“If you stand in the meat section at the grocery store long enough, you start to get mad at turkeys. There’s turkey ham, turkey bologna, turkey pastrami. Someone needs to tell the turkey, man, just be yourself.”
Moving Forward
Today marks 60 years since one of the most fateful days of the 20th century – the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I wanted to republish this essay from a decade ago. A good deal has changed – for me and this nation – in the decade since I first posted it. But one thing remains certain: time always moves forward and our hope for a better world never dies.
Filed under News
In Memoriam – Rosalynn Carter, 1927-2023
“Do what you can to show you care about other people and you will make our world a better place.”
For Those Who Never Came Home
From fellow blogger Alastair with “A Mixed Bag”.
Veteran’s Day 2023
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I Miss You, My Friend
As my 60th birthday approached last weekend, I thought of an old friend who had a birthday at the end of October. We haven’t actually spoken in years and last communicated via Facebook. But I don’t have any contact with him now.
Because of Donald Trump.
Max* was an interesting character. Born into a large familiar from Eastern Europe, he lived in a number of different places because of his father’s career. All of that afforded him not just an extraordinary education but an incredible life experience. He became well-versed in the arts and humanities; a polyglot who could communicate with most anyone.
I admired him on many levels; even envied him. Just listening to him made me feel smarter. We discussed a number of issues; seeming to solve all the world’s most vexing problems.
Then Donald Trump entered the fray of politics, and I watched almost helplessly as Max descended into the madness of right-wing extremism. I tried to remain reasonable; thinking it was something of a phase. Max couldn’t be this delusional, I told myself; he’s too much of an intellect to be persuaded by this charlatan of a man.
But my thoughts – nearly prayer-like after a while – had no effect. Max remained a devout Trumpist. I realized he’d been seduced when he posted a portrait of Francisco Franco, the long-serving Spanish dictator, to his Facebook page. I’ve often referred to Franco as Western Europe’s last totalitarian ruler; an autocrat who suppressed political dissent and an open media. Trump reminded me of him – someone who despised his critics and launched vocal tirades against them to state his point. His contemporaries included Brazil’s Jair Bolsarano and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. When Max posted that photo of Franco, I was appalled. I guess I shouldn’t have been so upset, but it genuinely shocked me. I quickly pointed out Franco’s dismal record on basic democratic principles and human rights, but a written response on a social media site is almost pointless. Max had already fallen for the Trump rhetoric and seemed to concur with some of it. When Trump referred to some African nations as “shithole countries”, for example, Max noted he’d lived in Africa briefly during his youth and could identify with Trump’s description of the region.
“Really, bro?” I replied at one point.
But again – pointless.
How do you persuade someone who’s consumed that proverbial Kool-Aid? Long answer: education and persuasion. Short answer: you don’t. As smart as Max is, I honestly didn’t know what overture would be appropriate. So…I just let it all go.
I genuinely hate that sensation – ending a friendship because of political opinions. I’d never had that experience before. Friends have died or simply faded into their lives, but I’ve never had one dissipate because of politics.
This past Saturday, November 4, another close friend, Preston*, treated me to lunch for my birthday. As with Max, he and I often engaged in cerebral conversations, which I absolutely love. I’ve known Preston much longer than I knew Max. Our exchange migrated to politics and the 2020 election. Preston is a Trump voter, but he doesn’t appear to be a devout loyalist. Still, he feels fraud prevailed in the last presidential election. I feel it prevailed in the 2016 election and highlighted that Trump didn’t win the popular vote.
“I have to respectfully disagree,” he said.
I looked at him and mentioned by former friend Max and what happened with us. “Dude!” I said. “I’ve already lost one friend because of political differences! I’ll be damned if lose another! Especially you!”
I told Preston I love and respect him too much to let politics drive a wedge between us. So, we dropped the matter and moved on to other things.
I miss you, my friend Max. I genuinely miss you and your views on the world and hearing you talk about your life experiences. But you made the choice to become blinded by the rantings of a pathological madman; you caused this division between us. I’m certain you’re not exactly upset or mortified – and quite frankly neither am I.
I just hate to see a good friend fade away in the morass of politics.
