THOUGHTS ON THE RECENT ELECTION

 Its been a week since the midterms and these are my thoughts. I am not quite the average American if you've perused other offerings here. When Trump was elected there were 3 candidates: Trump, Clinton (a woman and knew politics ) and an Independent. Clinton was not liked by many and the conventional wisdom was that a vote for the Independent would take away from Trump. Trump had held no office but projected himself as a successful business and TV personality. Knowing that Christian Evangelicals were a huge possible voting block he astutely wooed them and they came around even though Trump was known for many transgressions.

Trump was elected President and shortly experienced a deserved bad press. He had a bad reputation with women, then he fired several very capable men in his inner circle, scandals from his multitude of business dealings emerged, but as he was President they were side lined. Next he made nice with Putin and the North Korean dictator, choosing to believe Putin over our own heads of intelligence. Over and over he was excused for behaviors and actions that another in the same position would not be tolerated. America experienced the Covid pandemic and he misjudged its severity and  a million died because of his malfeasance. He divided the country and encouraged the worst elements to emerge. The worship of sheer power was the excuse to keep him in power. American education and science were denigrated. The ideals of a great country because of its veneration of justice and compassion for the poor were often replaced by their opposite. 

There was always the hope that most American citizens would somehow see that we were slowly encouraging a style of fascist governance. It all exploded when Biden was elected President. Trump had primed a segment of the Republicans with the notion that if he lost then the election was stolen. That notion was promoted before the election and then prosecuted through the courts where it was destroyed even by Republican judges. There followed the attempted coup at the Capitol on January 6, a day of infamy when armed and angry people entered the halls of Congress determined to force a reversal. 

As hearings and findings demonstrated how deeply the American ideal had been compromised the ship of State began to right itself.  Usually the party in power suffers significantly in the interims. A red tide was anticipated. Then Russia invaded Ukraine and America weighed its finest values and behaviors and recognized that a great error had been encouraged and condoned. They saw true bravery and responded with military and moral help against a brutal invasion.

Politics is often ugly as its practitioners jockey for power. However, there are basic guardrails that if breached may cause real damage for the perpetrators. Because Americans are aficionados of sports and sportsmanship, there are rules of the game. It appears that the voters have stemmed the red tide and the values practiced and espoused by those in the recent past. May the  vision of our best selves carry the day and may those who have been so egregiously agreed to be misled be returned to the wisdom that guided them in their daily endeavors into a manageable future. 

MORE OCTOBER PICTURES

The afternoon we drove up to Blue Ridge Prkwy I took these pics with my IPhone 13. The top one is of the scenery around us and the blue sky. Lib is in the car if you expand the picture.

In late October we made a quick dash up to the Blue Ridge Parkway about an hour and a half from our Richmond area home. The leaves were beautiful, but the prettiest ones weren't easily accessible to our somewhat handicapped condition. These are looking down into the Waynesboro region. My sister, Mary, and her husband Malcolm Inge we learned later were up there around the same time and we may have crossed paths!

The last picture is a little mountain to the left of the scenery at this picture. 

 

October events

 October 6 was a happy day for our families. It was the day our great grandson was born. His name is Louis William White and will be called Loui. We have seen pictures of him,  but still haven't seen him in person. We look forward to that time.

I also stopped playing with our string quartet as my eyesight is fading from glaucoma  and Lib is in need of physical therapy. At the end of the month Lib and I both severed our participation in the Branderbells. We are slowing down  as age intervenes in what we can physically handle. We are still able to take care of ourselves and most of the small needs and repairs in our home. 

Top photo is Louis William White, middle picture he is held by his mother, Michele, and the last pic is him being held by his father, Dan White.

CLASS REUNION/BIRTHDAY PARTY

                   FRIDAY JUNE 3, 2022

What a full and exciting day this was! Lib and I had two very significant events to attend and they were 100 miles apart.  

