VOTE this time, or there may not be a next time...

Every American who cares at all about America, as in, everything that TRULY makes us special and great when we are at our best, and is truly worth fighting for (our democracy, the right to vote, the rule of law, stuff like that), MUST watch at least the first 27 minutes of tonight's The Rachel Maddow Show (link below). As my mom would say: "Yes, that's a direct order."

Watch it. And then VOTE. And don't let anyone stop you, because the coup is still in process and those in the bright red caps who may or may not have guns with them as they wait to write down your license plate at the drop box are going to try. Do not let them stop you. Do not let them stop our democracy. Too many have fought too long and sacrificed everything for our right to vote and for all that America truly does stand for and truly can be at its best. That best, that ideal America which, yes, we've many times in our history fallen waaaaaay short of, yet other times have dazzled the world by being, and which is still worth loving and fighting for making reality in the present and future, is completely dependent on YOUR vote.

Every election cycle since I came of age, I've been saying, with increasing urgency each time, "Your vote matters." This election cycle, I'm saying: if you do not vote this time, and vote BLUE, next time your vote may not matter. As there may not be a next time.

Watch the 1st 27 minutes of tonight's (10/24/2022) The Rachel Maddow Show

Independence Day 2022

The weirdest/eeriest thing just happened.  I was having a very peaceful, restful 4th of July holiday Monday today.  I was just making some tea.  While waiting for the water to boil, I was putting some clean dishes and utensils away in the kitchen, and thinking about how I was going to go into another room and turn the TV on once I got my tea.  All of a sudden, I got a feeling.  And I said out loud to my cat, Kioko, "I have this feeling there's been another mass shooting."  I had a strong feeling that, when I turned on the TV, there would be some sort of horrible news, and furthermore, it would be a mass shooting.

Now, one could argue that this truly is "an INFJ thing".  I'm an INFJ and we do tend to have such strong intuition that it can border on, and, in some cases, at some times, even BE to the level of what some call "ESP" or extra sensory perception, and I've experienced this in the past:  precognition.  I just experienced it again.  Because I just turned on the TV and:  at least 6 killed, 31 injured in yet another mass shooting carried out with what should be, and is in other countries, a weapon of war that is not accessible to civilians.  But in America, where we seem to value being the wild, wild west above almost all else, we are "free" to carry around weapons that have no other purpose at all except to kill the maximum number of people in the minimum number of moments.  So one really doesn't have to be an INFJ to think "I have a feeling there was another mass shooting", turn on the TV, and see that it's true.

Friends, I love my country, America, very dearly.  I'm patriotic.  For all her faults, she's got so much that is very, very special in very, very awesomely good ways about her.  But in this way--this way of having more and more and more and more mass shootings, massacres--we are "special" in a very, very terrible way.  And we don't have to be.

This is the 4th of July.  A day to celebrate all that is good about America.  A day to celebrate our Independence and that we exist.  When Benjamin Franklin emerged from Independence Hall after the Constitutional Convention in 1787, someone called out an eager question to him:  “What have we got? A republic or a monarchy?” Ben Franklin responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

A republic, if you can keep it.  Already a phrase I've been reflecting on so much, in the wake of 45's reign of terror.  The republic held, but in some ways, barely, and it was and remains a close call.  Our very foundations were shaken, and some cracks happened and/or were exposed.  We have a lot of work to do.  We have a lot of shoring up and rebuilding and we have also reached a moment of reckoning in our country about a lot of our history that isn't so star-spangled, and that is ugly, and that was wrong.  Yet there is so much beautiful and to cherish and to fight for--to shore up, to build up, to fix where needed and to lovingly preserve and/or restore where needed.  So I was, in the midst of all that is wrong, also celebrating the 4th in my heart, mind and imagination--wherever one's ideals live--as always.

But turning on the TV and seeing that six worlds just ended and 31 more are shattered and imperiled, and all because we think "freedom" includes wielding weapons of mass murder, makes me, and this day for me in 2022, indescribably sad.  How many times can I and others say:  BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION FROM CIVILIAN HANDS?

