College Graduation a No Go?

Did you graduate high school? Great job. Did you graduate college? The congratulations don't pour in as fast as they used to for you now. Why are people, even the college graduate themselves, frowning on higher education?

The college graduating class of 2024 may not have a chance to walk across the stage to receive their diploma this year. This will not be anything new to these graduates. During the Covid pandemic the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. High school seniors found their world on lockdown, robbing them of the opportunity to have a public graduation. I'm sure these graduates believed this would be a once in a lifetime occurrence. Boy were they WRONG!

Fast forward to 2024 and several colleges are considering canceling on campus graduation ceremonies due to student protests of the Israeli-Hamas war. Once again, a graduation milestone seems to be on the verge of being CANCELED. 

Receiving a diploma for finishing academic requirements has been a tradition in America. Even with people voicing a degree is of little value these days, we all look forward to graduation season. College graduates finish college with student loan debt and many of the degrees obtained are not adequate for today's job market. Graduation ceremonies may still hold importance, but higher EDUCATION is no longer the golden ticket it once was. 

Even though we have come so far in education, it seems we have to pivot in our once held security that higher education meant having financial security, economic stability, and career advancement. Did people of the past really have difficult lives if they did not have higher education? I decided to take a look to see if having a college degree has always been over or underrated. 

In the 18th and 19th century, an "academy" was what later became known as a high school. Higher education was largely oriented toward training men as ministers before 1800. Saving the soul was honorable but not lucrative. Doctors and lawyers were trained in local apprentice systems. Religious denominations established most early colleges in order to train ministers. New England had a long emphasis on literacy in order that individuals could read the Bible. The first American colleges offered a broad liberal arts curriculum designed to educate young Puritan ministers. These early institutions were established by religious groups to foster the faith.

Harvard College was founded by the colonial legislature in 1636 and named after an early benefactor. Most of the funding came from the colony, but the college began to build an endowment from its early years. Harvard at first focused on training young men for the ministry, but many alumni went into law, medicine, government, or business. The college was a leader in bringing Newtonian science to the colonies. Harvard also established the Harvard Indian College, "hoping to make it the Indian Oxford," but only four Native Americans ever enrolled at Harvard in that era, and only one graduated.

Becoming a doctor in modern times is no small endeavor. Hours of study, training, and most times, financial debt is required. In the Old West times a typical fee a doctor charged in some areas during the early 1800's was twenty-five to fifty cents a visit, perhaps a dollar if the doctor stayed all night. Payment was made in goods, services, or promises more often than in cash. Here and there the frontier produced a physician of extraordinary vision and skill. Higer education did not have a big payoff for doctors. 

In the 1800's, students attended school for fewer years than do modern students. However, a brief survey of schoolbooks from the period indicates that their reading books advanced through several modern grade levels in any given year. By the FIFTH year of school, students were reading material at a level which is today considered college level. Can you imagine being able to have a college level education in five years instead of sixteen?

By 1860 the day-to-day running of the schools was based more on the teacher's practices than the board's policies. The agricultural economy in both the North and the South dictated school schedules, and children were excused from school during the months when they were needed to work in the fields.

The Civil War “drove some of the most important educational reforms of the late nineteenth century." In particular, the conflict and its aftermath created a relationship between the government and higher education, introduced new curricula, and reshaped the nature of student populations, ultimately producing the modern American university and college systems with which we identify today. 

The shift toward secular, practical education was inevitable. Thomas Jefferson was an early advocate of expanded higher education opportunities. He argued that America’s growing democracy needed an educated citizenry and that the growing market economy needed a skilled workforce. The Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862 likewise helped establish universities that concentrated on agricultural and engineering learning. Schools became coeducational and biracial, and welcomed non-traditional students from broader socioeconomic groups.

Between 1870 and 1897, the number of higher education institutions reached 821, up from 23 in 1800. These schools were secular institutions built on a practical mandate–to promote agriculture, science, and technology. The traditional liberal arts curriculum grew to include social science, applied sciences such as engineering, and professional training. By the close of the nineteenth century, theology schools represented only 13% of higher education institutions. Making money replaced saving souls and advancing faith.

During the period between 1850 and 1870, most American states achieved the free school system supported by property taxes rather than tuition. This momentous transition from no or partial to full public funding for schools has been surprisingly underemphasized by economists. "Laborers' wages were a dollar an hour; skilled mechanics received from $12 to $20 per day. The carpenters struck work because they were getting only $12 a day and insisted on being paid $16." Source: Annals of San Francisco, published 1855. Having a SKILL paid off and being skilled did not necessarily mean you had obtained a degree in that particular field.

Below is the average salary in 1901 in Buffalo, NY. Most people worked six days per week for 9 hours a day. They had no retirement benefits which meant they worked until they had saved enough money to stop working, or they worked until they died. (The average life expectancy for men was 47 years, for women it was 50.) They paid no income tax. There was no health insurance. $70,000 a year, in 1900 would have meant you were super rich with a mansion, servants, the whole deal.

