We Need To...

 

Yesterday, the majority of corrupted Supreme Court justices further undermined the Constitution by making shitty decisions about our fundamental rights. Those protections in the 14^th Amendment disallow discrimination against anyone for any reason.

In the bad old days, there weren’t any federal “teeth” to this amendment.  That’s why the southern states, post-Civil War, continued to discriminate against and suppress people of color. That’s why Jim Crow laws were allowed to pass. That’s why segregation continued.

Now it seems that the Rethuglicans and the six ultra-right-wing fascist-leaning Supreme Court justices would like to return us to those days. White power!

It’s maddening that the Democratic party doesn’t respond to all this treachery. Where is the outcry? The only voices I see speaking up are the minority justices on the Supreme Court, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Senator Bernie Sanders. Where are my NJ senators, especially Cory Booker? Why isn’t Rep. Andy Kim speaking up?

Finally, President Biden is at least beginning to criticize what’s going on. He’s said Congressional Rethuglican efforts are semi-fascist. He says he doesn’t agree with expanding the Supreme Court but, at least, he says it is not normal.

During the Obama administration, there was a lot of racial ugliness. The Obamas responded, “when they go low, we go high.”

It seems like that’s the strategy the Democrats have been using since tRump was elected.  There has been very little outcry from our Democratic leaders for years in spite of all the evil practices and laws passed by MAGAT Representatives, Senators and Governors.  To continue being silent in the face of the crap the Rethuglicans are pulling now seems cowardly to me. It reminds me of how the Wehrmacht stayed silent and tried to appease Hitler in a “maybe he’ll get satisfied and go away” ploy. We know what happened.

Going high by staying silent is counterproductive now. Why can’t we go high without being nasty? Go high but defend our rights? Why aren’t our leaders doing more to protect our rights? Why are the only Congressional voices speaking up now the progressives? Where are the moderates? They represent us too. Why are the only two Republicans to speak up Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney? Any other decent-minded Repub (if any left) are quaking in their boots that tRump might primary them if they speak up.

Why must this work be left in the hands of advocacy groups like those in the LGBTQ community, Black community and activists like Rev. William J. Barber II?  Here is a story about anactivist group that isn’t giving up the fight for equality in spite of the fact SCOTUS seems determined to quash it.  There are many other activists and groups speaking up.

Why aren't our representatives listening and acting? I’m fed up with complacency.

After SCOTUS dumped its latest crappy decisions, my son Bill Rademacher wrote this poem expressing his own frustration:

“They go low and we go high,”

The courageous battle cry

Of the spineless from the sky

As their tower falls downward.

They take you out at the knees,

Deafened to all of the pleas

While the defenders all freeze,

Bravely led by a coward.

Danger reared its ugly head,

Bravely turned their tails and fled

Seized moral high ground instead

While charges drowned in red tide.

It’s not contradictory,

Be now benedictory,

We have moral victory!

We have the right on our side!

But we haven’t got the Right,

The Right will put up a fight,

And cowards fall from their height,

Foundation broken below.

They see our fear of seeming

With hypocrisy teaming

So they set themselves scheming,

Thus “they go high, we go low!”

They consider what hurts worst,

Make sure to do unto first,

And unleash rhetoric versed,

“They will now do this to us!”

Knowing that we won’t stoop down.

“They go low and we go high,”

So we bravely heave a sigh,

And say “well at least we try,”

As the tower crashes down.

If only I could imbed

Before another retread,

If, when they go low, instead,

We gave a kick…

 

People, we need to wake up. If any of these decisions bother you at all, contact your representatives and let them know. And if your representatives are Democrats, say you want them to start speaking the fuck up against these Rethuglican machinations to take away our rights.

Do you think it won’t happen to you? Think again.

 

 

Day 6: Weltschmerz with a sprinkling of hope

 

I remember Bernhard Goetz.  I was living on Long Island that day, April 8, 1985. I remember I was in the midst of wedding plans for my marriage to Rich in October. 

 

Goetz, a white man, got onto a subway car in the City (that’s what we called NYC then, the City). He wanted to be left alone but was approached by four Black teenagers. One asked for money. Goetz felt threatened. He pulled out the gun he was carrying and shot the four teenagers. One was permanently paralyzed.

 

It was confusing. He acted without being threatened with words or a weapon. Did he do the right thing? Some hailed him a hero before they knew all the facts of the case. It turns out the four teenagers didn’t mean any harm to Goetz. From hero to villain in a short matter of time. Goetz was charged with attempted murder (and was acquitted) and a weapons charge for which he was fined $5000 and sent to jail for six months. He got off easy.

 

My ongoing weltschmerz has to do with what happened on yet another City subway on May 1. A homeless busker named Justin Neely got onto a subway car, and he was in an agitated state. He screamed he was homeless and hungry and didn’t care if he lived or died. A witness said he began throwing stuff at other passengers. So, a young former serviceman got up and, with the help of a couple of other passengers, put a chokehold on Neely.

 

Ok, so I know from previous experience that when a person is out of control, there are safe ways to subdue them. I was an interpreter for a Deaf client living in a sheltered home. Sometimes clients would lose control of themselves, and the staff went through training to subdue these clients safely. None of the techniques involved choke holds.

 

With other passengers already restraining Neely, why did Daniel Penny feel he needed to keep a tight chokehold? Penny choked Neely to death. Uncalled for.  Unnecessary.

 

Still, once again, Penny is hailed as a hero by many. Fortunately, some saner heads prevail. Although he was initially released, the District Attorney’s office is assessing what charges, if any, to bring against Penny. The coroner has already ruled that Neely’s death was a homicide.

 

The lack of compassion and care toward others is appalling.

 

But I can still reflect on the sprinklings of hope. Despite all the evil in our midst, there are still good people in the world.

 

Last Saturday, our oldest daughter got married. I live in a blended family that, over the years, has become one. When Ted and I met, we were both widowed with children. He had two adult daughters and my three were 14, 12, and 9. It was awkward and difficult at first.

 

Last Saturday, though, there was only love in abundance.

 

I felt especially hopeful watching my five-year-old great granddaughter race around in her cast. She’d broken her ankle falling off a trampoline and was in a boot cast, running around and dancing without a care in the world. I took videos of my 90-year-old mother-in-law boogeying with my 69-year-old husband. We were celebrating and we were all joyous.

 

I have a lot of hope for Gen Z (which includes my older grandchildren) and the Alpha Gen. I believe with their dedication they can bring about the kind of changes we need in this country.  Their enthusiasm has reawakened Boomers, GenXers and Millennials.

 

I’m including a few shots of my daughter’s wedding.

                                              Michele & Gary, so Bill is

                                              the officiant

a group dance with Gram's granddaughters

my great granddaughter, with concealed cast on her right foot

Ted and Gram boogy

Ted and me

I had some really fun videos to share but was having trouble uploading them. Thanks, Murphy!

I am participating in the American Cancer Society’s challenge to write for thirty minutes each day in May. I do a lot of writing and I can meet this challenge. What I plan to do is make a blog entry each day with what I’ve written.

I wanted to participate in memory of loved ones who fought cancer bravely but succumbed:

My brother-in-law Jeff

My sister-in-law Ann

My dear friend Kay

My Uncle Bob

My Uncle John

I also wanted to help raise money to support research and a cure for all those who are currently fighting this vicious disease.

My Facebook to the fundraiser is here.