Let’s Not Be Stupid

America’s problems right now are not because of laws we pass. They are not because of health care, gun violence, or even Donald Trump. These, and many more, are symptoms. I will discuss some of those problems soon. But here I’d like to point out some underlying reasons.

1. We, as a public, have given up on critical thinking. We just believe what we want to believe.
2. We have allowed ourselves to put blind, unquestioning faith in certain leaders.
3. We have put party above all else--yes, even above country.
4. Honesty and integrity mean nothing.

       None of this is normal, and none of this is good.

Let me stress #1, since it actually leads to the other three: We have given up on critical thinking; we make and accept arguments that make no logical sense. We take positions that are against all scientific conclusions and reasoning.  We don’t care if we are right. We only care that we win the argument, using any “facts” we want, even if they might be wrong.

And while I say “we” I don’t mean all Americans. But it seems like many, maybe most of us.

For starters, I have a few examples here, all from just the last week. These trouble me. Not because I don’t agree with them. But because they just plain don’t make sense. Notice that these examples affect right-leaning stories. I see things like this on the left as well. But no matter how much I try to say “both sides,” right now it’s much worse on the right. Even the National Review, a very conservative publication concurs. Feel free to disagree. Here they are:

1) The FBI didn’t follow up on the Florida shooter because it was too busy with the Russia inquiry.
The FBI has over 35,000 agents. No intelligent person should believe that they can’t do two investigations at once.

2) We need weapons to protect ourselves from the government.
If the US military came after you, with all their advanced weaponry, do you really think your AR-15 would save you? Think about that honestly. You know you wouldn’t have a chance. Or maybe you think you should be allowed to own any weapon, like a nuclear bomb.

3) David Hogg, the student from Florida talking about gun laws is a not a student, but a paid actor.
When I saw this, I didn’t jump on it. I waited till I heard word from the school superintendent, as well as reporting of articles about this student from his school paper over the last 6 months. Think about this: if he didn’t attend school there, don’t you think the actual school kids would figure that out?

It used to be just conspiracy nuts saying this kind of stuff. No more. I’ve seen these stories and more on Facebook from people who supposedly are “reasonable people.”

These are easily proven wrong. But even when they are, people refuse to believe the proof, calling it “fake news.” They keep believing the story.  Or maybe they don’t believe the story, but they keep repeating it anyway. I’m not sure which is worse. But I know that truth means nothing. And this is destroying us.

It is interesting to note that, a week out, all agree that David Hogg is, indeed, a student. But the credibility of all those who said otherwise hasn’t suffered. Their followers don’t care that they were lied to. They’ll keep believing and spreading their lies.

I remember in the early days of the internet, I (foolishly) thought. “From now on, nobody will be able to lie or spread propaganda. All we have to do is search for the information ourselves.” I assumed that all people wanted to be truthful, wanted to know the truth. I find now, people are more interested in making arguments for their “side.”  This saddens and troubles me. I want truth, not stories that reinforce my opinions. And you should too.

I don’t know how we move forward in truth, if truth doesn’t matter.

My next article will show how this thinking affects one issue particularly.

Previous blog in this series: What Can We Do?

What Can We Do?

For the very first time in my life, I am worried about America. I’ve just seen too many things happen recently. Mass shootings, Russian interference, the ignoring of climate change, the trashing of our environment in the name of “cutting regulations,” heartless executive actions, our increased lack of respect in the world, the breakdown of how congress works (or doesn’t), many many scandals in the White House, the normalization of gas-lighting and lying, and about a million more.

But those things honestly are not what worry me. No, most of those problems are “up there” in Washington, or someplace far away from me. Politicians will always be assholes. But I’ve always had confidence that Americans will recognize the BS and vote them out. But no more. No, I'm surprised by the large number of normal people who either don’t care about those things, or even more amazingly, actively support them. Or maybe don’t even know about them because of the limited one-sided news they consume.

In any crisis, we basically have two choices: try to make a difference and change it (fight), or just accept it, hope for the best, and try to stay sane (chill). Neither one of those choices is the “right” choice. It depends on who you are, and what you have the power to do.

Some complain when athletes or actors talk about their political or social beliefs. But I understand it. Most of us don’t have much of a stage. We’re pretty unknown. But let’s take LeBron or Chuck Norris. They have a stage, and they choose to use it. Not because they hate America. On the contrary, they talk about their beliefs because they love this country and they want to make it better. They could go the other way, of course. Like Tiger or Michael Jordan. Those two both pretty much avoid any kind of political or social statement. Neither way is “right.” But for me, I think I'm more LeBron than Tiger.

So what can we do? As for me, I’m a little old to run for congress, and I don’t think Marcy Kaptur is retiring any time soon. We all can vote, call our congressman… and most of us do those things. 