Occupation	Annual Salary	2000 $
1900 Census Average Salary	$449.80	$8,973
Unskilled Female	$120	$2,394
African-American male laborer	$150	$2,992
African-American Female laundress	$180	$3,591
Nurses after two years	$193	$3,850
Factory women (Boston)	$295.44	$5,885
Retail Women (Boston)	$303.84	$6,045
National average female teachers	$381.50	$7,601
Lynn, MA factory seamstresses	$384	$7,660
Male Stenographer	$400	$7,980
Eden, NY Union Free School female teacher	$400	$7,980
National average male teachers	$452	$9,017
Nurse Supervisors	$463	$9,237
Western U.S. female teachers	$505	$10,074
Buffalo Railway Company trolley conductors	$533	$10,663
NYC Female teachers	$600	$11,970
Buffalo teacher after 4 years	$600	$11,970
Western U.S. male teachers	$610	$12,169
Buffalo NY factory planers	$624	$12,449
Buffalo School "department principal"	$750	$14,902
NYC male teachers	$900	$17,955

During the first half of the twentieth century, the higher education landscape was heavily influenced by economic demands. In the sciences, the focus shifted to fields which directly impacted industrial production–chemistry and physics departments grew to answer the demand for trained scientists and applied research. A well-rounded education became increasingly important for advancement throughout the private sector, which relied on literate, skilled employees. Enter the college degree being highly valued.

The federal government passed the GI Bill, which paid for the college education of 8 million returning GIs. Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1944, this act, also known as the G.I. Bill, provided World War II veterans with funds for college education, unemployment insurance, and housing.  A grateful recipient recalled: “[T]he government paid for all expenses; they paid for tuition; they paid for books, and they gave us a magnificent sum of $90 a month for food and housing.”

The GI Bill transformed the college student body by removing the major hurdle to higher education: the cost. Lower socioeconomic groups were finally represented on campus. The number of college students nearly doubled in the 1940s, from 1.5 million in 1940 to 2.7 million in 1950, as veterans swelled the ranks. The “magic carpet to the Middle Class,” as the GI Bill was called, permanently linked higher education and the American Dream. Education and degrees opened doors and people were going through those doors.

In the United States stagnation if not decline in education has been apparent at least since the 1970s. Even our high school graduation rates are lower today than they were a decade ago. This was called by some a Literacy Crisis. At the end of 1975, Newsweek magazine ran an alarming cover story on the perceived decline in American education, alerting the country to the possibility that American schools were graduating students who could not even write a comprehensible sentence in English.

Over most of the 20th century successive generations of U.S. children had higher enrollment rates and rising levels of completed education. This trend reversed with the baby boom cohorts who attended school in the 1970s, and only resumed in the mid-1980s. Even today, the college entry rate of male high school seniors is not much higher than it was in 1968. Young men’s high school completion rates drifted down over the 1970s, while their college entrance rates plummeted. Young women’s high school graduation and college entry rates were stagnant. As a consequence, men and women born in the 1960s had about the same high school graduation rates, and lower four-year college graduation rates, than men and women born a decade earlier.

Among the adult population in 1970 (persons 25 years old and over), 55%, were at least high school graduates as compared with 41%, in 1960. The proportion of adults who had completed one or more years of college was 21% in 1970 as compared with 16% in 1960. 1970 cost of living: New House: $23,450. Average Income: $9,400. New Car: $3,450. Minimum Wage: $2.10/hr. Movie Ticket: $1.55. Gasoline: 36 cents/gal. Postage Stamp: 6 cents. Sugar: 39 cents Ibs. Coffee: 1.90 lb. Did you really NEED a college degree?

There were several reasons why there was a decline in education during the 1970's. One reason was Baby Boomers DID seek higher education, earned great salaries, and gave their children every luxury. Their children did not seek higher education but relied on their parents' income longer into their lives. Baby Boomer children had spending power. They became the top consumer. Baby boomers are people born between 1946 and 1964. The term refers to the generation that came of age after World War II, when birth rates around the world increased. In 1946, over three million babies were born, more than ever before in U.S. history. This increase in births, along with technological changes and geopolitical factors, has dramatically reshaped the country politically, culturally, and economically. 

Also, schools had been integrated. Many did not agree that attending school/colleges with minorities as a good thing. Educational reforms in the 1970s emerged through curriculum changes, increased federal involvement, and a focus on equal opportunities. In the 1970s, there was a significant shift in the educational landscape, primarily driven by the need to address societal changes and improve the quality of education.

Over forty-years ago, Congress passed Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to ensure equal opportunity in education for all students, from kindergarten through postgraduate school, regardless of sex. Girls and women have made great strides in education since the passage of Title IX.

