How?

  With all this talk about immigration and the impact it has on our economy I am left with some basic questions. The first, but not the least among them being, just how do all these people get here? Now I realize I'm just a small town guy, lower middle class, with a modest income and lacking a college education but it costs a lot of money to travel across continents. I'm guessing the caravans from those Latin American nations have stopped. I don't hear about that anymore. Thousands of impoverished people, fleeing the drug cartels, racing across a continent with nothing more than a cell phone and back pack. Took them months yet they arrived at the border, yearning to be free. I did question just how that worked, someone was funding all of that. Now I'm hearing about Somalis in Minnesota. How did they get there?  I'm thinking there is a lot more to that story that I've been told. 

  Another question I have is why aren't all these people homeless? I hear about the vast number of homeless veterans and drug addicts but not "migrants." The migrants seem to have no problem getting housing once they are here. The only issue I hear concerning that is overcrowding of homes and apartments. Yes, the conditions aren't up to the American dream standard of living. Some don't even have a white picket fence! 

 I wasn't aware of just how large a Somali occupation had taken place. How did that happen? I know little about Somalia, but isn't that an impoverished nation in Africa? But the Somalia people aren't Africans, they're Muslims, that's what the media says anyway. They are being targeted today because they are Muslims? Or, is it because they have no legal status to be here in the first place. It is cheaper to import them without going through the legal channels. Who is paying for that passage? I'm not really an expert on geography but I'm pretty sure you can't walk from Somalia to Minnesota. Not even with a cell phone and back pack! 

 I'm also seeing a big problem with truck drivers that can't read English, even at the most basic level. What nationality are they? I see pictures of them wearing turbans and sandals. I know it's stereotyping but that indicated to me they are most likely of Indian origins. When it isn't being called racist to say that, you call it a traditional costume. Many seem to think those drivers are being singled out for examinations. Well, if I want to find someone that can't read or speak English very well I'm not stopping a cowboy. That could be said to be a traditional costume of an American. Having been overseas many times while in the Navy I can tell you many of those folks believe we are all cowboys. If they wanted to find someone that could speak English, they would pick me every time. Nothing stereotypical about that, just the odds are good. 

  Yes all that has effected our economy. Imported cheap labor has always influenced the economy and will continue to do so. Slavery was just the most outright, blatant use of imported labor! Just capture your enemies and make them do the jobs you don't want to do. You know, those unskilled jobs that are required but just labor intensive and boring. Now should those enslaved demonstrate some skills they are promoted in status just a bit. You can work in the big house or drive that wagon. Then you had sharecroppers, they don't own anything but get freedom. Only thing is, that freedom comes with dependence upon the owner of that property. Works like that, even when the owner of the property is the government. You can share (socialism) equally with all the other dependents. And that is the ultimate goal in all of this, having everyone dependent upon the government. You gain control by overwhelming the system. Just how many are you going to allow in the club? 

  I'm still left with the same question. How do those hundreds of thousands of people manage to get to America? I couldn't just pack my backpack, grab my cell phone and trek off to Somalia. I get it, some may get here because family members sent them money. Those folks would still have to pass through customs and checks to get into the country. I have to show my real ID to board a domestic flight! So, even if they did have all the necessary paperwork, that number would be small. Or are all the illegal immigrants making so much money they can afford to smuggle their entire families in? Does picking fruit really pay that much? Something just doesn't add up. And last I knew Minnesota wasn't known for fruit. 

                                                                                     

                                   Where did all these people go? Just out for a walk

                                   to America. Some 2500 miles with a back pack and a cell phone. 

                                  Dora had a back pack, but no cell phone, only a map. 

Questions

   I keep hearing about Chat bots. Apparently these bots talk to you and make you do bad things. Does Stephen King have anything to do with that? I understand these bots are artificial intelligence. You type in a question and it gives you an answer. Same thing as google I suppose, I haven't tried talking with a bot. Sadly I hear the stories of parents blaming the bots for their children's suicides. The bot made them do it. Lawsuits are being filed and companies being held accountable. I do have serious misgivings about all of that. Should the chat bot creators be held responsible? If I cut myself with a knife should the manufacturer be held to account for that? Isn't an equal degree of responsibility on the user? 

  It's my feeling that it should, unless there is some defect in the product that you aren't told about. In the case of these bots, it is known that it is artificial intelligence. It isn't a real person talking to you. I'm certain the young people using those bots are vastly more informed, knowledgeable about all of that than I am. I have serious doubts that any of these children do not know that. Perhaps there is a dependence upon artificial intelligence that I am unaware of. 

