Mental Health

The War On Knowledge Is Horrifying And Extremely Dangerous!

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The war on knowledge is in full swing in much of America, particularly “Red” America, including the megastates of Texas and Florida, but also many other states.

War has been declared on teachers and what they teach in their classrooms!

War has been declared on librarians and book shelves in public and school libraries!

There is a constant barrage of attacks on so called “woke” ideas, which means to have compassion, empathy, and concern about those less privileged in a society where wealthy white people prevail in control, and want to limit diversity, inclusion, and equity, for poor people, immigrants, women, people of color, and gays, lesbians, and transexuals!

The hate being promoted by Ron DeSantis in Florida is escalating elsewhere, and threatening the very existence of marginal groups, and encouraging breakdown of mental health, victimizing young people in particular, but really promoting, ultimately, a return to white supremacy and advocating Christian dominance in a society that is supposed to be one of separation of church and state!

If DeSantis, Donald Trump, or their ilk win back control of both houses of Congress and the White House in 2024, then the fear that many Americans had during the early days of World War II, that we would have American Fascism taking over, maybe in the name of aviator Charles Lindbergh back then, could very well come to pass!

American freedom and democracy could end, and who could say that there would not be those politicians who would not come up with a variation of the “Final Solution” of Adolf Hitler?

This is not light banter, but rather makes clear the very serious and growing threat to basic civil liberties, including freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly!

We could see another “Holocaust” as people of color experienced in America with widespread discrimination and brutality visited against native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and non Christians in varying degrees, history that people like DeSantis do not want to be taught!

It is time for patriotic Americans to make clear that we are not going to allow those promoting hate and division to triumph in the future, so the upcoming elections in 2024 and beyond are not a time to sit on the sidelines and just hope for a miracle!

Actions are necessary to insure the future of American democracy and freedom, and the empathy, sincerity, decency, and compassion that Joe Biden and others like him promote, MUST triumph for survival of the nation we love!

The Major Goals For 2022: Accountability For Donald Trump, Voting Rights Insured, And Biden Agenda Accomplished!

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As the year 2021 comes to an end, the major goals for 2022 are clear!

First, there MUST be accountability for the sins and crimes of Donald Trump and his seditionist supporters of January 6, and that includes proper punishment for the Congressmen and Senators who supported Trump during and after the attack on the US Capitol. So the Republican Party must be purged of its treasonous elements, and expulsion and prosecution must occur!

Second, voting rights must be insured, by changing the filibuster, as voting is the most basic right every American citizen has, other than freedom and liberty itself!

Third, the Joe Biden Agenda, as expressed in the Build Back Better bill, must be passed, maybe in modified form, but essential for the promotion of the middle class and the poor!

Despite the many challenges Joe Biden faces in 2022, this author and blogger senses that the US Senate will go majority Democratic, and that the House of Representatives, after reapportionment of seats, and even with the sin of gerrymandering, is likely to be evened out in such a way that the Democratic Party has a good chance of retaining the House majority. To allow the seditionist, treasonous majority of the House Republicans to gain control, and whitewash the US Capitol Insurrection, would be true destruction of democracy, and every decent person must resist that to the extreme degree during this upcoming year!

The year also brings the continued danger of the COVID 19 Pandemic; high inflationary pressures; continued climate change and global warming challenges; and the mental health crisis facing the nation.

And threats of war and bloodshed create a massive challenge as well, particularly regarding Russia and Ukraine, and China and Taiwan.

So there will be plenty to worry about and write about in the next year, and I wish the best to all my readers in the new year 2022!

Massive Number Of Problems In 2020 America

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America in the middle of 2020 faces a massive number of problems, all at once.

We have the COVID-19 Virus, which has killed 130,000 Americans and which is being made worse by resistance of many to obey the rules on masks, social distancing, and avoiding crowds. The fact that Donald Trump refuses to set an example is making the situation far worse! This is the worst health crisis in a century!

We have the economic depression, the worst since the 1930s, and millions of people face hunger and homelessness, and it is already showing up with an increased crime rate in poor neighborhoods.

We have a major crisis in mental health, which is a time bomb that can undermine the nation’s future.

We have an environmental crisis, which endangers the nation and is being made worse by the Trump Administration policy on environmental issues.

We have a conflict on race and civil rights, far worse because we also have a President who reminds us of George Wallace in the 1960s, but the difference was that Wallace, while campaigning for President, had no chance to win, only cause turmoil but not make policy.

We also have a divided Congress, which historically has meant little ability to resolve or deal at all with major issues.

We have a court system rapidly becoming more right wing in a nation that is moving to the left, as the country moves to the inevitable majority being racial minorities in a generation from now.

When Joe Biden, God willing, becomes President, he will face more issues and controversies, all at once, than any President in the lifetime of anyone now living!

