The news is not good. In fact, it’s terrible, especially about the rise in Covid and our inability to cope with it even though we have the tools to do so. Most of the explanations as to our dysfunction focus on the large number of unvaccinated people out there. There are many reasons for this,…

It has continued to rain here for most of the week, so much so that the large trees are beginning to come down for lack of support. The soil can only stand so much water before things start letting go. A big tree fell across the highway down by my front gate and was cut…

I must admit that until recently I had never heard of “critical race theory.” After I scampered about and found out, I was dumbfounded as to how this phrase has become an epithet for the Republican right to excoriate Democrats. CRT simply describes the history of race in the United States. Many of us, if…

I get lots of pleasure from my dogs every day. For one thing, they don’t seem interested in politics and never bring it up. Certainly they don’t see the world through an ideological prism. In contrast, however, I have some friends who view most everything through a political lens according to their preferred ideologies, be…

As if we needed more proof of how desperate and venal Republican leadership has become, the recent action by Tennessee Republicans stopping outreach to children for all vaccines certainly provided it. Lots has already been written about this, much of it expressing disbelief as to the motivation of Republicans and their fellow travelers. My friends…

Recently I received an email of a full page ad published in the News-Leader, the local newspaper for Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, Yulee and Nassau County, Florida. My friend, actually Betty’s cousin, lives on the island and keeps me up-to-date on the politics down that way. The author of the piece expresses a minority view…

As you may have noted, I’ve been AWOL for longer than usual. Potlatch was humming with guests and family for this past week starting with the 4th of July holiday. Most of all, I’ve simply gotten fed up with the state of being in America right now. It’s depressing. I’ve tried to stay away from…

Yesterday marked the six-month anniversary since the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The media was trumpeting the news most of the day along with incriminating film of the actual event as it unfolded. Republicans and Trump acolytes will, of course, complain that the media keeps things stirred up and say that we need to…

I received this timely article this morning from a friend in Canada. I found it to be most interesting and a good summary of patriotism in American history. From The Globe & Mail (Ottawa/Quebec Edition), July 3, 2021. David Shribman is an American who teaches at McGill University in Montreal. I hope you find it…

It has become de rigueur for politicians to wear American flag lapel pins to show their patriotism. For too many, their behavior and actions belie patriotism in favor of partisanship or personal gain. Patriotism is not wrapping oneself in the American flag. It is not showing off with patriotic paraphernalia and clothing. It is not…