 Call me skeptical or whatever but I take whatever I read on google and any other internet sources with a grain. Is that maturity, or just common sense? I didn't believe everything I was told when I was a kid either. I did learn to recognize the truth for fantasy! Watched Superman and never tried flying, watched the Road Runner cartoons and never tried buying a missile from the Acme company. Watched Popeye  and never ate me spinach to punch Brutus in the nose. No, knew all that was just for fun. I had other kids tell me I was stupid, ugly and all manner of things like that. Never wanted to shoot them or myself! I knew that it wasn't true, what they said, and so I just said it right back. I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you. 

  Is this artificial intelligence manipulative? I don't think so, I think that would require some degree of intelligence. Consider a good attorney for instance. When questioning the witness aren't they attempting to manipulate the answer to go in their favor? It takes cunning and thought to do that and have it go undetected. When successful you really believe you gave the correct answer, you believe in that. You aren't aware that you were "lead" into that. That's why on those court shows you will hear "objection, he's leading the witness" and the judge overrules that. Is that A.I. manipulating young minds? Or, are those young minds just getting the answers they want to hear? Are they manipulating that artificial intelligence? 

  I don't know about that but I do know this; I can find a source on the internet to support just about any position I wish to take. I can find as many references supporting vaccines as I can those issuing cautionary advice concerning them. I can find "irrefutable truth"  to prove that the other "irrefutable truth" is, in fact, wrong. Yes I can find a source or sources to confirm whatever I want, to agree with me. If I believe what is being said about me, I can find someone else to agree with that, I suspect an artificial source would even be a bit easier. 

  Chat bots? I do find it a bit disturbing that we are raising a generation that is willing to talk to artificial intelligence more readily than an actual person. I'm so old I remember when my only other choice was talking to myself! Fortunately I generally received some good advice although there were some questionable decisions made. None of those decisions contained harming myself, but a few did put me in a hazardous situation! Well, those situations generally taught me a lesson and I didn't repeat that. I still talk to myself instead of a chatbot, or other people, depending upon the subject matter. I just can't understand why you would have a personal conversation with a computer program. Well, I did ask that Magic Eight Ball a few questions growing up. When I didn't like the answer, I just tried it again. 

                                                                               

                                             Did you know there were twenty possible answers. 

                                             10 positive, 5 negative and 5 non-committal. I never 

                                              counted them, but I just asked google. I'm wasn't

                                              committed to that answer though. I could always 

                                              check that Ouija board. 

                             

The Republic

  Today is Pearl Harbor day, a date that will live in infamy. Not much I can write that I haven't already written regarding my sentiments about that. The generation that fought in that conflict are slipping into history, almost all gone today. Ancient warriors? No, my parents, uncles and neighbors. I see their faces and hear their voices. It's strange because while they were here, they were mostly silent on that. Silent about an event that defined their generation. They fought, they won. And that was that.

 What will be a defining moment for my generation? I'm not certain I have an answer for that. It appears to me that my generation has done more complaining and protesting than anything else. I haven't been active with any of that,  guess you could say I was silent. That's not true however, not if you know me. I've done plenty of complaining and protesting, just not in public. I joined the service when that wasn't a very popular thing to do. Others were calling those in the service baby killers, and all sorts of vile names. Going in the service meant you weren't smart enough to go to college, that was the perception. Only those with a college education can be successful. That is what we were told in the high school guidance offices across the country.

 The baby boomers is what they call us. Being called a baby boomer is a derisive term according to what generation? OK Boomer is supposed to be a dismissive remark, a lack of respect. The fact that it was the boomers that lead the charge for civil rights is overlooked. Yes, that was the boomers that passed all that legislation. Boomers also advanced technology with people like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Boomers are responsible for LGBTQ+ rights. But, the way I see it as a boomer, we have not united behind a single cause, no one defining moment or philosophy. Never has the social and political divide been wider. We started that and it has been expanding with each succeeding generation. 

 That is my view of history when I detach myself from that history. That's my unbiased observations. I don't feel bad about that, I'm not moved to attempt to rewrite history. I'm fully aware I am just a very small cog in the world, insignificant in a historical sense. I'm fine with all that. I've been at odds with my own generation since I realized what others were doing, supporting and promoting that went contrary to my beliefs. That has been the case with every generation. You just have to read history as a story, not as a factual account of the past. Those facts really do depend upon the author.

