My First Trip to Granby

In January Brian and Anita moved to Granby, Massachusetts.  As to why, see my previous post of 3/31, "Brian's Move."  I didn't want to rush to see them but I found the perfect excuse to invite myself for a visit -- Brian's birthday on 3/22.

No he was not an insurrectionist on 1/6, that's just his COVID look.  He's such a friendly sort that I don't think he's scared any of the locals. 

Their home is in Hampshire County.

Another name for this area is Pioneer Valley

Brian and Anita picked me up at the unmanned Amtrak station in Northampton and we had delightful snacks and drinks (love mocktails) in plastic bubbles set up outside the Depot Pub, located adjacent to the station.  To read about my Amtrak trip, see the next post.

Everywhere we went we saw people in masks.  Good neighbors taking care of neighbors.

You'll notice I'm still not comfortable taking photos of people, so, sorry, you won't be seeing photos of Brian and Anita that I took since I didn't take any.

These are scenes on the drive from Northampton to Granby.

Who knew Massachusetts had such lovely rural areas.

Mount Holyoke

The drive included going through some mountain passes. One evening the fog was so heavy it was rather dangerous.  Guess not a lot of fun in the winter but road crews do an excellent job of snow removal.

This is part of the Agricultural Division of the Hampshire College

Hampshire County is unique in being an educattional center in a reural area.  Here's information from Wikipedia:  

"Hampshire County is notable for the presence within its borders of the "Five Colleges", comprising the University of Massachusetts flagship campus and four well-known private colleges:

    Amherst College, Amherst

    Hampshire College, Amherst

    Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley

    Smith College, Northampton

    Univerisity of Massachusetts Amherst

The Five College Consortium  provides course cross-registration between the schools and funds free bus service, provided by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, between the campuses."

A side note -- we've been watching Julia on HBO - Max.  Turns out Julia Child attended Smith and there is mention of her visiting the Pioneer Valley.

I needed to stop for my non-dairy provisions.

I was surprised to find a Whole Foods Market (sorry it's hard to read the name on the store -- trust me) but Brian informed me there wasn't a Wegman's in the area.  

I loved getting to see their new home but it's definitely a fixer upper.  I'll not show all the interior shots but the ONE thing that must change is the heating system.

Texans are just not comfortable with a huge oil tank right under their bedroom.  This must go!

The room this tank is in will become their mud room since there is a door that opens onto the drive way.

I recall a British saying "You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a vicar."  When I managed a law firm on K Street in DC  I converted it to ". . . hitting a lawyer."  Well, in Hampshire County it's ". . . hitting a student or professor."  With education being one of the major economic drivers in the area, it shouldn't be surprising that there appears to be a book store on every block.  Brian and Anita even inquired about buying one for sale but found out a developer is buying up the entire block -- reason unknown right now but probably going to convert the entire area to new retail and condos above.

The shop that's for sale.

You can't visit Hampshire County without visiting book stores.  We took our time exploring the many surprises in the Book Mill.

The building really did serve as a grist mill at one time and it did take a bit of hunting to find it.

Here are some scenes inside the store:

Wonder if any of these might help George finish his book.  I didn't buy any since he seems to be moving right along on his huge project.

Over the years, the store has received a lot of press and I discovered just as Virginia has a Blue Grass Music Trail, Massachusetts has a book store trail.

Not exactly ADA compliant.

Because their home was being renovated, I stayed at a nearby Hampton Inn.

My room was decorated with lovely photos of autumn in the area.  They really should give credit to the artist.

I was happy to discover EV charging stations being installed at the hotel on my morning walk.

On my last morning walk I explored the little shopping area next door.

At first I thought they were selling children -- at least not cut up.

Turns out this a community educational facility.  While I was taking photos a lovely member of the staff came out primarily to check me out but once she felt I wasn't up to something nefarious, we had a lovely chat.  She invited me in to observe a session of women who were members of a support group.  Again, to protect their privacy I didn't take photos of them.

Here are a couple of shots of the center windows.

On my last night we had dinner at a local TX/Mex restaurant.  Brian and Anita had not tried it, being highly skeptical, but it turned out to have the BEST chocolate mole

(Sorry, can't figure out how to add an accent over the "e". I was not eating small mammals.) I have ever had.

