The main message I want to get across is for people to stop blaming, stop complaining, look inward, and plan for action.  This message should seep backwards in time to even before the Primaries, no matter who you wanted (or didn’t want) to win.  It’s not a negative message, but a positive, proactive one.

Democracy is a hands-on experience for it to work for 99% of us. It’s not just voting (although pathetically few of us take the time to vote).  If you are angry or upset that your candidate didn’t win, then next time it’s up to you to take action, to HELP.  Volunteer with your preferred campaign to do what you can, what you have time to do. Make calls, print flyers, knock on doors, write weekly blogs — there is so MUCH you can do that doesn’t take much time.  If you do have time, then do more.

If you still aren’t happy, then run for a local office yourself. It’s really not hard to do!  Like anything else, as long as you’re willing to put in the work, you will succeed.  If you can’t make the change, then be the change.  But if you’re not willing to volunteer or run, then your complaints are hollow.

I have hundreds — maybe thousands — of friends, both online and in 3D life, and I only know of two who are actually participating in democracy in this way.  One is a young man, my friend’s son, in his 20’s, who believed so passionately in Bernie Sanders that he volunteered in his campaign, talking to people, steadfastly making the case for Sanders, and became a delegate at the Convention.  He has a job and a life but found this to be important enough to find a way to get it done.  And he made a difference, along with the many other people who actively volunteered.  Bernie Sanders (and his movement) would not have even gotten off the ground without him and thousands of other people like him.

The other person is a man I’ve known for over 25 years, a man who was born during World War 2.  Instead of spending this year enjoying his retirement, sailing on boats and playing with animals, he made the decision to travel to another state to work on Hillary Clinton’s campaign.  He volunteered his time and energy to knock on strangers’ doors and make phone call after phone call to plead her case.  He ignored his achy bones and cheerfully got up every morning to actively participate in the democracy he has enjoyed all his life, even when that meant people slamming doors in his face and hanging up on him.  And he made a difference, along with the many thousands of others who gave of themselves to do what he believes in.

This isn’t about Bernie Sanders, or Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump.  It’s about America.

This is OUR Democracy.  If we don’t fight for it with every election, with every generation that passes, then we will surely lose it to corporations and demagogues.  It’s not handed to us; we must work to preserve it and make it better, a more perfect union, every moment we can.

President Obama said, “Don’t boo, vote!”  And I say, “Don’t hate, participate!”

It won’t happen unless we all work to make it so.

by Heidi – 03/30/12

This is a response to a blog written by my online friend Judy Judy.*  I was preparing a comment when I realized that it would be too long (but hopefully not too boring) for most people, and I’m sure for the comment area on Patch.  And while I’ve been to and through Alameda several times, I still feel like a bit of an outsider when I post anything there, so this will have to do.

Judy’s blog — for those who don’t feel like clicking the link — this Friday is called “To Facebook or Not to Facebook,” and is about the mixture of dread and doubt involved with Facebook (and other social media, of course) for a child who is about to turn 13, which is the age FB prompts as a minimum age for its use, and the age Judy told her child would be that of Facebook Consent.

❧     “When I was in middle school and beyond, my friends and I didn’t have the opportunity to cyberbully or to post hurtful things about other people on the Internet for the world to see. We just talked behind each other’s backs in small groups. And then denied it. Like God intended.”

— Judy Judy

Technically I have seven kids (à la the Brady Bunch), but for purposes of this comment I have 2 sons who were living with me when the internet appeared.  I myself grew up with computers, so they were always around for work and games, but this new series of tubes idea fundamentally changed the rules in our house.  For my boys, who were about 10 and 12 at the time and who were already professional gamers, it didn’t seem a big deal.  There was no Facebook yet, no Twitter or anything like that, and only really rich people had cell phones, but I was already concerned about my kids talking to strangers and being seduced by sickos.  The rule for the pre-internet computer was pretty loose; games of any kind were limited to an hour a day after homework was done, and for anything else computer-related there were no rules.  They didn’t use it for much else, so there wasn’t an issue.  But when we hooked up to the internet, I installed so many child-protection software programs that it was practically unusable for anyone.

