought I would share it here, because it demonstrates the ingenuity of an earlier generation…. and it’s a great story.
Dad was an aircraft mechanic. He specialized in oxygen supply for naval aircraft. He grew up and lived close to where he was stationed at Grosse Ile Naval Air Station, just south of Detroit. He used to like to say that he was station on an island 2000 miles from the West Coast! That was true, but that island was on the Detroit River!
He bought a 1947 Ford Coupe for $50… it was a simple car, no radio, no heater, just transportation. It needed an exhaust system, that would have cost $35, and being the mechanic he was, he was not going to pay that price. So he rigged up an Oxygen supply in the car and had an aircraft respirator in the car so he could drive it without being asphyxiated when it was cold, thus allowing him to keep the windows up.
One early morning, long before dawn he was driving to the naval air station and crossing the bridge to Grosse Ile, the latch for the hood of the car released and the hood flew up and hit the top of the car, thus blocking his view and bending in the middle. He stopped and tried to get the hood down but was unable. Fearing being rear-ended on a foggy dark morning, he drove across the bridge with his head out the window. Pulling over he climbed on top and managed to get the hood down and latched, all though with a crease in the mangled hood. At the naval air station he got a heavy hammer and did his best to hammer the hood into place and make it look something like normal. But the real ingenuity was yet to come.
Deciding that he no longer wanted to deal with this problem of a car, he decided to sell it. As it was the day new recruits were arriving. He decided to create one hundred one-dollar chances, and raffle the car off. Guys were thrilled for a chance to win a car for a $1, some bought 3 tickets, some 5, but he sold all 100 tickets. Dad was delighted to rid himself of the car and pocketed $100 for his $50 Ford Coupe. The guy who won the car, was thrilled to get a car for a $1 ticket, complete with its own Naval Air Oxygen System.
We have taken another step on the slippery slope in the journey from democracy to authoritarian rule. We have seen the discredit of the free press, we have seen the efforts to shape the courts, we have seen and continue to experience the conspiracy theories borne out in the individual personality wrapped in paranoia that is beating back a supposed deep-state. Furthermore, data and science and truth is lost to political context, everything is seen in the context of for or against. Division is the state of the dis-union. Now the next step, secret police. Secret federal police, part of political theater. In the context of “law and order”… neither is being achieved. The law is broken, without accountability. This is not policing, this is provocative theater, creating fear and division. How can there be accountability when there are no name tags on paramilitary being deployed in the streets, completely unwelcome by the leaders of a community? What do arrests mean, when there is no “lawful” authority established? How can tear gassing mothers aligned to encourage peaceful protest and discourage violence be justified as a deescalation? It is quite the opposite. What about the video of a Navy Veteran being beaten and pepper sprayed because he asked to talk to the “secret police”, is this what we think democracy looks like? Is this what we believe the right to assemble, and the right to free speech means? And then who are these men in fatigues, with weapons and helmets that are part of this slide to authoritarian rule?
But let’s not mince words, because when combined with tolerance for neo-Nazi white-supremacist, it is clear that this slippery slope is really a backward slide toward fascism.
Beware the next steps: the intentional limitations on voting, the ratcheting of fear mongering, and then the final invalidation of democratic election results.
Wake-up America!
How could Masks be so political? Current polls show that 96% of Democrats wear masks, while 66% of Republicans wear masks… is Political leadership the cause of this, or is political bias the outcome of those considering if they should wear masks?
I think Mr. Trump should embrace Masks and save lives… He could have engaged his base with MAGA masks! We all would benefit.
I think that Biden could have his own Biden Masks… we all would benefit.
Masks are uncomfortable, but a ventilator is far more uncomfortable, so much so that you must be in a coma to wear it. I’d rather wear a mask and social distance.
