Hey Y'all! I was in Dallas this week for work Training and Planning. During the training, one of the things we discussed was Empathy - trying to see things from the Client's perspective. This spilled over into our interpersonal relationships with each other too. Many of us had never met in person before or had not seen each other in a couple years. It was very cool in that I got a chance to practice Empathy by having calm, collected conversations with my peers who are from Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, etc. I think I was the only Californian.
Outside of work hours, we hung out for Breakfast and Dinner and, in addition to talking shop, talked about Gun Control and NFL Player Protests. Believe it or not, I was not the one who brought up the subjects! Knowing I was the only Californian, I figured I'd just avoid the subjects of politics and religion when heading out there... When in Rome, do as Romans do... I did, however, make one joke when I saw something flash across the screen about "Trump to have a listening session with Parkland Kids" (or something like that). I just muttered something about, "I hope he really listens and doesn't make it about him or sticks his foot in the mouth." Everybody pretty much agreed on that (plus it was a semi-joke).
It was interesting when one of my peers mentioned gun control (she has a symbol of an x'ed out AR-15 on her IM Chat), and most of the people at the table were women and agreed that teachers shouldn't necessarily be armed in the classroom. The guy on my right groaned and I looked at him and said, "I'm guessing this is a conversation you'd like to skip?" And he said, "I just don't like talking politics or religion because I'm not gonna change anybody else's mind and I doubt mine will change." We had to get back to work so the discussion was pretty much dropped but it was interesting to note different people's reactions. It's one thing to argue with people you don't really know online vs having a discussion with people face-to-face.
Another time, one guy mentioned about how his stance on NFL protestors changed from "Well, that is peaceful protest and it's better than rioting" to "Some things should be sacred" because he watched the women's hockey team standing during the National Anthem when they won the Gold. He had chills run up/down his spine and that was a great feeling. Another woman said she was totally against the protestors and said, "You just don't do that." I gave my opinion that I was raised to always say the pledge of allegiance, stand for the anthem etc as a kid... and when I first heard about Kaepernick (since he was a Niner), I groaned... but mostly because I didn't care for his kissing his biceps thing, etc. But when I learned more about why he was kneeling, I became a supporter. I mentioned how I know of law-abiding Black men that say being profiled/pulled over/harassed for driving in a nice neighborhood is definitely a thing. I mentioned how Blacks are incarcerated more often and punished more severely than their White counterparts, and I used the example of how three White kids beat up and permanently disabled a Black homeless man in Fairfield... and were walking free within 10 years. I know that would not be the same situation if three Black kids did that. And I mentioned how this was similar to the Olympians who raised their fists in silent protest in the 1960's, and how MLK was highly disliked at one time. One woman mentioned how her daughter was scared because she saw a Black guy breaking into her car and she can understand people feeling fear. I didn't go into how that isn't fair to judge all Black people by the actions of one (or a few) because I wanted her to finish what she was saying and practice my Empathy (plus she allowed me to have my say). The purpose is not for me to have my way, it's to try to understand where others are coming from. And I'm learning a lot of people's opinions come from how they FEEL.
One person (can't remember who) asked if they thought there was any racism inside the company, and I said I didn't think that was as much of a problem as the gap in pay between men and women. Granted, I was hired over 20 years ago when it was pretty common practice to pay men more as they were the "breadwinners." Most of the other women in my age range agreed, and a young Millenial woman said, "If it makes you feel any better, I was initially offered more money than my husband was when we got hired. I told him he had to renegotiate that figure." So it looks like there's some progress being done there.
In the end, they were saying that nothing could really be done about racism and sexism... and I said I thought it was important that people have these kinds of conversations in a calm manner because things will only get worse if people "stay in their camps" and don't listen to the other side. I continued my conversation with the original guy who started the NFL Protest conversation and told him that I'm a Christian, and believe that there's a certain point that prioritizing the Flag and/or Anthem too high can be a form of Idolatry. I also said I didn't think the nation was necessarily a Christian one at this point, but that was okay with me. Even though I'm a Christian, I believe in separation of church and state and I believe the country is a melting pot of diverse peoples and cultures. As a Christian (he said he was too), I believed it was important to treat each other fairly and with care. He agreed and I think we both walked away from that discussion FEELING better.
At the end of our Training and Planning sessions, the bosses asked us how we FELT about how things went. This made me realize that, when it comes down to it, a lot of what divides people is how they FEEL and EMPATHY needs to come into play when trying to find solutions. This reinforces my need to try and empathize more with other people. I don't need to try to change their minds, I need to listen to them and (if asked) calmly give my views.
Before I took this trip, I read "Call to Rise" by the former Dallas Police Chief David Brown who discusses how he moved from a skeptic of "Community Policing" to a supporter of it. Seeing that I'm neither Black nor a Police Officer (but know people who are one and/or both), I wanted to get some insight into this area.
During this trip, I also started reading "Strangers in Their Own Land" which is about a sociologist writer who lives amongst Tea Party Loyalists to get their thoughts and feelings about life in America. She was raised by a Foreign Service officer who traveled and she learned to live amongst people of other countries and cultures. In many ways, that is what America is - a land of different cultures... and I'm really looking forward to finishing this book. I read Hillbilly Elegy which was ok, but it was just one man's experience. I want to see, from the sociologist's perspective, how her interactions and interviews with several people went.
If any of you actually read this far and truly want to know how the other "side" is feeling, I recommend reading "Call to Rise" and "Strangers in Their Own Land." In my opinion, people are getting too entrenched into their own camps and digging their heels in. What used to be political or religious differences of opinions have grown into extreme dislike and contempt for those people who think or feel differently than you. Get off of Facebook for a bit - read a book, talk to people and LISTEN to them without interrupting. Stay off Fox/MSNBC/CNN/RushL and just watch the evening News in which they only have 20 minutes (after FF commercials) to give the News without editorializing (I usually watch CBS). Get your news from the more neutral sources in this chart. I think you will feel less stressed and more open to hearing others' thoughts and feelings.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Truly Broken Record
The most heart-breaking news this week was the school shooting in Florida. It's become a broken record with the same platitudes... and mass shootings are happening with such frequency that I think people are becoming numb to it. Obama said that Sandy Hook really hit him hard, and he tried to pass legislation to make it harder for those with mental illness to get guns. Well, Trump and Republicans reversed that and are now saying mental illness is the problem, not guns... And that it was the fault of various law enforcement agencies for not following up on it. There's a grain of truth in the different areas that need improvement, but I don't see why all of these areas can't be worked on.
