A Cruel Solution to Homelessness

PROVERBS 21:13 NLT 13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. God loves all the people of the world -- rich and poor. His will is not that anyone should suffer or be forgotten. God loves those who are poor.

Ending Homelessness

Trump is promising to clean up the streets in our major cities. He'll rid us of crime. He'll kick pout the homeless. Being homeless will become a crime as they will be swept up, appear before a judge, be assessed a fine, they likely cannot pay and be jailed. fined, and put back in jail. Once released, their prospects are still not good. You need to earn more than $35 an hour around here to rent a place. Jobs available to these people pay a little over $16. They will still be homeless. They will get rearrested and processed though the system, again. 

So, you tell me these are junkies and drunks, the bottom dregs of our society, but is that the case? On any given night 60,000 families with children experience homelessness, They live in cars, shelters, tents abandoned buildings, or with friends and relatives. In California, where the housing crisis is critical, about a third of the homeless are families.

Here's how it works according to AI sources.

The "Homeless-Jail Cycle"

A revolving door: Frequent arrests can lead to a "homelessness-jail cycle".

Limited solutions: Instead of providing stable housing and support services, aggressive enforcement of quality-of-life ordinances often results in displacement, wasted resources, and increased health issues for homeless individuals.

Lack of alternatives: The legal system often leads to incarceration, which can hinder an individual's ability to find work, housing, and treatment, trapping them in a continuous cycle.
If we want to end homelessness we need to get at the root causes of homelessness

Housing.

There are currently two major contributors to the housing and homelessness crises: a lack of low cost housing nationwide and the limited scale of housing assistance programs. Nationally, the cost of rental housing greatly exceeds wages earned by low-income renter households.

To afford a two-bedroom apartment in Connecticut and avoid being "housing cost burdened" (spending more than 30% of your income on rent), you need to earn approximately $73,500 to $75,000 annually, or about $35.42 per hour for a full-time job. This figure is based on the 2025 "Out of Reach" report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and Partnership for Strong Communities.

 

Why It Matters/The Root Cause

The Affordability Gap:

The report highlights a significant gap between the wages most Connecticut renters actually earn (around $22.69/hour) and the "housing wage" needed for a two-bedroom apartment.

Rising Costs:

The required income has increased, with 2025 figures showing a need for about $2,000 more per year than in 2024.

Is Trump's strategy about solutions or power? Power! He's showing his base he's tough on crime. 

Solutions won't be coming from the Trump administration. The proposed White House budget for 2026 cuts funding for affordable housing in half. Medicaid, healthcare for the working poor, is losing $911 billion. Food benefits are being cut $186 billion.

Where then? It will have to start at the community level, increasing awareness of the plight of the poor in this country. From there, action from community groups, cities, states, and regional organizations.

Oh, You'll Get Over It

 I've Heard This Before

But for me, some things will never settle. They are not meant to settle. In a way, it's like grief. There will always be feelings for something that is such a significant part of my life. So many things never would have happened if I hadn't responded to that call for volunteering at my local public radio station. That opportunity turned into a whole new direction for me, and  meaningful career of public service. I got to work with some really incredible people, and serve a remarkable audience.

But this isn't all about me. It is about the American people. The mission of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is to ensure universal access to content and services that educate, inform, promote civil discourse, and foster curiosity, with a particular focus on creative risk-taking and addressing the needs of unserved and underserved audiences. CPB stewards federal funding to support more than 1,500 local public media stations nationwide, enabling them to provide essential news, educational programming, and emergency information to all Americans. 

The President and his party doesn't see any value in this because it doesn't serve his agenda. In fact, he resents anything that might seem critical to him. He wants total control over messaging. Therefore, CPB, and Public Media must be eliminated.

About a week ago CPB's Patricia Harrison announced The Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be ending operations in a matter of weeks. And you know what is remarkable? The professionalism demonstrated by this letter under extremely difficult circumstances.

Patricia's letter is below.

August 1, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 1, 2025) – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced today that it will begin an orderly wind-down of its operations following the passage of a federal rescissions package and the release of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) appropriations bill, which excludes funding for CPB for the first time in more than five decades.

For nearly 60 years, CPB has carried out its Congressional mission to build and sustain a trusted public media system that informs, educates, and serves communities across the country. Through partnerships with local stations and producers, CPB has supported educational content, locally relevant journalism, emergency communications, cultural programming, and essential services for Americans in every community.

“Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” said CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”

CPB informed its employees today that the majority of staff positions will conclude with the close of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025. A small transition team will remain through January 2026 to ensure a responsible and orderly closeout of operations. This team will focus on compliance, final distributions, and resolution of long-term financial obligations, including ensuring continuity for music rights and royalties that remain essential to the public media system.

“Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country,” Harrison said. “We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.”

CPB’s Board of Directors and management are working closely to address the legal, financial, and operational requirements of the closure. CPB will provide regular updates and guidance to stations and producers navigating the profound challenges ahead.

10 Steps to Autocracy

I saw a yard sign today. It read, "Fight Truth Decay." It's funny and serious all at once.

"Yes, we know he's outrageous, but we've got it all under control." That seemed to be Republican sentiment in 2017. That sentiment is no longer valid, because it no longer matters. What matters is the complete demolition of democracy in the the pursuit of absolute power.

Autocracy

There are ten steps to complete control, and all of them are in play right now. (From a variety of online sources including The Authoritarian Playbook, The Conversation, and Stacey Abrams.

1. Exploiting divisions and polarizing society: Autocratic leaders often thrive on societal divisions, stoking fear and distrust among different groups, according to The Commons Social Change Library.
2. Attacking independent institutions: This includes undermining the media, judiciary, and other checks and balances within a democratic system. They might attack these institutions through legal means or by installing loyalists.
3. Spreading disinformation and controlling information: Authoritarian regimes use propaganda and control media outlets to shape public perception and suppress dissenting voices.
4. Aggrandizing executive power: Leaders increase their authority, often through executive orders or constitutional changes, while weakening legislatures and other institutions that limit their power.
5. Targeting and silencing the opposition: This includes restricting the ability of political opponents and civil society organizations to operate, potentially through legal action, harassment, or violence.
6. Manipulating elections: While maintaining the facade of democracy, autocrats may rig elections through vote suppression, gerrymandering, or altering voting rules.
7. Exploiting nationalism and populism: Leaders appeal to a sense of national pride and popular resentment against elites or minorities to solidify their power base.
8. Using emergency powers to justify repression: Claiming a need to maintain order or address threats (real or perceived), leaders might declare states of emergency to bypass legal constraints and repress dissent.
9. Controlling the economy and rewarding loyalists: Autocratic leaders often use economic control and patronage networks to ensure elite support and keep the public dependent on the regime.
10. Exporting the model and collaborating with other autocracies: Authoritarian regimes may seek to expand their influence internationally and exchange strategies for maintaining power. 

Now what?

A United Front!

"Trumpism… is primarily about the acquisition of power — power for its own sake. It is a multifront assault to make the earth a playground for ruthless men, so of course any institutions that might restrain power must be weakened or destroyed. Trumpism is about ego, appetite and acquisitiveness and is driven by a primal aversion to the higher elements of the human spirit — learning, compassion, scientific wonder, the pursuit of justice. …

What is happening now is not normal politics. We’re seeing an assault on the fundamental institutions of our civic life, things we should all swear loyalty to — Democrat, independent or Republican. It’s time for a comprehensive national civic uprising. It’s time for Americans in universities, law, business, nonprofits and the scientific community, and civil servants and beyond to form one coordinated mass movement. Trump is about power. The only way he’s going to be stopped is if he’s confronted by some movement that possesses rival power. …I’m really not a movement guy. I don’t naturally march in demonstrations or attend rallies that I’m not covering as a journalist. But this is what America needs right now.” -David Brooks

We should just fire him

An At-Will Employee

(Our Will)

Trump is breaking all norms, but is he doing his job? According to his job description as set out by the National Archives and the Harry S. Truman Library he is not fulfilling his duties, but it is clear congress is not willing to do their job.

His job review is coming up next year with the mid-term elections. Since the current congress is unwilling to hold him accountable, and change is already overdue, he must be held to account for not following his duties as outlined by the job description. 

What happens if you refuse to follow the tasks as described in a job description? There are consequences. AI gave me this overview.

• Disciplinary Action:

  Employers may issue warnings, suspensions, or other disciplinary measures for insubordination or failure to fulfill job duties. 

