tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19197110938981003772024-03-25T11:55:20.939-07:00Glass half-Full and Glass ChimeraNovels and Commentary to render our times more transparent.careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.comBlogger1220125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-21900050266177443622024-03-25T11:54:00.000-07:002024-03-25T11:54:32.968-07:00Profile in Courage: Pence<p> <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px;">Thanks to the righteous Resolve and Leadership of Vice President Mike Pence, our United States of America, our Constitution and our Rule of Law survived a destructive, rebellious Insurrection on January 6, 2021.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px;"> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Insurrection was instigated, summoned and inspired with the former President, donald trump. His rebel co-conspirators were led by the “proud boys” who were responding to trump’s command to “stand back and standby.” Along with other conspirators, most notably the “oathkeepers” and “threepercenters” and hundreds of other insurrectionists, the defeated chief officer perpetrated a violent, criminal assault on our Congress. Their Constitutional duty was to count the Electoral votes that already been delivered by our 50 state legislatures to our House of Representatives and Senate gathered together. </p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Our Vice President, Mike President, stood ready to do his duty to God and country, which was to gavel into session by which the Electoral votes would be counted.</p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Outside of the Capitol, this is what trump’s gangsters had prepared for Mike Pence: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEPAFWGGXQyGutHyvopC2wbO6L-ZDxCibhu1z2Qn0WBcySG2Nj7sxxxErzLwsUU8_GJmfyhZ9LxwAPlx4vPInGt84vOwCv-40pGMWOafriEafSG9feLhB0rZgAqcRtti8COZJggG6TdZp9XhjJRRrnE-FdkMQ159IM_SGddtmi2VrdMCmci0FN4epGNyl/s1412/Gallows.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="1412" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEPAFWGGXQyGutHyvopC2wbO6L-ZDxCibhu1z2Qn0WBcySG2Nj7sxxxErzLwsUU8_GJmfyhZ9LxwAPlx4vPInGt84vOwCv-40pGMWOafriEafSG9feLhB0rZgAqcRtti8COZJggG6TdZp9XhjJRRrnE-FdkMQ159IM_SGddtmi2VrdMCmci0FN4epGNyl/s320/Gallows.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But the US Secret Service agents whose duty was to protect our Vice President ushered him to a safe location. The hours spent in that safe space were productive and successful, mainly for two reasons: Mike Pence declined his protectors’ request to get in the car that would whisk him away from peril, possible death and the performance of his Constitutional duty to US, We the People of these United States.</p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As a Christian, I will take the liberty to mention that Pence’s Counsel, Mike Jacobs, made use of the time by seeking wisdom in the Bible. He later testified that he was reading in chapter 3 of the book of Daniel. Verse 18 reads this way: </p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“. . . let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”</p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This decision by Daniel resulted in his being thrown, with others, into a pit with lions. But Daniel survived, in spite of his refusal to worship the king.</p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Likewise, Mike Pence survived the lion-like wrath of the mob who, inspired by the chief insurrectionist’s dictate to “be strong” (what bullcrap!) had erected the scaffold outside. </p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Twelve hours later, Vice President Mike was back in his dutiful station, gaveling in a early January 7 (resumed) session of our US Congress in joint session. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGbCRJhZJ5buGkSOliTcQdy7D2cjInVkpJOQee3vd8jH5y2rU3a6tyrSmnlL_v7Xr8POq9Jk4yhkBGEu5-iNt_JI3vnY_WW2WkxByzCOlN8-k01m9_LOdsoG6jLGP2aHS_E7isd8CibPXrpn2ZU3ydCzibsweDZfairMQ4OMtDcCSOTV6EBnf5CfV-qC_/s1116/Pence%20Gavel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="1116" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGbCRJhZJ5buGkSOliTcQdy7D2cjInVkpJOQee3vd8jH5y2rU3a6tyrSmnlL_v7Xr8POq9Jk4yhkBGEu5-iNt_JI3vnY_WW2WkxByzCOlN8-k01m9_LOdsoG6jLGP2aHS_E7isd8CibPXrpn2ZU3ydCzibsweDZfairMQ4OMtDcCSOTV6EBnf5CfV-qC_/s320/Pence%20Gavel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">For this act of valor, Mike Pence deserves an opportunity to be nominated by the party of Abraham Lincoln to serve as President in the same office that the Declarer of the Emancipation Declaration had occupied in 1860.</p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As for his formerly treasonous boss, donald trump must suffer the penalty of never again being allowed the privilege to occupy the Office of the President, as our Constitutional Amendment XIV, section 3 states so clearly. . .</p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">even if the Supremes are confused on this issue. </p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bottom line. Mike Pence has demonstrated the character, courage and chivalry that any US President must embody. donald trump has failed miserable. Send donald back to Mar Lardo.</p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">P.S. I voted for Nikki in the North Carolina primary, but I am hoping there will be a path to my marking the ballot for Mike in ’24! When the Republicans find themselves in dissent and disarray in Milwaukee this summer, let them gravitate toward true leadership: Mike Pence!</p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com">Glass half-Full</a></i></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-9600687610487334532024-03-25T10:42:00.000-07:002024-03-25T10:42:36.687-07:00Profile in Courage: Pencecareyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-52440899578978696322024-03-23T20:28:00.000-07:002024-03-23T20:28:41.802-07:00Climbing Jacob's Ladder<blockquote><p>"You’re the men and women, individuals made in the image of God, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>who stumble up the hill toward the Jerusalem on the hill, the shining city on a hill.” . . .“It’s the call to divine responsibility.”</p></blockquote><p>You may want to hear some words of encouragement from Jordan Peterson as he addressed the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship, four months ago.</p><p> This Rubin Report youtube video brings the message online:</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mTS57hkAUk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mTS57hkAUk</a></p><p>In his message, the world-reknown psychologist addresses the issue of each one of us finding a place of effective family and/or societal service, even in the midst of today’s culture and identity conflicts.</p><p>Dr. Peterson makes allegorical use of the inspirational and motivational power of an ancient story. </p><blockquote><p>“Simple stories scale upward; that’s Jacob’s Ladder, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the eternal link, a vine that unites our material, proximal realm with the eternal realm <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of heaven."</p></blockquote><p>First, he poses a fascinating question: How do we construct and climb Jacob’s ladder? How do we even comprehend it?</p><p>The explanation begins with something as simple—yet as lengthy as—training a child. He explains how teaching a child how to clean his/her room is an effective beginning, then moving forward to setting a dinner table and other chores. Then we extend our instruction and training further and further as the child grows up. . . into the realm of co-existing with other people, accepting responsibilities, learning courtesy, generally progressing forward in personal behavior in a manner that opens a place in human society instructing us how to ascend into roles of service and responsibility.</p><p>Teaching the child a hundred “microvisions” of helpfulness, proficiencies, skills, courtesies constitutes a “glorious vision of how to unite (the purposes of) heaven and the ways and means of this earth.</p><p>In so doing, we “scaffold ourselves upward from the finite to the infinite” purposes for which we humans were created. . . ultimately, if you’ll permit me the metaphor. . . to a heavenly, communal arrangement of what we do on this earth.</p><p>As we mature past childhood, we expand step by step into a lifestyle that encompasses not only personal well-being and responsibility, but also community and societal well-being and progress.</p><p>So we are building, metaphorically upward, a ladder on which we ascend to a life of personal and societal responsibility and progress.</p><p>The ancient, biblical image of this challenge and its subsequent ascent was presented to the ancient patriarch in a visionary dream: Jacob’s Ladder. </p><p>To illustrate, here’s the image that I used on my musical album cover, “Revelation 5:9” a long time ago:</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ae581b200b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Ladder" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ae581b200b img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ae581b200b-320wi" title="Ladder" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/">http://www.careyrowland.com</a> </p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-63375929055363461982024-03-22T08:20:00.000-07:002024-03-22T08:20:41.465-07:00Stairway to Dignity<p> I grew up in the deep south. Now my old age is spent in the high south of the blue ridge. </p><p>Down in Louisiana, where I was born and raised, I had come from two strains of folk. The Scotch-Irish side came from my dad’s heritage. The French side came from my mother’s. </p><p>My mother’s side directed me into a Catholic high school. As a senior, I served as Student Council President, an experience that afforded me some life direction for a while. After graduation, I traveled the dozen miles to the other side of town to attend our Louisiana State University.