A Christmas Wish

 

Take care and stay safe this Christmas!

A Fatal Night

 A jury in Kenosha Wisconsin has found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges for his actions in Kenosha on the night of August 25, 2020.

Verdict

Here is a very good investigative report on the events leading up to and including that night.

Investigative Report

I listened to the testimony of Dominick Black, the friend of Kyle Rittenhouse who purchased the weapon Rittenhouse carried that night. It's long but it gives some background and insight into Rittenhouse's actions.

Dominick Black Testimony

There are no easy answers to what happened, no easy blame to place. The whole situation was a long time in the making. I look at the people who found themselves in the streets on that night and see not just their anger, but the inability to see each other; their story, their emotion, their need to be heard. Kyle Rittenhouse was a boy inserted into a volatile situation he did not have the maturity to handle. With a deadly weapon. A deadly weapon purchased by a friend with the approval of that friend's step-father.

Kyle Rittenhouse may have been acquitted but his life will never be the same. And two people are dead. Here is a small remembrance of one of those people.

Remembrance

Halloween 2021

We are all struggling to get back to a little more normal existence. Here on Halloween 2021 our doors are again opened to the little, or not so little, ghosts, goblins and witches, or perhaps Squid Game guards, who knock on our doors. In a break from politics, pandemics and riotous school board meetings I am going to do a Halloween music post. So on this Halloween sit back and relax with a little ghostly, creepy music.

How could I not start with this?

Ghostbusters

An oldie, but still creepy.

The Addams Family Theme Song

Have to include some classic rock.

Witchy Woman

Doesn't have to be a monster on land.

Jaws Theme Song

And last, but not least...

Ghost Riders

Fake News

I know you've heard the term. It has been bandied about by Trump and his followers for some time now. Fake news.  But have you ever actually looked at it? We just recently dodged a bullet, created by Mitch McConnell & Co., with regard to the debt ceiling. After initiating the crisis by not rubber stamping the raising of the debt ceiling, as has been done multiple times in the past by both Democrats and Republicans, McConnell voted to kick the can down the road to December. This was his solution to his manufactured crisis.

Basically Mitch McConnell and the Republicans were using the debt ceiling as a political tool to use against the Democrats because they are in the process of negotiating a couple of rather large infrastructure bills. Raising the debt ceiling allows our government to pay its bills. Bills that have accrued under both Democratic and Republican administrations. It will also allow our government to pay the benefits that so many Social Security recipients and our military rely on. It has absolutely nothing to do with bills that may or may not even become law. Yet Republicans and their supporters, such as the TV personality I have a video of, are determined to risk tanking the American, and indeed the world, economy with their bullying tactics.

So here is a video of Sean Hannity excoriating Mitch McConnell for “caving” and voting to temporarily raise the debt ceiling. He professes to be a conservative. Sorry, I don't see it. Conservatives pay their bills. No, all I see is someone who is twisting news for propaganda purposes.

Fake News

Hannity has one thing right, Joe Biden has been in office 9 months. Hardly long enough to create the inflation Hannity talks about. No, the problems we are facing were made before Biden came to office. I would take everything Hannity says with a large grain of salt. Fake news, indeed.

In the Garden of Good and Evil

No, not the book. Although I could understand if you might think that, since I do like to read. No, I am talking about what happened on September 11, 2001. On that day the world was witness to both great evil and greater good.

Hijackers at the behest of Osama bin Laden took over four American planes with the intent of killing as many people and destroying as many symbols of United States existence as they could. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York, both north and south. A third plane was flown into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The fourth plane was flown into the ground in a field in Pennsylvania. That fourth plane was retaken by a group of brave, steadfast, loyal Americans. Due to the amazing technology of cell phones they knew about the earlier planes crashing into buildings and killing innocent civilians. They were determined that they would not be used as a weapon, they were determined that they would do what they could to protect and defend our people and our country. Because of them that plane never reached its goal.

