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1. <?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:blogger='http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445</id><updated>2025-07-12T01:06:24.503-05:00</updated><category term="Quote of the Day"/><category term="Photo of the Day"/><category term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><category term="Music"/><category term="Marriage Equality"/><category term="Justice and Peace"/><category term="Social Justice"/><category term="Something to Think About"/><category term="Marianne Williamson"/><category term="The Struggle for Marriage Equality in Minnesota"/><category term="Film"/><category term="Jesus"/><category term="Thoughts on Transformation"/><category term="Dancer and the Dance"/><category term="Prayer of the Week"/><category term="Progressive Thoughts"/><category term="Bayly Family"/><category term="Human Sexuality"/><category term="Black Lives Matter"/><category term="Church Reform"/><category term="Poetry"/><category term="Saaxiib Qurux Badan"/><category term="A Gay Man&#39;s Guide to Love and Loving"/><category term="Bernie Sanders"/><category term="The Sufi Path"/><category term="Port Macquarie"/><category term="Archbishop Nienstedt"/><category term="CPCSM"/><category term="Gaza Genocide"/><category term="Pope Francis"/><category term="Environmental Issues"/><category term="Literature"/><category term="Indigenous Wisdom"/><category term="Winter"/><category term="Television"/><category term="Marianne 2024"/><category term="Christmas"/><category term="Signs and Wonders"/><category term="Autumn"/><category term="Barack Obama"/><category term="Evolutionary Spirituality"/><category term="In the Garden of Spirituality"/><category term="Advent"/><category term="Buffy Sainte-Marie"/><category term="Coming Out"/><category term="Interiors"/><category term="Pope Benedict XVI"/><category term="Birthday Greetings"/><category term="Catholics for Marriage Equality MN"/><category term="Homophobia"/><category term="Summer"/><category term="Coronavirus Pandemic"/><category term="Interfaith Chaplaincy"/><category term="Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal"/><category term="Spring"/><category term="Dusty Springfield"/><category term="Homosexuality and the Priesthood"/><category term="Humor"/><category term="Colleen Kochivar-Baker"/><category term="Beloved One"/><category term="Roman Catholic Cultism"/><category term="Marianne 2020"/><category term="Socialism"/><category term="The Lenten Journey"/><category term="ACIM"/><category term="Francis DeBernardo"/><category term="Green Party"/><category term="Masculinity"/><category term="Transgender"/><category term="William D. 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Bayly"/><category term="Maria Callas"/><category term="Phyllis Bennis"/><category term="Richard Rohr"/><category term="Spirit of St. Stephen&#39;s Catholic Community"/><category term="Daniel Helminiak"/><category term="Jamie Manson"/><category term="Marianne Duddy-Burke"/><category term="Prince Valiant"/><category term="Queer Cinema"/><category term="Sarah Jane Smith"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – March 2015"/><category term="Butch Ware"/><category term="Cynthia Bourgeault"/><category term="David Weiss"/><category term="Kiki Dee"/><category term="Old Catholicism"/><category term="Ordination"/><category term="Shirley Bassey"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – February-April 2025"/><category term="Black Panther"/><category term="Brigit Anna McNeill"/><category term="Catholic Coalition for Church Reform"/><category term="Daniel Maguire"/><category term="Doris Lessing"/><category term="Eros"/><category term="Goulburn"/><category term="Passion of Christ"/><category term="Sensus Fidelium"/><category term="Vatican II"/><category term="Wild Reed Round-Up"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – May 2016"/><category term="Calvin Royal III"/><category term="Chris Hedges"/><category term="Diarmuid Ó Murchú"/><category term="Francis of Assisi"/><category term="Mary Magdalene"/><category term="NARTH"/><category term="Out and About - 2008"/><category term="Scott Dibble"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – April-May 2019"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – August 2019"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – March 2014"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – March 2023"/><category term="Conscience"/><category term="Gay Ads"/><category term="Hans Küng"/><category term="Hans Matheson"/><category term="Henri Nouwen"/><category term="Images of God"/><category term="Jenny Morris"/><category term="Jim Smith"/><category term="Joseph O&#39;Leary"/><category term="Out and About - 2009"/><category term="Out and About - 2010"/><category term="Out and About - 2011"/><category term="Richard Gaillardetz"/><category term="What a Man"/><category term="Amy Goodman"/><category term="Andor"/><category term="Andy Birkey"/><category term="Beyond the Hierarchy"/><category term="Bob Shine"/><category term="Celibacy"/><category term="Cernunnos"/><category term="Crazy Horse"/><category term="Edward Hays"/><category term="Michael Meade"/><category term="Minneapolis Uprising of 2020"/><category term="Out and About - 2007"/><category term="Petula Clark"/><category term="Robert McClory"/><category term="Synod on the Family 2015"/><category term="The Journal of James Curtis"/><category term="Vanessa Redgrave"/><category term="Wendy Matthews"/><category term="Bill Kummer"/><category term="Istanbul"/><category term="Maxwell"/><category term="Naomi Klein"/><category term="Occupy Movement"/><category term="Out and About - 2013"/><category term="Out and About - 2016"/><category term="Pahá Sápa"/><category term="Progressives and Obama"/><category term="Ralph Nader"/><category term="Rosanne Cash"/><category term="Urbanscapes"/><category term="André Holland"/><category term="Brian McNeill"/><category term="Cletus Wessels"/><category term="Dirk Bogarde"/><category term="Elizabeth Johnson"/><category term="Hugh Jackman"/><category term="Jeannine Gramick"/><category term="Joan Timmerman"/><category term="Margaret Farley"/><category term="Out and About - 2012"/><category term="Out and About - 2014"/><category term="Out and About - 2018"/><category term="Roy Bourgeois"/><category term="Sergius and Bacchus"/><category term="Thomas Gumbleton"/><category term="Thoughts on the Papacy"/><category term="Ahmad Joudeh"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – April-May 2024"/><category term="Bisexuality"/><category term="Brokeback Mountain"/><category term="CPCSM and the Archdiocese of St. Paul–Minneapolis"/><category term="Eugene Kennedy"/><category term="Europe 2005"/><category term="Gay Parenting"/><category term="In the Footsteps of Spring"/><category term="James Alison"/><category term="James Baldwin"/><category term="John Henry Newman"/><category term="John Keats"/><category term="Leonardo Boff"/><category term="McDonald Sisters"/><category term="Michael Morwood"/><category term="Pan"/><category term="Patrice Lumumba"/><category term="Paula Ruddy"/><category term="Pete Buttigieg"/><category term="Published Articles by Michael J. Bayly"/><category term="Queers United for Radical Action"/><category term="St. Michael the Archangel"/><category term="Synod on the Family 2014"/><category term="Tina Turner"/><category term="Toby Johnson"/><category term="Uta Ranke-Heinemann"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – April-May 2012"/><category term="Australian Sojourn – June-July 2025"/><category term="Chris Kluwe"/><category term="Colin Kaepernick"/><category term="Drug Abuse and Addiction"/><category term="Emmylou Harris"/><category term="Engelbert Humperdinck"/><category term="Faithful Dissent"/><category term="Garry Wills"/><category term="Ilia Delio"/><category term="Joanna Lumley"/><category term="John McNeill"/><category term="John Neafsey"/><category term="John Shelby Spong"/><category term="Karen Clark"/><category term="Lana Carolan"/><category term="Out and About - 2017"/><category term="Out and About - 2020"/><category term="Rainbow Sash"/><category term="Romanov Family"/><category term="St. Sebastian"/><category term="Twin Peaks"/><category term="Australian Floods of 2011"/><category term="Charles Curran"/><category term="Daby Touré"/><category term="Donald Glover"/><category term="Eddie Glaude"/><category term="Eve Tushnet"/><category term="Fran Ferder"/><category term="Frank Bruni"/><category term="Hanging Rock"/><category term="John Heagle"/><category term="Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee"/><category term="Loreena McKennitt"/><category term="Marianne Faithfull"/><category term="Michael Greyeyes"/><category term="Nijinsky"/><category term="Out and About - 2019"/><category term="Out and About - 2021"/><category term="Out and About - 2022"/><category term="Patricia Miller"/><category term="Paul Collins"/><category term="Paul Lakeland"/><category term="Peter Bloom"/><category term="Richard Sipe"/><category term="The APA and Homosexuality"/><category term="Thomas Moore"/><category term="Albert Mwangi"/><category term="Glenda Jackson"/><category term="James Foley"/><category term="Jason Steidl"/><category term="Out and About - 2023"/><category term="Thom Curnutte"/><category term="Tina Beattie"/><category term="Zohran Mamdani"/><category term="Darren Hayes"/><category term="Eva Perón"/><category term="Frank Ocean"/><category term="Jayden Cameron"/><category term="Karen Armstrong"/><category term="Karl Heinrich Ulrichs"/><category term="Lauren Bacall"/><category term="Luke Timothy Johnson"/><category term="Martin Pendergast"/><category term="Matthew Fox"/><category term="Michael Bernard Kelly"/><category term="Michael Starr Hopkins"/><category term="Nakhane"/><category term="Pornography"/><category term="Richard McBrien"/><category term="Roger Haight"/><category term="Rosemary Radford Ruether"/><category term="William Hunt"/><category term="Beatrice Bruteau"/><category term="Karl Rahner"/><category term="St. Raphael the Archangel"/><title type='text'>The Wild Reed</title><subtitle type='html'>&lt;strong&gt;Thoughts &amp;amp; interests of a queer seeker of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/08/michael-morwood-on-divine-presence.html&quot;&gt;Divine Presence&lt;/a&gt;;&lt;br&gt;of a “&lt;a href=&quot;http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/05/the-soul-of-dancer.html&quot;&gt;soul dancer&lt;/a&gt;,” seeking to embody with grace and verve&lt;br&gt;the &lt;a href=&quot;http://thewildreed.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/jesus-mystic-and-prophet.html&quot;&gt;mystico-prophetic&lt;/a&gt; spiritual tradition&lt;/strong&gt;</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='next' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default?start-index=26&amp;max-results=25'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>5041</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-3972905022897707248</id><published>2025-07-05T22:01:00.018-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-09T19:30:32.367-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Social Justice"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Zohran Mamdani"/><title type='text'>The Rational National’s Take on Zohran Mamdani</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkIVzE_P6QPYKhxvjR_9mGcnj2G3H8fk3GBczqAjJVkZ-SmJ-_WLMcH_Jd5jlhAf3HGhzqdllSJCn8wgpo-7gvQxDpwzhw6uakW4lBQFqj1Mau97ZZvlU6VtceyaD46eUqFAWTJnOCtUBIInmZ2GYXbpfEMIaCqfpJLcahUnLZaivZTe6gHu3Zw/s693/ZohranMamdani-2.PNG&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;580&quot; data-original-width=&quot;693&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkIVzE_P6QPYKhxvjR_9mGcnj2G3H8fk3GBczqAjJVkZ-SmJ-_WLMcH_Jd5jlhAf3HGhzqdllSJCn8wgpo-7gvQxDpwzhw6uakW4lBQFqj1Mau97ZZvlU6VtceyaD46eUqFAWTJnOCtUBIInmZ2GYXbpfEMIaCqfpJLcahUnLZaivZTe6gHu3Zw/s200/ZohranMamdani-2.PNG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;a href=https://www.youtube.com/@therationalnational&gt;&lt;i&gt;The Rational National&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a podcast created and hosted by &lt;a href=https://www.daviddoel.com/about&gt;David Doel&lt;/a&gt; that offers independent political commentary and corporate media criticism “with an occasional comedic tinge.” It’s one of the few podcasts I follow, primarily because it advocates in a calm and informed way for human rights, workers’ rights, and equality.&lt;br&gt;
2. <br>
3. Recently, Doel shared his thoughts on the recent victory of <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohran_Mamdani>Zohran Mamdani</a> (<b>right</b>) in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist and, as Doel notes, this fact, along with Mamdani's authentically progressive agenda and popularity, has the political right in the U.S. – from the MAGA cult to “centrist” Democrats – experiencing an epic meltdown.<br>
4. <br>
5. <br>
6. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vCRY0GZOuzg?si=MlhKEl5Uyh8CfMkF" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
7. <br>
8. <br>
9. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
10. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-NyAZZvJIk>Corporate Media Lies About Socialism</a> –  Sabrina Salvati (<i>Sabby Sabs</i>, July 5, 2025).<br>
11. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LATZfFmxVZg>These Progressive Democratic Candidates Could Pull Off MajorR Upsets Like Zohran Mamdani</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, July 3, 2025).<br>
12. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/7/2/headlines/we_will_not_accept_this_intimidation_nyc_mayoral_candidate_zohran_mamdani_rejects_trumps_threats>“We Will Not Accept This Intimidation”: NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Rejects Trump’s Threats</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (July 2, 2025).<br>
13. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FU7vtb2_5Y>Will Zohran Mamdani Empower or Betray the Working Class? – An Interview with Kshama Sawant</a> – <i>The Chris Hedges Report</i> (July 2, 2025).<br>
14. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7WYbx70I80>Bernie Sanders Puts Democratic Leaders on Blast for Snubbing Zohran Mamdani: “Get Behind Him”</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, July 1, 2025).<br>
15. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UELZc7rgT4>Democrats Are Panicking Over Mamdani’s Win – An Interview with David Sirota</a> – Briahna Joy Gray (<i>Bad Faith</i>, June 30, 2025).<br>
16. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/mamdani-test-democratic>Do Democrats Mean What They Say? Mamdani’s Primary Win Offers a Test</a> – Masood Haque (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 29, 2025).<br>
17. <a href=https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/jun/29/does-zohran-mamdani-new-york-primary-victory-offer-roadmap-for-democrats>A Roadmap to Beat Trump? How the Rise of Zohran Mamdani Is Dividing Democrats</a><br> – Lauren Gambino and Alaina Demopoulos (<i>The Guardian</i>, June 29, 2025).<br>
18. <a href=https://www.messageboxnews.com/p/what-every-democrat-everywhere-should>What Every Democrat, Everywhere, Should Take from Zohran Mamdani’s Upset</a> – Dan Pfeiffer (<i>Message Box News</i>, June 29, 2025).<br>
19. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPzX3u_npbo>Zohran Mamdani Win: Is It the Beginning of the Democrat Party Taking Over the Campaign?</a> – Kit Cabello (<i>Hard Lens Media</i>, June 28, 2025).<br>
20. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/zohran-mamdani-islamophobia>Muslim Lawmakers Decry “Vile” Bipartisan Islamophobic Attacks on Zohran Mamdani</a> – Brett Wilkins (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
21. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar2-NLLCHc8>Watch Epic Takedown of MSNBC’s Zohran Mamdani “Socialist” Propaganda</a> – Jordan Chariton (<i>Status Coup News</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
22. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/dems-should-embrace-mamdani>Instead of Fearing Zohran Mamdani, Mainstream Democrats Should Follow His Lead</a> – Robert Reich (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
23. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/26/robert_reich_mamdani>“The Economy Is Rigged”: Robert Reich on Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party, Inequality, and Trump</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
24. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX6AFoeWHEQ>Zohran Mamdani Is Every Republican’s Worst Nightmare</a> – <i>The Majority Report</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
25. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOaUKYuzwFc>Zohran Mamdani’s Primary Win Has Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump Reacting</a> – <i>Hard Lens Media</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
26. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtIstVi7lXQ>Wall Street Loses It Over Zohran Victory</a> – <i>Breaking Points</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
27. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cv4cpPBSvk>Zohran Mamdani’s Win Triggers Colossal Meltdowns from Right-Wingers and Centrists</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, June 25, 2025).<br>  
28. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/25/zohran_nyc>“We Fight for Working People with No Apology”: Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo in New York City Mayoral Primary</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 25, 2025).<br>
29. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/zohran-mamdani-wins-primary>Zohran Mamdani Delivers Stunning Blow to “Billionaire-Backed Status Quo” in New York City</a> – Jake Johnson (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 25, 2025).<br>
30. <br>
31. <br>
32. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qusNumZCD6E>The Real Reason Democrats Won’t Endorse Zohran Mandani</a> – <i>IHIP News</i> (July 7, 2025).<br>
33. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/7/8/peter_beinart_nyt_mamdani>Zohran Mamdani and Why Democratic Voters Are Increasingly Skeptical of Israel: An Interview With Peter Beinart</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (July 8, 2025).<br>
34. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg5LZf54WoI>New Data Shows Why Zohran Mamdani Is So Popular</a> – David Doel (<i>The Rational National</i>, July 8. 2025).<br>
35. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/the-sad-very-familiar-new-york-times-and-its-mamdani-hit-piece>The Sad (Very Familiar) <i>New York Times</i> and Its Mamdani Hit Piece</a> – Dan Froomkin (<i>Common Dreams</i>, July 8, 2025).<br>
36. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/zohran-mamdani>“Don't Sabotage Mamdani”: 30,000+ Petitioners Urge Gilibrand to Get Behind Progressive NYC Mayoral Candidate</a> – Brad Reed (<i>Common Dreams</i>, July 9, 2025).<br>
37. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig2378KPnr0>Centrist Clones of Zohran Mamdani Desperately Trying to Make Neoliberalism Look Cool</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, July 9, 2025).<br>
38. <br>
39. <br>
40. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
41. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/no-kings-absolutely-but-also-no.html>“No Kings”? Absolutely. But Also “No Oligarchy”</a><br>
42. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html>Norman Solomon: Quote of the Day – June 16, 2025</a><br>
43. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
44. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/ted-rall-on-what-it-means-to-be-leftist.html>Ted Rall on What It Means to Be a Leftist in 2025</a><br>
45. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/butch-ware-on-his-run-for-california.html>Butch Ware on His Run for California Governor and the Wider Goal of Disrupting the Duopoly</a><br>
46. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/quote-of-day_14.html>Eric Fernández: Quote of the Day – May 14, 2025</a><br>
47. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/progressive-perspectives-on-bernie.html>Progressive Perspectives on Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour</a><br>
48. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
49. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/an-opportunity-to-organize-political.html>An Opportunity for Organizing Against Duopoly</a><br>
50. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/building-solidarity-on-left.html>Building Solidarity on the Left</a><br>
51. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/it-is-our-responsibility-to-make-third.html>“It Is Our Responsibility to Make a Third Party Viable”</a><br>
52. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-moment-is-ripe-butch-ware-on.html>“The Moment Is Ripe”: Butch Ware on Building a “True Oppositional Alternative” to the Duopoly</a><br>
53. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/fighting-rich-and-their-two-parties.html>Fighting the Rich and Their Two Parties</a><br>
54. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/democrat-talk-on-eve-of-trumps-return.html>Democrat Talk on the Eve of Trump’s Return</a><br>
55. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/breaking-mold-why-progressives-should.html>Breaking the Mold: Why Progressives Should Push for Marianne Williamson to Lead the DNC</a><br>
56. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/inauguration-day-thoughts.html>Inauguration Day Thoughts</a><br>
57. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-green-partys-jill-stein-and-butch.html>The Green Party’s Jill Stein and Butch Ware Give Their First Post-Election Interview</a><br>
58. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/progressive-perspectives-on-where.html>Progressive Perspectives on Where Democrats Went Wrong in the 2024 Election</a><br>
59. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-new-chapter-of-democratic-party-needs.html>“A New Chapter of the Democratic Party Needs to Begin”</a><br>
60. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-lamentable-legacy-of-biden.html>The Lamentable Legacy of the Biden Administration</a><br>
61. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/we-give-reasons-for-people-to-come-out.html>Jill Stein: “We Give Reasons for People to Come Out and Vote”</a><br>
62. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/were-witnessing-liberal-meltdown-over.html>We’re Witnessing a Liberal Meltdown Over Jill Stein</a><br>
63. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/peter-bloom-on-unmasking-of-democratic.html>Peter Bloom on the Unmasking of the “Democratic Charade”</a><br>
64. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/when-democrats-undermine-democracy.html>When Democrats Undermine Democracy</a><br>
65. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/elise-labott-on-how-third-parties-can.html>Elise Labott on How Third Parties Can Revitalize Democracy</a><br>
66. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/something-to-think-about_0796301743.html>Something to Think About – August 15, 2024</a><br>
67. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/liberalcentristcorporatist-democrats.html>Centrist/Corporatist Democrats Have Just Launched “Left Punching” Season</a><br>
68. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/americans-deserve-choices-jill-stein-on.html>“Americans Deserve Choices”: Jill Stein on <i>Breaking Points</i> – 4/30/24</a><br>
69. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/aoc-falls-in-line.html>AOC Falls in Line</a><br>
70. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/03/marianne-williamson-cassandra-of-us.html>The Cassandra of U.S. Politics on the “True State of the Union”</a><br>
71. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/08/quote-of-day_10.html>Mark Harris: Quote of the Day – August 10, 2023</a><br>
72. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/will-democrats-never-learn.html>Will Democrats Never Learn?</a><br>
73. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/10/heather-cox-richardson-on-origin-of.html>Heather Cox Richardson on the Origin of the American Obsession with “Socialism”</a><br>
74. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/06/quote-of-day.html>Bernie Sanders: Quote of the Day – June 12, 2019</a><br>
75. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-next-step-is-green-step-progressive.html>“The Next Step Is a Green Step”: Cornel West Endorses Jill Stein (2016)</a><br>
76. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/03/quote-of-day_28.html>Terry Eagleton: Quote of the Day – March 28, 2011</a><br>
77. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/05/playwright-tony-kushner-on-being.html>Playwright Tony Kushner on Being a Socialist</a><br>
78. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2008/09/socialist-response-to-financial-crisis.html>A Socialist Response to the Financial Crisis (2008)</a><br>
79. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/09/capitalism-on-trial.html>Capitalism on Trial</a><br>
80. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/08/rip-neoclassical-economics.html>R.I.P. Neoclassical Economics</a><br>
81. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/02/hope-over-fear.html>Hope Over Fear: Voting Green</a></span><br>
82. <br>
83. </content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/3972905022897707248/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/3972905022897707248' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/3972905022897707248'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/3972905022897707248'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-rational-national-s-take-on-zohran.html' title='&lt;i&gt;The Rational National&lt;/i&gt;’s Take on Zohran Mamdani'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkIVzE_P6QPYKhxvjR_9mGcnj2G3H8fk3GBczqAjJVkZ-SmJ-_WLMcH_Jd5jlhAf3HGhzqdllSJCn8wgpo-7gvQxDpwzhw6uakW4lBQFqj1Mau97ZZvlU6VtceyaD46eUqFAWTJnOCtUBIInmZ2GYXbpfEMIaCqfpJLcahUnLZaivZTe6gHu3Zw/s72-c/ZohranMamdani-2.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-5698698716403464288</id><published>2025-07-04T08:00:00.044-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-04T23:45:11.243-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><title type='text'>The Declaration of Resistance</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3cGCZQvOFVq-DcPposNvXypxZPC-FTA7WgiQrgI68ihHwDNozd4zYK3RsOeRMVEjeBhZwsryYJfvuZaCa2uFGuSEENevPLc2467WdVahfBfCts4_ioY9MZ6XoIwrerFRUOyOWayPr7BC9ECXlzGwNOf39GC2bAaq_aItMlWXxTiVMvLfx07FQw/s707/WeThePeople.PNG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;476&quot; data-original-width=&quot;707&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3cGCZQvOFVq-DcPposNvXypxZPC-FTA7WgiQrgI68ihHwDNozd4zYK3RsOeRMVEjeBhZwsryYJfvuZaCa2uFGuSEENevPLc2467WdVahfBfCts4_ioY9MZ6XoIwrerFRUOyOWayPr7BC9ECXlzGwNOf39GC2bAaq_aItMlWXxTiVMvLfx07FQw/s400/WeThePeople.PNG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
84. <a href=https://www.closertotheedge.net><i>Closer to the Edge</i></a> is a reader-supported publication on the Substack platform. It recently posted the following “<a href=https://www.closertotheedge.net/p/the-declaration-of-resistance>Declaraction of Resistance</a>” for the July 4th holiday of 2025.<br>
85. <br>
86. <center>__________________</center><br>
87. <br>
88. <blockquote><b><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">SECTION I:</span> THE PREAMBLE</b><br>
89. <br>
90. When in the course of human events, a government abandons its duty and weaponizes its power against the people it was meant to serve, it becomes the right, and the obligation, of the people to resist.<br>
91. <br>
92. We are not extremists. We are not ungrateful.<br>
93. <br>
94. We are citizens who have watched our leaders celebrate the suffering of others, legislate away human dignity, and laugh as they strip healthcare from the sick and food from the hungry. We have waited. We have hoped. We have pleaded for decency.<br>
95. <br>
96. But the government of the United States, as it now stands under President Donald J. Trump, no longer serves the public good.<br>
97. <br>
98. It does not preserve life – it endangers it.<br>
99. <br>
100. It does not secure liberty – it undermines it.<br>
101. <br>
102. It does not promote happiness – it enshrines cruelty.<br>
103. <br>
104. This is not the product of incompetence. It is intentional.He governs with malice. He legislates with vengeance. He drapes himself in flags and lies and calls it patriotism, while millions bleed beneath the weight of his policies.<br>
105. <br>
106. We do not rise today to tear this country down.<br>
107. <br>
108. We rise to tear it back from those who have hijacked it.<br>
109. <br>
110. We rise not in rebellion against America, but in defense of its soul.<br>
111. <br>
112. <br>
113. <b><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">SECTION II:</span> STATEMENT OF BELIEFS</b><br>
114. <br>
115. We hold these truths to be undeniable:<br>
116. <br>
117. That all people possess inherent worth, regardless of income, origin, race, gender, health, ability, or immigration status.<br>
118. <br>
119. That the purpose of government is not to glorify power, but to protect life, preserve liberty, and ensure justice for all.<br>
120. <br>
121. That when any government abandons these principles — when it rewards the wealthy while abandoning the sick, when it elevates the powerful while crushing the vulnerable – it becomes a danger to the people it claims to serve.<br>
122. <br>
123. That a free society cannot survive on cruelty and lies.<br>
124. <br>
125. That silence in the face of injustice is complicity.<br>
126. <br>
127. That the measure of a nation is not found in its markets or its missiles, but in how it treats those with the least.<br>
128. <br>
129. That no office, no oath, no title – not even that of President – places a man above accountability.<br>
130. <br>
131. And that the American people are not subjects. We are not property. We are not obstacles to be managed or enemies to be punished.<br>
132. <br>
133. We are the People. And we are done asking to be heard.<br>
134. <br>
135. <br>
136.  <b><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">SECTION III:</span> GRIEVANCES</b><br>
137. <br>
138. To prove this tyranny, let facts be submitted to a candid world:<br>
139. <br>
140. 1. <b>Trump has turned the office of the presidency into a machine of retribution</b>, targeting judges, journalists, immigrants, women, disabled people, LGBTQ+ Americans, and political opponents with open threats and weaponized policy.<br>
141. <br>
142. 2. <b>He has declared his intent to act as a dictator “only on day one”</b>, then proceeded to centralize unchecked power through executive purges, loyalty oaths, and the dismantling of independent agencies.<br>
143. <br>
144. 3. <b>He has used the power of the state to pardon insurrectionists</b>, granting clemency not for mercy, but to embolden future violence.<br>
145. <br>
146. 4. <b>He has instructed federal agencies to violate basic human rights</b>, including family separations, mass detentions, and inhumane camps, all under the banner of border enforcement.<br>
147. <br>
148. 5. <b>He has stripped healthcare from millions through cruel legislation</b>, while enriching corporations and billionaires under the lie of “freedom.”<br>
149. <br>
150. 6. <b>He has celebrated economic cruelty through the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill</b>, a sweeping act of violence designed to give tax breaks to the rich while slashing Medicaid, food assistance, and social safety nets.<br>
151. <br>
152. 7. <b>He has cheered these atrocities with performative glee</b>, giving thumbs-up for cameras and blasting celebratory music while millions lost coverage and dignity.<br>
153. <br>
154. 8. <b>He has undermined elections through lies, suppression, and conspiracy</b>, encouraging gerrymandering, limiting ballot access, and promoting false claims of fraud to delegitimize the vote.<br>
155. <br>
156. 9. <b>He has encouraged political violence</b>, referring to opponents as “enemies,” invoking military power against civilians, and promoting the cult of strength over the rule of law.<br>
157. <br>
158. 10. <b>He has weaponized religion to justify cruelty</b>, cloaking injustice in the language of faith while persecuting those who believe differently.<br>
159. <br>
160. 11. <b>He has silenced whistleblowers, fired inspectors general, and punished truth-tellers</b>, ensuring no dissent survives within his administration.<br>
161. <br>
162. 12. <b>He has treated public office as private property</b>, using power not to serve the nation, but to enrich himself, shield his allies, and protect his image.<br>
163. <br>
164. 13. <b>He has treated truth as an enemy</b>, flooding the nation with lies, silencing scientists, distorting history, and turning disinformation into state doctrine.<br>
165. <br>
166. 14. <b>He has emboldened white supremacists and armed militias</b>, praising them as “very fine people,” inviting them into political spaces, and threatening consequences for those who stand against hate.<br>
167. <br>
168. 15. <b>He has attacked the rights of women</b>, revoking reproductive autonomy, defunding healthcare, and empowering state-level theocracy.<br>
169. <br>
170. 16. <b>He has abandoned climate responsibility</b>, gutting environmental protections, reversing clean energy policies, and treating the Earth as disposable.<br>
171. <br>
172. 17. <b>He has looted the public treasury through corruption and cronyism</b>, funneling contracts to allies, donors, and family members while punishing independent institutions.<br>
173. <br>
174. 18. <b>He has stacked the courts with ideologues</b>, not to uphold justice, but to protect power and erode civil liberties for generations.<br>
175. <br>
176. 19. <b>He has attempted to criminalize protest and dissent</b>, surveilling organizers, banning books, threatening educators, and branding activists as terrorists.<br>
177. <br>
178. 20. <b>He has refused to condemn foreign dictators</b>, choosing instead to align with autocrats while undermining democratic allies and alliances.<br>
179. <br>
180. 21. <b>He has inflamed division at every opportunity</b>, governing not as a president of the people, but as a cult leader of grievance and fear.<br>
181. <br>
182. 22. <b>He has ignored suffering in favor of spectacle</b>, prioritizing headlines over humanity, reelection over relief, and cruelty over competence.<br>
183. <br>
184. 23. <b>He has governed without shame and legislated without mercy</b>, transforming a democracy into a machine of sanctioned cruelty.<br>
185. <br>
186. 24. <b>He has used public institutions to shield himself from justice</b>, obstructing investigations, intimidating prosecutors, and bending law enforcement to his will.<br>
187. <br>
188. 25. <b>He has sought to erase history</b>, attacking education, censoring curricula, and punishing those who teach the truth about race, oppression, and resistance.<br>
189. <br>
190. 26. <b>He has degraded the dignity of the presidency</b>, reducing it to a platform for personal vengeance, corruption, and humiliation of the weak.<br>
191. <br>
192. 27. <b>He has responded to every petition for redress with scorn and escalation</b>, answering protest with force, critique with threats, and compassion with cruelty.<br>
193. <br>
194. <br>
195. <b><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">SECTION IV:</span> ATTEMPTS AT REDRESS</b><br>
196. <br>
197. We have tried. Again and again, we have tried.<br>
198. <br>
199. We marched. We wrote. We voted. We called. We pleaded. We organized. We exhausted every democratic tool this nation offers to those who dissent.
