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Jeanette  Lynch's avatar

Netanyahu is as bad for Isreal as is Trump for the US. A great democratic leader serves the people, protects the people,, cares for the peoples' needs. We must keep fighting for our freedom with our choices especially at election time.

Donald Hodgins's avatar

100 years ago.

Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>

8:09 AM (5 minutes ago)

A hundred years ago Alphonse Capone was just about to make his mark in the underworld of Chicago. Arriving in 1919 Capone was formally a member of the 5 Points gang in New York. The people of Chicago were embroiled in a time when booze was illegal because of prohibition. Politicians seem to love amendments so in 1919 a new one was adopted, the 18th made alcohol an illegal substance and in doing so it gave birth to bootlegging and Al Capone's crime syndicate. There was an element in the public domain that actually was quite fond of Capone regardless of the ruthless tactics the man used in the development of his empire. Capone gave money to many of the groups in Chicago during some really tough times, he understood how to impede the efforts of the police by making friends in the local community. The people didn't want to hinder Capone's underworld activities because they wanted the booze their government was denying them. They forgave the negative side of the man's character because they saw the 18th Amendment as something "big" government was forcing on them. There is always a group of citizens who just can't see the forest for the trees. And now comes Donald Trump. Today's MAGA crowd is made up of the great-grandchildren of Capone's social sympathizers. These new supporters of a questionable criminal see no problem in showing their adoration for a man that can lie his way in and out of just about anything. Lacking the moral fiber that might give Trump an assemblage of trust with the public he steels their money and calls the theft, "their campaign donations." Both Capone and Trump prayed upon the emotions of the public to find refuge from the law. There were several photos taken of Mr. Trump after arriving in New York for his arraignment on Tuesday, that showed a man out of his element and obviously worried. The long arm of the law is about to warp itself around a man that for his entire life has seen our laws as something he was above because he was born "Privileged." (I think I got it right this time.) To put a fine point on the issue a gag order should be handed down to control the mouth of a man that no one has ever been able to shut up. If Trump was a train, it's time for him to be derailed.

Susan Troy's avatar

Thank you for this. I have been buried in my studio all week getting ready for a show and am now catching up on events. We must fight for democracy. Looking at autocratic leaders around the globe gives me no sense of security. They seem a sorry lot indeed. I would put my money and my talents into a messy democracy as opposed to a "tidy" autocracy any day of the week. We need to do this.

Erick Reynolds's avatar

I agree that democracy is messy. Given the vast diversity of ideas, culture, ways of thinking and priorities it’s a challenge to let everyone be heard or get equal representation. Given the human vulnerabilities to tribalism, favouritism, making errors and temptations to corruption, it is proper procedure to maintain redundancies and overlapping institutional oversights. The temptation to “streamline” government or make it work “with corporate efficiency” only increases the centralization of power and the diminishing of accountable democratic governance. It takes time to build true lasting understanding and consensus. We need oversight of the people policing the people who are policing, as confusing as that might sound to some people.

marcela johnston's avatar

Do you think Netanyahu has changed over the decades?

D4N's avatar

** Alternative read if you will. A long abused, wide spread scam I've been aware of for at least a decade, now revealed better than I could articulate. If you will, see > https://www.curbed.com/2023/03/baby-landlord-parenting-investment-college.html?utm_source=pocket-newtab

GandalfGrey's avatar

Dan,

Israel does not need help from the Atheist left you represent. It will handle its own affairs. Stay down on your hobby ranch.

jennydwyer's avatar

Not done writing. The the dilemma is how do I express my love of my country with a symbol when the far right has taken our flag and it’s meaning and turned it into a symbol of far right values.

jennydwyer's avatar

Your lead photo underscores for be a huge dilemma.

Ash's avatar

Democracy is under threat, not from the populations at large, but leaders who have persuaded their followers and/or partners to undermine it in the pursuit of more power.

Regarding yet another tragic school shooting I continue to question why weapons designed by the US military to kill large numbers of enemy combatants have become, in the words of one Republican lawmaker, the much-loved “national gun of America”. I’m at a loss for words while crying buckets every time this great country allows it to happen time and time again.

Frances's avatar

? what I wrote but didn't quite finish ...

can I find it here someplace??

Greg's avatar

Can anyone tell me why tRump hasn’t been charged for his part in instigating the Jan 6 insurrection?? Congress turned over volumes of evidence with a recommendation to prosecute, what seems like months ago. Why hasn’t Justice advanced??

Maryann Musser's avatar

I could not agree with you more that democracy is under attack in big and small ways all over the globe. Especially right now in ukraine and Iraq. But definitely here in the U S as well! It certainly got worse when Trump was in office. We must fight this trend by our words our prayers and our votes. And of course speaking out whenever there is an opportunity.

Frank Stronghorse's avatar

More than one person was quoted in the press from Ukraine saying that the war was a battle between the Dark and the Light. Because we have, generally speaking, turned our backs on this particular characterization of the spiritual world, we classify events in semantics that are familiar. Therefore, we choose Democracy as a means of describing the upheavals that we are witnessing. For those of us who see the world from a higher vantage point, spiritual versus political, we tend to agree that the battles being waged today, all over the planet, represent a major movement from Dark to Light. This prophecy has been written for thousands of years. The mainstream press cannot or will not give this news the light of day because they cannot understand it sufficiently to explain it. Not a knock on the media....just a fact. Balance is being restored and a new Synergy of Naturalness is arising. The old guard is in resistance, but the cat can't be put back in the bag.

Diana Nave's avatar

A. Assault weapons need to be banned. Period. Besides shooting a person at close range would do more than kill him; Servpro would be cleaning his atomized remains from my bedroom for a very long time.

Lots of people think they have the guns to defend themselves. And for that reason, all states should require licensing and periodical training for owners to use them. Conceal/Carry should be outlawed. Period.