</p><p>I learned a lot there. As a worthless English major, I learned to read. After a coupl’a years I switched to Political Science, haha! I served as Chairman of the LSU Union National Speakers’ Committee. In that capacity, I was privileged to introduce Dick Gregory and William Buckley to audiences on campus. Imagine that! Dick Gregory and William Buckley, ha!</p><p>I later wrote a novel about it, <a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/">King of Soul</a>, which you can buy on Amazon, thanks to Jeff Bezos! Obviously, there’s a place in this world for both the big people and the little people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>My education in the school of hard knocks has proven productive.</p><p>Since bustin’ loose from University, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have spent a life as jack-of-all-trades. Somewhere in all that I was able to attract, by the grace of God, my wife, Pat. God bless her. She gave me three young’uns, who are now grownups like me and you, and one grandaughter, so far. </p><p>A few years ago, I built this stairway onto our mountain home, so’s we could have guests through Air Bnb and VRBO and Furnished Finder.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ae3512200b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Stairway" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ae3512200b img-responsive" height="320" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ae355f200b-pi" title="Stairway" width="240" /></a></p><p>That has worked out advantageously for us.</p><p>Before learning the carpenter trade, back in ’80’s, I had put food on the table by means of a hodgepodge of jobs: shoe salesman, advertising salesman, insurance salesman, printing salesman, log-cabin-factory worker, rodbuster on the Blue Ridge Parkway Linn Cove Viaduct, and a few other oddity jobs here and there, including one or two from which I was fired. haha! nananaboo.</p><p>As for the stairway, I can remember the day I was cutting the boards in my driveway, while listening to Congressional hearings on NPR.</p><p>I mention that because, I generally like to keep up with the news. </p><p>Speaking of the news, I will conclude with this mention of Heather Cox Richardson’s blog on substack today. Here’s her comment, which I approved, about our President, Joe Biden:</p><blockquote><p>Biden responded to the RSC budget, saying: “My budget represents a different future. One where the days of trickle-down economics are over and the wealthy and biggest corporations no longer get all the breaks. A future where we restore the right to choose and protect other freedoms, not take them away. A future where the middle class finally has a fair shot, and we protect Social Security so the working people who built this country can retire with dignity. I see a future for all Americans and I will never stop fighting for that future.”</p></blockquote><p>And I do confess, y'all, that I am now living on that infamous "Social Security." Read 'em and weep, ye magamaniacs!</p><p>Postscript: Along the way, I was able to publish four novels, record two record albums, and compose 1200 blogs, such as this-here piece of journalistic shenagnigans. By the grace of God, y'all! because I did get, as they say, "saved", along the way, 1978.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-66041465566730461512024-03-19T15:14:00.000-07:002024-03-19T15:14:59.864-07:00The Tragedy of Soul<p> Ever since Cain killed Abel, we’ve not been able to shake this tragic trait from human experience: Men killing men. </p><p>Sometimes the killing happens between two men. One walks out while the other never sees the light of day again.</p><p>Other times, the killing is in organized battalions. We have graveyards where brave soldiers are laid to eternal rest and memorialized with in a gravestone identity. At Gettysburg, President Lincoln lauded the fallen soldiers who had given their “last full measure of devotion” for the cause of freedom.</p><p>In war—especially in modern, mechanized warfare, the Tragedy is most often a friggin’ mess. In Edward Dvorak’s book, <em>Elite Bastards, the Combat Missioms of Company F LRP Teams in Vietnam, </em>Ed describes the battleground tragedy that took the life of his platoon buddy Dickie Gross:</p><p>“ The willie peter (grenade) had hit him square hit him square in the face and his face looked like someone had taken a torch and melted it! Where his eyes, nose and mouth should have been were nothing but holes partially covered by burned and melted skin.”</p><p>It sho’nuff ain’t pretty when men blast the life breath out of other men.</p><p>But it has been going on for a long time, since Cain killed Abel.</p><p>Other times, the killling is just random, as when some rabid murderer decides to open up with his lethal tool, for no good reason, as happened at Sandy Hook, or Joliet, or Austin, or Lewiston, or Philadelphia, or Allen, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Henryetta, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Nashville, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Half Moon Bay, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Monterey, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Enoch, or Chesapeake, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Colorado Springs, Charlottesville, Raleigh, Uvalde, Buffalo, San Jose, Indianapolis, Boulder, Atlanta, Muskogee, Chicago, El Paso, Virginia Beach, or Parkland Florida.</p><p>In 2017, I wrote and published a novel, <em>King of Soul,</em> about what happened to our nation during the war in Vietnam. The story I tell is concluded when the main character, Donnie, and his friend take a road trip in early May of 1970. While night-driving through Ohio, approaching their destination of Kent, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the car radio <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in the lamenting voice of Ray Thomas of the Moody Blues when radio airwaves bring in the wafts in the musical lament <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of Moody Blues’ , Ray Thomas, singing:</p><blockquote><p> “When all the stars are falling down</p><p> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>into the sea and on the ground </p><p> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and angry voices carry on the wind. . .”</p></blockquote><p>Hear the lamenting voice of Ray Thomas as he sings:</p><p> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0SFTA24M-M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0SFTA24M-M</a></p><p>The next day, when they reach Kent, what they find is: (Jeff)</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aa2d3f200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Kent" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aa2d3f200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aa2d3f200c-320wi" title="Kent" /></a></p><p>In ancient times, there was one man whose death came when he was nailed to a cross. But He survived death three days later, by Resurrection.</p><p>My personal victory over death will come when He retrieves me from that that death event. Perhaps you’ll join us in that victory. See your local Bible for the key to that victory of Soul over Tragedy.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>King of Soul</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-1074652710707178282024-03-14T11:56:00.000-07:002024-03-14T11:56:10.454-07:00Life's Mountain Ascent<p>A long time ago, the Prophet Moses ascended a mountain called Pisgah. From that lofty perspective, he was able to view the land below, where his people would settle, after their escape from slavery in Egypt. Since those days of ancient history, Moses’ last ascent before leaving this world has been an inspiration for many people. </p><p>Several millennia of time have passed since that Exodus ascent.</p><p>In our present era, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke prophetically on the night before he was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. Harkening back to Moses’ historic example, our nation’s pioneering Civil Rights leader said:</p><blockquote><p>“. . . <em>I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain, and I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land!”</em></p></blockquote><p>Dr. King was one of many Americans who have found inspiration in the mountaintop quest and its accompanying <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>experiential peak.</p><p>For instance, on a lighter note, John Denver brought forth a song in 1972, about his personal mountaintop challenge, a life-changing experience on a Rocky Mountain peak. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In one verse, he sang: “. . .<em> Colorado Rocky Mountain high, I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky. You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply. Rocky Mountain high. . .”