Robert, These present times are proof the USA needs more than 2 major parties, and the reason why the founding fathers were fearful of party bull… and political parties. After all politicians do not care about constituents, only the PARTY and themselves (the only thing truly bipartisan). We all know the only person who tried to steal the election.
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Robert in Davis, thank you for summing up the country. I agree totally and living in DC is a challenge because these lawmakers are here but most don’t work at all. Plus we aren’t a state so no representation at all. I really wonder if we will have a democracy after the mid terms? We all must vote and encourage everyone to do so. I send hundreds of reminder postcards and love doing it.
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Man! Got up early to write(type) my page and apparently missed the deadline. Oh well, mañana…always mañana.
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DRO&I, all the cats that i have shared lives with (however brief) have been of the homicidal nature. Especially when young. They are monsters with sharp teeth. I love them for their spirit.
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Horses At Midnight,
A friend and I were talking just yesterday about race and race relations. One big irony that I am having trouble getting over is how white slave owners did not mind having us as black slave women breastfeeding their children, yet they despised us, but our blood and nourishment ran through their children’s veins. The epitome of ignorance on the slave owner’s part, but all they cared about was having others do what they did not want to do. In many cases the white children who were breastfed by the slave women grew closer to them, of course, until the slave was sold away, or worse lynched. There is a lot more I could say, but I work to restrain myself and keep my writing light and ironic in itself, if you follow.
My anger at such ignorance prevents me from watching slave movies, blacks portrayed as maids, nannies, butlers, or just plain uneducated buffoons in movies when we know they were the very opposite but had to play ourselves down as to not intimidate others… Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dare disrespect the actors and actresses who played those roles back then, because that was all they were mostly given, again due mainly to ignorance and fear that we may rise up and do something about the severe mistreatment (understatement) of our people over hundreds of years, and continuing….
Racism….to be continued…
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Natasha, it must “to be continued” because the anti black foundations of this “great democracy” have yet to be seriously challenged or eroded. From slavery to Jim Crow to redlining to mass incarceration, America, in all its so-called democratic ideals, has been built upon the bodies of black men, women, and children. This truth existed long before Trump and will persist long after him. Sometimes I think—with apologies to Robert in Davis because it really was a great piece as far as that genre goes—that what white liberals hate most about Trump is that he ripped the facade away and made America look at what it really is. And white liberals love nothing more than a good facade. This is why the “Karens” get so much hate on social media: it’s hard to be reminded of what we really are, the indelible stain in the soul of this “great nation.” How much easier to create scapegoats out of Trump and Karen and cry loudly about how much we hate them. Biden and the Democratic Party will not save us from this hell. Obama did not, either.
Listening to Baldwin, though, just might be a good, and real, place to start. H@m
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P.s, Natasha, Not only did white slave owners use black women to nurse and raise their children, they also engaged in routinized rape and sexual assault of their black female “possessions.” Desire, fear, and disgust are written deep into the American spirit, and those in power often secretly desire (sexually and otherwise) what they most loudly declaim, condemn, and seek to destroy. No one says it better than Beyoncé in her BLACK PARADE.
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Oh I am very much aware of the raping and pillaging of our people. Results of that run rife in the family tree. Even Native American is in there. Choctaw for us. (Stubblefield)
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Natasha true words are rare these days. Thank you.
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Robert:
That was the best political rant I’ve heard in a long time. I agree with absolutely every point you made.
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Kent, I agree 11/22/63 is an excellent book. I read in February 2013 and here’s what I wrote on Amazon: “Watch for Christine! I recommend this book. Writing about time travel is full of pitfalls and un-answerables but Stephen King does a good a job as anyone. A well-developed, readable, and compelling story. The book will make one appreciate how hard writing can be.” Harldly a “review” but Amazon asked and I answered.
