Deep Fake

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Friday, November 1, 2019, is Day One after the Impeachment Inquiry Vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.  I always recommend Just Above Sunset.  This morning’s, “Shuffleboard in Florida“, is one I specifically recommend for weekend reading.    (The ‘hook’ for me was the first four paragraphs, which aren’t directly relevant to the following – see postnote if interested.)  The ‘meat’ starts with paragraph five.  Whether you like it or not, you’re part of the history of our future as a nation.

We are in a very dangerous time period in the history of our country, specifically the danger presented by intentionally dishonest political communications.  This is a time without precedent, yet far too many people accept routine political lies as a new normal. The truth will out.  In the end, we will all pay a heavy price for diminishing democracy in favor of tribalism.

So…why “Deep Fake” as the title of this post?

I first heard the word used at the Human Rights Forum on Monday of this week.  (My note, as I listened, is above.)  The speaker was Andrew Zolli, a name worth getting to know.  Among other affiliations, he works with Planet.com .  Andrew’s expertise seems to be understanding and articulating technology.   His brief narrative on Deep Fake, in essence (as I heard it): technology AI (artificial intelligence) has reached a point where “fake” can effectively be created to create the appearance of reality.  On the internet, the term is one word, “deepfake”.  Take a deep dive if you wish.  This one, from Fortune Magazine, is just one example: it merges Jennifer Lawrence/Steve Buscemi, into one and the same.  I don’t know either, but apparently both are well known as actress/actor.  The intent is to show how seamless Deepfakes can be.

Normally, I wouldn’t have paid any attention to “Deep Fake”, but seven days earlier I was at breakfast with a long time friend, who out of the blue said she’d heard from a source she trusts that some Democrat named Cortez said at a meeting somewhere they’d have to eat the babies, or words directly to that effect.  I reacted immediately…

…and said I was going to check that out, which I did immediately on returning home.  (My friend is unabashedly ‘conservative’, as I am ‘liberal’, but it makes no difference.)  It was easy to find the “Babies” allegation just by internet search.  It fixed on a rally of AOC (Cong. Alexandria Octavio-Cortez).  According to Newsweek.com, the first source I felt I could trust, in fact some woman in the audience had blurted out the statement, and that a far right organization, LaRouche, later claimed responsibility.  I didn’t go further.  The fact is, my friend had in fact heard the allegation from some news source; misattributed it to the Democrat; the woman making the actual statement quite likely was a plant in the audience whose sole intention was to disrupt and confuse people like ourselves.  This is one of the oldest propaganda techniques, made far more effective with contemporary media manipulation which can be spread instantly through radio and video clips and deceive the unsuspecting….

My friend and I back and forthed in a friendly manner, and that was that until Monday, at the conference, when suddenly this craziness started to make sense.

Thursday, at coffee, I was looking through another exchange with an internet critic back on July 24, 2019, when I’d done a post entitled “Fools”, and he posted a comment (which you can read in its entirety, there, if you wish).  Towards the end of his commentary he said this “…And now the dems want to kill babies after birth….”  and immediately the above exchanges began to make more and more sense.  The responder lives walking distance from the Reagan Presidential Library in California; my Twin Cities friend lives in the south suburbs of Minneapolis.

During this same time period, another “friend”, who seems addicted to those awful “forwards” and seems to truly hate people like me has been escalating his ‘gifts’ via e-mail.  I’ll never block him, nor do I watch the never-ending videos, which began in 2016.  I only  want to see his headline, which is always outrageous.  I’ll probably get five or so of these today from my ‘friend’, who quite likely will read this post.

What has evolved in Artificial Intelligence and the acceptability of political lies in general is very dangerous to us all, in this time when we rely on snippets of knowledge through instant and fragmentary communication.

Caveat Emptor.  Pay attention and do the hard work of learning the issues and the implications.

I’ll leave the last word on this to Chuck, who posted this comment to my 9/17/2019 post on Drones: “Technology is not the problem…not yet. Every technology has multiple uses entirely dependent upon the heart and mind of the user. Banning or outlawing them will be expensive and ultimately futile as people resist the Nazi like privacy intrusions that will be needed to enforce them. When AI gains consciousness its a whole new ball game.”

COMMENT:

from Terrence: Old Lawyer’s Adage: “If the facts are on your side, argue the facts.  If the facts are against your side, pound on the table.”  Dick:  We are seeing this in abundance, already.

from Jeff: Very good post.  (if you have Netflix and want to see a hip comedy on technology, try “Silicon Valley”  from HBO… its silly but very sharp and satirical). Facts : I think the saying is “if the law is against you, argue the facts; if the facts are against you, argue the law; if both the law and the facts are against you, pound your fists on the table.”   Dick: who am I to argue?  Terrence is a retired lawyer.  Jeff is no slouch himself!  Actually, both versions fit.

from JoAnn:   Good morning, Dick.  Thank you for this post.  I was curious so checked another source (NYT and others also commented).  I found this interesting and helpful.

from Jim: Thanks, Dick.  Keep the posts coming.  Thanks again!

from Carol: Did you see this from today’s New York Times? It goes right along with your post.  Do you remember back when “Pictures don’t lie?”  Now anything can lie.  And we have a “president” who is taking full advantage of people’s gullibility for his own purposes, or is too stupid to know the difference (I STILL haven’t quite decided which – maybe both).

More from Carol:  Your post, and the NYT article, have been stirring around in my head – and I have some more comments.  This kind of thing drives me nuts, and it’s not new.  What’s new is the ease of proliferation of these conspiracy theories and hatred.  I think back to my mom, who passed away nearly 30 years ago.  She lived like a little church mouse on her meager Social Security.  But I would go to her apartment and find literature from who knows where, warning her that if she didn’t send money right away, the country was doomed.  (I still remember her “tract” saying that mosquitoes spread AIDS.  Back then, a lot of this disinformation came in those tracts – do you know what they were?  A little sheet of paper that you were encouraged to buy a ton of, and then share them everywhere…  The “original” internet.)  So she would write out her tiny checks, that she couldn’t afford, in order to do her part.  (And of course once you get on a “suckers’ list,” they just proliferate.)

However, she suspected all Democrats of chicanery, and was very suspicious of the fact I was working for a Democratic Attorney General.  (I think she thought Humphrey was maybe the devil – until he got her a refund from her trusted phone company which had been busy ripping her off…)  One day I looked at her and realized that she absolutely could not change.  It would have destroyed her to admit how wrong she had been.
I was raised with this stuff, and so take it pretty personally.  One of my cousins was just visiting and informed me that “Christians are being persecuted all over the country.”  And when you ask for proof, they just get suspicious of… YOU.
I’m a fairly skeptical person, and a firm believer in “trust, but verify.”  However, what is going on now is just nuts.  The mindset has always been there, but the difference, of course, is that we now have a “president” who delights in spreading debunked, cruel and dangerous conspiracies.  He has taken the disinformation swamp mainstream.
My mother used to say, “Well, ‘they’ wouldn’t print it if it wasn’t true.”  Well, yeah, they would.

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POSTNOTE, (to the first four paragraphs of the Just Above Sunset, unrelated to the above):

My family tree (I have been historian of that tree for over 40 years) has me as half-French-Canadian (father), and half-German (mother).  My French-Canadians were around as early as 1618 in what is now Quebec; the German side arrived in the 1840s in the U.S.

23andMe has me as 99.7% European, of which 51.9% is French & German; 23.9% British & Irish.  The analysis fits my understanding of the family history, though the heavy British and Irish influence was a surprise.

Quite certainly, all my early male ancestors in Quebec had some direct familiarity with the military of the day (first one in Canada in 1618).  It was a main reason they came to what is now Quebec.  My last French ancestor arrived in Quebec a couple of years before the English defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham (1759); 17 years later the upstart Americans declared their independence from England (1776).  In the American Revolution  the French-Canadians supported the English (an interesting story in itself); and the French allied with the Americans  ‘south of the border’ (1776 and beyond).

When you do a deeper dive into the history, it becomes ever more complicated, but explains, at least a little, why even today there is still  bitterness of some French-Canadians against the French who, having lost Canada, went back to France, leaving behind a society that had been developing for 150 years.

I won’t try to expand that discussion.  Just look it up.  The history is quite interesting, as were the first four paragraphs of Just Above Sunset!

 

 

Tipping Points

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It’s been an intellectually stimulating seven days, and on the other side, I have more hope for the future than before.

“Tipping Points”?  See the end of this post.

Among the events: recognizing the beginning of the 75th year of the United Nations; the Centennial celebration of the League of Women Voters of Minnesota, and the ratification of Women’s Suffrage; an inspiring celebration by my local Democrat Farmer Labor (DFL) Senate District; and a stimulating, student centered, Human Rights Forum at Augsburg University.  There were other happenings as well.

It’s a ‘good, tired’.

