An Almost Weekend Update - 06/27/2017

Please note I will try to write regularly again but the past few weeks I have needed to let my brain air out. Also there will be no news regarding my illness unless I really feel the need to share. I am seeing doctors regularly and doing my best to do what I’m told. I have decided not be sick at the present time. Denial is my friend. Yes, I said it and now I move on. The following are some hopes and fears in this age of the donald. My hope. In this case my belief that, no matter what, my country would evolve into that more perfect union where all would be welcome and have an equal seat at the table. My understanding of this country continues to evolve. The republican party and their friends I am writing off. It is a waste of time to attempt to engage them in any type of meaningful dialogue. I have come to this conclusion because I have come to believe that not only do they not view me as a fellow human being, they actively are working to do me and mine harm. And furthermore, they ENJOY doing harm as well as their attempts to do harm. This is becoming a fundamental truth for me and it would be profoundly beneficial for others who are not a part of that “republican” block to also come to this understanding. We will never be able to defeat those folks but we can put ourselves in a position to manage them. Keep in mind only about 25% of the electorate voted this asshole into office…with about 25% voting NO…but with our insane electoral college guess who’s el presidente. The focus of those of us on the left should be on the about 49% of the electorate who did not vote. We need to give these folks reasons to show up and vote. The democrats and the left in general have not done this or have done it so very poorly that folks who might support us just throw-up in their mouths a little and walk (if not run) away. To do this we on the left need some talking points which means a clear vision of what we want to do. Not just that we don’t want to do what the republicans want to do. So here are some ideas on talking points for the left/democratic party. NOTE: these are not original and based in a speech given by FDR on January 11, 1944. *I have edited (updated) the speech —- It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people—whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth—is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, and insecure. This Republic had its beginning, and grew to its present strength, under the protection of certain inalienable political rights—among them the right of free speech, free press, free worship, trial by jury, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. They were our rights to life and liberty. As our nation has grown in size and stature, however—as our industrial economy expanded—these political rights proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness. We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. ***People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made. In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, sexual orientation, or creed. Among these are: • The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation; • The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation; • The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living; • The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad; • The right of every family to a decent home; • The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health; • The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and employment; • The right to a good education. All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being. America's own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for all our citizens. For unless there is security here at home there cannot be lasting peace in the world. Keep in mind this is only a small beginning. I ask you all to please continue this conversation with others. I hope in some small way this helps someone else somewhere. I know writing this has helped me. ****The following is an update to a previous posting.**** I am 64 year old gay man who is also disabled and a person of color. What do you do when your country has let you know it profoundly hates who you are as a human being? With the election of the donald, my country has let me know, in no uncertain terms, I am no longer welcome here. The “rights” gay people have won over the past few years will, in all likelihood, be repealed. Pay attention all you gay republicans. Black lives matter? …..Clearly not. The future of affordable healthcare in this country is now fundamentally compromised. That “safety net” of the Supreme Court and the U. S. Department of Justice which have, for the most part, continually moved this country “forward” (albeit kicking and screaming) is now compromised for the coming generation if not generations of Americans. And as far as climate change is concerned…………our future has gone up in flames. Our children will not thank us and will be, if not already, ashamed of us. Our country’s place in the world is forever diminished. Vladimir Putin is having a very good run indeed. The balance of power (how the USA is viewed) in the world has changed for the worse. We are not #1. I feel afraid for our men and women in uniform. I feel terrified for the “least” of us here in this country. More importantly, my deep belief in the goodness of the people of this country and in the American dream, a belief I have had all of my 63 years on this planet, is withering on the vine. I can no longer walk down the street in this country and feel welcome, safe or secure. I no longer feel proud to be an American. I am profoundly ashamed of my country. The future is not bright, especially for the children of this country as well as the children of the