NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS and MY BIG MOUTH

I understand that some are put off by my many political rants and social media posts.  I speak out because it is one of the ways I act on what I see as assaults on the truth, facts, injustice, inhuman actions, assaults on free speech and democracy, intolerance and hate. 

 I also act in other ways, as I feel speaking out is only one of the easier and less effective ways to act.  Boycotts, protests, campaigns of letter writing and petitions, attending town halls and meetings are other ways I participate. 

 I believe it is our right and obligation to voice dissent and opinion as citizens, neighbors and part of small and larger communities of the world.  

I believe evil does not succeed in a vacuum and omission is commission.  

Failure to speak out or act enables people to succeed with their agenda and to escalate it. There must be a wall they bump up against . There must be an alternative opinion to listen to.  There must be facts that need checking and truth to seek. 

To those of differing opinions to mine? Of course, I believe in your right to disagree and encourage your efforts to change my opinions. I only ask you check multiple sources of varying backgrounds to test and question what you read and see, especially in today’s times. AI and other tools, and both hidden and blatant agendas enable the ability to produce “ fake news” and  “deep fakes” and it will only grow harder and harder to discern what is real and what is not.

What I do object to? Are those that are too lazy, or self absorbed to get involved. The people that turn their head away, the cowards and selfish that believe as long as it doesn’t affect them directly? They need not worry or get involved. It is this behavior that allows the abhorrent behavior to flourish. If no one speaks out about Antisemitism, Misogyny or Racism,  hate and injustice it not only continues, It grows. It grows on all levels from small insults to government policy. 

 If a bully is not met by confrontation, they not only continue, they escalate. 

We live in troubling times and some issues are unique, but most are not. Throughout the decades there has been injustice, hate, bad policy, war, and violence. We have gone through them and survived, improved and grown stronger. This has only happened because people have reacted, and ACTED. 

My hope for the New Year is that more people begin to act, to question, to investigate, to take the time to seek the truth amongst the deluge of information and misinformation that rains down upon us. 

I will of course continue to provide facts and information, opinion and voice to many issues that I hold dear and urge each and every person to do the same. 

We do not need to fear confrontation as a negative. It should be done with respect and civility and with conviction and persistence. 

VIVA LA TRUTH, JUSTICE, FREEDOM, LOVE and PEACE!!