What Trump should have done and said after the synagogue mass shooting: An ecumenical America

After eleven people died in a Pittsburgh synagogue shooting,  President Donald Trump remarked that the synagogue "should have had armed guards standing outside." The President, who canceled no campaign rallies in the wake of the horrific incident, joked about the possibility of having to cancel campaign events because of a "bad hair day," but mentioned nothing about the mass shooting in his diatribe.

Armed guards, and at a house of worship? Is the President of the United States, who leads the one nation founded on the principles of "freedom of religion," suggesting that churches and synagogues be protected by armed guards to keep people out

President Trump speaking at rally after Pittsburgh synagogue shooting

instead of inviting them in? Whatever happened to the ecumenical America envisioned by our Founding Fathers who eloquently inscribed in the Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Has our assimilation to the very principles of religious freedom denigrated to the point that our nation will crumble without armed militia at the door of every place of worship in our country? Have we not intrinsically internalized our very basic and fundamental principles as a People, as a nation of Constitutional laws aimed at protecting the rights of each and every American to worship as he or she chooses? Is the exercise of those very principles in everyday life in America so fragile that it will cease to exist without armed militia at every church, synagogue or house of worship in America?

Trump has given up on America

If that is the case, then we already have failed as a nation and the great American experiment in Democracy is but a sham. And President Trump is the one raising the white flag in surrender to the very hatred that he has helped to incite with his hateful rhetoric. If President Trump truly believed in America and the very principles upon which this nation was founded, including freedom of religion, he would not give up and say that the only way to protect religious freedom and the exercise thereof is to have armed guards in front of our churches, synagogues and places of worship.

President Trump fails to understand that a nation founded on the principles of religious freedom defends such principles intrinsically and from within. After over two-hundred and forty years of existence under a Constitution that transcends our differences and serves us in a common bond of freedom, we Americans share an interwoven allegiance to freedom, to religious worship when, where and how we see fit, and to freedom of speech and the right to assemble. We do not defend our churches and synagogues with the might of the sword, or the firing of the rifle. We uplift all who worship as they see fit with the preeminence of our Constitution.

Donald Trump obviously does not believe in such principles, nor does he believe that the Constitution is strong enough to protect America's freedoms from those who would threaten them. Trump has surrendered to the encircling fear that attacks some Americans and causes them to believe that America's greatest days are behind her. The President's divergent despair about the continuity of the American Dream has affected both his actions and his words in the wake of this terrible tragedy.

Trump should have had an ecumenical service to heal the nation 

 

Trump's response to this horrific massacre could have been so much different. Instead of going to campaign rallies and talking about "bad hair days," the President could have called for an ecumenical church service, open to people of all faiths and from all walks of life, in Pittsburgh. And there are some things that Trump, as President, could have said at that ecumenical service to help the nation "bind its wounds."

The speech that Trump should have given 

 

Here, then, are the healing words that the President could have offered to a nation in peril:

My Fellow Americans: Once again, and all too often in recent years, we find ourselves assembled in the wake of yet another horrific, senseless, and despicable, inhuman act by a sick, deranged person who desperately was in need of help. And we come collectively, from all walks of religious life and all faiths, to seek solace from our Creator. And we ask the Creator to help us understand. 

The defining mantra of the experience that we call America always has been the ability of its people to come together, to summon the grace of God, to shed a tear in a moment of sorrow while enjoining a resolve to unify and rebuild what has been torn asunder in times of great national tragedy. This is one of those times, the time to drop what divides us and come together in a common bond of what we do best: being Americans, thick and thin, brave, resolute and unwavering in our hope for tomorrow and our faith in a Divine Creator. 

And I commit to you today, as your President, that I will not give up on my resolve to find solutions to this ugly manifestation that has victimized our people, divided our nation, and threatened our hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow for all our children, grandchildren and future generations. I pledge to you that I will not rest, I will not stop my daily toil, and I will not claim victory until this manifestation has been eliminated from our streets, our buildings, our public events and our American way of life. 

The hatred that is responsible for this manifestation must be eliminated from every city, every village, every church, and every square inch of America. And we can measure our success by the sparkle in the eyes of our children, the radiance of hope in our college youth, and the patriotic resolve of all our citizens that this nation is the best nation ever conceived, ever created and forever defended. 

