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A Power-Packed Speech

In his February 2025 State of the State address, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gave an eye-opening and powerful speech that still resonates today. Only problem is that what he predicted back then is happening today and in the most horrible and disgusting fashion. The terror unleashed on the streets of Minneapolis and the killing of two innocent civilians, Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and ICU Nurse Alex Pretti, who was 37 at the time, by ICE agents under the guise of the Trump administration makes for a sickening realization that something else is at work here and it is the rise of what Gov. Pritzker was talking about. It should send tremors down our spines because once that “evil” is awakened again, it is going to take tremendous force and loss of lives to put it back where it came from as history has taught us.

I wrote this piece after Governor Pritzker’s address and it speaks to the sign of the times.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker delivered his ‘State of the State’ address in Springfield Wednesday and although he spoke of many things, it was the last part that made many of us sit up and take notice. He was speaking to the heart of the matter.

Here is an excerpt:

“if you just give Donald Trump everything he wants, he’ll make an exception and spare you some of the harm….I once swallowed my pride to offer him what he values most… public praise on the Sunday news shows…..it turns out his promises were as broken as the BIPAP machines he sent us instead of ventilators.”

He went on to deliver what can only be called a punch to the gut without lifting one finger. It was eloquent, it was persuasive and it was more than powerful.

“The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame….I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country here…..The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here. They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.”

He further added:

“I just have one question. What comes next? After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorites – once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends – After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face – what comes next.

All the atrocities of human history lurk in that answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.”

Nothing more needs to be said.

RIP Renee Good and Alex Pretti

Loose Lips Sink Ships

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Update: I wrote this during Trump’s first term and nothing has changed it seems. If anything, he is shooting off “bullets” before his mind can catch up with him! The bully is front and center and he is using the office of the presidency to back him up. Talks of taking Greenland by force, talking down to the allies and single-handedly dismantling the “Old World Order” is all within his grasp and he is leaving nothing to chance. This is what I had to say back then.

The 45th President is in hot water again and this just days after the controversial firing of FBI Director, James Comey. The president alleged that the firing was due to Comey “not doing a good job,” and instead of leaving it at that, he went on to tweet a thinly veiled threat suggesting that there was a taped recording of his conversation with Comey further adding, “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press.” That threw him into the eye of the hurricane where he has been ever since.

As if that wasn’t enough to throw his presidency into a downward spiral, the president was off and running to his next debacle. This one involves allegations that he divulged classified information to Russian diplomats in the Oval Office. The Washington Post reported that Trump revealed highly classified information on the Islamic State group during his meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kialyak. Yes folks, ignorance is bliss and where the new President is concerned, it’s enough to “sink ships,” or his Presidency.

The latest morsel of “red meat” was just what the press needed to send them scrambling to get the best angle on the developing story as dreams of “impeachment” riddled through the minds of die-hard Trump haters. Not so fast people. There is such a thing as damage control and the White House has been doing just that sending in the “big guns” to take care of business. If Spicer’s “stare down the press” tactics hasn’t worked, well, maybe sending in National Security Advisor HR McMaster might just do the job. In his no-nonsense fashion, he denied that the President had revealed, “Intelligence sources or methods,” but reviewed, “a range of common threats to our two countries including threats to civil aviation.” Was that enough to calm the “storm” and bring it to a screeching halt? Guess again.

Trump’s questionable tweets and actions have put his Presidency in turmoil once again and not even all the President’s men and women can put it back together again. This latest drama is one of his own making and if he doesn’t stop shooting off tweets from the White House during the early morning hours instead of getting some sleep, this situation is only going to get worse. Perhaps, he should take a tip from the 44th President, Barack Obama, when the going gets tough, go golfing. There is no better way to let off some steam than by shooting a small ball into a round hole at the same time cussing under your breath about all the wrongs of the world that needs righting. A surefire way to keep the lid on an explosive situation and you come off looking like a winner.

One last thing, the office of the President deserves a modicum of decorum and spouting off “secrets” at the drop of a coin and shooting off tweets like a teenager is not the way to get it.

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Adolf Hitler

This unspectacular and seemingly nonchalant looking man kept the world captive for a long time. “He is widely regarded as a symbol of evil because of the crimes committed by the Nazi German regime under his leadership.” More than 11 million people were killed and the deaths were carried out in a very intentional manner. It was as if those lives lost did not matter at all. They were part of a purging process and it was all done in the name of ethnic cleansing or rather genocide. He is infamous not only for World War II and the Holocaust but also for the systematic persecution and the mass murder of Europe’s Jews.

