The Heart of The Matter

All research and comments courtesy of Christoph Cording

This is a post that has shown up several times on my timeline from Trump supporters embittered still by the election results. (all things in parentheses are my notes added to the post based on my own research. Feel free to check the data yourselves; I strive for factual reporting, and would like to be corrected with evidence, if I am wrong)

"For all of you Biden voters, I am making this post so it will show back up as a future memory on my timeline:

• Today is 8 days after Biden electoral confirmation (1/20/21 at the time when I first saw this). Gas is currently $2.69 per gallon (US average is actually $2.386 according to AAA, so not sure where they got that number. The first time I saw this post was from a friend in Nebraska, where that average is $2.15 according to NDEE's website. The second and third times, they listed gas at $1.96 and $2.08, so not sure why they seem to be making it up when it's so easy to look up). Interest rates are 2.95 percent for a 30 year mortgage (interest rates are different depending on the lender,  location, etc., and I couldn't find any direct, averaged information on this, and the poster didn't know where the number came from, either)

• The stock market closed at 30829.40 though we have been fighting COVID for 11 months (the market was still open at the time of this original posting, and it's actually higher now according to the current DOW listings, reportedly spiking as the election and inauguration increases investor confidence, and it has risen through Covid-19 thanks to government assistance and so many stocks being tech and housing, both of which are booming in a relocation-rich, locked-down, work-from-home pandemic. They don't mention that the stock market is a metric for how the rich are doing rather than indicative of the overall economy, which is in a global recession).

• Our GDP growth for the 3rd Qtr. was 33.1 percent (33.4, according to CNBC's website, so again, not sure why they're undercutting their own message, but maybe they had a different source. They didn't cite anything, but we'll come back to this).

• We had the best economy ever until COVID and it is recovering well (objective, just as 400,000 dead Americans sacrificed on the altar of the economy just feels a bad deal to me, anyway. Claiming that Trump is responsible for the great economy ignores the trends that had started in the last three years of the previous administration, where growth was about 2.3% and continued to grow until it hovered around 2.5% in the first three years of Trump. Coming back to the 33% GDP growth point, that was a rebound after a 33% GDP drop; it was -33.4% in the 2nd Quarter, giving it no place to go but up, so it's misleading. As for how we did compared to other countries, Neil Shearing, chief economist at Capital Economics, points out what the US did worse than China and someother Asian markets).

• We have not had any new wars or conflicts in the last 4 years (the assassination of a top Iranian general has reinvigorated Iran's opposition to the US, the Russians achieved another major hack of federal servers, the 2020 summer was all but defined by BLM protests against police brutality and murder, and there was an insurrection at the Capitol eight days ago). North Korea has been under control and has not been testing any missiles (since March 2, 2020, anyway, around when COVID-19 was popping up).

• ISIS has not been heard from for over 3 years (they've claimed murders in Nigeria, Pakistan, and Chechnya this month alone. Just because the US doesn't seem to be listening doesn't mean they "have not been heard from").

• The housing market is the strongest it has been in years (really had nowhere to go but up after the 2008 recession and housing market collapse, and the current rising prices are likely to lock out new buyers in the near future).

• Homes have appreciated at an unbelievable rate and sell well (both subjective statements, both made without citing sources, both entirely dependent on location, but I suppose ostensibly true, though prices now are likely to be too high and lock out prospective buyers while rents remain high). 

• And let’s not forget that peace deals in the Middle East were signed by 4 countries—unprecedented! (Bahrain, the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt did formally recognize and normalize relations with Israel, an excellent step forward that also achieved the administration's goal of distracting from the continued failure to achieve the promised Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement)

• Unemployment sits at 6.7% in spite of COVID (it was 3.5%pre-pandemic. The "in spite of Covid" is deliberately misleading phrasing given that it doubled almost entirely because of Covid and millions are still out of work and losing their homes).

#Biden takes over on 1-20-21. Let's see how things line up in the next 4 years. (Other iterations of this post have said "Let's see how long it takes Biden to screw this up", an admittedly less bipartisan sentiment, but more honest in its directness, one must admit.)"