200. We begged for decency. We asked for restraint. We pointed to the suffering, the data, the warnings. We sounded every alarm. And when we did, he laughed.<br>
201. <br>
202. He called us liars.<br>
203. <br>
204. He called us traitors.<br>
205. <br>
206. He called us enemies of the state.<br>
207. <br>
208. When families begged for healthcare, he cut their lifeline.<br>
209. <br>
210. When students rallied against guns, he gave the gun lobby more power.<br>
211. <br>
212. When the planet burned, he poured gasoline.<br>
213. <br>
214. We sought dialogue; he gave us propaganda.<br>
215. <br>
216. We demanded oversight; he gave us vengeance.<br>
217. <br>
218. We exposed his cruelty; he branded it strength.<br>
219. <br>
220. In every branch of government, at every level of power, he ignored our calls for justice.<br>
221. <br>
222. And when we cried out for help, he celebrated his ability to do nothing.<br>
223. <br>
224. He left us only this: resistance.<br>
225. <br>
226. <br>
227. <b><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">SECTION V:</span> THE FORMAL DECLARATION</b><br>
228. <br>
229. Therefore, we, the People – abandoned by our president, betrayed by our institutions, and resolved in our duty – do solemnly publish and declare:<br>
230. <br>
231. That this government, as it stands under Donald J. Trump, no longer commands the moral authority of its people;<br>
232. <br>
233. That the man who leads it has violated every principle of democratic leadership and human decency;<br>
234. <br>
235. That we will no longer obey the silence he demands, nor the fear he enforces;<br>
236. <br>
237. That we will resist him at every ballot box, every courthouse, every statehouse, and every place where people gather in the name of justice;<br>
238. <br>
239. That we will expose his crimes, challenge his lies, and confront his agenda – openly, relentlessly, without apology;<br>
240. <br>
241. That we do not seek to destroy the United States, but to redeem it – from the man who desecrates its promise while wrapping himself in its flag.<br>
242. <br>
243. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on each other and on the power of a people awakened, we pledge to fight with truth, with love, and with fury.<br>
244. <br>
245. We do not consent.<br>
246. <br>
247. We will not forget.<br>
248. <br>
249. And we are coming.<br>
250. <br>
251. Signed,<br>
252. <br>
253. All who refuse to kneel</blockquote><br>
254. <br>
255. <br>
256. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the following chronologically-ordered <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />  
257. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/marisa-kabas-were-witnessing-coup-by.html>Marisa Kabas: “We’re Witnessing a Coup By an Unelected Billionaire Propped Up By a Felonious President”</a><br>
258. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/protesting-trumps-dystopian-immigration.html>Protesting Trump’s “Dystopian” Immigration Policies</a><br>
259. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/timothy-snyder-on-resisting-oligarchs.html>Timothy Snyder on Resisting the Oligarchs’ “Logic of Destruction”</a><br>
260. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/this-is-essentially-viktor-orbans.html>“This Is Essentially Viktor Orbán’s Playbook”</a><br>
261. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/an-extremely-clever-ruse-by-and-for.html>“An Extremely Clever Ruse” by and for the Rich: Owen Jones on Elon Musk’s Coup</a><br>
262. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/to-be-rib-in-this-body-of-our-country.html>“To Be a Rib in This Body of Our Country”</a><br>
263. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/quote-of-day.html>Quote of the Day – February 21, 2025</a><br>
264. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/ralph-nader-were-heading-into-most.html>Ralph Nader: “We’re Heading Into the Most Serious Crisis in American History. There’s No Comparison”</a><br>
265. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
266. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/this-is-how-democracy-unravels.html>“This Is How Democracy Unravels”</a><br>
267. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/jason-stanley-on-how-fascism-works.html>Jason Stanley on How Fascism Works</a><br>
268. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/james-greenberg-on-road-trump-is.html>James Greenberg on Trumpism: “The Tactics Are Unmistakable”</a><br>
269. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/tony-pentimalli-on-trumps-death-warrant.html>Tony Pentimalli on Trump’s “Death Warrant for Democracy”</a><br>
270. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-reckoning-is-here.html>The Reckoning Is Coming</a><br>
271. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like.html>“This Is What Fascism Looks Like”</a><br>
272. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
273. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/brent-molnar-on-silence-of-generals.html>Brent Molnar on the Silence of the Generals</a><br>
274. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/protesting-is-what-patriotism-looks.html>“Protesting Is What Patriotism Looks Like in Public”: The “No Kings” Protests of June 14, 2025</a><br>
275. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html>Norman Solomon: Quote of the Day – June 16, 2025</a><br>
276. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/naming-pattern-and-its-source.html>Naming the Pattern . . . and Its Source</a><br>
277. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_20.html>Marianne Williamson: Quote of the Day – June 20, 2025</a><br>
278. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/no-kings-absolutely-but-also-no.html>“No Kings”? Absolutely. But Also “No Oligarchy”</a><br>
279. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_24.html>Ro Khanna: Quote of the Day – June 24, 2025</a><br>
280. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/07/this-is-fascism.html>“This Is Fascism”</a><br>
281. <br>
282. <br>
283. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
284. <br>
285. <b>2024</b><br>
286. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/07/will-we-let-fascism-come-to-america.html>Will We Let Fascism Come to America?</a><br>
287. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/chris-hedges-on-end-of-american-empire.html>Chris Hedges on the End of the American Empire</a><br>
288. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/what-republican-party-now-stands-for.html>What the Republican Party Now Stands For</a><br>
289. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/12/neoliberalism-vs-neofascism.html>Neoliberalism vs Neofascism: Cornel West on the State of U.S. Politics</a><br>
290. <br>
291. <b>2023</b><br>
292. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/04/jeff-sharlet-on-fascist-ideology-of.html>Jeff Sharlet on the Fascist Ideology of Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene</a><br>
293. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/04/quote-of-day.html>Robert Reich: Quote of the Day – April 11, 2023</a><br>
294. <br>
295. <b>2022</b><br>
296. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/01/how-can-one-overreact-to-mortal-threat.html>“How Can One Overreact to a Mortal Threat to American Democracy?”</a><br>
297. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/08/quote-of-day_12.html>William D. Lindsey: Quote of the Day – August 12, 2022</a><br>
298. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/08/come-for-racism-stay-for-autocracy.html>“Come for the Racism, Stay for the Autocracy”</a><br>
299. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-threat-to-american-democracy-is-at.html>Historian Nancy MacLean: The Threat to American Democracy Is at “Red-Alert”</a><br>
300. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/12/chauncey-devega-on-ongoing-danger-of.html>Chauncey Devega on the Ongoing Danger of the Trump Cult</a><br>
301. <br>
302. <b>2021</b><br>
303. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-day-americas-temple-of-democracy.html>Insurrection at the United States Capitol</a><br>
304. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-republican-party-in-nutshell.html>The Republican Party in a Nutshell</a><br>
305. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/02/dan-rather-on-americas-moment-of.html>Dan Rather on America’s “Moment of Reckoning”</a><br>
306. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/republicans-pose-existential-threat-to.html>Republicans Pose an “Existential Threat” to American Democracy</a><br>
307. <br>
308. <b>2020</b><br>
309. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/07/we-have-emergency-on-our-hands-marianne.html>“We Have an Emergency On Our Hands”: Marianne Williamson On the “Freefall” of American Democracy</a><br>
310. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/07/fascism-is-upon-us.html>“Fascism Is Upon Us”</a><br>
311. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/12/trumps-legacy.html>Trump’s Legacy (2020)</a><br>
312. <br>
313. <b>2019</b><br>
314. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/03/president-trump-we-hold-you-responsible.html>President Trump, “We Hold You Responsible”</a><br>
315. <br>
316. <b>2018</b><br>
317. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/10/quote-of-day_28.html>Quote of the Day – October 28, 2018</a><br>
318. <br>
319. <b>2017</b><br>
320. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/05/trumps-america-normalized-white.html>Trump’s America: Normalized White Supremacy and a Rising Tide of Racist Violence</a><br>
321. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/08/in-charlottesville-face-of-terrorism-in.html>In Charlottesville, the Face of Terrorism In the U.S.</a><br>
322. <br>
323. <b>2016</b><br>
324. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/03/progressive-perspectives-on-rise-of.html>Progressive Perspectives on the Rise of Donald Trump</a><br>
325. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/07/trumps-playbook.html>Trump’s Playbook</a><br>
326. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/11/progressive-perspectives-on-2016-us.html>Progressive Perspectives on the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election</a><br>
327. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/11/progressive-perspectives-on-election-of.html>Progressive Perspectives on the Election of Donald Trump</a></span><br>
328. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/5698698716403464288/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/5698698716403464288' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/5698698716403464288'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/5698698716403464288'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-declaration-of-resistance.html' title='The Declaration of Resistance'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3cGCZQvOFVq-DcPposNvXypxZPC-FTA7WgiQrgI68ihHwDNozd4zYK3RsOeRMVEjeBhZwsryYJfvuZaCa2uFGuSEENevPLc2467WdVahfBfCts4_ioY9MZ6XoIwrerFRUOyOWayPr7BC9ECXlzGwNOf39GC2bAaq_aItMlWXxTiVMvLfx07FQw/s72-c/WeThePeople.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-9034945247238741817</id><published>2025-07-03T20:53:00.008-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-04T08:12:17.585-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Robert Reich"/><title type='text'>“This Is Fascism”</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s600/IMG_3985b.JPG&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;530&quot; data-original-width=&quot;600&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s200/IMG_3985b.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Earlier today President Donald Trump secured a sweeping shift in U.S. domestic policy as the House passed a $3.4 trillion fiscal package (the &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Big_Beautiful_Bill_Act&gt;One Big Beautiful Bill Act&lt;/a&gt;) that cuts taxes, curtails spending on safety-net programs, and reverses much of Joe Biden’s efforts to move the country toward a clean-energy economy.&lt;br&gt;
329. <br>
330. Following (with added links) is <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Reich>Robert Reich</a>’s take on the passage of this bill, one that he labels the “Big Ugly Bill.”<br>
331. <br>
332. <center>______________</center><br>
333. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>rump’s 940-page Big Ugly Bill was passed today by the House and is now on the way to the White House for Trump’s signature.<br>
334. <br>
335. It is a disgrace. It takes more than $1 trillion out of Medicaid – leaving about 12 million Americans without insurance by 2034 – and slashes food stamps, all to give a giant tax cut to wealthy Americans.<br>
336. <br>
337. It establishes an anti-immigrant police state in America, replete with a standing army of <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Immigration_and_Customs_Enforcement>ICE</a> agents and a gulag of detention facilities that will transform ICE into the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the government.<br>
338. <br>
339. It will increase the already-bloated deficit by $3.4 trillion.<br>
340. <br>
341. It’s also disgraceful because of how it came to be.<br>
342. <br>
343. Trump was elected with only a plurality of American voters, not a majority. He eked out his win by a margin of only 1.5 percent.<br>
344. <br>
345. His Big Ugly Bill squeaked by in the Senate by one vote, supplied by <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JD_Vance>JD Vance</a>, and by just two votes in the House. No Democrat in either chamber voted for it.<br>
346. <br>
347. Polls show most Americans oppose it.<br>
348. <br>
349. It was passed nevertheless – within an artificial deadline set by Trump – because of <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-republican-party-has-now-made-it.html>Trump’s total grip on the Republican Party</a>.<br>
350. <br>
351. Republican lawmakers feared that Trump would go after defectors with public attacks or endorsements of primary challengers.<br>
352. <br>
353. They also feared withering blowback from conservative media, “<a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_America_Great_Again>Maga</a>” diehards, and Trump himself on social media.<br>
354. <br>
355. After North Carolina Senator <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thom_Tillis>Thom Tillis</a> announced his opposition to the bill, Trump posted on Truth Social, “Tillis is a talker and complainer, NOT A DOER! He’s even worse than <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rand_Paul>Rand ‘Fauci’ Paul</a>!”<br>
356. <br>
357. Then Trump pledged to back a primary challenger to Tillis, and Tillis announced he would not seek reelection. Trump called that “good news” and threatened primary challenges against other Republican fiscal conservatives standing in the way of the bill’s passage.<br>
358. <br>
359. Other presidents in my lifetime have been able to summon majorities of lawmakers for unpopular causes – I think of <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnson>Lyndon Johnson</a> and the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964>Civil Rights Act of 1964</a> and the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965>Voting Rights Act of 1965</a> – but none with the retributive threats, social media fury, and potentially violent base of supporters that Trump is now wielding.<br>
360. <br>
361. Needless to say, the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts made America more inclusive. Trump’s Big Ugly Bill makes America crueler.<br>
362. <br>
363. The best analogy isn’t to Lyndon Johnson. It’s to the “strongmen” of the 1930s — <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler>Hitler</a>, <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin>Stalin</a>, <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini>Mussolini</a>, and <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Franco>Franco</a>.<br>
364. <br>
365. That such a regressive, dangerous, gargantuan, and unpopular piece of legislation could get through Congress shows how far Trump has dragged America into modern fascism.</blockquote><br>
366. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>Robert Reich</i></b><br>
367. <span style="font-size: 85%;">“<a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EuMGyxv-P0>This Is Fascism</a>”<br>
368. <i>RobertReich.substack.com</i><br>
369. July 3, 2025</span></div><br>
370. <br />
371. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
372. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/progressives-reaction-trump-gop-big-ugly-bill>Outrage Pours in After House GOP Approves “One of the Most Catastrophic Bills Passed in Modern History”</a> – <i>Common Dreams</i> (July 3, 2025).<br>
373. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/7/3/trump_budget>GOP Budget Bill Slashes Medicaid for Millions, Cuts Taxes for the Rich, and Funds ICE at Historic Levels: An Interview with Rep. Ro Khanna</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (July 3, 2025).<br>
374. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/big-bill-is-america-worst>America Worst, Codified: Trump’s Horrific, Harmful, Horrendous Bill and Our Future</a> – Christopher D. Cook (<i>Common Dreams</i>, July 3, 2025).<br>
375. <br>
376. <br>
377. <b>See also the following chronologically-ordered <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />  
378. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/marisa-kabas-were-witnessing-coup-by.html>Marisa Kabas: “We’re Witnessing a Coup By an Unelected Billionaire Propped Up By a Felonious President”</a><br>
379. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/protesting-trumps-dystopian-immigration.html>Protesting Trump’s “Dystopian” Immigration Policies</a><br>
380. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/timothy-snyder-on-resisting-oligarchs.html>Timothy Snyder on Resisting the Oligarchs’ “Logic of Destruction”</a><br>
381. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/this-is-essentially-viktor-orbans.html>“This Is Essentially Viktor Orbán’s Playbook”</a><br>
382. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/an-extremely-clever-ruse-by-and-for.html>“An Extremely Clever Ruse” by and for the Rich: Owen Jones on Elon Musk’s Coup</a><br>
383. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/to-be-rib-in-this-body-of-our-country.html>“To Be a Rib in This Body of Our Country”</a><br>
384. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/quote-of-day.html>Quote of the Day – February 21, 2025</a><br>
385. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/ralph-nader-were-heading-into-most.html>Ralph Nader: “We’re Heading Into the Most Serious Crisis in American History. There’s No Comparison”</a><br>
386. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
387. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/this-is-how-democracy-unravels.html>“This Is How Democracy Unravels”</a><br>
388. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/jason-stanley-on-how-fascism-works.html>Jason Stanley on How Fascism Works</a><br>
389. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/james-greenberg-on-road-trump-is.html>James Greenberg on Trumpism: “The Tactics Are Unmistakable”</a><br>
390. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/tony-pentimalli-on-trumps-death-warrant.html>Tony Pentimalli on Trump’s “Death Warrant for Democracy”</a><br>
391. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-reckoning-is-here.html>The Reckoning Is Coming</a><br>
392. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like.html>“This Is What Fascism Looks Like”</a><br>
393. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
394. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/brent-molnar-on-silence-of-generals.html>Brent Molnar on the Silence of the Generals</a><br>
395. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/protesting-is-what-patriotism-looks.html>“Protesting Is What Patriotism Looks Like in Public”: The “No Kings” Protests of June 14, 2025</a><br>
396. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html>Norman Solomon: Quote of the Day – June 16, 2025</a><br>
397. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/naming-pattern-and-its-source.html>Naming the Pattern . . . and Its Source</a><br>
398. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_20.html>Marianne Williamson: Quote of the Day – June 20, 2025</a><br>
399. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/no-kings-absolutely-but-also-no.html>“No Kings”? Absolutely. But Also “No Oligarchy”</a><br>
400. <br>
401. <br>
402. <b>See also:</b><br>
403. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/12/neoliberalism-vs-neofascism.html>Neoliberalism vs Neofascism: Cornel West on the State of U.S. Politics (2024)</a><br>
404. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/what-republican-party-now-stands-for.html>What the Republican Party Now Stands For</a><br>
405. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/chris-hedges-on-end-of-american-empire.html>Chris Hedges on the End of the American Empire</a><br>
406. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/07/will-we-let-fascism-come-to-america.html>Will We Let Fascism Come to America?</a><br>
407. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/04/quote-of-day.html>Robert Reich: Quote of the Day – April 11, 2023</a><br>
408. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/04/jeff-sharlet-on-fascist-ideology-of.html>Jeff Sharlet on the Fascist Ideology of Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene</a><br>
409. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/12/chauncey-devega-on-ongoing-danger-of.html>Chauncey Devega on the Ongoing Danger of the Trump Cult (2022)</a><br>
410. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-threat-to-american-democracy-is-at.html>Historian Nancy MacLean: The Threat to American Democracy Is at “Red-Alert”</a><br>
411. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/08/come-for-racism-stay-for-autocracy.html>“Come for the Racism, Stay for the Autocracy”</a><br>
412. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/08/quote-of-day_12.html>William D. Lindsey: Quote of the Day – August 12, 2022</a><br>
413. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/01/how-can-one-overreact-to-mortal-threat.html>“How Can One Overreact to a Mortal Threat to American Democracy?”</a><br>
414. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/republicans-pose-existential-threat-to.html>Republicans Pose an “Existential Threat” to American Democracy (2021)</a><br>
415. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/02/dan-rather-on-americas-moment-of.html>Dan Rather on America’s “Moment of Reckoning”</a><br>
416. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-republican-party-in-nutshell.html>The Republican Party in a Nutshell</a><br>
417. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-day-americas-temple-of-democracy.html>Insurrection at the United States Capitol</a><br>
418. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/12/trumps-legacy.html>Trump’s Legacy (2020)</a><br>
419. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/07/fascism-is-upon-us.html>“Fascism Is Upon Us”</a><br>
420. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/07/we-have-emergency-on-our-hands-marianne.html>“We Have an Emergency On Our Hands”: Marianne Williamson On the “Freefall” of American Democracy</a><br>
421. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/03/president-trump-we-hold-you-responsible.html>President Trump, “We Hold You Responsible” (2019)</a><br>
422. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/10/quote-of-day_28.html>Quote of the Day – October 28, 2018</a><br>
423. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/08/in-charlottesville-face-of-terrorism-in.html>In Charlottesville, the Face of Terrorism In the U.S.</a><br>
424. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/05/trumps-america-normalized-white.html>Trump’s America: Normalized White Supremacy and a Rising Tide of Racist Violence</a><br>
425. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/11/progressive-perspectives-on-election-of.html>Progressive Perspectives on the Election of Donald Trump (2016)</a><br>
426. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/07/trumps-playbook.html>Trump’s Playbook</a><br>
427. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/03/progressive-perspectives-on-rise-of.html>Progressive Perspectives on the Rise of Donald Trump</a></span><br>
428. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/9034945247238741817/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/9034945247238741817' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/9034945247238741817'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/9034945247238741817'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/07/this-is-fascism.html' title='“This Is Fascism”'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s72-c/IMG_3985b.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-5206999637118019428</id><published>2025-07-02T22:01:00.034-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-04T07:21:43.951-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Australian Sojourn – June-July 2025"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Environmental Issues"/><title type='text'>“A Mysteriously Charged and Magnificently Alive Archetypal Presence”</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUCqj4-KhiYC2OPN4Fhe7RAqneZ9mY9Fu8KV0j5jkT5Xhf1czGDJXk-WiWVP7eVfaOOMnicEXV_b4vcS_tz4zzw44xxYugbxE-VR8SLQlH10Z3jOAlR4W1_CTPjCzMCiJ4WuX_CvWaPB7A3ZzfrnZ24T4PVsylBe_5GjJomWa5om097pjJxQKng/s4032/IMG_7088.JPG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;3024&quot; data-original-width=&quot;4032&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUCqj4-KhiYC2OPN4Fhe7RAqneZ9mY9Fu8KV0j5jkT5Xhf1czGDJXk-WiWVP7eVfaOOMnicEXV_b4vcS_tz4zzw44xxYugbxE-VR8SLQlH10Z3jOAlR4W1_CTPjCzMCiJ4WuX_CvWaPB7A3ZzfrnZ24T4PVsylBe_5GjJomWa5om097pjJxQKng/s400/IMG_7088.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
429. One of the books I’m reading while in Australia is <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Tacey>David J. Tacey</a>’s 1995 book <a href=https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Sacred-David-Tacey/dp/1863714081><i>Edge of the Sacred: Transformation in Australia</i></a>. Following is an excerpt accompanied by some of my recent photography of the landscape of <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/07/guruk-seascapes-from-dawn-to-dusk.html>Guruk</a> (aka <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Macquarie>Port Macquarie</a>).<br>
430. <br>
431. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblgU4LVtX4Q_u5KxwPPnZPxQJaI0CJWLUPTZ3oFbn3y3jDZTcQ8K5VPCd9QxCRpfYKwT6FWRVLNy-JW-NeXmmTP8B1ZRArIafUi39DSQ-CBrwAWvLf8xAag_u8NBAtRstDFiFVdVtqjtDt0fWNs-0jC2cN0solaWadTrunQdoxuqULInfgvJvwQ/s3887/IMG_6007b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3887" data-original-width="2915" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblgU4LVtX4Q_u5KxwPPnZPxQJaI0CJWLUPTZ3oFbn3y3jDZTcQ8K5VPCd9QxCRpfYKwT6FWRVLNy-JW-NeXmmTP8B1ZRArIafUi39DSQ-CBrwAWvLf8xAag_u8NBAtRstDFiFVdVtqjtDt0fWNs-0jC2cN0solaWadTrunQdoxuqULInfgvJvwQ/s200/IMG_6007b.JPG"/></a></div><blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n Australia, landscape carries our experience of the sacred other. . . . The landscape in Australia is a mysteriously charged and magnificently alive archetypal presence. As <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Wright>Judith Wright</a> has put it: “In Australian writing the landscape seems to have its own life. Sometimes it takes up an immense amount of room; sometimes it is so firmly pushed away that its very absence haunts us as uncomfortably as its presence could.” Although experienced by some as dull, flat, and uneventful, the Australian landscape is in fact a most exciting archetypal field. The land is, or seems to be, the sacred which bursts in upon our lives, which demands to be recognised and valued. As <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Johnston_(novelist)>George Johnston</a> wrote: “nothing human has yet happened in Australia which stands out above the continent itself.”<br>
432. <br>
433. . . . The Australian landscape is our greatest asset, our assurance that any society here cannot afford to become complacent, that the other around us cannot be ignored or deprived of its shocking revelatory and transformative power. The only way to develop a spiritually powerful culture in Australia is to enter more into the psychic field of nature; to “shamanise” ourselves in the image of nature. We need to become less human and more like nature: in that way we may become more fully human, and experience anew the sacred fount from which all life, including human life, arises.<br>
434. <br>
435. . . . [As a youth growing up in Alice Springs, the land] seemed to me to constantly point to, or hint at, other realities. The crumbling rocky ridges and tall ranges, the piles of rounded boulders and hills of granite, the fragmented sandstone and embankments of clay and ochre: all this seemed near-magical to me, to point to ancient civilisations or to worlds of other beings. I remember knocking on a pole with my shoe, hoping to discover the secret coded rhythm that would bring the invisible beings to light. I was delighted to find some time later that novelist <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Boyd>Martin Boyd</a> had felt the same about Australian landscape: “There is no country where it is easier to imagine some lost pattern of life, a mythology of vanished gods, than this most ancient of lands.”<br>
436. <br>
437. The early British arrivals had called this country <i>terra nullius</i>, the empty land, but I found it teeming with mythic images, with sacred resonances, and with openings into other worlds. I scampered over rocks and explore gullies with the same enthusiasm that people nowadays reserve for their pilgrimages to the ruined temples and ancient cultural sites of Greece or Rome. . . . I felt I was somewhere special, in a cosmos of rock that was drawing me out of my habitual ego.</blockquote><br>
438. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>David J. Tacey</i></b><br />
439. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from <a href=https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Sacred-David-Tacey/dp/1863714081><i>Edge of the Sacred:<br>
440. Transformation in Australia</i></a><br />
441. HarperCollins (1995)<br>
442. pp. 6-7, 20</span></div><br />
443. <br />
444. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAypUA7GjLVCqyj9Ce9b1TeJRTn2jwnwc06Xw8S1En6U9yH5dE0am4BzI1Xk8MRVjQyVdYMlwVOgIZnSoTj7sNs9qo1SjBQ-JEGwnkr8V4tEdEgpao0aMRCygOC5HiRDfe0T5JUpkqgeMcnYLO29Sy40QkA0tMKgtfUh_jYUrLZs3PaToR0-7D1Q/s3898/IMG_5807b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2923" data-original-width="3898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAypUA7GjLVCqyj9Ce9b1TeJRTn2jwnwc06Xw8S1En6U9yH5dE0am4BzI1Xk8MRVjQyVdYMlwVOgIZnSoTj7sNs9qo1SjBQ-JEGwnkr8V4tEdEgpao0aMRCygOC5HiRDfe0T5JUpkqgeMcnYLO29Sy40QkA0tMKgtfUh_jYUrLZs3PaToR0-7D1Q/s400/IMG_5807b.JPG"/></a></div>
445. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwD_h4bpRzmAK84a3A0kKxeFTjObSBhQQ9N5sGAOP3wIn9dG5xXr-GLeS0j6Zn0zXi3IlPXzoECsuxuxdrjN-6_9xiojjarfaEWDIDkroi_xlxsP8TXHKgla9Vvk6FMeOXsUBJzF-CMQ7K0TaXEzkB0QAPiAVycvcPgs1AUr0Ay5eix8qapAfIA/s3963/IMG_6015b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3963" data-original-width="2972" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwD_h4bpRzmAK84a3A0kKxeFTjObSBhQQ9N5sGAOP3wIn9dG5xXr-GLeS0j6Zn0zXi3IlPXzoECsuxuxdrjN-6_9xiojjarfaEWDIDkroi_xlxsP8TXHKgla9Vvk6FMeOXsUBJzF-CMQ7K0TaXEzkB0QAPiAVycvcPgs1AUr0Ay5eix8qapAfIA/s400/IMG_6015b.JPG"/></a></div>
446. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4E1GX2IPxoonAsqlwyDDFrvL5OhIDH-8G460YYMTcp8G-ypZbQBQnzSaWe3dru3u4BiG9iDlxtcCEhcU3EQOQchnzjqnAWzci8DiTftBE2rFjs3_8eQVmEJ13xN-UM0qdyZZmIDg4KRooMd1u-mRpHJfQFqGob2j8cSyhEji7IEw3lDlmvJnAyg/s4032/IMG_6272b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4E1GX2IPxoonAsqlwyDDFrvL5OhIDH-8G460YYMTcp8G-ypZbQBQnzSaWe3dru3u4BiG9iDlxtcCEhcU3EQOQchnzjqnAWzci8DiTftBE2rFjs3_8eQVmEJ13xN-UM0qdyZZmIDg4KRooMd1u-mRpHJfQFqGob2j8cSyhEji7IEw3lDlmvJnAyg/s400/IMG_6272b.JPG"/></a></div>
447. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zOBhSyJ5wYXeGwoBNkcwC2blehtzsdG7GUYJaPbTKMz4ioae-zJIqU7-4pU0-k3VGq5nYPRIrnrRaQ2I2bNgZvclBxJ6rv1VjKSORY98uZYtZHjW4szSyYBNxbUIXiaJs2LsmeHwJbiF7WJmedvh1WpX3PaewEcBrjwXuLnyTTTsJEwoLXyAxw/s3963/IMG_6019b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="3963" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zOBhSyJ5wYXeGwoBNkcwC2blehtzsdG7GUYJaPbTKMz4ioae-zJIqU7-4pU0-k3VGq5nYPRIrnrRaQ2I2bNgZvclBxJ6rv1VjKSORY98uZYtZHjW4szSyYBNxbUIXiaJs2LsmeHwJbiF7WJmedvh1WpX3PaewEcBrjwXuLnyTTTsJEwoLXyAxw/s400/IMG_6019b.JPG"/></a></div>
448. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn15bT7alXOZXKE3d7Y4uu3Rjfwsjz2tiDnAvSa81DTO0GFPJaCNK1lvg_PeYYWgplvcgXYwSvxsW34jilJ1gLytaLl_e4qnJEsGLXjUOa_h3MIsrILt4S9GQUsrUPHqfQl_ZmBTjHeXLo4w2MsK0omWnpLm9G8AUSnK2qNhDlN6pnOcDop8iyQ/s3930/IMG_6390b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3930" data-original-width="2948" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn15bT7alXOZXKE3d7Y4uu3Rjfwsjz2tiDnAvSa81DTO0GFPJaCNK1lvg_PeYYWgplvcgXYwSvxsW34jilJ1gLytaLl_e4qnJEsGLXjUOa_h3MIsrILt4S9GQUsrUPHqfQl_ZmBTjHeXLo4w2MsK0omWnpLm9G8AUSnK2qNhDlN6pnOcDop8iyQ/s400/IMG_6390b.JPG"/></a></div>
449. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0d8NoYuq1OFzbH1E_wrBYTvtrmre91m6hWIolwpvvFAhyphenhyphennT9HHFDzEUDdFmr6hr9Z5Px9psf-34a2imrqJGZZnKMXoUBa3rv-m_p2AlRtJWOHMYNubtYcUecmy2zbriC_FKDLmETSyd8kc-HkC3LFQVVJKk3lXnJbVjz5qhbxiaBtQs4siFtsFw/s3242/IMG_6008b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2207" data-original-width="3242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0d8NoYuq1OFzbH1E_wrBYTvtrmre91m6hWIolwpvvFAhyphenhyphennT9HHFDzEUDdFmr6hr9Z5Px9psf-34a2imrqJGZZnKMXoUBa3rv-m_p2AlRtJWOHMYNubtYcUecmy2zbriC_FKDLmETSyd8kc-HkC3LFQVVJKk3lXnJbVjz5qhbxiaBtQs4siFtsFw/s400/IMG_6008b.JPG"/></a></div>
450. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjE0XmqAPIWYHs-kRKU0SAYl_nZ4YV8XxcX4fx76FTucOoMyNTPzn16SjFwRRYoSuwvCooqW_f4D4e47jbt-3o03PgTOhgySCxY0kUmpkshhtGVHgozf7Aapnmc3y6rXh0CNfQQ/s1600/IMG_2523c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjE0XmqAPIWYHs-kRKU0SAYl_nZ4YV8XxcX4fx76FTucOoMyNTPzn16SjFwRRYoSuwvCooqW_f4D4e47jbt-3o03PgTOhgySCxY0kUmpkshhtGVHgozf7Aapnmc3y6rXh0CNfQQ/s400/IMG_2523c.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
451. <br>
452. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
453. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/05/recognising-and-honoring-australias.html>Recognising and Honoring Australia’s First Naturalists</a><br>
454. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/05/australian-sojourn-april-may-2019_7.html>On Sacred Ground (2019)</a><br>
455. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/05/australian-sojourn-april-may-2019_12.html>In the Land of the Kamilaroi (2019)</a><br>
456. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/07/guruk-seascapes-from-dawn-to-dusk.html>Guruk Seascapes, From Dawn to Dusk (2017)</a><br>
457. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2015/04/earth-day-2015.html>Earth Day 2015</a><br>
458. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2012/11/prayer-of-week.html>Prayer of the Week – November 14, 2012</a><br>
459. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/02/rock-of-ages.html>Rock of Ages: Theological Reflections on <i>Picnic at Hanging Rock</i></a><br>
460. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/08/afternoon.html>Afternoon</a><br>
461. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/10/boorganna-part-i.html>Boorganna (Part I)</a><br>
462. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/10/boorganna-part-ii.html>Boorganna (Part II)</a><br>
463. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-bone-country.html>My “Bone Country” (2009)</a><br>
464. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-landscape-is-mirror.html>The Landscape Is a Mirror</a><br>
465. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2012/11/something-sacred-dwells-there.html>“Something Sacred Dwells There”</a><br>
466. <br>
467. <b>Australian Sojourn – June-July 2025</b><br>
468. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/solstice-dawn.html>Solstice Dawn</a><br>
469. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/home-to-be-with-mum.html>Home to Be With Mum</a><br>
470. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-moment.html>This Moment</a><br>
471. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/june-vignettes.html>June Vignettes</a></span><br>
472. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/5206999637118019428/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/5206999637118019428' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/5206999637118019428'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/5206999637118019428'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/07/a-mysteriously-charged-and.html' title='“A Mysteriously Charged and Magnificently Alive Archetypal Presence”'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUCqj4-KhiYC2OPN4Fhe7RAqneZ9mY9Fu8KV0j5jkT5Xhf1czGDJXk-WiWVP7eVfaOOMnicEXV_b4vcS_tz4zzw44xxYugbxE-VR8SLQlH10Z3jOAlR4W1_CTPjCzMCiJ4WuX_CvWaPB7A3ZzfrnZ24T4PVsylBe_5GjJomWa5om097pjJxQKng/s72-c/IMG_7088.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-8309062077834046153</id><published>2025-07-01T13:01:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-03T07:55:34.488-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Gaza Genocide"/><title type='text'>Truth-telling in the Face of Systemic Power That Is Silent on Genocide</title><content type='html'>&lt;br&gt;
473. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBunYHxfBHMVMB1mdCGsIHUsbfluM9pJuxpwZmlfXzS20ThOShvVukBIEiqYFQqZ2aQ8RI0mvWFioi6j9e11CxZ15RD-AbgD8QeSQGZhL6CUGYXhLwJ_2wxcyfRWLBgtKtgM6dxv5oCZyeqO2JnrdaM0aO8qsX6BTPWQzqfdpM9WK6ZCKMUOpQvg/s336/BobVylan-1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" width="200" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBunYHxfBHMVMB1mdCGsIHUsbfluM9pJuxpwZmlfXzS20ThOShvVukBIEiqYFQqZ2aQ8RI0mvWFioi6j9e11CxZ15RD-AbgD8QeSQGZhL6CUGYXhLwJ_2wxcyfRWLBgtKtgM6dxv5oCZyeqO2JnrdaM0aO8qsX6BTPWQzqfdpM9WK6ZCKMUOpQvg/s200/BobVylan-1.PNG"/></a></div><blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>hy is calling for the end of a genocidal army – <i>army</i>, you will note, <i>not</i> Jews, <i>not</i> Israelis, <i>not</i> people at all, but an <i>institution</i> – more scandalous than the genocide itself?</blockquote><br>
474. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>Damien Willey</i></b><br>
475. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from “<a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EuMGyxv-P0>What Bob Vylan Said<br>
476. at Glastonbury Took Guts<br>
477. – And He’s Not Wrong</a>”<br>
478. <i>Kernow Damo</i><br>
479. June 29, 2025</span></div><br>
480. <br />
481. I appreciate the following video commentary by Damien Willey on the controversy involving English punk rap duo <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Vylan>Bob Vylan</a>’s recent performance at <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Festival>Glastonbury</a>, Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, and numerous personalities and entities of the British establishment, most notably the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC>BBC</a>.<br>
482. <br>
483. <br>
484. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-EuMGyxv-P0?si=YE9zXp1HHSm-Zy1q" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
485. <br>
486. <br>
487. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
488. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOk4kP8bxXM>What <i>Really</i> Happened at Glastonbury</a> – Lowkey (<i>Double Down News</i>, June 30, 2025).<br>
489. <a href=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/30/bob-vylan-idf-chants-glastonbury-bbc-jacqui-smith>BBC Response to Bob Vylan’s IDF Chants at Glastonbury “Not Good Enough,” Says Minister</a> – Kevin Rawlinson (<i>The Guardian</i>, June 30, 2025).<br>
490. <a href=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-01/trump-bans-glastonbury-act-as-uk-launches-criminal-investigation/105479678>U.S. Revokes Visas of Rap Duo Bob Vylan Over “Death to IDF” Chant at Glastonbury</a> – <i>ABC News</i>, June 30, 2025).<br>
491. <br>
492. <br>
493. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://variety.com/2025/music/news/bob-vylan-speaks-out-glastonbury-outrage-1236445066>Bob Vylan Speaks Out Amid Glastonbury Outrage: “We Are Not for the Death of Jews . . . We Are for the Dismantling of a Violent Military Machine”</a> – Chris Willman (<i>Variety</i>, July 1, 2025).<br>
494. <a href=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/bob-vylan-defends-glastonbury-set-as-police-launch-criminal-investigation/s7bt704i3>“I Said What I Said”: Bob Vylan Defends Glastonbury Set as Police Launch Investigation</a> – Reuters via <i>SBS News</i> (July 1, 2025).<br>
495. <a href=https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/bob-vylan-kneecap-show-how-status-quo-has-shifted-palestine>Bob Vylan and Kneecap Show How the Status Quo Has Shifted on Palestine</a> – Isaac Nellist (<i>Green Left Weekly</i>, July 2, 2025).<br>
496. <a href=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bob-vylan-removed-europe-festivals-glastonbury-controversy-1235377782>Bob Vylan Removed From European Festivals After Glastonbury Controversy: “We Will Be Fine”</a> – Larisha Paul (<i>Rolling Stone</i>, July 2, 2025).<br>
