Be Happy: Don't Talk About Politics and Religion

Good Day World!

"I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's." –Mark Twain

The old saying about not talking about politics and religion in polite company really resonates today.

Both are stressful subjects and not conducive to pleasent small talk. There's just too much bad news in the world and people need to unwind.

No, this is not a "Miss Manners" moment, just something I found to be true.

Writing about the two subjects is another thing. If someone reads a controversial opinion piece I wrote dealing with either subject it's their choice.

That eliminates the confrontation part and allows for the processing of the piece. An opinion can be formed unchallenged.

But when you are in a group of people - especially if there's drinking going on - steer away from politics and religion. Talk about anything else.

In case you haven't noticed the country is more divided than ever when it comes to politics. Whether you fall on the left or the right it doesn't matter. Politics are poison.

As for religion, it's always been controversial. Each religion believes it's the one true way to God. Unless your a minister, you're not going to convert people to your beliefs, so skip the sermons.

Just Be Happy for what you have, and who you are.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Trump's Going Change (wink! wink!) Now That He's Officially The GOP's Banner Boy

Good Day World!

How many 70-year olds do you know that have suddenly undergone complete life transformations; going from bombastic to civil in the course of one year?

I'm waiting.

Apparently, so is the Republican party. I listened to Bob Dole being interviewed yesterday and one thing struck me: he acknowledged that Trump has some major problems but is backing him anyway.

Dole didn't want Trump originally. His first pick was Jeb Bush. Then he shifted over to Marco Rubio. Finally, left with no other choice, Dole got in line with the rest who grudgingly support Trump.

Dole said it was a binary choice. A lot of other Republicans have said exactly the same thing. Trump won the primary, so they have to back him no matter what.

"Cannon to the right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volley'd & thunder'd; 
Storm'd shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of death, Into the mouth of hell rode the six hundred."

From The Charge of the Light Brigade, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

It doesn't mean these reluctent supporters enjoy riding the Trump train. To the contrary, nearly every one of them is hoping that Trump transforms into presidential material before November.

What amazes me is that some people actually think the bombastic carnival barker who has been insulting people and groups all of his life is going to change now that he's officially the poster boy for the Republican party.

This is Trump's ultimate con.

The idea that he's going to change is either wishful, or delusional. Take your pick. Donald Trump is the most reviled GOP candidate that ever pushed his way through the primary process.

Meanwhile, many Republicans are hunkering down and trying not to be seen with Trump anywhere. These conflicted supporters are trying to protect the Republican brand, but the brand has changed into The Party of Trump.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

GOP Platform 'Most Anti-LBGT Agenda Ever Adopted'

Good Day World!

It's not easy being a LGBT Republican.

The Log Cabin Republicans, the nation's largest organization representing LGBT conservatives, are really pissed off with the newly adopted Republican platform.

They went so far as to run a full page ad about the most "anti-LGBT platform the Republican party has ever had" according to Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory Angelo.

By adopting a stance that goes against current laws - like legal gay marriage - the Republican party is putting up new barriers to uniting Americans.

The GOP, as it stands right now, is duckwalking behind a bigot, racist, liar, con man, and woman hater who thinks the only good woman is a "10."

Donald Trump has fragmented the Republican party, sliced and diced any common sense there might have been there, and reduced it to a laughingstock for generations to come.

When historians look back at this election, and read the GOP's platform, they're going to shake their heads in disbelief at the message of intolerance and hate that further inflamed a nation.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

The Decline of Journalism: Reality Politics For Entertainment and Profit

Good Day World!

I use to be proud of being a journalist.

As an editor, and publisher of newspapers, I always strived for balanced reporting. And the truth.

But when I look at the state of journalism today, I feel like my best friend died. What I see is "reality journalism." A hybrid between reality television (all media), and politics.

In this presidential election, the relationship in which the party leads and the media follows seem to have been reversed. Enter Donald Trump.

Or so says Harvard political scientist Thomas Patterson, who conducted a recent study of the precaucus, preprimary political coverage in eight major newspapers, cable stations and TV networks.

In their coverage of Trump, Patterson found, the media not only loosened the bonds of party control; they cut them altogether. As Patterson put it, "Trump is arguably the first bona fide media-created presidential nominee."

Excerpt from "How the Media Overthrew Party Politics"

What happened was the media took a minor candidate, whose only claim to massive coverage was name recognition from reality TV and his wild life, and made him a presidential contender.

Just how lopsided was the free coverage for Trump? He got 34 percent of all the GOP preprimary coverage, nearly twice as much as the next guy, Jeb Bush.