Termination:

• In cases of repeated refusal or serious breach of job responsibilities, an employer may terminate the employee's contract. 

Legal Issues:

• In some situations, employees may have grounds to claim wrongful termination if they believe they were unfairly dismissed for refusing to perform tasks outside their job description or expertise. 

Keeping the Balance: What a President Can Do and Cannot Do

A PRESIDENT CAN . . .

• make treaties with the approval of the Senate.
• veto bills and sign bills.
• represent our nation in talks with foreign countries.
• enforce the laws that Congress passes.
• act as Commander-in-Chief during a war.
• call out troops to protect our nation against an attack.
• make suggestions about things that should be new laws.
• lead his political party.
• entertain foreign guests.
• recognize foreign countries.
• grant pardons.
• nominate Cabinet members and Supreme Court Justices and other high officials.
• appoint ambassadors.
• talk directly to the people about problems.
• represent the best interest of all the people

A PRESIDENT CANNOT . . .

• make laws.
• declare war.
• decide how federal money will be spent.
• interpret laws.
• choose Cabinet members or Supreme Court Justices without Senate approval.

Blind acceptance dulls your mind

 

There was a time when looking for solid advice about what I could do to stand against tyranny in affirmative ways didn't seem all that important. Times have changed. The following is from 20 Lesson For Fighting Tyranny. Historian and Andrew Carnegie Fellow Timothy Snyder suggests ways to defend democracy with individual actions. I've selected four of the 20 ideas that resonate with me. There's a link to all 20 below.

1. Believe in truth. To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then no one can criticize power because there is no basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights. 
2. The barrage of mis-statements and lies can seem overwhelming. It's deliberate.  He wants us to cave.
3. Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.
4. Practice corporeal politics. Power wants your body softening in your chair and your emotions dissipating on the screen. Get outside. Put your body in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people. Make new friends and march with them.
5. Five million protesters is a gaudy number, but not nearly the numbers needed to create a lasting change.  It's only a beginning. Small groups working together will make a difference. This requires we make it our intention to stay informed. 
6. Investigate. Figure things out for yourself. Spend more time with long articles. Subsidize investigative journalism by subscribing to print media. Realize that some of what is on the Internet is there to harm you. Learn about sites that investigate propaganda campaigns (some of which come from abroad). Take responsibility for what you communicate to others.

1. https://www.carnegie.org/our-work/article/twenty-lessons-fighting-tyranny/

Public Broadcasting's Future

Uncertainty

The future of public broadcasting is in doubt. Trump wants to zero out current funding. He can do that by asking Congress for a recission. 

This not about saving federal dollars. CPB's federal appropriation is modest: roughly one one-hundredth of a percent (0.01%) of the federal budget. CPB is distinct from NPR and PBS and does not produce programming or own, operate, or manage any public media stations. -opb.org. 

This is about retribution. "President Trump is looking to go after PBS and NPR to settle political scores and muzzle the free press, while undermining foreign assistance programs that push back on China's malign influence, save lives, and address other bipartisan priorities," (-Sen. Schumer) Foreign aid is part of this order for recission by Trump.

Will he get his way?

 I remember observing focus groups for Audience 88 and Audience 98. One of the questions asked about the importance of public radio. What would you do if public radio were to disappear? We were asking our audience why they found public radio important in a crowded media environment. It is now up to Congress to decide if Trump can pull all funding for NPR and PBS. It's called a recission of funding. Most Republicans say they support this idea. If public media is important to you, speak up now! You will get talking points back, but it is sheer numbers that will impress Congress.

And what did we discover about our listeners? They considered themselves to be citizens of the world. They appreciated how we were able to put stories a broader context, and they understood the interconnectedness of our shared experience.  

Contact Congress

U.S. House of Representatives:
* Telephone:  202-225-3121
* Website:  http://www.house.gov/ 

U.S. Senate:
* Telephone:  202-224-3121
* Website:  http://www.senate.gov/

Find your member of Congress and contact him or her:
Contact your Representative
Contact your Senator

Insights into Action

These four passages offer insights into my core values and beliefs. All of these inspire. All of these shout, "Take action, don't remain silent. There's always more to be done." Being informed and digging deeper is a really important catalyst for motivation.

I invite you to immerse yourself and find the truth.

Good news is not the spiritual and intellectual property of males only or of a particular religion. And true discipleship or learning involves dialogue, mutuality, and humility.