In 2000, the US population aged 25 and older reached an all-time high in education levels. 80% of this population had a high school diploma or more, and 24% had completed at least a bachelor's degree. 52% of the population had completed at least some college education, and 24% had a bachelor's degree or more. With more income came higher prices for living. It is all about supply and demand. With the ability to PURCHASE luxury items by a large number of people, prices increased driving up the cost of living.

The impact of online media on higher education cannot be overstated. The average age of college students has soared to 36. About 30% of college students participate in online education.  Many argue that students who learn online are more adept at conducting business in virtual space. They learn to “access, analyze, process, and communicate information; use information technology tools; work with people from different cultural backgrounds; and engage in continuous, self-directed learning,” according to one report. These are crucial skills for a workforce that routinely collaborates with people in remote locations via the Internet; for whom information technology is a job requirement; and who rely on continuous education to stay up to speed.

The average cost of living, at present, in the United States is estimated to be between $2,500 and $3,500 per month, depending on your location and lifestyle. This includes housing, food, transportation, health care, taxes, and other expenses. An individual needs $96,500, on average, to live comfortably in a major U.S. city. That figure is even higher for families, who need to earn an average combined income of about $235,000 to support two adults and two children. Single? This Is What You Have to Earn to Live Comfortably | Kiplinger

People are throwing up their hand in frustration at the price tag to live comfortably. For many, it has turned into a rat race. Just work and no pleasure. Many are rethinking if going to college is even worth it. What is your opinion? Hopefully those who have done the work and earned their degrees will be able to walk across the stage with family members beaming with pride at their accomplishments. They earned it even if they won't be able to EARN after they graduate. The American Dream is no longer promised through higher education.

Here are the top 10 highest-paying jobs that don't require a degree.

1. Airline and commercial pilot Median annual salary: $148,900, Number of jobs: 142,600. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 4%. Educational requirements: Vocational training or associate’s degree. Work experience: None, but FAA certifications and flight hours are required.

2. Information security analyst Median annual salary: $112,000. Number of jobs: 168,900. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 32%. Educational requirements: High school diploma or vocational training. Work experience: None, but relevant certifications are beneficial.

3. Elevator and escalator installer and repairer Median annual salary: $99,999. Number of jobs: 25,100. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 1%. Educational requirements: High school diploma or GED Work experience: Apprenticeship.

4. Special effects artist and animator Median annual salary: $98,950. Number of jobs: 89,300. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 8%. Educational requirements: High school diploma or vocational training. Work experience: Portfolio of work. Certifications can be beneficial.

5. Transportation, storage, and distribution manager Median annual salary: $98,560. Number of jobs: 14,600. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 8%. Educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; certification programs beneficial. Work experience: Five years in a related field. 

6. First-line supervisors of police and detective Median annual salary: $96,290. Number of jobs: 4,300. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 3%. Educational requirements: High school diploma, police academy training. Work experience: Several years in the police force.

7. Radiation therapist Median annual salary: $89,530. Number of jobs: 15,900. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 2%. Educational requirements: Associate degree. Work experience: Clinical experience/certification.

8. Subway and streetcar operator Median annual salary: $88,260. Number of jobs: 300. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 4%. Educational requirements: High school diploma. Work experience: On-the-job training.

9. Electrical power-line installer and repairer Median annual salary: $82,340 per year. Number of jobs: 122,400. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 3%. Educational requirements: High school diploma. Technical training preferred. Work experience: Apprenticeship.

10. Dental hygienist. Median annual salary: $81,400. Number of jobs: 219,400. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 7%. Educational requirements: Associate’s degree in dental hygiene. Work experience: Licensing (varies by state). Highest-Paying Jobs In 2024 You Can Get Without a Degree | Kiplinger.

The Honeymoon Is Over!

In a new relationship or newly married? Then you are in what people call the "honeymoon phase."

The honeymoon phase is the early stage of a relationship when couples experience intense feelings of love, passion, and excitement. It's characterized by a heightened sense of closeness, infatuation, and carefree happiness. During the honeymoon phase, you might:

• Feel like you want to be with your partner all the time.
• Miss your partner as soon as they leave.
• Feel hopeful about your future together.
• Learn more about each other's personalities.
• Explore your intimacy.
• Have a lot of fun together.

The honeymoon phase can last anywhere from six months to several years. Some couples don't have a honeymoon phase, or their honeymoon phase may be drawn out over time. The honeymoon phase will fade with time, but love should grow with time. The honeymoon phase is exciting because it's too soon to know your partner's full personality, with all its positives and negatives. However, you'll naturally transition out of the honeymoon phase when the realities of life start to creep in, and hard conversations start to bubble to the surface.

We all love the honeymoon phase of relationships when we don't quite realize our chosen one is a flawed, annoying human with red flags blowing in the wind. This made me wonder what the opposite of a honeymoon phase is called. My first thought was the "murder phase" because once you begin noticing how irritating and infuriating you 'loved one' is, the more you feel like murdering them. But the term 'murder phase' does not lead one to believe there was any love at all so that term may be too extreme. But none-the-less, we eventually enter you're on my last nerve, I can't stand you phase if we remain in long-term relationships.