All research and comments courtesy of Christoph Cording

8.5.7

Danger Zone

This is not sour grapes at all, I am as critical evenly, Obama did deport more people than any present (for now, I feel that record may get broke but thus I digress) for me, this is not a win/loss. I didn't like any of the candidates honestly, it was like voting for the lesser of the evils,

How many times was Obama called Muslim or not born in America or anything related? There are those who have were guilty of that and people who stood up and made statements against that were called sympathizers or guilt by association. Again, not directed at you Paula, making a statement based on yours and not calling you wrong, simply countering.

Why are there protests? Because this elected official is doing and proposing dangerous things, more than any other. Its not just me. Or left siders, several GOP members are stating it and he didn't even follow procedures as he was supposed to. -He did not talk to the Congressional committee on immigration reform I believe, or the Judicial branch (based on stories I've read in multiple media outlets) He is a loose cannon, he is still name calling like a 4th grader (Fake Tears Schumer)

-He is the only elected leader of the US never to have held ay political office or military experience (yes, I know in this election only one but that applies to Eisenhower and Grant) and it is showing. Obama had 12 yrs public office, I believe less than 4 on the national level.

-He is going to be a representative of our countries that may disagree with him (Mexico for example) is he going to go on Twitter on call them names too? That makes me uncomfortable, Kim Jong Un? Have to be careful, he has an itchy trigger finger and nuclear capability.

-He has openly made derogatory statements against handicapped, Mexicans, degraded women beyond reproach, had lawsuits for discriminatory practices against African-Americans (DoJ from earlier on).

-He wants to build said wall without having a backup plan, well okay possibly raise export taxes on Mexico to "make them pay" despite twice being told no by Nieto

-He acts without consulting first. That's a dangerous policy. Dictators have past shown that kind of behavior, I am not calling him one. Yet. He's not on that road but some of his actions are making people make comparisons. Some exaggerated, some not.

-The ban, is not thought out well. Initially as it was written, it was to detain green card holding citizens. Courts grant stays, he says its going great. Look in the streets, these are your constituents. Whether voting for him or not, like him or not, criticizing him or not, he has to act like a leader over everyone not just the ones that agree with him. Republicans, Democrats, Right, Left, Independent, Conservative, Liberal, if they disagree with him and vocalize it, he name calls or makes slanderous statements (father killed JFK?). That is petulant.

Why protests? Besides those, how about this. The 19th Amendment, The Civil Rights Act, hell even the Boston Tea Party, came about in a large part or at least lighting the fire from "the individual right or ability of people to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue, and defend their ideas"

Now, on the hypocritical aspect, everyone is discriminatory in some way be it consciously or without even realizing it. Personally from observing and experiencing it, it comes from ignorace pre judging many based on one. Are we perfect as a people? No definitely not. No one is, but as a people it is our duty to question our leaders and their actions since like it or not, he is the College elected leader of these States of America. Yes, we all can exhibit tendencies for what we are critiquing him for but also he is the highest power in the land/world. He's held to a higher standard. And right now, he is still treating American like a reality show with Monopoly money and its going to take a toll. Not maybe, is. Sociologically, he is a social agitator. He whips people into a frenzy of properly placed buzzwords. He says what certain people want to hear. To quote John Oliver on this "We've either elected a president who doesn't mean what he says or one that did" He scares people into backing him.

He needs to learn and act more like a leader. If he has ideas, he needs to think before he acts and promises. He's already backpedalling on the ACA for one and others. There is no learning curve. This is real and he still seems he does then thinks. That is unsafe and these are not perceptions honestly.

Closing with a quote regarding protests and questioning from the articulate pen of Aaron Sorkin." I’m a citizen; this is my President. And in this country it is not only permissible to question our leaders, it’s our responsibility!” I defended my country for these rights, I spent time amongst the very people who are lumped together into one Executive Order. This scares me. This polarization, more than anytime in history, is threatening to split the nation. California is working towards ceceding (need signatures to get on 2018 ballot). What does this say?

Thank you and know that I respect your thoughts on the matter. I may disagree on some aspects but I respect as I do anyone and in the words of Evelyn Hall " I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

8.5.7

Thankful Givings - Veterans Day 2015

You can thank a soldier if:

•  you can post a message board stating your opinion
  
• you can walk down a street safely
• you can assemble together freely to state an opinion
• there are no missiles over your head
• you can (but sadly do not enough) vote for those represent your beliefs (whether you agree or not)

All of these within the bounds of law.

