This is from Al Jazeera: (March 23) US President Donald Trump has defended repeatedly calling the coronavirus the "Chinese virus" during a news conference, ignoring criticism that it is racist. "It's not racist at all," Trump said, explaining his reasoning after a reporter told him many consider it racist. "It comes from China, that's why.” … Continue reading The American Virus
Trump
Social Distance
Spring Break 2020! Wooo! Accountants gone wild! I ran a longish route today. Longish? Long starts at seven miles, at least in my mind. I don’t know where I got that, but I’ve believed it since 1988, when I started running long-runs. Six is a run, seven’s a long-run. Just like that, inarguable. I’d love to … Continue reading Social Distance
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In the movies I watch, calamity—an alien attack, an errant meteor, a rampant pandemic—unifies humanity. Nations, once enemies, begin to work together. Political divides evaporate. We become a global team battling a common foe. That’s the prevailing attitude. Let’s work for the common good. Walking out of the theater I bask in a warming glow. … Continue reading Collapse
Read Less, Know Less
I was a newshound. Everyone was. As a young adult living in Washington, DC, news was hard to avoid. This was the early nineties, the rise of Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich. Articles about politics were hot. I lived on Capitol Hill. That’s what they call the neighborhood that extends east of the Washington Capitol, … Continue reading Read Less, Know Less
A thousand people in the street
A thousand people in the street Singing songs and carrying signs Mostly say, hooray for our side This lyric (from For What It's Worth by Stephen Stills of the Buffalo Springfield) is over fifty years old. But it could have been written yesterday… literally, yesterday. Gettysburg, like much of the United States, had a Women’s … Continue reading A thousand people in the street
Resolve (a.k.a. shithole)
There was a time not so long ago when appalled by something Donald Trump said I’d attack my laptop spewing venom at the internet and cleanse myself and the rest of the world with the flames of my desire to negate his foul commentary with decency and righteousness. After staking out moral high-ground I held my head high smug … Continue reading Resolve (a.k.a. shithole)
A (Name) Poem
Jeanie Jordon was my girl. My squeeze. My better half. At least for a few weeks. To the best of my knowledge, we never held hands, and we certainly never kissed. We were thirteen. For several consecutive years, I went to a music and arts camp an hour away from home. Two-weeks spent sleeping in … Continue reading A (Name) Poem
Flashback Friday: That’s a thing, right?
I was thinking about racial justice the other day. That's not weird, I work for a non-profit whose mission includes eliminating racism. I started thinking about Radicalized Patriots, an essay I published when my blog was new. I thought it was pretty good, but only a handful of people ever read it. It's still timely with … Continue reading Flashback Friday: That’s a thing, right?
The cost of doing nothing
Today’s headlines: President Trump released an executive order to dismantle the environmental regulations put in place by the Obama administration. Trump wants to put his focus on the economy. Know what? He’s probably right. We’re going to need the money. Global heating is a train barreling into the station; a skydiver plummeting to the ground; … Continue reading The cost of doing nothing
Day of Patriotism
As the world of reality TV crashes headlong into a dystopian future, President Trump calls for a Day of Patriotism. I’ve always thought that Independence Day, the good ol’ Fourth of July, was our long-standing day of patriotism, but apparently, it’s not enough. The motto of our future holiday? Love it or leave it! The … Continue reading Day of Patriotism
The Other Stuff 