Out with the old…

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December 31, 2025

We now have 345 days experience with the regime, which “we, the people” elected Nov. 5, 2024.

Here, again, is the total vote in November, 2024.

You know where your single vote appears above.

When you had the opportunity to select your representatives, for the most part the candidate you voted for, you elect for two or four year terms.

NEW YEARS EVE, 2025

This morning’s Minnesota Star Tribune has two long articles on two exposes on allegations that have received considerable air time.  Here’s the front page:  Of course, to the perpetrator, the accusation is all that matters.  The rumor mill takes care of the rest.  In this case, the media went wild.  A year or more ago I had personally visited one of the alleged sites in one of the articles.  It was very much a normal day in a normal place doing normal things for normal people.  I was with my sister, and the uncle of one of the employees at the center – an administrator.  Most people didn’t have the opportunity I had….  [Jan. 1, 2026 front page headline at end of post] [Jan 1.  I found that the place I visited was not one of the sites visited by the “journalist”.  It was, however substantively identical to the mischief maker.]

Back on December 10 I wrote a family letter for Christmas season, the relevant part of which follows.

Traditionally, the refrain this time of year is “have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”.  That presumes a settled present, and optimistic future.

For far too many, this is not a reasonable presumption as this year ends.

I happen to be an active Democrat, a lifelong mostly active Catholic, parent, grandparent, citizen.  I’m also elderly.  Being 85, as I am, suggests I’m much nearer to sunset than sunrise.  Why worry?  Not my problem?

We are a troubled country.  Too many of us seem to have blinders on, uninterested in seeing reality.  Worse, we are the ones responsible.  There is no one to blame other than ourselves, measured by our own participation in this fragile democracy, basically through our own single vote (or non-vote) in elections and participation in civic conversation.

I’m one person; so are you.  We need to work, together.  What is your niche?

POSTNOTE: VIGNETTE

On the day of 9-11-01, a Habitat for Humanity working group from our church was in day 2 of a 2 week build on a new two-story home in south Minneapolis.  The build was for a Somali family.  I was one of the volunteers the first week.  Per the usual arrangements, the prospective residents were expected to help out, and had done so before our tour (the project had been under way for some time.)

Following 9-11, the future owners did not show up, but nobody really expected they would.  They were a Muslim family.

The project was completed, and several months later we were all invited to a formal conveyance of the completed house to the family.  It was a memorable day.

I had a small investment in the house – a week or so of labor; and my wife and son-in-law also gave a couple of days.

In subsequent years on occasion I drove by the house and it was well kept.  A positive asset to the neighborhood.

Some years in – in my memory it was a few months after the George Floyd murder in May 2020 – I made my periodic drive by the address to take a couple of photos.   This was not intrusive – just a snapshot out the window of my car.

This particular day did not go as usual.  An angry woman came out of the house with a camera.  She was expecting the worst.

I managed to get her attention, and told her my story, as related above.  The tension was immediately relieved, and we went on about our respective lives.  I didn’t take a photo that day.

But it was a reminder that human interactions are not neutral, and even under the best of circumstances one needs to be aware of back stories.

I wrote a long letter to the occupants of the house, telling the story in writing.  I didn’t receive a response, but I didn’t ask or expect one in any event.

It was something that happened.  And I imagine that today is a big repetition of what happened after 9-11-01.

January 1, 2026 Minnesota Star Tribune

 

 

 

“Make do”

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December 20 I went in for my haircut, still a regular event in my life, albeit thinner.  Just a haircut and beard trim, once every four weeks.

This particular day I said to Pamela, “I suppose you’ve been pretty busy”.   Pam, who’s also the manager, said they were pretty busy for the holiday, but business had been unusually slow in November.  As she scheduled the next haircut she said  “Five weeks or six”, which surprised me – I’ve always done four weeks.  “Why?”  Customers were cutting back, she said.  Worried about anticipated personal economic downturns.

The entire thread of conversation surprised me, but not when we chatted a tiny bit about it.  We were talking about the practical matter of personal economics – the kinds of decision making individuals make all the time.  Can I afford this or that, or is it best to hold off, to make do, in case personal economics go south?

Examples?  Start with yourself, and how you really feel as this year ends…and how you act..and what you see and hear in person where you live, including yourself, family members, neighbors, friends.

We are not in normal times and in sundry assorted ways ordinary people, which are the overwhelming vast majority of us, have a cautious and apprehensive eye about the future, which is about to dawn in a few days, on January 1, 2026.  Most of us have been through “make do” times when we have to scrimp due to scarce resources.

Cutbacks like personnel layoffs are reductions in income with consequence.  Illusions and fantasies are not reality: tariffs are taxes to consumers, not costs to the provider of a good.

Credit card purchases are not free money.  AI [artificial intelligence] and the like promise to reduce labor cost, but wages to labor are what makes an economy vibrant.  On and on.

What nobody at the highest levels seems to internalize is the fact that the true engine for prosperity is the little folks like all of us who produce and consume the goods that generate income, and “we”  includes not only the people who live in our own home, state and country in this interdependent world.

And wealth is more and more concentrated in the ranks of the already super wealthy who have absolutely no need for the surplus money they covet.  The obsession with colonizing the moon or Mars is an endless fantasy…don’t expect a lineup of migrants to either; nor expect boatloads of new resources from Mars to be mined and delivered to the local factory down the street.

I’ve always considered myself to be an optimist.  This attitude is being sorely tested.  In the coming weeks and months we’ll find out.

POSTNOTE:

Very relevant column in today’s Minnesota Star Tribune: Mn Star Tribune Billionaires 12 27-28 25

COMMENTS:

from Jeff:

AI=Job losses
AI=Data Centers

Data Centers=Private credit and big tech having off the balance sheet debt
Data Centers= higher utility rates for consumers
is there anything about this that the Democratic party is forging a coherent message and election strategy on?  Layup.


response from Dick:  Jeff, at the same time you were sending this I was visualizing the above post .   I’d really appreciate your thoughts – each of you.

