Peace and Serenity are Illusive, Even On Our Most Sacred Days

Celebrate America! The United States is now a member of the Axis of Evil! Remember when we were the good guys that invaded other countries and destroyed their societies? Now we’re some of the bad guys that invade other countries and destroy their societies. Iran, North Korea, CHI-Nah! And of course the former Soviet Union. Well, not all of the Soviet Socialist Republics. Just Russia and a few of the other Iron Curtain nations like Belarus. Most of Europe, including many former members of the former Warsaw Pact, have lined up against Russia and its fascist dictator Vladimir Putin. Why is he still so important?

To answer that question we have to go back at least as far as November 5, 2024 when just over 50% of U.S. voters chose a convicted felon who has also been found liable for sexually abusing and defaming the woman he molested. Putin’s favorite puppet, that convicted felon, now occupies the White House and our nation’s foreign relations have taken a hard, hard right turn.

The current president, the felon, is now cozier than ever with Putin and the felon’s allies here in the states are now taking the view that Putin isn’t really a bad guy, just a person who is a little misunderstood and the U.S. could be doing better if we were closer to Russia than we were before the age of MAGA.

No more of a divide between us, no more of the “Iron Curtain” nonsense…

… and no need for NATO — we are now allied with Russia and all of Putin’s other puppets. The shadow, that Winston Churchill spoke of, now includes us.

When I was getting my previous commentary prepared for publication, I decided to wait until after the convicted felon’s first speech to a joint session of  Congress in that big chamber set aside for just these occasions, to write this one. Well, that was three weeks ago. I’m a procrastinator.

Since then the biggest news, and there was a lot going on including the ICE rounding up legal residents of this nation and shipping them off to detention centers far from home — or to El Salvador to rot in the most hellish prisons there — without any due process. Check out the video of the Doctorate student in Massachusetts. Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national on a valid student visa … well, watch this video …

… And as f … err … messed up as this mass deportation — i.e. horrifying civil rights violation — is, that isn’t even the worst thing that is happening right now. We could make the argument it still is because human lives are being screwed with by the convicted felon’s current administration. These legal residents are being detained and stripped of their civil liberties — without due process (once again) — for committing the “unspeakable” crime of criticizing Israel for its Crimes Against Humanity in Gaza and the West Bank; committing genocide in other words. Writing that (or saying it) does not mean I support Hamas or Hezbollah. It’s okay to say Israel is committing genocide with its continued punishment of the West Bank and Gaza.

Then there is that other thing that’s happening … no I don’t mean the continued cruelty being meted out by Elon Musk and his DOG-EE crew with mass firings and the destruction of the federal government — although that is still an ongoing atrocity — no, I’m referring to the mass disenfranchisement of nearly half of all U.S. voters with this new idea — newly signed executive order — to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote, plus new rules regarding mail-in ballot deadlines.

House Republicans —  the House MAGA Cult — just passed the SAVE Act which does that same thing as Trump’s executive order that does the same thing AND it requires your name to be the same as it appears on your birth certificate. So, if you’re a married woman and you took your husband’s family name, you won’t be allowed to vote if your current identification doesn’t match your birth certificate.

With any luck enough Republicans in the Senate will join the Democrats to kill the bill.

Do we need to buy passports just to vote in our own nation?

There was a time we prided ourselves as a nation for not requiring our citizens and other residents to show their papers, like Europeans did when under the control of Hitler and then the people under the iron glove of the United Soviet Socialist Republics, and the rest of the Warsaw Pact?

We could travel about the nation, including the various territories, without showing travel documents and we just needed to raise our right hands and swear to the Constitution we were eligible to vote.

Not all driving licenses will be considered proof of citizenship, which means some of us would have to pay over $100 to buy passports. We can only hope there are enough clear headed judges in the federal judiciary who will stop this nonsense.

You know what I’m listening to now? At a time when innocent and legal residents of the United States are being plucked off the streets and sent to a high security — and highly abusive — prison in El Salvador? At this time when the world is wondering who profited off the convicted felon’s manipulation of the stock market?

“Did you that it’s true, That for me, And for you, the world is a ghetto” … yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve known it for 55 years that for me and you we live in a ghetto, unprotected from the domination of the ruling class, the 1% and that truth is vividly, blatantly, openly, on display for the whole world to see.

How many of the convicted felon’s billionaire bros — and other grifters — know the felon’s April 9 tweet  … errr, I mean “Truth” … on Truth Social, This One:

As a time to switch gears in the stock, NASDAQ and bond markets and buy!, buy!, Buy!

It appears that Rep Margorie Taylor Greene, the receiver of the great insult hurled by her colleague, Rep Jasmine Crockett of Texas — “bleach blonde, bad built, butch body” — got in on the action, although her timing could mean she just got lucky.

You might be thinking, “Hey! I saw that on The Young Turks!” That’s because I saw a lot of this on TYT, among other sources. Some of the more progressive talking heads on the two news channels (CNN & MSNBC) started asking that question on Wednesday, April 9, 2025: Who suddenly gained 22% payday once the convicted felon announced he would pause tariffs on every nation for 90 days — except China.