There's been discussion about how teachers should be armed, or how every school should have armed security. We have teachers that have to buy some of their own supplies. How are we going to get funding for all the training, guns, ammo and/or extra security guards? Honestly, this is a broken record and nobody is really trying to fix it. You have people getting huge donations from the NRA for their political campaigns. I'm pretty sure our founding fathers didn't think about these mass shootings with semi-automatic weapons when they wrote the second amendment. I don't begrudge anybody their rifles, shotguns, handguns that are used for self-defense or hunting/sport. But shouldn't there be various licenses to get different type of guns? Kind of like how you need a certain type of driving license to drive a big rig?
Of course those with mental illness and fanatics are the ones shooting up schools, churches, etc. But to think "it's the people, not the guns" is a ridiculous argument because we all know it's both. Sure, a truly murderous person can use a knife. But as they say, "You don't bring a knife to a gunfight." Why can't we address both gun control along with mental and emotional health? Why do the gun lobbyists not want to address gun control? Greed, that's why. NRA lobbyists are willing to give millions to congress members because it begets them even more money in return. Common sense gun control is as simple as ensuring you're locking up your guns so the toddler doesn't get a hold of it. It means not allowing those with mental illness or those with a background of ANY kind of domestic abuse to own a gun. It means not selling guns over the internet. It means not selling bumper stocks (or whatever they're called) that turn guns into semi-automatics.
This is one of the main reasons I went from being politically Independent to Democrat. The GOP is so busy trying to defend guns (and their NRA funding) that they won't address the issue of common sense gun control. They aren't even addressing mental health or any of the other things they claim is causing these shootings. And this is not their only broken record - I'll discuss Healthcare, Immigration, the Deficit another day. For now, protecting our citizens from homegrown AMERICAN TERRORISTS should be something all citizens can unite on no matter the political leanings... and we're tired of hearing the same old broken record.
There's been discussion about how teachers should be armed, or how every school should have armed security. We have teachers that have to buy some of their own supplies. How are we going to get funding for all the training, guns, ammo and/or extra security guards? Honestly, this is a broken record and nobody is really trying to fix it. You have people getting huge donations from the NRA for their political campaigns. I'm pretty sure our founding fathers didn't think about these mass shootings with semi-automatic weapons when they wrote the second amendment. I don't begrudge anybody their rifles, shotguns, handguns that are used for self-defense or hunting/sport. But shouldn't there be various licenses to get different type of guns? Kind of like how you need a certain type of driving license to drive a big rig?
Of course those with mental illness and fanatics are the ones shooting up schools, churches, etc. But to think "it's the people, not the guns" is a ridiculous argument because we all know it's both. Sure, a truly murderous person can use a knife. But as they say, "You don't bring a knife to a gunfight." Why can't we address both gun control along with mental and emotional health? Why do the gun lobbyists not want to address gun control? Greed, that's why. NRA lobbyists are willing to give millions to congress members because it begets them even more money in return. Common sense gun control is as simple as ensuring you're locking up your guns so the toddler doesn't get a hold of it. It means not allowing those with mental illness or those with a background of ANY kind of domestic abuse to own a gun. It means not selling guns over the internet. It means not selling bumper stocks (or whatever they're called) that turn guns into semi-automatics.
This is one of the main reasons I went from being politically Independent to Democrat. The GOP is so busy trying to defend guns (and their NRA funding) that they won't address the issue of common sense gun control. They aren't even addressing mental health or any of the other things they claim is causing these shootings. And this is not their only broken record - I'll discuss Healthcare, Immigration, the Deficit another day. For now, protecting our citizens from homegrown AMERICAN TERRORISTS should be something all citizens can unite on no matter the political leanings... and we're tired of hearing the same old broken record.
Saturday, February 10, 2018
Facebook Fast Reflections
Members of my church (New Life) were called to fast for three weeks to focus on God and on the direction of the church. Because I'm already trying to lose weight, I didn't want to do a food fast because that seemed to benefit my diet efforts more than my "time with God" efforts. It's no secret that Facebook is a big time suck, so I decided to do a full Facebook fast and to limit TV time to only after 6 pm (which is still a lot). By doing this, I was able to spend more time reading the Bible and in prayer. I may continue to limit Facebook and TV time.
So what did I come away with from this fast? I did enjoy reading the Bible and praying, so the goal of spending more focused time with God was achieved. When praying for the direction of New Life, some thoughts did cross my mind that did initially sadden me. When I first started coming to New Life, it was pretty diverse and that's one of the main factors that drew me. The other main factor was that they were doing good work in the community. I wasn't sure if I believed in Jesus so, if I was gong to go to a church, I wanted to at least go to one that helped the community. They work with Mission Solano which provides shelter and services to homeless people. Being helpful to the community was a sundae and the diversity was the cherry on top.
A few years ago, New Life finally got a building off I-80 near the Vacaville/Fairfield border. When I first started attending, they were working out of school gyms and later a warehouse. It was always the senior pastor's vision to build a church in that type of location, and to reach out to at-risk youth and families. It may just be my imagination but, after we moved to the building, we seemed to slowly lose some of the cultural and ethnic diversity. While reflecting on this, it saddened me. It may have been a simple thing like geography and people no longer wanted to drive further to the new location. It may have been that many went to other churches - like the one David Cobb (former worship leader) went to or the Father's House which is a large church off of I-80 in Vacaville... or it may be that, like me, they saw the congregation becoming less diverse and didn't feel as comfortable as before.
