Monthly Archives: November 2018

THE POWER OF HUMOR, and Thanksgiving!

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The political cartoonist who drew the above item, Rob Rogers, was recently fired by his paper in Pittsburgh for being “too political”.   ¿ Sorta like a president being unpresidential, no?  Rogers lost his job, but still appears in syndicated publication. Cartoonists stick together, and are a political force.  I visit their site daily to see what they’re drawing.  And today I updated the Wikipedia page on this topic to include a link to their collective contributions, with gratitude, for Thanksgiving Day. (Yes, gratitude is a force, too.  I’m grateful, among so many things, for our First Amendment, which allows us to speak power to authority, without risking our lives.)

Here’s what Wikipedia presently says to introduce its topical entry :

Editorial cartoon

An editorial cartoon, also known as a political cartoon, is a drawing containing a commentary expressing the artist’s opinion. An artist who writes and draws such images is known as an editorial cartoonist. They typically combine artistic skill, hyperbole and satire in order to question authority and draw attention to corruption, political violence and other social ills.[1][2]Developed in England in the latter part of the 18th century, James Gillray was a pioneer of the political cartoon.[3] Founded in 1841, the British periodical Punch appropriated the term cartoon to refer to its political cartoons, which led to the term’s widespread use.[4]

 

                WE’RE ALL IMMIGRANTS

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Duct-taped water bottle,  PHOTOS by Tom Keifer, series linked below.

All magicians use distraction:  Look, over there!  Invaders!   (Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, that armed bear, that loon with an extended-mag Glock who’s about to shoot up your place of worship, or your kid’s classroom, or your place of refreshment, or entertainment venue — who maybe can’t hold a driver license due to instability — but can easily buy military-grade assault weapons.)  They call this “states’ rights”, but whatever happened to our right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness?  

Ah, 2nd Amendment.  Our elected officials prefer to defend their own jobs rather defending public lives by creating a federally-regulated system of checks on gunners’ “rights” to arm bears, crazy-angry bears.  (¿ They can regulate, federally, whomever is allowed to fly a plane, but not who can buy an assault rifle?)  

Yes, a congress of cowards.  So, what about that phrase in the 2nd A? :  a well-regulated militia.  Apparently congress knows better than to poke a bear in its den, even if it will surely soon emerge again to ravage the nearest watering hole, or school, or church.  Yes, cowards, on both sides of the aisle.

Of course, the feds need to control borders, just as they need to control planes, and toxins, and fires, and weapons.  

I own a few long guns for sport.  I spent four years defending this nation.  I want our elected officials, many of whom have never served (other than themselves) to step up and defend the citizenry.  Guys, you’re way late!  You work for us.  Get busy bringing federal regulation to this insanity.  Be willing to lay down your careers for your neighbors!  Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends.  ~Jesus

Photographer/designer Tom Keifer has done an eloquent job depicting the risks and costs of fleeing poverty — just as nearly all of our ancestors did – including President Trump’s first American ancestor, Friedrich Drumpf, who came to America in 1885, apparently to dodge the draft in Germany.   (I have no idea what Mr Keifer’s views might be on assault weapons, or politics, but I admire his photographic work.)

All detainees are stripped of their belts which are generally discarded. As they move through the court system and eventually deported, they wear pants with no belt and shoes with no shoelaces.   (All photos by Tom Keifer.)

 

SEE TWO COMMENTS.

COMMENTS CLOSED, DUE TO ATTEMPTED HACKS.

 

BREAKING NEWS : : NATIONAL CALL TO SHABBAT WORSHIP in memory of shooting victims in Pittsburgh synagogue, “censored/politicized” (buried) by npr?

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Photo by Lawrie Cate, flickr; illustration selected by MeridaGOround

THIS IS NEWS. I think it is rare, and historic.  But it has already mostly been censored, pulled from view, (correction: my report originally said “less than an hour after appearing at npr” but that was based on a timestamp of 5:33pm,Nov.2 which may have been the audio version of a visible story which first posted online at 5:20pm, Nov.1 — but that does not excuse removal of a major invitation on the eve of such a solemn memorial.).  The link below is still working, as of now. The buried article (below) invites people of faith across America to attend Jewish services Saturday, in memory of the shooting in a synagogue in Pittsburgh:  

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/01/663123118/jewish-schools-and-centers-add-more-security-following-pittsburgh-shooting

Here is a peek at the headline of npr’s article, posted as fair use, considering journalistic practices:  <being paste of audio intro to above article>

NATIONAL

Americans Of All Faiths Plan To Attend Shabbat Services In Solidarity With Jews

Heard on All Things Considered

There is a call for non-Jews to join Jewish congregations this weekend in a show of solidarity. A rabbi and a pastor in St. Louis talks about the event, labeled #ShowUpForShabbat.