If Osama bin Laden's minions were the epitome of evil those who responded to their actions were the epitome of good, from those passengers of Flight 93, to the first responders who ran up the stairs of the World Trade Center towers to help those in need and to those on the ground who gave of themselves to help in some way shape or form. Too many to count.

As I sit here and listen to some of the speakers in Pennsylvania I was struck by the remarks made by Gordon Felt, whose brother was a passenger on Flight 93. His words embody my thoughts and I cannot see where I could improve upon them. I assume they will eventually show up on YouTube, everything does. I will watch and add that to this post if I run across a video of his remarks. Because they are important. Meanwhile, here is a written version of some of his thoughts:

Gordon Felt's thoughts

I too wish for a September 12^th moment, when we were all unified, intent on standing together as one. I too wonder, as I watch the pitiful behavior of some who would not even consider putting the well being of others before their “rights” as Americans, are we worthy of the sacrifice made by all of those on 9/11?

Update:

I have not been able to find a video yet of Gordon Felt. However, I do have one of President George W. Bush in Pennsylvania on 9/11.   As Lee pointed out in the comments section Dubya has something to say that we should listen to.

President Bush remarks on 9/11

American Taliban

We have watched in horror and disgust the Taliban in Afghanistan oppressing women and girls, using them as property with very little rights of their own. The Taliban have said they have changed, but that remains to be seen.

Now I am watching with horror and disgust as our own version of the Taliban force their religious beliefs on others, just like their brethren in Afghanistan. I am referring to the new law in Texas banning abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy. What is unusual about this law is that it allows average citizens to sue anyone helping a woman or girl obtain an abortion. The prize is $10,000. Not bad for someone who may be scrimping to live.

Texas abortion law

President Biden in remarks said it was almost un-American. Almost? No, I will go further and say it is un-American. It is exactly what the Taliban in Afghanistan have forced on the female population in that country. Now we are seeing it here. And so far our Supreme Court has allowed it to stand. Despite the fact that the issue of abortion has been argued and decided in Roe v Wade.

Let me be clear, no one, and I mean no one has the right to decide for a woman what she can and cannot do with her body. It is her right to decide.

Remember...

I Am Woman

I stand with my sisters who are facing the oppressive, un-American, actions of our American Taliban in Texas and elsewhere.

Withdrawal

 After 20 years the United States is removing its military forces from Afghanistan. For many in Afghanistan a tragedy, for many in the United States a relief. As we have seen the desperate scenes of terrified Afghans mobbing the Kabul airport, risking their lives to find a way out, some have second guessed our decision. Here I am just speculating on the validity of the reasons for withdrawal, not necessarily the way it was and is being conducted. Those are questions that will need to be addressed after all this is done.

We entered Afghanistan on the orders of George W, Bush, hunting terrorists. We made an agreement with the Taliban to withdraw on the orders of Donald Trump. The actual withdrawal is taking place during the administration of Joe Biden. This is a war that has occupied the attention of four presidents.

My first reaction was that this was a serious foreign policy mistake on the part of Biden. That may well prove to be so, but perhaps cooler heads are correct in that it is too soon to tell. As I listened to various voices expressing their agreement or disagreement I was struck by this video of an interview with a Taliban fighter earlier this year.

Interview with Taliban Fighter

He made two points which sum up the past and the future.

In 2020 Donald Trump made an agreement with the Taliban to withdraw our forces. It is this that has allowed the United States to maintain a residual force of soldiers in country in a state of relative peace. Joe Biden had a choice, break the agreement and resume a hot war with the Taliban, risking more lives and treasure, or keep the agreement. He appears to have made the choice that the United States has other pressing issues that will take our undivided attention and large amounts of financial resources to deal with. It is also true, as Biden pointed out, that it is for the Afghans to make a choice as to what kind of country they want. It is their place to fight for it. Their place to own it.