497. <a href=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/jul/03/bbc-to-drop-high-risk-live-performances-after-bob-vylan-glastonbury-set>BBC to Drop “High Risk” Live Performances After Bob Vylan Glastonbury Set</a> – Michael Savage (<i>The Guardian</i>, July 3, 2025).<br>
498. <br>
499. <br>
500. <b>See also the following chronologically-ordered <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
501. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/nothing-about-today-is-unprovoked.html>October 7, 2023: “Nothing About Today Is ‘Unprovoked’”</a><br>
502. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/phyllis-bennis-if-we-are-serious-about.html>Phyllis Bennis: “If We Are Serious About Ending This Spiraling Violence, We Need to Look at Root Causes”</a><br>
503. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/in-midst-of-great-unraveling-visit-to.html>In the Midst of the “Great Unraveling,” a Visit to the Prayer Tree</a><br>
504. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/quote-of-day_11.html>Eric Levitz: Quote of the Day – October 11, 2023</a><br>
505. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/something-to-think-about.html>Something to Think About – October 12, 2023</a><br>
506. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/prayer-of-week.html>Prayer of the Week – October 16, 2023</a><br>
507. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/voices-of-reason-and-compassion-on_22.html>Voices of Reason and Compassion on the Crisis in Israel and Gaza</a><br>
508. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/03/more-voices-of-reason-and-compassion-on.html>More Voices of Reason and Compassion on the Crisis in Israel and Gaza</a><br>
509. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/11/quote-of-day.html>Ta-Nehisi Coates: Quote of the Day – November 2, 2023</a><br>
510. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/12/quote-of-day.html>Jehad Abusalim: Quote of the Day – December 8, 2023</a><br>
511. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-2023-reflections-activism-art.html>Christmas 2023 – Reflections, Activism, Art, and Celebrations</a><br>
512. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/01/quote-of-day.html>Sabrina Salvati: Quote of the Day – January 2, 2024</a><br>
513. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/02/quote-of-day_049051479.html>Michael Fakhri: Quote of the Day – February 27, 2024</a><br>
514. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/03/quote-of-day.html>Phyllis Bennis: Quote of the Day – March 28, 2024</a><br>
515. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/quote-of-day.html>Josh Paul: Quote of the Day – March 28, 2024</a><br>
516. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/a-genocide-has-been-normalized.html>“A Genocide Has Been Normalized”</a><br>
517. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/this-is-genocidal-project.html>“This Is a Genocidal Project”</a><br>
518. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/outrage-and-despair.html>Outrage and Despair</a><br>
519. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/naomi-kleins-powerful-words-on-gaza.html>Naomi Klein’s Powerful Words on Israel’s and the West’s Ongoing Gaza Genocide</a><br>
520. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/judith-butler-on-ongoing-student.html>Judith Butler on the Ongoing Student Protests Against the Gaza Genocide</a><br>
521. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/quote-of-day.html>Kyle Kulinski: Quote of the Day – May 23, 2024</a><br>
522. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/06/something-to-think-about.html>Something to Think About – June 28, 2024</a><br>
523. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/07/quote-of-day_24.html>Nina Turner: Quote of the Day – July 24, 2024</a><br>
524. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/07/phyllis-bennis-we-can-never-give-up-hope.html>Phyllis Bennis: “We Can Never Give Up Hope”</a><br>
525. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/07/quote-of-day_26.html>John Cusack: Quote of the Day – July 26, 2024</a><br>
526. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/progressive-perspectives-on.html>Progressive Perspectives on the Presidential Nomination of Kamala Harris</a><br>
527. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/breaking-down-kamala-harris-dnc-speech.html>Breaking Down Kamala Harris’s DNC Speech on Gaza</a><br>
528. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/quote-of-day_30.html>Yousef Munayyer: Quote of the Day – August 30, 2024</a><br>
529. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/its-systematic-slaughter-that-were.html>“It’s a Systematic Slaughter That We’re Funding”</a><br>
530. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/protesting-weapons-manufacturer-general.html>Protesting Weapons Manufacturer and Genocide Enabler General Dynamics</a><br>
531. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/something-to-think-about.html>Something to Think About – September 26, 2024</a><br>
532. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-year-of-war-against-children.html>“A Year of War Against Children”</a><br>
533. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-lone-anti-genocide-presidential.html>Anti-Genocide Presidential Candidate Jill Stein Reflects on the First Anniversary of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza</a><br>
534. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/people-are-sick-of-bullshit.html>Liam Cosgrove Confronts U.S. State Department Spin Doctor Matthew Miller: “People Are Sick of the Bullshit”</a><br>
535. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/this-is-tragic-heartbreaking-moment-in.html>“This Is a Tragic, Heartbreaking Moment in the History of Humanity”</a><br>
536. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/progressive-perspectives-on-kamala.html>Progressive Perspectives on Kamala Harris’ Faltering Presidential Campaign</a><br>
537. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/progressive-perspectives-on-where.html>Progressive Perspectives on Where Democrats Went Wrong in the 2024 Presidential Election</a><br>
538. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/12/hope-and-courage-christmas-2024.html>Hope and Courage – Christmas 2024</a><br>
539. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/chris-hedges-israel-has-no-intention-of.html>Chris Hedges: “Israel Has No Intention of Halting Its Merry-Go-Round of Death”</a><br>
540. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-lamentable-legacy-of-biden.html>The Lamentable Legacy of the Biden Administration</a><br>
541. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/quote-of-day.html>Caitlin Johnstone: Quote of the Day – January 22, 2025</a><br>
542. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/quote-of-day_30.html>Butch Ware: Quote of the Day – January 30, 2025</a><br>
543. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-only-difference.html>The Only Difference</a><br>
544. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/progressive-perspectives-on-cory.html>Progressive Perspectives on Cory Booker’s Marathon Speech</a><br>
545. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/silence-on-gaza-genocide-is-more-than.html>Silence on Gaza Genocide Is “More Than a Mere Moral Abdication; It Is Lethal”</a><br>
546. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-theft-of-ones-soul-omar-el-akkad-on.html>The Theft of One’s Soul: Omar El Akkad on the “Lesser of Two Evils” Argument</a><br>
547. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/how-genocide-becomes-ordinary.html>How Genocide Becomes Ordinary</a><br>
548. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/quote-of-day_27.html>Thomas Friedman: Quote of the Day – May 27, 2025</a><br>
549. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/a-holocaust-live-streamed.html>“A Holocaust, Live-streamed”</a><br>
550. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/life-comes-first-interview-with-thiago.html>“Life Comes First”: An Interview with Thiago Ávila
551. </a><br>
552. <br>
553. <br>
554. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
555. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-mistreatment-and-discrimination.html>“The Mistreatment and Discrimination Against Palestinians Is Not Unprecedented. It’s Baked Into the Foundation of the Political System in Israel”</a><br>
556. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/05/progressive-perspectives-on-ongoing.html>Progressive Perspectives on the Ongoing Israeli-Palestinian “Nightmare” (2021)</a><br>
557. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/07/something-to-think-about_29.html>Something to Think About – July 29, 2018</a><br>
558. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/05/quote-of-day_15.html>Noura Erakat: Quote of the Day – May 15, 2018</a><br>
559. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/08/for-some-jews-israels-treatment-of.html>For Some Jews, Israel’s Treatment of Palestinians is Yet Another Jewish Tragedy</a><br>
560. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/06/remembering-six-day-war-and-its-ongoing.html>Remembering the Six-Day War and Its Ongoing Aftermath</a><br>
561. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/08/quote-of-day_12.html>David Norris: Quote of the Day – August 12, 2014</a></span><br>
562. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/8309062077834046153/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/8309062077834046153' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/8309062077834046153'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/8309062077834046153'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/07/truth-telling-in-face-of-systemic-power.html' title='Truth-telling in the Face of Systemic Power That Is Silent on Genocide'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBunYHxfBHMVMB1mdCGsIHUsbfluM9pJuxpwZmlfXzS20ThOShvVukBIEiqYFQqZ2aQ8RI0mvWFioi6j9e11CxZ15RD-AbgD8QeSQGZhL6CUGYXhLwJ_2wxcyfRWLBgtKtgM6dxv5oCZyeqO2JnrdaM0aO8qsX6BTPWQzqfdpM9WK6ZCKMUOpQvg/s72-c/BobVylan-1.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-411090984574414048</id><published>2025-06-30T22:01:00.092-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-03T23:33:58.320-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Australian Sojourn – June-July 2025"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Vignettes"/><title type='text'>June Vignettes</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfPNRxNYJ2G5fSGjBRxLj1Dk4JNPUAL1R6ScjWsBgOl8J8s9vFAh3aDwCd6ClawtyZwohcWUaYsyAruDbIiVAWW5zDkBK4-uQ-zNF-KVpspzLfvlkYgl12-GK8lvPLfZx7u3RWfS3AEJ54LAf1DNY36NpyG5GERjVU5BkJjAVwUcGCh2TVpWcFA/s3887/IMG_5459b.JPG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;3887&quot; data-original-width=&quot;2915&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfPNRxNYJ2G5fSGjBRxLj1Dk4JNPUAL1R6ScjWsBgOl8J8s9vFAh3aDwCd6ClawtyZwohcWUaYsyAruDbIiVAWW5zDkBK4-uQ-zNF-KVpspzLfvlkYgl12-GK8lvPLfZx7u3RWfS3AEJ54LAf1DNY36NpyG5GERjVU5BkJjAVwUcGCh2TVpWcFA/s400/IMG_5459b.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
563. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43CPtlxGNYXs9iuZ18R1Vf0GWHjV9igUw7bL2jvVQISg6eSAwDQnI_U4Iu46NZOTJeZSdtyPlp09p7HG3vWwNCUb1uqIBEB6iPcep_E2NKAgHk2eGTUuV5rXCJMBJMw5eWdyc5YvlnPT15rJU-v251bsAGawKMNCX1qaiOifKdkT36Jo-0f2U_A/s4032/IMG_5452.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43CPtlxGNYXs9iuZ18R1Vf0GWHjV9igUw7bL2jvVQISg6eSAwDQnI_U4Iu46NZOTJeZSdtyPlp09p7HG3vWwNCUb1uqIBEB6iPcep_E2NKAgHk2eGTUuV5rXCJMBJMw5eWdyc5YvlnPT15rJU-v251bsAGawKMNCX1qaiOifKdkT36Jo-0f2U_A/s400/IMG_5452.JPG"/></a></div>
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578. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7hGak7ofYdlhYwBHkDHXBL32b2wML-33zgElcwhGoBfZBABJT7gk94ugDsK31LG-lZZrac_6H50deqjxHybS6aSKM2ee9b7jsRDmXr0Cr76vbf-RsVAX-4qAk3mT2wxhJhWD-89ZFAse30LKVvabaRvCksxW8t5BKdH62b9s63Jy5JRGJK11WQ/s599/IMG_5898c.PNG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7hGak7ofYdlhYwBHkDHXBL32b2wML-33zgElcwhGoBfZBABJT7gk94ugDsK31LG-lZZrac_6H50deqjxHybS6aSKM2ee9b7jsRDmXr0Cr76vbf-RsVAX-4qAk3mT2wxhJhWD-89ZFAse30LKVvabaRvCksxW8t5BKdH62b9s63Jy5JRGJK11WQ/s400/IMG_5898c.PNG"/></a></div>
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580. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_3HPiu6cfomOhTbcD6FnJ1sYvMOU8-2fVnu-6Ws90sR-LxFdBilB19POCVNiO_-Jm4iBZ-nzHHriRvp1qZ6PkuUzeRMp64bl9-NGozC2l0vUbQf9sczrLRYfu4S5s-tek9Pqmbs06tB4JNkyKwQj8AmR561HrJdSfoJvHxZbc90jqt8HPSZiMA/s3381/IMG_6300b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3381" data-original-width="2705" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_3HPiu6cfomOhTbcD6FnJ1sYvMOU8-2fVnu-6Ws90sR-LxFdBilB19POCVNiO_-Jm4iBZ-nzHHriRvp1qZ6PkuUzeRMp64bl9-NGozC2l0vUbQf9sczrLRYfu4S5s-tek9Pqmbs06tB4JNkyKwQj8AmR561HrJdSfoJvHxZbc90jqt8HPSZiMA/s400/IMG_6300b.JPG"/></a></div>
581. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BB6l1SY4nujhir8gsLljvp4Yj8kIjcWeEDS8M_OZudezgvEp5oa6glxn1audLadwVg_7Y5lMecewiu-J5DfrJeb3Wo3n6vq9eaooIVW8MzvDf705k8117vDTjLZRV24Lv53RkizrpdIUqlwRd6VOWRiZfCDqNyouxqE9CFGtv13ZXTe5Utc13A/s1820/IMG_6182b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1341" data-original-width="1820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BB6l1SY4nujhir8gsLljvp4Yj8kIjcWeEDS8M_OZudezgvEp5oa6glxn1audLadwVg_7Y5lMecewiu-J5DfrJeb3Wo3n6vq9eaooIVW8MzvDf705k8117vDTjLZRV24Lv53RkizrpdIUqlwRd6VOWRiZfCDqNyouxqE9CFGtv13ZXTe5Utc13A/s400/IMG_6182b.JPG"/></a></div>
582. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIWtTx3faP1nzCrFhjBq6a5hWCHkBKzITnYlXgmqhlYXCn4UFINtnRCzo1sO7sqjsPgvxuZm1ReC5-ue6xZGTJf2MXUq6Si6NtaPZTMxEi2LePu2wFnqRvln9V_AkB-Hmas6Kh4erVEmNSvBurUTM5Z0GEYHVoUwSMOe9JDC_AmyHxfAYvSOgqQ/s3757/IMG_6541b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="3757" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIWtTx3faP1nzCrFhjBq6a5hWCHkBKzITnYlXgmqhlYXCn4UFINtnRCzo1sO7sqjsPgvxuZm1ReC5-ue6xZGTJf2MXUq6Si6NtaPZTMxEi2LePu2wFnqRvln9V_AkB-Hmas6Kh4erVEmNSvBurUTM5Z0GEYHVoUwSMOe9JDC_AmyHxfAYvSOgqQ/s400/IMG_6541b.JPG"/></a></div>
583. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUwVC7ZrobQndpKT1sXm956N9DRh-_5NxMZ-qpzFSF55hoOYllc5n9EYBYB0ipiMfVSdEKVg571drkgHuSLM4KHDEhMzYzAFgbdGr97idTCgDymlv01I-riQL6WDI6XM_O6Yol9R5ZCopAQjhnKtYBAkcGm4v_rOmQzTttJe-5SYBsKleEDChTw/s3887/IMG_6284b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3887" data-original-width="2915" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUwVC7ZrobQndpKT1sXm956N9DRh-_5NxMZ-qpzFSF55hoOYllc5n9EYBYB0ipiMfVSdEKVg571drkgHuSLM4KHDEhMzYzAFgbdGr97idTCgDymlv01I-riQL6WDI6XM_O6Yol9R5ZCopAQjhnKtYBAkcGm4v_rOmQzTttJe-5SYBsKleEDChTw/s400/IMG_6284b.JPG"/></a></div>
584. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4QiiwZsGAyJAfH6pgUQhMgeWj22VrnoN1kDTApsUwF-gKrExQvRznpaoxF-fpIQ3FlTxBLc9gn5uHqvG3ffaK0Y0o0mTG5s7p-PWs4SfH27vSxs5qhNQuzmpNPrFSIq-8IAaxwoMXf92_7B8F73JrjGwkBHQrpok2OikckUa8Vs1x7EHfv8RSQ/s3734/IMG_6413b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="3734" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4QiiwZsGAyJAfH6pgUQhMgeWj22VrnoN1kDTApsUwF-gKrExQvRznpaoxF-fpIQ3FlTxBLc9gn5uHqvG3ffaK0Y0o0mTG5s7p-PWs4SfH27vSxs5qhNQuzmpNPrFSIq-8IAaxwoMXf92_7B8F73JrjGwkBHQrpok2OikckUa8Vs1x7EHfv8RSQ/s400/IMG_6413b.JPG"/></a></div>
585. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRSF7vXNj-WFVW-vB12fEoqibnuwluuD1-IFn7pkUdeh1UjziI1YASHrTE0gz8-XqCvEXFGkY1WWobjLx5MpVIy61F0oefTW7KLLrFIBPE_ntX7BbpKIFPixK8CRdXnO0uPzx03FmCunuJd1-aMWBRy7b-E95rwqJt41-GTloysXHuwRedMLfOA/s3499/IMG_6178b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2577" data-original-width="3499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRSF7vXNj-WFVW-vB12fEoqibnuwluuD1-IFn7pkUdeh1UjziI1YASHrTE0gz8-XqCvEXFGkY1WWobjLx5MpVIy61F0oefTW7KLLrFIBPE_ntX7BbpKIFPixK8CRdXnO0uPzx03FmCunuJd1-aMWBRy7b-E95rwqJt41-GTloysXHuwRedMLfOA/s400/IMG_6178b.JPG"/></a></div>
586. <br>
587. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
588. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/life-comes-first-interview-with-thiago.html>“Life Comes First”: An Interview with Thiago Ávila</a><br>
589. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like.html>Los Angeles, June 2025: “This Is What Fascism Looks Like”</a><br>
590. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/protesting-is-what-patriotism-looks.html>“Protesting Is What Patriotism Looks Like in Public”: The “No Kings” Protests of June 14, 2025</a><br>
591. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html>Norman Solomon: Quote of the Day – June 16, 2025</a><br>
592. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/naming-pattern-and-its-source.html>Naming the Pattern . . . and Its Source</a><br>
593. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/no-kings-absolutely-but-also-no.html>“No Kings”? Absolutely. But Also “No Oligarchy”</a><br>
594. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/solstice-dawn.html>Solstice Dawn</a><br>
595. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/home-to-be-with-mum.html>Home to Be With Mum</a><br>
596. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-moment.html>This Moment</a><br>
597. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/australian-indigenous-culture-and.html>Australian Indigenous Culture and the Reality of LGBTI Lives</a><br>
598. <br>
599. <b>Images:</b> Michael J. Bayly and Aunty Ruth.</span><br />
600. &lt;br /&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/411090984574414048/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/411090984574414048' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/411090984574414048'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/411090984574414048'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/june-vignettes.html' title='June Vignettes'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfPNRxNYJ2G5fSGjBRxLj1Dk4JNPUAL1R6ScjWsBgOl8J8s9vFAh3aDwCd6ClawtyZwohcWUaYsyAruDbIiVAWW5zDkBK4-uQ-zNF-KVpspzLfvlkYgl12-GK8lvPLfZx7u3RWfS3AEJ54LAf1DNY36NpyG5GERjVU5BkJjAVwUcGCh2TVpWcFA/s72-c/IMG_5459b.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-169355856457810193</id><published>2025-06-29T08:00:00.033-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-03T03:55:04.202-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Human Sexuality"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Indigenous Wisdom"/><title type='text'>Australian Indigenous Culture and the Reality of LGBTI Lives</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtW5_qFtBYQa1IPBoq8eSsz-Ao2n3GkotKyB0UTR6chVNwLSoYZfbxGVNZQrclUloMfHHKL8fOwe9rErzgRdjlRy7yLUdK3Sms89n_OFQsgdG9DSjN2YyTu-sMiDWy1OFBlBh9hhZpQgeidGR0y7Je7Le7ZEyfUyhUo1ijYuhcPPLlkRV4sAFHhA/s1224/IMG_6924b.JPG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;792&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1224&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtW5_qFtBYQa1IPBoq8eSsz-Ao2n3GkotKyB0UTR6chVNwLSoYZfbxGVNZQrclUloMfHHKL8fOwe9rErzgRdjlRy7yLUdK3Sms89n_OFQsgdG9DSjN2YyTu-sMiDWy1OFBlBh9hhZpQgeidGR0y7Je7Le7ZEyfUyhUo1ijYuhcPPLlkRV4sAFHhA/s400/IMG_6924b.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
601. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9runJEH2uxHflAQAAZCOtabj0l_iy6VwEeTTPvlmxZ4adNhOQwHSEY8u-Q81CLVTE9L3RU3RoFbgGFpMPnql1Tt-1bEf_o88pMlkhBQdkOvBNdMO17qosaaF1WdPjZfoo6sjVxGQHzd2_yGOXZ9UJjW1BE220nl-AXh3ld-01yYlo4AJEFgAGTA/s434/StevenLindsayRoss%20By%20SteliosPapadakis.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9runJEH2uxHflAQAAZCOtabj0l_iy6VwEeTTPvlmxZ4adNhOQwHSEY8u-Q81CLVTE9L3RU3RoFbgGFpMPnql1Tt-1bEf_o88pMlkhBQdkOvBNdMO17qosaaF1WdPjZfoo6sjVxGQHzd2_yGOXZ9UJjW1BE220nl-AXh3ld-01yYlo4AJEFgAGTA/s200/StevenLindsayRoss%20By%20SteliosPapadakis.PNG"/></a></div><i>The Wild Reed</i>’s <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/what-bible-really-says-about-gender.html>2025 Queer Appreciation series</a> concludes with an excerpt from an insightful and moving <a href=https://humanrights.ca/story/what-two-spirit-part-one-origins>article</a> by Steven Lindsay Ross (<b>right</b>) on his experiences growing-up gay and Indigenous in Australia. It’s a fitting piece to share given that I’m currently back in my homeland to <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/home-to-be-with-mum.html>support my mum</a>.<br>
602. <br>
603. Ross’s article was <a href=https://archermagazine.com.au/2014/10/homosexuality-and-aboriginal-culture-a-lore-unto-themselves>first published</a> in 2014 by <a href=https://archermagazine.com.au><i>Archer Magazine</i></a>, “the world’s most inclusive magazine about sexuality, gender and identity.”<br>
604. <br>
605. <center>__________________</center><br>
606. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">M</span>any Indigenous LGBTI people experience homophobia and transphobia in their own lives. Unfortunately, the perpetrators are often their own people or family.<br>
607. <br>
608. I was about five years old, I reckon. My father, a <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiradjuri>Wiradjuri</a> man, and I were getting out of our old family Valiant. We lived in what was called “the new mission,” in Macauley Street in <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deniliquin>Deniliquin</a>, New South Wales. All the blacks had been moved to Deniliquin from Moonacullah Mission some 20 years earlier.<br>
609. <br>
610. The charming houses built for the Moonacullah Aborigines were fibro and erected on the fringes of town, not far from the sewerage plant. A stiff northerly breeze carried the smell of raw faeces into our street, and if there was an operational issue with the works, the town’s sludge would come bubbling up into our bathrooms. Not exactly a welcoming experience of assimilation.<br>
611. <br>
612. Deniliquin was, and still is, a pretty town on the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_River>Edward River</a> (<i>Koletch</i>, in our <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wemba-Wemba>Wamba Wamba</a> language). Ever since I can remember, the sign coming into town announced that there were 8000 people living there.<br>
613. <br>
614. On this particular summer day, after my father had been looking after me (I sit in the corner of the local <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalisator_Agency_Board>TAB</a> while he bets on the horses), we arrived back in Macauley Street to discover he’d left the house keys inside. He ordered me to climb through the window to open the door, but I refused. His response was to verbally abuse me and, for the first time in my life, I was called a “<a href=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/poofter>poofter</a>.” I didn’t know what this word meant, but, considering the tone of its delivery, I knew it couldn’t be a good thing.<br>
615. <br>
616. Over the following years I heard this word a lot more, and figured out its meaning. Given my pre-pubescent romance with another boy, I soon knew I was this thing.<br>
617. <br>
618. This was the prism through which I saw my early sexuality. In the community I lived in, I did get a sense that homosexuality was not a good thing within our mobs. And, of course, like all homophobia and all bigotry, these attitudes were designed to de-humanise me, to marginalise me and to keep me down.<br>
619. <br>
620. In 1978 my mother wisely left my father and moved to Sydney with my sister and me. Mum moved in some pretty funky and arty circles and we were often at bohemian parties in <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balmain,_New_South_Wales>Balmain</a>. My sister and I would hide under my mother’s skirt while mysterious white people drank and danced and ate exotic food.<br>
621. <br>
622. The host of these parties was known as Aunty Sharon, a redhead with striking features and a beak-like nose, who spoke beautifully and loved hugging us kids. She was my mother’s boss and she lived in Waterview Street, Balmain, with her girlfriend.<br>
623. <br>
624. My mother never had to explain any of this to me and I lapped up the experience, as any curious child would. I loved our visits to Aunty Sharon, and the look and smell of her house. My favourite thing was to fall asleep cuddling her life-sized <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Woman>Wonder Woman</a> cushion.<br>
625. <br>
626. In hindsight, these were formative years that helped to empower my sexual identity and sense of self-worth. My mother never sheltered us from these influences. She knew I was gay all my life, I suspect, and when I finally came out to her in 1991, she said “surprise, surprise”.<br>
627. <br>
628. My mother is a proud <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wemba-Wemba>Wamba Wamba</a> and <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muthi_Muthi>Muthi Muthi</a> woman and she knows her culture, her ancestors and the way forward for her people. She spent her life working for the mob and instilling her knowledge into future generations through environmental work, weaving and storytelling.<br>
629. <br>
630. My father, on the other hand, is highly colonised and, in my opinion, a tragic figure of a man who was never there for any of his children. When I came out to my father, he told me he used to bash people like me. Whenever we fought, homophobic insults were not off limits.<br>
631.  <br>
632. I have seen this prejudice in other families in Deniliquin, too – we must have been a queer little community, given how many gay and lesbian relatives I have. One experience that springs to mind is that of my cousin Henry, who is transgender. Henry blossomed into Violet during her teen years. Not knowing how to deal with this change, her brothers were brutal and violent.<br>
633. <br>
634. Violet moved to <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcastle,_New_South_Wales>Newcastle</a> and rarely returned home. Despite all this, there remained a staunch set of sisters, nieces, nephews and cousins who adored her, kept in regular contact and resisted, berated and belittled those small-minded brothers.<br>
635. <br>
636. This group also provided powerful protection for the rest of us LGBTI kids growing up. Hopefully, the prejudice of the old uncles dies with them.<br>
637. <br>
638. We were also lucky enough to have Elder LGBTI people guide us through our childhood and coming-out phases. Small country towns are not the most hospitable places for young black kids, let alone young black LGBTI kids.<br>
639.  <br>
640. That said, homophobia still finds fertile ground in our communities. In late 2013, a boxer by the name of <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Mundine>Anthony Mundine</a> unleashed a homophobic rant on Facebook following an episode of <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redfern_Now><i>Redfern Now</i></a>. Mundine’s comments released a flood of memories for black LGBTI people like me, and gave room for more Indigenous people to express their homophobic beliefs.<br>
641. <br>
642. If anything good came from Mundine’s incendiary comments, it was the chance for collective self-reflection for Aboriginal LGBTI people, along with their families and supporters. For every person who supported Mundine there were dozens who spoke out against his narrow-mindedness, promoting the loving acceptance of gays and lesbians in our community. And it has also encouraged support and advocacy for black LGBTI peoples in local and broader representations.<br>
643. <br>
644. The contrast between my mother’s open-hearted embrace of my sexuality and my father’s hateful reaction made me contemplate the idea raised by Mundine about the place of homosexuality in so-called “traditional” Aboriginal culture. There are indications from some cultures around the world that diverse sexuality is an integral part of “traditional” indigenous life – for example, the <a href=https://www.buzzfeed.com/allanclarke/sistergirls-of-the-tiwi-islands>Sistergirls</a> of the Tiwi Islands, or the <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/exploring-meaning-and-history-of-two.html>Two-Spirit</a> movement found among some Native American cultures.<br>
645. <br>
646. There is also a logical and reasonable approach to this argument: Aboriginal people have been in Australia for more than 60,000 years in what many anthropologists describe as a triumph of survival and mathematics. Given the overwhelming evidence that homosexuality is biological, it is logical to assume that homosexuality would have been a part of such a social equation. It is estimated that there have been four billion Aboriginal people In Australia since the dawn of time. Four billion, and not one gay person? That just defies belief.<br>
647. <br>
648. Some argue that our culture would have oppressed such behaviour. This raises some interesting questions, as well as some colonial mythologies. Which traditional Aboriginal culture is being referred to here? When white people colonised Australia, there were hundreds of Aboriginal cultures. To know the mores and values of every single Aboriginal culture would be a major feat of anthropological prowess – one of which I doubt Mundine and his ilk are capable.<br>
649. <br>
650. This argument also ignores the major diversity between groups, and indeed within them. This is why a homogenous approach to government policy doesn’t work, and why a consensus on constitutional reform will probably never work. We are as diverse as any other ethnicity and this must be acknowledged to really move forward.<br>
651. <br>
652. This idea of “traditions” is also dangerous because it glues us to the past, rendering us immovable and static. It also sets up a system of haves and have-nots – those who have maintained their “traditional” culture, and those who have lost it.<br>
653. <br>
654. All cultures change, and Aboriginal people would not have survived for so long had they not been adaptive and dynamic.<br>
655. <br>
656. As for gay people being accepted in Aboriginal communities, I know a dozen or more black LGBTI people who are strong and powerful leaders in their communities. Some have led their mobs to successful <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_title_in_Australia>native title</a> consent determinations – a role that is built on trust. A native title case would include holding secret knowledge of sacred sites, family histories and land management practices, not to mention being entrusted to negotiate on behalf of thousands of claimants.<br>
657. <br>
658. This responsibility would not be given lightly. It is a position that involves trusting a person’s character. The fact that LGBTI people have been entrusted in these processes speaks volumes for the support we have within our communities.<br>
659. <br>
660. Of course, there will be narrow-minded people in our communities, too. We may dislike the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Nile>Fred Nile</a>s, <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Pell>George Pell</a>s or <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Abbott>Tony Abbott</a>s of mainstream culture, but we are not surprised that those voices exist in a liberal democracy. There are narrow-minded indigenous people. There are also indigenous fundamentalists, climate-change deniers, racists and misogynists.<br>
661. <br>
662. When I think of these people, or when I hear their bullshit in the media, I think of my accepting, unsurprised mother. I think of my sisters fighting for my rights, and defending my cousin Violet, and I remember the embrace of that Wonder Woman cushion.</blockquote><br>
663. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>Steven Lindsay Ross</i></b><br>
664. <span style="font-size: 85%;">From “<a href=https://archermagazine.com.au/2014/10/homosexuality-and-aboriginal-culture-a-lore-unto-themselves>Homosexuality and Aboriginal Culture:<br>
665. A Lore Unto Themselves</a>”<br>
666. <i>Archer Magazine</i><br>
667. October 20, 2014</span></div><br>
668. <br />
669. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />
670. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/05/jojo-zaho-let-your-faboriginality-shine.html>Jojo Zaho: “Let Your Faboriginality Shine Through”
671. </a><br>
672. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/05/recognising-and-honoring-australias.html>Recognising and Honoring Australia's First Naturalists</a><br>
673. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2015/07/clyde-hall-all-gay-people-in-one-form.html>Clyde Hall: “All Gay People, in One Form or Another, Have Something to Give to This World, Something Rich and Very Wonderful”</a><br>
674. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/11/quote-of-day_12.html>Terence Weldon: Quote of the Day – November 12, 2011</a><br>
675. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/10/john-corvino-on-always-and-everywhere.html>John Corvino on the “Always and Everywhere” Argument Against Gay Marriage</a><br>
676. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/06/same-sex-desires-immanent-and-essential.html>Same-Sex Desires: “Immanent and Essential Traits Transcending Time and Culture”</a><br>
677. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2012/11/prayer-of-week.html>Prayer of the Week – November 14, 2012</a><br>
678. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2010/05/thanks-mum.html>Thanks, Mum!</a><br>
679. <br>
680. <b><i>The Wild Reed</i>’s 2025 Queer Appreciation series:</b><br>
681. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/what-bible-really-says-about-gender.html>What the Bible Really Says About Gender Justice</a><br>
682. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/remembering-out-proud-and-vivid.html>Remembering the “Out, Proud and Vivid” Sylvester</a><br>
683. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/exploring-meaning-and-history-of-two.html>Exploring the Meaning and History of “Two-Spirit”</a></span><br>
684. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/169355856457810193/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/169355856457810193' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/169355856457810193'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/169355856457810193'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/australian-indigenous-culture-and.html' title='Australian Indigenous Culture and the Reality of LGBTI Lives'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtW5_qFtBYQa1IPBoq8eSsz-Ao2n3GkotKyB0UTR6chVNwLSoYZfbxGVNZQrclUloMfHHKL8fOwe9rErzgRdjlRy7yLUdK3Sms89n_OFQsgdG9DSjN2YyTu-sMiDWy1OFBlBh9hhZpQgeidGR0y7Je7Le7ZEyfUyhUo1ijYuhcPPLlkRV4sAFHhA/s72-c/IMG_6924b.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-4485828889485425267</id><published>2025-06-28T08:00:00.012-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-30T04:32:04.948-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Poetry"/><title type='text'>Wild Beauty</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8FcjURy9wLwiODrX3AxMIvMJNfUL98rC2JxxHd4oQzLg2-PHw6AyhGqRmqmSVIbX18UDfkiZRG9fEjDPDUzZrmm0m_6vJkISx85NlFgJF9eEMKgcx5IeTztLxbD-igF3DS73VVCdjxkulUjwnBA4sdZ9LXQ9KUVQ6XqRHbwNeP80nGcLDJb1sg/s557/Wilhelm%20Karl%20R%C3%A4uber.jpg&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;557&quot; data-original-width=&quot;465&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8FcjURy9wLwiODrX3AxMIvMJNfUL98rC2JxxHd4oQzLg2-PHw6AyhGqRmqmSVIbX18UDfkiZRG9fEjDPDUzZrmm0m_6vJkISx85NlFgJF9eEMKgcx5IeTztLxbD-igF3DS73VVCdjxkulUjwnBA4sdZ9LXQ9KUVQ6XqRHbwNeP80nGcLDJb1sg/s400/Wilhelm%20Karl%20R%C3%A4uber.jpg&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
685. <br>
686. <blockquote><center><span style="font-size: large;">May you allow the wild beauty of the<br>
687. invisible world to gather you, mind you,<br>
688. and embrace you in belonging.</span></center></blockquote><br>
689. <div style="text-align: right;">– <i><a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O%27Donohue>John O'Donohue</a></i></div><br />
690. <br />
691. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
692. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/awakening-wild-soul.html>Awakening the Wild Soul</a><br>
693. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/05/yahia-lababidi-poetry-is-how-we-pray-now.html>Yahia Lababidi: “Poetry Is How We Pray Now”</a><br>
694. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/07/i-suspect-world-remembers-everything.html>I Suspect the World Remembers Everything</a><br>
695. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/12/our-quiet-time.html>Our Quiet Time</a><br>
696. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/06/blue-yonder.html>Blue Yonder</a><br>
697. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/03/o-dancer-of-creation.html>O Dancer of Creation</a><br>
698. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/01/remembering-mary-olivers-queer-pagan.html>Remembering Mary Oliver's Queer Pagan Spirit</a><br>
699. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/01/winter-beauty.html>Winter Beauty</a><br>
700. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/08/window-mind-thought-air-and-love.html>“Window, Mind, Thought, Air and Love”</a><br>
701. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/11/divine-connection.html>Divine Connection</a><br>
702. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2010/05/strange-tongues.html>Strange Tongues</a><br>
703. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/08/afternoon.html>Afternoon</a><br>
704. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-garden-of-spirituality-diarmuid-o.html>In the Garden of Spirituality – Diarmuid Ó Murchú</a><br>
705. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/08/where-soul-would-have-us-go.html>Where Soul Would Have Us Go</a><br>
706. <br />
707. <b>Art:</b> “<a href=https://www.wikiart.org/en/wilhelm-karl-rauber/vision-of-st-hubert>The Vision of Saint Hubert</a>” (1892, detail) by <a href=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_R%C3%A4uber>Wilhelm Karl Räuber (1849-1926).</span><br />
708. &lt;br /&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/4485828889485425267/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/4485828889485425267' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/4485828889485425267'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/4485828889485425267'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/wild-beauty.html' title='Wild Beauty'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8FcjURy9wLwiODrX3AxMIvMJNfUL98rC2JxxHd4oQzLg2-PHw6AyhGqRmqmSVIbX18UDfkiZRG9fEjDPDUzZrmm0m_6vJkISx85NlFgJF9eEMKgcx5IeTztLxbD-igF3DS73VVCdjxkulUjwnBA4sdZ9LXQ9KUVQ6XqRHbwNeP80nGcLDJb1sg/s72-c/Wilhelm%20Karl%20R%C3%A4uber.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-9171559219172679263</id><published>2025-06-27T20:00:00.142-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-04T22:07:40.920-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Signs and Wonders"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Social Justice"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Socialism"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Zohran Mamdani"/><title type='text'>A Timely and Important Conversation</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8ZWRIk1eK662ukXZ8ZCqFROTypvNLiv2l1-Rpc8zgmDc6xDvJf4YGuW-7uBEq_2ftkEJ7n9fJYXZL-1doITMbqMnD8SclrSc4pL6bWTAGd8NFuzVvWuT8Kzf0PEKA21pgCVEjl9TQGiLL_Ipat16WLXofkihWa5CTPOPzBUaTYafWclBzhgz1A/s295/KshamaSawant.PNG&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;270&quot; data-original-width=&quot;295&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8ZWRIk1eK662ukXZ8ZCqFROTypvNLiv2l1-Rpc8zgmDc6xDvJf4YGuW-7uBEq_2ftkEJ7n9fJYXZL-1doITMbqMnD8SclrSc4pL6bWTAGd8NFuzVvWuT8Kzf0PEKA21pgCVEjl9TQGiLL_Ipat16WLXofkihWa5CTPOPzBUaTYafWclBzhgz1A/s200/KshamaSawant.PNG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kshama_Sawant&gt;Kshama Sawant&lt;/a&gt; is an Indian-American politician and economist who in 2014 as a &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Alternative_(United_States)&gt;Socialist Alternative&lt;/a&gt; candidate toppled a sixteen year incumbent who was backed by a powerful Democratic Party establishment. As a result of this and future electoral victories, Sawant served on the Seattle City Council from 2014 to 2024 as an out-and-proud socialist. During her tenure she reshaped Seattle’s political culture around demands for economic and social justice, reviving national debate around municipal socialism in the process.&lt;br&gt;
709. <br>
710. I find Sawant inspiring not only for these achievements (and her work in unionizing workers through <a href=https://www.workersstrikeback.org>Workers Strike Back</a>, the Socialist Alternative campaign that she founded in 2023) but also for the way she knows and shares the history of the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights and social justice in the United States. She keeps it real, in other words. And I find that refreshing and hopeful. Currently, Sawant is a candidate for Washington <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington%27s_9th_congressional_district>9th congressional district</a>, running against incumbent Democrat <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Smith_(Washington_politician)>Adam Smith</a>.<br>
711. <br>
712. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikN9unwF-mqGR9jN_psnrfTO22zrhiv_Qe-qlYxH4Ybo-0O9iU9WtaXGDO9pKLtSoU3OMZNk1YLgAsMhgMFqEjUNDQyvuatdTBA8YjGbpZAn2IILpCGgh_LiwJ4J5gGpYM-RKlrdukST5wlgx1H31HobPTnz3negeEdXkFRUEamwwahTBl2BGpYA/s410/ZohranMamdani.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikN9unwF-mqGR9jN_psnrfTO22zrhiv_Qe-qlYxH4Ybo-0O9iU9WtaXGDO9pKLtSoU3OMZNk1YLgAsMhgMFqEjUNDQyvuatdTBA8YjGbpZAn2IILpCGgh_LiwJ4J5gGpYM-RKlrdukST5wlgx1H31HobPTnz3negeEdXkFRUEamwwahTBl2BGpYA/s200/ZohranMamdani.PNG"/></a></div><br>
