Divergent Thoughts on Life, Love and Death
21 May 2023 6 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: anti-education, anti-gay, anti-immigration, bigot, desantis, dictator, homophobic, idiot, racist
Anti Ron Desantis Shirt, Ban Desantis T-Shirt
Ink In Action – Print your thoughts. Tell your stories.
23 Feb 2020 6 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: bigot, democracy, democrats, dictator, fanatic, fascist, hitler, nazi, republicans, right wing, trump, trumpism
My name is Michael Donald Trump. I am eleven years old today. It is the year 2100 YOL. My father is getting ready for church services. We are going to have a birthday party for me after church today. My father, sister and I go to church every week from 7 AM until 12 PM. My mother must get there early as she helps with the baking for the lunch after church and also sings in the choir. Every Wednesday night, I go to Bible school for three hours. My older sister is 13 but on Wednesday nights she goes to homemakers’ school where she learns things like cooking, cleaning and how to take care of a baby. She has reached the age where the District Executive will select a husband for her and in the next year she will be married and leave home.
My school is run by the Evangelical Church of Trump. Our Evangelical Church Leader is a Senior Executive in the Local Republican Party. At school, we learn a great deal about Trump History, taxes, Republicanism, Americanism and other subjects. The teachers are very strict and any messing around will get you a night in the stocks. After school, I am bused to the local mining operation to help the workers with some of their chores. Every student in the UST (United States of Trump) must contribute back to the community. If the local Work Commander thinks we have done a good job, we are allowed to play sports on the weekend. We can choose from baseball, football, hockey or golf. No other sports are allowed.
My father works at the mines. He went to the same school and church that we now go to. Every community is allowed only one church and one school. My mother stays home. She is a good mom, but the Local Work Commander says that she is not pulling her weight in the community. He says that she has only had two children and it is expected that every mother will have at least five children. My mom says that she is trying but it is not her fault. One of my siblings died at childbirth or so I was told. There is a rumor that she was sent to the Default Clinic because she was born with a genetic birth defect. My mom has been warned to keep trying and that there are penalties for non-compliance.
I have a grandfather and grandmother on my Father’s side who are local representatives for the Republican Party. There is only one party in the UST. Our Supreme Chief Executive Officer abolished all other parties many years ago. He argued that it is too confusing for people to have more than one party and that all we really need is one party to see that people keep order and do what they are supposed to do.
I am not allowed to talk to my grandfather or grandmother on my mother’s side because they have been labeled as descendants of heretics and state enemies. The story I have been told is that many years ago when then President D. J. Trump was in the process of becoming Supreme Chief Executive Officer, my great grandfather on my mother’s side joined an opposition group of liars and cheats who were called Democrats. They did everything they could to block President Trump from becoming Supreme Chief Executive Officer for life. But President Trump labeled the Democrats as terrorists and they were ruthlessly sought out and either executed or deported to Siberia.
Our Evangelical Church Leader has taught us that things really started to become great in the United States of Trump once the Trump family was installed for life. In order to become a Supreme CEO, you must belong to the Trump family by birth. Leadership in our country is based on a strict sequence of hereditary seniority.
Once President Trump became Supreme Leader, he started to remove all the rapists and criminals from our country. First, all people of African descent were exported back to Africa. Then he sent all Asian people back to their homes in China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan. After he finished the Great Border Wall, he sent all the rapists and thieves back to Mexico. During this time, he also had to deal with the radical terrorists who were called Democrats. With the help of the Army and Marines he was finally able to eliminate this terrorist group.
President Trump then had his title changed to Supreme CEO. In his honor, the Republican Party changed the name of the United States of America to the United States of Trump. His birthday is now a national holiday. He eliminated several other holidays like Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day and Washington’s Birthday. We have had many other changes in the country.
The Equal Rights Amendment was abolished, and women were able to regain their rightful place in the home as mothers and home makers. Abortion was banned and all women were to be married to a man. Every woman was expected to contribute at least five children to the UST. Some women were against this, but they were deported to Siberia and eventually the opposition fell in line. Gays and other sexual deviants were outlawed and any lascivious behavior on the part of sexual deviants was deemed a crime against the state and subject to strict prison sentences and public whippings.