I read the piece.  I think AI for all of its wonders is going to be a real dilemma for a long time.


from Jeff: I have looked into the options when using google or other devices to opt out of any AI generated info…it doesnt exist…so you are forced to

use it in a sense. If you google something now, the first thing you get is an AI generated overview of it.  I do not see anyway of avoiding that…

from Barbara: Jeff, I’ve noticed that, too. “That” being the omni-presence of AI uber alles.
Working on training myself to keep scrolling down, away from AI, to flesh and blooders. Not absolutely sure where there’s a recognizable line is between the one and the other.
Simplistic, but there you have it.

more from Dick: I actually use the search function of AI frequently, when I am searching for a credible source about something or other.  As you know, the first references are almost always AI generated and acknowledged as such, abut in turn they at least open the door to verifying or refuting or modifying their assertion.

I was nearly 50 before I ever had use of a computer, and well into my 50s when the internet entered my vocabulary.  This was basically the later 1980s and forward.

Then it was slowly off to the races.  I remember the magic of word search, pdf’s, Adobe Acrobat, color copy and such, endless stupid jokes being forwarded, etc., etc., etc.  We all have these memories.

I think the solution to the problem (and it is a big problem) now is very simple.  It is the same one we learned when we were younger: if something seems unbelievable, it probably is.  So you try to find sources that seem most credible and even better verifiable, particularly if the issue is important to you.  I did this most recently yesterday.  The son of an elderly (99 year old) friend was asserting that our esteemed President was going to Nicaragua where hundreds of thousands of Christians were being slaughtered.  I don’t know if he actually said this, or if this is how she interpreted what he said.  Nonetheless it was startling, so I had to fact check, and of course, it wasn’t true.  What apparently is true is that there is continuing serious problems in northern Nigeria in Africa where some version of radical Muslim are doing bad things to all sorts of people regardless of religious belief.  I haven’t delved into that one more deeply, since it was a data point that simply didn’t seem believable.

Of course, there are endless opinions and examples beyond this, but each of us has the ability to separate enough of the wheat from the chaff to at least have a notion of how to avoid poison!   Thanks much.  Happy New Year.

“Silent Night….”

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Banner at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN.

Thank you to Nancy who took the photo, and Kathy who forwarded it on.

from Nancy: I don’t know the author. It’s a banner on the wall of our church. I think it’s pretty public.

from Kathy: “Christmas will always be,,as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand”  Dr. Seuss.  And “friend in Chicago said the saying “Rejoice in the birth of a brown skin  etc.  has come to her several times this week..so you should be able to use it also..

 

ALSO, IF YOU WISH:

The #1 NYT Best Seller “Let Them” by Mel Robbins, and the old “The Station” from Ann Landers 1997: Let Them The Station

Dec. 21 I posted a “Grandpa Story“.  There have been several comments, and I decided personally to work on a few recollections of the other grandparents in my own life (a work in progress).  It is an interesting exercise in connecting generations, pertinent especially to me since I am very much part of today’s Grandpa generation.

Yesterday we went to the 2:00 Christmas Eve Mass at. Basilica.  It was a packed church.  The Archbishop was celebrant.  The Basilica of St. Mary Midnight Mass can be watched here.  Father Tasto’s homily which begins at about 48 minutes, for perhaps 10 minutes, is outstanding, as his always is.

As I say, “If You Wish….”

COMMENTS (more at end):

from Fred:  Best wishes right back at you, Dick!   The banner is terrific. It should be nailed to the White House front door. Of course its resident would have no idea of its significance.

from Michelle: And a very merry xmas to you too Dick and thank you for enriching our perspectives all these years.

from Jon: JOYEUX  NOËL, Dick!

from Larry: Thanks Dick, and a most Merry Christmas and Justice for All, to you.

from Kathy: I watched on TV  Pope was outstanding..Channel 11 from 11 to 12;30 last night.  [Vatican News report]

from Barbara: And best wishes to you for a safe, sane, peaceful Christmas Day, Dick!!

from Carole: Happy and merry Christmas, Dick,  Thank you so much for reaching out this year. I truly do appreciate you.  Thank you for sending your wonderful letter and your special note.  Christmas blessings to you and your family.

from Harry: Blessed Christmas to you also dear Dick.

from Vince: Merry Christmas, Dick!

from Brian: Merry Christmas.  I so love your post!  Yay!

from Mary:  Enjoy the blogs and admire the courage of the ‘banner’ authors.  I worry about reactionary anger – we are much too ready to jump up and down with controversy.

from Richard: Keep up the inspirational work, Dick

from Claude:  Thanks, Dick! I especially liked this one.  Have a great remaining holiday season and a great 2025 No Matter what happens,

from Kevin:  Loving the reads. Thank you for including me.

The Certificate of Life

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All best wishes at Christmas, and for a good New Year.  Following is a family story which, in one way or another, likely applies to all of us.

Dec. 14, my brother, John, sent an e-mail with a most intriguing document: the death certificate for our grandfather Henry Bernard, died May 23, 1957 in Fargo ND (below). I’ve done much family history, but had never seen this document, which John had received from a local friend who’s an amateur ancestry researcher.

pdf: Bernard Henry May 23, 1957 death cert

Grandpa died when I was 17, near the end of my junior year in high school.  I certainly knew him, as I knew the other grandparents, all of whom died later.  But we never really knew any of the grandparents very well as we always lived a distance away, and family trips with five young kids were infrequent – perhaps once or twice  a year.

Grandpa and Grandma stopped by to visit us in August of 1956. I have a photo of this visit.  Grandma was not feeling well at the time.  Not long after they got home she suffered a stroke and I think most of her remaining years were in Grafton ND’s version of a nursing home – a room in the local hospital.

I know a lot about my grandparents ancestry on both sides, but Grandpa Bernard’s death certificate described part of his life I never knew.

Best I know, Grandpa wasn’t with Grandma his last year. They were both disabled.  At some point, Grandpa lost a second leg to diabetes (he lost the first about 1946), and died at the VA Hospital in Fargo, 120 miles from home.

The death certificate revealed that he spent 276 days – roughly 8 months, the entire school year – in the VA Hospital, about 60 miles from where we lived at the time.  Dad, their only child in the local area, probably made numerous solitary trips up to visit his Dad.   We – I was the oldest sibling –  stayed home.  Both Mom and Dad were full-time school teachers, so had more than enough on their plates.  Todays means of communicating were many years in the future.