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ADDED BY MeridaGOround :
Here, I believe, is the normal Jewish lectionary for the week, being read tomorrow (Sat Nov.3) :  1Kings1:1-31   (It reports on a change of leadership.)
The text, from the Complete Jewish Bible: https://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/1-kings/1.html —
1 King David grew old, the years took their toll, and he couldn’t get warm even when they covered him with bedclothes.
2 His servants said to him, “Let us try to find a young virgin for my lord the king. She can wait on the king and be a companion for him, and she can lie next to you, so that my lord the king will get some heat.”
3 After looking through all of Isra’el’s territory for a beautiful girl, they found Avishag the Shunamit and brought her to the king.
4 The girl was very beautiful and became a companion for the king. She took care of him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.
5 Adoniyah the son of Haggit was beginning to claim that he would be king; to this end he organized chariots and horsemen, with fifty men to run ahead of him.
6 (His father had never in his life confronted him by asking, “Why are you behaving this way?” Moreover, he was a very handsome man; he was born next after Avshalom.)
7 He conferred with Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah and Evyatar the cohen; and they both supported Adoniyah.
8 But Tzadok the cohen, B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, Natan the prophet, Shim’i, Re’i and David’s elite guard were not on Adoniyah’s side.
9 One day Adoniyah killed sheep, oxen and fattened calves at the Stone of Zochelet, by ‘Ein-Rogel. He summoned all his brothers the king’s sons, and all the men of Y’hudah the king’s servants;
10 but he did not summon Natan the prophet, B’nayah, the elite guard or Shlomo his brother.
11 Natan went to Bat-Sheva the mother of Shlomo and said, “Haven’t you heard that Adoniyah the son of Haggit has become king without the knowledge of David our lord?
12 Now, come, please let me give you advice, so that you can save both your own life and that of your son Shlomo.
13 Go, get in to see King David, and say to him, ‘My lord, king, didn’t you swear to your servant, “Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why is Adoniyah king?’
14 Right then, while you are still talking with the king, I will also come in after you and confirm what you are saying.”
15 Bat-Sheva went in to the king in his room. (The king was very old; Avishag the Shunamit was in attendance on the king.)
16 Bat-Sheva bowed, prostrating herself to the king. The king asked, “What do you want?”
17 She answered him, “My lord, you swore by ADONAI your God to your servant, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne.’
18 But now, here is Adoniyah ruling as king; and you, my lord the king, don’t know anything about it.
19 He has killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the sons of the king, Evyatar the cohen and Yo’av the commander of the army; but he didn’t summon Shlomo your servant.
20 As for you, my lord the king, all Isra’el is watching you; they are waiting for you to tell them who is to sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 If you don’t, then, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Shlomo will be considered criminals.”
22 Right then, while she was still talking with the king, Natan the prophet entered.
23They told the king, “Natan the prophet is here.” After coming into the king’s presence, he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground.
24 Natan said, “My lord king, did you say, ‘Adoniyah is to be king after me; he will sit on my throne’?
25 For he has gone down today and killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Evyatar the cohen; right now they are eating and drinking in his presence and proclaiming, ‘Long live King Adoniyah!’
26 But he didn’t summon me your servant, or Tzadok the cohen, or B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada or your servant Shlomo.
27Is this authorized by my lord the king without your having told your servant who would sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
28 King David answered by saying, “Summon Bat-Sheva to me.” She entered the king’s presence and stood before the king.
29 Then the king swore an oath: “As ADONAI lives, who has delivered me from all adversity,
30 as I swore to you by ADONAI the God of Isra’el, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so will I do today.”
31Bat-Sheva bowed with her face to the ground, prostrating herself to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever.”