We have a lot of work to do, for the task before us is one that we all share. The "Fruited Plain" is ours to defend; and the fruits of our democracy come to us at a cost. Thank you ever so much to those who serve our country to keep us free. They know, better than anyone, that, as John F. Kennedy said, that "The price of freedom is not free." 

Together we will pay that price. Together we will worship, we will defend what is ours, we will uphold the principles of freedom, we will prevail and we will not ever give up. And we will humbly bow to our Creator and once again, as always, proclaim, "God bless the United States of America."

The long path to healing

That is what I believe that Donald Trump, or any President in this situation and at a time such as this, should have said. The path to healing is a long one for America. But it must begin at the top and with the President. And words such as those above are the first prescription for a nation of sorrow in a time of desperate need. 

Trump: I did not know who Putin was in 2016

After telling reporters in 2013 that he met Vladimir Putin in Moscow while attending the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant, President Donald Trump stated that he did not even know who Vladimir Putin was in 2016. At a news conference in 2016, Trump, who was a candidate for President, stated that did not know "who Putin is." Trump then stated that Putin had said "one nice thing" about him, but that he had "never met" Putin.

The 2016 Trump interview came to light on the heels of his emphatically disastrous press conference in Helsinki earlier this week in which he refused to support the results of his own intelligence agency findings that the Russians had interfered in the American Presidential election in 2016.

Trump's access to prostitutes

Vladimir Putin told reporters in Helsinki during the press conference with President Trump, that he did not even know that Trump had arrived in Moscow in 2013. Putin then admitted to reporters that he had been informed by Russian intelligence officials that "compromising material" pertaining to Donald Trump and his Moscow trip had been "collected." That compromising material had to do with prostitutes. It is alleged that Trump was offered access to no fewer than five prostitutes during his Moscow visit. However, Trump allegedly turned down the offers and stated that he does not "do things like that."

At this point, it is unclear whether 'the Donald' did or did not have encounters with prostitutes while visiting Moscow. However, it is known that Vladimir Putin was informed of rumors of Trump's involvement with the prostitutes and that Trump's activities were being closely monitored by Russian intelligence officials throughout his Moscow visit. At the very least, one can deduce that whatever Trump did or did do with prostitutes while in Moscow, that his activities raised the ire of the Russian espionage community enough to report his activities to Vladimir Putin. And that is disturbing, especially when one considers that any compromising material that the Russians gather pertaining to an American President, or future President, can have deleterious affects on America's security, safety and economic prosperity.

Trump says he didn't know who Putin was

As pressure was mounting on 'the Donald' during the 2016 Presidential campaign amid reports that he was "friendly" and "chummy" to Vladimir Putin, Trump told reporters that he did not even know who Vladimir Putin was. This was after he had claimed to have met Putin in 2013 during his Moscow visit, even though British born music promoter Rob Goldstone confirmed that Trump and Putin did not meet in 2013 because the tardiness of the King of Holland put Putin behind schedule.

Sizing up Trump's comments

Let's take a closer look at the President's statements. Let's see now, he stated that he met Putin in 2013 during his Moscow visit in a 2015 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. Trump told Hannity that he had "tremendous success" at the beauty pageant, and that he got to "meet everybody," (including Putin). Then, in 2016, amid rumors of his chumminess towards Vladimir Putin, Trump claimed that he did not even know who Putin was! And he expects us to believe that as he was running to be the leader of the Free World, that he did not know who Vladimir Putin was! Really Donald?

You can't have it both ways, Donald. The truth only goes one way. You can't burn a candle on both ends. Careful, you might burn your fingers. Try the truth next time and spare your fingers.

Save the children being held in cages in Brownsville, Texas.

As most of you probably know by now, earlier this month Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, (D), was denied access to a converted WalMart store in Brownsville, Texas that is being used as detention center for the children of refugees. The children were forcibly grabbed from their parents' arms as they attempted to attain asylum in the United States to escape horrific conditions in Central America.

Although Senator Merkley was not allowed to see the inside of the converted WalMart, he did see another facility and what he saw totally horrified him. He observed toddlers being kept in cages that he described as similar to dog kennels. He observed children from ages 0 to 17 being incarcerated in this facility.