We eventually came up with the rule that they couldn’t use the internet unless a parent was in the room (we had only 1 family computer back then), and their time was limited.  They grew into teenhood as the ‘net expanded, and I repeatedly reminded them that some cute blonde teen girl they might talk to online was most likely a sinister, perverted, 45-year-old man.  I kept them focused on their 3-D friends instead of trying an electronic meet-and-greet.  I created web pages on one of the free sites for each of them to play with (this included my 5 stepdaughters as well), and I always had their passwords.  There were really no issues.  They were legal adults by the time MySpace and Facebook took off, and they flew the nest carrying the wisdom of their parents to either follow or throw away.

Cell phones, as I said, were still expensive back then, and few teens we knew had them.  If they wanted a cell phone, I told them they could certainly have one once they had a job with which to pay for one.  This was how we handled many things, by the way — including cars and other bells and whistles life had to offer.  If they wanted special offers or more internet time, they were welcome to it once they could either pay for it or contribute to its cost.  Do well in school, get a job, be responsible enough to pay for it yourself, and we’ll help you where we can.  This really seemed to work well.  After all, we pay the bills, not them.  We’re the parents, they’re the children, and this means we should act like parents, not friends or financiers.  I would always have their passwords and they would have to follow our rules, because I could handle them hating me for invading their privacy, but I couldn’t cope with life if I didn’t snoop and they ended up raped or dead from someone they met online.

I’m proud of how well my kids handled this new world, and how responsible they are now.  I’m also happy that I was a teen mom, so that my kids were mostly grown by the time I had to deal with anything like this newfangled social technology.  If I had young kids now, or tweens, or young teens, I would be a real basket case, and so would my kids, since I would probably have to keep them locked in the basement until the age of 18.  I have a lot of respect for parents who can work their way through these dilemmas, and never forget that THEY are the parents, THEY are the ones responsible for their kids’ safety and well-being, not the other way around.

Good luck out there!

___________________________________

* Most of my internet friends are also my 3-D friends, with just a few exceptions.  Judy is a Facebook friend of a high school friend of mine, and as such, Facebook allowed me to see her comments from time to time.  Every time I’d read what she wrote, I got a case of the giggles, so I sent her a friend request, and I haven’t regretted it since.  I highly recommend her Friday Blogs on alameda.patch.com (oh, click the link, for chrissakes!!).  Good reading, good entertainment, and if it doesn’t at least make you think, it’ll make you laugh.  And that’s a good thing.

I want to give kudos to CNN’s Candy Crowley for shifting the discussion of the Tucson shooting tragedy to where it belongs: mental illness.  State of the Union with Candy Crowley was the only major Sunday program (so far as I could find) that dedicated the whole show to the real cause of the shooting last week in Arizona.  Other Sunday programs touched on the subject at times, but none of the others gave this issue the attention it desperately needs.

Part of the problem is that mental illness is so difficult to diagnose; someone’s depression might be a symptom of bipolar disorder or it may be a common symptom of life in general.  It’s even harder to tell with adolescents, a time when symptoms can first appear.  But how are we to determine if a teenager is just ridden with social angst and behaving the way teens do, or if their behavior is an early warning sign of schizophrenia or some other pathological disorder?

Another problem is the horrific lack of understanding about mental diseases, and consequently there is misinformation and social stigma attached.  Most people have a better understanding of diabetes or heart disease than they do of brain illnesses; when someone is acting strangely or inappropriately, it’s natural to think that person is making a choice to behave in that manner.  The difficulty comes with discerning if that individual really is making those choices or if there is something biological that is causing those actions without the individual knowing what they are doing is wrong or inappropriate.

If a person is diagnosed and/or treated for a mental illness, correct or not, there is a stigma attached that will give them lifelong problems being socially accepted, finding a job, having relationships, getting into the military, or do much of anything without being suspected of “snapping” at any time.  In fact, a majority of those with mental illness are NOT violent, but the few who are violent get the most attention, which just feeds the stigma.

The final problem I will mention here (though certainly there are more that must be touched upon) is America’s inadequate health system — of which mental illness is a tremendous part.  The physical health of a society is important to its growth and success, and the mental health of individuals within that society can have a larger impact over a wider area (as we’ve seen in Tucson and elsewhere) if it is ignored.

It is vitally important that Americans are taught the truth about mental disorders, that the associated stigma is banished, and that our health system makes these mental diseases just as much of a priority as other physical maladies (heart disease, cancers, diabetes, etc.).  If you have read this, please take time to learn and understand these mental diseases so we can be on the road to a stronger country.