All libraries, radio stations, tv stations, and schools underwent what Supreme CEO Trump called a radical reorganization. Millions of books were eliminated. Now all book authors must be approved by the Republican Party to ensure that they will comply with the facts and truth as known. PBS, SNL and NPR were closed down. The Washington Post and Time Magazine were sold to the Central Republican Party. All local schools were taken over by Republican Evangelicals who oversaw a major revision of curriculum and textbooks. We were told that all false facts and lies would be eliminated from the school system and that we would be educated only in the truth.
All non-Christian religions were banned, and an Executive Order was issued that stated all religions must teach strict Evangelical Republicanism as defined by the central Party headquarters. The Ten Commandments were installed in every court in the UST and the calendar was changed from CE or Common Era to YOL which stands for in the Year of Our Lord. Only men could be ministers and churches must adhere to the truth as defined by the Central Republican Party. A minister or church leader must also be ordained by the Local Republican Party.
Oh, you may wonder if I am related to the Trump family, but genetically the answer is no. However, several years ago, an executive order was released that all families would carry the last name of Trump and all male children must have the middle name of Donald. My father could pick any first name for his male children, but the middle and last names were to be in honor of the Greatest Leader in the History of the United States of Trump.
There is more to this story so come back next week and find out what happens to young Michael Donald Trump.
“The one indisputable reality of dictatorship is that dissent, insult, and malevolent language do not go unpunished if it is allowed at all.” — Ferdinand Marcos
15 Aug 2016 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: bigot, democracy, democrats, donald, Election, freedom, Immigrants, minorities, Obama, Republican, Taxes, trump, USA
Today the Republicans have become the party of Dumb and Dumber. The likes of Palin, Bachmann, Inhofe and Sessions are not so mute testimony to the fools that now dominate the Republican Party. Add Donald Trump to the hand and you have a five ace hand of losers. Every day, we read of some new evidence that shows how bigoted, hypocritical and vile the core beliefs of the Republican Party have become. The leadership of the Republican Party seems to have no integrity. Half of them spend their time trying to explain the inane and dangerous comments spewed out daily by their party nominee. A candidate so devoid of any character or morality that many in his own party are trying to dissociate themselves from him. What is left of the party leadership are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. There is no longer any true leadership in the party. Trump and his supporters are destroying what once was a grand old Party. The party of Lincoln, which stood for freedom and equality has now become a party of fear, greed, intolerance and hatred.
Today, the Republicans even hate themselves. They are now trying to destroy their star candidate for the 2016 Presidential elections. A gross Neanderthal who equates money with character and morality named Donald Trump has upstaged the Party’s chosen one to rally the extremists who have now come to dominate the Republican Party. The grand old Party which once attracted many progressives who believed in the power of the individual over the power of the state now is controlled by a clique or power structure which has no connection to the traditional core Republican values. (I will say more about these values in this blog)
“Republican voters view Donald Trump as their strongest general election candidate, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll that highlights the sharp contrast between the party’s voters and its top professionals regarding the billionaire businessman’s ultimate political strength.” – Steve Peoples and Emily Swanson
In addition to those who I would call the traditionalists, the Republican Party has attracted a large contingency of supporters that we can divide into the following five blocs:
I will say more about each of these in Part 2 of this blog. Suffice, it to say for now, that the voters in these five blocs have now taken over the Republican Party (I will also explain in Part 2 how and why this happened.) Just like the Nazis took over Germany, the traditionalists in the Republican Party made a pact with the devil and the devil has now 
come to collect his dues. The Traditionalists know that the candidacy of Trump will destroy the party. There are indeed a large contingent of voters who will support Trump but by and large, the people in the USA are not so stupid or ignorant that Trump will be elected. Mark my words on that! Trump, who hates women, minorities, immigrants and anyone with a brain, will go down in defeat in the biggest landslide in history for our next Democratic president and he will take the entire Republican Party with him. The stalwart traditionalists in the Republican Party understand this and that is why every day we see headlines like:
“The Republican Party Tries to Take Out Its Front-Runner”
“Trump has proven highly successful in manhandling a parade of bland Republican politicians. To him, Carson and Fiorina present different challenges because they both possess the outsider status that elevates them over Republican officials who have to deal with reality of some sort, and they symbolize demographic groups that are some of the biggest stumbling blocks for Republicans. The party wants to show the world that it has a black friend and a lady friend.” — The National Memo
Returning to the concept of traditional core Republican values, you may well be wondering what they are. The first core Republican value is freedom from intrusive government interventions. The traditional Republican is not so much against big government as they are against a government that might try to dominate the will of the individual with the will of the state. Hence, traditional Republicans hate the idea of gun control, federal regulations, government red tape, and government watchdog agencies. However, they are not against “Big Military” since the military is seen as protecting those very values that Republicans cherish most.