world. Hatred, intolerance, misogyny, homophobia and xenophobia have won the future of this country. The truth as to how racist this country is has been laid bare for all to see. I am reminded, once again, of the question I asked my mother when I was a little boy. Said question being … why do they (white people) hate us so much. She told me this was because they were sick. I asked what I could do to help them and was told I need to be the best human being I could be, to help all people whenever I could and to remember we are all human beings and no one person is greater or lesser than anyone else. In other words love them until they learn to love themselves. My mother then asked me how I was feeling. I thought about it for a few seconds and said I felt sad. Well, I continue to be profoundly sad. I have that pit of terror in my stomach. I have lost my belief that love is powerful enough to overcome the wave of “insanity” which this country has now embraced. I continue to believe that the indisputable reason the Donald is President of these United States is because the white vote came out of the closet and laid bare the willfully ignorant sick sour rotten racist, sexist, homophobic and xenophobic core of this country. Of course the 49% of the country that did not even vote bears responsibility for this too. Those core traits being so fundamentally a part of the soul of this nation it allows people to vote against common decency, love, respect as well as their own personal and families self-interest. So before you whine about how horrible and incompetent the Democratic Party etc etc etc is… you just might want to stop and reflect on how willfully ignorant, apathetic, and horrible more than a few of your fellow citizens are. And once again I remind you all that we live in the United States of America. This country is what it is. It teeters on the brink of becoming a fascist theocracy, and is already a capitalist whorehouse/oligarchy of the highest order. And some news of note - our elected officials are POLITICIANS. So I am going to remind myself and you all again…….… “We do not vote for someone who is “like” us, makes us “feel good” and “believes” everything we believe”…….OR ANYONE who is not ethically, financially and/or “assholilly” soiled in some way. And in that last I am being “kind”. This is not realistic and is a fools errand. I vote, always, for the lesser evil and in honor of the memory of our ancestors who gave their lives to give us all the right to vote. If you do not vote … you will be voting for the greater evil. And if your vote does not really matter, why do those in power do so much to suppress the right to vote? Wake up people. To put this in todays language —— If I am going to have to go out with someone, I would like to be taken to dinner, a movie and drinks afterward and then get screwed. I do not want to be taken out by someone who is just going to knock me in the back of the head, take me to a dark alley, rape the crap out of me, and leave me on the side of the road as they laugh at how stupid I was to go out with them in the first place. I must add that my level of fear for my country is high. The analogy I will use is this. I know well the level of pain it took for me to surrender and become a member of a well known twelve step program. I had destroyed most of my “life” and was at the point where I literally almost took my own life. My fear is that my country will have to come to the brink as I did before “waking up” and reversing the course this country now appears headed in. I believe people in this country need to reacquaint themselves with the phrase “WE the people” because like it or not when the boat sinks we are all drowning together. I would encourage everyone who does not “like” what we have as our political system to get involved. All politics begin at the local level. And to those in the streets … I only wish I was physically able to be there with you. To my fellow Americans who feel as depressed as I do, are sick to their stomach and some of who are marching in the streets - go to those democratic party meetings and do the same thing there that the right wing nutters have successfully done to the republican party. They very successfully have taken control of that party. NOTE: Donald Trump is now the President. Of course they showed up, took it over and have turned it, and now our country, into a right wing shit show that even I could not make up. So please, for the love of God, return the favor. In short….Make Your Voices Heard by being and/or getting involved and voting. If you continue to buy the lies that your vote does not matter, that this system is beyond repair and/or stayed home this past November… I have a lesson to share. Lessons are repeated until learned. The pain of each repeated lesson grows exponentially and I, for one, have had enough pain. I hope you have had enough pain too. NOTE: Only about 25% of the electorate voted this asshole into the office of the President of the United States of America. The donald still did not even win the popular vote. In closing I will share what my mother did her best to beat into my head. Always leave all those you come into contact with better than they and you were. Always leave everywhere you live/stay/visit better than how you found it. (cleaner too - folks please pick up after your pets and stop being litter bugs) Thought of the week: The freedom of all of us is fundamentally dependent on providing a first class PUBLIC EDUCATION for all of us. The kids out there are OUR KIDS. Please read my blog (link below) from the beginning for a complete picture of how I ended up right here right now. It has, and continues to be, one hell of a journey. Feel free to copy, borrow, share this blog anywhere and everywhere. riksjourney.blogspot.com