Grandpa died, and we all went to the funeral in Grafton.  He was a well known man in the town, and judging by the signers of the memorial book, he was well respected.  It was a big funeral.

*

“The Life Certificate”, the rest of his and our stories, is what we all create about ourselves, day by day.  Bits and pieces are memorable to someone.

How much of, what characteristics of me is Grandpa?    We are all a collection of DNA and personal qualities going back eons, the last contributors to mine were the four people who were my grandparents and their ancestors.

*

I have few direct memories of Grandpa Bernard.   Here is the memory that first came to mind as I looked at Grandpa’s death certificate.

In their later years, Grandma and Grandpa lived in a tiny house, which had a tiny landing with a bench where grandpa would often sit, watching the world go by (1946 photo below).  By his bench he had a can full of small stones, and a homemade sling shot.

1946, Grafton ND. Dick is 5-year old in front.

Once,  we kids were with him, and he noticed a dog coming down the sidewalk which passed near the house.  He was a farm kid and in younger years always had a dog.  This day he said “Watch that dog”.  The dog approached. and when he was nearing Grandpa, he made a hard right turn, went across the street, and thence left, then left again, thence right continuing on his way.  Not a word – or bark – was exchanged. The dog and Grandpa obviously had an understanding.

It’s a memory that still brings a smile about 75 years later.

This was what I’d call a “Life Certificate” memory.  I carry some of the DNA of Grandpa, as do my siblings, and in a sense he’s always with us.  But what we remember, basically, are the moments like the one I describe above, which give our ancestors important parts of our life experience.  These are the things we remember.

What’s a memory that you have of someone passed?

Merry Christmas.

POSTNOTE: Perhaps you have an interest in family history.  If interested in the family from which Henry Bernard (Honore, in his native French) came, you can check out the history I did in 2010: here, click library click books, scroll down to Bernard-Collette.  Here are the pages about the family: 48-61, 67-71, 134-171, 213-216, 384-392.

COMMENTS:

from SAK:  Wonderful story of your grandfather & the dog that didn’t bark, a certain “understanding” you say!

Lots of memories of my grandparents come to mind, none as cute as that one though. I remember my grandmother always in black after grandfather died & most often with a small Bible in her hand.

Wishing you & yours a Merry Christmas & a Happy, healthy 2026,

from Gary: Am I correct that you are the one with the impish smile? [response: yes, just taking break from the hard work of being an oldest child, when competitors come along and challenge one’s turf!  #5 isn’t in the picture – he was two yeas in the future.]

from Carole: Thank you for your very special holiday message.

from Claude: Thank you, Dick. And I wish you a magical holiday season too!

from Frank: Some may quibble, but this is the shortest day of the year.  I join my fellow peasants in heaping wood on the celebratory bonfires, in eating, drinking and celebrating the fact that the sun will not disappear, while singing songs of joy and hope, and in my case plunking along on my guitar. Since we’re having an unusually warm winter, I’ll be joining friends for 18 holes of glorious golf after Mass. Hope springs eternal that this may be the day I shoot my age, even with a few mulligans, breakfast balls and the rare foot wedge. May fortune smile upon your endeavors today and all the days of the New Year.

from Brian: Thanks so much for your sweet post  I really APPRECIATE it!!   I’m here all alone in Brooklyn just with my wonderful cat, Amie.  Oh gee, Amie!

from Jeff: I hope you werent shooting rocks at neighborhood dogs as part of that DNA inheritance?  hahaha

Dick, to Jeff and all: The memory was first off the shelf when I thought about Grandpa, who was always a working man, farm kid first grade education in Quebec, lumberjack in New Hampshire, asbestos mines in Quebec, a long career as chief engineer at the flour mill in Grafton ND.   Dad talked about Grandpas dogs, apparently all named “Fosto”, the name, some slang he apparently picked up in Philippines in Spanish-American War 1898-99.  Doubtless they were trained in the old country way, as was this neighborhood dog who probably had watered some favorite object in front of Grandpa’s house once or twice too often.  You’ll note I said “small stones”.  He also had a BB gun by the back door should some varmint start messing around in their little garden.   I never saw him demonstrate either the sling shot or the BB gun.  Doubtless he knew how to use them!

from Mary Ellen: Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année to you and Cathy and the whole family.

I am in the Paris airport waiting for my flight home. It has been wonderful to reconnect with French friends and very special to attend my nephew’s Defense of Thesis. he is now PhD in Physics, U of Grenoble!!

from Carol: Beautiful card!

 

 

What can I do?

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All very best wishes for the ending of 2025 and 2026.  We need to be personally involved in this.

Some ideas follow.  More on photo at end of post;

late August 2008, St. Paul, Mn on the Mississippi River.

Getting in action:

Thursday morning a group of about 25 of us listened to an immigration lawyer talk about the current legal situation in our area and the country.  There was little new information, but at the same time, it was very good to hear someone who is close to the day-to-day issues; and to hear the information as part of a larger group – in our case, concerned senior citizens.  I think the gathering was important for the speaker as well – an opportunity to find out what we, the people were thinking.

My friend, Carol, had planned to attend but there was some conflict that changed plans.  She asked me to deliver a message to the lawyer, and I share that here with permission.  (NOTE: I had previously shared part of the below and changed or deleted some names.)

“We have friends from Peru.  One of them was once in my ESL class, and became like family.  Then his cousin, Sebastian, followed him here, and we are now friends with him also.  They both graduated from college here, obtained work permits and jobs, and are working toward permanent legal residency.

Yesterday Sebastian called, really distraught.  He said Immigration thugs had pulled a good friend of his over on the road (a man from Venezuela with no criminal record).  The friend has a valid work permit, came here by legal means and requested asylum – his case is pending.  The thugs in their vehicles passed him on the road, saw that he looked Hispanic, then pulled him over and pointed guns at him.  The friend was driving his own car but was delivering packages for Amazon at the time.  They plopped him into some facility in Elk River, where he was able to make a call.  He doesn’t even know what happened to his car.  He said someone just drove it off (along with maybe a dozen undelivered Amazon packages…)

Hearing the distress in Sebastian’s voice and realizing the terror of his friend is very disturbing.  As is his shock that this can actually happen in America.  I’m so ashamed and angry.