</em></p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a9bffb200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Mountn" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a9bffb200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a9bffb200c-320wi" title="Mountn" /></a></p><p>I, too, have had mountaintop moments of inspiration. In 1975, I left my homeland in the Deep South and moved to Asheville. Near that vibrant North Carolina city, I ascended Mt. Pisgah, which had been named after the biblical peak from which Moses glimpsed the promised land.</p><p>During my 5-year season in Asheville, I attempted to start a newspaper, which we named The <em>Eagle. </em>On the masthead was printed a line from Denver’s song: “. . .<em> though he would be a poor man if he never saw an eagle fly.”</em></p><p>The newspaper didn’t pan out. But at least, I won't be a poor man. <em>haha!</em>. We saw our Eagle fly for a few issues. . . I suppose, just for the experience of it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The learning experience was worth the effort. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, eh? Now I write novels and blogs. Go figure.</p><p>But soon after that, I was given, thanks to Tom Behrens, access to a Nashville sound studio. Among the eleven songs that I managed to record there, <em>Mountaintop </em>was my tribute to Moses and to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The song was included in my 1977 album, <em>Something for Everyone, Songs of Rowland. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3hQNMr0A48"><em>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3hQNMr0A48</em></a></p><p>This tribute song and five others can also be heard on Spotify: </p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hP0FJaURz0jJ3zRIrHHsu">https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hP0FJaURz0jJ3zRIrHHsu</a></p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/">http://www.careyrowland.com</a> </p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-10446586508692485412024-03-06T19:27:00.000-08:002024-03-06T19:27:00.089-08:00RIP: Republican Party<p>Well, it was a good run, while it lasted, for 170 years.</p><p> The Republican party, founded by Abe Lincoln and an alliance of anti-slavery ex-<em>Whigs</em> and <em>Free Soilers</em>, was founded in 1860. But now, in 2024, it has ceased to exist.</p><p>Abraham Lincoln, elected in 1860, became the first Republican President. His principal duty during those Civil War years was to preserve the Union and to eliminate the practice of slavery in the rebel states of the South. During that war, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, setting free the slaves. He then promoted the 13th Amendment, which Constitutionally abolished slavery.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ad360c200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Lincoln Dedication" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ad360c200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ad360c200d-320wi" title="Lincoln Dedication" /></a></p><p>After Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, Ulysses S. Grant served as the second Republican President.</p><p>Other Republican presidents followed in later years:</p><p> Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, George W. Bush.</p><p>The last Republican president was donald trump. When his term was terminated by American voters in 2020, he concluded his term in office by mounting an insurrection against the US Congress on January 6, 2021, thus disqualifying himself, as per the 14th Amendment, Section 3, from ever holding the office again.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a91100200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Insurrection" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a91100200c img-responsive" height="193" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ad3645200d-pi" title="Insurrection" width="278" /></a></p><p>During the three years following his term in office, donald trump has absconded the Republican party, terminating the GOP’s traditional role as defender of the Constitution, destroying the party’s historical emphasis on the rule of Law. </p><p>donald trump’s <em>Make America Go Astray (MAGA) </em>rebel faction absconded the Republican party in 2016. Since that time, the main purpose of the MAGA has been to assist donald trump is his campaign to establish his identity as the most obnoxious jerk to ever occupy the oval office. For that role, he has earned his place in the history books. </p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a> </p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-32246712585721127162024-02-29T08:02:00.000-08:002024-02-29T08:02:02.901-08:00Supreme Court foot-dragging<p> We the People have Federal Justice Department that acts on our behalf to protect us from criminal activity.</p><p>On January 6, 2021, the outgoing President summoned a destructive mob to attack our U.S. Representatives and Senators as they were preparing to count votes. In so doing, donald trump was attempting to steal the election so that he could continue his occupancy of the White House.</p><p>The former president's attempt to steal the election is a crime that is now being indicted by our US Justice Department. A special prosecutor, Jack Smith, has been appointed to raise the charges against trump. </p><p>In trump's attempt to delay the trial, his lawyers dreamed up a fantasy defense that he was somehow immune from prosecution just because he was a president. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, after hearing arguments, that trump is not immune from prosecution that would hold him accountable for his attempt to steal the election.</p><p>Now, our US Supreme Court has decided to render a judgement on the DC Circuit Court's decision to deny trump's so-called "immunity."</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ac4357200b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="SupCourt" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ac4357200b img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ac4357200b-320wi" title="SupCourt" /></a></p><p>If our US Supreme Court unmasks itself as a delay-inducing institution whose revised purpose is to enable trump's purloined hegemony over our government. . . then loyal American patriots may find it necessary to storm the Supreme Court while it is in session, in a manner similar to the trump-magas attempted occupation of our Congress on January 6, 2021.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ac9eba200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="WillBeWild" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ac9eba200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ac9eba200d-320wi" title="WillBeWild" /></a></p><p>Let us hope that our Supreme Justices decide to do their duty in a timely manner. The Court must thereby allow our Peoples' prosecution of the chief insurrectionist in a timely manner, especially since the question of trump's fantasy "immunity" has already been settled. </p><p>We the People need to have all the facts of trump's Jan6 attempted coup--we need those facts to be public-- as we prepare to vote in November.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-80759723303530111412024-02-28T06:46:00.000-08:002024-02-28T06:46:36.038-08:00Mactrumph, a play<p> A tragedy by Willem Shakespurs</p><p>Act 1, Scene 1, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>whereupon Mactrumph and Bankeroo, at a swamp near Ovalhovel, happen upon the three weird magas, November 2020, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Thunder. Enter the three weird magas.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a85f8d200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Magahags" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a85f8d200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a85f8d200c-320wi" title="Magahags" /></a></p><p>Hag Eastman: This election shall be tempest-toss’d. Oh, look what I have, a magaplot, fully loaded for insurrection. But hark! a drum, a dumdum <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>drum! Mactrumph doth come!</p><p>.<em>Enter Mactrumph and Bankeroo.</em></p><p>Mactrumph: So foul an affair I have not yet seen. But lookee here, who might this be? </p><p>Hag Rudy: All hail, Mactrumph, thane of N’York!</p><p>Hag Bannon: All hail, Mactrumph, bane of AtlanticCity!</p><p>Hag Eastman: All hail, Mactrumph, who shall be KING hereafter!</p><p>Mactrumph: <em>excited</em>, Stay! you rowdy speakers, tell me more!</p><p>Hag Eastman: Double, double, toil and trouble, election will turn and cauldron will bubble!</p><p>Hag Bannon: Mactrumph shall ever powerful be, when maga hoods shall move against congress’ game!</p><p>Hag Rudy: Mactrumph shall ever POTUS be, ’til Judges’ gavels shall Mactrumph’s game unravel!</p><p>To be discontinued. . .</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-37308204511010921442024-02-15T15:34:00.000-08:002024-02-15T15:34:03.383-08:00Let America Be Good Again<p> <em>Hey, y’all listen up.</em></p><p>“I was a stranger, and you did not invite me in; I was naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, and you didn't bother to visit me.”</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ab6f5a200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Jesus Christ" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ab6f5a200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ab6f5a200d-320wi" title="Jesus Christ" /></a></p><p>“When did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of you?”</p><p>Then he will answer them, “<em>I’m not kidding, y’all.