Adolf Hitler was a slightly overweight man with piercing eyes and was evil to the core. “Hitler believed that Jews were destructive to the German ‘Aryan’ race, and did not have any place in Nazi Germany.” The Nazi idealogy is about degradation, extermination and dehumanizing certain groups of people based on their ethnicity and that is the OBJECTIVE. It is exactly why it is so dangerous.

This was and is the personification of evil. I met him, metaphorically, when as a young girl I started reading about Anne Frank and her struggles during Hitler’s reign. It was a reign of terror where families were wiped out and fear reigned supreme. Anne was a German-born Jewish girl and a victim of the Holocaust. She is one of the 1.5 million Jewish children who were murdered during the genocide. Anne became famous for keeping a diary of her experiences. She and her family went into hiding and stayed concealed at the back of a building on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdem, the Netherlands. Her writing kept me enthralled from start to finish and I lived her journey through her words. I read her story from the safe confines of my bedroom but every word transported me to where she had been and I knew that evil had a name and that it was Adolf Hitler.

What is the moral of Anne Frank?

It is “that all people have the right to live in freedom.”

Fast forward to today. We are living in a time where Nazi salutes, Nazi propaganda and Nazi rhetoric is viewed as nothing big. Those that believe in his ideology want the world to revert back to that time and place where “people” who did not belong in their concept of the “superior race” should be eradicated and or have their rights taken away.

If it will fly in a global society that is the question. We’ve come a long ways from one “evil” man controlling the narrative. We have a voice now and let’s use it to put evil in its place.

Daily writing prompt

Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?

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FREE OF RACISM DAY!

I was talking to a friend not too long ago about racism, racist attitudes, ugliness, and the scourge that it is on society as a whole and his remark went like this, “I don’t know about that. I’ve never experienced it.” He’s from Minnesota, white and proud of it.

This got me thinking. There are those who go about life thinking that just because they’ve never experienced it, racism doesn’t exist. Here’s the thing. Racism is a worldwide issue. It finds its foothold in societies and goes about its way calling it, business as usual. Then there are those who suffer because of it, their daily existence not just marked by irking a living like the rest of the folks do but with the additional burden of carrying that unnecessary load placed on their shoulders which is called racism, a heavy one that affects whole families including children as well and sometimes it makes “living” a living hell!

Does racism exist today?

“A huge number of people still don’t even believe that contemporary racism exists. Despite the mountains of empirical evidence confirming that racism is a part of almost everything, almost everywhere, almost all the time, people are still stuck in a conversation about whether or not it is even happening.”

I would like to invent a holiday and call it, FREE OF RACISM DAY!

It will be a worldwide call to arms so to speak and for this one day, global citizens will come together and boost each other up irregardless of race, religion, and or color. We will put our differences aside and celebrate as ONE people. There will be exhibitions highlighting achievements and we will celebrate each other’s uniqueness. It will be a call to stand together and to embrace each other as citizens based not on color, race or religion but as people who deserve equal treatment regardless of who or where they come from.

There is an International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which is observed annually on March 21st. It was established by the United Nations in 1966 to commemorate the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa and it is to raise awareness and to fight against racism and discrimination worldwide.

Have you heard about it? I haven’t either. So let’s get the word out and not pretend that it (racism) doesn’t exist. It is there, it is alive, it is doing well and it is spreading like wildfire in today’s society of Nazi salutes, racist satire and full blown hate and ugliness.

I say AMEN to that!

Daily writing prompt

Invent a holiday! Explain how and why everyone should celebrate.

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George Floyd

The murder of George Floyd by a police officer brought widespread protests not only back home but globally, which in turn called for police reform and accountability where police brutality and racial injustice was concerned. Its historical significance came when Derek Chauvin, the police officer responsible for the murder was convicted and sent to prison. It also put a spotlight on systemic racism and racial inequality. Before that landmark case, it was rare “that police officers in the US are charged, let alone convicted for use of lethal force.”

George Floyd, an African-American, died after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020. The video footage that went viral showed Floyd being pinned to the ground by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeling on Mr. Floyd’s neck. Bodycam footage showed Mr. Floyd saying he couldn’t breathe more than 20 times but to no avail. Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes and Floyd was heard further saying:

“You’re going to kill me, man.”