713. <br>Earlier today Sawant was a guest on the <a href=https://www.youtube.com/@DueDissidence><i>Due Dissidence</i></a> podcast where she shared her thoughts on <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohran_Mamdani>Zohran Mamdani</a>’s recent victory in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist but, unlike Sawant, works <i>within</i> the Democratic Party, not outside of it.<br>
714. <br>
715. <br>
716. <br>
717. <br>
718. <br>
719. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qvUEZ1mQ3Fg?si=_g_0womMSzOmivDL" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
720. <br>
721. <br>
722. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
723. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/zohran-mamdani-wins-primary>Zohran Mamdani Delivers Stunning Blow to “Billionaire-Backed Status Quo” in New York City</a> – Jake Johnson (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 25, 2025).<br>
724. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/25/zohran_nyc>“We Fight for Working People with No Apology”: Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo in New York City Mayoral Primary</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 25, 2025).<br>
725. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cv4cpPBSvk>Zohran Mamdani’s Win Triggers Colossal Meltdowns from Right-Wingers and Centrists</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, June 25, 2025).<br>  
726. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtIstVi7lXQ>Wall Street Loses It Over Zohran Victory</a> – <i>Breaking Points</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
727. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOaUKYuzwFc>Zohran Mamdani’s Primary Win Has Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump Reacting</a> – <i>Hard Lens Media</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
728. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX6AFoeWHEQ>Zohran Mamdani Is Every Republican’s Worst Nightmare</a> – <i>The Majority Report</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
729. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/26/robert_reich_mamdani>“The Economy Is Rigged”: Robert Reich on Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party, Inequality, and Trump</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
730. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/dems-should-embrace-mamdani>Instead of Fearing Zohran Mamdani, Mainstream Democrats Should Follow His Lead</a> – Robert Reich (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
731. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar2-NLLCHc8>Watch Epic Takedown of MSNBC’s Zohran Mamdani “Socialist” Propaganda</a> – Jordan Chariton (<i>Status Coup News</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
732. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/zohran-mamdani-islamophobia>Muslim Lawmakers Decry “Vile” Bipartisan Islamophobic Attacks on Zohran Mamdani</a> – Brett Wilkins (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
733. <a href=https://truthout.org/articles/democratic-senator-gillibrand-goes-on-islamophobic-rant-against-mamdani>Democratic Senator Gillibrand Goes on Islamophobic Rant Against Mamdani</a> –  Sharon Zhang (<i>Truthout</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
734. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2n03IhZkiE>Is Zohran Mamdani “Good for the Left”? – An Interview with Socialist Congressional Candidate Kshama Sawant</a> – Briahna Joy Gray (<i>Bad Faith</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
735. <br>
736. <br>
737. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPzX3u_npbo>Zohran Mamdani Win: Is It the Beginning of the Democrat Party Taking Over the Campaign?</a> – Kit Cabello (<i>Hard Lens Media</i>, June 28, 2025).<br>
738. <a href=https://www.messageboxnews.com/p/what-every-democrat-everywhere-should>What Every Democrat, Everywhere, Should Take from Zohran Mamdani’s Upset</a> – Dan Pfeiffer (<i>Message Box News</i>, June 29, 2025).<br>
739. <a href=https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/jun/29/does-zohran-mamdani-new-york-primary-victory-offer-roadmap-for-democrats>A Roadmap to Beat Trump? How the Rise of Zohran Mamdani Is Dividing Democrats</a><br> – Lauren Gambino and Alaina Demopoulos (<i>The Guardian</i>, June 29, 2025).<br>
740. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/mamdani-test-democratic>Do Democrats Mean What They Say? Mamdani’s Primary Win Offers a Test</a> – Masood Haque (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 29, 2025).<br>
741. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UELZc7rgT4>Democrats Are Panicking Over Mamdani’s Win – An Interview with David Sirota</a> – Briahna Joy Gray (<i>Bad Faith</i>, June 30, 2025).<br>
742. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7WYbx70I80>Bernie Sanders Puts Democratic Leaders on Blast for Snubbing Zohran Mamdani: “Get Behind Him”</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, July 1, 2025).<br>  
743. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FU7vtb2_5Y>Will Zohran Mamdani Empower or Betray the Working Class? – An Interview with Kshama Sawant</a> – <i>The Chris Hedges Report</i> (July 2, 2025).<br>
744. <br>
745. <br>
746. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
747. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/no-kings-absolutely-but-also-no.html>“No Kings”? Absolutely. But Also “No Oligarchy”</a><br>
748. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html>Norman Solomon: Quote of the Day – June 16, 2025</a><br>
749. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
750. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/ted-rall-on-what-it-means-to-be-leftist.html>Ted Rall on What It Means to Be a Leftist in 2025</a><br>
751. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/butch-ware-on-his-run-for-california.html>Butch Ware on His Run for California Governor and the Wider Goal of Disrupting the Duopoly</a><br>
752. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/quote-of-day_14.html>Eric Fernández: Quote of the Day – May 14, 2025</a><br>
753. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/progressive-perspectives-on-bernie.html>Progressive Perspectives on Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour</a><br>
754. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
755. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/an-opportunity-to-organize-political.html>An Opportunity for Organizing Against Duopoly</a><br>
756. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/building-solidarity-on-left.html>Building Solidarity on the Left</a><br>
757. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/it-is-our-responsibility-to-make-third.html>“It Is Our Responsibility to Make a Third Party Viable”</a><br>
758. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-moment-is-ripe-butch-ware-on.html>“The Moment Is Ripe”: Butch Ware on Building a “True Oppositional Alternative” to the Duopoly</a><br>
759. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/fighting-rich-and-their-two-parties.html>Fighting the Rich and Their Two Parties</a><br>
760. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/democrat-talk-on-eve-of-trumps-return.html>Democrat Talk on the Eve of Trump’s Return</a><br>
761. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/breaking-mold-why-progressives-should.html>Breaking the Mold: Why Progressives Should Push for Marianne Williamson to Lead the DNC</a><br>
762. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/inauguration-day-thoughts.html>Inauguration Day Thoughts</a><br>
763. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-green-partys-jill-stein-and-butch.html>The Green Party’s Jill Stein and Butch Ware Give Their First Post-Election Interview</a><br>
764. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/progressive-perspectives-on-where.html>Progressive Perspectives on Where Democrats Went Wrong in the 2024 Election</a><br>
765. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-new-chapter-of-democratic-party-needs.html>“A New Chapter of the Democratic Party Needs to Begin”</a><br>
766. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-lamentable-legacy-of-biden.html>The Lamentable Legacy of the Biden Administration</a><br>
767. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/we-give-reasons-for-people-to-come-out.html>Jill Stein: “We Give Reasons for People to Come Out and Vote”</a><br>
768. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/were-witnessing-liberal-meltdown-over.html>We’re Witnessing a Liberal Meltdown Over Jill Stein</a><br>
769. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/peter-bloom-on-unmasking-of-democratic.html>Peter Bloom on the Unmasking of the “Democratic Charade”</a><br>
770. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/when-democrats-undermine-democracy.html>When Democrats Undermine Democracy</a><br>
771. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/elise-labott-on-how-third-parties-can.html>Elise Labott on How Third Parties Can Revitalize Democracy</a><br>
772. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/something-to-think-about_0796301743.html>Something to Think About – August 15, 2024</a><br>
773. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/liberalcentristcorporatist-democrats.html>Centrist/Corporatist Democrats Have Just Launched “Left Punching” Season</a><br>
774. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/americans-deserve-choices-jill-stein-on.html>“Americans Deserve Choices”: Jill Stein on <i>Breaking Points</i> – 4/30/24</a><br>
775. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/aoc-falls-in-line.html>AOC Falls in Line</a><br>
776. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/03/marianne-williamson-cassandra-of-us.html>The Cassandra of U.S. Politics on the “True State of the Union”</a><br>
777. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/08/quote-of-day_10.html>Mark Harris: Quote of the Day – August 10, 2023</a><br>
778. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/will-democrats-never-learn.html>Will Democrats Never Learn?</a><br>
779. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/10/heather-cox-richardson-on-origin-of.html>Heather Cox Richardson on the Origin of the American Obsession with “Socialism”</a><br>
780. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/06/quote-of-day.html>Bernie Sanders: Quote of the Day – June 12, 2019</a><br>
781. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-next-step-is-green-step-progressive.html>“The Next Step Is a Green Step”: Cornel West Endorses Jill Stein (2016)</a><br>
782. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/03/quote-of-day_28.html>Terry Eagleton: Quote of the Day – March 28, 2011</a><br>
783. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/05/playwright-tony-kushner-on-being.html>Playwright Tony Kushner on Being a Socialist</a><br>
784. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2008/09/socialist-response-to-financial-crisis.html>A Socialist Response to the Financial Crisis (2008)</a><br>
785. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/09/capitalism-on-trial.html>Capitalism on Trial</a><br>
786. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/08/rip-neoclassical-economics.html>R.I.P. Neoclassical Economics</a><br>
787. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/02/hope-over-fear.html>Hope Over Fear: Voting Green</a></span><br>
788. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/9171559219172679263/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/9171559219172679263' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/9171559219172679263'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/9171559219172679263'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-timely-and-important-conversation.html' title='A Timely and Important Conversation'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8ZWRIk1eK662ukXZ8ZCqFROTypvNLiv2l1-Rpc8zgmDc6xDvJf4YGuW-7uBEq_2ftkEJ7n9fJYXZL-1doITMbqMnD8SclrSc4pL6bWTAGd8NFuzVvWuT8Kzf0PEKA21pgCVEjl9TQGiLL_Ipat16WLXofkihWa5CTPOPzBUaTYafWclBzhgz1A/s72-c/KshamaSawant.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-1103816320822223325</id><published>2025-06-26T22:01:00.021-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-04T22:07:53.329-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Bernie Sanders"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Green Party"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Quote of the Day"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Zohran Mamdani"/><title type='text'>Quote of the Day</title><content type='html'>&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XTSSpHs5J_FhHqkF01YHCEtkk8qNqroBzRxipo4kE0opPg0HFYCCO4eZoq_eMrcZ-GGkCxqXMKlYeqtHt5LhPVzxZbeaVM5Iy4IsTTKrNmwv3HXsnCU-DbD1Rx1OPmQYztAKZP9zYoLxOkIGHTXq0FJF8MZh2Ukt5-9rgLvJXg5LWb0ZHubkZw/s274/ZM-2025.PNG&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;182&quot; data-original-width=&quot;274&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XTSSpHs5J_FhHqkF01YHCEtkk8qNqroBzRxipo4kE0opPg0HFYCCO4eZoq_eMrcZ-GGkCxqXMKlYeqtHt5LhPVzxZbeaVM5Iy4IsTTKrNmwv3HXsnCU-DbD1Rx1OPmQYztAKZP9zYoLxOkIGHTXq0FJF8MZh2Ukt5-9rgLvJXg5LWb0ZHubkZw/s200/ZM-2025.PNG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: x-large;&quot;&gt;I&lt;/span&gt;t looks like &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Cuomo&gt;Andrew Cuomo&lt;/a&gt; will be running in the general election as an independent against the Democratic Party’s nominee for New York City Mayor, &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohran_Mamdani&gt;Zohran Mamdani&lt;/a&gt; [&lt;b&gt;right&lt;/b&gt;].&lt;br&gt;
789. <br>
790. . . . I was angry with <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Sanders>Bernie Sanders</a> and all the other progressives who shamed us for years into shutting our mouths and supporting the Democratic nominee. No matter how horrific they were.<br>
791. <br>
792. After being cheated out of the nomination, Bernie should have run as an independent or <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/06/bernie-sanders-and-jill-stein-is.html>the Green Party nominee for president</a>. Instead, he told his supporters to suck it up and support <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton>Hillary Clinton</a> and <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden>Joe Biden</a>. Same with <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria_Ocasio-Cortez>AOC</a>. If progressives wanted to exert their power in the Democratic Party, they should have run on third party lines after being cheated or they should have endorsed <a href=https://www.gp.org>Green Party</a> candidates.<br>
793. <br>
794. You know who is already using this strategy? Corporate Democrats. When it looked like Bernie could win in 2020, some corporate Democrats started recruiting people like <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Bloomberg>Mike Bloomberg</a> to run on a third party line. Now, it looks like they will deploy it again against Mamdani.<br>
795. <br>
796. Again, there is no future within the Democratic Party. As you can see, it’s where progressive and leftist movements go to die.</blockquote><br>
797. <div style="text-align: right;"><b><i>– Dorothy Lennon</i></b><br />
798. <span style="font-size: 85%;">via social media<br>
799. June 26, 2025</span></div><br />
800. <br>
801. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
802. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/25/zohran_nyc>“We Fight for Working People with No Apology”: Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo in New York City Mayoral Primary</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 25, 2025).<br>
803. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/zohran-mamdani-wins-primary>Zohran Mamdani Delivers Stunning Blow to “Billionaire-Backed Status Quo” in New York City</a> – Jake Johnson (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 25, 2025).<br>
804. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cv4cpPBSvk>Zohran Mamdani’s Win Triggers Colossal Meltdowns from Right-Wingers and Centrists</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, June 25, 2025).<br>  
805. <a href=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cuomo-stay-new-york-city-mayoral-ballot-november/story?id=123258468>Cuomo to Stay on New York City Mayoral Ballot in November on Independent Line</a> – Oren Oppenheim and Brittany Shepherd (<i>ABC News</i>, June 26, 2025).<br>  
806. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/26/robert_reich_mamdani>“The Economy Is Rigged”: Robert Reich on Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party, Inequality, and Trump</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 26, 2025).<br>
807. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/dems-should-embrace-mamdani>Instead of Fearing Zohran Mamdani, Mainstream Democrats Should Follow His Lead</a> – Robert Reich (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
808. <br>
809. <br>
810. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/zohran-mamdani-islamophobia>Muslim Lawmakers Decry “Vile” Bipartisan Islamophobic Attacks on Zohran Mamdani</a> – Brett Wilkins (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
811. <a href=https://truthout.org/articles/democratic-senator-gillibrand-goes-on-islamophobic-rant-against-mamdani>Democratic Senator Gillibrand Goes on Islamophobic Rant Against Mamdani</a> –  Sharon Zhang (<i>Truthout</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
812. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2n03IhZkiE>Is Zohran Mamdani "Good for the Left"? An Interview with Socialist Congressional Candidate Kshama Sawant</a> – Briahna Joy Gray (<i>Bad Faith</i>, June 27, 2025).<br>
813. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPzX3u_npbo>Zohran Mamdani Win: Is It the Beginning of the Democrat Party Taking Over the Campaign?</a> – Kit Cabello (<i>Hard Lens Media</i>, June 28, 2025).<br>
814. <a href=https://www.messageboxnews.com/p/what-every-democrat-everywhere-should>What Every Democrat, Everywhere, Should Take from Zohran Mamdani’s Upset</a> – Dan Pfeiffer (<i>Message Box News</i>, June 29, 2025).<br>
815. <br>
816. <br>
817. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
818. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/no-kings-absolutely-but-also-no.html>“No Kings”? Absolutely. But Also “No Oligarchy”</a><br>
819. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html>Norman Solomon: Quote of the Day – June 16, 2025</a><br>
820. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
821. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/ted-rall-on-what-it-means-to-be-leftist.html>Ted Rall on What It Means to Be a Leftist in 2025</a><br>
822. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/butch-ware-on-his-run-for-california.html>Butch Ware on His Run for California Governor and the Wider Goal of Disrupting the Duopoly</a><br>
823. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/quote-of-day_14.html>Eric Fernández: Quote of the Day – May 14, 2025</a><br>
824. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/progressive-perspectives-on-bernie.html>Progressive Perspectives on Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour</a><br>
825. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
826. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/an-opportunity-to-organize-political.html>An Opportunity for Organizing Against Duopoly</a><br>
827. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/building-solidarity-on-left.html>Building Solidarity on the Left</a><br>
828. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/it-is-our-responsibility-to-make-third.html>“It Is Our Responsibility to Make a Third Party Viable”</a><br>
829. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-moment-is-ripe-butch-ware-on.html>“The Moment Is Ripe”: Butch Ware on Building a “True Oppositional Alternative” to the Duopoly</a><br>
830. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/fighting-rich-and-their-two-parties.html>Fighting the Rich and Their Two Parties</a><br>
831. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/democrat-talk-on-eve-of-trumps-return.html>Democrat Talk on the Eve of Trump’s Return</a><br>
832. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/breaking-mold-why-progressives-should.html>Breaking the Mold: Why Progressives Should Push for Marianne Williamson to Lead the DNC</a><br>
833. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/inauguration-day-thoughts.html>Inauguration Day Thoughts</a><br>
834. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-green-partys-jill-stein-and-butch.html>The Green Party’s Jill Stein and Butch Ware Give Their First Post-Election Interview</a><br>
835. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/progressive-perspectives-on-where.html>Progressive Perspectives on Where Democrats Went Wrong in the 2024 Election</a><br>
836. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-new-chapter-of-democratic-party-needs.html>“A New Chapter of the Democratic Party Needs to Begin”</a><br>
837. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-lamentable-legacy-of-biden.html>The Lamentable Legacy of the Biden Administration</a><br>
838. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/we-give-reasons-for-people-to-come-out.html>Jill Stein: “We Give Reasons for People to Come Out and Vote”</a><br>
839. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/were-witnessing-liberal-meltdown-over.html>We’re Witnessing a Liberal Meltdown Over Jill Stein</a><br>
840. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/peter-bloom-on-unmasking-of-democratic.html>Peter Bloom on the Unmasking of the “Democratic Charade”</a><br>
841. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/when-democrats-undermine-democracy.html>When Democrats Undermine Democracy</a><br>
842. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/elise-labott-on-how-third-parties-can.html>Elise Labott on How Third Parties Can Revitalize Democracy</a><br>
843. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/something-to-think-about_0796301743.html>Something to Think About – August 15, 2024</a><br>
844. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/liberalcentristcorporatist-democrats.html>Centrist/Corporatist Democrats Have Just Launched “Left Punching” Season</a><br>
845. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/americans-deserve-choices-jill-stein-on.html>“Americans Deserve Choices”: Jill Stein on <i>Breaking Points</i> – 4/30/24</a><br>
846. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/aoc-falls-in-line.html>AOC Falls in Line</a><br>
847. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/03/marianne-williamson-cassandra-of-us.html>The Cassandra of U.S. Politics on the “True State of the Union”</a><br>
848. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/08/quote-of-day_10.html>Mark Harris: Quote of the Day – August 10, 2023</a><br>
849. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/will-democrats-never-learn.html>Will Democrats Never Learn?</a><br>
850. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/10/heather-cox-richardson-on-origin-of.html>Heather Cox Richardson on the Origin of the American Obsession with “Socialism”</a><br>
851. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/06/quote-of-day.html>Bernie Sanders: Quote of the Day – June 12, 2019</a><br>
852. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-next-step-is-green-step-progressive.html>“The Next Step Is a Green Step”: Cornel West Endorses Jill Stein (2016)</a><br>
853. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/06/bernie-sanders-and-jill-stein-is.html>Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein: Is a “Historic Collaboration” in the Making?</a><br>
854. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/06/bernie-sanders-and-jill-stein-is.html>Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein: Is a “Historic Collaboration” in the Making?</a><br>
855. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/03/quote-of-day_28.html>Terry Eagleton: Quote of the Day – March 28, 2011</a><br>
856. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/05/playwright-tony-kushner-on-being.html>Playwright Tony Kushner on Being a Socialist</a><br>
857. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2008/09/socialist-response-to-financial-crisis.html>A Socialist Response to the Financial Crisis (2008)</a><br>
858. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/09/capitalism-on-trial.html>Capitalism on Trial</a><br>
859. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/08/rip-neoclassical-economics.html>R.I.P. Neoclassical Economics</a><br>
860. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/02/hope-over-fear.html>Hope Over Fear: Voting Green</a></span><br>
861. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/1103816320822223325/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/1103816320822223325' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/1103816320822223325'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/1103816320822223325'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_26.html' title='Quote of the Day'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XTSSpHs5J_FhHqkF01YHCEtkk8qNqroBzRxipo4kE0opPg0HFYCCO4eZoq_eMrcZ-GGkCxqXMKlYeqtHt5LhPVzxZbeaVM5Iy4IsTTKrNmwv3HXsnCU-DbD1Rx1OPmQYztAKZP9zYoLxOkIGHTXq0FJF8MZh2Ukt5-9rgLvJXg5LWb0ZHubkZw/s72-c/ZM-2025.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-4252877488819175005</id><published>2025-06-26T06:44:00.005-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-30T04:32:41.252-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Australian Sojourn – June-July 2025"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Thoughts on Transformation"/><title type='text'>This Moment</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZ6ckpdEKj0nspXya6ia5DM2HNVGc9VgESfbYB0VlDkYN7HqVoIe1GPVbFD4_bWoWma0lC4UFmp0sN4q8XpJ0kfW058bQPscmQRvZX3hckeOwn08AuA__UaktE3Qwf90Ia9-gByxtXmDDaxwX4AWWK8XmDbAkCViojSNLEGqiFVXuY-Rs3nboeg/s2044/IMG_6170c.JPG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;1469&quot; data-original-width=&quot;2044&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZ6ckpdEKj0nspXya6ia5DM2HNVGc9VgESfbYB0VlDkYN7HqVoIe1GPVbFD4_bWoWma0lC4UFmp0sN4q8XpJ0kfW058bQPscmQRvZX3hckeOwn08AuA__UaktE3Qwf90Ia9-gByxtXmDDaxwX4AWWK8XmDbAkCViojSNLEGqiFVXuY-Rs3nboeg/s400/IMG_6170c.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
862. <br>
863. <blockquote><center><span style="font-size: large;">When you are present in this moment, you break the continuity of your story, of past and future. Then true intelligence arises, and also love.</span></center></blockquote><br>
864. <div style="text-align: right;">– <i><a href=https://eckharttolle.com/about>Eckhart Tolle</a></i></div><br />
865. <br />
866. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
867. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-now.html>The Now</a><br>
868. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/the-beauty-and-challenge-of-being.html>The Beauty and Challenge of Being Present in the Moment</a><br>
869. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/09/stepping-out-of-time.html>Stepping Out of Time and Resting Your Mind</a><br>
870. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/07/in-stillness-and-silence-of-this.html>In the Stillness and Silence of This Present Moment</a><br>
871. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/09/your-peace-is-with-me-beloved-one.html>Your Peace Is With Me, Beloved One</a><br>
872. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/12/i-dwell-in-peace.html>Dwelling in Peace</a><br>
873. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/10/you-are-my-goal-beloved-one.html>You Are My Goal, Beloved One</a><br>
874. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/09/be-in-my-mind-beloved-one.html>Be In My Mind, Beloved One</a><br>
875. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/09/resting-in-presence-of-beloved.html>Resting in the Presence of the Beloved</a><br>
876. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/05/child-of-universe.html>Today I Will Be Still</a><br>
877. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/12/i-need-do-nothing.html>I Need Do Nothing . . . I Am Open to the Living Light</a><br>
878. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-kind-of-light-source.html>Aligning With the Living Light</a><br>
879. <br />
880. <b>Image:</b> Michael J. Bayly.</span><br />
881. &lt;br /&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/4252877488819175005/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/4252877488819175005' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/4252877488819175005'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/4252877488819175005'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-moment.html' title='This Moment'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZ6ckpdEKj0nspXya6ia5DM2HNVGc9VgESfbYB0VlDkYN7HqVoIe1GPVbFD4_bWoWma0lC4UFmp0sN4q8XpJ0kfW058bQPscmQRvZX3hckeOwn08AuA__UaktE3Qwf90Ia9-gByxtXmDDaxwX4AWWK8XmDbAkCViojSNLEGqiFVXuY-Rs3nboeg/s72-c/IMG_6170c.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-8716344156240169556</id><published>2025-06-24T20:08:00.004-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-26T19:23:56.430-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Justice and Peace"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Quote of the Day"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><title type='text'>Quote of the Day</title><content type='html'>&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbcQR6aujUMGsJAIVGI-fb3tpLFfk-5owsOlAS3FD-tKIUMunpeHT_xX-oZ2KiTduRgBmTn5fVfAtdxqczkQ6JRXNWmo2h9So9nf-eKTXizRIwQJnpXmfB8sPT-5K3eS93qrD5pGRb3jnit8aqbgUxNxfz2A8PX-TLvYxVtlFLSDZypDukncdYA/s282/US-Iran-2025.PNG&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;217&quot; data-original-width=&quot;282&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbcQR6aujUMGsJAIVGI-fb3tpLFfk-5owsOlAS3FD-tKIUMunpeHT_xX-oZ2KiTduRgBmTn5fVfAtdxqczkQ6JRXNWmo2h9So9nf-eKTXizRIwQJnpXmfB8sPT-5K3eS93qrD5pGRb3jnit8aqbgUxNxfz2A8PX-TLvYxVtlFLSDZypDukncdYA/s200/US-Iran-2025.PNG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;[&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: x-large;&quot;&gt;T&lt;/span&gt;rump is] violating the Constitution. You can’t, as the president, engage in strikes on a foreign country when there’s no imminent threat without coming to Congress for authorization. In this case, the missile strikes were characterized as a war on Iran. That was how it was characterized in papers across our country. That’s how the Iranian people felt it. And that’s why Rep. &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Massie&gt;Thomas Massie&lt;/a&gt; and I introduced the bipartisan War Powers Resolution.&lt;br&gt;
882. <br>
883. . . . I have been consistent, as have a few of us, in speaking out against unconstitutional strikes, whether they’re Democratic or Republican presidents. . . . The <a href=https://www.cato.org/commentary/president-obamas-illegal-war>Libya attacks</a> [under Obama] were blatantly unconstitutional. Those strikes were also counterproductive. They incentivized countries to say, “If you voluntarily agree to give up your nuclear program, the United States may still attack you.” And the <a href=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-24618701>attacks on Yemen</a> [also under Obama] were unconstitutional. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Sanders>Bernie Sanders</a> and I passed the first War Powers Resolution to stop the refueling of Saudi planes.<br>
884. <br>
885. The question for the Democratic Party is, are we going to take the mantle of being the anti-war party? That’s not pacifism. That means against these wars of choice. The American people are desperate for that. The anti-war candidate has usually won. And Trump outflanked us in 2016 and 2024 on an anti-war platform. I am pushing my party to be very clear that we will stand against these overseas wars of choice.<br>
886. <br>
887. . . . The biggest problem in American democracy is the role of big money. It has skewed our foreign policy into bloated defense budgets, it’s skewed our foreign policy in the Middle East, it has prevented us from getting Medicare for All, it has prevented us from taking on Big Pharma and lowering prescription drug prices, it has prevented us from getting rid of fossil fuel subsidies. It is why I don’t take any PAC money. It’s why Rep. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Lee>Summer Lee</a> and I have a bill to outlaw super PACs that still would be constitutional under <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-blow-to-democracy-us-supreme-court.html>Citizens United</a>. If you can regulate the amount of money that someone can give to a candidate, why can’t you regulate the amount of money someone can give to a super PAC?</blockquote><br>
888. <div style="text-align: right;"><b><i>– Rep. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ro_Khanna>Ro Khanna</a> (D-Ca-17)</i></b><br />
889. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from “<a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/24/ro_khanna_iran_israel_war_powers>‘Blatantly Unconstitutional’:<br>
890. Rep. Ro Khanna Decries U.S. Strikes on<br>
891. Iran Without Congressional Approval</a>”<br />
892. <i>Democracy Now!</i><br>
893. June 24, 2025</span></div><br />
894. <br>
895. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
896. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/23/iran_united_states>Report from Tehran: Iranians View U.S. Strikes on Key Nuclear Sites as “Act of War”</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 23, 2025).<br>
897. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/is-trump-anti-war>Busting the Fallacy of Trump as an Anti-War President</a> – C.J. Polychroniou (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 24, 2025).<br>
898. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-israel-iran>“No, Mr. President – You Don’t Know What You’re Doing,” Says Rep. Ilhan Omar After Trump’s Iran-Israel Rant</a> – Julia Conley (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 24, 2025).<br>
899. <br>
900. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
901. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/phyllis-bennis-on-stark-danger-posed-by.html>Phyllis Bennis on the “Stark Danger” Posed by Israel’s Attack on Iran</a><br>
902. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/democrat-talk-on-eve-of-trumps-return.html>Democrat Talk on the Eve of Trump’s Return</a><br>
903. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-lamentable-legacy-of-biden.html>The Lamentable Legacy of the Biden Administration</a><br>
904. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/01/inauguration-eve-musings.html>Inauguration Eve Musings (2021)</a><br>
905. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/01/saying-no-to-war-on-iran.html>Saying “No” to War on Iran (2020)</a><br>
906. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/01/veterans-for-peace-strongly-condemns.html>Veterans for Peace Strongly Condemns Any and All U.S. Aggression Towards Iran (2020)</a><br>
907. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/11/marianne-williamson-anything-that-will.html>Marianne Williamson: “Anything That Will Help People Thrive, I’m Interested In”</a><br>
908. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/10/marianne-2020.html>The Relevance and Vitality of Marianne Williamson’s 2020 Presidential Campaign</a><br>
909. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/05/quote-of-day_15.html>Major Danny Sjursen: Quote of the Day – May 15, 2019</a><br>
910. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/03/jeff-cohen-on-how-obamas-corporate.html>Jeff Cohen on How Obama’s “Corporate Liberalism” Led to the Rise of Trump</a><br>
911. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/01/progressives-and-obama-part-7.html>Obama and Progressives (2017)</a><br>
912. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/01/quote-of-day_31.html>Jeff Cohen: Quote of the Day – January 29, 2011</a><br>
913. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-blow-to-democracy-us-supreme-court.html>In a Blow to Democracy, U.S. Supreme Court Affirms Corporate Personhood</a></span><br>
914. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/8716344156240169556/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/8716344156240169556' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/8716344156240169556'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/8716344156240169556'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_24.html' title='Quote of the Day'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbcQR6aujUMGsJAIVGI-fb3tpLFfk-5owsOlAS3FD-tKIUMunpeHT_xX-oZ2KiTduRgBmTn5fVfAtdxqczkQ6JRXNWmo2h9So9nf-eKTXizRIwQJnpXmfB8sPT-5K3eS93qrD5pGRb3jnit8aqbgUxNxfz2A8PX-TLvYxVtlFLSDZypDukncdYA/s72-c/US-Iran-2025.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-7217318637986711493</id><published>2025-06-23T10:01:00.015-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-25T21:16:03.775-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Australian Sojourn – June-July 2025"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Bayly Family"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Port Macquarie"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Sydney"/><title type='text'>Home to Be With Mum</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlA22rEXJ_5mCx2y4Nt9yzaoFwyHOvgYxUjWIlac58FrNjRdY4fLPauXV2NerzIQ6K10AslrIUOHZspjJ1ruwzh0klmQzfogcrITIStFElqI-3wqqM6C0qvB1ZR7oINwrGg0mc-5Sn-lVaaUTrJbNxFQOxZa5bx153cKzeOuHQZTdvnnxik0wV-A/s4030/IMG_5681b-2.JPG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;2634&quot; data-original-width=&quot;4030&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlA22rEXJ_5mCx2y4Nt9yzaoFwyHOvgYxUjWIlac58FrNjRdY4fLPauXV2NerzIQ6K10AslrIUOHZspjJ1ruwzh0klmQzfogcrITIStFElqI-3wqqM6C0qvB1ZR7oINwrGg0mc-5Sn-lVaaUTrJbNxFQOxZa5bx153cKzeOuHQZTdvnnxik0wV-A/s400/IMG_5681b-2.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
915. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaUGZacxzVT5WtRkIk20uEu-kJtQCQLhYMB5H3HEYMLIvimdAzFkyJulhZAa6sScESlM4VATp_O99ZoKUQ0yDEaq2YQSr9oiOHRyqA_wwQn6-hUjaqVmyiij0oPGhclad9i35OapvYGWw-cpcCXmJhFGZEgb4pTG00VvHRFkXIzXTqs_5jJUDVw/s3565/IMG_5715b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2580" data-original-width="3565" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaUGZacxzVT5WtRkIk20uEu-kJtQCQLhYMB5H3HEYMLIvimdAzFkyJulhZAa6sScESlM4VATp_O99ZoKUQ0yDEaq2YQSr9oiOHRyqA_wwQn6-hUjaqVmyiij0oPGhclad9i35OapvYGWw-cpcCXmJhFGZEgb4pTG00VvHRFkXIzXTqs_5jJUDVw/s200/IMG_5715b.JPG"/></a></div>I’m currently in my homeland of Australia where I’ll be spending the next  three weeks with my family — my <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/last-days-in-guruk.html>mum</a> in particular. As some reading this will already know, mum has recently had some health issues.<br>
916. <br>
917. Although she continues to make a good recovery from the stroke she experienced two months ago (just a day after my return to the U.S. after a <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/photo-of-day.html>month-long visit</a>), mum will be moving into the assisted-living section of the <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/04/port-macquarie-days.html>retirement village in Port Macquarie</a> that’s been her home since 2013, first with dad and then, after his <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/08/remembering-and-celebrating-dad.html>passing in 2019</a>, on her own.<br>
918. <br>
919. The time is right for this move, and I’m looking forward to helping it go as smoothly as possible. I’m also looking forward to supporting mum during this time of transition and change, and to spending meaningful time with my family.<br>
920. <br>
921. Following are some photos of my journey from <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneapolis>Minneapolis</a> to Guruk (aka <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Macquarie>Port Macquarie</a>).<br>
922. <br>
923. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoycS5BrJJsEMV1PGr3jvS5anOypXntkUFZDhFz31WVfIb4NdqGePYZcmdI7pHQcCGFeNB6NkUNOK5gbmOCrzeqVLuyyfL15Fue804E4Q8uFjfvsfuOZRCXqVHmdPsktGk8xyCk9RmCanN_sGjQuje4oM3zT221-IeiMQJlQLE6P23lghS9KpIA/s4032/IMG_5548.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoycS5BrJJsEMV1PGr3jvS5anOypXntkUFZDhFz31WVfIb4NdqGePYZcmdI7pHQcCGFeNB6NkUNOK5gbmOCrzeqVLuyyfL15Fue804E4Q8uFjfvsfuOZRCXqVHmdPsktGk8xyCk9RmCanN_sGjQuje4oM3zT221-IeiMQJlQLE6P23lghS9KpIA/s400/IMG_5548.JPG"/></a></div><br>
924. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtsAY_7TTpRb360G8Z82WTA1ILM3DSYBgo3uKnUpzJ6SuBvMOjVSZ17QXuM3eVakvKum9sEoDGMQ8i_QCSXrmi8m5WnjWAtY1dUeeh9PgZevDULzb4-YPW-M-d-h95cQ6vxaBDO3dpOUxUkbTU5d2FiGHtr6W2FVK7nRaiDIAt_jH3VAjUf0A7A/s2048/With%20Kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtsAY_7TTpRb360G8Z82WTA1ILM3DSYBgo3uKnUpzJ6SuBvMOjVSZ17QXuM3eVakvKum9sEoDGMQ8i_QCSXrmi8m5WnjWAtY1dUeeh9PgZevDULzb4-YPW-M-d-h95cQ6vxaBDO3dpOUxUkbTU5d2FiGHtr6W2FVK7nRaiDIAt_jH3VAjUf0A7A/s200/With%20Kate.jpg"/></a></div><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> Late-spring light in my <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/07/a-sacred-journey-pilgrim-path.html>attic apartment</a> in south Minneapolis on the morning of my departure for Australia – Thursday, June 19, 2025.<br>
