PLAYING GAMES AND TAKING SCORES

If any video won’t play try the URL link underneath it.

It’s a little known fact that I play harmonica. 

Get up and dance!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgu5zMWolGE

“Everybody’s kicking sand

even politicians yeah.”

Excerpt from Steve Miller Band- “Living in the USA”

This is going out to ALL sides of the divisions in the world, but on the 4 th of July, especially those in USA. Today I want you to THINK about what division is costing your country, possibly to the benefit of any enemies out there. 

There is currently too much hate and division in America, as I stated last 4 th of July. 

Acerules says it’s ok to share this meme. 

Perhaps it was a long time coming, from a great deal of change, too quickly. I think this is true in many parts of the world. However, you can’t stop change. You can slow it down, however, consulting with the people who are stakeholders, that is the ones that will be affected. Then moderation and negotiation is called for. 

Certainly alot of the hate is being generated by bots, and paid shills. Some of it is coming from people at the top of each side of politics. The person at the very top should never foster hate. Their job is to keep peace and harmony in the country among competing interests. 

“There ain't nothing you could ask
I could answer you but I won't (I won't)
I was gonna change, but I'm not
If you keep doing things I don't


You better think (think)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Oh, think (think, think)
Let your mind go, let yourself be free


People walking around everyday
Playing games and taking scores
Trying to make other people lose their minds
Well be careful, you're going to lose yours”

- Excerpt from “Think” by Aretha Franklin.

If the video doesn’t play, try the URL link below it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vet6AHmq3_s

A year ago I wrote this:

“My friends could be friends with each other if it were not for Donald Trump. That I know for sure, I saw it happening, the anger they were expressing to me privately, the divisions gradually widening.  There were people who wouldn't speak to me much, because I was friends with one or the other. They are people I respect and want to know.

We around the world are seeing it happen online and on our TV screens, and newspapers. Hate.”

No Hate by Bizzle. Another one to dance to:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FtSQmHqBemw

“Hated when I'm paid hated when I'm broke

They hating on my faith hating on my folks

See em drown in the middle of the ocean

When you pull up they be hating on yo boat

.....

Homie you can hate me but you ain't gettin no hate back you get no hate back (x2)

Cause all the hatin in the world won't make me a hater (hater x4) X3

Cause all the hatin in the world won't make me a hater”

-Bizzle

Where am I one year on? Has that improved? No, it’s got worse. The most “dyed in the wool” , intractable opponents are now not talking to me at all. They have no time for centrists. If you talk to their opponents you must be suspect, you lose their trust. If you can see a point to anything their opponents are saying, you’re a traitor. They only mix now, with people who think the same as them, regardless of their character. A term was coined for it, “echo chambers”, well its tribalism. If they talk to their opponents it’s to enjoin battle, and throw hate bombs. Propaganda abounds, as does awfulism and absolutism. 

American adults, you are too old to see things in black and white. I don’t mean racism, but rigid thinking. Bend a little toward the middle, and dance. 

It is a war AGAINST hearts and minds and I am in No Man’s Land. So are a great many independents in USA. Are they going to stay home on Election Day, because they don’t have extreme views for one of the two polarised parties? 

Maybe they should all get together and find a way to get their fellow Americans to THINK. Think for themselves, not what different polarities of the media tell them to think. If that doesn’t work, pray.

You know something? “They” can tell you to hate, but they can’t make you. 

Have a peaceful Fourth of July. 

“Think” lyrics - 

lyrics of “Think”

Bizzle-“No Hate” lyrics-

No Hate lyrics link

Last year’s post by me:

4 th July 2017

Last year’s (conservative ) reply by Lyn:

Lyn’s 4 th July post

Last Year’s (liberal ) reply by Kathy:

Kathy’s 4 th July post

LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF PHILANTHROPY

The following post has been written by, and the song contributed by Lyn.

For your blog:  I read your Fourth of July post and felt sad. Such a shame the media has to blow things out of proportion the way they do ; well it is a 24 hour news cycle after all! Funny thing though, one would not recognize anything different on this 4th. It was a lovely day, beach goers enjoying the day off with their families, we went to our families annual cookout where everyone had a great time , ate delicious food and watched children play! Life is good! I am by nature an optimistic person; glass half full kind of gal. This country has gone through many terrible times and has done just fine. I'm not so naive to think we don't have challenges but I refuse to wallow in negativity. I do not think the sky is falling! I believe America is an exceptional nation  from the ideals of its inception and the constitution that was enacted by our founding fathers. The words written by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.... 

what a remarkable thing to have written in that time! For me it could not be more current! You have the freedom to live and pursue whatever you want to be ... but your happiness is up to you!