 It seems to me that this younger generation is beginning to understand that and that's why we are hearing "alternative" facts. Those facts are usually something to be used to attack your political opponents these days. Jefferson held slaves! Lincoln told a lie. The pilgrims were foreign invaders and white people have always oppressed every other race on the planet. The boomers just don't understand anything about any of that, that's why we should be dismissed as irrelevant, undereducated and generally speaking prejudicial, judgmental and non-inclusive. Standards? There are no standards, everyone gets to do just as they please and you must accept that without question or judgement. If you don't, you will be judged! 

 The American Republic. It is an ideal. I was raised saying that phrase, "and to the Republic," and was taught what that republic was all about. I was taught we are the greatest country in the world, we are superior in our government to all others. We have never been defeated in war! We won our freedom from the British who arguably had the strongest army in the world at that time. There were dissenters in the country at that time, we called them loyalists! I didn't hear a lot about them, there were just footnotes. The story being, we won! The British tried to take it back in 1812, they failed again. There were a number of reason we had to "go over there" in WW1. The least of these reasons was a collective moral obligation to help our allies. It was that combined with the German submarines attacking our shipping and hurting our economic interests. That part wasn't mentioned quite as much. Then there was WW2. We had no choice whatsoever! Pearl Harbor was attacked and we would answer that attack. We destroyed our enemies completely, thoroughly and made them surrender unconditionally! All of that was completely justified. 

  A generation that saved the world! That was our parents, our relatives, our friends and neighbors. We had parades to celebrate all of that. We honored them, we respected them and we were grateful to them. We call them, the greatest generation, and that is also justified. That is the history I was taught. I didn't dwell on the footnotes, the missteps and bad decisions that were made during that conflict. It was the result that counts! We preserved the Republic. We stood proud! We are Americans. E Pluribus Unum  Out of many, one. The important part in that is being the one! Not a collection of parts but a single unified entity. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. It's not a advertising slogan, it is the heart of the American Republic. If any of that hurts your feelings, you really should just pack up and go.  

                                                                                         

                                                           Let's start teaching that again! 

Magic remains

  Christmas isn't about the things you get, it is about the things you had. It does take a lifetime to begin to understand that completely. I'm still working on it. My lifetime isn't over and so I still have a lot to learn. They just had a mental health expert on television talking about about, about loss, and how it can affect you during the holidays. The suggestion being to work on your coping skills. Those skills may involve pharmaceuticals. Of course you can always seek a trained profession to guide you through. Anyone that has read my blogs knows how I feel about that. In my opinion, it doesn't require any training, a bartender or best friend can perform the same function. What you really need is someone to listen and to judge! Yeah, I know we are constantly being told not to judge, but that is exactly what should be done. That mental health professional, that is exactly what they do, judge your mental state. Then they either medicate it or have you committed. I suspect 99% of the time they just listen and take your money, You should continue therapy. 

 But back to Christmas. I remember as a child dreaming about the gifts I might get. Letters to Santa and hints left around the house. For a little while there was that magic, that belief, that a magical elf would indeed bring you the things you asked for, if you deserved to get them. That was the whole, you better be good thing that generally worked quite well for about two weeks before the big day. We all knew it didn't apply in July. Then we knew it was just a story but tried not to let mom and dad know we knew. That would give them an excuse and you might not get that gift you really, really wanted. But you could only do that one year and then it was over. Reality set in. You could ask, but you knew the odds based on a number of factors, of actually getting that present. Santa isn't a rich guy! It is the thought that counts. Yeah, it's a bit disappointing when you figure that out.

 Today I don't have a wish list or anything like that. When asked I just say, I don't want anything. I do enjoy putting out a few of my favorite things for Christmas, the decorations that have lasted over the years. Each one holds memories and I am reminded. I'm not sad about any of that, quite the opposite really, each one makes me smile. Yes, of course, I am pensive at times, I do miss those that shared the memory with me, but that is reality. One day I will be a memory; well, hopefully anyway.

 I have received many gifts over the years. How many of them remain? The material ones I have no idea about, but they would be very few indeed. But the gifts of Christmas are in reality the gift of love, of thoughtfulness, and hope. Those are the presents that we save over the years. Yes, it is the things we had that make Christmas special to us today. I remember them and enjoy them to this very day. They haven't gone away, I'm still here and life goes on. Santa still lives at the North Pole, that hasn't changed. The magic remains. The mystery remains. You just have to believe, that's as close as you can get to the reality. Does the greatest gift remain to be given? As I said, all you can do is believe. 

                                                                             

A tradition of mine is sitting by the Christmas tree on Christmas eve. All the lights are off, no television, no radio, just the silence of the night. I listen closely as the tree tells the tales and it is a comfort. 

