To me there is always  an "elephant in the room" when I watch interviews, read news magazines, blog, even after watching the debates. When asked, why are you voting for Hillary/Trump? Supporting their candidate is a very personal one and on the surface, one of mainly self interest. How good is this? Democracy in action. I think so which often doesn't make me proud. 

Recently, my wife and I watched an old Richard Gere movie. Terribly unrealistic but it is the movies. He was a lawyer who gets in trouble in China. His Chinese lawyer is arguing with him. He is trying to talk about the American justice system. She is talking about statistically the problems of America. At one point he says something like, "America has its problems. Democracy is messy and we are sometimes violent but in modern times, we are always trying to be better." Whether he said it or not, good statement, especially in light of the fact that the  movie is 20 years old. 

We are in that very messy period now and frankly many of us have s hard time defending our democracy. 

Forgiveness and Reconciliation.

After 9-11, some crazed ignoramous finds a Sikh at his auto service station--he thinks he's a Muslim (wears a turban). Shoots the guy. Goes to jail for like 15 years. The Sikh's brother dedicated himself to peace and reconciliation. At some point he meets up with a female lawyer also dedicated to reconciliation. They call the killer of his brother and present the idea of forgiveness and reconciliation. The guy in jail I am thinking is not the brightest Bub in the room. He stumbled  around for words. Then he said something like. God has forgiven me and I am sorry for what I did. I think that based on the perpetrator's comments and seemingly lack of insight (judgement on my part) This is it and then he says, "here's something I am going to do: when I get to heaven, I am going to find your brother and hug him and asked his forgiveness. I was blown away. 

It fits in that realm of I don't care what people say: atheist, agnostic. Whatever. Heaven is comforting to people. There is something about being able to see their love ones again, to think that something outside of ourselves is a reality; something mysterious and beyond us. For me personally, the power and insight of the unexpected spoken word that might show up from the most unlikely source moved me to tears. 

Shoot and Ask Questions Later

Charlotte. Crazy-these police shootings I think what happens is the cops simple "don't think." They show up at minor stuff with something akin to the "Magnificent Seven." Their authority gets challenged and the next thing you know, somebody is shot. In the Charlotte case, the cop is black. In Tulsa, it is a female. Damn crazy. 

DIVORCE THE F..Ker

Bill Clinton took home 17.6 million as a consultant and honorary Prez of some profiteering ed School, Laureate International. A sham. 

The Washington Post reported. (He has no shame and is an abbatross around Hillary's neck.) 

Don't try to teach a pig to sing. It waste your time and worries the pig. 

Don't try to change the mind of a Trump supporter. They have their minds made up and don't want to be confused with facts.  

EXPLAINING HILLARY

Nobody has appointed me to explain Hillary but am fascinated with the "DEPLORABLES comment.  I get it. By way of example, when I was starting out, I got involved with the "National Speakers Association." I went to classes and listened to hundreds of speeches to hone my skills. The very first thing taught is that when you are speaking, "play to your audience." In her "deplorable" speech, she was doing just that. It is what she thinks but would have been better to use another word. What she did not want to do is give Trump anything which she did. She was, "playing to her audience" and got blinded by the applause. Her audience was warm and accepting. A gay and lesbian crowd--she was playing to them. 

It would have been better to have merely used simple words, i.e., some of Trump's supporters are toxic, David Duke of the Klu Klux Klan, for instance. 

Trump lumps his supporters as the common man. Give me a break! Trump's audience; those who feel victimised, minimum wage jobs, uneducated, no factory path to a better life. These Trump disciples aren't going to admit bad choices. They want to blame their state in life on minority's, women, immigrants,  as these have gone to the head of the line. This is his audience.The difference: he appears to be able to say anything and get away with it. Hillary can't. All of this being said, if it were me, I way say to Trump: F..K YOU VERY MUCH

THE DEPLORABLES

To just be grossly generalistic, you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables, Right? Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, you name it.

What I have hoped for in Hillary is to be above the "fray." She can't "best" Trump because the truth can't be found hanging out with him. He wouldn't know it if it ran over him. What Hillary doesn't "get" is that the DEPLORABLES don't give a "flying fig" as my dad would say. They will support and vote for Trump, regardless. Remember that statement the MFer made about shooting someone in Manhattan and his supporters would still love him. He gets it. The Deplorables. Any other candidate who lies, cheats, insults could never get away with what Trump does/has. It is a shame in a sense that Hillary can't say to Trump once and for all, "F..K you very much" and be done with it (where the heck is Bill. He knows how to do this stuff) and get on telling us how she is going to fix the country. 