Here’s a passage I included in my books notes because it reminded me of my father. “A Scripto mechanical pencil. A pocket protector. In ’58 they’re considered necessary, not nerdy. A Bulova watch on a Seidel chrome expansion band.” This is my father. He still has the, a gift from my mother, given to him around the time they were married: 1957. Dad used to give me his old worn Scripto pencils. I wish I still had one. Scripto means “I write” in Latin and the company was founded in Atlanta Georgia in 1924 as the M.A. Ferst Company. There is still a Ferst Street on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta. Hmm, I see the beginning of a blog for Dato’s Haberdashery! Thanks Kent!
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I agree pretty good. It was great…but, yes but, it would not help if I did not say what I say. I would have to disagree with the “greatest democracy” part of the great rant. Very good although i get the vibe though that in their reality we just may be communist’s in democrats clothing. I do lean communist and I do vote democrat. Is that evil? If so then they can go to the devil.
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Kent, Hulu has 11/22/63 as a series. My wife and I watched it a few months ago. Not as good as the book, of course, but worth watching.
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I bought the kindle version when i got Kent’s email. $3 not a bad deal. i have come to trust in the recommended material. Not only from Kent but from alot here. I look forward to trying to read it. Gracias.
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Horses At Midnight thank you for the book selection. The “shelfy” as Michael coined it. Many titles i did not know of.
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Xicano, and all: if you do not yet know them I would start with Frank Wilderson’s Incognegro and Sadiya Hartman’s Lose Your Mother. Both are equally worthy heirs, in my opinion, to the fire, eloquence, and prophetic voice of James Baldwin. Xicano, Incognegro is written in a voice that reminds me of you, sometimes, and you may find in it inspiration to stick with it until you get to those 50k words. Remember, I’m betting on you and I do not like to lose.
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Shelfy was passed along by me, but by no means coined by me. I got it from Jenny Forrester author of “Narrow River Wide Sky” and “Soft Hearted Stories”.
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Robert I am with you man.
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As the token conservative in this group (there may be others, but I suspect they might be hesitant to express it), I don’t disagree with Robert insofar as he expresses his feelings and reactions to events.
I opposed Trump, vocally and long before he was the Republican nominee. My fears were realized; he and his Cabinet did not serve the country well. However, Biden has not thus far shown himself to be overly competent, and is certainly in part responsible for widening divisions, or at least lacking the resolve to make an attempt at centrism.
Generalization of Left vs. Right — heavily encouraged by the media and political parties — is a problem, insofar as it marginalizes the feelings and practices of the great majority of Americans.
My perception is that about 5% (certainly less than 10%) of the people on either the Left or the Right are radical and vocal enough to sway policy either way. A small but vocal segment of any larger group should not define the group as a whole. The ultra-Left and the far-Right are not the majority of either persuasion, by a long shot. That said, their actions obviously have a disproportionate affect.
My two cents is that the American electorate needs a strong dose of moderation, in all directions. Problem is, while most folks’ views would define them as Moderates, they are generally ‘moderate’ enough to be satisfied with simply deciding elections, without the inclination to raise the voices unless directly provoked.
In short, I don’t mind “Fight the Right!” but the (radical) Left needs to be reigned in as well. Unfortunately, the political party system encourages an ‘us vs. them’ mentality that increases polarization and poisons solidarity. It’s wrong both in theory and practice. People of all political and social holdings certainly can work together towards positive change.
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I think Trump is even more enraging for true sane conservatives than he is to the left. I am mostly toward the left side of the spectrum myself but I have various conservative friends who are appalled by Trump and the fact that more folks don’t recognize him as the opportunistic command that he is.
That said, you are absolutely right that the left certainly has it’s share of BS and litmus tests that really just further divide us and do nothing to advance us to the solutions we very much all need.
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I typed “conman” and it autocorrected to command. My typewriter doesn’t do stupid bullshit like that!
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Are you trying to convey that you hate AutoCorrect more than I do? You’re gonna have to try harder.
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Wait until you get a text message from me. In which I had to go back and correct the auto-corrections.
And don’t worry about fixing it for me. I auto-correct auto-corrections.