There is no way to summarize the week, but I’ll try.

Augsburg University Oct 29, 2019

Last first: Monday and Tuesday was the Human Rights Forum at Augsburg University, Minneapolis.  This was #31, the first 30 called the Nobel Peace Prize Forum and Nobel Peace Prize Festival.  Personally I was involved in about 15 of these over the years.  The several hundred participants this year were primarily(it appeared) high school and college students; but there were quite a few people who looked like my age.  Here was the faculty for the event. I was privileged to sit in on sessions by 11 of the 28 presentors, hearing their views and participant questions and feedback.  Last Monday evening a dozen of we ‘elders’ participated in a “Peace Meal” with a dozen young people.  This was an experiment in dialogue.  It was a success, but obviously not perfect.

Saturday was the Centennial Celebration of the Minnesota League of Women Voters.  Here  is the ‘meat’ of the program booklet – the honorees/speakers at this Centennial event.  Personally, the most powerful speech was the last, by Andrea Jenkins.  Her talk emphasized Sojourner Truth.  (see photo at end of this post).

Here is a display panel of an abbreviated timeline of Women’s Suffrage in the United States (there a bit more information in the program booklet):

The two other major events of the week, the 75th year of the United Nations, and the Senate District 53 gathering were also significant.

The Senate District gathering brought together mostly a new generation of leaders for the District, primarily women and a generation at least younger than ourselves.  It was impressive.  Local politics is like family.  Because it is local, it is more personal, and competitive.

I wrote one of the organizers : “what was particularly inspiring was the composition of the group, and particularly the spontaneous testimonial of Char [a young Senate District activist] about David [a long-time recognized DFL organizer who had died a year or so earlier].”   The generational change is absolutely essential, but not necessarily easy.  People need to work together.

Char, remembering a political mentor, Oct 24, 2019, Woodbury MN

The UN gathering beginning the 75th years of the UN was very interesting, and I briefly described it in my Oct. 27 post: “we were at a very interesting talk by the spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Stephane Dujarric.   The nature of his position is representing a diplomat, the Secretary-General, whose job is to work at keeping 193 nations of immense diversity generally working together.  Saturday’s paper had an opinion piece by John Rash, which talks about Syria, including a couple of quotes from Dujarric.  Take a look, here.”

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary General of the United Nations, Oct 23, 2019

The UN is a voluntary association of nations, formed at the end of World War II.  The UN is NOT “World Government”, and by its very nature, as an association of originally 51, and now 193 countries, ranging from postage stamp size and power to mega-powers, it is not perfect.  Five countries – the “winners” of WWII – have permanent veto authority, and thus can veto any action proposed, including removing the veto power.  (At the beginning, countries in some cases were not identical to today: for instance, what we know as India today, was, then, what is now known as the separate countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.)

Nonetheless, regardless of imperfection, the system is much preferable to having no system at all.  We are a global society, permanently and irrevocably together on one earth.

It is useful to learn more about the UN, and I would recommend a recent book by my friend, Dr. Joseph Schwartzberg, which was his life work: “Transforming the United Nations System, Designs for A Workable World“.  Information on the book can be found at Joe Schwartzberg’s website, here.  Joe died in September, 2018, at age 90.

*

POSTNOTE: “TIPPING POINTS” is my chosen title for this post, because in each of the events described, deep change is underway, and inevitable.

Women’s Suffrage took a very long time; the need for youth involvement is imperative, as the future is what youth will live in, not people like myself; young people and leaders of color were seen in great abundance at the Human Rights conference; the nations of the World, the UN, have to figure out how to live together, or face mutual destruction in a global planet.  “Nationalism” is temporarily ascendant, again, but is not a sustainable dream.  We are seeing the results of polarized politics, far beyond what used to be considered normal competition (I’ve often used the analogy of an eagle, the national symbol, about the need for two wings, neither left nor right dominant.  A one-winged eagle does not fly….  Each of us have had “tipping points” in our lives; in some cases, many of these points.  Think about some of yours.

My sister, Flo, long-time LWV activist and the one who invited us to the celebration, reenacted Alice Paul, Quaker, born 1885, who was a suffragette at the time of the Equal Right to Vote.  Alice Paul’s bio is here.

1910 postcard from one sister to another, my grandmother Rosa Busch on the farm in ND.

Celebrating death

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I learned of the death of Baghdadi late this morning.   I’ve included the wiki article about him under his name.  The Wiki entry acknowledges at the very beginning that this article will be edited as more facts become known.   (Over the years, I’ve come to trust more and more wikipedia’s attention to accuracy and objectivity.)  In my October 19 post, “ISIS” et al, I included two articles by my friend, whose ancestry is Syria, and who is very aware of the regional politics and history.  His articles are worth reading: The Origins of ISIS_Abreviated and Lord Balfour Project Lecture.

If you’ve read even the above single paragraph, you probably have an interest in, and perhaps have some personal knowledge and/or point of view about this matter, historical and present.  This is an open invitation for you to share your opinion.

I have an opinion – in very abbreviated form:  Succinctly, we Americans say we hate war and want peace, but for some perverse reason(s) insist on war (at least our leaders seem to think we do).  And, generally, polling supports the notion that we’re addicted to conflict, in which we assume, erroneously, that we’ll always win.  My opinion: we’re exercising collective stupidity.  Killing somebody like Baghdadi is not going to decapitate anything; only guarantee a response.  Just look at history.  Just my opinion.

As it happens, tomorrow and Tuesday I’m signed up for a long scheduled and large Human Rights conference at Augsburg University in St. Paul.  It is a safe bet that this topic will come up.  I’m glad I’m going.  It’s very timely.

Last Wednesday, we were at a very interesting talk by the spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Stephane Dujarric.   The nature of his position is representing a diplomat, the Secretary-General, whose job is to work at keeping 193 nations of immense diversity generally working together.  You can watch Mr. Dujarric’s address here.  Saturday’s paper had an opinion piece by John Rash, which talks about Syria, including a couple of quotes from Dujarric.  Take a look, here.

Personal spin: America – this means US (“we, the people”, at least a very significant number of us) – seems to have a fascination, indeed obsession, about KILLING and DOMINATION and CONTROL.  Define the bad one, kill him (in a political sense, almost always a him).  We see this at all levels.  Things like peace and cooperation seem boring to us.  Before Baghdadi (Trump), was bin Laden (Obama); before bin Laden was Saddam Hussein (Bush); before that was general animus towards “radical Muslims” (94% of Americans in Oct. 2001 supported bombs as a response to 9-11); earlier (Reagan) Saddam was our ‘friend’ …one can go on and on and on.  We seem to need an enemy who is perceived to be weaker than us.  But we only weaken ourselves on the world stage.

History is full of examples of foolish decisions: Since Truman, all American presidents through Nixon made policy decisions on Vietnam based on their political belief that disengagement from Vietnam would be a bad political decision – it would cost votes.  We lost.

We’re now in what seems a permanent state of war in Afghanistan.  The current action in the Kurdistan region of Syria/Iraq/Turkey will solve nothing, we will learn.

But, the calculus remains: we seem to prefer leaders who demonstrate a killer attitude.

Of course, along with this is abundant national righteousness.  We are right, they are wrong.  We all must be on the team.

These are my opinions.  I don’t pretend to have answers.

For those in Minnesota, mark your calendar, now, for noon, Sunday December 8, when TPT Life Channel will air the film, “The World Is My Country“, the story of Garry Davis, World Citizen #1.  The film shows that there is room for citizen idealism, and youth action for peace.  Do a home viewing party, if you’re at a place that receives TPT.  The locations are at the bottom of this page: TPT Channel Info001.

Questions?  Ask.   Comments welcome.

COMMENTS: 

from Carol: Have you seen the video of Trump being soundly booed when he was introduced at the World Series game tonight?  Plus they chanted “Lock him up” for some time.  Made my day.  I guess all those red-blooded sports fans weren’t that impressed with his macho swaggering this morning after all.

from Larry: In agreement Brother Dick Bernard.  In total agreement.

from Brian: We just saw the Terra-Cotta soldiers here in China.  We humans have been warring a long time.   The USA was born from gun violence and the West was won by gun violence.   Plus ça change, plus ça reste la même merde.

from Eileen: Agree

from Alan, overnight: “Another Hollywood Story”: Just Above Sunset.

from Molly:  Good Morning, Dick, and I agree 100%. This country has, sadly, disconnected Cause and Effect in its historical perspective and the day-to-day politics which are bringing us such daily disasters…and this just exemplifies another expression of that syndrome…sigh…  I appreciate your comments on issues, via notes & columns, thanks.

from Jerry  Thanks, Dick.  I agree with what you wrote.  My suspicion is that Trump staged the death of Baghdadi to sway the impeachment matter.  We are supposed to be impressed with his actions.

from Roland:   Maybe that is your opinion, however this not the forum… let’s not mix politics.

from Mary Ellen:  Oh so TRUE, Dick.  This has been on my mind for the last couple weeks: As the President screams for attention to Hunter Biden’s involvement in Ukraine, why is no one asking about Ivanka Trump and her involvement in China? Early in this presidency, the First Daughter was denied several trade licenses by the Chinese government. I cannot help suspecting that her father’s trade war with China has elements of very personal revenge for this rejection of his daughter. I cannot figure out why no one is saying this.

from Jane: I very much agree with you.

from E: Lots of interesting comments, but what was missing is that “h” word that has caused me so much agony in attempting my book on religion.  That “h” word being hypocrisy.  That prevalent assumption that we are always the good guys. Like the cowboys and Indian wars, or the British versus the Pirates, and I can go on and on about being taught that the so-called good guys were really the bad guys.

