TOO OLD TO BE YOUNG; TOO YOUNG TO BE OLD

 People live longer now than in my childhood. We hear of people reaching close to 100 frequently; however, the average longevity for American women is much lower--77.28; though depending on what research one views, the age differs. Each of us belongs to a small slice of the population, and there is no data for each particular segment. Medical care is spotty in the United States, correlated with environment, income, and educational level. COVID-19 and the opoid epidemic have negatively influenced longevity as well. A quick Google check for predictors for longevity adds the following factors: parental longevity, environment, present age, muscle strength and mass, and balance. 

My sister and I frequently discuss the differences between our grandmothers' lives and ours. Certainly, our grandmothers were elderly or old ladies at our ages of 69 and 72. They wore matronly dresses; a certain type of tie shoe with medium heels; and coats, hats, and gloves. They walked in a manner befitting their age, took public transportation, and carried what they could manage in mesh, reusable shopping bags. One of our grandmothers--Kaethe--was quick and active--and took care of others as a way of life. Trude, on the other hand, was quieter, slower, and spent more time reading, listening to the news, and doing crossword puzzles. 

Our mother, Eva, fit in between. She drove, viewed herself as young until she was 80+, received a Bachelor's degree at 73,and dressed in contemporary styles. She traveled more frequently than Kaethe and Trude. Eva was not a baby boomer. She did not worry about her diet. Eva did not overeat, and she watched her weight. In her older age, she started walking for exercise--but no gym workouts, fitness trainers, or yoga.

My sister and I are the age of our grandmothers when we were teenagers in the mid to late sixties and early seventies. We are old. Though we do not feel "old," whatever that means. We get tired easier and move slower; but we exercise, travel, drive, and run around doing too much. I try to squeeze in as much life as I am able. My mother did the same, as my sister does too. I think my grandmothers accepted their stage in life; more recent generations not so much. 

My grandmothers settled into their age because they admitted that their problems were part of the aging process. So did their physicians. Kaethe had angina. She did not sit around, but she knew her heart was not working as well as it should. When she had pain, she took her pill and went on. Trude had high blood pressure. Cognizant of the fact, she reduced her salt intake but that was that. My mother had high cholesterol but she still ate butter. 

Baby boomers are obsessed with their diets--low salt for me, low sugar for my sister, low cholesterol and carbs for both. The admonitions and moderations to our diet increase as the years advance. Fitness trainers for strength and balance for me and pilates and yoga for my sister fill our schedule. Even at 72, I think twice, thrice about eating bread and desserts. And weight/body configuration--what is normal for my age? I judge myself by the same standards as I used when I was younger, though I know my shape has altered.

There is nothing wrong about improving one's quality of life. I certainly do not want to sit in a recliner 24-7, but will the stringent controls increase the years we have left? Sometimes maybe, often no. The dark cloud hovering over all of us is cancer. Cancer is our scourage, our plague. Let us not fool ourselves. Good news and bad about cancer punctures our emotional well being nearly daily. One person experiences success with treatment; others do not. People live with cancer as a chronic disease, and those are the lucky ones. 

I try to conceal my worst physical flaws; I watch what I eat; and exercise moderately. But, I will not masquerade as a young person. That to me is far worse than "looking old." We have all seen the outrageous outfits and hair styles worn by some older women and men. 

I am old, maybe not oldest. Older--is that better? Old sounds like yogurt past its expiration date. Most of my life has been lived. Why do we have to be fixed by doctors all the time? I take so many pills, I sometimes forget, "did I take that one?"

Then there's hydration. Water, drink water. O.K, I do as I am told. My mother said coffee is liquid. And certainly my grandmothers were not running around with reusable containers. By the way, they both lived into their early 80's.

 ©Karen Levi 2023

WHAT IS YOUR *BLACK CAKE?

I give complete credit to the notion of a black cake to the novel, Black Cake, written by Charmaine Wilkerson. Her excellent novel centers around a recipe for a dense fruit cake which originated in the Caribbean and is passed on to future generations in England and the United States. I also acknowledge my sister, Connie Levi, who gave me the idea, "What is your Black Cake?"

What recipe was passed down to you verbally, in writing, or solely from memory? Was it your mother, grandmother, or aunt who taught you to make a cake loved by your family for generations? Maybe it is not a cake, perhaps a soup or hot dish? You probably forgot about this particular food for years, decades. Somehow, it returns unbidden. 

My daughter loves to watch a Youtube cooking show called The Victorian Way. She has absolutely no biological or familial connection to England, yet the notion of old recipes passed down to the present is intriguing. My daughter was adopted, so her biological black cake might be tamales. Since she was raised in a European Jewish family in the United States, her black cake may be something I made--matzah balls?

My black cake is plum cake or Pflaumenkuchen. My background is German Jewish. The Germans have a reputation for wonderful cakes, but plum cake is special. First of all, a plum cake lit up my mother like only food can accomplish, recalling sweet memories of early fall before the Nazis destroyed her world. Surprisingly, my father loved plum cake too. They were from different parts of Germany and had different childhood memories of food. For example, a child from the southern part of the United States might remember coconut cream layer cake while a child from New England blueberry pie. 

The plums used in Pflaumenkuchen can be typical plums, but cooks agree that the small, black Italian prunes are best. These are harvested in early September and are difficult to find in markets. I assume they are plentiful in Germany. The dough is a simple cake dough: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, vanilla, cinnamon. I remember my grandmother whipping it up by hand in minutes in one of her old cracked stoneware bowls. The fruit goes on top, into the oven, and done.

There are distinct versions of this cake and, with all reminiscences, I am confused as to which kind is the actual one. So, I chose a New York Times recipe. My grandmother and mother added ingredients to their batter by instinct. My paternal grandmother knew how to bake intuitively, my mother not so much. I, unfortunately, need explicit written instructions. 

I chose a torte which is different from the yeast dough topped with quartered plums my brother has bought from bakeries. There is also a version with streusel on top. My parents probably did not remember which cake they ate as children, given the nature of personal memories, and the trauma they suffered due to World War II.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3783-original-plum-torte

©Karen Levi 2023

Burning Man--the apex of fake, freaky fun?