Inspired by Acts 16: 9-15

As we strive for a vision of a peaceful earth, may we recognize that true nonviolence is not weakness but a sacred trust in humanity’s God-given capacity to grow, to change, and to choose the plowshare over the sword.

Inspired by Isaiah

May the Lord torment you. May the Lord disturb you. May the Lord keep before you the faces of the despised, rejected, lonely and oppressed. May the Lord give you strength and courage and compassion to make this a better world. And may you do your very best to make this a better city, a better state, a better world. And after you have done your best, may the Lord grant you peace. Amen.

UMC Bishop White

It is estimated that at least 300,000 individuals, mostly children, have died because of the slash in funding for USAID. That's according to NPR, PBS, The Times, ProPublica, and the NYTimes. The journalists reporting on this issue have sourced everything in their reporting. Of course, Marco Rubio denies this, but offers no sources that back his assertions. His denials will not make this go away.

The Hollow Men

The administration thinks mercy, empathy, and generosity are signs of weakness. His spiritual advisors proclaim empathy is a sin. They are bereft of any compassion.

I first became aquatinted with the concept of the hollow man in the 60's. The counter culture thought the establishment were the plastic people. They told us their conformity got us through the Great Depression and World War II. We rebelled against that conformity. But it wasn't conformity that got us through the 30's and first half of the 40's, it was unity. It was disparate communities coming together that got us through perilous times. We both had it wrong. 

Then later, a song by Sam Philips broadened my awareness about what TS Elliott was writing about in The Hollow Men.

        You try to tell the world how it should spin

        But you live in terror with the hollow men

        Who stun you with their lies

        With fever in their eyes as they drown you

        From "Baby, I Can't Please You."

The current administration is the essence of the Hollow Men. TS Elliott's poem depicts a world populated by "hollow men," who are spiritually and morally bankrupt, lacking purpose and meaning in their lives. The poem uses imagery and allusions to convey this sense of decay and despair.

“This is the way the world ends.

This is the way the world ends.

This is the way the world ends.

Not with a bang but a whimper.”

― T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men

Not if we unify against the hollow men. Unity is a concept of oneness where individuals join together by finding common ground. When I searched for a better definition, I came up with a couple of things. Notice there is not a duality, instead there is inclusiveness.

The concept of oneness is a multifaceted idea, generally referring to a sense of unity, interconnectedness, and a transcendence of boundaries or separations. It can be understood as a state of being whole, complete, and harmonized, with different interpretations arising in spiritual, philosophical, and psychological contexts.

Divine Essence

In the spiritual context there is divine essence. Many spiritual traditions believe that a divine force or energy permeates all of existence, and that individuals are part of this same essence.

Embrace the diversity. Find value in each of us. It is a force that is much stronger than fascism.

We are all different, together

What do we fear most? 

Standard answers may be:

Public Speaking?

Death?

Spiders?

Snakes?

Sharks?

Chapman University came out with something a little more definitive in 2023. 

Fears are ranked by the percentage of Americans surveyed who reported being ‘afraid’ or ‘very afraid.’

Top 10 Fears of 2023                                                    % of Very Afraid or Afraid

Corrupt government officials                                                      60.1%

Economic/financial collapse                                                        54.7%

Russia using nuclear weapons                                                    52.5%

The US becoming involved in another World War                     52.3%

People I love becoming seriously ill                                            50.6%

People I love dying                                                                       50.4%

Pollution of drinking water                                                           50.0%

Biological warfare                                                                         49.5%

Cyber-terrorism                                                                             49.3%

Not having enough money for the future                                    48.0%

Hmmm...

You know what I don't see in these listings? Inclusion! I don't see Diversity, Equity and Accessibility for that matter. So, what's the objection to inclusiveness? Some conservatives believe DEIA lowers standards in the hiring process. Then incapable people are put in charge of critical functions. They believe the voting rights act and civil rights acts need to be rolled back, because they give an unfair advantage to women and people of color. They believe women and people of color are inherently inferior. Lifting up people, other than white men, is leading to our downfall, and they are willing to tear down democracy to prove their point.