Insidious Conditions 

The conditions that Merkley described were insidious, inhumane and horrific beyond belief! The conditions described were worse than those of the Japanese Internment Camps of the 1940's. Seemingly, the conditions described by Merkely were akin to those of the German Concentration Camps during World War II.

Conversation with Feinstein's office

I had a long conversation with Senator Dianne Feinstein's office yesterday on this issue. I was assured that Senator Feinstein is looking into this issue and that the Senator is vehemently opposed to taking children from their refugee parents and locking them in kennels. I also was told that Feinstein is working on legislation to prevent this from ever happening again; however, it is uncertain what can or will be done about these children who are being held in cages in Brownsville now.

What remains unknown

What also remains unknown is whether or not the government is keeping records on who the children's parents are, or whether or not the government ever intends to return the children to their parents! What right does the government have to grab these children from their parents and lock them in cages and treat them like animals?

Refugees, not illegal immigrants

Jeff Sessions keeps saying that the parents are "breaking the law" and this is why they are grabbing children from the parents. But these are not illegal immigrants (not that it would be right to take children away from illegal immigrants either). They are refugee parents who are tying to escape horrific conditions in Central America and to attain asylum in the United States. America always has welcomed those seeking asylum in the United States and the country was founded upon the principle of being a nation of immigrants.

Trump Administration's racism

Donald Trump, whose administration is directing this horror on immigrant children, has asked why we can't have more immigrants from Norway and other Northern European countries. Therein lies the answer to why Trump is doing this: Trump's abduction and incarceration of refugee children from Central America is racially motivated because these children are not white, blond and blue-eyed as are children from Norway. And if this is racially motivated, there is no telling what horrors may be taking place at the converted WalMart in Brownsville. And there is no telling how this thing will turn out. Most likely, it will turn out ugly if citizens like you and I don't step in and take action now.

What you can do

What can you do? You can do a lot, believe me! You can call your Member of Congress and/or your United States Senator and ask that these children be released to their parents immediately. You can demand that these detention centers be closed immediately and that subpoenas be issued so the the facilities can be inspected immediately. You can contact missionary organizations and churches and relief agencies to see if they are mobilizing an effort to assist these children and ask to be involved if they are doing so. And if they are not getting involved in this, encourage them to do so!

Finally, you can write articles like this one, or share this article with as many people and in as many places as possible. The point is to keep up people's awareness of this issue and to keep after our elected officials to do address this issue and do something about it now! These children need to be saved and you have the power to do it through your efforts. It's time to get busy!

Modesto must address its trashy streets

Disgusting as it may be, the reality is that Modesto's streets are rapidly filling with trash. And I do mean trash, major, major trash, i.e., mattresses, sofas, wooden crates, tents and other large items, just dumped in Modesto's streets! Although the trashy problem seems insurmountable, it seems that the City of Modesto just might be "onto something" that could be the key to resolving the problem .

 The City's New "GoModesto!" App

The City of Modesto has created an app on which citizens can take a picture of trash in the streets and issue a report along with information on the addresses on which the trash is found. A citizen with an iPhone can download the GoModesto! app at https://appsto.re/us/ic2qcb.i. A person with an Android phone can download the app at:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.publicstuff.modesto_ca. The app is very easy to use. It uses GPS to ascertain your address; so all that you have to do is to type a little bit of text describing that it is trash on any given street, click to take a picture, and click "Submit."

When you click "Submit," you will get a response to the effect that you have posted a new issue. A day or so later, you will receive notification that your post has been "received." A day or so later, you will receive notification that your issue is "In Progress." Finally, when the trash has been picked up, you will receive notification that the issue has been "Resolved."

As this observer sees it, the City is to be commended for creating the GoModesto! app. It is a significant first step towards resolving a problem that has been slowly getting out of hand for quite some time.

By the way, one neat feature of the app is that if you are outside the City limits and don't know it, the app will automatically notify you that the newly discovered trash pile is outside the City limits. And so you will not end up wasting your time submitting a post on trash that is outside the City limits.

How about using inmates?

As everyone knows, money is a major issue for the City of Modesto, principally because of escalating pension costs. It is expensive to use city employees to clean up all of this trash because it requires manpower and manpower is money. So why not utilize low risk, non-violent inmates from the County Jail and/or County Honor Farm to pick up the trash? The inmates could earn "time served" for the work performed on the city streets picking up trash and the City could save a lot of money. And Modesto's streets once again will be trash free and its citizens will be proud of Modesto again.