Get serious

 I keep hearing stories on television about the issue with porch pirates. I just wonder how we took to calling thieves porch pirates, like it is a cute little moniker. Aye matey, we be plundering! They are just thieves, low life individuals lacking any sense of morality. It is almost like it has become a game, how to fool the pirates. Are we going to start calling shoplifters pirates too? Why not, they are doing the same action. Or are we going to start calling all of that undocumented acquisitions. That way we won't offend anyone by calling then what they are, thieves. 

 I do not have a camera rigged to photograph any one coming to my door. I have enough problem with all the other tech stuff I do have. The town does have a few cameras on main street but nothing covering my area. Yes I know I can just buy that ring doorbell and it comes with the app and all that. In fact I purchased one as a gift for my son, that was a few years back. It still works to this day. I have no desire to have one. I am not concerned about pirates. I do order frequently from Amazon and those packages are sitting on my porch. I haven't lost any so far. I am offered a safe drop box where I can go to get my stuff if I want to do that. I don't see the point. If I wanted to go somewhere else to pick up my package I wouldn't order it sent to my doorstep. I would just go to the other place. 

 In Maryland theft under 1500 dollars is just a misdemeanor. A slap on the wrist and an admonishment to not do that again. It doesn't matter how many times you are caught either, it's an unlimited plan. The courts in Baltimore report a very high number of repeat offenders, especially juveniles. Nothing really happens to them. They are sent home and told not to do it again. Being juveniles when they become adults all of that is sealed, so you could be hiring a career criminal and not have a clue about that. Then they can steal less than 1500 dollars from your business and still just get a misdemeanor charge. Not only that they have special "programs and incentives" for those being caught, you know, to help them get on the straight and narrow. Well, their brains aren't fully developed yet so it's not their fault.

  Now it's important to know that the value of stolen goods isn't cumulative. Each theft is an individual misdemeanor. I could take a package off every porch on the block but I only get charged for the value of each package individually, not the total amount. Each homeowner would have to press charges individually. The kids, even with those underdeveloped brains, are well aware of this and use it to their advantage. Well they are just porch pirates, isn't that cute. And it is illegal for you to set up any sort of trap or device that may harm them in any way. You are subject to being sued should any harm come to the pirates. I've seen lots of videos about that, all very funny stuff, but illegal. I'm thinking they have all been staged. You can't believe what you see. 

  Times change I understand all of that. When I was a kid stealing was a very bad thing to be accused of. And like most kids I was tempted to give that a try at the 5&10. No one would notice if I just took one piece of bazooka joe. I did and Mom noticed! I got almost to the car before being discovered. I was marched right back into that store and made to confess to the cashier exactly what I had done. Mom paid for the gum, I was thoroughly embarrassed. I was told, I'll be keeping an eye on you from now on. 

After we got home I wasn't traumatized by my punishment because I knew I had earned that punishment. Yes, earning something didn't always equate to it being something you wanted. I never stole anything again. As a child I was told that messing around with the mail was a federal offense and you would go to the big house for that! You didn't open another's mailbox, you didn't open someone else's mail, not ever. Had a neighbor that was drinking, took a baseball bat and smashed a mailbox for fun. He went to jail! You don't mess with the mail! 

  Porch pirates. Thieves is what they are and they should be locked up! Should be a federal offense to steal any packages from a porch. True Amazon isn't the United States Postal service but those deliveries should be treated with the same seriousness. As far as misdemeanors I'd add them up with those juveniles. If you have now stolen over 1500 dollars worth of goods, that's a felony, even if it took you a year to accumulate that much. Yeah, no more free passes as long as you moderate you thievery! Theft is theft regardless of the price of the object. You want to be a pirate? You can walk the plank as far as I'm concerned. Steal from Davey Jones locker if you can.

                                                                                    

Passing the test

  It was discovered that a man attending fire school in the city of Baltimore was planning a mass shooting event. He had lots of guns, a plan and also planned on killing himself in the process. Now the big discussion about what could have been done to prevent that. It is being suggested that mental health examinations should have been required before allowing him in that school. Yes, I suppose that a mental health examination may have revealed he had issues. The thing is this, even if they had administered a mental health examination and determined his mental state wasn't quite right, all they can do is not allow him to attend the school. You can't be locked up, put away anywhere, until you actually do something. 

 It began in the 1950's, the closing of state institutions for the mentally ill. There were abuses no denying that and that was a leading factor in the closing of those places. Today you can't be paced in a mental facility unless you consent to that. That wasn't the case back in those days. It's a tricky thing, mental health. It's my feeling that no one of us is free from some "issue" if we were given a test. The tests themselves are very subjective and open to interpretation. One expert saying this, and another saying that. It's why the "manual" is occasionally revised. What was a mental issue yesterday, is just fine today, in fact it should be celebrated! What changed? Nothing. 