These thoughts made me reflect on whether I still belong at New Life or if I should seek a more diverse and liberal church... or even go back to one of my SF churches (First Chinese Baptist Church in Chinatown or Sunset Ministry) where my husband might attend too. Solano County is fairly conservative in Fairfield/Vacaville, so it's no surprise that the New Life congregation is fairly conservative (especially with less POC). Of course I realize that I now lean very left so, in reality, maybe they're not THAT conservative. The pastor himself is fairly neutral politically (maybe with a slight left lean) and I like his messages a lot. After prayers and discussions with my daughters, I've concluded that I should stay with New Life. It helps me to grow to hear a conservative voice and to try to understand their viewpoints.
And perhaps He wants me there to be the liberal voice... the one to say, "Hey, these NFL players may be rich but they and those they love have been needlessly harassed and/or killed by law enforcement. Don't listen to the President - they are not protesting the anthem or flag. They are crying out for justice." I actually did have this conversation with some friends over coffee after church one day. It was uncomfortable for me because I know I was in the minority in my opinion, but I did feel called to say it. Most people my age (and older) were raised to stand and say the pledge of allegiance and it was ingrained in us. And so most people form their opinions off of their experiences only. They don't always look at the indignities and injustices others have to suffer. That's human nature and I don't blame them; but perhaps I'm here to give a differing viewpoint.
The rest of my free time was spent working for the ACLU People Power Texting Team for events around the country. I also went to the Women's March in SF with my friends... and I spent more time on my bicycle where I often have good conversations with God and/or listen to KLOVE and NPR. I've cleaned up my Apple News Feeds to remove CNN and FOX; and focused on Reuters, AP, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal.
I've decided to spend less time arguing on Facebook because people rarely change their minds or even really want to know what others are thinking. They just want to fight; and I don't want to be one of those people. I'll still comment on other people's posts who have similar views as me, but I'll be scrolling past the inflammatory pro-Trump posts I see (clearly some people can't/won't hear a liberal view). And I'll still post a few of my opinions and thoughts along the way to show that there are some Christians who don't support Trump or his administration. That there are some of us that think like John Pavlovitz - we want equal rights and justice for women, LGBTQ, people of color. We don't want large corporations to get large tax breaks and then layoff people or offshore jobs. We realize that many people in America were descended from dreamers or slaves, and don't believe these myths about refugees (ironically from Mike Pence's home state of Indiana).
I will also try to spend more time on this blog because I've found it interesting to look back and read some of the things I posted in the past. I don't get much traffic here but, even if just one person learns that there are Christians who don't support Trump-type views, then it's worth the effort.
(Update 2/11 - After greeting for first service, I saw quite a few new POC... Which makes me think that perhaps I simply miss some people that no longer attend New Life.)
So what did I come away with from this fast? I did enjoy reading the Bible and praying, so the goal of spending more focused time with God was achieved. When praying for the direction of New Life, some thoughts did cross my mind that did initially sadden me. When I first started coming to New Life, it was pretty diverse and that's one of the main factors that drew me. The other main factor was that they were doing good work in the community. I wasn't sure if I believed in Jesus so, if I was gong to go to a church, I wanted to at least go to one that helped the community. They work with Mission Solano which provides shelter and services to homeless people. Being helpful to the community was a sundae and the diversity was the cherry on top.
A few years ago, New Life finally got a building off I-80 near the Vacaville/Fairfield border. When I first started attending, they were working out of school gyms and later a warehouse. It was always the senior pastor's vision to build a church in that type of location, and to reach out to at-risk youth and families. It may just be my imagination but, after we moved to the building, we seemed to slowly lose some of the cultural and ethnic diversity. While reflecting on this, it saddened me. It may have been a simple thing like geography and people no longer wanted to drive further to the new location. It may have been that many went to other churches - like the one David Cobb (former worship leader) went to or the Father's House which is a large church off of I-80 in Vacaville... or it may be that, like me, they saw the congregation becoming less diverse and didn't feel as comfortable as before.
These thoughts made me reflect on whether I still belong at New Life or if I should seek a more diverse and liberal church... or even go back to one of my SF churches (First Chinese Baptist Church in Chinatown or Sunset Ministry) where my husband might attend too. Solano County is fairly conservative in Fairfield/Vacaville, so it's no surprise that the New Life congregation is fairly conservative (especially with less POC). Of course I realize that I now lean very left so, in reality, maybe they're not THAT conservative. The pastor himself is fairly neutral politically (maybe with a slight left lean) and I like his messages a lot. After prayers and discussions with my daughters, I've concluded that I should stay with New Life. It helps me to grow to hear a conservative voice and to try to understand their viewpoints.
And perhaps He wants me there to be the liberal voice... the one to say, "Hey, these NFL players may be rich but they and those they love have been needlessly harassed and/or killed by law enforcement. Don't listen to the President - they are not protesting the anthem or flag. They are crying out for justice." I actually did have this conversation with some friends over coffee after church one day. It was uncomfortable for me because I know I was in the minority in my opinion, but I did feel called to say it. Most people my age (and older) were raised to stand and say the pledge of allegiance and it was ingrained in us. And so most people form their opinions off of their experiences only. They don't always look at the indignities and injustices others have to suffer. That's human nature and I don't blame them; but perhaps I'm here to give a differing viewpoint.
The rest of my free time was spent working for the ACLU People Power Texting Team for events around the country. I also went to the Women's March in SF with my friends... and I spent more time on my bicycle where I often have good conversations with God and/or listen to KLOVE and NPR. I've cleaned up my Apple News Feeds to remove CNN and FOX; and focused on Reuters, AP, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal.
I've decided to spend less time arguing on Facebook because people rarely change their minds or even really want to know what others are thinking. They just want to fight; and I don't want to be one of those people. I'll still comment on other people's posts who have similar views as me, but I'll be scrolling past the inflammatory pro-Trump posts I see (clearly some people can't/won't hear a liberal view). And I'll still post a few of my opinions and thoughts along the way to show that there are some Christians who don't support Trump or his administration. That there are some of us that think like John Pavlovitz - we want equal rights and justice for women, LGBTQ, people of color. We don't want large corporations to get large tax breaks and then layoff people or offshore jobs. We realize that many people in America were descended from dreamers or slaves, and don't believe these myths about refugees (ironically from Mike Pence's home state of Indiana).
