Feeling Thankful

They couldn't be together

but they could remember years past

and make plans for next Thanksgiving

to gather in the woods

and hug

and sing songs

to all the gods and goddesses

My Reality is Different than Yours...

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.

"I don't much care where--" said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

"--so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation.

"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."

Alice felt that this could not be denied, so she tried another question.

"What sort of people live about here?"

"In that direction,"

the Cat said, waving its right paw round,

"lives a Hatter: and in that direction,"

waving the other paw,

"lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they're both mad."

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."

"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.

"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

==========

It circulates that, at some point in the conversation, Alice tells the Cheshire Cat that "My reality is different than yours..." but apparently that's not in the book.

Nonetheless, that reality not standing, the point stands. There are some people whose reality is different than, well, reality. They may bark at us when we point out reality. They may retreat to hide in sanctuaries full of people who agree with their "reality." They may even start whole new social media and "news" groups just so they can surround themselves with others who believe in their non-reality reality. And, if that's as far as it went, that's all well and good.

But when they emerge with their guns and their anger and insist that everyone else needs to agree with their reality, that's a problem.

When they are elected the president of the US and insist that those who disagree with reality are lying and trying to "steal" an election, that is a big problem.

And when this non-reality-based president is supported and defended by others who insist that his "reality" is correct... or even, "well, maybe he is correct, we'll just have to wait and see..." that is a big problem.

Where are the reality-based conservatives who will stand up and say, "Yes, the people have spoken. We may not like it, but the facts are that the data shows that Biden won the election. Any claims that Trump won or that the election was "stolen" by "fraud" - when they can't and don't support such claims... that is a big problem..."? Where are THOSE conservatives? (Yes, I know I've seen a few - Mitt Romney and others and good for them. But by and large, those conservatives are only attacked and undermined by the rest of the conservatives defending the Mad World of Trump.

So, to be clear:

IF you are making the claim that widespread voter fraud has happened in an attempt to "take away" the election from Trump; and

IF you have no data, no proof, no support for such claims and you make it anyway;

THEN, you are attempting to defraud the election by presenting a false narrative to undermine the election.

Stop. Don't do that. Don't be silent when those around you are doing it.

We all agree that attempt to defraud an election is bad, but as things stand now, it is Trump and his supporters or silent defenders who are doing it by passing on this false claim.

Thank You, America

"Remember this in the darkest moments, when the work doesn’t seem worth it, and change seems just out of reach: out of our willingness to push through comes a tremendous power… Use it."

~Stacey Abrams

Whatever Happens

                                        Whatever happens, friends
                                                  come what may
                                          we gonna keep on working
                                                     it's just our way