Whenever I took some time to just chill, I always had a companion.  Meet Carmen, the sweetest of the pack.  How they moved FIVE dogs almost 2,000 miles is baffling to me but they did.  

On my last day, Brian and I had a lovely lunch at the Northampton hotel before he took me to the train station and my relaxing ride home.

I hope some day to be able to head to Vermont.  Headed back to DC this trip.

Amtrak's Vermonter

 Now that Brian and Anita are just a train ride away, I was happy to discover the Vermonter, popular among college students (there are 5 colleges/universities in the county where they live) and snow skiers.  

Here's the map showing all stops.

Yes, there are a lot of stops but the drive takes about 8 hours and so does the train between DC and Northampton MA.  On the train I can get up and walk around, go to the cafe car, restroom, etc. any time I want.  Also, you meet the nicest people on the train.

It was extra nice to reserve a seat in Business Class.

Lots of leg room and privacy.

Here are shots along the way.

1st view of Philadelphia

Arriving in NYC

First time on Amtrak traveling on the other side of the city.

Long Island City

Innis Arden Golf Club, CT

New Rochelle CT

I disembarked at the unmanned station in Northampton MA.  Only then did I realize that the coach cars were full of college students returning from spring break.  Another reason I was really happy in Business Class -- nice and quiet.

Scenes on the return trip.  

Berlin CT on the Conneticut River

State Capitol in Hartford

By the time we passed through NYC heading back to DC it was too dark to take any more photos.  

When I arrived at Union Station in DC the cab line was really long, so for the first time I used Uber.  Got a delightful woman who had been driving for 2 years with Uber and it started raining while we were on 395 but she was a very safe driver in heavy traffic.  Guess I'll use the service in the future.

Brian's Move

This is being posted in March even though it was written in January. Some how it got lost in the memory bank.

Nervously waiting!

1/29/22

As anyone who knows me will confirm, I am not a patient person.  My patience is being tested because I’m waiting to hear from Brian and Anita on their drive from Austin to Granby, Massachusetts.  (I started practicing how to spell their new home state when they confirmed they were really going to move. Also, those who really know me will attest to the fact that I’m a lousy speller.  Comes from having Audio Discrimination Disfunction Syndrome — also known as APD — — Look it up.  It is a thing. It’s sort’a like having dyslexia only for hearing.).  Making the trip on the weekend when Boston and most of the east coast was getting slammed by the largest snow storm on record has just added to my anxiety.

They have been talking about leaving Texas for many years, going back to their first visit to Jackson Hole.  The cost of living and local politics soon made that location must less desirable.

Recent events made it very clear to them that they were no longer comfortable in their home state and Massachusetts looked promising because of Anita’s many friends there — she went to college there — and even with the reputation of being a high-tax state, the cost of living is actually very reasonable outside the greater Boston area.

Let’s back up and briefly discuss why they are uncomfortable.  Back when Brian was 19 he was shot at point blank range by a “skin head” neo-Nazi type who, along with his buddies, was waiting for a party in one of Brian’s friend’s home to break up because, horror of horrors!, it was integrated.  As Brian and several friends were leaving they were confronted by these future Trumpites.  One pointed his gun directly at a young Black girl and Brian jumped in front of her, taking a bullet in his upper intestinal area.  Surgery removed one foot of small intestine but couldn’t remove the bullet because it was lodged in a muscle very close to his spinal cord — he still has it.  He also has PTSD and has been in treatment BUT it took too long for him to be diagnosed. Going to war is not the only way to get PTSD.

The shooter was arrested BUT he made a plea deal and his “punishment” was to promise to leave Austin and return home to Waco.  Being the cynic that I am, I am sure the fact that his daddy was head of the Texas National Guard had a lot to do with him getting just a slap on the wrist.  Can you image what the sentence would have been for a Black boy shooting at a White girl!

I bring up this old story because it’s such a shining example of Texas justice.  Well, Anita just experienced her own miscarriage of justice.  Even though being in arrears for child support for FIVE years,  Anita’s ex took her to court saying he wanted custody.  His 2^nd ex-wife was willing to testify he really didn’t care about custody but he really needed Anita to pay him child support.  I should also mention this 2^nd marriage lasted six months.  This wife realized he had married her for her money.  What a guy!  After over 2 years of delays, counseling, arbitration, negotiations, etc., costing Anita a small fortune in attorney fees, etc., the judge took one look at her ex — a charming Brit living in Texas - and her - a Black woman - and awarded him child support. Even then her ex delayed signing the final agreement without stating what else he wanted. I’m sure the judge would argue that he had many other reasons other than race and I’d say they were all BS.