What Is Needed In November: Blue Wave (Democrats), Pink Wave (Women), Orange Wave (Men And Gun Safety), Green Wave (Environment)

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With the midterm elections less than four weeks away, it is clear that what is needed is not one “wave”, but four “waves”.

A “Blue Wave” is needed, the gaining of, hopefully, control of both houses of Congress, and the majority of state governorships and state legislative majorities.

But a “Pink Wave’ is needed by a mass uprising by women of all backgrounds, races, sections of the nation, to make clear that misogyny and abuse of women by conservatives and Republicans will no longer be tolerated.

There is also a need for an “Orange Wave”, promoted by Fred Guttenberg, the father of Parkland victim Jaime Guttenberg, on the need for a serious movement toward gun control and regulation, as we are losing tens of thousands of victims, many of them in schools and universities, and also many through suicide. This must include serious promotion of mental health initiatives, so that we do not have the constant massacres of innocent human beings, because of the lack of concern by the gun industry, which is only interested in profits.

And finally, a “Green Wave” is needed by those who care about climate change and the environment, determined to fight to prevent the destruction of the environment by coal companies, oil companies, natural gas companies, and corporations in general, who all think only of the profit motive now, and not the long range effect of what their companies are doing. And the struggle against the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior leadership must be fought with vehemence, as the future of America and the entire globe are at stake.

The Health Issue With Two “Senior Citizen” Presidential Nominees

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This blogger has discussed on this blog and on History News Network and in other social media posts of his concern about having two older nominees as the final competitors for the Presidency, as Donald Trump would be older than Ronald Reagan at inauguration, and Hillary Clinton would be only about eight months younger than Ronald Reagan at inauguration.

No one wants to say that older nominees, those who are “senior citizens”, are at greater danger of having health issues or even facing death, than younger nominees, but that is a basic reality.

What is now required after the near fainting and buckling of Hillary Clinton at the September 11 commemoration event in New York City is the demand and requirement that both Clinton and Donald Trump MUST be expected to give FULL details on their health, and that should include a basic psychological testing as well, as Donald Trump’s behavior and statements make one wonder about his mental stability.

Full transparency is required, but it also should not be demagogically exploited by Donald Trump and his surrogates, which, unfortunately, is guaranteed to occur in the coming days and weeks, making it a major campaign issue.

The now emerging news that Hillary Clinton has Pneumonia, which was diagnosed on Friday, complicates the issue of the first scheduled Presidential debate to weeks from Monday, whether it will have to be delayed or canceled. And Pneumonia is a serious issue, and right now, we have to hope for a full recovery for Hillary Clinton, and no one should play politics with this.

It is clear that Hillary Clinton wanted to follow through on honoring the dead from September 11, and that is why she showed up today, although having the diagnosis on Friday.

But knowing Donald Trump, do not be surprised that he will exploit it in a disgusting way, which should, if people are decent, backfire on him, whether it is done indirectly by Rudy Giuliani or some other despicable surrogate, or by the candidate himself.

Shameful National Figures On Single Mothers In Poverty, And Veterans Who Are Homeless!

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Many conservatives love to claim that America is an “exceptional” nation, ignoring the facts that demonstrate just how backward we are, as compared to many European nations and Japan.

For instance, one third of single mothers are in poverty, doing minimum wage jobs that cannot support their children in an adequate fashion. The effect on their children of poverty is not easily measurable, but cannot be dismissed as insignificant. It promotes a sense of inferiority and depression in children at a very young age, and impairs their physical and mental health.

Also, veterans of our wars are horribly mistreated after their military service, with about 60,000 homeless on any single night, and double that total being homeless over a year’s time. Many are victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or are connected to substance abuse (alcohol and drugs). Forty percent are African American or Hispanic. Veterans who are homeless range from World War II, through the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the Afghanistan War, and many are younger veterans, who did their duty for their country, but are now being ignored and dismissed as having any claim on government services in return for their sacrifices.

Not only is this unconscionable and unethical, but it is also a danger to the nation, when people trained in firearms develop a feeling of hopelessness, which can lead to bloodshed and violence against fellow Americans out of desperation and mental illness.

If we continue to mistreat our veterans, as well as make victims of single mothers and their children, we are losing our long term future of peace and tranquility, and the pursuit of the elusive “American Dream!”

Parental Upbringing Of Children And Pop Culture Must Share Blame For Violence With Gun Industry And NRA

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As the nation faces the reality of massive gun violence, there is no question that the gun industry and the National Rifle Association must take some of the blame for the carnage.

