They Come

They're coming.  And I can't stop them.

The security system doesn't matter.  They won't do anything to stop what's coming.  Even they are afraid of what's headed my way.

Having a gun won't help me.  What they possess can damage me far more than my rifle.

No persuasion will stop them.  No faith, no lawyer, no politician.  They can not be reasoned with.

If only we would have recognized what they were earlier, maybe we would have stood a chance.

Not now.

Now it is too late.

They're coming for me, and they can't be stopped.

An hour ago, I got the message from my friend, Warren.  He was the last one of my group that they had already come for.  He said they had decided to come for me next, and I had less than an hour to escape.

I made my wife and children leave, sending them to go to Aunt Suzi's.  I did not want them here when they came for me.  They were crying and clung to me.  My wife knew she would never see me again.  Eventually, bitterly, tearfully, she accepted reality and left with the children.

I wish I could get away, but I know better.  Once they target you, it's over.  There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.  Even if you manage to escape at first, they will come for those you love, and they will be at risk until they can have you.

They thirst for you.  They want to devour you.  They want to silence you forever.

I stand on the front porch.  Waiting.

Then I hear the sounds.  They're coming.  My heart is pounding.  Maybe I'll save everyone the trouble and have a heart attack before they come.

Then they are here.  An evil swarm, so thick I can barely see anything else.

Their pack leader stepped forward.  "Thomas M. Strait?"

Why pretend?  They already knew.  It was a rhetorical snarl, nothing more.  "Yes," I replied.

"Did you post yesterday an inciteful statement scandalously attacking our beloved Father?"  They moved closer, the odor like a sulfuric furnace.

"I said that I didn't believe special education should be abandoned, yes.  That's all I stated."

The pack leader's eyes were yellow and angry.  "You made it seem like the Father was the problem.  That he didn't care about the poor retarded children, and how humane it would be to phase them out of the stresses of associating with the healthy and vibrant.  You actually advocated that we should take away resources from our hard-working citizens, and give it in a foolish attempt to educate the uneducable."

"He's wrong.  The Father is wrong.  What he suggests is inhumane and cruel and immoral."

They gasped collectively.  One raised his weapon, ready to end my misery.

"Stop!"  he barked.  "Don't shoot this scum, this enemy of the people!!  Let our system decide.  We are a nation of laws, are we not?"

He came up to me, inches away from my face.  Yes, he was human.  That just makes it all that more frightening, that one human being could do this to another.  But maybe it's not so strange.  Hasn't that been the history, the shame, the intolerant horror of mankind?

"You have three days to publicly confess.  If you don't, you will face the Ultimate Punishment."  Death by hanging.  Yes, I know.  I also know that, whether I confess or not, they would end my life.  Shot and dumped.  I don't see why they think everyone doesn't already know this.

They put shackles on me and put me in their prison van.

Don't get all confident that you can avoid my errors and survive.

They came for me.

They're coming for you next.

One Week Out

One week out.

One week out from one of the most consequential elections the country has ever had.

We get to choose whether democracy continues, or we give a super unchecked boost to authoritarian fascism.

I know some would call this hyperbole.  I know some are tired of all the political talk.  I know because as much as I love politics, I'm almost sick of it myself.  I'm sick of the worry, sick of the hurt of seeing my friends still living in the con, sick of thinking about what things will be like if  President Trump and his "nationalists" remain unchecked.

But now is not the time to hide in a hole.  I am psychologically unable to canvass or phone bank, but I do what I can.  I give money.  I have signs in my yard and on my car.  I speak out, sometimes in places, I shouldn't speak out.  I write blog stories and newspaper columns.  I am not shy in print.  It's about my only strength.  So I use it, even though there is blowback risk.

Anyone can take your words and run with it in ways you cannot always control.  The idiot that shot up a Congressional Republican softball game had on his social media that at one time he was a Bernie Sanders supporter.  That was terrible, and Bernie was swift in condemning and rebuking the man.  Most importantly, there was nothing in what Bernie had said or ever will say that encouraged or incited violence.  Nothing.  Zero.  Nada.

Not so our current Presidential office occupant.  His middle name is incitement.  He has thrived on division and hatred.  His specialty is name-calling and dehumanizing his opponents.  He treats media as enemies of the people and then feigns surprise when people act on his rhetoric.  He and his Fox associates blame the caravan on Geroge Soros, a Jewish billionaire, and lie that he is sponsoring and paying protestors, and then do the "what, me?" when someone tries to send him a bomb, and another is so riled up about "Jews behind the caravan meant to attack the United States" that he slaughters Jews in their synagogue on the Sabbath.

This last two weeks we have seen a US resident alien working for the Washington Post chopped to pieces by a foreign dictatorship, a man determined to kill blacks (he couldn't get into a black church, so he just started shooting at a grocery store), another who wanted to help Trump out by sending a bomb to all the people that Trump regularly denigrated at his rallies, and an anti-semitic maniac use the caravan as an excuse to kill 11 people at a synagogue.

And yet.....

He still calls the press the enemy of the people, and talks glowingly about a Congressman who physically assaulted a reporter.

He still attacks and dehumanizes the people on the bomber's list.

He still uses code language, like "globalist" and"Nationalists," and continues to vilify Gergoe Soros.

He continues to slander African-American politicians, including using racially charged terms like "low IQ individual" and "thief".

He wants you to fear women and children and families trying to desperately to escape violence and find a better life for themselves.

All this and so much more.

And yet, most of the people around me remain insensitive to it all.

One week to go.

Well, at least it's good for weight loss.  My stomach is so riled up I can barely eat.

Please wake up, my Trumpeteer friends.  I know you're good people.  But you need to wake up.

Everything is at stake.

Seven Who Deserve to Win: Saturday Poiltical Soap Box 195

Four years ago, at the midterm, I posted seven politicians who I thought deserved defeat,  This time I would like to focus on seven who deserve to win.

First and foremost is Lisa Ring, 1st Congressional  District of  Georgia.  I have never in my life seen a candidate work so hard to earn the support and trust of her district.  She is a grassroots-creating whirlwind, doing all the basic retailing politics that I don't believe has ever been done in this district.