Or we can choose to put stuff on Facebook--which sometimes I do. That’s the biggest stage I have. But that normally just pisses people off. It rarely helps; many times it actually hurts.

The only thing I can think of, at least for now, is to put my thoughts in writing, in the hope that some people will read them and get to thinking. And to do so in a way that hopefully inspires thought, not anger. Without making fun of people's opinions, or belittling them in any way. I like to think that if I explain something well enough, it will be fodder for some people’s thoughts. Maybe it won't make any difference.  But hey, I can try.

So in the next few weeks, you’ll see things I’ve written. Most are about politics and the country, but there will be some on other topics, such as social media. I hope they’re read by many people, including those who disagree with me, or else really, what's the point? I hope you’ll find them fair, even if you don’t agree with me. I won’t put these writings on Facebook, but I will link to them there. And twitter as well. 

If you find them interesting or helpful, feel free to share them. If I find they’re getting read, I’ll keep it up. If not, well--nothing ventured, nothing lost, and I’ll move on to something else.

Look for them here. I’m old, not dead, and it would be great to make a difference. We’ll see.

They're Not Just Refugees, They're People

With all that's been said and written in the last few days about Trump's EO regarding immigration, the part that upsets me the most is including the Syrian refugees.

Americans did not make these people refugees. No, it was Syria's own troops, backed by Russian leadership, that did that. But we didn't stop it. I don't know if we could have. Or if we should have. Should we have gone in, boots on the ground, and fought? Were there diplomatic remedies that Obama couldn’t, or wouldn’t get done? I don't know.

But I do know this. We let it happen. And whether that was the right or wrong decision, there are still hundreds of thousands of people who no longer have a home. We sometimes forget who these people are. We call them “refugees” because that has its own set of internal images and attitudes associated with it. But these are not just “refugees,” these are people: moms, dads, children, infants, grandparents, and families. These people are not just a burden to be taken care of. Until a year or so ago, these were merchants, teachers, electricians, carpenters, day-care workers, and nurses—just like you and me. They had jobs and families. Their lives had purpose. They are no different fromany of us, except many worship differently, they speak a different language, and their skin is darker.

Imagine if the bombs came where you lived, and destroyed a few square miles around you. If you survived, where would you go? What would you do? How about a tent city? Really? Of course, when you’re desperate, you’ll take whatever it is that allows you and your family to survive. And you would be grateful for that, for a while. But you wouldn’t want tents. You wouldn’t want hand-outs. You would want a place where you can work, have a home, raise your children, send them to school, live a normal life, and generally make a difference.

That’s what these people want. They don’t want handouts. They want a chance. And we are denying them that. Christians, as much or more than others, are denying them.

Matthew 25: “For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.”

How can we turn our back on these people? And be proud of it? Yet many Americans, many Christians, are.

I’m not 100%  sure what to do. But shutting them out, letting them live in tents, or hoping someone else takes them, is not the right choice. It certainly is not the Christian choice.

They're not just refugees. They're people. Let's not forget that.

NBA vs. Federal Government

I remember when I was in seventh grade. Basketball was the first time in our lives where there were “cuts.” If you weren’t good enough, you didn’t make the team. So of course, I didn’t even try. I was horrible. But lots of kids did try out, and some of them made it, but lots didn’t. That was the very first difficult, but probably necessary step, in getting the best athletes on the court. Those dozen kids who made it were "the best." Of our seventh grade class anyway.

When we moved to high school, we now had several classes competing for the team, so a few more  got cut. After high school, only the very very best could play at the college level. Finally, of all the thousands that played in college, only a tiny fraction made the NBA. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I read somewhere that only .03% of high school players make the NBA, so from those original seventh graders? Very few.

It's a clean, simple, obvious, though sometimes painful method, of choosing the best of the best. Only the extremely talented, the very best of the best of the best, make the NBA.

Now let’s turn to government.

Well, it doesn’t work that way. Oddly, when I was a kid, I just assumed that on some level it did. That every senator, for instance, certainly had to be the smartest of the smart, even if he’s not, compared to the other senators. Kinda like the 10th player on the Cavaliers may not seem very good, but he’s way better than almost everyone else on the planet.

But that doesn’t happen. Getting into politics in Washington depends on intelligence, integrity, and many other good qualities. But it depends much more on how well known you are, how much money you have, who your parents are, or just plain luck.

Was Schwarzenegger really the most qualified to be CA governor? Is Trump the LeBron of politics? Or Al Franken: he was famous from Saturday Night Live. But is he the best possible senator of all the people in Minnesota? Probably not, to all those.

But it doesn’t mean they can’t be good. Sometimes it works, and we get someone who is very good. Of those three mentioned above, you probably have positive views of at least one of them. But sometimes, maybe most times, it doesn’t.