 

Clarence

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For the last several weeks, we’d wonder, would we see Clarence at 9:30 Mass for his usual  duty as usher.  He died Oct. 14.  Monday, several hundred of us bade farewell to our friend at Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis.

Two or three months ago, some time after Clarence had told a number of us that a cancer diagnosis was terminal, cards had been distributed to those who wished to congratulate our Pastor, John Bauer, on a significant anniversary.  A portion of the photo on the card is below.  I looked at the card showing the entire congregation posing, with the altar in the background, and there was our Clarence Birk.  (He’s the guy in the blue shirt.  The photo is undated, I do remember being at the Church that day).

Monday, Father Bauer wore a blue cassock, rather than the more traditional black – ” blue was Clarence’s favorite color”, he said.  He also said that, with Clarence’s death, an era had ended.  Clarence spent almost all of his 88 years as part of Basilica of St. Mary; 65 of those years he’d been an usher.

Basilica of St. Mary, exact date unknown, Clarence (per above photo) is at lower right.

So it went, as we said goodbye to a good friend.  Visitation on Monday was at what I call the ‘back’ of the church.  I’m sure there is a fancier name.   But it was not lost on me that we were gathering to celebrate Clarence’s life at the place where he ushered, it was said, for 65 of his 88 years.  There was only one Clarence!

Clarence’s ashes were displayed at the Mary chapel at that same  “back of the Church”.  In a sense, Clarence was right at home for our farewell:

Everyone who knew Clarence will have their own special memories.  He was a common man – but who of us isn’t a common person?  But in assorted quiet ways Clarence made a difference in people’s lives.  He is at peace.  We’re better for having known him.  Farewell.

*

In an earlier post, I talked about Clarence and my affection for him.  Here’s what I offered:

“…One especially, though, is my friend Clarence, who was one of the first other than family visitors when I was in intensive care last December.  Some months later Clarence, now 88, was diagnosed with advanced cancer – pancreatic, and is certainly close to the end of his time as a friend to so many of us.  It won’t be long for him.  We haven’t seen him at church for some weeks now.  Great, great guy.  As I heard a minister eulogize a younger man years ago who’d died in a car accident, Clarence definitely ‘lived before he died’.  At 88, he won’t need the rest of that long ago eulogy “died before he was finished”.  Clarence has run the race with grace.

[Phone message overnite Oct 14: Clarence Birk has died.  Funeral at Basilica of St. Mary on Monday Oct 21 11 a.m. visitation followed by funeral at noon.  RIP]

I’ve become fond of saying that “the main cause of death is life“.  None of us are “forever young”, whatever the age.  Best to live as best we can, one day at a time, giving back in the sundry ways available to us, such as the young lady taking my ‘pitcher’ this morning!  Work for a better world.”

My last photo of Clarence Birk, August 14, 2019, at Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis. We’d just spent two or three hours ‘touring’ his old haunts, one of the main ones being Basilica of St. Mary which was his lifelong parish.

Hands of Basilica of St. Mary parishioners. September 28, 2019. The parish is celebrating 150 years this year.

Clarence Birk (back row center) Feb 8, 2001, Habitat for Humanity group from Basilica of St. Mary. Clarence was very active in Habitat projects, and otherwise ‘handy’ in the manual arts!  This would have been about the time I got to know him.  One doesn’t keep tabs on such events – possibly I had just started working as an usher at the church, where Clarence was already involved.  I just don’t know for sure.

Downtown Minneapolis (zoom lens)as seen from Clarence Birk’s boyhood backyard in north Minneapolis August 14, 2019. Clarence and others walked to Basilica School.

Habitat for Humanity Construction Crew September 11, 2001, lunch break on the porch.  This photo probably was taken during the day, before any of us knew that the Towers were going to collapse.   There was a radio at the site, but that was the only outside communication.

Basilica of St. Mary Oct 27, 2019

COMMENTS:

from Mary: Thank you for sharing this Mr. Bernard – so thoughtful and touching.  He was indeed a good man.
It was nice to talk with you and your wife yesterday.

ISIS/Ukraine/Kurds

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This post is really about Ukraine, and Kurdistan (not a country)….

First, here is the geographical environment (pdf is a map of the larger region surrounding Ukraine): Ukraine area.  Ukraine is slightly smaller than Texas, and 47th largest country in the world.  The map is the National Geographic Atlas of the World, 7th Edition, 1999, Plate 90 (Asia) and is modified only by the high-lighting of certain names and boundaries.

Kurdistan (there is no such country, but possibly there should have been, or should be) is worth knowing more about.  Here is the wikipedia article about the region called Kurdistan.

My friend since 8th grade in rural North Dakota traces his ancestry back to the border area of today’s Syria and Lebanon, and identifies himself as Syrian.  His ancestors migrated from this area in the early 1900s when the Ottoman Turks controlled the area and people like his ancestors were subject to conscription.

My friend is very knowledgeable about this region and its history.  Like me, he is an ordinary citizen.  Unlike me, he knows the history here very well.  This summer he sent me a couple of items worth revisiting: His own writing about ISIS, and a long academic article about Lord Balfours dream.  They can be read here (The Origins of ISIS_Abreviated) and here (Lord Balfour Project Lecture).  Succinctly, the catastrophe (my opinion) that has become the Middle East, began with dividing the spoils of World War I.  For my friend, there is no love lost for the British and for Winston Churchill.

Of course, Turkey (or rather its leaders) has not been especially angelic.  The Ottoman Turks deserve study.  The first genocide (as traditionally defined) was of the Christians of Armenia about 1915.  For Armenian Christians, this memory matches the intensity of memory of the Jews of the Holocaust.  In fact, at this moment at my Church is a photo journalism display of Armenians, which includes announcement of two public programs on October 27 and November 17.  Here is the flier I picked up a week or so ago describing the events: Treasures of Hope001.

When we watch the news and listen to the soundbites about situations such as these, we get only the smallest snippets of information.  Please take the time to familiarize yourself with this crisis.  Personally, I have always found useful the CIA Factbook.  Whatever your feelings about the CIA, its regional analysis is well informed.

POSTNOTE:  Pertinent to this conversation is the fact that large numbers of Americans, particularly in the Dakotas, trace their ancestry to the general area of Ukraine.  In my growing up, these people were referred to as “German Russians”; in more recent years the proper terminology has been “Germans from Russia”.  Their story is relevant to this conversation as well.  There are many internet references.  Here is one from North Dakota State University.  It is from a curriculum for 4th graders so gives the essential facts in an easy to read manner.  Personally, I lived in one community which was, at the time (1951-53) almost entirely “German-Russian”, where the first language was German.  The community was Karlsruhe, in the vicinity of Minot.

POSTNOTE 2:  friend Dave  noted this post and is ethnically related to the group “Germans from Russia” whose ancestors were first welcomed, thence essentially expelled from the area which is now the Ukraine, then the Soviet Union.  He loaned me a book, “The Old God Still Lives” which is all letters from the old country to the new about 1915-23, the period of huge trial.  Access to the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, the publisher of the book, is here.

from Dave, whose heritage includes German from Russia:  Here is the introduction is a fascinating book he loaned me, of letters from the old country to new North Dakotans ca 1915-25: The Old God…001.  This includes the table of contents and the 5-page introduction.

from Judy: Dick, I watched a DVD last night titled UKRAINE, THE NIRTH OF A NATION.  I wept an was ashamed I have not known this history. From Dick: I think Judy is of Armenian ancestry, and the Armenian genocide is referred to in Treasures of Hope, above.  She mentions the DVD is available from Hennepin County MN Library System.

from Corky: Thanks for sharing Dick. We are in Europe where buildings are many years older than our country. Interesting to note how negotiations over really relevant issues in US can be resolved so quickly. Are these issues of the Kurds really being resolved?

from J.P. from Manitoba: Interesting. as we have visited most of those countries. FYI: Our federal election will be held tomorrow. Unfortunately it is shaping up to be a minority government.  The issue is caused by the Bloc Quebecois,who are pro independent folks and who are tied with the Parti   Quebecois on the provincial level.  We will wait and see what will happen tomorrow [Oct. 21].

from Darleen: Most interesting article on the history of the Germans from Russia (that’s where most of my ancestors fit).

from Larry: Thanks for your blog on Ukraine/Kurds.