Recommended reading:

“What if he were your kid?” by Joshua Coleman

National Alliance on Mental Illness – Description of Illnesses

Public Education Program – Mental Health America

Princess Di, 1987

November 16, 2010

The year was 1981, late July.  I was a young 13 year-old girl, utterly enchanted by the images of a Royal Wedding in the Faraway Land of England. Diana, Princess of Wales, was absolutely beautiful and the fulfillment of my imagination’s likeness of how a real Princess must look.

From the time I learned to read (my first readable word, at age 2, was “if”) I pored through books and fairy tales, from Dickens to Grimm to H.C. Anderson and beyond, as well as movies and fantasy stories on television about amazing kingdoms and royal adventures. To me, at 13, the Wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral was no less a fairy tale than all I’d known to that point.

Like millions of others around the world, I grew up watching Princess Di, feeling joy with the arrival of each of her sons, feeling sadness with the eventual breakup of her marriage, and inspired by her parenting as well as her charity endeavors. And, of course, I was devastated by her death, which my husband and I heard about on the radio as we were driving home from our honeymoon.

I’m not much of a celebrity-watcher; in fact, I regard that kind of obsession as more than shallow. But I admit guilt (and hypocrisy, if it fits) when it comes to England’s Royal Family. As an American I am not privy to the daily goings-on other than what’s shown on the nightly news here — I’m not so obsessed that I keep surveillance on the internet — but I do have an emotional attachment that demanded exploring.

I had two boys at almost the same age that the Princess did; my first marriage ended badly; I mean, this was a lady I could relate to, as could so many other women around the world. I’m not a citizen of the U.K., yet I feel a kinship, a connection, through those lives on the other bank of the Pond.

Now young William is getting married, and I confess I had tears in my eyes when I saw that he had given his betrothed his own mother’s ring to seal their engagement. The couple made it clear that the future “Catherine, Princess of Wales” is not Princess Di, but my excitement with their impending wedding is just as strong as it was when I witnessed my first one nearly 30 years earlier. I’m looking forward to the new Fairy Tale, complete with a beautiful Princess.

Because of this family I’ve grown up with, I feel like an honorary Brit. Thank you, England!

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Please leave comments and share your stories, good or bad, and your experiences with this product and/or the company itself.

When I got on the computer this evening to check email, I discovered a Google search, and it actually came up with 2 results — and an alternate (“Did you mean…”)!!!  Since FluffyBoy the Cat, the four kittens (who need homes), and three dogs were the only ones home today, it had to be one of them; my bet is on either FluffyBoy or Remy (daughter Lauren’s chihuahua).

Here’s what I saw when I went on the computer tonight:
*click on the image for full size view*

Cat (or dog) Google Search Results

Who knew my pets were so techie??

The State, a South Carolina newspaper who first broke the story of the missing Governor’s true whereabouts, has posted the following emails between Governor Sanford and his mistress, Maria.  I had to give some thought about even reading them, let alone posting them, as these must certainly tear at the heart of his wife, Jenny Sanford, who was once a very successful investment banker and later became her husband’s campaign manager for both congress and his governorship, and stood solidly by his side as he gained in his political career — even as he was being considered as John McCain’s running-mate, even as he entered into this extramarital relationship.

I decided (as many did) that the story of import here is that this man, the most powerful person in the state of South Carolina, had the temerity to go missing, not even telling his staff where he went.  This is utterly irresponsible for any governor, regardless of politics and policies, and he has shown that he cannot be trusted to tell the truth even to his close staff.  I realize that politicians routinely lie and have to maintain a certain level of political privacy in order to play the politics game, but these are not the actions that any citizen should expect out of any leader.

The fact that he was having an affair, while despicable, is truly between him and his wife.  Men and women in politics quite often have flings, and while I am personally revulsed by this, it does not necessarily affect the effectiveness of a leader.  The actions by the person are what matters, and the fact that Governor Sanford lied to his staff and then disappeared from sight for a week so that he could get his rocks off shows that this man cannot be trusted in the future to tell the truth and to not disappear to fulfill and hide his own selfish needs.

His affair has become political fodder because his actions expose his nature, which is to hide his embarrassing decisions at the detriment of those he serves.

Here now are his emails.  It’s sad to see that he lost the struggle to do what is right, and that he tore up his own family for his own libido.  My heart goes out to Jenny Sanford and her sons, and I hope that she can work through this horribly difficult time.