 I was interviewed by a mental health professional as a part of the qualifications to become a Navy recruiter. I guess I wasn't nuts, I got the job. I don't really remember what the questions where about. I do remember the doctor asking me if I had any questions. I replied, who decides if you are alright? He seemed offended by that question, told me his collogues performed that function, and the interview ended. Personally, I think the guy had a screw loose.

  Now I realize mental health is a hot button issue these days. I see a lot of commercials on television for products that will help with your progress. You are already taking some medications but need a bit of a boost, there is a product for that. You can put your sad face card back in your purse. By taking more drugs you are making progress. Drew Carey on the Price is Right urges you to take care of your mental health. There are billboards addressing that as well. You can get counseling online too, no need to see a therapist in person, it might even be free. No judgement! Well, isn't that the function of that trained expert? Aren't they supposed to judge your mental state? Their only course of action however is to give you a prescription! Hopefully it alters your consciousness enough that you don't hurt others or yourself. Never mind the medication may have side effects like liver failure or death, that rarely happens.

  Are we now going to require a mental health examination before you can get a job, go to school or interact with people in any way? Are we going to require you carry credentials that you're fine. Will it become like Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory? I'm not crazy, I've been tested. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Just what does happen if you fail that test? Those examinations are not perfect and neither is any one individual. The only legal ramifications from failing a mental health exam may be a custody battle, a criminal proceeding, where you can claim you are nuts btw, and losing your ability to make a decision for yourself. You know, when someone else wants your inheritance, estate or control of your money. Think Brittany Spears. Of course, you may be denied employment or attending a school or anything else based on that assessment. Your only course of action would be a legal challenge. Thing is, mental health can't be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. It really does depend upon that expert opinion. 

  The whole institutionalizing of those with mental health conditions, by the state through legal means, did become a disaster. Many where sent there that shouldn't have been. The conditions were generally horrible and the treatment of the patients terrible. The oversight just wasn't there. But with the closing of those institutions there are many on the streets today that do have serious mental problems. And all that can be done is to appeal to them to seek help. Yes, we are relying upon the mental patients to check themselves in. When they do not and commit some serious crimes we prosecute the crime. Sometimes we don't prosecute the crime, instead excusing it because, well, they are nuts! They can't be held accountable for that. They can be ordered into treatment at that point though. We could have prevented the crime from happening if we had institutionalized that person before the crime happened, but we can't do that. Maybe we should give everyone a test. 

  Take care of your mental health. What am I supposed to do? Should I take medications every time I feel sad, depressed or have feelings of anger? Or should I go online and talk to a therapist. Someone that can tell me, you're fine you just need to take a few medications to boost your progress. Is that taking care of my mental health, the search for reassurance and acceptance. That reassurance and acceptance must come from outside sources, otherwise I may be having a mental health crisis, becoming a narcissist or egotistical. You know that is a disorder don't you? Seek help immediately. Nothing can be done legally until it's too late! You really should get tested. Yeah, there's a form for that.

                                                                                   

                                                                         

Motivation

  Is America changing? Well of course it is. Everything changes over time. Isn't that the basis of evolution? The hope is always the changes are for the better. In nature that always means survival. An adaptation to the physical world. With governments, that isn't always the case. In fact, historically speaking, governments rarely evolve into anything better that survives. Many scholars have written about that. The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire is probably the best known of those works. Rome didn't begin as a republic, it began as a Kingdom. The romans overthrew the king and formed the republic which lasted for 450 years until it was replaced by the Roman Empire. That's when they had emperors. That surely didn't work out well in the end. 

 I shake my head as I listen to many people today wanting to change our republic into something else. A socialist state seems to be leading the pack of possible alternatives. Changes that would destroy the republic. I hear the argument that the constitution is a living instrument and should be changed, it should evolve with the times. I'd argue that it has done just that with the addition of amendments. Most notably the first ten and those concerning civil rights. Other amendments were added to favor the government itself, rather than the people. But that is a discussion for the scholars. It must be remembered that the core principles remain the same. All men are created equal, an ongoing process that continues to this day. Equality doesn't mean any one group gets the advantage over the others! The freedom to speak out and address the government when you feel wronged. That's because you are the government, not those elected to represent you. 