I’m not offering a solution. I don’t know a solution. I just know that the way we do it now is unfortunate and unproductive. I have no training in politics at all, but I’m pretty sure I would be a better congressman than some that I see in Washington. (Or maybe I’m just like the pickup gym player who is convinced that he could beat LeBron 1 on 1 if he just had the chance.) Who knows?

It’s an unfortunate way of doing things. But I do know this. If we had a method of picking our politicians anything like we pick our basketball players, this country would be in way better shape.

I’m guessing this is something we can all agree on.

America First

“America First.” I heard President Trump say that in his inaugural address. A couple times. It was meant as a rally cry. Like “red white and blue” or USA! But I couldn’t help think: “I’m not sure I’m crazy about it.”

Honestly, I’ve hesitated to post this. I don’t want to sound like a communist or leftist scum or America hater. Because I’m none of those. (I don't think!) I love my country. Which is why some things happening bother me so much. Yet, the expression bothered me.

Am I alone on this one? Maybe.

But I couldn’t help thinking that it just didn’t seem right, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. So I stewed on it a while longer. And I realized what it is that bothers me.

It seems, well, selfish. Yes, I think we always must look out for America. And we should never put it down, or demean it. Obviously. But America is more than the world’s mightiest super power. I like to think that we are, or at least try to be, its moral compass as well. We help countries that can’t help themselves. We protect those who are helpless. And we give to those that are in need. And in doing all three of those things, we will not necessarily be putting “America First.”

Because almost by definition, acting for the greater good, sometimes means that you will not be helping yourself.

No really moral, and certainly no Christian individual, would ever say, “Me first, always.” I would doubt if any person who said that would be a particularly caring, giving, or even moral individual. Does this same thinking apply to nations, not just individuals?

I don’t know. But that’s where my trouble with that statement resides.

It could be that Trump was just talking in grand trends, and he doesn’t mean he will just forget and give up on those who need us. I hope that’s what he meant. But maybe not. I don’t know.

If I did know for sure, then maybe I would more readily cheer his sentiment.

America First.

A Different Perspective

Hypothetical story:

I can't find a decent job anywhere, no matter how I try. After a long time trying, I finally find a job. But it’s in Toronto. A good job, with decent pay. But I have to move. To Canada.

Will I? I don't want to. I'm a patriotic American. I love this country. I fly the flag all the time. Yet....

I have no choice. I can't feed my family here. So I move to Toronto.

I find a place to live. And now, a year later, I'm pretty happy here. The job is great, the people are wonderful. Life is good.

Am I Canadian? Hell no. I'm an American, and I'm proud of it. I'm not going to become a citizen of Canada. I love America. Always have, and always will. And I fly my American flag every day. Because I'm proud of where I came from.

Yes, Canada has been good to me, but I'll always be an American.

*******************

This hypothetical story makes sense to all us Americans. But just for fun, read it again, with a few changes. I've changed all the "America" references to "Mexico." And all the "Canada" to "America."

*******************

I can't find a decent job anywhere, no matter how I try. After a long time trying, I finally find a job. But it’s in San Antonio. A good job, with decent pay. But I have to move. To America.

Will I? I don't want to. I'm a patriotic Mexican. I love this country. I fly the flag all the time. Yet....

I have no choice. I can't feed my family here. So I move to San Antonio.

I find a place to live. And now, a year later, I'm pretty happy here. The job is great, the people are wonderful. Life is good.

Am I American? Hell no. I'm a Mexican, and I'm proud of it. I'm not going to become a citizen of America. I love Mexico. Always have, and always will. And I fly my Mexican flag every day. Because I'm proud of where I came from.

Yes, America has been good to me, but I'll always be a Mexican.

*******************
Maybe the parallel isn't 100% accurate. But maybe it is. Either way, it's another way to look at it.

You Take Your Chances

Recently, Jeanne and I were driving somewhere. She was driving, I was in the passenger seat. We came to a stop sign where we were supposed to turn right. When we stopped, I didn't hear a turn signal. I didn’t think she was going to turn. So being the ever-helpful husband I am, I said “We turn right here.” The response? “I know!” OK, I thought. (I was just trying to help!)

A few weeks later, we’re at the same stop sign. Same situation. Same no turn signal. Do I say something? Does she remember? Or do I shut up, having learned my lesson from earlier. Well, I shut up. As any husband knows, that’s normally the right choice.

She immediately drives straight through. No right turn. So, again being the ever-helpful husband, I say “You were supposed to turn right back there.” The response? “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Later, I explained my dilemma. If I remind her of something she already knows, I get an “I know.” But if I don’t remind her and she forgets, I get a “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked her how I’m supposed to know which to do. The answer, in typically female fashion was “You take your chances.”