Whether voluntary or draft, did not matter. I signed up for school money and to travel a bit, I never thought I'd end up 10000 miles from dealing with Saddams Alarm Clock.  Despite where we came from, what we believed in We always had one thing in common; to protect the rights of the USA and its citizens. We did of our own will, we stood side by side and did what we volunteered too do. We did it our proudly and others do it proudly.

So whether are currently serving or have served at any point in it; there is not a difference. We are veterans and nothing will ever change that. Thank you to all my fellow and family veterans, Hard to say much more that everyone else is saying better.

8.5.7

Coming Home

Before the rant begins (anyone who knows me knew it was coming) I want to say thank you to all of my fellow veterans past and present. Your service wherever and whenever is appreciated

 *** Disclaimer – Some of memories may be off in some
details, numbers even dates and locations possibly. But the gist of the story and its context in the grand scheme are correct. *** 

Surprisingly, for a day this meaningful, the date has slipped my mind save that it was mid-March of 1990 and we'd been in Saudi Arabia for 7 months, in support of Operation Desert Storm. They had promised our return before Easter but we heard the same thing about Christmas, New Years and Valentines Day too so when they told us we'd be home by then, skepticism ran rampant. Its fulfillment brought a muted but happy response once we actually went wheels up and got off the plane to people speaking German. We'd escaped but were not quite home yet and I said two things.

1) I'll believe it when I see it 
b) I will do that kiss the ground thing when we land..wherever 

They didn't mention where until about an hour before. If they did,I missed in my distraction of trying to see Greenland (I didn't on that trip but later on my jaunt to Britain). At the point of any flight where they give you the seat belt/tray table lecture they said/confirmed that we'd be landing at Westover AFB in Chicopee MA and there would be a little welcome home celebration and Budweiser would have a beer tent set up. Now, quick factoid, Saudi Arabia was a dry country, so no alcohol really except one night in Qatar (not Bangkok). After that announcement, most of heard blah blah blah blah Budweiser beer tent. 7 months, missiles over your head and even hitting you etc, we felt we'd earned a drink. 

We landed, we went down the steps and I did indeed drop to my knees and kiss the beautiful, AMERICAN Massachusetts concrete. Then in uniform, we walked into the little celebration of band music, flags waving and what seemed to most of south central Massachusetts,It was a celebration worthy of return of soldiers and, in my opinion though, almost overcompensation and an attempt (as most of the war accolades seemed to be a in bit of a way) to make up for how some Vietnam vets were treated, I believe we owe them a great debt of  gratitude but I digress again. It was grand, it was welcome, I was like “wow, all this for learning to play spades and dress in chem suits 8 hours a day) Most of us walked hurriedly but thankfully towards the Budweiser tent visible at the end of the red, white and blue rainbows and I was no different. 

I got to the end of the line, the tent on the right, and I glanced down amidst the craziness and saw a gentleman in a wheelchair. He looked to be a Vietnam vet (based on slightly worn looking green jacket and certain patches. He held a small flag waving it ever so slightly and when I looked into his eyes he sat straight up to a sitting attention pose, saluted me and said “Thank You”. Yes, I heard the words above the noise somehow, and then he saluted me (I was an enlisted Sergeant, I'd never been saluted and did not think I deserved one now) I stood up straight (getting bumped by the Bud Light bum rush) and saluted him back with the best salute I think I ever had and said “No, thank you, you deserve it more than I) That 2-minute encounter and exchange stuck with me more than the free beer at the tent as well as the run of a bar and our return celebration in Vegas. This was a veteran who probably was not treated very well and may or may not have been at the time. But he saluted me for my service and me for his. Mutual respect, mutual thanks and both of us veterans. 

My moral? It doesn't matter where or when you served or what you did or anything during your military service. They/we are all veterans; active or retired, battle serving or not. Say thank you, but also realize there are vets who may not be getting recognition or help that they need. Do what you can, if anything but always recognize and respect who they are and what they did and do not blame the warriors for the war they were sent to. It’s not where, it’s that we did it. Thank you for indulging this rant.

8.5.7

Reflection of a Mosaic

There are those times that kind of nudge your brain and conscious towards realizing the value of life and the people in yours and put things into perspective a bit. Social media serves many purposes but ultimately it is about keeping in contact and sharing this about us, that are import to us, that make us laugh, make us cry, make us happy, make us sad, make us smile and make us angry. It has allowed me to keep in touch with people from every possible aspect of my life; from the places I've lived, to the places I have worked to the people I (used) to drink with, to the people I know via games and through the NCPSN (our national chronic pancreatitis support network)

But when you strip all those layers away, there is the same heart and soul within all of us. Here in this global village. But remember: These are real human beings you are talking to. They have lives, loves families and friends and mean something to someone out there. But most of all, that they are real people. And real people have real lives. Some of these people you talk to daily, some occasionally, some you only see on your birthday (or in my case sobriety date as well) but they are on your list for a reason.