“Where the people fear the government you have tyranny. Where the government fears the people you have liberty.” — Barnhill, John Basil (1914)
A second core Republican value is the right to earn and keep as much money as possible. “You earned it; it is yours to spend.” This is a value that still resonates with much of our society. The idea being that if I work hard, I should be entitled to spend my money anyway I chose. What Republicans and many people in the USA hate most is the thought of working hard to earn a pot of money and then having that money taken away by a government agency to distribute to some unnamed “others.”
“That government is best which governs least;” — Henry David Thoreau
A third core Republican value is the value of a capitalistic economic system. This value overlaps to some extent the two named values above but I believe it is a distinct value of its own. In the USA, we are and have been a country strongly against communism and to some extent socialism. The values of these two economic systems are seen to be in direct contradiction to the value of free enterprise and a capitalist economy.
“A market economy based on private property, buttressed by the rule of law, is truly the best environment for mankind. People will work harder and with ingenuity if they know they have earned rewards from that labor. When the rewards are given to them for nothing, there is frustration and despair. Capitalism benefits more people than any other economic system. To work for oneself and reap the rewards is a basic human aspiration.” –Sally Julian, Writer of ‘The Case for Capitalism’
The fourth core Republican Party is a conservative approach to adopting new laws or changes to the US Constitution. Traditional Republicans have long resisted change to the US Constitution as well as new laws that they see as infringing on the rights and dictates of the US Constitution. Hence, the Republicans have resisted many changes in the Constitution which were intended to create a more equitable society for women, minorities, disabled and those below the poverty line in this country.
Part of this resistance lies in the belief that a government cannot and should not dictate how people chose to live their own lives. If you want to be a racist, that is your right. If you do not want to hire women and minorities and the disabled that is also your right. This core value has resulted in a fundamental contention between those who say that the constitution must be changed to reflect new times and new circumstances and those who do not want to see changes that might infringe on rights or responsibilities prescribed in the US Constitution.
“Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.” — Abraham Lincoln, Speech at Kalamazoo, Michigan, August 27, 1856
The fifth core Republican value lies in the doctrine of fiscal conservatism (There are other important Republican values but I think these five are the most important). Fiscal conservatism finds its roots in the theory of scarcity. Money and time are both scare commodities and must be carefully managed. Trends like cheap credit, government bailouts, deficit spending are anathema to a fiscal conservative. A fiscal conservative wants a flat tax, balanced budget and strict guidelines for loans and government spending: “Thou shalt not run budget deficits.” “Thou shalt not spend more money than thou maketh.”
I must confess, that I am not critical of these five core values. I have long ago learned the value of juxtaposing opposite viewpoints so as to provide a clearer roadmap to truth and progress. Every “ism” needs a counter “ism” and a system where the two opposing viewpoints can debate each other and Aristotle’s “Golden Mean” needs a democracy. Capitalism must be balanced against socialism. Liberalism must be balanced against conservatism. Individualism must be balanced against collectivism. One of the strengths of the United States has been its ability to allow opposing viewpoints and to strive to find a consensus among dissenting political perspectives. Sadly, of late the constructive dissent of old has given way to a practice of destructive warfare between the two dominant political parties that has put the good of each party over the good of the country.
However, to return to the theme of this blog, the dumbing down of the Republican Party, the majority of the Republican Party now no longer seems to understand or care about these five core values. Instead, the narrow-mindedness and shear obstructionism of the five voting blocs that I noted above have taken precedence over political compromise and searching for 
the Golden Mean. The “Stupid Voters” are hijacked by the anti-intellectualism that has always characterized much of the political right. The “Ignorant Voters” already believe that 
they know the truth and there is no persuading them otherwise. The “Greedy Voters” want to keep as much of their wealth as they can and have no concern for the poor or needy. The “Fearful Voters” are worried about crime, immigrants, health care, growing old and losing what they have already worked hard to obtain. The last of the five Republican blocs, the “Religious Fundamentalist Voters” are worried that their biblical Christian God will be taken out of the USA and replaced by an obscure assortment of new Gods from various religions that are confusing and esoteric.
