California, Here I Come

My brother and I are native Californians. We started elementary school in the Los Angeles environs of the1950s, when duck-and-cover bomb drills were routine because then the agreed-
upon great fears were Russians and nuclear armament. As native Californians, we were in the minority at school. I am sure it’s commonplace now. But wherever my classmates and I were
from, we shared common enemies: Russians and nuclear bombs.

It’s more nuanced these days. Who are the good guys and the bad guys now? Well, there’s a lot more gray.

Remember the mid-century proliferation of Western movies? Even there the color of a cowboy’s hat communicated the “side” he represented: white hat, good guy; black hat, bad guy.

In the 1950s and onward, we also had journalists and news entities who were respected for their commitment to telling the truth no matter the cost.

But where we are today? When I see a headline of a news story, and then read the lead paragraph, all too often I wonder: What is the truth here? As for photographs, your guess is as
good as mine: AI? A “real” photograph but tweaked by AI? Same problem.

These days, if I want to share a story or a photo, I have to do my own fact-checking as best I can.

So, what I am doing in this blog is providing two things that can be useful in the days ahead.

First thing, consider this Latin phrase, Posse Comitatis. Or, more specifically, the Posse Comitatus Act. This is the law that limits the power of the federal government in state jurisdictions. Specifically, neither the federal government nor the U.S. president can singly send federal troops into a state for law enforcement purposes. In other words, President Trump illegally sent federal troops to California to assist In managing crowd control. He was not, he was not needed, not not invited, nor did he withdraw them when asked to do so by Governor Gavin Newsome who, who along with 49 other governor, may request federal troop support. If you wish to know more, here’s a link to Wikipedia.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act

Second thing, know your rights before you need to. Here’s a link from Arizona ACLU. You can print this and take with you, leave in your car, or have in your pocket. Hand out to friends. If you think you will not be approached by immigration officers, I say, think again.
https://www.acluaz.org/en/know-your-rights/what-do-if-youre-stopped-police-or-immigration-
agents

Here are the classic lyrics to California, Here I Come

California, Here I Come
(by Al Jolson, DeSylva & Meyer, 1924)

California, here I come
Right back where I started from
Where bowers of flowers bloom in the sun
Each morning at dawning
Birdies sing an’ everything
A sun-kissed miss said, “Don’t be late!”
That’s why I can hardly wait
Open up that Golden Gate
California, here I come!

Paralysis

By Mary Patricia Trainor 

Donald Trump won the 2024 popular vote, it is true. But not by a landslide. There was no mandate of the people. He didn’t even win by a majority.

The final count? 49.9 percent. That’s the number published in The Washington Post in its January 20, 2025 edition.

Most of us already knew this. So why is he acting like the vast majority of Americans wanted him in office? Because he can, without challenge. 

Why no challenge? Because people are afraid. We’re riled up. We’re exhausted. We’re agitated and angry, and we stay that way because no one is fighting for us, or so it seems.

And silent anguish helps no one.

Since his January 20 inauguration Trump has walked all over traditions and laws, pretty much unimpeded. An occasional court has curbed his and Elon Musk’s wanton rampage in Washington. Tsk, tsk.

Democrats must find their backbone. Republicans who are not MAGA must join them. Independents and Libertarians, it’s time to enlist in the effort, or none of us will have a country to bicker about.

I’m including two links: one to a Ralph Nader post about silence; and one to a video from Dr. Lorilet Monegro on the psychological power of pre-programmed repetitive language.

Mr. Nader:

Stay Silent and Stay Powerless Against Trump’s Tyranny

Dr. Lorilet:

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Ke7wuEhxp/?mibextid=oKfgLb

Ready to serve

Every day within the new Washington regime is like a ride on Stratosphere X-Scream in Las Vegas. The ups, the downs, the being dangled over the Strip nearly 900 feet up.

While the playful analogy may suggest that one terrifying event is equivalent to another, nothing is further from the truth.

Because riding the X-Scream is a choice, and those who ride report that it’s a great trip.

Not so for the horrifying ride America is taking at the hands of an unelected official wandering through Washington departments like a farmer taking a scythe to his hayfield. It feels like we are being presented with a new horror every day. Jobs lost. People unemployed. Families devastated. Darting about from one area to another may seem chaotic, and it also feels purposeful, like a shell game. Move the shells around quickly enough and very few can determine where the pea ends up. The average American cannot keep up with the hurried pace and dizzying shakeups. Nor can we measure the best way to combat the craziness and stop the nonsense while it can still be stopped.

The courts have been helpful in slowing a few things down. But more help from Congress is not readily available at the moment. A few solid Republicans must martial the courage it will take to face down the madness. History will describe them as heroes, but that will take awhile. In the meantime they must face a vengeful president who does not know how to negotiate and, more than that, is known for getting even with people who cross him.