I could probably cite 50 examples like this, but you get the idea. Men, you ALL understand where I’m coming from. It’s just one of the things we deal with. But to be fair, there’s a lot of things about us that our women deal with as well.

And to be even more fair, there’s a good chance this happens with the gender roles reversed, and I don’t realize it. But I’m writing the blog, so I get to tell the story!

*Final note: Jeanne Morgan approves this message.

It's a Bizarro World

When I was a little kid, I used to read comic books. Like most kids. My favorite was Superman. I mean, how could it not be? He could do anything, he always did what was right, he helped those less fortunate, and never sought credit for it. (A great role model, looking back on it.) But once in a while in the comic books, they talked about "Bizarro World." Bizarro world was just like the earth, except shaped like a cube. And everything was backwards. Bad was good, stupid was smart... You get the idea. The biggest heroes were just like Superman, except instead of saving lives, they killed as many as possible. And were admired for it.

It recently occured to me that we have come to live in a Bizarro world of our own. I've heard this reference lately, but it wasn't until now that I realized how applicable it is.

I recently saw a video of Trump giving a speech at his New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Logo. He was saying his usual stuff, and of course, all the people would cheer. But they saved their loudest and most boisterous cheer for this: "We're going to get rid of Obamacare." The place went wild. Of course, this place was filled with really rich people, most of whom have never had to worry about enough money to go to a doctor. And yes, if Obamacare is repealed, they could conceivably get a decent tax reduction. Not that they need it of course; the rich keep getting richer in this country, and nobody is questioning that.

But what bothered me was this: I can understand objections to Obamacare. And I can even understand why some people think it should be replaced. But just repealed? Cold turkey? It's not clear that's what will happen, but it's clear that a lot of wealthy people WANT it to happen. Just get rid of it, right now. And millions of people will now be without any way to afford even simple health care. You  would think these people would care, just a little bit. Don't they feel bad that some people will get sick and even die because they can't afford to go to the doctor? And if they don't feel bad, why doesn't every other single person in this country think those people are just selfish, cruel, people? Or is this the Bizarro world where it's become cool to love rich people and hate poor people?

In fact, that is exactly what we've become. Remember "It's a Wonderful Life?" Who was the bad guy? Mr. Potter, the greedy banker who wanted to take over the town. The good guys were the poor guys who worked hard, for almost nothing. That is no longer the America I know. In Bizarro America, we would cheer for Mr. Potter, and scorn the low-life working class. In Bizarro America, it has become cool to praise the rich guy. We don't care if he gets paid more in an hour than his workers do in a year. And it's fine that when one of these guys gets fired because he was incompetent that he gets a multi-million dollar bonus. All that's OK. But just wait till some fast food worker who is trying to support his family wants a wage he can live on. Now that's horrible! Really, isn't this Bizarro World? I mean, how is it not?

But what makes this even more sad, it's not just the rich people who feel that way. Just hang around on Facebook sometime when a story comes on about minimum wage. You'll see all kinds of hardworking people slamming these poorer hardworking people. But the rich guys who get zillions? That's all fine.

In today's Bizarro World, we adore and praise the wealthy people. They are the "job creators" and the "backbone of our country" and "the brains we need to run this country." And we despise anyone poorer than us. Treat them as slugs living off the system. They're "welfare queens" or "spoiled brats" who "need to get a real job." Or "lazy scum who just want a free ride." Or something like that.

I remember when we used to have empathy for those who couldn't make ends meet. And we wanted to help them. (Like Jesus told us to, if you need a reminder.) Now, we chastise them. After all, if they had some work ethic, they'd be doing just fine. (sarcasm intended)

Now, I know this is a cyclical thing. Periodically the world gets messed up. We start turning against each other, try to cut off rights for anyone "not like us." And in general, just get selfish. And since it's cyclical, I'm pretty sure this will turn around, and we'll get back to the times when we all work together and watch out for each other.

But I'm not holding my breath.

We Let It Happen

Here is just one picture of Aleppo, taken recently. If you have the stomach for it, stop right now and google “Aleppo.” Better yet, I’ve done it for you. Just click here. Look at just a few of the pictures of that once beautiful city. No really, do it now. I’ll wait for you.

Well, you’re back. This was a city of over 2 million people. Now, a large part of it is rubble. Its people, at least in  a large part of the city, have all been killed or forced out. Estimates of deaths range from 300,000 to half a million people. Kinda like they just killed every person in Cleveland. Or Denver. Or New Orleans.

And we let it happen.

I’m not an expert on foreign affairs. And I don’t know all, or even most of the details of the war in Syria. And I don’t know if I should blame Obama for this or not. But it sure seems like the US should have done more to prevent this. And I’m pretty sure that not helping will be the biggest regret of his presidency. Yes, I know we’re already in two wars, and most Americans don’t have an appetite for a third. So, for whatever reason, we ignored a genocide.