 I have had enough of Burning Man. Real tragedy persists in our world. I do not care about 70,000 people--can you believe it--who search for misery and consequently marvel at people helping one another. I am weary reading about grownups who spend hundreds, thousands of dollars to replicate suffering and community. I know about this phenomenon because a family member makes an annual pilgimage to the remote location not meant for humans. Worse--the "Burners" turn a barren environment into a circus of fake celebration which is detrimental to the delicate ecology of this place. 

Who decided that burning a wood statue was demonstrative of impermanence? Be like monks. Create a mandala of sand and blow it away--barely any harm done. Drive and fly miles to create a lasting footprint on a desert, and you weren't even invited by the animals who live there? If you want to experience the desert, go in winter or early spring not during the heat of August.

Community is where people live everyday. Pick your recent natural or manmade disaster if you want to engage in communal living and cooperation. No need to go to Nevada to create community. Humans are constantly committed to preserve life, as we try to avoid danger, illness, and misfortune. We work hard to protect ourselves and the vulnerable from disease and violence. Why invent danger and then survival? 

Are the participants of Burning Man so privileged that they cannot see what is front of their eyes? That they have to don costumes which mimic a dystopic world, only to dump the paraphanalia every year? I have seen the boas, glittery vests, platform boots, and ski goggles stored in a relative's closet. Something is rotten in the world if people with money have to waste it, pretending to suffer and need each other.

Burning Man began innocently on a chilly beach in San Francisco, but wealthy entrepeneurs saw the potential for revenue. So they created a pseudo city on a remote dried up lake in the barren Nevada desert. I have driven through that grey, dry, empty moonscape; it is not the prettiest desert we have on our continent, nor a place you would want to spend much time. But it is part of our earth and has inherent value.

The festival has grown exponentially which demonstrates an appetite for excessive partying and fake survival. Rock concerts and raves are controlled chaos. Computer/video games simulate desperate situations to survive. Virtual rooms enable people to pretend they must escape confinement. These activities are weird. However, Burning Man exceeds all of these activities in its extravagance. The so-called festival is a week long exhibition of scantily clad adults play acting at destruction, risk, and a free-for-all of temptation and desire fulfilled or not.  

I do believe we are better than this type of gathering.

©2023 Karen Levi

PARADISE LOST

I grew up on the west coast of the United States in the 1950's--1960's. I remember vaguely when Hawaii and Alaska became states. As a child, I had silly notions of these remote areas, promoted in school and in books. I kept the book that intrigued me as a child which depicted Alaskans as cute natives in igloos and Hawaiians in grass skirts, kneeling on the ground making poi or surfing in the ocean. 

As children, we played "Hawaiians," gathering together grasses and flowers and sitting amongst plants and bushes. Popular Halloween costumes were grass skirts and leis. The hula hoop--popular toy of my childhood-- was inspired by the hula dance. To me the Hawaiian islands represented paradise--warm weather, blue ocean, swaying palm trees, and scrumptious fruits, Alaska--not so much, too dark and cold. Perhaps, I would have imagined being an Eskimo if I had lived in a snowy place. As an adult, I traveled to Alaska where I found a spectacular land of mountains, forests, and quiet.

I recognize that Hawaii must have inherent difficulties given its colonial history and conflicts between the indigenous population and white transplants. Asians moved to Hawaii to work on the plantations, and there is a large U.S. military presence. 

Hawaii was first populated by ancestors of Polynesians. The people lived in an isolated, untouched environment for centuries. They developed a close relationship to the land and the animals. Spiritual practices evolved from the attachment. Hawaii's ecosystems have changed dramatically over the centuries. Non native plants dominate the land now. 

Before Cook's arrival in 1778, Hawaiians used their precious resources for building communities for the survival of their people. Plants of one kind were substituted for the native plants of the area when the community benefited, not dissimilar to the native Alaskans hunting whale for food and other resources. As people from foreign lands arrived, new plants and animals were introduced and flourished. Non native plants and animals account for half of plant species now as compared to when Cook arrived. Before 1778, a tiny percentage of plants were not native.

Peoples' attitudes towards nature have changed, including stewardship of the environment. One works for what one takes is the traditional view of a human's relationship with nature. The modern view differs; people are entitled to take what they want. 

Ironically, the creation of the lei has lead to the decimation of certain plants. A lei represents love and respect and was used in religious ceremonies. What began as a beautiful tradition turned into greed and the desire to use leis for all types of contemporary celebrations. Currently, leis are made from non native plants. In earlier days, the leis for personal adornment, were constructed from commonly growing native plants which no longer are readily available. Conservationists educate the people about viewing Hawaii's native plants as "inexhaustible free resources;" in other words, one should not traipse in the woods and take what one desires. The advice can be applied to any locale.

Back to fires, indigenous populations, and over development of the land, subjects I have pondered in thepast. The usual blame game has commenced in Maui, with the people blaming the government, the government assigning the problem to further study, and everyone pointing fingers at the utility company. Governor Josh Green blamed climate change, essentially trubut still a "cop-out" for responsibility.

We witnessed the identical dynamic in Paradise, California in 2018. When I was in Northern California (Sonoma County) last September, I saw scorched hillsides and burnt acorns, twigs, and bark on giant oak trees. The locals seemed humdrum about the situation. Paradise (not in Sonoma County) has rebuilt itself by following new safety standards. Resource guides have been printed to help residents with fire prevention. PG&E, the utility company, was found liable for the fires in Paradise and has paid out millions to rebuild. 

The elderly, infirm, disabled, and poor suffer the most from disasters, a frequently documented fact. Support has been implemented in California to assist home-bound and less informed people to install emergency text messages, answer the phone, and be generally aware of one's surroundings. 

Indigenous peoples suffer more from changes in the natural environment due to their cultures and lifestyle. Simply put, they live closer to the earth, spiritually and physically. Tragically, indigenous groups were forced from their original lands and shunted to less hospitable places. Lahaina is important to native Hawaiians, so they grieve deeply. 

Next to impossible for me--an outsider--to determine the actual ethnic/racial proportions that exist in Lahaina which would support or dispel if indigenous people suffered more losses. Charts prepared by government agencies are confusing and deceptive at best when a population consists of mixed racial groups. From pictures, it appears that a disproportionate number of older, mixed race adults perished.

Evidently, hubris and misjudgement were human factors compounded by extreme wind and drought which resulted in needless tragedy, simply difficult to understand given that this fire was not the first in the Hawaiian islands and was predicted by scientists.