925. <br>
926. <br>
927. <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Right:</b></span> My dear friend <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/01/campaigning-for-marianne-williamson-in.html>Kate</a> drove me to the airport on Thursday. On the way, we had a delicious lunch at <a href=https://www.wiseacreeatery.com>Wise Acre Eatery</a> in Minneapolis.<br>
928. <br>
929. <br>
930. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsz3hLJxA4YIytLlgxD9XD8bDnIzGirj-v0p2fyfcfj9TByXTC_8FPBVjBcnRXuzsXizsxRjYMGwWGzXviiot8djZ_Sup8JjjFTU_FYkDJcoisr4wKQDSr7zP8nT_qkkV7Tp9eickFV4f2LY5xzLQsS6Vnr5HVUNHCWOZ17M_CUAdQ2uZTRw1RQ/s4032/IMG_5582b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsz3hLJxA4YIytLlgxD9XD8bDnIzGirj-v0p2fyfcfj9TByXTC_8FPBVjBcnRXuzsXizsxRjYMGwWGzXviiot8djZ_Sup8JjjFTU_FYkDJcoisr4wKQDSr7zP8nT_qkkV7Tp9eickFV4f2LY5xzLQsS6Vnr5HVUNHCWOZ17M_CUAdQ2uZTRw1RQ/s400/IMG_5582b.JPG"/></a></div><br>
931. <center><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> Californian hills outside of <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco>San Francisco</a>.</center><br>
932. <br>
933. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTS6L9pJ6buOVjv3TarJPlsJqE4MylV0WkBTpaWmB4EHk3CoaXiBFbjMOPt1OXnb9AEZ1eBAMdxkl68_8ttPFqCBSS6q5LT3WdjlTDim4BpLvla8ZABjCyby-BHNt49D1UttcU1U7IeML7lY3hxu6Tv-_Vh-2Ti1uipWQ3-RZhcr6g8lsjLA2Ew/s2541/IMG_5618b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2154" data-original-width="2541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTS6L9pJ6buOVjv3TarJPlsJqE4MylV0WkBTpaWmB4EHk3CoaXiBFbjMOPt1OXnb9AEZ1eBAMdxkl68_8ttPFqCBSS6q5LT3WdjlTDim4BpLvla8ZABjCyby-BHNt49D1UttcU1U7IeML7lY3hxu6Tv-_Vh-2Ti1uipWQ3-RZhcr6g8lsjLA2Ew/s400/IMG_5618b.JPG"/></a></div><br>
934. <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> Leaving the U.S., with the lights of San Francisco in the distance.<br>
935. <br>
936. <br>
937. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvGTPBEvQGJMQkqbfJ4FJRy6T4DPtujDODU1d7Ig-8lTe8Kl43hXpJxf_0FJdxhwwgxmAEwBW3axbanKUBthf-QjvRg5lZYa3yzZWjfEfiOTsOjgUDcvRSfVqT2lfot_9msAUrZ33F4-yia6cVpch3XOo6MUThhjyy74gKaK1i9_BmkGDXsI3ag/s3876/IMG_5642b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3876" data-original-width="2907" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvGTPBEvQGJMQkqbfJ4FJRy6T4DPtujDODU1d7Ig-8lTe8Kl43hXpJxf_0FJdxhwwgxmAEwBW3axbanKUBthf-QjvRg5lZYa3yzZWjfEfiOTsOjgUDcvRSfVqT2lfot_9msAUrZ33F4-yia6cVpch3XOo6MUThhjyy74gKaK1i9_BmkGDXsI3ag/s400/IMG_5642b.JPG"/></a></div><br>
938. <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> Flying over the wharf of the former <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurnell_Refinery>Kurnell Oil Refinery</a> (now an import terminal) in <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botany_Bay>Botany Bay</a>. We were coming in to land at <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Airport>Sydney Airport</a> – Saturday, June 21, 2025.<br>
939. <br>
940. <br>
941. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Jj9RTkza25_IZma7Krf-NyMceKW2zHAU4IuNvNM0TqPBe37a7-mswPSFPOa_6TlzsKcovzC64Lhjq-FpweHQk6XL8TafVwo7ofPcbNaPwVR6F1SP-lux4RfrQr8wmp0pZxne0jsMSQiPitwX1t1ou9IVyDYv4-X5u4hxYDUTBh6-7BAzBq_mXg/s4032/IMG_5647.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Jj9RTkza25_IZma7Krf-NyMceKW2zHAU4IuNvNM0TqPBe37a7-mswPSFPOa_6TlzsKcovzC64Lhjq-FpweHQk6XL8TafVwo7ofPcbNaPwVR6F1SP-lux4RfrQr8wmp0pZxne0jsMSQiPitwX1t1ou9IVyDYv4-X5u4hxYDUTBh6-7BAzBq_mXg/s400/IMG_5647.JPG"/></a></div><br>
942. After landing at Sydney Airport’s international terminal, I made my way to its domestic terminal (<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>above and below</b></span>). Here I boarded my flight with <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas>QANTAS</a> to Port Macquarie.<br>
943. <br>
944. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eja8tOHxto4SgMznMkh7ZALaztxp1hKq2cpxgn0NNfNVj84aiQ-tdkh7OPhBaUfRi1ZL9po35HEwjZ9OLJQRyNVk3lqQgKOdSYB3EYvKCeGmHqOPUW1ObkfxV280-4CbnZnDUm6L9AvNvTfTKIsi8t_WyWOrTvYmnuqYt2dJ6ksq99AtB7q9DQ/s4032/IMG_5673b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eja8tOHxto4SgMznMkh7ZALaztxp1hKq2cpxgn0NNfNVj84aiQ-tdkh7OPhBaUfRi1ZL9po35HEwjZ9OLJQRyNVk3lqQgKOdSYB3EYvKCeGmHqOPUW1ObkfxV280-4CbnZnDUm6L9AvNvTfTKIsi8t_WyWOrTvYmnuqYt2dJ6ksq99AtB7q9DQ/s400/IMG_5673b.JPG"/></a></div><br>
945. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSoQDLJp4_IGJ9iNy4WUpWfIN2-4hM36bV0hFpWTrl6CxSWbnX3TxXpP6hzYLjvk8PLzHQn3_qNbsjXHr7U4vmJYlN3CanTyFK9wSzidxChAU9ak169KrJ336P-zF-AC_4DvcEz-SUV22vjk7LaZQh-R7IAld43rWASnxceZhsaVkmjwq_rZ6Ng/s4032/IMG_5683.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSoQDLJp4_IGJ9iNy4WUpWfIN2-4hM36bV0hFpWTrl6CxSWbnX3TxXpP6hzYLjvk8PLzHQn3_qNbsjXHr7U4vmJYlN3CanTyFK9wSzidxChAU9ak169KrJ336P-zF-AC_4DvcEz-SUV22vjk7LaZQh-R7IAld43rWASnxceZhsaVkmjwq_rZ6Ng/s400/IMG_5683.JPG"/></a></div><br>
946. <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> Shortly after takeoff, the plane that took me to Port Macquarie yesterday morning flew right over <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Jackson>Sydney Harbour</a>. What a spectacular view I was treated to! . . . It was just over two months ago that I had a <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/sydney.html>much more up-close experience</a> of this world famous harbour.<br>
947. <br>
948. <br>
949. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8i9M4QaBsCOR51YZybcbi094njlHbQCdMj22RlTc9uPXBQ7A9LcaV2e487HKHt2gBuVuEghairwDgfbW44ybO1KnjnuAOrBj8YukUHX4PADGffdVadsh5R7n0MjS6mF6cTpy-gPx3yJbK_ViibvS2WymUCoT7eq2a0adqXqJn0q67b9XA5-S6g/s2472/IMG_5701c.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="2472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8i9M4QaBsCOR51YZybcbi094njlHbQCdMj22RlTc9uPXBQ7A9LcaV2e487HKHt2gBuVuEghairwDgfbW44ybO1KnjnuAOrBj8YukUHX4PADGffdVadsh5R7n0MjS6mF6cTpy-gPx3yJbK_ViibvS2WymUCoT7eq2a0adqXqJn0q67b9XA5-S6g/s400/IMG_5701c.JPG"/></a></div><br>
950. <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> A view of the beautiful <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid_North_Coast>Mid North Coast</a> of New South Wales – Saturday, June 21, 2025.<br>
951. <br>
952. <br>
953. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQyl4MRsCBr7W4SAV3cf7dFaXtWjGRRUxYXaWqZtY9IXfxCIXW8ho7-NPDcL2VrtVPSj1ByUIJM8dpBl0dIvvbEyTXfFAPdhbA7C0Fip83N0lYEKlyk-dWOYwxgOCqvGqr2tHv4N6zLSLHnzaXS7SnK9BHZrwOSzaAEVgC7YgyTwvoQ6FxmUbtA/s3576/IMG_5710b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3576" data-original-width="2695" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQyl4MRsCBr7W4SAV3cf7dFaXtWjGRRUxYXaWqZtY9IXfxCIXW8ho7-NPDcL2VrtVPSj1ByUIJM8dpBl0dIvvbEyTXfFAPdhbA7C0Fip83N0lYEKlyk-dWOYwxgOCqvGqr2tHv4N6zLSLHnzaXS7SnK9BHZrwOSzaAEVgC7YgyTwvoQ6FxmUbtA/s400/IMG_5710b.JPG"/></a></div><br>
954. <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> Mum — Saturday, June 21, 2025.<br>
955. <br>
956. I think this photo is a lovely one of mum, but she’s not so enthusiastic about it, saying she looks like an “old lady.” 🤣<br>
957. <br>
958. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXiUKJFIAM6JqlEnXeAiZBpNIL5uLiZk8Wl9p1A7kuIpNHf-XM55ggytPC3qxcC6IVvKOSGWoQzDSZP9lGuw3hz0hyrBJYzrfGp8TF7BX0iZWQIxYS6HX_rOFkVWg3H0kT6yCw4aqWxmjT5Y5AV9h9mYJ1wuB_90sAC5gheYO4rEHG8AlpjP1mQ/s4032/IMG_6185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXiUKJFIAM6JqlEnXeAiZBpNIL5uLiZk8Wl9p1A7kuIpNHf-XM55ggytPC3qxcC6IVvKOSGWoQzDSZP9lGuw3hz0hyrBJYzrfGp8TF7BX0iZWQIxYS6HX_rOFkVWg3H0kT6yCw4aqWxmjT5Y5AV9h9mYJ1wuB_90sAC5gheYO4rEHG8AlpjP1mQ/s200/IMG_6185.JPG"/></a></div>While in Port Macquarie I’m staying at mum’s villa in the independent-living section of her retirement village. For almost a decade now, this very spacious villa has been home for me whenever I’ve returned to Australia from the U.S. for a visit. It’s definitely strange to be staying here alone. Indeed, I realized on my first night that I’m here with my father’s ashes and my mother’s absence.<br>
959. <br>
960. It is without doubt a challenging time for my mother. Yet in certain ways it’s also a time of transition and change for our entire family, myself included. Now that mum is in assisted-living, my days of having a “home” in my homeland are coming to an end. With such a realization there comes a range of emotions. And yet I remain hopeful . . . for both myself and mum.<br>
961. <br>
962. Interestingly, within an hour of arriving at mum’s villa, I came across a book in the kitchen/dining area. It was Julia Cameron’s <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/transitions-julia-cameron/1100376987"><i>Transitions: Prayers and Declarations for a Changing Life</i></a>, a book that Cameron herself describes as “a companion in challenging times.” A page was bookmarked, no doubt by mum, and I immediately experienced the prayer on this page as a blessing, one that I continue to hold in my heart; again, for both myself <i>and</i> mum.<br>
963. <br>
964. <br>
965. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>ll change can be expansive in potential. The choice is ours. As I open my heart to accept change, my heart softens and grows larger. Every experience carries the seed of transformation. Every event can bring blossoming and wealth. My personal will can resist change or embrace it. The choice is mine and determines the life I will have.<br>
966. <br>
967. Today, I choose to embrace change. I open my heart to its hidden but abundant blessings.</blockquote><br>
968. <div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>– Julia Cameron</b></i><br />
969. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/transitions-julia-cameron/1100376987"><i>Transitions: Prayers and Declarations<br />
970. for a Changing Life</i></a><br />
971. p. 3</span></div><br />
972. <br />
973. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBV1WcUR89XulWsWgyQ3gcZbzWM4pJa4hmBczdzvSfGif80RYsqQtDqu0dA7KXBU4ANwTNaFFl7Czv44Z5JAKy3Tkrg4ToB-amdcHfbOPTd3hXm9PEeVhaipvmNJd0JrEK-pbH998ODjfXxP4Xe5yZmRwaDvqIooPp76deydcZNtf4HG25_ma_Q/s4032/IMG_5761.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBV1WcUR89XulWsWgyQ3gcZbzWM4pJa4hmBczdzvSfGif80RYsqQtDqu0dA7KXBU4ANwTNaFFl7Czv44Z5JAKy3Tkrg4ToB-amdcHfbOPTd3hXm9PEeVhaipvmNJd0JrEK-pbH998ODjfXxP4Xe5yZmRwaDvqIooPp76deydcZNtf4HG25_ma_Q/s400/IMG_5761.JPG"/></a></div><br>
974. <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> For the last two mornings I’ve watched the sunrise from this bench on Port Macquarie’s Shelly Beach. It’s been a very grounding, very <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-prayer-of-anchoring.html>anchoring</a> way to start each day.<br>
975. <br>
976. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUywW1WVdLEYI6XiG27aYzdhtiD7nRVfbTHWlQdjLSHI9hiuGif5cEGvTXcbnaqfGt6OBWVdbL20CiEHplG-5Z3BmMsA6YOqnRPrVVlf5A56_Z4S8sc3iAbJvrXS0-AQHh4ctbzidGeMcq-eGn9KRgCAmCqSoPixkWegXNAW9pCtKrhkfG8Y_vw/s3963/IMG_5766b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="3963" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUywW1WVdLEYI6XiG27aYzdhtiD7nRVfbTHWlQdjLSHI9hiuGif5cEGvTXcbnaqfGt6OBWVdbL20CiEHplG-5Z3BmMsA6YOqnRPrVVlf5A56_Z4S8sc3iAbJvrXS0-AQHh4ctbzidGeMcq-eGn9KRgCAmCqSoPixkWegXNAW9pCtKrhkfG8Y_vw/s400/IMG_5766b.JPG"/></a></div>
977. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitboIo2RWetcd8Se91DaJMvQuPeASNDmkg8eJiixsebNZoT0y-VDCj3e_mQ9vd6ATRRY4_xibXfYD-uWWHtR8-MA_0grb48RgT6YGU7lzKkX-BGj1MfMfzCoA93KzJOckjsquXhJIWCByVIP8uWzuzS422EoSBIVXVO8loN5XnKbYy-0pU6Q_99w/s4032/IMG_5768.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitboIo2RWetcd8Se91DaJMvQuPeASNDmkg8eJiixsebNZoT0y-VDCj3e_mQ9vd6ATRRY4_xibXfYD-uWWHtR8-MA_0grb48RgT6YGU7lzKkX-BGj1MfMfzCoA93KzJOckjsquXhJIWCByVIP8uWzuzS422EoSBIVXVO8loN5XnKbYy-0pU6Q_99w/s400/IMG_5768.JPG"/></a></div>
978. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAypUA7GjLVCqyj9Ce9b1TeJRTn2jwnwc06Xw8S1En6U9yH5dE0am4BzI1Xk8MRVjQyVdYMlwVOgIZnSoTj7sNs9qo1SjBQ-JEGwnkr8V4tEdEgpao0aMRCygOC5HiRDfe0T5JUpkqgeMcnYLO29Sy40QkA0tMKgtfUh_jYUrLZs3PaToR0-7D1Q/s3898/IMG_5807b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2923" data-original-width="3898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAypUA7GjLVCqyj9Ce9b1TeJRTn2jwnwc06Xw8S1En6U9yH5dE0am4BzI1Xk8MRVjQyVdYMlwVOgIZnSoTj7sNs9qo1SjBQ-JEGwnkr8V4tEdEgpao0aMRCygOC5HiRDfe0T5JUpkqgeMcnYLO29Sy40QkA0tMKgtfUh_jYUrLZs3PaToR0-7D1Q/s400/IMG_5807b.JPG"/></a></div>
979. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqB-KFAwpcrNYjj6LwW_D_pvK6efjRvfbb-LuyePTov3ucittoxAXpdKpRSNlr704MrtIqu0qtwWbV9TMdhKVe17V9obvo7IMW_ELqyMAt3xdQ7slU2u1SYD2TO1A81_vYlDdPFwloBonwgDZY_nY139ObmgsBVn7kPk6XjuLfo5XvA3Zm3TcgjQ/s3706/IMG_5810b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2780" data-original-width="3706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqB-KFAwpcrNYjj6LwW_D_pvK6efjRvfbb-LuyePTov3ucittoxAXpdKpRSNlr704MrtIqu0qtwWbV9TMdhKVe17V9obvo7IMW_ELqyMAt3xdQ7slU2u1SYD2TO1A81_vYlDdPFwloBonwgDZY_nY139ObmgsBVn7kPk6XjuLfo5XvA3Zm3TcgjQ/s400/IMG_5810b.JPG"/></a></div>
980. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSRiZZzwfYDa4VWwU9fKuP5wPpkjuku1DIBZnSN0KTvzgHJtfW67D-Y60DvkerHHX56d9nDBHJTeE0lDLFR_aUyLuGwicMfU1ZDNruedk5LnMN9wp3SF0aFQ3uPmzxJv68lhPGhlj4ooZC6_mlRO0K7qkuri_q9Xdc0PeUd0olnAqv4YJQVgUPw/s4032/IMG_5814.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSRiZZzwfYDa4VWwU9fKuP5wPpkjuku1DIBZnSN0KTvzgHJtfW67D-Y60DvkerHHX56d9nDBHJTeE0lDLFR_aUyLuGwicMfU1ZDNruedk5LnMN9wp3SF0aFQ3uPmzxJv68lhPGhlj4ooZC6_mlRO0K7qkuri_q9Xdc0PeUd0olnAqv4YJQVgUPw/s400/IMG_5814.JPG"/></a></div>
981. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9T8XUb-xyF6mraLbLX1-EOfFy-eXJaCRgw7G-dQpMifRgrRb939IB8UGRJq_wyGn3TrM1Q4RGfKeBsOM05CEjPp62J0HTKCDX613Fxr5hwQQr9A_Hh-wVt0lR3aKXcytkk23eKYtHamUU1EyM9usXdvWjAi81SmhT3-oTpUNo-lO7hnqSdpIrg/s4032/IMG_5816.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9T8XUb-xyF6mraLbLX1-EOfFy-eXJaCRgw7G-dQpMifRgrRb939IB8UGRJq_wyGn3TrM1Q4RGfKeBsOM05CEjPp62J0HTKCDX613Fxr5hwQQr9A_Hh-wVt0lR3aKXcytkk23eKYtHamUU1EyM9usXdvWjAi81SmhT3-oTpUNo-lO7hnqSdpIrg/s400/IMG_5816.JPG"/></a></div><br>
982. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />
983. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2010/05/thanks-mum.html>Thanks, Mum!</a><br>
984. • <a href="https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/last-days-in-guruk.html">Last Days in Guruk (April 2025)</a><br />
985. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/in-birpai-country.html>In Birpai Country</a><br>
986. • <a href="https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/12/happy-birthday-mum.html">Happy Birthday, Mum! (2024)</a><br />
987. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/04/last-days-in-australia.html>Last Days in Australia (March 2023)</a><br>
988. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/australian-sojourn-april-may-2024_01216607084.html>Family Time in Melbourne, Guruk, and Gunnedah (2023)</a><br>
989. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/10/return-to-guruk-august-1929-2019.html>Return to Guruk (2019)</a><br>
990. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/08/across-mountains.html>Across the Mountains</a><br>
991. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/12/happy-birthday-mum.html>Happy Birthday, Mum! (2018)</a><br>
992. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/07/guruk-seascapes-from-dawn-to-dusk.html>Guruk Seascapes, From Dawn to Dusk</a><br>
993. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/12/happy-birthday-mum.html>Happy Birthday, Mum! (2017)</a><br>
994. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/04/port-macquarie-days.html>Port Macquarie Days</a><br>
995. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/12/happy-birthday-mum.html>Happy Birthday, Mum! (2014)</a><br>
996. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2013/12/happy-birthday-mum.html>Happy Birthday, Mum! (2013)</a><br>
997. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/12/happy-birthday-mum.html>Happy Birthday, Mum! (2011)</a><br>
998. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-birthday-mum.html>Happy Birthday, Mum! (2010)</a><br>
999. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/12/happy-birthday-mum.html>Happy Birthday, Mum! (2009)</a><br>
1000. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/11/congratulations-mum-and-dad.html>Congratulations, Mum and Dad! (2009)</a><br>
1001. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/06/catholic-rainbow-australian-parents.html>Catholic Rainbow (Australian) Parents (2006)</a><br>
1002. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/trusting-flow-of-life.html>Trusting the Flow</a><br>
1003. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/surrendering-in-sacred-trust.html>Surrendering in Sacred Trust</a><br>
1004. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-guidance-of-higher-forces.html>The Guidance of Higher Forces</a><br>
1005. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-prayer-of-anchoring.html>A Prayer of Anchoring</a><br>
1006. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/09/resting-in-presence-of-beloved.html>Resting in the Presence of the Beloved</a><br>
1007. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-new-day.html>A New Day</a><br>
1008. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2010/06/art-of-gentle-revolution.html>The Art of Gentle Revolution</a><br>
1009. <br />
1010. <b>Images:</b> Michael J. Bayly.</span><br />
1011. &lt;br /&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/7217318637986711493/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/7217318637986711493' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/7217318637986711493'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/7217318637986711493'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/home-to-be-with-mum.html' title='Home to Be With Mum'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlA22rEXJ_5mCx2y4Nt9yzaoFwyHOvgYxUjWIlac58FrNjRdY4fLPauXV2NerzIQ6K10AslrIUOHZspjJ1ruwzh0klmQzfogcrITIStFElqI-3wqqM6C0qvB1ZR7oINwrGg0mc-5Sn-lVaaUTrJbNxFQOxZa5bx153cKzeOuHQZTdvnnxik0wV-A/s72-c/IMG_5681b-2.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-6739894598943056371</id><published>2025-06-21T06:33:00.079-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-23T21:10:40.080-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Australian Sojourn – June-July 2025"/><title type='text'>Solstice Dawn</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAIb35NwmxABH3AkTzP-XcvFtbOeLIhBaUqCbpxJKSPJfewWdMss9-IPNA38IF3wzNXIwS3z5kCG38VP0dQZ7c0UPwBSq4U7H5dMTySwaGJNFDNu6PTeVQnAOnmKXBgoSfpGXJ4QgpZ0vQaPScjQcJjW-FGA55Wm0wJZHip_cVcA2yOi4VH3YIg/s3834/IMG_5637b.JPG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;3834&quot; data-original-width=&quot;2875&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAIb35NwmxABH3AkTzP-XcvFtbOeLIhBaUqCbpxJKSPJfewWdMss9-IPNA38IF3wzNXIwS3z5kCG38VP0dQZ7c0UPwBSq4U7H5dMTySwaGJNFDNu6PTeVQnAOnmKXBgoSfpGXJ4QgpZ0vQaPScjQcJjW-FGA55Wm0wJZHip_cVcA2yOi4VH3YIg/s400/IMG_5637b.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
1012. At this sacred time of solstice (balance) I have journeyed from the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere to the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere.<br>
1013. <br>
1014. Yes, I have returned to my homeland of Australia for three weeks. I’ll share the reason for this visit in a <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/home-to-be-with-mum.html>later post</a>.<br>
1015. <br>
1016. For now, here are some wise and beautiful words from Julia Cameron to accompany the picture I took at dawn on this solstice day.<br>
1017. <br>
1018. <br>
1019. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he natural world teaches us the power of change. As seasons shift, I see the purpose and beauty of life’s cyclicality. I see the promise of spring, the ripening of summer, the bounty of harvest and the mysterious containment of winter. All seasons work for the good. So it is, too, with the changing cycles of my life. As I surrender to the wisdom of a higher plan, I discover in all circumstances the opportunity for growth and expansion. There is no season in my life that does not unfold my highest good. Challenged by difficult times, I consciously choose to affirm the goodness of life's timing.</blockquote><br>
1020. <div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>– Julia Cameron</b></i><br />
1021. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/transitions-julia-cameron/1100376987"><i>Transitions: Prayers and Declarations<br />
1022. for a Changing Life</i></a><br />
1023. p. 6</span></div><br />
1024. <br />
1025. <center><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>NEXT:</b><br>
1026. </span><a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/home-to-be-with-mum.html>Home to Be With Mum</a></center><br>
1027. <br>
1028. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />
1029. • <a href="https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/12/beneath-solstice-sun.html">Beneath the Solstice Sun</a><br />
1030. • <a href="https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/07/thomas-moore-on-circling-of-nature-as.html">Thomas Moore on the Circling of Nature as the Best Way to Find Our Substance</a><br />
1031. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-guidance-of-higher-forces.html>The Guidance of Higher Forces</a><br>
1032. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/10/balance-key-to-serenity-and-clarity.html>Balance: The Key to Serenity and Clarity</a><br>
1033. <br />
1034. <b>Images:</b> Michael J. Bayly.</span><br />
1035. &lt;br /&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/6739894598943056371/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/6739894598943056371' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/6739894598943056371'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/6739894598943056371'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/solstice-dawn.html' title='Solstice Dawn'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAIb35NwmxABH3AkTzP-XcvFtbOeLIhBaUqCbpxJKSPJfewWdMss9-IPNA38IF3wzNXIwS3z5kCG38VP0dQZ7c0UPwBSq4U7H5dMTySwaGJNFDNu6PTeVQnAOnmKXBgoSfpGXJ4QgpZ0vQaPScjQcJjW-FGA55Wm0wJZHip_cVcA2yOi4VH3YIg/s72-c/IMG_5637b.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-5070630032147387156</id><published>2025-06-20T22:01:00.029-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-22T19:23:39.917-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><title type='text'>“No Kings”? Absolutely. But Also “No Oligarchy”</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LiOveQn_ulL5Kh7wSaprJPHcD_NdLzYtFdwsYjUJhQXW3KRarhMxFPDcmvPY3btNeZfPJM2LNAeZCAG7kdNWD2jHpNCGx3X0E46S2Lau-UemMl9djNJbKoPfChUYwDu0frwac1AC6QHnOKlD2sVjhXMWzpJZkv3FP6dQus7k59T9tXzjusIT2Q/s538/Sign-2.PNG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;450&quot; data-original-width=&quot;538&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LiOveQn_ulL5Kh7wSaprJPHcD_NdLzYtFdwsYjUJhQXW3KRarhMxFPDcmvPY3btNeZfPJM2LNAeZCAG7kdNWD2jHpNCGx3X0E46S2Lau-UemMl9djNJbKoPfChUYwDu0frwac1AC6QHnOKlD2sVjhXMWzpJZkv3FP6dQus7k59T9tXzjusIT2Q/s400/Sign-2.PNG&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
1036. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Burgis>Ben Burgis</a> has an important <a href=https://jacobin.com/2025/06/no-kings-rallies-oligarchy-trump>article</a> over at <a href=https://jacobin.com/><i>Jacobin</i></a>, a piece that reflects the message on the sign I made for <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/protesting-is-what-patriotism-looks.html>last Saturday</a>’s “<a href=https://www.nokings.org>No Kings</a>” march and rally in St. Paul (<b>above</b>).<br>
1037. <br>
1038. “Last weekend’s massive ‘No Kings’ rallies proved Donald Trump’s deep unpopularity,” writes Burgis. “But Trump should be opposed as a symptom of America’s vast warmongering, oligarchic elite, not a simply a grotesque anomaly.”<br>
1039. <br>
1040. Following is more of what Burgis says about this important issue.<br>
1041. <br>
1042. <center>__________________</center><br>
1043. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>rumpism came into existence precisely because we live in a wildly unequal and increasingly economically precarious and unequal society, and this made the neoliberal centrism of the dominant wing of the Democratic Party increasingly unappealing. Trump was able to scapegoat immigrants (accused of stealing jobs or smuggling fentanyl) or foreign nations screwing over the United States in bad trade deals for problems actually caused by our own domestic oligarchs.<br>
1044. <br>
1045. Democrats and liberals largely responded to the rise of Trump with an empty defense of procedural democracy per se without tying this defense to any real sense of how democracy can be used to improve the lives of ordinary people. Hence, we had years of relitigating every detail of the January 6 riots even as Democrats pretended to be powerless to even overrule the Senate parliamentarian to raise the national minimum wage. That strategy failed so catastrophically that now Trump is back in office.<br>
1046. <br>
1047. Trump’s right-wing authoritarian demagoguery is a particularly dangerous symptom of a much deeper rot. Those early “<a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/progressive-perspectives-on-bernie.html>Fighting Oligarchy</a>” rallies had the virtue of identifying that rot, and putting forward an alternative message about the same underlying social problems that bred Trumpism in the first place.<br>
1048. <br>
1049. It’s very good that so many people are outraged at the administration’s authoritarianism. The turnout at the rallies was inspiring, and I hope that we see much more of the same going forward. . . . Our message needs to be clear. No Kings? Absolutely. But also No Oligarchy.</blockquote><br>
1050. <br>
1051. <i>To read Ben Burgis’s article “Don’t Lose Sight of the Oligarchy” in its entirety, <a href=https://jacobin.com/2025/06/no-kings-rallies-oligarchy-trump>click here</a>.</i><br />
1052. <br>
1053. <br>
1054. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
1055. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/no-kings-turning-point>Making “No Kings” a Turning Point</a> – Christopher D. Cook (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 19, 2025).<br>
1056. <a href=https://indypendent.org/2010/12/the-new-american-oligarchy-creating-a-country-of-the-rich-by-the-rich-and-for-the-rich>The New American Oligarchy: Creating a Country of the Rich, by the Rich, and for the Rich</a> – Andy Kroll (<i>The Indypendent</i>, December 3, 2010).<br>
1057. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ-OSJ7J64w>Why You Should Hate the Rich Even More: An Interview With Rob Larson</a> – <i>The Chris Hedges Report</i> (June 18, 2025).<br>
1058. <a href=https://indypendent.org/2025/02/the-right-wings-goal-of-repealing-the-20th-century-is-now-within-reach-who-will-stop-them>The Right Wing’s Goal of Repealing the 20th Century Is Now Within Reach. Who Will Stop Them?</a> – John Tarleton (<i>The Indypendent</i>, February 13, 2025).<br>
1059. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-climate-protest-oligarchy>“End the Oligarchy”: Sunrise Movement Launches Campaign to Confront Trump and Fossil Fuel Barons</a> – Stephen Prager (<i>Common Dreams</i>, April 26, 2025).<br>
1060. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/5/12/headlines/this_is_what_oligarchy_is_about_gop_plans_to_slash_medicaid_to_offer_more_tax_cuts_to_the_rich>“This Is What Oligarchy Is About”: Republicans Plans to Slash Medicaid to Offer More Tax Cuts to the Rich</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (May 12, 2025).<br>
1061. <br>
1062. <br>
1063. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
1064. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/protesting-is-what-patriotism-looks.html>“Protesting Is What Patriotism Looks Like in Public”: The “No Kings” Protests of June 14, 2025</a><br>
1065. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html>Norman Solomon: Quote of the Day – June 16, 2025</a><br>
1066. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
1067. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/ted-rall-on-what-it-means-to-be-leftist.html>Ted Rall on What It Means to Be a Leftist in 2025</a><br>
1068. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/butch-ware-on-his-run-for-california.html>Butch Ware on His Run for California Governor and the Wider Goal of Disrupting the Duopoly</a><br>
1069. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/quote-of-day_14.html>Eric Fernández: Quote of the Day – May 14, 2025</a><br>
1070. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/progressive-perspectives-on-bernie.html>Progressive Perspectives on Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour</a><br>
1071. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
1072. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/an-opportunity-to-organize-political.html>An Opportunity for Organizing Against Duopoly</a><br>
1073. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/building-solidarity-on-left.html>Building Solidarity on the Left</a><br>
1074. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/it-is-our-responsibility-to-make-third.html>“It Is Our Responsibility to Make a Third Party Viable”</a><br>
1075. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-moment-is-ripe-butch-ware-on.html>“The Moment Is Ripe”: Butch Ware on Building a “True Oppositional Alternative” to the Duopoly</a><br>
1076. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/democrat-talk-on-eve-of-trumps-return.html>Democrat Talk on the Eve of Trump’s Return</a><br>
1077. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/breaking-mold-why-progressives-should.html>Breaking the Mold: Why Progressives Should Push for Marianne Williamson to Lead the DNC</a><br>
1078. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/inauguration-day-thoughts.html>Inauguration Day Thoughts</a><br>
1079. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-green-partys-jill-stein-and-butch.html>The Green Party’s Jill Stein and Butch Ware Give Their First Post-Election Interview</a><br>
1080. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/progressive-perspectives-on-where.html>Progressive Perspectives on Where Democrats Went Wrong in the 2024 Election</a><br>
1081. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-new-chapter-of-democratic-party-needs.html>“A New Chapter of the Democratic Party Needs to Begin”</a><br>
1082. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/what-republican-party-now-stands-for.html>What the Republican Party Now Stands For</a><br>
1083. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-lamentable-legacy-of-biden.html>The Lamentable Legacy of the Biden Administration</a><br>
1084. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/we-give-reasons-for-people-to-come-out.html>Jill Stein: “We Give Reasons for People to Come Out and Vote”</a><br>
1085. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/were-witnessing-liberal-meltdown-over.html>We’re Witnessing a Liberal Meltdown Over Jill Stein</a><br>
1086. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/quote-of-day_01726365798.html>Butch Ware: “You Can Actually Vote Your Conscience”</a><br>
1087. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/peter-bloom-on-unmasking-of-democratic.html>Peter Bloom on the Unmasking of the “Democratic Charade”</a><br>
1088. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-green-smoothie.html>The “Green Smoothie” Option</a><br>
1089. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/green-party-vice-presidential-candidate.html>Green Party Vice Presidential Candidate Butch Ware in Minneapolis</a><br>
1090. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/when-democrats-undermine-democracy.html>When Democrats Undermine Democracy</a><br>
1091. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/elise-labott-on-how-third-parties-can.html>Elise Labott on How Third Parties Can Revitalize Democracy</a><br>
1092. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/something-to-think-about_0796301743.html>Something to Think About – August 15, 2024</a><br>
1093. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/liberalcentristcorporatist-democrats.html>Centrist/Corporatist Democrats Have Just Launched “Left Punching” Season</a><br>
1094. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/americans-deserve-choices-jill-stein-on.html>“Americans Deserve Choices”: Jill Stein on <i>Breaking Points</i> – 4/30/24</a><br>
1095. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/aoc-falls-in-line.html>AOC Falls in Line</a><br>
1096. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/03/marianne-williamson-cassandra-of-us.html>The Cassandra of U.S. Politics on the “True State of the Union”</a><br>
1097. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/will-democrats-never-learn.html>Will Democrats Never Learn?</a><br>
1098. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-next-step-is-green-step-progressive.html>“The Next Step Is a Green Step”: Cornel West Endorses Jill Stein (2016)</a><br>
1099. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/02/hope-over-fear.html>Hope Over Fear: Voting Green</a><br>
1100. <br>
1101. <b>Image:</b> Michael J. Bayly.</span><br>
1102. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/5070630032147387156/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/5070630032147387156' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/5070630032147387156'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/5070630032147387156'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/no-kings-absolutely-but-also-no.html' title='“No Kings”? Absolutely. But Also “No Oligarchy”'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LiOveQn_ulL5Kh7wSaprJPHcD_NdLzYtFdwsYjUJhQXW3KRarhMxFPDcmvPY3btNeZfPJM2LNAeZCAG7kdNWD2jHpNCGx3X0E46S2Lau-UemMl9djNJbKoPfChUYwDu0frwac1AC6QHnOKlD2sVjhXMWzpJZkv3FP6dQus7k59T9tXzjusIT2Q/s72-c/Sign-2.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-5943868977117763751</id><published>2025-06-20T11:01:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-24T18:23:34.347-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Marianne Williamson"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Quote of the Day"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><title type='text'>Quote of the Day</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF5miaiYTPJ_zNjgtDSvg8Ig1ZWce4nES7IvO7ptKnnqhLLcCsU16W70utpVsBwxwPQNgpeoSuyVb93EMpc6OFWUZKl1TbxBEJld66uZpg52v7a1pC9CBUETgFJNbj5dEu3E-lwcpHjdk-z70GLIICcyM7xnlFB2FBNckJRndGhnm0n9OY8_ACQ/s1000/IMG_5481.JPG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;758&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1000&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF5miaiYTPJ_zNjgtDSvg8Ig1ZWce4nES7IvO7ptKnnqhLLcCsU16W70utpVsBwxwPQNgpeoSuyVb93EMpc6OFWUZKl1TbxBEJld66uZpg52v7a1pC9CBUETgFJNbj5dEu3E-lwcpHjdk-z70GLIICcyM7xnlFB2FBNckJRndGhnm0n9OY8_ACQ/s400/IMG_5481.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;br&gt;
1103. <span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hey are not law enforcement; they are goons. They are not enforcing the laws; they are breaking them. They are not our protectors; they are in essence Gestapo-like secret police.<br>
1104. <br>
1105. There is no reason to think that when they’re done traumatizing, terrorizing, and otherwise damaging the lives of immigrants, that they will not be coming for the next people on their list.</blockquote><br>
1106. <div style="text-align: right;"><b><i>– <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_Williamson>Marianne Williamson</a></i></b><br />
1107. <span style="font-size: 85%;">via social media<br>
1108. June 20, 2025</span></div><br />
1109. <br>
1110. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdM-6ALQgV_Zk4oWnbnl9QXlxPOLCCJGiB446ckBPYybdZ_pIhQEfEc8Y9838Klj2rb8VBUh5NPLsGQPi0ioV8XGCL1Mr6JM5IARbTLhO3EBGRj41g_xxqpoSvbqjrtzY3sT-wWwA7tC1SHGmkdCoLPkw1EKRgUD62-3_LYBhrhylyhQqVe_cwg/s625/IMG_5567b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdM-6ALQgV_Zk4oWnbnl9QXlxPOLCCJGiB446ckBPYybdZ_pIhQEfEc8Y9838Klj2rb8VBUh5NPLsGQPi0ioV8XGCL1Mr6JM5IARbTLhO3EBGRj41g_xxqpoSvbqjrtzY3sT-wWwA7tC1SHGmkdCoLPkw1EKRgUD62-3_LYBhrhylyhQqVe_cwg/s320/IMG_5567b.JPG"/></a></div><span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
1111. <a href=https://theconversation.com/how-ice-is-becoming-a-secret-police-force-under-the-trump-administration-255019>How ICE Is Becoming a Secret Police Force Under the Trump Administration</a> – Lee Morgenbesser (<i>The Conversation</i>, April 29, 2025).<br>
1112. <a href=https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/supercharging-ice>Supercharging ICE</a> – Jay Kuo (<i>The Status Kuo</i>, June 20, 2025).<br>
1113. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/world-refugee-day-trump>On World Refugee Day, Human Rights Defenders Slam Trump’s “Inhumane and Cruel” Decrees</a> – Brett Wilkins (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 20, 2025).<br>
1114. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/dhs-ice-federal-plaza-democrats>Democratic Lawmakers Demand Access to ICE Facility as Standoff Between DHS and Congressional Oversight Intensifies</a> – Eloise Goldsmith (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 20, 2025).<br>
1115. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/20/headlines/dodgers_reportedly_block_ice_from_stadium_amid_criticisms_theyve_failed_immigrant_community>Dodgers Reportedly Block ICE From Stadium Amid Criticisms They’ve Failed Immigrant Community</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 20, 2025).<br>
1116. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/top-democrat-launches-house-probe-into-fbi-role-in-disgraceful-arrest-of-padilla>Top Democrat Launches House Probe Into FBI Role in “Disgraceful” Arrest of Sen. Alex Padilla</a> – Stephen Prager (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 19, 2025).<br>
1117. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/18/headlines/armed_ice_raids_continue_around_los_angeles>Armed ICE Raids Continue Around Los Angeles</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 18, 2025).<br>
1118. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/18/nyc_brad_lander_arrest_by_ice>“What Authoritarians Do”: NYC Comptroller Brad Lander Speaks Out After ICE Arrests Him in Courthouse</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 18, 2025).<br>
1119. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/nyc-ice-brad-lander>“This Is Fascism”: NYC Comptroller Brad Lander Arrested by ICE at an Immigration Court</a> – Eloise Goldsmith (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 17, 2025).<br>
1120. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/trump-police-state>Trump Is Experimenting With Police-State Tactics</a> – Peter Montague (<i>Common Dreams</i> (June 17, 2025).<br>
1121. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/17/headlines/ice_to_resume_raids_on_farms_hotels_restaurants_reversing_trump_pledge>ICE to Resume Raids on Farms, Hotels and Restaurants, Reversing Trump Pledge</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 17, 2025).<br>
1122. <a href=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/15/trump-immigration-stephen-miller-influence>The Rise of Stephen Miller, the Architect of Trump’s Hardline Immigration Policy</a> – Robert Tait (<i>The Guardian</i>, June 15, 2025).<br>
1123. <a href=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-ice-arrests-non-criminals-despite-crime-focused-message-2025-06-13>Trump’s ICE Arrests Non-criminals Despite Crime-focused Message</a> – Ted Hesson (Reuters, June 13, 2025).<br>
1124. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/13/ilhan_omar_trump_ice_authoritarianism>“We Are in the Midst of the Creation of a Police State”: Rep. Ilhan Omar on Trump’s Authoritarianism</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 13, 2025).<br>
1125. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/12/congressmember_delia_ramirez_ice_protests>“The Beginning of Fascism”: Rep. Delia Ramirez Says Trump’s Immigrant Crackdown Is Crushing Democracy</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 12, 2025).<br>
1126. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/12/headlines/anguished_families_have_not_heard_from_loved_ones_since_abductions_by_ice>Anguished Families Have Not Heard from Loved Ones Since Abductions by ICE</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 12, 2025).<br>
1127. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/10/los_angeles_protests_trump_military_deployment>Chaos and Cruelty: Trump Deploys Thousands of Soldiers to Put Down Anti-ICE Protests in Los Angeles</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 10, 2025).<br>
1128. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/3/adriana_jasso>ICE Raids on Restaurants, Farmworkers, and Students Spark Community Resistance Across the Country</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 3, 2025).<br>
1129. <br>
1130. <br>
1131. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://theintercept.com/2025/06/21/los-angeles-ice-raids-immigrants-organizing>Community Defense Groups Take the Last Stand Against ICE in Los Angeles</a> – Claudia Villalona (<i>The Intercept</i> (June 21, 2025).<br>
1132. <a href=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/stephen-miller-financial-stake-palantir-ice-contractor-1235371343>Stephen Miller Has Financial Stake in Company Helping ICE With Deportations</a> – Nikki McCann Ramirez (<i>Rolling Stone</i>, June 24, 2025).<br>
