SLAVERY, HISTORY, and TODAY

 Yeah - I'm wading into the thick of it again today. Call me crazy - maybe it's just that. I like to think it's because I am wired to find solutions - and solve problems.

Today, I am looking at solutions and positive actions. Today, let's focus on what the protestors this spring - are actually 'protesting'. These protests are supposed to bring attention to the "oppression" and "systemic racism" of blacks.

Throughout the history of this great nation, we have had some chapters that were less shining than others. Slavery is one of those chapters. When we speak about Slavery in the US, most often it refers to slavery of blacks from the Caribbean or Africa. There were also other slaves in the 'New World'. Indeed, the Irish were enslaved - in Europe and the Americas earlier and longer than African blacks - past the Civil War years, by way of conscription, kidnap and indentured servitude. It is historical fact, and can be researched as such. The Irish were treated viciously in our nation - no less than Africans. We will, however, keep that topic for another day.

Slavery started in the colonies in 1612 and was first legalized in the Massachusetts Bay colony in 1625. Slavery was ended as an institution in the US in 1865. In that 240 year span, many blacks of Caribbean and African descent were held as slaves. There is nothing to say on this topic other than slavery and enslaving of another human is abhorrent and evil.

When slavery ended, there was a time that blacks were considered to be less intelligent, less capable than whites - and that view is also abhorrent. We had Jim Crow, discrimination, segregation, desegregation, and civil rights movements and laws that helped usher in equality for all in the US. It seems crazy, to us, that our forefathers would hold these beliefs - but there it is. And, in fact, there are still sects of the KKK and White Supremacists in existence - though those beliefs will die out with those throwbacks to a darker time.

I think then, based on the previous information, we can all agree that no one alive today - in the US - has been held as a slave as part of that institution in the US. In fact, no one has been held a slave as part of that institution in the past 152 years.

Today, black Americans have nothing in law or legislation that prevents them from being anything they want to be - indeed - up to and including the President of the US. The only limit is your ambition and the only method of getting there is hard work.  Anything is achievable.

**One note - slavery still exists today in our world.  Today - as we speak - Africans and Christians are enslaved, bought, auctioned, sold and traded in the Middle East and Africa.  I would ask where the outrage is for these people from those who think looting and burning businesses is an effective means of "change".

TRANSGENDERISM - AND REALITY

 As we approach "The Olympics" - and as the topic of "transgenderism in sports" is in the forefront of news and talk, I wanted to share some thoughts.

Sorry for the bluntness if it offends any 'sensitivities' - but some common sense and logic is needed here - and less "feels" and emotion. People can live as they choose to live - provided it doesn't harm others. This is one of those places where harm is huge. No matter what hormone, drug, surgery people have - they will continue to have the physiology they were born with. 

Specifically - medical science cannot change the skeletal, muscular, endocrine, circulatory systems and DNA. The physical body of an XY person will always be XY. And the same for XX.  Yes, hormones will affect size of muscle - but not the attachment points and placements. No - bone will not change - an XY pelvis will not ever 'flex' for giving birth like an XX one. That's just facts and medical science. 

A man or woman can simply NEVER in full fact change to the opposite sex. 

If that's upsetting to some - that is just life and facts. Live as one chooses - but don't think to force the world to embrace all of that in the same way the person does - it's just not reality. 

That said - letting people who have a natural, biological, physiological advantage and difference in capabilities compete with those who don't will never be fair, equitable - or morally correct. 

Why then, is there not a separate category for trans sports? This is truly the only way to ensure that all the strides made in women's sports over the past 100 years is not lost and women themselves are not erased from competition?

This isn't about actual science of sex and gender. Those are binary - as we see in nature. There are male and female - period. In language - there is also neutral; that is a language construct - not science, but social science.

In nature - we don't see 58 genders - we see 2, binary. And, that's it.

What trans and others are actually talking about is something mutable - and sex/gender is not mutable. So, it's personality characteristics - not gender - that are mutable. We have girls who are rough and tumble - or tomboys and we have so many variations and flavors of that. And, we have guys who are more feminine and many variations there.

This is more "social science" than medical or physical science. 

If people wrapped their heads around that - it would make things a lot more sensical. As people mature - they go through different phases and changes of exploring their person, character, self - and that can and does shift through time and even days. But, having surgery or taking hormones to permanently affect ones person isn't the best approach. And, they will never be the "other" that they think in a moment is wanted.

I think this is a better - more realistic take on things. 

Oh, and......Men shouldn't compete with women. Period.

GOVERNMENT'S PLACE - Get Out of Our Liberty! (Or, Gov't, YOU work for US)

 

My ancestors - by that I mean my "Great-Greats" - grandmothers, fathers, aunts, and uncles - all had a MUCH healthier distrust of the federal government than people today.

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People who came before us came from places where government ran roughshod over people's very lives. They were serfs - not much more than slaves really - or subjects, and were at the whim of those in government or the "peerage".

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When they came here - they held a strong arm straight out at the government - because they embraced what we have here - our freedom - and they didn't want those politico types getting their talons into the lives citizens built for themselves.

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Our Founders formed a Republic - not a democracy or aristocracy or any other type of government - it was the first of its kind - and is still materially different than any other place on earth - and our very existence changed the lives of the common people in every other place on earth.

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Sorry to say this - but people have been "dumbed down" by our "government" school systems to think such ridiculous things as "the US is a democracy" (it's not) or "a democracy and our Republic are the same and interchangeable terms" (no, they aren't )

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We need to return to that healthy distrust of federal collective power - and we need to stop relying on the government as some benevolent nanny. They aren't our parent - and they are NOT benevolent.

