Month: October 2016
Nasty Woman — Bad Hombres — Gettysburg
Too often, since Lincoln’s Gettysburg address extended our Declaration of Independence, healing a nation with the unity of emancipation, 
and conservative arrogance denied progressive scientific invention to save President James Garfield –– greatness and Exceptionalism are roads not taken by Republican leadership — and, arguably, Teddy Roosevelt’s protecting the environment, while his Square Deal busted the vampires of corporate Trusts, was the last time Republicans put American progress, first.
America’s greatness is inconsistent victories, mingled with defeats. Throughout our national journey we’ve been spirited by the guidance of nasty women, bad hombres and sometimes being, just plain lucky.
So, in 2016, shall we gather at the trough of bigots, braggarts and bullies and vote to profit the unseen puppeteers of the under-informed, choosing rupture while claiming rapture?
Will we succumb to the rigged performance of a GOP ego inflated puppet, into a house divided Middle Class? deny the Food Desert less fortunate, nutrition? trade in our souls after reneging on our stewardship of earth and all life upon it? or simply group our way forward to prove we’ve still got it?
People who ignore flashing red school bus lights, cheat on their taxes, use K Street bagmen to rent politicians or dupe the gullible with phony higher education institutions — generally enable a society none of us deserve.
Honestly, hasn’t America’s better half been forced repeatedly, to endure a corporate ladder replete with the mind-set of a mythical locker-room?
Aren’t Native Americans and many people of color still expected to bear the brunt of rigid Conservatism propagated on both Wall and Main Streets – with Fracking, Voter ID laws and inadequate schools perpetuating an inequitable future?
Perhaps on Tuesday November 8, 2016 most of us will find the crumbs left behind for our return to civility and unity — for as a people, most Americans remain, Good Samaritans.
But what about the residents at The Villages who, in 2012, cheered Paul Ryan — with his mother a prop at his side — when he assured them their Social Security and Medicare would be spared, at the expense of future generations. Presumably, filled with the Me First survival instincts of a J. Bruce Ismay, The Villages’ residents overlooked — the next generations are their children and grandchildren.
After supreme 2000 infighting between U. S. and Florida Supreme Courts, wouldn’t it be imprudent in an age of: Citizens United financial stimulus, Senate refusal to confirm Merrick Garland, successful Russian hacks aided and abetted by Assange’s WikiLeaks and perhaps a naive loose lips sink ships Edward Snowden — with devices of every screen size paused over huge swaths of the United States, and pleas from a presidential nominee for international intervention in our electoral process – to further delay admitting the real possibility of a trumped rig, bankrupting democratic thought, in our American Republic?
Arguably, our greatest obstacle to greatness in 2016, is our failure to accept that Donald Trump didn’t come out of thin air. He’s simply the unvarnished malignancy that has been systemic of Conservative State and Federal leadership since Richard Nixon, Trickle Down Economics, The Tea Party and Dick Cheney’s “so.”
We live in an age of gigantic mergers, diminishing glaziers, shifting weather extremes and increasingly powerful computer technology that can snatch paperless ballots out of the heavens and toss them into the hell of low voter turnout, hyped media bias and the stuff of Koch heads misinformation snuff.
So, if we are to maintain the best that is in us, we may need to re-evaluate the fear, anger, hate and yes, ignorance that has tampered with and tempered our tempo — though not yet terminating it, with violence, malice-aforethought and the lies we tell ourselves.
Finding America in a Trumped Silver Lining – Headlined Mon 10/17/16 @ OpEdNews.com
With a half-full glass inherited from my parents, I spend days and evenings encouraging students, friends and family to find the silver lining in a Donald Trump campaign – but Al Gore didn’t delay his concession until proof of possible “rigging” erupted in a historical battle between the Supreme Courts of Florida and the United States of America.
When a people find their nation a high powered over charged emotional tightrope, keeping one’s balance while juggling voluminous hyperbole makes funambulism– walking the plank. For America’s survival, its people need the wisdom to discriminate between media hype, campaign misinformation and the truth that sets us free.
Arguably, our greatest failure is losing the art of listening, for without objectively considering what’s best for our common good, we invite national eradication of emancipation and acceleration of international demise.
Nonetheless, even a spoiler can light our pathway forward: exposing our forgotten American underbelly, Donald Trump reminds us of past secrets and our land of the bullies and home of the sexually harassed, potential.
Prostrating the vulnerable ultra-Right before the apocalyptic altars of gender and racial inequality, in repetitive gesticulation — including his unwelcomed grouping — Trump’s laying on of hands convinces those needing a straight and narrow paved with simple soundbites, that he is the provider-in-chief of who to blame.
Deserting both Declaration and Gettysburg Address is the deal-breaker exposed by polar opposites, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Now, turning off our exploding devices and their TV predecessor, we can connect directly and ascertain how to regain both our center and its accompanying peace of mind.
Healing, however, begins only when we cease brawling to make a point, and unite to refresh a nation. To revitalize The American Dream, Millennials and Baby Boomers need to link together to save it from the dysfunctional, inharmonious and disjointed grip of anger.
If Columbia the Gem of the Ocean, kills the oceans, shatters national reflection into a portrait of Dorian Gray and ceases to believe that America’s Exceptionalism is not about being the master race, but rather mastering racism, disclosing fake patriotism and preventing any hard right turn into replacing justice for all, with liberty for none.
Although our 2016 electoral process, is Citizens United infected, voter ID tarnished and machine negotiated, We the People can still vote like visionaries.
Crawling backwards or sprinting forward is our choice, regardless of past mistakes, current less than perfect leaders and vague future goals for saving our Yes We Can spirit, from the falsehood of, Make America Great Again.
We can bankrupt our souls believing life is rigged or we can discover in ourselves a kindred illumination with Benjamin Franklin, Frederick Douglass, Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., John & Bobby Kennedy, Chief Dan George, Rosa Parks, Mary Gauthier, Marlee Matlin and Tammy Duckworth.
Regardless of fear instilled by Demagogues, let us progress forward, if not in ensemble, at least without choke-holds.
Let us rise above he who genuflects to derisive division, and instead embrace the courage of patience and understanding – being those who carry on, guided by our Better Angels — not the rage of a comb-over Destrudo desperately craving resurrection from his nullification.
Immoral bullies will never lead America to the moral high ground, for we are the barefooted Valley Forge patriots, Women of Emerge America, People Demanding Action and color-blind first-responders determined to preserve, protect and defend the best that is in us.
Let us welcome and embody the power of listening, recognizing and rejecting bullies, embrace same sex marriages and emulate the wisdom of humanitarian teachers like Confucius, Islamic prophet Muhammad, King Solomon, Elizabeth & her son John-the-Baptist, Mary Magdalene, Mary & Jesus of Nazareth, Mahatma Gandhi and Maya Angelou.
America’s 2016 Silver Lining? Civil communication and affirmative action regarding teachable moments Trump inspires: ending bullying epidemic of sexual harassment, spousal abuse, homophobia, misogyny, racial discrimination, rape, child molestation – and a mature appreciation and professional practice of our electoral process – repealing Citizens United and reigning in Insurance Companies for the Affordable Care Act, would be a pro-American re-set.
We bequeath our children the example of our beliefs, lessons and who we’ve chosen to follow. Let them not Inherit the Wind of lesser men.
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