This week, some of my family and friends have suffered losses and call it a medication withdrawal if you want, but it did hit me a little bit as I did show a bit of emotion. I lost a cousin after a long, hard battle with a horrible illness and one of oldest (in time known, not age) and dearest friends lost her loving father. Regardless of if I have met them once or twice or at family reunions, we seem to lose a bit of ourselves when someone we care about and love loses someone important to them. We are made up of what we have lived through, what we have survived and what we have shared. Time together is not as important as they fact that in somehow, someway they were a part of our life's mosaic and no matter the size of the piece, it is still an irreplaceable loss.

My deepest condolences go out my dear friend Heather, her mother, her brother and their whole family on the loss of their loving father and husband, William Dummer. We only met once but I remember it vividly and the quality of person that you are is reflected in your daughter, your wife, your son and the church members whose lives you touched as you dedicated your life to worshiping and sharing your love of God and his blessings and importance to the world.

And to my Barker side of the family, whom I am not as close to as I should be, the loss of my cousin Steve and his long fight with Huntington's disease, my prayers, thoughts and condolences go out to all of you as well. We may not have spent much time together, but you are family and I loved you. I have nothing but good memories and thoughts of Steve as kind-hearted, funny, loving, caring cousin, brother, son and father. Rock Chalk.

Each of you were a part of my life and in my own way I will never forget either of you for different reasons but the same sentiment. May you rest and find peace and love in embarking on your new journey. You will be missed and not forgotten.

Things like this and the permanence of my pancreatitis and other health issues, make me realize even more so that no matter what maladies and afflictions (past and present) that life has thrown at me then and now, life is precious, life is valuable and that nothing will make me believe otherwise. I am me; I love me, I know that you knock me down, but you can't keep me down and never will. I will fight on with everything I have to live best life possible and do my best to somehow, some way, make a difference in people’s lives. I want to be known and remembered as someone who is a good friend and will do anything for anyone to help and be here for you.

Today and tonight, I have told my mother once again that I love her, I will do the same with my wife, I want to make sure that all my friends know that you mean the world to me one and all.  Do me a favor, hug your family, tell them how much you love them and know that you and those who are important to you are also a part of my life's mosaic.

I've rambled on long enough; I am tearing up a bit again just writing this. I tip my cap and bow my head in your honor. Thank you for taking the time.

8.5.7

Don't Bring Me Down

“Now, a few words on looking for things. When you go looking for something specific, your chances of finding it are very bad. Because of all the things in the world, you're only looking for one of them. When you go looking for anything at all, your chance^-1”

FYI, if you haven't seen the above referenced movie, please do. It is one of only two movies that I can tolerate Ben Stiller in. But as always, I digress. On with the show..

My friend Jeff, whom I've known since we were about 7, once told me that he had a philosophy about movies. You see, I've been a cinephile since I first sat in that dark theater and watched Darth take down Obi Wan and learned how fast Han Solo did the Kessel Run. As the years went on, movies became a safe zone for me. When I was homesick living in Vegas, when I was sad over the infidelity or even lack of a significant other even when I had nowhere to live but my car, the movies were always there. They made me laugh, cry, scream at the screen, wonder why I just spent two hours watching what I did and other emotions that were a part of my life. So of course, it was my dream job to end up working in a video store and then a few years after that, I started to combine my other passion, writing and ended being a film critic for about 4-5 years.

I did this while I was living in Kansas City and since that where Jeff lives too, we did have occasion to go to the movies together. It was during our viewing of the polarizing Blair Witch Project that I noticed that there was a method to his madness when it came to his way judging films. He did not like the film, namely because it made him nauseous with all the camera work and the enigmatic ending. He said, “there was nothing positive or redeeming about it”. I explained that not all movies do and he, at least back then, had that as a deal breaker. Myself on the other hand looked for redeeming qualities in films not because it would make me decide whether I liked it or not but more I like to find reasons for someone else to like it even if no one else does. Believe me, this was difficult sometimes. Even the Big Lebowski (which the masses seem to have a problem with my not liking) and Napoleon Dynamite had at least one scene that I smirked at or recall.

