OK.. Here are some random thoughts.. some that may get me in trouble...:)

First and foremost, I hope Glen Dynin feels better soon!  He inspires me to write many times even when I would choose not to and want to hear all of his comments and jokes on my writing!

OK.. Here are some random thoughts.. some that may get me in trouble...:)

1) The clerk in Kentucky has every right not to issue marriage licenses.  Because, she can resign her job and someone else can be put in the position that will obey the law.  The issue here is simple, does a government official have the right to disobey the highest court in the land and not follow agreed to law of the country? The answer must be no or there would be anarchy everywhere.  Courage would be to resign and campaign against or do whatever her heart believes is right, but to continue to take a paycheck for a job one is refusing to lawfully complete is to be a coward not a hero.

2) I am sorry, to fly over to Israel as a senator and negotiate on how to undermine the president of the United States sounds closer to treason than statesmanship.  The Senator has every right to vote against the Iran treaty and campaign against it, but foreign policy and statesmanship is the right of the executive branch of this government.  Strange that the most conservative who say they are focused on the words of the constitution forget about them when it does not serve them well.  I am a supporter of Israel but I don't see how Netanyahu's approach to undermine the president as not permanently damaging the Israeli American partnership that has been so important for more than 60 years.

3) This coming presidential election, in my opinion, is not about Donald Trump, taxes, unlawful immigrants, or the Chinese.  Thankfully gay rights appear to be settled for now.  What is under great assault is women's rights.  The right to choose.  The right to have equal pay.  Even the definition of what it means to be raped and how the evidence is handled.  The right to have equal rights is under great assault by the Tea Party conservatives.  The concern for women should be the Supreme Court making this coming election critical to have a president nominating and a senate approving justices who share a women's choice for equality.  I don't see this as a conservative or liberal issue at all.

4) In addition, what should be front and center in this election is prejudice against all minorities, and especially black Americans who still suffer from the oppression of the privileged majority in this country.  We must figure out as a nation how to have all people treated equally.  Not just because it is the right thing to do, although that should be enough, but at some point the current majority will realize a surprise that they will not be the majority forever.   

5) Example, Zuckerberg posts a picture of the Facebook team celebrating the 1 billion user.  Way to go Facebook, but am I the only one to notice they were all white and only one woman in the picture doing the celebrating?

6) Another great example of privilege vs. oppression of minorities.  Dora Charles a long term chef in Paula Deen's Restaurant is finally reaping the rewards of her contribution she has a new cookbook coming out.  But, if your read carefully you will note that Paula promised her success would follow hers but never shared truly with her.  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/dining/paula-deen-chef-dora-charles.html  She could cook for Paula, assure that her restaurant succeeded, but the share of the great success that follows appears to only have happened once she left the Paual Deen empire.


I do not personally believe in the Bernie Sanders approach, and honestly I don't see a socialist style of democracy as the right approach for this country.  It may work for some smaller European democracies but the capitalist society we have seems to have served us and world economy quite well.  I do hope that the dialogue that he is starting will expand people's thoughts on what the real issues are around this election.  Donald Trump is doing something similar for the Republicans as mean spirited and ugly as his comments may be.

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