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Knit for Marching January 18, 2017

In a recent edition of the Economist (Dec.24, 2016, p.79) an article focused on why Europeans are reading Stefan Zweig again.

Prior to the rise of Nazi fascism, Zweig, whose writing was popularized in the 2014 film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” called for European unity, which he hoped would be attained through education and culture.

“In a recent speech,” notes the Economist, “the president of the European Council nodded to Zweig’s warning that those caught up in historical change never notice its beginnings…In Zweig’s time…liberals gave up virtually without a fight, even though they had all the cards.”

That’s not going to happen again, at least if the women who will be boarding buses across the country this week headed for the  Women’s March in Washington D.C. on Saturday, January 21st (the day after President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office and becomes President of the United States) have anything to say about it. And they do.

We caught up with the sister in the picture, just as she finished knitting one of the caps she will be taking to wear during the massive Women’s March. After we listened to her talk about the upcoming protest, we noted that it was eight years ago, just after the inauguration of President Barack Obama, that small protests by right wing activists began what became known as the Tea Party, and led the U.S. directly to where we find ourselves today. We’re hoping that the Women’s March will mark the beginning of a new movement, one which will lead us to historic change in the United States, to a time of renewed and sustainable liberal government that is a match for our highest ideals.

Our hopes are with the marchers, and the movement they will inaugurate.

This Too Shall Pass November 9, 2016

By Dean Adams Curtis

Writing in the darkness, before dawn on the West Coast of the United States, on the day after November 8th. I’m seeking the truths that remain self-evident.

After a night of tears and fears, I’m sad, but not mad. The state of democracy in the United States is strong. People who had never voted before, voted. Good. Democrats were unable to mobilize all the voters who put President Obama in the White House for eight years. Bad. Good Democrats, we’re going to need to “move it, move it” from here on out.

Republicans have won the undivided government of their choosing for the moment. They have their chance to steer the massive ship of state that is our nation. And I will now be standing in opposition to many of the destinations they desire to take us to.

We who were with her are now in the opposition to him, while we wish him the best as our captain.

He has led a life of perpetual adolescence. He now needs to grow up fast. Obamacare will go. But will “Trumpcare” really throw millions of Americans off their insurance? Doubtful. Perhaps we’ll end up with something paradoxically close to what Hillary proposed in the early 1990s.

Wispy clouds of dawn are now pink. Awake into the loyal, resolute, optimistic opposition. Democrats, peacefully rise and shine. Put on a new cap. Take back America.

The sky is now vanilla. A lump is in my throat. A crow calls out four times from the power distribution line. Life goes on now. An answer in kind is echoed by a distant crow. Life goes on now.

This period in American history will pass, just as all have, and will be someday be taught. What lessons will come from those teachings in the future, depends upon you.

Recalling now what President-elect Trump said about the use of nuclear weapons, “What are they there for?”

The answer he did not evidently grasp is that they are there NOT TO BE USED! The nuclear arsenals standing at ready around the globe protect us against nuclear war. How do we know? Because since soon after the end of World War Two, they have. Those who have not thought through this paradox, apparently including President-elect Trump, have not learned the all-important lesson that the only way to win the nuclear war “game” is to not play.

Carefully, for decades, Republican and Democratic presidents and the congresses and military leaders of their times, have been working to reduce the numbers of nuclear weapons held in the arsenals of global superpowers, and to also keep them from spreading to non-nuclear-weapon-equipped nations. Above all else, we must be optimistic that President-elect Trump will continue to do so as well.

My fingertips are numb now from pressing hard upon my pen’s grip.

I participated in a family member’s memorial service over the weekend, experiencing grief and hugging many family members tightly. Last night’s hugs were even tighter than those over the weekend. We must cradle one-another, and our optimism.

The children of Democrats are crying this morning, along with their parents who cuddle and kiss them. Their tears are of fear (terror) and grief. They will remember this moment. This is the dawn of their political lives, their first lesson in why it matters to be politically aware and active.

