Not So Gentle On My Mind

Major news that I believe deserved more serious attention—and a President who deserved more credit:  The recent achievements in smart diplomacy began with laying the groundwork at the G8 for Russia to get Syria to turn over their chemical weapons stockpiles.  Long story short, the UN is involved now, and it looks as if inspectors could be working in Syria as early as next week.  That, after Syria's Assad had been denying the existence of chemical weapons in his country, much less using them on innocent Syrians, including children.  Big, positive developments there.

 

And after decades of the U.S. not dealing with Iran (other than imposing tough sanctions for their unwillingness to cooperate on nuclear weapons),  President Obama has communicated with the new President of Iran.  There's understandable skepticism about Iranian intentions; however,  rational people see opening communications as a good thing.  Secretary of State Kerry is in talks with his Iranian counterpart, and Secretary Kerry will be talking about that on 60 Minutes tonight.  The two Presidents have communicated in writing and now have spoken on the phone.  Maybe there will be light at the end of that long, long tunnel.  President Obama has said we will be checking and verifying what we are told about the nuclear material they have.    Remembering Senator McCain's "Bomb bomb bomb Iran?"  He and some other Republicans have been itching to do just that for years.   Had McCain been elected, war might be in progress by now; we can't know for sure.  President Obama favors using every peaceful means to resolve conflict with other nations.  But he's also willing to resort to military action if all else fails.  It's a relief to be on the road to peace for a change.  And it's a good thing the world takes our President more seriously than Republicans do.

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For all the legitimate concern  about weapons of mass destruction,  a more certain threat to all humanity seems little more a blip on the radar screen of media reports.  More than a "critical mass" of scientists issued another alarming report this past week:  Global climate change is on the fast track, and we can't afford to waste any more time in taking serious measures to deal with it.   It won't be long before catastrophic change is  irreversible.   Now 95% of scientists agree that mankind is chiefly responsible for climate change.  Thus, we humans are the only hope of reversing what no longer could be, but will be.   Talk about mass destruction!   This truth goes far beyond "inconvenient."  

 

Please be in touch with members of Congress and the White House; tell them to take the freaking blinders off and get busy.  Of course one of the items high on the agenda for the Republican House—besides "repealing Obamacare" and taking women's rights back decades— is deregulation of damn near everything that pollutes our planet and cutting funding for the EPA, as well.   Mercy. 

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Once again I wish everybody would stop referring to Tea Party Republicans as "conservatives." Far from being conservative, they're dangerously radical.  I've been tuned in to the Sunday morning talk shows and my head is about to roll across the room from shaking it--no, no, no!   These radicals are casually messing with what has been a fairly effective democracy for centuries.  Seriously, the House Republicans, and not all Tea Partiers, are pretending to want to "compromise" on the budget bill.  The only compromise they would accept is to "postpone" the Affordable Care Act for a year. This is after 42 different attempts to repeal it.  First, it ain't gonna happen; you'd think these clowns would change the subject.  But they're willing to have the government shut down (a dream come true for many of the radicals); secondly, they don't want to postpone it.  They think another year would help them in next year's House races and then they could repeal it. 

 

I think House Republicans are underestimating the intelligence of the American people.  The same people smart enough to vote President Obama a second term.  And they also forget the rational Republicans who are still in our midst.   Karma will happen.  I hope it's swift in the case of those wreaking havoc on the lives of so many struggling Americans with their overblown egos and self-serving votes.   First the debt ceiling last go round, then the sequester, then cutting the food assistance (SNAP) program that serves mostly children, the disabled and the elderly and gave huge farm subsidies to big farmers who didn't need them.   Shame.  Shame.  Shame!

 

God help us and the rest of the world if these radicals cause the USA to default on our debts—but we have until October 17 to worry about that.

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 On the same day last week I heard two reports:  A man was released after serving a 31-day (yes, day) sentence for child rape. 

 

Then there was news I didn't need a blood pressure pill to hear:  Marisa Alexander is a mother of three whose husband's repeated abuse had landed her in the hospital in the past.  After firing a warning shot into a wall to deter her husband from abusing her (9 days after the birth of their premature baby), she received twenty years (yes, years) in prison.  Did not kill the man.  Did not wound him.  Now this Jacksonville, Florida woman has been granted a new trial.   She can't get back the time she has served (I think two or three years?), but surely a jury will acquit her this time.  Last time she had to prove her innocence.  This time the state will have to prove her guilt.  I thought that was a given in our free country; apparently whoever approved the appeal had the same thought!

 

Incidentally,  3/4 of imprisoned women have experienced sexual abuse as children and/or physical abuse of various forms as adults.   I wish you well, Marisa.  I wish you freedom from incarceration— and from abusive men.

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Personal note to Friends of Lucy Left:  The tendonitis is still active—but only when I use my arms (LOL) typing, schlepping the groceries or driving more than a short distance.  I've missed being here.  What I'd like you to know is that I wrote this post in three increments with stretching and rest time in between.   I'm trying to learn some patience and taking reasonably good care of myself.  

 

Shine on,  dear Libs, and thank you for your well wishes!