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gopiscrap

gopiscrap's Journal
gopiscrap's Journal
Missing entry

Missing entry

November 8, 2016

This is it

Alright folks, after a wild and hard fought Democratic primary, the craziness of the Republican primary and then having to listen to the sycophant, racist, misogynist, it's almost done!!!

It's been a brutal campaign and I am sure I am like many, I am on pins and needles and in awe of what once again we the people are about to partake in!

Of course my vote is vested in Hillary and I stand with all Democrats everywhere.

My charge to my fellow DU'ers everywhere: work hard, campaign with joy and dignity tomorrow
and be gentle with those around you and when it's all done:

Celebrate long and with gusto and vision for what is come! Let's have a Blue wave and move our nation forward!!!

Good wishes, good luck and thanks for all who have worked, toiled and invested their hearts and spirit in this campaign and come Wednesday may our joy be complete!!!!

Peace.

Mike C

November 7, 2016

Alright DU'ers prediction time

how electoral votes do you think Hillary Clinton will win tomorrow night?

November 5, 2016

Today would have been my mothers 83rd birthday

My mom was born in November of 1933 in Frankfurt Germany. When she was 9 years old Hitler made her and all the children (the future of the 1,000 year Reich) leave the cities so as not to be impacted by Allied bombing. Because of the lack of transportation, she had to walk for miles and miles in the Bavarian Mountain snow. The results of this is that she got frostbite and when she was pregnant with me, the change of hormones caused that frost bite to turn to gangrene and she had to have her left leg amputated with just local anesthetics in order to save my life.

She married an American soldier who was sent to Vietnam in 1961 and was shot soon after that and caused my mom to become a widow at 29 years of age. She later had a stroke at 39 when I was 16 and passed away.

I share this because first of all, I want to honor what she went through and her courage, but also because of the lessons she taught me. I have thought about her often during this election. Growing up she had warned me about how Hitler incrementally rose to power and often when some one was speaking on tv she would point out the dangers of what they were saying. Many of the things she warned me about are some of the same attitudes and sort of statements Mr. Trump has made during this campaign.

She instilled in a great passion for peace and justice and even more importantly the need and duty to take part in the civic conversion of our community

I can only imagine what she went through; being torn from her family at age 9, living half her childhood in a war like state, losing a limb, emigrating to a strange country, becoming a war widow at 29 with a young son to raise by herself. Well done good and faithful servant!!

I wish to honor her memory, courage and spirit by accepting that great right we all have as citizens and getting out to VOTE!!! For Hillary and I ask you to join me!!!

October 13, 2016

I am depressed

When I came to the US and saw those words on the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor..."
my parents has explained to me the thoughts and intentions behind that prose. I grew up off and on between the US and Germany. Much of my youth had my German relatives telling me how lucky I am to live in such a great nation as the US. My mom explained to me the basic human decency and lofty goals of the ingrained culture of the United States.

Yes, there have been other periods of shame in the US, but never have I seen or heard or lived through such a vile campaign as this. How can 35-40% of the US support Trump. I wish those same people would interview survivors of German life during the 30's, I wish they would break bread with those who struggled for civil rights in the 60's and I wish they would immerse themselves in higher minds and goals of many who have shaped this nation.

As a European and having been back there in the past 15 months, so many of our European neighbors have expressed to me how astounded they are that this is one of our nominees. Gone is civility, gone is a certain sense of decency in our political discourse. Gone is an adult discussion of the problems, goals, dreams and potential of our nation. Instead we are left with the tawdry details of a sexual pervert, self aggrandizer, dishonest, belligerent, racist misogynist. God help the USA.

October 4, 2016

Re: Trump's PTSD Veterans Statement

Fuck you Donald Trump.

My father was born in 1926 and graduated from high school and immediately enlisted for World War II and served in Germany. Having been born and grew up in Manhattan he had a knack for languages and by the time he went to Europe he was fluent in German, French and Polish.