Her husband and son are military, with her son currently serving overseas.  She is a former corrections officer and has experienced many of the same ups and downs as her constituents.  This has given her great empathy and an ability to address problems with the everyday citizen in mind.

She doesn't take money from corporate interests or political PACS.  She is funded by small donors.  She is a Democrat, but she is not a corporate Democrat,  She won't be beholden to any political establishment, but instead represent the interests of her district.

She'll fight to make sure you get the healthcare you deserve.  She'll fight to preserve and strengthen Social Security.  She'll work for a clean environment, and not for the polluters.  She'll fight to get veterans all that they have earned through their patriotism and sacrifice.

If you live in her district, you have a golden opportunity to endorse a new, more representative politics.  I have never been prouder to cast a ballot in a Congressional race than I will be for Lisa Ring.

Chances of winning:  Not good, but there is always a chance.  This area has never seen a grassroots effort like hers before.  It is a district where parts are turning more Democratic, and the political polling here has not been extensive.   If she does win, even my Michigan friends will be able to hear my shouts of joy.

Greg O'Driscoll, State House candidate District 178 (man, Georgia has a big ol' House!), deserves to win.  He's not sponsored by big money interests, and he's just a regular Joe working at a hardware store.  He's also very bright and has a great rapport and connection to his constituents and what they go through.  He's going to cut through the partisan crap and work to represent the working families of his district.  He's one of us fighting for all of us!

And I will be proud to vote for him on Election Day!

Chances of winning:  Not likely, but his presence is priceless.  This area needs to have choices, not just Republican establishment echoes.

Stacey Abrams, if she wins, will be Georgia's first African-American Governor, and also the first female Governor.  Both of these are long overdue.  She has run a smart race, building a broad coalition, and campaigning across the entire state, even in rural counties like Pierce and Ware.  She is mobilizing the voter turnout, and I am hopeful that her run will benefit Democratic turnout throughout Georgia.

There are many reasons I will be voting for Stacey Abrams, but the most important one is she gives me...Hope.  My son is ready to start college next year, and for all we've saved and planned, without the Hope Scholarship we can't do it.  This may infuriate some of my conservative friends who must not pay attention to what Republicans actually do, but they will never preserve, defend and EXPAND the Hope Scholarship like it needs to be.  Stacey will also protect public education and stop the madness that is putting our public dollars into the hands of private school entrepreneurs whose primary goal is not your child's education but to enrich themselves.

Chances of Winning:  In a perfect world, her odds of winning would be slightly better than even.  But when your opponent, Brian Kemp, is also Secretary of State in charge of elections and is blatantly suppressing the vote to favor himself, the odds fo her winning steepen dramatically.

To my conservative friends who are not bothered by this -  Imagine your favorite college team is going to play their rival.  Now imagine that that rival has set that the referees are to be coaches and representatives of their college!  How fair do you think that would be?  And you're still okay with Kemp being the referee for this Governor's race?  For shame if you are!

Heidi Heitkamp, Senator from North Dakota, is not my cup of tea.  She is a Blue Dog Democrat who often sides with Republicans, the kind of Democrat who, if the Democrats win the majority, can't always be counted on to support the party's position.  She is particularly frustrating on gun control.

But when a crucial vote came for someone who had no business being on the Supreme Court, she stood firm and voted against him.  She believed one of the most compelling witnesses I have ever seen (Dr. Christine Ford), and watched Brent Kavanaugh (one time with the sound off, observing his snarl and mean spirit, his body language that betrayed him to be the partisan hack and abuser that he is), and even though she knew it might cost her politically, she cast a vote against him.  Had anyone else had the stones she did (and also Lisa Murkowski) - Joe Manchin, Jeff Flake, Susan Collins - the Republicans would be scrambling right now for a replacement nominee.

Chances of winning:  Unfortunately, she is almost certain to lose.  And this may also be key to the Democrats being unable to retake the Senate.  Still, she is a profile in courage, and I admire Heidi for her brave and courageous stand.

Andrew Gillum poised to be the Governor of Florida.  And I can't think of a more deserving person to take that job.  An impressive speaker, debater, administrator, and campaigner, it has been a joy to watch this neighboring state's candidate come into his own.

Chances of Winning:  Very, very good.  And that makes me very, very happy.

Alexandria Occasio Cortez, young Congressional candidate from New York, represents the future of not only the Democratic Party, but our nation.  If handing over the future of the country is to people like her, then I finally see a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel we are currently in.

Chances of Winning:  Excellent.

Last but not least, we have Beto O'Rourke, Texas Senate candidate.  By far, the most charismatic candidate in the country, if we ever really do have a Blue Wave, he will be the one leading it.  He is genuinely caring about the people of Texas and will represent them on the basic human level they deserve to be represented at.  Texas has been a deeply red state, but its shifting demographics, that includes people who have voted for Republicans in the past, may give Beto the chance he deserves.

You also have the extra bonus of getting rid of one of the scummiest, most pathetic politicians around, Ted Cruz.  He's the kind of smarmy scumbag that even most Republicans don't like.


Chances of Winning:  Toss Up.  Beto would be a sure thing in most states, but this is Texas we're talking about.  Still, I have high hopes he emerges victorious.

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There is a considerable list of political figures that I would love to see defeated, including Rick Scott, the aforementioned Ted Cruz, Steve King, Duncan Hunter, Scott Walker, and many, many more.  I want for the Democrats to regain control of the Senate, but if Democratic New Jersey Robert Menedez (who had been mired in corruption scandals) is defeated, I'm not going to shed too many tears.  We need more candidates like the seven I mentioned above, and fewer establishment hacks.

VOTE!  Everything depends on it!

Mysterious Outcomes

I don't know what's going to happen.

I don't know what the outcome of the election's going to be. 

It could be that the Blue Wave takes control of one or both legislative bodies.  Or it could be that the Blue Wave is more of a Blue Splash.  Change is difficult in our system, what with gerrymandered districts, and with small states having an outsized influence in both the Senate and the Electoral College. 