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/files/2014/02/Hawaiian-Ecosystems-and-Culture-Growing-Lei-plants-1.pdf

https://calmatters.org/events/2020/10/rebuilding-and-resiliency-how-we-need-to-handle-wildfires-from-now-on/

https://climate-xchange.org/2020/05/08/disproportionately-impacted-by-the-climate-crisis-indigenous-nations-lead-on-lasting-solutions/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwrfymBhCTARIsADXTabmEDqAb1jPoi7e399VVvit3bgwidGwphlynsxGyRIV1IAO8RCZeBLIaAsFeEALw_wcB

©Karen Levi 2023

COVID, FIRES, JAIL--"MEMORIES" ON FACEBOOK

What do they have in common other than appearing on social media on the anniversary of the first postings? All three remain serious problems after a year, two, three years, and actually longer.  The human loss, property damage, and associated trauma of fires and COVID linger in the lives of victims. Our democracy has been challenged and continues to be a threat from demagogues.

COVID is a natural phenomenon of nature, a virus which has behaved in typical fashion. The definition of a virus on Google is an infectious microbe consisting of a segment of nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat.   A virus cannot replicate alone; instead, it must infect cells and use components of the host cell to make copies of itself. The rest we experienced in 2020 and before that in 1918 through books and articles. Human fallability and frailty add to the tragedies resulting from viruses, but essentially viruses are biological events.

In most cases, the ignition of brush fires results from human error--campfires, cigarettes, or improperly functioning electrical wires Over-development and destruction of forests are additional human related causes, especially the recent well-publicized events in California, Greece, and Hawaii. Fires are natural. Certain types of wind determine the nature of a brush or forest fire, critical elements being the strength, direction, temperature, and humidity level. The fire and smoke are chemical reactions comprised of four stages--ignition, growth, fully developed, and decay. A flame is air with combustible gas. Smoke is a suspended emission of particles from a flaming source. 

When we see or yell "fire," our impulse is to run, but first gather a cell phone, purse, etc. and people and animals. Instinctually, we know that fire is hot and dangerous. We fear and are awed by the conflagration. We gather around the fireplace or campfire.Sensible people take care to prevent its occurrence in buildings, parks, and habitable places. Fires are natural, creating a homestatis in the wilds. Fires caused by lightening strikes have controlled plant growth in forests for millenia. 

Part of our problem today stems from insufficient controlled burns by forest fire professionals. I am a cautious human, so I have listened to Smokey the Bear, fire safety movies, and fireman for as long as I can remember. The climate changes occurring now, the result of human produced ecosystem and environmental change, add to the dangers of fires due to droughts and extreme heat. Irresponsible development and removal of trees increases the risk of tragedy at the level we understand most readily.

Sickness and fire scare me which is a human reaction to a threat. Both seem situations beyond our control, but there is a scientific explanation for them. Jail refers to Trump and other greedy sociopaths we have witnessed recently who create chaos by human action. These evildoers cause more lives to be lost than fires and viruses. Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Putin are additional examples to a list of villans which winds backwards down through the ages.

Trump continues to lie, cheat, and steal, encouraged by enough of the population to keep him going. But what is the origin of the inappropriate behavior? Human emotions and actions are incredibly complex, no simple answers. However, Trump was enabled for years and years. Trump grew up in a home controlled by an unscrupulous father and protected by money whenever he or a family member faltered. The creation of a Trump develops through myriad missteps, chance, and socioeconomic factors. A bad white boy protected by his father--sent to military school, attended elite college based on family influence, and took charge of father's business. The bad boy developed into a bad man who has manipulated women and lied to shareholders, voters, the media, judges, lawyers, and business associates. Cheating and a lack of consideration for others became his modus operandi.  He's a T.V. star and big mouth and then a U.S. President. What?? Since 2015, a seemingly impossible scenario come true.

I find human created problems more frustrating than ones resulting from natural phenomena, though the latter can be influenced by scientists, politicians, leaders, and all of us. We can follow common sense safety rules, vote against impulsive development of the land, and protect our natural world of plants and animals. 

I recognize that we are flawed. I accept that we err. When a person turns a corner and lies continuously with impunity, harming others, I draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable. This applies to the Trumps, Epsteins, Kushners, and Madoffs of the United States to name a few recent culprits. Unnamed individuals have destroyed families and relationships by smaller acts of dishonesty. Smaller lies harm individuals as mass murder, treason, and greed affect humanity at the national and international level.

©KarenLevi2023

TOO WHITE, TOO OLD, TOO PRIVILEGED

 I am not the first writer to be rejected for one reason or another. Being turned down is part of the job. An article of mine was rejected because it was loosely associated with the period of Nazi domination of Europe--Boring? Old subject matter? The same online journal (devoted to Jewish women) nixed another article because they are looking for writers from a broader spectrum of the population. 

Evidently, I am from a narrow demographic--white and older. In response, I said to myself: OK, sure, I get the message. No more stories related to the tragedies of 80-85 years ago. And, you want young, Jewish women of color. I unfriended them on Facebook. 

I am not making light of the contributions and impact of younger people, especially minorities within a primarily white group (Jews). But why shut out an older cisgender white woman? And the rejection is from white women themselves who will be older in twenty years. 

Be careful who you rebuff, ladies, for your actions may come back to haunt you! Dismissing on the basis of skin color and age is discrimination. Older people should be respected. Actually, when I am out and about, it is usually Asians who are kind and thoughtful to me. This is no coincidence, as respect for age is a significant part of their culture.

The first article that was rejected celebrated the joyful acceptance of a young man as the new rabbi of a congregation of "older" people. A story related to my experience educating young people about the dangers of discrimination was considered inappropriate or uninteresting I cannot think of a more relevant topic given what is happening in the United States and other first world nations. Lastly, a story about two Jewish women linked by a common name who advocated for women, one in the 19th century and one in the 1920's, was turned down.

There is no time limitation for the study of history. When/what would we eliminate? The Five Books of Moses were written more than 2,000 years ago, so the Bible/Torah is no longer relevant. Shakespeare--another bigoted white man. Greek and Roman civilization--nah too European. The American Civil War is over--slavery was abolished; that's done. Though there are some who support suppressing the past, what a tragedy if that came to pass.