Relationship experts say the prime number years of relationships are often the hardest, such as 1, 3, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, and 29. These years often correspond with significant transitions and pressure points in marriage.

The stages of a relationship have been divided for your easy consumption:

HONEYMOON = Start to 1 year.  You're connecting with someone you find exciting and who finds you exciting. You're eager to learn about them, can't get enough of them, and have all of those passionate feelings that make dating so thrilling. There is so much anticipation, curiosity, nervousness, and wonder.

BACK-TO-REALITY = 1-2 years. This is where things get real in a different way; you'll likely approach topics that are uncomfortable, you'll probably meet each other's friends and/or family, and you might realize some things about each other that possibly annoy you or deserve a conversation.

DECISION MAKING = 2-3 years. Everything is out, exposed, and on the table in this stage of a relationship. You probably know each other's traumas, hang-ups, weaknesses, communication struggles, and most profound needs and fears. It's all out there: You are fully emotionally in the nude. This can be a complicated phase if the relationship feels like it isn't going to work out; it can feel even more painful to lose someone after they have experienced you in all your forms and you've experienced them in all of theirs.

SETTLING DOWN = 3 + years. This part is refreshing because you feel known and have the privilege of truly knowing your partner — it's beautiful and sweet while also being relatively predictable, in a comforting way. The relationship has likely developed its own language for navigating the world together. Of course, this time period won't always be sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns, but it will likely be easier to navigate uncomfortable conversations, situations, and shortcomings because of the years of practiced communication.

These phases or stages are PRE-MARRIAGE, before the murder stage I alluded to. Divorce lawyers, psychologists, and researchers have slotted years of marriage into periods and have rated them based on their risk of divorce:

• Years 1–2: Very Risky.
• Years 3–4: Mild Risk.
• Years 5–8: Very Risky.
• Years 9–15: Low Risk.
• Years 15 and over: Low to Mild Risk.

We all have heard of the seven-year-itch. The seven-year itch, as it’s called, is a term that describe feelings of being restless or dissatisfied in a relationship — typically at that seven-year mark. In 1955, Marilyn Monroe starred in a film called The Seven Year Itch, in which a married man becomes so infatuated with her that he starts planning to cheat on his wife. The man has been reading a psychiatrist’s manuscript, which claims that all men cheat in their seventh year of marriage — which is exactly how long he’s been married. While research outcomes vary somewhat, the percentage of divorces, particularly in first-time marriages, tends to spike around the seven- or eight-year mark.

Of course, by the seven-year mark, partners are well past the honeymoon phase — and issues may have begun to arise. “With added time, marital struggles can include issues like poor communication and listening skills, a lack of empathy, and partners having unrealistic expectations of one another,” Dr. Borland explains. The seventh year of marriage may have symptoms of the 'itch' which includes:

A lack of physical and/or emotional intimacy.

Poor communication

Increased conflict, including arguing, hurtful words or criticism.

Keeping secrets from your partner.

Not spending much or meaningful time together.

Taking one another for granted and/or feeling unappreciated.

A lack of trust.

Fantasizing about infidelity

There may be some truth to the seven-year-itch because when marriages end, usually some time has passed since the wedding. In fact, the average length of a marriage prior to divorce is eight years. Some of the most common reasons for divorce include disagreements over money, infidelity, lack of communication, passive aggressive behavior and more. Other reasons for divorce include longer life expectancy, which may compel older couples to divorce, or the mental and emotional strain that comes with having young children. 

If you make it past year eight, then comes year ten.

“After a decade together, turning into roommates becomes a big risk as partners can slowly over the years take their focus off of each other and give all of their attention to dealing with day-to-day life,” Kurt Smith, a therapist who specializes in counseling men, told HuffPost. “Couples can easily turn into partners in managing a family or life, rather than partners in love.”

Partners can become bored with each other.  Boredom in a marriage is usually a sign that you and your partner have started taking each other ― and the relationship ― for granted, said psychotherapist, Tina Tessina.

Your sex life may fade. A couple's sex life may ebb and flow over the years for any number of reasons: physical or mental health issues, having kids, side effects of certain medications, stress, relationship problems, and sleep issues, among many others. Sex therapists say those dips are totally normal. But if you’re not committed to getting back on track, the sexual dry spells can end up lasting longer and longer, leaving one or both partners feeling rejected and disconnected.

“Many couples sacrifice their dreams in order to maintain stability when initially building a relationship and family,” couples therapist Kari Carroll said. “But by 10 years, they are realizing that life is calling, and they must negotiate how to help both themselves and their partner achieve greater fulfillment.”

“Early on in marriage, we can have a great amount of graciousness with each other as our love for each other makes up for all shortcomings or failures,” Smith said. “Sadly, as a marriage matures, the patience can fade.”

Early on in a relationship, you’ll find any excuse to celebrate: your eight-month anniversary, making it through a tough week of work or National Margarita Day. But as time goes on, those celebrations may become less and less frequent.