</em> To the extent that you didn’t do it for one of these, the least of my people, you didn’t do it for me.” </p><p><em>Let 'em in, y'all. Your paranoia is poisoning your once-great democratic republic. Let 'em in--the humble masses are yearning to be free!</em></p><p><em>And if that wasn’t enough, he said</em>. . . “I bless those of you who are poor in spirit, who are humble; I bless you who are gentle; you will inherit the earth <em>(while the magamaniacs are trying to take it over by force,</em><em> by playing their riotous trump cards.)</em></p><p><em>The strangers are not poisoning your blood. They are bringing in new blood, as your forefathers did.</em></p><p>I bless those of you who hunger for things to be done righteously. I bless you who are merciful—I will show y’all mercy (<em>when your time comes</em>.)</p><p><em>Not only that</em>, but I will bless you who are pure in your motives and your intentions.</p><p>I will bless you who make peace; <em>( really, you are my people.)</em></p><p><em>Yep, that’s it; that’s the bottom line: </em></p><p><strong><em>Blessed are the Peacemakers!</em></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>King of Soul</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-4574863295111238592024-02-11T14:16:00.000-08:002024-02-11T14:16:52.418-08:00The Court's Avoidance of Duty<p><strong>January 6, 2021</strong>: You’ve heard of that day, right?</p><p>If you haven’t heard about what happened on that day, you must have been on a desert island somewhere, or perhaps sleeping in a hayloft while the little foxes were out in the barnyard trying to spoil the vines and get drunk on the grapes of wrath. </p><p>Seriously, though . . .</p><p> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On that historic day, our former Vice President, Mike Pence, saved our Republic from what might have been a fatal attack. He acted alone, very bravely, in his persistence to perform his Constitutional duty: to assure us— the American people— that our Electoral votes would be properly counted, to determine who would be our President during 2021-2024.</p><p>On that fateful day, Vice President Pence’s dutiful action seemed to be a singularly solitary decision. But we later learned—thanks to the US House Special January6 Committee—that Mike had some help. He had help from God.</p><p>You think I’m kidding? I’m not kidding, y’all. Here’s how it happened. For one thing . . . Greg Jacob, Pence’s assistant, was seeking divine wisdom when he turned to the Bible for some guidance. He later testified that, in that hour of extreme danger, hidden with Pence and others beneath the Capitol. . . he was reading, in the Old Testament, about the ancient prophet, Daniel, who had endured a similar test in his role as advisor to an ancient emperor. (<em>See Daniel chapter 6</em>.)</p><p>Meanwhile, in tense those moments, our Vice President made two very important phone calls. He called former Vice President Dan Quayle for advice. He also called Judge Michael Luttig. </p><p>Today, February 11, 2024, I listened to Michael Popok’s <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>interview with Judge Luttig. They were discussing a new case—the 14th-amendment “insurrection” case that is currently before our Supreme Court.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ab1663200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Luttig" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ab1663200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3ab1663200d-320wi" title="Luttig" /></a></p><p>If you are a citizen of these United States, I recommend that you listen to this interview on YouTube, or, as the saying is these days, “wherever you get your podcasts.”</p><p>In their discussion, Judge Luttig calls Section 3 of the 14th Amendment “the Constitutional safety net for American democracy.”</p><p>Hear the Judge explain the importance of that “safety net”:</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y68h77bVm1E">Popok and Luttig</a></p><p>Judge Luttig's explanation clarifies the present controversies surrounding Section 3 of the 14th Amendment . . . better than any other explanation that you may hear anywhere. </p><p>But hey, there was a constructive development in another Washington court last week: the decision by the DC Circuit Appeals Court, 3-Judge panel, that donald trump—like any other citizen— has no immunity against criminal indictment and conviction. Popok and Luttig also discuss that decision, which enables Prosecutor Jack Smith to proceed in his insurrection case against trump in Judge Tanya Chutkan’s DC Circuit court.</p><p>If, however, you are weary of all these legal perplexities, perhaps you will find some amusement in the song I composed when Justice Kavanaugh was being nominated, a few years ago, by the Senate Judiciary Committee: </p><p><a href="http://www.micahrowland.com/carey/Ballad-of-Brett-v-Blasey.mp3" target="_blank">Ballad of Brett and Blasey</a></p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a> </p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-35903817261409243812024-02-08T11:31:00.000-08:002024-02-08T11:31:31.542-08:00Federal Election Consistency<p> Our US Constitution states the following words in the 14th Amendment, Section 3, to whit:</p><blockquote><p>"No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, <strong>or hold an office,</strong> civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously <strong>taken an oath</strong>, as a member of Congress, or as an <strong>officer</strong> of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an <strong>executive</strong> or judicial officer of any State, <strong>to support the Constitution</strong> of the United States, shall have <strong>engaged in insurrection or rebellion</strong> against the same,<strong> or given aid and comfort to the enemies</strong>thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."</p></blockquote><p>Like any dutiful American who is fortunate enough to have some time to comprehend a Supreme Court live argument, I listened to one today. </p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aad4ec200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="SupCourt" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aad4ec200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aad4ec200d-320wi" title="SupCourt" /></a><br /></p><p>It’s not every day that we have the privilege of eavesdropping on decisions of such national importance. But thanks to Ben Meiselas on YouTube, I was able to drop in, aurally. I stumbled upon it suddenly. Unexpectedly, there it was. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Sounds of lawyerly arguments and Judicial questioning were intersecting with my brain waves as I retrieved my Constitution for reference. </p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a691b0200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Constitution" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a691b0200c img-responsive" height="273" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a69252200c-pi" title="Constitution" width="368" /></a><br /></p><p>I will not attempt to explain what I heard, except that I did hear the voice of every Justice as they posed questions for the two lawyers.</p><p>As usual in this scenario, any comprehension of what I thought were the main issues was eclipsed by the complexity of legal fine points and references to previous Court decisions. </p><p>When the Court concluded their session, Ben Meiselas returned on my laptop screen with a few comments, including his assessment that the Court would decide against <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Colorado’s decision to remove trump from the ballot.</p><p>And I must say that I would, in that case, agree with the Court, even though I, and so many of us Americans are doing everything we can to keep trump out of the White House.</p><p>As an American citizen who takes every opportunity to vote in elections, I do believe that all of our States should have identical candidate choices in Federal elections. </p><p>I fully agree with all my compatriots across the nation who are making every effort to see trump suffer extreme punishments for the insurrection that he provoked on January 6, 2021.</p><p>But I also believe that, in any election in which a President is being elected, the candidate choices should be the same in every state.</p><p>So, in that respect, a Supreme Court decision that assures consistency in all states’ ballots is of a higher order than other ballot considerations.</p><p>As for donald trump suffering the penalties of his crimes, that will have to be decided by the Judges and/or Juries who are hearing prosecutions by Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Letitia James and their legal teams.</p><p>"Let Justice roll like the waters, and Righteousness like a mighty stream!" (saith the ancient biblical prophet, Amos)</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-12787705021368929362024-02-07T10:55:00.000-08:002024-02-07T10:55:13.040-08:00Memory Bookends<p> A news event yesterday falls on my long-ago memories of 1973.</p><p>In that year, our United States Senate opened its investigation of Richard Nixon’s Watergate burglary.</p><p>50 years went by. Then Our United States House of Representatives opened its investigation of donald trump’s attempted robbery of the 2020 election.</p><p>As an American, I took both of these crimes seriously, because they threaten the integrity of our Presidential leadership. </p><p>If we allow our Presidents to rule as criminals, what hope do we have of defending our nation against the real criminals who would steal our peace and safety?