Ladies and Gentlemen, today, although he doesn't know it, we have a guest contributor. Robert Redford posited in an op-ed published just an hour ago on NBC's THINK platform, and we here at Call-Outs And Shout-Outs feel that his op-ed so mirrors our thoughts and feelings on the matter, we are sharing it with you.
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"We’re up against a crisis I never thought I’d see in my lifetime: a dictator-like attack by President Donald Trump on everything this country stands for. As last week’s impeachment hearings made clear, our shared tolerance and respect for the truth, our sacred rule of law, our essential freedom of the press and our precious freedoms of speech — all have been threatened by a single man.
It’s time for Trump to go — along with those in Congress who have chosen party loyalty over their oath to “solemnly affirm” their support for the Constitution of the United States. And it’s up to us to make that happen, through the power of our votes.
When Trump was elected, though he was not my choice, I honestly thought it only fair to give the guy a chance. And like many others, I did. But almost instantly he began to disappoint and then alarm me. I don’t think I’m alone.
Tonight it pains me to watch what is happening to our country. Growing up as a child during World War II, I watched a united America defend itself against the threat of fascism. I watched this again, during the Watergate crisis, when our democracy was threatened. And again, when terrorists turned our world upside down.
During those times of crises, Congress came together, and our leaders came together. Politicians from both sides rose to defend our founding principles and the values that make us a global leader and a philosophical beacon of hope for all those seeking their own freedoms.
What is happening, right now, is so deeply disturbing that instead of the United States of America, we are now defined as the Divided States of America. Leaders on both sides lack the fundamental courage to cross political aisles on behalf of what is good for the American people.
We’re at a point in time where I reluctantly believe that we have much to lose — it is a critical and unforgiving moment. This monarchy in disguise has been so exhausting and chaotic, it’s not in the least bit surprising so many citizens are disillusioned.
The vast majority of Americans are busy with real life; trying to make ends meet and deeply frustrated by how hard Washington makes it to do just that.
But this is it. There are only 11 months left before the presidential election; 11 months before we get our one real chance to right this ship and change the course of disaster that lies before us.
Let’s rededicate ourselves to voting for truth, character and integrity in our representatives (no matter which side we’re on). Let’s go back to being the leader the world so desperately needs. Let’s return, quickly, to being simply ... Americans."
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It was brought up in this piece that I read just how similar of a leader Trump is to Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm II. It is hoped that some who are on the fence about our current administration may read that and also this and do some real soul-searching about America's future and our place in it. Otherwise many of us fear history is already repeating itself.
Saturday a lady was reunited with her soulmate in heaven. The rest of us are mourning the loss of Vera Clemente, 78, widow of Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente. Clemente died in a plane crash 1 mile off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico on December 31, 1972, while delivering relief supplies to victims of an earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua.
Because he was concerned about poor children and negative influences there, Clemente had a dream he intended to pursue upon his retirement from baseball; he wanted to build a Ciudad Deportiva, (Sports City) in his native Puerto Rico. After Clemente's death, it was Vera who worked tirelessly with the government of Puerto Rico and Major League Baseball and many other entities to make that dream a reality. She was an earth angel, and will be greatly missed by many in Puerto Rico, Pittsburgh and everywhere.
Vera Clemente is survived by the three sons she had with Roberto: Roberto, Jr., Luis, and Enrique. She never remarried.
Up until early this season, I had not really watched the Steelers since an infamous incident in Milledgeville, GA. But with the injury early this season of a certain Quarterback With Questionable Judgement and Morals, I began watching again, rooting on the Steelers a bit, and trying to divine the future by watching their heir apparent, one Mason Rudolph, as I mentioned in a previous post.
Thurday, the Steelers played (who else!) Cleveland. And since it was around full moon, and strange things were happening anyway, the Browns were giving Dem Stillers a righteous whuppin'. Tempers were running high, as they often do in the presence of heated rivalries (and that close to full moon). The game was, mercifully, almost over, when all of a sudden...
Number 1 Ugly: Mason Rudolph has just gotten rid of the ball, a short dump pass. Myles Garrett sacks him. Does he know Rudolph got rid of the ball? Ah, these things happen so fast, don't they? But he does know that he is swarming all over Rudolph, he knows he is holding him down, not letting up, rubbing Rudolph's, and the Steelers' noses in it, doesn't he?
Number 2 Ugly: Rudolph, frustrated by his poor performance, several sacks, and losing to a team the Steelers perpetually treat like smoothie ingredients, (not to mention trying to get Garrett off of him), explodes, grabbing the sides of Garrett's helmet, shouting at him, and either shaking him by the head, or trying to rip his helmet off, depending upon your interpretation, as well as perhaps kicking him in, (or trying to push him off and hitting) the family jewels.