Exclusive: Read e-mails between Sanford, woman

Sanford-Maria e-mails shed light on governor’s affair

posted by The State newspaper, from TheState.com

———————————————-

From: Mark Sanford

To: Maria

Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 03:09:44 +0000

Dearest,

You are glorious and I hope you really understand that. You do not need a therapist to help you figure your place in the world. You are special and unique and fabulous in a whole host of ways that are worth a much longer conversation. To be continued …

Have been having a few email problems as I am getting email through an aircard at the farm, where access to computer world is more than tough. Please let me know if you have gotten my last two eamils (sic) so I know it is working in getting to your part of the world …

Another glorious day outside. Hope you are doing well, and am anxious to hear about your week. Know that I miss you. Unbeleivably (sic) hard to imagine it has been a week. Please also send your mailing address as I want to send you an insignificant something next week when I am back in civilization that I think you might find interesting given our conversation.

Want to write an indepth note with some thoughts on our visit when I know you are getting these emails. Hugs and much love. M

———————————————-

From: Maria

Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 4:26 PM

To: Mark Sanford

Subject: RE:

My beloved, (hope you also change the dearest …)

I’am (sic) reading your last two mails sitting outside with a great seaview here in Ilhabela, a beautiful island near Sao Paulo. Have been thinking of you while watching the beautiful blue sea (a) great part of my day and remembering with a great smile on my face, the time we had spent together. As I told you before, you brought happiness and love to my life and (I) will take you forever in my heart. I wasn’t aware till we met last week, the strong feelings I had for you, and believe me, I haven’t felt this since I was in my teen ages, when afterwards I got married. I do love you, I can feel it in my heart, and although I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to meet again this has been the best that has happened to me in a long time You made me realized (sic) how you feel when you realy (sic) love somebody and how much you want to be beside the beloved. Last Friday I would had stayed embrassing (sic) and kissing you forever.

Don’t know why you think you bore me with the description of your farm. I am an urban girl but that doesn’t inhibit me from loving other things, specially if they are the ones you love. I was able to imagine the place with every single detail you wrote and had trassmitted (sic) me the love you have for your farm. It sounds to be a great and peaceful place and loved you had shared it with me.

Thanks for your beautiful words, I don’t know if I do need or not therapy but I have to find my new place in this new stage of my life. Life has been very generous with me and I want to return at least a little bit of what I have been given. I have time and think helping others who haven’t been as lucky as me will do me fine.

My address is (deleted by The State). It will be great finding at home once I am back, whatever you send me, I’ll keep it near my bed so as to feel you nearer.

Miss you so much… love you from the deepest of my heart. Sweet kisses.

———————————————-

From:

To:

Subject: RE:

Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 01:42:46 -0400

Beloved back to you…

Got back an hour ago to civilization and am now in Columbia after what was for me a glorious break from reality down at the farm. No phones ringing and tangible evidence of a day’s labors. Though I have started every day by 6 this morning woke at 4:30, I guess since my body knew it was the last day, and I went out and ran the excavator with lights until the sun came up. To me, and I suspect no one else on earth, there is something wonderful about listening to country music playing in the cab, air conditioner running, the hum of a huge diesel engine in the background, the tranquility that comes with being in a virtual wilderness of trees and marsh, the day breaking and vibrant pink coming alive in the morning clouds — and getting to build something with each scoop of dirt. It is admittedly weird but one of my more favorite ways of escaping the norms, constant phone calls and formalities that go with the office — and it probably fits with my weakness in doing rather than being — though you opened up a new chapter last week wherein I was happy and content just being. Last point worth further discussion. Afternoon projects had me outside and by days (sic) end I pretty much looked like a homeless person … but in this case a very content one. Enough about my love of heavy equipment and woods at sunrise …

While I was getting exhausted with one project after another at Coosaw work week, you were basking (I’m certain gloriously) on the beach..

Sounds great, hope to hear more about what sounds a great spot.