The good news is her eldest is in her second year at Temple in Philadelphia and her middle child received a athletic scholarship to play electronic games (who knew!) At Hartford University in Connecticut, only one hour from the new home.  Thanks to COVID he has been playing enough to now be ranked 5^th in the nation on 1 of the many E-games. The third one is still in high school and he doesn’t want to leave his friends so he does plan to stay with his father.

Then Brian and Anita found the final straw — the event that made them realize they needed to move.  While on a weekend in the country at an AirB&B they had a scare.  I still don’t know all the details but apparently Brian really feared they were going to be shot.  Having been there, done that, and not ever wanting it to happen again, they decided it was time to leave.

What little I do know about this incident makes me think of all the emails I’ve received showing “funny” No Trespassing signs.  What I see is someone notifying the world that they are willing, maybe even eager, to slaughter a fellow human being for the crime of stepping on their property, no matter the reason — car broke down, etc.  What ever happened to "southern hospitality"?

 If you don’t feel safe where you live why stay?!  Frankly it’s the same reason I ended my search for a cabin in the woods the day after the attempted treasonous coup — everywhere the real estate agents were taking me was in Trump country.  Once the neighbors got a look at my bumper stickers, I’d be a goner.  

I bet they’d really hate the one that reads “Ethics Matter”.

 In late October they went to Massachusetts to visit Anita’s friends and check out the area.  They decided they wanted to look for a home in western MA along the I-91 corridor.  

Anita and Brian with a MA state park in the background.  Fall foliage was just starting.

When they returned home they started making their plans.  Thanksgiving week they put their home on the market.  It was originally purchased new for around $143,000 in 2004.  After receiving several offers over the asking price of $499,000 they closed on January 25th and they left the state on the 27th.  

Through the wonders of the internet they had already found a home they really wanted.  With the help of a local MA real estate agent, they made a cash offer that was happily accepted.  Closing will be February 1^st.

The home is in Granby, population 6,000+, on a huge lot that backs up to the Mt. Holyoke State Park that is mountainous and full of hiking trails.  They were looking for a change in life style.  I’m pretty sure they found it.  The home and lot are much larger — more than double — than their Austin home.  There is a mother-in-law suite on the lower level — not really a basement.  The house is a split level and the lower level opens on to a patio and the huge backyard.  The plan is for Anita’s mom to join them later this year and, with her background in interior design, she’s excited about helping them update their new home.  There isn’t any AC but they will have a three-family shared well and their very own septic tank.  Anita has friends who live on the other side of the park.

If you’re wondering how they will ever find jobs in such a rural area — not to worry.  Again, the wonders . . . they will keep their jobs and continue working remotely.  Their first appointment at the house after closing is with the cable guy to install their internet, etc.  Should be able to return to work on the 2^nd.  Amazing.

The huge winter storm only slightly made them change their plans.  Instead of inching their way across Virginia on I-95 (slow is the constant and not weather related) they took I-81 and cut over to I-70 to go through western Pennsylvania.  Today they should cross the Hudson north of New York City.  

WHY HAVEN'T I HEARD FROM THEM!?

Finally!  I just got this showing them just after they got to see their new home for the first time in person.

What a relief to know they are safe and just an Amtrak ride away.

 

Winter at the Lake

On Tuesday, March 8th, I decided it was time for a change of scenery, so for the first time in ages I drove by myself to see Linda in WV.  What a boost to my driving confidence.  It had been so long since I had done any real highway driving that I was a bit nervous starting out.  I was also driving at the same time the truckers convoy was supposedly tying up traffic on the Belt Way.  This forced me to look for a different route.  

I did see the convoy as I neared Hagerstown MD but we were going in opposite directions.  The convoy was mostly cars and pickups with a few semi's without rigs but it was deliberately going below the speed limit so there was a very long backup behind them.  