I do know this.

If we don't start coming together, the whole thing is going to become unraveled.  Whatever the election outcome, we have to start working with each other, even if that means some compromise.  We have to stop viewing other opinions as evil, or different organizations as enemies of the people.  We don't have to agree with everyone, but we do have to stop demonizing them.  We can be strong in our views as to what's most important, but that does not mean we have to stop listening to the other side.

And by we, I do mean we.  All of us.

Our politicians need to be more concerned about the well-being of the country, and less so about their party or to their political base and biggest donors. Poll after poll reflects the desire to see health care improved in this country, desiring to see more covered at a better cost.  It's tempting for Republicans to rail at Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act), but they would be better served by improving the law and fixing its flaws.  Most polling shows that healthcare is the number one issue, and that's across party lines.  That is just one example where politicians are more engrossed with their war on each other than they are in serving the interests of the American people.

Our media needs to do better.  They need to focus more on issues vital to us and less on horse race politics and personal aspects of little relevance.  An example is focusing more on the President having toilet paper on his shoe as he went up the steps to his airplane and less on the fact that the President's administration is leading a lawsuit that will result in the elimination of the protected coverage of pre-existing conditions.  This does not mean that lies should not be called out.  This does not mean that corruption should not be uncovered.  The president's work performance behavior is relevant.  But the focus needs to be on issues, not the trivial.  Let TMZ and Inside Edition cover that stuff. 

Our President has been super critical of his opponents, in a hyper-partisan and bullying way.  He has often brought up violent means, both implied and explicit.  This has to stop.  If we're going to work together, he's going to have to set aside his own ego and work with both sides for the benefit of all.  Is this likely to happen?  No, it is not.  But I'm a Christian.  I believe in miracles.  I believe in confession, redemption, and restitution.

Most importantly, we the people have to do better.  We allow ourselves to be ginned up by others and post memes that are meant to inflame.  Often,  they are not even truthful, but if they hit our political point of view, we don't care, or we don't take the time to research the truth.  I am guilty of this too.  I try to check myself.  If I fail to catch something initially, I do try to correct or delete it.

It's not always easy.  Most of us live in gerrymandered districts designed to increase extremism.  But whenever we can, we have to start choosing politicians who express a desire to and have a record of, working with both sides.  We can pick better not just in the general but also in the primaries.  The Republicans had 17 candidates to choose from in 2016.  They chose the most belligerent and ill-suited of all the contenders.

It's not just our ability to get positive legislation through.  It's the increasingly violent and vile reactions that are consuming us.  We need to call all of it wrong.  We must be united in our condemnation of the man who shot up a recreational Congressional Republican baseball game.  We can't stand to have pipe bombs sent to those that head Trump's list of people he reviles.  We ought to all agree that interrupting the private time of our political leaders, including when they are trying to have a dinner out with their family, is wrong (when they are on public time doing their job - that is a whole different issue).

Whatever the results of this election, I pray that we turn a corner in civility.  We face a lot of serious problems in this country, and unless we work together soon, there may not be much left to protect and defend.

Let's work together.  Let's listen to each other.  Let's git-er-done!

Home with Boss-A-Man Wednesday Wanderings

Yep.

Think I'll take the day off with Boss-A-Man, and just stay at home.

I'm supposed to be semi-retired, after all.  And we're starting to slide more towards the time of year when I should be able to take more time off from my accounting career.

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The election is sliding closer, and it's hard not to think of topics that don't involve politics.  I have come to the point where I understand that every scenario is going to cause difficulties.  Some, including myself, have called this the most critical election of our lifetime.  That's true in a way, but I've come to believe that the original sin was the Russian influenced narrow electoral college election victory of Trump.  That put a permanent stain on US History, a stink we may not recover from, at least with democracy intact.

Can a Democratic majority in the House and/or Senate stem that tide?  Somewhat, yes.  But it will raise a new set of challenges and concerns.   One I'll try to spell out later.  Right now, I'm going to wander away from this topic. 

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I love scripted television!  More and more of what I watch is on the streaming services, and it's all pretty good stuff.  Currently, we are watching The Man in the High Castle, where the Nazis have won WW2, and the United States is split between the Germans and Japanese, with a small neutral zone in between.  Imagine an America controlled by fascists!  Hard to believe, ain't it?  Okay, maybe a little less hard to believe each day.

We're also watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and it is truly marvelous.  A fast-talking, sharp-witted show by the Gilmore Girls creator, it brilliantly evokes a place and time.  I know it's been out for a while, but that's the thing with the newfangled streaming thing - everybody watches stuff at their own pace, rather than at the same time as everyone else.

I'm also seeing The Haunting of Hill House.  Three episodes in, I'm still unsure of my verdict.  I think if I had seen some of the stuff those people did as kids, I would be an even more messed up adult than they are

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Sports!  What a great sports weekend!  Michigan Wolverines, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta United - all with significant victories!  The United will be in the playoffs, but with one game to go, it's still up in the air as to whether they'll be first or second.  They have a one-point edge over the New York Red Bulls.  If the Red Bulls win, Atlanta has to win.  If the Red Bulls tie, Atlanta has to tie or win (I think).  If the Red Bulls lose, then it doesn't matter - it's first-place United party time!  Woohoo!

Even if the Wolverines win out the rest of the year, it doesn't mean they are a lock to be in the college championship playoffs.  I mean, it's not like they're an SEC team or anything.

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I've got some editing ahead of me, as I try to look at The Extra Credit Club to date,  If I can finish that, I will start plotting out the next chapter.  Other projects are figuring out a market for My Europa, promoting A Christmas with Pegasus, and figuring out what the hell Bookbaby is doing with Crowley Stories.  Over three months in and they still have not released any sales information.  It's hard to figure out a marketing plan when you get no marketing information.

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I am happy that the weather here is finally breaking into late Summer.  Maybe in a month or so we'll hit early Fall.

