AH-MAY-ZING

“I always get, what I aim for / And your heart and soul, is what I came for. / Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets / Take off your coat, Don't you know you can't win…” (Whatever Lola Wants-Richard Adler, Jerry Ross). Now, Donald trump is arguing how much he wants to debate Hillary, but since he is so sensitive a human, he cannot stand on stage if the debates have a moderator. He REALLY, REALLY wants to debate, but those nasty news people will treat him badly. Knowing that Hillary will not permit the stupid to flow from Trump’s mouth, understanding that it is only Trump and Clinton on the stage so there is time to ask, re-ask, and ask the same question again, Donald is worried; not that he might lie, but this time actually be called a liar. Lets sit back and witness his newest con, lets watch how now, that Trump has questioned the fairness of the moderators of the debate, now that Trump has presented yet one more laughable issue…watch how each and every news outlet will pick this up as election news and hire as many talking heads as possible to DEBATE, the DEBATE!

Like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, the guy hired in 1284 to rid that town of rats…and then due to the town NOT paying him his wages for that act, decided to play his flute and lure the children of the town into a mountain never to be seen again; Donald Trump has been hired by the RNC and the many of the Republican voters to represent their party. Trump does not need a flute to misdirect his followers, instead all he needs to look all puffy in the face raise his index finger to his thumb, pucker his lips and say great people have told me this information and all I am is the messenger sharing it with you. All Trump needs is that and his perspective on conning self loathing, angry, I was victimized, and a bunch of Republican’s who believe Voter ID Laws are the democratic process, this is a Christian nation, and somehow Jesus has chosen Mr Trump above the other men and women who used to speak to Jesus in his dreams. And like the Pied Piper, Trump has been excellent at blowing up lies permitting his clueless band of  cultists to follow him off a cliff, one of course he, himself will bypass.

Today’s symphony from Trump is Hillary’s health, and of course those devious debate moderators, and playing that Trump symphony are all the so called “Journalists/Reporters who love nothing more than to be the ones announcing the next scandal. AH-MAY-ZING !

September 12

We Americans are creatures of habit; so much so that often, we go through the motions without honestly thinking why. The most recent occurrence of our habits took place yesterday, on the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11. We shared our thoughts on one of the saddest anniversaries finding its way to our shores. Sorting through pictures, videos, first hand accounts, remembering the exact space in time we found ourselves recalling, as this horrendous display of devastation dominated our hearts and minds, sadly remembering those injured and deceased; then proudly stating we are all Americans. We do the same for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the Fourth of July, we SAY we are ALL Americans. The special day is done, and suddenly as if a tsunami blanketed our souls, we forget the words we spoke about ALL of us being Americans, and rely on our default, claiming that NOT ALL OF US ARE AMERICANS IN THE SAME WAY. 

It seems, many Americans prefer saying the right words, but acting upon those right words, is a bit more difficult an activity from which to participate. We don’t want to learn from history, that is too tedious a task, causing the act of reflection which is too timely, rather than, we prefer to react, to ridicule and to reduce any thing different from our own norms to be bad, villainous and of course Un-American. We become infuriated if a differing opinion is expressed, love it or leave it we say, denying any legitimacy to the those with an expression of opposition. Although all ethnicities, gender, sexual identities, and religions have fought for our freedoms, after the National holidays or memorials are finished, we would rather deny the fact, that yes indeed ALL Americans did their best and exclaim that if you AREN’T like me, you AREN’T a real American.

I just read a Conservative blogger’s page where he displayed caskets of our Military draped in the American Flag, then referencing  Colin Kaepernick’s protest regarding the National Anthem. The blogger stated, correctly that we don’t know the color of skin, the religious affiliation, (he of course left out that we don’t know their sexuality, nor gender), but to his point, we don’t know, nor should we care. HOWEVER, the reality is that WE DO CARE about differences when these people are alive. Another holiday or memorial will arrive, we will become on nation, it will end, and once again…

September 11

For many, September 11, 2001, will be the moment in time, when, at once, we can remember where we were, what we were doing, with a sense of dread and doom, from which we might never recover. Images of horrors more grotesque than in the scariest of movies, surrounded all of our senses not only providing us with fear, but with little understanding of why and what comes next; causing our imaginations to act as ghosts hidden in the shadows. Madness beyond any comprehension visited our nation, innocents were slaughtered, reasoning seemed useless, mayhem immediately became a part of our culture. We watched, we waited, we guessed, we gathered, we coalesced, we changed…we became different, trying to be defiant, but still living in an aura of denial.