 The good news is I did find a new route and it turned out to be better and something I'll continue to use in the future.  It's more scenic with less traffic and I can avoid the Beltway and 270.

The last 6 miles to Linda's are always the worst and even more so this trip because of all the snow the area has had.  Long stretches of road were down to gravel or dirt because the asphalt has been destroyed by the weather.

There's just something about the lake that instantly calms and relaxes me.  Just being there makes the hassle of the trip worth while.

Early Wednesday Morning

For once my trip was more than just my selfish desire to see Linda and enjoy the lake.  She actually needed my help with a major project she is beginning.  For those who may not know, she was a pioneer in using art therapy as a diagnostic tool.  She was also one of the first to earn a PhD in art therapy and has been a leader in her professional organization and a lobbyist in DC. For many years she and her psychiatric husband, Dr. Lou Tinnin, had a clinic in Morgantown that specialized in trauma therapy.  He was head of the psychiatric department at the WVU medical school.  They have several posts on You Tube.  Here's one -- an oldie but a goodie:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Pu4bQg-mo&t=13s

Here's a description of her project:  She has about 20K images drawn by patients.  This is the largest such collection in the nation.  No other practitioner or institution has amassed this large a collection and word is out causing researchers from all over to want to be able to see it.

Speaking of all over.  There is a practitioner who lives in Ukraine and who came to the states and studied Lou and Linda's process.  Over the years they have stayed in touch.  Linda, naturally, was worried about her but found her in Finland.  She had been atttending a conference there when the invasion of her home country began.  She wasn't planning on returning but she wasn't actually certain what she was going to do.  At least she is safe.  But I digress. . .

Even though it was raining, Wednesday afternoon we drove into Morgantown -- crossing over the ridge and the higher we got it turned to snow.  Later we went to her storage facility and work space.  She's having to follow all HIPPA requirements because these are medical records.  Oaths must be administered to all working on this, the area must be secure at all times, etc.  I had flash backs to when I had to buildout and maintain two SCIF's (sensitive compartmented information facility) at my last law firm because two practice groups were dealing with highly classified government documents.

These are just a small portion of the rows and rows of folders full of drawings.

Even though each drawing is on a huge archival piece of paper (12" X 18"), to be accessible for research, they need to be put into an electronic data base while following all of the HIPPA rules.  A professor and 15 students from WVU are willing to volunteer their time to do the work, I got to help her develop the work flow.  I feel like Henry Ford coming up with the 1st assembly line.  Interesting how my law firm work came in handy.  Numbering protocols had to be established for each patient and test administered.  Just like a law firm’s client # - matter # format and the work flow is going to be very much like  document reviews where we had to put staff in warehouses full of thousands of documents and in some cases, hundreds of reviewers.  Now volunteers must assign these #’s to the patients’ files and drawings.  At no time will researchers have access to patient ID's.

Another volunteer is writing the software to create the data base.  A very robust sorting function is a must because of all the variables such as age, gender, types of tests administered, diagnosis, etc.  

What’s really complicating things is the need to not just take photos of each sheet front and back because case notes are on the back, but to edit each in a photo editing software before the image can be put into the data base. I’ve recommended a couple of free editing programs that don’t require everything going into the Cloud — a big HIPPA no-no.   I’ve also made recommendations on whether to shoot in raw or jpeg format and a whole bunch of other technical issues, mainly the steps needed to get from taking the photos to getting them into the data base.  Fun for me — a bit challenging for her.  Not in her comfort zone but she continues to amaze me — she’s a very fast learner.

Once the work flow is established, there is going to be a need to really train and monitor the volunteers doing the work.  I hope to return for the start-up of this process.  I want to see it in action.

More photos of the workspace.

          

Back at the lake Miss Molly Ivins was my bed buddy.  Wish you could hear her burr.  Lovely and soothing.

Linda has a good friend who is a retired musician from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra who lives part of each year across the lake.  She is also a craftsman woodworker.  Everyone is still talking about the launch party she held for the launch of the boat she made.  She has spent the winter in Southern California learning to fly an ultra-light (she already had a pilot license) and make her own plane.  She's applied to the home owners association at the lake for permission to land on the lake.  Linda fears she just might decide to stay in CA because she would have more flying days available there.  Should she decide to stay I assume she'd put her lake house up for sale.  Hmmmmm?  Here's a photo of the house:

The stacked pallets are her dock.  Many owners have folding docks because back in the days when the lake froze over it wasn't unusual for ice flows in high winds to knock down docks.  Well, the lake hasn't frozen that deep in ages.  I can remember when we went ice skating on the lake.  That hasn't been possible for years.