 

I did want to reply to one of your statements about republicans needing to be more giving! I think this is a terrible misrepresentation of a large group of people that has been perpetrated by the left! It is no secret the the US is by far the most philanthropic nation on earth.

 

 Not only in $ amount(373.25 billion in 2015) but also in volunteer hours! 

 

The left loves to vilify the very wealthy but they are very giving of their time and money to very worthy causes! Studies show that republicans outspend democrats in charity spending! 

 

 

link to typical charity ball

Some of Lyn's favourite charities:

Salvation Army USA

link to Toys for Tots

st Jude's Children's hospital

Fisher House

Article reference

top 1% Charitable giving

FRACTURED FOURTH OF JULY

For several years I have posted American images, songs and anthems on online threads on the Fourth of July. Congratulatory, celebratory media pieces. I've always been grateful to America, for helping us out in WW 2, sharing great pop culture with us , and great high culture too. Science and technological advances coming out of America changed the Western world. 

This year I considered doing a post like the past, but I didn't have the drive. Something was wrong. Is America still our ally? Sure, and we are theirs. Do I feel like I can go to visit as easily as before? No, I don't anymore, in fact the idea scares me, and simultaneously makes me angry, because there are people very dear to me there I want to visit. See link at bottom, for my previous post on the issue.

The reason I can't write a happy piece on America anymore, is how I see it tragically broken into warring factions, my US friends fighting with my other US friends. Sometimes I see both sides. Issues of morality have that effect, every individual needs to take their own stand, either for, or against an outcome based on their own consciences. 

Yesterday, while researching for another post, I came across this cover by Lily Allen, that is just so sad. She's not American. The song and the clip illustrates so mournfully, how watching things there affects the rest of us. I'm not tired of America itself, but of the terrible hurt I see going on there.

My friends could be friends with each other if it were not for Donald Trump. That I know for sure, I saw it happening, the anger they were expressing to me privately, the divisions gradually widening. There were people who wouldn't speak to me much, because I was friends with one or the other. They are people I respect and want to know.

We around the world are seeing it happen online and on our TV screens, and newspapers. Hate. Americans hating each other. Do we have similar issues and divisions? Sure, but we don't have Donald Trump. I don't see him trying to extinguish the hate. 

Where does hate end up? Rwanda. Serbia/Kosovo. Nazi occupied Poland.

I think some Republicans need to grow compassion, and understand that according to Jesus' teaching, the different, poor and disabled are our brothers and sisters. You can't take it with you when you die. Prosperity theology is a load of bunk, made up by telly evangelists who got very rich, as Jesus representatives should never be, and were embarrassed about it. Trickle down economics doesnt work without a decent minimum wage. Mostly it stays at the top. You won't get better law and order if starving people and sick peoples' relatives are stealing TVs from your living rooms. If someone has been living in your country for  many years and isn't a criminal, then leave them be. 

Also, bombing someone overseas might make them bomb you back, drop toxins in your dams, or hack into your electricity supply. If you poison the air, water, and earth, you will end up  with an uninhabitable wasteland, duh.

 I think some Democrats need to understand that it's fine to preach tolerance for religious,  racial and s@xual diversity, as long as you include the rights of Christians , white people and heterosexuals in that mix. Unlimited immigration is unsustainable. Old white men are feeling pretty insulted now, and a whole class of people have been called deplorable. Would you like that if that were you? If someone doesn't want to do something for religious reasons, get someone else, duh, don't sue them, and put them out of business, starving their dependents. Suing wasn't invented for wedding cakes. It was invented for lifelong injuries and similar. You can't change people's religious views by force. Hearts change when they are loved. Lastly, you can't have peace in war torn countries without imposing law and order first. Someone has to do that, and someone has to pay for it.

Extreme right, you have to share your toys, or no one will like you. Stop killing that frog. Extreme left, Mummy isn't going to give you access to the toys if you're having a temper tantrum. You burned that flag, go to your room. Children, learn to play nicely together.

I think both sides need to listen to those in the moderate middle, for example like me, who is a Catholic, and simultaneously a Green. (There are alot of us. ) We here in no man's land are saying STOP ABUSING EACH OTHER!!!!

Hopefully I can post Whitney Houston singing the Star Spangled Banner next year, because things will hopefully have settled down in the Great US of A, and my friends will all be speaking to each other again.

please see my related post