Gentle Ramblings

   What is really happening in the Xinjiang region of China? I've been pondering this question for over a year now and I'm coming to the realization that all the signs are evident of ethnic cleansing. I'm a Socialist, and have a tendency to defend the Communist superpower when it comes to certain events. The ridiculously ineffective tariffs Trump imposed on China was an abject failure. The tariffs were put in place for all the wrong reasons. Instead of highlighting China's spotty Human Rights record, including the mass incarceration of a million or more of the mostly Muslim, Uygur population in Xinjiang. Trump chose to use the tariffs as an attempt to prove to the world how tough he was and that the United States could handle mass economic production on their own. As we know now, we weren't and eventually the tariffs were lowered and then lifted completely . Secondly, the Trump admistration voiced support for the pro-democracy protests/riots in Hong Kong but again d

       How has the jewel of Democracy, the envy of most every other country in the world arrive at the point it is today? For one thing, income inequality has never been as prevalent as it is at this current juncture, and not what our founding fathers envisioned 240 plus years ago. The middle class, which from the late 1940's through the late 1990's were the backbone of a true successful democracy is steadily being eliminated. There was a time without a college degree or much of an education at all, one could still financially provide for at the very least, a wife and two children on a modest salary as a blue collar worker. In contrast, as the current economical divide stands that scenario is becoming nearly impossible to sustain. The price of living continues to skyrocket, especially in states like New York, New Jersey and California while wages have failed to keep up with inflation. A fifteen dollar an hour federal minimum wage would be a start, but I have my doubts even comm

     In 2019, in one of the richest nations in the world being a female must've felt you were back in 8th century. Despite promised reforms by the crown prince Muhammad Bin Salman (being of the opposite sex meant) you couldn't drive a car, travel without a male guardian or report sexual abuse by a spouse/ partner. According to Amnesty international, laws weren't just draconian for women. Criticizing the government, drug offences and simply being a part of the Shia' minority could lead to arbitrary trials and in some cases even a death sentence .In most cases, journalists and rights organizations are strictly monitored or simply banned from entering Saudi Arabia. The world was made aware of the butchering of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Turkey. The murder and dismemberment was basically ignored by the monarchy's leadership until international pressure and outrage got too overbearing. Eventually, a few loyal "soldiers" took the wrap for the obvi

    I'm never one for Prophesies, writing them, fulfilling them or believing them. When I wrote a specific op-ed several weeks ago about the possible chaos that could ensue after a Donald Trump presidential defeat, I never could have imagined the outrageous and unbelievably brash events that occured on January 6th in Washington DC. Trump supporters with the blessings of their idol, and outgoing commander stormed the Senate, literally. The siege lastest hours, the newscasts expressed their shock and disgust at the far right radicals behavior. America was becoming a third world country before our very eyes and the debate along with the violence and vitriol of these hopped up, so called "Proud Boys" were a raging four alarm dumpster fire. If this were Antifa, would the tear gas and hoses be used hours before they were finally fire at the insurrectionists? Would the three lives lost had been spared? Not that anyone really cares, but could the visuals of maniacs defacing Nancy