Category: <span>Opinions & Commentary</span>

Published July 17, 2025 by

Coming To America

Statue of Liberty welcoming immigrants to America. Photo by Ron Charest
Statue of Liberty

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

I’ve written a number of posts on immigration during the twenty years of this humble blog’s existence. All four of my grandparents are immigrants. Several of my aunts, uncles, and cousins are naturalized American citizens. Both my first (ex-) and present wife are immigrants and naturalized American citizens. Most of our family friends are immigrants that I’ve met through my wife.

I happen to believe the best thing about America is how, throughout our history, we have been able to accept and assimilate people from many different cultures and make them “Americans.” My beliefs appear to now put me into complete opposition to the current monstrosity of our federal government.

I’m good with being on the side of people coming to America.

Continue…Coming To America

Opinions & Commentary

Hispanic immigration

Published June 14, 2025 by

Have You Seen The Stars Tonight?

The James Webb Space Telescope reveals details of the structure and composition of the Tarantula Nebula, as well as dozens of background galaxies. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team Image. Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=File%3AMilky+Way+Galaxy+%28black+background%29.png&title=Special%3ASearch&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:Tarantula_Nebula_(MIRI_Image).png
The Tarantula Nebula, In A Place Far Far Away

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Today is officially “No Kings Day.” This is the day we – again – protest against the monster in the White House. Now with music to fit the occasion.

I started writing this post as an angry screed against our wanna-be king trump. The music I looked for was angry music, filled with defiance and rage against the would-be two-bit penny-ante dictator and his sycophants currently running our nation. Music that would fit the mood of a national protest against Trumpism and the hate-filled monsters who’s life goals are seemingly built around destroying the lives of other people who just want to live free and build a better life for their children.

But, then, I realized I was taking the wrong road.

Continue…Have You Seen The Stars Tonight?

Opinions & Commentary

Jefferson Starship No Kings trump

Published June 5, 2025 by

The Lack of Empathy

Graphic representation of Empathy. Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/transformation-emoji-mystery-spirit-857734/
Showing Empathy

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

I’ve been struggling these past months to cope with the ever-swelling horrors of the Trump administration. It’s increasingly difficult to wrap my head around the staggering levels of corruption, viciousness, and pure evil practiced by apparent human beings leading our government. Not to mention, the convivial corruption, viciousness, and pure evil practiced by people seemingly enraptured by the cult of trump.

How in the fuck did we get here?

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Opinions & Commentary

Evil Nazis trump

Published April 13, 2025 by

This and That, Mad King Edition

This and That Mad Hatter Cartoon
This and That

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

So the days go by, one at a time, as days always do. Here in America each day brings a new atrocity from our mad king trump. Every time we think he’s gone as low as he can go violating our laws, our ethics, and our humanity Americans have long taken for granted, our mad king goes lower. And lower still.

Meanwhile, our mad king’s brown-nosing quislings continue to fall over themselves in their endless quests to kowtow. While us non-trump-fluffing shell-shocked Americans watch our civil liberties melt away and our retirement funds shrink as the price of essentials rockets to the skies. And we watch the nightly news in helpless fury at new horror each day brings.

Continue…This and That, Mad King Edition

Family Stories Opinions & Commentary

Mad King Trump Politics This and That

Published February 24, 2025 by

Musk Demands All Federal Workers Report to Him

A rat resembling Elon Musk is attacking a piece of cheese in a trash can that resembles trump's face.
Musk Eating Trump’s Face

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

This past weekend I had a front-row seat on the latest Elon Musk-driven insanity of screwing with federal workers. It seems that Musk decided, all on his own, to task three million federal workers to report their current work assignments directly to him. On a weekend. With no prior warning.

The good news is, various federal agency heads slapped Musk down. Hard. Which possibly portrays the wheels falling off Musk’s ability to destroy the federal government. And embarrassing Pres*dent Trump in the process. A double win!

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Opinions & Commentary

Donald Trump elon musk Government Workers

Published February 17, 2025 by

Profiles in Courage

No system of ordered liberty can allow the Government to use the carrot of dismissing charges, or the stick of threatening to bring them again, to induce an elected official…

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Opinions & Commentary

Courage Integrity

Published February 3, 2025 by

Senator, Why Do You Come To Work?

The United States Capitol aka the Capitol building. Washington DC, United States
The United States Capitol Building

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Way back in Elementary school civics classes, I learned the supposed genius of American government was “checks and balances.” That the separate but equal branches of our government, Legislative, Executive and Judicial, would guard each other against overreach. In theory, if one branch attempted to take actions in violation of our constitution, the other branches would block those actions.

But, recent events have shown that those checks and balances only work if government officials actually take action. So, today, I wrote another letter to my senator asking why he even bothers to come to work.

Continue…Senator, Why Do You Come To Work?

Opinions & Commentary

Letter to my Senator Politics

Published January 20, 2025 by

Our American Day of Shame

A torn and tattered american flag set against a gloomy sky.
Our American Day of Shame

So today, the 47th president of the United States of America will be sworn in. This should be a day for celebrating our American tradition of a peaceful transfer of political power from one leader to another. Our peaceful transfer of power that has been the foundational principle of our nation for 233 years.

With one exception. That exception was our last presidential transfer in 2001. During that transfer, the outgoing President launched an autocoup to overturn election results and remain in power, against the will of us voters. That president failed to overturn the results. But he was never held accountable for destroying our legacy of peaceful transfer of power, nor of attempting to overturn the will of us voters.

Today, that man is once again taking power as our president. In any other nation, he would be in jail – or executed. That he is now returning to power is our American day of shame for those of us who still believe in Democracy.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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Opinions & Commentary

Donald Trump Mourning President

Published December 17, 2024 by

Living in Fear: Authoritarianism vs Democracy

Fear by Hugo Steiner Prag, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
Fear by Hugo Steiner Prag
Licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Until now, I’ve never had any direct experience with living under authoritarianism. However, through both my first and present wife I’ve learned what that life is. Although I grew up in a democracy, I now recognize the key difference between authoritarianism and democracy.

It’s all about living in fear.

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Opinions & Commentary

America Dictatorships trump

Published November 25, 2024 by

An Open Letter To My Senators on Trump’s Nominees

Train wreck at Montparnasse 1895, a metaphor for trump's cabinet nominations.
Trump’s Cabinet Nominations

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

I have been horrified by the train wreck of trump’s nominations for leadership positions in his future administration. While I did not expect much integrity or competence from anyone willing to work for trump, these cabinet posts nominees already exceed my expectations.

Both of my North Carolina senators are Republicans. So, I guess I shouldn’t expect too much of them. But in the fleeting hope that they have some integrity, I decided to write them a letter expressing my feelings. So, here is my open letter to my senators on trump’s nominees.

Continue…An Open Letter To My Senators on Trump’s Nominees

Opinions & Commentary

Senate Letter trump