Sebastian and other friends of the Venezuelan man were trying to raise money for an attorney to represent him.  They said it wasn’t until they contacted an attorney that they even knew he has a court date on Monday; no one notified the man himself.

*******
update from Tuesday:
Sebastian (the cousin) said that the court date scheduled for Monday was pushed to today (Tuesday), then cancelled.  Through some means, they have learned that the man arrested has been transferred to Texas (I don’t know where) and no one has heard from him since.  He has had NO court appearances.  The cousin again said that his friend has absolutely NO criminal history.

update from today (Wednesday):
 
I just got another message from Sebastian.  He says “finally my friend just contacted us today. He is in Texas, he said that they didn’t give him any food.  He was handcuffed and foot cuffed for more than 24 hours.  There is a UofM professor too over there [presumably also in Texas?? altho’ I don’t see any news reports of a professor from the U being arrested] and he started a protest because they didn’t have the right to make a call since Sunday.  They are torturing them…. they said that they been transported to Texas because the jails from Minnesota are full already and need more space.”
 
*******
This man’s friends looked for an attorney for him when he was first arrested, and came up with a guy in Texas who was supposed to appear remotely when the Venezuelan appeared here in court (which didn’t happen).  He was charging them $3,000 to do that.  Sebastian surely doesn’t have a lot of money – and I’m sure none of his friends do.  Is there someone they could go to for help – either here in MN or in TX??  Their friend deserves his day in court…”

After I returned from the meeting I had another note from her which is pertinent:

 

I just watched the press conference of Minneapolis Mayor Frey and the young Somali man who ICE picked up, even though he kept telling them he’s a citizen.  Frey was impressive – as was the Somali.  They grabbed him when he came out of a building for his lunch break.  He said the restaurant he was heading for was 5 steps away.  They had NO ID, knocked him down in the snow, put him in a chokehold.  Then they hauled him off to ICE headquarters by Fort Snelling, where they fingerprinted him.  Someone finally looked at his passport, then they turned him loose and told him to walk home (to South Mineapolis…)  Mayor Frey was visibly angry.  A class action lawsuit was mentioned.
So I just sent Sebastian’s story to the mayor’s office also.  His friend is a Minneapolis resident.
Mayor Frey addressed any of us who are citizens, asking “Is this OK with you??  If this can happen to this young man, it could happen to you.”

Update Dec 16:

The latest from Sebastian re his friend just says “All the same with my friend, he’s still in Texas.  He has another court day on January 7.”  Not clear if that’s here or there, but I will ask him.  So here is someone who was doing absolutely nothing illegal, who should have had the opportunity to appear before a judge right after being thrown in jail, but who has to wait over a month to defend himself.
I had sent Sebastian some links I’d found to agencies that help in these situations, but the Texas Civil Rights Project was not one of them.  Thanks to Kathleen Valdez who provided the information – I will pass it along!
I also sent the story to a couple of journalists, but no one has responded.  Rubin is a good suggestion, THANKS.  Sometimes you just have to stir up the right person…

WHAT CAN I DO?  Carol got into action (which she typically does, anyway).  Her action counts for a lot.  Every action makes a big difference.

Back in July I wrote. letter of concern about ICE training in my community.  The letter and photos is here: Woodbury ICE at HERO Center.  It was just a letter, and the city couldn’t accommodate my personal request.  On the other hand, It got immediate attention from the chief of police who met in person with me, not to dismiss, but to dialogue.  I also copied the same letter to the President of the College I had attended years ago.

THE PHOTOGRAPH:  In August of 2008, the Republican Party had its national convention in St. Paul.  A group of peacemakers (I was among them) organized a Peace Island Conference, and another identically named Peace event took place after the conference across the river from downtown St. Paul and Convention Headquarters.   The gatherings were totally peaceful, as was an organized peace march at the time the Convention began.  But their very existence was viewed as a threat, to the extent that Coast Guard was deployed to protect the river (the photograph), and before the island event, a parade of ominous looking vehicles  drove slowly by.  Of course. nothing negative happened.  There were occasional negative events – not organized or sanctioned by us.  Our emphasis was peace.  There was no need for the authorities, such as they were, to go to war.  What we did were actions.  Actions make a big difference.
As bad as 2025 has been, I have a feeling that 2026 will probably be worse in unknown ways.  One of the things to prepare for beginning now is the possibility of tampering with the 2026 elections.  People must be mobilized to be properly registered to vote long before the election, and especially those who didn’t vote at all last time, or voted for candidates who had no chance whatever for success, have to be encouraged to cast their informed ballot.
Absent a great turnout of informed voters in 2026 and beyond, the future of our democracy is at great risk.

POSTNOTE: Heather. Cox Richardson on Alabama, Dec. 12, 2025.
At Christmas time:
Chuck sent a Native American prayer of thanks at Thanksgiving time.  Here it is: Iroquois Thanksgiving 
My brother John was recently on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake, and sent an album of photos there.  Take a look.

COMMENTS (more at end)


from Carol: Thanks so much for sharing all that, Dick – plus your kind compliment.  However, nobody seems to actually care (enough).

I just texted Sebastian to ask if there are any updates – if so, I’ll let you know.  Last night I heard a figure of how many ICE says they have arrested – plus the estimate by others of how many they’ve actually hauled away, which was way higher.  I think they’re “disappearing” people who they know are legally here.  “There but for the grace of God”… and the fact I have Norwegian, German, “acceptable” skin color.  Wow, how quickly we’re becoming a third-world country.

from Pierre: That is horrible!!  I am ashamed of the U. S. government.  The Democrats need to be very hard-nosed dealing with these terrorists when this is all over.  No tap on the wrist.

from Jane:  OMG, these stories are just heartbreaking.  Not to mention unconstitutional.  Thanks for letting us know.

from Sue: Dick, thank you. This ICE nightmare is so ugly. MN ice fishing even on the coldest day is far more humane than the trumpian ICE fishing so many good people are dealing with. I can’t help but fixate on the greetings “Merry Christmas” & “Happy New Year” – who will be merry in 2025 & happy in 2026?


from Jeff including an e-mail from his friend Joe, who had seen this post:

Joe is the brother of a childhood friend…he was a CPA and did stints as [as corporate management] before he retired.  He
is very active in social justice regarding refugees/immigration and attends [a local Catholic Church with emphasis on social justice].  I never really knew the extent of his work, he just returned from El Salvador, but I know he has been down with groups monitoring elections in Central America.  Putting it on the line.     He … is about 75 or 76 I think.


from Joe:  Thanks…this is not the American I know.