Freedom is the freedom to go to church, synagogue, mosque, the grocery store, work, your elementary school, or a 4th of July parade without the very real fear of being gunned down in a massacre.  This is the wild, wild west on steroids.  This is not what our, or any, country should stand for.  We should reflect on this, this 4th of July, as six worlds just ended and 31 more might from one massacre, and then we should do a lot more than reflect on every day after this 4th of July until we get a full, federal assault weapons (and ammo) ban.

Another thing about us INFJs is that we are very idealistic.  This--an assault weapons ban--is considered a pie in the sky ideal.  But is it?  How pathological is a society in which just being able to leave the house without being gunned down is considered a pie in the sky ideal?  And how pathological is a society in which the "freedom" to own a weapon of war, of mass murder, that can kill hundreds of people in moments, is somehow considered a "right"?  Guess what, it is not mentioned in the constitution.  So let's sic Clarence Thomas on this one, since he's very big on anything not explicitly mentioned in the constitution:  there is ZERO right to carry military assault weapons of war, let him write a draft opinion on THAT.  And then, my Democratic President and Congress, LET'S ENACT A NEW LAW BANNING ASSAULT RIFLES FROM CIVILIAN HANDS, so that we can celebrate our independence with a parade and not fear being gunned down in the process.

America Still Has a Heartbeat...

I'm awed.

The scenes out of my hometown (DC) right now are impressive. The streets are filled with caring, empassioned, righteous, brave Americans of all different colors, ages and backgrounds. Recently, I've felt like giving up. Giving up on social change in America (and the world), which is basically what I've been about my entire life. Everything has felt completely dark.

But today I'm seeing candles. Thousands upon thousands of candles in the street. And just as the first Women's March (which I participated in, thank God, as it honestly was the hope and inspiration that got me through the subsequent first three years of the 45 administration) heartened me and gave me strength to go on, now these utterly beautiful, engaged, caring, protesters in the streets all over our country (and even in other countries on our behalf), but especially in DC, are bringing tears to my eyes. Heartened tears. Tears of hope.

I thought America ended on February 5th. Murdered by the complicit Republican Senate, which ruled that the current and and all future POTUS are above the law. I thought: that's it. Everything that so many sacrificed so much for, and worked so hard for, for our entire history, is over. Because they've killed the constitution now. The constitution, which I was raised by my beloved momma to think was/is everything. The foundation that this country is built on.

But you know what? It's powerful, but, at the end of the day, it's a document with words in it. It's the people that gave it life, and it's the people who give our laws, our checks and balances, and our entire everything that is "America"--the highest ideals of, and idea of, and reality of, America--life. Or death. And I'm realizing something, as tears fill my eyes: the Senate didn't kill America. They dealt a blow to the constitution. That's all. And that's not nothing. But that's not everything. We ain't dead yet, folks! And why? Because of WE, THE PEOPLE.

We are still here. And as long as we rise, and as long as we march, and as long as we make our voices heard, and, as my hero, Bernie Sanders always says: stand together, there is nothing we can't do. Including SAVING THIS COUNTRY.

My God, we're not dead yet. America still has a pulse! And all of these protesters, lighting one candle instead of cursing the darkness, have lit up my darkness. And given me hope. Maybe this truly is the proverbial darkness before the dawn. If we, the people, usher in the dawn, it will come. If we all keep lighting candles.

America still has a heartbeat! It's us, y'all! The constitution is beautiful but it isn't the heartbeat. That's in all of us, we, the people. <3

The End of America

America is in dire distress today. Within hours, America as I recognize, know and love it, will be over, if the Senate votes to acquit 45. Precedents will have been set that effectively end the separation of powers, and end the rule of law. The current POTUS, and future presidents, will have free reign to be lawless. They also will not be subject to congressional oversight. Our country, the heart and soul of which are the rule of law and the separation of powers, will be effectively ended.

The great American experiment will be over. We had a good run. We had a beautiful run. We had a lot of ugliness and wrong in our history but also a LOT of awesome goodness, high ideals, and much that was so beautiful.

So many gave so much, in so many ways, to envision, create, and continue to try to make America a more perfect union. In minutes, to hours, that will be over.