I will also try to spend more time on this blog because I've found it interesting to look back and read some of the things I posted in the past. I don't get much traffic here but, even if just one person learns that there are Christians who don't support Trump-type views, then it's worth the effort.
(Update 2/11 - After greeting for first service, I saw quite a few new POC... Which makes me think that perhaps I simply miss some people that no longer attend New Life.)
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Reasons I don’t like Trump
I had a phone conversation with a friend last night and she truly didn’t know why there was so much animosity towards Trump and his supporters. Needless to say, it was a long conversation (because we also discussed more pleasant things), but here are some of my reasons that I don’t like Trump and/or his Promises.
Inflammatory Rhetoric and Name-Calling towards other leaders here and abroad - not bringing The Nation together (like he said he would) and could be starting up a new World War with Middle East and North Korea. There’s more at risk than just America. As a Christian, I am more concerned about the world and how peace is at risk.
America First - In addition to my love of the world, let’s talk economics which is what this slogan is really about. We will now be taking the backseat to China with alternative energy. The “Industrial Age” of manufacturing and coal are on the downside of their peak. Even if you don’t believe in climate change, you need to hurt the environment in order to access coal and fossil fuels, not to mention water sources on the land of Native Americans (who were, btw, the First Americans). Alternative Energy is the future for job growth because even IT jobs are going overseas (not just manufacturing). It won’t be America First if he continues to insist on promoting coal and gas only. The only hope I have is that California is still staying in the game; and the automakers have to make cars that can be used here because we makeup a large portion of the auto consumers.
Demeans People of Color - Called NFL players (majority of them Black) SOB’s when they are merely peacefully protesting. Their intent is not to protest the flag and anthem, and yet he’s insisting they are. They are protesting the police harrassment and killing of unarmed black people. Many black males I’ve spoken to have been needlessly pulled over for driving in a nice neighborhood in a nice car. Many blacks are incarcerated for longer periods of time than their white counterparts for similar crimes.
Drain the Swamp - He went and put in people ill-suited for the jobs as you can tell from the number that have gone through his revolving door. Some of them like Jeff Sessions are also known racists. Not to mention an oil guy for the EPA, a private school person for Education, etc. I come from a family of Educators and I don’t like how this Administration is trying to privatize public schools. If you have the time and/or money to put your kid in private school (or home school), that’s your business. But many parents don’t have that luxury. Even if you give them vouchers, the schools can still descriminate and pick the “best” students.
The Wall - Mexico has made clear they’re not gonna pay for it, so now we know the taxpayers will... So how is that going to be funded when corporations pay so much less? And how will that impact social services? A wall didn’t work in China and it won’t work here.
Favors Banks and Big Corporations - We talked about how he’s lifted restrictions on the banks again and they may just get the country in another “Too Big to Fail” bind again. The tax cuts (from 35 to 20%) for huge corporations will not bring jobs back - it will only trickle down to their shareholders. In order to lower their taxes as well as build the wall, social services and infrastructure will likely suffer.
DACA - Another “good thing” Obama has put in place that he flip flopped on whether he’d find a way to let them stay. Again, this country was built on immigrants and these kids can’t help that they were brought here as children and is the only real country they know. In his day, my grandfather was a Dreamer Kid.
Dog Whistle Rhetoric - He uses dog whistle rhetoric to stir up his fans. Black NFL Players are SOBs and unpatriotic for protesting, White Nationalists are very fine people, calls women he thinks are pigs, etc. This isnt even mentioning how he rose in popularity back when he accused Obama for not being born in America. These are not-so-subtle examples of how he stirs up hate within his fan base, and that’s why many people don’t like Trump supporters - because they support all he stands for.
Anti-Obama - He tries to undo anything Obama did, whether good or bad. Let’s start with the Affordable Care Act. It isn’t perfect and needs work but, as you can see, even the Republicans can’t put something together even though they have the majority. They need to work together to improve on it... but they’re bent on destroying it because Obama had anything to do with it. I’ve actually heard people say they like the Affordable Care Act but not Obamacare - as if they don’t realize they’re the same darn thing. As mentioned above, he’s trying to get rid of DACA... and it went so far as lifting the ban on elephant trophies (which thankfully he stopped after a lot of outcry). Trump even had an obsession with crowd size because Obama’s crowd was so large - it’s ridiculous and petty.
Claims to be Christian - He’s very un-Christlike in behavior and exercises no wisdom or humility. He’s swindled people in business, claimed bankruptcies numerous times, cheated on wives, physically manhandled (and possibly raped) one of his wives, 15+ accusations of sexual abuse, calls women he doesn’t like derogatory or racist-based names (Pocahontas), bragged about “Grab them by the p***y,” etc. Whether he’s really Christian or not is between him and God, but he would do well to “Get Love Right” as we say at New Life. We touched on how 80% of White Evangelicals voted for him. Honestly, I’m not sure that’s true (I’m hoping not), but it’s a very scary thought.
I could go on and on (and I haven’t even touched the Russia stuff because I am allowing Mueller to finish his investigation), but these are just a few of the reasons I don’t like this President. I think he’s stirs up animosity towards people of color and has abused women. Many people, Independents as well as Liberals, think the same of him and can’t understand why anybody would condone/support him.
You asked me why people feel so much animosity towards Trump supporters. The short answer is that we find him to be a mean, petty, hateful person who looks out only for his (wealthy) interests. Trump supporters seem to enjoy his bragging (even if they’re lies) and mean-spirited words... so there’s animosity towards anybody who seems to reward/support him or, worse yet, repeat his hateful rhetoric (calling Liberals libtards, snowflakes etc).
I understand the animosity goes both ways, and I try to be civil and polite in my discussions because we can’t unify until people start being decent to one another again. Some people mock my being “politically correct,” but I will still try to be polite and civil anyway. Christians are commanded to love our neighbors (not just American neighbors).
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Con ‘n Cheat
I posted something on FB and a friend asked why I call Trump a Con ‘n Cheat (she thought it was over the top). My response:
LOL I actually thought the phrase “Con ‘n Cheat” was probably too kind considering what I actually think... and considering he has the nerve to call peaceful protestors SOB’s.
