Conspiracy Theories no matter where they come from!
Alternative facts!
LIES!
People telling me that what I have heard is not what I have heard or what was meant!
It will disappear!
Don’t panic!
It is a hoax!
The elections will be rigged.
There is no climate change!
News talk show hosts who are not true journalists! (And who never studied journalism.)
Oh, by the way did I say, “LIES!”
In the meantime,
I pray for the souls
of over 184,000
who were probably alive
last year on this day and the day before.
Never dreamed they would leave the earth
so abruptly and alone.
In the meantime,
I write haiku,
I dream and hope,
I breathe deeply,
and visualize brighter days.
In the meantime,
I listen to nature’s songs,
I look at the view
for something new,
I seek inspiration,
to help awaken my imagination,
and I am still in the now,
and utter positive affirmations,
that our nation,
under God,
indivisible,
will unite
once again.
Don’t just count the days; make the days count!
For the sake of our democracy,
Election day is paramount.
Make sure you take in to account,
What the senators have done so far.
Have they worked for us or
bowed down to the wanna be czar?
It is not just enough to complain;
and simply get upset.
What is important to know
is what your vote will get.
The choices and decisions are pretty plain to see;
truthful, serene and mindful is what we all want to be.
So if your heart is full of hope,
As is mine, it is all that helps me cope.
I want to offer you a very sincere plea.
Make sure you vote!
to help revive our democracy!
A dream pronounced
by peaceful warrior standing his ground
His message still resonates
How beautiful the sounds
of people cheering, believing
that dreams do come true.
Fifty-seven years have passed.
Today we reaffirm, and decree
his hopes for a united front.
Civil disobedience, peaceful protests
and good trouble will be revived.
Enough is enough!
Poem by Melba Christie
Fact checkers need to go out, research and be precise;
The urgency of now cannot be over emphasized.
We have now listened to the two major sides
and their multiple points of view.
Some things I heard frankly were not all that new.
This is why now we need some truthful and great sleuths on the ground.
Reputable and true journalists must report soon what they have found.
I will list for you the relevant issues and I hope I am concise.
Shifting blame, name calling, and sheer partisanship will no longer suffice.
I implore you to read and listen for accuracy, and meticulous reporting.
There are only 66 days left to decide who you will be supporting.
Questions should be similar to these and more:
How many billions did the USA actually receive from other countries?
What finally happened to the second stimulus bill?
With all the billions supposedly attained, why are they bickering over how much and when?
Does everyone understand we are in a recession?
Will the COVID-19 Vaccine be safe for human beings?
Has testing for COVID-19 truly slowed down?
What the real time numbers of deaths and infections?
Are medicaid and medicare at risk?
How are the senators and congressmen and women voting on the most important issues?
Will the USPS be ready to deliver mail in ballots?
How are all social media platforms protecting our elections?
I can think of so many more things that need to checked.
I hope you have questions to add to this list.
I am tired of the rethortic and misinformation.
I am tired of some journalists not asking the right questions?
I am tired of the ranting and complaining.
If you are tired too then you know what I am saying.
I am a mother and grandmother first as you may have guessed;
looking out for the future of my family and friends.
but most of all for We the People of these United States.
Please submit feedback. Stay safe and stay informed.
Image by pixabay.com
The world will be watching closely
It will be listening attentively,
as the days go by.
I can only hope fervently,
as hours and minutes tick away,
that all will be said and done,
and that all of us can finally say,
“Free at last!”
Counting are the unemployed,
the sick and dying,
the crippled economy,
the souls who are hoping
they did not die in vain.
Counting are all of us,
especially those suffering the pain
of the loss of loved ones.
Counting are those,
who wait patiently for normalcy
whatever that may be.
Counting are our children
who do not understand
what is happening.
Counting are We The People,
because we were promised
in our constitution
that it would insure
domestic tranquility.
We were given rights.
I am counting the days, hours, and minutes yes,
but I am counting on you
that together we will secure
for a more perfect union.
Only when we work in unison
will we finally make change.
This is another found poem of sorts. Please see the attributions.
How important is it?
