Last weekend at the Values Voters Summit, a meeting of far-right leaders, KY Governor Matt Bevin suggested that the election of Hillary Clinton would be the occasion for bloodshed. He specified that this would be blood of the tyrants and the patriots but worried that the ensuing conflict could even engulf his nine children, perhaps even his grandchildren. Now, this kind of alarmist rhetoric is nothing new from the alt-right. They preach Armageddon regularly, repetitively, and at tiresome length. But Gov. Bevin is an elected sitting official of the state of Kentucky, and as such, should not be blathering this tripe. Bad enough we get overblown nonsense from candidates running for the Presidency. On the campaign trail, especially THIS campaign trail, I’ve almost gotten used to a certain tabloid-like style, as candidates tweet their way across the landscape. But I still expect (unfairly? unlikely?) a modicum of common sense and judgement from those holding office. DON’T DO STUPID SILLY SHIT like calling for Hillary’s blood! It just makes you look crazy or deluded or LIKE YOU SHOULDN’T BE IN OFFICE IN THE FIRST PLACE. Sigh.
Category: poems
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Shame On KY Gov. Matt Bevin!
Last weekend at the Values Voters Summit, a meeting of far-right leaders, KY Governor Matt Bevin suggested that the election of Hillary Clinton would be the occasion for bloodshed. He specified that this would be blood of the tyrants and the patriots but worried that the ensuing conflict could even engulf his nine children, perhaps even his grandchildren. Now, this kind of alarmist rhetoric is nothing new from the alt-right. They preach Armageddon regularly, repetitively, and at tiresome length. But Gov. Bevin is an elected sitting official of the state of Kentucky, and as such, should not be blathering this tripe. Bad enough we get overblown nonsense from candidates running for the Presidency. On the campaign trail, especially THIS campaign trail, I’ve almost gotten used to a certain tabloid-like style, as candidates tweet their way across the landscape. But I still expect (unfairly? unlikely?) a modicum of common sense and judgement from those holding office. DON’T DO STUPID SILLY SHIT like calling for Hillary’s blood! It just makes you look crazy or deluded or LIKE YOU SHOULDN’T BE IN OFFICE IN THE FIRST PLACE. Sigh.
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When The Music’s Over By Peter Robinson-A Review
The latest Inspect banks novel, this mystery did not seem as satisfying as his previous works. It tended to drag, and while the topic of historical abuse is a timely one, Banks failed to engage me. His development of the characters rang flat, and there was far less of Inspector Banks, Jazz Singh, and the others we’ve come to like in his novels. Even his descriptions of the landscape, usually evocative, captured only fragments of the harsh cityscape he meant to convey. He did present a nuanced representation of the racial tension in present day Britain and the problems that presents in terms of policing and pursuing cases. In view of the current struggles going in Europe and the U.S. over immigration, the novel did good a good job there. But, perhaps because he was concentrating on the politics of the novel, the book never quite rose to any heights. A pity, that.
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Yet Another Entry On Immigration
I’ve been reading with interest the recent articles on Europe’s struggle’s with their influx of immigrants. Angela Merkel ‘s ratings in Germany are lower than they’ve ever been and the Christian Democratic Union recently suffered a defeat in a state election by an anti-immigration party. Denmark, which has long prided itself on its progressive policies, is suffering a blow to its self-image, as it deals with the realty of integrating newcomers who aren’t so readily adaptable to traditional Danish culture. France, with its very secular government, issues the burkini ban, though this has been overturned in the courts. And Britain exited the EU altogether, with immigration being one of the major reasons.
In the U.S. Presidential candidate and Republican nominee Donald Trump is known for his hard stance on immigration. He has issued calls for bans on Muslims entering the U.S., said that he would build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. to secure the border, and deport 11 millions undocumented immigrants. This has been with widespread approval among his supporters, most of whom are Caucasian. When he appeared to be softening his stance, there was an immediate backlash.