We found enemies, we reacted, we tried to look inward, but felt stronger facing outward, needing to demonstrate to the bully that we were not cowards. As is often the case when humans suffer loss, response is created from the gut, while the brain tries its best to understand; sometimes the two never quite catch up with one another. We declared a war, we thought we knew our enemy, but soon discovered the enemy did not think between the lines, was not a nation with conscience, cared less about our perceptions of right and wrong, and had us reacting, often times without reason or rhyme.

It is September 11, 2016. Our enemies overseas, remain the same, only their names have been changed; an army of no nation, warriors for a self serving God, and people playing on fear and loathing. But in the course of 15 years, we as a nation have also decided that there are enemies of the state, from whom we must guard ourselves, and whom, we decided don’t love this nation as much as WE do. On September 11, 2001 we came together finding common ground, and compassion, WE were ALL Americans. On September 11, 2016, ALL of us are no longer the WE, we once so proudly proclaimed.  After the terrorist attack on our nation, it took common sense to come together and be inclusive; 15 years later we find ourselves as a nation running away from one another hoping that excluding the OTHERS will make us greater. I have to wonder, is our memorial to those who lost their lives in 2001, a loss of liberty in 2016? 

Liar

“We reveal most about ourselves when we speak about others.” ― Kamand Kojouri:— Vladimir Putin is a suddenly a role model, he is a dictator, a murderer of innocents, a homophobe, but he has suddenly emerged as the GUY for both Donald Trump and Mike Pence. Trump demonstrates his narcissism often times by projecting his intentions via cheap talk or Tweets. The idolization of a dictator as being a very strong leader, should make those of us, who still have active and alive brain cells, wonder what kind of president Donald Trumps would be. Of course dictators are powerful people, they have no need for government checks or balances,no desire for fair or equal, and demonstrate little ability to be concerned with anyone but themselves.

“A storyteller makes up things to help other people; a liar makes up things to help himself.” ― Daniel Wallace, The Kings and Queens of Roam:—Because he says he is GOOD age reading people’s non-verbal actions, Trump has proudly announced that the members of the intelligence community, really dislike Hillary and President Obama. Because he says that he knows more about ISIS then the generals, Trumps is suddenly the foreign policy expert. Because he says that due to an ongoing IRS audit he won’t share his financial records with the voting public, but since he is a billionaire why would that matter anyway. Because he CAN, he lies, and because hardly anyone has confronted him directly-eye to eye about his lies, he will continue to get away with his lies.

“Once a thing is set to happen, all you can do is hope it won't. Or will-depending. As long as you live, there’s always something waiting, and even if it’s bad, and you know it's bad, what can you do? You can’t stop living.”—Truman Capote, In Cold Blood:—How do things happen in the country of ours? Why are we such idiots when it comes to NEVER learning from history? How is it that hypocrisy has become part of the US Constitution? When did truth become a lap dog to purposeful lying? We sigh, stammer and seem surprised that someone like Donald Trump is feet away from the Oval Office, yet many of us, instead of confronting the monster, cower in a corner and hope and pray he will go away! 

Who Owns

I have to wonder sometimes, who owns the American National Anthem and the American Flag? Are those owners the people who have decided the right and wrong way to participate while one is being played and the other is being flown? Seriously, who ARE the people who know what is right and wrong regarding the Anthem and the Flag. Are they the people who wear white hoods, swaztika’s on their shirts? Are they the people who believe the Confederate Army was the greatest army ever, and that the soldiers fighting for that army were the truest Americans? Are they the people who look the other way when minorities are denied basic human rights, or the LGBT community forbidden to love the way they were created to do? Are they only FOX viewers, untrusting of people who don’t have sex like they do, are of a different skin color then they are, don’t speak in language they do? Who are the owners?

