Miriam,
The sunny weather lasted about long enough for me to walk to the
mailbox and back. Then the sun turned to another rain squall. But
it's balmy, which is better than much of the country. I've been
noticing your weather. Those South American beaches are looking
better and better. I'd seriously talk about selling and moving South,
but I get jittery just thinking of being that far from my children,
grand children and friends. None of them can afford the cost of a
visit to South America.
But back on the topic of our Humanness. What we are is so complex,
and despite all our advanced knowledge, we are so blind to admitting
that we need a total attitude overhaul, that it's difficult to believe
that we can save ourselves as a species. And yet...hope springs
eternal.
Right now I am being whimpered at by a 90 pound German Shepard,who
thinks that whenever Marlene goes off to work, Cathy and I become his
playmates. For people who never had anythings but cats and kids, we
sure have dog sat a great many pooches.
I tried telling Shylow that I can't throw his ball or sticks because I
can't see where he drops them. So he brings them to my feet, puts
them down, steps back and begins shouting at me...what can I say!
Carl Jarvis
On 3/9/18, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl,
Yes, I suppose that you could be correct. It is certainly true that in
Germany, there were wealthy, educated Jews, Jews who were doctors and
college professors. But I'm not sure that there were powerful Jews in the
German government. I don't think they had the equivalent of a Sheldon
Adelson or Haim Sabin. There was a British mandate in Palestine for a
homeland for the Jews, not an apartheid Jewish state with nuclear weapons
and strong ties to the most powerful military power in the world. Back
then, the colonies were submissive to their western masters and quiescent.
Russia was an ally, fighting the Nazis. But there's much that remains the
same and it becomes more and more apparent that we cannot predict the
future. Unlike you, however, I don't want to see what is coming . I am
already distressed by what has arrived.
By the way, as you describe rain, we here in the Northeast, were buffeted by
a snowstorm and another potential one is on the horizon.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2018 11:28 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: book review - David Cay Johnston - It's Even
Worse than You Think
Hi Miriam,
Looks like the heavy rains the past two days have finally run out of water.
Supposed to be sunny and around 52 degrees for our high. But now I can't
work on the road since all of the pot holes that had almost dried up, are
now small ponds. It's taken Cathy and me from Valentine's Day until now, to
feel almost human again. I'd begun to think I had walking pneumonia except
that Cathy was experiencing some of the same symptoms, and a good friend and
her husband were also competing with us for, "Worst Feeling" award.
As for the attitude of "mainstream" White America toward Jews, I suggested
that the Empire's ruling class keeps them on the shelf, in reserve to be
hauled out and beat up when the need arises.
Jews were doing just fine in Germany, holding a shaky economy together
following a slow recovery after WW I. With the rise of the German Empire
and its political wing, the Nazi Party, rich Jews suddenly became the
problem keeping the hard working folks from getting back on their feet. I
can still remember the stunned voices of Jews who did manage to make it to
America. They could not understand what had happened. How could you be
looked up to and be respected one day, and hated the next? Many Jewish
communities in Europe felt that they would get along if they just tended to
business and did nothing to ruffle the waters. They miss assessed the depth
of long standing suspicion and the level of resentment against them as a
People.
It's attitudes such as those that give me an empty feeling in the pit of my
stomach. I hear echoes from those days in the 30's and 40's coming from
Nazi Germany, all the way through time and across the wide ocean, to be
rooted in the American People.
Sure, at the moment we have the Muslims to beat up on. They and the other
Terrorists and "Illegals" who are blamed for our troubles. And of course we
still have another shelf for the socialists/communists who have taken over
Hollywood and what remains of our labor unions.
But since our troubles are caused by our worship of Corporate Capitalism, we
can never solve them by beating up on people already disenfranchised. Soon
we will be left with only our Fourth Class Black Citizens and...and...Jews.
In my lifetime I have seen the hate that festers just below the surface of
"middle class white Americans".
Vandalism of Synagogues and crosses burned in the yards of Jewish families.
Did I ever tell you that Cathy and I were retaliated against foror speaking
in defense of a neighbor who was Jewish? We smelled something burning in
the night, but could not see what it was.
The next day, out in the back lawn and out of sight of our house, but in
full view of down town Renton, was the remains of a large cross.
It was gasoline soaked rolled up newspapers laid out in the shape of a
cross, and set on fire. The Renton police looked around and suggested that
we keep our doors locked.
