Beating a Dead Horse

I posted this originally on Facebook on November 16th.

Donald Trump is a man. A wealthy man. A savvy man. A man who enjoys power. A man who describes himself as an outsider to Washington, D.C. Politics. Yet now with the election,
over he is surrounding himself with GOP loyalists and lobbyists - a who’s who of Beltway insiders. Was this what his supporters wanted in the White House?  

The Republicans, the Conservatives, the Evangelicals, the alt-right, the Tea Party, the disenfranchised Americans voted for “a savior” and the nation received a demagogue with no checks or balances on his power. The GOP scored a trifecta, something that doesn’t happen very often in American politics, the Presidency, the House and Senate and the promise of appointing at least one but as many as four Supreme Court Judges.  
A man was elected who ran on deportation of "illegal" workers and yet he uses them at his resorts and construction projects. He ran on bringing jobs back to America, yet his own products are produced in China and Mexico. He ran on the catchphrase "Make America Great Again" and he has aligned himself with the alt-right, another word for white supremacists, and what is a return to Jim Crow for all minorities. He is willing to resort to nepotism, instead of a true blind trust, to maintain and possibly increase his business interests while running our nation.

Is this how you “Make America Great Again” by stifling the rights of so many Americans because they don't fit into the RNC's platform? Women’s health and reproductive choice. LBGT rights. Freedom of and from religion. Civil Rights. Voter’s Rights. A living wage. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Programs benefitting active military and veterans. Mentally and physically disabled. Mental illness. Separation of church and state. Environmental regulations. Immigrants and refugees. Education. Rebuilding infrastructure. Healthcare for all. Why are these unifying and pro-people ideas shunned by the Right and in turn by Donald Trump?

America is on the precipice. A choice between bettering ourselves by lifting each other up or widening the divide that separates us through petty cruelties and vulgarities. “E Pluribus Unum” Latin for "Out of many, one" - we who are Americans - all of us - no matter color, creed, age, sexual identity, gender.  How can we garner the world’s respect if we cannot respect each other? Feeding into hate and perceived differences will only drive the country lower in the international world view.


People say we must fall in line behind President-elect Trump and give him a chance. I say the time for chances has passed. I will not blindly follow a self-ascribed misogynist, bigot, racist, and xenophobe. If Trump desires to lead, then he must lead through example. He must cast off the alt-right, the KKK, associates like Steve Bannon, sexist viewpoints, and other divisive attitudes. Donald Trump may never be perfect, but he can be better. If he is to lead us, let him do so with a patriotic love for all citizens, not for those only like him.

Fixing Our Nation

This is from a friend's post on FaceBook and what follows is my response.

"I copied this from a Truckers for Trump comment section. It does hit the nail on the head.
Judy McPherson VERY LENGTHY BUT WORTH THE READ!Had to share this: Ok people, soap box moment.........
Millions of trump supporters feel this way about Donald J. Trump....."We don't care if the guy swears... or how many times he's been married...or who he voted for, or what his income tax return shows. We want the problems fixed. Yes he's an egomaniac, but we don't care. We know he's not a racist, or bad to women, or all the other things the liberal media is trying to label him with. We know he's raised a good family, and that says a lot about him.
The country is a mess because politicians suck, the Republican Party is two faced & gutless, and illegals are everywhere and Muslims are openly trying to hurt this country and make the civilized world adjust to them. We want it all fixed!
We don't care that Trump is crude, we don't care that he has changed positions, we don't care that he fights with Megan Kelly, Rosie O'Donnell, and so many of the elected establishment. We don't care that Rubio, Cruz, Ryan, the Bush's, and so many other top old and new Republicans refuse to endorse him for their own selfish reasons, and we know what they are. We don't care that he doesn't know the name of some Muslim terrorists, we don't care that he tried some businesses that didn't work out.
This country is weak, bankrupt, our enemies are making fun of us, we are being invaded by illegals, we are becoming a nation of victims, where every Tom, Ricardo and Hasid is a special group with special rights to a point where we don't even recognize the country we were born and raised in, AND WE JUST WANT IT FIXED. And TRUMP is the only guy who seems to understand what the people want.
We're sick of politicians, sick of the Democratic and Republican Party. We're sick of the Corporate News Media which skews every detail to fit their agenda! They need to be BOYCOTTED! We're angry about the Iran deal, the budget, treatment of Israel, military weakness, lobbyists, special interests, overpaid politicians with their self serving bills and back room deals, trade deals, loss of jobs, manipulated economic numbers, businesses fleeing, and even the phony pay for play Clinton Foundation.
Americans are no longer going to be fooled, and the movement is out to change the direction we're taking. Trump may not be a saint, but he doesn't have lobbyist money holding him, he doesn't have political correctness restraining him, and all you know is that he has been very successful, a good negotiator, he has built a lot of things, he's flexible, and he's also not a politician. And he says he'll fix it. And we believe him because he is too much of an egotist to be proven wrong or looked at and called a liar.
Public service has become elected greed. This may be our only chance to have a non-politician, despite his flaws, try and correct the mess, at least for 4 years. We must take the shot, because the consequences of putting Hillary Clinton in office are frightening. There is a tidal wave happening, and its going to overcome much of what's happened to this country. If you feel the same you may feel free to repost this.

