The Self-Deception (when everyone is transformed, no one is transformed)

from "They Thought They Were Free":

"And one day, too late, your principles, if you were ever sensible of them, all rush in upon you. The burden of self-deception has grown too heavy, and some minor incident, in my case my little boy, hardly more than a baby, saying ‘Jewish swine,’ collapses it all at once, and you see that everything, everything, has changed and changed completely under your nose. The world you live in—your nation, your people—is not the world you were born in at all. The forms are all there, all untouched, all reassuring, the houses, the shops, the jobs, the mealtimes, the visits, the concerts, the cinema, the holidays. But the spirit, which you never noticed because you made the lifelong mistake of identifying it with the forms, is changed. Now you live in a world of hate and fear, and the people who hate and fear do not even know it themselves; when everyone is transformed, no one is transformed. Now you live in a system which rules without responsibility even to God. The system itself could not have intended this in the beginning, but in order to sustain itself it was compelled to go all the way.

A strategy for winning the election in November ?

In my opinion, the Democrats should use the same strategy against the Republicans that is being used against them. That is "divide and conquer". Trump and the Repubs have divided all of government against Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in the House.

Democrats should divide the Republicans from the Courts. By taking everything to Court, they could force decisions from the Courts that either did not agree with the White House, or would create a tension between the two branches, the Executive and the Judiciary. Trump has been successful in separating the Senate from the rest of the Legislature. They are firmly in his corner.

The Democrats message could be one that would favor both Democrats and Republicans. That is that all voters should vote to protect themselves by keeping at least one branch of government under control of the Democrats. That would protect all of us from the idea, and reality, of total tyranny.

The People should build a "wall" between the House of Representatives and the other branches of government, which are effectively controlled by Trump and the Republicans at this time. The one protection that is in the interest of all Americans, including Trump supporters, is a strong House of Representatives.

It is possible that Democrats could lose both the White House and the Senate in the next election. The House is of utmost importance to all Americans, whether or not they know it?

(A side benefit of voting to protect the people by making the House stronger, is that it may allow Democrats to take the Senate. A stronger House will make Democrats, and all of America, much stronger.)

This is just one opinion.

The Calmer-in-Chief ?

Should a President attempt to calm the citizenry during times of crisis? Should we just expect that from the leader of our country?

Rush Limbaugh says it is nothing much more than a common cold. The World Health Organization says it is a possible pandemic. Who should we listen to? Should we take precautions?

Trump orchestrates the message thru people like Rush, Hannity, Ingraham, and others. Then he has a rally in Charleston and calls it a "hoax". When informed of the possible political consequences, he changed his answer to say something like "the Democrats are the hoax". It was plain to see what he said the first time he said it.

There is no useful purpose in orchestrating fear and anxieties. People want to live in safety. They want to know that their leader stands with them.

"Guitar Boogie"

If We Never Meet Again

"The American people do not want a revolution".

More than one candidate has made that point.

However, might it be premature to make such a statement?

What happens if Trump loses the next election but refuses to leave?

What hsppens if he wins and continues the destruction of our democracy and our institutions?

When will be the right time to revolt against this destruction of our country?

Do we believe that a peaceful resolution is the only option and revolution must never be mentioned?

A friend of mine just returned from a trip to Egypt and the Middle East...

She posted this on her FB page:

"My trip to Egypt and Jordan brought me face to face with some prejudices I didn't know I had. I think it was watching a woman in a black burka taking a selfie that made me question what I thought I knew.

The first time I saw a woman in a full burka was in the Mall of American in Minnesota about 5 years ago. She and her husband were in the ferris wheel line at the Nickelodeon Theme Park inside the mall. Not a place I would have anticipated seeing a young woman totally enshrouded in black from head to toe. I was enthralled and tried hard not to stare.

I watched her as unobtrusively as I could. She wore heavy eye make-up which surprised me, but I guess if that is the only way one has to express individuality it makes sense. It seemed to me that this couple were newlyweds as they only had eyes for each other. I wanted to take their picture, but was too shy to ask.

When I was packing for my trip to the Middle East, I included several scarves to cover my hair. I wanted to be respectful of local culture even though I wasn't sure what that might be. I also vainly thought that covering my head on a bad hair day would be just fine with me.

