Morning Update: 07/28/24
Yesterday was exactly what I expected it to be: a miserable day of trying to sleep. I didn’t get out of bed until 4:00 PM and that was only to attend G’s violin recital. I didn’t, couldn’t, eat anything until around 8:30 PM, and a couple of hours later even that came back up. The day was the type of rough ride I’d really rather avoid, but I guess if it reduces the chance of getting pneumonia then one day of misery is probably worth it. Fortunately, I’m feeling better this morning, though I’m still a bit tentative on the eating thing. At least the coffee doesn’t seem to be upsetting my stomach.
G had his first violin recital yesterday afternoon. It was a progress recital, meaning that no one had their work memorized or polished. This was to showcase where each student is at the moment. G did well. Next to all the other students, though, he looked older than he is. He had to raise the music stand to its full height, and he’s sporting a very visible goatee. He was also taller than anyone else.
The event provided an opportunity for extended family to get together. Even Kat’s niece, 18-month-old Harper, was there, stealing the show where she had an opportunity. Grandparents demonstrated appropriate amounts of pride in their grandson which he took with the natural awkwardness of someone not accustomed to such. Tipper was the only one who acted as though she’d rather not be there, but even she perked up when G’s teacher invited them to take additional cookies after the recital.
Tipper’s enthusiasm for the recital was dampened by her excitement for her date last night to a quinceanera. Her boyfriend had invited her to be his guest at the party that didn’t start until 9:00. Whether I was comfortable with it or not, the late start required giving her the latitude to be out late as well. Kat and I discussed the matter and, at her urging, decided that since it wasn’t a school night, it wouldn’t hurt to allow her to be out until midnight or a little later. The event was going to be well-chaperoned so there was little chance of them getting into trouble.
Imagine my surprise, then, when Tipper comes waltzing in around 10:30! When I asked why she was so early, she said that, being the only “white” girl present she felt like everyone was looking at her, and that the music was so loud that the floor was vibrating. She had taken her headphones, as she normally does, but even that wasn’t enough to ease the effects of the loud music. If there was any question as to whether she is on the autism spectrum, her response to the party seems to have put those to rest. Of course, getting an actual diagnosis of such is difficult, but just understanding the symptoms helps us to better adjust to meet her needs.
The past several hours have produced a number of news items with religious overtones. In one specific situation, those overtones are unwarranted and overly forced. That situation would be the opening celebration of the Paris Olympics. My social media feed has been flooded with responses to what appeared to the ignorant to be a mocking of The Last Supper. In response, I’ve seen several posts attempting to explain that it was, instead, a portrayal of Dionysius. However, neither of those interpretations would be correct. The Associated Press went straight to the source to get an accurate explanation. Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony denied that the tableau was a reference to either, but more a celebration of freedom and inclusion.
Drag performer Le Filip, the recent winner of “Drag Race France,” responded to the criticism by saying, “It feels like the words of somebody who didn’t get on the guest list. We could all be laughing together. It’s sad to me, honestly.”
For those who, like me, grew up in a house filled with Southern Gospel music, you may be interested in knowing that Gospel Hall of Fame group, The Nelons, were wiped out in a plane crash in Wyoming. The only surviving member of the group is Autumn Nelon Streetman, who had stayed home because of her pregnancy. The group was on their way to Seattle to participate in a Gaither Homecoming Cruise. Interestingly enough, the cruise was titled, “Until We Meet Again,” a euphemism for saying goodbye to those who have passed.
Then, I can’t let pass the bizarre and dangerous statements of the Orange Felon as he told members of Turning Point Action at a speech in West Palm, FL, “Christians, get out and vote, just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.”
The official campaign explanation to the immediate horror of everyone who values democracy is that the statement was “a joke.” Of course, if that’s the case, one might excuse the entire campaign as one giant joke being played on the American people. In December, the Felon told Fox News that he would be a “Dictator on Day One,” if he were elected. In May, he told a gathering of the National Rifle Association that he might serve “two more terms,” referencing FDR and ignoring that the two-term limit was invoked after Roosevelt died in office.
Such comments are occurring far too often to pass them off as a joke. In my opinion, they voice the Felon’s true intention and desire. He wants to be a dictator. He doesn’t want there to be a 2028 election removing him from office (if he survives that long). He is a clear and present danger to our democracy and as such he must be stopped. There is no other option.
Meanwhile, you quite possibly have missed Kamala Harris’ first ad featuring Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” a cut from her 2016 landmark album, “Lemonade.” Unlike a lot of the music we’ve heard at various campaign rallies, Harris has both the permission and support of the singer in using the song. There’s no question that the song has strong political overtones. In concert, Beyoncé has used the song to segue into “Lift Every Voice.” So, for those who have missed it, here’s the ad.
I really need to stop typing and start mowing the lawn. The forecast says there’s a chance of rain this afternoon, which appears likely though not with serious consequences. This is also the last chance the kids will have to help before starting school tomorrow.
Speaking of which, I may not be able to do an update in the morning. I’m going to ride the bus with Tipper to make sure she gets to school safely. I did the same with G last year, though he didn’t seem to need it. If there’s something that I feel deeply compelled to share with you, I’ll have to do so tomorrow afternoon.
This life is crazy, isn’t it?
