Category Archives: democracy

4th of July, America, democracy, Diversity, Hope, Mindset

It’s the 4th of July

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And I’ve got some thoughts and feelings to share.

I’m hesitant to celebrate this day, because I’m just so disappointed in where we are as a nation. My heart feels heavy and my natural optimistic tendencies are waning.

As you all are likely aware, the bill that strips the poor of their health care, will likely lead to the closure of rural hospitals (like the one my newest grandson was born at), takes food away from families that rely on SNAP, greatly increases spending for the ICE thugs to kidnap and disappear both law-abiding undocumented immigrants and American citizens alike, while giving billionaires tax cuts that will surely not “trickle down” to benefit working folks like you and me, passed in the Senate yesterday.

My fellow Americans, the country we grew up in is not the same. It’s been reshaped by greed and cruelty. We have fallen so far. Our nation’s people have been monumentally manipulated by power-hungry, evil actors.

My biggest hope is that we’ll somehow get ourselves out of this horrific mess. A revolution, powered by the people of America, is needed now. I sense it is coming. I pray it will be peaceful, but I recognize that is unrealistic. There’s too much anger (the righteous kind) amongst our populace and we’re scrappy…right? There’s so many of us that did not consent to this baloney.

Suffice it to say, I’m unable to muster any sense of pride in America today.

The best I can do is continue to speak out, stand up for what is right, and focus on the America that could be. The America that celebrates the immigrant. The America that feeds the hungry and lifts up the poor. The America that stands for due process and the freedom to love, live, and pursue each citizen’s own version of happiness. The America that works to preserve democracy, the health of our planet, and the well-being of all the people living here.

So, Happy Independence Day to those who celebrate and those whose heart is just not in it this year.

I may not be proud of America at the moment, but I love her anyway.

Community, democracy, Grandparenting, Lifestyle, Optimism, Protests

Flags, Rubik’s Cubes, and Resistance

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A few weeks ago, my 11 year-old grandson and I went to our local Dollar General store. As he’s wont to do, he dashed around the store looking for treasures for me to buy for him.

One such treasure was a Rubik’s cube. I pointed out that he already had one, and he informed me that it was misplaced. So, I told him to put it in my cart.

Soon after, the kid was searching for images of flags around the world and happily maneuvering the cube to re-create the images of flags.

“Look Grandma-it’s Belize!”

“Look Grandma-it’s Italy!”

“Look Grandma-it’s Turkey!”

I love his creative, curious spirit.

My Dad, Babe, served in the Korean War. From him, I learned to always respect the flag. He took pride in displaying the American flag in front of our house. He kept it in pristine condition (like he did with virtually every single thing).

Mr. NOA and I were recently on our way in our trusty Tacoma to a medical appointment (no worries, all is well) about 45 minutes away. A house on a corner featured a tRump flag. Two, actually. I instinctively shook my head in frustration upon seeing this particular flag in someone’s yard. Then my eye caught another (tRump) flag on the other side of the yard. Only this one was horribly tattered. It had sun damage and almost appeared to have been the victim of a toddler with a pair of scissors.

Upon pointing it out to Mr. NOA (unfortunately I wasn’t swift enough to capture the image of this forlorn flag), he said “it’s tattered, just like our country is now”. True that, as they say.

I remember a phrase Kamala Harris said often during her ill-fated presidential campaign: it’s a crying shame. She said it about many different things, but often it was about the economic struggles faced by low to mid-income hard-working American families. That really resonated with me, because I felt she was speaking from her heart. She knew that if there was to be a second tRump administration, things would certainly get worse for Americans.

Indeed, things have gotten much, much worse here in the good old U.S.A. On so many levels.

The overwhelm I feel about it all threatens to render me helpless. I think acknowledging that is helpful. As is giving myself permission to retreat from it all from time to time, in an effort to retain my sanity.

Not completely retreat, mind you. I care too much about the future of this country and my fellow citizens for that.

I’ve been doing itty bitty things here and there to stay engaged in the resistance to this evil regime. Like sending postcards to the White House, expressing my disgust of this administration’s willfull resistance to the rule of law. I’ve made calls and sent emails to my state senators, urging them to do the right thing and oppose this administration. Mr. NOA and I attended a rally last weekend in a nearby town, holding signs we made for the occasion. It lifted my spirits to be amongst the 25 or so other folks expressing collective outrage at what is happening to our country.

We plan on attending the next rally, scheduled for the first Saturday in May. My hope is that even more people will join us; perhaps some of the folks driving past us during the first rally who enthusiastically honked their horns and gave us “thumbs ups”.

It seems to me that if every one of us who is against what is happening to democracy in America right now does what they can, what they feel able to do with whatever time/energy/skills they possess, we have a chance at getting this ship turned around and on a better path for us all.

I’ve been on a classic rock and protest song kick lately, so I’ll leave you with this gem.