“They received instructions from senior ISIL leaders in Syria. They were committed to violence.”
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90-10 …pathos?
Understanding that humanity is 90% accident of birth — be it our physical, intellectual, emotional, social, or cultural birth reality — and 10% motivation leads us to humility which is essential to comity and community.
William Anton Lee
2017, February 09
[90-10 …pathos?]
[The Women in President Trump’s Life]
[Political Thought]
As much as I dislike Pres. Trump and wish him a speedy 4 years and out, this concerted effort to whack his wife’s and daughter’s businesses is not a good idea. We speak about progressive values, we speak to women being their own masters and not being hooked at the hip with male partners, and then we jam these two for being strong and successful individuals. Punishing the women for the man is medieval.
From a practical perspective, those close to this President tell us these women are having a positive impact on Pres. Trump, bringing him to soften the alt-right pissants around him. We need to encourage these women to continue to soften Pres. Trump up. They will outlive the Bannon’s of this Presidency. For all the nonsense about his daughter being family and an improper counselor, better her than Bannon. For all the nonsense about his wife protecting the son’s school year, better she protects the child and comfortably integrates their family life in the coming 3 1/2 years. Nothing more counterproductive than burning down their family and livelihoods and their independence, when winning their hearts and thanking them for challenging the men around Trump is so far more constructive.
If we can’t see that Pres. Trump (and the women largely credited as the first women to manage a successful political/pr campaign into a Whitehouse win) is lashing out as a father and husband (and friend) and not as the Office of the President, then we’re collectively lost in the weeds. This lack of focus on resonating economic issues is what stopped Bernie’s message from dominating the airwaves and led to a Pres. Trump in the first place.
I’m not a fan of blind rage. I want Bernie’s fact based message to be the counter message every night on the news. Stop the distractions.
[Driving Out Darkness]
Food for thought:
Booker T Washington
“I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.”
Booker T. Washington“A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me.”
Frederick Douglass“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Fredrick Douglass
“It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder.
We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.”
Frederick Douglass
Martin Luther King
Query me this:
Can the love Martin Luther King spoke about drive out darkness while also calling for the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake?
Is Fredrick Douglass classically saying spare the rod and spoil the child, or is he closer in meaning to our modern-day tough love?
I wish it were possible to hear these two grand gentlemen in conversation were they to be alive today. I’m thinking Martin Luther King would be comfortable with both messages – bring on the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake and peaceful love. His peaceful marches did just that. These were storms in their own right and certainly the peaceful marchers drove out the darkness and brought on the light.
Bill of Rights – Constitution of the United States of America
… well worth reading in total and asking does popular shorter text do us right or mislead.
- Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
- A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
- No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
- The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
- No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
- In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
- In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
- Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
- The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
- The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
“Not him with great possessions…
“Not him with great possessions should you in truth call blest; with better right does he claim the name of happy man who realizes how to make use of the gods’ gifts wisely, is skilled to meet harsh poverty and endure, as one who dreads dishonor far more than death; a man like that for friends beloved, or for his country fears not to perish.”
― Horace, The Odes of Horace