But I do know this. Syrian forces were completely backed by Vladimir Putin. Yes, the same guy that Trump and his buddies now call “friend.” Go and take a look at those pictures again, and tell me if someone responsible for that is one you would call “friend.” And no, this isn’t some left-wing wacko conspiracy theory. Putin IS behind Syria’s forces here, and there’s no question about it.

And I also know this. Many thousands of people were killed, including hundreds of thousands of children, but many also lived. Now, where are they supposed to go? Not here in the USA, apparently. Because according to most people in this country, we don’t want them. Apparently, that would be foolish. We don’t want to deal with them. Because they might take our jobs. Or they might be terrorists. Or something. I’ve even heard people say that “they should just go back where they came from.” Look at those pictures again.

Where are they supposed to go?

But what makes me so infuriated, is that only 18% of Republicans support accepting Syrian refugees. Yet most of these Republicans identify as Christians. Yes, Christians. The same ones who happily talk of “The Good Samaritan.” And swear by Matthew 25: 31-46. The key passage here:

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’  45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’  46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

I’m a Christian, and this confuses me. I know that accepting refugees has a lot of problems associated with it. Where do they live? Will they take my job? Will there be criminals or terrorists? I get it. But I also know the good Samaritan took risks, but he helped anyway. Which was pretty much the point of the story. Do I want refugees living in my house? No. But in my town? Yes, I think we could do that. At least we should. As Christians, I think we’re called to do that.

Still, if it came down to it, would I put my money where my mouth is? I don’t know. Or am I no better than those that I’m criticizing? I honestly don’t know. It’s easy to sit in my warm living room and write an angry blog. When it comes to helping, how will I do?

I don’t know the answer to any of this. But I know that as Americans we have just watched one more piece of genocide go by, while we merrily do our Christmas shopping and speak of Peace on Earth. And worry if Obama is still going to take away our guns. Or if some of our taxes are going for healthcare for some lazy guy who doesn’t want to work. And we really don’t seem to care about the Syrians. After all, they’re not Americans. Most of them are Muslims, so they don’t really matter. (sarcasm intended)

It’s no wonder so much of the world thinks Americans are arrogant and selfish.

Because apparently,  a lot of us are.

Crybaby or Patriot?

One thing I think we can all agree on, is that this was not a normal election. Some people were elated with the result, some were decimated. Almost nobody took it casually.

But it hit some people harder than others. Some were stunned, some cried, some just couldn’t seem to make it into work or class the next day. And since the election, I’ve seen approximately 1 bazillion articles and posts saying things such as:

• Stop your whining.
• Pull up your big girl panties and get to work.
• Spoiled brats who didn’t get their own way act like 2 year-olds.
• When (something bad) happened to me, I functioned just fine. Weakling!
• We won, you lost - deal with it.
• …

And to a point, I understand the sentiment, if not the tone, of those responses.  Yes, we should all be strong enough to go on. I mean, it's just an election. Nobody died! But let’s look at it another way.

On Wednesday after the election, one Hillary supporter I know started driving into work. But she couldn’t stop crying. Not knowing how to function in her job, she turned around, went to a friend’s house and they pretty much consoled each other all day.

Crybaby, right?

Let me share with you just some of what this person said on Thursday, one day later.

This election has hit me pretty hard, and it's taken me some time to process it. I've found it helpful to think of things I can do, rather than what's out of my control, and I thought maybe sharing my thoughts might help some of you too. 

1. I can pray for our leaders, our country, and everyone who calls this country home. 
2. I can recognize my privilege as a white, straight, middle class, educated, Christian and be an ally to all the people who don't benefit from the privileges I take for granted. 
3. I can spread positivity, kindness, and acceptance to everyone who crosses my path. 
4. I can donate my time and money to organizations that support the causes I'm worried about such as the ACLU, the Sierra Club, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Trevor Project, and Planned Parenthood. 
5. I can stay engaged and informed and reject feelings of defeat or apathy. 

Nowhere did she talk about how SHE was being hurt by this election. In fact, when you read it, she was worried about others in this country and how she could help them. The popular narrative right now is that these crybabies just were upset because they didn’t get what they wanted. That’s not the case here.

And she’s not alone. I talked to one man who was distraught, and his thoughts were similar, and he even added “I might be OK, but what about all the people who could really suffer in the next four years? What about them?”

I could give more examples, but you get the idea.

You can say these people are over-reacting. I don't agree, but we can have different opinions. Still, they weren’t so much worried about themselves, as they were worried about others in this country. Isn’t that what we want people to do? And how is that not patriotism? Patriotism comes in many forms. Flag waving is one. But caring about and helping people in our country is another. And probably a more productive one.