 When I was in grade school we did say the pledge of allegiance in the morning. It included this phrase," and to the republic for which it stands" it did not say to the democracy. You hear a lot about democracy these days, our democracy. Yeah well our form of democracy is a Republic! If history teaches us anything at all it is that we must never let our Republic decline into a democracy. Aristotle stated that plainly enough and we should heed that warning and advice. Democracies decline into despotism. It's something the Democrats like to say about Trump, that he is becoming a despot. Last I knew the legislative and judicial branches of the republic were still in full effect. That's the way the republic was designed. 

 Aristotle also said. "Happiness belongs to the self sufficient." That is exactly what the United States should be, self sufficient. Some call that isolationism. I think of it as independence. Now I enjoy getting help when I need it, I like getting goods or services that I don't have as much as anyone else. I just don't want to be dependent upon them! There's a big difference between what you want and what you need. The purpose of government isn't to provide those needs, it is prevent others from denying your ability to acquire them. That is what true freedom is. Dependence upon government is not freedom. In fact, dependence is the surrender of freedom. Dependence is what will create the necessary circumstance for a despot to gain control. When government controls your means of production, your means to provide for yourself, you become dependent upon that government. Government should be the tool that ensures your freedom, not the shackles that restrict you! 

 Motivation does not change the objective. We hear an awful lot about motivations these days. We hear about why the pilgrims came to this land, why all the others followed over the years. We hear about the search for freedom, the American dream. Yes, the American dream and just what is that dream? Freedom from government oppression. Independence! Give me liberty or give me death! What is liberty? Freedom, that's what the word means. Freedom from restrictions imposed by government. 

 Liberty to the founding fathers began with ensuring individual liberties and is dependent upon civic virtue. What is civic virtue? Their conception of that was based in Christian beliefs. Virtue and morality go hand in hand. Virtue morality is not dependent upon words written in a book, ie: the Bible, Quran or Torah, which is why we have that separation of church and state. Rather it is based on just being a good person. The whole treat otters as you wish to be treated philosophy. Charity begins at home, not in the halls of government. 

 Is America changing? You bet it is and not for the better. It is not going to be a sustainable future when the population becomes dependent upon government. It really is as Margaret Thatcher pointed out, you will run out of others peoples money. She was talking about socialism. Socialism, a system that says everything should be controlled by the community (government). The hippies in the 1960's America tried that method, calling them communes. Communes, socialists, communists, all the same philosophy. no liberty for you! Those communes all collapsed. Disheartened and disillusioned the hippies just went back home. I wonder where will we all go if the Republic collapses? We must remain vigilant! 

 Our survival depends upon our motivation. What controls our motivations? Our individual moral and ethical values. What was it that Aristotle said? Happiness belongs to the self sufficient. Are you really self sufficient when you are willing to abandon all civic virtue for personal gain? Remember the Republic can only exist when the citizens of that Republic exercise sound moral and ethical values. In short, be good people. Being a good person does not involve forcing others to provide for your wants and needs. The purpose of government is not to provide charity, it is to govern the actions of those that would not act in a moral and ethical fashion. That is the purpose of government, the rule of law. 

 What is the motivation for you to be a good person? For the religious it may be eternal life. It may be just having a sense of purpose. It could be popularity, the desire to be seen as a good person. Whatever the motivation may be, it involves a reward of some type. Seems to me it depends upon just how soon you want that reward. Urgency often leads to bad decisions. I don't have any real sense of purpose here, I'm just a tiny piece in the big picture. A single pixel. Whatever reward I receive, I will have earned, that's my feeling about that. What motivates me? Not sure about that, but I have to keep going to find out I suppose. Curiosity is a good motivator. I have observed this much, "emotions are great motivators but seldom good guides" Stay calm folks. 

                                                                                

That's illegal

  I remember when the big conversation was about black people. The "descriptor" has changed over the years from the "n" word to African Americans, at least in some circles it has. I'm not certain what the politically correct term is today and do think it is dependent upon just who you are talking too. Well, its always been that way really. It always depended upon the circumstance of social standing. But now I keep hearing about the "brown" people. I have heard politicians using that term insisting that Trump is targeting the brown people. I'm assuming they are referring to those from Latin American countries, as well as "Indians" or "Pakistanis." What are those from Somalia? According to goggle they are from Africa but are not black or Asian. It doesn't say what they are called, just that they are an ethnic group. I don't know anyone from Somalia to ask.

  The "brown" people are those in between the black and white people. Their skin tone ranges from light brown to almost black, it also includes those with "yellow" skin. I wonder how black you have to be, to be black. I do recall when I was in elementary school a couple of kids arguing with each other about just that on the playground. They were "colored" kids. My school was fully integrated as I am from the north. But one day these two were arguing, the one saying the other one wasn't black, he was brown. The other kid saying, he was too black, his parents said so. I found that interesting as I had never given any of that a thought before that time. Did the different shades hold any significance? Apparently it did among that community, at least that was the impression I got from that argument. I never asked. 

