How Long?

So the sad news on September 10 that Charlie Kirk was murdered.

As I have said on Call-Outs And Shout-Outs several times already, we unequivocally condemn political violence.  We condemn all violence.

We condemn all violence equally whether it originates from the right or the left.

The problem is, after 1 and 2, comes 3.  And after A and B, comes C.  Karma, (cause and effect), follows us wherever we go.

As always after a shooting come the talking points -- right/left vis à vis gun rights, the 2nd Amendment, etc.  Except when it pertains to words of Charlie Kirk himself, let us leave the others' talking points for another time.

Charlie Kirk traveled college campuses, talking with and debating students.  Engaging is good.  Exchange is good.  We commend that.

We on this blog, however, cannot commend or condone some things, some opinions.

CK On Women

CK On Christianity And The Separation Of Church And State

Assorted Opinions

More Assorted CK Opinions

It goes without saying these opinions play well for some.  Not so much for the rest of us.  For some of us they are like a red flag to a bull.  Or a match to a fuse.

So how do we turn down the temperature when some of us wonder if the United States ought to head to divorce court, and some Civil War?

(And why has the news cycle been all Charlie Kirk all the time the past five days, with damned little mention of the school shooting in Colorado that occurred just ten minutes after Kirk's?)

How does this country ever get on the same page when we can't agree on what is the truth?  Or a common vision or purpose for this nation?  And if we have lived up to the vision and purpose this nation was founded upon?

Something to think about, yes?

More soon about a concept of violence I hope you all will think about.

Romance On The Turnpike

It goes without saying that I have seen just about everything in the 28 years since my advent at The Plaza -- fights, trysts, arrests, homeless people, booze and drugs of all kinds.  And heard it all, too, as you can imagine.  Except last night.  

I guess maybe it's sad that this is so rare.  

So I was out in the lobby wiping tables, and I saw this man standing by the doors, obviously waiting for someone.  Then she came out of the nearby ladies room, and he lit up like a Christmas tree and swept her up into an embrace.  Not a casual hug, but a warm embrace, one like you only see from 15 year olds, or people who have been separated for awhile.   Then, holding hands, they walked around, scoping out the plaza's offerings.  Finding nothing to tempt them but each other, they momentarily embraced again and left. 

I was kinda sad; I had wanted to bless them, maybe by buying them some Coffee Paradise.  Since they had other plans, I hope maybe they'll see this and know that I felt blessed by their obvious joy and devotion.  

May the Loving Strangers know Great Fortune!

Worth Its Weight In Gold

Recently, I responded to a complaint on the NextDoor app about a local restaurant whose ice cream machine was apparently broken, and on a sultry July afternoon, many people were frustrated from coming up empty after standing some time in line, waiting for their coveted sweet treats.

Why, said the post's author, did the restaurant not just put up a sign?

This is what I told him (keeping in mind, of course, that I am employed as a matron on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  My job is to keep clean 29 toilets, 17 mirrors, sinks and the surrounding vanities.  Not to mention 47 windows [77 if I do the outsides], 40 tables, and all the stuff out on the patio):

I feel your pain about the signs, and they should've put them up, but I will say in the workers' defense: sometimes putting up signs is pointless.

Where I work, last Sunday we had to close two of our restaurants and we put up signs saying this at each entrance, but people still walked up to me asking if we were closed.

When I close a section of the ladies room to clean it, if I put up two floor signs indicating the closure, alot of times the women will walk right past them -- "I didn't see them", and if I put up 4 or 5 signs and they feel like it, they will just move the signs and walk in anyway.

When I'm washing windows and I'm doing the door windows, people will open the doors and walk right into me.  And I've lost track of how many times I've been hit or almost hit by the automatic doors that people hit the button and open without looking, but if I had a nickel for each time, you and I could both retire.

When I worked in Coffee Paradise, every night when we closed and we pulled the gate, flipped out the closed sign and turned out the lights, there was always some pathetic schnook standing outside watching us clean, asking, "Are you closed?"  Every.  Single.  Night.

Alot of times, it's because people are on their devices, but I will say many times, too, people are just walking around in their own little world.

I have come to realize there's a reason why it is called "paying attention."  True attention is worth its weight in gold.

What Better Way...

To celebrate our Independence Day than to peruse and refamiliarize ourselves with its founding documents, the documents that spell out what it means to be an American?  So, to that end --

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/

I do this, y'all, because I talk to so many citizens with opinions on our country past, present and future, who know very little about its history or what we have stood for, the promises of this country, etc.  What good are opinions not based on knowledge?  With the easy availability of these documents to us, there is no good reason for not knowing what they say, and that they are indeed, made living and breathing documents, by us.

May our joy in fireworks only be exceeded by an explosion of understanding.

Happy Independence Day, America!

An Open Letter To The Ukrainian People

Hello, Greetings from Pittsburgh, PA, USA!