Linda continues to have problems with her sceptic system (see blog post from 9/1/21) .  Friday morning 2 inspectors showed up. I have no idea who they work for and to protect their privacy let's just call them Daryl and his other brother Daryl (I hope you remember the 2nd Bob Newhart show called "Newhart").  You'll see the backside of one of them in the picture.  Be thankful you can't smell the tobacco smoke on him and the other Daryl.  It almost made me sick.

After making a huge hole in the ground and claiming they had fixed the problem I got a lesson in WV "bidnes".  Daryl #1 offered Linda a choice -- an invoice for $150 and she'd have to write a check OR she could just pay him $100 in cash.  Oh my.  Now I was highly skeptical of this entire scenario but Linda vouched for them and said she had known them for years and her regular handyman trusted them.  Oh well. . .

The weather reports were saying the lake was going to receive 10" or more of snow on Saturday.  I would have loved to stay and take some photos BUT it took days after the last snow storm for the road to the lake to be cleared.  The DC area was also predicted to get snow and I had appointments the following week I didn't want to miss, so it was time to leave.  through the wonders of bluetooth I was able to have Gaelic Storm help me get out of the mountains.  If you're not familiar with this group, it's a bar band out of San Francisco who came to notice when they appeared as the band in steerage in the movie Titanic.  They're still performing and I've been fortunate to see them twice at The Birchmere.

Well, the snow was pretty much a non-event in Alexandria but Linda says she got way more than 10" and has no idea when she'll be able to get back into Morgantown.

Still, I look forward to my next trip to the lake but good news I'll be spending this week getting ready to go see my son and daughter-in-law in Massachusetts.  Stay tuned!

 

Thoughte s during 2022

January 7

Well, here we go again.  COVID has me living in my own version of Groundhog Day, only it's "1 year is just like the last".  Seems my best contact with the outside world is Zoom.  Without this service I can't imagine what life would be like.  I'm probably being overly cautious but George and I are convinced we had mild cases in early 2020 (February 8 is when I brought it home after working at the Compassion & Choices table at the Farmers Market in Old Town) and it took me 9 months to get over some of my "long haul" issues.  Been there, done that, DON'T want to do it again.

This past week brought back memories of last year's January 6th coup attempt.  I'll never understand how so many of my fellow citizens fell for such an evil person as Trump.  I do not see any redeeming values in him, his actions, or his followers. Now it seems they could reclaim Congress in the mid-terms.  My continued political actions seem so inadequate in the face of this relentless hate and divisiveness.  What's a political liberal to do who was raised by a pacifist and never thought I'd see a call to "rid" the nation of "enemies of the state" -- meaning me.

Our first of 2 major snow events occured this past week.  While we did not experience any negative impacts, many did.  Hundreds were trapped in a 24 hour+ traffic jam on I-95 and thousands were without power.  I got a little cold standing out on my balcony taking a few short videos and photos.  It was a good opportunity to practice using iMovie.  I'm definitely at the beginners stage.  Here's the result: 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U_XjwoGHJI

You may have to copy and paste into You Tube to watch.  Enjoy.

Immediately after posting the above an article on how to save democracy showed up in my inbox:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/08/politics/how-to-save-us-democracy-what-matters/index.html

In the article Karl Rove is quoted as saying "I've been a Republican my entire life, and believe in what the Republican party, at its best, has represented for decades.  There can be no soft-pedaling what happened and no absolution for those who planned, encouraged and aided the attempt to overthrow our democracy.  Love of Counry demands nothing less.  That's true patriotism."

As a member of the Ethical Society I was reminded of my duty to value all humans.  Former Governor of Ohio,John Kasich, said "Until we all begin to recognize the intrinsic value of all human beings, we are going to continue to erode and have danger in our culture and in the . . . strength of our country".

Ever since Trump was elected President I've struggled with this.  Do I hate Trumpites?  Yes, sometimes, if I'm really honest with myself, but mostly I'm baffled at how "good people can support a racist, misogynist, (well, I could go on and on) who are willing to take up arms when he calls for violence, but surely you get my point.