The first was her high school reunion with the class of 1957. The first class of the newly consolidated Turner Ashby HS in Rockingham County, Virginia. They had been meeting every 5 years for some time at the Traditions Restaurant near Harrisonburg. 

  Lib and I are beginning to feel the effects of advanced age so decided to attend this one. We were to meet there around 12 pm and have lunch and leave around 3 pm to return home and attend a birthday party for Andy Certner (violinist/violist) a musical friend in our area at 6:30.

   The weather was uncharacteristically clear and cool and the drive up I-64 and over Afton Mountain was pleasant and uneventful. I-81 was also less crowded and frenetic. We made it in plenty of time. 

We enjoyed reconnecting with about 25 or so classmates (estimate) and their husbands and wives. We missed seeing some that lived in the area and enjoyed some who had come a distance. Lib especially was glad to see Emily Kiser, a  friend who had journeyed from near Orlando, Fla. for the occasion. There was mentioned a new interval for the reunion of each year, the first Friday in June. 

   We left around 3 pm which would give us 40 minutes extra to drive back to Richmond, freshen up and drive the 35 minutes to our birthday celebration for a musical friend, who just happens to live a few blocks from our West Richmond Church of the Brethren.

   Near Staunton, Va. there was a crash on I-81 and we were delayed 25 minutes. On I-64 near Charlottesville, we saw the aftermath of a westbound crash involving a 16-wheeler. We arrived home at 5:50 and really scurried to prepare for our next party.

   After purchasing more gasoline we were on the road again and made it to our party by 6:40. 

It was a gala event for our quartet’s 1st violinist’s 70 birthday at their home! I estimated about 20+ were there for this very happy gathering. As most of us were musicians we had much in common to share about life experiences. Linda had prepared a sumptuous and tasty variety of light foods and desserts! The party was held outside on their sumptuous desk. What a wonderful way to end one of our most active days!

Putin Invades Ukraine

 As this blog is diary-like in form, some of it may be a little hazy on exact dates. Since this occurrence was so world-shaking I checked out the dates. Early on in January or perhaps even earlier Russia had been assembling what appeared to be a huge preparation for an invasion of Ukraine on the Russian border. Putin insisted he was only setting up a defense exercise that he had no intentions of invading his neighbor. NATO and American intelligence noted that there were hospital and backup structures to back up a real invasion. Satellite images showed numerous tanks and military vehicles parked in a neat row after row. Predictions by military experts began predicting when the operation might begin. Much of the world was in disbelief including the prime minister of Ukraine, who reminded the world that much of Ukraine spoke Russian and had family ties with Russia. A number of years previously Putin had tried a smaller incursion into southern Ukraine and failed. Follows a description I borrowed so as to have the date exact.

"Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The attack is internationally considered a war of aggression. It has triggered Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II, with over 3.8 million Ukrainians leaving the country, and millions more being internally displaced.'''

A horrible war began, something which normal people never imagined could happen again. Narratives suggest that Putin thought that his lightning-fast penetration would be welcomed with open arms by the Ukrainian populace.  It wasn't. The Russian troops were repelled in many places. What was supposed to be over in 3 days dragged out. It appeared the Russian military was not well trained nor supplied with the necessary equipment.  The Ukrainians fought back fiercely. The Russians began to shell and bomb the civilian populations in their dwellings, their hospitals, and schools.  It was similar to the Nazi blitzkrieg of World War II. The Ukrainian Prime minister remained with his people. He and his family are prime targets for assassination. He has become a knight in shining armor, guiding and encouraging his nation to repel the evil dreams of conquest by Putin. Several times Putin has threatened atomic retaliation and that has been rejected by rational people on all sides. 

Now the struggle appears to have reached a stalemate. Millions in Ukraine have become refugees. Poland has received a million. America has agreed to fast tract a hundred thousand. Many Ukrainian cities have been bombed into rubble. Half of its children have left the country. As the world slowly recovers from Covid it must now confront the evil that derives from the ambitions of powerful rulers. War is a greater threat to mankind than a microscopic virus.  Lord have mercy!!