How To Resurrect The Democratic Party

Or  Golly, Gee, What Next?

Watching as there are more marches and protests against the Sanctuary City law.  That proposed law, SB 4, requires the all law enforcement personnel to be agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Any law officer failing to hold a suspected illegal immigrant can be arrested and jailed.  Full text here.  Things that concern me are the request to retain can be verbal.  No paper trail.  That could lead to a well they were called.  Too easy in the current political landscape to set up an official to be dismissed.

Any who, while the news was going on I was reading an article recommended by one of the fellow Democrats.  The article speaks of telling our stories instead of using charts and bullet points.  One analogy is that "while conservatives believe we are each in our own small boat and it is up to each of us to make it on our own, progressive morality holds that we are all on a large boat and unless we maintain that boat properly, we will all sink together."*

It can be really hard not to think of an individual boat being a good thing.  No reliance on anyone or any government, just their own resources.  Except for me I cannot change oil in my car.  Or build the boat.  I have to depend on others to do stuff.  I was perfectly happy to let the public school educate my son.  Are the schools different now?  My grandchildren seem to be doing fine but time will tell.  Two grandsons have dyslexia and the system (ie teachers) have done a great job working with them.   Not something I could have worked with had I attempted home schooling.

For an analogy, I now have climbed out of my little boat into a mini cruise ship.  Oh, hope there is room for the doctor that does knee and hip replacements.  And a podiatrist.  I have two nephews that are pastors so if we make it a family cruise the spiritual part will be covered.  Still not a huge boat.  I do like my car and computer.  Guess the boat is getting larger.  Food, food is good.  Bigger boat needed.  Farm implements, guns, eye glasses and the list goes on and on to include the folks picking the food, making furniture and the other items I like in my life.

Okay, now the boat is so big there is the need for sanitation and maintenance of the boat.  More people.  Now all those individual boats are hung along the sides in case we hit an iceberg and the ship starts to sink.  Then folks would still be working together to pull folks from the water.  At least I would hope that better part of humanity would come through.  Well, that ended in a disaster.  Possibly we needed a captain and crew to manage to steer the ship out of harm's way.  A ship owned by the people for the good of the people.

All that said, I am not sure how I can help resurrect the Democratic party.  The party that led the southern states to secede from the Union.  Then 100 years later LBJ and the Congress finally passed the Civil Rights Act.  It really resulted in the southern Democrats leaving the party.  Does that mean in order for the Democrats to be electing more to the offices from the local commissioner on up is to push to repeal the Civil Rights Act?  Not for me.  That is a bridge too far.  Way too Far.

I do believe it is not about any one party.  It is not about 'winning'.  It is about a community that chooses to live in respect for each other.  To be the one that waves that car into the line, not shoot the bird because you have to be first.  To be the one to hold doors, to hold a lonely person's hand.  Maybe kissing a child's boo boo or just wiping their tears.  It has to start small, with my own boat.  Cause I do not want the Union to dissolve nor fall into ruin.

Tonight I huddled with folks wanting to make a difference.  To keep our nation on a course to provide education, clean air, clean water, protection from harm and all the other things that go with our land.  Will this land fall into being nothing but a bunch of quarreling gangs or tribes?  I pray not on this nor any of the future watches.  So let's see what we can agree on to keep the ship afloat.

In peace,
Janice

* from Politico Soapbox, Dave Gold, 2/9/2017 (full text)

Mother's Day Gifts

This picture was taken on the front porch, steps and yard of the only house my Mom and Dad ever owned.  The picture was made in September, 2008 following a party celebrating Mom's 90th birthday.  Members of the family have been lost to death and divorce.  Members have been added by birth and marriage.  Not all the family members were present for this picture.  Besides the half person that was cut off, two grandsons and their families of 6 total were not present.  That is a lot of prodigy to come from just two people. 

Thanks to my Mother for all she did through the years for me and later my family.  She cared for me as a child, she sewed for me as I grew up.  She hauled me to countless 4-H activities.  She loves my husband, son and grandsons.  Ever summer for 8 years she and Daddy took care of our son for from 2 weeks to 6 weeks.  It took us a while to get him back in the routine after those visits.  Just this Easter season, she sent cards with just a little money to thirteen of her great and great great grandchildren.   Just because she is a giving person and wants them to know she loves and thinks of them.

From Proverbs 31, The Message:

She designs gowns and sells them,

    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.

Her clothes are well-made and elegant,

    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.

When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,

    and she always says it kindly.

She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,

    and keeps them all busy and productive.

Her children respect and bless her;

    her husband joins in with words of praise:

“Many women have done wonderful things,

    but you’ve outclassed them all!”

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.

    The woman to be admired and praised

    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.

Give her everything she deserves!

    Festoon her life with praises!

Mom was more likely to give away anything she sold.  And she is a bit of a glass half full person.  My Mom is not perfect, but she does love her family the best she knows how.  That is all any mother can do, the best she knows how.  May God continue to bless her and us with her presence.

Texan to the core!  And a Democrat, too, she adds.

The best gift I can give my Mother on Mother's Day is to be in her presence.  This year I will not be celebrating with her.  I spent a good deal of time with her last week during the sew a thon for my younger sister.  This year for the first time since 1991 I will be with my one and only child and he is doing the cooking!  I cannot ask for a better Mother's Day gift.

For more takes on Mother's Day or to add to the fun, join Gretchen or Ginny over at The Spin Cycle.