 

 

 

Don Singley: Kudos

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NOTE:  After the Wednesday debates, Don Singley sent a personal commentary which he headed “Kudos”.  I asked permission to share it as a blog post, which he granted, and I published under “Don Singley: Kudos” on October 16.  All was well, except the copy would not double space, as on the original.  So, the original of this piece remains at October 16, and this time I’ll type in the copy and see if that works!  Computers are still imperfect.

A strong recommendation  Yesterday, I went to the film “Where’s my Roy Cohn“, the story of the notorious, infamous and famous lawyer, Roy Cohn.  My opinion, it is an outstanding movie, held over for another week at the Edina Landmark theater in my area, likely soon to be on netflix and other similar outlets.  I highly recommend it.  Similarities between Cohn and the person who made the quote that is the movie title are not coincidental….   the film is a good use of your time – a civics lesson.

Now, Don Singley: Kudos.  Oct 15, 2019

I didn’t watch the first two debates, and I wasn’t planning to watch this one.  But as the hour grew late, I decided to turn it on for  few minutes.  I happened to tune in just as the last question was asked, which I gather was something like, “How has resilience been important in your life?”  I tuned in just as Joe Biden gave his answer – starting with his father walking the stairs to their second-floor apartment and having to tell his family that he had lost his job, so they had to move out, and continuing through Joe’s many tragedies, all of which he rose above. Then Elizabeth Warren told her story of fighting her way to the right path, then Bernie, and so on. When the replies reached Beto O’Rourke, who told the story of the city he had grown up in, El Paso, and its resilience in the wake of the tragic mass shooting there, I was weeping.  On to Pete Buttigieg, who decided to come out in the middle of a re-election campaign in socially conservative Indiana.  Then to Amy [Klobuchar], who said that it was grace that led her father and her to the truth.  Even the ones who hadn’t had personal tragedies affect them – Kamala Harris, Corey Booker, Yang, and Julian Castro – showed admirable moral fiber and fortitude.

Those qualities are in stark contrast with our current president, who has not the smallest bit of either moral fiber or fortitude.  But, as several of the candidates said, this campaign – and this government – are not about people like Donald Trump.  There have been corrupt politicians, and horrible policies, in many areas, and Democrats and Republicans alike have sometimes been to blame.  The way forward is to get to a reasonable approximation to the truth, then refine this approximation in the crucible of reality and the possible, which – even in the best of times – is a struggle.

The point of this e-mail is to commend the two addressees, Dick Bernard and JoAnn Ward, both of whom I have known personally and have worked with politically.  You are both true American heroes.  You have worked tirelessly to improve our communities, our state of Minnesota, and our lives.  Count yourselves among those honored tonight.  And your spouses share in your honor.

The night before Mr. Trump’s rally, last Wednesday, my friend Kaia and I were both “in the dumps” and needed an uplifting evening.  Usually the Cedar Cultural Center has programs only on weekends, but they are running a World Cultural Festival, so they had an additional show that night – a musician named Samite (“Sam-i-te”), who played the flute and was from Africa.  So we went.  It was not only uplifting, it was inspiring.  He was from Uganda, and his entire family had been destroyed by Idi Amin.  He himself spent ten years in a refugee camp in Kenya, and finally managed to reach the United States.  After achieving a successful career in just three years (he is a superb musician), a friend approached him and asked him to help by flying back to Africa and working in the refugee camps in Rwanda and Burundi (just after the genocide) and Liberia.  He agreed, and he told many stories about bringing people who were basically in catatonic shock back to reality through music.  He shared several other tragedies in his life since his return; his response can be summarized by the name of his latest album, “Resilience”.  The struggles in America are only part of a world struggle and the qualities exemplified by all of those people will be essential in achieving , to use Amy’s words, grace.

 

Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now am found

T’was blind but now I see

 

Through many dangers, toils and snares

We have already come

T’was grace that brought is safe this far

And grace will lead us home.

COMMENTS: 

from Jeff: I don’t read every one of your missives, but I read Don’s comment.  Well done.

from Jerry: Thanks for this article, Dick.  I agree that you deserve credit for your social justice work through the years.

from Christina: I have been so depressed with the weather,not getting into the wet fields ,crops not getting enough sun to mature,no prices, and politics. I watched the debates and heard what Don Singley heard, O, how I needed Don Singley’s Thoughts Toward a Better World . Thank you Don Singley and Thank you Dick for passing it on.

from Fred, in turn from his friend, Bill:

Thanks for your reply. In general I’ve usually felt that memorials of the past—buildings and monuments—houldn’t be subjected to editorial interference in order to make our predecessors conform to current tastes.  If a different message is wanted, at least create a new monument or a new building as its vehicle.  I read Orwell too early:

“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street and building has been renamed, every date has been altered.  And the process is continuing every day and minute but minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”
The supersession of the physically printed word by digital technology makes that prophecy all too credible for the not-very-distant future.  I follow Chesterton:
“Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about. All democrats object to men being disqualified by the accident of birth; tradition objects to their being disqualified by the accident of death.”

 

Heart Matter

/14 Comments/in /by

PRE-NOTE: An outstanding film we saw yesterday: Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice

*

My friend, Emmett, sent a note overnight: “Hope your heart appointment went well.  Please let me know what the results were.”  The note jogs this post, which I was going to do anyway.

People I know, all know I had heart surgery Dec. 4, 2018 – trifecta GT tissue heart valve, says the card in my wallet.  I don’t know who knows what, if anything at all, so this seems as good a vehicle as any to send the update from the cardiologist appointment last Friday – the one Emmett refers to.

First, I had a barista take the below photo of me in my “corner office” at Woodbury Caribou Coffee this morning.  This same spot has seen me most every day for the last 19 years (the cup almost qualifies for Antiques Road Show – well seasoned).  Yes,  I’m a creature of habit.  (If you’ve ever gotten a letter from me – always handwritten – chances are it was written in this corner.  You’ll see no iPhone or such in the vicinity…my refuge from computer!)

Dick, October 14, 2019, 7:30 a.m.

Here’s the note I sent to family members after the appointment on Friday: Yesterday I had my scheduled appointment with my cardiologist to check out the ticker, etc.    It is coming on 10 1/2 months since the heart operation last Dec. 4.
Things are going well.  There were some changes in medication.  ECG, and related were essentially normal.  There was nothing of particular concern that wasn’t known before (my blood pressure was 140/90, which is a bit higher than it was before the surgery, and the adaptation was to increase dose of one med back to what the same med was before the surgery).
I am on a reasonably vigorous exercise program at the fitness place – about 45 minutes a day on tread mill, enough to increase the heart rate and get me sweating.  I’m pretty ‘religious’ about that.  I used to walk outside, but I have rosacea and decided to go to more indoor activities at least for now.  I think I need some work with weights to tone up other muscles.  
This summer had some trouble with bleeding due to anti-coagulant.  Had to deal with periodic nosebleeds.  Did finally do cauterization of a vessel or two.  It seems to have worked.  Urologist is watching a growth on kidney, but there are no alarm bells.  Next check on that is in January.  
I don’t think I look like ‘death warmed over’ – others would have to reveal that.
It is useful, though, to be aware of the fact that I’m one year older than last year, and at 79 [half way through my 80th year] that makes more of a difference than going from 15 to 16, or such.  Anything can happen at any time, and as we older people know from just watching our friends and relatives, stuff happens.

My outstanding cardiologist has 20 years in the trade; she’s the person who delivered the news to me about a year ago that the valve needed to be replaced.  I had no symptoms before hand – the potential problem surfaced in the annual physical in late May, 2018, ironically on the very afternoon grandson Ben and his Dad were in a horrible car accident.  I’m very fortunate.  So have they been.

There are endless people to thank and I won’t even try to list even a few.

One especially, though, is my friend Clarence, who was one of the first other than family visitors when I was in intensive care last December.  Some months later Clarence, now 88, was diagnosed with advanced cancer – pancreatic, and is certainly close to the end of his time as a friend to so many of us.  It won’t be long for him.  We haven’t seen him at church for some weeks now.  Great, great guy.  As I heard a minister eulogize a younger man years ago who’d died in a car accident, Clarence definitely ‘lived before he died’.  At 88, he won’t need the rest of that long ago eulogy “died before he was finished”.  Clarence has run the race with grace.

