Yesterday I had a relapse after nearly a week of feeling very energetic compared to lately. Last night I went to bed early. I had started an email to MDavis who sent me a beautiful, encouraging email and it has been three weeks but I was just feeling up to replying to them. But today I had my yearly eye appointment with the same eye doctor who referred me to the eye surgery center for needed cataract surgery. If anyone needs reminding that was a year ago when I was on the gurney with IVs in and eyes medicated but as they were about to take me into surgery the anesthesiologist stopped everyone to ask me questions. She went over my medical list with me and then sadly said I take more heavy pain medications daily than she could give me during the operation. That would mean that I would have to have eye surgery without any sedation. When I told her I was sensitive to anything near my eyes she told everyone to pause and she went to talk to the surgeon. They agreed that I would need to go to a much larger surgery center that could put me under enough anesthesia that would knock me totally out.

So today I saw the same eye doctor at a much bigger facility they had joined. Long story short after the exam the doctor told me the bad news. My current vision is far beyond what glasses could help with. She was emphatic in saying I must get my cataract surgery done as soon as possible. She went over everything with me and detailed why she couldn’t give me a prescription for glasses that would make it so I could see the computer, the phones, the Ipad, and see well enough to drive better. At this point my vision is so bad they couldn’t even make the letters smaller than the largest ones they wanted me to read clear.

She wanted to know why I had not followed up with their surgery center’s referral to the larger university run on in Naples as I was referred to. I explained to her the horrifically emotional and financially draining year we had had. She listened and when I explained Ron and I had decided his eyes needed to be done before mine as he has a torn lens and eye inflammation issues, she understood and agreed to take him on as a patient. But she kept pushing for me to get my eyes done in the next 6 months. She said she would send the referral, which was good for 6 months and it normally took that long to get set up with the facility and have the necessary visits. She added that if in the 6th months I was not financially ready to do it the surgery center in Naples would extend my time to have it done. But she again pushed that I did not have a lot of time to wait with my diminished vision. She asked how I did my daily stuff and I explained to her I have my large desktop monitors set to 250 and that my browser is set to 110% which I take up to 130 some days. I also showed her my two over the counter readers I have which one is 150 and the other is 175, which I use for my phone, tablet, and the computer monitors.

I explained all this to Ron as we drove home. He agreed to get an appointment with her to start his eye surgery but the closest appointment he could get was in August. At which point he got upset with me and said we would have to move forward with my eye surgery even before his. He went on at length about how he had noticed how I was struggling on the computers and with things I was trying to do. He mentioned the lighted magnifying glasses I keep around to help me read stuff. He mentioned how now I was having to have him read everything that came in mail and instructions to me. He reminded me that when he asked me to help him set up his sister’s new electronic entry system on the house she just bought I had to have him do the actions as I explained it to him as I couldn’t see the key pad clearly enough even with a bright light on them. Then he dropped the mother of all bomb shells on me which made me give in. He wondered with my vision so bad how I well I was seeing to drive. He was getting more and more upset. As I don’t think he is a good driver and I think I am a far better driver I gave in. So …

I said I would make supper. I got my very tall adjustable stool out and offered to make fried eggs, fried potatoes, fried bacon, and fresh ham steak I cooked in a large frying pan of water. All with a side of two slices of toast. Ron loved the idea which stopped him from harassing me about my eyes. I do love to cook and it was emotionally satisfying for me. I was unable to eat much of mine but I did eat the potatoes along with all the ham I took, a strip of bacon and half a piece of toast. But Ron ate most of what I couldn’t which is why he blames me for his current weight. Picture below. Hugs

Let’s talk about DOD trashing the Constitution and Latter-day Saints….

As I have written about before this is simply a move by Christian nationalists in the military and government to force everyone to conform to their religious beliefs and desires. This is again to return to the 1950s when it was normal for Christianity to seem like the dominant religion of the majority of people in the country. The reasons stated make so sense for the purpose claimed as Belle points out. This is a minority fundamentalist / evangelical believers trying to force their rule and beliefs onto the majority. Hugs

Her Gotcha Backfired Spectacularly…

Sam and crew go over Graham Platner’s win and his interview with Mika Brzezinski Scarborough on Morning Joe. Amoung the jokes about her interview they go over his acceptance speech. I am personally satisfied he has answered all the questions. I love his line “… if you give me the chance I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator”. I am a progressive and a believer in DSA policies. Graham Platner is not the perfect person who is flawless and unlike many his flaws are out in the open, not hidden behind a facade of fake religious politeness. He is a populist. I am not looking for religious leaders in our lawmakers, I am not expecting someone who walked blamelessly through life, that they way only one person did and his name was Jesus. I am looking for someone whose policies help the lower incomes and the public at large, not the privileged few. I am looking for a congress and White House filled with people who do not think elected office is their golden ticket to personal wealth and authority over others. Real people screw up and those that ask and work for a second chance should be given a chance to show they deserve it. In my opinion Platner has and does shown he deserves his forgiveness. Plus people look at Graham’s past are not looking at Collin’s past or even Mika who started dating Joe when he was still married. To me a lot of these people going on about Platner’s past seem to hold him to a different standard than they themselves are held or republican canidates are held. Hugs.