The second point made by that Taliban fighter suggests that Afghanistan's future is still to be decided, even after the Taliban have taken control of the country. “Afghanistan is run by the system they (the US) built.” The Taliban will have a challenging time running Afghanistan from a purely practical standpoint, let alone religious. Cutting a deal with others; the Russians, the Chinese or other regional players, may prove to be the ultimate solution for them, but given past history or current policies, that may prove to be problematic.

This even as climate change starts to roll ever more steadily over the planet.

The one thing I do know for sure, we must stand by those who stood by us. It is imperative to keep our word. Those who wish to leave, must be evacuated as expeditiously and safely, as possible.

Gooseberry Trickle

 

We all have them. Those places we fondly remember. For many Minnesotans it is “ Up North”. Every summer my family would spend weekends at my Uncle & Aunt's cabin. It was great. With my cousins there I always had someone to hang out with. One of the iconic attractions in Minnesota is Gooseberry Falls. I went there with my family and with friends. While it is farther up north than the cabin it is part of those “Up North” memories.

We can talk about climate change over and over, but perhaps it is its effects that are up close and personal that will finally make the reality of it sink in. Minnesota, like so many other areas of the country, is in drought. As I've posted about before. So, what? Can't we just wait a bit and the rains will come back and everything will be fine? Possibly, if it doesn't go on too long. But what happens if it doesn't turn around? What happens if this change becomes permanent? What happens to the plants and wildlife? What happens, ultimately, to the people?

Gooseberry Falls, before, the short version.

Gooseberry Falls, before

Gooseberry Falls, before, the longer version with narration.

Gooseberry Falls, before with narration

Gooseberry Falls, 2021.

Gooseberry Falls, 2021

Is this really the world we want to leave for future generations? Gooseberry trickle?

Citizenship

 Over the past two days I have seen two news stories that have resonated on this July 4^th.

The first was about a group of people sworn in as new American citizens. Their home countries were varied, but they all chose to come to the United States to try to build a new life. Some are already serving in our military, one built a life giving back to her adopted country through medical service as a nurse. She was the first person to get the Covid-19 vaccine outside of the test groups, making history and again serving her adopted country with her leadership.

The second story just occurred early this morning in Massachusetts around 1:30am. It involved a group of armed men wearing tactical gear who were stopped alongside the road refueling one of the two cars that were stopped. They were noticed by passing police who stopped to see what their situation was. The details are sparse at this time, but the gist of it was that these men told the police that they were not anti-government but were not subject to the laws of the United States. When the police first arrived some of the men fled into nearby woods, but others stayed. Eleven were arrested. The obvious question was what was their intent? That remains to be determined.

So I asked myself, what does it mean to be a citizen of the United States? It isn't just about taking advantage of services or opportunities if they are offered, it is about giving back, it is about taking responsibility in making our country a decent place for all of it's inhabitants. Which of those two groups of people embody those qualities? Many in the first group already appear to. The second group? Not so much.

I also ask, why are we seeing more of the second types of people crawling out of the woodwork? They have always been here, lurking in the weeds. But we are seeing more "we are above the law" types of behavior.  The Jan. 6th attack on the Capitol was that type of event, as was this.

Watch this story out of Massachusetts and decide, is it the far left that is the danger to our country or is it the far right? No one is above the law if they are truly a citizen of this country. We all bear responsibility in keeping our country safe. As you enjoy July 4^th, remember that it has more meaning than shooting off fireworks. It is the duty of us all, we the people, to make sure we elect officials that will show loyalty to the Constitution, not one man, and who will put the good of the country first before party.  It matters.

Happy July 4^th!

Heatwave

I know you have seen the pictures from the southwestern United States of dry fields and low water levels. Temps are in the 100's. I have too. But you don't really realize what it is like until you are experiencing something similar. In Minnesota we have been in the high 90's, even topping 100 a couple of days, for two weeks now. This with little rain. Yards are turning brown as people don't water. I know we are not nearly in the same position as places like California, but it is still a very concerning and depressing place to find ourselves in. It is June and June temps should be twenty degrees cooler here. My rhubarb is wilting in the heat even as I poor water on it. Today is the first day where we have had some rain in over two weeks. It is not a lot, maybe a quarter of an inch, but the temps are much cooler, in the 60's – 70's. It has helped a little, but it will not bring back all of those brown lawns or help our farmers. What we need is a good soaking rain over an extended period.