And we mere citizens, we don’t get excused from the courage hook either. I feel big change in Washington cannot occur without us. Our role is more confused, less clear. We are the citizenry, and our voices can empower those we have elected to the House and Senate to represent us. Whereas speaking up is THEIR job, they need our backing to do it. But we all have daily lives, work, school, caretaking a relative. These are fundamental responsibilities that should not be shirked.

What we need is a call to duty, and a catalog of duties that are doable–big or little–that will further the cause of protecting the American democracy. Somehow Democratic leadership needs to get itself organized and start rallying those who cherish freedom. If we don’t get our act together, I fear there is a point in time where our action may be too late.

What a sorrowful state of affairs. What can we do?

5 Calls Can Help

Maybe you’re feeling as I do, in somewhat of a liminal state. That place between this and that. That space between the jump off and the landing. A feeling of being unmoored, perhaps in danger, but how can we tell?

A liminal state can be kind of exciting for adrenaline fans, kind of frightening for the already-anxious.

What I am defining as a liminal state is the current condition  of affairs in the United States of America. In the words of an old song, are we going ninety miles an hour down a dead end street?

Too many changes, too quickly, with questionable hands at the wheel, decisions seeming rash, abrupt, reckless?

Maybe you even voted for the man at the top, but never expected such quick and extreme actions in such a variety of directions, as if the latest hurry-up is intended to distract us from our worry over previous decisions. 

For sure, it’s a way to paralyze voters. If we don’t like something that is happening, what are we to do? Wait to see if the next uprooting is even more upsettling. Or the one after that? Or the one after that? Will we act in time?

Well, I’m done with being paralyzed. And you can be, too. A friend told me about an “app” that lets me register my thoughts immediately with elected officials, the only people who can help—besides the courts.

Here’s the app. It’s name is 5 Calls. It identifies current issues that may concern you and me, and (once you’ve entered a ZIP code) you receive names of your federal representatives and how to connect to their offices. It provides–should you feel the
need–sample comments you can use or incorporate with your own content. You can also do this online. Here’s a link to the 5 Calls web site.

As far as I can see, this puts decision-making into the hands of the people affected–exactly where it belongs.

People who need people

This year’s Academy Awards will be broadcast on March 2. For some people, this coming Sunday’s Superbowl tops their TV year. For me, it is the Oscars.

Thinking about today’s blog theme, belonging, takes me back to 1969, when Barbra Streisand won the award for Best Actress for Funny Girl. (There was a tie for the Best Actress award in 1969. Katharine Hepburn won for her role in The Lion in Winter.)

Here’s the thing. I don’t remember much about the movie, but I sure remember her singing People Who Need People.

I was in my early 20s, and fell in love with the song. I was sure it pertained to me.

It was romantic, implying that needing people is the key to opening love’s doors.

People, people who need people, are the luckiest people, the song says.

But as with so many things that stir the heart and rouse the soul, needing people doesn’t guarantee a life filled with joy. Or, at least that’s been my  experience.

Besides the misery that loneliness can bring, scientists are now considering the negative health effects of protracted loneliness. In a country where health care developments lead to longer lives, it seems timely to consider the quality of the those longer lives since much of them may be spent living as a single person.

Feeling as if we belong somewhere, to someone, can take the edge off of loneliness’ impacts on you or those you love. Below I have include AI-assisted research on problems and solutions of loneliness.

1. Health Consequences – Chronic loneliness is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, weakened immune function, and cognitive decline, including a higher risk of dementia. It can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

2. Mental Health Effects – Loneliness is strongly associated with depression, anxiety, and increased stress levels. It can contribute to sleep disturbances and lower overall well-being.

3. Brain and Cognitive Function – Research shows that loneliness affects brain structures involved in emotional regulation and social cognition. It can impair memory, focus, and decision-making abilities.

4. Social and Behavioral Effects – Loneliness can create a negative cycle where individuals withdraw from social interactions, making it harder to reconnect. It can also lead to increased reliance on social media, which may or may not alleviate loneliness.

5. Age and Loneliness – While loneliness can affect all ages, it is particularly common among older adults due to factors like retirement, loss of loved ones, and decreased mobility. However, younger generations also report high levels of loneliness, often linked to digital communication replacing in-person interactions.

6. Community and Cultural Factors – Cultures that emphasize strong social connections and intergenerational living tend to have lower levels of loneliness. Social structures, such as community groups and religious organizations, can serve as protective factors.

7. Solutions and Interventions – Effective ways to combat loneliness include fostering meaningful social interactions, engaging in volunteer work, adopting pets, participating in group activities, and seeking therapy when needed. Some studies suggest that structured programs, such as social prescribing (where doctors recommend community activities), can help alleviate loneliness.

Who is going next?

For many who travel in church circles, it was Maryann Budde who went first.

The Episcopal Bishop of Washington, the Right Reverend Budde took her place in the pulpit of the National Cathedral.

It was January 21, one day after Donald Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States. Again.

The Cathedral scheduled an interfaith Service of Prayer for the Nation. Bishop Budde would preach.