I recently came across a quote by Steven Weinberg, a physicist and cosmologist, and deep down I agree:  "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil -- that takes religion."  

Additioanl thoughts, etc., will be posted throughout the year.  Stay tuned.

1/31/2022

For those who think I’m not being rational and I’m exaggerating any threat Trumpites pose for the rest of us, know this:  My friend who left Austin to live on the Isle of Wight was visiting family in Austin over the holidays and was verbally assaulted by a gun-totting Trumpite in Costco.  He was yelling, threatening her, and calling her all sorts of names, etc. and in front of his wife and 3 young children! No witnesses intervened.  Scared her to death and she wishes her sons could leave like Brian, and no she had not said or done anything except stand 6 feet behind the guy in the checkout line WEARING A MASK.  Apparently he saw her act as an infringement upon HIS rights.  Go figure!

Read the following from The Week:

“JOEL MATHIS

JANUARY 31, 2022

Donald Trump is being Donald Trump again. He held another rally on Saturday night in Texas, the latest event in his probably-running-for-president tour, and as always he used it to dwell on his grievances. He's angry about the multiple inquiries into his personal and presidential activities, and he's eager to unleash his followers on the people investigating him.

"If these radical, vicious, racist prosecutors do anything wrong or illegal, I hope we are going to have in this country the biggest protest we have ever had in Washington D.C., in New York, in Atlanta, and elsewhere because our country and our elections are corrupt," Trump told his enthusiastic fans. 

That sounds an awful lot like a redux of the Trump-incited "Stop the Steal" protests that became the violent Jan. 6th insurrection: Trump is plainly, openly weaponizing his base as a threat against any official who might try to hold him accountable for his (alleged) financial and constitutional misdeeds — he even dangled future presidential pardons as a reward for the Jan. 6 defendants, offering an incentive to followers who might be inclined to commit mayhem in the service of his ambitions. He's not much hiding his real aims anymore: On Sunday, Trump put out a statement that (among other things) grumbled that then-Vice President Mike Pence should have “changed the outcome" of the 2020 election. It's not hard to see where all of this is going.”

I have friends in TX who have been generous and caring friends for decades but after years of letting their world shrink by only listening to Rush Limbaugh and Fox News and being members of a non-denominational evangelical church, and more importantly, active members of the NRA, they baffle me.  Before COVID they would spend 2 weeks every summer at the NRA training camp in New Mexico.  The last 2 years they went, they took classes in urban warfare where they were required to run through a Hollywood kind’a city and cardboard figures would pop up.  They had a split second to decide if it was a good guy or an Arab terrorist or other type of bad guy.  Now why is the NRA training members in urban warfare and why do members think they need to take the classes?!  Did receiving Russian money come with instructions to offer these classes? Would they follow Trump if called to “purge the state of enemies of the people”?  As a progressive liberal and secular humanist wouldn’t I be an enemy?

I admit I haven’t discussed anything controversial with them in ages.  I only hope they have returned to being the rational individuals I first met.  I do know they were quick to get vaccines so that gives me hope.

2/2

To end this essay, I want to include something funny that also addresses the problems we’re having with people not being rational — enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwaQRTo1Efo

3/31

Speaking of not being rational,  Dana Milbank's column this week helped explain how apparently intellegent individuals can spout such nonsense and seem to actually believe it (I don't think for a minute Tucker Carlson's believes a thing he says -- he'll say anything for the ratings).

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/03/28/ginni-thomas-republicans-psychology-conspiracy-theories/

4/5

How can they?  Seems to me that the only thing the Republican Party has left to offer is hate and fear.  Everything they accuse the Democrats of doing is just deflection since they are the ones being divisive and hateful.  Reading the column below broke my heart.  How can neighbors/friends turn in someone for being a parent of a transgender child -- are they proving they are good Republicans?  Here in Virginia parents are being incouraged to turn in teachers.  

From the column -- " "This is harm fuelded by ignorance and hatred."  Makes me think of the Weinberg quote above.  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/02/free-speech-choice-i-faced-professor-father-trans-son/

Thoughts on friendship.  I only know 1 couple in TX who are Trumpites and I just don't want to have a friendly chat. I've discussed them above.