There seems like there are several reasons for a marriage, once out of the honeymoon phase, to enter Death Valley. But people have had long lasting marriages. HOW!!

This is what people who have been married for over 25 years have to say:

KEEP THE PEACE. Try not to fight like high schoolers—don’t play games, give the silent treatment, argue over the same things over and over, or bring up past issues in every subsequent fight.

KEEP GROWING. Expect and accept change. No one remains stagnant for twenty-five years, nor should they. You may sometimes feel like you’re with someone different than the person you married long ago. But if basic values, ethics, and morals are the foundation of a person’s character, growth can add to marital satisfaction instead of taking away from it.

STAY FLEXIBLE. Roll with the punches. As this past year has shown, you have to keep reinventing your relationship to withstand what has been thrown at you. Never consider yourself too old to switch up ‘roles’ within the marriage—if you change things up, you’ll have a fresh window into your partner’s life.

SHOW YOUR LOVE. It’s important to do little things on a regular basis to show your love.

DON'T KEEP SCORE. Don’t keep score or rate who does more. A good partner knows when to step in, when to take over and when to encourage you to keep moving forward—not get caught up in keeping tabs. 

KEEP LAUGHING. 

DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourself and pick your battles carefully. It’s easy to argue about the silliest of things but does it really matter how the dishwasher gets loaded or the car gets packed before going on a road trip? You come to realize it’s crazy to ruin an evening together or a trip away over stuff like this.

KEEP IT A PARTNERSHIP.

FINISH THE FIGHT. Never go to bed mad at each other—end a fight then and there so nothing carries over into the next day. And don’t lose sight that every couple fights, it’s about how well you move on and process things that matters.

SUPPOERT EACH OTHER'S INTERESTS. Having separate interests is key to a happy marriage. 

REMAIN FRIENDS. For a marriage to be successful, both husband and wife need to view themselves as partners—you are no longer just yourself, you have another half to constantly consider.

ACKNOWLEDGE WHO YOU ARE MARRYING. Be sure you’re marrying your friend. You need to really, really, really like the person you are marrying just the way they are as there’s no changing someone after the fact.

KEEP THE NORTH STAR IN SIGHT. Be determined to see it through—divorce is never an option. Be willing to follow the journey.

Those married people put in a lot of work!! One BIG reason they probably made it to 25 years of marriage and beyond, is they never called or entertained that their marriage was in a 'murder phase." All of the work they put into each other, and marriage was for it to LIVE, not DIE. 

Whether the seven-year-itch is real or not, an itch is just that, an itch. Itches go away even without scratching. Marriages can go well beyond the honeymoon phase with thought and effort. Prime numbers be damned! You picked each other for a reason. They were your ONE. Surely, those 15 annoying things they do, do not outweigh the fact that they chose you and you chose them.

Protests Against Israeli War Based on Fear

Have you ever heard the expression, "No matter how flat you make a pancake, it has two sides?" That expression cannot be truer than with the war between Israel and Palestine. People are choosing sides, and only their side matters. Israel says it has the right to defend itself from attackers, such as Hamas, and people say innocent civilians not involved in the attack on Israel has the right to live and not be part of a genocide. Both sides are right at the same time. WHAT IS A PRESIDENT FORCED TO REMAIN LOYAL TO ISRAEL TO DO? That is the problem President Biden is facing.

Those who support the Republican party, are in large numbers Christian Evangelicals supporting the Israeli War. They are not those who will re-elect Biden for president. Those against giving aid to Israel to continue their war against the Palestinians are supporters of the Democratic Party and the group in which Biden will receive his large number of votes. America has a long history of supporting Israel for religious reasons. FEAR of repercussions from God is a driving factor for those, regardless of Israels actions, supporting Israel no matter what. 

For many “Christians Zionists,” and particularly for popular evangelists with significant clout within the Republican Party, their support for Israel is rooted in its role in the supposed end times: Jesus’ return to Earth, a bloody final battle at Armageddon, and Jesus ruling the world from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. At the heart of Christian Zionism is not a love for Israel but rather Christian nationalism. Christian Zionists maintain that the Book of Genesis says that God will bless those who bless Israel, and curse those who curse it. They insist that if America, as a country, does not “bless” Israel (that is, offer its government its unconditional support), God will curse America.

Genesis 12:3 states, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed". This verse means that God will bless those who bless Israel. Some ways to bless Israel include taking a stand for Israel, speaking up for Israel, standing up for Israel, and praying for Israel.

In this interpretation, settlers’ further control of the occupied West Bank, which they call by its biblical names Judea and Samaria, is a fulfillment of God’s plan for a Jewish return to Israel — one of a sequence of biblical prophecies that culminates in the Second Coming. White evangelicals “are the religious group most likely to express a very or somewhat favorable view of the Israeli government (68%),” according to a 2022 Pew Research Center poll.