</p><p>My memory of ’73 was of Senator Sam Ervin managing the Senate’s Watergate investigation. As a senior studying political science at LSU, I spent a multitude of hours watching those investigative hearings in the spring of ’73.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aabcf6200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Sam Ervin" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aabcf6200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aabcf6200d-320wi" title="Sam Ervin" /></a></p><p>My recent memory of ’23 was of Representative Bennie Parsons managing the House’s investigation of the January 6 insurrection.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a676ff200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Bennie Thompson" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a676ff200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a676ff200c-320wi" title="Bennie Thompson" /></a></p><p>Nine years of my childhood were spent in Rep. Bennie Thompson's state, Mississippi. Now I live in North Carolina, the home state of Senator Sam Ervin.</p><p>But that detail is neither here nor there. Anyway, just now . . . Wednesday, January 7, I am ruminating on yesterday's DC Circuit Court of Appeals decision that affirms the principle that no President of our United States has the right to defy the Law while claiming it is part of his job to do so.</p><p>Such are the Historical bookends on a life-long news-shelf of memory. Now, as an American citizen of advanced age, I have spent a multitude of hours watching the testimonies in the House January 6 Committee, and subsequent events. . . especially this week’s report of a landmark decision by the DC Circuit Appeals Court denying trump’s appeal for immunity.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aabd40200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Bookshelf" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aabd40200d img-responsive" height="159" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3aa53b6200b-pi" title="Bookshelf" width="320" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-3087473226410896792024-02-01T15:14:00.000-08:002024-02-01T15:14:33.400-08:00The Battle of Rusty v Rudy<p><strong>This event should go down in our American History books:</strong></p><p>Immediately after the 2020 election, as the votes were being counted nationwide, Rudy Giuliani and donald trump were on the phone trying to persuade Rusty Bower (the Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives), to break the law. They were trying to persuade him to throw out the legally elected Electors—Democrats for Joe Biden— and put in trump’s electors. </p><p>They were asking Speaker Rusty Bowers to manipulate the legislature to circumvent the process by which legitimate electors would be determined. </p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a9d3ee200b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Rusty Bower" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a9d3ee200b img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a9d3ee200b-320wi" title="Rusty Bower" /></a><br /></p><p>But Rusty wanted proof that what they were asking him to do was legal. </p><p>They were "twisting his arm" to break the Law. Here's how it happened: Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis went to Arizona. When they were sitting, face to face, across a table from Arizona Speaker Rusty Bowers; he asked them, </p><p>“Did you bring me proof?”</p><p>Rudy said, “What?”</p><p>Rudy reminded them: “I said, ‘Do you remember our phone call when you said you were going to bring me the proof? </p><p>And Rudy said “Oh yeah.” </p><p>Rusty persisted. He asked again, ‘Did you bring it?’ He turned to Jenna Ellis, and asked her, ‘Do you have the proof?’</p><p> And she said ‘yeah.’ </p><p> “Well, can we see it?’</p><p> She leans over and fumbles through her briefcase and says, “Oh no, I don’t have it here—must be at the hotel room.”</p><p>Later, much later, when Speaker Rusty was testifying to the US House January6 Committee, he testified, “For them to say to me, ‘Yeah, we just want you to throw out them electors and put in trump’s, I’m thinking, <strong>‘Have I gone to another planet?</strong>. . . What? I’m not going to do that. I mean, I wanted him (trump) to win, okay, so what? . . . I’m not gonna cheat; I’m not gonna cheat to win. . . You’re asking me to break my oath. I’m not gonna break it, period.” </p><p>But Rudy had admitted earlier, on the phone to Rusty, “. . . we have a lot of theories. We just don’t have the evidence.”</p><p>In that strange time of trump’s desperate evidence-mongering, the conspirators, now being tried in a Court of Law in Georgia, were indeed operating as if they were on another planet, the <strong>planet of MAGA</strong>. </p><p>But hey! this is the planet of USA. We have a Constitution that, when properly applied, assures us JUSTICE, not MAGA manipilation.</p><p>We are thankful for Rusty Bower, Speaker of the Arizona House, and thankful for many others like him, i.e Brad Raffensperger, and many others who stood for <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Truth, Justice, and the American way of Elections, which is found in our Constitution, not in the manipulations of MAGA maggots who wriggle desperately to worm their way through our Rule of Law!</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a> </p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-11471156874836551522024-01-29T13:35:00.000-08:002024-01-29T13:35:21.389-08:00Them Infamous 1960's<p>We babyboomers grew up in a world of newfound electronica. We had a glowing glob of circuits and california fairy tales in the living room. We had a tube-newyork buzz, a memphis beat and a british invasion. </p><p>We had dad bringing home the bacon; we had mom cooking in the kitchen. We had grampa squelching memories of Omaha beach and Guadalcanal; we had gramma reading fairy tales at bedtime.</p><p>We had it made! </p><p>A few years rolled by, We had a president slain; he had a brother who suffered the same. Fate. We had Vietnam; we had thousands dead; we had millions of miles traveled on brand-spankin’ new interstate highways. We got a spankin’ every now and then. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We had joy, we had fun, seasons in the sun; we had rainy days and wednesdays. We had Saturday morning cartoons. We had Johnny come marchin’ home again; we had Johnny’s memorial on a Washington wall; we had Johnny crackin’ jokes on NBC late night. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We had a dream of what all God’s children, black and white, could do if we could join together. </p><p>Last night we had a trip down memory lane. There we were all in one place, a generation caught up in memory lane, comfortably numb in the space of a theater,. yet alert to the magic of media bringing it all back. . . being entertained in the windmills of our collective mind. ’T’was a great show assembled by some traveling band of musicians; they had summoned up a stream of old audio, hitched up with video snippets carefully selected for our boomer ears. Together a <em>far out</em> staged trip down memory lane, brought to us by <a href="https://toscomusic.org/"><em>https://toscomusic.org</em></a></p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a5a608200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="The '60's Show" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a5a608200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a5a608200c-320wi" title="The '60's Show" /></a></p><p>A groovy time was had by all! The song selections might have been a bit hollywoodish, as compared to what this ole boomer would have chosen, if you know what I mean… they had more <em>Monkee </em>shines than <em>Beatle</em> hits. We did, however, catch <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>glimpses of <em>Joan Baez</em> and <em>Peter Paul and Mary</em>, but no song selections heard from that folky strain.</p><p>We heard a broad assortment of hit songs, <em>Light my fire. . . Raindrops fallin' on my head, Imagine you and me together . . . For every time, there is a a season. . . a time to every purpose. . .</em></p><p>I kept wanting to hear a snippet of my earliest <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Beatles’ memory . . <em>“well she was just seventeen; you know what i mean . . .” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>but no. So I was thinking that the barefooted Beatle—the one who survived after being “dead” for a while, <em>haha</em>— having perhaps turned somewhat walrus-ish in his old age, might have imposed some very cost-prohibitive copyright limitations on this “ ’60’s” band of meandering memory-makers. But I don’t know. Toward the end, however, a very touching tribute to George Harrison lit up the stage with a presentation of his greatest song: <em>Here Comes the Sun</em>.</p><p>In a black-and-white video snippet, a young Bob Dylan’s gentle, but insistent, argument with some reporter was indeed a sign of those times. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>That video snippet was followed, appropriately, by one of the “60’s Show” guitarist’s solo-sung tribute to the times and to Dylan’s: <em>The Times They Are a-Changin.</em></p><p>While we Babyboomers had an awesome trip down memory lane at the Knight Theater in Charlotte last night, we do cherish the era and the people who made it all possible. </p><p>I especially enjoyed it because my novel,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>King of Soul</em></a>, covers that period of time.