The consequences of drought or extended extreme temperatures can be severe.

Drought

One Minnesota farmer:

Minnesota farm

That was posted on June 12^th , a week ago. Today, June 20^th, we got around a quarter of an inch where I am. I hope he got more.

But I know there are places that have it worse.

Sin City

I wonder, will people ever wake up?  

Bird Watching

Voting laws are changed to make it more difficult for some people to vote. A prominent member of a political party is demoted because she refused to follow the lies of a former president. Innocent Asian-Americans are attacked all over the country. A number of members of the aforementioned political party vote in opposition to an Asian anti-hate bill. One Republican Congressional member equated the slaughter of Jewish people in WWII to the requirement of masks in the House chamber. A detailed investigation of the causes of the insurrection on Capital Hill on Jan. 6^th is torpedoed by a Republican House leader and a Republican Senate minority leader. Why?

Maybe there is an explanation.

Bird Watching

A Liberating Feeling

 I have received my first dose of vaccine now.  Since I got the Moderna vaccine I will receive a second shot in just under 3 weeks.  I was told that after the first 2 weeks I will be at 60% coverage.  Full strength will come 2 weeks after the second shot.  I will be honest and say that during this whole time I was never really afraid of catching the virus because I believe I had it at the end of January 2020.   So I thought I had acquired some immunity.  But even so, after I received the vaccine I still felt a huge sense of relief.  Relief that I was on the road to being able to go to a restaurant or a movie or a gathering of family and friends without a small doubt in my mind that it was safe.  I also felt a sense of a duty fulfilled.  I was doing something that might get my country back to a more normal footing, that would help those who have had their lives upended by job loss regain their livelihoods.  

It was also with a sense of relief that I saw the verdict in the Chauvin trial.  My relief was born of a sense that people in my state had finally stood up and did the right thing.  While no one won in that situation, the law finally prevailed.  Unfortunately one case does not stop stupid from happening again.  We can only move on and take each day at a time.

I was listening to an interview with George W. Bush on Jimmy Kimmel live.  Dubya has come out with a new book, one of portraits he has done of immigrants to this country.   It was with a measure of relief that I was able to listen to a politician again who has a sense of humor.  That was one thing I always liked about Dubya.  It was a pleasure to find laugher again.  So if you have a moment take a break from all of the darkness in the world and remember the light.

George W. on Jimmy Kimmel Show

Derek Chauvin Trial

 Today was the first day of the Derek Chauvin trial.  As you recall he is one of the police officers charged with murder in the death of George Floyd.  The trial is being televised on Court TV, but you can also watch on the internet on various sites.  I will provide a link here to Courttv.com for those who may want to tune in to some of the arguments and testimony.  

Derek Chauvin trial coverage

Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all 3 charges.

They All Fell Silently

 If you are someone who still listens to the news or reads the newspapers you will have noticed the rise in attacks on Asian-Americans in the United States. As the pandemic rages on they have been made the scapegoat. Sadly, this is not new, this has happened before. To our country's shame.

Fear is nothing new. Nor is blaming those who have absolutely nothing to do with the circumstances in which we find ourselves. For Japanese Americans during World War II it meant displacement from their homes into internment camps.

Displacement

But this is not just the fault of those who have perpetrated these attacks, it is also the fault of those who have encouraged them, and those who have stood by and said nothing. While our ideals are admirable the behavior of some of our fellow Americans is not. It is, or should be, a source of shame for all of us who do really believe in our democracy. Patriotism is not just about flying a flag from the back of your pickup. It is about living up to the ideals our country was created for.

Listen to what true patriotism means.