Chauvin: ” Then stop talking, stop yelling. It takes heck of a lot of oxygen to talk.”

Mr. Floyd: “Can’t believe this, man. Mom, love. Love you. Tell my kids I love them. I’m dead.”

Six minutes after that, Floyd is non-responsive and pronounced dead an hour later.

Derek Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. The verdict put the spotlight on police and their policing practices where people of color were concerned and it also showed “that police officers are not above the law.”

According to the NY Times, “despite the largest racial justice protests since the civil rights era of the 1960s and a wave of measures to improve training and hold officers more accountable, the number of people killed by the police continues to rise each year, and Black Americans still die in disproportionate numbers.”

Racism, systemic racism, police brutality and the murder of black men still continues. Hate finds a way to survive and in today’s climate of fascism on the rise, we’ll see more of the same all done in the name of progress or “hate” masquerading as justice.

Derek Chauvin is still in prison serving his concurrent federal and state sentences for the murder of George Floyd. He is projected to be released in 2037 for his federal conviction and 2035 for his state conviction.

George Floyd, however, will never see the light of day again. He is now a card-carrying member of the “killed by the police” club. The others were Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, who was 12 when he was shot by a police officer, Walter Scott, Alton Sterling and the list goes on…..

I’ve written about every one of these men and many more.

Major historical events? I would say those killings were major events, wouldn’t you?

Daily writing prompt

What major historical events do you remember?

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Cultural Heritage?

I’m not too big into cultural heritage. I consider myself a global citizen and as such I embrace all cultures and have made it a point to learn all there is to learn about other cultures.

As you know I spent a lot of my time in Asia and it was there that I learned to embrace the food culture. It was amazing! Each country had a different cuisine and I loved almost all of them. However, learning about what Asian culture entailed took broader thinking. There were things I liked and there were things I didn’t. I loved the friendliness of the people but some customs took getting used to. Especially the ghost month. Everything was based on the spirit world and much was done to welcome them back to earth! I found this to be spooky.

Tennessee is different. It takes getting used to. They have a certain way of talking but not as bad as Kentucky! I love the food, the landscape and the people. I have a love for country music and since Nashville was not too faraway, I loved being there. Tennesseans are usually kind and friendly and throw in good home cooking and it is a culture you can easily embrace.

European cultural heritage is diverse and like any other culture, it is steeped in folklore, art, food, and people. There are certain customs that take getting used to. One is that they are conservatives and breaking into the community is hard to do. However, the cultural heritage is captivating and there is much to learn here as I am finding out.

What aspects of my cultural heritage am I most proud of or interested in? Like I said, I don’t belong to just one, I am a mish-mash of different parts. Parts that I learned about from having experienced different aspects of the world and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I think I did that pretty well without disclosing too much!

Daily writing prompt

What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?

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Martin Luther King

It was this memorable line from his, “I Have A Dream,” speech that caught my attention and pushed me towards a life of going up against injustice of any kind.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

It was delivered during the March on Washington in 1963 but that speech which called for an end to segregation and discrimination will reach a young girl many years later and it would stop me in my treks as I listened to that voice, a forceful and rhythmic one which came droning out of an open window. I didn’t know what it meant at the time but I knew that it was important whatever it was.

I was far removed from a world of injustice. My world revolved around the fantasy world I had created in my safe childhood space but I would learn as I delved into books that the world was a cruel place and that even children were not “free” from the violence and injustices that segregation and discrimination brought about.

Martin Luther King was a civil rights activist but more than that he was a man of courage. It took courage to stand up against injustice and it still is. People have come a long ways from “Whites Only” places BUT there is still much to be done as we are seeing with the current administration.

“Let freedom ring,” was repeated throughout the speech and the last lines, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” concluded the speech. However, no matter how hopeful it was, discrimination as we all know is not a thing of the past. It is alive and doing well.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” MLK

He wasn’t a tall man but he came out as a giant using just his voice as a powerful tool and his stance of non-violence to get his message across. A one of a kind as far as historical figures go and therefore, my favorite historical figure.

Daily writing prompt

Who is your favorite historical figure?

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Trump Jong Un (Archives)

Update:

“We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world. And we’re going to celebrate it.”