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I've wandered enough today.  Boss-A-Man wants some well-deserved attention.

Wanderingly Yours,

T. M. Strait

Tuesday's Post is Full of Despair

Yeah.

It might have been better to wait until tomorrow.  "Wednesday's Post is Full of Woe" has a much better ring.  But despair waits for no man.

It's not personal despair.  I recognize and sympathize with the many who are going through personal anguish.  My own world may not be perfect, but everything considered, it's pretty damn good.

No, this is about despair over where our nation has been recently, where it is right now, and where it is headed.

It's not good, folks.  And I'm becoming increasingly pessimistic that we're going to get out of it.

I respect and admire the courageous and hard work done by so many in their efforts to curtail the madness before us.  I pray they continue unabated.  I will do what I can,  I know that I'm not a door-to-door canvasser, and the phone terrifies me.  But within my sheltered selective mutism, I do what I can.  I write.  I publicly endorse.  I give money.  I should do more.  I know.  Right now, though, if I don't get my weight and blood pressure under control, I won't be able to help anybody do anything.

There have been shocks to the system over the last couple of years. People around me whom I thought of as good people are taking positions that are utterly contrary to my understanding of Christianity, of humanity, of decency. Just as one of the dozens of examples, seeing so many try to rationalize the separation of families and the caging/concentration camping of children - it horrifies me and makes me wonder - do I truly know anyone?

The latest straw shattering my fragile back is the incredible reaction to the Kavanaugh hearings.  Even more stunning than the OJ trial,  I cannot fathom how anyone can side with Kavanaugh's boorish, undignified presentation over the most compellingly credible witness I have ever heard, Dr. Christine Ford.  And then for the Bully-In-Chief to viciously defame her at his Naziesque rallies, that was too much.  And then to see the poll numbers go up for certain Senatorial Republican candidates, and to see Trump's poll numbers rise - it's just too much.  It's too sickening and disgusting to face.  And the kicker was, when some friends whom I thought were politically neutral, came out in defense of Kavanaugh - well, my heart was broken.

Now we are faced with how big the Blue Wave will be.  As I predicted a couple of months ago, I fear it will be more of a Blue Splash than Wave.  But what if the Democrats do take the House?  What then?

I hope to do a post that examines the consequences of different election outcomes.  Briefly, I think that even if we take the House, it won't be all puppies and unicorns.  It will give Trump and his extremists a propaganda tool to rail against.  And he is already revving up his rhetorical engines to delegitimize any Democratic wins.

If we don't win a legislative body, we won't be able to stop what's to come.  If we win a legislative body, we'll be blamed for what's to come.  If Trump resigns or is impeached, we get Pence,  If we regain control and pass progressive legislation, the Supreme Court will void it.

I love storytelling.  I love the endings where, in the end, the good guys face adversity but win and vanquish the forces of evil.

We're not in a story.  We're in reality.  No one is writing this except us.  And I no longer have faith in many of those around me.

I'm not saying we shouldn't fight.  I'm not saying we should give up.  I'm saying we should be prepared for a very long, arduous struggle.

And the outcome is not certain.

The Story of Judah and Tamar

From the NRSV, Genesis 38:

12 In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died; when Judah’s time of mourning was over,[a] he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she put off her widow’s garments, put on a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He went over to her at the roadside, and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a kid from the flock.” And she said, “Only if you give me a pledge, until you send it.” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she got up and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite, to recover the pledge from the woman, he could not find her. 21 He asked the townspeople, “Where is the temple prostitute who was at Enaim by the wayside?” But they said, “No prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah, and said, “I have not found her; moreover the townspeople said, ‘No prostitute has been here.’” 23 Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, otherwise we will be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.”

24 About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the whore; moreover she is pregnant as a result of whoredom.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “It was the owner of these who made me pregnant.” And she said, “Take note, please, whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah acknowledged them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not lie with her again.

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So, thankfully due to having the right 'supporting materials" Tama was able to avoid the termination of an unwanted pregnancy.

Imagine if she, or anyone in that situation, did not!

It Doesn't Matter: Saturday Political Soap Box 194

It doesn't matter?  What are you talking about, T.M. Strait?  Are you embracing nihilism? 

Oh, no.  Voting matters.  It matters a great deal.  The next election has democracy itself on the ballot.  Do we continue down the road of authoritarianism and fascism, or do we finally put a break on its unchecked ascension? 

Here's what doesn't matter -

It doesn't matter how busy you are or what excuses you have.  If you've been able to register, you have to vote.  Early voting and absentee ballots give you plenty of opportunity to cast a ballot.

It doesn't matter what roadblocks they throw in your way.  If you they deny you the vote, over some quirk or improper purge, it is your right to ask and get a provisional ballot.  Don't be turned away.  Don't give up.

It doesn't matter what the polls say.  If they say your candidate is ten points down or ten points up, you should react the same - VOTE!  The polls are not an election.  The polls have become increasingly unreliable for a number of reasons, including the use of cell phones, underrepresented populations, and basing on party preferences that may have substantially changed. YOU are the election!

Some have already voted.  BRAVO!  If you plan on voting, do not lose your determination.

Bureaucracy and suppression don't matter,  Media doesn't matter.  Polls don't matter.  The only thing that is important is -

YOU!!!!!

VOTE LIKE DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON IT!*

*spoiler alert - IT DOES!

Sticky Wednesday Wanderings

I went outside today for my morning walk, around 6:45 AM.  It hit me as soon as I opened the door.  Whatever cool, crispness to the air there had been a few days ago was now gone, replaced by the flat, stagnant air of what should have been the beginning of a hot midsummer's day.  The walk was humid, leaving my shirt sticky and my mind decidedly not refreshed.

Welcome to mid-October, Southeast Georgia style!  You get a brief hint of temps sliding to the 70s, and then, waalaa, you're back in the 90s again!  Of course, it took a distant brush from a hurricane to even get the temporary relief.

It's the time of year I find most depressing.  Just when the weather shows promise, you're yanked back to the heart of summer.