Sure, Facebook and much of the media are fixated on a few of the actual crybabies who were only upset because of what THEY wanted. But Facebook stories do not represent reality, and every single person who I talked to who was upset by this election expressed themselves as remorseful for others in the USA.

They’re not crybabies, they’re patriots. And they should be treated as such.

Can We Change the World?

Can I change the world? Do I want to? How about you?

I’ve thought about this a lot. And yes, I think I do. I’ve had a great life, so far. And a great career. And I’m happy to be retired. I loved teaching, and it defined who I am, or was. But I’m done with that now, and I’m not sure I could ever go back into the daily grind again, even if I wanted to.

But I miss making a difference.

I’ve been out of teaching for over three years, and as this time has progressed, it has become clearer and clearer to me, that I really miss making a difference. It’s not about personal recognition, or pats on the back. At least I don’t think so. No, it’s really that I’m too young for the Lazy Boy, yet too old for the classroom. And right now, I have a good life, friends that care for me, a church that appreciates me, and a woman who loves me. Yet I still feel like something is missing--and that “something” is “making a difference.”

There’s many ways I’m trying to correct that, but one, a small (tiny?) one, is my GrayShift blog. I’m not a professional writer, and while I would love to work for the Washington Post (!) I don’t think that’s going to happen. So I put my thoughts here.

While my blogs may not sound professionally written, and not everyone agrees with them, I try to share things that I think might make a difference for the readers. Whether it’s just a story about something that might make them feel good, or something to make them challenge their own mindsets, or even a look at our political world a little differently, it is one way I’m hoping to change the world. Just a little.

So if you read these, and you feel so inclined, please share them. Note that, at least for now, there is no advertising on my blog, which is actually unusual, So I don’t make any money from them, no matter how many people read them. But the more people who read them, the more I will feel I’m helping, just a little bit. And maybe, I actually will be. Assuming people continue to read them, look for more GrayShifts in the future.

So this is how I’m trying to change the world. Maybe you have some plans for doing the same.

It’s not easy to change the world. But maybe,  can do it, just a little bit.

Facebook and Me

I’m firmly convinced that one of the biggest reasons that we are a “divided nation” is because of Facebook. Pure and simple. But it’s here, and it’s a fact of life.

There’s a million flaws with what happens on Facebook, but there’s one I want to address right now.

If you post something, expect responses.

Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Yet, it doesn’t work that way many times.

I don’t post that much here, but when I do, it is normally original posts. I do some shares, but not too many. Some are just fun posts (which is what I wish Facebook mostly was) but some are political. Either way, when I post something, I anticipate comments. It’s great when they agree with me, but I know many of them won’t. So when I get comments contrary to my post, I have a number of options.

I can ignore them and just let the poster speak his piece. Or I can respond. However, what I can’t do is come back at the person and tell them to stop commenting. Or to get off my page. Or try to humiliate them. Or try to get a "zinger" in. Or call them names.... You get the idea.

Yet, that’s what I see happen.

Here’s the trouble. Facebook is filled with political groups. They often post incendiary items. And a lot of those posts are slanted, or just plain lies. But people read them, and share them. If I see something which appears to me to be slanted or false, many times I comment on it. I try to point out what I perceive as falsehoods. I know this infuriates people, because we just want to believe what we already believe. When I become contrary, they don’t like it.

And I understand that. And I’m sorry. I know I can be annoying. Yet, I find it difficult to let lies or even unintentional falsehoods just go unchallenged. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. And many times I wish I wasn’t like this. It would make my life much easier and more peaceful. And I'd get out more! Yet, this is what I am.

So if you put a political post up, expect challenges. From me, or from others.

If you don’t want challenges, then just don’t post. Seems pretty simple to me.

My Post Election Thoughts, for now

OK, the election is over. This is certainly not the outcome I had hoped for. And yeah, it really sucks. I mean really. I’ve been trying to process all this, reading a lot of stuff, listening to a lot of people. Here’s what I think.

I’ve seen a lot of pieces saying “Don’t worry, the President doesn’t really affect your own life very much. There are so many checks and balances… And really, what’s more important is your local government, your teacher…" Normally, I would agree with that. But not this time.

Checks and balances?. After this election, Republicans basically run this country. Not only did they win the presidency, but they also have control of both houses of congress. Soon the Supreme Court will be conservative as well. And don’t forget, the Republicans control about 70% of the state houses, and 70% of the governorships. Have no doubt, the country is owned by the Republicans. I don’t see a lot of checks and balances here. I can only hope that sane republicans fight against an insane president. But I don’t hold out a lot of hope on that.