The Traditionalist Republicans (many of whom I know and hope still tolerate my views enough to call me a friend) are aghast at this assortment of new Republicans and their extreme uninformed viewpoints. The Traditionalists could reach across the aisle and talk to their Democratic counterparts. The Traditionalists realized the need for dialogue, discussion and compromise. Furthermore, the Traditionalists also appealed to many independent voters (Which I am and remain to this day). They appealed to us because we while we could ally ourselves with Democrats over many social issue, we could also see the value in the economic policies and positions often adhered to by the Traditionalist Republicans.
I can see the value in all five of the core Republican values I described above. God Forbid, I would ever live in a country that totally extirpated even one of these core values. Nevertheless, while I am for a balanced budget and against deficit spending, I can see making some concessions to Keynesian economics during times such as the most recent recession. I am also for less government intrusion in our lives. However, unlike Perry who could not name even three government agencies he would abolish, I can name ten I would abolish tomorrow if I were able to. I am also against government bailouts. I did not think GM should have been bailed out although I could concede with the value of hindsight that it may have been the right thing to do at the time. And while I am against big government, I can and am equally critical of big unions. Nevertheless, in my USA, unions and government would still have a place at the table. I would like to paraphrase a part of Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech.”
Let the Golden Mean ring from the hallowed halls of Congress!
Let the Golden Mean ring from the esteemed corridors of the US Senate!
But not only that; let the Golden Mean ring from the benches of the Supreme Court of the USA!
Let the Golden Mean ring from State Capitals in the east to State Capitals in the west!
Let the Golden Mean ring from every school and university of America. From every village, city, town and hamlet in this great country, let the Golden Mean ring.
In my blog next week, I will explore how the Republican Party let stupidity, ignorance, fear, greed and intolerance come to dominate its political agenda. If you are a Republican, you might not like what you are going to hear. However, if you are a Republican, perhaps the truth that I have to tell could help you to understand what you must do to restore the Republican Party to its rightful place in the US political system.
Time for Questions:
Are you a Republican? What did you find that you disagreed with in my blog today? What did you agree with? Which of the Republican voting blocs are you in? Why? Do you think the Republicans will take the next presidency? Why or why not? If you are a Democrat, what did you like or dislike about this blog? Why? What do you think I should have added?
Life is just beginning.
Republicanism is the guiding political philosophy of the United States. It has been a major part of American civic thought since its founding.[1] It stresses liberty and “unalienable” rights as central values, making people sovereign as a whole, rejects aristocracy and inherited political power, expects citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption. Wikipedia
22 May 2016 10 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: bigot, discrimination, hypocrite, liar, pc, political correctness, prejudice, racism, reverse racism
We have a concept called the Double Standard which denotes a situation wherein some behavior is generally thought of as unfair, inequitable or simply wrong. It is a much used term employed by sexists and racists. It is generally used as an argument against some actions being taken on behalf of a minority or other exploited group. Such groups include immigrants, women, children, the poor, Native Americans, Blacks, Latinos and many other underprivileged groups or groups wherein an asymmetrical relationship exists with the dominant power group. Let me give you an example before I define some terms.
A friend was arguing about the laws impacting the actions that business owners may or may not take in terms of delivering service to customers. The recent spate of arguments by the so called “Christian” Right against serving gays and other minorities whose religion or beliefs they disagree with was the spur or nucleus of his rant. He made the following analogy. “Suppose a Black man went into a White baker to have a birthday cake made and he was refused service? What do you think would happen he argued?” The reply given by his audience was, “It would probably be seen as discriminatory or perhaps even illegal.” He then argued, “Ok, so suppose a KKK member went into a Black baker and asked for a cake made for a KKK celebration and he was refused. What do you think would happen?” I replied that this seemed like an argument “reductio ad absurdum” or something taken to the extreme absurd. His argument was that it was not ridiculous and such situations are typical of the differences between how Blacks and Whites are now treated in our country or that a “Double Standard” exists.