If I had a song,
My very own song,
An earth song,
I would be dancing on my own,
without a care in the world.
Are you listening?
The magical tune of the river tells us
It is hopeful in a time of confusion.
But wait I still hear some craziness.
I still feel like I am in the dark.
Wait a minute.
or is it an hour, a year or just seventy-four days?
I too am beginning
to see the light.
Photograph by Melba Christie
Attributions:
Man of many thoughts, keithgarrettpoetry
johncoyote
Pat Cagan
Sketchuniverse
One years ago the 19th amendment empowered women with the right to vote. 2020 so far been a memorable year; it will definitely be remembered for many negatives but there are some positives we need to embrace.
My grandmother was barely 22 years old when the 19th came about. The incumbent president at the time was Woodrow Wilson, a leader of the Progressive Movement; he was the 28th President of the United States (1913-1921).
Warren G. Harding, a Republican, who won by a landslide victory in 1920, taking every state outside the South and dominating the popular vote. He became the 29th president.
I wish she were here to tell me who she voted for at the time and if she actually did get to vote. My great-grandmother was never able to vote. She had passed by the time the 19th had been enforced.
Today, we the women of this great country do have the right to vote and it is so important that we do so on November 3, 2020. We must do everything in our power to get out there and exercise our right to vote and not be fearful. Our vote will count and will be counted fairly. We must believe that our elections will not be tampered with. Our doubts began with the knowledge that foreign entities may try to sway people one way or another via social media. Reliable security sources have made clear interference of that kind will not happen again. So we cannot allow fear, and misinformation to come from any source.
Of course, I may be a tad bias but I believe women are intelligent, forceful and determined to make the world right for their offspring and loved ones in general. You could not intimidate my mother or grandmother. They kept informed. They read fervently and spoke up when they knew something was dramatically wrong. I know that many women are made of the same stuff.
I watched Michelle Obama speak at the National Democratic (unconventional) Convention which was done virtually because of the pandemic we are all struggling with these days. She was eloquent as usual but also spoke from her non-political heart. I heard the sincerity of a mother and patriot who loves her country. It was a love like this that fueled the Suffrage Movement. As my grandmother would say they had “fuego” (fire) in their hearts and clarity in their minds.
https://www.thecut.com/2020/08/michelle-obamas-dnc-speech-watch-video-and-read-highlights.html
We must honor those women by doing what needs to be done. I know I will honor my great grandmother and all those before her who could not voice their opinion or check off a ballot box.
There is too much at stake. There is too much to accomplish. We have come a long way but so much more needs to be done to get the job done better. It is up to us. Who else can do three jobs at once? Who else has the know how to read people and know what is best for their children? The answer is We the Women of these United States of America. God bless America!
President Harding and His wife.
Dear Fellow Americans,
I hope this letter reaches you in good health. I am writing to you because our United States Postal Service (USPS) may disappear for all we know because we really do not know what is happening. Some sources say there is attempt to defund it. Some say they are removing sorting machines and blue post boxes and closing down some post offices. We cannot allow anyone or anything to destroy a service that has been our most valued asset. We value our military because men and women put their lives in the line of fire to secure and protect our democracy. We value more than ever our essential workers like our fireman, ambulance workers, police officers, medical community, teachers, delivery services and food service workers. They all serve us. They all serve we the people. It is time for us to deliver. It is time for us to STAND UP AND DELIVER.
If you still believe in “WE THE PEOPLE” then that means you believe that the USPS cannot be destroyed, dismembered, unarmed, or somehow diminished. The people who work for the USPS are people from all walks of life. Many are women, African American, veterans and people who work hard to ensure that we get our medications, our social security checks, letters from our families and military members working overseas. Bottom line, they too are “WE THE PEOPLE”.