DEI has become a talking point, at times acting as a sort of dog whistle and scapegoat, as the measures were falsely blamed for events such as the demise of Silicon Valley Bank, Boeing’s aircraft safety problems and the collapse of a bridge in Baltimore after it was struck by a cargo ship. -the guardian

Benjamin Barber defines democracy as a system of government in which the majority of the adult population participates in politics on the basis of a representative system. Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as a system of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I looked this up in Wikipedia and found, Strong Democracy: Participatory Politics for a New Age by Benjamin R. Barber  published by the University of California Press in 1984 and republished in a twentieth anniversary edition in 2004. The book argues that representative or "thin" democracy is rooted in an individualistic "rights" perspective that diminishes the role of citizens in democratic governance. The work offers a theoretical critique of representative or liberal democracy and a foundation for participatory politics. The final chapter elucidates practical ways to apply the theory of strong democracy in large industrial societies. In a Strong Democracy all of us have something valuable to bring to the whole. 

Is their hold on power so fragile that it cannot stand against an inclusive (strong) democracy where we all are given a voice? There is power in true unity that values the talents all of us can bring to our community. Rugged individualism serves nobody, and it makes us all more vulnerable by dealing whole groups of people out.

Inspiration

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other, but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.  

 -Ecclesiastes 4:9–10

We need to be working together, because equality is not just a state; it’s an active relationship. -Malcolm Foley, “The Church Doesn’t Talk Much About Greed. Malcolm Foley Says That’s Weird”

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country". -JFK

Afrikaner's Exception

Because they are white

Donald Trump has blocked thousands of refugees from entering the U.S.—but is welcoming white South Africans.

“It is better to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die” ...Biko

Afrikaner police admitted to killing Stephen Biko. Why? Because he was willing to speak out against racism and oppression. 

"An administration official’s attempt to explain Donald Trump’s decision to allow white South African “refugees” as an exception to his ban on asylum-seekers revealed just how racist the policy really is.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau was greeting the group of 59 Afrikaners who arrived in Washington Monday, when he told a reporter that Afrikaners had received an exception to the president’s order because they could be “assimilated easily” into the United States.

The deputy secretary’s language indicates that the Trump administration is willing to admit refugees who are more culturally and ethnically cohesive with the predominantly white U.S. population." -the new republic

NPR reports South Africa's Department of International Relations has hit back against Trump's allegations that Afrikaners are discriminated against.

"It is ironic that the executive order makes provision for refugee status in the U.S. for a group in South Africa that remains amongst the most economically privileged, while vulnerable people in the U.S. from other parts of the world are being deported and denied asylum despite real hardship," the department said in a February statement.

Afrikaner's who own about 70% of the commercial farmland in South Africa, despite being about 7% of the population, believe their ownership is through Devine Mission. They contend the land was empty when they arrived there. In fact, it was not. The land of South Africa was inhabited by various indigenous peoples, most notably the Khoisan groups (Khoi and San). These groups had lived in the region for thousands of years and were the original custodians of the land.


NPR reports President Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that white South African farmers, known as Afrikaners, are facing genocide and land seizures. The Trump administration classified the white Afrikaners as refugees earlier this year. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said: "It's a genocide that's taking place that you people don't want to write about, but it's a terrible thing that's taking place. And farmers are being killed. They happen to be white, but whether they're white or Black makes no difference to me, but white farmers are being brutally killed, and their land is being confiscated in South Africa. While South Africa passed a land reform law earlier this year allowing, in rare cases, for land expropriation without compensation, no land has been seized.

 

Strange Times

What are we going to do about it?

 

I’m a-goin’ back out ’fore the rain starts a-fallin’

I’ll walk to the depths of the deepest black forest

Where the people are many and their hands are all empty

Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters

Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison

Where the executioner’s face is always well hidden

Where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten

Where black is the color, where none is the number

And I’ll tell it and think it and speak it and breathe it

And reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it

Then I’ll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin’

But I’ll know my song well before I start singin’ 

-Bob Dylan Hard Rain...

We've been here before

Someone told me at the beginning of the pandemic that these are really strange and perilous times. She was right, and it has gotten much worse. We were asked during the election if we were better off in 2024 than we were in 2020. Decidedly, yes!