LOL I actually thought the phrase “Con ‘n Cheat” was probably too kind considering what I actually think... and considering he has the nerve to call peaceful protestors SOB’s.
In this particular video he says, “I told you that we would be saying Merry Christmas again... With Trump as your President, we are going to be celebrating Merry Christmas again.” This is implying that his predecessor was against it. Yes, he also talked about department stores, but he’s talking about general society as if people stopped celebrating or saying Merry Christmas until he became President. That’s just ridiculous on so many levels - nobody has ever told me to say or not say Merry Christmas when I was an agnostic or when I was a Christian. I worked in retail and I said whatever phrase I wanted - Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, whatever. And people can say whatever holiday greeting they want to me and I’m not offended.
But this video isn’t the reason I call him a Con ‘n Cheat. I call him that because of how he’s cheated on multiple wives (and physically assaulted one), how he’s cheated people in business, how he’s conned people with his Trump University, and how he’s conned enough people in America to vote for him. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
This Washington Post editorial best explains my “Con ‘n Cheat” opinion. My opinion only differs in that I don’t necessarily think the American worker will catch on because he pushes all their right buttons.
This Snopes Article talks about his abuses on women including his ex-wife. Snopes DOES say there is a mixture of truth/false and, although he may not have raped her, he definitely manhandled her and puller her hair.: http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-rape-sexual-assault-minor-wife-business-victims-roy-moore-713531
Here is WP’s Fact Checker on Trump. It’s one thing to lie here and there or by accident, but he does it so often and acts as if he’s telling the truth... and people for some reason believe him. It’s the same with Hannity, Limbaugh, Breitbart, etc. It’s the same rule book - act like you’re being attacked and people will believe your lies.
Friday, December 1, 2017
Who’s Truly Crazy?
A Facebook friend posted a Fox News segment about “Who’s Truly Crazy” and a nice non-Christian woman asked the original poster to expand on the spiritual (paraphrased). Here’s how I responded:
JQ, I’m a former political independent and religious agnostic that believed in a higher power, but did not necessarily believe Jesus was the son of God etc. I’m now politicially Democratic and a Christian, and I try to show non-believers that not all Christians support this President or his agenda.
Some Christians do want to support refugees who are fleeing murderous governmental regimes (sanctuary cities were started by the churches in the 1990’s), support helping families through welfare and other programs (being pro-life should be more than just pro-fetus) and want equal rights and justice for all people (no matter race or religion or sexuality). There are Christians that want to reach people with love instead of judgment.
There are some people that think we should pray for Trump, but I pray that God grant all world leaders wisdom and humility. I don’t pray for Trump specifically because I don’t believe his plan necessarily syncs up with God’s plan. If God grants him wisdom and humility, that would be great (same with Kim Jong Un); but I’m not holding my breath for it.
America is built on checks and balances and I’m praying that the other leaders of this nation can keep Trump under control. I do say specific prayers for James Mattis as he oversees our military personnel... and I pray that Mueller gets to the bottom of all this Russia stuff once and for all.
Who’s truly crazy? Time will tell. From my viewpoint, it’s a mistake for Christians to hold up Trump as an example of a good Christian. It’s showing non-believers that Christians support a racist misogynist who thinks there are “very fine people” among neo-Nazis and brags about grabbing women by the p**y. He is right about one thing though - he could shoot somebody in broad daylight and still have ardent followers.
Who’s truly crazy? I say it’s the ones that believe all his lies as well as the fake Russian Facebook posts and conspiracy theories... the ones who lap up the rhetoric of Breitbart/Bannon/Yiannopolas, Hannity, Limbaugh, etc without trying to listen to those at the New York Times, Washington Post and other news sources who brought down Nixon.
Anyway, Jenny, please don’t think that every Christian is Republican, judgmental and supports this President. We don’t all think “America First.” There are some that simply love God and our neighbors.
JQ, I’m a former political independent and religious agnostic that believed in a higher power, but did not necessarily believe Jesus was the son of God etc. I’m now politicially Democratic and a Christian, and I try to show non-believers that not all Christians support this President or his agenda.
Some Christians do want to support refugees who are fleeing murderous governmental regimes (sanctuary cities were started by the churches in the 1990’s), support helping families through welfare and other programs (being pro-life should be more than just pro-fetus) and want equal rights and justice for all people (no matter race or religion or sexuality). There are Christians that want to reach people with love instead of judgment.
There are some people that think we should pray for Trump, but I pray that God grant all world leaders wisdom and humility. I don’t pray for Trump specifically because I don’t believe his plan necessarily syncs up with God’s plan. If God grants him wisdom and humility, that would be great (same with Kim Jong Un); but I’m not holding my breath for it.
America is built on checks and balances and I’m praying that the other leaders of this nation can keep Trump under control. I do say specific prayers for James Mattis as he oversees our military personnel... and I pray that Mueller gets to the bottom of all this Russia stuff once and for all.
Who’s truly crazy? Time will tell. From my viewpoint, it’s a mistake for Christians to hold up Trump as an example of a good Christian. It’s showing non-believers that Christians support a racist misogynist who thinks there are “very fine people” among neo-Nazis and brags about grabbing women by the p**y. He is right about one thing though - he could shoot somebody in broad daylight and still have ardent followers.
Who’s truly crazy? I say it’s the ones that believe all his lies as well as the fake Russian Facebook posts and conspiracy theories... the ones who lap up the rhetoric of Breitbart/Bannon/Yiannopolas, Hannity, Limbaugh, etc without trying to listen to those at the New York Times, Washington Post and other news sources who brought down Nixon.
Anyway, Jenny, please don’t think that every Christian is Republican, judgmental and supports this President. We don’t all think “America First.” There are some that simply love God and our neighbors.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Why We Resist
I was on Facebook and somebody wanted to know why my friend had so much “hatred.” My friend Vicki has been very vocal about her resistance to Trump and his agenda, and another friend stated she didn’t like the negativity and wanted to know when it would stop (paraphrased). Here’s my response that I wanted to keep here:
I talked with Vicki and agreed that we are kind of the yin and yang of our message. She is trying to reach Evangelicals who hold Trump up as an example of a good man and support him no matter his words and actions. I am trying to reach out to non believers so that they know that not all Christians support him (despite the fact that 80 percent of White Evangelicals voted for him) and many don’t consider him a good Christian role model.
