Chimney Rock

This is my country. These are rocks I climbed on in wonder and awe as a child, in Catoctin Mountain Park, in my home state of Maryland. This is Chimney Rock. This is part of my physical country that is in my DNA and my heart and my imagination and soul. This is the physical country I love.

This country also has more to it than a breathtaking, awesome physical landscape. We also have an awesome constitution. The word constitution literally means what we are constituted of--what we are made of, what comprises us. Our land is constituted of great beauty. Our society is constituted of laws, and a separation of powers, and a free press, which are designed to make us a healthy, functional, strong, free country that is a democracy framed in a constitutional republic.

Just as we have to protect the precious and priceless nature in our country from those who would violate, pillage and plunder it, so too must we protect our constitution, our constitutional republic, our democracy, our FREE COUNTRY from those who, as we speak, are violating it.

I don't know why, this time around, there is no Women's March in the streets. The first time, we were out there, filling the streets from sea to shining sea, a beautiful, diverse quilt of Americans blanketing our country and standing up for it. I don't know why this time we all instead seem to be going about our days in stunned, horrified and helpless silence. We may be talking among ourselves, but why are we not CALLING Congress (202-224-3121)? Why are we not out in the streets, shouting and holding up signs? And why are our elected representatives not resisting all the fast and furious moves by 47 and his cabal taking us to fascism? Why are we just allowing these robber barons, these treasonous traitors, these fascists, these oligarchs, to roll over us?

RESIST. Resist, with all your might. Because even though my beloved Chimney Rock will still be there, whether we are a constitutional republic or a fascist oligarchy, it is vital to ensure that future generations of American children will be FREE to go there, carefree, and climb the rocks, and gaze out over the beautiful Catoctin Mountain vista, and only feel the beauty, wonder and awe. Children, and none of us, should have to feel the fear, danger and dread of living under fascism. They should breathe deep and free, in a free country. And it is up to us. Right now.

There is no one but us to form a human barrier between our cherished country and 45's fascist takeover of it.

All: we need to circle the wagons around our Postal Service, period.

I've already called my elected representatives (congressional switchboard phone number: 202-224-3121) and strongly urged them to stand up for our Postal Service, and against 45's fascist ruination attempt of it. And, I swear here in writing, if somehow I am near the stand-alone mailbox nearest to my home, and anyone tries to take it away, as was done in other states but, thanks to a hue and cry, that has been stopped--for the moment--I will physically place my body between all comers and that box and they will have to take me with the box to wherever they are taking the box, while I am videoing them with my phone and simultaneously figuring out how to livestream.

We are living in the midst of a fascist takeover attempt. We've already had babies in cages in for-profit concentration camps, kidnapped from their parents illegally, tortured and traumatized, in actual violation of international, let alone national, law. We've already had the complicit Republican Senate turn a blind eye to abuse of power and treason by 45 and rule that he is above the law/constitution. We've already had so much more that I could list but you know. You know. And now we have the same POTUS responsible for all that actively trying to ruin the United States Postal Service, which--if he is successful--will hurt all American citizens and our country, and he is openly stating that he is doing it to SUBVERT THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION--to suppress the vote, to stop American citizens from voting: he has stated this. This is treason. This is abuse of power. Call your Senators and Congressional Representatives now and demand that they stand up to it/to 45. Tragically and sickeningly, the majority party will not. They are complicit traitors. Therefore it is up to us (but CALL THEM anyway and demand that they do something, even though most of the Republicans will not):

If they won't impeach, convict and remove this treasonous traitor, we have to remove him ourselves: request a mail-in ballot if you have not done so yet, so that you can safely vote in the upcoming November election. When you get the mail-in ballot, VOTE, vote, VOTE like you've never voted before! I'm talking VOTE. Then either mail your ballot in immediately, same day you get it and vote it, or take your ballot to a secure drop-off location.

Don't stop there. Continue to call, write and show up at your elected representatives' offices and town halls--demand that they protect our Postal Service and fully FUND it. DEMAND that the sorting machines that 45 has had removed in his bid for fascism be put back immediately. Volunteer as a poll worker if you are healthy and have no pre-existing conditions, as many poll volunteers are seniors and may not feel safe volunteering this year. Offer to help your friends, neighbors and co-workers--everyone you know--to register to vote, request mail-in ballots if they want to vote by mail (and we all really should be this year, given the pandemic), or to give them a ride to the polls by if they want/need that.

We may need to form human circles around mailboxes in the near future. This is no joke. This is a President of the United States attempting to move us from the transition to fascism which, I have news for you all, we are deep in the midst of, thanks to him, to being a fully fascist country.

There is no one but us to stop this man, and his complicit band of traitors. There is no one but we, the people, to do it. We have to rise to this occasion. We are enough, if we choose to be. We can, and must, do this. The constitution and our laws are powerful but only if we continuously fight for them. We are their fuel. The most powerful and well-designed car on earth cannot run without fuel.

When 45 comes for mailboxes, you know he is closing in on crossing the finish line to fascism. We have to form a human barrier of we, the people, between him and said line. NOW.

Read this link (to an excellent Facebook post by a US Postal Service worker):  We must save our Postal Service

TREASON!

"Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."

Treason is giving aid and comfort to an enemy of the United States. But what do you call a President of the United States who actually, openly, IS that enemy? He's treasonous and even beyond treason because he not only gives aid and comfort to an enemy foreign power (Russia, if you're listening...), he's also the enemy himself:  he's now openly attempting to ruin the United States Postal Service, disrupt the mail, and thereby violate/hurt every American citizen, the functioning of our country, and, oh yeah, also the sanctity and function of the upcoming election, in the middle of a lethal pandemic in which going to the polls in person is deadly.