When Trump moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, even he admitted that most Americans, including Jewish Americans, opposed the decision. But Trump made the move for his evangelical supporters, who were ecstatic. Popular Evangelical Pastor John Hagee claimed he had helped convince Trump by telling him at a White House dinner that Jesus is coming back to Jerusalem to “set up His throne on the Temple Mount where He will sit and rule for a thousand years of perfect peace.” Hagee claimed he had helped convince Trump by telling him at a White House dinner that Jesus is coming back to Jerusalem to “set up His throne on the Temple Mount where He will sit and rule for a thousand years of perfect peace.” This made Trump a champion for the Christian religion and their beliefs, elevating him to an almost god-like status. He became the "MAN" for Christianity; thus, he could DO NO WRONG HIMSELF in the eyes of many Christians.

History has shown where religion is concerned, rationality can get thrown out of the window and we are in such a time now. According to the Encyclopedia of Wars, out of all 1,763 known/recorded historical conflicts, 121, or 6.8% had religion as their primary cause. Matthew White's The Great Big Book of Horrible Things gives religion as the primary cause of 11 of the world's 100 deadliest atrocities.

You may say that is a bygone time. But the fear of going against established religious ideology has dire consequences for those of the Christian faith. For example, it has been estimated by careful and reputed historians of the Catholic Inquisition that 50 million people were slaughtered for the crime of "heresy" by Roman persecutors between the A.D. 606 and the middle of the 19th century. People were killed throughout history for not believing and complying to what religious leaders had established was "biblical." Christians are still told not to go against the religious establishment in modern religion.

The Church stood for centuries at odds against science and if you were a Christian, you were expected to also. Church officials feared that as people began to believe scientific ideas, then people would start to question the Church, making people doubt key elements of faith.

Church officials feared that scientific ideas would threaten the powerful influence of the Church. They persecuted scientists who formed theories the Church deemed heretical and forbade people from reading any books on those subjects by placing the books on the Index of Prohibited Books. A type of war between science and religion was in play but there would be more casualties on the side of science. 

In 1600, the Catholic Inquisition condemned the philosopher and cosmologist Giordano Bruno for heresy, and he was then burned alive in the Campo de’ Fiori in Rome. Historians, scientists, and philosophical scholars have traditionally held that Bruno’s theological beliefs led to his execution, denying any link between his study of the nature of the universe and his trial. 

In 1610, Galileo published his Sidereus Nuncius (Starry Messenger), describing the observations that he had made with his new, much stronger telescope, amongst them, the Galilean moons of Jupiter The Galileo affair, (Italian: il processo a Galileo Galilei) began around 1610 and culminated with the trial and condemnation of Galileo Galilei by the Roman Catholic Inquisition in 1633.

It is hard to believe once, the church and the Christian religion, stamped slavery as biblical. In the modern era, Christianity and slavery are seen as oxymoronic. But for much of Christian history, many saw no conflict between keeping the faith and keeping or trading slaves. From the first century until the Civil War, the Bible itself was often used to justify slavery. The “popes and their friends” accepted “gifts” of enslaved Black people shipped from Africa to Rome. Through Transatlantic trafficking, the church systematically extended its influence. European enslavers baptized millions of enslaved people whose labor they used to amass vast wealth.

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS are powerful. RELIGIOUS FEAR is powerful. Even though those beliefs may be wrong and outdated, they remain powerful.

So, what is a president to do when faced with engrained religious fear and potential genocide? That remains to be seen. Israel wants to teach Hamas and their supporters a lesson, but believing they will get rid of HAMAS will never come to pass. As soon as the bombing stops, Hamas will regroup and have more supporters than before. Only a genocide will ensure Hamas will not rise up again and as we are witnessing, Americans are against genocide and rightly so.

My guess is Biden is waiting on Israel to recognize this FACT and cease its fighting. It is taking way longer than President Biden anticipated. Sit-ins and protests in America are pushing for Israel to stop its response to the horrific attack from Hamas. On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian Sunni Islamist group Hamas (a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, or FTO) led surprise attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip. More than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals (including at least 35 U.S. citizens in Israel) were killed. Anti-Sematic rhetoric is reaching a critical point on college campuses across America so much so, classes and graduations have been cancelled. In standing with the Jews in Israel, the American Jews have become almost outcasts. 

 PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST has been a long-time chant always meaning the same thing at different times.

The Christian Right is being driven by a FEAR based ideology, while the Left is being driven by humanitarian concerns. Many times, people believe you must choose a side, that two things live in opposition to one another. Hopefully, this is one case where you don't have to choose one or the other as in history past.