I live in a small Appalachian town in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. It’s usually voted one of the coolest small towns in America. We recently had one of many local Fests. Since these tend to get widely publicized and b/c we have visitors coming in for plays at the Barter, there were a LOT of people on the streets. I saw a number of Muslims, and the women were fully covered, including headscarves. I went out of my way to speak to them and welcome them to our town. My conversational Arabic is somewhat rusty, but I managed. When I left, though, I wondered where they were going to eat. We have no halal restaurants. Hell, we don’t have any kosher or vegan restaurants, either! This is strictly a town for omnivores! Had my apt been in better order, I would have invited them HERE for a meal, since I’ve had to go dairy-free/gluten free so I do a lot of vegan meals. (I do have a dog but would have confined her to bedroom.) My pots wouldn’t have been halal, though, since I have cooked meat in them in the past.
Why is there this fear/discrimination across Europe and in the U.S. against immigrants? In Europe it is largely against Muslims; here it is against Hispanics AND Muslims. Is it because they have darker skin? Different customs? Different religion? This should not be viewed with FEAR! We live in a global society society now. Let us learn to respect that others have different customs and know that this can enrich our society. And as to a different religion, Muslims seem much less aggressive, institutionally- speaking, than do Christians. Among my Muslims friends, not a one has ever made an effort to convert me or told me I’m going to hell. I don’t see Muslim televangelists or find Muslim persecution-movies, such as God’s Not Dead. Yes, there ARE terrorist organizations such as ISIL, but those are run by extremists. As an atheist, I don’t support any religion and think all should be practiced privately, not state-supported in any way. But I do NOT want to see anyone discriminated against merely for holding certain religious beliefs.
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The Senility Of Vladimir P By Michael Honig-A Review
I am not as blown away by this novel as are other reviewers. Another Animal Farm it is not. Michael Honig Tells the story of Putin’s nurse, and indirectly Putin. as he cares for a Putin brought low by Alzheimer’s. Sheremetev is that rare man in this Russia-someone who is NOT on the take. But circumstances of family tragedy coupled with his growing awareness of his patient’s utter immoral nature conspire to drive even him to break his ethical code. The lively cast of characters who surround Sheremetev at the dacha add interest to the book as their true natures and histories are revealed. Sheremetev and his crisis of conscience leads him to an unexpected act, but it is Vladimir himself and the Russia he created-venal, corrupt, and unscrupulous-that is ultimately to blame for what befalls Patient One. A very good novel, yes, very readable-but great? No.
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My Thoughts On Trigger Warnings
I went college in the 70s. I was 16 at the time. It was a state college, though I suppose I was in a somewhat sheltered environment, as I was admitted to the Honors College. It functioned autonomously at that time, acting as a small private Liberal Arts College within the larger university. We Honors students were regarded (if noticed at all) by the other students as odd and usually kept to ourselves, though we occasionally played to this image by doing such things as running one of our own for king during the student elections. But we-and our professors-would have been appalled, had anyone suggested that “trigger warnings” were deemed necessary or appropriate for us or the greater university at large. This would have been so, b/c first and foremost, this was a place where we expected to be met with ideas that could disturb, upset, challenge, and turn our world upside down. That was the entire POINT of coming to college! Second, we were part of the world now and didn’t want to be sheltered. We saw ourselves as emerging adults and wanted to engage with what we saw as important. (An example of this was our petition for our own dorm. It was rejected b/c the university had a policy of not allowing mixed-gender housing at the time, unless you were married. So we simply moved off-campus en masse and rented our own apartment building. We had contemplated a group marriage to satisfy the university requirement but decided to do this instead.) When I went to grad school, no-one said anything to me about what I could say in the classes I taught. It was assumed that I would teach them in a professional manner. Later, when I was a Phil prof, again, no-one said a word about the content of my classes. I would have laughed in the face of anyone who did so.
