Tag: Words to ponder

Words to ponder

Opinion

Enjoying Life

Even though we live in a world that is endangered from climate, war, disease, and social unrest; we should take time to relax and enjoy life. The threats we face are not new and we have more woke people than ever before. There are good reasons for hope and energy towards a better future. We live with the unknown, cruelty, and threats but life is beautiful and it is important to enjoy how wondrous it is. I will continue to write about alarming situations and events as I perceive them, but I plan to direct attention and energy toward the positive and fun aspects of life. I hope this post finds you well.

Opinion

There was good news in 2021

We live in a time of steroidal bad news, but there is reason for hope as we finish 2021 and roll into 2022. Joe Biden is President and Donald Trump is not, and the failure of the Trump coup effort to date is a reason for hope. The truth is stronger than it was in 2020 because Trump is not in office spewing a stream of lies. Scientist say that the climate crisis is bad, but could be worse. Because government and private industry are responding to the challenge the worst version of climate change may be avoided. More will need to be done on climate, but the good news is we have reason for hope, and must push for a more human-friendly planet on all people (as well as other creatures and living things). Governments and institutions are making progress in protecting society against COVID. You can feel the potential for a return to a comfortable new normal after the pandemic has become manageable. Responsible institutions and organizations are pushing the idea of human dignity and against far-right hate, misogyny, and nazism. Major issues will remain with us, but there are reasons to hope for progress and improvement in 2022 if we remain engaged.

Opinion

Keep your spirits up!

We live in very interesting times that challenge our outlook towards the world around us. Heavy issues at all levels surround our lives and threaten to overwhelm us. The stakes of today’s issues are existential and substantial; which is why everyone must first be mindful and take care of our selves. We cannot be of service to our society or others if we are not coming from a good place. The future is uncertain with many threats currently unresolved. Keep yourself prepared and engaged in making yourself, your community, your country, and the world better.

Opinion

Hope rides with informed people

Ignorance and evil always ride together because there is no hope without truth. Every post I write is to inform and provoke people to become seekers of truth. Always remember; Jesus said “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Liars lie to deceive and enslave. If groups spread lies or tolerate widespread lying; they do it for a reason. Make sure you are on the side of righteousness and make an effort to find out the truth in our politics and society. The truth provides our only hope.

Opinion

To fight Tribalism be decent, be honest

Tribalism seems to be on the rise in America. Threats and assaults against Jewish people, Asian people, and other identifiable groups like African Americans have increased. Many people cite the election of Trump as a marker in the rise of hate. Hopefully the election of 2020 will mark the beginning of a decline in tribalism, but hope is not a strategy. We must all act to fight the evils of racism, tribalism, selfishness, greed, and envy. To paraphrase John Lewis ‘if you see something, say something. Stand up against what is wrong.’ All of our futures and lives are at stake.

Opinion

Staying positive

Staying positive in a time of peril is hard but important. We live in interesting times that demand we pay attention, act to protect our values, and communicate to others. The threats we face will not go away soon, so we must take care of ourselves and each other to overcome them. Hope and actions to create the future we deserve will sustain and strengthen us. Even seemingly small steps add up and create change.

Opinion

Rosa Parks to Darnella Frazier; the struggle continues

Rosa Parks was a person who didn’t seek fame, but did not shrink from doing her part in the struggle for civil rights. After Mrs. Parks stood up for the civil rights of African-Americans on public transportation she was economically targeted, and had to leave Birmingham, Alabama. Darnella Frazier was not looking for recognition either, but she did the right thing when she saw evil. She held up a mirror not just to police behavior, but to America and what we allow in our public servants. Derek Chauvin would probably have gotten away with murder if Darnella had not stood up to his evil. With Darnella leading the way the Minneapolis community defined itself as people who would not tolerate clear evil. The struggle between those who will allow evil to triumph as long as it leaves them comfortable, and those who will not make a deal with the devil goes on. Hopefully new laws will protect decency for everyone and diminish opportunities for evil, but as the quote says “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty/“

Opinion

Woke versus WAIC

Woke is defined as an active awareness of systematic injustices and prejudices, especially those related to civil and human rights. Many people claim to be woke these days with Trump followers claiming it is a scam. The radical right wing says there is no injustice in our society beyond that done to white people. WAIC persons are one description of the large subculture in our country that consists of White Americans with Inferiority or Insecurity Complex (WAIC). These Americans are fortunately a minority of White Americans, but there are more than anyone should be comfortable with. WAIC persons spread and believe lies that make them feel better about themselves. They blame others for their misfortune rather than taking responsibility, and those others are usually minorities to avoid a confrontation with self-deception. WAIC persons would rather support a conman and ridiculous conspiracies than risk confronting their insecurities or self-loathing. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that ‘we will learn to live together as brothers, or we will die as fools.’ WAIC people are fine with foolishness, death, and destruction as long as they can keep pretending they are better than someone else. Ignorance, lies, death, and destruction for these wretched souls beats truth, equal treatment, or a society based on high moral ideals.

Opinion

Wreckless Republicans

Texas Governor Greg Abbott lifted mask restrictions after the CDC asked that everyone continue to mask up until we reach higher levels of vaccination. The Republican governor of Mississippi did the same after Florida governor DeSantis bragged at CPAC that his state was a bastion of freedom for defying the health experts. Greg Abbott has already been complicit while Texans died and suffered due to Republican leadership’s 20 plus year failure to prepare the power grid for cold weather conditions. Republicans in the Senate refuse to recognize the results of the 2020 elections except for their own victories. Republicans are becoming a divisive and malevolent force as they attack the republic for their failure to hold power. Our country could become increasingly destabilized if character does not become a descriptor of Republicans. Republicans have become too wed to racism hidden under the slogan that “Government is the problem” as Reagan said. Government is the problem when it attempts to guarantee the rights of citizens no matter their color apparently. Research and vote to hold politicians accountable for truth and policy. Fight against greed, lies, and fear to save our republic!

Opinion

American Aces

Winston Churchill is quoted as saying “empires of the future will be empires of the mind”. To me he is saying that the old tribal empires are the past, and the future will be driven ideas. Until recently America was perhaps the most admired nation in the world. Four years of Trump’s xenophobia, fascism, and racism have left even allies feeling that they cannot trust America because Americans put him in power. We allowed our strengths of truth and diversity to be undermined by a clownish wannabe dictator. America is on the comeback trail under the leadership of Joe Biden, but our problem is a Republican party that has surrendered to the ideas of white supremacy and Trump. The fight against the idea that tribalism will give followers a better life than other Americans can be won by truth, courage, and the embrace of the humanity of all. Dr. King said that “we will learn to live together as brothers, or we will die as fools.” The struggle to save our republic is critical on multiple levels. Failure will result in chaos, collapse, and on-coming climate disaster. Be an ace. Research our societal issues and stay active in our politics; activism and voting is better than any alternative.