Trump Is The Boogeyman

 

In a previous post, I said former president Donald Trump was the boogie man. You may say that statement is so ridiculous. But is it? What do you visualize when you think about the boogie man? I'm sure it is some monster type figure first imagined in childhood out to get you in the darkness of night. My daughter was not afraid of the boogie man but the wolf man which I guess she had seen on a cartoon or movie at one time. Boogie man or wolf man, in our imaginations we envisioned something evil and sinister lurking in the shadows to get us, at least once in our childhoods. At least what we feared as children was silent, unlike Trump, “I have a great relationship with the blacks. I’ve always had a great relationship with the blacks,” Trump told Albany’s Talk 1300 in April 2011 as he mulled a run for the presidency at that time, which he did not ultimately pursue.

“I have black guys counting my money. … I hate it,” Trump told John R. O’Donnell, the former president of Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino, according to O’Donnell’s account in his 1991 book “Trumped!” “The only guys I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes all day.”

Trump, according to O’Donnell, went on to say, “‘Laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that.”

Notice how I spelled boogie man. The correct spelling is boogeyman. The spelling may be different, but the idea of the scary figure is the same. The word bogeyman, used to describe a monster in English, comes from the Middle English bugge or bogge, which means “a frightening specter.” Bogeyman itself is known from the 15th century, though bogeyman stories are almost certainly much older.

The Bogeyman was first used for the hobgoblins described in the 16th century England. Many believed that they were made to torment humans, and while some only played simple pranks, others were more foul in nature. The Boogeyman is a shadowy, amorphous ghost who hides in dark places in order to frighten unsuspecting victims. He's more of a nuisance than a danger, and his power is easily neutralized by bright light. For children, the Boogeyman meant death if he got his hands on them.

I know you are saying Trump is not hiding in dark places waiting to scare people. But Trump is a bugge or bogge, a frightening specter able to get away with things the 'normal' person can't. He is also frightening with the bravado he has in the commission of crimes and divisive rhetoric he uses which incites his followers. To millions his actions are seen as foul. He torments onlookers with his bullying nature and potential to take revenge on those who are not bowing to his wishes and will. The truly frightening thing is, he is not easily neutralized, not even by light. 

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people,” Trump said at his campaign announcement.

The Boogeyman has no specific appearance and conception of it can vary drastically from household to household within the same community. It is a formless being that can take any shape the storyteller wishes though he tends to be a grotesque humanoid with a tendency to hide under beds, in closets, and other dark places. 

This creature varies from person to person, as it has no definite appearance and is simply the embodiment of terror. Although usually depicted as a masculine entity, it can be female of genderless. Trump has a very specific and distinct look. People have made Trumps appearance part of their comedy. From his body posture, dyed face, and over-comb of his hair, cartoonist and comedians have had a field day mocking, not fearing, the appearance of Trump. But it is said the 'BOSS' could give his followers a look which when seen, they knew his bidding.

Speaking to Time magazine for a profile published in January 1989, Trump was asked to give an estimate of his total wealth. “Who the f knows? I mean, really, who knows how much the Japs will pay for Manhattan property these days?” he asked in response, using a racial slur for the Japanese.

While the description of the Boogeyman differs on a CULTURAL level, there are often shared similarities to the creatures. The boogeyman is depicted as having claws, talons, and sharp teeth. Trump is able to dig into his followers with what must be seen in a figural way as claws, talons, or teeth and has a hold on them which can't be loosened. His followers will not leave his deadly grip. Some say it is more akin to a spell, but I see it as a grip on their minds in an almost unexplainable fashion. Along with the claws and stuff, the Boogeyman is of the spirit variety.

In a New York magazine profile published in November 1992, a year after Trump divorced his first wife, Ivana, Trump was quoted dispensing his wisdom about how to handle the fairer sex. “You have to treat ’em like shit,” Trump said in the article to friend Philip Johnson, who responded, “You’d make a good mafioso.” Trump’s response: “One of the greatest.”

One of the Boogeyman's appearances is a tall, lithe, and dark humanoid entity (Trump has lied about his weight to seem tall and lean and insists on being overly tanned). He has silver-golden yellow eyes resembling an eclipse, dull pale-gray skin, and glossy black hair that is styled to come out as slick, and sharp spikes from the back of his head. He wears a long, black robe with a V-neckline and shadows running down his arms, obscuring his body like a shadow.

If anyone would see the creature described above, they would be frightened by all rights. But all Boogeymen do not look the same. It is their activities in the covers of darkness and their sneaky means of carrying out their fear inspiring activities that make a Boogeyman.

Trump's comments after a white nationalist's rally in Charlottesville, Va. has been dubbed by critics as one of the lowest points in his presidency.  He said there were "fine people on both sides" of the rally — both the counter protesters and those members of the alt-right who did Nazi salutes and chants.

Trump does scary thing in the shadows, in the cover of darkness, and even directly in the face of people. He's shifty and a grifter. Causing fear and harm wherever he goes. The Boogeyman is known to have minions. His minions carry out or enact the wishes of the Boogeyman. Trump seems to have followers in the political arena from SCOTUS, Congress, and MAGA, willing to do his nefarious bidding. They put their careers and reputations on the line to gain favor with Donald Trump. Even when they know they are doomed, they continue to stand for and with Trump. That alone is scary.