This argument of a Double Standard is a very popular one and one that it seems most people take at face value to assume is characteristic of bad or incorrect behavior. In fact, a double standard is not wrong in an asymmetrical relationship. In such a relationship, it is in fact a highly logical and moral standard. Let me define some terms before I give you some evidence of why, when and how a double standard makes sense.
A Double Standard is defined as:
In an article on Fallacies the following comment is made:
“There are many situations in which you should judge two things or people by the same standard. If in one of those situations you use different standards for the two, your reasoning contains the Fallacy of Using a Double Standard.”
You will note that in none of the above descriptions do the definitions say anything about the equality or inequality of the relationships between either the things or the people whom the double standard is allegedly applied to. None of the authors raise the question of whether or not a Double Standard applies to relationships that are unequal or asymmetrical. What is an asymmetrical relationship?
Merriam Webster defines the term asymmetrical with the following definition:
Applying the concept to relationships between people or groups of people can be misleadingly simple. A few quick examples are age, weight and height. Thus, no one would think that giving a small child only a small piece of cake and a large piece to an adult would be unfair or a double standard. Similarly, no one would think a curfew for a young child was unfair when an older child could stay out later. Nevertheless, in both these examples, we have a double standard. However, here is where the concept gets trickier. What if the differences between the two people or two groups are not so obvious or what if the differences are based on ethnicity, income or social status?
What if you were very poor and you were going out with a very rich person? Suppose you gave gifts to each other on your birthdays. You gave a modest low budget gift from Walmart to your loved one. She/he in turn gave you an all-expense paid two week trip to Paris. Would you scream and yell that this was an unfair double standard? Unfair because you could not possible meet such a standard on your much lower income? You might want to argue that the example I have provided is ridiculous. However, it is no more ridiculous an example that many of the examples given by opponents of civil rights, affirmative action, equal pay, immigration laws, welfare and other measures to help create a more equitable society. (PC opponents are often guilty of such ignorance and there are numerous situations wherein they perceive that Political Correctness has created an unfair Double Standard.)
The point missed either through ignorance or convenience by such opponents is the issue of the asymmetry of relationships. A Double Standard in an asymmetrical relationship is essential to provide equity. Since the relationships are not equal, there can be no question of a generalized equal treatment in all areas. To insist on such “equal treatment” is both stupid and in effect discriminatory. We still have two problems though.
First: on what basis do we decide the symmetry of a relationship? Should we be looking at power, wealth, status, employment or opportunities as measures of symmetry? Second, when and how do we decide that relationships have become symmetrical and no longer need a Double Standard? Both of these questions are very difficult but they are also both critical since unless they are ultimately answered, the perception of unfairness will hover over any relationships where a Double Standard exists. This of course leads to such accusations as “reverse racism” and even claims that “Today White people are the real people being discriminated against.” (See 4 ‘Reverse Racism’ Myths That Need To Stop or “Why isn’t there a White History Month?!”)
The answer to the first question concerning metrics for determining symmetry is fairly easy. We need to look at metrics that will help to create a fair and just society. If we are attempting to create a level playing field for all groups in our country, then we must consider any measures that will help us to obtain this goal. There are measures for income, jobs, opportunities, education, incarceration and health that have and should be used to apply Double Standards when they will help to level the playing field.
How will we know when the playing field is level? This should be pretty obvious. The same metrics should tell us when incomes and equality in this country are equal or at least where the divide is not so great as to create serious problems. When we have a country wherein the top 20% of US households own more than 84% of the wealth, and the bottom 40% combine for a paltry 0.3%, you have a nation that is going to feel cheated and as a result angry. (Economic Inequality: It’s Far Worse than You Think)
Time for Questions:
Have you ever been in an asymmetrical relationship? What does fair or equal mean in such a relationship? Do you think the term “Double Standard” applies in an asymmetrical relationship? Why or why not?
Life is just beginning.
Some “Double Standards” to ponder.
“When a man gives his opinion, he’s a man. When a woman gives her opinion, she’s a bitch.” ― Bette Davis
“For the powerful, crimes are those that others commit.” ― Noam Chomsky
“I spend some of my time brooding about people who seem addicted to double standards – those who take an allegedly principled stand on a Monday, then switch firmly to the opposite principle on Tuesday if it is to their advantage.” — John Leo
Aging Capriciously 