And as far as the “the president doesn’t really affect your life much,” here is part of an article I saw on facebook:

“People are scared they will lose their health insurance. People are scared that their skin color will make them unwelcome in the country. They're scared that hate crimes will be on the rise because the vote justified it in the eyes of the racists. (Some white supremacists took this vote as a thumbs up. That's a reality.) LGBT friends are left wondering whether their marriages will still be legal. And whether their children will still be both of theirs legally if the marriage is undone”
(see the complete post below)

Also, a retired friend of mine on Obamacare was trying to figure out if he needed to get a full time job now, just for health care.

These are real fears. And I just pointed to a few. There are lots more. Lots. Maybe they’re imagined, and maybe they won’t come to pass. But to these people, the fears are real.

And no, this is not just because their side lost. This is not a football game. A Romney presidency would not have caused nearly as many of these fears. But this is different. It doesn’t feel like a loss, it feels like a death. This article explains it much better than I ever could.

So what to do? I have read article after article that go something like this:

“Like it or not, Trump is now OUR president. You have to accept him as such, because the people have spoken. Don’t put party first, put America first and we should all work together to move this country along.”

Really? Accept him as our president? I understand that, I really do. But let me remind everyone. When Barack Obama was elected, Trump himself didn’t accept him as president. He said that Obama was born in Kenya, so was therefore an illegitimate president. Trump himself was the number one repudiator of Obama’s presidency. But now we’re supposed to accept him? And work together? Just like the Republicans didn't do with Obama? We haven’t forgotten that the GOP spent 8 years obstructing every single piece of legislation or judgeship that came their way. But now, we’re supposed to work together? Really?

If the last 15 years have taught me anything about politics, it’s that working together gets you defeated. I hate to say that, and it shouldn’t be that way, but that’s what happens. After unprecedented obstructionism, the Republicans own the country. Yet the Democrats are now supposed to be nice and “just get along” and “be the better person.”

I like taking the high road as much as the next guy, but I’m having a little trouble with that this time. This is going to take me some time to process.

Why Isn't This a Bigger Story?

Recently, a 46 year-old white man gunned down two white police officers in Iowa. It has, of course, made headlines. But just three days later, it is off google news. I couldn’t find it on Fox or CNN either. This wouldn’t be a big deal, except for what it doesn’t involve.

It doesn’t involve a black man killing two police officers. And it doesn’t involve a Muslim killing two police officers.

Before I go further, this is not a “the media is so biased” story. Honestly, for the most part, I think most of the main stream media, with some obvious exceptions, do their best to get stories accurate. But I think this story has died, not because the media doesn’t care, but because readers don’t care. Could be wrong. But let me continue.

If this had been a Muslim killing police officers, it would have been a story for weeks. And the killing would have been termed “terrorism.” Fox News of course, would have had constant coverage of this crime. In fact, while I did not see it myself, I have read that on Wednesday when this killing was first reported, it was all over Fox and other conservative outlets; but when the shooter was found to be white, the story dropped. I can’t verify that first hand, so I might be wrong. But it does come from sources I trust.

Remember the San Bernardino shootings (Muslim shooter)? Or Baton Rouge (African American shooter)? It seems we had long lasting stories about each of those, especially San Bernardino.

But what I find even more disturbing about this story are the facts that weren’t anywhere near the headlines, and sometimes left out completely. I often wonder if major media outlets realize that many people only look at headlines of articles. Certainly anything past the first paragraph or so is ignored by many. Some people only read a story until it confirms what they want it to say. When it does, or when it doesn’t, they move on.

For instance, the killer had been ejected from a high school football game not three weeks earlier. He was waving a Confederate flag in front of a section of black spectators and the police escorted him out. He made a video of the confrontation, put it on youtube, and sent it to a television station: not just the incident, but also a 10 minute argument he had with police. He was angry with the police for kicking him out, because “he was just exercising his constitutional rights.”

A week later, the killer followed a group of African American parents into another football game, accompanied by his dog which was wearing a gun holster and a Confederate flag vest.(1)

Finally, the first killing took place on the same corner as the football stadium.

Oh, and of course, there was also the fact that he had a huge “Trump/Prence” sign in his yard.

Maybe you already know these things. But I don’t think most people do. In fact, I first discovered most of them by reading a newspaper from Jamaica! I did find corroboration of most of these things from other sources, but it was hard to find. So while some of these facts might be wrong, I’m pretty sure they are correct.

This man certainly had multiple family and employment issues as well. But to me, this sure sounds racially motivated. It sounds, although I can’t prove it, as though the killer was retaliating against the police for siding with the African Americans in the crowd. He was frustrated with that, and frustrated that the TV station didn’t do anything with his story. And given the political climate in this country, with a major candidate legitimizing racism and bigotry, intentionally or not, this kind of killing doesn’t surprise me. Unfortunately.