Robert, These present times are proof the USA needs more than 2 major parties, and the reason why the founding fathers were fearful of party bull… and political parties. After all politicians do not care about constituents, only the PARTY and themselves (the only thing truly bipartisan). We all know the only person who tried to steal the election.
Robert in Davis, thank you for summing up the country. I agree totally and living in DC is a challenge because these lawmakers are here but most don’t work at all. Plus we aren’t a state so no representation at all. I really wonder if we will have a democracy after the mid terms? We all must vote and encourage everyone to do so. I send hundreds of reminder postcards and love doing it.
Man! Got up early to write(type) my page and apparently missed the deadline. Oh well, mañana…always mañana.
DRO&I, all the cats that i have shared lives with (however brief) have been of the homicidal nature. Especially when young. They are monsters with sharp teeth. I love them for their spirit.
Horses At Midnight,
A friend and I were talking just yesterday about race and race relations. One big irony that I am having trouble getting over is how white slave owners did not mind having us as black slave women breastfeeding their children, yet they despised us, but our blood and nourishment ran through their children’s veins. The epitome of ignorance on the slave owner’s part, but all they cared about was having others do what they did not want to do. In many cases the white children who were breastfed by the slave women grew closer to them, of course, until the slave was sold away, or worse lynched. There is a lot more I could say, but I work to restrain myself and keep my writing light and ironic in itself, if you follow.
My anger at such ignorance prevents me from watching slave movies, blacks portrayed as maids, nannies, butlers, or just plain uneducated buffoons in movies when we know they were the very opposite but had to play ourselves down as to not intimidate others… Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dare disrespect the actors and actresses who played those roles back then, because that was all they were mostly given, again due mainly to ignorance and fear that we may rise up and do something about the severe mistreatment (understatement) of our people over hundreds of years, and continuing….
Racism….to be continued…
Natasha, it must “to be continued” because the anti black foundations of this “great democracy” have yet to be seriously challenged or eroded. From slavery to Jim Crow to redlining to mass incarceration, America, in all its so-called democratic ideals, has been built upon the bodies of black men, women, and children. This truth existed long before Trump and will persist long after him. Sometimes I think—with apologies to Robert in Davis because it really was a great piece as far as that genre goes—that what white liberals hate most about Trump is that he ripped the facade away and made America look at what it really is. And white liberals love nothing more than a good facade. This is why the “Karens” get so much hate on social media: it’s hard to be reminded of what we really are, the indelible stain in the soul of this “great nation.” How much easier to create scapegoats out of Trump and Karen and cry loudly about how much we hate them. Biden and the Democratic Party will not save us from this hell. Obama did not, either.
Listening to Baldwin, though, just might be a good, and real, place to start. H@m
P.s, Natasha, Not only did white slave owners use black women to nurse and raise their children, they also engaged in routinized rape and sexual assault of their black female “possessions.” Desire, fear, and disgust are written deep into the American spirit, and those in power often secretly desire (sexually and otherwise) what they most loudly declaim, condemn, and seek to destroy. No one says it better than Beyoncé in her BLACK PARADE.
Oh I am very much aware of the raping and pillaging of our people. Results of that run rife in the family tree. Even Native American is in there. Choctaw for us. (Stubblefield)
Natasha true words are rare these days. Thank you.
Robert:
That was the best political rant I’ve heard in a long time. I agree with absolutely every point you made.
Kent, I agree 11/22/63 is an excellent book. I read in February 2013 and here’s what I wrote on Amazon: “Watch for Christine! I recommend this book. Writing about time travel is full of pitfalls and un-answerables but Stephen King does a good a job as anyone. A well-developed, readable, and compelling story. The book will make one appreciate how hard writing can be.” Harldly a “review” but Amazon asked and I answered.