Pete Hegseth Gives D-Day Speech Hitler Would Have Loved

At a D-Day celebration, Secretary of Defense Pete Kegseth claimed that today a different dangerous ideology is storming the beaches of European countries, and he listed them. Kegseth is a die hard white supremacist Christian nationalist who is trying to enforce a Christianity only policy in the US military to the point military members can no longer have atheists on their dog tags. So aside from Kegseth implying the Allies had a dangerous ideology which I guess the Nazis would have agreed with as Sam and crew discuss, the dangerous ideology he is demanding Europe stop and repel is Islam and the dangerous men are Muslims. Hugs

Is This The Moment Dan Goldman Lost His Re-Election?

Another sitting congress person who is bought and owned by Israel to the point where he is adamant that Israel was not breaking the Leahy law on the use of military weapons. How did we the people let so many of our congress people be owned by foreign governments? Oh yes it was citizens united. That was one of the SCOTUS rulings that made bribery legal because the majority of right wing justices on the courts were taking bribes from wealthy people. Hugs

For PRIDE: Accomplished Yet Obscure Queer People In History

I first read about Bayard Rustin in “The Nation” in the late 1990s. His story was both sad and inspirational. Here is some background on an unrecognized star (not that article I read years ago, I’m sorry. I have no access.)

Bayard Rustin

(1912–1987)

Bayard Rustin (1912–1987) was a human rights activist known for his work during the Civil Rights Movement

Rustin was a key organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and was one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s closest advisors, especially on techniques of nonviolent resistance. Rustin was extremely active in the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and helped to create the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Early in his career, he was arrested for “moral cause” which led to his outing to the public. However, once outed, Rustin was completely open about his sexuality and was never ashamed. Criticism and discrimination over his sexuality led Rustin to have a more background role in the Civil Rights Movement. He never wanted his sexuality to have a negative effect on the Movement, which is often the reason that Rustin’s efforts are not widely known. (snip-MORE)

Bayard Rustin: A Gay Man in the Civil Rights Movement.

Bayard Rustin was an American leader in social movements for civil rights, socialism, pacifism and non-violence, and gay rights.

2HKJNR6 Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), American civil rights activist, attending Walter Reuther Press Conference, Warren K. Leffler, US News & World Report Magazine Collection, March 17, 1965

Bayard Rustin was an unsung hero whose indomitable spirit and relentless dedication carved a pivotal path in the American civil rights movement. Despite the shadows cast by prejudice and political adversity, Rustin’s life radiated with a fervent commitment to justice, equality, and nonviolence. His story is one of courage, resilience, and unwavering passion for the principles he held dear.

A Foundation of Activism

Born on March 17, 1912, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Rustin was nurtured in a household steeped in activism and moral conviction. Raised by his Quaker grandparents, particularly his grandmother, Julia Rustin, a dedicated member of the NAACP, he absorbed the values of equality and social justice from an early age. This upbringing ignited a spark within him that would blaze throughout his lifetime.

Rustin’s early education at Wilberforce University and Cheyney State Teachers College further fueled his activist spirit. Though he did not complete his degree, these institutions were fertile ground for his burgeoning political consciousness. His move to Harlem in 1936 immersed him in the heart of African-American culture and political activism, setting the stage for his life’s work.

The Power of Nonviolence

Rustin’s commitment to nonviolence was both a strategic choice and a deeply held belief. His association with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), a pacifist organisation, was pivotal. Under the mentorship of A. J. Muste, Rustin honed his skills in civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance, becoming a leading voice in the fight against racial injustice.

In 1947, Rustin co-organised the Journey of Reconciliation, a courageous precursor to the Freedom Rides of the 1960s. This daring initiative aimed to dismantle segregation on interstate buses through direct action. Facing arrests and brutality, Rustin’s unwavering resolve demonstrated the transformative power of nonviolent protest and set a powerful precedent for future civil rights campaigns.

A Strategic Visionary

Rustin’s encounter with Martin Luther King Jr. during the Montgomery Bus Boycott marked a turning point in the civil rights movement. Recognising King’s potential, Rustin became a crucial advisor, infusing the movement with his vast experience and strategic acumen. His efforts were instrumental in the formation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, strengthening the infrastructure of the civil rights struggle.