1133. <a href=https://newrepublic.com/post/197149/stephen-miller-palantir-stocks-immigration-report>Damning Report Exposes Stephen Miller’s Shady Ties to Palantir</a> – Edith Olmsted (<i>The New Republic</i>, June 24, 2025).<br>
1134. <br>
1135. <br>
1136. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
1137. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like.html>“This Is What Fascism Looks Like”</a><br>
1138. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/this-is-how-democracy-unravels.html>“This Is How Democracy Unravels”</a><br>
1139. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/protesting-is-what-patriotism-looks.html>“Protesting Is What Patriotism Looks Like in Public”: The “No Kings” Protests of June 14, 2025</a><br>
1140. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
1141. <br>
1142. <br>
1143. <b>Opening image:</b> New York City Comptroller <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Lander>Brad Lander</a> is <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/nyc-ice-brad-lander>placed under arrest</a> by <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Immigration_and_Customs_Enforcement>Immigration and Customs Enforcement</a> (ICE) and <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation>FBI</a> agents on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 in New York after asking to see a warrant for people who were detained after an immigration hearing. (Picture: Olga Fedorova/AP).<br>
1144.  <br>
1145. Writes <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Solnit>Rebecca Solnit</a>:<br>
1146. <br>
1147. <blockquote>This picture makes a pretty good allegory for democracy under assault by authoritarianism. It's as powerful, effective, and well-composed as a history painting, except the assault was real, and the assaults continue, and we're deciding how the rest of the history goes.</blockquote></span><br>
1148. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/5943868977117763751/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/5943868977117763751' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/5943868977117763751'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/5943868977117763751'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_20.html' title='Quote of the Day'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF5miaiYTPJ_zNjgtDSvg8Ig1ZWce4nES7IvO7ptKnnqhLLcCsU16W70utpVsBwxwPQNgpeoSuyVb93EMpc6OFWUZKl1TbxBEJld66uZpg52v7a1pC9CBUETgFJNbj5dEu3E-lwcpHjdk-z70GLIICcyM7xnlFB2FBNckJRndGhnm0n9OY8_ACQ/s72-c/IMG_5481.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-2420379540754569922</id><published>2025-06-19T08:00:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2025-07-01T02:44:58.457-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Human Sexuality"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Indigenous Wisdom"/><title type='text'>Exploring the Meaning and History of “Two-Spirit”</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLXszxwLNspytjrdIBIs3sVU9A96DsGxqk_PA7lShlFlDRVGtH3FPdNww5KoRghjS6TDTTwhXbqTyDBi0ALoHqfaH860dPcEccvmvuO9mimMax6s9cV8Qx37hGRM1JwQxRHkI9LNaaEkSRCNGp_ZXP2bcH99Bh-6HBhTT0w3-llvcUnSTt9iJzQ/s779/TwoSpirited-102.jpg&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;528&quot; data-original-width=&quot;779&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLXszxwLNspytjrdIBIs3sVU9A96DsGxqk_PA7lShlFlDRVGtH3FPdNww5KoRghjS6TDTTwhXbqTyDBi0ALoHqfaH860dPcEccvmvuO9mimMax6s9cV8Qx37hGRM1JwQxRHkI9LNaaEkSRCNGp_ZXP2bcH99Bh-6HBhTT0w3-llvcUnSTt9iJzQ/s400/TwoSpirited-102.jpg&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
1149. <i>The Wild Reed</i>’s <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/what-bible-really-says-about-gender.html>2025 Queer Appreciation series</a> continues with an excerpt from a very informative <a href=https://humanrights.ca/story/what-two-spirit-part-one-origins>article</a> from the website of the <a href=https://humanrights.ca>Canadian Museum of Human Rights</a>. Written by Scott de Groot, this article focuses on the Indigeous term “Two-Spirit,” its history and meaning.<br>
1150. <br>
1151. <center>__________________</center><br>
1152. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n the beginning, Turtle Island was queer. Put another way, gender and sexuality were not understood in binary, “either/or” terms before the arrival of Europeans.<br>
1153. <br>
1154. Across Indigenous North America, some people lived their lives as neither men nor women. Some were seen as combining – even transcending – masculine and feminine characteristics. They performed important social roles, held knowledge, led ceremonies, reared children, married and lived in same‐sex relationships.<br>
1155. <br>
1156. Of course, Turtle Island was not simply a queer nirvana. Various customs and taboos governed gender and sexuality. Social norms varied greatly between First Nations. But a common thread throughout these nations was the lack of strict division of people into two opposing camps of men and women based on biology. No single system of morality forbade and condemned same‐sex and same‐gender relationships. These things only appeared later with Christianity and colonialism.<br>
1157. <br>
1158. Indigenous languages have many words and expressions for people we would now call Two‐Spirit. Cree contains at least six. In Anishinaabemowin, there are at least four.<br>
1159. <br>
1160. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVnmgRGBKVThMzmjgMa0EFudodh3KY10etgbhoFYF5epzARRLMmmjdsOeWkDhC2tZ5HDOU_e-wkgocQ0FDTsX1fN6hE3tO8jzKCBVAoerDz7727K-Z6fY1hK7PuJrhs32kNfk8LJtgPOXCq86NKpsz_g-guSft35y0rDkfysSyZQiB_lTCc0FmQ/s554/TwoSpirited-101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVnmgRGBKVThMzmjgMa0EFudodh3KY10etgbhoFYF5epzARRLMmmjdsOeWkDhC2tZ5HDOU_e-wkgocQ0FDTsX1fN6hE3tO8jzKCBVAoerDz7727K-Z6fY1hK7PuJrhs32kNfk8LJtgPOXCq86NKpsz_g-guSft35y0rDkfysSyZQiB_lTCc0FmQ/s200/TwoSpirited-101.jpg"/></a></div>. . . [In the mid‐20th century] the Red Power movement arose to demand sovereignty and self‐determination for Indigenous peoples throughout Turtle Island (what is now Canada and the United States). Simultaneously, the Gay Liberation movement challenged homophobia, asserted gay pride and encouraged queer people to come out of the closet. Queer Indigenous activists were influenced by these two movements, but also experienced marginalization within both of them. Gay liberationists tended to denounce colonialism abroad – such as in Vietnam – while ignoring settler colonialism at home. They sometimes expressed racist attitudes and colonial standards of beauty. Red Power circles tended to be homophobic and emphasized macho gender roles, while ignoring Indigenous forms of sexual and gender diversity.<br>
1161. <br>
1162. Drawing on some aspects of these movements while abandoning others, queer Indigenous activists opted to create independent organizations that would better address their needs. The first of these groups, Gay American Indians was founded in San Francisco in 1975. Others included American Indian Gays and Lesbians in Minneapolis, Gays and Lesbians of the First Nations in Toronto, WeWah and BarCheeAmpe in New York City, and Nichiwakan in Winnipeg.<br>
1163. <br>
1164. Queer Indigenous activists on both sides of the Canada/United States border saw the need for greater communication, relationship‐building and coordination. They established an annual international gathering. In 1988, the first was hosted by American Indian Gays and Lesbians in Minneapolis. A second was held at a wilderness site in Wisconsin in 1989.<br>
1165. <br>
1166. These events brought queer Indigenous people together to socialize, share their experiences and ideas, engage in cultural and spiritual practices, and learn from one another. A third gathering was held in Manitoba in the summer of 1990. It took place at a wilderness site outside Winnipeg, near Beausejour, Manitoba, along the banks of the Brokenhead River.<br>
1167. <br>
1168. . . . At this gathering, participants discussed and debated Two‐Spirit as a term. It seemed to link contemporary LGBTQ+ experiences with Indigenous traditions, histories and worldviews. And it arrived at the perfect time. Many community members were already searching for alternatives to offensive, colonial terms such as berdache, which had been used by missionaries and anthropologists. Ultimately, attendees at the 1990 gathering embraced Two‐Spirit as a new and positive expression of who they were. They did not seek to define Two‐Spirit in a narrow way.<br>
1169. <br>
1170. Two‐Spirit was not intended to supplant other LGBTQ+ identities. It can easily coexist with terms such as gay or trans in an individual’s self‐understanding. Similarly, it was not meant to replace specific terms for non‐binary sexuality and gender in Indigenous languages. Rather, it acts as a contemporary umbrella term that fosters pan‐Indigenous interconnections.<br>
1171. <br>
1172. Simply put, Two‐Spirit was (and is) about self‐determination, rejecting colonial labels, building community and reconnecting with long‐suppressed aspects of Indigenous histories and cultures, including spirituality.</blockquote><br>
1173. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>Scott de Groot</i></b><br>
1174. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from “<a href=https://humanrights.ca/story/what-two-spirit-part-one-origins>What Is Two‐Spirit?</a>”<br>
1175. Canadian Museum of Human Rights<br>
1176. March 26, 2024</span></div><br>
1177. <br>
1178. <center><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>NEXT:</b><br>
1179. </span><a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/australian-indigenous-culture-and.html>Australian Indigenous Culture<br>
1180. and the Reality of LGBTI Lives</a></center><br>
1181. <br>
1182. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />
1183. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/06/tony-enos-on-understanding-two-spirit.html>Tony Enos on Understanding the Two-Spirit Community</a><br>
1184. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2012/06/north-america-perhaps-once-queerest.html>North America: Perhaps Once the “Queerest Continent on the Planet”</a><br>
1185. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2015/07/clyde-hall-all-gay-people-in-one-form.html>Clyde Hall: “All Gay People, in One Form or Another, Have Something to Give to This World, Something Rich and Very Wonderful”</a><br>
1186. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/11/quote-of-day_12.html>Terence Weldon: Quote of the Day – November 12, 2011</a><br>
1187. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/10/john-corvino-on-always-and-everywhere.html>John Corvino on the “Always and Everywhere” Argument Against Gay Marriage</a><br>
1188. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2014/06/same-sex-desires-immanent-and-essential.html>Same-Sex Desires: “Immanent and Essential Traits Transcending Time and Culture”</a></span><br>
1189. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/2420379540754569922/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/2420379540754569922' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/2420379540754569922'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/2420379540754569922'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/exploring-meaning-and-history-of-two.html' title='Exploring the Meaning and History of “Two-Spirit”'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLXszxwLNspytjrdIBIs3sVU9A96DsGxqk_PA7lShlFlDRVGtH3FPdNww5KoRghjS6TDTTwhXbqTyDBi0ALoHqfaH860dPcEccvmvuO9mimMax6s9cV8Qx37hGRM1JwQxRHkI9LNaaEkSRCNGp_ZXP2bcH99Bh-6HBhTT0w3-llvcUnSTt9iJzQ/s72-c/TwoSpirited-102.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-2140219286474004485</id><published>2025-06-18T17:00:00.006-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-30T04:34:00.089-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Progressive Thoughts"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><title type='text'>Naming the Pattern . . . and Its Source</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQgqs6EGEyc2ttjZ3eIBi1sF7BwVHw7Lsw1AkDP1VyBaoBocK8_xeTPj13OKsWeEuXvD2y_SUOjSiqxT6Bpo0OSf9yQz2Qx0pzooxRds4sI18FpKkoySTVtDrrtKtKvF2P2cf62nqTkuJTLPKNC5OzoeP90-OnI2buJ3bt7WJGn_i7kmVLimf2w/s793/TomGarrahan-2019.PNG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;604&quot; data-original-width=&quot;793&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQgqs6EGEyc2ttjZ3eIBi1sF7BwVHw7Lsw1AkDP1VyBaoBocK8_xeTPj13OKsWeEuXvD2y_SUOjSiqxT6Bpo0OSf9yQz2Qx0pzooxRds4sI18FpKkoySTVtDrrtKtKvF2P2cf62nqTkuJTLPKNC5OzoeP90-OnI2buJ3bt7WJGn_i7kmVLimf2w/s400/TomGarrahan-2019.PNG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
1190. <div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 75%;">– <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Image:</b></span> “I’ll Handle Them, Mr. President”<br>
1191. by Tom Gurrahan (2019)</span></div><br>
1192. <br />
1193. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_shootings_of_Minnesota_legislators>recent shooting</a> in Minnesota wasn’t just tragic – it was politically motivated. And it fits a pattern about domestic terrorism we keep pretending doesn’t exist.<br>
1194.  <br>
1195. Here’s what the data says:<br>
1196.  <br>
1197. <blockquote>• About 98% of mass shooters in the U.S. are men.<br>
1198. <br>
1199. • Since 9/11, 73% of deadly extremist attacks in the U.S. were committed by far-right extremists – most of them white.<br>
1200.  <br>
1201. • Incidents involving people of color, women, or left-leaning ideologies are rare by comparison.</blockquote><br>
1202. <br>
1203. But if it keeps happening, it’s not isolated. It’s systemic.<br>
1204.  <br>
1205. If we don’t name the pattern, we can’t break it.<br>
1206. <br>
1207. We’ll keep having moments of shock, but never real change. Never prevention. Just thoughts, prayers, and silence until it happens again.<br>
1208. <br>
1209. We need to be braver than that.</blockquote><br>
1210. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>Seth Orion Viebrock</i></b><br>
1211. <span style="font-size: 85%;">via social media<br>
1212. June 15, 2025</span></div><br>
1213. <br />
1214. <br>
1215. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span> white Christian man <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_shootings_of_Minnesota_legislators>assassinated a lawmaker and their spouse</a>, and shot another politician just days ago. Where is the wall-to-wall coverage ringing the alarms over the threat of white men carrying out right-wing/Christofascist terrorism in this country?</blockquote>
1216. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>G.N. Cordova</i></b><br>
1217. <span style="font-size: 85%;">via social media<br>
1218. June 16, 2025</span></div><br>
1219. <br />
1220. <br>
1221. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>here are no more warnings. Not after this weekend. Not after Vance Boelter, a 57-year-old private security firm director and self-appointed enforcer of political vengeance, <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_shootings_of_Minnesota_legislators>shot and killed</a> Minnesota State Representative <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Hortman>Melissa Hortman</a> and her husband, and left State Senator <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hoffman_(Minnesota_politician)>John Hoffman</a> and his wife clinging to life. The question is no longer whether political violence defines the Trump era. It already does.<br>
1222. <br>
1223. Boelter, now in custody after a 48-hour manhunt, was arrested Sunday evening near Green Isle, Minnesota, just miles from where one of his vehicles and a cowboy hat had been found earlier. Law enforcement confirmed he was spotted along a trail near his family’s farm. He surrendered without incident after being surrounded by officers in rural Sibley County. The arrest ended a tense two-day search that left entire townships on edge and in lockdown.<br>
1224. <br>
1225. He now faces state and likely federal charges for what authorities have called a politically motivated rampage. Boelter is accused of murdering House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and attempting to kill Senator Hoffman and his wife. He posed as a police officer, carried tactical gear and multiple firearms, and left behind a manifesto, maps, and a hit list naming Democratic lawmakers and abortion rights advocates. His wife, detained the day before with weapons, cash, and passports in her car, was later released. The threat wasn't theoretical. It was planned, personal, and deliberate.<br>
1226. <br>
1227.  That hit list included Governor <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Walz>Tim Walz</a>. Congresswoman <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilhan_Omar>Ilhan Omar</a>. Senator <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Smith>Tina Smith</a>. Attorney General <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ellison>Keith Ellison</a>. Abortion providers across the state. This wasn’t a break from political norms. This is the new norm, a direct outcome of years of stochastic terrorism, rising extremism, and political cowardice by a Republican Party that no longer sees domestic terrorists as threats, but as foot soldiers.<br>
1228. <br>
1229. Boelter dressed like a cop. Moved like a soldier. Thought like a crusader. But he was no patriot. He was a man radicalized by right-wing propaganda, and permitted to act because no one stopped him. And let’s be honest, we all saw this coming.<br>
1230. <br>
1231. His vehicle was outfitted to mimic a squad car. Inside, investigators found flyers twisted from the “No Kings” protest movement. What began as an anti-authoritarian call had been distorted into justification for murder. Boelter’s digital footprint, investigators say, was littered with content from extremist Telegram groups, militia forums, and MAGA channels steeped in paranoia and rage.<br>
1232. <br>
1233. This is what happens when Donald Trump <a href=https://www.npr.org/2023/11/17/1213746885/trump-vermin-hitler-immigration-authoritarian-republican-primary>calls his opponents “vermin”</a> and promises mass deportations and military sweeps. When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. compares political dissent to treason. When Elon Musk <a href=https://truthout.org/articles/the-us-is-undergoing-a-corporate-coup-sudan-shows-how-dangerous-it-can-become>guts federal law enforcement</a> under the banner of “efficiency” while private militias gain ground. When Tucker Carlson, now serving as Trump’s National Communications Director, uses state media to warn that <a href=https://www.newsweek.com/tucker-carlson-civil-war-gun-control-mass-shooting-school-robb-elementary-texas-1710356>civil war is inevitable and even necessary</a>.<br>
1234. <br>
1235. Boelter didn’t invent this violence. He inherited it. Consumed it. Recycled it. And acted on it.<br>
1236. <br>
1237. His worldview didn’t form in the shadows. It was shaped in plain sight. He repeated the talking points broadcast daily by conspiracy platforms, podcast pundits, and cable news hosts who blur the line between entertainment and incitement. He believed what millions have been conditioned to believe, that Democrats are traitors, immigrants are invaders, and violence is patriotism.<br>
1238. <br>
1239. We’re told he was a lone wolf. That’s a lie. Lone wolves don’t carry manifestos, impersonate officers, and target elected officials with tactical precision. Lone wolves don’t write hit lists. This was not chaos. It was choreography.<br>
1240. <br>
1241. And the GOP knows it.<br>
1242. <br>
1243. Melissa Hortman was not a radical. She was a public servant. A mother. A voice for working people. Her assassination wasn’t just a tragedy. It was an attack on democratic life itself.<br>
1244. <br>
1245. And yet, where’s the outrage?<br>
1246. <br>
1247. Trump issued a generic statement calling the killings “horrific” before immediately insulting Governor Walz as “grossly incompetent.” He refused to call him. Speaker Mike Johnson called for bipartisan unity, but the rest of the MAGA machine? Silent. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucker_Carlson>Tucker</a>. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Taylor_Greene>Greene</a>. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Bannon>Bannon</a>. Nothing.<br>
1248. <br>
1249. The same crowd that explodes over Mr. Potato Head pronouns fell quiet when a lawmaker and her husband were executed. That silence? It’s not neutrality. It’s endorsement by omission.<br>
1250. <br>
1251. This isn’t condemnation. It’s coordination.<br>
1252. <br>
1253. For the MAGA movement, this isn’t a nightmare. It’s a strategy.<br>
1254. <br>
1255. We are not at the brink. We are in the fire. The violence is no longer metaphorical. The bodies are real. And unless we summon the courage to name this for what it is – right-wing domestic terrorism – it will keep spreading.<br>
1256. <br>
1257. As Governor Tim Walz said on Sunday, “This was not just an attack on individuals. It was an attack on democracy itself.”<br>
1258. <br>
1259. So speak. Report. Vote. Organize. Or prepare to bury more of your leaders.<br>
1260. <br>
1261. The sirens have already started. The only question now is whether we’ll listen, or wait for the next knock on the door.</blockquote><br>
1262. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>Tony Pentimalli</i></b><br>
1263. <span style="font-size: 85%;">“The Silence Before the Sirens: Vance Boelter, Political Violence,<br>
1264. and the American Right’s Final Descent”<br>
1265. via social media<br>
1266. June 16, 2025</span></div><br>
1267. <br />
1268. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">V</span>ance Boelter, the assassin who shot two Minnesota lawmakers and their families, has been taken into custody after a 48-hour manhunt.
1269. As we try to piece together exactly what happened Friday night, we are reminded that the only thing that flies faster than a bullet is MAGA disinformation.<br>
1270. <br>
1271. In the immediate hours after the attack, MAGA spread heinous and unfounded lies that the killer was a secret agent working for Tim Walz on a mission to impose woke transgender mice and their DEI globalist plans something something. I could care less. I will not entertain right-wing foolishness for a second.<br>
1272. <br>
1273. Let’s be clear. This man is a MAGA maniac, no different than the other 99% of domestic terrorists, who in recent years attempted to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, fire bombed the Governor of Pennsylvania, committed scores of mass shootings in state after state, and organized a violent a coup against the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to subvert a democratic election.<br>
1274. <br>
1275. The unsettling reality is that this man is a religious psycho and privileged pastor with a big white average family in a big white average house. A ho-hum, podunk, anti-abortion male who resorted to violence to instill fear.<br>
1276. <br>
1277. The terrorist’s wife appears to have aided her husband in the attack, or at least had foreknowledge, as she was pulled over by Minnesota State Police with a bag of cash, passports, and other questionable material. As with any ongoing terror investigation, naturally she was let go without inquiry. Minnesota’s prisons aren’t filled with white people for a reason.<br>
1278. <br>
1279. The term you must familiarize yourself with in this moment is “stochastic terrorism” whereby white supremacist cult leaders like Trump inspire, beckon, and fuel his mentally unstable fans to commit acts of atrocity.<br>
1280. <br>
1281. What the corporate media bend over backwards to convey as “lone gunmen” are in reality a rapid sequence of like-minded attacks, with patterned, predictable, overlapping motives, techniques, grievances, and nearly identical political beliefs. They share ideas, tips, and hatreds online. They aren’t isolated gunmen; they are an Army.<br>
1282. <br>
1283. We must challenge the right-wing disinformation machine while we confront the realities of corporate media from FOX, NBC, and CBS, intent on delivering a tired and contrived script falsely claiming, “we don’t know his motive.”<br>
1284. <br>
1285. Please. The man left a manifesto, just like all the others.<br>
1286. <br>
1287. The pastor is a right-wing religious terrorist. Mundane. One of many in recent months; one of many in recent years.<br>
1288. <br>
1289. The truth is the bloody legacy of these violent white men stretches back to El Paso, Columbine, Oklahoma City, Wounded Knee, and Mystic River.<br>
1290. <br>
1291. MAGA told us for years but we didn’t want to listen: “We are at war against you.”<br>
1292. <br>
1293. Their terror cells stand ready for the clarion call from Fox News and their multi-millionaire talking heads who spew venom a mile a minute. These violent MAGA operate with total impunity in our country while billions of our tax money is funneled to companies like Palantir to rip immigrant families apart.<br>
1294. <br>
1295. Even in the rare case when MAGA terrorists are caught and prosecuted, like many January 6 insurrectionists, Trump hands them a blanket pardon and gives their families millions.<br>
1296. <br>
1297. The Pentagon, DHS, and FBI spend a trillion dollars on national security a year and haven’t stopped a single right-wing killer. Coincidence?<br>
1298. <br>
1299. We all need to wake up. MAGA was never solely a political party. It was always open about its character, motive, and vision – and what they would do to impose it. They even spelled it out in a 900 page document called <i>Project 2025</i>.<br>
1300. <br>
1301. As Trump and his team scrub the accomplishments and history of Black and brown people, his fans commit to the grim task of eliminating them from earth, as we saw at a Black church in Charleston, or a predominantly Black grocery store in Buffalo, NY. And dozens of attacks in between.<br>
1302. <br>
1303. As Stephen Miller erases thousands of immigrants from our communities, MAGA cells activate in El Paso and eliminate dozens of Latino lives in an instant.<br>
1304. <br>
1305. As Trump targets Democratic lawmakers for arrest, assault, and detention, his loyal fans commit to murdering them in cold blood in their own homes.<br>
1306. <br>
1307. On No Kings day, our movement to smash American fascism to smithereens was born in the streets – <i>our</i> streets.<br>
1308. <br>
1309. The task that lies ahead is to identify the structure of the MAGA terror organization, its billionaire backers, their enablers in Congress and the corporate media. We will hunker down and begin the grim but essential work of dismantling their system of hatred and terror.<br>
1310. <br>
1311. MAGA, we are finally taking you for your word. We see you for who you are and we are not afraid.</blockquote><br>
1312. <div style="text-align: right;">– <a href=https://www.facebook.com/feministnews.us><i>Feminist News</i></a><br>
1313. <span style="font-size: 85%;">via social media<br>
1314. June 16, 2025</span></div><br>
1315. <br />
1316. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
1317. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/18/amy_goodman_column_jun18_2025>A Midnight Assassin, Masked Agents and Rising Political Violence</a> – Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan (<i>Democracy Now!</i>, June 18, 2025).<br>
1318. <a href=https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/trump-says-calling-walz-about-attacks-on-minnesota-lawmakers-would-waste-time>Trump Says Calling Governor Tim Walz About Attacks on Minnesota Lawmakers Would “Waste Time”</a> – Brianna Kelly (<i>Bring Me the News</i>, June 17, 2025).<br>
1319. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzg-uY6pDGM>Right-wingers Spew Outrageous Lies About Pro-Trump Assassin in Minnesota</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, June 16, 2025).<br>
1320. <a href=https://www.axios.com/2025/06/16/tina-smith-mike-lee-minnesota-shootings>Sen. Tina Smith Confronts Repubican Sen. Mike Lee Over “Cruel” Response to Minnesota Shootings</a> – Stef W. Kight (Axios, June 16, 2025).<br>
1321. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XeLLlAL7kU>“The Response on the Right Has Been Absolutely Deranged”: Tim Miller Reacts to Minnesota Shootings</a> – MSNBC (June 17, 2025).<br>
1322. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/17/minnesota_vance_boelter_charges>“We Loved Her”: MN Attorney General Keith Ellison Mourns His Friend Melissa Hortman, Slams Republican Rhetoric</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 17, 2025).<br>
1323. <a href=https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/06/14/a-democratic-legislator-was-assassinated-right-wing-influencers-coughed-out-disinformation>A Democratic Legislator Was Assassinated; Right-wing Influencers Coughed Out Disinformation</a> – J. Patrick Coolican (<i>Minnesota Reformer</i>, June 14, 2025).<br>
1324. <a href=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/11/trump-incitement-violence-great-replacement-puerto-rico-migrants>Trump’s Long Legacy of Inciting Violence</a> – Mark Follman (<i>Mother Jones</i>, November 3, 2024).<br>
1325. <a href=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/10/trump-rhetoric-violent-threats-migrants-assassination-attempt-conspiracy-theories>Trump’s Extreme Rhetoric Is Echoing in Threats of Violence</a> – Mark Follman (<i>Mother Jones</i>, October 24, 2024).<br>
1326. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/trump-s-violent-rhetoric>Trump’s Violent Political Rhetoric Threatens All Americans</a> – John Ripton (<i>Common Dreams</i>, September 24, 2024).<br>
1327. <a href=https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4888743-trump-dangerous-rhetoric>Trump’s Rhetoric Has Caused Violence, Not Democrats Calling Him a Threat to Democracy</a> – Donna Brazile (<i>The Hill</i>, September 20, 2024).<br>
1328. <a href=https://www.thebulwark.com/p/violence-rhetoric-monumental-hypocrisy-trump-vance>Trump and Vance Are Hypocrites About Political Violence</a> – Will Saletan (<i>The Bulwark</i>, September 18, 2024).<br>
1329. <a href=https://www.newsweek.com/new-era-violent-rhetoric-began-2015-were-all-danger-opinion-1954639>A New Era of Violent Rhetoric Began in 2015, and We're All in Danger</a> – Donna Brazile (<i>Newsweek</i>, September 16, 2024).<br>
1330. <a href=https://time.com/6998601/trump-rally-shooting-rhetoric-political-violence>The Danger of Treating Politics Like War</a> – Jennifer Mercieca (<i>Time</i>, July 15, 2024).<br>
1331. <a href=https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-and-the-gathering-darkness-threatening-us-politics-233950>Donald Trump and the Gathering Darkness Threatening U.S. Politics</a> – Richard Hargy (<i>The Conversation</i>, July 15, 2024).<br>
1332. <br>
1333. <br>
1334. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />  
1335. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/07/fascism-is-upon-us.html>“Fascism Is Upon Us”</a><br>
1336. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/03/president-trump-we-hold-you-responsible.html>President Trump, “We Hold You Responsible”</a><br>
1337. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/08/quote-of-day_12.html> William D. Lindsey: Quote of the Day – August 12, 2022</a><br>
1338. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/10/quote-of-day_28.html>Quote of the Day – October 28, 2018</a><br>
1339. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/08/in-charlottesville-face-of-terrorism-in.html>In Charlottesville, the Face of Terrorism In the U.S.</a><br>
1340. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/05/trumps-america-normalized-white.html>Trump’s America: Normalized White Supremacy and a Rising Tide of Racist Violence</a><br>
1341. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/11/progressive-perspectives-on-election-of.html>Progressive Perspectives on the Election of Donald Trump</a><br>
1342. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/07/trumps-playbook.html>Trump’s Playbook</a><br>
1343. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/03/progressive-perspectives-on-rise-of.html>Progressive Perspectives on the Rise of Donald Trump</a></span><br>
1344. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/2140219286474004485/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/2140219286474004485' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/2140219286474004485'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/2140219286474004485'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/naming-pattern-and-its-source.html' title='Naming the Pattern . . . and Its Source'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQgqs6EGEyc2ttjZ3eIBi1sF7BwVHw7Lsw1AkDP1VyBaoBocK8_xeTPj13OKsWeEuXvD2y_SUOjSiqxT6Bpo0OSf9yQz2Qx0pzooxRds4sI18FpKkoySTVtDrrtKtKvF2P2cf62nqTkuJTLPKNC5OzoeP90-OnI2buJ3bt7WJGn_i7kmVLimf2w/s72-c/TomGarrahan-2019.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-4488349785382538788</id><published>2025-06-17T22:01:00.019-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-24T20:38:25.687-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Justice and Peace"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Phyllis Bennis"/><title type='text'>Phyllis Bennis on the “Stark Danger” Posed by Israel’s Attack on Iran</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpZYdwWmrmfuoXo7HRJ0kWKyT_Xuh5CXHLSkDIeT4XtgXDnXVF-9caYj8UfM93SD15EaUNQV60j7h1ugYosfEktnua0SmcGyKLyLoHMNl2vSLdS3jBeoIo6s0ybnDEqd5q1OZ6lzmDweCczihbPKX7DiPryGiB2MucJSFsuo9u-sKDOBD-u4alQ/s680/MohammedIbrahim.jpg&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;453&quot; data-original-width=&quot;680&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpZYdwWmrmfuoXo7HRJ0kWKyT_Xuh5CXHLSkDIeT4XtgXDnXVF-9caYj8UfM93SD15EaUNQV60j7h1ugYosfEktnua0SmcGyKLyLoHMNl2vSLdS3jBeoIo6s0ybnDEqd5q1OZ6lzmDweCczihbPKX7DiPryGiB2MucJSFsuo9u-sKDOBD-u4alQ/s400/MohammedIbrahim.jpg&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
1345. I’ve long respected and appreciated the informed perspective of <a href=https://ips-dc.org/ips-authors/phyllis-bennis>Phyllis Bennis</a> – author, scholar, and director of the <a href=https://ips-dc.org/new-internationalism/>New Internationalism Project</a> at the <a href=https://ips-dc.org>Institute for Policy Studies</a> (IPS). Indeed, she’s one of my “go-to” people for information and insights on both U.S. foreign policy and its implications both here and abroad <i>and</i> issues pertaining to the Middle East.<br>
1346. <br>
1347. Following is an excerpt from a <a href=https://ips-dc.org/one-certainty-about-israels-attack-on-iran-we-in-the-us-must-try-to-stop-it>piece</a> that Bennis and her IPS colleague <a href=https://ips-dc.org/ips_author/khury-petersen-smith>Khury Petersen-Smith</a> had published today on the IPS website.<br>
1348. <br>
1349. <center>___________________</center><br>
1350. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>srael’s attack on Iran last week has opened a stark danger – a predictable pattern of escalation ushering in a new phase of the long-standing crises roiling the Middle East region. Certainly Israel has a long history of attacking Iran – including bombing raids; assassinations of political and military leaders as well as nuclear scientists; cyberattacks; assaults on Iranian allies in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and beyond – and Iran has on occasion struck back. But while it is too soon to know exactly how this latest assault will fully play out, it now holds the prospect of full-scale war between the two strongest military forces in the region, one of them backed by the strongest military power in the world. . . . While a full report of casualties – military, civilian, scientific, children and more – is not yet available, we know there were explosions across Tehran and in other Iranian cities. The Israeli strikes killed at least six nuclear scientists, unknown numbers of ordinary civilians including children, and important military leaders, including the chief of staff of Iran’s army and Ali Shakhani, who served as the main liaison between Iran’s top leader, <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Khamenei>Ali Khamenei</a>, and the diplomatic team meeting with U.S. negotiators. Israeli officials bragged of having had agents of the Mossad, Israel’s international intelligence force, on the ground setting drone targets long before the attack began. While Iran’s initial response involved 100 drones that were all reportedly destroyed by Israel’s anti-aircraft systems, subsequent Iranian attacks have caused damage and injuries in Israeli cities, including Tel-Aviv.<br>
1351. <br>
1352. We know that there is only one state that has nuclear weapons in the Middle East region. Israel maintains an arsenal that reportedly includes at least 90 nuclear weapons, and while it is widely known as one of the nine nuclear weapons states in the world, it is the only one that refuses to confirm or deny its arsenal. Iran has no nuclear weapons, and does not have a program to create such a weapon.<br>
1353. <br>
1354. We also know that while President Donald Trump abandoned the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Comprehensive_Plan_of_Action>JCPOA</a>, in 2018, he has shown an eagerness to return to some version of a deal based on the same principles – the U.S. ending sanctions in exchange for Iran not getting a nuclear bomb. The long-standing obstacle to such an agreement was always Israel – which insisted that Iran be denied not just a nuclear weapon but any nuclear enrichment capacity, including civilian uses. Until just a few weeks ago, Trump had maintained the demand that Iran be denied a nuclear weapon in return for lifting sanctions, which Israel continued to reject as insufficient. In the last two weeks, Trump and others in the White House began to switch back and forth between the long-standing U.S. position and the Israeli demand, something they knew would be impossible for Iran to accept.<br>
1355. <br>
1356. . . . Before the June 12 attack, Israeli Prime Minister <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu>Benjamin Netanyahu</a> was near the nadir of his popularity. He was close to facing the collapse of his government – and we know that citing Iran as an ostensibly “existential threat” to Israel, and claiming to be the only one capable of dealing with it, has always been at the core of his political career. . . . We know Netanyahu strengthens his domestic political position by attacking Iran, and that some Israeli officials believe a provocative attack leading to Iranian retaliation might bring the U.S. into the war. Those are likely both part of Netanyahu’s calculus. . . . [We also know] that Israel remains the main destabilizing force in the Middle East. Just in the last 20 months it has attacked and occupied new swathes of territory in Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. It has bombed Iraq and Yemen. And now it is raising the level of instability to a qualitatively new level, directly confronting the other most powerful military and political force in the region. As is true with the assault on Gaza, we in the United States bear a particular responsibility to work to stop it – because, whatever the president or the secretary of state or any other official says or refuses to say, Washington is supplying the weapons and preventing accountability for Israel’s wars. To advance peace, we have a lot of work to do.</blockquote><br>
1357. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>Phyllis Bennis and Khury Petersen-Smith</i></b><br />
1358. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from “<a href=https://ips-dc.org/one-certainty-about-israels-attack-on-iran-we-in-the-us-must-try-to-stop-it>The U.S. Must Force Israel<br>
1359. to End Its War on Iran </a>”<br>
1360. Institute for Policy Studies<br />
1361. June 17, 2025</span></div><br />
1362. <br>
1363. <center><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>NEXT:</b><br>
1364. </span><a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_24.html>Rep. Ro Khanna – Quote of the Day</a></center><br>
1365. <br>
1366. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
1367. <a href=https://theintercept.com/2025/06/17/iran-nuclear-israel-us-intel>U.S. Intel Says Iran Isn’t a Nuclear Threat. Israel Wants the U.S. to Bomb It Anyway</a> – Nick Turse (<i>The Intercept</i>, June 17, 2025).<br>
1368. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/not-just-progressives-over-half-of-trump-voters-oppose-us-war-on-iran>Not Just Progressives: Over Half of Trump Voters Oppose U.S. War on Iran</a> – Brett Wilkins (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 17, 2025).<br>
1369. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/17/iran_israel>Preemptive Strike or Act of War? Israel Attacked Iran Amid Sinking Global Support for Assault on Gaza</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 17, 2025).<br>
1370. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/trumps-war-with-iran>Everyone Will Lose a Trump War of Choice With Iran</a> – Trita Parsi (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 17, 2025).<br>
1371. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwwSFYLalQE>The Idiots Who Claimed Trump was “Anti-War” Look Very Dumb Right Now</a> – Mike Figueredo (<i>The Humanist Report</i>, June 17, 2025).<br>
1372. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/israel-iran-attack-criminal>Israel’s Assault on Iran Is Unambiguously Criminal</a> – C.J. Polychroniou and Alexandra Boutri (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 16, 2025).<br>