Morning Update: 08/01/24
Here it is, August 1, 97 days until the election. IPS starts today, but apparently, the number of little ones we have in the neighborhood has gone down. Previous years, we’d see over a dozen buses running through the neighborhood. This morning has been pretty quiet. I’m not saying there haven’t been any buses, but the number is considerably less than what we’ve seen before.
G and Tipper got off to a good start this morning. G is trying to endure despite the pain of sitting in class and doing nothing as all direction is focused on new students. Tipper, on the other hand, is thrilled with her new furry friend and left this morning armed with her tail, her fox mask, and two favorite plushies to show her friend. She’s delighted to be in an environment where she’s free to express who she is without retribution. Let’s hope that enthusiasm continues once they get into more detailed instruction next week.
I was an idiot yesterday. Okay, there’s an argument to be made that I’m an idiot every day, but yesterday was especially stupid. Looking for a respite from the quiet of the house, I decided to walk to the store. I didn’t really need anything, I just wanted to get out. I wasn’t halfway there before I knew I’d made a mistake. I should have turned around, but didn’t. Mind you, the full trip there and back is only 1.06 miles, not exactly a major trek. I’ve gone a lot further. But this hasn’t been the best week for side effects and by the time I got back home, even leaning on my cane, I could hardly stand. That was it for the rest of the day. I normally don’t use my cane inside or out in the yard with the dogs, but I couldn’t get out of my chair without it. Fortunately, Kat and G took care of dinner. I stayed in/near the bed and was asleep by 8:30. I’ll be careful to not make that mistake again any time soon.
We’re looking at rain most of the afternoon/evening, so I’m not risking anything today. Groceries will be delivered later this morning. Once that’s done, I’m crawling under the covers and hiding between the dogs… and Solaris. So help me, Sol thinks he’s one of the dogs. I could probably put him in a kitty harness and take him outside when I let the dogs out, but something tells me if I put him in a harness, the dogs would want their harnesses, and then I’d have to take everyone for a walk. I don’t have that kind of energy.
What has my attention this morning is the headline that the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, along with two others, has agreed to a plea deal. While some are praising the deal and others are criticizing it, my larger concern is the degree to which justice has been screwed sideways for the past 23 years. Former President George W. Bush established the prison at Guantanamo, Cuba, in 2002, and with it came a severe miscarriage of justice as almost every member of the Taliban with a passport and no small number of Iraqis were rounded up and tossed in the jail. The special circumstances of Guantanamo allowed the government to label the prisoners as “enemy combatants” and hold them endlessly without trial, or even access to representation. They have been tortured endlessly. Alleged mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was waterboarded over 180 times before that particular method of torture was outlawed. At one time, the population at the prison was over 800 thanks to the mass roundup. Now, only 30 prisoners remain.
The fact that the prison is still running is a disgrace. If, after 23 years, the government doesn’t have enough evidence to convict without torturing them into a plea-deal confession, then they simply do not have the evidence to charge any of these men. Period. At this point, whether they are guilty or not is irrelevant. They have been held without legal representation and tortured endlessly for over twenty years! THIS IS NOT JUSTICE! Holding anyone this long under these circumstances is a violation of human rights no matter how one turns the issue. While details of the plea deal haven’t been released, the assumption is that they’re trading the death penalty for life in prison if they’re convicted. The government is assuming that their confessions, which would automatically be thrown out under any other circumstances as being obtained under conditions of duress, will be enough for the special court to convict. What happens, though, if it doesn’t? Will we let them go? Somehow, I doubt it because, again, the intention here is not justice but retribution.
Mind you, I certainly think that the people responsible for the tragic events of 9/11 deserve punishment, and possibly even the death penalty, though I’m no longer convinced that such an exchange of life-for-life is ever justified. However, what our government has done to these men over the past twenty-three years is inhuman. That the special circumstances around the prison at Guantanamo were ever established in the first place is inhuman. This is not the United States at its best. This is evil at its worst. Give them a fair trial. Either convict them on the evidence or let them go. That’s the way justice works. Anything else is simply evil.
Of course, one could make the argument that we are fully engaged with evil. That’s why evil is running for president in the form of the Orange Felon. I’m sure that by now everyone’s aware of the grotesque and racist remarks the fool made to a group of black journalists yesterday. Vice President Harris correctly responded that this is the same tactic of divisiveness and disrespect that he’s always used. That this felon has the support of roughly 46% of the people in the US demonstrates how comfortable we’ve become lying in bed with evil. We cannot claim to care about justice, we cannot hold any claim to fairness, and we cannot even begin to claim any grasp on freedom, as long as this FELON is running for the highest office in the country. His previous election and his current campaign are both a permanent stain upon the ideal of democracy. To not defeat him soundly, with an overwhelming majority in both the electoral college and popular votes, is to embrace the exact same type of evil that planned and carried out the 9/11 terrors. There’s no difference in the mindset, only the methods of their actions. You wouldn’t vote for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, would you? The Orange Felon is the same type of person only dressed in a suit and painted orange.
Why am I feeling tired already? I’ve been sitting here guzzling coffee and yet my body is feeling pain and exhaustion as if I’d put in a full day’s work. I can’t go to sleep yet, though. Groceries are being delivered between 10-11. I hate feeling like this.
I’m going to get more coffee. I hope you have a good day.
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