Please know that President Trump does not represent all of the American people.  He certainly does not represent me.

I support Ukraine.  The Ukrainian people have my deep admiration for how they have fought Russia.  That war was supposed to be over in three days, three weeks at most!  But is still raging on three years later, a testimony to the Ukrainian people's strength, toughness and belief in their country, their freedom.  

Keep it up, Ukrainians!  You are an inspiration!  Your leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is an example of how a leader ought to behave and conduct himself.  He is much more presidential than our current president.  You deserve to be proud of him, and yourselves! 

Trump says Zelenskyy has no cards.  Every day is symbolized by a card.  I offer this card, my birthday card:

"The Jack of Diamonds embraces life's obstacles with cunning and flexibility.  He's a harbinger of opportunity cloaked in the guise of challenge."

Now you have a card, Ukraine and Mr. Zelenskyy!  May it bring you victory and ultimately, peace.

Praying to God for you,

Claudia McCall

Folks, I emailed a copy of this letter to the Ukrainian Embassy.  Here are two addresses you can use if you wish to do the same:

emb_us@mfa.gov.ua

ukrembus@gmail.com

And if you would like to send the Ukrainian people some cards, you can Google the pic of any card you like, and if you would like to send a unique symbol of yourself or someone else, with the meaning attached like I did:

https://knowyourdestinycards.com/

There you can get the meaning of any card, any day or birthday.  Let's flood the zone!

And my fellow Americans, I know that is what Trump and his acolytes are doing.  I know many of us may feel overwhelmed and helpless right now.

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself --  nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror -- which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."  -- Franklin D Roosevelt

Now let us get moving, and those feelings will pass.

I Beseech You

So the news has come to me that there was a stabbing at the protests in LA last night, leaving a 17-year-old hospitalized with critical injuries.  

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-02-07/immigration-protest-stabbing-los-angeles-trump

Folks, it gratifies me to no end to see an increasing number of us exercising our First Amendment right to protest.  It is the cornerstone of our rights as Americans.

But, please, oh please, let us do this the right way.

People, I have said this before, but it bears repeating:  We must conduct ourselves properly at all times in our endeavors.  We do ourselves and our cause no favors by embracing or employing violence or approaching our protests from a place of anger.  While our anger is understandable, we must channel it properly into steadfast, resolute, relentless and wise action.  To do otherwise will not further our Progressive values, nor bring the vision of America we are seeking to fruition.

There are those whose sympathies may be inclined our way, and who may be disposed to join us, if we represent the rightness of our cause by the rightness of our words and actions.  Anger and violence will turn them off, and at best, keep them on the sidelines where they cannot help us, and at worst, persuade them to join those who want to further the current administration's agenda.

And the other consideration is that violence at our protests will give  the current administration all the visual evidence they need to use their power in the way that they already tend and itch to do: in a stifling, authoritarian manner, and with answering, crushing violence of their own.  And unlike us, they will have the long arm of the law to back them up.  Not to mention the longer microphone of the media -- to the tune of approximately 200 radio stations in approximately 153 markets across the US, and of course FOX news, OANN, Newsmax, etc., constantly blaring carefully edited versions of their slant.

Let us not play in to those hands.

Shout Out To Bishop Budde

OK, so of course this is a week and a half late and at least a dollar short, for which I apologize (🎵 ain't it funny how times slips away 🎶).

Last week Mariann Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, DC, made a plea to President Trump for mercy for some of the least of us, including immigrants and the LGBTQIA community.  Here's a clip of the pertinent footage:

In my previous post, I indicated my intention to operate from a place of love hereforth.  That includes when resisting.  And make no mistake, I am resisting, and will not obey in advance. In a recent conversation with a fellow resister, I said that there has to be a way to resist with love.  Since that conversation Martin Luther King Day (notably coinciding with Inauguration Day this year) reminded me of Dr. King's example.  And I believe The Universe is pointing the way with other synchronicities -- the audiobook Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (who surprised me by indicating his belief that Mahatma Gandhi was the most powerful man in the world at that time, due to his ability to unite a large number of diverse people in harmony to focus on one purpose), was on sale for $1.99 a few weeks ago.  

Also on sale was Being Peace by Buddhist monk, author and teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.  The title speaks for itself, and though the book is not long, it is chock full of info that packs a punch.  I also plan to peruse Gandhi's autobiography, which has been awaiting me patiently in my Kindle library, and to buy The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency Of Jimmy Carter by Kai Bird.  I figure a fellow outlier of Carter's caliber probably has alot to teach me.

I believe Bishop Budde has shown us the way, too.  Gently, firmly and with dignity.  In the face of a notable amount of opposition from the President and his supporters.  There were calls for the Bishop to apologize, but as she was following the way of The Nazarene (and her conscience), she didn't.  Good on you, Bishop.  People, this is how we speak truth to power, and one way to resist!

See ya in the trenches!

❤