Will now finally get some sleep and write you a longer note with a few more profound thoughts tomorrow or Wednesday. In the meantime I send my love and hope you know I am thinking of you.. M

P.S. I do not want to raise expectations, when I say I will send something insignificant I promise I will do as I say! It wont (sic) be worthy of bedside placement … was just going to find the movie the Holiday as we had spoken of it last Thursday. Its music was pleasant and made me think of you — its mood and the notion of a holiday (wrapped up in our case over two days) certainly fit as well … (though our visit in some ways for me was as well less of a holiday than it was uncovering and realization of some things and feelings that again are worth longer conversation)

Had also hoped to find the cd of a song that played as I was flying home and also20made (sic) me think of you. Who knows if I can find the music … so all you may be stuck with is a long released movie — and if you put it by your bed I really be worried! Love you, good night and kisses back to you …

———————————————-

From: Maria

Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 8:14 PM

To: Mark Sanford

Subject: RE:

My love,

I decided to rent a car and went by myself to the other side of the Island where it is located one of the best hotels. It’s name is DPNY Hotel and I find it quite interesting. I had lunch there in a restaurant on the beach with great seaview. I sat under a palm and ate a mixed green salad with grilled abacaxi (pineapple) and honey. in the afternoon I sunbathe and read on the beach. I ve started here “The age of turbulence” from Alan Greenspan which I highly recomend (sic) you. At five I left back to the small town had a coffee with pao de queijo (cheese bread which is something tipycal (sic) from Brazl (sic) and it’s delicious) read some magazines, walked around and finally back to meu Pousada that is hotel.

In the Island is taking place the sailing week and Rolex competition and this was the reason for choosing the place and also why luckily I am most of the time by my own. It may sound bad but it’s how I feel it. As I told you I shouldn’t have done this trip but I would have felt worst if I wouldn’t have come because it was too over the date, he is a very nice guy, great heart … but unfortunately I am not in love with him … You are my love … something hard to believe even for myself as it’s also a kind of impossible love, not only because of distance but situation.

Sometimes you don’t choose things, they just happen … I can’t redirect my feelings and I am very happy with mine towards you. Hope you have had a good day, guess with much work.

Send you all my love and goodnight kisses. Sweet dreams from down south. I’ll dream with you.

———————————————-

From: Mark Sanford

To: Maria

Subject: RE:

Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:24:54 -0400

Sweetest,

It was indeed a long day. I am most jealous of your salad under the palm tree.

Three thoughts in one note now that I have a moment. One the travel schedule is about to get real busy (and this distresses me for the way it may well make it more difficult to get your notes over the next few weeks), two unfortunately all the feelings you describe are mutual, and three where do we go from here?

One, tomorrow leave at 5 am for New York and meetings. Will think about you on its streets and wish I was going to be there later in the month when you are there. Tomorrow night back to Philadelphia for the start of the National Governor’s Conference through the weekend. Back to Columbia for Tuesday and then on Wednesday, as I think I had told you, taking the family to China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Thailand and then back through Hong Kong on world wind tour. Few days home then to Bahamas for 5 days on a friends boat for the last break of the summer. The following weekend have been asked to spend it out in Aspen, Colorado with McCain — which has kicked up the whole VP talk all over again in the press back home.

Two, mutual feelings. I have been specializing in staying focused on decisions and actions of the head for a long time now — and you have my heart. You have oh so many attributes that pulls it in this direction. Do you really comprehend how beautiful your smile is? Have you been told lately how warm your eyes are and how they softly glow with the special nature of your soul. I remember Jenny, or someone close to me, once commenting that while my mom was pleasant and warm it was sad she had never accomplished anything of significance. I replied that they were wrong because she had the ultimate of all gifts — and that was the ability to love unconditionally. The rarest of all commodities in this world is love. It is that thing that we all yearn for at some level — to be simply loved unconditionally for nothing more than who we are — not what we can get, give or become. There are but 50 governors in my country and outside of the top spot, this is as high as you can go in the area I have invested the last 15 years of my life — my getting here came as no small measure because I had that foundation of love and support so critical to getting up in the morning and feeling you could give and risk because you already had a full tank of love in the emotional bank account. Since our first meeting there in a wind swept somewhat open air dance spot in Punta del Este, I felt that you had that same rare attribute. Above all else I love that inner beauty about you. That gift of yours is going to make a tremendous difference in (The State deleted sons’ names) life — and in anyone’s life who is blest to be touched by yours — you need to rest very comfortably in that fact. As I mentioned in our last visit, while I did not need love fifteen years ago — as the battle scars of life and aging and politics have worn on this has become a real need of mine. You have a particular grace and calm that I adore. You have a level of sophistication that is so fitting with your beauty. I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificently gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curves of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of night’s light — but hey, that would be going into the sexual details we spoke of at the steakhouse at dinner — and unlike you I would never do that!