*Name changed
Filed under Essays
The Chief at 60
Yes, the Chief has officially reached the seventh decade of his life! I guess, at this point, I’m supposed to feel “old”. But I damn sure don’t! Not really. I mean I can’t eat like I did even twenty-five years ago, and my knees are definitely paying the price from decades of jogging. And I know full well that I now have more years behind me than ahead of me. But I’m still here!
Each decade of life is a major milestone, and I’m very fortunate to make it this far – especially considering I lost a close friend, David, this past April. That came a year after I lost another long-time friend, Paul. Paul was 55, and David was just days away from his 50th birthday.
Therefore, I’m so glad to make it this far. I’m also happy to say I’m at a good place in life – feeling better than I have in years. I just started a full-time job this past August; surprising considering I was 59 and hadn’t been employed like that in well over a decade. My writing is also coming along nicely. I’ll never give up on that!
And I swear – I’ll never get “OLD”! My body will age and eventually give out, of course. But I’ll never let my mind and spirit get old.
Filed under Essays
November 2023 Literary Calendar
Events in the month of November for writers and readers
National Family Literacy Month
National Memoir Writing Month
Native American Heritage Month
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
Picture Book Month
- November 1 – Author’s Day; Day of the Dead; World Vegan Day
- November 2 – All Soul’s Day; International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists
- November 4 – Book Lovers Day
- November 9 – International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism; World Adoption Day; World Freedom Day
- November 10 – World Science Day for Peace and Development
- November 11 – Veterans Day (U.S.)
- November 12 – World Pneumonia Day
- November 13 – World Kindness Day
- November 14 – Young Readers Day
- November 15 – I Love to Write Day
- November 16 – International Day for Tolerance; World Philosophy Day
- November 18 – Margaret Atwood’s Birthday; High-Five a Librarian Day
- November 19 – International Men’s Day
- November 21 – Voltaire’s Birthday
- November 23 – Thanksgiving (U.S.)
- November 25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
- November 29 – Louisa May Alcott’s Birthday
- November 30 – International Computer Security Day
Filed under News
X Matters
The U.S. Supreme Court commenced its latest term October 2, and after the previous two years of drama and shocking decisions, the American populace is wondering what’s next. Among the upcoming decisions:
Lindke v. Freed – A case in which the Court will decide whether a public official’s social media activity can constitute state action only if the official used the account to perform a governmental duty or under the authority of his or her office.
Murray v. UBS Securities LLC – A case in which the Court will decide whether, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, a whistleblower must prove his employer acted with a “retaliatory intent” as part of his case in chief to succeed on a retaliation claim.
Rudisill v. McDonough – A case in which the Court will decide whether a veteran who has served two separate and distinct periods of qualifying service is entitled to receive all of the education benefits at once from programs associated with both periods of service.
United States v. Rahimi – A case in which the Court will decide whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), which prohibits the possession of firearms by persons subject to domestic-violence restraining orders, violates the Second Amendment. (Both domestic violence experts and gun rights supporters are closely watching this particular case.)
Vidal v. Elster – A case in which the Court will decide whether the refusal to register a trademark under 15 U.S.C. § 1052(c) violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment when the mark contains criticism of a government official or public figure.
The 2022 Dobbs decision upended the long-standing belief the High Court always moves the nation forward. It wasn’t akin to the 1954 Brown decision, which reversed the 1896 Plessy ruling. It was such a regressive move that even legal scholars remain stunned. Afterwards, Justice Clarence Thomas – the longest-serving member of the Court and a conservative darling – declared the Dobbs decision opened the possibility for reversals of other cases, such as Obergefell v. Hodges that legalized same-sex marriage. Curiously he said nothing of the 1967 Loving v. Virginia case that legalized interracial marriage. (Thomas is currently married to a White chick.)
As upsetting as the Dobbs decision was, I know the case that will galvanize Americans; that is, the decision that – if reversed – will incite a revolution. It is the one case that will drive Americans into the voting booth more than abortion, education, guns, queers or voting itself – Miller v. California, the 1972 decision that technically legalized pornography. (Also see United States v. Reidel.) Yes, among all the sentient issues plaguing our modern society, denying people the right to view sexual activity will culminate in a revolution that could rival the collapse of the Roman Empire. In the mid-1980s, President Ronald Reagan – perhaps still angry about the Miller decision – launched a war on pornography. His then-Attorney General, Edwin Meese, commissioned associates to investigate the adult film industry under the guise of protecting children, which is indeed a noble effort. But in reality, Reagan’s self-righteous demeanor drove his efforts to limit free speech; to stifle those who dared to disagree with him. We saw much of the same two decades ago as critics of President George W. Bush were assailed. Both extremist conservatives and liberals just don’t like when people have something negative to say about their lifestyles. The same groups don’t have any problem, though, dictating what’s appropriate for others. Conservatives, in particular, don’t like anything sexual. It sends them into epileptic fits.
