Tag: politics

Button Sunday

A small story.

In my work in progress, I have a character who was connected to the French Resistance in WW2. It’s not a major sub-plot, but it is important, so I did a lot of research before I wove it in.

Meanwhile, the idea of resistance has become very timely in our current political climate. If you know me at all, you know this is relevant to me, and I don’t shun the labels other people place on me as long as they are true to my core beliefs.

I was shopping the other day, and while making my purchase, I could see some buttons on a shelf behind the cash wrap. So I asked the associate, “What are those buttons?” Because again, if you know me at all…

She handed me one to look at.

Me: What is this for?
Her: The new Star Wars movie.
Me: Oh, of course. May I buy it?
Her: They come with the purchase of the book.
Me: I understand. No worries!
Her: [Dropping my purchases in the bag and giving me an almost wink and a big smile.]
Me: Thank you! [big return smile]

Be very kind to people working retail during the holiday season, because they put up with a lot of rudeness and are exhausted. And never forget, one of them just may be your sister or brother in the Resistance. I knew I’d find this in the bottom of my bag.

Vive la résistance!

Transport Thursday!


Meet Rattler. Rattler had his right front leg amputated because of a bad fracture and puncture wounds from a snake bite that weren’t healing well. I don’t think his nemesis was a rattlesnake, and I’m not sure I’d have given him that name. I made peace with it by reciting the mantra, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” He is strong and also very goodnatured and affectionate. Love you, Rattler, you are perfect.


I didn’t name this crew Tulsi, Kamala, and Amy, but their names made me laugh. Do you think they debated all the way to Denver?


In this second photo, it was pure coincidence that I happened to have a little friend with me to pose with them. Thank you for fighting the good fight, Senator, and may you do great things in the future.

they wanted to go to synagogue

An antisemitic terrorist attack took place at the Tree of Life – Or L’Simcha Congregation synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 2019. The congregation, along with New Light Congregation and Congregation Dor Hadash, which also worshipped in the building, was attacked during Shabbat morning services. The perpetrator was armed with a Colt AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and three Glock .357 SIG semi-automatic pistols. According to authorities, all four weapons were fired, killing eleven people and wounding six, including several Holocaust survivors.

Those killed were:

• Joyce Fienberg (75)
• Richard Gottfired (65)
• Rose Mallinger (97)
• Jerry Rabinowitz (66)
• Cecil Rosenthal (59)
• David Rosenthal (54)
• Bernice Simon (84)
• Sylvan Simon (86)
• Daniel Stein (71)
• Melvin Wax (88)
• Irving Younger (69)

Seven others injured in the incident included three other congregants and four Pittsburgh officers (two patrol officers and two SWAT officers; three by ricocheted gunfire and another by glass fragments).

On October 31, the perpetrator was indicted on 44 counts by a federal grand jury. The charges carry a maximum penalty of death or 535 years in federal prison. The counts included hate crimes, 11 counts of obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death, 11 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder during a crime of violence, four counts of obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs resulting in bodily injury to a public safety officer, and three counts of use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

On January 29, 2019, the grand jury indicted the shooter on an additional 19 counts, 13 of which were for hate crimes. Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

By October 2020, the perpetrator was seeking a plea deal. In January 2022, he sought a change of venue.

In June 2022, a U.S. District Judge said he anticipated the perpetrator’s trial would take place in 2023, most likely between April and June.

The perpetrator was also charged with 36 state criminal counts, including 11 counts of criminal homicide, six counts of aggravated assault, six counts of attempted criminal homicide, and 13 counts of ethnic intimidation. The state charges are held in abeyance pending the federal trial.

they wanted to go to work

On May 31, 2019, a mass shooting occurred at a municipal building in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The gunman, a disgruntled city employee, fatally shot 12 people and wounded four others. His weapons were a Glock 21 .45-caliber pistol and a H&K USP Compact Tactical .45-caliber pistol equipped with a suppressor. He shot two people outside the building, and then shot people on three floors of the building, seeming to fire without particular targets. He was finally shot dead in a gunfight with responding police officers.

Eleven of the dead were employees; the twelfth was a contractor who was in the building to get a permit. The dead are:

• LaQuita Chenoah Brown (39)
• Ryan Keith Cox (50)
• Tara Welch Gallagher (39)
• Mary Louise Crutsinger Gayle (65)
• Alexander Mikhail Gusev (35)
• Joshua Orion Hardy (52)
• Michelle Marie “Missy” Langer (60)
• Richard H. Nettleton (65)
• Katherine Anne Marie Lusich-Nixon (42)
• Christopher Kelly Rapp (54)
• Herbert Ray “Bert” Snelling (57)
• Robert Thomas “Bobby” Williams Sr. (72)

they wanted to go to work

On February 15, 2019, a mass shooting took place at Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Illinois, by a former employee using a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a green laser sight. Six people died, including the perpetrator, who was shot and killed by responding police officers.

The dead were:

• Russell Beyer (47)
• Clayton Parks (32)
• Vicente Juarez (54)
• Josh Pinkard (37)
• Trevor Wehner (21)

A sixth employee was shot and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and five police officers also sustained non-life-threatening injuries: four with gunshot wounds, one by shrapnel, and one non-gunshot injury.