Rustin’s strategic brilliance shone through his emphasis on Gandhian principles of nonviolence. He played a key role in guiding King towards these philosophies, ensuring that nonviolent resistance remained at the heart of the movement. Rustin’s behind-the-scenes influence was a driving force that propelled the civil rights movement forward, even amidst escalating tensions and opposition.

The March on Washington (snip-MORE)

And from Quakers In Action,

Bayard Rustin

1912-1987

Bayard Rustin was a black Civil Rights activist, a close associate of Martin Luther King, and an advocate of gay and lesbian rights, and a Quaker.

Rustin was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania and was brought up by his grandmother, who had been raised as a Quaker. He himself became a Quaker in 1936, shortly before moving to New York where he lived most of his adult life. He was a pacifist and a primary influence in bringing non-violent resistance into the American Civil Rights Movement, much inspired by Gandhi’s approach in India.

In 1941, he joined the pacifist Fellowship of Reconciliation. He protested against segregation within the armed forces, and worked with the American Friends Service Committee to protect the property of interned Japanese Americans.

Despite his membership of the Society of Friends (one of the so-called ‘Historic Peace Churches’), Rustin was jailed in 1944 for his conscientious objection to cooperating with the draft. While in jail, he organised protests against segregated seating in the dining hall. In a letter to the prison warden, he wrote:

Both morally and practically, segregation is to me a basic injustice. Since I believe it to be so, I must attempt to remove it. There are three ways in which one can deal with an injustice. (a) One can accept it without protest. (b) On can seek to avoid it. (c) One can resist the injustice non-violently. To accept it is to perpetuate it.

After the War, he took part in the Journey of Reconciliation across four southern States, to protest against illegal segregation in inter-state travel. He was arrested, along with his fellow protestors, several times in the course of the journey and in North Carolina was sentenced to thirty days on a chain gang. The protest became a model for future ‘Freedom Rides’.

In 1956, he was asked to advise Martin Luther King on the application of non-violent resistance to the boycott of public transport in Montgomery, Alabama. In August 1963, Rustin had the mammoth task of organising the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom – a rally attended by twenty thousand people that culminated in King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech. In 1968, shortly before King’s assassination, he drafted the ‘Economic Bill of Rights’ which called for – among other things – a meaningful job and a living wage for people of all colours.

Rustin’s concern for Human Rights was never confined to black Americans. In the 1940s and 50s, He supported independence movements in India, Ghana and Nigeria. In the 1970s and 1980s, Rustin became an election and human rights observer in countries like Chile, El Salvador, Grenada, Haiti, Poland, and Zimbabwe. As Vice Chairman of the International Rescue Committee he participated in the international March for Survival on the Thai-Cambodian border and helped raise awareness of the plight of the Vietnamese boat people. He was Co-Chairman of the Citizens Commission on Indochinese Refugees and helped found the National Emergency Coalition for Haitian Refugees.

Rustin was an openly gay man who had once been arrested for public indecency at a time when homosexuality was illegal in all US states. This fact was used against him more than once and contributed to his relatively low profile in the Civil Rights movement. However, in the 1970s and 80s he wrote a number of essays which drew parallels between the black civil rights movement and the gay liberation movement. In 1986, Rustin wrote:

Today, blacks are no longer the litmus paper or the barometer of social change. Blacks are in every segment of society and there are laws that help to protect them from racial discrimination… It is in this sense that gay people are the new barometer for social change… The question of social change should be framed with the most vulnerable group in mind: gay people.

Rustin fell ill during a human rights expedition to Haiti in 1987 and died shortly after from a perforated appendix.

His life was documented in the film Brother Outsider.

His collected writings were published in A Time On Two Crosses.

Ryan Miller is wrong about homosexuality & the Bible

Dan McClellan explains why saying the bible is against homosexuality is wrong. The status of the male as the top of the hierarchy was of primary concern. Women were of a lower status than men. For a man to penetrate caused his status to fall to that of a woman. That was the sin of same sex acts in their society. So men were told not to penetrate other men as that lowered them to the position of women in their society. He points out that they felt that a man who wanted to be penetrated was thought to have a mental illness. He points out how the people of that time were not worried about female same sex acts because they did not lower anyone status because no penis was involved and no male was emasculated. McClellan points out that the bible really was only concerned with one side of the same gender act so it was not homosexuality that it condemned but the lowering of a male’s top position in society that was the issue. I have watched and posted a lot of his videos on sexuality in the bible and those who use the bible as a club to bash LGBTQ+ people with. He is a scholar so he gets into the weeds of the real meanings of the words that make up the text. He can be difficult to follow sometimes because of that. He also used the example of slavery in the bible and how it was used to justify owning another person as property. It is an interesting video that gets easier to understand towards the end as he wraps it all together and warns those who use the bible in this manner that they are causing a lot of harm to those who do not believe or think as they do on same sex acts. Hugs