  Now all these years later the brown people are being discussed. I guess we didn't have any brown people when I was in grade school. At least no one I ever noticed. There was this girl on the bus that looked different, I was told she might be from Mexico or maybe Puerto Rico as she had that long black hair and a darker skin tone, not like a good tan, but tan anyway. I was interested, she was not. 

 The brown people are being deported! Well, could be that is because those brown people came from another country and are not Americans. If I were living in Mexico or India I would expect people to think, he's a white guy, probably not from here. If I couldn't speak the language, or read it, that would be a real good indicator as well. Nothing prejudicial about that, just logical thinking is all. If I want to find a potato, I'm not looking in the cabbage patch. I'm not prejudiced against potatoes, just know where they are most likely to be and what they look like. 

  It's a funny thing these descriptors we use. If you give an accurate description of the individual you are often accused of being prejudiced! You may even be told you are stereotyping people. The police have taken to using numbers, like a number one male. That's a black guy, number two is a white guy. There is no number for the brown people though. No numbers for all the other genders either. Not sure how they report all that on their radio and in their reports, I'd have to ask a cop.

 Consider those black people. They have what type of hair? The official term is type 3 and Type 4, characterized by it being curly and s shaped. Afro-textured in polite company. Is that a stereotype? No, it is just the most common type of hair found in black populations. What about brown people? Google says that is a "racial classification" usually a political and skin based category. Everyone is skin based just not political?  And white folks, why we are just all prejudicial people, we are prejudiced against the black and brown people. What do white people look like? We have white skin. 

  In 1908 a play by Israel Zangwill titled "The Melting Pot" popularized that term. America was the great melting pot. Immigrants came here to assimilate into American society. That was the dream, to become a citizen of the greatest nation on the face of the planet. Those immigrants were well aware of the requirements to be met to obtain that status, citizenship. It began with legally entering the nation, obtaining the necessary documents to live and work here. The objective was to become an American. It wasn't to change American values, traditions, moral or ethical standards or impose their ancestors traditions and customs on Americans. 

 The objective was to integrate those with America. It requires the abandonment of all those traditions and values that do not align with America. The ideal is to have a blended society, all melted together to form one nation. An American society. It may have started out with predominately white people ( Europeans) but has always welcomed anyone that wanted to immigrate here. It's true in 1917 an immigration act was passed to prohibit certain folks from entering the country.  "According to the law, these included “all idiots, imbeciles, feeble-minded persons, epileptics, insane persons … persons with chronic alcoholism; paupers, professional beggars,” and those with tuberculosis and other contagious diseases. It barred felons, polygamists, prostitutes and their traffickers, and – similar to Trump’s ban – it blocked entry to those who “advocate the overthrow by force or violence of the Government of the United States, or of all forms of law” and anyone who would “advocate or teach the duty, necessity, or propriety” of killing of US officers or officials. " 

  I don't know about you, but all that seems reasonable enough to me. We have enough of those born here, we don't need to import any! Prejudicial or just common sense? You decide. In 1882 all Chinese were banned for ten years. That was a reaction to a very high unemployment rate and the Chinese were thought to be impacting that in the mining business. There are other instances and if you read about them they all made good sense at the time and circumstances of their implementation. Remember, hindsight is always twenty/twenty but is often viewed through a different lens. If you were not there to view it you really don't see the whole picture, only what has been reported. I realize it is shocking to some but we really aren't told everything! There are some things that are just none of your business. 

 Prior to 1875 immigration was a state controlled thing. Basically the borders were open and entry was allowed with the various states having different requirements. Then in 1875 the Supreme court decided that immigration was a federal responsibility. The court was predominately Democrats. So the immigration act of 1875 was established. That's the quote I included earlier, about not allowing feeble minded folks and all that into the country. Later, the Chinese exclusion act made it a federal crime to import Chinese people here against their will to work in the mines and railroads, no sex workers allowed and no pimps! 

 Really it was a protection for those Chinese that were being shanghaied and coerced into coming to America. That act was passed by a Republican majority in Congress. Sounds like a good idea to me, to protect the Chinese folks from that. It basically put those kidnappers, smugglers and human traffickers out of business! Yes, I'd say a wise decision, even though it may have hurt some peoples feelings. As for interring the Japanese during WW2 I ask you this, if another nation declared war on us, bombed our land and killed thousands wouldn't you be a bit suspicious of any of their citizens living here? It really is quite a reasonable reaction. It's no different than wandering into the wrong part of town, you can expect to be attacked. You might not, but are you taking that chance? It's called security. 