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a5a61d200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="KSCover copy" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a5a61d200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a5a61d200c-320wi" title="KSCover copy" /></a> </p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-61197543071459872532024-01-25T11:32:00.000-08:002024-01-25T11:32:21.039-08:00The Double Curse<p> We Americans are now enduring civil warfare from the Left and from the Right. </p><p>The curse from the Right is obvious; it is the curse of trump and it is extremely dangerous. The last time we had a curse this destructive was during the Civil War.</p><p>The curse from the Left was discreet until it came out of the closet.</p><p>Here’s how that happened:</p><p>We all have two legs. We all have, between those legs, sexual organs that we are born with. Every human being has the right to decide how s/he wants to make use of their birthed organs; and every person has the right to form a personal identity and lifestyle around their sexual preferences.</p><p>Our original doctrine of personal identity is found in our Declaration of Independence, which declares that we all have rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. </p><p>I think we can all agree that each person’s pursuit of happiness encompasses their choices about sexual behaviour and identity. </p><p>As sexual organs are (along with their reproductive functions) also organs of pleasure, we find <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>a vast array of lifestyles associated with these physical features.</p><p>The very large problem that has arisen in modern times is this: <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the raising of children (and therefore the gradual formation of their sexual identity) during school-years is the sole responsibility of their parents, not the school, not the teachers in the school. </p><p>Why is this?</p><p>Because when you are tampering with sex, you are messing with the very essence of human identity. This is not a matter for public indoctrination. This is directly connected to our Constitutional, 1st Amendment Right, Freedom of Religion. Children are, until their age of adulthood, subject to the Religion of their parents, not the religion of the school, school board, nor the teachers. </p><p>The curse of the Left, mentioned above, is this: Democrats and Liberals wanted to extend public education beyond the issues of human rights and civil rights. Sexual identity issues have no place in public schools.</p><p>As the old song says. . . Don’t play with me, cuz you’re playing with the fire. Playing with childhood sexual identities is playing with fire.</p><p>And if that were not volatile enough, the Liberals (for lack of any other descriptor) chose to vastly confuse the issue by cramming it into the Race issue. They did this by tacking the “woke” tag onto the sex issues.</p><p>It is true that white folks have needed to make some changes in their personal attitudes and in their public institutions. They needed to wake up to the fact of equality between races. This troublesome issue was inherent in the historical tragedy of slavery. Slavery is closely connected to the curse of the Right, because rich white people used it to abuse black folks for centuries before we managed to, societally, put an end to that oppression.</p><p>The curse of the Right is this: donald trump and his violent minions took advantage of the “woke” confusion to mount an insurrection.</p><p>And now we are having a cultural war— maybe even a civil war. It began on January 6, 2021 because trump dog-whistled the already-mad-as-hell conservatives and the Republicans and the magamaniacs to dump all their discontent on the steps, the halls, the chambers and the public servants in our Capitol.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a932a7200b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="GlassBrokn" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a932a7200b img-responsive" height="161" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a550a1200c-pi" title="GlassBrokn" width="312" /></a></p><p>The dictator wannabee detected all that rage and rounded it up for his own use. This is exactly the way hitler, mussollini and other tyrants have built their mobs in years past.</p><p>And we must not let donald trump get away with it. Vote for Nikki Haley. . . or if that doesn’t work for you, vote for our President, Joe Biden, even if he is an old geezer. </p><p>The orange freak is also an old geezer, but he is a self-obsessed, rotten-to-the-core one who will rip this nation to shreds if we allow him back into the oval.</p><p>Do not take a chance on the curse of the Right: donald trump.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-76135555465813519212024-01-23T17:00:00.000-08:002024-01-23T17:00:29.465-08:00Nikki Haley to the Rescue<p>It is appropriate that the person who rescues our nation from donald trump is a patriot who has worked for him and with him. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISr7wEZunmhxpvmiVp6NZwMMOWzkX8mf87-_dpy4-aSta31E1M_PqRBptx2MPdEM43hl0SaTP82Y08RLEV2kNfl5wO3KHeSd_uFRp80Ht0XNLAWN9CSe9Lpy5xi5fm1dp5v744JwAKlnBSIUsoynVcQJs8fdiUaXyI_evPiXVd0KRNwxT4WnwGzxqn5xQ/s592/Nikki%20Haley.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISr7wEZunmhxpvmiVp6NZwMMOWzkX8mf87-_dpy4-aSta31E1M_PqRBptx2MPdEM43hl0SaTP82Y08RLEV2kNfl5wO3KHeSd_uFRp80Ht0XNLAWN9CSe9Lpy5xi5fm1dp5v744JwAKlnBSIUsoynVcQJs8fdiUaXyI_evPiXVd0KRNwxT4WnwGzxqn5xQ/s320/Nikki%20Haley.png" width="289" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Now is the time for Nikki Haley to come to the aid of our country, because we need a proven Republican to do the delicate work of rescuing the party of Lincoln, and the Republic for which he stood, from this present insurrectionist faction that has taken control of the Grand Ole Party. </p><p>Ambassador/Governor Haley spoke with profound truth and courage in 2016 when she insisted:</p><blockquote><p>“I will not stop until we fight a man who chooses not to disavow the KKK. That is not a part of our party. That’s not who we want as president. We will not allow that in our country.”</p></blockquote><p>In February 2021, only a month after trump’s insurrectionist thugs had stormed our Capitol while attempting to destroy our Constitutional Rule of Law, Ambassador/Governor Halley criticized trump because he had taken no action to protect Vice President Mike Pence.</p><p>A week after the Jan6 insurrection, Ambassador/Governor Halley advised us with these words of brutal truth and admirable wisdom: </p><blockquote><p>“We need to acknowledge he let us down. He went down a path we shouldn’t have, and we shouldn’t have followed him, and we shouldn’t have listened to him. And we can’t let that ever happen again.”</p></blockquote><p>And now, three years later, We the People have a great opportunity to protect and defend the the integrity of our Republic by accepting Nikki Haley’s request to be elected President, thereby preventing the chief insurrectionist from absconding the reins of power again and corrupting the oval office with his traitorous presence. </p><p>So let us go forth in the noise and the confusion of 2024 and stand firm to accept Nikki Haley’s bold leadership. Let us send donald trump back to Mar-a-Lardo where he can spend the rest of his days with Aileen Cannon perusing the classified documents that he stole from us. We can only hope he will not sell any of those classified secrets to the Saudis or the Iranians or Russians.</p><p>Let’s get busy supporting this seasoned Republican who is willing and able to rescue us from the curse of donald trump.</p><p>All ye Republicans. . . and Democrats who are willing to join us, now is the time to come to the aid of our country.</p><p>Thanks to Chris, Tim, Vivek and Ron for getting out of the way so that Ambassador/Governor Nikki Haley can send donald trump packing, back up the escalator.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a> </p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-25143468426122942692024-01-17T11:35:00.000-08:002024-01-17T11:35:25.152-08:00The Pieces v the Magac<p> In this day and time, I am observing a massive confrontation between two vast segments of American politics. I have noticed several characteristics of this escalating political civil war. It is a political/cultural war betweeen the <strong>pieceniks</strong> and the <strong> magacians</strong>.</p><p><strong>1.</strong> The people who read. . . the Dems, the academics, journalists, lefties, progressives—they stand mostly united in our desperate efforts to ensure that donald trump never occupies the Oval again. </p><p>Here is one communication tool that the pieceniks like to use : the “piece.” </p><p>Formerly known as an essay, or editorial, or written opinion, or news report, this word, “<strong>piece”</strong> is a meaningful term among the anti-trumpers. It is understood to be a written essay, probably published in the Times or the Post or the New Yorker, Atlantic, or some blogging platform online that is read daily by lefty eggheads, academics, deep-staters, Democrats, journalists, columnists or any citizens who oppose trump.</p><p><strong>2</strong>.On the other side, the people who love trump, the magas, the used-to-be Republicans, the rebels and insurrectionists who are willing to destroy public institutions and ignore the Justice system so trump can return to his bully pulpit—they stand mostly united in their determination to outfox the lefty piecenicks. </p><p>The trumpians have conjured up a spirit of rebellion that summons a special kind of "<strong>magac."