I just returned from 10 days in El Salvador.  The delegation numbered 26 and of the 22 women, 11 were nuns and the other 11 lay missionaries.  The purpose of the trip was to commemorate the religious martyrs during their civil war and meet with several grass roots organizations.  It was a wonderful and fascinating experience and being surrounded by such an inspiring and joyful group was extremely uplifting.  I have long felt a deep connection with the people in the war-torn countries of Central America and may have missed my calling.
I wrote the attached letter to the Strib about my visit.   Even though they apparently decided not to run it, I thought I’d share it with you.  [Dick: I’m not including the letter, only because his commentary would be redundant to the above, and was submitted to local media, which is another action we all can take.  Just because his letter is not published (not yet a certainty), doesn’t mean it hasn’t had impact on the editorial page editor.  Keep writing.]

from Lois: Happy Holidays to you and your family!  I hope you and those enjoying your blogs will be recipients of better news as we start a new year.  Your messages and suggestions are appreciated to stay involved, consider all voices, and accept our differences while we work through every day’s events.

*
I\Finally if you need motivation for the work ahead for all of us:

Watching MTG

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8:15 a.m. CST December 8, 2026: I’m time-stamping this post for a specific reason: I watched the entire Marjorie Taylor Greene interview on 60 Minutes last night, and I want to give my impressions before I see or hear any analysis from anyone else.  You can probably access the interview on-line for a short time.  I’d recommend it.

I’ve watched 60 Minutes for its entire history.  I rarely miss it on Sunday evening.  Sixty Minutes recently has come under new management – same talent, same kinds of shows, but under new management, which has as yet unknown implications.

MTG’s interview, leading the show last night, was a big deal for everyone.  Odds that this was a spontaneous conversation is zero.  What questions were explored, what portions of film were included or not in the 15 or so minutes, are unknown.  But in today’s politics, everything is stage managed.

The first think I noticed last night was that MTG was wearing a white sweater.  That’s all that was seen initially.  Not long after, the sweater was revealed with an American flag front and center, no other text.  Dress always has its own message, I thought.,

During the interview she was asked about her relationship breakdown with DJT.  No, she was no longer MAGA, rather she emphasized more than once “America First”.

“America First” has a history in the United States, a rather ignominious history.  It was our very close call with fascism and alliance with Nazi Germany in the 1930s, into the U.S. congress in the 1940s.  It was very strong in Minnesota.  It took root here, perhaps largely because of the large numbers of German-Americans in the U.S. (full disclosure: my mother was 100% German-American, third generation in America.  I recall no discussion whatsoever about this within the family.)

Let’s start the conversation here.  Absolutely those who pull the political strings have a role in mind for Marjorie Taylor Greene.  It is how politics work.  We will find in upcoming months who the real MTG is, in the political sense.

*

Ironically, yesterday, hours before 60 Minutes, my friend Jim and I were having a short discussion about Charles Lindbergh and his active flirtation with Nazi Germany primarily in the 1930s.  Carlo had also commented that eminent Germans like Wernher von Braun had been recruited as scientists during the war.

The conversations are relevant to this discussion.  I had noted to both friends that former Governor Elmer Andersen, a great friend of mine and lifelong Republican, had an entire chapter of his book “A Man’s Reach” devoted to his friend, Charles Lindbergh.  The page in the book about America First and Lindbergh is 290-91 [Elmer Andersen on Charles Lindbergh 2000]; the entire chapter pp 286-301.

To this, Jim responded:

Well, I’m not surprised that Elmer Andersen would support a fellow Republican as
well known as Charles Lindbergh. Lindbergh was the face of the America First
Committee in 1940; indeed, he was the keynote speaker at many America First
Committee events. But he was also a Republican strongly in opposition to
Roosevelt.
Lindbergh did go to Nazi Germany perhaps as a Defense (now War?) Department
agent. He was very impressed by what the Nazis had accomplished in war materials
and military training. He was convinced that Roosevelt would not be up to the task
of restraining Hitler, so he called for a surrender when Hitler declared war on
America.
As I wrote before, Lindbergh was also a fervent believer in eugenics. a theory of
human improvement that elevated the white race. Whites should breed more
often; other groups less so. Those with various abnormalities should be neutered.
Hitler was also a eugenics fan. It is believed that Hitler justified his prison camps
and sterilization measured forced on Jews, Eastern Europeans, and minorities
like gypsies strictly on eugenics terms. Theory resulting in barbarity.


Jim later added an amendment:

Complicated yes, but also easily convinced by simple, though wrong, answers.
Hitler was one of those wrongs. Yet, America had several pro-Germany (meaning
pro-Hitler) groups in the 1930’s. Most active in Minnesota were the silver shirts,
an organization modeled after the German brown shirts that supported Hitler’s
rise. Of course, all such American groups dissipated once America entered WWII.
The leader of one such group was sent to Germany to live in poverty after the war.

And the following:
I should have mentioned when writing about Charles Lindbergh that
having refused to fight the Germans, he did fight against the Japanese.
He flew several missions in Asia in WWII. It has been suggested that via
his eugenics thinking, the Japanese were an inferior race. Therefore they
possibly would be subject to elimination through a war started by them.

POSTNOTE: Here is a post I did about Fascism as viewed by the Army in the 1940s.

COMMENTS:

from Carol: Thanks for the link to the MTG interview, I hadn’t seen it.  She starts out so sweet ’n innocent until Leslie Stahl irritates her and then she goes for the jugular…  You’re right, she’s not to be trusted.


from Carlo:

I watched the interview. I think she’s full of bullshit.
I noticed the cross that she was wearing.
It warms my heart to see her tell the truth about things. One of the things that I truly do believe about Republicans is that they know that the stuff that is happening and they are doing in the Republican Party is wrong. And her new stances on things prove that they are not stupid and that they do know that these things are wrong.
I think it’s interesting that she’s concerned about the threats that her family has gotten, but you never heard her say a thing about that  judge in South Carolina whose house was burned down.
She showed her colors in that interview when Leslie mentioned her insulting people. She flipped and said well “you insult people,” that’s who she really is. So like I said before the woman’s full of bullshit.


from Jeff:  Germany.

one thing is that germany is always prefaced by a prefix to denote what type of Germany it was:
Imperial Germany
Weimar Germany
Nazi Germany
West Germany  East Germany
and now Germany
America seems is always just America, but it might need a prefix right now?

