I AM ANGRY!

Quoting Mick Jagger: “I’ve lived 82 years on this earth, and this is the first time I’ve ever witnessed people delighting in the suffering of others so openly, so proudly, and even recording it for the world to see.”

When I read this, I paused and thought. Mick nailed my feelings: delighting in the suffering of others–a most damning statement. And from I see and read, that’s exactly what’s happening–sometimes to the point of even celebrating the misery of the homeless, the immigrants, the aged, but most importantly the children.

I’ve come to the realization that my view of Jesus differs greatly from the Jesus of the far right. And no, I’m not going to bore you with Bible quotes; you know them. They are all as simple as: do unto others….

Our future is solely in the hands of our children. As a nation, we can’t expect them to reach adulthood, without scientific-based, health care. Nor can we expect them to be compassionate, caring neighbors when they learn hate and disrespect of others. Nor can we expect them to be cooperative collaborators, when we promote and celebrate divisiveness. Nor can we expect them to even be sane and rational when their early lives of filled with fear of school shooters or masked, armed soldiers zip-tying them away from their family. Nor, should any child be a victim of sexual abuse!

Once again, I ask all of us: who is going to wipe the drool from our mouths, change our diapers, or put the spoon to our lips, as we lay dying? Our children. Amen.

Do Republicans Care about Kids?

No, I’m not asking for a friend; I’m asking as a fifty-year, professional educator. Do Republicans care about kids? For from what I read and watch, they don’t. They rail about abortion, pass legislation about “woke” curriculum corrupting our children, but they do everything in their power to dismiss, or avoid, dealing with the critical issues our kids face.

If Republicans truly cared about children, they would/wouldn’t:

  1. Accept them all. Not just the wealthy white kids, whose private education they finance with public monies, at the expense of public schools, who by law must do their best to provide education regardless of race, color, ethnic background, native language, homelessness, or disability.
  2. They wouldn’t cut and gut food stamps (SNAP) that benefit over 16 million kids, nor place bureaucratic burdens on school breakfast and lunch programs. They wouldn’t slash the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides health care for half of all American kids.
  3. They wouldn’t gut Head Start, which provides early childhood education, health, and nutrition to low-income children.
  4. They wouldn’t have confirmed Trophy Worm RFK, Jr., who boasted heroin made him smarter and proclaimed children’s immunizations are unnecessary. Who will pay for the Iron lungs when Polio comes to Disney World?

If my facts, have yet to convince you that Republicans don’t care about children, consider these:

A. Pedophilia? Who cares? Epstein? Fake news. (Or was His Highness an uncover FBI agent? BULL S#$T) An eleven-year-old gives birth? Her stepdad thought she was cute.

B. School shootings, AKA massacres of children. Who cares? It’s only happened 229 times since 2018. Not a big deal. Kids? Who needs them?

Well, Republicans, who’s going to wipe the drool from your chin in the nursing home when you’ve decimated our children, our future? Further, please stop sending me your requests for money. I’ve been a registered Independent for fifty-six years and have no interest in donating to TACO man’s “$15 to get into Heaven’s campaign.” Thank you for your attention to this matter.

NO MORE EXCUSES!

For the last few years, my nail polish has been Kelly green. Curiously, during that time, I’ve received numerous compliments on the color. That is until, I tell folk why. On May 24, 2022, 19 children and two teachers were gunned down and 17 injured at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The dead were not readily identifiable given their massive wounds. Maite Rodriquez was identified by her Kelly green, Converse shoes.

As a fifty-year professional educator and former twenty-year veteran of a school board, I decided my nails would remain green until reasonable gun control laws were passed. Sadly, two more such shootings happened this week in Texas and Florida–over 80 shootings have occurred this year. Unforgivable. Damn, it’s only April! How many more of our kids will die?

When the President of the United States was notified of the shooting at Florida State University on Thursday, his response was: These things happen. WTF? These things don’t HAVE to happen. They happen because you bow down to the NRA. They happen because you pledged your allegiance to your twisted interpretation of the Constitution’s Second Amendment. Yet, King Donald, you defy the Constitution on due process, birthright citizenship, the balance of power, and the separation of church and state.

According to 2024 Pew Research Center, 64% of Americans support banning assault-type rifles, while 83% support background checks for ALL gun purchases, including private sales and gun shows. But once again, the will of the people is ignored and dismissed by our millionaire/billionaire legislators. Spare me the litany of excuses and protect our most precious resource–our children!