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I have become obsessed, once again, with the unfollow feature on Facebook.  I like a full open Newsfeed (minus the racism/sexism/bigotry/personal attacks).  If people want to post dozens of pictures of the meal - have at it, hoss.  I have this special ability known as SCROLLING.  I don't need to unfollow someone because they post about stuff not that relevant to me.  People can use their facebook feed as they see fit.  If I don't want to see anything they do, maybe I should unfriend or block.

I have a lot of people who have unfollowed me.  At least, I suspect that is the case.  The reasons are probably varied, but I'm sure chief among them is....politics.  Fine.  Cool. Awesome.  So, that means that my efforts to influence and prod Trumpeteers into being woke is not working, because THEY NEVER SEE IT.

New strategy, folks.  Too much at stake to do nothing.  I know some, even on my side, would prefer I stop trying.  The Trumpeteers are too entrenched.  But would you give up on a family member or loved one?  Would you stop if you thought someone's soul was at stake?  What if was the whole frigging planet?

Can't give up.  Just have to rethink.

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I see that early voting in Georgia has begun and that it is running about triple the pace as the prior election.  I still haven't decided when I will vote.  I like the idea of election day, but if Alison and I can fit it in, we might vote early.  Not highly familiar with the proposed Constitutional Amendments, but I lean no just on general principle.  First, they're written by those in power, and I suspect they're designed to enrich those in power and the contributors that bankroll them.  Second, I really hate messing with the tax code to benefit one group or another.  When you designate funds to go to one thing, that means the general becomes underfunded, which puts pressure to raise income in other ways.  One of the stupidest amendments passed in a prior election is the one that capped the income tax at 6%.  All that did was increase the burden on more regressive taxes.  9% sales tax, anyone?

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The sales on my new eshort have been devastatingly tiny.  So far, even with money spent on advertising, there have been only two sales, and one of them is me!  Sigh.  I'm never getting out of accounting, am I?  Even at 103, coming in with a walker, I'll still have to supplement my income with CPA work.

The greatest career success of my life is that I've organized things so that I can be home more to pursue creative opportunities.  The greatest career failure of my life is that I have been completely inept in monetizing those creative opportunities. 

--------------------------------

I am on the DASH diet again.  The first two weeks involve serious cutbacks and a very restrictive diet.  It comes with warnings that by the second week, you could get more cranky and irritable,

Be prepared.

I feel like I'm already halfway there.


Wanderingly yours,

T. M. Strait

No More Memes! (For Now)

I've just about had it.

Nothing seems to work.  There is no persuasion going on.  There is only reinforcement of already held beliefs and aggravation to those who disagree.  I am also causing people to unfollow me, as some are causing me to unfollow them.

It's not working, and it's not helping my desire to do what I can to lower my blood pressure.

I am going to cut my sharing political mems for awhile. 

We all are creating our own political bubbles.  It's overwhelmingly apparent to me that the President proves himself unfit for office multiple times each and every day.  Those who seem oblivious to how horrible Trump is?  I can't even begin to imagine what they're seeing every day that keeps them clinging to that belief.

So, I.m going to stop posting political memes designed to provoke and convince that Trump is the colossal danger he is showing himself to be.

I still intend to share positive statements by candidates running for office.  These include Lisa Ring, Greg O'Driscoll and Stacey Abrams.

I will always post things in support of universal healthcare.  Deal.

And, of course, I will say whatever I want to (within a PG-13 framework) on my blog.  The truth is, as hard as it is for me to accept, very few people read my blog.  I know this because when I post my blog entries to Facebook and other social media, they get very little response.  When I share a politically challenging meme, I get a lot of likes, and a few Trumpeteers come out of the woodwork.

Recent events, like ripping children from their parents, and the Kavanaugh hearings, and watching the reactions of the Trumpeteers around me, has crushed my spirit and made me question whether I really know these people at all.  Their frame of mind is stunning, discouraging and heartbreaking.

So, we'll see how long this lasts.  Maybe only a day.  Until Trump does something so egregious and stupid that it's just too much not to share memes about.

But I can do it.  I can hold steady for now.

OMG!  He's pretending he didn't promise a million dollars to charity if Elizabeth Warren took a DNA test and revealed her native American ancestry!

And...rogue killers?  Are you kidding me?  The president is being the lead for Saudi Arabia  in promoting insane theories about "rogue killers?"

Sigh.

This is going to be way more difficult than I thought.

A Christmas with Pegasus! I got 'chur Free Preview right cheer!

The Strengths of Conservative Christianity

Faithful readers know that over the years of this blog, I have said little positive about the conservative branch of Christianity, or what is commonly called the Christian Right.  I could list many reasons why I don't like this version of Christian theology.  Chief among them is their support of Trump.

But that's not what this blog entry is about.  It's about trying to find common ground.  Because if we can't find ways to talk to each other, it's game over, man.  I don't want to fall into the same trap that I detest so much - the turning of groups into "the other." 

So, here goes.  My best good faith attempt to look at the positive strengths of conservative Christianity.

Most conservative denominations are welcoming, especially once you are participating in their congregation.  It's true that many consider the LGBTQ community sinners, but I think it's also true that many of them are struggling with what that means.  They have gay friends or family members, and their personal attitude may be far more tolerant than what you see portrayed in the media.  Outside of the confusion about the LGBTQ community, the churches are open and caring about its members.

That support of the faithful can include financial support and other personal aid.  Congregants get fed, sheltered, clothed, even help in finding jobs and obtaining assistance in learning to support themselves.  They provide their own network to help support their members survive in the broader community.

Conservative churches often have tremendously helpful outreach projects. Food banks, thrift stores, prison ministries, are all very prominent.  Missionary work in other countries represents great sacrifices by many to make the world a better place.  My father-in-law, part of a conservative church, has done extraordinary work in Haiti, helping them rebuild, and supporting them with love and generosity.  Yes, there is a heavier proselytizing element than there would be from more progressive churches, but nevertheless, good works are being accomplished, and that cannot be dismissed.