[Phone message overnite Oct 14: Clarence Birk has died.  Funeral at Basilica of St. Mary on Monday Oct 21 11 a.m. visitation followed by funeral at noon.  RIP]

I’ve become fond of saying that “the main cause of death is life“.  None of us are “forever young”, whatever the age.  Best to live as best we can, one day at a time, giving back in the sundry ways available to us, such as the young lady taking my ‘pitcher’ this morning!  Work for a better world.

My last photo of Clarence Birk, August 14, 2019, at Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis. We’d just spent two or three hours ‘touring’ his old haunts, one of the main ones being Basilica of St. Mary which was his lifelong parish.

Hands of Basilica of St. Mary parishioners. September 28, 2019. The parish is celebrating 150 years this year.

Clarence Birk (back row center) Feb 8, 2001, Habitat for Humanity group from Basilica of St. Mary. Clarence was very active in Habitat projects, and otherwise ‘handy’ in the manual arts!  This would have been about the time I got to know him.  One doesn’t keep tabs on such events – possibly I had just started working as an usher at the church, where Clarence was already involved.  I just don’t know for sure.

Downtown Minneapolis (zoom lens)as seen from Clarence Birk’s boyhood backyard in north Minneapolis August 14, 2019. Clarence and others walked to Basilica School.

Habitat for Humanity Construction Crew September 11, 2001, lunch break on the porch.  This photo probably was taken during the day, before any of us knew that the Towers were going to collapse.   There was a radio at the site, but that was the only outside communication.

COMMENTS (More in the ‘comments section, below)

from Dick: I’m really grateful for all the comments.  They mean a lot.  Thanks everyone.

from David: Thanks for the update. As you state so well, we are all temporary residents of life. I’m glad that you have mostly returned to your same old cantankerous self.  Take care. See you at the usual time and place.

from Kelsey:  Hello from St. Rose Care Center!  Glad to hear things are going well for you.  I especially enjoyed the quote on death you shared, “Main cause of death is life.”  Blessings,

from JoAnn: Good morning, Dick.  So glad that you are doing well and I appreciate the update.  Funny (?) that we are getting to know lots of -ologists these days (doctors of some form of -ology). 😄  I have certainly added a few these past few years!   Just a little update from me: I’m finally regaining my spirit, and health.  At least feeling like I can live a more normal life, exercise, socialize, engage(!) more than a year ago.  Basically I’m learning to manage my pain, which is mostly associated with my back.  So, little by little I’m working on the deferred maintenance of family and friend relationships, house projects, and re-engaging in communities – as energy allows.  Also continuing with RJ [restorative justice]and Civility work.

from Beth: Thank you for the update, Dick. You look well. I am so grateful for that. Also, for your post today, as it had some real nuggets for me. God bless.

from Juel: It is great to read that you are doing well. I had colon cancer surgery Dec.4, 2017. Dec. 4th is a good day for surgery as I, too, am doing well.

from Michael: You look great Dick!  Glad to hear the good news.  I’m in Amsterdam with my son for a few days before we head to Dubrovnik, where it should be warmer.

from Frank: Congratulations on the good report.  At this age it’s always nice to survive one more year.  The eternal question?  Is it time to start spending capital?  Maybe start flying first class every now and then and bump up one class in hotels?  Answer, of course, is no, not yet.  I can remember in my late 50s when I took a close look at retirement funds anticipated and deciding that max level savings weren’t necessary any more. So far, it’s worked.

from Emmett: Thanks for the health update.  I have to say that you look pretty chipper in that photo.  I understand what you are talking about when you say that you are a creature of habit.  I am getting to be as bad as Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory program when it comes to adjusting to changes.  It gets tougher every year.

from Carol: You will probably be around long after me… 🙂

from Peter: you look marvelous!

from Judy: Thanks my friend! You and Cathy are in my thoughts! Love you both!

from Paul:  It’s Paul C in Maine.  Just read your heart update – all very good news!

I just celebrated 25 years post bypass (the first one 1994) and 10 years this past July (the second in 2009). So much of this recovery is about a positive attitude, listening to your docs, exercise, and red wine… (HA!)
I noticed your blood pressure readings. Like you, I’ve historically been in that 140/90 range. My doc continued to be concerned and wanted to increase my meds which, quite honestly, always made me very tired. And even when I regularly exercise, my readings have historically been consistently high.
Up until about two years ago.
I’ve been using this device called the Zona Plus. You may have seen the ads on television. I bought one. Hard to believe, but now my average blood pressure is 107/70. Crazy! Met with my doc this past week and he’s impressed. There’s even talk about cutting back on my meds. Although the device is somewhat expensive, it’s worth every penny. The evidence based data that I shared with my doc proves this. Have a look. https://www.zona.com/
It’s now peak foliage here in Maine. Mornings are in the 20’s. Trust me, snow before too long.
Wishing you all the very best.
responding to Paul: I did take a look at that web site.  Actually, a relative who’s a trucker, and has blood pressure problems, had mentioned perhaps the exact same technique as is advertised.  Actually, the blood pressure spike came relatively recently, though I have taken medicine for years.  Normally, I’ve been more in the 130/70 or so range.  I do think I will ask about the zone.  I don’t dismiss these kinds of innovations.  Thanks for the tip.
from J: Well, I love the aided photodocumentation of your corner office! It seems perfect, especially with multiple pens ready at your fingertips!

I looked forward to reading about your Friday check-up. Thank goodness that you are so fortunate. I know I share your same kind forturn (apart from the No Good News and even some Very Bad News for almost three weeks that fell squarely on my husband).

You look and seem happy, and you are one of the writers I grow from reading.  You also strike me as resolved to embrace the sheer delight of living now.  Excellent report out!

from Gail: Thanks for the update, Dick.  Glad you’re doing well!  It’s also good to hear that you take a break from your ‘devices’ every day.
from Arlene: Thanks for the update!
from Tony: Wishing you great health my friend.

from Jane: You are looking hail and “hearty” in the photo , my friend!

from Jerry: Thanks for the update on your health, Dick.  It’s always great to see you at our meetings as I value your wisdom and experience.

from Nancy: Nice photo! I like being able to visualize you in “your” coffee shop.

from Joyce: Thanks for the update, Dick; we all have our expiration dates, but I expect yours is well into the future, and I cannot bear to think that we could lose you. Besides, you need to be here to watch every adult member of the Trump family, including Jared, but probably excluding Tiffany, doing the perp walk.

from Lloyd: Hi Dick,   I don’t reply to much on computer but I want you to know that I and Joanne(Sheldon) really do like your postings.
Do keep us on your mailing list.   Good luck with that heart also.   You have a true one.

from Bob: Glad to learn you are doing well after your heart surgery last year.  It’s time for another visit.

from Kathy: appreciate your musing on life and death almost a year post surgery…as well as your many sharings over the years.  I note with interest and amazement you are at your station at 7:30 in the morning!

from Deb:   The report from the doctor sounds great! Thanks for sharing… Exercise and walking is always key and feel better all the time and more energized… So glad to hear you take the program serious and doing so well!  It is very important to have the appointments and monitor dosages as body does change… Wishing you the best every day and continued success!  Love it that you have sat at the coffee shop 19 years… wow…

from J.P.:   Must admit you look very good.  Keep up the good work.

from SAK: I was happy to read your update & find that all is well with you & the “ticker”. Sad to hear about your friend but as you suggest he has had a full life & who can ask for more? Wonderful that you keep up your exercise routine: another important message you are sending to us all.
Will pray.

 

 

 

Star Wars

/3 Comments/in /by

POSTNOTE Oct 12: A surprise comment from Carole, writing from Amman Jordan.   “I might have even flown out to protest — had I been home. But, a do a lot of that in [Washington] DC!  [Here], for fun, is a shot of the hunter moon rising tonight in Wadi Rum.

POSTNOTE Oct 10:  Here is a history of the composition of the U.S. Congress and Presidency since 1940: U.S. Government001.  The source of the basic information is here.

*

Tomorrow #45 comes to Minneapolis.

It makes sense to provide a few facts before the plane takes off tomorrow:  Target Center (the venue for #45) has a seating capacity of about 20,000; the Twin Cities population is about 3,600,000; Minnesota population is about 5,500,000; most recent estimate that there are about 200,000 Muslims in Minnesota; Mall of America estimates 40 million visitors a year, and every day over 100,000 people are on site at the Mall of America – people who work there, walk there, are tourists, etc.  It will be easy to fill Target Center, by no means will it be the biggest crowd in history.

I’ve seen two Presidents at Target Center.  In 1996, President Clinton came in October.  In January, 2008, then-candidate Obama stopped by in the days before the precinct caucuses.   I was at both events, enthusiastic and very orderly.

Target Center January, 2008

photos Dick Bernard

Target Center Oct, 1996

#45 will come and he will leave.  I took a time-out just to revisit my own “history” with Presidents of the U.S., including candidates for the office.  It’s not illustrious, but interesting to revisit.