Three and finally, while all the things above are all too true — at the same time we are in a hopelessly — or as you put it impossible — or how about combine and simply say hopelessly impossible situation of love. How in the world this lightening [sic] strike snuck up on us I am still not quite sure. As I have said to you before I certainly had a special feeling about you from the first time we met, but these feelings were contained and I genuinely enjoyed our special friendship and the comparing of all too many personal notes (and yes this is true even if you did occasionally tantalize me with sexual details over the years!) — but it was all safe. Where we are is not. I have thought about it and in some ways feel I let you down in letting these complications come into a friendship that I hope will last till death. In all my life I have lived by a code of honor and at a variety of levels know I have crossed lines I would have never imagined. I wish I could wish it away, but this soul-mate feel I alluded too is real and in that regard I sure don’t want to be the person complicating your life. I looked to where I often look for advice and counsel, and in I Corinthians 13 it simply says that, “ Love is patient and kind, love is not jealous or boastful, it is not arrogant or rude, Love does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice in the wrong, but rejoices in the right, Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things”. In this regard it is action that goes well beyond the emotion of today or tomorrow and in this light I want to look for ways to show love in helping you to live a better — not more complicated life. I want to help (one of Maria’s sons) with film guys that might help his career, etc. I also don’t want you walking20away (sic) from some guy (I take it the younger guy you mentioned a t dinner) because of me — and what we both have to see as an impossible situation. I better stop now least this really sound like the Thornbirds — wherein I was always upset with Richard Chamberlain for not dropping his ambitions and running into Maggie’s arms. The bottom line is two fold, my heart wants me to get on a plane tonight and to be in your loving arms — my head is saying how do we put the Genie back in the bottle because I sure don’t want to be encumbering you, or your options or your life. Put differently, given I love you, I don’t want to be part of the reason you are having less than an ideal week in what sounds like a cool spot.

Lastly I also suspect I feel a little vulnerable because this is ground I have never certainly never covered before — so if you have pearls of wisdom on how we figure all this out please let me know … In the meantime please sleep soundly knowing that despite the best efforts of my head my heart cries out for you, your voice, your body, the touch of your lips, the touch of your finger tips and an even deeper connection to your soul. I love you … sleep tight. M

PS. I will make it a point in NY tomorrow to drop by a store and get that movie I promised to send your way … I am encouraged to know you will not keep it beside the bed least we have tangible evidence of two pathetic figures missing each other far too much to live a few thousand miles apart!

———————————————-

From: Maria

To: Mark Sanford

Subject: RE:

Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:22:29 +0000

You have not brought complication or are not bringing complication to my life, on the contrary you’ve fullfiled (sic) me with happiness and made me aware how you can feel when you love somebody. I can think with my head but only feel with my heart so I can’t avoid it even knowing is hopelessly impossible. The guy is the one I told you ,just three years younger than me, but I am not in love and won’t fall in love with time so I have to continue my way … be alone for some time and if I am lucky enough will someday feel towards somebody, what I today feel for you. At least you made me realized it can happen.

I don’t know if I did understood (sic) well about what was unsafe or not safe. Before our mails use to have other contents … if you want to go back to that and don’t write love things and so on because is not safe for you it’s ok with me, i (sic) love you and by no way would do something that can harm you, so please let me know.

I don’t know how we figure all this out and I am not interested in knowing. I prefer to think we’ll see each other again somewhere sometime in this life and in next. Will be missing you till then… . .

Have a great trip with the ones you love … they are the kind of trips you will never forget and for your boys will be unworthable (sic) not only because of the places they will visit but for sharing all that time with you.

Send you millions of kisses that will last till we get in touch again. best wishes from the deepest of my heart.

P.S.: I don’t want to put the genius (sic) back in the bottle because I truly believe in freedom. I never gave you sexual details but now you don’t need to imagine you can close your eyes and just remember. I’ll do the same.

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The following is a chat log from today (06/22/09) with Magic Jack online customer service after “unlimited free local & long distance” phone service was shut down for “excessive use” — so apparently it’s not really unlimited!

Since when did America become the Land of the Free, Home of the Cowards?  At what point did we decide our system of Justice was completely substandard and not to be trusted?  And why is it that our so-called elected leaders are leading the retreat into cowardice?

I’m speaking of people such as Chicago state Senator Marlin Stutzman (R), Oklahoma state Senator Randy Brogdon (R), former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) , and Lawmakers of all political parties in Oklahoma, South Carolina, Colorado, Georgia, and California, who are all protesting the idea of bringing some of the 240 people currently being detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Gitmo).