Regardless I can assure everyone that any U.S. Supreme Court assault on pornography will be taken seriously. It has a lot to do with finances. As of 2022, the adult film industry in the U.S. profited about $97 billion. And that kind of money buys a certain amount of power.
The Reagan Administration failed to shut down pornography in the U.S. Despite the AIDS epidemic, the adult film industry forged ahead in the 1980s and continued growing. And I can assure even the most ardent of conservatives can’t stop it. Then again, many of those same conservatives often view pornographic material – they just won’t admit it. They really can’t because it would undermine their own limited credibility.
No matter what happens with the High Court, I doubt few other matters will resonate with voters as the X factor. There are few things more obscene to me than war and unfettered censorship.
Filed under Essays
Oh, Hell No!
“It’s way beyond ironic that a place called the Holy Land is the location of the fiercest, most deeply felt hatred in the world.”
The Middle East – once again – is in turmoil. Then again, the sky is blue, so tell me something I DON’T know. Early on October 7, Hamas terrorists unexpectedly decided to attack a music festival in southern Israel. The calamity resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, in what Israeli officials dub “Israel’s 9/11”. It was the latest salvo in the millennia old conflict between Arabs and Jews in the region. And the perpetually high tensions are only intensifying.
Israel severed utility services to the Gaza Strip where over two million Palestinians are crammed into a tiny area in apartheid-like conditions. Meanwhile, Hamas is holding several Jewish hostages. It’s a nasty stalemate with no viable end.
As usual, though, the United States has gotten involved by showing unmitigated support for Israel. But President Joe Biden has gone even further and ordered two Navy aircraft carrier groups into the eastern Mediterranean to assist Israel with intelligence and reconnaissance. Now comes word that Biden may actually send U.S. ground troops into the region to provide further backing in the form of advice and medical assistance. That’s how our involvement in Vietnam got started more than six decades ago. And to that I say hell no!
U.S. military involvement in the Israeli – Hamas imbroglio will only result in more animosity towards the U.S. from the Arab world. In case anyone forgot, our most recent entanglement in the Middle East resulted in the deaths of millions of people. Coming out of the tragedy of 9/11, we had a cowboy president who was aching to run out and bomb places. That conflict – the Iraq War – was launched purely to gain access to the country’s valuable natural resources. It was blood for oil.
If the U.S. sends ground troops into Israel, it will just be lots of blood. And it won’t stop the relentless animosity that plagues the region. Something else will erupt between the warring sides in the future. That particular part of the globe has been a super-volcano of human interaction and for one primary reason – religion. The Middle East is the birth place of the world’s three largest theologies – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In other words, it’s a crime scene.
Hamas is definitely a terrorist group – and a cowardly one at that. They hide among the innocent civilians of the Palestinian populace; people they swear to support but who are also captives. But Israel isn’t exactly innocent. Like the United States, Israel was established primarily by White Europeans seeking religious freedom who displaced many of the indigenous residents.
Ironically, though, because that area is the cradle of Judaism and Islam, people of both faiths can genuinely claim it as their homeland. Supposedly Israel has proposed a two-state solution for decades, which Palestinians have allegedly rejected.
I have to highlight that Israel is the only true democracy in the Middle East. They maintain the highest standard of living and the lowest infant mortality in the region. I mean, Israeli women can drive and vote and don’t have to dress up like beekeepers when they leave home!
Regardless, I don’t know why level heads won’t prevail amidst the anxiety and honestly I really don’t care. The hate between both groups is like space – it’s infinite and never-ending. I truly wish, though, they would stop fighting and start talking. But because the bitterness has simmered for centuries and because religion is at the crux of it all, I just don’t see that happening within our lifetime.
Either way I just don’t want the U.S. to get militarily involved. That will solve nothing! It never has.
Filed under Essays
Chief Writing Wolf 