Here’s a passage I included in my books notes because it reminded me of my father. “A Scripto mechanical pencil. A pocket protector. In ’58 they’re considered necessary, not nerdy. A Bulova watch on a Seidel chrome expansion band.” This is my father. He still has the, a gift from my mother, given to him around the time they were married: 1957. Dad used to give me his old worn Scripto pencils. I wish I still had one. Scripto means “I write” in Latin and the company was founded in Atlanta Georgia in 1924 as the M.A. Ferst Company. There is still a Ferst Street on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta. Hmm, I see the beginning of a blog for Dato’s Haberdashery! Thanks Kent!
I agree pretty good. It was great…but, yes but, it would not help if I did not say what I say. I would have to disagree with the “greatest democracy” part of the great rant. Very good although i get the vibe though that in their reality we just may be communist’s in democrats clothing. I do lean communist and I do vote democrat. Is that evil? If so then they can go to the devil.
Kent, Hulu has 11/22/63 as a series. My wife and I watched it a few months ago. Not as good as the book, of course, but worth watching.
I bought the kindle version when i got Kent’s email. $3 not a bad deal. i have come to trust in the recommended material. Not only from Kent but from alot here. I look forward to trying to read it. Gracias.
Horses At Midnight thank you for the book selection. The “shelfy” as Michael coined it. Many titles i did not know of.
Xicano, and all: if you do not yet know them I would start with Frank Wilderson’s Incognegro and Sadiya Hartman’s Lose Your Mother. Both are equally worthy heirs, in my opinion, to the fire, eloquence, and prophetic voice of James Baldwin. Xicano, Incognegro is written in a voice that reminds me of you, sometimes, and you may find in it inspiration to stick with it until you get to those 50k words. Remember, I’m betting on you and I do not like to lose.
Shelfy was passed along by me, but by no means coined by me. I got it from Jenny Forrester author of “Narrow River Wide Sky” and “Soft Hearted Stories”.
Robert I am with you man.
As the token conservative in this group (there may be others, but I suspect they might be hesitant to express it), I don’t disagree with Robert insofar as he expresses his feelings and reactions to events.
I opposed Trump, vocally and long before he was the Republican nominee. My fears were realized; he and his Cabinet did not serve the country well. However, Biden has not thus far shown himself to be overly competent, and is certainly in part responsible for widening divisions, or at least lacking the resolve to make an attempt at centrism.
Generalization of Left vs. Right — heavily encouraged by the media and political parties — is a problem, insofar as it marginalizes the feelings and practices of the great majority of Americans.
My perception is that about 5% (certainly less than 10%) of the people on either the Left or the Right are radical and vocal enough to sway policy either way. A small but vocal segment of any larger group should not define the group as a whole. The ultra-Left and the far-Right are not the majority of either persuasion, by a long shot. That said, their actions obviously have a disproportionate affect.
My two cents is that the American electorate needs a strong dose of moderation, in all directions. Problem is, while most folks’ views would define them as Moderates, they are generally ‘moderate’ enough to be satisfied with simply deciding elections, without the inclination to raise the voices unless directly provoked.
In short, I don’t mind “Fight the Right!” but the (radical) Left needs to be reigned in as well. Unfortunately, the political party system encourages an ‘us vs. them’ mentality that increases polarization and poisons solidarity. It’s wrong both in theory and practice. People of all political and social holdings certainly can work together towards positive change.
I think Trump is even more enraging for true sane conservatives than he is to the left. I am mostly toward the left side of the spectrum myself but I have various conservative friends who are appalled by Trump and the fact that more folks don’t recognize him as the opportunistic command that he is.
That said, you are absolutely right that the left certainly has it’s share of BS and litmus tests that really just further divide us and do nothing to advance us to the solutions we very much all need.
I typed “conman” and it autocorrected to command. My typewriter doesn’t do stupid bullshit like that!
Are you trying to convey that you hate AutoCorrect more than I do? You’re gonna have to try harder.
Wait until you get a text message from me. In which I had to go back and correct the auto-corrections.
And don’t worry about fixing it for me. I auto-correct auto-corrections.