These “detainees” (not Prisoners) are people who may or may not have done anything to be imprisoned for.  As far as I know, the people being held there have not been charged with anything despite being held for years — which is why they are called detainees.  Such was the case for the recently released Mohammed El Gharani, who was held at Gitmo for more than 7 years, from the time he was a teenager in 2001, and freed just this week when it was evident that he had done nothing wrong, nothing more than attending his church when it was raided by Pakistani soldiers.

I’m sure that some of these detainees are certainly dangerous criminals who must be brought to justice, and ALL of them must be held to American standards of justice since it was the United States who are holding them because they were captured for specific reasons.  We already have over 350 terrorists in federal U.S. prisons now, and none of them have escaped.  According to data provided by Traci L. Billingsley, spokeswoman for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, federal facilities on American soil currently house 216 international terrorists and 139 domestic terrorists. Some of these miscreants have been locked up here since the early 1990s. None of them has escaped. At the most secure prisons, nobody has ever escaped, period.*

Tell me, politicians, what are you afraid of?  Why are you so worried about housing and trying these people?  Do you seriously think that they’ll get off on a “technicality,” or that they will be paroled and set free to wander around our country?  Do you really think that, in the unlikely event that a convicted terrorist does actually escape, there won’t be a mob of Salt-Of-The-Earth Americans tracking that person down before any damage can be done?  After what the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 did on 9/11, there is no way that true terrorists can feel comfortable carrying out an attack against our beloved country on our own soil … but you seem to think we’re all a bunch of pussies who can’t handle really bad guys.  Why are you being such fear-mongerers, as if we’re little kids whom you don’t trust to cross the street?

Seems to me we’ve done a pretty good job for the past 200 years or so.  Are you sure you want to start wimping out now?  If so, then you don’t represent me, or the country I love.  If you are really such a coward, then you should prepare to be fired come next election cycle.

I was listening to the news reports about Dr. George Tiller, a physician who was murdered in his Lutheran Church.   I was trying to find out what kind of doctor he was … everywhere I looked this morning, all I’ve heard/read is that he’s an “abortionist” or an “abortion doctor.”  Funny, I’ve never seen anyone go to medical school to major in abortions — in fact, I don’t think a degree in that particular specialty actually exists anywhere.

Why are these doctors called abortion doctors?  These are physicians, many of them Ob/Gyns, some general practitioners who can perform surgeries.  These are doctors who care about the health of women.  No one is “pro-abortion.”  People just have different THEORIES about when life starts, and when life is viable (which varies individually from pregnancy to pregnancy).  I am certainly not pro-abortion, but neither am I strictly anti-abortion in any situation, and I think most people in the U.S. share this view with me.

The abortion debate is not something I can morally get involved with on either side, because in my mind it is an individual circumstance, a decision that can only be made on a case-by-case basis.  I don’t think abortion should be used as a form of birth control, but neither would I favor passing sweeping laws that deny this procedure to anyone.  What I am in favor of is education, giving all possible options to people, and easy access to birth control, including in high schools and colleges.

On a religious level, while I consider myself a Christian, I believe that I am completely unqualified to pass final moral judgement on anyone.  That is up to God, not to any mortal.  It seems to me that the only extremists who can become doctor-murdering terrorists on this level are religious fanatics who have no idea what Jesus died on the cross for, or who don’t read the bible except for certain passages over and over that are taken out of context of the whole message of the bible.

Why is it that the anti-abortion extremists aren’t all over condemning Scott Reoder, the man who murdered Dr. Tiller?  After all, a life was taken, and isn’t every life precious?  Isn’t every life sacred and worth protecting, in their minds?  Are they just saying the only lives that are worth anything are that of the unborn?  One argument of extremists is that an abortion could be killing the next Beethoven.  Well, what if the doctor these people just murdered were to discover the cure for cancer if they had not been killed?  What if the work they are doing inspires the next Ghandi?  It’s not just the potential of the unborn babies people should worry about, it’s the potential of the already-born and living human beings, who can continue to contribute great things to the world even when they’re in their 80’s or 90’s or later.

Okay, I could go on, but I have to do homework — finals this week.  My trip back to college as an old lady will be in a later blog.    The message I wanted to leave here today is that the murder of this doctor should horrify everyone, and anyone who commits or plans to commit this type of act should be treated no differently from any other crazy fundamentalist terrorist who murders or plans to commit murder in the name of their religion.