</strong> This accursing power is their main weapon against the academic, erudite drivel of the left. Maga magac is not generally cast in written form; it's mainly noticed as whatever detritus was left in our Capitol, or on the Capitol grounds, after January 6, 2021. Since that insurrection, the magacians have expanded their curses, empowering the fox to raid the henhouse. Now they're cracking the eggheads, scaring hell out of the chickens and generally taking command of ole GOPpy caucuses and the three-ring circus of American politics, while poo-pooing what used to be political discourse and what used to be called Rule of Law and the Constitution.</p><p>Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence. . . the Dems, the academics, journalists, lefties and progressives post their pieces in publications and discuss them politely as the foxes busy themselves raiding the henhouse while casting their <strong>magac</strong> spells far and wide.</p><p>The trump-instigated magacal event that conjured up Jan6 insurrection was a spell cast by donald himself <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>when he summoned the spirits of rebellion to begin dismantling our Democracy so that the magacians could replace Constitutional procedures with a dictatorship that trump has planned for his first day of having, once again, dinner in the oval while watching our American democracy being torn apart.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a4911a200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="HelpPiece" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a4911a200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a4911a200c-320wi" title="HelpPiece" /></a></p><p>But hey, if the magacians do manage to get trumpty-dumpty hoisted up onto the wall of obstruction again, they will surely discover that he is unable to put all the pieces of American peace and prosperity back together again and we'll have a giant clusterfud on our hands as the sh** hits the fan. </p><p>There's my piece and I'm stickin' to it! <a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-37916540079016810242024-01-14T12:41:00.000-08:002024-01-14T12:41:47.260-08:00MLK Last Day<p> On the night before he was assassinated in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a prophetic message to the people who needed his help and inspiration. The sanitation workers of Memphis had gathered, along with a church-full of supporters at the Church of God in Christ. Little did they know. . . they would be the last listeners on this earth to hear Dr. King's bold message of deliverance. </p><p>As Dr. King spoke boldly, he already understood that he was a target. He had been warned by the murderers themselves, although he did not know how, when, or where it would happen. Yet his continuing mission to deliver his people from oppression was of a higher order than the mere prospect of staying alive. So he persisted in his life's divinely-appointed mission. He told the people who had gathered:</p><blockquote><p>“Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. "</p></blockquote><p>Standing in the prospect of what he knew to be an unjustified death sentence, Martin's reference to the mountaintop clarified the prophetic role that he had undertaken to liberate his people from honky racist oppression. . . even as Moses had stood atop the pisgah of Mt. Nebo, knowing that he had been allowed a glimpse of the Promised Land; but he would not enter therein with his people, the Jews of biblical antiquity.</p><p>Fifty-seven years ago, I wrote and recorded a song about the life-work of these two bold prophets. Listen: <a href="http://www.micahrowland.com/carey/Mountaintop.mp3"><em>Mountaintop</em></a></p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a443be200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="MLK" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a443be200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a443be200c-320wi" title="MLK" /></a></p><p>The news of Dr. King's death was tragic the next day, after he was shot dead while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. And yet. . . and yet . . . when we look around us today and see the roles performed by so many black Americans in the year 2024 . . . we discern that Dr. King understood fully the significance of what he was doing. And if you don't believe me, well, well . . . go ask Joy Reid, or Barack Obama, or Tim Scott, or Morgan Freeman, or Ketanji Brown Jackson, or millions of other citizens of color, maybe next door or down the street or at the desk next to yours.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>King of Soul</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-34351326062018755462024-01-11T05:17:00.000-08:002024-01-11T05:17:49.746-08:00Ancient Words<p> <em>Words of Zophar, found, so far, in an old book, chapter 20:</em></p><p>Do you know this from our heritage, even from the establishment of man on earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless momentary?</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a3f404200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Jan6gungls" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a3f404200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a3f404200c-320wi" title="Jan6gungls" /></a></p><p>Though his loftiness seems to reach heavenward, he perishes forever like his stinky refuse. Those who have seen him will say “Where is he?” Though deception is sweet in his mouth (he hides it under his tongue). . . he swallows riches, but will vomit <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>them up; God will expel them from his belly. He sucks the poison of cobras. He doesn’t bother to notice the streams, the rivers flowing with this world’s offerings. He has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized a house which he had not built. </p><p>Because he knew no quietness within him, he does not retain anything he desires. Nothing remains for him to devour. . . nada, zip.</p><p>Therefore his prosperity does not endure. In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped; the hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.</p><p> He may flee from the judicial weapon, but the long arm of the Law will grab him.</p><p>Judgements strike heavily upon him. The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a84524200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Justice" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a84524200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a84524200d-320wi" title="Justice" /></a></p><p>The increase of his house will depart; his assets will slip away in the days of his anger. </p><p>This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the very heritage ultimately decreed to him by the Almighty.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-53494361574991320252024-01-05T09:23:00.000-08:002024-01-05T09:28:41.919-08:00National Anthem Updated<p> </p><p>I'm updating our National Anthem to honor the valour of those police officers, soldiers and citizens who defended our Capitol, our Congress and our Flag, January 6, 2021.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a7b475200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Insurrection" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a7b475200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a7b475200d-320wi" title="Insurrection" /></a></p><p><em><strong>Star-spangled Capitol, (</strong>verse 3 proposed):</em></p><p>Oh say can you see, in the 2021 light</p><p>What we so proudly maintained </p><p>after a riotous fight.</p><p>That broad dome and wide steps</p><p>through the perilous fight</p><p>O’er the barricades we watched</p><p>were so gallantly retained!</p><p>As our Congress did dare, with teargas in the air,</p><p>giving proof through the fight</p><p>that our Congress was still there;</p><p>O say does that Capitol Congress <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>remain</p><p>with our Presidency,</p><p>o’er the land of the free, <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Democracy!</p><p><em>Listen:</em></p><p class="asset asset-audio at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a7b49e200d img-responsive"><a href="http://www.micahrowland.com/carey/Star-spangled Capitol.mp3" target="_blank">Star-spangled Capitol</a></p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank" title="Glass half-Full"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p><p><br /></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-67926847212125506322023-12-31T18:26:00.000-08:002023-12-31T18:26:16.365-08:00The Wings of Doing the Right Thing<p> On January 6, 2021, donald trump’s attempt to mount an insurrection against our Congress was not a victory for him. It backfired because of the steadfast integrity of one man, Vice President Mike Pence. </p><p>Our Vice President, Mike Pence, did the right thing on January 6, 2023. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. In so doing, he rescued our Constitutional Republic from disaster.</p><p>Later, when our US House of Representatives appointed a committee to investigate the insurrection of Jan6, many profound testimonies were heard. But there is one testimony that surpasses all of them in its importance. That was the testimony of Mike Pence’s Counsel, Greg Jacob. Mr. Jacob took hold of the Lord's enabling to do the right thing.