Getting Even

"Trump has moved aggressively to fulfill his promise of “retribution” in the first 100 days of his second term by taking action against over 100 people and institutions, according to an NPR review. He has used the government to target political opponents, news organizations, law firms, universities and more. Some of the harshest actions he has taken against people he has targeted include ordering multiple Justice Department investigations."
" Trump is also effectively telling investigators what he believes the outcomes of the investigations should be, NPR’s Tom Dreisbach says. The Trump administration uses over 10 agencies in various ways to get payback. Secret Service protection has been pulled for President Biden’s children, media companies that Trump dislikes, including NPR, face FCC investigations, and universities face investigation from the Department of Education unless they agree to sweeping government demands."

We are living in dark times.

Giving up is not an option. Starting by gathering with like minded people is a beginning. The mutual support makes us stronger. Speaking out is important. Taking action, even in small ways is the beginning of a ground swell. 

The attacks on the dignity of individuals, on whole communities, goes beyond the attempts to silence contrary voices, voices that uphold the facts.

You understand what's going on here, right? Blatant racism! A callous disregard for the health and well being of fellow Americans based on their skin color and economic situation. The mere fact I am bringing this up, the fact that the previous administration was willing to step in and alleviate the plight of groups of people is deemed racism. Do you understand how warped their reasoning has become? Are you willing to stand with the facts, to stand in favor of justice, and treating people with dignity? 

Trump shut down environmental clean-up programs

 In Lowndes County, Alabama, funding was granted to end human waste backing into Alabama homes. A situation that went unchecked for years. Lowndes County is majority black. The State of Alabama was unwilling to do anything about the unhealthy situation. The Biden administration stepped in to alleviate situation. It was a $26 million federal program to help residents of Lowndes County, Alabama, who have dealt with inadequate sewage systems for decades.

 "The Biden administration investigated and allocated nearly $26 million to rebuild Lowndes County’s water infrastructure, with the Department of Justice declaring the majority-Black area was suffering from “environmental racism.”   

"But earlier this month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to kill the deal, calling it “illegal DEI.”

Five things we can do

The UN suggests five things we can do to stand against injustice and hatred.

1. Show your support for diverse ethnic groups in your community by attending, promoting or helping fund events run by local organizations and houses of worship that bring people together: festivals, film series, guest lectures, language classes and celebrations. Bring your children.

2. If you see something in news reports or on social media that reflects prejudice, write a letter to the editor or leave a comment to let others know that intolerant remarks are unkind and uncalled for.

3. Prejudice and hate are not innate. They are learned behaviors — and they can be unlearned. Children absorb biases from the adults around them, and from the media, books and their peers. So set a good example. The process of countering negatives with positives begins at an early age. Talking about differences does not increase prejudice in children.

4. When the public stands in solidarity with immigrants and marginalized groups, bullies lose their power. If you see someone being harassed or physically attacked, it is important to help if you can do so safely. Make your presence as a witness known. Make eye contact with the person being attacked and ask if they want support. Don't escalate the situation.

5, It's more important than ever that we all remain in solidarity with one another. Human rights are a collective promise made by all countries of the world, including those in distress. Children from all ethnic backgrounds — especially children who have been uprooted by violence, war and poverty — need our support, wherever they are. Every child deserves to be treated with humanity, and to grow up in a safe and healthy environment.

Don't forget to laugh.

It’s just easier to laugh than to cry. If I cry, I’ll cry alone. But if you laugh, we can do it together. I guess no one knows how strong they can be until it’s their turn to deal with tragedy.
- Yusra Mardini,“Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian, My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph”

 

The Resurgence of Racism

Is Being Anti Woke Overt Racism?

To be "woke" politically in the Black community means that someone is informed, educated and conscious of social injustice and racial inequality, Merriam-Webster Dictionary states.

In the LGBTQ community it is a movement advocating for the equal treatment and elimination of discriminatory policies hurting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, according to Britannica.

Disability Studies emphasizes that disability is not solely a medical condition but a social construct influenced by the environment and societal attitudes. This perspective focuses on removing barriers and promoting inclusivity.

Woke feminism is a movement against the oppressive patriarchy and not against the community of men. Later on, as people from around the world modified and molded this term and its motto in their own convenient ways, it became a worldwide rage against men. But please, do not ignore issues of women's health, the glass ceiling, the right to vote, and abuse.

And what does the civil right act say? The act that Trump is trying to dismantle?

In simple terms, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended discrimination in the US based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibited discrimination in public places, employment, and voting, and also outlawed segregation in schools. This landmark legislation aimed to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all Americans, according to the National Archives (.gov).