GOD BLESS AMERICA..."

"Americans are no longer going to be fooled, and the movement is out to change the direction we're taking." - No. No, it's not. Actually you are all still fooling yourselves - it's called cognitive dissonance. The only direction this country will take under Trump will benefit himself and the rest of the very wealthy.
The majority of Americans are lazy whiners who don't want to get their fat asses out of the barcalounger. BTW I am speaking to Americans on the Right, Left and Center. There is no "messiah" coming to save you, not Bernie and not Donald. Our forefathers (and here I'm speaking to the founders of our nation, the underground railroad, women suffragists, Civil Rights leaders, gay activists, et. al.) were motivated because they understood that if THEY did nothing then nothing would change. They had leaders but it was the masses that brought about the change. No one politician/leader will save you or America, we must, collectively, work to right the wrongs of our society. Getting out the vote is only part of change, but it is a big part that so many forgo. People talk of term limits, but the only term-limit our Congress will ever see is the one we instill by voting out the useless carpetbaggers, as they will never change the rules to limit themselves. Petitions, phone calls, protests - the clamor of all our voices making sure our desires are heard. I hear people bemoaning the state of our government and the only solution they have is to elect someone who has NO RESPECT FOR AMERICA OR HER PEOPLE. Let that sink in for a minute, because it is written in the above post in black and white. 
The United States is a melting pot, for generations we have welcomed the world to reside here. Inside the Statue of Liberty, a plaque is engraved with words from "The New Colossus", the poem by Emma Lazarus:
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Nearby is Ellis Island which was the first stop for millions of immigrants to the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Have we suddenly reached capacity?
Are we going back to a time when Jim Crow "ruled", when according to some America was "great"? Where you can only have standing in the USA if you are white, straight and christian?

The writer is correct in stating: "There is a tidal wave happening, and its going to overcome much of what's happened to this country.", because under a Trump Presidency we will lose all we have gained as a nation. The hate, bigotry and fear that kept Jim Crow alive(albeit in a closet) has risen to the forefront under Trump's hate-inspired tutelage. We are already saying good-bye to voting rights in parts of the South, women are losing control over their reproductive rights and healthcare and we are demonizing so many of our nation's citizens. This last one should give you pause, because it is not just adults jacked up at rallies participating in this, it is our children echoing their parents "feelings of hate". Hatred, loathing, detestation, dislike, distaste, abhorrence, abomination, execration, aversion; hostility, enmity, animosity, antipathy, revulsion, disgust, contempt, odium - all the words that describe the majority of Trump's supporters feelings towards the "others". I fear for women, non-Christians, people of color, LGBT people and our international allies because all are already being looked at with suspicion and what happens when conjecture becomes United States law.

The Bern of Revolution

Are you still feeling the Bern?

Senator Sanders campaign was not about one man bringing about change, he said it himself, it is about all the people coming together for a revolution. A revolution does not end if its leader needs to step aside - it grows stronger because we must ensure that our collective voices are heard. Bernie is NOT going anywhere and neither should we. It's not what he wants. He knows that only together can we defeat Trump, the GOP and hold onto everything that the liberal/progressive agenda stands for. If we really believe in Bernie's message, then we will not only vote in November but we will carry Senator Sander's (and our) agenda to the Democratic Convention and everyplace there is for us to spread the word. Clinton may be the standard bearer, but she will acknowledge and further our agenda if we speak out and not let what is important to us fall by the wayside. Use social media, sign petitions, march, write snail mail, use the cell phone that's attached to your face - speak out to what is important to you! The power for change lies in all of us so get off your ass and quit whining that you have no reason to vote. You have plenty of reasons to get out there and the major one is that your forefathers got you free from English rule so that you could have freedom from tyranny - by not voting you cast a vote for a new tyranny in the name of Donald Trump.

If I'm not convincing then take it from Bernie Sanders:

[EXCERPT] "Donald Trump is running a campaign based on bigotry, which is hard to understand that can still be happening in the year 2016," Sanders said. "After all this party has gone through for hundreds of years trying to combat discrimination. ... It is not acceptable to me that he is running a campaign trying to demonize Mexicans and Muslims, women or African Americans. I will do everything I can, and I'm sure I'm speaking for everyone behind me, to see that he will be defeated."

Sanders said he and the group of advisers concluded that "political revolutions" — which he has called his campaign from the beginning — are not dependent on election days.
"This country faces enormous crises and we together are going to do our best to transform this country by bringing millions and millions of people into the political process," Sanders said. "If you ask me what I am most proud of in this campaign is we have begun doing just that."

Read the whole article at: Sanders in Burlington: Trump must be defeated

Pity, Sympathy, Empathy or Understanding?

What do you want?

Pity, Sympathy, Empathy or Understanding?