Attracting Manufacturers and businesses

It is this observer's belief that one of the reasons that Modesto is having such a hard time attracting manufacturers and big name businesses is its shabby appearance. The new courthouse will help, as will the facelift of Ninth Street around the courthouse. However, that will not be sufficient to attract manufacturers and businesses to Modesto if the streets are littered with trash.

It makes perfect sense that the trash clean up by the City through its new GoModesto! app will suffice as a springboard for greater things for Modesto. And maybe, just maybe, some major industries with J-O-B-S will like our clean city streets and locate here! We can only hope, right?

Josh Harder is a tough competitor for Congressional District 10; The drive to defeat Denham is underway.

Josh Harder, (D), candidate for California's Congressional District 10 seat, which currently is held by GOP Congressman Jeff Denham, is a well-educated young man who has dedicated his life to serving others. In addition to serving as a management consultant to the Boston Consulting Group, Josh, who originally is from Turlock, has volunteered as an organizer of small farmers in Kenya and Uganda. The objective of that program, which was run through the Gates Foundation, was to enable farmers to produce more abundant and robust crop yields. Josh, who studied at Harvard Business and Kennedy School's MBA/MPP joint doctoral program, took an unpaid leave of absence from his career to help that objective come to fruition, and it did. 

Josh's top priorities

The following are Josh's top priorities as a candidate for Congress:

Healthcare: Josh is vehemently opposed to the Trump Administration's attempt to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. As Josh sees it, every American is entitled to affordable, sufficient  and superior quality medical coverage. Nobody should be labored with premiums, shares of cost or medical expenses that they cannot afford. In addition, nobody should lose their medical care if they lose their job and/or become poor, disabled or elderly. Jeff Denham has voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and he voted for the GOP's latest tax bill that totally eradicates the main tenets of the Affordable Care Act. When Josh is elected to Congress, he will fight to save the Affordable Care Act and to protect all the citizens of CD 10 that it covers.  He also will work hard to protect Medicare and to keep America's promise to take care of the medical needs of the elderly. And nobody will be left hanging without adequate medical care.

Medicaid: Unlike Denham, Josh does not support depleting medical care for the medically indigent. Josh realizes that such individuals deserve adequate medical care as do all Americans. LIke John F. Kennedy, Josh Harder realizes that the cost to any society that does not help the poor and indigent is greater than is the cost of helping them. Denham's vote stuffs the pockets of the rich who are paying for his re-election campaign.

The Dreamers and Immigration: Josh supports the Dreamers and their goal of becoming self-sufficient citizens and participants in the American Dream. He totally rejects Trump's efforts to deport the Dreamers, or to deny immigrants entry to the United States. Josh will not say "No" tens of thousands on Dreamers and undocumented immigrants in California. He realizes that the United States is a nation of immigrants and that it was the immigrants who made our country great. Unlike Denham, Josh sees Dreamers and immigrants as an intrinsically valuable resource to our country.

Jobs: Josh is aware of the fact that the Valley must attract major employers who pay well and provide good medical, dental and vision coverage for their employees. Josh will work hard with local city councils to attract major employers to CD 10. He also will work with job developers and with programs designed to train and mobilize manpower. Josh believes in the citizens of CD 10 and 15 to 20 percent unemployment is not acceptable to him. He will work hard so that you always work! 

100% Renewable energy: Josh fully supports The Sanders-Merkley Bill that calls for 100% renewable energy by the year 2050. Unlike Denham, Josh acknowledges the profuse existence of Global Warming and the dangers that it presents. In response to such awareness, Josh is one sensational advocate for the environment. His advocacy for the Sanders-Merkley Bill is a very positive outgrowth of this advocacy.

In conclusion….

In conclusion, it is this observer's very strong recommendation that the civic-minded, honest and hard-working citizens of California's CD 10 vote for and support Josh Harder. Let's send Jeff
Denham home and send the best qualified Congressional candidate in the entire region Josh Harder, to Washington, D.C. to protect all of us from the wanton greed of a few self-serving rich people.

Josh Harder for CD 10! A true winner for real people!!!