The point of these first two paragraphs; there is good in most things if you look for it and in the past 4 years, with my limitations, I have been looking to find the positives in life that I may have missed before and trust me. It’s difficult. This disease sucks. It is painful, it is unpredictable, it makes no damn sense. It makes me at any time sad, angry and frustrated. It makes me want to scream or curl up in a little ball and cry or even briefly do the “why me” (even though I basically know). It’s okay to do these things; its cathartic, we should all do it once and a while. But there is a difference now from when I did this 4 years ago. I am still sick of the constant pain, the nausea, the medication etc. but now, my focus and perspective have changed.

You see the pancreatitis may not allow me to do certain things, but it cannot control or stop me from doing everything. Believe me though, this little nugget of wisdom took a bit to retain and accept but now that I have, I have spent time trying to find out what good can come of an enigmatic chronic pain illness and one day I realized that I was, as the quote above infers, looking for one thing in a sea of multitudes. Instead, I stopped looking and subsequently found what I wasn't looking for.
I've always been a compassionate, tolerant, patient person (thanks Mom). I've been that person (in retail and customer service) who “dealt” with that impossible customer/person who no one else could deal with. Why? Because I put myself in their shoes or just listened to them. But thus, as always, I digress. I was fortunate enough to become a part of an organization whose primary goals are to educate, raise awareness and help out people with this disease I have; l the non-profit organization the National Chronic Pancreatitis Support Network or NCPSN for short (check us out, like us, etc., you'll feel better that you did). You probably recognize us through our postings on our page and our fund-raising Through this awesome group of people who founded it and the subsequent people I've met because of it, I feel like I found what my, new, purpose was in life.

If I have to have and deal with this every day, and I seem to be coping with and accepting it as I progress through it, why not help people who haven't quite reached that point yet. You see for the few who don't know yet, this is permanent. It does not heal. It does not go away and, according to most of doctors (some more competent than others) it will never get better and will only get worse if you do not take care of it. These are why I am here. I am 56 days short of 4 years being diagnosed with it so I think I have gleaned a bit of knowledge on the matter and instead of being selfish and just keeping the “methods to my madness” of making it through each day, I figured I can take all of this information about what, where, why etc., do those who are not as aware as I am, do not understand as much as I do or even are not coping with it as well as I do. I have had 4 different people now, going through different levels and stages of the illness and helped them by educating and answering, to the best of my knowledge, the enigmatic, confusing and frustrating symptoms of it

Guess what Biff, you can stop me from doing a lot of things (sit for a long time, stand for a long time, walk for a long time, drink a toast on New Year’s Eve, eat certain things, not have to take pills every 3 hours, my doctors knowing me so well that they recognize my voice) but you cannot stop me from writing. You cannot stop me taking my intellect and my ability to use words along with my compassion and patience that I've learned throughout the years and turn it into something that makes me feel important, makes me feel like I have a purpose and makes me feel like I am making a difference in at least one person’s life because of the pain and crap I deal with every day. Thank you, Jeff, for forcing me to look for the good things, we may disagree on definitions of what makes a film redeemable but at least you made me start looking for them.

If you try hard enough and look deep enough, you may be able to find what your purpose is as well. If you have children, that becomes kind of obvious but even above and beyond that. It doesn’t have to be anything grandiose or large or anything and I'm not even really talking about “paying it forward. There are so many bad things in this world, leaps and bounds worse than what I have and go through daily. But somewhere, someway, somehow, if you look deep enough, you can find even a sliver of a silver lining. Sometimes we don't like how we got someplace but once we get there and realize we can make the best of it, the silver linings come into view. If life has given you a bunch of lemons, don't just make lemonade, make a lemon meringue pie to go with it. Plant a lemon tree to create more lemons to give others and help them see that we are defined not what we have, but by who we are and what our legacy may be. What will people remember about you? I want to be remembered for my intellect, my ability to use words, my ability to make people laugh but mostly, my ability to make a difference. I have found my way; I will help anyone deal with this hell to the best of my abilities. If I can bring even a little glass of lemonade to a thirsty person. 

