Black and white and gray

So, this is gonna probably be inflammatory to some of the people who may decide to watch the below Jon Stewart recent broadcast regarding Ferguson and the "reporting" by Fox News.

If you don't want to see it or hear it, I'd suggest you don't watch this because it truly points to the racial divide that still exists here in the United States.

And you probably don't want to read the rest of what I'm about to say here. Nobody's forcing you to come here and read this, remember...So I don't want to hear it if you don't agree! It's my opinion and my blog and frankly, I only really write this to get it out of my head.

Also, too? My Mom is married to a black man. When I was growing up Sidney Poitier was the high standard to which all other men were compared. And I love me some Denzel and Lenny Kravitz? Good LORD Lenny is so damn sexy it sort of hurts. Obama ain't too shabby either (but I love Michelle more so she needn't worry).

I've dated me men of all sorts of nationalities and colors. Jamaican, Norwegian, Irish, Jewish, Swiss, Peruvian, Scottish, Kenyan...I really don't care what your color is if you treat me well, have a good sense of humor and a good brain, I'm probably gonna give you the time of day.

I find men of every color very enticing, so I get to blab about this.

Here comes the ranty part - just as a warning:

If you think for ONE minute that black people and white people are treated equally everywhere in the USA? I'd suggest you take off your blindfold and pay attention. Go visit the deep south and see what you find.

Al Sharpton and Obama and Eric Holder are NOT the problem. They are not racial inciters or racial "arsonists" whatever the hell that's supposed to mean.

They are pointing out a continuing issue in the United States which is racism and bigotry.

The white person talking head on Fox News calling this kid a thug? And who the HELL cares what Donald "the rug" Trump has to say about racial relations? Since when do we care what that self-congratulatory noodlehead has to say?

Who the hell are these people to judge Michael Brown like that? Did you know him? Do you know his parents? Do you think that killing a kid after he stole petty things from a convenience store is justified?

Is taking a life the same thing as stealing a pack of gum? 

Was he armed? Was there any evidence that he harmed or threatened that police officer who, by the way, gets to just go on with his life? Some people contend that he will be haunted by "having" to take the life of this young black man.

Well, didja see his interview? He's got ZERO regrets. Said he'd do the same thing all over again.

It was chilling watching him be interviewed by George Stephanopoulos. He was just so matter-of-fact about killing an unarmed kid. Here's the interview in case you wanna fact-check.

It sure doesn't seem that he's feeling all that scarred by killing a teenager.

If your kid - yes, you there WHITEY - if your kid stole something petty from a convenience store (I did that when I was a kid, too) and the "justice" is that some adult person with a gun SHOOTS your kid dead, wouldn't you be upset? Wouldn't you demand that that adult person may have had other options? Wouldn't you want "justice" for your dead child?

Well, this is not just a race issue is it? It's a justice issue. And if we can't CLEARLY admit that this kid died because he is black then we're all more blind than I thought.

I'm afraid that discrimination is alive and very dysfunctionally unwell in the United States.

Here's a nice link that details the extent of the racial divide in the United States.

Tackle a campaign to make the world suck less

Here's Jon:

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Monday Musings

So, my last post was rather ranty - about immigration, but mostly a response to John Boehner's blatherings about Obama's executive order providing relief to 5 million immigrants who were in danger of deportation.

I'm going to try not to be so ranty and provide a more balanced look at subjects in the coming year (an early resolution).

Of course, the other side of immigration is over-population and the troubles that arise from it - lack of infrastructure, non-insured overwhelming the health care system, not enough books for some schools in areas inundated by children of illegal immigrants, and the list goes on.

Rarely is there an issue that is completely black and white. However, we cannot just solve these issues by ignoring them (i.e. Congress sitting on a bill for over a year) or creating a one-size-fits-all solution to a very complex problem (i.e. the executive action).

The real basis for the bigger problems in the US (I believe) is the refusal of our Congress to work with a Democratic president. The lame-duck approach to government is an affront to ducks. At least ducks seem to get along and get their shit done in a timely matter.

Is there a way to refuse to pay these fools for a job not done? If we all behaved as they did, we'd lose our jobs. We certainly wouldn't get paid and we wouldn't get our pensions and insurance paid for the rest of our days. I certainly don't have all the solutions, but I can identify that unless Congress gets a bit of a fire under their collective asses, we have two more years of this ridiculousness to come.