The COVID-19 pandemic has flipped everything upside down. A record number of people are out of work, more and more people are contracting the virus, and 170,000 people have died. We are going through a recession. Our collective psyche has been affected with too many uncertainties. The economy is suffering. The senate cannot decide on a stimulus package or do not want to come to compromise so that the our most vulnerable citizens can receive economic relief. They need to go back to work. Each one of them represent us the voters, we the people, and nothing should interfere with the flow of mail in ballots, be they absentee or otherwise. Nothing should slow down our postal service. We must come up with creative ways of making sure that people know what they have to do in order to vote if they feel it is unsafe to go vote in person. It is vital that we help the word get out. We must start to use our own oversight powers by making sure the congress and the senate do what they are obligated to do. They too have to STAND UP AND DELIVER! The Postal Service Crisis is not a Democratic or Republican issue, it is a civil rights issue. It is an American issue.
We must do whatever it takes to embrace the constitutional and civil rights of all people. STAND UP AND DELIVER! We must secure our precious liberties and democracy. It is up to us. STAND UP AND DELIVER! Do it for your children. STAND UP AND DELIVER! Do it for your elderly parent or the person in your family who has heart disease or diabetes or other compromising health problems. STAND UP AND DELIVER! We the people have the power. The United States of America is not an autocratic or authoritarian regime. The United States is a democracy. The world is watching us, people. The world is listening! STAND UP AND DELIVER!
One hundred years ago the Women’s Suffrage Movement made a difference in our country by demanding their right to vote. “The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote, and was ratified on August 18, 1920, ending almost a century of protest. … Following the convention, the demand for the vote became a centerpiece of the women’s rights movement.” We cannot let them down. They sacrificed too much. It is our turn to make “good trouble” and STAND UP AND DELIVER like those strong and brave women did. Please do the right thing. God bless America!
Love, Peace and Good Health,
Melba Christie
Photos by Pixabay
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
“The words above, thought to be the motto, are chiseled in gray granite over the entrance to the New York City Post Office on 8th Avenue and come from Book 8, Paragraph 98, of The Persian Wars by Herodotus.”
This is the motto or slogan and indeed the promise from the United States Postal Service that I counted on for so many years. During summer vacations I counted on their promise to deliver promptly the letters I’d write to my friends who went away to camp or to stay with their grandparents. I would be away part of the summer to visit my grandmother. I’d wait by the door for the mail carrier, (then called postman) to bring me letters from my dad who could not take off from work to be with us. Later, I’d wait for letters from my friends serving abroad during the Vietnam war. I couldn’t wait to get the pictures they would take especially of the celebrities showcased in the Bob Hope tours with the USO. Then, there was waiting for the acceptance letters from the dream college I had applied to. And of course, (I have kept them all until now) there were the love letters my husband would write to me with an occasional poem dedicated to me or to our love.
I am sure all of you can relate to these moments that were made possible because we had a reliable source. Namely the postal service. We could count on the promise that no matter what the mail would arrive. Of course, there were delays at times and return to sender mail even though you had written the correct address on the envelope. We have all had some of those experiences.
There has been so much to digest these days and nothing is as important as the devastation caused by this deadly and highly contagious virus that has invaded our country. But the possible threat proposed against our postal system is something we have to stop. Our democracy depends on our postal service. I do not understand how we can allow defunding or privatization of this precious service. The essential workers of this institution have been diligent to get us our medicines and other goods during the stay home mandate.
I remember one of my teachers introducing us to pen pal writing. I had a few pen pals that continued writing to me way beyond the elementary school years. The teacher wrote the postal service slogan on the board. She told us how important it was to have a postal service and explained the many ways that it helped people to stay connected.
I continue to write letters . Yes, I to friends and family even though it has kind of become a lost art and old fashion. I use email and text messaging but there is nothing like writing to a letter to a friend or family member and receiving one from them as well. My grand daughter started writing me letters during the pandemic. These letters made my day. They are my greatest treasure. She enclosed drawings and would tell us how much she missed us.
I know that this may sound over sentimental but a promise is a promise is what I believe firmly. The following is another inscription that sums it all:
Messenger of Sympathy and Love
Servant of Parted Friends
Consoler of the Lonely
Bond of the Scattered Family
Enlarger of the Common Life
Carrier of News and Knowledge
Instrument of Trade and Industry
Promoter of Mutual Acquaintance
Of Peace and of Goodwill Among Men and Nations.