One time I actually was in a meeting in the Cabinet room just off the Oval Office in D.C.   It was in January, 1980, and we were briefed on then-issues.  President Carter was not in town.  It was still a momentous event in my own life.

At White House Jan 16, 1980

The First time I actually saw a U.S. President in person I was about 13.  We lived in tiny Karlsruhe ND, and President Eisenhower apparently was scheduled to be in Minot, maybe 50 miles away.  We were there, along a street where the President drove by in an open car.  Before that, we saw the then-Air Force One fly in.  Off and on, I’ve tried to fix the exact date.  I’m almost 100% certain that the Presidents visit related to the new Minot and Grand Forks Air Force Bases, both creatures of the Cold War.

Years later, I think August of 1975, I took my son and a couple of neighbor boys, to see then-President Gerald Ford at the Marriott in Bloomington. We were on the other side of a rope line.   This was ‘up close and personal and quick’.   President Nixon had resigned the previous year, and Gerald Ford had moved from Speaker of the House of Representatives to Vice-President after Spiro Agnew had resigned as Vice-President.

Gerald Ford Aug. 19, 1975, photo Dick Bernard

Back in 1960, I was at a park in Valley City ND when Gov. Nelson Rockefeller ‘whistle-stopped’.  At the time, he was competing for Republican nomination for President.  Richard Nixon ultimately won, then lost in the general to John F. Kennedy.  21 was voting age then, and I was only 20.  But it was very interesting.  Years later, a direct lie from Newt Gingrich before the 1996 election caused me to write an opinion piece about my experience that earlier day in 1960.  You can read it here: Times Record 12-3-96001

Why “Star Wars”?

Sunday we saw “The Empire Strikes Back”, episode five of the Star Wars series.  It was at Orchestra Hall, with music by the live Orchestra.  It was the 5th performance, and another packed house.  Star Wars still lives!  (I’ve only seen a couple of the episodes, but for some unremembered reason took my son to the original in the early summer of 1977, and he was hooked.

I’ll leave the moralizing to the professionals and the addicts of Star Wars.  But it seems to me that Star Wars always had a moral kind of subtext, and this was pretty clear in The Empire Strikes Back.  (This is the episode where Darth Vader reveals to Luke Skywalker the he’s Luke’s Dad.  Sort of like a futuristic “Boy Named Sue” (Johnny Cash) – his Dad names him Sue, cause he’s been a rotten Dad and he knows his kid will have to know how to defend himself.)

During the film, I think it is the Wise Man – Obe-Wan Kenobi? – is trying to teach Luke Skywalker wisdom, and Luke mostly gets it.  There is talk about the “dark side” (which I think we all possess): (Conover Company) “Fear is the path to the Dark Side.” – Yoda (from the movie, Star Wars) “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate.”   I wrote a note to myself during the performance, that the third word was Aggression.

Of course, any analysis can be challenged.  Personally I think the above makes a lot of sense, and we’re a schizophrenic society, at war within and among ourselves.  This isn’t healthy.  We all lose.

We see a great plenty of the dark side these days, and my guess we’ll hear more about it from the experts tomorrow when #45 touches is in our town…

COMMENTS:  (see also end of post comments)  Information about protest of the event can be seen here

from Norm:  Robin Hood or even as a rock star!  Watch the faces of those attending the overflowing rally on Thursday and note the expressions on their faces.  They will look like they are in awe of and almost in a state of worship of a rock star!  I doubt that we will be able to reach very many of those folks with our usual facts and figures.

response from Jim:  Yes, but remember some cried when Stalin died and some still practice Nazism.  Many of those now enthralled by Trumpism are probably lost, but maybe maybe a few will recover.

from Norm:   Yes, and there were lots of Torries still loyal to the kingster during the Revolutionary War.

from Carol: Dick, this is not the day for low key

from Judy:  AS USUAL DICK, YOUR THOUGHTS ARE APPRECIATED.  THANK YOU, YOU HAVE HELPED ME LOOK AT TOMORROW.  AND SAY SO BE IT…..TRUMP TIME WILL COME TO AN END SOON.

Just Above Sunset, overnight: This Absurd King

from Jean in Canada:  Very interesting.  FYI: We are having our own Federal election on Monday Oct.21st.   People are so fed up of the mudslinging and the promises that the parties are doing, it is depressing.

from Fred, in 35 point type: Welcome to Minneapolis Mr. President.

Two opinion pieces in the Minneapolis paper on the day of the event: Rally Opinions Oct 10 19002

from Carol:  I was sickened by Trump’s display of hatred and vulgarity at the rally.  But that is what happens when someone has nothing of substance to say (they claimed he was going to talk about healthcare – fat chance…) and so they have to keep upping the ante with shocking language, etc. – otherwise, their “groupies” will get bored.

But his infamous visit is over, and what’s on my mind is what’s going on in Syria.  Even though it’s off your topic, could you post this link? https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/121020196
Turkey is massacring our Kurdish allies – after they told Trump to move our troops out of the way, and he gladly did so.  Our military is livid.  This is obscene.  And now they say Turkey is further into Syria than they stated they were going to go.  Yesterday they (accidentally?) shelled one of our bases (no casualties).  The Kurds feel totally betrayed, and have told America that if we don’t do something, they will be forced to turn to Russia for help in establishing a no-fly zone.  Is this what we want??  Who knows what Trump wants – he just wants to sow chaos.
The comments line at the White House is 202-456-1111.  I’ve found you get through, but will likely have to be on hold for 2-3 minutes.  You can send an online message at https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/  It’s easy to find contact info for our Congresspersons.
This is NOT just a matter of two sides being equal.  Trump crows all the time about “defeating ISIS”; however, we couldn’t have done that without the Kurds, who lost thousands of their men so we wouldn’t have to.  And now this.  Amazingly, the Kurds are still guarding, for us, prisons in Syria where thousands of ISIS fighters are locked up.  Several have already escaped in the turmoil.  WE OWE THEM!!
Trump has blood on his hands.  And if the U.S. does nothing, so will we all.

Downtown Minneapolis about 6:15 p.m. October 10, 2019.  Target Center is about four blocks ahead, just to the left.

5:45 a.m. Friday, October 11.  I had a half hour to ‘kill’ before an evening meeting in suburban Roseville, yesterday, so I decided to drive to downtown Minneapolis to see what might be going on right before the campaign rally at the Target Center.  Succinctly, the weather was miserable and getting worse, and there was really not much of anything going on.  At the corner of, I think, 2nd Avenue and 7th Street, the sign said the street was closed at Hennepin Avenue.  At First, about three blocks from Target Center, I diverted, heading back towards my meeting.  I saw a few people walking in the general direction of the event venue.

Later, driving home from the meeting about 9:30, the rain had increased and it was not a pleasant drive; I saw what appeared to be a bad accident in the northbound lane on I-694 – certainly weather related.  Plenty of flashing lights and emergency vehicles.  Back home, I stayed up for a few minutes and there was little of anything about the event on the tube.  I’ll see what is mentioned in the morning paper – about both event and accident.  So it was, in real time, October 10, 2019.

3 a.m. Saturday, October 12.  Alan Pavlik, who writes Just Above Sunset out in Los Angeles, is to the best of my knowledge from several years of reading his posts, just a citizen like myself – a guy with a keyboard who cares about this country.  His overnight post today, An Alternative Ending, is worth the time to read in its entirety (as are all of his posts).  At the very least, read the last paragraph, especially the last sentence…“We have work to do”.

A few hours earlier came an e-mail from our friend, who is in Germany, introducing her book, newly translated into German, about growing up in Nazi Germany.  I choose not to quote any part of her quite long e-mail, except to requote Alan, above, “We have work to do”, which reflects two sentences of her e-mail..  “Ending” the Syrian war on ISIS and green lighting Erdogan in Turkey to go after Kurdish territory is simple, and complex and dangerous and all sorts of other words, including popular in some elements, regardless of right, left or otherwise.  It is not so simple.

Saturday will soon dawn.  Out in my home state of North Dakota they have apparently endured a severe early blizzard.  Here it is set to be a bit chilly weekend.  And we can pretend, if we wish, that all of the national and international crises swirling around are not our problem, and they will just go away.  The leaves are getting nice this time of year.  This is no time to pretend that all is well.

9 a.m. Saturday, October 12.  I was about to leave my usual coffee place about 8:15.  The Saturday regulars at the large table next to mine – several guys who do their weekly Bible Study there – had just left, and one remained. He’s the ultra-Christian among them, he proudly brought his bright red “MAGA” hat in for all to see ‘back in the day’ when #45 was still future tense.

Today, he’d apparently overheard the two guys at a nearby table talking about going to the rally.  They are also frequent visitors and their conversations suggest they are both ministers.  MAGA-man said he and his wife had a home party to view the speech on Thursday.  He said he didn’t agree with everything the President did but….  Then he started to leave, then turned and came back to the coffee shop blackboard and very carefully printed the words N – A – N – C – Y – P – E – L – O – S – I and left.  I took the picture within five minutes of his writing.  I’ll report on any developments at this space.