</p><p>During the violent attack on our Capital and our Congress, dutiful defenders of Vice President Pence had hustled him down to a secure location beneath the main Capitol building. While our Vice President was getting extreme maga pressure to do the wrong thing— to join the confederacy of trumpian traitors— his Secret Service defenders shuffled Mike quickly down to that secure location. Months later, when Congress was conducting an investigation to find out who had mounted the insurrection, the US House Jan6 committee interviewed Vice President Pence’s lawyer/defender, Greg Jacob.</p><p>Mr. Jacob’s testimony presented an explanation of the ordeal that Mike Pence and his staff were forced to endure while waiting for the mob to be defeated and arrested. His account of doing the right thing when it mattered the most represents the long history of Jacob's ladder providing a divinely-enabled ascent to do the right thing.</p><p>Greg Jacob testified that, in that hour of peril and confusion, he turned to a divine source to find some direction about how they should endure and prevail in this extremely dangerous attack. </p><p>Greg Jacob testified:</p><p>“. . . my faith really sustained me through it. Down in the secure location, I pulled out my Bible, read through it. . . took great comfort. Daniel 6 was where I went. . . Daniel had become second-in-command in Babylon. . .a pagan nation. But he completely and faithfully serves. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He refuses an order from the king that he cannot <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(must not) follow . . . he does his duty in consistence with his oath to God. And I felt that that was what had played out that day.”</p><p>In that moment, Mike Pence grabbed hold of the ancient enablement to do the right thing:</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a74257200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="JacobLadder" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a74257200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a74257200d-320wi" title="JacobLadder" /></a></p><p>Why did Mike Pence and Greg Jacob accept the peril of trump's violent attack by resisting it and standing with our People and our Constitution to do the right thing? Greg Jacob explained it this way to the Jan6 committee:</p><p>“The Vice President did not want to take any chance that the world would see the Vice President of the United States fleeing the United States Capitol. He was determined that we would complete the work that we had set out to do that day—that it was his Constitutional duty to see through. . . and that the rioters who had breached the Capitol would not have the satisfaction of <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>disrupting the proceedings beyond the day on which they were supposed to be completed.”</p><p>Since that fateful day, many have commended Mike Pence for his courage in defending our Constitution, our Congress and our nation’s Rule of Law. But some people <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>criticize his Christian faith. </p><p>We need to understand that it was Mike Pence’s faith in God that motivated him to do the right thing when it mattered the most.</p><p>The Bible teaches that Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. </p><p>We are fortunate today that Vice President Mike Pence’s fear of the Lord compelled him to ignore, and thereby defeat, the fear of trump and his band of murderous rebels. But he didn't do it all by himself. The Lord, Greg Jacob and a few other brave souls assisted our dutiful Vice President in doing the right thing when it mattered most.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-85058989311446166542023-12-26T07:16:00.000-08:002023-12-26T07:16:20.548-08:00The Gaza Dilemma<p> What happened when the blimey Brits</p><p>sailed across <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Atlantic waves?</p><p>They morphed to wily yankee twits,</p><p>forgetting how a Brit behaves.</p><p> </p><p>But when Churchill made the call</p><p>to Roosevelt, back in ’41 or ’42</p><p>Sir Winston knew, above it all</p><p>what he and Franklin had to do,</p><p> </p><p>Because that hitler asshole with depraved aggression </p><p>had some ancient curse or grudge</p><p>You know the one: with the murd’rous obsession</p><p>that loudmouthed little mustachio’d sludge</p><p> </p><p>who ordered all them murd’rous prison camps</p><p>to extinguish the Jews and other decent souls.</p><p>They gassed them and hauled ‘em out on ramps</p><p>and dumped them into big mass-grave holes.</p><p> </p><p>Such depravity mankind had never seen</p><p>on such a massive scale they fell</p><p>Not even in our wildest dreams . . .</p><p>but only in that depraved sig heil hell.</p><p> </p><p>Now we know that after that holocaust,</p><p>the Jews returned to their ancient land.</p><p>They forged a new Israel out of what had been lost.</p><p>Natives had to make room in that Palestinian sand.</p><p> </p><p>As ancient tribes dwell again in close solemnity,</p><p>This would require a constant, peaceful Levity.</p><p>I pray Israelis don’t over-react to hamas enmity.</p><p>Lord let them not descend to third reich depravity.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a6d316200d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Coverphoto" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a6d316200d img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a6d316200d-320wi" title="Coverphoto" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Glass half-Full</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-68620690951619924772023-12-24T05:39:00.000-08:002023-12-24T05:39:00.457-08:00A Special Child ls Born<p> <a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a646e0200b-pi" style="display: inline;"> </a><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a257dd200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Christma" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a257dd200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a257dd200c-320wi" title="Christma" /></a></p><p><em>An ancient story, but true. . . Just believe it:</em></p><p> <strong>In those days</strong> Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.</p><p><strong> </strong>So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. <strong> </strong>He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. <strong> </strong>While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.</p><p><strong> </strong>And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. <strong> </strong>But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. <strong> </strong>Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. <strong> </strong>This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”</p><p><strong> </strong>Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,<strong> </strong>“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”</p><p><strong> </strong>When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”</p><p><strong> </strong>So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. <strong> </strong>When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. <strong> </strong>But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. <strong> </strong>The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.</p><p><a>http://www.careyrowland.com</a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1919711093898100377.post-69815925545046135442023-12-21T09:31:00.000-08:002023-12-21T09:31:54.837-08:00Serfin' on BuzzAntheum<p> <em> With apologies to William Butler Yeats, (1933)</em></p><p>This is no world for old folks. The young </p><p>in ticking tock of imagery online</p><p>wiyle away their frickin’ time.</p><p>Caught up in <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>world wide web we all reflect;</p><p>viral streams void ancient intellect.</p><p>Our hallowed halls, those ancient wells of words</p><p>lollygag in digital neglect</p><p>while we stampede in viral herds.</p><p> </p><p>A human mind is but a paltry thing</p><p>a dappled mass, a neuronic fling.</p><p>Oh Soul! do shout do sing, and louder ring</p><p>these clanging bells of bygone bling</p><p>Too far gone now’s the dusty study halls</p><p>those monuments of creeping ivy cover</p><p>these brickish ramparts, hollowed stalls</p><p>What’s our next diversion to discover?</p><p> </p><p>O sages in God’s ancient flame</p><p>as in enlightened ages gone</p><p>Can we recall that Holy Name?</p><p>Can we cast off what before was on?</p><p>Do we twitter time away today</p><p>fastened in a frickin’ net?</p><p>I find it really hard to say</p><p>just what it is I came to get.</p><p><a class="asset-img-link" href="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a21b67200c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Byz" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a21b67200c img-responsive" src="https://glasshalffull.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a79e132f970b02c8d3a21b67200c-320wi" title="Byz" /></a></p><p>Once out of nature we shall never take</p><p>our identity from any natural thing,</p><p>But such a form as online denizens do make</p><p>of click’ed images and shiny bling</p><p>to make a citizen think he’s still awake</p><p>not just another online thing.</p><p>We summon images they come they go</p><p>as if we’re frickin’ Michelangelo.</p><p><a href="http://www.careyrowland.com/"><em>Glass Chimera</em></a></p>careyrowlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17958687878367659875noreply@blogger.com0