"It is no coincidence, I think, that Trump arose from reality TV and its forebears, print and television gossip, and that he has strode onto the political scene as a gremlin, basically wrecking traditional politics the way reality shows for a time attempted to wreck traditional shows. Television, especially, likes him. Networks like that he is a loose cannon, which is the very best sort of weaponry for an entertainment based on outrageousness. Whereas every other candidate is more or less predictable, Trump is wholly unpredictable." - Truthout

The mainstream media's promotion of Trump for higher ratings may turn out to be a watershed moment for politics. Reality TV meets politics and the results signal the end of civilization as we know it.

The Republican National Convention is full of controversy and is more of a tribute to Trump, his family, and friends than about selecting a candidate for the presidency. 

I'm disgusted, and disillusioned. Journalists have created a monster, and we're all going to pay if Trump is elected.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

A Deadly Trend: Police Being Targeted By Angry Blacks

Good Day World!

I'm grieving over three more police officers who were ambushed and killed in the line of duty in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, yesterday.

I'm still grieving over the five officers ambushed and murdered in Dallas recently.

I'm really concerned that we're looking at a deadly trend. When President Obama spoke about the latest cop killings he hinted that a dangerous trend needs to be reversed.

Four individuals were arrested last week for planning an ambush against law enforcement.

The perpertrators were all black. One was as 13-years old. They robbed a pawn shop, taking pistols. They planned to kill as many white cops as possible before being caught.

The Dallas shooter was black and admitted he wanted to kill white cops. 

The shooter who was killed in Baton Rouge Sunday was an ex-Marine who fought in Afghanistan. He was black, and a member of the Nation of Islam.

I grew up in times of racial unrest - Watts, California, etc. Yet I've never seen a trend like this against law enforcement. Targeting cops is a sure sign of decay in any society.

So, how do we bring blacks and law enforcement to a reconciliation?

You have young black men in this country who are profiled by law enforcement and much more likely to be shot by cops than whites.

You have cops who rightly feel they are under assault from a public they've sworn to defend. As "police racism" grows we've seen ambushes of cops in Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Georgia, along with Texas and Louisiana.

That is a deadly trend with no end in sight. 

The very fabric of our society is being torn apart in this increasingly deadly conflict between blacks and law enforcement.

Here's what we have to keep in mind; both the blacks and law enforcement have legitimate points. Both have gripes that need to be addressed by cooler heads.

Here's a couple of good articles on the subject:

It's Time To Mend The Ties Between Police And The Black Community

The Simple Strategies That Could Fundamentally Change How Communties View The Police

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Organized Religion Is Losing Its Hold On Americans

Good Day World!

The heyday of organized religion is passing in America.
I've been observing this societal change for over six decades.

According to a recent Gallup Poll Americans trust in organized religion continues to decline following a decades-long trend.

What's happening?

For starters:

Millennials are giving up on organized religion

Another thought:

Religion rises and falls in popularity depending on how well it satisfies our needs versus the secular alternatives.

Another thought:

Globalism may be driving a rise in interest in interfaith activities. As we relate more to people globally, we may realize as never before that ours is not the only true religion.

Another thought:

From the article 4 Reasons For Decline of Religion:

"The internet has given us unprecedented access to information about our institutions, many times exposing their darker sides.

As we learn more about our society and its institutions, we sometimes become painfully aware of hypocrisy and scandal. That may be one important reason that confidence in many of our institutions, from business to schools to government, is below historical norms."

Last thought:

The rise in Atheism is coinciding with the decline of organized religion.

Of course, there are more reasons for the decline. I've shared a portion here for the sake of conversation.

My question to you; "Is the decline in organized religion a bad thing, or a good thing?"

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Hashtag Semantics Spells The Difference Between Being A Racist, Or Not

Good Day World!

Let's talk about lexical semantics (word meanings and relations) today.

There's a big controversy about the hashtags #AllLivesMatter and #BlackLivesMatter.

#AllLivesMatter has been called racist. That may sound odd, but #BlackLivesMatter proponents say #AllLivesMatter is erasing the vulnerability of and dehumanization of black people.

The intention of saying #AllLivesMatter is meant to be about a shared humanity. Not everyone sees it that way however.

According to Joe Feagin, a professor of sociology at Texas A&M University, white people are using the #AllLivesMatter phrase to ignore the black lives movement.

That may be true for some people, but not everyone. There's proponents of #AllLivesMatter who want to be inclusive of all races. They are the peacemakers calling for unity.

In this war of words - or hashtags if you will - the power of semantics is both scary and enlightening. 

As Confucius once said, "Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know more."

Perhaps groups of people who want to bring attention to their cause, should carefully consider the full weight of the hashtag they use to represent their message.

Carefully chosen words can be the difference between success and failure. If the word/hashtag is devisive in any way, then consider alternatives.