I was born, in the dark shadows of the Holocaust, from the union of two refugees of Nazi Germany.  Surrounded by survivors who spoke German, these refugees were my early role models. I was told Germany was the incarnation of evil; the cold war scared me with bomb drills; and then my family accepted reparations from the German government. Israel evolved as a nation throughout my childhood, teenage years, and adulthood. Civil rights, anti-war protests, increased awareness of the LGBT+ population, including gay marriage, colored my life. Of course, I write about these topics. This is what I know, not outmoded subjects in the least. 

Who is "in" and "out" are part of the vagaries of writing and publishing. I know. I am not shocked. But the wider issue is reverse discrimination in which the Supreme Court was recently involved. Discrimination and the subsequent use of quotas in college acceptance, in employment, and in our culture is a serious matter. 

Of course, those who have not been given advantages from their families of origin and society should be judged differently than those who have had an easy ride. However, skin color does not always equal disadvantage or advantage or worthy vs. unworthy. In my case, being white and old is a disadvantage. I am not cool, relevant, or in style which translates to unworthy to express myself to a wider audience. As a friend said recently, we pay the dues, vote, give generously to charity, and volunteer after years of paid employment.

If society does not listen to all voices, certain perspectives will be lost and a bunch of angry women (and men) may cause a ruckus. And do not give me that "Karen" designation, just another entitled white woman. There are some issues I understand better than others based on my life experience. I am not entitled to more than I deserve. I do not get to go to the head of the line or make a person of color leave empty handed.  But I deserve to be respected and heard.

©Karen Levi 2023

ALL AMERICAN BOY

 Last night, I attended the fireworks display for Rockville, Maryland, a town in Montgomery County which is adjacent to northwest Washington D.C. Most residents identify with the District, as it is called, either for work or cultural activities. National news becomes local news. Washington D.C. was built as a capital city, both for the institutions of our government--including the capitol-- and the civil service workers. The city has rich history of African Americans, their contributions and abhorrent neglect. The city has been divided into White, Black, diplomats, and civil service workers. Time has changed the demographics somewhat; but the separation of White, Black, Hispanic, rich and poor remains. 

The suburbs reflect these neighborhood distributions with change coming quickly and drastically. In 2023, the population of Rockville reflects diversity with a capital "D". With the blink of an eye, a predominatedly white neighborhood becomes filled with people from everywhere. Last night was no exception.

 Rockville was a sleepy, borderline south/north town in the 1950's, still segregated like the rest of the country. According to various sources from 2021, White people consist of 47% of the population, with Asians and Hispanics coming up second and third and then Blacks. I hate these labels which are misleading at best. White is what people call themselves but includes Biracial, Middle Eastern, and Hispanic individuals. Native Americans make up a small part of the population, but most Hispanics have indigenous blood no matter their skin color. Asians consist of people descended from Chinese to South Asian to Philipino. Whatever the statistics, anyone who observes our population sees a beautiful rainbow of pale, rosey, tan, light brown, dark brown, and nearly black skin tones. Spanish, Hindi, Tigrinya, Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, Chinese, and more can be heard, yet the children squeal and shout in English.

Last night, these humans smiled, laughed, and patiently waited for dark to come. Some very old aunties in traditional dress did not seem happy to be in the boisterous crowd. Heaven knows the trauma they may have experienced in their lives. Older White and Black Americans seemed at ease, accustomed to the tumult of the 4th of July. The kids ran the gamut from bouncy, impatient, whiney, to quiet. They kicked a soccer ball on a hilly patch with a huge drain. The boys deftly avoided falling and bumping into others. Two year olds played on the grass with melted chocolatey faces and sticky fingers. Babies had their diapers changed, as families snacked or picknicked.  

I watched a family who originated from either Eithopia or Eriteria. Each child was treated to cotton candy and watched the scene around them. Cotton candy, commotion, and waiting for dark--dressed in red, white, and blue--a true, rapid immersion into American childhood and culture. 

My sister and I were those children in the late 1950's through the 1960's. Bundled up in coats on foggy San Francisco summer nights, we too watched fireworks. Or our father lit sparklers in the backyard after eating picnic food with a European touch. For we were the children of Holocaust survivors. Our parents, too, were hell-bent on making us Americans. And that is what we became, no doubt about that. As it is said, as American as apple pie. The European identity remained just below the surface. Just as the African families probably tell their children about their history, food, and customs. 

It is no coincidence that 4th of July celebrations are filled with people of diverse backgrounds and nationalities. These are the Americans who appreciate our country. I never cared about the holiday until I adopted two children from Latin America and realized how difficult it is to become a citizen. The recent threats to our Democracy have further strengthened my resolve to celebrate our ideals. I fly the American flag on Independence Day, as my father did. I do not want the conservatives to co-opt our flag. 

One hispanic boy walking to the fireworks display area wore a red shirt with the words, "All American Boy." That said it all. Yes, with deep brown skin, black hair, and shining eyes--you are all American. Just as all American as my sister and I were half a century ago. And as American as the kids who hail from families that "go back to the Mayflower," as it is said.

1776 in 2023

I fly a modestly sized American flag on July 4th. Increasingly aware of being an American citizen, since adopting foreign born children, watching the plight of refugees, and contemplating that I am the first born American in my family. My mother was not a citizen when I was born. (She had a green card or other documentation, since she worked.) My balcony is decorated with red, white, and blue which I enjoy. I do not adorn for Christmas. I am Jewish.

1776 was a musical I never considered attending. However, this is not 1969 or 1976--the year of the Bicentennial when I moved to the Washington D.C. area--but 2023. Tyrant wannabees and misguided followers threaten our democracy daily. Not only ignorant people but supposedly wise judges fall prey to politics. WTF or as the triumverate of Adams, Franklin, and Jefferson might say, "folks, read the document we sweated over." And, yes, they owned slaves. But that is not the point of my piece.

All of the roles in the revised, redone 1776 are portrayed by women. Women of all colors, shapes, sizes, and ages. Though, they could have included a baby boomer or two. Not a fan of revisions, this production moved me to tears. The first Americans in my clan arrived on these shores in the mid 20th century. I do not identify with colonial fathers and mothers. 

Of course, no women attended the Continental Congress of June to July of 1776. The talented women in the revised production adeptly portrayed the quirky, temperamental attributes of the "founding fathers." The directors selected women who were caricatures of the original men, i.e. Thomas Jefferson--red hair; Benjamin Franklin--strongly built. The actresses sang, spoke, and danced their way through the two act musical. As musicals are these days, the scenery was sparse and technology was utilized effectively.