We all should agree that sexual predators are on both sides of the aisle and should be condemned - but Trump doesn’t really. He’s now even made comments that the Access Hollywood tapes were “fake” even though he acknowledged and apologized for it a year ago.
But our resistance to Trump’s platform is against not just his sexual predatory and racist comments; it’s also against his trying to force through corporate tax breaks (when trickle down economics don’t work), Muslim bans, Law Enforcement policies that target people of color who are already being mistreated, etc. While people voted for him because he’s against abortion (understandable), they don’t realize that they also need to make resources available to women so that they can raise their kids to adulthood. You can’t be truly “Pro-Life” unless you are willing to help them out through welfare, WIC, and other programs.
I can’t speak for Vicki, but I pray for ALL the world leaders (not just US) - I pray that God grant them Wisdom and Humility and those qualities seem to be sorely lacking in Trump. Praying for our leaders doesn’t mean that we need to support Trump - after all, God did harden Pharaoh’s heart to show how great His power is when the Hebrews went on their Exodus. I sometimes think maybe He’s hardened Trump’s heart and other Christians’ hearts who still think “America First” instead of “Love God and Love Your Neighbor.” People like Vicki and I can’t turn away and ignore these things. Yes, God is good and there are lots of excellent things in the world... but that doesn’t mean we can’t make them better. Martin Luther King Jr was a minister and an activist - a great example of how to do both at once.
I talked with Vicki and agreed that we are kind of the yin and yang of our message. She is trying to reach Evangelicals who hold Trump up as an example of a good man and support him no matter his words and actions. I am trying to reach out to non believers so that they know that not all Christians support him (despite the fact that 80 percent of White Evangelicals voted for him) and many don’t consider him a good Christian role model.
We all should agree that sexual predators are on both sides of the aisle and should be condemned - but Trump doesn’t really. He’s now even made comments that the Access Hollywood tapes were “fake” even though he acknowledged and apologized for it a year ago.
But our resistance to Trump’s platform is against not just his sexual predatory and racist comments; it’s also against his trying to force through corporate tax breaks (when trickle down economics don’t work), Muslim bans, Law Enforcement policies that target people of color who are already being mistreated, etc. While people voted for him because he’s against abortion (understandable), they don’t realize that they also need to make resources available to women so that they can raise their kids to adulthood. You can’t be truly “Pro-Life” unless you are willing to help them out through welfare, WIC, and other programs.
I can’t speak for Vicki, but I pray for ALL the world leaders (not just US) - I pray that God grant them Wisdom and Humility and those qualities seem to be sorely lacking in Trump. Praying for our leaders doesn’t mean that we need to support Trump - after all, God did harden Pharaoh’s heart to show how great His power is when the Hebrews went on their Exodus. I sometimes think maybe He’s hardened Trump’s heart and other Christians’ hearts who still think “America First” instead of “Love God and Love Your Neighbor.” People like Vicki and I can’t turn away and ignore these things. Yes, God is good and there are lots of excellent things in the world... but that doesn’t mean we can’t make them better. Martin Luther King Jr was a minister and an activist - a great example of how to do both at once.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
The Protest is Not About the Military, Flag or Anthem
Kaep talked with former Green Beret Nate Boyer and changed his sit to a kneel to show honor for the military and flag... Hopefully Americans can follow Kaep and Boyer's example to listen and understand... The protest is not about the flag or military. It's about racial injustice.
Unfortunately, I think the message of the protest is getting lost. I'll admit that I was slightly annoyed when I first read the headline about Kaep taking a knee... But then I researched what he was protesting - racial injustices on Black people being needlessly stopped and harassed and killed at higher rates than other people. I still stand at the games during the anthem (but admittedly don't at home while watching tv)... But I can respect the players' stance and concern for those who don't have the platform they do... It must be horrible to have to worry if their child/sibling/parent will be needlessly harassed or killed.
People used to be annoyed with MLK, Muhammad Ali, etc, but their messages finally did get across. Could Kaep and other players have found another venue to protest? I submit that they have, but people dismiss it with irrelevant comments like "what about black on black crime," "all lives matter," etc. Peaceful protest like this is uncomfortable for people, but apparently it's finally getting attention. Unfortunately the true message calling for compassion and empathy are getting lost in a perception of disrespect for the military. I also have friends and family in the military and first responders, but I am able to hear the true protest of racial injustice. The heart of the matter is what's truly important, and I don't think the heart of these quiet protests are to disrespect the military. It's to bring awareness to racial injustices. I pray that Americans can learn to listen to one another and work towards solutions like Kaep and Boyer... Even if they're small steps, they are steps worth taking.
Sunday, August 20, 2017
It's not about the Statues...
It's not even about Trump. It's about how we, as a nation, can work together to make things better with racial and political relations. I see that the racial relations and political relations are becoming a vicious cycle to wedge further distances between "us and them."
People will say, "We're not divided. It's the Fake News that's making it look that way." I even see posts with Cousin Tom/Forrest Gump mocking people upset about the statues... and complaining about too many posts about statues. Guess what, People - that's called Privilege. I was born with it too, and I admit it. I can turn off the news/Facebook and go about my day. I don't have to worry about losing my manufacturing job, and I don't have to have "the talk" with my kid about getting stopped by police officers. I'm neither Black nor White, but I'm human and can try to empathize. Nobody does that anymore. Instead there's a lot of Whataboutism.
I think there should be more Whatiffing -
What if I asked my Black friend if he's ever been needlessly stopped while driving in a nice neighborhood?
What if I asked him what that felt like?
What if I actually did some research on Black Lives Matter (it's not hard to google) instead of just believing whatever the right-wing site tells you?
What if I stopped being defensive whenever I heard the word "racist" or "privileged"and stopped assuming that people are calling ME a racist?