Your limitations are only as limiting as you let them be. This illness doesn't define you, but it becomes as much a part of you as hair color and the depth of your voice. It’s not always what you have, it’s how you use what you do. If your body can't do something, use your mind, use your heart and then by not looking specifically for a way to make a difference, you will. Everybody has it in them to make a difference; the key is finding, accepting and then doing it. will feel a sense of success. Trust me because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you know I'm right.  

 1-Daryl Zero (Bill Pullman), Zero Effect, (1998), written and directed by Jake Kasdan

8.5.7

What's On Your Mind

note, this is unedited as it’s how I like to write. It may be out of order, it may be disjointed, it may be all over the place, but you know what, it’s how my mind works. Not all of life is organized, edited and grammatically correct. You want an honest look inside my head, here it is. And selfishly I will say this. I like comments, I like hearing what people thing, good or bad, I like ego-stroking, I don't think it makes me bad to be attention seeking and to want to know what people think. So with that...*

It seems like a lot of rants er entries and social media statuses revolve around the beauty of it is to connect and bring together each individual global village into one place. It brings together, well mine does at least, people from most states in the union and a few countries. And the beauty of knowing a lot of people is that you get a lot of opinions. And those opinions are not always going to agree and honestly, I'm happy about that. It is the beauty of social media, the beauty of America and the beauty of (most) of the world.

And with that, I'll light the fuse and stir the hive up a bit here because 

1) I can and 

b) I feel like it and it’s my blog and entry so there. 

Everyone who pays any kind of attention to news and such knows the topic, so I won't repeat it. As with most of my writings, I will just cut open my head and let it out. It may not be edited, it may not be politically correct, you may agree or disagree. It’s your right, please say so, I like comments. I like opinions. I like hearing what people think whether they agree with me or not. So..

I know that amongst my 893 friends I have quite an array of sociopolitical perspectives. Left, right, liberal, conservative, tea party, green part, libertarian, Unitarian, octogenarian I have them all. And contrary to what they may think when I post an opinion that differs from there’s, I don’t mind it. I love that we have a first amendment, I love that we can say what we want (to some extent) and that some will say yay and some will say nay. Agree to disagree is a phrase I like to use and is applicable more often than not in my head. But I think re: hope that the current event that most are lightly dancing around, will be one that polarizing differing perspectives at least on this one topic. I hope we all agree that despite our other differences, what this person said, did and believed in is, well, inappropriate and unforgivable. If not and you support such beliefs and the organization, feel free to exit..stage left even.

The following comes from my comments on the status and link of my dear friend Sarah Mathews and says basically, what all of the build-up and rambling above leads to, let me preface with this: I have never wished for the death of anyone, I have only celebrated the death of a few (well 2, Saddam Hussein who shot missiles at me for a couple of months and bin Laden for obvious reasons I hope). And when this happens, I will not throw a party, or toast a non-alcoholic drink even. I won't give him the power of elicit that kind of emotion. I will simply say that good riddance and move along my merry way.

I have been dead set, so to speak, on not acknowledging for the most part, his passing as it gives him one last round of what he seemed to thrive on; attention. I know you and a lot of my friends on the left and right feel the same way. I'm still torn honestly. But I think this article is this best way to get a final word on. A final shot across the bough of someone who doesn't deserve a modicum of any of the attention he gets in life or death. But this article actually succeeds in its attempt to go high road without feeding the hatred and attention machine that team on the vitriol of the masses. So I think I'll hit the share button., watch the link show on my wall, see the likes and comments and then will do my best to move forward in my life not letting his words, his presence or thoughts of his actions ever elicit another thought or action about other than my previously stated.

In closing I will say this regarding the diversity of my friends list and society in general. There is so much negativity on so many issues. Healthcare, equality in marriage, “don't take my guns”, conservatives are crazy, liberals are crazy, Tea Partiers are beyond crazy, he's wrong, she's wrong, I'm right, you're not”. Its dizzying, it’s frustrating, it’s to be expected though. We are a country of different people founded on people with different opinions. But we are called the United States so somehow, someway, we come together on some things and I hope this is one of them.

Maybe the passing can be a polarizing issue between the sides and bring differing views on equality and rights together realizing that deep down, we can at least agree on this one thing. I hope. Don’t make him martyr, don’t give him any undeserved attention, take it as an inspiration that leads you a direction but that you leave at the starting line. Move forward and don't look back at why you're headed that way.

..and as they say on Shark Tank..with that, I'm out. 

8.5.7