Women did not have rights in 1776. At the present time, women of all races work in professions that only white men were permitted to practice not so long ago. Women speaking the lines of politicians and statesmen demonstrated what a democratic government can accomplish. For it is our laws that have allowed all women increased rights and all humans to exist freely in varying shapes, colors, and abilities. The production acknowledges how far we have come, and how far we must go.

I understood the arguments and compromises of 1776 differently than I would have in 1976. The country was divided by the Vietnam War; but, Americans agreed on the basics--honesty, integrity, respect, and the sanctity of our democratic institutions. I did not agree with the corruption, misogyny, racism, and militarism of the sixties and seventies, but elected officials did not incite or condone gullible individuals to literally tear down a democracy. Freedoms were added not subtracted. News was news; truth was truth. If the president uttered words, these statements were not negated two days later. (And to the naysayers on the right--there has never been a time without corruption, lies, and unfair application of the law.) But the scoundrels were caught and punished swiftly. 

©Karen Levi 2023

Time: 5:52 P.M. June 13, 2023 The Saga of One Man vs. Half of the United States

     Eight years since the awful man rode down an escalator and began spouting hatred, mysogny, and untruths. Seven years ago in November, he won an election by a fluke, due to a quirky national voting system (The Electoral College). 2017--2020 half of the country suffered. We tolerated lies, fake news, embarrassing foreign relations gaffes, consorting with dictators, mishandling of a pandemic, and unqualified appointees. White supremacy, racism, unfair immigration procedures, anti Muslim propaganda, antisemitism, Asian hate--all increased with frightening severity during his presidency. Two impeachments but no ouster from office. 

  And then finally relief--a new president in November 2020, after agonizing days of counting ballots. But that was not enough. 2021 brought accusations of a rigged election and delays in the final  approval of a new president's victory. Then a riot occurred spurred on by this man's words, storming of   our Capitol, unheard of in our history. Actually, all of the above are new lows for the United States.And

we wait. Will he be tried and convicted? The judge randomly (?) selected for the case, she an irrational

Trump supporter. The rioters are tried, convicted, and jailed in a methodical manner. I do not know 

how many political hacks have lost their jobs their jobs and reputations. He throws people out like rotten bananas.

   

   Wait--indictments. After eight years, first in New York and now in Miami--34 plus 36 felonies. Never before say the historians. Is this a happy or sad time for Americans? Are we depressed we have stooped so low or are we jubilant that no one is above the law?

    I do not know about you. But, I am MAD. Justice moves slowly if you are white, male, and rich. The other half of the country will send money to him. There will be a rally and party at a golf course in New Jersey in a few hours. Obscene. What makes these supporters tick? I search for answers, but I cannot find any. The philosophers, psychologists, historians, and political pundits cannot give me suitable reasons.

   I have been thinking. When people I admire break the law, I am very disappointed. I do not condone or overlook their behavior. I acknowledge. I am not speaking about a man who held the highest office in the land but writers, newscasters, politicians, religious leaders who lied or committed a crime.

©2023 Karenlevi

ON THE SPECTRUM

 Nothing provokes my ire more than saying, "he/she/they are on the spectrum," in a casual offhand manner. People use the label to describe awkward social behavior or difficulties in establishing and maintaining relationships. Usually what follows is "but they are really smart." Another statement to make my blood boil. No one wants to be "on the spectrum," the Autism Spectrum. It is not easy, fun, an excuse, or a tit-for-tat diagnosis--odd but smart (so all will be well). 

Did you know that more people diagnosed with Autism have cognitive disabilities than not? And just so you know, average is considered IQ 85 and above. An IQ score of 85-100 is technically average, but it is not super smart. I mention these statistics because "smart" seems to be some kind of a designation that separates disabled people. If one has a learning disability or attention deficit disorder, BUT THAT PERSON IS SMART, people seem to feel vindicated or absolved from a disability label, in other words superior. 

Did you know that Binet who developed the original IQ test wanted the score to be used as a means for helping people not categorizing or classifying human beings? I value academic intelligence, specifically verbal, because that is how my brain operates. But, I have lived long enough to know that intellectual ability encompasses far more: such as artistic, social-emotional, athletic, fine motor, and other non-verbal abilities.

I accept that individuals with normal intelligence can be diagnosed autistic. But, please stop saying they are "high functioning Autistic." What does that actually mean? Their IQ scores were high on an intelligence test? There must be some reason for the diagnosis. As for adults, I find it difficult to believe that the person did not have challenges in school, higher education, social relationships, and in searching for a job. (Of course, if that person was in an educational setting that catered to them, their experience would have been different.)

Adults claim they are diagnosed after childhood and adolescence. That may be, but there would have to be a history of difficulties as a child and a diagnosis by a qualified professional. Autism does not pop up later in life. It is a disorder of early childhood which lasts a lifetime. I daresay anyone alive today--perhaps excluding people who are in their 90's--would know if childhood and school had been problematic. Educational systems may not have been great for people with special needs; however, the 1940's and 1950's were not the dark ages. 

Quirky is not autism, nor is awkward or socially inadept. Mental illness, anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder, or antisocial behavior are not autism. One must meet specific criteria and, to be blunt, it's not pretty. I do not say this to be cruel only realistic! However, all people in our society should be accepted for what they are capable of doing. We need to bend our definitions of normal, be more tolerant, myself included. What we have learned along the way--for example, the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover," has proven me wrong about people time and again. 

So much progress has been made in the last 50 years, incredible when you think that as late as the 1950's individuals with Down Syndrome were institutionalized at birth. But more change is necessary, especially in job opportunities for people with neuro untypical brains. And I don't mean computer geniuses who are able to get a position at Microsoft and sit in a dark room all day. I mean opportunities in daylight--in stores, offices, libraries, on the streets, farms, in homes wherever work needs to be done. Interviewing and qualifying exams must be tweeked or adjusted. Our schools have accomplished this task, so the wideworld can do the same. Other areas of change should occur in coaching on the job and education of middle managers and supervisors.

So, in conclusion, you answer for me--who is high functioning? A "brilliant" person who works for a company that researches new vistas in virtual reality or artificial intelligence but cannot buy groceries and live in an apartment. Or someone who is not that smart (in the IQ sense of the word) but has friends, lives alone, and takes care of oneself and stocks merchandise at a store.

https://www.verywellmind.com/history-of-intelligence-testing-2795581

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5919599/

©Karen Levi 2023

Lone Wolf for a Good Cause?