And my memories go back to the Second World War...the "good war". As we
White children, mostly Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians, played our
childish games on the school yard, several boys thought it was funny to
change the words of a popular song. The song went, "If I knew you were
coming I'd have baked a cake"...they changed the word, Cake, to the word,
Kike. And this, while thousands of Jews were being slaughtered. Where did
such contempt come from. Young children. We were 9 and 10 years old at the
time. Of course it was not just Jews, Catholics took their licks, too. And
as always there were the Negroes. Boys and girls, when choosing up sides
for a game, and little girls jumping rope would chant, "Enie meanie miney
Moe, Catch a Nigger by the toe. When he hollers, make him pay. Fifty
dollars every day". My mother overheard my sisters and me chanting this bit
of a rhyme while playing with several friends. During dinner that evening
she explained to us how hurtful the word Nigger was to those folks we then
called Negroes. She told us about how, as a young girl during world war
one, people would call her dad, Levi Earl Ludwig, and shout, "Ludwig, go
back to your Kaiser. We don't want your kind around here." We decided that
we could replace the offensive word with the word, Tiger...catch a Tiger by
the tail.
Believe me, I could not have picked out better people for my parents if I'd
been asked. Yet, there was a time when I resented the fact that my parents
expected me to always consider the under dogs, the down trodden people of
the world. "How", I asked myself, "can they expect me to become successful
if I have to keep worrying about those people less fortunate than me?" At
the time I never thought that our neighbors high on the hill looked at my
family as being one of those, "Less fortunate" families.
But all of that was back around the War Years. Today we're so much more
civilized. Today we don't send our children out to play horrible games like
Cops and Robbers, or Cowboys and Indians. And most certainly we have come
to love "our Jews", as long as they stay in their place.
Frankly Miriam, we Humans are like a bad case of the Black Plague, spreading
death and misery across the planet.
We managed to survive the Black Plague. Can we win over such deeply
ingrained feelings that keep us turning on one another?
If there is one thing that I truly resent, it is the fact that this will all
play out long after I am no longer around to observe it.
I only ask two questions. What is this thing we call the Universe, and,
What is our role in it?
Carl Jarvis
On 3/8/18, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl,
In America, white Jews no longer have a problem. Well yes, I know
about those burning synagogues. But in terms of power, white Jews can
be rich and powerful. Adelson, Soros, Sidney Blumenthal, Haim
Sabin,the rich Democrat who is an Israel supporter but who teamed up
with Adelson, AIPAC, Bloomberg, Schumer, etc.
As for Obama, That book about him that I started reading from
Bookshare, is now on BARD, Rising Star. Obama , from what I've read so
far, (it's a really long book and I need to get back to it), is a very
very intelligent ambitious manipulator. He was bound and determined to
be the first black President, and it surely was not in order to lead a
revolution.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2018 6:16 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: book review - David Cay Johnston - It's
Even Worse than You Think
Well, I see that I'm in good company. I listened to the Democracy Now
headlines and some of the chatter by the several women Amy talked
with. For nearly 50 years I've seen the rise of hope, only to watch hope
dashed.
Women have come a long way down the road to equality, but that
equality is more equal with the American Working Men, not with the
nation's Billionaires. And even as women make some gains, the gap
widens between the Have's and the Have Nots. So the majority of women
are actually standing still while the majority of men are losing
ground. It's a rush to the bottom. Well, maybe not a Rush.
More like a Whimper to the bottom. Anyway, it is just another diversion.
The old Shell Game. It's a game of distraction. Sure, women are
still not equal, and Blacks are still treated like dirt, and Mexicans
are treated like criminals, and Brown people are treated like
Mexicans, and Asians are all right...in their places, and Jews? Jews
have a special place in White America's heart. They are kept on the
shelf, so that whenever the Empire needs someone to dump on,
especially if it deals with banking or finances, the Jews are yanked off
the shelf and soundly beaten.
Blue collar's are turned against white collars, job holders against
retired, young against old, and even fat people are cursed and
ridiculed. But by God, we love our Billionaires. Even when we sneer
or jeer at them. When the chips are down, we will pucker up with the
best of the Empire's Lackeys and lick their boots if it means we can bask
in their light.
As for Barack Obama's genius at Geopolitics, I'm not sophisticated
enough to sort it out. But after he had been in office only a short
time, I pegged him as someone needing to be accepted by "the fellows",
you know, the Good Old Boys. He saw himself as a compromiser. I saw him
as, giving in.
Barack Obama is one very bright, well educated, experienced man. He
had to know that the Ugly American White Man would gang up on the
Black Boy who dared to play in the White Mans White House. For 8
years Barack Obama managed to look as if he were above it, and managed
to keep his cool. But he did very little for the working class, and
even less for the suffering around the world.