Please do your part in helping to save our postal service. No matter what your political affiliation or philosophy, I am sure that you will want to think about what the threats being made implicate. Remember many people now rely on the postal service to survive. We must protect the legendary promise that was made to all of us, we the people. All it takes is a postcard or letter to your senator or congressman or woman to insist that they do something to fund the USPS.
The USPS traces its roots to 1775 during the Second Continental Congress, when Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general. … It was elevated to a cabinet-level department in 1872, and was transformed by the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 into the United States Postal Service as an independent agency.
In 1774, the British fired Franklin from his postmaster job because of his revolutionary activities. However, the following year, he was appointed postmaster general of the United Colonies by the Continental Congress. Franklin held the job until late in 1776, when he was sent to France as a diplomat. He left a vastly improved mail system, with routes from Florida to Maine and regular service between the colonies and Britain.
President George Washington appointed Samuel Osgood, a former Massachusetts congressman, as the first postmaster general of the American nation under the new U.S. constitution in 1789. At the time, there were approximately 75 post offices in the country.
These are the states that allow vote by mail:
https://www.newsweek.com/these-are-states-where-you-can-vote-mail-1505245
1. The media anchors will smile again. Have you seen their faces lately? They are so tired of being called fake news.
2. The wrinkles on my forehead will start to disappear.
3. Hopefully a presidential campaign will not be 4 years long again.
4. No one will have to count the lies.
5. We won’t hear phrases like:
6. I will be able to feel safe again.
7. Hopefully congress will get to work for the people.
Let us keep our eyes on the prize. Our vote is the power we have right now. Stay safe my friends.
Photo by Melba Christie (C) 2019
Can you see yourself in tomorrow’s mirror?
I want to see a million and one people
standing behind me
because they beieve
because they have faith
because they understand truth and justice.
What do these people look like?
They are all different;
Tall, short, White, Black, Asian,
Men, women, LGBTQ,
children, teens, middle aged, elderly,
empathetic, caring, loving, mindful,
all religions, faiths, and even agnostics.
Can you see yourself in tomorrow’s mirror?
Do not let it lie to you.
Do not let it fool you.
See that you do not stand alone;
see what we all want right now;
see that we stand together,
united, under God
guided by our great democratic values
by our Indestructible constitution,
with liberty and JUSTICE
for ALL
As far as I know we do not celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on the exact day February 12 anymore. We celebrate President’s Day instead. No wonder some children have no idea which presidents we celebrate. I asked a 10 year old and he thought the days off are to celebrate all our presidents. Most schools close for a long weekend and of course we all look forward to the sales. But I wonder how many of us remember the date.
Well I want to celebrate Abe Lincoln and remind people of some facts (not alternative ones) and some of his thoughtful, eloquent oratory. Abraham was the 16th president of the United States. He was born in 1809 and died victim of an assassination on April 15, 1865. He was still in office when his assassin John Wilkes Booth shot him at the Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Lincoln was born in Kentucky and the son of Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. His mother died when he was just nine years old. He was self educated and loved to read. He ended up in the state of Illinois and became a lawyer and later ran as a Republican for a seat in the state senate and won at the age of twenty-five. He later became a congressman. He married Mary Todd and had four children.
We need to remember him for his Emancipation Proclamation in January of 1863 ordering for the freeing of slaves. This set forth the 13th Amendment which would free all slaves in the United States a few years later. During the Civil War Mr. Lincoln held the country together.
He is remembered for one of the greatest speeches in American History, He gave the speech at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863. It’s called the Gettysburg Address.
My first memory of knowing about our 16th president was a poem my teacher read us. She told us about how honorable and honest he was growing up and throughout his life. Two pretty good traits for a president.
I recently visited a family member whose home was built in 1865 and I had a flash back to that moment in my childhood when my teacher emphasized the importance of honest. I looked around the house. It was built around the time we had lost a great and beloved president. He was just fifty-two years old.
Here are a few of the quotes I remember learning about in school and thank my teacher for teaching us that these were quotes to live by. I think we must remember their value.
“No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.”
“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.”
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.”
The Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863
I am hoping we stick together and regain some insight and perspective about what has happened to democracy. #Votershavepower -Melba Christie
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