 I encountered a small statue in a garden on a walking tour of Konstanz, Germany. Our guide explained the significance; this was a bust of Johann Georg Elser (1903-1945). As she recounted the story, it seemed familiar. Then I remembered--I read about the incident in Agent Sonya by Ben McIntyre.

Georg was a German carpenter and craftsman who valued freedom and rights for the workers in the Third Reich. He sympathized with the needy since he grew up in a family that struggled economically. He worked in Konstanz, Germany, reportedly some of the happiest years of his short life. 

He managed to resist the Nazi party with small acts, such as refusing to listen to radio broadcasts of Hitler's speeches and to salute with arm extended. As a biographer of Hitler, Ian Kershaw said, "he was a single person, an ordinary German, a man from the working class, acting without the help and or knowledge of anyone else." 

Georg Elser's actions remind one of the question of the morality of exposing innocent victims to danger in the cause for good. Are accidental deaths as a result of an assassination of an evil leader justified? Mr. Elser engaged in other forms of protest which obviously were insufficient to counter the rise of Hitler. 

Disgusted by the Nazis, he meticuously planned and nearly executed a bombing on November 8, 1939 that would have killed or seriously injured Hitler and other highly placed Nazi officers. Hitler gave a speech at a beer hall in Munich every November 8 to commemorate his attempted putsch on that date in 1923. Unfortunately, Hitler left the beer hall (one of his favorite) before the bomb detonated, ostensibly to catch a train. Several people were killed, none were the brass of the Nazi regime.

Georg was long gone when the bomb exploded. He was arrested, in Konstanz, for smuggling, while  attempting to cross into Switzerland. When his knapsack was searched, police found tools and a postcard of the beer hall, incriminating evidence. Georg was sent to Munich and then Berlin where he was tortured by high ranking officials. Then shipped off to Sachsenhausen, where he spent years, until he was executed at Dachau in 1945. The Germans kept him alive as a symbol of British intelligence involvement rather than German resistance. Hitler was certain that Esler alone could not have carried out a plot to assassinate him.

Evidently, the Germans remained convinced. Finally, in the 1960's interrogation transcripts were found. Not until the 1980's was Georg Elser memorialized as a hero. Georg himself wrote of his misgivings about the killing of innocent victims for the purposes of freedom and destroying evil. He said, "I wanted to prevent the war!" 

https://www.fritz-bauer-forum.de/en/datenbank/johann-georg-elser-3/

https://www.gdw-berlin.de/en/recess/topics/7-georg-elser-and-the-assassination-attempt-of-november-8-1939/

https://www.dw.com/en/hitlers-would-be-assassin-a-lone-wolf-who-acted-on-his-ideals/a-51156209

Note: Any mistakes are my responsibility. It is difficult to ferret out fact from fiction in the numerous accounts of this story.

©Karen Levi 2023

Two Emmas

 When I heard the name Emma Lazarus at a Holocaust remembrance program in Frankfurt, Germany, I immediately thought of the Jewish/American poet whose sonnet is installed on the Statue of Liberty. But I was incorrect. There was another one and probably thousands more. The Emma Lazarus I heard mentioned in Germany married Henry Budge in the latter part of the 19th century, both Jews. 

Henry was born in Frankfurt in 1840. He emigrated to the United States in 1866 and became a successful businessman. He must have returned to Germany to marry Emma. Both moved to the United States and became citizens in 1882. For some reason, they relocated to Hamburg, Germany in 1903, where they were great patrons of the arts and charitable foundations. During World War I, they lived in 

Emma Lazarus Budge

Switzerland to avoid conflicts of loyalty. 

One of the foundations established with their money was named after them--the Frankfurt Henry and Emma Budge Foundation. The purpose of the foundation was the "care of men, women, and children in need of recreation, without distinction of sex, age, and religious confession," a forward thinking mission for the times. The Budges agreed to use capital from their foundation to alleviate a housing shortage in 1928, in Frankfurt, specifically for a "retirement home for the middle class." The residence was built in 10 months and ready for the first inhabitants in 1930. Ernst May, of the Frankfurt building department, selected the Bauhaus style of architecture for the structure. Three avant-garde architects assisted him, most notably Mart Stam.

                                            Example Bauhaus architecture     

The result was a masterpiece of an open light-flooded building with 100 apartments. Each had a private balcony or patio with a view of wooded areas. The common rooms had movable walls for flexibility. Meals were taken in a dining room and prepared in a modern kitchen with a dishwasher and other avant-garde appliances. The founders and architects envisioned a "collectively managed pensioner's hotel" for older middle class individuals of Jewish and Christian religion. Innovative, the interfaith aspect and the free atmosphere of men and women interacting socially proved to be without historical role models. 

Utimately tragedy occurred when the Nazis took over the foundation and home. The Jewish residents were forced out and moved to various sites in Frankfurt. It is unclear how many Jewish residents lived at the Budge Home, but 23 were murdered by the Nazis. The victims have been memoralized at various sites in Frankfurt. 

One of those residents was my great grandmother Elise Hofmann. She was deported at age 70 in 1942 to Theresienstadt and murdered at Treblinka, an ungodly end for a respectable, modern woman. 

Back to our American Emma Lazarus--a Sephardic Jew--who wrote the sonnet "The American Collossus," which was inspired by the Statue of Liberty. At the time, she worked with Eastern European Jewish immigrants. Their plight and the new statue inspired Emma to write her famous lines.

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand           
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

                                                         Emma Lazarus

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

The poem, written with no notion of Nazis but yet a knowledge of antisemitism, rang true in the 1880's, 1940's, and now. 

Photo of Emma Lazarus from https://jwa.org/womenofvalor/lazarus

Photo of Emma Budge https://www.dasjuedischehamburg.de/bilder/budge-emma

Content from research done by Gudrun Jäger 2023

©Karen Levi 2023

Where Are the Descendents?

 

Nike Shoes

 The front page of today's Washington Post has a picture of a little girl carrying a Nike shoe box out of the rubble of the mobile home that had been her home. Terrible tornadoes ripped through rural southwestern Mississippi, affecting mostly black residents who live below the poverty line. What struck me was the shoe box. 