The light obscured the sentence above the words, so changed my vantage point to see it clearly (photo below).  I wasn’t especially surprised.  I’d just hand-written a polite response to one person on my e-list who’s sent a brief e-mail “please delete my address” stating “Pelosi can’t name one law he has broken that comes close to High Crimes.”  (I do have people who tell me to not send them any more posts, but they really are quite rare.   Apparently they simply don’t want to hear another version of their truth.)

Nancy Pelosi on the blackboard October 12, 2019, 8:15 a.m.

UPDATE, Sunday morning Oct 13 8 a.m. – I looked at the Board this morning and to the left of the question, someone had written “Donald Trump”.  I have no idea who….

Back home, I did a quick scan of today’s columns in one of my favorite ‘fake news’ outlets, the Washington Post.  One headline attracted attention: “Populists are popular because they give easy answers to problems that don’t have them“.  In the column, David Von Drehle’s analysis in conclusion: Regardless of where populism rises on the political spectrum, it is inevitably fated to fail.

“Nancy Pelosi” is one the favorite hate phrases I hear.  Somewhere, once, I read that among her other attributes, Nancy Pelosi is an active Catholic, and almost exactly my age (a month and a half older).  She and I have age and religion and other things in common.  Of course, some estimable authoritative bunch called the Catholic League has commandeered the internet to declare that she (which probably means me, too) is a ‘heretic’.

Nancy Pelosi is doubly-terrifying because she’s in the same political position as President Gerald Ford was when an earlier vice-president and president got on the wrong side of the law.  As the saying goes OMG.  Oh well.

Have a great day.

Front page Minneapolis Star Tribune Oct 11, 2019

 

Gandhi

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Today, October 2,  is the 150th birthday of Gandhi.    Simply put his name in your internet search box for any information you may wish to seek.

This morning a friend gave me this pin in honor of Gandhi:

A few minutes earlier (we were all at a meeting), another friend suggested a book club focusing on Gandhi.  I said it was a good idea.  On September 21, a Peace march included focus on Gandhi.

A few minutes after getting the pin one of the speakers at Fresh Energy‘s annual Benefit Breakfast, Jigar Shah, mentioned Gandhi in his talk.

And on, and on, and on….

Today’s breakfast, with 700 of us in attendance, centered on matters related to Climate Change, the theme:

“What’s the Deal?”, as I heard it, is each and every one of us.  “Community is the way to get us all through” say my scribbled note of something Rhiana said.

As I had seen at the Climate Change march about a week earlier (here), youngsters stole the show.  Today, another scribbled note; “Yes, we can do it” from other young people.  It is the children who are looking with apprehension at the future we elders are leaving behind.  We need to give support and get out of the way.

Two new short videos were shared with the participants today.  You can see them both here, with the complete release from Fresh Energy following the breakfast.

A favorite photo today:

This post is titled Gandhi.  To close the post, here are nine quotations from Gandhi for Children.

POSTNOTE: Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan opened today’s Fresh Energy gathering commenting on the new Minnesota state initiatives supporting clean cars.  There are several recent Minnesota news releases from the Governors office here.  Also, note was made about current conflicts on things like routing of crude oil pipelines.

In a recent batch of e-mails came a few photos from Barry Riesch of Veterans for Peace of a recent demonstration on the topic of pipelines in Duluth.  They are included here:

Above and below: September 28, 2019, Duluth MN, thanks to Barry Riesch, St. Paul MN

Impeachment Inquiry

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One or two readers might be interested in my position on the current matter in Washington.

Here is the relevant part of a single page letter I hand-delivered to the office of my Congressperson on September 2, 2019:

“IMPEACHMENT: (SUPPORT) I strongly believe that the House of Representatives needs to deal aggressively with the impeachment… issue.  It is an extraordinarily difficult political situation, I know.  On the other hand, it is probably the most important single issue that this country has ever had to confront concerning the rule of law.  What makes this even more difficult is that the radical right has become expert in the business of assessing guilt by accusation: to be accused is to be guilty, it seems.  Our legal system, while more cumbersome (things like rules of evidence, etc.) can be unwieldy, but it sure beats dictatorship.  I subscribe to the philosophy that the Force of Law is far better than the authoritarian preferred Law of Force [see POSTNOTE]. 

I strongly supported Robert Muellers approach to the complexities of the issues, and Speaker Pelosi’s approach as well.  The Mueller Report lays out the evidence, which I think has to be pursued, regardless of the risks.” 

(At the time I wrote the letter, I had no idea about the much more recent Ukraine issue.)

In 1998, I expressed concern in impeachment of another president.  I sent a copy of this letter to this list in a prior post, sharing my feelings about Bill Clinton in 1998: Clinton Impeachment001.  (I was and remain a strong supporter of Bill Clinton, as I was and am a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton.)

The U.S. does not have clean hands in the matter of interfering in the politics of other nations.  There have been endless examples, here’s an informal and short list: Iran, Haiti, Middle East, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Philippines, Central America….  Some of these I have closer interest and a bit more knowledge.  Here’s something I wrote about Haiti back in 2006, for instance.  Of course, it is customary to blame the President – if of the other party – but it is never that simple.  President Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) is revered as a Progressive (national parks and the like), was also an expansionist.  President are often shaped by events over which they have little control or sometimes even pre-knowledge – they take someone’s advice.  On the other hand, we, the people, have the ultimate responsibility.  Ours is, after all, a democracy….

But, in the current American situation, as a noted Presidential historian stated on live TV this morning, #45 makes his predecessor Presidents “look like Boy Scouts”.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I’m (depending on one’s word of choice) a “globalist”, an “internationalist”, a supporter of the United Nations…and a “patriot” who loves my country, and deeply respects the rights of the citizens of other countries as well.

In this country, at this moment in time, I feel the obvious intention of the current Republican regime is to make people like myself permanently irrelevant in public policy.  We are not the enemy.  In fact, without us, this democracy is in peril.

Yesterday we met with our friend who is now 93, and today flies to her native Germany.  She grew up in Hitler’s Germany, and wrote a very well-read book about her experience from 1926-47.  Her trip to Germany is occasioned by the translation of her book into her native German, and its introduction comes next week at the famed Frankfurt Book Fair.  A week from now she’ll speak to book sellers and film makers who might have a special interest in her book.

I asked our friend how she would deal with questions about U.S. politics (she’s lived in Minnesota since 1947).  She’s certainly been thinking about it.  Her opinion is her own to be shared in some way by herself next week.  The one fact she mentioned is that 1936 was probably the single good year for Germans in the time of her years in Nazi Germany.

My only advice to everyone: pay very close attention.  Our country is at stake….

POSTNOTE: I think I first saw the use of the words “Force of Law, or Law of Force” in a poster made by my friend, Dr. Joe Schwartzberg in 2008.  Here is that photo, one of 30 in his series.

Joe Schwartzberg died a year ago, but his work continues.  Here is his website.

The “Force of Law” vs “Law of Force” is, in a way, presuming a world that works rationally,  presumption of shared power.  What happens when one side intentionally works to pass laws which disempower the other “side”, and in addition, attempts to control the composition of courts which interpret those laws?  Over the arc of history, there have been many schemes to empower one side, and disempower the other.  In the longer term, they never prevail, regardless of the weapon.  Still, lessons seem never to be learned.

One of the organizations in which I am most active is Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS) (formerly called World Federalists), whose members advocate for a community of nations which are subject to rules and merit respect.   There are about 193 of these nations, ranging from the very tiny to the immense.  The United States has always been the big dog in the arena, by virtue of being on the winning side in WWII, and having economic dominance (we have about one-fourth of the global wealth with less than 5% of the population).

On October 23, I will have all of Joe’s posters on display at an important gathering at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul.  Consider attending.  Here are the details: Flier Oct 23rd event JJ Hill House-v4.  This is a reservation required event.

COMMENTS (more at the end)

Pre-note:  I post all comments, without editing, not violating requested privacy.  Occasionally someone will ask that their name not be used.  In most cases, I only use first names, or the first letter of a name, or rarely “anonymous”.  Every comment is monitored by myself.  I don’t mind differences of opinion.

Yesterday (Sep 30) one of the first comments came as one of those lovely “forwards” that cast aspersions on Muslims in the Twin Cities – the topic was a YouTube video that implied that the Mall of America was overrun by violent Somali Muslims, and went on from there.  I’m not sure why the sender – who I know well – even sent it on, though there were a series of question marks preceding it (???????????)  It even had a video for proof.   The sender of the forward lives hundreds of miles from the Mall; I live 15 miles or so from the Mall, and on rare occasions go there (I’m no shopper.)