In my limited time in Dubai, I saw many women wearing hijabs, but just as many were bare-headed. I saw a few women in black burkas and gentleman elegantly draped in beautiful white thawbs. My friend commented about the blatant inequality of requiring women to cover themselves in black in a desert climate while the men wear white.

In Egypt, the majority of women covered their heads with beautiful and colorful hijabs. While I saw a few women in full black burkas, most women dressed casually but modestly. The women I talked to were very gracious and friendly.

It wasn't until we were having lunch in an outdoor restaurant in Amman, Jordan that I saw the bizarre sight (in my limited view) of a woman taking a selfie.

She was with a group of four other women with their children seated around a big table. All the women were wearing head-to-toe black burkas. They delicately held their face veils up with one hand so they could feed themselves with the other. They chatted and laughed among themselves as they ate.

At the end of their meal, one of the women put on a parka over her burka and took a selfie in the usual manner. I watched as she cocked her head in several positions and clicked several photos. I remembering being rather amused by that sight.

"I wonder what her FACEbook page looks like," I thought with a chuckle.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about that woman. Or more, my reaction to that woman. I'm ashamed to say that my original intent to be respectful of local culture fell flat on its face that day. I had a hard time accepting that a young woman in a burka would want to take a selfie. My American mind wondered "what's the point?"

It's hard for me to imagine the life behind the burka, but what I learned is that underneath that black garment is a person that embraces her life. I assumed every woman who donned a burka was a subjugated person with no will of their own.

There are women in every country that choose their clothing in deference to their faith. I've encountered Amish women on trains in their modest grey skirts and hair coverings. Every devote Catholic woman wears a head covering to Mass. Orthodox Jewish women also cover their hair. HIndu women wear a "third eye" and saris. If it is their choice, then so be it. Who am I to question or judge?

I have a lot to learn about "otherness." I'm grateful for the opportunity to question my assumptions by first-hand experience. World travel is the best medicine for overcoming prejudices. biases and erroneous beliefs about fellow world citizens. I highly recommended it."

(I posted this with her permission)

He Stopped Loving Her Today

The True Believers

It's mostly a schtick they enjoy with Donald Trump.

He makes jokes, calls people names, and generally plays a fool at his rallies, and they enjoy that.

His division of the country gives them a sense of belonging.

They have believed our country has been going in the wrong direction for a long time. They don't really care for government programs, unless it is one of their own. They don't care too much if the government is broken. They believe they would be better off with no government, or very little, with the exception of the Defense Department.

They believe Donald Trump is more honest than the "drive-by media". Those that say he has lied 16,000 times have very little credibility with them.

They believe they have suffered in the political wilderness for many years. Donald Trump is the person that will lead them to the Promised Land. They are "victims" of a government of liberals.

The True Believers do not generally care for handouts or welfare. They are usually more supportive of taxcuts for the wealthy than they are foodstamps for the poor.

If Donald Trump says the possible pandemic is a "hoax", they are more inclined to believe him over the W.H.O. (World Health Organization).

COVID-19 coronavirus spike holds infectivity details

They are working on a vaccine at the University of Washington.

https://newsroom.uw.edu/news/covid-19-coronavirus-spike-holds-infectivity-details


<snip>

By closely examining the structure of the new coronavirus spike protein, the researchers did uncover something that sets it apart from the other SARS-related coronaviruses. Walls said that the research team unexpectedly found a furin cleavage site at a boundary between two subunits of the spike protein in the newly emerged coronavirus. It is not yet known if this difference is expanding the kinds of cells the new coronavirus could infect or enhancing its transmissibility, in a way that might be similar to that of highly pathogenic avian flu viruses.

As a whole, details contained in the results reported in this week’s paper may help to explain the efficiency of the new coronavirus in delivering its viral code into human cells, and its rapid transmission among people.

At present, there are no preventatives or approved, specific treatments (aside from experimental therapies) that can be directed at the new coronavirus.

“Our ultimate goal would be if our work could contribute as a step towards a vaccine, antiviral or any sort of therapy that currently does not yet exist,” Walls said, and added that it would be fantastic if her team’s scientific efforts could be a step towards being helpful to people in that way.