We can't let the Founders' Electoral College, Senate tradeoffs distort democracy forever

Man in pick-up truck drives into group of ICE protesters in Rhode Island

Source: NBC News

Something is very wrong and very broken.

I am not talking about our political system and government. Everyone already knows that is broken and it doesnt matter the party affiliation.

I was reading the thread and related article regarding the 23 year old American citizen Francisco Galicia who is suing ICE and Customs and Border Patrol for depriving him of his rights and liberty. It occured to me that shouldn't I be protesting loudly in the street? This is a young man who was victimized for no other reason than his skin color. As terrible as that is, there are children, actual little boys and girls who are in the exact same situation. They have no proper clothes, beds, blankets, adequate food, soap and toothbrushes. Some of our enemies from previous wars treated our captured soldiers better than we are treating these children. Yet why are we not protesting? We occupied Wall Street and many other cities 8 years ago for reasons quite frankly far less abhorrent and dire. Make no mistake wealth Inequality, corporate corruption and predatory business/banking practices are of great concern. It is an issue that must be addressed. We managed to engage in civil disobedience to disrupt and annoy in protest over those issues. We did so in tremendous numbers but where are we now?

Surely the treatment of these men, women and children must generate more outrage. These kids are dying. They are living in feces with no access to the basic necessities. Why are we so stagnant in light of these facts? I include myself in this. I just dont understand. We are all outraged over this. I know I am.

Shouldnt our response be greater? Am I wrong in feeling we are somehow broken?

Here is the article that sparked this post. Thanks for reading.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-citizen-detained-by-ice-francisco-erwin-galicia-border-officials-conditions-bad-almost-self-deported/

I love this night, this time of year.

The smell of fireworks permeate the air. That scent of sulfur and saltpeter from the blackpowder. I love it so much. The house will smell like this all night into the morning. Walking outside I can hear the explosions from every direction. Homeowners firing their purchases. The district's and towns surrounding us performing their displays.

Even though we live in difficult and trying times. Even though we have a sociopath in office with a complicit Senate, I can set aside all that to enjoy the general feeling of happiness, family and friendship that I hear from my neighbors. I feel the joy and relaxation. Tomorrow or the next day we will all feel as we did yesterday but right now everyone around me is content. They are enjoying the sounds and sights of explosions in the air. Their noses full of that carbon and sulfur.

Tonight I will go to sleep with some peace. I know our history is tragic but some parts are wonderous. Some parts we should celebrate. I think about those times tonight... with fireworks in my ears, in my nose.

Have to share this because it's so sweet

My 3 year old daughter is looking out the window at the rain this morning. She turns and says okay and proceeds to walk over to me. She says "Dad, I have made a choice. Tomorrow when it stops raining I am going to go see animals. Do you want to go with me? Oh and the playground too?"

It was so adorable. She wasnt being demanding. She just decided that she was going to the zoo tomorrow and wanted me to go with her lol. How could I say no?

I feel numb. I feel broken.

There is a school shooting happening in Colorado. Another mass shooting... Another school. We will line up and share our outrage. We will demand gun control and condemn inaction from the right. We will direct our ire towards the NRA and their supporters who do nothing to address the scourge of violence. This is our responsibility; not just as democrats but as decent human beings who profess our compassion. Our vocal outrage must be immediate and swift. It is our mandate and we must maintain. We can never falter in our message.

And yet... sigh.

And yet I know that I don't feel as though I should. The visceral response to the horror and disgust has been reduced somehow. I should feel immediate and undeniable revulsion and sadness. I remember when Obama cried after Sandy Hook. That is how I felt. I remember driving by the tiny flags planted along Rt 84 as a memorial to the victims. It was weeks later when I drove by that memorial and I cried thinking of the children. When Obama spoke and shared his tears with us, he channeled our emotions. He was our voice; one of sadness over senseless death.

And yet... I don't have that reaction anymore and that scares me.

Have mass/school shootings become so common, so expected that I no longer experience the revulsion? Have my emotions dulled to the point that I subconsciously expect this? Do I expect the death of innocent people living their lives, attending schools, attending church? Am I so jaded and emotionally blunted that I cannot feel how I felt driving by those flags? If so then how can I contribute? How can I demand change when I am numb and I know the NRA and their supporters don't actually care.

HOW CAN WE CHANGE WHEN WE DON'T FEEL!

Fuck it. Maybe you will think I'm nuts and you all haven't been numbed by the violence. Gods I hope that is the case. Never have I hoped to be screwed up than right now. I shouldn't feel numb. I should feel revulsion. How do I get that back? I don't want to be upset, sad, crying, angry, disgusted, horrified. No one wants those feelings and yet I know that I should have them.

What has our society come to. gods. what have we done.

Couple give Nazi Salute at Holocaust Memorial and WWII Memorial in Providence

Border Patrol Lies and malfeasance

This story was relayed by my wife's new coworker. She is here on a work visa from Quebec. When she was crossing the border recently she observed border patrol tell a several French Canadian college kids that they could not enter America because they only spoke broken English. Her exact words were: "You cannot enter THIS (emphasis NOT mine) country if you can't speak the language."

From what I understand this wasn't her only experience observing and experiencing unprofessional and disrespectful behavior by border patrol and immigration officials.


You know, the way we behave towards the citizens of our supposed "allies" (I say supposed because we certainly haven't treated them like allies lately) sooner or later their governments are going to hit back and start making it very difficult for Americans to visit/work. As much as I love my passport, inconvenience is a big motivator for change. If enough privileged assholes realize that they can't just go wherever the hell they want, they might just be inconvenienced enough to start a clamor.

One simply positive and wonderful result from Mueller's report

Trump stopped harassing the nation with his incessant irritating tweets.

My day was just made. Queen played at the Oscars

Well Brian and Roger anyway. John wont/cant perform but still it made me happy. I have loved them since I was 10 years old watching Flash Gordon with my dad on our new VCR. He played News Of The World for me because I liked the music from the movie. I was hooked and saved up my allowance to buy all of their tapes. When Freddy died I was devestated. I remember watching the video for "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" and I was just so sad and angry about how demonized people with AIDS were. The fact that I was pretty sure I was gay made it even more difficult.

Anyway, seeing them perform with Lambert. It was great. If Freddy is somewhere looking down, I have to believe he would be pleased even if the movie was lacking in some areas.