I am sympathetic to their stance on abortion.  Although I do not agree with their policy approach, I do agree that abortion is something to be minimized, and that life does begin when the DNA is zipped.

I like their emphasis on family.  I don't know what else to say about this.  Both sides of Christianity fail to live up to protecting the family ideal, each in their own way. 

Both sides of Christianity have similar rites.  They look more different than they actually are because they have been clouded by semantics.  What we call Baptism, they call dedication.  What they call baptism, we call confirmation.  Testimony is similar to confession.  The Lord's Supper is similar to Eucharist.  I have a hard time understanding the language expressing being "born again', but I don't think it's that different from our expressions once you analyze the rhetoric and its intent.

To me, church ritual and service presentation is a matter of choice, not a factor in how you good a Christian you are.  I find the liturgical structure of the Episcopalian service comforting and spiritual.  Others may prefer more charismatic services, with song lyrics posted on big screens, and a more freewheeling structure.  It's all good, and merely a matter of personal preference.

I live in an area where 90% plus of the white Christians belong to conservative denominations.  I find many of them to be quite caring, kind and decent people.  They overwhelmingly treat me well.  At least when we don't talk about politics.

I hope, over the years, we start having more tolerance and respect for one another.  It is in being open that we get along.  My love for my fellow man is not limited to progressive Christians.  It encompasses all.  Otherwise, it wouldn't be worth much, would it?

None of this is explains voting for Trump.  That was a terrible decision, y'all, and I welcome the day some of you come to me and admit you made a mistake.

I'm waiting.

To Everything A Season: Saturday Political Soap Box 193

October 1st hits, and immediately they went up.  All the decorations put up at home and in the office made it clear - October is Halloween.  Halloween commercials on TV, spooky movies at the cinema, scary movie marathons on TV (31 days of scary movies is a theme on multiple channels), selecting and refining costumes, large merchandise displays at retailers, buying candy way too early (thus leading to replacement runs), haunted houses and other scary amusements operating every weekend of the month.  Even trick or treating may or may not be on the 31st - every community and church seems to pick a different night.  So some clever children may be double-dipping or even triple-dipping.

When did Halloween become a full month?  It's no longer a day.  It's a whole season.  Part of that is over-commercialization, but I think part of it comes from people's natural instinct to think seasonally.  We are not far from our agrarian roots, with the sharp rhythms of the agricultural calendar.  We take comfort in the patterns of the year.  I go to a church where the liturgical seasons are significant, including advent, lent, Christmas and Easter.

Christmas has grown too and has almost devoured Thanksgiving as a holiday.  The day after Halloween, supposedly All Saint's Day, is now the opening bell to the Christmas season.  Yes, some retailers set out Christmas displays before Halloween, but I don't think it really clicks into people's mind until November 1st.

Valentines's and Easter have also grown.  The first half of February is dominated by events related to the holiday.  And, of course, the candy is set out as early as the day after Christmas, so it's another one that I buy early and then have to resupply.

Another event that has grown into a season is voting.  Thanks to early voting and absentee ballots, voting has already begun in some Georgia counties, and all other counties will be quickly following.  What this means is that ads and canvassing and phone banking is sometimes directed at people who already voted.  You can be trying to persuade or inform your neighbor, only to be told it's too late.

I usually wait for election day to vote.  It's a tradition that I'm used to, and it helps make that day special.  I sometimes worry that some breaking news event will affect the way I vote.  Not this year, however.  At least for me, there is no big mystery as to how I'll vote.  The stakes are too high to do otherwise.

When I turned 18, I knew exactly what I wanted to do to celebrate.  And it had nothing to do with drinking and carousing.  I registered to vote.  I believe in democracy.  I believe in voting, and I was proud to begin exercising that right.

Not everyone feels that way, however.  In spite of the lengthening of voting season, turnout really hasn't improved that much.  It's incredible to me how many people throw that right away.  All is not lost, though.  I have been proud of the efforts of the Student Ambassadors, a high school group that centers on registering young people to vote and encouraging civic participation.  The Student Ambassadors is a project of the Georgia Secretary of State, led by Secretary Brian Kemp, and I applaud him for leading those efforts,

Less applause-worthy are the voter suppression efforts Mr. Kemp and others have led.  Reducing polling places in poorer areas, throwing hundreds of thousands off the rolls, blocking the voter registration of tens of thousands, the lion's share who are African-American voters.    It's a cold-hearted effort to protect a fragile Republican majority, one that is threatened by changing demographics and an increasingly unpopular President.

I don't know if we could compel people to vote like they do in some countries.  We may never be the leader in voter participation.  We cherish independent decisions too much here to make voting mandatory.  But we could make it a lot easier to register.  There's no reason every citizen, upon turning 18 isn't automatically registered.  We can do that if we had the will. 

Voting season is a cool thing.  Making election day a national holiday would be even cooler.  Anything to encourage turnout would be a plus in my book.

My son, Benjamin, turns 18 in December.  That's too late for the important election coming up. But I know this -  whatever the obstacles, whatever the hoops are, come his birthday he will register to vote.  Turning our young people into voters starts with parents who care,  And with a society ready to welcome them to the voting season.

My Darling May

My Darling May

She’s fading away

A little bit more every day

Not remembering she just made toast

Forgetting that in the oven there is a roast

It makes me sad that the short term is fleeting

But that’s not what turns up my heart’s beating

Six weeks ago, you didn’t know BarkyBeers

Our loving Pomeranian of fifteen years

The dog who gave you an infinity of smiles

A dog you walked with for countless miles

Four weeks ago, you didn’t know your grandbabies

No recognition, no ifs, ands, or maybes

The grandbabies whom shared your love seats

The grandbabies you lavished with toys and treats

Two weeks ago, you didn’t know where we live

You went out the door in search of a relative

An Aunt who had passed in Seventy-Four

It took me and the police to bring you back to our door

A week ago, you didn’t know the boy

The boy we raised for twenty years, our boy Roy

The boy you carried in your arms

The boy who made you smile with his charms

Then yesterday, you didn’t know me

The loving partner every day you see

The man who wears your wedding band

The man who walks with you hand in hand

Today I took you to the park

At first you thought I was your brother Mark

I sat with you on a bench and looked at thee

For a fleeting second, you came back to me

A kiss, a tender kiss

It was everything I wish

Your eyes met mine

We were briefly fine

In tune

Together

Joined

Past the dark divide

And then

And then

You faded again

It matters not

I will hold you close

We will be together again

I will find a way

To relight our path someday

She’s fading away

But I will never let go

Never let go

Of my darling May

Michael, Row Your Four Ashore

It's a four!