And celebrate he did. It was a show of force, Kim Jong Un style. Tanks rolled through the streets of Washington, D.C. and the petulant president got what he wanted. The cost of $45 million didn’t matter and neither did the additional cost of sending 4,000 National Guard members and 700 U.S. marines to Los Angeles to curb protests which is said to be around $134 million and I might add his deport-them-all policy brought about. Add another $16 million to repair damages caused by the tanks rolling though the streets and you have a whopper as far as costs are concerned.

A “Wannabe Dictator” needs and wants unchecked power to do as he pleases but the millions who took to the streets yesterday not in awe of the parade but to show a united front where “kings” are concerned did a mighty fine job of putting a clamp on his power hungry grab.

It’s not enough that he has tanked the economy and has blown up the WTO system of global growth and stability. The man who loves jumping at anything he sees as a money making scheme is off and running to another debacle, one which is more to his liking.

Rumor has it that he wants a military parade for his birthday. Nothing new here, he has been hinting at it ever since he attended one in Paris for Bastille Day in 2017. If it takes place at all, it would fall on his birthday which is Saturday, June 14 and coincidentally it just so happens to be the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. It is rumored that the Trump administration is “reportedly looking to add a parade that would stretch nearly four miles, from the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River, into D.C. How about Hegseth leading the charge, bare-chested and flaunting his tattoos and wearing the Amerian flag? Patriotic enough? Let’s not forget Musk doing the Nazi salute and Trump grinning from ear to ear.

The cost of such a parade would be phenomenal but didn’t he say they’ve got 2 billion coming in each day from tariffs alone? Should be enough to cover the cost don’t you think?

Global economies are hanging in the balance and a full-blown Trade War is looming and hissing at the fringes so what’s missing? Let’s add a military parade to the mix why don’t we? One that proclaims America’s might as a superpower with a message that says, “Don’t fool with us!” Remind you of anything?

Enough said.

Three Impactful Books

I love books and as long as it had romance in it, I considered it a good read. Then I met these three and in some ways they did change my life.

The Thornbirds

I’ve written about this one before. It is a sweeping saga centered on the love between Meggie Cleary and Father Ralph de Bricassart, a priest who is torn between his love for the young Meggie and his faith. This bittersweet love affair has several themes but the most poignant is that of ambition, sacrifice and the consequences of sin. You can’t help but root for them but the relationship is doomed from the start.

The impact it had on me was incredible. Here was someone, Colleen McCullough, who wrote with such grace, beauty, expertise and had the power to take you on a journey until the very end. Her words had the power to touch something deep within and I wanted to be just like her!

Wuthering Heights

It was written by Emily Bronte and is a story that revolves around a troubled relationship between Heathcliff, who is adopted by the Earnshaw family and Catherine Earnshaw. However, Catherine marries Edgar Linton for social status which in turn drives Heathcliff to plot revenge against those who wronged him. An intriguing story of class differences and the destructive power of love. A toxic relationship that keeps you enthralled to the very end.

The impact it had on me was that “love” is a painful thing and it has many facets. I still feel that way.

The Diary of Anne Frank

This one was captivating, heart-wrenching and it chronicles man’s inhumanity to man. Anne Frank and her family hide from the Nazis in a “Secret Annex” above a shop in Amsterdam. She goes on to detail her daily life with others in the annex and of her fears and hope amid the war. However, after years in hiding, the family is captured by the Gestapo and sent to concentration camps. Her father, Otto Frank, will be the sole survivor.

The impact it had on me was mind-boggling. I lived her journey right to their capture and later cried when she along with her mother and sister died in the concentration camp. It is a powerful firsthand account of life in hiding and one young girl’s will to survive under unimaginable circumstances. It also taught me that life and people can be cruel.

Daily writing prompt

List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?

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Trump Jong Un (Archives)

Update:

Looks like it is going to take place, the parade that is. The estimated cost could be as high as $45 million. Trump says, it is, “Peanuts compared to the value of doing it.” Why?

There you have it, right out of the horse’s mouth!

It’s not enough that he has tanked the economy and blown up the WTO system of global growth and stability. The man who loves jumping at anything he sees as a money making scheme is off and running to another debacle, one which is more to his liking.

The cost of such a parade would be phenomenal but didn’t he say they’ve got 2 billion coming in each day from tariffs alone? Should be enough to cover the cost don’t you think?

Enough said.