As NFL protests picked up steam and more and more players refused to stand for the National Anthem, Trump decided to chime in. "Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son-of-a-bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!'" Trump said at a rally last year. 

The Boogeyman is everything a person fears, and it thrives on the fears of others, taking a cruel delight in turning their pleasant dreams into dark nightmares. Trump issues out fear to his followers telling them he can protect them from the scary thing he tells them people are doing and what is going to happen to them. Trump create nightmare outcomes of nonthreatening government practices. He incites fear in his followers. And that pandering he does to the right, causes fear in those who are not following him. Fear, they know is a powerful tool.

The president first used the phrase “kung flu” to describe COVID-19 in June at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, rally. As the Washington Post reported, it became a rallying cry for the crowd.

Being a master manipulator, the Boogeyman often preyed on its victims psychologically. Its knowledge of people's worst fears allowed it to unnerve its enemies and enjoyed watching them squirm, often leaving their fates to their imagination through thinly veiled threats before finishing them off. Trump knows what people fear and he uses it to the fullest for his benefit. He enjoys making those who do not even believe in his Boogeyman-like persona to squirm from his antics. He messes with people's minds.

During the height of the pandemic, while in Arizona, former president Donald Trump directly played upon white racial grievances when he angrily declared that "white people" were being "denigrated" and "discriminated against" and that "if you're white, you don't get the vaccine, or if you're white, you don't get life-saving therapies."

The Boogeyman has a perverse level of pleasure from playfully tormenting with its victims in an almost animal-like fashion. Trump goes beyond the established laws and unwritten laws which govern civil society. He pushes these boundaries just to see if he can and because he says he can. He is not controlled by institutionalized codes of conduct. Because of this, he is scary.

Speaking at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recalled how as president he told an unidentified NATO member that he would withhold U.S. help and “encourage” Russia to do as it wishes with allies that do not contribute enough to military spending.

Referring to himself and his supporters collectively, Mr. Trump said there would be no concession after not being reelected for a second presidential term. On January 6, 2021, he went on to say to the gathered crowd: "You don't concede when there's theft involved. Our country has had enough. We will not take it anymore." This was preceding the Capitol riot.

Former president Donald Trump lacks one thing as the personification of the Boogeyman. He doesn't jump out from a dark corner and scream BOO to frighten people. HE IS IN YOUR FACE audacious. His existence is frightening, and he seems to grow stronger and stronger in his powers to frighten.

In 2018, at the White House’s Hanukkah party, Trump told the gathered group of American Jews that Israel is “your country.” The full quote comes from his introduction of Vice President Mike Pence: “I want to thank Vice President Mike Pence. A tremendous supporter… a tremendous supporter of yours. And Karen. And they go there, and they love your country. They love your country. And they love this country. That’s a good combination, right?” Your country in this statement is Israel — not America — even though he is speaking to a room of American Jews, not Israeli Jews. In December 2019, Trump repeated this — again, to a room full of American Jews — saying, “A lot of you are in the real estate business, because I know you very well. You’re brutal killers, not nice people at all.” Later at that 2015 RJC event, Trump said, “You’re not gonna support me because I don’t want your money. You want to control your politicians, that’s fine.”

For decades parents used the imagery of the Boogeyman to frighten their children to keep them inline. The large majority of Boogeyman are there to just frighten children with punishments, and not actually inflict much damage. The more vicious Boogeyman is said to steal the children at night, and even eat them. In the same way, the religious Right is supporting Trump to frighten the Democratic Left. He is being supported in his actions by the Right to issue out punishment to the Liberal society.

Trump has denied that he meant to mock the reporter, Serge Kovaleski, who has arthrogryposis, a congenital condition affecting the joints. He has maintained that his physical affect in imitation of Kovaleski was because "He was groveling, grovel, grovel, grovel. That was the end of it. All of a sudden, I get reports that I was imitating a reporter who was handicapped. I would never do that."

The Boogeyman has always lived in the realm of myth. Frightening stories have been recanted of this darker than life figure. When there was something we feared in dark times and were unable to put it into words, the default description was always the Boogeyman. Trump also leaves us lost for words to describe his menacing presence. He is a dark force creating fear. He is looming and threatening. He is unable to be captured or gotten rid of. The frightened sleep with their lights on in an effort to cast light on him and have become to be labeled as WOKE.

Light is the known way to get rid of the Boogeyman. Keeping the light on is always showing the truth. To fight Donald Trump and his antics we must always stick to the facts and Constitutional laws. At this time, we are looking to the courts and SCOTUS to keep the light on. It seems they are having a difficult time doing so. Even if they fail, the everyday person must keep the light of truth shining. It is the only WEAPON, against the Boogeyman, Donald Trump.

On tape, a 2005 conversation with TV host Billy Bush with neither of the two men aware they were being recorded. On it, Mr. Trump can be heard saying that "you can do anything" to women and "grab them by the pussy".