Number 3 Ugly: Garrett pulls Rudolph around by the facemask for a little while, before finally succeeding in ripping the helmet off, and swinging it around. At this point, Rudolph takes exception, and gives chase. Garrett continues swinging till he whacks Rudolph on the head with the helmet. As the Steelers rush to Rudolph's defense, so many atrocities are committed, it is hard to enumerate them all. Most notably Larry Okunjogi charging in on Rudolph after he received the helmet-whack, and giving him another shove in the back and knocking him down, just for the hell of it, I guess. And let us not forget Maurkice Pouncey's/David DeCastro's rain of blows and kicks, fastest flurry this side of a chop-socky flick. A nauseating spectacle of thuggery I have not seen the likes of in 47 years of watching football, 43 years of watching hockey, or even 25 years of watching rugby.
Like many of you, I have several questions. What was Steelers coach Mike Tomlin thinking? Can I be honest here? This young quarterback has yet to prove he can consistently move the football and score points. He constantly overthrows receivers. As I mentioned in that earlier post, I am more impressed by Devlin Hodges. I believe that, unlike Mason Rudolph, he is seasoned enough to keep his head, leave the pocket and make good decisions. And he has already proven he can run the offense and win games. But if you value your young quarterback so much, why do you have him in a game, with less than 30 seconds to go, down two scores?
What were the officials thinking? Why was the late hit on Rudolph not penalized? Why did they sit on their thumbs as the bedlam was unleashed on the field?
I admire that the Steelers players stuck up for their young quarterback (even Pouncey, up until he started using his feet. That was over the top, in my book). But wouldn't it have been a good idea to do what you see done any other time players are fighting? Separate them! Why wasn't somebody in charge of escorting Rudolph away from the melee? Before his helmet was swung at him, he chased Garrett a fair distance; somebody should have grabbed him, pushed him to safety, and effectively sat on him.
And a word to Mr. Rudolph: I get it that you had a bad game. You had every right to be frustrated. You were hurried, harried, sacked every time you turned around. Your passes were not completed at times. Sometimes that was on you, sometimes your receivers dropped passes they should've caught. It's a shame. But you know what? It happens. You will have bad days. But your attitude should be: never let 'em see you sweat. Because guess what? Now every opponent knows how to get under your skin, and get you off your game. And your team has so many injuries, you have no margin for error. Don't give your opponents the slightest edge. And your offensive line should pay the fine that the NFL will be assessing on you, because they failed you. All game long, and many times this year. But, please, young man, do us a favor: stop chasing people!
The NFL failed all of us who watched that game. But at least so far, I approve of the punishments handed down (Garrett, suspended indefinitely without pay; Pouncey, suspended 3 games without pay; Okunjobi, suspended 1 game without pay; each team fined $250,000, with more individual fines to come). I am hoping they make Mr. Garrett's even longer-term. Maybe by then, I will have lost the bad taste I have in my mouth from what I saw on Thursday. And maybe I wasn't missing anything, not watching the Steelers since 2010.
Endnote to the Cleveland Browns: You know, at the beginning of this year, and really for many years, I was rooting for you. You have had a lot of bad luck, some mismanagement, and picks that just didn't pan out for you. With your acquisition of Baker Mayfield, it looked like things were turning around for you. And I was happy for you, because, also being a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, they of the multitude of losing seasons the last 25 years, I could feel your pain. And it's been plain since early in the season this would be an off year for the Steelers. You were coasting to a deserved win Thursday. And you were, by far, the better team on the field. Up until the events of the last handful of seconds of the game, I was even prepared to view the excessive hit on Diontae Johnson that sent him to concussion protocol as an anomaly. But now, gentlemen, I ask you, are you happy with how this game turned out? What karma did you attract here? Would it have been better to have a loss without all the bad vibes attached, or will you roll with anything as long as you win? Examine yourselves, gentlemen, your outcome follows the identity you choose.
So, in my out-and-abouts on Friday, I saw a wondrous sight at my local Giant Eagle supermarket. This magazine cover, a special edition of Time:
Laying aside the whys and the wherefores of this particular not-so-timely edition (pun intended) being on my local shelves again, I ask you, what do you notice first, gazing upon this cover? (Other than: Where is Scotty?)
I'll tell you what I saw. (Most of) the major officers of a cult-popular classic TV show, one that has sparked a movie franchise as well as several series sequels, standing together, looking grave and purposeful. Off to the far left, the only major female cast member, a woman of color, and apparently not even enough left in the budget to cover her body!
"Ah, but Claudia, short skirts were the fashion then!" Yes. Yes, they were. And so was objectifying women, especially women of minority status.
A whole generation of women, especially young women of color, grew up with Lt. Nyota Uhura, fictional character though she was, as a role model. Something I was ignorant of until I began watching All Rise (Mondays, 9 PM ET on CBS, streaming on CBS All Access), whose lead character, Judge Lola Carmichael, held Uhura up as one of her heroes. Finally taking my head out of my butt, I found an article that taught me about Uhura's, and Nichelle Nichols' contributions to STEM, and another one, more philosophical in tone, pointing toward a brighter future, for the Uhuras among us, and all women.
Then I read a story like this and realize I'm not so optimistic:
