Wednesday, January 25, 2017

It's Not Getting Better...................

So in today's weird news of the day, I create a post and a few hours later said post is somewhere.....I just don't know where. I know others have had this happen on blogger, but not I.  Let's just say that in the future I may want to edit in word and save the document later, do you think?

Meanwhile folks, today is the day. What day you may ask? Well, today is the day that I stop"waiting and seeing". You see, many of my friends, and non friends regular send out things like "trust Trump", "Wait and See", "Give it a Chance", or "Everything will be all right", or even "We have checks and balances in this country".  Today I say to those of you reading this who have this philosophy-I'll wait no longer. And to the fellow blogger who said yesterday that I was bashing Trump-you better believe your bottom dollar that I am. 

Our President has done the following (or promised to do so in the next day):  He intends to stop all Federal arts funding including NPR and PBS, He's ordered a wall (even though folks in Texas don't want it) and expects us to pay out of our tax dollars (does anyone actually think Mexico ever will). He's cut all federal funding to violence against women initiatives, including those that protect college students who have experienced sexual assault. He plans to sign an executive order that states that immigrants brought here as infants or toddlers be returned and deported. There will be no dream act and 700 thousand young people will be deported. He has chosen a Secretary of Defense who left the military because he left Marines to die in Afghanistan. He has chosen an education secretary who does not even know the basics about education in general. Even folks who have no kids in school have some idea what the words "Common Core" mean.

He plans to limit legal immigration, even of those skilled folks who are desperately needed for our economy, and wants immigrants who are here working to pay the US for any service used. He's resumed the pipeline, the heck with the well being or the burial grounds of those in North Dakota. He's taken is out of the trans-pacific deal (I know this is a debatable topic but most economists believe that this helps China in a huge way and farmers will suffer the greatest). He's appointed a racist who called the KKK a patriotic organization to be the head of the Justice department.

So my questions to all those who voted for this man are these: Do you even understand, on any level at all why my gay nephew and my Muslim friend are fearful?  Do you understand it's not paranoia?  Is all of this all right for you?

Because I gotta tell you, even if you put the refugee/Muslim immigration thing aside, having a Dow that closes at 200, that closes at a thousand even, does not make all the above go away for me.

Everything I have seen so far, every single thing (and I read five news sources including the BBC), leads me to believe that we are turning back at least twenty five years on human and personal rights, health care and more. I am in fact, terrified for this country and what can happen the next few years. Today a think tank stated that we are no longer a "full democracy" and I am not sure I can disagree.

So no, this is not a political blog.  On Friday I plan on telling you all about the day my phone broke and I had to wait three days for a replacement (the horror!!), and Monday's blog is all about cooking.

But I'm an activist at heart. I'm also a historian, and history tells us that "wait and see" and "give him a chance" often turns bad, and very quickly. Citizenship is not about voting every for years and then sitting back and going with the flow.  It's about making people accountable here and now. So yes, occasionally you will see political posts. Sometimes you'll see brief notes about what's happening in the world above a frugal post, or a comment about my refugee and sanctuary ministry here in the sanctuary city of Denver.

And to those who think I'm bashing Trump?  You bet!! Given a chance, I firmly believe that he will destroy this country and make himself very wealthy in the process. Does that mean I am bashing you? No. It does mean that I believe that people who voted for Mr Trump bear some responsibility for what will happen-but so do that forty percent (and I know darned well some of my readers who are included in that) who didn't bother to vote at all. 

And what truly hurts my heart is that the people who supported Mr Trump (military folks, young unemployed and disaffected folks in places like Pennsylvania, and middle class whites) could end up suffering the most when all is said and done.

And now, I'll step down off that soap box, go and call my senators for the third time today, and continue the work I need to do to make my church a sanctuary church, with all that means.

And yes, now I have a phone that works. Thank the Lord.



20 comments:

  1. Thank goodness you have the courage to speak out - I'm from Australia and I think I can say that the rest of free democracies around the world are watching with growing horror what is happening in your once great nation - personally I feel the attack on truth telling and freedom of speech in particular is a very worrying sign (first action of totalitarian governments)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Up here in Canada we are keeping a close eye on what is going on. Yes the Keystone pipeline would help Canadian oil workers, but the Lord only knows what Trump wants in return. The NAFTA renegotiation has many of us scared as well.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for speaking out. My post today was a clip about all the health care cuts the senate just passed. I'm scared for our country and all of our children.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Barbara, I tried to access your post of the 24th on When there is no common ground and my iPad kept saying "sorry page could not be found or something like that. Was there a problem that day as I love to look at the comments and sometimes comment too. Just curious

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mary, it has disappeared into Cyber space, unfortunately. I know nothing..