What if I turned off all the CNN, Fox and other 24-hour news channels and did some research on my own?
What if I volunteered to help in the community to help the underprivileged (no matter their ethnicity)?
Being in California, it's hard for me to interact with the folks in the Rust Belt that voted for Trump. But I still care about them and want things to be better for them. I can read books to help me understand (Hillbilly Elegy and Strangers in Their Own Land). I also want things to be better for my friends who are POC and/or LGBTQ, and want things to be better for them too. I want equal justice and opportunity for all. I thought that's what we all wanted.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Fourth of July, Hitler Statues and Who/What to Pray For
It's Independence Day and I appreciate this country, but I know there needs to be a lot more work done to make it better. John Pavlovitz says it well in his blog
The news has been covering whether we should have Confederate statues and monuments removed from public places. I've never been to Germany, but I can't imagine that they proudly display Hitler statues or Swastikas around. That's a part of their history but it's not something to be celebrated anymore than our Confederate statues and flags. I find it interesting that people criticize the practice of giving all kids participation trophies/medals/ribbons, yet many of these same people have no problem putting up statues of those who lost the Civil War. The Confederates were on the wrong side of history and ethics, and yet folks still want to glorify them. Yes, it's a part of history and I think these monuments should be in museums if folks want to preserve them. They don't, in my opinion, belong in public places any more than statues of Hitler. If anything, leaving them in public sends the message that we long for those "good ol' days when great Americans enslaved people."
Also in the news, there was a madman shooting up the Republican baseball field where practice was being held. For an instant, I thought there was bipartisan agreement that rhetoric should be toned down on both sides of the aisle. But that turned out to be just my imagination hoping for the best. Already 45 is tweeting ridiculous nonsense about other TV personalities and journalists; and now it appears that people were just saying that the OTHER side needed to tone down THEIR rhetoric. Things were probably already divisive when Obama was President, but 45 seems to empower right-wing extremists because he gets to say/do anything he wants and still be a leader of one of the most powerful nations on Earth.
Which leads me to my last thought about posts I've been seeing about "praying for our leaders." This is usually telling Christians that we should be praying for 45. I pray for him, alright, but I don't pray for his agenda or his extremist followers. I don't even pray that he tweets less; I pray that people see his tweets and eventually realize what a dangerous person he is with the hatred and immature behavior he exudes. I pray that Robert Mueller does a complete investigation and reveals 45 to be the slime I believe he is. I pray that James Mattis does a great job with the military in helping to keep the world (not just US) safe. I pray that the people in Congress actually take care of the people (and not "their" tax dollars) when trying to work out healthcare. I pray that self-professed Christians realize that it's not "their" money, it's God's money... and that He is watching what they are doing and saying with those resources. I pray that Americans can work together for true equality and justice for all... towards the ideal that America represents.
The news has been covering whether we should have Confederate statues and monuments removed from public places. I've never been to Germany, but I can't imagine that they proudly display Hitler statues or Swastikas around. That's a part of their history but it's not something to be celebrated anymore than our Confederate statues and flags. I find it interesting that people criticize the practice of giving all kids participation trophies/medals/ribbons, yet many of these same people have no problem putting up statues of those who lost the Civil War. The Confederates were on the wrong side of history and ethics, and yet folks still want to glorify them. Yes, it's a part of history and I think these monuments should be in museums if folks want to preserve them. They don't, in my opinion, belong in public places any more than statues of Hitler. If anything, leaving them in public sends the message that we long for those "good ol' days when great Americans enslaved people."
Also in the news, there was a madman shooting up the Republican baseball field where practice was being held. For an instant, I thought there was bipartisan agreement that rhetoric should be toned down on both sides of the aisle. But that turned out to be just my imagination hoping for the best. Already 45 is tweeting ridiculous nonsense about other TV personalities and journalists; and now it appears that people were just saying that the OTHER side needed to tone down THEIR rhetoric. Things were probably already divisive when Obama was President, but 45 seems to empower right-wing extremists because he gets to say/do anything he wants and still be a leader of one of the most powerful nations on Earth.
Which leads me to my last thought about posts I've been seeing about "praying for our leaders." This is usually telling Christians that we should be praying for 45. I pray for him, alright, but I don't pray for his agenda or his extremist followers. I don't even pray that he tweets less; I pray that people see his tweets and eventually realize what a dangerous person he is with the hatred and immature behavior he exudes. I pray that Robert Mueller does a complete investigation and reveals 45 to be the slime I believe he is. I pray that James Mattis does a great job with the military in helping to keep the world (not just US) safe. I pray that the people in Congress actually take care of the people (and not "their" tax dollars) when trying to work out healthcare. I pray that self-professed Christians realize that it's not "their" money, it's God's money... and that He is watching what they are doing and saying with those resources. I pray that Americans can work together for true equality and justice for all... towards the ideal that America represents.
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Partiality
Proverbs 24:23-25 ESV
Partiality in judging is not good.
Whoever says to the wicked, "You are right,"
will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight
and a good blessing will come upon them.
The news this week was focused on Comey's testimony, and of course everybody took from it what they wanted. Either Comey or Trump is lying, but there's really no way to tell which one without a lie detector... and even then, I think really good liars can go undetected because it's not 100% accurate. That's why I am waiting patiently for Robert Mueller's investigation on Russian interference. It may take a long time - look how long Watergate took and even Hillary's Benghazi and email investigations. We live in a society where we want everything instantly, especially if it matches our "truth." People on both sides of the aisle agree that Mueller has impeccable credentials and is impartial - let's just wait on him.
It's no secret who I think is telling the truth; and I was heartened to hear some of the senators thank Comey for his service as I feel the manner in which he was dismissed was pretty tacky. I wasn't pleased with how he brought up another Clinton investigation (which revealed nothing) right as people were putting in their votes (especially absentee ballots), but that doesn't make him dishonest. In the meantime, we have a President who bragged about grabbing women's genitals and how he'd still have supporters if he shot someone in broad daylight. Worse yet - he's right about how they'd still support him. They know he's a liar - because he was either lying while bragging about molesting women or he was lying when he denied it as "locker room talk."