That could change as it closes in.  Even a three is terrifying.  

We should be grateful that it's not a sit 'n' spin.  Then it might have had time to build to a Five in the unseasonably warm waters of the Gulf.

Never mind.  It's always unseasonably warm now.  So I guess unseasonable would be wrong to say.

I saw Mayor Andrew Gillum of Tallahassee on TV.  His demeanor and solid information made me think he was already Governor.  We can only hope.  Meanwhile, Rick "Climate change?  What climate change?  Medicare Fraud Champeen and Red Tide Bringer" Scott continues to bluster and mentally calculate how he and his buddies can make money off disaster.

Am I in the path of the storm?  Sort of.  Probably a brushing from a tropical storm as it moves inland.  We could lose some tree limbs.  We could lose power.  We'll just have to see how it twists and turns. 

Thoughts and prayers to all in its path. 

Update:  We are fine.  There were/are some power outages near us, but so far, we have escaped that.  We've lost a few oak tree limbs, but overall we've not had an extraordinary amount of yard debris.

The Panhandle did not fare well.  The hurricane came within a couple MPH of being a Category Five.  There is extensive damage and it remained at Hurricane strength into Georgia.  It was fast moving, which helped mitigate flood damage.

Pier Time with the Easlicks!

My sister, Carol, and her log time spousal connection, Michael.

Yes, I have been in absentia with The Strait Line for a few days.  A few may have noticed.  Most did not, I am sure.

I enjoyed a rare getaway to St. Simons, where we rented a condo unit with my sister, Carol, and brother-in-law, Michael.  I did not bring the laptop or spend any time writing.

We had three television sets in the condo, but between the three of them, we could only watch one channel - Fox News.  Needless to say, we did not watch TV over the weekend.  But that was cool, as we had plenty to fill our time.

We brought board games but did not play.  Benjamin was only with us through Saturday morning and went back home to have a Dungeons & Dragons birthday party for a friend.

Instead of TV and games, we talked and talked and talked.  It was wonderful to just depressurize and talk.  Given our ages, there was a lot of talk about health, but there was also plenty about family, faith, politics, and sports.  Yes, we had enough in common about politics to be able to discuss it without alienating each other.  I don't come from one of those families that are divided politically - we're all pretty much on the same page.  Can't necessarily say that for all of Alison's family, but you can for mine.

I learned enough about diabetes to be confused.  There are different types, which I kinda knew. I didn't know about how the diet worked, or there were so many that had it that didn't require insulin shots.  And I thought it was sugar they could never have, but it may be carbs?  Which could turn into sugar?  I admit.  I got lost.

It's more than academic to me now.  I had a glucose test that puts me high normal, and they want to check it again in six months.  I'd rather modify with diet.  That could be a twofer - helping stay non-diabetic and lower my blood pressure.  So far, my efforts have proved unsuccessful.

Which brings me to the other big thing we did besides talk - EAT!!!  St. Simon's is filled with wonderful restaurants!  In fact, that is my motto for visits to st. Simons - too many restaurants, too little time!

We had to have Southern Soul BBQ....we ordered ALL THE MEATS, and still had trouble picking favorites - we had to keep sampling.

We ate at Tramici, an Italian restaurant, with fantastic entrees, including lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs.  Alison had pumpkin ravioli.

And, of course, we had to go to Barabara Jeans.  It was my mom's favorite when she and Dad used to visit St. Simon's in the winter.  Alison and my mom were one of their first customers the weekend they opened up on the Pier.

The current grandchild count is ... Carol 3, Tom 0.  She may have more soon.  I remain on deck, probably for the next few years.  Sigh.

Carol has one daughter and two grand-daughters.  I always wanted a girl.  But seeing how Brett Kavanaugh's very credible accusers were treated, I have a better insight as to why I don't.  Because I don't think I could remain calm or civil if someone did that to a daughter or grand-daughter of mine.  I am so angry as to how that went down and so disappointed in some of the people around me.  Now, even if Progressives take over, they will be thwarted by a hostile Supreme Court for decades to come.

Alison and I cherished the visit.  It made us nostalgic to re-visit Michigan.  So, our next summer vacation plans may change.

Thank you, Carl and Mike, for a wonderful time.  Hope to see y'all again very soon!

Lamentations in a Trumpian Age

I feel numb.

I feel dispirited.

I feel alone.


I have no allies.

I have no friends.

I have no one who understands.


I see no way out.

I see a dark horizon.

I see nothing but a sea of despair.


I want to have hope.

I want to believe they'll get woke.

I want to think that light will someday shine again.


I fear the bottomless pit.

I fear that nothing matters.

I fear all signs will be ignored.


I live for the tiny victories.

I live under the crush of all the setbacks.

I live knowing I'm surrounded by the led.


I trust that meaning will be restored.

I trust, but it remains unverified.

I trust no more, now no more I trust.


I beseech thee, Lord, help me fight the gloom.

I beseech thee, Lord, let there be light somewhere, someday.

I beseech thee, Lord, they know not what they do.



I know we are the many.

I know they are the few.

I know that will mean nothing

                            when democracy is gone.

BACKLASH!

Every time I think we're making progress in this country, we step back into the abyss.

We abolish slavery and invent Jim Crow.

We advance civil rights in the 60s only to create a generation of resentful whites, willing to take those rights back by restricting voting rights and resegregating schools.

We elect Obama only to lead to Charlottesville.

The LGBTQ community gain rights only to see them yanked away.