 The naturalization act of 1790 established the rules for gaining citizenship. There was residency requirement and naturalization was limited to "free white People." Just who was a white person? That wasn't defined and varied greatly from place to place. Today we are attempting to define what a woman is; guessing we haven't made that much progress after all. You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings you know. We feel like we have a handle on the white and black folks, the brown people, not so much. Brown people are just the in-between bunch, not white, not black. We do know that a good number of the brown people in America today aren't here legally. When they can't read or speak the language the suspicion grows. When their names appear on ICE documents for apprehension it's a pretty good bet that they are illegally in the country. 

 It became obvious in 1875 that we needed to control immigration. We really do need to know who is coming in the door. It isn't about race, it is about security. You don't leave your door open for just anyone to wander into your home. No, you want to know a bit about that individual. That's called documentation. Without any documentation you can't know for sure. That's why the bank just doesn't take your word for it when making a withdrawal or granting you a loan. Undocumented withdrawals are called theft! Yeah, robbing the bank. That's illegal. So is being in my country without any documentation of your entry. And it doesn't matter how long you have been here, just like it doesn't matter how long the money has been in the bank. You need documentation! Simple really. 

                                                                              

                                             If you have one of these, you have nothing to worry about. 

                                             

Generations

  The first day of December, already. In just one month a quarter of the century will have passed. Isn't that amazing? It is if you are a member of the boomer generation. We really are the first generation to be commonly identified in that manner. We took to calling our parents the greatest generation. Now I'm losing track of what generation is what. Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha and Gen Beta is on deck. When it comes to these generation's, a ten year span seems to be the defining time period. A generation is generally considered to be twenty years when doing ancestry. Guess we are getting in a hurry these days. 

  We boomers are generally dismissed by succeeding generations with a simple phrase, OK boomer. A definite shift in philosophy. Whereas we called our parents the greatest generation, they call us boomers as a dismissive term. I can't help but wonder if that isn't our own fault. I'm thinking we did name them right though, our parents were the greatest generation of Americans. Things have been going downhill ever since. No one to blame but ourselves for that. Now it wasn't everyone, but apparently it was enough that tuned in, turned on and dropped out. Maybe having witnessed the greatest we just lost our confidence and gave up. Many certainly surrendered independence for dependence! 

  My dad was born in 1924. He fought in WW2. His generation was called the silent generation, Sometimes called the traditionalist or builders. The greatest generation is considered to have begun in 1928, although I have always included by father as a part of that. The actual years are a bit murky, even among scholars. My thinking is an awful lot depends upon just who raised you. My dad was raised by his grandparents and so influenced heavily by their standards and beliefs. Interesting to note is that great grandfather Floyd was born in 1878 and according to the scholarly charts of generations his was the lost generation or the greatest generation! First time I've read that. 

 I have checked a listing of generations and noticed that in general each generation is lasting a bit shorter in time. All of that is of course very subjective. We try to explain the past in todays terms. I don't believe you can ever really do that. It's like attempting to explain things like slavery. There were times when that was considered a perfectly acceptable practice and in some places it is still practiced. There was a time when public hangings were performed, as a deterrent to crime, a show of justice. Most felt that was fair enough. People even went to those like we would go to a concert. The older we get the more we begin to understand and accept the past for what it was. That is because we lived that past. We do have an alternative opinion on that past as well. What is being taught in school may or may not align with our view of that history. 

 In just a few years I will have witnessed 3/4 of a century. The hope is to make it to one. Statistically speaking, less than 1% of the population will make that mark. I'm thinking I will one of them. I have some ancestors that did accomplish that, but it is less than 1%. It isn't anything I often think about or a cause of great concern. It's just a fact of life. I guess with Christmas approaching and this year to include a great granddaughter my awareness has been raised just a bit. She is a member of Generation Beta. Born January 8th, 2025 the beginning of that generation. I wonder what history she will have witnessed when the century turns again. I wonder will she read my history and wonder about that. "My great grandfather only had a black and white television, with vacuum tubes in it when he was a child. Can you imagine what that was like? " My great grandfather had a taxi, it was a horse and buggy. Can you imagine that?   

                                                                                   

Taken from the pages of the East Hampton Star newspaper. The buggy on the right is my great grandfather operating his " Main Steet Taxi"  

                                                                          

                                                                     Elliotte, generation Beta