I simply cannot like a man who allows murder to continue going on
around the world. If he could not stop it, then get out of the
office. Let a cold murderer like Donald Trump or Mike Pence take
over. I'm in need of climbing down off my soap box, but I have to say
one last time, Just what the Hell did Barack Obama do for all of those
working class Blacks who believed in him? I'm sure that Barack Obama
sleeps in finer night clothes and between finer sheets than I can
afford, but I bet I sleep better. I have one thing...one claim that
Barack Obama can never make. I have never killed, or ordered the
killing of another human being. But, to my discredit, I've never
found a way to stop the murders being committed in my name...supposedly to
keep me safe.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/8/18, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl,
I didn't listen to all that stuff about International Women's Day on
Democracy Now. I tried to analyze why the whole thing leaves me cold.
I think perhaps it's because it's all words and wishes and a kind of
fantasy, sort of like religion. People celebrate, dance, make
speeches and pronouncements. They talk about being powerful. But life
goes on.
Women are beaten by their male partners, raped by soldiers and by
dates. They bear children and watch them die in famines.
Anyway, not all the elites are finding Trump useful. Hillary would
have been much more useful than he is. Think how well Obama did at
keeping liberals happy while satisfying the elites. One of the
"experts" I heard, talked about what a genious he was at Geopolitics.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2018 12:51 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: book review - David Cay Johnston -
It's Even Worse than You Think
Miriam and Bonnie...and All Women on this International Women's Day.
And to those men who have come to understand that on a good day,
they/we are about as smart as the Women of the World.
It is my humble male opinion that the Empire's Oligarchy will not
allow Donald Trump to be removed from office just so long as they can
use him to run interference for their pillaging and plundering. And
just as long as there is a Public Anything, they will keep their
Crazy Lap Dog around.
But that's just my opinion.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/8/18, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I've heard Johnston interviewed on Democracy Now and other programs,
and I read his previous book. The problem is that although Trump is
committing crimes every day, like profiting financially from the
Presidency, no one seems to want to start impeachment proceedings on
this basis. There appear to be other crimes as well, which relate to
encouraging riots and unlawful behavior. There are obvious medical
issues related to his brain function.
But instead of using what is obviously true to get him out of
office, the Democratic Party is resorting to incredibly complicated
and far fetched accusations and Mueller's investigation which,
although it may uncover all sorts of wrongdoing, probably won't ever
come up with proof that Trump has committed Treason.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Bonnie L.
Sherrell
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2018 12:10 AM
To: Blind Democracy <blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] book review - David Cay Johnston - It's
Even Worse than You Think
_It's Even Worse than You Think: What the Trump Administration is
Doing to America_ by David Cay Johnston
The Trump administration started with a blatant lie in which he and
his communications director, Sean Spicer, claimed that his
inauguration was the widest attended and watched inauguration EVER,
which was easily disproved.
Things have descended from that point. Kellyanne Conway has
insisted that this was merely an "Alternative Fact," and Mr. Trump
commonly claims that anyone who demonstrates that he has
lied--again--is promulgating "Fake News"
intended to discredit his win in the 2016 election. Like a child
sticking his fingers in his ears and singing "La la la" when someone
tries to get across an undesired truth to him, Trump consistently
insists that this is a trick by the Democrats, who ought to have won
the election, trying to explain away their ignominious loss.
He has surrounded himself with a cabinet of people who for the most
part are totally unqualified to lead the departments they were
assigned to, and he has given them all directions to dismantle every
rule and law intended to safeguard the environment and to promote
equality amongst our citizens.
Johnston describes these as "termites" eating away at the
infrastructure of our country, and we are already seeing the
negative effects of this destructive activity.
Late in the book, Johnston points out that Trump's policies
encourage law enforcement to be rough on those being arrested ("Just
toss them in the paddy wagons--don't worry about them getting hurt."
"You know when you put them in the back seat of the squad car, don't
put your hand on their head to protect
them.") He's encouraged the crowds in his rallies to punch those he
thinks are there to criticize him. He thinks that if teachers are
armed, they will magically prevail with a handgun against killers
armed with automatic weapons.
He's described neo-Nazis and white supremacists as being "fine people"
whom he apparently sees as being morally equivalent with those who
counter-demomstrate against them. And he is seeking to build up the
armed forces while cutting financing for health, education, social
security, medicare and medicaid, and just about any other program
intended to support those who are unable to provide for themselves.
He continuously vilifies the mainstream media at the same time he
courts them, desperate for any praise he could possibly pry from
them while refusing to do anything constructive to actually build
up our nation.
His role models are Vladimir Putin and other dictators, and it's
pretty plain he wants to join their ranks. And he apparently
believes that if he can militarize the police and get the Pentagon
behind him, he will possibly be able to become "President for Life"
here in our nation.
This is well researched, with facts taken from the public record.
It is not a book we should ignore, and I encourage everyone to read it.
It is available in all possible media. I both downloaded it from
Audible and to my Nook in e-book format.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even
the very wise cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
We gave the Goblin King control of our nation!