1373. <a href=https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/06/16/a-preemptive-strike-on-diplomacy-israels-attack-and-the-precipice-of-a-wider-american-war>A Preemptive Strike on Diplomacy: Israel’s Attack and the Precipice of a Wider American War</a> – Jamal Kanj (<i>CounterPunch</i>, June 16, 2025).<br>
1374. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/16/iran_israel>Israel and Iran at War: Trump Is “Only World Leader Who Can Stop the Cycle of Escalation”</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 16, 2025).<br>
1375. <a href=https://www.972mag.com/israels-greatest-threat-isnt-iran-or-hamas-but-its-own-hubris>Israel’s Greatest Threat Isn’t Iran or Hamas, But Its Own Hubris</a> – Orly Noy (<i>972 Magazine</i>, June 15, 2025).<br>
1376. <a href=https://time.com/7294202/grim-reality-conflict-iran-israel>The Grim Reality of the Conflict Between Iran and Israel</a> – Ali Vaez (<i>Time</i>, June 14, 2025).<br>
1377. <a href=https://responsiblestatecraft.org/war-iran>U.S. Lawmakers Blast Israel, Urge Against War With Iran</a> – Stavroula Pabst (<i>Responsible Statecraft</i> (June 13, 2025).<br>
1378. <br>
1379. <br>
1380. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://mondoweiss.net/2025/06/rogue-states-the-illegality-of-the-u-s-backed-israeli-attacks-on-iran>Rogue States: The Illegality of the U.S.-backed Israeli Attacks on Iran</a> – Craig Mokhiber (<i>Mondweiss</i>, June 18, 2025).<br>
1381. <a href=https://fair.org/home/working-hard-to-justify-israels-unprovoked-attack-on-iran>Working Hard to Justify Israel’s Unprovoked Attack on Iran</a> – Belén Fernández (FAIR, June 18, 2025).<br>
1382. <a href=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/18/iraq-afghanistan-libya-warmongers-always-wrong-iran-attacks-nothing-change-minds>The Warmongers Were Wrong About Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Now Watch Them Make the Same Mistake About Iran</a> – Owen Jones (<i>The Guardian</i> (June 18, 2025).<br>
1383. <a href=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/america-should-end-israels-war-iran-not-join-it>America Should End Israel’s War on Iran – Not Join It</a> – Daniel C. Kurtzer and Steven N. Simon (<i>Foreign Affairs</i>, June 18, 2025).<br>
1384. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHE_vFcfcsg>Israel’s Attacks on Iran May Lead to “Regime Collapse” and Chaos: An Interview With Trita Parsi</a> – <i>Rising</i> (June 18, 2025).<br>
1385. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/18/akbar_shahid_ahmed_trump_iran_war>“A Moment of Immense Danger”: U.S. Inches Toward Direct Involvement in Israel’s War with Iran</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 18, 2025).<br>
1386. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/18/mosab_abu_toha_gaza_genocide_palestine>As Attention Shifts to Iran, Israel Ramps Up Killings, Starvation and Annexation in Gaza: An Interview With Mosab Abu Toha</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 18, 2025).<br>
1387. <br>
1388. <br>
1389. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
1390. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/01/saying-no-to-war-on-iran.html>Saying “No” to War on Iran (2020)</a><br>
1391. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/01/veterans-for-peace-strongly-condemns.html>Veterans for Peace Strongly Condemns Any and All U.S. Aggression Towards Iran (2020)</a><br>
1392. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/05/quote-of-day_15.html>Major Danny Sjursen: Quote of the Day – May 15, 2019</a><br>
1393. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/01/quote-of-day_31.html>Jeff Cohen: Quote of the Day – January 29, 2011</a><br>
1394. <br>
1395. <b>Image:</b> Mohammed Ibrahim.</span><br>
1396. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/4488349785382538788/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/4488349785382538788' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/4488349785382538788'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/4488349785382538788'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/phyllis-bennis-on-stark-danger-posed-by.html' title='Phyllis Bennis on the “Stark Danger” Posed by Israel’s Attack on Iran'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpZYdwWmrmfuoXo7HRJ0kWKyT_Xuh5CXHLSkDIeT4XtgXDnXVF-9caYj8UfM93SD15EaUNQV60j7h1ugYosfEktnua0SmcGyKLyLoHMNl2vSLdS3jBeoIo6s0ybnDEqd5q1OZ6lzmDweCczihbPKX7DiPryGiB2MucJSFsuo9u-sKDOBD-u4alQ/s72-c/MohammedIbrahim.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-6394657605097064154</id><published>2025-06-16T20:00:00.046-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-23T21:15:12.953-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Norman Solomon"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><title type='text'>Quote of the Day</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJuRePVLixFcAgUK8G_kZD6Omg88jqfn4ne59KoN3IHb1ZQuhJ5gU9gaQQt8AmwQzX4W2x9TXhwjaLIswmhAW4CQtVh2a1HguyBhHY3tFZbo0h6U9WVfCjvb08lUyYbK1SuD5l-KsS5fnWYou2fz47dLbxj35w8ijcBdG2MMTFQc7e8AbGraR8A/s812/NoKings-StPaul-2025.jpg&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;812&quot; data-original-width=&quot;721&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJuRePVLixFcAgUK8G_kZD6Omg88jqfn4ne59KoN3IHb1ZQuhJ5gU9gaQQt8AmwQzX4W2x9TXhwjaLIswmhAW4CQtVh2a1HguyBhHY3tFZbo0h6U9WVfCjvb08lUyYbK1SuD5l-KsS5fnWYou2fz47dLbxj35w8ijcBdG2MMTFQc7e8AbGraR8A/s200/NoKings-StPaul-2025.jpg&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: x-large;&quot;&gt;T&lt;/span&gt;he huge decentralized turnout for No Kings Day has shown that grassroots power can be a major force against the momentum of the Trump regime. The protests were auspicious, with 5 million people participating in &lt;a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/millions-rise-up-to-say-in-unison-no-kings-no-dictator&gt;2,100 gatherings&lt;/a&gt; nationwide. Activists are doing what the national Democratic Party leadership has failed to do – organize effectively and inspire mass action.&lt;br&gt;
1397. <br>
1398. What we don’t need now is for newly activated people to catch a ride on plodding Democratic donkeys. The party’s top leadership and a large majority of its elected officials are just too conformist and traditional to creatively confront the magnitude of the unprecedented Trumpist threat to what remains of democracy in the United States.<br>
1399. <br>
1400. Two key realities are contradictions that fully co-exist in the real world: The Democratic Party, led by the likes of Sen. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Schumer>Chuck Schumer</a> and Rep. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakeem_Jeffries>Hakeem Jeffries</a>, is in well-earned disrepute, having scant credibility even with most people who detest Trump. And yet, Democratic Party candidates will be the only way possible to end Republican control of Congress via midterm elections next year.<br>
1401. <br>
1402. Few congressional Democrats have been able to articulate and fight for a truly progressive populist agenda – to directly challenge the pseudo-populism of MAGA Republicans. Instead, what implicitly comes across is a chorus of calls for a return to the incremental politics of the Biden era.<br>
1403. <br>
1404. Awash in corporate cash and milquetoast rhetoric, most Democratic incumbents sound inauthentic while posturing as champions of the working class. For activists to simply cheer them on is hardly the best way to end GOP rule.<br>
1405. <br>
1406. . . . The Democratic establishment keeps insisting that the way to get out of the current terrible situation is the same way that we got into it in the first place – with the party catering to corporate America while fueling wars with an ever-bigger military budget and refusing to really fight for people being crushed by modern capitalism.</blockquote><br>
1407. <div style="text-align: right;"><b><i>– <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Solomon>Norman Solomon</a></i></b><br />
1408. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from “<a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/no-kings-day-was-historic-now-we-need-a-powerful-and-independent-movement-against-trump>‘No Kings Day’ Was Historic.<br>
1409. Now We Need a Powerful – and Independent –<br>
1410. Movement Against Trump</a>”<br />
1411. <i>Common Dreams</i><br>
1412. June 16, 2025</span></div><br />
1413. <br>
1414. <center><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>NEXT:</b><br>
1415. </span><a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/no-kings-absolutely-but-also-no.html>“No Kings”? Absolutely.<br>
1416. But Also “No Oligarchy”</a></center><br>
1417. <br>
1418. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
1419. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/nyc-dem-party-civil-war>Democratic Civil War: NYC Mayor’s Race Will Define Who Runs the Party in 2026</a> – Corbin Trent (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 16, 2025).<br>
1420. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRInH6sJ3YM>The Left Is Dead – What and Who Will Rise From the Ashes?: An Interview with Ted Rall</a> – <i>The Kim Iversen Show</i> (April 26, 2025).<br>
1421. <a href=https://www.creators.com/read/ted-rall/02/25/a-movement-beats-a-party-every-time>A Movement Beats a Party Every Time</a> – Ted Rall (<i>Creators</i>, February 21, 2025).<br>
1422. <a href=https://jacobin.com/2025/03/bernie-sanders-independent-candidates-pro-worker>We Need More Independent, Working-Class Political Candidates</a> – Nick French (<i>Jacobin</i>, March 25, 2025).<br>
1423. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lMRJr_yflQ>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a> – <i>The Humanist Report</i> (March 6, 2025).<br>
1424. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/democrats-too-whimpy-to-beat-trump>Wimpy Democrats Cannot Lead This Fight Against Trump</a> – Ralph Nader (<i>Common Dreams</i>, March 24, 2025).<br>
1425. <a href=https://mynbc15.com/news/connect-to-congress/senator-bernie-sanders-pushes-progressives-to-run-as-independents-in-response-to-election-losses-politics-congress-democrats>Sanders Pushes Progressives to Run as Independents in Response to Election Losses</a> – Austin Denean (<i>NBC-15 News</i>, March 21, 2025).<br>
1426. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VosfmJ68Ms4&t=920s>Jill Stein and Kshama Sawant on the Fight the Rich Movement</a> – <i>Sabby Sabs</i> (January 26, 2025).<br>
1427. <a href=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/trump-unpopularity-democratic-ineffective-leadership>Trump Is Unpopular – and So Are the Do-Nothing Democrats</a> – Jeet Heer (<i>The Nation</i>, February 18, 2025).<br>
1428. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/democrats-angry-voters>If You’re a Democrat Annoyed by Outraged Voters, You Are Doing It Wrong</a> – Norman Solomon (<i>Common Dreams</i>, February 24, 2025).<br>
1429. <a href=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/02/democrats-missing-in-action-schumer-jeffries-trump-musk-doge>Democrats Are MIA – Just When the Country Needs Them to Counter the Trump-Musk Blitzkrieg</a> – David Corn (<i>Mother Jones</i>, February 24, 2025).<br>
1430. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/democrats-progressive-groups>Dems Reportedly Angry That Progressives Are Pushing Them to Act Like an Opposition Party</a> – Jake Johnson (<i>Common Dreams</i>, February 12, 2025).<br>
1431. <br>
1432. <br>
1433. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://jacobin.com/2025/06/harris-trump-democrats-race-reductionism>Kamala Harris Didn’t Lose Because of Racism</a> – Touré F. Reed (<i>Jacobin</i>, June 18, 2025).<br>
1434. <a href=https://jacobin.com/2025/06/no-kings-rallies-oligarchy-trump>Don’t Lose Sight of the Oligarchy</a> – Ben Burgis (<i>Jacobin</i>, June 20, 2025).<br>
1435. <br>
1436. <br>
1437. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
1438. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/protesting-is-what-patriotism-looks.html>“Protesting Is What Patriotism Looks Like in Public”: The “No Kings” Protests of June 14, 2025</a><br>
1439. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
1440. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/ted-rall-on-what-it-means-to-be-leftist.html>Ted Rall on What It Means to Be a Leftist in 2025</a><br>
1441. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/butch-ware-on-his-run-for-california.html>Butch Ware on His Run for California Governor and the Wider Goal of Disrupting the Duopoly</a><br>
1442. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/quote-of-day_14.html>Eric Fernández: Quote of the Day – May 14, 2025</a><br>
1443. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/progressive-perspectives-on-bernie.html>Progressive Perspectives on Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour</a><br>
1444. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
1445. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/an-opportunity-to-organize-political.html>An Opportunity for Organizing Against Duopoly</a><br>
1446. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/building-solidarity-on-left.html>Building Solidarity on the Left</a><br>
1447. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/it-is-our-responsibility-to-make-third.html>“It Is Our Responsibility to Make a Third Party Viable”</a><br>
1448. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-moment-is-ripe-butch-ware-on.html>“The Moment Is Ripe”: Butch Ware on Building a “True Oppositional Alternative” to the Duopoly</a><br>
1449. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/democrat-talk-on-eve-of-trumps-return.html>Democrat Talk on the Eve of Trump’s Return</a><br>
1450. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/breaking-mold-why-progressives-should.html>Breaking the Mold: Why Progressives Should Push for Marianne Williamson to Lead the DNC</a><br>
1451. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/inauguration-day-thoughts.html>Inauguration Day Thoughts</a><br>
1452. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-green-partys-jill-stein-and-butch.html>The Green Party’s Jill Stein and Butch Ware Give Their First Post-Election Interview</a><br>
1453. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/progressive-perspectives-on-where.html>Progressive Perspectives on Where Democrats Went Wrong in the 2024 Election</a><br>
1454. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-new-chapter-of-democratic-party-needs.html>“A New Chapter of the Democratic Party Needs to Begin”</a><br>
1455. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/11/what-republican-party-now-stands-for.html>What the Republican Party Now Stands For</a><br>
1456. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-lamentable-legacy-of-biden.html>The Lamentable Legacy of the Biden Administration</a><br>
1457. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/we-give-reasons-for-people-to-come-out.html>Jill Stein: “We Give Reasons for People to Come Out and Vote”</a><br>
1458. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/10/were-witnessing-liberal-meltdown-over.html>We’re Witnessing a Liberal Meltdown Over Jill Stein</a><br>
1459. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/quote-of-day_01726365798.html>Butch Ware: “You Can Actually Vote Your Conscience”</a><br>
1460. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/peter-bloom-on-unmasking-of-democratic.html>Peter Bloom on the Unmasking of the “Democratic Charade”</a><br>
1461. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-green-smoothie.html>The “Green Smoothie” Option</a><br>
1462. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/green-party-vice-presidential-candidate.html>Green Party Vice Presidential Candidate Butch Ware in Minneapolis</a><br>
1463. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/09/when-democrats-undermine-democracy.html>When Democrats Undermine Democracy</a><br>
1464. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/elise-labott-on-how-third-parties-can.html>Elise Labott on How Third Parties Can Revitalize Democracy</a><br>
1465. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/08/something-to-think-about_0796301743.html>Something to Think About – August 15, 2024</a><br>
1466. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/liberalcentristcorporatist-democrats.html>Centrist/Corporatist Democrats Have Just Launched “Left Punching” Season</a><br>
1467. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/05/americans-deserve-choices-jill-stein-on.html>“Americans Deserve Choices”: Jill Stein on <i>Breaking Points</i> – 4/30/24</a><br>
1468. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/04/aoc-falls-in-line.html>AOC Falls in Line</a><br>
1469. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/03/marianne-williamson-cassandra-of-us.html>The Cassandra of U.S. Politics on the “True State of the Union”</a><br>
1470. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/11/will-democrats-never-learn.html>Will Democrats Never Learn?</a><br>
1471. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-next-step-is-green-step-progressive.html>“The Next Step Is a Green Step”: Cornel West Endorses Jill Stein (2016)</a><br>
1472. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/02/hope-over-fear.html>Hope Over Fear: Voting Green</a><br>
1473. <br>
1474. <b>Image:</b> The <a href=>“No Kings” march and rally</a> in St. Paul, MN – Saturday, June 14, 2025. <i>(Photo: Michael J. Bayly)</i></span><br>
1475. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/6394657605097064154/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/6394657605097064154' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/6394657605097064154'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/6394657605097064154'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html' title='Quote of the Day'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJuRePVLixFcAgUK8G_kZD6Omg88jqfn4ne59KoN3IHb1ZQuhJ5gU9gaQQt8AmwQzX4W2x9TXhwjaLIswmhAW4CQtVh2a1HguyBhHY3tFZbo0h6U9WVfCjvb08lUyYbK1SuD5l-KsS5fnWYou2fz47dLbxj35w8ijcBdG2MMTFQc7e8AbGraR8A/s72-c/NoKings-StPaul-2025.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-4213636676053015349</id><published>2025-06-14T23:55:00.063-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-23T21:13:00.531-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Buffy Sainte-Marie"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Progressive Thoughts"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Signs and Wonders"/><title type='text'>“Protesting Is What Patriotism Looks Like in Public”: The “No Kings” Protests of June 14, 2025</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUGQO7UukZWjEqVzeVsSsPQ_lCwf59fOjGrApCGmO6OJjWgx8wGWVe49XFexi0-DT4iGXa38OQ9iIRT7rLPchYHGf7miwuujpMgM3vhnEKjDmyX6qSee13enKQzyi1KfXotQQzkMdVzcdoSM0WJns9jGDpSAr-DuJF8_kAYp2Cm8Kr7eJvzD9OA/s3593/IMG_5310b.JPG&quot; style=&quot;display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; &quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; data-original-height=&quot;2240&quot; data-original-width=&quot;3593&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUGQO7UukZWjEqVzeVsSsPQ_lCwf59fOjGrApCGmO6OJjWgx8wGWVe49XFexi0-DT4iGXa38OQ9iIRT7rLPchYHGf7miwuujpMgM3vhnEKjDmyX6qSee13enKQzyi1KfXotQQzkMdVzcdoSM0WJns9jGDpSAr-DuJF8_kAYp2Cm8Kr7eJvzD9OA/s400/IMG_5310b.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br&gt;
1476. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7K1QivJCa2TAOaKzqwW7yDJjNSLO5Ff0SQgPPupAjIqeeEEuHHl1_MED7ydeXO6j9rMc0yOWS7SpR5TG97P0t4TJf3MbxBx0zvMt9q7cQcAJjquuLrIBfeLXJ7xondMJerMdTRyAK6Q_MHblrFsmMcwKVVPoR2e6bbmmC1Mv-HR9wuM3-hFCWhA/s1200/IMG_5066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7K1QivJCa2TAOaKzqwW7yDJjNSLO5Ff0SQgPPupAjIqeeEEuHHl1_MED7ydeXO6j9rMc0yOWS7SpR5TG97P0t4TJf3MbxBx0zvMt9q7cQcAJjquuLrIBfeLXJ7xondMJerMdTRyAK6Q_MHblrFsmMcwKVVPoR2e6bbmmC1Mv-HR9wuM3-hFCWhA/s200/IMG_5066.JPG"/></a></div>Earlier today my friend <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/01/campaigning-for-marianne-williamson-in.html>Kate</a> and I joined approximately 80,000 others in the “<a href=https://www.nokings.org>No Kings</a>” march and rally in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was one of thousands of similar events held across the country protesting the <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like.html>increasingly fascist</a> rhetoric and actions of Donald Trump’s presidency. In fact, with an estimated 11-million people participatng in the “No Kings” day of nonviolent civil disobedience, it was the largest protest against a president in U.S. history. This number represents almost 3.5% of the population, a figure that political scientists refer to as the “<a href=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190513-it-only-takes-35-of-people-to-change-the-world>3.5% rule</a>” and one that should give us hope.<br>
1477. <br>
1478. For as the BBC <a href=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190513-it-only-takes-35-of-people-to-change-the-world>reported</a> in 2019:<br>
1479. <br>
1480. <blockquote>Erica Chenoweth, a political scientist at Harvard University, confirms that civil disobedience is not only the moral choice; it is also the most powerful way of shaping world politics – by a long way. Looking at hundreds of campaigns over the last century, Chenoweth found that nonviolent campaigns are twice as likely to achieve their goals as violent campaigns. And although the exact dynamics will depend on many factors, she has shown it takes around 3.5% of the population actively participating in the protests to ensure serious political change.</blockquote><br>
1481. <br>
1482. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJWLEcGLVckXO9GK-t2CLRInaDHnGqgtwhZ4zRwse7Mt5dWv25hLVHb80bWxf-r6jT7DOsGM6NzEqvR8X33TyEn4KRpnpu8cc8vofv7bJb5CKxpuXGug4Vodmc4MDX0GQ3JvVJIjwmcp6xYEb5jUIZIEcOExbEZAsYPhMavSdyuHYN2v860uBaA/s1250/IMG_5393b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJWLEcGLVckXO9GK-t2CLRInaDHnGqgtwhZ4zRwse7Mt5dWv25hLVHb80bWxf-r6jT7DOsGM6NzEqvR8X33TyEn4KRpnpu8cc8vofv7bJb5CKxpuXGug4Vodmc4MDX0GQ3JvVJIjwmcp6xYEb5jUIZIEcOExbEZAsYPhMavSdyuHYN2v860uBaA/s400/IMG_5393b.JPG"/></a></div><br>
1483. Yet in the midst of this hope there is also today in Minnesota horror and grief as in the early hours of the morning, Minnesota state Rep. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Hortman>Melissa Hortman</a> and her husband Mark were fatally shot at their home in Brooklyn Park by a man impersonating a police officer. Minnesota Gov. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Walz>Tim Walz</a> has called their deaths “a politically motivated assassination.” Hortman was the top Democrat in the Minnesota House and a former House speaker. Walz said another prominent Democrat, state Sen. <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hoffman_(Minnesota_politician)>John Hoffman</a>, and his wife Yvette were also shot and wounded at their home in Champlin. Officials have named 57-year-old Vance Boelter of Green Isle, Minn., as a suspect in the shootings and are asking for the public’s help in finding him. Boelter remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous.<br>
1484. <br>
1485. Because of this, the majority of “No Kings” events were cancelled across Minnesota, not only because Boelter remains at large but bcause flyers for the St. Paul event at the State Capitol were found by police in his car. Despite this, 80,000 people, including Kate and I, chose to attend the St. Paul “No Kings” march and rally. We would not let fear silence us, choosing instead to embody the words of one of the event’s speakers: “Protesting is what patriotism looks like in public.”<br>
1486. <br>
1487. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRMv8Lr-kpcvEvvdRckUtlixnoNs5DnlJtn4Do7zCHi1IBycpW8ITO5ZKpUiyQZLU-PH-Mrn_Lk1QfgNhetu5C1Mqx2x5Rb_E6jgIaBd9xKoIUD7bH2mM6inu93doLc2yt5MPIlTWAja5YTkmOBuXpVWv9JR5RemXDdZXTXJjse5mJj8g_pPwiw/s3753/IMG_5341b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="3753" data-original-width="2815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRMv8Lr-kpcvEvvdRckUtlixnoNs5DnlJtn4Do7zCHi1IBycpW8ITO5ZKpUiyQZLU-PH-Mrn_Lk1QfgNhetu5C1Mqx2x5Rb_E6jgIaBd9xKoIUD7bH2mM6inu93doLc2yt5MPIlTWAja5YTkmOBuXpVWv9JR5RemXDdZXTXJjse5mJj8g_pPwiw/s400/IMG_5341b.JPG"/></a></div><br>
1488. Last night I shared with friends on Facebook images of the two-sided sign I made for today’s “No King” event, along with the following:<br>
1489. <br>
1490. <blockquote>It’s a big day tomorrow, what with “No Kings” marches and rallies taking place in thousands of locations across the country. I’ll be attending the one in St. Paul, MN, and for the occasion I’ve made a two-sided sign, the message of which seeks to acknowledge and convey a deeper awareness of what’s being protested.<br>
1491. <br>
1492. Yes, Donald Trump has clear authoritarian tendencies and is taking actions that are undermining and dismantling the democratic and humanitarian institutions of the U.S. This needs to be highlighted, resisted, and stopped. For the vast majority of people, this will be their message tomorrow. I support this message. Yet at the same time, many of us don’t see Trump himself as the sole or even primary problem; we see him as a symptom – an undeniably extreme and terrible one – of a deeper reality which for decades has undermined and made a mockery of democracy in this country.<br>
1493. <br>
1494. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzZcXg5-MiqhGRegLzo8q4diFA81yeq4K52g5KhpOTJnidVUxI6Vn3e3So1KcvwzlTe0ridlLx_wgDeNP9ow20hUacLdeqPqamB5Ske1ZbbZVB4GOe7ZlyRQz06ERO3ySR4eIrdNis9V3A-wd-MUPhcAHe_tUKzkE5TgPuFiMqe8rUy1sjAzn1g/s538/Sign-2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" width="200" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzZcXg5-MiqhGRegLzo8q4diFA81yeq4K52g5KhpOTJnidVUxI6Vn3e3So1KcvwzlTe0ridlLx_wgDeNP9ow20hUacLdeqPqamB5Ske1ZbbZVB4GOe7ZlyRQz06ERO3ySR4eIrdNis9V3A-wd-MUPhcAHe_tUKzkE5TgPuFiMqe8rUy1sjAzn1g/s200/Sign-2.PNG"/></a></div>I’m referring to the corrupting influence of corporate money, of special profit-obsessed interests. I’m talking about the corporate capture of our political system; the rise and devastating influence of a corporate aristocracy, an oligarchy to which both major parties bow.<br>
1495.  <br>
1496. Although such subservience benefits these parties’ coffers, it has proven profoundly detrimental to the well-being of their constituents, the environment, and democracy.<br>
1497. <br>
1498. In choosing to appease their corporate donors at the expense of the needs of the people, both parties can be said to be oligarchic; both parties comprise a corporatist/oligarchic duopoly, the policies of which created the economic conditions of profound inequality that make the authoritarian populism of Trump so appealing to so many.<br>
1499. <br>
1500. The oligarchy we’re up against is every bit as anti-democratic and thus un-American as any king. Indeed, it’s sadly accurate to say that in the U.S. “money rules,” that “money is king.”<br>
1501. <br>
1502. “King” Trump could keel over tomorrow, but the kingship of the oligarchy would remain. It’s this “money is king” reality that I’ll be highlighting and protesting at the “No Kings” rally in St. Paul tomorrow. . . . I look forward to seeing many of my Minnesota friends there!</blockquote><br>
1503. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjtsmt9J-DNcIyNqTo9e88uNFGG25xy8gqf2_QDwcm6flDkFfWFNgx0ZEeB-QKXy29rzaEMKfU9AWb4ygfaJAIYfkATnkVkdmcArhkBD8KpIajkpaKiUXY6VLHFdcuXauXqMe0oSEpRKuqvj1KEO2pHmHeNlrgBwsdKQIU79DyOPX_Z00whScZw/s2909/IMG_5271b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2122" data-original-width="2909" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjtsmt9J-DNcIyNqTo9e88uNFGG25xy8gqf2_QDwcm6flDkFfWFNgx0ZEeB-QKXy29rzaEMKfU9AWb4ygfaJAIYfkATnkVkdmcArhkBD8KpIajkpaKiUXY6VLHFdcuXauXqMe0oSEpRKuqvj1KEO2pHmHeNlrgBwsdKQIU79DyOPX_Z00whScZw/s400/IMG_5271b.JPG"/></a></div><br>
1504. About the <i>other</i> side of my sign, one friend wondered if I’d get pushback from any “salty Democrats” in attendance; from the “<a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/07/marianne-williamson-vote-blue-no-matter.html>vote blue no matter who</a>” crowd (sometimes referred to as “Blue MAGA”).<br>
1505. <br>
1506. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0RXe98dxHDiyg9gII0fRZRz4EXHckKS2ZDb6HuyvoU9J-z6EThGgxPVX0H7WJ78FtSGIIiqDwSO6mUhh7F5xAkRDZiNICL2lZfZmzJSBPSdZV4Kop7mg3Z1aRBczppui1vxleh85x-UL8cTwizebQTokThjddjnucvqeJqUTUVtcn_hiOL-Q0g/s632/Sign-3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" width="200" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0RXe98dxHDiyg9gII0fRZRz4EXHckKS2ZDb6HuyvoU9J-z6EThGgxPVX0H7WJ78FtSGIIiqDwSO6mUhh7F5xAkRDZiNICL2lZfZmzJSBPSdZV4Kop7mg3Z1aRBczppui1vxleh85x-UL8cTwizebQTokThjddjnucvqeJqUTUVtcn_hiOL-Q0g/s200/Sign-3.PNG"/></a></div>I was kinda curious too. After all, the other side of my sign says: “How about next time we dump the duopoly by all agreeing to vote <a href=https://www.gp.org>Green</a>.” Yet as my concerned friend pointed out, “Whether offended or not, people gotta wake up.” As it turned out, I received no negative feedback, only the occasional knowing nod of recognition and agreement to the messages of my two-sided sign.<br>
1507. <br>
1508. At least one person who shares my perspective opted to skip altogether any “No Kings” events. <a href=https://substack.com/@dorothylennonrevolutionary>Dorothy Lennon</a>, who describes herself as a “revolutionary intellectual trying to make the world a better place,” shared the following earlier today on Facebook.<br>
1509. <br>
1510. <blockquote>Today there will be dozens of [“No Kings”] rallies organized across the nation. . . . Most of them are centered on President Trump’s flagrant violation of the constitution and his deportation of peaceful immigrants.<br>
1511. <br>
1512. I won’t be attending any of them.<br>
1513. <br>
1514. Most of these rallies are organized by organizations or people who are “vote blue no matter who” propagandists. They are a covert attempt to grow the ranks of the Democratic Party. That, and the hypocrisy of these rallies is overwhelming.<br>
1515.  <br>
1516. I didn’t see any of these rallies spring up when Barack Obama was treating the rule of law as a doormat. I didn’t see any of these rallies when both Obama and Joe Biden were deporting millions of undocumented immigrants.<br>
1517.  <br>
1518. They don’t care about the rule of law or our immigrant brothers and sisters. They care their version of fascism and xenophobia is implemented. The oligarchy isn’t afraid of these rallies. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them are financing them.</blockquote><br>
1519. <br>
1520. Lennon makes a number of valid points. Yet it felt important for me to be part of the “No Kings” movement today, and to convey the deeper message regarding the "kingship" of the oligarchy that I wanted to convey.<br>
1521. <br>
1522. Following are some photos I took at today’s “No Kings” march and rally in St. Paul, Minnesota.<br>
1523. <br>
1524. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCLANFSJkkIgh3dpc8UsEQwO7p3wT_aUvc3VBvOOzqgeHcONNsu34v6AIs1Ig7xns8ZDXntVQhMkGLyErWNtXVc3HtlOwY9JsjTlYaicAI8vJEnH4BDd04P59wLs7glf4qYjF3pi9SCh2BfaAMpiLNxt57QMc2Gb_ne8PrOB8t0vZlp9G2eWPyQ/s4032/IMG_5286.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCLANFSJkkIgh3dpc8UsEQwO7p3wT_aUvc3VBvOOzqgeHcONNsu34v6AIs1Ig7xns8ZDXntVQhMkGLyErWNtXVc3HtlOwY9JsjTlYaicAI8vJEnH4BDd04P59wLs7glf4qYjF3pi9SCh2BfaAMpiLNxt57QMc2Gb_ne8PrOB8t0vZlp9G2eWPyQ/s400/IMG_5286.JPG"/></a></div><br>
1525. <span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Above:</b></span> My friend Kate, holding the sign I originally made for the <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-movement-of-love-and-inclusion-has.html>inaugural Women’s March</a> in January 2017.<br>
1526. <br>
1527. As I <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/01/photo-of-day.html>noted</a> at the time:<br>
1528. <br>
1529. <blockquote>I had decided about a week before the march that I wanted to carry a sign that shared a positive message from an inspiring woman. I therefore decided on words of hope and encouragement from legendary singer-songwriter <a href=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/buffy-sainte-marie>Buffy Sainte-Marie</a>. They’re actually lyrics from her song “<a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9nXU_AtwSM>Getting Started</a>” (from her phenomenal 1992 album <a href=https://www.amazon.com/Coincidence-Likely-Stories-Buffy-Sainte-Marie/dp/B000008KDD><i>Coincidence and Likely Stories</i></a>). The image incorporated in my sign is one I took of Buffy when I saw her <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/09/a-music-legend-visits-north-country.html>in concert last summer</a> [2016] in Bayfield, WI.</blockquote><br>
1530. <br>
1531. Kate was more than happy to march with my sign from 8 years ago, and it was great to have Buffy be a part of today’s important and inspiring event.<br>
1532. <br>
1533. Following are some of my photos from today’s “No Kings” march and rally in St. Paul, Minnesota.<br>
1534. <br>
1535. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jGfuZoPJCoq2fKe7904ecydDLnNMgChURkEchays9WyMGQKDTrm633hN4UwsVGK6IBNa8jbr29NcxT0M3slLy6UDFQ24ceGRaqwlybMq82aPugU5sTNt7eal2SFt3wyt-StZJtlBHV28bLILtUvipBaCyjuWEKgYXWlWfZZUd47lOvz8wiDjbw/s3563/IMG_5278b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="3563" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jGfuZoPJCoq2fKe7904ecydDLnNMgChURkEchays9WyMGQKDTrm633hN4UwsVGK6IBNa8jbr29NcxT0M3slLy6UDFQ24ceGRaqwlybMq82aPugU5sTNt7eal2SFt3wyt-StZJtlBHV28bLILtUvipBaCyjuWEKgYXWlWfZZUd47lOvz8wiDjbw/s400/IMG_5278b.JPG"/></a></div>
1536. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhYtmLbkYIGz2OV3tE-X7LAMJnFDsif0bdB3O6_ys8UGJ36eN3S_Dzh-kcYACJDyedSkeZiFOFyAJU7SQ2iWS_SuBPJd2K_zkgB834SaONYEcDvC-t6Zq_UtCAQoWAZVOuneI4ytRRCO2KfEjDTSC8agbvd5c5ZHUvZ8B97NlJvyQAU54FEQ05g/s4032/IMG_5284.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhYtmLbkYIGz2OV3tE-X7LAMJnFDsif0bdB3O6_ys8UGJ36eN3S_Dzh-kcYACJDyedSkeZiFOFyAJU7SQ2iWS_SuBPJd2K_zkgB834SaONYEcDvC-t6Zq_UtCAQoWAZVOuneI4ytRRCO2KfEjDTSC8agbvd5c5ZHUvZ8B97NlJvyQAU54FEQ05g/s400/IMG_5284.JPG"/></a></div>
1537. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCgxS_cpNb9FffRLignLbI1mvN6UVnfGcsKi2jCrOv53NEghvdGgKwVEw182EpeppxNO_gt08XpwgQR8Aa7D6zBh9fBjYczKXgX5vgCOQlwqGQNhmKNKG1yVpVVs-OT8J7KI9-m7Zeqb51u3KZxkIX5pK_gYoIZudIHAz2KJc8VWpIPkDf4gpyQ/s4032/IMG_5280b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCgxS_cpNb9FffRLignLbI1mvN6UVnfGcsKi2jCrOv53NEghvdGgKwVEw182EpeppxNO_gt08XpwgQR8Aa7D6zBh9fBjYczKXgX5vgCOQlwqGQNhmKNKG1yVpVVs-OT8J7KI9-m7Zeqb51u3KZxkIX5pK_gYoIZudIHAz2KJc8VWpIPkDf4gpyQ/s400/IMG_5280b.JPG"/></a></div>
1538. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGoYH1LDl9s7Vn-dkrBDkBMFE1E16MOS8azcPzt5GEsWsk6YemmWHjbdBWEhFdJcplaDM6xY9zA5G1zI_307Bt-bjFbKQTdRgxyvmws02bOtublDOVPm4XUJXkUkCOQ6j3BE46Sb6slcY6sIMMOjulHm82Y_Bq8nm26gv-_SJ84XtLgQKiszk2w/s1735/IMG_5293b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="1371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGoYH1LDl9s7Vn-dkrBDkBMFE1E16MOS8azcPzt5GEsWsk6YemmWHjbdBWEhFdJcplaDM6xY9zA5G1zI_307Bt-bjFbKQTdRgxyvmws02bOtublDOVPm4XUJXkUkCOQ6j3BE46Sb6slcY6sIMMOjulHm82Y_Bq8nm26gv-_SJ84XtLgQKiszk2w/s400/IMG_5293b.JPG"/></a></div>
1539. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgozmVts40N55Sq7R7Xl5J8OZEkOIhbHdBww8hLFNjK1qKkoAPWfxM921IcvEyIAA79wBIvMgHGOJrdCDLNc_oqYQX2tcNj8Gl8dbZtDw39H5itaFjb2QGFi879jD5dd2FVUWMXop2gc7OoCjgVZxguOcnV8W7bMox8iAC99OSbMFVhpizdkinQ/s4032/IMG_5305.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgozmVts40N55Sq7R7Xl5J8OZEkOIhbHdBww8hLFNjK1qKkoAPWfxM921IcvEyIAA79wBIvMgHGOJrdCDLNc_oqYQX2tcNj8Gl8dbZtDw39H5itaFjb2QGFi879jD5dd2FVUWMXop2gc7OoCjgVZxguOcnV8W7bMox8iAC99OSbMFVhpizdkinQ/s400/IMG_5305.JPG"/></a></div>
1540. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iiC2ieWLmrPTqN_TQfQyBwEwvRG4jvMgafacU9D6fG-Iii7KZacMms-uWAwWBrr88xV1ny6cZfJ8LDlmtr0eVSPPovMqYq6jGCw941Fl4DkWvNwfxGbAMKiq_905L2NfXYNO7hMcWFiOAQMcUp6mBtvM3ySY0FDJ3_OytWKaV948m7DszciscQ/s2980/IMG_5331b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2980" data-original-width="2078" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iiC2ieWLmrPTqN_TQfQyBwEwvRG4jvMgafacU9D6fG-Iii7KZacMms-uWAwWBrr88xV1ny6cZfJ8LDlmtr0eVSPPovMqYq6jGCw941Fl4DkWvNwfxGbAMKiq_905L2NfXYNO7hMcWFiOAQMcUp6mBtvM3ySY0FDJ3_OytWKaV948m7DszciscQ/s400/IMG_5331b.JPG"/></a></div>
1541. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98C94jME_JMuMvUKXyw1cZJ_vQNWMOg0ZGiCcJpk4QefhJgm7oTaagviv5nklw14gxFXOgc8twR-FlwJIwDBwztPsNVzr6jkXV8JJl_TLBQOLJExv8wpjAeLZx_5C7MoYu9QkGImhAd_J_DnKLOPR8LFcroM0c9SeL9FdZu_sAsHB0vgG5ZcqGQ/s2310/IMG_5314b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="2310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98C94jME_JMuMvUKXyw1cZJ_vQNWMOg0ZGiCcJpk4QefhJgm7oTaagviv5nklw14gxFXOgc8twR-FlwJIwDBwztPsNVzr6jkXV8JJl_TLBQOLJExv8wpjAeLZx_5C7MoYu9QkGImhAd_J_DnKLOPR8LFcroM0c9SeL9FdZu_sAsHB0vgG5ZcqGQ/s400/IMG_5314b.JPG"/></a></div>
1542. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNnR7gVix23d9uBRKhyphenhyphenxBD1TohZMVrcQKU74gmHp5jT06A63hljg1IP3urxLlEOStg9xZflV3cKB5n6J56F_xemZp8WW4NfcIydXVt8Idlaq6qnFNPT4D-NsWqW0NDy4bJ7C21FrOHeW7dJIqSJR58fXIWV77rlT20cXA2n972ukr4fHPnMTLSg/s4032/IMG_5277b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNnR7gVix23d9uBRKhyphenhyphenxBD1TohZMVrcQKU74gmHp5jT06A63hljg1IP3urxLlEOStg9xZflV3cKB5n6J56F_xemZp8WW4NfcIydXVt8Idlaq6qnFNPT4D-NsWqW0NDy4bJ7C21FrOHeW7dJIqSJR58fXIWV77rlT20cXA2n972ukr4fHPnMTLSg/s400/IMG_5277b.JPG"/></a></div>
1543. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwiyT0PeThyphenhyphen4RIRi4Ma01U4JzCSYzIIudD9-ipskDFanuej7MuZx45TWiPSdp7wFqylW4B28XtMber6ToxIo1kMasPbt8i70bIauj_CJ2KUV69My6Pw2NqV6mWrSUp4EiawZELAwqCjAzVq3qiynjAYQVOYIHl-mhhAGxovqZgYe0G2NiFr3tSWw/s2799/IMG_5339b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2190" data-original-width="2799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwiyT0PeThyphenhyphen4RIRi4Ma01U4JzCSYzIIudD9-ipskDFanuej7MuZx45TWiPSdp7wFqylW4B28XtMber6ToxIo1kMasPbt8i70bIauj_CJ2KUV69My6Pw2NqV6mWrSUp4EiawZELAwqCjAzVq3qiynjAYQVOYIHl-mhhAGxovqZgYe0G2NiFr3tSWw/s400/IMG_5339b.JPG"/></a></div>
1544. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLldYPh0vlddKDhFAaDeb-5IKOoOnmpOfEHp8SwezHVYosRtKCYPHcLLeAAP6vFyOvA5rAG-t5XL1yav0QCf9D_2PhANCxOR8n-M_JtdiI38iDLo1CK4kVsUJiO00ps2s7lKCr3aJpQMkIVm578NDNnhj4dEdw65fwsZb8T5z_IMrdyPLsdTHhw/s2612/IMG_5332b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2612" data-original-width="1986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLldYPh0vlddKDhFAaDeb-5IKOoOnmpOfEHp8SwezHVYosRtKCYPHcLLeAAP6vFyOvA5rAG-t5XL1yav0QCf9D_2PhANCxOR8n-M_JtdiI38iDLo1CK4kVsUJiO00ps2s7lKCr3aJpQMkIVm578NDNnhj4dEdw65fwsZb8T5z_IMrdyPLsdTHhw/s400/IMG_5332b.JPG"/></a></div>
1545. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEM9w1qLiQcdFeRoUjjm7Ja1E565iEuUWvLKqKgH29Pc4zrmI-6zF1713T_qXlZg1AjZn7iYLSdsItsZZtVrazwfcS2cG9hkQTk-IDw9xfXz_yGzkVPOtyY_uibRm3BF1V3f_5nQ3VwlsDWnBc4keMmMUtT2d3-RAdGWuAtLE_wSZJVvElacdDWw/s2193/IMG_5345b.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2193" data-original-width="1715" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEM9w1qLiQcdFeRoUjjm7Ja1E565iEuUWvLKqKgH29Pc4zrmI-6zF1713T_qXlZg1AjZn7iYLSdsItsZZtVrazwfcS2cG9hkQTk-IDw9xfXz_yGzkVPOtyY_uibRm3BF1V3f_5nQ3VwlsDWnBc4keMmMUtT2d3-RAdGWuAtLE_wSZJVvElacdDWw/s400/IMG_5345b.JPG"/></a></div><br />
1546. <br>
1547. <center><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>NEXT:</b><br>
1548. </span><a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_16.html>Norman Solomon – Quote of the Day</a></center><br>
1549. <br>
1550. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
1551. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/millions-rise-up-to-say-in-unison-no-kings-no-dictator>Millions Rise Up to Say in Unison: “No Kings!” “No Dictator!”</a> – <i>Common Dreams</i> (June 14, 2025).<br>
1552. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/democratic-state-rep-assassinated-in-minnesota>Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman Assassinated in Minnesota</a> – <i>Common Dreams</i> (June 14, 2025).<br>
1553. <a href=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/06/14/melissa-hortman-killed-minnesota-dlf-leader-remembered>Melissa Hortman Remembered as “Shining Light,” Consensus Builder</a> – Tom Scheck and Clay Masters (<i>MPR News</i> (June 14, 2025).<br>
1554. <a href=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/06/14/warnings-state-officials-following-shootings-no-kings-rallies-minnesota>Amid Warnings from State Officials Following Shootings, Crowds Show Up for “No Kings” Rallies in Minnesota</a> – <i>MPR News</i> (June 14, 2025).<br>
1555. <br>
1556. <br>
1557. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://www.transformarticles.com/p/what-a-weekend>What a Weekend</a> – Marianne Williamson (<i>Transform</i>, June 15, 2025).<br>
1558. <a href=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/06/15/manhunt-vance-boelter-suspect-shootings-minnesota-lawmakers-melissa-hortman-john-hoffman>Vance Boelter Captured, Charged in Shootings of Minnesota Lawmakers</a> – <i>MPR News</i> (June 15, 2025).<br>
1559. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/16/no_kings>No Kings: Millions Across U.S. Protest Trump’s Power Grab, Overshadowing His Military Parade</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 16, 2025).<br>
1560. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/16/minnesota>“An Outstanding Leader”: Minnesota Mourns Assassinated Lawmaker Melissa Hortman as Suspect Is Arrested</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 16, 2025).<br>
1561. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/no-kings-day-was-historic-now-we-need-a-powerful-and-independent-movement-against-trump>“No Kings Day” Was Historic. Now We Need a Powerful – and Independent – Movement Against Trump</a> – Norman Solomon (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 16, 2025).<br>