I think that universities have to give their students a place where they can flourish academically and intellectually in physical safety. I AM against students carrying guns on campus. And I’m all for universities attempting to provide for their students’ emotional well-being. BUT a university is not a high school. Students have to realize that by attending a university, they are stepping out into the world and so will thereby be subject to things that might offend/upset/disturb or worse. Part of being a student is learning how to deal with that. It’s called growing up. Universities, with their many resources, offer wonderful places to do that. But that trigger warnings should be thought necessary? Are students really that much more sensitive and tender than they were back in the 70s? Or are these trigger warnings sent out in letters designed to placate anxious parents?
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Fallout By Harry Turtledove-A Review
The second book in his alternative history series featuring the Cold War has a United States where Truman is President, Stalin rules the U.S.S.R., and atomic bombs fly, as these two superpowers vie in a seemingly never-ending struggle. Europe is in ruins, as is part of the U.S. west coast from atomic bomb strikes. Moscow is no more, but Stalin escaped. And in Korea, where all this began, Mao’s army and allies fight the few U.S. forces left there without hope of reinforcement, since Washington is concentrating on the Russian front. As always, this book offers a gripping look at the war from several different characters. As we follow them through the books, we get a idea of life from the Russian, American, and German soldier’s point of view. Truman, also one of the wearied actors, reflects on the awful consequences of his use of atomic weapons but goes on nevertheless as he leads the country though perilous times.The Hot War has just gotten hotter, and this book will gladden Turtledove and alt-history fans everywhere!
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Fallout By Harry Turtledove-A Review
The second book in his alternative history series featuring the Cold War has a United States where Truman is President, Stalin rules the U.S.S.R., and atomic bombs fly, as these two superpowers vie in a seemingly never-ending struggle. Europe is in ruins, as is part of the U.S. west coast from atomic bomb strikes. Moscow is no more, but Stalin escaped. And in Korea, where all this began, Mao’s army and allies fight the few U.S. forces left there without hope of reinforcement, since Washington is concentrating on the Russian front. As always, this book offers a gripping look at the war from several different characters. As we follow them through the books, we get a idea of life from the Russian, American, and German soldier’s point of view. Truman, also one of the wearied actors, reflects on the awful consequences of his use of atomic weapons but goes on nevertheless as he leads the country though perilous times.The Hot War has just gotten hotter, and this book will gladden Turtledove and alt-history fans everywhere!
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The Burkini Ban
I’m conflicted about the burkini issue, because it raises some questions for me. My first impulse is to say, of course, women should be allowed to wear burkinis. I believe in freedom of religion, even though I’m an atheist, and the idea that women appearing fully covered is offensive strikes me as patently absurd. Do we then ban men wearing wetsuits? (No, because they carry no weighted meaning.) And this also seems another instance of men once again making rules that target women , which I detest on feminist grounds. But then I thought more about this. Burkinis and burqas are themselves a gender-imposed restriction that has no male equivalent. I would say, at risk of offending my Muslim readers, that they are just as much an instance of men trying to control the actions of women as the bans that restricted them. So, while I wish to support religious freedom and I would not support bans of burkinis, I can’t say that I’m a fan of the garment. I’ve had Muslim friends who wore the hijab explain their reasoning. It makes sense in their worldview. I just don’t share it. I think that patriarchal religions like Islam, Judaism, and Christianity can in their fundamentalist forms be especially damaging to women. The burkini debate highlights for me why I am an atheist and resolutely secular
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End Of Watch By Stephen King
This ends the Bill Hodges trilogy started with Mr. Mercedes and continued in Finders Keepers. Like many of King’s books, I found it to be a good read, compelling enough to keep me interested, and it was certainly dark, which I like. But this was not a great book, nothing that is going to change your life or make you think about the nature of evil, etc. Once you finish close the cover, you pretty much forget it. I don’t like to leave things unfinished and had read the first two-just b/c my library at time was REALLY low on new books (see my entry entitled “Abibliophobia”) so just HAD to read this one to round out the series. I’d say read it if you like dark mystery type novels that aren’t going to challenge you over much. Typical King fare, ho-hum.