The smear of Muslims was, of course, false in its implications.  There had been a violent incident at the Mall, and the perpetrator was apparently Muslim, so that part was most likely true.  On the other hand, Mall of America remains immensely popular.  Its website (as of yesterday) claims 40,000,000 visitors a year; I once heard that every day it has over 100,000 people on premises, making it one of Minnesota’s largest cities.  It is very rarely in the news, and on those rare occasions the problems are dealt with.  There is no oppressive presence of police, though it doubtless has security befitting the large number of visitors every day, most of whom are not regulars, people like myself.  But in the world of truly fake news, bits and pieces of propaganda whir around on this and many other topics.  So, on we go.

I won’t give the video additional publicity by passing it on.  The person who passed it on, passed it on without additional comment (unless the ?????? was a comment).  Doubtless, it can be found on the internet.  But it doesn’t represent any semblance of the truth.  I solicit more comments.

from Brian: Dick, thanks for sharing.  In my youth I had to deal with the perfidious lying mass killer LBJ.  Trump’s not nearly as [b]ad, trust me.

from Dick, to Brian: “Good to hear from you.  I really do want to hear more specifics about your two sentences.”  When Brian gives specifics, I’ll post along with a specific response.  I specifically referenced today’s Just Above Sunset.  I also recommend  the City Pages article mentioned in my response to David, below.  I gave Brian my personal experience during the LBJ times, as follows:

“First, let me tell you a tiny bit of my “history”.  
I got out of the U.S. Army about two months before JFK was assassinated.  (I had volunteered for the draft immediately after getting my Degree – no particular motivation other than I would likely be drafted anyway, and went in to get it over with.  Vietnam was not on my radar, even though I was a geography major.)
My Army duty was in what began what is called the “Vietnam era” including the Cuban Missile Crisis.  My Unit several years later was decimated in Vietnam.  My time was at Ft. Carson CO with a couple of field maneuvers in South Carolina our only “combat” experience.  No doubt, though, we were training for southeast Asia.
I had married my college sweetheart four months before I was discharged (honorable).
My new wife had to resign from her first teaching job because of what ultimately was fatal kidney disease.  
LBJs entire career thus paralleled my five post-Army years, first teaching and on the side surviving with a desperately ill spouse, who spent near three months in a hospital (no insurance) before and after our son was born (Feb 1964); thence her last year and a half she was even more desperately ill, ending with her death (waiting for a kidney transplant that never happened) July 24, 1965.  
When she died, I was so deep in debt I would not have recovered without public welfare.  Then the rest of LBJs time raising an infant by myself; followed by two younger brothers who were Air Force and served in Vietnam. 

I do have some history….  I could go on at greater length.

Do tell me more.”

Brian in response, Oct 1:  Now my response to you,Dick.  So…okay.    First of all, thank for the update on Peg [mutual friend]…she’s such a great people photographer.  And also wow! You do have a history with Vietnam and LBJ, too!

Well, here’s mine:  I was 18, and a goody-two-shoes.  My best subject was “conduct”, and my 2nd best subject was the rifle team at Central Catholic.  I’d been in ROTC since the 5th grade in a military town, San Antonio, Texas.   Well, I read the book “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque, an anti-war book published in 1928 about his experience in WWI.  Hitler banned it, of course.
After I read the book, I got a draft notice to report to the draft board.  But why are they drafting people if there is no declared war? I asked.  I refused to register.   My mother got very upset with me, saying that her country was more important than her son (me).  My pastor at church said it was my duty to go kill godless Communist Asians.   Vietnam wasn’t attacking us.    LBJ lied through his teeth about the war.   To me, Dick, this is far more impeachable than Trump doing his crap.  I mean, THOUSANDS of US citizens were killed.  Some of my childhood friends are still really messed up by what happened to them in Vietnam, having to kill people.  Dick at 18, I could not vote nor even legally drink a beer!!! But I could go KILL!!!
So, I decided to leave for Denmark, not wanting to go to jail nor register.   My mother, at the last minute (after a year when I wouldn’t register) made a deal with the draft board: if I would register and take the physical, I could get my student deferment.   I compromised and did that.
Moving forward…in the past 10 year, including January 2019, Louisa and I have been in Vietnam and visited the Agent Orange orphanages.  Dick, what LBJ did makes him a WAR CRIMINAL!  Bombing innocent people, putting poison on them, dropping gasoline bombs. OMG!!!!  And attacking neighboring neutral countries with CLUSTER BOMBS!   I was last year in Cambodia and those BOMBS ARE STILL KILLING CHILDREN there!!  LBJ–he should have been IMPEACHED!!    Much worse than Bone Spurs.
Okay, so that’s more to my story there.

from Joyce:  “This is excellent”.Answers to Impeachment Objections from The Weekly Sift

from Judy:  As usual, Dick, your insights, and comments lift up truth and justice.  Thank you for taking the time to address such urgent issue.  Impeachment, a necessity!!!

from R or M (both have same e-address, conveyed as received): DICK—HOW IN THE HELL CAN YOU BE A HILLARY FAN???????AND A DEMOCRATE IN THIS DAY AND AGE???????? NANCY P. ???JOE BIDON????AND IF YOU CAN NOT SEE ALL THAT TRUMP HAS DONE IN HIS SHORT TIME —-YOU HAVE TO BE??????? HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO CLEAN THE SWAMP —NANCY AND ALL
THOSE [???????] I HOPE THEY KEEP RUNNING AT THE MOUTH—–TRUNP WELL WIN IN A LAND SLID——I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU ARE FOR –EMPEACHMENT———JOE AND HIS SON HAVE RIPPED OFF BILLIONS —-I COULD GO ON —BUT HEAR IS WHAT YOU DEMOCRATS NEED TO REMEMBER [ IF WE EVERFORGET THAT WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD —THEN WE WILL BE A NATION GONE UNDER–RONALD REAGAN—–]DO NOT SEND ME ANYMORE OF YOUR SHIT —-GOD AHILLARY LOVER —-I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU???????????

from Dick:  It’s more or less a free country, yet.

from Carol, Oct 1: It never ceases to amaze me how many of those hate-filled anti-Democrat/anti-Hillary/anti-Obama, etc. ranters can’t spell their way out of a paper bag – including the names of past (or future) presidents.

A suggestion: If you want to be taken seriously, ditch the caps key and all the !!!!!!!!!!!!! and learn some spelling.

from a true believer in belief:  I believe that the accusations against Trump are the very things that the Democrats have done or are doing.  It’s been confirmed by the UK leader that Hillary rigged the 2016 election & /or solicited support from them and the Russians.   I am against Impeachment of Trump;  Obama  Brennan, & Hillary committed serious impeachable offenses and they were given a pass.   Darleen

When Kloubacher said that “no one is above the law” — “I thought except Obama, Hillary, and Brennan.”
from V: Writers subject line says HATE, followed by:  “I read your letter.  Don’t feel bad, even Pelosi can’t name one law he has broken that comes close to High Crimes.Trump never will be my favorite president, but I try not to hate.   Please delete my address from your list.”

from Dick in response: Per your request, your name is deleted.   I am puzzled by the “hate” narrative.  You and I, to my knowledge or recollection, have never visited in person, by letter or other means.   The only way you know me these days is by these occasional writings.  My blog account says that I have done 1,484 posts at this address in the last ten years.  Every one of them is archived here.  Never has “hate” been attached to me or to my posts by anyone.  Never.  I have been extraordinarily measured.  But, to each his (or her) own opinion.  I’m a perennial optimist.  We are going to get through this.

from David, Oct 1 (David originally responded below):  It’s a bit frightening to think that people such as R or M actually exist. Their post is so over the top that I suspect that it’s someone trolling you. Not that that makes me feel much better. People (mostly) on the right, seem so secure in their hatred towards–and fear of–the other side that one can envision them actually taking up arms. I guess it’s already happening here and there—Charlottesville, the mosque bombing here in the land of Minnesota Nice, the synagogue shooting, etc.

You and I are of the age where we can remember the violent protests and police reaction of the sixties. The Weather Underground, Sarah Jane Olson, Black Panthers, and their ilk, all believed that their side had cornered the market on the truth that they were justified in using violence towards those who disagreed with them. True believers are frightening.

You’re right, we do need to stay optimistic. The country got through the sixties, Nixon, McCarthyism, anarchists, J. Edgar Hoover, and worse. Then there was the little matter of the Civil War.

I’m sure that no matter what turns up in the impeachment process, folks like R or M will stick with their orange-haired savior. The best thing that could come out of impeachment would be that it fires up the Democratic base to actually get out and vote and will persuade those who took a flyer on Trump last time to vote Democratic or not vote at all. A thorough trouncing of Trump and the Republicans in 2020 could be the reset that the country needs and even shock the Republicans into redefining themselves into something other than the party of Trump and all of the ugliness that he stands for.