Does that felon have any clue — any clue — how much American companies rely on the People’s Republic of China for parts. This would be a good time to chuckle — if it weren’t for the fact these tariffs will hurt tens of millions of Americans for decades.

Already the convicted felon is waffling on items like smart phones. When the felon won the election Apple CEO Tim Cook — called Tim Apple by the convict — went to the Mar-a-Lago bearing gifts, $1 million for the felon’s inauguration celebrations and then bending the knee in polite allegiance. Followed by a meeting in the White House. So, we can’t have the price of iPhones going through the roof.

What about American cars, or foreign cars made in America? They all rely on material from other nations so economists are predicting the average price increase for the average automobile for the average American will be about $4,000 … And what about the price of eggs? They are at an all-time record high. I follow UC Berkeley professor and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, on social media  and he had this analysis about the price of eggs:

 

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A post shared by Robert Reich (@rbreich)

We’re getting screwed.

Now China has cancelled its contracts with airplane manufacturer Boeing and is sending its boeing aircraft back to Seattle, or where ever the leading aircraft

This sign appeared in the Patriot Café at the V.A. Medical Center in La Jolla a few weeks ago. I know it is recent because my friend and I often stop in for breakfast or lunch.

Egg prices started rising in the previous administration, but the personnel and egg shortages didn’t hit until March. As so many of us recall, during the 2024 campaign the felon promised on “day1” or “immediately.” Well, om the 82^nd day of his second term the prices on groceries continue to rise and the thin-skinned draft dodger whined to the nation, through the media, “Shut up about the egg prices!”

Okay, to be fair, the felon was just reposting something from right wing idiot Charlie Kirk, but we can be sure the felon strongly agreed with Kirk’s sentiments. The right wing mouth pieces like Charlie Kirk are just returning their Dear Leader’s thoughts and words.

Geez … and I haven’t even mentioned the mass deportations that violate several amendments of the Bill of Rights:

Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment IV: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VIII: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

And by the way, for you MAGA rats reading this, the Bill of Rights apply to everyone living in the United States, not just citizens, natural born or nationalized, everyone here legally or without proper documentation — everyone.

Don’t listen to the lies of this Administration led by a convicted felon, or their various mouthpieces like Fox (not) News who claim Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a violent gang member, so was properly deported to a high security prison in El Salvador — without any due process. But all of those deported by the convicted felon regime should, by law, returned to the U.S. and afforded their days in court.

This is how far down we have sunk as a nation. To slightly change the words of a meme going around social media: I may forgiver those who voted for this criminal and fascist regime, but I will not forget.

And on Thursday a gunman opened fire on the campus of Florida State University killing two and injuring six others. The inured are expected to survive. The killer was shot by police and is expected to survive his injuries and face prosecution. Yippie, we can put the killer on trial … I guess we now have to use the term “alleged killer.”

The damn kid, 20 years old, got ahold of weapons belonging to his momma who is a deputy sheriff with 18 years of service. A “good guy with a gun,” who also has a what appears a extremely racist son.The white kid is a registered Republican. Why isn’t he getting sent to a horrific prison in El Salvador with his due process? It would probably be offensive to suggest it’s because he is a white supporter of the convicted felon.

Gun violence …  I will lend my support to the pro-gun safety organizations that want to get commonsense gun safety legislation passed in this nation.

Many health issues have paused my writing of this post. Here it is, Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the year for Christians all around the world. It doesn’t affect me, although it’s an excuse to eat all the wrong food. On the other hand the Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us, me,  “Hatred cannot be stopped by hatred. Violence should not be responded to with violence. The only way out of violence and conflict is for us to embrace the practice of peace, to think and act with compassion, love, and understanding.”

And, according to the Gospel of Matthew 22:39, “Thou shall love they neighbor as thyself.”

That’s certainly not an easy task, from either spiritual leader. If I don’t love myself how can I love any other people? Can I embrace the pathway of peace and act with compassion, love and understanding? In these times?

Saturday I went to Pacific Beach in San Diego to fly my drone — it was too windy, but I got some footage. Being in the low 70’s there were quite a few people taking in the ocean and beautiful, sunny weather.

Also at the beach were some MAGA … (sticking close to the mindful teachings of both spiritual leaders) MAGA members with a large display near the very nice restrooms and guard tower off Grand Ave.

My first thought was “I’m gonna’ set these [expletives deleted] straight.” But then remembered my post on various social media platforms:

 

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A post shared by Tim Forkes (@great.timbini1)

Oh … here’s the Easter message from thew convicted felon president:

 

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A post shared by The Bulwark (@bulwarkonline)

So, enjoy a peace-filled day. Pray and/or meditate that everyone will have some peace and solace.

One last quote from Thich Nhat Hanh: “This is the only moment that is real. To be present and enjoy this moment is our most important task.”