At what point will the COMPLICIT Republican Senate finally stop turning a blind eye and, to use phrases harking back to Nazi Germany, being "good German citizens", and "just following orders"? At what bleeping point will the entire Senate finally stand up and shout "TREASON!", and impeach, convict and remove this utterly corrupt, power-abusing, constitution-flouting, enemy of the United States of America?

I know it is only a few months until the election. Still: it's the principle and the reality of the thing: he must be removed. And, since the complicit Republican Senators apparently have NO limit to their blind eye turning, from babies in cages, to being in bed with Putin, to Emoluments Clause violations to now openly trying to bring down the United States Postal Service and thus openly trying to disrupt the upcoming election and currently in process primary season (I just mailed in my local primary ballot this week--I wonder if it will get there), we, the people, must remove this treasonous traitor in November. PERIOD.

Wake up, before we slip surreptitiously into fascism.

"Dad, do not worry. I will be fine for telling the truth."

I have to express my feelings re Lieutenant Vindman’s heart stopping testimony yesterday at the impeachment hearing.

My personal backdrop for yesterday is that it was a cosmic day for me: an important mile marker, my last every-three-months-for-two-years check-up with the gynecologic oncologist about my 2017 ovarian cancer. My last chemo was October of 2017, so it has now been two years and, so far, so miraculous: I’m fine! Everything looks great, and now we transition to me only going to the doctor every six months to get checked out (CA125 blood test, and check-up with the oncologist), for the next three years. I’m so grateful to be here!  As my mom would say, "Thank God we're this far!"

And so it was that, yesterday, instead of being at work as I normally would have been when the impeachment hearings got underway, I was at home, getting ready to go to the doctor (went to work after the appointment, never fear). I was able to catch just the very beginning of Lieutenant Vindman’s opening statement. As I stood up, reluctantly, to turn off the TV and head out the door, and walked up to the TV to put the remote down next to it, I was suddenly riveted in place by what he said as I did so. I froze, and my heart leapt into my throat. Tears came into my eyes.

Lieutenant Vindman came here as a toddler, when his 47-year-old dad made the decision to leave his home, his country, the Soviet Union, so that his children could live free. As I stood there, inches from the TV screen, about to turn it off, Lieutenant Vindman suddenly stopped my heart: “Dad,” he said, “you made the right decision coming here. Do not worry. I will be fine for telling the truth.”

Tears filled my eyes. As they do again just typing that: Dad, don’t worry. I will be fine for telling the truth.

He is now under extreme threat from 45’s despicable, cult-like, hateful, mob-mentality, McCarthyesque followers. I don’t even refer to them as “supporters” anymore.  No, as of this second, I only call them "followers":  they are blind, hateful followers. They don’t think for themselves. Whatever hateful, dehumanizing, violence-inciting dog whistle 45 and/or Fox News (a.k.a. 45’s propaganda arm) blow, they follow. They are definitely like a cult at this point. Voluntarily brainwashed.  The dog whistle gets blown, and they instantly bare their ugly fangs and attack.

Lieutenant Vindman is a patriot, who has dedicated his entire life to serving the United States of America. He has a purple heart. Yet he is being demonized by these rabid Trumpsters and threatened, as is the whistleblower, and other brave patriots. Lieutenant Vindman’s words, in the face of all that, to me, encompass everything about what we are going through as a country right now, and everything that we ARE as a country: "Do not worry, Dad. I will be fine for telling the truth."

And there you have what this whole thing is about.  There you have what is important, what is worth being brave for, what is worth standing up for, what America really is: our constitution, our rule of law. Lieutenant Vindman (and I) have faith in it. The constitution and the rule of law will win. Our republic, our democracy, will win.  The lawless fascist in the White House and his truly despicable followers will not. That said, I am scared of their hate. I’m scared for Lieutenant Vindman. I’m scared for Rachel Maddow. I’m scared for the Whistleblower. I’m scared for my dear Muslim co-worker and her family. I’m scared for myself when I sit in my liberal church on Sundays. We are in scary times, when the POTUS encourages, incites and leads with hate. But, do not worry, Dad. We’ll be fine for telling the truth. Though I am scared for brave individuals, and groups targeted by the disgusting POTUS and his perhaps even more terrifying followers, I have faith in our founders, and the wise, awesome and strong groundwork they laid.  I have faith that, as a country, in the end, we WILL be fine, Dad. We will be fine for telling the truth.

God bless you, Lieutenant Vindman, and all of the other brave, patriotic witnesses who complied with their subpoenas, showed up and told the truth, and will continue to do so.  America will indeed be fine, due to our constitution and rule of law, our free press, and courageous patriots like you and all of us who continue to stand up to this President, and for what America really is.

Which Side Are You On?

I just ended a friendship with someone I go back many decades with, and who is very special to me. Someone I loved with all my heart.

But this person doesn't seem to have a problem with 45 kidnapping babies and children, separating them from their parents, orphaning them, and traumatizing them in cages in concentration camps. I've been aware of this for a while, but I tried very hard to not let it come between our friendship. However, the thing is, this is one of those times in history when you HAVE to choose sides. And there is no middle ground. Not only is there is no being okay with children in cages, in concentration camps, obviously, but for me, there is no being okay with anyone who IS okay with that. No matter who that person is.

There's a line and you are either on the right side of it or you are not. So if anyone is okay with Trump separating children from their parents, not documenting who they belong with (and/or, in some cases, even when "US PARENT" and a phone # is written on the child's arm, the administration isn't even bothering to make a phone call to reunite the children with the family member), and keeping the children in cages, in concentration camps, please unfriend me now. We're on different sides of history. And there is no reaching across, on this one, for me. Not for anyone. Because if you choose that side, I can no longer see that you have a heart or soul.