Moving forward in life with a positive attitude
OK, I had to take a little break from writing about current events. I found that I wasn’t sleeping much, and when I did my dreams were very tightly woven with the day’s current events. My mind couldn’t let go and it was getting very creepy. Continue reading “Is all of this political turmoil messing with your sleep?”
Child 1: “The dog knocked it from the table. Terrible dog.”
You look and confirm that the dog is outside. “Fake news” starts early. You ask again:
Child 2: “We were playing and then the vase fell over, but I didn’t do it as I wasn’t closest to the table.”
You ask again:
Child 3: “We were running in the room and someone tripped me and made me knock the vase over.”
Each child reported the same event differently, but when pieced together you can get a pretty complete report of what really happened.
According to Pew Research Center Studies:
Pew Research Center – Basic facts are in dispute
Trump supporters relied heavily on Fox for their election news and information. No single source was as pronounced among Clinton supporters, but this is perhaps due to the perception that there are more liberal leaning news options.) (Pew Research Center – Trump, Clinton Voters Divided in Their Main Source for Election News)
Press Widely Criticized, But Trusted More than Other Information Sources
While this diagram from Imgur may not be perfect (the center may be more liberal than is shown here), but it’s a good place to start. Try to:
It may not be pleasant, but we need to make the effort.
George Washington
“The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.”
“Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all.”
“Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.”
“Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.”
Abraham Lincoln
“No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.”
“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.”
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
“Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of ultraconfidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.”
Recently a friend and I were discussing how we both were having a hard time focusing on the tasks at hand. I constantly find myself distracted and forgetful, and too often a bit short-tempered.
According to the recent American Psychological Association’s (APA) report Stress in America™: Coping with Change,” two-thirds of Americans say they are stressed about the future of our nation, including a majority of both Democrats and Republicans.”
Not surprisingly, Democrats are more stressed out by the outcome of the 2016 election and the future of the nation overall, but Republicans are also stressed out about the future.
Most every morning I have a conversation via text with a few close friends. Sometimes we share our dismay at recent events, or exchange a funny video that makes us laugh. The conversations are usually brief, cathartic, empowering and always reinforce our friendship.
With many of us on edge, a little act of kindness can go a long way. If someone bumps into you (or you into them), imagine the difference it makes if you give a big “hello” or “good day!”
If you see someone who needs help, why not stop and give them a hand. Showing acts of kindness not only help others but also ourselves. It feels good to be kind.
There is so much real news to take in, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Set up some time to dive in, decide how you want to act (not react) and then get out.
It’s become a great way to get your blood pressure up.
As much stress as I feel now, I know that there are many others who live with constant stress. Going forward we could all benefit by showing greater understanding and compassion.
There is a lot that needs fixing in our nation (and the list seems to grow every day), but together we can make things better.
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/index.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/emotional-support.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-political-change.aspx
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/02/stressed-nation.aspx
www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/02/15/515366975/feeling-way-more-stressed-out-youre-not-alone
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/emotional-support.aspx
Our physical world has two poles (north and south) that are bitter and cold. The vast majority of humanity lives much closer to the equator, in a much more productive climate.
Our political world feels very similar. The current system is set up to force us away from our common, productive ground and into hostile extremes. We won’t survive such a move and need to do all we can to regain our common ground.
I’ll be posting a variety of views that are honest and heartfelt, not confrontational and angry.
For today, check out the CNN segment Trump gives America’s ‘poorest white town’ hope.
I used some of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s message and tweaked it a bit.
“I very strongly believe that the demotion of key members of the NSC Participial Committee and the inclusion of an individual whose primary responsibility is political in nature is highly detrimental to the strength of our great nation. I am also very concerned about the individual’s role in crafting the executive order behind these changes. Partisan politics have no place in our national security.”
This is how the Trump administration defines the NSC and their role. (you will have to cut and paste the link https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nsc, as my direct link was mysteriously severed).
Ah, let’s go back to the archived Obama Administration site. There we see: (bolding and italics mine)
The more readily grasped objections are that Bannon has little relevant experience and is a not seen to be a very good person overall.
But the objections aren’t just specific to Bannon. Someone, perhaps Bannon, also included in the EO the demotion of several of the most influential members of the committee, giving Bannon even more influence. More specifically the OE “someone” crafted:
Thanks for moving forward with me
https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nsc
obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/administration/eop/nsc/.
msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/bannons-white-house-role-draws-sharp-criticisms-reason
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-danger-of-steve-bannon-on-the-national-security-council/2017
cnn.com/2017/01/29/politics/susan-rice-steve-bannon/
www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/the-trump-national-security-council-an-analysis/514910/
nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/02/trump-not-fully-briefed-on-bannon-nsc-order-report
www.npr.org/2011/05/31/136829586/what-does-the-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-do
nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/02/trump-not-fully-briefed-on-bannon-nsc-order-report.html
“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.”
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning.”
“To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.”
“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”
Finding out more about this great man is easy, just click here!
PT’s claim: “My policy is similar to what President Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months. ”
Nope.
What Trump did:
“President Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 27 that bars Syrian refugees from entering the U.S. indefinitely and bars all other refugees for 120 days, and keeps out visitors for 90 days from seven predominately Muslim countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Initially, as ABC News reported, administration officials said the ban also applied to U.S. green card holders reentering the United States from those seven countries, though they could get a waiver to reenter. But two days after Trump signed the executive order, administration officials said green card holders, who are permanent residents, would be admitted on a case-by-case basis after additional security screening.”
“… what Obama did was not a ban, and it did not involve visas.”
“There was a delay in processing Iraqi refugees in 2011 after it was discovered that two Iraqi refugees living in Kentucky had been involved in roadside bombing attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq. One of the refugee’s fingerprints were found on a detonation device in Iraq, prompting U.S. immigration, security and intelligence agencies to use federal databases to rescreen about 58,000 Iraqi refugees in the U.S. and more than 25,000 Iraqis who had been approved to enter the U.S., but had not yet been admitted, Department of Homeland Security officials testified at the time.
The Kentucky case not only caused a backlog in processing Iraqi refugees in 2011, but it also resulted in an overhaul of the refugee screening process.
The Obama administration’s actions were limited to one country and in response to a specific threat — the potential for other Iraqi refugees to take advantage of a flaw in the screening process.
By contrast, Trump ordered a far wider ban — albeit also temporary — without identifying a specific threat.”
Read the full executive order text here
Day 8 of the PT regime and I continue to be astounded by the lack of respect they have for the United States and what makes us great.
PT has been forced to back off slightly, but he has demonstrated time and time again that he is a sore and vindictive loser. We must make it clear that his actions are unacceptable.
Both Ryan and McConnell were strongly opposed to Muslim bans not too long ago, but seem to have misplaced their convictions.
Email Paul Ryan (In my note to him, I referenced his words of August 1, 2016 “America’s greatness is built on the principles of liberty and preserved by the men and women who wear the uniform to defend it. As I have said on numerous occasions, a religious test for entering our country is not reflective of these fundamental values. I reject it. Many Muslim Americans have served valiantly in our military, and made the ultimate sacrifice. Captain Khan was one such brave example. His sacrifice—and that of Khizr and Ghazala Khan—should always be honored. Period.”)
Email Mich McConnell (McConnell has stated that “I Don’t Want to Criticize Them for Improving Vetting.” This recent act by the Trump regime isn’t rooted in improving vetting and he knows this.) I cant provide the direct link to McConnell as they have Blacked direct access (https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactform)
Some Top Republicans in Congress Criticize Trump’s Refugee Policy
A Clarifying Moment in American History
Read the full executive order text
Please check out my list of causes to support