Happy birthday & many blessings!

Benjamin Franklin often referred to "The middlings" in his writings. The "middlings" were the middle class of his day - hard working craftsmen, artisans, shop owners, and the like. He made a clear distinction between the "middlings" and the "Elites" or those born into luxury and privelege.

My poem was inspired by a line in "They Thought They Were Free" by Milton Mayer. In the book, 10 ordinary Germans were asked how decent people slowly accepted authoritarian rule. When asked who started the war, one man replied, “I started the war!”

The Talarico Colbert interview is an important pushback on the suppression of free speech by this administration.

"talarico Colbert interview on YouTube" share.google/hAVk2vD3wbnm...

Refuse to Normalize This, America. Something often happens to people exposed to repeated trauma.

Good people, we can’t allow ourselves to grow so acclimated to the relentlessness and frequency of the viciousness we are seeing that it no longer turns our stomachs, boils our blood, and pierces our hearts...

johnpavlovitz.substack.com/p/refuse-to-...

Just saw you on Thom Hartman - spot on! What happened in Nazi Germany is repeating. This administration is creating mass confusion everywhere! We have to stay focused on the whole Gospel and the true message - Blessed are the merciful...

Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio) YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen

Bruce nails it with this one!
youtu.be/wWKSoxG1K7w?...

Nobody exposes Trump like… well, Trump.

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura shares his thoughts about dictatorships and martial law.

Remember in every election NOW we have ONE party to defeat! Over 50% of Germany did NOT vote NAZI in their last free election before dictatorship! United we stand! Divided we fall...

Remember in every election NOW we have ONE party to defeat! Over 50% of Germany did NOT vote NAZI in their last free election before dictatorship!
United we stand! Divided we fall...
Today GOP=NAZI
Vote DEMOCRATIC

You don’t just grab the leader of a nation twice the size of Texas and declare victory. Have we learned nothing in the last 25 years? How does any of this improve the lives of Americans? Congress must act immediately! Do your jobs! @wellmanformo.bsky.social #teamwellman #venezuela #missouri #mo2

Amen Fred! If you break it, you fix it! Also, in breaking the International rules set by the 1945 UN Charter and the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the US is condoning by our example Russia's attack on Ukraine and inviting China to do the same in Taiwan!

Some of us remember when the entire world mourned the death of JFK. I wrote this poem in defense of his honor:

Some of us remember when the entire world mourned the death of JFK. I wrote this poem in defense of his honor:

Some of us remember when the entire world mourned the death of JFK. I wrote this poem in defense of his honor:

Some of us remember when the entire world mourned the death of JFK. I wrote this poem in defense of his honor:

Interior Department overhauls free admission days for national parks to include Trump’s birthday and remove Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth | CNN Politics Visitors will now have to pay a fee on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.

Looks like we need a Nation wide boycott of National Parks on June 14th!
edition.cnn.com/2025/12/06/p...

The Least of These YouTube video by jofguitar

My grandparents and events this year inspired this song. My grandparents came from Austria-Hungary in the early 1900's in the hope of a better life. My heartfelt thanks go out to all of the organizations that work so tirelessly in support of the "Least of These".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsuQ...

Great point to raise:
Under the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC). The defense of “just following orders” does not excuse a violation of the law if the order was manifestly unlawful.

Hear Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria's full speech about racism at the Air Force Academy YouTube video by CBS Evening News

In the hope that some of the young men and women that heard Gen. Jay Silveria's message 8 years ago are still serving and heeding his words!

youtu.be/mU0RfhvYN8s?...

Stephen Miller Says Trump Has 'Plenary Authority' YouTube video by HuffPost

WE the people are protesting because of Trump's attempt to rule our Democracy like an Autocracy!
Here's Trump's White House Chief of Staff and National Security Advisor, and one of the authors of project 2025 describing Trump's plenary power, which is absolute rule:
youtu.be/vWudXaj60rU?...
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Peaceful "NO KINGS" Protest in Williamsville NY today.

This Is Fascism

Are you Anti-fascist (ANTIFA)?
DEF. FASCIST: A fascist supports authoritarian, ultra-nationalist rule that crushes opposition and controls society through power and fear — like Mussolini in Italy or Hitler in Nazi Germany.
ANS. - Hell yes!

Beautiful tribute Heather. I lost my wife of 36 years to cancer. Praying for your peace in loving memories 🙏

Changes As I look back and turn the pages My life has faced so many stages I've been the child, been the parent At times the oppressor or defendant Called the afflictor, called a healer Been the student and a teacher Seen glimpses of Heaven and of Hell Lessons learned and mistakes as well To some a hero or the villain too Plenty of times I've struggled through Advances in science and in medicine Some that leave only more to question Seen political lines rearranging But the fate of the poor never changing Decreasing Faith and Spiritual thirst With more only focused on being the first No acts of Love by those spreading hate Less of the things that made us so great Changes for the better or for the worst Some that I've blessed, others I've cursed Our days left to change may be very few My only regret, there's so much to do Worlds change by whatever we bring Before we go, there's more songs to sing!

My inspiration for this poem came after visiting my Mom in her skilled nursing residence. We're getting to know the residents - their stories, careers, and the life changes they've lived through. I was humbled by the few years that separate us and began to ponder the many changes in my own life.

Air Force erases first female Thunderbird pilot's achievements from websites YouTube video by KVUE

youtu.be/Rmy14SG7MiA?...

Who'll be the first to stop it from spinning?

The 30-Year-Old Book That Predicted Today’s Chaos | What Comes Next YouTube video by Dr Russell Razzaque

It's uncanny how spot on the cycles described in this narrative are!
youtu.be/X_e-9Gz53Kw?...

Thank you for bringing this to light and your continuing efforts as a journalist. The people need to know what these autocrats are thinking.