Are the owners of the right way and wrong way, the same voters who don’t mind that Trump and his side kick Pence believe that Putin is a greater leader than Obama? That a dictator a man who has no respect for democracy is cooler then our president? Who owns the Flag and the Anthem, seriously. Are they the people who delight in saying love it or leave it, because only THEY truly understand the meaning behind behind the Flag and Anthem? Are the owners , the people who think the First Amendment only pertains to their desires and speech? Are they the people who think our Troops have only fought for people who Pledge Allegiance, the same people who believe this is a Christian nation only! Are they the people who think that the Troops are only white, so when bigotry, racism and hate is vented toward people of color of Muslim faith or atheists,standing for the National Anthem while discriminating is okay?

I stand while the National Anthem is played, I cross my heart over my chest as I pledge allegiance, I do so because until the chance that Trump is elected I believe in the possibilities of this nation. But I realize had it not been for Americans who disagreed with our government policies…the rights of women… freedom for slaves…the strife of workers before unions…the LGBT community fighting for the ability to love whom they want to…the soldiers who upon returning from wars good and bad asking for their fare share! Had it not been for those Americans who said standing for the Anthem and saluting the Flag mean nothing if we ALL can’t participate in democracy, NOT standing for injustice, we might have nothing at all.

Reports Of

“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” (Mark Twain)

Again and again, if you follow news stories regarding the Trump Campaign, you will read headlines of one more reason his campaign broke the law, one more lie told, one more lawsuit, and one more REASON, THIS TIME, ITS CURTAINS, for his campaign. And yet, no one has been arrested, no one has gone to jail, and everyone continues as if NOTHING has ever happened. And it is one more day where we are told THIS TIME will mark Trump’s doom.

For all Trump IS NOT, he is still running a close campaign. For all Trump can never be, he is still inciting and exciting crowds. For all the reasons Trump should NEVER be permitted to even enter the White House, let alone sit in the Oval Office, he is STILL the delight of the minions and many of the media.

Something is very wrong. It is like taking your car to the dealer and complaining there is an annoying sound (creaking or scratchy sound) every time you use your car; only to be told by the repair person, he or she does not hear it. You hear it and it annoys the shit our of you, nonetheless you still drive the car because no one know how to fix it. We all hear the lies, we all see the pandering to the racists, and bigots, of Americans, we witness the double standards and hypocrisy of the media and the GOP, but somehow NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT. The reports of the death of the Trump Campaign have sadly been greatly exaggerated, and that is a worrisome thing!

Good Americans

Ah, yes, the good ole’ “Love It or Leave It”, response whenever someone questions the values of the American Flag or Anthem. We pride ourselves to be a land of free speech, but make great exception if we speak too negatively about anything red, white and blue. We become self defined Patriots at the ready to protect symbols of freedom, never truly understanding that without substance those symbols are nothing but facades. 

Colin Kaepernick is now an enemy of the state, as he kneels when the National Anthem is played; explaining that until justice is evenly spread for all colors of the American public, the Star Spangled Banner is just a piece of music. Mr Kaepernick is deemed the bad guy, he must love America, but if he doesn’t love it, he MUST leave it. But then we have a bunch of people, waving the Confederate Flag, screaming that the South never lost the Civil War, or citizens of certain states clamoring to secede from the Union, who stand for the National Anthem, all insisting that this nation should not be an inclusive place, and somehow, there is nary a word directed at them, questioning their Patriotism.

Kind of confusing at the least, at least for me, as to who IS the enemy of the state and who isn’t. Does standing for the Flag or Anthem, supersede hate, bigotry, racism and resentment toward demographics of this nation? As long as you stand, that makes you a good American? So the act of standing is all you need to be a GOOD AMERICAN?