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Stop thinking they are some cuddly entity with our best in mind - and realize that government - all government - is a leviathan that wants to gobble up more and more power and control - and start understanding that we must force them to work - ONLY - in the ways we TELL them to work.

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America and the entire world depends on this.

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The more we take from government - the more they have their hand in our private business.

The reality with this entire pandemic - government had no business forcing any of the things they did.

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They had responsibility (which they botched badly) to quantify the virus, and determine the risks, characteristics and WHERE it came from. And, to find out what types of medicines we had in the tool chest that would work on it.

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What they did NOT have was the authority to force everyone into 1-size fits all mandates and other. No one but an individual should determine if they wrap a cloth around their faces and restrict their breathing or not - and sure as Hell not forcing people to be test subjects in some global medical Frankenstein experiments.

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WE - as a people - need to be a heck of a lot better at TELLING government where they are and are NOT welcome.

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And most Americans need a clear and deeper understanding of the fact that government works FOR us - not the other way 'round.

Trump's Third SCOTUS Pick - Fill the Seat!!

So people are clear - because there has been a lot of debate and incorrect assumptions, arguments and false statements made since RBG died.

First - this is Trump’s SCOTUS pick. It is freely and clearly his to make.

I know - many are saying “but -Obama and Merrick Garland....” Nope. Sorry. Totally different situation.

How so? Because historic precedent sets out that when the Senate and WH are same party (as now) the president freely makes a SCOTUS (or other) appointment as he chooses - even late in an election year.

In the case of a Senate and WH of opposing parties (as in Obama’s case) the Senate has no compulsion to seat a justice and late in election years, especially with a lame duck president (Obama was not running for re-election- so it was absolute there would be a new president)

Second, people are saying “oh, RBG last wish”. Nope. Just stop. It wasn’t RBG’s seat to determine. She held it while living. It is now Trump’s to pick.

If RBG was so determined that a liberal seat her replacement - she should have retired when Obama was president. She’d already had cancer more than once. She was clearly in her 80’s during Obama’s term. She had the ability to control that choice had she retired. She didn’t.

Third - It is not Biden’s place to say Trump should or shouldn’t seat a judge. He is just a candidate- and not really a very strong one either. He needs to concentrate on the debates and shut up about current policies - they aren’t his to make.

Biden has had close to 50 years to make his mark on America - and the marks he has made have been racist, classist and generally horrible. He is a liar, a plagiarist, a cheat who used position to garner money for his family, and if people can’t see he has issues with small children...well - open your eyes. What he doesn’t get to do is make this court choice - or influence it.

Fourth, and last (for now) - if the left chooses to throw a temper tantrum as we’ve seen from Schumer, Reza, and other so called “prominent” leftist leaders in the past 14 or 15 hours and decides to riot - again..., you really have to ask yourself - what is mentally wrong with these people, why would someone think they were a good choice to lead this nation - and why have so many bought into their lies, innuendo and propaganda?

Our nation started as an idea that a free people should be free to govern and rule themselves. The assumption was that those people chosen from the people would be levelheaded, honest and mentally stable. We’ve seen this summer that the far left leaders (Pelosi, Schumer, et al) have moved far, far away from the likes of liberal greats such as JFK, RFK, Tip O’Neill etc.

Bottom-line - this is Trump’s SCOTUS pick. If the left doesn’t like that - they should have put forth a better candidate that Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Introduction - What is a "Keltic Witch?" - (Repost - Updated )

*Repost with updates - original from 2005

So what, you may ask yourself, is a “Keltic Witch”? And, for that matter, how did she come to be? Well, that is a somewhat long story so sit back and enjoy the ride – it is a meandering one.

I was born and raised in Massachusetts. I spent most of my “growing up” years in the Waltham/Watertown area and lived the typical “small town near a big city” life. My brother is 3 years younger than me and we always tried to “out do” each other. Most of our extended family was within an hours ride – if not ½ hour and we spent a lot of time with family while young.

My maternal Grandfather, Da, was a super great cook. He could go out and have a meal and come home and recreate that same meal. It was amazing to watch him at work. He made fantastic dishes in what has to be the smallest kitchen I have ever worked in. Much of my spare time was spent at his knee and so I learned a great love of cooking and creating recipes.

I went to college in Worcester, MA at the College of the Holy Cross, a Jesuit school. I studied Political Science at a time when we were the biggest superpower in the world, the Soviet Union was still our major rival, and terrorism was something that happened only in the Middle East and Ireland.

I tried my hand at everything I thought I wanted to do. I was a banker, office worker, personal trainer, teacher, and finally found that I was good with computers. I made a career out of managing large-scale software implementation projects. I liked what I did and was good at it. It afforded me the ability to travel and see the country.

I fell in love with a man in the U.S. Navy. He was dashing and handsome. We eloped and planned a great life while he was on leave. He went back to his duty station in Japan and we found I was pregnant. Not a huge obstacle, we could handle it! After 3 months, he was killed while out to sea in a training accident and I was alone. Six months later, I had my son and vowed he would have the best I could provide.

For four years, I scraped and sold myself to the company with the highest bid so I could raise my son. I landed in Texas and met the one man I was born to love forever. My husband, my friend. He smoothed all my rough edges and polished my hurts. It has been nineteen of the best years I could hope for. We have our oldest son and our “bitty boy” too. Our lives are so peaceful.

In a few years, we will move out of the big city and have land and a ranch to enjoy with our boys out of the mess of the city. God Bless my family, please.