Donald Trump — Page 6

Monday Thoughts (For Lack of a Better Title)

October 10, 2016 at 9:22 am by Claudia

I’m going to refrain from commenting about last night’s debate except to say that I feel the need to take about ten showers today. There’s a stench coming from that campaign and from the nominee (and you know who I’m talking about) that I can’t seem to shake.

What has the level of discourse come to? A new low.

And though I’m told I should pray for him, I simply can’t do it today. The word ‘despise’ doesn’t come close to what I’m feeling. I can’t find a word for the revulsion I feel.

Okay. I must move on for my own sanity.

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I took this shot from the stairs. It was one of those moments that made me happy about sunlight and wood floors and the ‘new’ table and brick chimneys and Maxfield Parrish.

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Autumn light is lovely, isn’t it?

Yesterday, I glanced outside and did a double take.

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A moonflower had opened up.

During the day.

Was it confused because it rained the night before and the day ended up being cloudy and damp?

I don’t know. But I was sure happy to see it unfold, something I usually miss.

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They don’t last long, but oh, how lovely they are. And the scent is exquisite.

Has there ever been a ‘moonflower’ fragrance in the perfume aisle? I wonder…

One of my email accounts was hacked. This gets old fast, doesn’t it? If you get something from me with a link, just delete the email. It’s all so tiresome, and again I ask, don’t these people have anything better to do with their time? How about hacking the Russians?

Happy Monday.

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Sunday Thoughts and a Thank You

October 9, 2016 at 9:34 am by Claudia

Before I get into today’s post, I want to thank everyone for the conversation that was sparked by yesterday’s post – even the dissenters.

Those who disagree and want to disengage from the blog are obviously free to do so. I’m not writing this blog 365 days a year in order to gain lots of followers. And 4 or 5 posts about the election hardly makes this a ‘political’ blog. I’m writing the blog for me, as a daily journal. That I can share it with all of you is the icing on the cake.

Here’s the deal (a phrase I use all the time here at home): I work hard at being tolerant but I draw the line at tolerating racism, misogyny, bigotry, xenophobia, and sexism. And any defense of Mr. Trump carries with it the implication that those beliefs are tolerated and supported. How can it not? That those beliefs are toxic and the death knell to any sense of respect I might hold for someone is also true.

There is no defense. None.

We can grow. We can educate ourselves. And I can hope that healing comes. I can pray for the release of the fears and ignorance that fuel those beliefs. I can and do.

I am heartened by the sheer amount of positive comments, by those who also see that this ’emperor’ has no clothes.

As for speaking out on my blog; it is imperative that we all speak out. We have only to look back at the rise of other dangerous dictators to know what happens when people don’t speak out and take action.

If someone is offended, so be it. I really don’t care. This is too important.

As I wrote in one of my responses yesterday, my dad was onto Donald Trump long ago. He detested him and everything he stands for. That Trump managed to become the Republican nominee for President was knowledge my father was spared, mercifully. But I know he would be proud of me and of my sister (who has also spoken out about this election on her blog). So would my mom.

Meredith and I speak our minds. We speak out. We try to do the right thing. That’s how we were raised.

And thank you for your spirited defense of my words. That means so much to me. More than you know. My husband read the post and cheered me on throughout the day. We are of one mind on this subject.

Moving on. Some fading flowers I photographed recently, each of them beautiful.

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Fading zinnia.

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Fading Butterfly Bush.

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Fading phlox.

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Fading coneflower.

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Fading hydrangea.

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Fading phlox.

It turned colder overnight and it’s windy outside! All of the leaves that we raked up have been replaced by a lot more leaves. It’s as if we never raked – so goes changeable Autumn.

Today: the Red Sox (who aren’t doing too well in this series, darn it!) and the debate.

I only hope I can sleep at the end of the day.

I’m going to close comments on yesterday’s post.

One more thing: a reminder about my post on DHA and the essential nutrients we need. If you’re interested in a vegetarian source of omega-3s, stop by and read the sponsored post.

Happy Sunday.

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To Those Who Support Him: That Wasn’t Enough?

