July 2013

Its importance lies in stirring his base to action and gathering more supporters for his initiatives.  It’s exciting; especially when you can really connect with the President’s message.   I do; “you have to be FOR something!”  President Obama did solidify his vision for the economy by outlining what he would like to work toward on his every last remaining day in office.   Expanding an economy “that grows from the middle out ….that’s where I’ll focus my energies”.  And added that “growing inequality is not just morally wrong, but is bad economics”.  He insists, “When middle-class families have less to spend, businesses have fewer consumers”.  Supply-side economics just doesn’t work that well for trickling down wealth from on-high.  Raising the minimum wage (especially the minimum wage for those who work for tips, which is slightly over $2. an hour, and hasn’t increased since the early 1990’s), helps raise more families above the poverty line.  And going back to school for more training to get a better job requires that schooling be affordable, and student loan rates be lowered.  The President said, “If you think that the cost of education is high, wait until you see the price of stupid in the next century”.  Recently Speaker of the House, John Boehner, said, “Congress shouldn’t be judged by the number of bills passed, but the number repealed”.  That’s stupid!   The GOP is FOR protecting tax breaks for their billionaire backers.  They don’t want to see The Affordable Care Act succeed, and therefore represent a success or legacy for Barack Obama; and they don’t want to see anything else he tries to implement succeed.   According to The New York Times, “Congressional Republicans are moving to gut many of President Obama’s top priorities with the sharpest spending cuts in a generation and a new push to hold government financing hostage unless the President’s signature health care is stripped of money this fall”.  This means that they will be threatening a government shutdown.   The President’s latest round of visits and speeches is the precursor of the showdown.    The President has said, “change doesn’t happen from the top down, but from the bottom up”, and has called upon us to help.  If we believe at all in the President’s vision for our country, we need to vote in more Democrats, like Cheri Bustos, who will work to pass reasonable legislation that helps more of us hard workers to share in the American dream. Reasonable legislation like: precise deficit reduction measures, increased education funding, and a minimum raise hike would be part of an economic policy that would benefit the middle class.  Former House Republican Bobby Shilling, who is again running against Cheri Bustos, said “Liberal economic policies have done nothing but hurt Illinois and the country”.  I was glad to hear Obama point out again in his recent address in Galesburg that he inherited this economy from his predecessor.  Let’s not forget, folks, that this country was on the verge of a huge economic collapse, with financial institutions failing, when Obama took office.  It takes time to “bounce back” from such a serious depression (that the “Right” likes to call a recession).   The President said that, “Jobs have begun to rebound; over 7 million jobs have been added in the last 40 months”; and that “this year has seen the most growth in private sector jobs since  1999”.  Obama said, “Despite the successes, the middle class needs more help”.  And we can help ourselves at the ballot boxes by selecting those candidates that most closely represent our combined best vision for the future of our country.

George Zimmerman had a right to carry a gun and a right to defend himself.  What rights did Trayvon Martin have?  Should he have had a right to cut through yards to walk home in early evening?  What if a black vigilante shot and killed a white teenager, who was armed only with a package of Skittles and a can of Arizona Iced Tea?  Wouldn’t he have been arrested immediately; and found guilty?  Why was Anthony Good  considered a more credible witness than Rachel Jeantel?  Why did the police neglect to administer a drug/alcohol test to George, who had a history of race-based paranoia and a record for resisting arrest and battery to an officer?  I read that some of George Zimmerman’s neighbors were concerned by his overly-aggressive behaviors.   Why was the lead homicide  investigator who wanted George charged with manslaughter overruled by his police chief?   George was frustrated and didn’t want this thug to get away as others before him had.  George was scared?  Even though he was   packing heat and decided to follow the “transgressor” against the advice of the police dispatcher.  Would George have viewed a white teenager in a hoodie as suspicious?  Why was there not one black person on the jury?  Jurist B37 said that race was not even discussed in their deliberations.  What was the impact of the jury viewing, as facts, the defense’s antimated video of their theory of events?    The defense claimed that Trayvon attacked George ,who then had the right to defend himself, but what if George pulled his gun on Trayvon and a stuggle ensued?  What if the gun was knocked  away and George retrieved it and shot Trayvon?   Do you think that Trayvon was scared and fighting for his life?  George said he didn’t regret the outcome, which “was God’s will”.   The right-wing media and their fan’s reflexive rationalizations are repugnant!  They’ve decided George was the victim in this case.  Many want to say that we live in a post-racial America, which is not true.  And that is why we need the Voting Rights Act reinstated, for the states that continue to prove the need for it; for states that seek to make voting more difficult for minorities and the poor.  We have to get past our reluctance to open-mindedly discuss the racial divides that exist in our country.  We need to challenge our friends, relatives, and neighbors to drop their prejudices and open their hearts to embrace the concepts of  equality, liberty, and justice for ALL.   Let’s stop racial profiling.  Calls for “Stand Your Ground”  laws everywhere to be revoked are being heard, but with concealed carry laws on the books in all states that won’t happen.   It seems only right that “Stand Your Ground” is supposed to enhance your right to defend yourself from attack; not to expand one’s desire to be on the offensive in confronting others.  Trayvon Martin obviously didn’t have the right to stand his ground!  George Zimmerman is alive and free, and still gets to carry his gun.  No probation.   Ironic now, George must “watch his back” as he walks through the valley of the shadows of death.

The Big Bang Boom!  I’m sure that the Fourth of July fireworks draw the largest group of participants of all ages,  whether they view them from around the Lake Storey area or elsewhere.  Many of us locals have enjoyed for decades the family tradition of swimming at Lake Storey , having a picnic, and watching the fireworks.  That annual event has been a favorite of many; great summer fun and great firework displays over the years have brought folks from surrounding communities to Galesburg to join us in celebrating Independence Day.  Coordinating that event with music from a local radio station adds to the excitement.  Railroad Days used to bring out more participants when there were more vendors and events.  Many families can’t afford to partake of the local county fairs, so for them this might be the next best thing.  I like Taste of Galesburg; and even better, the weekly summertime Café in the Park gatherings of folks to enjoy music and lunch.    That event offers a weekly on Wednesday opportunity join in the fun.  Symphony on the Lawn of Knox College is also a nice draw for our community!

I’m all for equality!  The world is changing; consciousness is evolving.   The  faces of families have changed over the last several decades as has the institution of marriage.  Interracial marriage was illegal in some states until the landmark SCOTUS decision of 1967 . In some states maybe my Swedish father couldn’t have married my Hispanic mother.  I’d like to see every state legalize same-gender marriage.  As Hillary Clinton said, “To deny (marriage) to our own daughters and sons solely on the basis of who they are and who they love is to deny them the chance to live up to their own God-given potential”.  People who want to march with placards that say “God hates faggots!” knows nothing of Gods’ love.  For God is Love and can be nothing but Love, and created us in perfection.  Our LGBT brothers and sisters are also the sons and daughters of God.  We are all the loved of Love!  I am as God created me!