9-11

Who doesn't remember when JFK was assassinated. I was literally "up a tree," a young pastor and was helping one of my older parishioners shake the pecans out of a tree. Another parishioner, who was inside, ran out and shouted, "the President has been shot." I immediately went home. 

Early on the morning of September 11, I was lounging  around our place in Mill Valley, California when my younger daughter called from Tulsa and said, "Dad, turn on the TV?" The odyssey began. Our lives would never be the same again. 

Watching the three memorials recently, I thought: "With these memorials, what really are we really doing?" First of all, I think we are trying to add meaning to a senseless act that through no fault of their own, these brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers--relatives of all sorts, ended up as part of this tragic story. None ever dreamed that this is the way their lives would end. Keeping their memories alive is our task. The job of every American. 

MY LAST WORD ON TRUMP

I I am truly shocked at the educated people I know, some long time friends, that are planning to vote for Trump.  Others in protest say they aren't voting at all. Great, to one I said consider that a vote for Trump. Its so blatant to me he is so full of himself and his arrogant tone, only bashing, and never saying anything to hint that he understands how our Federal Govt works.

A friend here said his tactic is to use gutter language, sounding brash, and engaging language around a 3rd grade level which most of the lower socio economic people can grab onto, anti everything.

I wish I weren't so concerned but I really am because again its so obvious he is a rich aristocrat type bully, plain and simple. Last night's military forum was a joke. Trump continued to reflect on Obama and Clinton, never giving concrete evidence what his powers as commander and chief can directly do. And then, pointing out General Flynn in the audience, I knew him at Ft Carson, and, from his breast coat pocket takes out a list which he says  are the names of 85 Generals and Admirals supporting him; who are they? Nursing home residents suffering from brain altering conditions.?

I so wish you and I could talk about this shit. You are about the only one with real world war experience not afraid to speak his mind and talk about this shit with me. I am so disgusted with a couple of friends like, childhood friends in Fla, another from here that's moved to Fla and now Dave, I can't bring myself to even want to write them or call and listen to the recording of I DONT TRUST CLINTON line started by the liar speeches from Trump. Yes, at times I feel overwhelmed by all of this. Exaggerating? I don't think so. Has even begun to affect my sleep. Great!

I try and stay busy focusing on things I need to do or even go to plays and movies, but find in an empty space of time, my mind drifts back to this shit. Hate it!

Well, got to stop before I end up writing a novel. Just keep writing me and texting, reinforcing there's at least someone I know with their head NOT up their ass.  

LC, also known as "Wonder Woman"

COL, USA, Ret

COLONEL, Take a deep breath

I have written and talked about the asshole Trump so much that I really am tired of it. All along, I could care less about Trump but have been fascinated with who will vote for him. For one thing, they are mostly the racists, homophobic and recalcitrant types that have hated Obama from the very beginning. What I am really amazed at are those like fellow pastors who have suspended their Christian values in areas like compassion to support Trump. WTF. 

I have read three books that without a doubt have told me who the supporters are, at least those who got him to this place. "White Trash, Hillbilly Elegy," and my favorite which is seven years old, out before Trump, "Deer Hunting With Jesus." 

What I am going to do is tell some friends, "let's suspend conversation till after the election." They are willing to accept a liar, a fraud, someone who won't even release his tax returns, insulted every ethnic group around, knows nothing about running the country and is an egomaniac. This is kind of my statement to them and then done with it. 

To be honest, I don't know why we get so into presidential politics. Any of us who "think," have to know that all this BS that Trump claims he would dcouldn't anyway. I don't particularly like Hillary and think she and Bill have had their chance and there are ethical challenges but as I am sure I have said before, there is no doubt she can run the country. She's competent and has had the experience. I admire her; for one of several reasons, the Repubs have been after her constantly--she has survived and essentially given them the "finger." The Clintons are where they are and I am amazed. 

Frankly I don't know how to deal with or treat my friends who support Trump. I love them all but am hard pressed to know how to stomach such an unthinkable possibility that Trump could be president. F..k. I am personally ashamed that a MFer like this imposter would even be a major candidate for President. 

Truth Is Definitely Stranger Than Fiction

This 70 year old robs a bank. 

 He then sits in the lobby till the police come and arrest him. He says,  "I had rather go to jail than go home to my wife." See what I mean. I heard it on, KCBS, San Francisco