The end of WWII

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Recently someone mentioned that there seem to be an unusual number of activities related to WWII.  This year is the 80th anniversary of the surrender of Germany (May 8, 1945) and Japan (September 2, 1945).  Perhaps that is the reason.

I don’t know if there are more commemorations than usual or not.  But it would make sense.  The youngest veterans of active service in WWII are now about 100 years old.  It is estimated that only about .5% of WWII veterans of active service are still alive.  That’s one-half of one per cent.

Virtually every year since 1981, I have recognized the death of my Uncle Frank Bernard at Pearl Harbor on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harb0r, December 7, 1941.  There are numerous references to him and his service searchable on this blog – just enter his name.  I’ve been to Pearl Harbor twice and been to the memorial.

This year I want to recognize another WWII vet, Melvin Simon of Comfrey MN, who died June 18, 2009 at age 85.  Here is his obituary.  I choose him this year because my first holiday greeting this December came from Mavis Simon, his wife.  She and I met only one time, at Melvin’s funeral.  We’re in the group I suspect all of us are part – the once a year touching-base group – still alive out there.  Valued and unexpected contacts.

Melvin, who I knew only through my friend Lynn Elling, was a crewman on the LST 272 in the Pacific Theatre.  Lynn was one of the officers on the same LST.

LST’s (Landing Ship Tank) did a lot of very heavy lifting during the war without much recognition.  LST 272 has a short biography on line.

Here is the photo of the boat at his memorial.

LST 272, undated

I attended the funeral representing Lynn, and read his comments about Melvin, the ship and its crew.  A laugh line was Lynn’s description of the LST by crewmen: “Long, Slow, Target”.  It’s design and function was strictly business – getting troops and materiel to and from battles.

The above mentioned reference indicates that 16.4 million Americans saw active service in WWII.  Melvin Simon was one of them, and Lynn Elling another.  Don’t forget the women, as well.  Everyone paid a price for the defense of our democracy.  Observe a moment of silence in their memory.

Melvin Simon about 20 years old about 1945

(POSTNOTE: Uncle Frank’s cohort at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack is virtually all gone.  Estimates are that there may be about 15 remaining survivors of Dec 7, 1941 as of 2025.

More: Heather Cox Richardson Dec. 6, 2025.)

COMMENTS (more below):

from Mark: great history, thank you

from Dave:  [Dick: My Uncle Frank at right, his Dad at left, at Long Beach late June 1941.  Their battleships were at San Pedro , a routine repair station for some of the battleships.  I met my Uncle at Long Beach, probably the same day the photo was taken.  About July 1 the Arizona embarked enroute to Pearl Harbor.  About the same time my parents and I headed north on the coast highway, thence east to North Dakota.  At one year of age, I don’t remember much sight-seeing!]

Frank Bernard at right, Long Beach CA late June 1941.  His friend, Max Calvert, at left left, was on another battleship.

from Carlo:  I had a friend, Marie, who was born on Pearl Harbor Day. She died on Bastille Day.

My father and father-in-law were Montford Point Marines. My Dad served in the Marshal Islands. My father-in-law stayed stateside and was a cook.
I had a friend for many years who was drafted into the Army at 30 and went over on the Queen Mary. He hit Normandy Beach on June 8th. His Halftrack hit a mine on September 6th at almost the exact time I was born. We had the privilege of visiting Normandy, Utah, and Omaha Beaches. French people would walk up to us and thank us for helping them during the War.
I believe that we are having problems today because this country and the Allies did not effectively deal with the Nazis. The first head of NASA was a Nazi.


from Harry:  I agree that

 we need to be wary. To depend on violence to overcome
violence is a mistake because it doesn’t work. It simply plants
seeds for another conflict. What works is what Jesus said, “Love
 your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Love those who
persecute you.” In other words, make friends out of enemies. Then
we will have peace and mothers will not have to grieve the death
of their solder sons.

Immigrant/Internationalism

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I have always said that we, the Americans eligible to vote, freely chose the mess that we are immersed in now.  This does not go over well with those who voted, essentially, for a reasonably stable nation and world.  The problem is that more people voted for the regime presently in control, and by far the largest number of eligible citizens didn’t even bother to vote, or voted for someone with zero chance of making a difference.

Bill Kristol of the Bulwark shared a sobering analysis by historian Fred Kagan, and his article here: Kristol/Kagan on Chaos Is Coming.   Also, is this a snapshot of the future plans of the U.S. leadership?  Both worth your time.

But this post is mostly about a real-world example shared with me Friday evening by a local friend.  Succinctly, ICE has descended on the Twin Cities community to root out alleged and undesirable illegals.  For myself, probably for most of us, the street theater might seem distant and abstract, even if we live here.  It’s not happening in our neighborhood, so why bother?

Ann’s e-mail, following, helps to bring the issue closer to home.  I have slightly edited the original only to protect specific identities.  Otherwise, the e-mail is here in its entirety, and worth your time.

“We have friends from [S. America].  One of them was once in my… class, and he became almost a family member.  In fact, his parents were just here from… and we got together with them.  Then his cousin followed him here, and we have kind of “adopted” him also.  He has helped [my husband] a lot around the yard, etc.  They both graduated from college and obtained work permits and jobs.  [Sebastian] married and moved out of state.

[Francisco’s] green card is in the works, and he just received a notice that it would be here soon.  He looks Mexican, and I have told him more than once that he could be targeted.  He just kinda laughed.  Tonight he called, really distraught.  He said today Immigration pulled a good friend of his over on the road.  The guy is in the same situation – a valid work permit and a green card on the way.  [Francisco] said that the thugs in their vehicles passed him on the road, saw that he looked Hispanic, then pulled him over and pointed guns at him.  The friend was driving his own car but was delivering packages for Amazon at the time.  They threw him into some facility in Elk River, where he was able to call.  He doesn’t even know what happened to his car.  He said someone just drove it off (probably including folks’ Christmas packages…)

The friend has to appear in court on Monday.  [Francisco] and his friends were trying to find an attorney to accompany him.  (He later said that they found someone.  These immigration attorneys are making out like bandits right now…)

Francisco also said that ICE showed up at his worksite today and hauled someone off.  And that they knew of someone else who actually has a green card but was arrested.  We hear what’s going on, but to hear the distress in his voice and to relate to the terror of his friend is something else.  And to realize his shock that this can actually happen in… America.  I’m so ashamed and angry.”