Following his stint in the war he made the military his career and spent the next several years posing as a clerk in an East German hotel and passed on info to the US Military intelligence. He was also sent to Korea and finally to Vietnam early in 1961 when there were just a few military personnel there. Mainly advisors and communications experts of which he was one. He was hit by sniper fire and came home injured with high blood pressure and other wounds.

One of my earliest memories of him was waking at night, in the middle of the night and seeing him pacing around the apartment. He never did sleep much specially at night. Yes he had what we would now recognize as PTSD. He was strong, he was adept and smart, but he was also physically and mentally wounded.

To complete this narrative, one of the most searing memories of him was being awakened late at night and when I got to the living room seeing fireman working on him, and of me being raced to the neighbors as we hurried on the snow slicked sidewalks one week before Christmas of 1964.

My father died that night at 38 years of age from his wounds that he received while serving his nation. I was 7 years old.

My request to you Mr. Trump, a candidate who is crooked, dishonest and self serving. A candidate who is rude, vile and demeaning...when it comes to veteran's issues or of those dealing with veterans families: Not only have you never served, never been effected personally you haven't even paid a dime to help our military so please, STFU!!!

September 22, 2016

Wow! I was blown away The child who I delivered on the roadside 39 years ago called

I very rarely post non-political stuff, but this blew me away.

During the summer of 1977 I was working on a music tour for a church organization. There were 6 of us traveling together. 3 Guys, 3 women. We had one day off a week and every other day off the guys got the van. This time we were at a church in Evansville IN and decided to go to Memphis on our day off with the van.

Coming back to Evansville about 2 in the morning on a highway close to Owensboro KY a car went whizzing past us. About 10 minutes later we see that same car smoldering on the side of the road. A young man 17, was waving a white towel at us and we stopped. It turned out that his 16 year old s.o's water had broken and they were on their way to the hospital. We took the young woman in our van while he stayed with the car. About 7 minutes later this young boy was born. I was 19 and the oldest of us guys was 21 and we were all very scared. At the hospital we exchanged names and addresses with this young woman and a while later after the tour, I wrote to his mom.

This young man has grown up to work in computers and was on a business trip to Seattle. Because I am easy to find (church stuff and political stuff) he looked me up and called me and we had lunch together.

May not be important to others, but it was such a wonderful thing for me! Made my day and I wanted to share!

August 4, 2016

A Purple Heart

Donald Trump: go to hell!!!

My father served in World War II, Korea AND Vietnam. In 1964 when the war was was still young in Vietnam my father was shot by a North Vietnamese sniper and died as a result of that shooting. He was awarded a purple heart.

Believe me, I wasn't even the one shot and the pain was enormous. I am what is considered collateral damage, the child of a deceased war veteran.

I was seven when he died 6 days before Christmas of that year.

I was 16 when I got my drivers license with out a father to encourage and help[

I was 17 when I graduated with out a father to watch that happen

I was 22 when I got married with only one parent in attendance

I was 26 when his first grand child was born, one who he would never see.

I was 50 when his first great grand child was born.

All my life as a child I saw others go with their fathers fishing, to ball games, etc and I wondered what that was like!

Donald Trump your grubby small hands shouldn't ever get near a purple heart!

July 25, 2016

please don't get lost in the cesspool of all the side bullshit

I was a hard core Bernie Sanders supporter, still am. He so much reflects the views I stood for when I ran for US Congress many years ago! That said:

These six words scare the hell out of me: 1) Trump
2) The United States Supreme Court

That alone should send a shudder down your spine.

We can deal with all the other bullshit after the election. We have to win this campaign. Put it aside til December.

Profile Information

Gender: Male
Hometown: Frankfurt am Main
Home country: Germany
Current location: Tacoma, Washington
Member since: Sat Jul 18, 2009, 11:55 AM
Number of posts: 23,765

About gopiscrap

Ran for US Congress from the left. Led a City of Tacoma initiative and won with 64% of the vote. The initiative was a liberal initiative in blue collar town and we were projected to get 29% of the vote, we received 64%. Spent 3 years leading a peace and justice project in Tacoma. Was the original chair of the Tacoma Refugee Choir.
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