As the proverb says: partiality in judging is not good, and that's why I'm glad Mueller is doing this investigation instead of me. But those who prop up Trump as a "good Godly man" should pay attention to the part of the proverb that says: Whoever says to the wicked "You are right" will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations. I see this happening already. The majority of Americans disapprove of him as well as our international neighbors. He's had numerous marriages and it's no secret that he cheated on them as he dumped one for another. One even said he assaulted and raped her. He's charmed then cheated several business people. And of course the only time he's apologized is when he was caught on tape bragging about molesting women. That's pretty much what I consider "wicked," and it saddens me that the Religious Right continue to prop him up along with the Alt-Right.
Monday, May 29, 2017
Memorial Day Thoughts
Today I'm taking time to reflect on and honor those who have given up their lives in honor of our country. I always knew it was a day to remember the fallen, but I didn't know until today (when I read an NPR article) that it originated with the Civil War and honoring those who lost their lives for the North and the South. Now it's brought about some of my thoughts on diversity and how I try to keep a diverse group of friends because there's always multiple ways of looking at things. I remember my dad telling me when I was a teenager that he liked how I had different sets of friends, and he encouraged that.
There's been press lately about the removal of Confederate statues, and I hear from both sides. Some think that "it's disrespecting history" and I can understand their feeling that way. But I can also understand descendants of slaves not liking the "glorification of slave owners and enablers." To them, that would be like a Jew having to see Adolf Hitler statues and Nazi flags all over, and I don't see Germany doing that. Last year, I went to New Orleans and went to the WWII Museum. My pastor warned us that there would be pictures of anti-Asian sentiment, but I think most of us knew this since we're all aware of the war, Japanese internments, etc. So my personal opinion is that these Confederate statues should be in a museum for historical purposes, but not necessarily out in public for glorification.
A couple days ago, I was talking with an elderly veteran friend about the SF 49'ers and he remarked, "That'll show Colin Kaepernick not to stand for our national anthem." Now I'll admit that my initial reaction when seeing the headline was a face-palm... but then as I read more about Kaep's thoughts, I could understand it. I have several friends and family members who can attest to being harrassed just because they were black driving through a "nice neighborhood," etc. So I just told my elderly friend that, "Well, I think his teammates liked him, but he just wasn't playing well enough to keep around. As far as the anthem goes, I'm more bothered by people being harrassed and killed unnecessarily than I am about people not standing for the anthem." Personally, I still stand for the anthem, but I won't judge anybody who doesn't. To me, there are people from all ethnicities and cultures who have given their lives to this country, so I will honor them... Especially the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and others who were considered second-class citizens (or worse) during the times they fought.
I watched an interview with James Mattis on Face the Nation last night and was very impressed. It does bring me comfort to know that he is second in command of our military as I think he can probably explain things to 45 to try and keep our country and world safe. He's also a political Independent and I wish he would run for President. People think that me being a liberal means I don't have respect for our military or law enforcement, but I have a great respect for both. I have numerous friends and family members that are in the military and law enforcement. A lot of articles will highlight Mattis' quote about keeping everybody else awake at night, but here are my favorite quotes from the interview on the lack of political unity in America:
"... it takes people, I believe, with a fundamental respect for one another, with a fundamental friendliness toward one another that I worry is starting to slip away in our country. We still have it in the military. It's a diverse force, it's a force that can work together under the worst conditions.
And I-- I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and having a root beer together or something and-- and having a good laugh about it as we work together for the best interests of the next generation of Americans who are going to inherit this country."
This is what the fallen heroes were fighting for, and I hope/pray that we can get back there.
Friday, May 26, 2017
Moderation
Ever since I was a kid, I went all in. If I liked lifting weights, I bought a bench and weights and went whole hog on it. If I liked a type of chip, I'd eat the bag until it's gone. If I liked to party, I'd party til I drop. My mom always tried to tell me that moderation is the key, but I never really learned the lesson til, well, now. I'm now 55 and realize I can't do Crossfit because it would really tear up my already bum knee and probably give me a heart attack. I can't keep eating junk because I'm pre-diabetic and pre-hypertensive. You get the picture.
This also goes for politics. I can't watch the cable news channels non-stop anymore because it's just bad for me. CNN, Fox, MSNBC - I'd watch them all, telling myself that it helps give me different points of view. But really, I don't need the commentary that comes with those Cable News channels because I need to see things through a Christian lens (not a Republican or Democratic lens). I'll now just watch the CBS half-hour daily news and maybe Face the Nation once a week.
I can understand why Conservatives are upset that some people take advantage of the welfare system; I don't like it either. I can understand why Liberals are upset that many people would lose healthcare under the new proposed plan; I don't like it either. But here's the thing - everybody is going extremely right or extremely left now. There doesn't seem to be a "voice of reason" anymore. When everybody is arguing and blocking each other, nothing gets done or improved. Instead of complaining about Obamacare for 8 years, people should've been working to improve it. Both sides agreed that it needed improving, yet it seems like everybody has an "all or nothing" stance... and not just on healthcare. Everything seems to be a bone of contention.
I remember watching a movie, I think it was "Farewell to Manzanar." A Japanese guy was being interviewed and was asked, "Who do you want to win? The US or Japan?" He replied, "That's like asking a child if he wants his father or mother to win a fight. I just want them to stop fighting." This is how I feel now.
I am really glad that Robert Mueller was selected to investigate Russia's interference with the election. People from both sides of the aisle like him and consider him fair and honest. Finally there is something that everybody agrees with! Democrats can be happy that a real non-partisan investigation is being performed; Republicans can be happy that their Administration will be exonerated if they're innocent.
I will continue to pray that everything will be brought to light. Some people say we should pray for our leaders, so I do pray for them. But I don't pray that 45 is successful by 45's definition of success. I pray that he gets what he deserves. I think he deserves punishment and shame if he colluded with the Russians and/or obstructed the investigations; but I may be wrong so I leave that to God. More importantly, I pray for those that may be hurt by this Administration whether they voted for 45 or not... and that people can be more civil to each other again.
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