Within those four paragraphs lie the problem, as well as the possibility, for all of us.

Ann’s report was second-hand.  I make it third hand – I’ve known Ann a long time, and I trust her reporting.  Then comes you, and on and on.

That atrocities are happening is visible every day on the news, but for lots of reasons, we can pretend it doesn’t directly involve us, so why bother?

The same relates to the summary executions in the Gulf of Mexico off of Venezuela, by the United States of America.  There is vivid evidence of what happened, but no evidence at all of who was killed and what they might have been carrying, and to what destination.

Each of us, I think, have to take stock as to where we stand in the survival or death of this great country of ours.  There is an old saying that comes to mindL “an injury to one is an injury to all”.  We do not have the excuse of saying we could not see, nor could we hear….

Do more than what you think you can.  The solution lies with all of us.

The comments of Sherrie and Sonya in the December 4 post are worth reading.  The illustration Sherrie couldn’t transmit is here;  Both comments are below the illustration.

Make Christmas or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa or whatever your tradition a time for reflection on your place in the solution.

Sherrie: Greetings of the Season, Dick. I especially appreciate your reminder that keeping our democracy and caring for everyone in our human community is up to all of us. I’ve been asking acquaintances who uses “woke” as a pejorative, “Was Jesus Woke?”
I tried to attach my sister’s first contribution to the project, but I’m not technically woke enough. Here’s a verbal description of the image–it features a smiling Jesus surrounded by an ethnically diverse group of children. She’s working on a more inclusive version featuring Elijah, Confucius, Buddha, an Islam representation, Alice Paul (and/or Jane Addams), Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. as well as Jesus.
P.S. I think your grasp of social justice and your memory of political and economic history more than compensate for a one-time lapse in remembering three randomly generated words.

Sonja:  I can attest to that report in the Star Tribune [Star Tribune Medical Dec. 1, 2025]. When I had an endoscopy in November, two of the nurses were Filipino, the anesthesiologist was black, the surgeon was Middle Eastern, and there were others with accents from I don’t know where. Of the dozen or so people involved in my care that day, only two were white and “looked like me.” Where would we be without immigrants and minorities in Healthcare and many other segments of our workforce?!

And I have to say, during the whole experience, I was treated with kindness and respect and was never apprehensive about the quality of care.

 

 

 

Another anniversary

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PRENOTE:  Other recent posts: Murder in Washington DC (Nov 29); and Incidents (Dec 3).  I had sent the “murder” post to several who I thought had a particular interest, so it includes several interesting comments.

There have been a number of comments to the post on Ken Burns American Revolution (Nov 22) which you may find of interest.  If you haven’t watched the series check your local PBS station for information.  It is worth your time.

*

Under the Knife: Seven Years ago today, December 4, 2018, I spent the day in an operating theatre at Fairview Southdale Medical center in Edina.  I was subject of the days work for a medical team giving me a new valve in my heart.  I went to sleep probably before 8 a.m., and didn’t wake up until the middle of the night maybe 18 hours later.

I woke up to two or three muscular male nurses standing me up and asking if could move or feel one leg.  I couldn’t.  Apparently I had a small stroke which was noticed.  That dilemma cleared up quickly – I don’t remember anything more about it and it certainly didn’t follow me out of the hospital.

But my adventure wasn’t over.  I was transferred to  rehab facility, which almost immediately sent me back to the hospital because of AFIB, perhaps a consequence of the surgery.

I was back at Southdale for a few days.  A memory is of a attendant who had to stay with me, and who loved the Hallmark Channel movies for the Christmas season.  This was certainly okay, I’m sure.  She was there to be immediate assistance if needed, and it wasn’t needed (though it could be).

Then I went back to rehab, and didn’t come home until Christmas Eve.  My three week “vacation” was over.  I don’t recall any dramatic events other than those described above.  At rehab they did the requisite physical and cognitive things like climbing three steps and descending them; showing them that I could make a grilled cheese sandwich – finding the utensils, and the ingredients and the process,  Everything made sense.

I have no sour memories at all.  I was fortunate to be ill in this community. The staff was great.  (The December 1, 2025 Minnesota Star Tribune had an excellent column on “The people behind your health plan are often immigrants”.  You can read it here: Star Tribune Medical Dec. 1, 2025)

*

It is now seven years later, and I am seven years older, still living in the same house and occasionally being reminded that I’m 85 years old, and not 40 anymore,  All elders can tell the same stories, perhaps the only variation the particular body part or the degree of physical or mental dilemma.  You can pretend only so long.  The body starts to wear out.

Today I did my usual 11 laps around the indoor soccer field nearby.  It’s a very long time habit 2 1/2 miles five days a week.  It’s boring, but I have a ritual, starting usually at 7 in the morning, ending about a quarter to eight.  Once in a while the body or the mind isn’t interested in 11 laps, but I almost always walk through the dilemma and complete the personal olympics, like all of the others engaged in the same activity in the same space.  Sometimes the soccer field is closed.  On those days it’s off to Lifetime Fitness and the tread mill….

My annual physical is coming up and for seniors comes the dreaded cognitive test – the three words, and the clock.  So far, I’ve always passed, but last year I only got two of the words….

I’ve started to say to those who know me, “if you see something, say something”.

*

I came face to face with being an elder last year when Kamala Harris and Tim Walz were candidates for President and Vice-President.  I looked them up, and found that my oldest son was a little older than both of them.  My youngest granddaughter just turned 19.  Ouch.