How often do we buy shoes and open the box at home? The Nike logo is ubiquitous in our lives. But the juxtaposition of a little girl carrying the box as she climbed out of rubble, as bizarre as it seems, was not shocking. We view these images daily. Scientists do not know the relationship between severe tornadoes and climate change. All I know from my lay standpoint is that wind has increased in intensity in recent years. Regardless of any correlation between climate change and tornadoes, we will experience more weather related tragedies and strange occurrences, for example the rain that never stops in California. 

People tend to be oblivious to what goes on around them--be it weather, safety/general awareness, political upheaval. Granted we suffer from bad news fatigue, worn down with earthquakes, fires, floods, dictators, and wars. I am guilty. But, I do not tune out completely. I focus on my immediate environment and the world as best I can. No one is perfect or Mother Theresa (except for her).

 I often ignore homeless people or those begging on traffic islands. I get tired of emails, requests for donations, and legislative reports from local politicians. I am blessed or cursed. I wake up easily and often-- in a metaphoric sense--noticing something that does not seem right--a noice, smell, or person. For example, what is happening in a section of Bethesda, Maryland.

Today, I tried to visit a neighborhood with beautiful cherry blossoms, our beloved delicately flowering trees that show their impermanent beauty for a week at the most. No go--the residents have banned cars which is fine. But massive construction of an unnecessary new shopping area has caused adjacent streets to be blocked off. Thereby making a pleasant Sunday afternoon spring tradition no longer possible. So an affluent neighborhood has decided to be exclusive and unwelcoming. But worse, the rebuilding of a small strip mall in a typical inside-the-beltway community of our county is turning into I-Don't-Know-What. 

Sacred land for our African American neighbors is being built over and desecrated. It was bad enough when a parking lot was placed over the burial grounds of former slaves, but now there will be more and bigger shops, offices, and apartments. 

There is one tiny parcel of land being contested. So far, the county has not seen fit to save that small section for a memorial site. Across the street from the construction site is an adequate, modern shopping area--once a thriving black residential subdivision. Therefore, there is no need to expand the other area.  

Greed is next to impossible to fight even in liberal Montgomery County, Maryland. So I continue to write letters and sign petitions. Stay vigilant. And hope the little girl and her family in Mississippi get a better house. 

©Karen Levi 2023

LIGHT, JOY, WOMEN--IT MUST BE MARCH OR ADAR

 Previously, I gave little thought to Purim. I remember carnivals in the synagogue social hall as a child--groggers, hats, games, prizes. Purim served as a bright spot after the dark months of Tevet and Shevat. Sweet treats and fun foretold of more joy to come. After early childhood, I ignored Purim, except for the Hamentaschen.

When I joined a congregation in the "oughts," I was introduced to the Purim Spiel. First, I thought, that's dumb, and the Yiddish word deterred, being the daughter of a former Berliner who shunned the colorful, useful language (that I have come to appreciate). 

People said, "come, come, it's so fun." I thought, "What, I have no talent?" I had joined the choir because of a lifelong wish to be immersed in song. I was "good enough," could read music, and knew when to sing quietly. An extroverted member of the choir--who was the Spiel director--encouraged me as well. She remarked that "no talent" was exactly the ticket to join the play's cast.

So to rehearsal I went. And thus began about ten seasons of great fun. The small, liberal congregation had been producing plays for about 5-10 years before I joined in the hilarity. Our director--the demonstrative, very talented choir member--had the ability to take a ragtag bunch of "older" Jews and turn us into a somewhat polished group. I remember her saying, "I hate blocking night. I'm herding cats." We were silly and made jokes about nearly everything we could find as fodder. My favorite spiel was "Schmaltz" (Grease) in which I had a solid role.

The productions were sealed into the annals of congregation history. Our rabbi was an actor in his own right. He could act in any comic role, and he sang in a strong, tenor voice. Naturally, our plays were the story of Esther, Mordechai, and Haman set to rock, popular, or Broadway tunes.

 The era of the plays are over, as all good things must come to an end. There was a chemistry and bonding in the cast that cannot be reproduced. So I am back to a less exciting but still happy Purim, the beginning of more light, warmth, and hope. 

Below is a short essay I wrote about Adar and Purim for those who are interested:
     

    Adar is the twelfth month of the Jewish calendar which can be quite confusing since we         find ourselves neither in December nor at the Jewish New Year. When there is a leap             year, there are two Adars. Adar relates to the Hebrew word, Adir, which means strength.     The month is associated with good fortune and joy. Adar corresponds to the zodiac sign of     Pisces, two unidentified fish in the depths of the sea. Like Esther, who revealed herself as     a Jew after being masked or hidden.

    Purim falls on the 14th day of Adar, a holiday for joyful celebration and the only one            which focuse on brave women. We are familiar with the Megillah and the story of Esther     and Mordechai saving the Jews from certain death. The Megillah, or the Book of Esther,        is one of two ancient books named for women. 

    Spiritually and physically, the month represents the shift from darkness to light. We see        the transformation in the increase of daylight hours and in a new month filled with               joy after several months of darkness. The Purim story deals with a shift from death to            life. 

    After Haman and his henchmen were defeated, Esther went to the king and said, “Do            tomorrow what you have done today.” The king was confused--Haman, his ten sons, and     various other evildoers had been hanged. Why does Esther ask for what has been done?        Scholars have found the Hebrew letters, also representing the numbers 5707, within the        Book of Esther. And what is significant about 5707? The Jewish year corresponds to            1946, when 10 Nazis hanged after trials at Nuremberg. So, was Queen Esther asking            for retribution for crimes that had not been yet committed? Curious.
    

    Tradition has us decking out in a guise or mask for Purim. The Ba’al Shem Tov                    said, “It is a mitzvah to dress up for Purim.” Now why would a pious rabbi suggest a            frivolity like costumes? The ancient rabbis instituted the custom of giving                              Tzedakah to the poor on Purim. If everyone masquerades, one cannot discern who is             giving and who receiving. Therefore, in complete anonymity, one offers and accepts,            the truest form of mitzvah.

    

    Back to joy, which is forever in short supply. Toast with your libation of choice to Health     and Happiness as my parents and grandmothers would say. And drown out the evil of the     Hamans with your groggers.