They All Fell Silently

How They Remember You

 The US Senate just passed a Covid relief bill. It is designed to help the American public weather the pandemic and economic collapse of some businesses due to forced shutdowns. It will provide economic assistance to local governments, schools, businesses and ordinary people. Unfortunately for some it will be too late. It will also provide more funds for administering the vaccine.  A notable circumstance of this piece of legislation was that it passed without any Republican support. I find this to be a sad statement of our political climate.

While we have our differences, we are all Americans. We need to support each other in these difficult times. We need to take the vaccine if it is offered to us so that we provide a living barrier to the virus. We need to support our local businesses so that they survive. While some states are lifting mask requirements we can continue to wear them until we are absolutely sure the virus has been defeated.  We need to put aside our political differences and put our country first.  

Years from now people will look back on this time period and ask, what did you do?

How They Remember You

I Call Bullshit

Once, a young woman used that phrase to call out those in power who would double deal, who would try to have their cake and eat it too. Once again we are seeing the same thing.

So for the sake of history I am writing this post on this day to remind those who come after what happened in Washington on Capitol Hill today. The impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump was ended with an acquittal. Despite the fact that the House Managers proved their case against Trump Mitch McConnell and his Republican followers voted to acquit. Why? Because they said that because Trump was no longer in office the whole case was unconstitutional. However, the Sentae had already voted on this point, voting that it was. Also, Mitch McConnell in his actions to delay the trial until after the inauguration set up this time line.

So I say this is the face of hypocrisy. I can well understand if you cannot listen to it the whole way through.

Mitch McConnell speech

Donald J. Trump did his best to undermine our democracy, breaking his oath of office.  He should never be allowed to hold public office again.  And it was the duty of our elected officials to call him to account.   Those 7 Republican elected officials that voted with the Democrats in the Senate to convict are to be commended for their loyalty to their country.  Those who chose their own political careers and their party over their country should be ashamed.

Connections

 I'm going to take a break from politics and the sad divisions within my country for a moment and post something totally different. I happened to run across this video and I was struck by something as I watched these young men listening to this song. It was the connection they made with the emotion written in the music. It was honest, real. What they showed was empathy and an open mind to something different. With so much hate floating around it was nice to be reminded that we can still make connections if we try.

Take a moment to watch...

Jolene

Jan. 6, 2021

 On Wednesday Jan. 6, 2021 the United States Congress gathered to read the Electoral College votes and officially certify Joe Biden as the next President of the United States. It is a day that will live in many people's memories with revulsion and horror. Not because of the certification process but because a group of people chose, at the behest of the current president, to attack and invade the Capitol building in order to stop a legitimate election process.

This comes as no surprise to many who have watched Donald Trump over the years gradually shaping the narrative with lies, half truths and simple repetition in order to increase and maintain his power. What has been so repulsive is that many in the Republican party have aided and abetted him. This is the result.

Many are worried about America's standing in the world as the leader of democracy.. I am not. Why? Because despite Donald Trump's best efforts he failed. On November 3^rd a majority of the American people stood up and rejected what he represented. It was not as if this was not foreseen. It is no surprise that our government was created in such a way that there are multiple checks and balances in place. The people who wrote our Constitution understood very well the autocratic possibilities for the wrong person in power. While they could not have envisioned the power of the internet they did envision that.

While we may not have seen the end of Trumpism I would not count out the strength of the true patriots in my country. They are out here, they are the people who stood up for the Constitution and democracy. Many of those who invaded the Capitol were fooled by a very talented Puppetmaster, who was enabled by others who chose to seek power rather than uphold their oaths of office.

Donald Trump has spent four years fomenting hate. It's time we turned the page.  Yes, I did mean to choose this particular movie clip.  

Happy New Year!

 Today the US Senate voted to override Donald Trump's veto of the defense bill.  It is the first time that the Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, House and Senate, has actually stood up to Donald Trump.  

I hope all of you have a safe and Happy New Year!