For change to really happen we need to unite people in a common cause - not put up barriers that hinder hope.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Fear This: An Inquisition In America

Once upon a time, during the Spanish Inquisition, you could be brutally murdered if you weren't a Catholic.

Fast forward.

The foundations of an American Inquisition are being laid...word by word. 

Fear and bigotry have opened the door to the destruction of Democracy.

A terrorist attack in France has spurred passed over Trump VP choice, Newt Gingrich, to suggest giving a test to every person of Muslim backround in America in order to determine whether he or she believes in Shariah, a legal code based on the Quran and other Islamic scriptures.

If anyone says yes, they are automatically deported. It doesn't matter if they're an American citizen or not. 

Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but that doesn't seem to bother Gingrich ((or people who believe like he does).

Have you ever noticed that it's always Republicans calling for extreme measures against segments of our own society? Conservatives like to say they believe in the Constitution, but are the quickest to violate it for political and ideological reasons.

Maybe Gingrich was hoping to make an impression on Trump by showing him they are like-minded. Even though Newt didn't get the VP nod (Trump went with Mike Pence), he still hopes to play a role in our government.

Fear that.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Republician Views on Racial Issues Contributing to 'Yuuuch' Gap in Race Relations

Good Day World!

National polls are pointing to a very disturbing reality in our world today:

Americans' views on issues of racial inequality and policing heavily depend upon what party they belong to. Both parties have really stark differences in perceptions.

For example; Democrats feel the five-officers killed recently in Dallas was a one-off thing. A lone wolf attack. Republicans are sure it's part of a bigger plot to kill white police officers nationally.

What Social Science Tells Us About Racism in The Republican Party

To  further complicate the growing racial divide, whites and blacks views on race and inequality are worlds apart.

Legal segregation in America may have ended more than 50 years ago, but in many parts of the country, Americans of different races aren't neighbors - they don't go to the same schools, they don't shop at the same stores, and they don't always have access to the same services.

Here's another stark reality: if you're a black person in America, you're more likely than a white person to live in an area of concentrated poverty.

Understanding what's happening is key to the solution. The Republican party has taken the low road with Donald Trump, opening up a larger divide between whites and blacks in America.

Instead of unifying Americans, the Republican party has chosen to nominate a racist. The impact of that choice continues to grow each day as Trump promises to build walls to keep out Hispanics, and ban Muslims from entering the country.

Given a chance to be a featured speaker at this year's NAACP convention, Trump turned it down. If that doesn't signal more racial divide, then I don't know what does.

White supremists, and other fringe groups are embracing Trump because they see how he intends to deal with minorities.

Despite the anti-Trump forces within the Republican party, plans to oust the Donald during the Republican National Convention don't stand much of a chance.

The Disturbing Data on Republicans and Racism: Trump Backers Are The Most Bigoted Within The GOP

Republicans are successfully alienating voters in this election - something the party has promised to improve on after their last loss with Mitt Romney.

Worse yet, the Republican party is cementing the accusations against them that they are a racist party.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Ex-Trump Staffer Suggests Trump May Have Violated Campaign Laws

The big question today is not who is going to be Donald Trump's VP, it's...

"Did Donald Trump violate campaign finance laws by using his own resources for his political campaign?"

One of his former staffers, Sam Nunberg, says he may have illegally funneled corporate money into his campaign, and created a fictitious company that was listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against Nunberg for breach of confidentiality.

News of the lawsuit and response has upstaged Trump's search for a running mate, according to a source close to the campaign.

Nunberg doesn't plan on stopping there with his accusations against Trump. He contends his endorsement of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R), Trump's former rival for the Republican nomination, sparked the lawsuit against him.

Trump filed the lawsuit against his own lawyer's advise because that's the way he deals with things - bullying people in the courts with his team of unscrupulous lawyers.

Alert! Watch Out For Pokemon Go Zombies!

                                     Good Day World!

There's something deeply disturbing about grade-schoolers, teenagers, 20-somethings, 30-somethings, and 40- somethings walking around in public like zombies glued to a game on their smart phones.

Practically overnight, Americans have embraced a new app for their smartphones - Pokemon Go. 

The augmented reality activity is now the biggest mobile game in U.S. History, according to a report from Survey/Monkey.

Within three days of the games release 23 million Americans were playing it...and running into problems.

Police Fear Dark Side of Pokemon Go

How Pokemon Go Players Could Run Into Real-Life Legal Problems

What's Gone Wrong For Pokemon Players Thus Far

Pokemon Go: U.S. Holocaust Museum Asks Players To Stay Away

And of course let's not forget about the zombie reference I made earlier...

If you thought people walking and texting at the same time was a recipe for disaster, guess what? Pokemon Go players are even more zombie-like!

It's just a game, right? That is, until reality hits and something bad happens.

Time for me to walk on down the road...