What if the silent majority of this country, is not moved by divisive politics, what if the silent majority believes in the ideals of this country, and that All Men Are Created Equal, means that black lives matter too… and that we have been guilty of riding on the shoulders, and labors and suffering of those less fortunate, and what if that silent majority is really about advancing humanity to a higher purpose and broad inclusion of what it means to be a member of society. What if silent majority means being Christian in the sense of following Christ’s teachings and loving one another instead of hate and prejudice and abhorrent lack of empathy? What if being of a silent majority means that we respect and honor those that worship and believe different than we do? What if the silent majority says that it matters not who you love, how you love, only that you do not hate. What if the silent majority is in the streets demonstrating for justice? What if they are in their homes, rooting for someone to help articulate that we want to be prosperous but not by pushing others down to lift ourselves up, but rather lifting all of us through education, through opportunity, through understanding and empathy. What if we are no longer silent?
This is an excerpt from Darkwater, written by W.E.B. Dubois and published in 1920. I find it valuable and insightful today. If we think of the problems of our time, I believe the source of much of our discontent remains, as a cause, inadequate education. We often see our histories as we want to see them, not as they really are, we see our world as it is and think it has worked for us, why won’t it work for the next generation. We invest so much into policing, criminal incarceration, and welfare, and other programs. When possibly investments that would better serve our society would improve our children, making them better people. Improving how they see themselves, how they think and how they can be the source of our future advancement. Alas however being honest about who we are and what we are doing and where are we going is a necessary first step.
From Darkwater:
“We have a right to assume that hundreds and thousands of boys and girls today are missing the chance of developing unusual talents because the chances have been against them; and that indeed the majority of the children of the world are not being systematically fitted for their life work and for life itself. Why?
Many seek the reason in the content of the school program. They feverishly argue the relative values of Greek, mathematics, and manual training, but fail with singular unanimity in pointing out the fundamental cause of our failure in human education: That failure is due to the fact that we aim not at the full development of the child, but that the world regards and always has regarded education first as a means of buttressing the established order of things rather than improving it. And this is the real reason why strife, war, and revolution have marked the onward march of humanity instead of reason and sound reform. Instead of seeking to push the coming generation ahead of our pitiful accomplishment, we insist that it march behind. We say, morally, that high character is conformity to present public opinion; we say industrially that the present order is best and that children must be trained to perpetuate it.
But, it is objected, what else can we do? Can we teach Revolution to the inexperienced in hope that they may discern progress? No, but we may teach frankly that this world is not perfection, but development: that the object of education is manhood and womanhood, clear reason, individual talent and genius and the spirit of service and sacrifice, and not simply a frantic effort to avoid change in present institutions; that industry is for man and not man for industry and that while we must have workers to work, the prime object of our training is not the work but the worker—not the maintenance of present industrial caste but the development of human intelligence by which drudgery may be lessened and beauty widened.”
I just came from posting the flag on the front of the house, I saluted it as I should for it is our flag day. Commemorating the act of a continental congress to define a union of colonies, now states that will build a great nation with ideals that all men are created equal and none should be above the law. On June 14, 1777, this congress decided that the equality of these colonies shall be represented in thirteen stripes, and the original thirteen stars on a blue field, a field with room for many more, many that will be welcomed to this land, this nation, and with reverence we’ll abide by the principles put forth by men who risked their lives to sign for independence and fairness and opportunity for the pursuit of happiness… and yet the pursuit of equality under the law continues. Today I read a poem, that asks for forgiveness for our lack of generosity, for our thrashing of this dream of equality as we have practiced in these last so many centuries. We know better now we think, yet read this poem from 1920, and ask if it is no different today than 100 years ago? I had to find out what Darkwater was, and through the Gutenberg Project https://www.gutenberg.org/files/15210/15210-h/15210-h.htm
I found the book published in 1920. Called Darkwater by W.E.B Du Bois. It is amazing… I included a poem from the end of Darkwater below…
I did not think… I did not know…
What pale excuse is this I make
In answer to my brother’s woe,
Age-long, for deep injustice sake!
Across his mute and patient soul,
While I have gone my heedless way,
The shadows of a fate might roll
That deepened night and darkened day.
But I have read a burning page,
That glowed with white and soul-wrung fire,
And now no more I may engage
My conscience with a feeble hire.