1562. <a href=https://jacobin.com/2025/06/no-kings-protests-trump-popularity>“No Kings” Was a Rebellion in Trump Country</a> – Branko Marcetic (<i>Jacobin</i>, June 16, 2025).<br>
1563. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/17/minnesota_vance_boelter_charges>“We Loved Her”: MN Attorney General Keith Ellison Mourns His Friend Melissa Hortman, Slams Republican Rhetoric</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 17, 2025).<br>
1564. <a href=https://jacobin.com/2025/06/no-kings-rallies-oligarchy-trump>Don’t Lose Sight of the Oligarchy</a> – Ben Burgis (<i>Jacobin</i>, June 20, 2025).<br>
1565. <br>
1566. <br>  
1567. <b>See also the following chronologically-ordered <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />  
1568. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/marisa-kabas-were-witnessing-coup-by.html>Marisa Kabas: “We’re Witnessing a Coup By an Unelected Billionaire Propped Up By a Felonious President”</a><br>
1569. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/protesting-trumps-dystopian-immigration.html>Protesting Trump’s “Dystopian” Immigration Policies</a><br>
1570. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/timothy-snyder-on-resisting-oligarchs.html>Timothy Snyder on Resisting the Oligarchs’ “Logic of Destruction”</a><br>
1571. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/this-is-essentially-viktor-orbans.html>“This Is Essentially Viktor Orbán’s Playbook”</a><br>
1572. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/an-extremely-clever-ruse-by-and-for.html>“An Extremely Clever Ruse” by and for the Rich: Owen Jones on Elon Musk’s Coup</a><br>
1573. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/to-be-rib-in-this-body-of-our-country.html>“To Be a Rib in This Body of Our Country”</a><br>
1574. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/quote-of-day.html>Quote of the Day – February 21, 2025</a><br>
1575. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/ralph-nader-were-heading-into-most.html>Ralph Nader: “We’re Heading Into the Most Serious Crisis in American History. There’s No Comparison”</a><br>
1576. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
1577. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/this-is-how-democracy-unravels.html>“This Is How Democracy Unravels”</a><br>
1578. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/jason-stanley-on-how-fascism-works.html>Jason Stanley on How Fascism Works</a><br>
1579. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/james-greenberg-on-road-trump-is.html>James Greenberg on Trumpism: “The Tactics Are Unmistakable”</a><br>
1580. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/tony-pentimalli-on-trumps-death-warrant.html>Tony Pentimalli on Trump’s “Death Warrant for Democracy”</a><br>
1581. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-reckoning-is-here.html>The Reckoning Is Coming</a><br>
1582. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like.html>“This Is What Fascism Looks Like”</a><br>
1583. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a><br>
1584. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/brent-molnar-on-silence-of-generals.html>Brent Molnar on the Silence of the Generals</a><br>
1585. <br>
1586. <br>
1587. <b>See also:</b><br>
1588. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-moment-is-ripe-butch-ware-on.html>“The Moment Is Ripe”: Butch Ware on Building a “True Oppositional Alternative” to the Duopoly</a><br>
1589. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/it-is-our-responsibility-to-make-third.html>“It Is Our Responsibility to Make a Third Party Viable”</a><br>
1590. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/building-solidarity-on-left.html>Building Solidarity on the Left</a><br>
1591. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/progressive-perspectives-on-bernie.html>Progressive Perspectives on Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour</a><br>
1592. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-only-difference.html>The Only Difference</a><br>
1593. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/an-opportunity-to-organize-political.html>An Opportunity for Organizing Against Duopoly
1594. </a><br>
1595. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/andor-s-depiction-of-rise-of-fascism.html><i>Andor</i>’s Depiction of the Rise of Fascism: Not Predictive But Reflective</a><br>
1596. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/butch-ware-on-his-run-for-california.html>Butch Ware on His Run for California Governor and the Wider Goal of Disrupting the Duopoly</a><br>
1597. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/ted-rall-on-what-it-means-to-be-leftist.html>Ted Rall on What It Means to Be a Leftist in 2025</a></span><br>
1598. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/4213636676053015349/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/4213636676053015349' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/4213636676053015349'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/4213636676053015349'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/protesting-is-what-patriotism-looks.html' title='“Protesting Is What Patriotism Looks Like in Public”: The “No Kings” Protests of June 14, 2025'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUGQO7UukZWjEqVzeVsSsPQ_lCwf59fOjGrApCGmO6OJjWgx8wGWVe49XFexi0-DT4iGXa38OQ9iIRT7rLPchYHGf7miwuujpMgM3vhnEKjDmyX6qSee13enKQzyi1KfXotQQzkMdVzcdoSM0WJns9jGDpSAr-DuJF8_kAYp2Cm8Kr7eJvzD9OA/s72-c/IMG_5310b.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-7785630149247482518</id><published>2025-06-12T16:44:00.011-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-23T21:18:21.208-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Music"/><title type='text'>Remembering the “Out, Proud and Vivid” Sylvester</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HF0prfA_v7JIaOWFMcMNPClnZ7EABvuO1n1Hz0XzDf2SnP492XawD29RKACcDQ3amoAeoEEpGLLdBbUS58GDLhZ9uSfZM0ba8qjHwacHThV4-qMeGPGrQbtWPQwCrQdX-duabsncodtlnDIz93s8RoH3ibgJL4CL9co60HqeK9-7Ez74-6hxsQ/s819/Sylvester-1.jpg&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;819&quot; data-original-width=&quot;731&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HF0prfA_v7JIaOWFMcMNPClnZ7EABvuO1n1Hz0XzDf2SnP492XawD29RKACcDQ3amoAeoEEpGLLdBbUS58GDLhZ9uSfZM0ba8qjHwacHThV4-qMeGPGrQbtWPQwCrQdX-duabsncodtlnDIz93s8RoH3ibgJL4CL9co60HqeK9-7Ez74-6hxsQ/s200/Sylvester-1.jpg&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;i&gt;The Wild Reed&lt;/i&gt;’s &lt;a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/what-bible-really-says-about-gender.html&gt;2025 Queer Appreciation series&lt;/a&gt; continues with a remembrance of groundbreaking queer singer &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvester_(singer)&gt;Sylvester&lt;/a&gt; (1947-1988).&lt;br&gt;
1599. <br><center>_____________</center><br>
1600. <blockquote><span style="font-size: x-large;">“S</span>ylvester defied all labeling,” said longtime gay activist <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleve_Jones>Cleve Jones</a>. “He was nonetheless an out, proud and vivid gay person.”<br>
1601. <br>
1602. Listening to Sylvester’s recordings makes it easy to see why his music was so popular with gay and straight audiences alike. His voice, a powerful falsetto, was filled with raw emotion. When Sylvester sang, he transcended the disco genre. He could have sung anything – in his early days he attracted attention for his stunning vocal stylings on cover performances taken from the songbooks of jazz greats <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holiday>Billie Holiday</a> and <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_James>Etta James</a>, among others.<br>
1603. <br>
1604. In the 1970s, long before being gay was broadly acceptable in mainstream American society, Sylvester was a pop/disco superstar who came to national prominence. In gay culture of that era, disco hits like “<a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD6cPE2BHic>You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)</a>” and “<a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmg7sUwi7WM>Dance (Disco Heat)</a>” were anthems.<br>
1605.  <br>
1606. Born Sylvester James Jr. in 1947 in Los Angeles, Sylvester created music that underscored the joy many felt for their newly found freedoms, at least in this city. Along with <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Milk>Harvey Milk</a>, the first openly gay elected official in the country, he helped make the Castro a beacon of hope.</blockquote><br>
1607. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– <i>Steve Arnold</i></b></div><br>
1608. <center>_________________</center><br>
1609. <br>
1610. Following is Lauren Tabak and Barry Walters’ 2020 mini-documentary on the “brave and bold” Sylvester. <i>Enjoy!</i><br>
1611. <br>
1612. <br>
1613. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o3q-cKZX2Og?si=_dB6olMV3_oBBgYg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
1614. <br>
1615. <br>
1616. <center><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>NEXT:</b><br>
1617. </span><a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/exploring-meaning-and-history-of-two.html>Exploring the Meaning and History of “Two-Spirit”</a></center><br>
1618. <br>
1619. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />
1620. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/05/remembering-little-richard-1932-2020.html>Remembering Little Richard, 1932-2020</a><br>
1621. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/07/creative-outsider-determined-innovator.html>“Creative Outsider, Determined Innovator”: Remembering Berto Pasuka</a><br>
1622. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/06/dusty-springfield-queer-icon.html>Dusty Springfield: Queer Icon</a><br>
1623. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/06/remembering-dusty-springfields-daring.html>Remembering Dusty Springfield’s “Daring” 1979 Gay-Affirming Song</a><br>
1624. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/04/remembering-prince-fabulous-freak.html>Remembering Prince, “Fabulous Freak, Defiant Outsider, Dark Dandy” – 1958-2016</a><br>
1625. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2016/01/david-bowie-queer-messiah.html>David Bowie: Queer Messiah</a><br>
1626. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2024/06/durrand-bernarr-genre-bending-talent.html>Durrand Bernarr, “a Genre-Bending Talent”</a><br>
1627. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/08/dyllon-burnside-for-me-term-queer-just.html>Dyllón Burnside: “For Me, the Term Queer Just Opens Up Space”</a><br>
1628. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/07/lil-nas-x-latest-face-of-pops-gay.html>Lil Nas X, the Latest Face of Pop’s Gay Sexual Revolution</a><br>
1629. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/07/in-historic-first-country-musics.html>In a Historic First, Country Music’s Latest Star Is a Queer Black Man</a><br>
1630. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/02/nakhane-toures-tortured-journey-to.html>Nakhane Touré’s “Tortured Journey to Clarity”</a><br>
1631. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/01/nakhanes-hymn-to-freedom.html>Nakhane’s Hymn to Freedom</a><br>
1632. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/03/rahsaan-patterson.html>Rahsaan Patterson: Standing Within His True Light</a><br>
1633. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2013/02/ocean-trip.html>Ocean Trip</a><br>
1634. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/06/it-shouldnt-matter-except-it-does.html>Adam Lamert Comes Out: It Shouldn’t Matter. Except it Does</a><br>
1635. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/07/sam-sparro.html>Sam Sparro</a><br>
1636. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/08/play-it-again-sam.html>Play It Again, Sam</a><br>
1637. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2007/07/rules-and-regulations-rufus-style.html>Rules and Regulations – Rufus Style</a><br>
1638. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2008/02/darren-hayes-coming-out-and-time-travel.html>Darren Hayes, Coming Out . . . Oh, and Time Travel</a><br>
1639. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2011/08/latest-from-darren-hayes.html>The Latest from Darren Hayes</a><br>
1640. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/10/remembering-stephen-gately-gay-pop.html>Remembering Stephen Gately, Gay Pop Pioneer</a><br>
1641. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2009/10/no-matter-what.html>No Matter What</a></span><br>
1642. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/7785630149247482518/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/7785630149247482518' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/7785630149247482518'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/7785630149247482518'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/remembering-out-proud-and-vivid.html' title='Remembering the “Out, Proud and Vivid” Sylvester'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HF0prfA_v7JIaOWFMcMNPClnZ7EABvuO1n1Hz0XzDf2SnP492XawD29RKACcDQ3amoAeoEEpGLLdBbUS58GDLhZ9uSfZM0ba8qjHwacHThV4-qMeGPGrQbtWPQwCrQdX-duabsncodtlnDIz93s8RoH3ibgJL4CL9co60HqeK9-7Ez74-6hxsQ/s72-c/Sylvester-1.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-380179235074290525</id><published>2025-06-11T14:10:00.008-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-13T12:54:04.152-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><title type='text'>Brent Molnar on the Silence of the Generals</title><content type='html'>&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s600/IMG_3985b.JPG&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;530&quot; data-original-width=&quot;600&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s200/IMG_3985b.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: x-large;&quot;&gt;F&lt;/span&gt;ort Bragg, June 10, 2025: &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Greenwood&gt;Lee Greenwood&lt;/a&gt; blares, Marines snap selfies, and the commander-in-chief lumbers onstage to trash California, mock the press, and pledge to re-rename Army bases after &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_of_America&gt;Confederate&lt;/a&gt; traitors. The soldiers behind him cheer on cue, their top brass staring straight ahead like mannequins in dress blues – an honor guard for revisionist history.&lt;br&gt;
1643. <br>
1644. Trump’s first target is the Fourth Estate. He points to the press pen, sneers “fake news,” and the crowd obligingly boos. In uniform, on federal property, active-duty troops are coaxed into partisan theater – exactly what George Washington warned against when he said the military must remain above faction. The generals? Silent, medals glittering.<br>
1645. <br>
1646. Then comes the resurrection of <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Lee>Robert E. Lee</a>. Trump vows to “restore proud Southern names” to bases Congress stripped in 2023. The line detonates applause from the bleachers – and not a single star-studded shoulder shrugs in protest. Evidently, the Army’s new HOO-ah is a nostalgic rebel yell.<br>
1647. <br>
1648. He pivots to immigration doom-scrolling, calling foreign asylum-seekers “animals,” Europe a “chaos lab,” and 2024 “the election of a president who loves you” – as if he isn’t already serving term two. Soldiers laugh, reporters wince, and brass polishes their silence into a mirror.<br>
1649. <br>
1650. Next, the California beat-down: Los Angeles is “a trash heap,” its governor “an incompetent fool,” its mayor “a socialist menace.” Trump promises to “liberate L.A.” the way he “won” World War I – never mind he just mangled the alliances onstage like a high-schooler who skipped history class. Cheers again. Commanders again mute.<br>
1651. <br>
1652. Flag talk follows: anyone who burns Old Glory should face one year minimum behind bars. The troops roar. But the oath they swore – to defend the Constitution – protects flag burners, too. Apparently authoritarian applause now outranks the First Amendment in the chain of command.<br>
1653. <br>
1654.  He rebrands <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_the_Nation><i>Face the Nation</i></a> as <i>Deface the Nation</i>, because in grievance-culture grammar, every institution begging for accountability is graffiti on his gilded image. The brass? Busy practicing statuesque restraint – eyes front, mouths shut.<br>
1655. <br>
1656. To cap the spectacle, he recounts a purely imaginary victory in L.A.: protesters “with bricks and hammers” crushed by “unstoppable, overwhelming force.” Reality check: the only bricks were in his rhetorical wall. But why fact-check when uniformed validation is cheaper than ammo?<br>
1657. <br>
1658. Offstage, California’s $3.9-trillion economy – fourth largest on Earth – keeps the nation’s lights on, subsidizing red-state coffers Trump claims to champion. If California’s “trash heap” vanished tomorrow, Fort Bragg would be raffling Humvees on eBay. Funny how fiscal dependency never makes the teleprompter.<br>
1659. <br>
1660. The louder Trump barks, the quieter his generals become. Their silence isn’t professionalism; it’s complicity. When the commander orders cheers for treason and mockery for the Constitution, every unchallenged syllable erodes the very oath draped across their ribbons. Speak up, generals – or history will note you stood at attention while the Republic was heckled into the ground.</blockquote><br>
1661. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– Brent Molnar</b><br>
1662. <span style="font-size: 85%;">via <a href=https://substack.com/@brentmolnar><i>Brent Molnar: Voice of Reason</i></a><br>
1663. June 11, 2025</span></div><br>
1664. <br />
1665. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
1666. <a href=https://hartmannreport.com/p/trump-is-normalizing-the-unthinkable-f4a>Trump Is Normalizing the Unthinkable: Federal Troops in American Streets, Breaking the Law – and Getting Away With It</a> – Thom Hartmann (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 9, 2025).<br>
1667. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/9/trump_presidential_powers_national_guard>“Absolutely Unprecedented”: Trump Deploys National Guard to L.A. and Hegseth Threatens to Send in Marines</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 9, 2025).<br>
1668. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/9/los_angeles_protests_immigration_ice_raids>L.A. Under Siege: Trump Sends in National Guard as Protests Continue Over Militarized ICE Raids</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 9, 2025).<br>
1669. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-national-guard-los-angeles>With Tanks Heading to D.C., Call by “Dictator” Trump to “Bring in the Troops” Spurs Fear of Wider Repression</a> – Jake Johnson (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 9, 2025).<br>
1670. <a href=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/los-angeles-police-order-immigration-protesters-downtown-go-home-2025-06-09>U.S. Military Deploys Marines to Los Angeles as Trump Backs Arrest of California Governor</a> – Jane Ross and Idrees Ali (Reuters, June 9, 2025).<br>
1671. <a href=https://jacobin.com/2025/06/la-immigration-raids-protests-trump>Donald Trump Manufactured the Crisis in Los Angeles</a> – Meagan Day (<i>Jacobin</i>, June 9, 2025).<br>
1672. <a href=https://www.meditationsinanemergency.com/some-notes-on-the-city-of-angels-and-the-nature-of-violence>Some Notes on the City of Angels and the Nature of Violence</a> – Rebecca Solnit (<i>Meditations in an Emergency</i>, June 9, 2025).<br>
1673. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/no-kings-trump-national-guard-los-angeles>1,800+ “No Kings” Rallies Planned Across U.S. as Trump Deploys Military to Crush Protests</a> – Eloise Goldsmith (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 9, 2025).<br>
1674. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/the-l-a-awakening-repression-resistance-and-the-possibility-of-radical-democratic-renewal>The L.A. Awakening: Repression, Resistance, and the Possibility of Radical Democratic Renewal</a> – Peter Bloom (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 10, 2025).<br>
1675. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/los-angeles-protesters>“A Grave Escalation”: Leaked Letter Shows Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Requested Military Arrests at L.A. Protests</a> – Julia Conley (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 10, 2025).<br>
1676. <a href=https://jamesbgreenberg.substack.com/p/from-protest-to-pretext-trump-troops>From Protest to Pretext: Trump, Troops, and the Illusion of Crisis</a> – James B. Greenberg (<i>James’s Substack</i>, June 10, 2025).<br>
1677. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/11/immigration>From Travel Ban to Troops in Streets, Advocates Blast Trump’s Targeting of Immigrant Communities</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 11, 2025).<br>
1678. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFPmQlfEW6M>Trumps Preps Insurrection Act as Protests Go Nationwide</a> – <i>Breaking Points</i> (June 11, 2025).<br>
1679. <br>
1680. <br>
1681. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/12/los-angeles-national-guard-troops-marines-morale>Troops and Marines Deeply Troubled by L.A. Deployment: “Morale is Not Great”</a> – Andrew Gumbel (<i>The Guardian</i>, June 12, 2025).<br>
1682. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/13/ilhan_omar_trump_ice_authoritarianism>“We Are in the Midst of the Creation of a Police State”: Rep. Ilhan Omar on Trump’s Authoritarianism</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 13, 2025).<br>
1683. <br>
1684. <br>
1685. <b>See also the following chronologically-ordered <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br />  
1686. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/marisa-kabas-were-witnessing-coup-by.html>Marisa Kabas: “We’re Witnessing a Coup By an Unelected Billionaire Propped Up By a Felonious President”</a><br>
1687. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/timothy-snyder-on-resisting-oligarchs.html>Timothy Snyder on Resisting the Oligarchs’ “Logic of Destruction”</a><br>
1688. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/this-is-essentially-viktor-orbans.html>“This Is Essentially Viktor Orbán’s Playbook”</a><br>
1689. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/an-extremely-clever-ruse-by-and-for.html>“An Extremely Clever Ruse” by and for the Rich: Owen Jones on Elon Musk’s Coup</a><br>
1690. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/to-be-rib-in-this-body-of-our-country.html>“To Be a Rib in This Body of Our Country”</a><br>
1691. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/quote-of-day.html>Quote of the Day – February 21, 2025</a><br>
1692. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/ralph-nader-were-heading-into-most.html>Ralph Nader: “We’re Heading Into the Most Serious Crisis in American History. There’s No Comparison”</a><br>
1693. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
1694. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/this-is-how-democracy-unravels.html>“This Is How Democracy Unravels”</a><br>
1695. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/jason-stanley-on-how-fascism-works.html>Jason Stanley on How Fascism Works</a><br>
1696. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/james-greenberg-on-road-trump-is.html>James Greenberg on Trumpism: “The Tactics Are Unmistakable”</a><br>
1697. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/tony-pentimalli-on-trumps-death-warrant.html>Tony Pentimalli on Trump’s “Death Warrant for Democracy”</a><br>
1698. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like.html>“This Is What Fascism Looks Like”</a><br>
1699. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html>Peter Bloom: Quote of the Day – June 10, 2025</a></span><br>
1700. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/380179235074290525/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/380179235074290525' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/380179235074290525'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/380179235074290525'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/brent-molnar-on-silence-of-generals.html' title='Brent Molnar on the Silence of the Generals'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s72-c/IMG_3985b.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-6891031645286584557</id><published>2025-06-11T07:00:00.009-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-12T10:25:34.806-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Interfaith Chaplaincy"/><title type='text'>A Common Misconception About Palliative Care</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7Q4WZO_GcCZ9FVXwtzcmfOX-pc37rRgdCgLMVqq-ptoEVIjaWl3QY4wlwR897WsdOIKnKUFR65XLl67ylF-aIt7pbjFwd23Ud1JxDjJrTu04R3yBTP0yH22TBAlqLuzk69AMnOqDKWuS2ka9DAsyN8SEd_OQo9M4viAPAv1qhYxp4U-j9jhyphenhyphennA/s581/Portrait-June2025.PNG&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;581&quot; data-original-width=&quot;509&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7Q4WZO_GcCZ9FVXwtzcmfOX-pc37rRgdCgLMVqq-ptoEVIjaWl3QY4wlwR897WsdOIKnKUFR65XLl67ylF-aIt7pbjFwd23Ud1JxDjJrTu04R3yBTP0yH22TBAlqLuzk69AMnOqDKWuS2ka9DAsyN8SEd_OQo9M4viAPAv1qhYxp4U-j9jhyphenhyphennA/s200/Portrait-June2025.PNG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;As regular readers of &lt;i&gt;The Wild Reed&lt;/i&gt; would know, since &lt;a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/12/out-and-about-autumn-2018.html&gt;September 2018&lt;/a&gt; I’ve worked as an &lt;a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/03/interfaith-chaplaincy-meeting-people.html&gt;interfaith chaplain&lt;/a&gt; (or spiritual health provider) with the &lt;a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/10/world-hospice-and-palliative-care-day.html&gt;palliative care&lt;/a&gt; team of a hospital in the north-west metro of the Twin Cities of St. Paul/Minneapolis.&lt;br&gt;
1701. <br>
1702. A common misconception about palliative care is that it is only for those who are close to death. Going through some old papers and magazines the other night, I came across an article I saved from the April 2022 issue of my local <a href=https://www.tpt.org>TPT/PBS</a> magazine. Known primarily for its TV guide, promotional pieces on its programming, and ads from its sponsers, the TPT/PBS magazine also has one or two stories of interest in each issue. One of these stories in the April 2022 issue focused on palliative care, which of course caught my attention, especially as it addressed the aforementioned common misconception.<br>
1703. <br>
1704. I’ll let Nora Macaluso, the author of this article, take it from here.<br>
1705. <br>
1706. <div style="text-align: center;">_____________________</div><br />
1707.  <br>
1708. <blockquote><center><span style="font-size: large;">Palliative Care is Not Just for the Dying</span><br>
1709. <br>
1710. <b>By Nora Macaluso</b></center><br>
1711. <span style="font-size: x-large;">P</span>alliative care can provide relief to people with severe, but not necessarily life-ending, health conditions. But often patients – and their doctors – don’t realize they can take advantage of a team-based treatment approach that includes doctors, nurse practitioners, social workers, chaplains, and community support.<br>
1712. <br>
1713. “The big misconception about palliative care in general is that you need to be dying to get it,” said Dr. <a href=https://www.capc.org/about/faculty-advisors/andrew-e-esch>Andrew Esch</a>, a palliative care specialist for the <a href=https://www.capc.org>Center to Advance Palliative Care</a> in Tampla, Florida.<br>
1714. <br>
1715. The pandemic has helped counter that view as physicians see the benefits to people living with COVID-19 and their families. A palliative care team aims to take a holistic view of the patient’s world rather than focusing solely on treating the primary condition.<br>
1716. <br>
1717. Dr. <a href=https://faithhospicecare.org/news/honoring-the-life-legacy-of-dr-john-mulder>John Mulder</a>, of Spring Lake, Michigan, executive director pf palliative care training center <a href=https://trilliuminstitute.org>Trillium Institute</a>, uses “life-defining” or “life-altering” to identify conditions that might benefit from palliative care.<br>
1718. <br>
1719. “Many, many individuals as they navigate their lives are going to be diagnosed with something that is going to forever change them, and it’s going to impact their longevity, impact their quality of life, and can place some burden of suffering upon them,” he said.<br>
1720. <br>
1721. “What we do in palliative care is acknowledge the fact that we have something we can’t fix,” Mulder continued. “It might be modifiable, it might be manageable, but we can’t fix it.”<br>
1722. <br>
1723. People with cancer, for example, can rely on the symptom-based approach of palliative care to build their strength so they’re better able to withstand chemotherapy, he said. People with conditions like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease can also benefit, as can those with Alzheimer’s disease.<br>
1724. <br>
1725. As Esch sees it, one of the real values of palliative care is “coordinating care and communicating with the patient’s family and other clinicians” so “we’re not doing things in silos,” he said.<br>
1726. <br>
1727. “Palliative care takes the lead and makes it so the patient feels they have four doctors and nurse practitioners taking care of them, and they have four of them talking to each other.”
1728. </blockquote><br>
1729. <div style="text-align: right;"><b>– Nora Macaluso</b><br>
1730. <span style="font-size: 85%;">April 2022</span></div><br>
1731. <br />
1732. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
1733. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/05/from-palliativespiritual-care-shelf.html>From the Palliative/Spiritual Care Bookshelf – Part I</a> | <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/07/from-palliativespiritual-care-shelf.html>II</a> | <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/07/from-palliativespiritual-care-bookshelf.html>III</a> | <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/08/from-palliativespiritual-care-bookself.html>IV</a> | <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/09/from-palliativespiritual-care-bookshelf.html>V</a> | <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/09/from-palliativespiritual-care-shelf.html>VI</a> | <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/02/soul-companioning.html>VII</a> | <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/06/from-palliativespiritual-care-bookshelf.html>VIII</a> | <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/02/from-palliativespiritual-care-bookshelf.html>IX</a><br>
1734. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/10/arthur-kleinman-on-soul-of-care.html>Arthur Kleinman on the “Soul of Care”</a><br>
1735. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/12/chaplaincy-ministry-of-welcome.html>Chaplaincy: A Ministry of Welcome</a><br>
1736. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/03/interfaith-chaplaincy-meeting-people.html>Interfaith Chaplaincy: Meeting People Where They're At</a><br>
1737. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2017/08/spirituality-and-health-care-setting.html>Spirituality and the Healthcare Setting</a><br>
1738. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2018/10/world-hospice-and-palliative-care-day.html>World Hospice and Palliative Care Day</a><br>
1739. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2023/10/in-telling-and-listening-there-is.html>In the Telling – and the Listening – There Is Healing</a><br>
1740. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2019/10/resilience-and-hope.html>Resilience and Hope</a><br>
1741. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/02/george-yancy-on-unspoken-reality-of.html>George Yancy on the “Unspoken Reality of Death”</a><br>
1742. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2013/07/call-upon-those-you-love.html>“Call Upon Those You Love”</a><br>
1743. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/05/yahia-lababidi-poetry-is-how-we-pray-now.html>Yahia Lababidi: “Poetry Is How We Pray Now”</a><br>
1744. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-calm-before-storm.html>The Calm Before the Storm</a><br>
1745. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2020/12/out-and-about-spring-2020.html>Out and About – Spring 2020</a><br>
1746. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/03/a-pandemic-year.html>A Pandemic Year</a><br>
1747. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2021/12/out-and-about-autumn-2021.html>Out and About – Autumn 2021</a><br>
1748. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/01/difficult-choices.html>Difficult Choices</a><br>
1749. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2022/03/on-second-anniversary-of-coronavirus.html>On the 2nd Anniversary of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Words of Gratitude and Hope</a></span><br>
1750. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/6891031645286584557/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/6891031645286584557' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/6891031645286584557'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/6891031645286584557'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-common-misconception-about-palliative.html' title='A Common Misconception About Palliative Care'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7Q4WZO_GcCZ9FVXwtzcmfOX-pc37rRgdCgLMVqq-ptoEVIjaWl3QY4wlwR897WsdOIKnKUFR65XLl67ylF-aIt7pbjFwd23Ud1JxDjJrTu04R3yBTP0yH22TBAlqLuzk69AMnOqDKWuS2ka9DAsyN8SEd_OQo9M4viAPAv1qhYxp4U-j9jhyphenhyphennA/s72-c/Portrait-June2025.PNG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-3726866203356451279</id><published>2025-06-10T22:01:00.008-05:00</published><updated>2025-06-30T04:39:38.275-05:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Peter Bloom"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Quote of the Day"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Resisting Corporatism and Fascism"/><title type='text'>Quote of the Day</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s600/IMG_3985b.JPG&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; data-original-height=&quot;530&quot; data-original-width=&quot;600&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s200/IMG_3985b.JPG&quot;/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;[&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: x-large;&quot;&gt;W&lt;/span&gt;hat we’re seeing with the Trump/&lt;a href=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2025/06/09/stephen-millers-order-likely-sparked-immigration-arrests-and-protests&gt;Miller&lt;/a&gt; regime’s actions in Los Angeles] is a stark illustration of the &lt;a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_boomerang&gt;imperial boomerang&lt;/a&gt; in motion: the tools of empire – surveillance, militarized policing, psychological control – returning home. What was once deployed to suppress resistance abroad is now turned inward. But rather than subdue, this backlash is catalyzing a broader awakening. The brutality in Los Angeles has illuminated the deeper architecture of repression, drawing new political lines that unite across race, status, and geography. From L.A. to Gaza, the common thread is clear: state violence serves elite power, and the response from below is no longer fragmented. It is building into a global resistance that sees through the old divisions and names its adversary plainly – oligarchy.&lt;br&gt;
1751. <br>
1752. . . . This uprising is forcing a reckoning within the Democratic Party. For too long, party leaders have paid lip service to justice while quietly enabling enforcement budgets and border expansion. Now, protestors are demanding clarity: who are you with? Those who remain silent risk political irrelevance. The bipartisan oligarchy is cracking, and a new political line is emerging – between those who serve concentrated power and those who challenge it.</blockquote><br>
1753. <div style="text-align: right;">– <b><i>Peter Bloom</i></b><br>
1754. <span style="font-size: 85%;">Excerpted from “<a href=https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/the-l-a-awakening-repression-resistance-and-the-possibility-of-radical-democratic-renewal>The L.A. Awakening:<br>
1755. Repression, Resistance, and the Possibility<br>
1756. of Radical Democratic Renewal</a>”<br>
1757. <i>Common Dreams</i><br>
1758. June 10, 2025</span></div><br>
1759. <br>
1760. <center><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>NEXT:</b><br>
1761. </span><a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_20.html>Marianne Williamson – Quote of the Day</a></center><br>
1762. <br>
1763. <span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>Related Off-site Links:</b><br>
1764. <a href=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2025/06/09/stephen-millers-order-likely-sparked-immigration-arrests-and-protests>Stephen Miller’s Order Likely Sparked Immigration Arrests And Protests</a> – Stuart Anderson (<i>Forbes</i>, June 9, 2025).<br>
1765. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/no-kings-trump-national-guard-los-angeles>1,800+ “No Kings” Rallies Planned Across U.S. as Trump Deploys Military to Crush Protests</a> – Eloise Goldsmith (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 9, 2025).<br>
1766. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/10/los_angeles_protests_trump_military_deployment>Chaos and Cruelty: Trump Deploys Thousands of Soldiers to Put Down Anti-ICE Protests in Los Angeles</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 10, 2025).<br>
1767. <a href=https://www.commondreams.org/news/hegseth-national-guard>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Lays Out a Case for Troop Deployments in “Any Jurisdiction in the Country”</a> – Jake Johnson (<i>Common Dreams</i>, June 10, 2025).<br>
1768. <a href=https://jamesbgreenberg.substack.com/p/from-protest-to-pretext-trump-troops>From Protest to Pretext: Trump, Troops, and the Illusion of Crisis</a> – James B. Greenberg (<i>James’s Substack</i>, June 10, 2025).<br>
1769.  <br>
1770. <b>UPDATES:</b> <a href=https://www.salon.com/2025/06/11/stephen-miller-cant-make-america-white-la-is-paying-for-his-impotent-rage>Stephen Miller Can’t Make America White. Los Angeles is Paying for His Impotent Rage</a> – Amanda Marcotte (<i>Salon</i>, June 11, 2025).<br>
1771. <a href=https://jamesbgreenberg.substack.com/p/no-kings-just-guards-what-trumps>No Kings, Just Guards: What Trump’s National Guard Deployment Tells Us About Power</a> – James B. Greenberg (<i>James’s Substack</i>, June 11, 2025).<br>
1772. <a href=https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/11/no_kings>“No Kings”: 1,800+ Rallies Planned as Trump Threatens “Very Heavy Force” on Army Parade Protesters</a> – <i>Democracy Now!</i> (June 11, 2025).<br>
1773. <br>
1774. <b>See also the previous <i>Wild Reed</i> posts:</b><br>
1775. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/this-is-what-fascism-looks-like.html>“This Is What Fascism Looks Like”</a><br>
1776. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-reckoning-is-here.html>The Reckoning Is Coming</a><br>
1777. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/james-greenberg-on-road-trump-is.html>James Greenberg on Trumpism: “The Tactics Are Unmistakable”</a><br>
1778. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/jason-stanley-on-how-fascism-works.html>Jason Stanley on How Fascism Works</a><br>
1779. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/this-is-how-democracy-unravels.html>“This Is How Democracy Unravels”</a><br>
1780. • <a href=http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/03/why-democratic-party-is-not-going-to.html>Why the Democratic Party Is Not Going to Save Us From Fascism</a><br>
1781. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/this-is-essentially-viktor-orbans.html>“This Is Essentially Viktor Orbán’s Playbook”</a><br>
1782. • <a href=https://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/02/timothy-snyder-on-resisting-oligarchs.html>Timothy Snyder on Resisting the Oligarchs’ “Logic of Destruction”</a></span><br>
1783. &lt;br&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/feeds/3726866203356451279/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment/fullpage/post/27612445/3726866203356451279' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/3726866203356451279'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27612445/posts/default/3726866203356451279'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2025/06/quote-of-day_10.html' title='Quote of the Day'/><author><name>Michael J. Bayly</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K-L6JlsLn7B_KN4B7Kz7-kR72F0N2kNuW2o_JQWzyNFQ7vcYDh0Mupm4CiBCuXGcgkVTzAajPbxp-0F8ToVZg0nAOIcEZDWwhoA4SmFBPaoJ-5QYCf6zj_VbvOfH6RU/s113-r/wildreed1.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf2jP0x8AfUbDSTSX86-XVfzj7lWQdCsqwcQaabXPzHwE01oQtfPDEbnixSuZTCCjcumPWl3U-QBpnFT3YNJVab1hnUKjZkkoFtspmgsW7g1WtiNQFEv1OcjiZkuAgfW5Aa1EOqoQlAsDezq0AflDk-iCGH3hqeV5vit_tcAXj5_ug9py3-RlXA/s72-c/IMG_3985b.JPG" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>

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