The celebrating children of Trump supporters, who perhaps went to rallies with their parents and chanted, “Lock her up,” will grow up fast too. Possibly, they will rebel against their parent’s perspectives. Will they be voting for the Democratic Party in 2024?

We, who are today so sad, on some future day’s dawn will be glad that America’s great Democratic Party voters began this day to redeem their optimism and agenda.

Todo loco. Totally crazy. Today, you bet. Tomorrow…

The first rays of photons from Our Sun crest, bend around horizon’s limb. Oh my! Optimism.

A landslide that some anticipated for Democrats yesterday, still awaits us. Not this morn, as the sun approaches its dawn, but soon. Perhaps it will be in two years, when we take both houses of Congress, or in four years when we kick the incumbent Republicans out, and welcome the upcoming inauguration of the first woman to be President of the United States. Maybe the landslide will take six years, or eight, but it will come.

During the years between then and this dawn, people may die who would not have died had Hillary been elected, due to policies that President-elect Trump has clearly stated his intent to enact. During these years, hateful policies that now seem in danger of being enacted, may well cause more extreme hardship to far more people than had Hillary been elected.

Perhaps, President-elect Trump will govern far differently than he campaigned. Let’s hope. As is often said, what unites us is far greater than what divides us, so such an outcome is certainly conceivable. But is our near-future commander-in-chief capable of governing differently than he campaigned? Or will the venomous right-wing snake, the now-awakened repellent racist reptile at the core of the dawning Republican Party, make it possible for their president-elect to govern charitably, should he somehow change his mind and want to?

I’m mulling over words of a patriotic American writer of yester-year, updating them. These are times that try human souls.

Dear Old Sol, hit me now. Sunshine’s in my eyes, along with another tear. A new day has dawned. Let us all carpe diem. Let’s renew our liberal democracy. Let’s stop freaking out our allies and stop giving comfort to adversaries. It is time for a pro-democracy movement in America.

For a look back at when I ran for president (1:30 into video):

Where you can find me now:

http://www.studioinastudio.com

A recent political music video I created of a song that I wrote:

We’re With Her September 22, 2016

The editors of Goddesses support Hillary Clinton for President of the United States.

We’ve been with her all along. Click her picture to find out why.

Taliban Terrorize Women of Kunduz October 14, 2015

When the Taliban came back to town they showed once again the true horror of their terrorist ways.

The Taliban briefly retook the northern Afghanistan city of Kunduz recently and immediately started targeting women, especially those women who had stood up for the rights of other women. The Taliban commander labeled these women as “sluts.”

Now that the Taliban have been pushed out of the city by Afghanistan and coalition forces the full scope of their women targeting ways were on display for all to see.

The Taliban destroyed three radio stations run by women, reported The New York Times, which continued, “The Fatima Zahra girls’ high school and the Women’s Empowerment Center, which held social and political awareness sessions and taught women to sew, were also looted. Women for Afghan Women’s office and children’s center were looted, its computers and cars were stolen, and the organization’s shelter for abused women was completely burned.”

More of the chilling details are available in a New York Times report at the link below:

Combating Boko Haram in Cameroon October 14, 2015

African nations in coalition with the U.S. against Boko Haram.

A million and a half children, along with their mothers, have been displaced by Boko Haram in Cameroon, Nigeria, and neighboring African states. And Boko Haram is still holding the 250 plus Chibok, Nigeria schoolgirls.

But Boko Haram, the Islamist, ISIS-allied rebel group, now has big worries. In addition to being pushed out of their northeast Nigerian jungle hideouts by Nigerian government and Cameroonian troops recently, they are now facing a regional multinational task force made up of soldiers from Cameroon, Chad, Benin, Niger and Nigeria.