      Delete
    2. I think that is concerning. It was an excellent post and it makes you wonder who is reading these and do they have the power to remove an unflattering post? I mean look at the times we are in now.

      Delete
    3. Mary, since none of my other political posts have disappeared I am assuming it is a one off, for now.

      Delete
  5. Thanks for speaking your mind. Great points that lead us to become more aware and knowledgeable.
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have your other post in an email and forwarded it to you. This teacher thinks DeVos is a ridiculous choice. I wore red for ed. I called my 2 senators. I called 12 other senators who we think may help. I've NEVER been an activist until Trump. Oh, I've always voted, usually dem, but if it didn't go my way I just "got over it". Not this time. I will not be silent. Keep writing. Keep believing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Every day brings new horrors. I'm just stunned by the breadth of the damage in so few days. I heard yesterday that two alt-right bloggers in their twenties have been put in charge of the Voice of America. Who thinks of something like that in the first week? How long had they been planning this cabal?
    I've always been a dem, always voted in every election, never been an activist. I didn't like Reagan or the younger Bush but they didn't make me feel that our democracy could be lost forever during their administrations. This is different.

    - - -

    Appreciate your columns on frugal living as well. I don't have a smart phone but I was very interested in your column about other income. I gave up my part-time job last summer because of health issues. I'm uncomfortable tapping my savings too much in this climate and am feeling really pinched.
    Thanks for everything, Barb.
    Joan, Michigan

    ReplyDelete
  8. Barbara, thanks for writing about this and speaking from your heart. I marched on Jan. 21 in the Women's March and will march again in the Scientist March (date not determined yet). This president is determined to remake our country in his own selfish, ignorant image, and I for one (along with you and many others) will NOT stand for it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I agree with you 100% Barbara, and we must not be silent.I feel like I am waking up every morning to a different America than the one I am used to living in..a scary one. I can't imagine what's next. Resistance is definitely important.I'm not sure what that looks like at my age (63)__I did not think I'd have to march again for basic human freedoms. (Been there done that!!) But I will do what I can..am researching organizations..I am MOST disturbed by the fact that young people in general gave up and did not vote.. IT MATTERED!! I'd like to work with the young adults and get them involved.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Just a thought-- if your blog that disappeared was political, perhaps someone hacked your blog account and deleted it.. or something like that??

    ReplyDelete
  11. Once again you have spoken for me, Barbara. I am 70 years old and am astonished this man is in the WH. I travelled from Boston to DC to march at the Women's March and have spent hours contacting my Senators and Representatives. We must stand up. Our democracy has already been damaged, and he has only just begun.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Barbara, you are so correct. We cannot remain silent. This administration has to be held accountable. He cannot tell the truth. This man scares me daily. The most effective senators and representatives to contact would be any that are up for reelection in the next two years. If they have just been elected they won't care. Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete
  13. And I am getting a little tired of the "lesser of 2 evils" argument I keep hearing from respected family and friends.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hear! Hear! There is no waiting with this Administration -- once good people have sold there soul not realizing the sale may not be reversible. There's a real effort to muzzle any of the media attempting to speak the truth -- we must support them -- we desperately need them and not that partisan TV channel to which we're being directed. Can the effort to try to turn law enforcement and even military in the direction of protestors be far ahead?

    Editing on Word and then transfer to publish is what I've done since mysteriously losing what I had written has happened to me in the past -- even once is too much.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Barbara - I couldn't access your previous post on the web either, but it appears that the entire post showed up in my email, so I can send it back to you if you provide an email address.

    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you for writing your political posts. I wrote "one" about my support of the march the day after swearing in and got several comments of support and two really angry comments. I was struck by the fact those two focused in on two simple words and couldn't see past them to anything else I said.

    Like you I love reading history. I believe that makes us just a little more aware of the consequences of the actions Trump is taking so quickly.

    I've had to step back and stop being glued to the news. I found myself addicted to it in much the same way as those hooked on reality tv and soap tv. The news had become like a liquid version of red bull on steroids and I was hooked.

    Anyway, I just wanted you to know I admire you for stating your beliefs. That's what freedom of speech is supposed to be.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Are you going through any kind of spiritual attack or affliction or you want to get your ex husband or wife back? Dr. GURILARICO GURU THE GREAT is a traditional herbal and spiritual doctor that can help you out for free. Contact him to help you solve your problem for you free of charge. He is based in US. His contact details is
    Email: dr.gurilarico@priest.com
    Call :+1(832) 263-7128, +1(562) 513-6480, +1(562) 513-6480.
    He is always ready to help you for free.

    Margret R. Johnson From Kansas.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by! I love to hear from others, and I also love to hear all points of view.. Just leave the profanity and insults at home, OK? Thanks!!