Women gain reproductive rights only to find out that corporate rights and religious rights trump them.

The assault weapons ban expires, and thousands die, and we're not supposed to care.

The #MeToo movement makes you think that women are finally able to speak out about the sexism and outright assault they have suffered.  And they are wrong.

You would think that we would have made some progress since Anita Hill's testimony.  But we have not.  We have gone backwards.

The meme above is typical from right-wing friends.  It ridicules and diminishes the multiple claims made against Brent Kavanaugh.    I saw the hearings.  She was the most believable, credible witness I had ever heard.  Why would she put herself through that, entering directly into the buzzsaw of ridiculing memes like the one above?  Why put Kavanaugh's best friend IN THE ROOM?  She was exact in the crucial things!  She was fuzzy in the things that she could have EASILY made up if she was faking, but she was fastidious in saying what she knew. 

I had an incident happen to me once.  Do I know the exact time and place?  No.  Do I remember what was done to me and who did it?  Of course, I do!

Kavanaugh's performance was despicable, and whether the assault happened or not, fully disqualifying to be a Supreme Court Judge.  He lied about things, over and over, large and small.  He sneered.  He cried.  He shouted.  He was partisan, showing there was no chance of him being fair on the court.

He represents everything that is wrong with this country, that self-centered white rich boy privilege that cries out that only his hurt, only his world matters.  He represents the horrible idea that what a privileged young man does in high school or college doesn't matter.  Had a 17-year-old black teenager done this - Supreme Court?  Hell, he'd be lucky to still be ALIVE.

All this, and I have to see memes that attack her and not him?

And then there's this one. 

You know, I have three boys.  Yeah, I don't want them falsely accused.  One of them was - not of sexual assault, but other hurtful lies. 

But the whole idea that I would not want women to come forward?  What a croc!  I am not fortunate enough to have daughters, but I have women, young and old, in my life, who I do not want to think for one minute can't come forward if something happens.

The overwhelming number of allegations are true.  Yes, they need to be appropriately investigated and verified, but we cannot go back to a society where women live in terror of men because they're afraid to tell.

Come to think of it, we apparently still live in that kind of society.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford was right about one thing.  She was afraid she would put herself and her family through hell, and it would all be for nothing.  Even if they believed her, they would still confirm him.

And so far, that looks exactly where we are headed.  The right-wing has fired up their memes, Trump has slurred sexual assault victims once again, and the FBI has all the earmarks of a limited sham of an inverstigation..

For shame, America.  For shame.

Big Box Monday Musings

So, what do you think?  Starting off with a picture of a name-brand retailer, you think maybe I can get some advertising dollars?  Or, more likely, you think I'll get sued?  I guess it may depend on what I say.  Most likely, I fly so under the radar no one will notice one way or another.

We finally broke down and joined.  I really would have preferred Costco, but I've given up on them ever being close enough to us to make it worthwhile.  Are Sam's Club workers grotesquely underpaid?  Yes, I'm sure they are - almost all retail workers are.  Boycotts don't help.  Unionization of service workers is the best solution.  I'm not sure what my actions do to encourage that or not.

Politics aside, we joined (through a connection that Alison had), and proceeded to explore the whole store.  The prices seemed to be ok - I'm not a real expert on evaluating that.  I'm most familiar with books, and most of the books didn't seem to be as well-priced as the bargain books you can find at Books-A-Million.  And the book selection was minimal, with a predominant amount of books centered on appeal to right-wingers.

The quantities you could buy were humongous.  We got snacks, like dozens of Cheezit packages and tons of chips, enough to last Benjamin until he goes off to college next Fall.  Alison got 200 sticks of Big Red Gum.  I got a jar of peanuts the size of a zip code.  Our buggy quickly filled up. 

We could have gotten more stuff, but we would have needed a bigger car,  And once we got it home, we would have needed a bigger house.  Are y'all sure this is a way to save money?

It was good to get out Saturday.  I had been tied to Waycross for many weeks with play rehearsals.  Brunswick was a significant change of pace, and it was good to get away with Alison, as we left Benjamin home to do homework, and prepare for a Dungeons & Dragons session.  We also visited Books-A-Million and Target, and had lupper at The Marshside Grill (they make an excellent Steak Sandwich).

I'm trying desperately to restrain my eating, so I only ate half my sandwich.  It was difficult staring at that delicious food, and the waiter was taking a great deal of time getting back to us so we could box up our leftovers and check out, but I made it!  Surprisingly, an hour later I felt full even though I had eaten less.  Don't get too excited.  It's a long journey, and I am currently very overweight.

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Sports was kind of a bummer this weekend.  Atlanta United lost a crucial game to the New York Red Bulls.  Atlanta will still make the playoffs, but it may be an unfortunate precursor to a potential matchup with the Red Bulls should they be rematched in the playoffs.  Atlanta United is a great team, but they have to be more flexible in their adapting their style of play to the adjustments the opposing team makes.

College football was okay, with Georgia winning decisively, and Michigan squeezing one out by the hair of a field goal.  If nothing else, the Wolverines showed a capacity to come from behind I have not often seen, trailing 17-0, and then reeling off the next 20 points to win 20-17.

Not showing the ability to win the close ones were my pro teams, Atlanta and Detroit.  Falcons lost to the Bengals 37 - 36, and Detroit to the Cowboys 26 - 24.  This may be another very long year.

--------------------------

You'll need to read some of my other blog stories to see what I think of the Kavanaugh hearings.  I don't know, Trumpeteers.  It seems a pretty high price to pay to strip women of their reproductive rights.  Especially since you have a whole ream of qualified judges that would do it for you.  Do you really need this partisan hack, this entitled representative of everything that is wrong with a cruel patriarchy, this drunken liar, this person who is mainly there because Trump believes he will make sure that he is not indicted and can get Mueller off his back?  Is it worth it to you to diminish and debase the Supreme Court, the one branch that we are at least supposed to pretend is above the everyday passions of political extremism? 

And yeah, I believe her.  100%.

Until next time,

T. M. Strait