In addition, The New York Times reports (at the link below) that President Obama has already sent 90 of an eventual 300 armed U.S. troops to Cameroon to offer non-combat support, including unarmed Predator drones to the multinational African force.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State… October 4, 2015

The title of this blog entry shares the words the National Rifle Association of the U.S. has paid countless millions to make sure you never hear or read, and definitely never consider. These words: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State…” are the first half of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The words “well regulated” give you your first clue as to why the NRA has spent its millions to misdirect you from the truth of the Second Amendment, namely that it is actually a gun control amendment. Throughout U.S. history it has served this purpose.

You, like every commentator on TV these days, may have forgotten the first half of the Second Amendment due to the NRA misdirection campaign, as nobody ever cites these words in gun control debates. They should start.

The-second-amendment is a gun control amendment

And if you think the second half of the Second Amendment is actually as clear cut as the Congress-buying NRA would like you to think it is, think again.

If you stand with President Obama and can’t stand this repetitious and totally preventable cycle of extreme violence, and if you sit appalled at the grotesque response of Republican presidential candidates (“These things happen” and “They always will”), then hopefully you will join the movement goddesses.com is launching with this post, which is this:

Remember to tell everyone with whom you discuss gun control these, our opening and concluding words, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State…”

Rape of the Yazidis August 14, 2015

Among the horrors happening within the Islamic State, is the enslavement and rape of Yazidi girls and women, revealed in a must-read New York Times report by Rukmini Callimachi, available at the following link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/14/world/middleeast/isis-enshrines-a-theology-of-rape.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

The Times reports that “systematic rape of women and girls from the Yazidi religious minority has become deeply enmeshed in the organization and the radical theology of the Islamic State in the year since the group announced it was reviving slavery as an institution.”

Further, the Times report notes that, “The youngest, prettiest women and girls were bought in the first weeks after their capture. Others — especially older, married women — described how they were transported from location to location, spending months in the equivalent of human holding pens, until a prospective buyer bid on them.”

The Times continues, “Their captors appeared to have a system in place, replete with its own methodology of inventorying the women, as well as their own lexicon. Women and girls were referred to as ‘Sabaya [Slave],’ followed by their name. Some were bought by wholesalers, who photographed and gave them numbers, to advertise them to potential buyers.”

Like a Sister and a Beautiful Mother June 22, 2015

Praise for Pope Francis, who last week in his landmark document on the environment and climate change channeled Saint Francis of Assisi to remind us all that “our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.”

Pope Francis continued the introduction to his “encyclical” with the following words. “This sister now cries out to us because of
the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail.”

Many Rescued from Boko Haram: Chibok Girls? Not Yet May 24, 2015

While there has been bad news in the past couple days about two successful offensives by ISIL (Islamic State) fighters in Ramadi, Iraq, and in Palmyra, Syria, over the past several weeks there has been good news coming from Africa, where Nigerian and Cameroonian army operations are continuing against Boko Haram hideouts in the Sambisa Forest. Allied army raids on camps in the Sambisa have liberated hundreds of women and children that were held captive by Boko Haram.

Not yet rescued are the 250 plus Chibok schoolgirls.

It was over a month ago that the one year anniversary was observed of the day that over 250 Chibok, Nigeria schoolgirls were taken as hostages by Boko Haram (a group whose name means Western education is evil).

There is an excellent New York Times graphic report you’ll want to have a look at, Boko Haram: The Other Islamic State.

And we leave you with recent words from POTUS and FLOTUS, Barak and Michelle Obama, about the Chibok girls:

Mass Rape in North Darfur February 26, 2015

George Clooney wrote an editorial, published in today’s New York Times, in which he notes that “The torture rapes in Tabit  (in North Darfur) are a reminder to the world that the same conditions that led to the United States’ declaration of genocide in Darfur are still firmly in place, with devastating human consequences. We must not forget the survivors, and we must impose deterrent costs on the orchestrators and their enablers.”

Human Rights Watch has the complete report about this horror. And the important work being done by George Clooney can be investigated further at the Satellite Sentinel organization.