ABSILVER's World

 It is July 4 th , 2026. 250 years ago, 56 white men of courage signed the Declaration of Independence from the King of England. In fact, if the USA had lost the revolution, these men could have been tried and killed for treason.  So it took more than a noble effort to do what's right; it took courage. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." Like 40 other signers of the Declaration of Independence, the author Thomas Jefferson owned slaves. These men of courage did not think all men were created equal, but they apparently thought of white men from Europe. They most certainly did not consider Native Americans or women.  In fact, it would take almost 90 years for slavery to be abolished by the 13th Amendment, after the Civil War. I am reminded that with all this country has accomplished, its progres...

  Dogs, G-d, and Heaven: If you are reading this, I will share that DaisyBelle has passed away.  If you are looking for a cheerful and happy blog, this is not going to be it, and I would suggest you move on.  If you want to read something thoughtful, maybe even inspiring, keep on. I must confess, when it comes to faith and G-d, that I am an agnostic at best.  I see much around me that is “miraculous,” but no evidence that there is a G-d, and I also see enough bad in the world to wonder if there is a G-d, why did she create us and this world in the first place. That said, Norman Mailer didn’t believe in G-d till he had his cherished dog, which he was convinced had a soul.  I must confess, at this moment, when I looked at DaisyBelle, I might just have to agree with him. Her life started with another family in Miami.  We didn’t adopt her until she was at a shelter, probably because Miami-Dade outlawed Pit Bulls.  To be honest, she was a wonderful ...

Good morning, from East Texas. I sit here in relative calm, peace, and quiet.  Days are a bit stressful work-wise, with some home challenges and family drama, but I repeat that it is calm and quiet. My niece in Israel sends my sister and me a blog about her experience living in Jerusalem during a war.  Not necessarily of her choice, but one she sees as necessary to eliminate the threat from Iran, the evil leadership, and their contribution to terror, not just in the Middle East, not just to Israel, but around the world. I am again sitting in a calm, peaceful, and comfortable place.  I figure Longview is safe because, even if g-d forbid there were some calamity here from Iran, how would they find Longview?  Most people in Dallas don’t know where we are.    "Wishing you a peaceful and calm Shabbat." It doesn’t take much to think back to 9/11, where we all presumed safety and peace here in North America.  We weren’t worried about an attack from Canada or ...

  A conversation with ChatGPT about power, fear, and the choices ahead Brian Silverman in conversation with ChatGPT This piece is a personal reflection, written as a conversation with ChatGPT, about moral leadership, fear, and the direction of the United States. It reflects my questions and concerns rather than definitive answers. Introduction Over the past several years, I’ve found myself increasingly concerned,  not just about politics, but about moral leadership in the United States. As a gay, Jewish man who believes deeply in pluralism, education, and human dignity, I’ve watched the country shift away from empathy, nuance, and long‑term thinking toward fear, power, and control. What troubles me most is not disagreement, but the sense that we are losing our willingness to weigh human cost, complexity, and restraint. This is a summary of a conversation I had with ChatGPT, exploring those concerns: how we got here, what we are failing to address, and what a moral center migh...