It's just too upsetting to be in contact, even if we only stick to "safe" topics -- the weather, photography, etc.  That nagging question of what do they really think is always front and center in my mind.

I fear I'll find out just how crazy/indoctronated they are.  Do they believe Trump was sent from some spiritual entity in the sky to "save" the US.  Do they want the Constitution ignored/overthrown so that Trump can be President for life.  Maybe crazy/drug addict Donny Jr. will follow his dad into office and we can have a ruling royal family?   Is Putin their hero for being a "strong leader" and good Christian because he hates gays?  Do they believe in White Supremacy and this should be a Christian nation with only White Christian males in charge?  Are they clinging to their guns even if all other freedoms are lost?  Would they use those guns against me if called by their Supreme Leader to rid the nation of "enemies of the state"?

Here's what I think is going to happen -- the Republican Party will be in charge of Congress after the November elections.  The Jan. 6th Committee will be disbanded and replaced with a Republican empeachment committee going after Biden and his family, all members of the Cabinet, especially Pete Buttigieg.  There are many other horrors I fear.  So, what can I do?  My only "weapon" is my vote and working to make sure fellow Democrats turn out and vote.  As for friendships -- it's just late to cling to what was.  

7/3

Last week I visited Linda in WV.  We invited her good friend who lives across the lake to Tues. night dinner.  She's a semi-retired professional classical musician who still plays locally with some chamber groups.  She's also an accomplished wood worker -- built her own kayak and is in the process of building her own ultralight.  She spent the winter in CA working with an instructor on how to build ultralights.  She's had a flying license for many years.

When we met my 1st impression was she was very gentle and rather quiet.  She's obviously highly intelligent.  

Before dinner I asked Linda if I needed to avoid any discussion of politics.  Linda assured me she was a liberal and I could feel free to say anything I wanted.  At some point during the evening I was explaining that George has not retired yet and is still working at the Dept. of State.  She said she didn't know what that was.  I think I said something like it's a federal department and asked if she was sure she had never heard of it.  Her reply was "oh well, I'm not political." How is knowing what federal departments are headed by cabinet members political?  Isn't it just common knowledge? I wonder if she had ever heard of Thomas Jefferson since he was the 1st Secretary of State.  

I was dumbfounded!  I've thought about the conversation ever since.  I admit to being a political junky and my involvement started when I was in high school (see blog post "My Spiritual Journey", 2/1/21) I really don't know many people who are completely "non-political".  Most everyone I know, especially in Alexandria, are involved in various causes. What do I think about someone who ignores what's going on?  According to Linda, her friend doesn't have a TV.  My assumption is she also doesn't listen to the news or read any news publications but she did know about the SC overthrowing Roe V Wade and asked us what we thought.  Linda also said she wasn't very computer savvy, which implied she had a computer but probably just uses it for e-mail and maybe web searches.

I shared the story with George and he was more harsh in his assessment than I think I am.  He declared her willfully ignorant.  I think I've decided she's selfish.  As long as she's OK, she doesn't care what's happening to anyone else.  

My 1st activism was for racial justice, not because I was oppressed (at least not racially -- my 2nd involvement was fighting sexism) but because other citizens, deserving of equal treatment under the law, were.  I guess I just don't understand how someone can ignore the suffering of others.  

Now we have a huge % of the population claiming to be Christian and using politics to bring about inequality under the law -- we're seeing the clock turned back to when women, non-whites, gays, etc., were all oppressed.  Public schools and libraries are under attack.  Facts are to be ignored and teaching history and civics are to be "white-washed" (excuse the pun) and turned into nothing but propaganda maskerading as academically sound pedagogy.  Banned book lists are proliferating and growing longer by the day.

What is it in the human psychosis that is so driven by fear and hate?  In the face of all the current assaults aimed at our body-politic how can someone who is intelligent and caring stand on the sideline?

Guess it's a good thing there isn't a basic civic test required to register to vote.  I fear the voter roles would really shrink.  (Oh dear, maybe that would be a good thing.  Just those really interested in what's going on would bother to study in order to take the test.). 

Tomorrow at Mt. Vernon 55 new citizens from 45 different countries will be sworn in.  They will know more about how our government works than the majority of the citizens born and raised here.