According to online promotion, the service was to “gather with our interfaith and ecumenical partners to offer prayers of thanksgiving for our democracy and to seek God’s guidance in the years ahead.”

Moving into the climax of the sermon, Bishop Budde directed her remarks to President Trump.

In a calm, collected, clear, and kind voice, the bishop asked him to show mercy on those in targeted groups now living in fear because of his threats.

Trump later dismissed the sermon as “not very good.” 

He said more, of course, but suffice it to say, his reaction was negative. No real surprise. He also requested that the bishop apologize for what she said to him. Here is how she addressed the request for apology during an interview with PBS radio:

“I don’t feel there is a need to apologize for a request for mercy. And I don’t feel that there is a need to apologize to speak to the unity of this country that includes people that were not at all referenced in the unity that he spoke of the day before in his inaugural address. So, no, I don’t feel the need to apologize. I regret that I never – you know, I regret that it is – I don’t know. What do I regret? I regret that it was something that has caused the kind of response that it has, in the sense that it actually confirmed the very thing that I was speaking of earlier, which is our tendency to jump to outrage and not speak to one another with respect. But, no, I won’t apologize.”

Watch the full sermon here.

What I believe demands attention is the courage it took to stand in the pulpit, look the president in the eye , and ask for change. It was brave. And it’s important to us all to be courageous at the right moments in life. Any one of us may be called upon to be brave in the future. When it’s my turn I pray that I can be as poised and clear, yet gentle, as was Bishop Budde.

Perhaps Bishop Budde’s views on the nature of bravery could inspire us.

For that, I commend her book, How We Learn To Be Brave. You can purchase the audio version on Audible, or order the book from your favorite source. I do understand it is in high demand, and many bookstores have it on back order. 

I also include a Reel from Facebook demonstrating the importance of standing up to injustice. Click here to watch on Facebook.

A Complete Unknown

When Bob Dylan took the stage at the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival, who knew he would become the icon of a movement.

The five-foot-seven, slender young man with the tousled hair was not a physically imposing figure—but his words and delivery were imposing enough.

At 22, this “complete unknown” walked to a microphone—and started a revolution.

To be sure, musical prophets were not new. Woody Guthrie—who inspired Dylan—won over the American people with songs of their plight: Guthrie’s songs about the desperate stories of people scrabbling day by day to survive during The Great Depression and the 1930s environmental disaster, the Dustbowl.

Even in the 1960s, Dylan was not the only voice raised against perceived inequities.

Prolific, prophetic, persuasive, yes he was. But not alone. In fact, one of the others—among her many other life-changing contributions—is credited with giving Dylan a place on the stage. Joan Baez, also 22 at the time, was already known—and respected—not just for that large, clear soprano voice, but also for her commentary.

Personally, I cannot rank one of them ahead of the other.
People listened to them both. Not everyone, of course. But heir talents and message and integrity struck a chord in America at just the right time.

Twenty-two. And people of all ages and situations listened to them. Vilified by some, admired by many. Whether you were a fan or a detractor, you knew the names. And you knew the message

All at twenty-two.

UNBRIDLED COURAGE–Kalyna Fedorowycz is a sixteen-year-old equestrian who has been helping to transport horses away from the Southern California wildfires. But when a horse recently was too scared to get aboard the transport trailer, she took a more hands-on approach and actually rode the animal out of the canyon herself. Once again, youth shows us the way.

Los Angeles: An American Diaspora

 We’ve watched live coverage of peoples forced from their homelands. Political coups. Old debts begging a payoff. We’ve seen people running for their lives, forced out of what once was a home, other places of welcome. We’ve watched this from a distance, nestled in safe homes, tsk-tsking, even as we dress for work or school or shopping with friends. It usually happens quickly. And it’s always somewhere else. Until it isn’t.

Disruption.
Dislocation.
Disconnection.
Diaspora.

Some 200,000 people in greater Los Angeles and vicinity were rendered homeless in a matter of hours last week, thrust from their homes and their patterns, while looking for shelter, finding friends, hearing the latest news. The outcome was not the one they wanted.

Twenty-four* people lost their lives. Sixteen* are still missing. Others lost not just homes but also identities, histories, legacies, estates, fortunes for the next generations.

Even if, and that’s a very big if, insurance can adequately cover the cost of rebuilding or relocating, consider the massive bureaucracy required to process it all, and the weeks, months, years it will take. Not to mention sufficient work force to rebuild and an adequate supply chain to meet the needs in a timely way.

If we take what Isaiah writes seriously, and not simply get lost in the mire of devastation, what do hope and encouragement look like to people who have lost “everything?” It’s not a question for simply ancient Israel or 2025 Los Angeles. It plays in ordinary days, too, because every day, somewhere, someone has lost everything. And you and I may be the only people near who can help them find hope again.

*Number may update. See related photo of Saint Mark’s, Altadena, in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.