I would like understanding.

And not just for myself.

                                          Source: Wikicommons

 How do you account for your opinions?
How do you view others?

This is my story... at least part of it.
I have Bipolar but I've worked since I turned 16... well as much as my illness has allowed. I have worked in restaurants (in the kitchen), retail (as management and CSR), I briefly taught Elementary Art in NYC, I have my FCC license to work in a radio station, I received a Bachelor of Science in Studio Art(Ceramics) and while in college was the Ceramic Studio Assistant, I participated in Student Government and also worked on a Senatorial and a Presidential campaign.
I have to admit I did pretty good for some stretches and pretty crappy other times. I have been hospitalized in psychiatric facilities for what totals up to one year and a couple extra weeks(so far). My first stay was 4 months (February to May) - I was 17 (turned 18 in the hospital) so I didn't get to graduate with my class. My second stint was in 1995, that was the big one, 6 months plus a few weeks. The rest were in one week increments once or twice a year and sometimes when I'm lucky I skip a year (once 2 years!)
Besides the Bipolar I also have a host of other medical issues, so now I am permanently on Social Security Disability. I also receive Medicare Parts A, B and D. However, I "make" too much to be eligible for Medicaid. My Medicare Part D covers the majority of the cost of my medications, if I didn't have it my medications would take up my entire month's check and I would still be short by more than $500 dollars. I also live with my mom. Did I mention I'm 47?

I don't want your pity, sympathy or empathy.

I want your understanding.

Understand that there are times when the life we live
is not a choice. 

We do the best we can and sometimes even that is not good enough.

If I could choose a smile or laughter over suicidal ideation I would.

Having a society that understands that is worth more than all the empathy and sympathy combined.

No one wants your pity.

I want your opinion of those you deem "less than you" to be enlightened by your release of willful ignorance.

Understand that not everyone has the same opportunities and we all do the best we can with what cards we are dealt. 

Where? How? Why? America.

Where are we at as a nation?

How do the rest of the world's nations view us?

This is an open letter to everyone who supports Senator Bernie Sanders, any Democrats, Republicans and also Independents who believe that they are left out and disenfranchised by the Democrats, Republicans and American politics in general.


If Americans want reform in our political system then the way to do it is by not allowing 4 years of Trump to spite the DNC. The way change comes about is thru REAL, TRUE activism. Americans (Red, Blue & Neutral) need to get off their collective asses at the local level and get out to vote, run for office and ensure that we never get to the point of this type of manipulation again. Americans became lazy, complacent and willfully ignorant to our political process and we are now reaping what we sowed. By not participating in your local, state and federal government (thru phone calls, personal visits, petitions - voicing your wants and desires of them), by allowing incumbents a free ride every re-election, by not voting in primaries and lower than federal level elections and by whining that you have no control over a rigged process you allowed the Trump/Clinton dichotomy to occur. The saying is "One Man, One Vote" and that is true but government is more than one vote every four years. The American people need to take stock of what is important to them and simple platitudes just won't cut it, screaming slurs at immigrants, woman and minorities won't cut it and sitting on your ass whining about how you had no choice this election season definitely won't cut it. You had more than one choice but you chose the easy one. The easy one brought grief. The hard choice is difficult because you have to work for the results but if I remember correctly this country and its major milestones were all born of hard choices and work.

Offended?

I'm tired of being nice.

I'm tired of being used.

I'm tired of you.

I have no use for your shit.

I'm not here to cater to your whims.

Go fuck yourself.

To Whom It May Concern - cc: NC

Dear Governor McCrory,

We are all the same, no matter how much you wish to deny it. 
"The genetic difference between individual humans today is minuscule – about 0.1%, on average" It is this infinitesimal amount that accounts for our differences: skin, hair and eye color, sexual orientation, gender, diseases, i.a. but make no mistake a human is a human is a human.

So here's the short version - we are all human beings. I don't care if you are gay or straight you are still a human being. And then comes the part you really have a hard time grasping - we are all Americans. ALL AMERICANS. The Constitution says we are all EQUAL - I'm thinking it must be true.

No matter how much the bigoted Americans want to play fast and loose with it - the Constitution guarantees that we are all equal under the law. 
No matter how much the whiners want to carry on about how they are being persecuted because they can't persecute and openly hate on the gays and other minorities - the Constitution guarantees we all have the same rights. 
No matter how much gays are treated as second class or non-citizens by ignorant homophobes - the first line of the Declaration of Independence spells out quite clearly that: "All Men(People) Are Created Equal" - this, incidentally, is backed up by the Constitution.

So here's how it stands...  YOU did not do your homework before signing that ridiculous, bigoted HB2 into law so now you look like an idiot to the whole country not just the people of North Carolina. Suck it up little man and repeal HB2. Since it only took one day of a special session at a cost of approximately $42,000 to taxpayers to pass it I'm betting you could turn this around in a day as well. 

The people are counting on you to do the right thing and they are also counting the days until Election Day when you will be voted out.                                       #OneTermPat