Ok. I'm done with that (for the moment).

In other world news, my husband is doing MUCH better with his shoulder and biceps. He's able to dress himself and even wash his own hair!! Score for me!

My Dad's wonderful wife just has surgery this morning. Spinal fusion and a laminectomy. Ouch. I spoke with her in the recovery room, and she's in a lot of pain, but doing okay...good thoughts her way are appreciated.

And lastly, my beautiful friend Bob, who lost his partner Marcel to liver cancer last summer - well, his Dad just died on Friday. Again, any good thoughts or prayers you've got laying around waiting on a good cause - well this is a good one. Bob is no less than an angel on earth. One of the most wonderful people I've ever had the pleasure to know. In fact, his whole family sort of adopted me after my divorce - warmly, welcomingly and kindly. They deserve only the best. Much love to them.

Now for something completely different!

I just saw a TED talk this morning about a singer from Australia who struggles with a speech impediment in her daily life. She's a great speaker and makes the case about not judging people. I love these TED talks. Really uplifting. I often get them via a great site called Upworthy - they collect all manner of stories from around the internet that will make you feel better about humans (and sometimes other animals!)...This TED talk is worth the 13 minutes. Click HERE to see it.

Now, to round out the day, a few sillies that have tickled me recently...

My two dogs? Their names are commonly, "Stopitstopitstopit!"
and "Heyheyheyheyheeeeyyyy!"

I adore John Oliver. I would love to be stuck
in a room with John Oliver, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart!
How much fun would THAT be?

World's best photo-bomb EVER!!!

Thanks for reading! Ciao for now.

Obama IS our POTUS

Lemme pose a quextion. (Misspelled on purpose, FYI.)

So, were your parents born in 'merica?

Were your grandparents born here in the good old U. S. of A.?

Oh, they weren't? 

Hmmm. Well that makes them IMMIGRANTS.

NoBODY has had their entire family line BORN in 'Merica except The NATIVE people. NATIVES. The people you subordinate and claim to be genetically lesser. 

The people who respect our lands and waters and air and who are the TRUE Americans.

So, guess what, jerk face? If you think for ONE moment that you somehow have laid claim to the opportunity and beauty of this great land? Nope. Columbus was a jerk. He didn't "discover" America! It existed well before he mistakenly arrived here thinking it was the East Indies! (Do your research, people! Get informed!)

That "Columbus Day" is celebrated in several states (embarrassingly even in Massachusetts) is a travesty. Ridiculous. Columbus came, he conquered, brought disease and plight to the Native Americans. 

Ridiculous.

When's the last time you read the Constitution? Or learned about your varied ancestral history? Do you think, because you were lucky enough for your ancestors to venture all the way to America that somehow NOW you have the right to refuse anyone else who deems to come here? 

Where do you get off telling others they can't exist here?

What do you think would have happened if your parents or grandparents or great-grandparents had been met with the same disdain and shitty attitude? 

You, my friend, would be up shit creek without a proverbial paddle. 

STOP with the claims of criminality, job-stealing, Ebola-carrying bullshit. 

Our immigrants are just people. Like you and I are just people. There are good ones and there are bad ones. But you cannot justify blaming an entire population because of a few bad seeds. So just stop it

Job-stealing? Really? How many of you wanna pick apples or cherries, one by one by one by one, in the blazing hot sun of summer? Oh, not you? Or you or you? So again, just stop it.

And the Ebola thing? Shut the hell up. You're being ridiculous and probably watching Fox News. A bunch of alarmist, DUMB, ignorant fools. They do NOT know what they're talking about and they CERTAINLY know nothing about science. So just stop it. STOP it. Idiotas.

So, what I'm saying is that unless you've DONE YOUR HOMEWORK, you gotta stop complaining and following the idiots who say they're helping you, but in reality, THEY are only helping themselves. 

Read about the 98%. 

Read about the top .01% who now have 99% of the wealth in this country.

They're not trying to help the average American. Only each other. 

Google that shit!

"INSCRIPTION ON THE STATUE OF LIBERTY"

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

Author: Emma Lazarus


Just sayin'...