My Back Pages

My Back Pages: The Journey Begins... : " A Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step" -  Interpreted from a Chinese Proverb, Chapter 64 of the Tao Te Ching...

" A Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step" -  Interpreted from a Chinese Proverb, Chapter 64 of the Tao Te Ching ascribed to Laozi. Thus the journey towards normalizing relations  with Cuba begins. It's been 55 years since ties with the Communist Island Nation were severed. Since that time, the whole world has shifted. Nixon went to Communist China to start the normalization of relations with them. We now have exchanged Ambassadors and trade with each other. Relations with the Soviet Union went from Glasnost  to seeing the USSR break apart. Germany is one country again. The one thing that remained constant was the hostility between the United States and Cuba.   Now, I understand the feelings of those in the Cuban-American community who do not want to see the US recognize Cuba until the Castro brothers, and communism, have passed into history. Many have suffered under the regime.  Many families were torn apart... many were killed or disappeared.    It

Before I get to my point, let me say this: I wouldn't care if the current administration was Democrat or Republican. What's right is right, and what is going on in this Senate and Congress is just wrong. This Mitch McConnell and the other senators who stand in defiance of the constitution are everything that is wrong with this current government. Oh, I know my friends on the right will say that they are doing the right thing. I am here to tell you that they are not. It it their job to hold hearings on any candidate or nominee that the president puts forth. It's right there in the constitution. If they don't want to consider anyone that the President puts forth, there is a right way to do this. The can hold hearings and, if they find that this nominee is unacceptable, they can reject him. This is the correct way to do it. This is their duty.  However, these opposition politicians refuse to do what is required of them. They don't want to give the nominee a fair hear

My Back Pages: Political Views and Perspective : Politics always brings out differences of opinions between friends and acquaintances. Discussions can become heated, and friendships torn ap...

Politics always brings out differences of opinions between friends and acquaintances. Discussions can become heated, and friendships torn apart; all over what are differences of opinion. It's silly to let these differences destroy friendships which sometimes span decades. They have caused rifts in families, sometimes irreparable. When we get into these discussions, we should all take a step back and think if this is really what we want to do. I, for one, do not want differences of opinion, especially political differences to cause resentment and anger.    Folks, it's just not worth it. There are circumstances in our lives that lead to differences of opinions. Perspective, and events in ones life form our opinions and our views. I watched my father struggle his whole life to make ends meet, while his bosses made great amounts of money from his labors. I've seen businesses who were making huge profits, make decisions that were harmful to their workers. I've seen the righ

My Back Pages: Bullies, Dictators, and Schoolyard Politics : March 1 and 2, 2016 I hate bullies. Bullies are people who find a flaw in someone and use it to belittle that person. Bullies are people wh...

March 1 and 2, 2016 I hate bullies. Bullies are people who find a flaw in someone and use it to belittle that person. Bullies are people who are really insecure, but put up a facade of being tough and strong. Bullies are, when all is said and done, weak individuals who live just to humiliate others. Donald Trump is a bully. So is his sidekick, Christie. They call names and poke fun at those who do not agree with them. Trump talks about shooting reporters. Trump talks about punching people in the  nose who dare to disagree with him. Trump never really answers any question put to him that he doesn't really have an answer to. I think that there is something seriously wrong with 'The Donald'. A personality flaw that threatens to overwhelm this country. Those of you who support him, I can only say that this is your right. We live in a democracy (despite what some of my friends on the right believe, it's a democratic republic!) Regardless, I know that he is a bully. He is no