October 8, 2016 at 9:18 am by Claudia

The release of a ‘hot mic’ recording yesterday of Donald Trump bragging about objectifying women and sexually assaulting them shouldn’t come as a shock. The only shock for me was that it was actually released. You have only to listen to Trump’s remarks about women over the years, his tweetstorm attack on Alicia Machado, former Miss Universe, as well as his attacks on Rosie O’Donnell, Carly Fiorina, Hillary Clinton and a host of other women, to know this is a man who objectifies women. They are objects for him to covet (if they meet his ‘standards’ of beauty) and he feels he has a right to them. If they don’t meet his standards, well then, they are fat, they are ugly, they are flat-chested, their boobs aren’t big enough, they are smart and powerful and therefore a threat that has to be demeaned, they don’t fall prey to his supposed charm, power, and ‘stardom,’ so they must be losers – a word he loves to use.

What Donald Trump has done for years, apparently, is nothing less than sexual assault. Ivanka Trump insists that her father isn’t a ‘groper.’ Sadly, Ivanka, he is.

He’s also a predator.

My message to Trump supporters is this:

It took this to shock you? It took this, among hundreds and hundreds of offensive remarks, to finally step up and say “Enough!”? (And unbelievably, this won’t even be enough for many of you.)

The vilification of Muslims wasn’t enough?

The building of a wall wasn’t enough?

The proposal to ban all Muslim immigrants wasn’t enough?

The assumption that all Syrians are potential terrorists wasn’t enough?

The obvious bigotry and discrimination against African Americans wasn’t enough?

The portrait of Mexicans as rapists and drug dealers wasn’t enough?

The obvious admiration for Vladimir Putin wasn’t enough?

The financial ties to Russian Oligarchs wasn’t enough?

The financial dealing in Cuba when it was illegal wasn’t enough?

The attack on Gold Star parents wasn’t enough?

The renting of office space to an Iranian Bank that was funding terrorists and stealing nuclear secrets wasn’t enough?

The non-payment of taxes for approximately 20 years wasn’t enough?

The refusal to release his taxes at all wasn’t enough?

The representation of Donald Trump by Donald Trump as the most successful business man, which is clearly a lie given what we know about his financial dealings, wasn’t enough?

The refusal to pay small businesses for work they had done, in some cases, bankrupting those business owners, wasn’t enough?

The refusal to take responsibility for any of his lies – and they number in the thousands – wasn’t enough?

The blaming and shaming of Hillary Clinton because of her husband’s affairs wasn’t enough?

The spreading of lies about HRC’s health, her stamina, even implying she’d had an affair – that wasn’t enough?

The insistence that he saw Muslims in New Jersey cheering on 9/11 (which has been completely debunked) – that wasn’t enough?

The fact that those who worked on The Apprentice have spoken of an atmosphere in which Trump constantly talked about contestant’s boobs and other body parts and asked men if they would want to f___ them? That wasn’t enough?

The obvious lack of knowledge about the world and international relations, the nuclear arsenal, the denial that he supported the war in Iraq, the assumption that every member nation of NATO should pay the United States money, as if the U.S. is a Mafia Don demanding payment – that wasn’t enough?

The complete lack of desire to learn anything new, to try to expand his knowledge of the world, to read a book – that wasn’t enough?

The blaming of others for his misdeeds, his misstatements – that wasn’t enough?

The bigotry, sexism, xenophobia, and racism that permeates his being? That wasn’t enough?

The fact that white supremacists are flocking to his campaign wasn’t enough?

The not-so-subtle implication that someone should harm Hillary Clinton wasn’t enough?

The statement that Russia should hack the emails of a candidate for President of the United States wasn’t enough?

The speeches to his followers inciting violence – that wasn’t enough?

The mocking of a man with a disability wasn’t enough?

The lies upon lies upon lies (one every three minutes) – that wasn’t enough?

The spreading of conspiracy theories wasn’t enough?

The braggadocio that says he knows everything there is to know about (fill in the blank) wasn’t enough?

The narcissistic, psychologically unbalanced behavior wasn’t enough?

What we heard on the tape is vile. It is disgusting. But we’ve been hearing vile and disgusting rhetoric from this man for years.

And still you’ve supported him. Still you think him worthy of being the President of our country.

“Enough” should have been said long, long ago.

Disagreeing on policy is one thing. That happens with every election and I don’t write posts about that. But this? This is another story.

And to all who say ‘you’ve just lost a follower.’ – God speed. To quote the great Lillian Hellman, spoken during the scourge that was McCarthyism: “I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashion.”

Happy Saturday.

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Monday Thoughts (For Lack of a Better Title)

Sunday Thoughts and a Thank You

To Those Who Support Him: That Wasn’t Enough?

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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