You can’t convince me that if he had been African American, if he had been Muslim, or even if there were a Hillary sign in his yard, this wouldn’t be a bigger story.

Apparently, we care a lot less about crimes committed by white people, especially men. I just really don’t see any other way to interpret it.

Trump Things (Almost) Nobody Talks About

Ok, the election is in a few days. Nothing I say here will change anyone’s mind. And besides, I don’t exactly have a million people reading this. But I just have to say these things anyway. If you're voting for Trump and you're reading this, good for you. I hope we can still be friends!

First of all, let’s forget about the cheating on the taxes and the sexual predator. Or the fact that he lies. A lot. Not that those things aren’t important; they are. But everyone knows about them, and has their minds made up. Anyway, here are a few things people don’t talk about much.

Trade Policy
Well that sounds boring enough, doesn’t it? But let’s think about this. He says he’s going to put huge tariffs on imported Chinese and Mexican goods. Because their manufacturing puts ours out of business. Sounds good: “Yeah, stick it to those Chinese. We need American made stuff!” The trouble is, a tariff is an added tax on these imports. So he wants to put a 45% tariff on imported goods from China, 35% from Mexico, plus other tariffs for other countries. Now everything from China will cost a lot more. Do you like the dollar store? It won’t exist. Like good prices at Walmart or Meijer? They’re going to be a lot higher. Like buying American cars? They have lots of foreign parts. Those prices are going to go way up as well. Think the cost of living is high now? Just wait. Want a recession? Well, you got it. Yes, we all wish more things were made in America, but this is not the way to do it.

Climate
Trump can’t do a lot of the things he says he’s going to do. He obviously doesn’t really understand how government works. He sometimes behaves as if he’s running for emperor, not president. But there are things he can do. And messing with climate change is an easy one. He can’t get rid of the EPA alone, but if he asks congress to do it, and if the congress is largely republican, do you really think too many of the republicans in congress are going to stand up for the EPA? Not a chance. Or how about the new Paris climate change agreement? He doesn’t need any approval for that one. It will just be negated. After all, he says climate change is a hoax. We all know better, whether we like it or not. If you want to make sure the worst of climate change is going to happen, then vote for Trump. After all, who needs cities like Miami, NY, or LA? Just let them flood. It won’t happen for quite a few years, so what do we care?

Discrimination
Recently a predominantly black church was burned, and painted with “Vote Trump.” No, Trump didn’t do it, but these are the kind of people who follow him. Yesterday, a middle aged white male with a huge Trump sign in his yard, and who likes to carry a Confederate flag, murdered two police officers, somehow because the killer hated the BLM movement (as does Trump). And no, again Trump didn’t tell him to. But his act of terrorism seems to go hand in hand with what Trump says. And Trump’s constant put down of Muslims, African Americans, and anyone who isn’t white, has a toll. His supporters (disciples?) see that, and now it is just a little more OK to be that way. Don’t think this kind of stuff will go way up? Think again.

Freedom of the press
I find this one very chilling. Trump routinely calls out the press for being biased against him. That’s bad enough when he says it in a general way. But when he points to a particular reporter and says she’s bad, she’s the worst, that will have an effect. All the reporters say it doesn’t bother them, but they have to say that. It has to make them a little concerned, and to think twice about what they're writing. And when he calls all journalists crooked scum, even if nobody hurts the journalists, it encourages his followers to ignore what the press says. That way, Trump can say his version of the truth. I’ve seen enough quotes from Trump supporters to know that many of them only believe him already. All the rest of the press lies, they think. This to me is very scary. It sets Trump as an authoritarian like this country has never seen. He has shown he will do everything he can to control the press. Just like his Putin does. I don’t know what you think, but it sure scares me.

Corruption
Yes, he says Hilary is corrupt. Maybe she is, but I’m pretty sure when all is said and done, we’ll find she hasn’t done all that much wrong. But Donald? Late in the month, his trial for fraud concerning Trump University begins. (BTW, the judge handling this case scheduled it for late November so it wouldn’t interfere with the election. Think how this election would be different if we were hearing all this testimony against Trump…. But back to the point.) If you’ve read anything about Trump U, you know it was a complete fraud. If he’s willing to do that, what makes anyone think he’s going to be honest in Washington? Or how about the multitudes of people he has stiffed after they did work for him? Or how about the fact he gives almost nothing to charity, yet tells people he does? (Sometimes his foundation gives money, but that’s not his money.) That’s other people’s money. (My favorite story is here. Amazing.) Finally, just think if we had all his emails and communication for the last 10 years like we have of Hillary’s. Do you think he’s going to be looking good? Not a chance.

I could go on, but this is too long already. But the whole idea of a Trump presidency really scares me. If you're still here, thank you for reading.