©Karen Levi 2023

NO, WE CAN'T GET OVER IT

 Words do matter; human beings use the spoken word to communicate, accomplish, negotiate, plead, request, and comment. Words change personal, political, and commercial relationships. We speak to infants and animals eventhough we are certain that hey comprehend our tone not the meaning. Evil actors use phrases to instill fear which often leads to physical violence. We convey love through words.

Specific vocabulary changes the meaning of a story, critical when a history is communicated to the younger generations. So the youth keep the memories of the past alive when we are gone. The words that constitute memory may not be 100% accurate, but they are impervious to water, fire, and decay. Within the words are the feelings which we carry. What was an acceptable term fifty years ago can be construed as negative now. 

Each storyteller must choose words carefully. Words--Enslaved describes the millions of individuals who were considered subhuman by heinous masters, owners, politicians, professionals, businessmen, women, men, and children for at least 200 years in the Americas. Slave denotes the entire identity, but enslaved describes only one aspect of the talented, bright, feisty, brave, illiterate, evil, and wonderful people who were unfortunate to be captured or descended from the latter. Had sex with is rape when a man forces himself on a woman.

More words--Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. They did not die but were purposely killed because, like slaves, they were considered subhuman. Subhuman is lower than an animal. I told my daughter--like a nail, a chair, a scrap of paper. Unimaginable to consider that a living, breathing human could be negated to thing, erased, like we toss garbage. This phenomenon of treating a human as inhuman is different from killing enemies or intruders. Though, I imagine soldiers erase the humaness from the enemy in war, due to exhaustion, fear, danger, brainwashing, and hunger. Jews and African Americans are not the only victims of dehumanization. They are merely two examples. 

We use words to differentiate people into undesirable categories. Special Needs is a perfect example. Do not all people have needs? Often the needs are special or particular. Special being a euphemism for a person with mental illness, addiction, cognitive disability, and physical handicap. In this case, no one wants to be special.

People dismiss with words, "Get over it. Slavery is over. It happened years ago." Or, "Jews are rich. What do they have to complain about?" And the worst, "They (could be any victim) probably deserved_____." No, we cannot stop telling the stories. Narratives with carefully chosen words inform, especially those that describe discrimination, hatred, and ostracism. For as long as despots, dictators, and haters scare people into violence, we must retell the history to stop repetition. 

Select words wisely; meaning conveys truth or fiction. Enslaved vs. slave; murdered instead of die. A quick Google search reveals many more derogatory adjectives still used with frequency--i.e. Eskimo, gyp, hip hip hooray, uppity.

About a year ago, Whoopi Goldberg stated that the Holocaust was an example of "man's inhumanity to man." The surface meaning seemed fine. But she subtly expressed a differention from "racism," thereby diminishing a horrendous period in history. Words matter and "no, we won't get over it."

Names are more important than words. These are names of former enslaved persons.

Note: a month ago I wrote a blog about woke culture which also distorts words. Individuals must decide what words seem accurate to them, excluding commonly accepted slurs.

©Karen Levi 2023

GOOD NEWS IS BAD NEWS

 No one wants good news. Put another way, major media do not broadcast positive stories. I hold in my hand, three handouts from the J Street Conference in December 2022, representing Combatants for Peace, Taghyeer-- Palestinians Organizing Palestinians, and Project Rozana. We read that Palestinians killed so many Israelis, and the Israeli army bombed a section of Gaza City. Few people--Christian, Muslim, Jewish--seem to be aware of the myriad groups working for peace in Israel and Palestine.

Combatants for Peace, a joint Israeli and Palestinian effort, promotes an end to the cycle of violence. Collum McCann featured this organization in his 2017 novel, Apeirogon--two fathers, a Palestinian and an Israeli, become friends through the organization and work together to bring the opposing sides together. Taghyeer (Change) is a Palestinian organization which belongs to a National Nonviolence Movement of grassroots communities and emerging leaders, who exercise nonviolence as a unifying identity for the Palestinian people. Project Rozana, a multi-faith group, founded in 2013 in Australia,  with affiliate offices in Canada, the USA, and UK, aims to build bridges between Israelis and Palestinians through healthcare. The organization supports the training of Palestinian physicians and health professionals at Israeli hospitals. Project Rozana raises funds for a volunteer driver program in the West Bank and Israel for Palestinian patients to reach their appointments in Israeli hosptials. The project funds access to healthcare in Israel for complex medical procedures that are not available or easily accessible in Palestinian hospitals. (These are three of numerous groups working for positive change in the region.)

I listened to a program on PBS about general advancements in solar heating and access to water for Navajo communities. More good news; scientists working towards appropriate environmental stewardhip.

Major media companies would rather devote air time to tragedies, deaths, and cruelty. Not a Polyanna, but it occurs to me that broadcasting primarily the negative increases despair among those who care and reliance on conspiracy theories in the population of the distrustful. Why can't Rachel Maddow or Don Lemon lead off with a positive development in the never-ending parade of horrors--climate change, racism, antisemitism, war in Ukraine, deaths from drug abuse, and mass shootings

My introduction to this phenomenon occurred around 1993. My husband and I had successfully adopted two babies from Latin America. Our children thrived and brought endless joy to us. But what was on the nighly news? A story about Americans bribing poor birthmothers to relinquish their infants for body parts. I can barely type these words, so horrendous is this apocryphal narrative. It sickens me, turns my stomach, makes my blood boil. We, and thousands of other families, had adopted children and formed families, characterized by love, committment and responsibility. 

I have been told that good news does not sell newpapers. Or put in 21st century terms, positive news does not get clicks. I suppose people get complacent until shocked into action by a tragedy. But, for those on the front lines of change, an accounting of productive advancement would be welcome. 

People that I know despair. Often, friends refuse to talk about recent events due to their anguish. Perhaps that is part of older age--the world has changed, things are not what they used to be, etc. However, I would like periodic acknowledgement of progress to be the lead line on MSNBC's All In, or The Last Word. For example, a week after a devastating mass shooting, a report on the number of guns relinquished and turned in at police stations. After the distribution of a video on brutal police violence perpetrated on an unarmed black man, a story of a police department helping a community. Americans support Ukraine in its fight for democracy, a former eastern bloc country. More hybrid and electric cars on the road than ever before. 

To those out there in cyberspace--you who control the news apps.

Could you insert positivity into the notifications on our phones? We make progress as often as we regress or act badly.

   ©Karen Levi 2023