  

Honolulu medical marijuana users have 30 days to turn in their guns amid safety concerns

Citizens of  Honolulu, Hawaii who have medical marijuana permits have 30 days to turn in their weapons. The Honolulu law is an outgrowth from a 2016 ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. In that ruling, the Court stated that it is not an infringement on a person's Second Amendment rights for them to be prohibited from purchasing guns so long as they are taking prescribed medical marijuana.

Safety concerns

The Honolulu law is being fueled by safety concerns. As medical professionals see it, the consumption of marijuana affects people's judgment and "mental status," and can lead to "irrational or unpredictable behavior." The concern is that such users are not responsible when using firearms and that the results may very well be deadly. After the City of Honolulu implemented the "no gun" law for medical marijuana users, the law was challenged by advocates for the Second Amendment. It was then that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals made the aforementioned ruling.

Letter to medical marijuana users

The Honolulu Star Advertiser disclosed that on November 13, a letter was sent out to all registered users of medical marijuana. That letter emphatically stated: “Your medical marijuana use disqualifies you from ownership of firearms and ammunition." The letter was signed by the Chief of Police, Susan Ballard.

Federal law supersedes state laws

Even though medical marijuana is allowed under Hawaii law, it still is illegal under federal law. Mindful of that, the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agency), wrote an open letter to all holders of firearms licenses in the United States, stating: "Any person who uses or is addicted to marijuana, is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms of ammunition." Federal law supersedes state law. As the City of Honolulu sees it, the 2011 letter from the ATF,  plus the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' November 13 ruling, both justify its firearms bans for those who are registered marijuana users.

Ramifications for other states and cities

It is unknown at this time if the ATF will be enforcing federal laws on marijuana usage in other states and cities nationwide. Most likely, the implementation of federal law in Honolulu will suffice as a test case for the rest of the nation. And the ATF, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and politicians, including city mayors, all will be watching.

Modesto City Council members should not get an extra year; We voted for four years, not five years.

The Modesto City Council voted on Tuesday, 4 to 3, to extend their terms one more year to comply with the California Voters Participation Rights Act. Under that act, the City of Modesto is required to conduct its elections on even numbered years instead of odd numbered years. The objective of the act was to increase voter participation, which has been measurably low in recent years during Modesto's odd numbered elections. As a rule, participation by voters is much higher in even numbered years because those are the years that we elect the President, the Governor and members of Congress and U.S. Senate.

Deadline in 2018

The City of Modesto has until January 1, 2018 to submit its plan for complying to the Voters Rights Act. The vote taken by the Council on Tuesday is not final. The Council has to take another vote on the matter in December, and the measure that they approve has to go to the voters in November 2018 for their approval or rejection.

Who voted for the additional year

The following members voted to extend Council member terms one more year: Kristi Ah You, Tony Madrigal, Mani Grewal and Mayor Ted Brandvold. Under the terms of that vote, Tony Madrigal, Jenny Kenoyer and  Bill Zoslocki would have an additional year in office. Of those three members, only one, Tony Madrigal, voted to extend their term by one year. Madrigal, Zoslocki and Kenoyer were just reelected in November 2017. My hat goes off to Zoslocki and Kenoyer for putting democracy ahead of personal interests and not voting to extend their terms by one additional year.

Another plan being discussed

Another plan being discussed by Council members would shorten members' terms of office by one year. Under that plan, members who are reelected to the City Council in 2019 would lose one year of their four year terms. Members affected by that plan would be: Douglas Ridenour, Mani Grewal, Kristi Ah You and Mayor Ted Brandvold.

Side with democracy, not extended terms

As this observer sees it, one must favor democracy, not extended terms, when considering these proposed measures. When the citizens of Modesto voted in 2017, they elected their members for one four year term. Adding one more year to terms of members who were elected to four year terms gives those members one free, "unelected" year of office. This is an affront to democracy. If a choice concerning democracy needs to be made, it should be weighed in favor of democracy, not detract from it. Giving Council members one more year of office, for which they do not have to be elected, simply does not taste right.

How about a special election?

Another possibility that has not been discussed is holding a special election in 2021 when the terms of those elected in 2017 will be over. The election only would pertain to one additional year of service for Madrigal, Kenoyer and Zoslocki, or a one year term for those elected to replace them. Of course, the special election would be costly, but having members serve for one additional year for which they were not elected, would be costly to our democracy. One should always weigh in favor of democracy when considering things as important as "the Will of the People."