These are signals to start to let go – it’s the younger persons turn to make or break their future.  On the other hand, what I and other seniors know that the Youngers cannot is that we do have some accumulated wisdom gained by experience that might well be mined by the young, so that they can hopefully learn from our mistakes, and survive the future that we will not see, since we are nearing the exit.  Will the youngers come through for themselves?  I think so.  Peter Leschak STrib Aug 17 2025 wrote an excellent column on how progress happens.  It’s a very homespun column and you’ll enjoy reading it, and youngers will too.

This is nothing new, of course.  Every generation of every culture has the same stories about the Youngers and the Elders and Themselves.  Wisdom has to be accepted, it cannot be forced.  It is useful.

All best wishes for an enjoyable holiday season, though there is much to be concerned about as we end a tumultuous year, and prepare for a possibly even more tumultuous 2026.  I’m ‘on the court’ and I plan to stay there as long as possible.

COMMENTS (more at end)

from Carole: What a memory — clearly your work was/is not finished.

from Jim: Great to “see” you!  Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving, a better Christmas, and a fantastic New Year.  (It’s up to us to work for a better future – as you know – and we will.)

from Brad: happy to see some Minnesota people resisting ICE, and supporting their neighbors against Trump’s racist and discriminatory policies.  Lots of work to do!

from Gary: Dick you don’t look a day over 80. Thanks again for reminding us all of our own past.

from Judy: What a wonderful positive update.  I am pleased you remain healthy.  I too have AFIB and am enormously grateful to the immigrant staff who have cared for me at my many health care appts.  I am age 83.  Who would have ever imagined in our lifetime ( post WW2) that we would be living in a country who has resorted to our current political climate.

from Fred: I liked the entry and applaud your wisdom  “to start to let go.”  Wise words. Your coda noting that you will keep going as long as you can, is even wiser.

from Brian:  I love your selfie–you’re lookin’ great!    And thanks for posting–I love reading your post.  For instance:

 “I came face to face with being an elder last year when Kamala Harris and Tim Walz were candidates for President and Vice-President.  I looked them up, and found that my oldest son was a little older than both of them.  My youngest granddaughter just turned 19.  Ouch.”
 
Sweet! 🙂

from Rebecca: Lets keep our eyes on the prize ahead– a more just and joyful human civilization.

Incidents

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Today is Wednesday and for the last few days and continuing the issue is the extrajudicial killing of alleged drug traffickers in small boats off Venezuela.  In particular the second shot on September 2 – the “kill ’em all” alleged or at minimum implied order to finish off two survivors of the first strike on a boat.  The battle is on to figure out who is responsible, or if anyone is responsible.  There is no physical evidence since the boats were destroyed at sea, as were their occupants.  Great visuals of course,

For some reason, there seems to be collective amnesia about some fairly recent history which may speak to the current situation.  For instance, back in November, 2017, in the first year of his first term, Donald Trump was flying around the world, and stopped by the Phillippines to visit then President Rodorigo Duterte.  This was the PBS report: Trump visit to Philippines Nov. 2017 .  

I noted at the time that the President seemed to admire Duterte’s solution to the Philippine drug problem: just kill ’em.  No niceties about trials or anything.   Like most news, this revelation disappeared from view as old news.  But it has never escaped my mind.  More in postnote, below.

*

As it happens, about a week ago I was at a small community conversation involving two Woodbury police officers as presenters about the impact of a new bus line from St. Paul to Woodbury.  The issue was impact of the bus route on local crime.  The program was very interesting and the two officers were very well informed.

For context, Woodbury is a major St. Paul suburb of 83,000 where I’ve lived for 25 years.  After years of effort, in March, 2025, a new Gold Line bus service was initiated which comes from St. Paul to Woodbury with several intermediate stops.  There was active opposition.  The line was dubbed “crime line” by some, alleging it would bring criminals to our community.  Of course, the line was new, and thus expensive, and just starting to attract ridership.  Apparently some wag suggested that it was the BMW line – you may as well give the few riders BMW’s….

The officers brought out the data and gave all of us a copy.  It is two pages, here: Incident Report.  It speaks for itself.

Of course, being a city of 83,000, stuff happens which requires a police force and sometimes makes news regardless of the community.  The second page describes the calls in Woodbury, which would happen in any town of any size everywhere.  Of course, one incident can have many component parts.  For instance somebody arrested for Trespassing, may also be found to have a Warrant filed on him or her.  Etc.

What was most interesting was that from March 24 to November 19, 2025, there were 210 incidents relating to the new Gold Line.  This amounted to about one incident a day, only a tiny fraction of the total calls for service and incidents in the same time period.

Of course, this will not stop the memes about this alleged pipeline of crime to our town.  But it always helps to have a few facts to add to the conversation, local, state or national.

*

POSTNOTE on the War on Drugs.  This mornings Minnesota Star Tribune. had long front-page story headlined “Honduras’ ex-leader is freed by Trump.  Hernandez was found guilty in transfer of 400 tons of cocaine to U.S.”

This while the U.S. is bombing boats in the Gulf of Mexico – no evidence, no survivors, no names, just allegations.  And good visuals for the news.

Quite frequently I scroll through History, Discovery, National Geographic and Weather Channels.

Frequently, especially on Natgeo and Discovery, the program is about the drug war as played out at the border or airports in U.S, and other places.  It is interesting viewing, and always frames suspicions as alleged, and suspects as possible subjects of prosecution.  This is true at any airport be it U.S. or South America or Europe…. Nowhere are kill-on-accusation orders suggested.  The Rule of Law apparently prevails at inspection points.  No doubt marketers of drugs are innovative, and their opponents are perceptive and overworked, given the immense number of border crossings daily.

I suppose – at least this is my personal fear – that some hapless American who drives into Mexico becomes a mule without knowing it.  If they’re caught in the act, I’ve not seen them on film, at least not when I’m watching.

Of course illicit drugs are huge driver in the American economy.  Somebody has to supply the goods to the addicts, and odds are its an impossibility to ever control it – think “prohibition”.  Hernandez seems to have been caught up in it, and cut a break because he was a big deal in his country, just trying to make a buck.  Part of the Oligarch fraternity.  Or so it seems.

Then there’s the legal yet illicit trade back to Mexico.  Another special talked about the export of American weapons and ammunition, apparently legally through licensed outlets in the U.S. over the border.  Everybody knows the ultimate destination and use of these firearms, but they’re good business.

And Americans continue killing themselves and others as the outcome of the trade.