For all the wrong I did not heed,
Chance-born in happier paths to live,
I cry unto my brother’s need
One word of love and shame… forgive!
At the end of Black Water is the following Poem By W.E.B Du Bois:
Yesterday I was sent an article from a friend. The article was from National Review, this is a right wing (right of right) news/commentary outlet that I’ve never seen before. The article, very well written, uses data in a way to convince the reader that racism is not institutionalized in the police and justice system in our country. He asked what I think. The word institutionalized is critical. Per Merriam-Webster dictionary, the applicable definition is: established as a common and accepted part of a system or culture… So, we can examine if the “system” has features that promotes or allows racism and or a “culture” that promotes or allows racism? Also, we could ask if other systems that interact with the system at question has a way of influencing the Institutions of law enforcement and judicial or criminal system. For example, education, economic, and even healthcare systems.
There is a classic argument those on the left make vs. those on the right. The right says, if you have equal opportunity, there is no racism. The left says, if the results on a large sample size show great disparity, then there is not equal opportunity, and therefore there is racism. As measuring opportunity and how it’s presented to people is extraordinarily difficult, requiring sampling through control groups, the statistical results associated with outcomes are more indicative of assessing if there is racism. But even if the numbers show extraordinary bias, such as 3x the number of blacks died from COVID-19, 2x die from interacting with police, 3x are unemployed, and 3x more likely large company “C” positions are white, 3x blacks over whites are incarcerated, etc. This does not mean the racism is systemic, it can mean that the system is designed to be fair, but the people in the system that make the day-to-day decisions are racists, i.e. it is part of the culture that allows it to be accepted.
The issue is complex, but the data is overwhelming that there is a problem. My theory is that in all cases except maybe professional sports (NFL, NBA) the numbers indicate a profound racism is prevalent in our society. As I have witnessed it myself, and so many others have testified to it and are protesting it, I know it is there. I believe there are also changes in the system that could be made to better hold racists that operate in our systems accountable. Remove them before they do harm, or hold them accountable per the law in a way that is just and timely. Given the low rate of conviction for police that kill civilians (black as well as white) I believe that the criminal justice system is too cozy with law enforcement, and there is insufficient oversight. Within such a system, racists cannot just exist, but do outsized damage to our society. I’m confident that most police are good and are not racists, but if there is limited oversight, and a too cozy relationship with prosecutors then racists can operate with relative impunity within the context of this system.
I also think that we who have lived with the privilege of being white should help move the understanding and conversation toward resolving the issue of racism and grievances of 13% of the population that are black, as well as the approximately 17% of the population that are brown, because it is right and Christian to do so, and because it is in our best interest to have a society that lives and functions in harmony rather than discord. Destruction of property, destruction of our economy, threats to our infrastructure, are all the things that can and will happen as a society tumbles into chaos because we cannot see, hear and empathize with those that are hurting. We can help leave the world a better place or make it worse, this is the choice of this time and this generation. I know what my choice is.
With regard to the article I read, I felt as if it was using data and clever encapsulation of the issue into narrow enough bounds to make a case that racism is not the problem that “the liberal media” is making it… the article and approach is misleading, and can even be dangerous.
Why is it that you can go back in time as you go deeper in the Earth? Where do all the layers of dirt and rock come from? Is the earth getting bigger? We live in the Holocene era. This era of time is near the surface. But millions of years in the future someone will be digging down to our time, to see what we were like, what refuge we left behind, what records of our primitive behaviors, our wars, our industry, our pollution, and our lives and entertainment.
But back to the question, does the Earth get fatter? Well not really, the Earth is recycling, it brings it’s core through volcanic action lava and ash to layer over the surface. Water crushes rock and deposits it from rivers and glaciers move boulders, and rock and dirt is displaced, and continents move, creating mountain ranges that give us majestic views. The layering of one continent over another drives them to grand heights and layers of earth below. Our planet is living and breathing at a metabolism much lower than we can sometimes comprehend. But it is alive and it will have its say about our era, and sometime in its lifetime it will bury us deep, deep enough that we will start over and find our way towards a new era, billions of years from now.