The Definition

Racism is the belief that one race is superior, or inferior, to another, and that certain social and intellectual traits – such as personality, behavior, intelligence, and morals – are pre-determined based on one’s race or biological characteristics. These biases may be conscious or unconscious.

In the workplace, racism can take on many forms. It can manifest as deliberate, subtle, or even unintentional acts of discrimination because of a person’s race. These acts may take the form of stereotyping, “othering,” or avoidance.

Hiring or promoting someone based on the assumption they are better at math because they are Asian.

Complimenting a US-born Latino on how well she speaks English.

Asking a black person how he got promoted, implying he was selected based on his race – and not his intelligence, experience, or competency.

Assuming someone is not trustworthy because of their race.

Racism should never be tolerated or ignored. You have a responsibility to prevent and speak up against racism and maintain a workplace free from any form of racism, harassment, or discrimination.

The Civil Rights Act has the noblest of intentions. It's an attempt to put the institutions of slavery and Jim Crow behind us. It is there to stop and say, "no wait, bias is wrong." Those who oppose the act would take away the rights from large groups of Americans. Freedoms of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and petition. Additionally, the right to bear arms, protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right to a fair trial are fundamental, and they are codified in the Constitution. The Meritocracy will only award those rights to those they say qualify, white men who think like they do.

Don't believe it?

After the mid air collision between the Army helicopter and airliner in January, president Donald Trump suggested without evidence that the deadly midair collision of two aircraft in Washington was the result of the Federal Aviation Administration's efforts to hire a more diverse workforce, according to Reuters.

Trump leveled the accusation at a White House press conference called to update Americans on the Wednesday night crash in which a passenger jet about to land at Reagan National Airport collided with an Army helicopter on a training flight.

The implication is that women, people of color, and people with different cultural heritages are inherently inferior to white men, and anybody in any of those groups are the proximate cause of this tragedy or any other in this country.

Epilog

“As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”
― Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln Letters

We hold the future in our hands

Despite the Chaos

This morning I choose to share some hopeful words from David Brooks in an article written for the Atlantic, I Should Have Seen This Coming.

 "I have thought of America as a deeply flawed nation that is nonetheless a force for tremendous good in the world. From Abraham Lincoln to Franklin D. Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan and beyond, Americans fought for freedom and human dignity and against tyranny; we promoted democracy, funded the Marshall Plan, and saved millions of people across Africa from HIV and AIDS. When we caused harm—Vietnam, Iraq—it was because of our overconfidence and naivete, not evil intentions."

Included in the message is a call to action to stand up for a hopeful future that lifts all of us up. There are signs of movement, people are beginning to push back against the authoritarian rule of the Trump administration. 

Cory Booker's speech on the Senate floor. 

The lawyer in Michigan who is taking on cases defending the civil rights of foreign students despite being detained by immigration and customs officials. They wanted access to his cellphone.

The protests last Saturday. 

Sermons on the dignity of humankind. 

Richard Blumenthal's hold on nominations of Trump's appointees should be a starting point.

Brooks Says...

 "In the long term, Trumpism is doomed. Power without prudence and humility invariably fails. Nations, like people, change not when times are good but in response to pain. At a moment when Trumpism seems to be devouring everything, the temptation is to believe that this time is different." 

"But history doesn’t stop moving. Even now, as I travel around the country, I see the forces of repair gathering in neighborhoods and communities. If you’re part of an organization that builds trust across class, you’re fighting Trumpism. If you’re a Democrat jettisoning insular faculty-lounge progressivism in favor of a Whig-like working-class abundance agenda, you’re fighting Trumpism. If you are standing up for a moral code of tolerance and pluralism that can hold America together, you’re fighting Trumpism."

"Over time, changes in values lead to changes in relationships, which lead to changes in civic life, which eventually lead to changes in policy and then in the general trajectory of the nation. It starts slow, but as the Book of Job says, the sparks will fly upward."

Dignity

It isn't my imagination that we used to be able to talk to one another. Cultish tribalism was on the fringes. Lincoln was right when he spoke about a house divided. The issue he was speaking about was slavery. The issue today is about raw power, and brutish acts aimed at denying human dignity to all that might stand in the way of attainment of that power.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other."