We will still be in the same physical place. The same beautiful, breathtaking land. We will still be called The United States of America. But it will all be over.

Just like that: no war. No guns. Just like that. Goodbye, my beautiful, beloved country. I'm so sorry we couldn't save you.

Memo to Antonin Scalia: "Separate but Equal" = Unconstitutional

Antonin Scalia: "I'm curious, when did it become unconstitutional to exclude homosexual couples from marriage?"

Me: Well, I can't believe I have to inform you on this, since you are a Supreme Court Justice (!!!) and therefore should know the basics of constitutional law, but since clearly you do NOT, allow me to answer your dumb-ass, bigoted question: It became illegal to exclude homosexual couples from marriage the day the constitution became the law of this land.

Do you have any other questions I can answer for you, Antonin?

P.S. Get with it, Antonin. Just because "separate but equal" is state law in some states, doesn't make it CONSTITUTIONAL. Just look at the history of our country: The constitution will trump bigotry, every time. Even when it is euphemistically labeled "separate but equal'

And Crown Thy Good with Brotherhood

I am definitely in favor of allowing the mosque to be built near Ground Zero. Far from dishonoring the 9/11 victims, I think allowing and even, dare I say, welcoming the mosque profoundly honors them by honoring what America truly stands for and making a bold, bright statement to any would-be terrorists out there, as well as to everyone else, that what the United States of America stands for will never be weakened or turned away from for any reason, let alone due to a violent, cruel, downright evil act of terrorism such as what occurred on 9/11.

What do we stand for? We stand for freedom, tolerance, pluralism and respect for diversity. Of course a mosque should be allowed to be built near Ground Zero, as should a church, a synagogue, a Buddhist temple, or any other house of peaceful worship and/or community/cultural outreach that any group desires to build. I think it deeply honors the victims of 9/11, as well as our country, to say to the terrorists: you haven’t stopped us, and you won’t stop us. You will never stop America from being America. You won’t stop us from upholding religious freedom, from respecting and celebrating each other’s differences, or from being the marvelous, remarkable, pluralistic, free country that we are. Just because you hate us, does not mean that we, in turn, will choose to hate anyone who happens to be a member of the same faith as you were, any more than the actions of Timothy McVeigh made us hate all Christians. Just because you, 9/11 terrorists, had hate and violence in your hearts, doesn’t mean that we, Americans, will let go of the tolerance, respect for diversity and our most cherished values like religious freedom that we have in our hearts and in our constitution, and that define who we are as Americans and America. Just because you were small-minded, doesn’t mean we will become as you were. We’re Americans: we welcome a house of worship, of whatever faith, to be built near Ground Zero.  We stand for religious freedom and pluralism.  The violent, evil, terrorist acts of 9/11 have not, and will never, change that.

I myself am a Unitarian Universalist (and I’m also Jewish--complex, I know, but that’s a topic for another blog sometime), so I don’t say this as someone who practices Islam myself. No, I say this as someone who cherishes what my country stands for. I will strongly defend the right of any religion to practice freely, and if this particular group is allowed to do so near Ground Zero, to me, it very powerfully honors and reaffirms what our country is all about and therefore honors the lives of the 9/11 victims. What would dishonor them and us as a country would be for us to become intolerant, like the 9/11 terrorists themselves. What would dishonor them would be to harden our hearts and turn our backs on one of our most fundamental tenets, that of religious freedom. For to do so would mean giving up what we are and becoming like the terrorists. By contrast, if we allow the mosque to be built, we are affirming what we are—a truly free, tolerant and diverse country--and making a statement that nothing has changed that, nothing has changed us, and we will never allow anything to change or compromise what America stands for.

The terrorists could not take away what we quintessentially are as a unique, admirable nation. Only we can choose to give that up. I say we choose instead to embrace and confidently reaffirm our most inspiring, precious founding values! I say allow the mosque near Ground Zero to be built. What a powerful, beautiful message that sends! It says: America is still America. America is still the tolerant, free nation we have always been and always will be.  9/11 didn’t change that. What could possibly honor the 9/11 victims more than making that glorious statement?