But it is more complicated than that. The lack of proper parental upbringing of children is very evident as well, as anyone who observes the way children are allowed to behave in public places, and often has lack of parental supervision for a myriad of reasons, can testify to. Being a parent is a very difficult job, as this blogger can testify to, but in this age we are living in, too often parents abdicate their responsibilities for convenience, or in order to be “popular”. One cannot see parenting as a popularity contest, and one cannot be a “friend” of his children, but instead must be their model for future behavior and responsibilility.

At the same time, “pop culture”—meaning violent video games, and constant production of violent movies by Hollywood—must share a large load of the responsibility for instilling in children the images of constant violence with guns and other destructive instruments that promote death. Children are witness to constant carnage from a very young age, and for mentally unstable children and adults, this can lead to acting out in real time, as we sadly have seen multiplying in recent years. More intervention on mental health matters must be pursued, and if someone is shown to be dangerous, he or she must be reported to authorities, and privacy rights cannot win out over public safety, as too often has happened in recent tragic events.

So those in the video games industry, and directors in Hollywood who enrich themselves on the promotion of bloodshed and violence must be held accountable, and the American people have already indicated that these industries have a responsibility to prevent their profit motive from adding to the tragedy of gun violence, as much as the gun industry and the National Rifle Association.

Ultimately, better parenting is required, so as to monitor children utilizing video games, and the desire to watch violent movies. If people, with their money, refuse to buy video games and to attend showings of violent movies, those industries will have to reform themselves, due to the action of parents and adults.

It is time for action, not just talk!

Tremendous Benefit Of “ObamaCare”: Full Coverage For Mental Illness!

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One of the unsung benefits of the Affordable Care Act, better known as “ObamaCare”, is the fact that the vast number of Americans with mental illness, a psychological or psychiatric disorder, will now be covered by the new law, liberating them from the burden of not being covered, because of what is termed a “pre-existing condition”.

People with mental illness suffer in silence much too often, and the rate of suicide is very high, and their lives have not meant much to the general public.

Now we have a humane policy, which one would think NO ONE would argue against, but yet Mitt Romney and his Republican party are determined to obliterate the health care bill, if they gain power!

What else is needed to shout into the ears of all Americans who have any sense of common decency, that the Republicans must be punished for their mean spirited, uncaring attitude toward those who need medical help, even if their illness is not obvious in a physical sense that all can see?

Barack Obama will go down in history for many things, not the least that he became the President who cared enough, and his Democratic party also caring enough, to enact legislation to cover mental health issues!

40 Years Since The Watergate Scandal Erupted: Its Long Range Effects

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40 years ago today, the Watergate scandal erupted, as seven “burglars” were caught at the Watergate complex in Washington, DC, inside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.

The scandal lasted more than two years before President Richard Nixon was forced to resign, in the midst of an impeachment effort that had succeeded, and would have led to his removal from office had he not resigned.

The events of 40 years ago transformed the Presidency, the news media, the political parties, and Americans’ views of their government.

It has led to investigative media that is ready and willing to expose scandal and evil like never before.

It has led to such partisanship that no President can ever really have a true mandate anymore, and antagonism between the major political parties is at an all time high since the Civil War era.

Most Americans are skeptical of the value and virtues of government, a terrible and tragic event, considering the complex world we live in.

Richard Nixon’s reputation has risen quite a bit since his resignation, as many have realized how tragic his downfall was, as he had actually accomplished a great deal of good, mixed in with the evil events of his Presidency.

Disillusionment with many of his successors in the White House has also helped to make him look “better” in many people’s eyes, but the revelation of new transcripts of the Watergate tapes every year remind us just how dangerous and law breaking the 37th President of the United States actually was.

The need for mental health evaluations of Presidential candidates seem more essential now than ever, considering that there were manifestations of mental illness by Nixon, and instability in behavior by Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush in later times.

The Watergate scandal still fascinates us, as a turning point in American history, on the level of the Civil War and the Great Depression, in its long range impact on the nation.

With the Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, and the major exposer of the scandal, John Dean, still alive and kicking, Watergate in many ways is still current, but the question is whether the lessons of that scandal have been learned in a time when we are having millionaires and billionaires investing obscene amounts in campaign spending on the Presidential campaign, thanks to the disgraceful Citizens United case of the Supreme Court in 2010.

So in a sense, Watergate is the past, but also part of the present political situation, sadly!

The Problem Of Autism And The Health Care Issue: NOT A Time For Retreat!

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April is Autism Awareness Month, and it is truly alarming as we learn that the number of children diagnosed with Autism of any type is now one of 88 children, and one of 54 boys!

The problem is that we are now becoming aware of this crisis, just as the move is on to destroy the Obama Health Care legislation, which the Supreme Court has the potential to do in June, and if not, the Paul Ryan plan to cut Medicare and Medicaid could, if it became law, do much the same thing in a different way.

Health care expenses cause more bankruptcies and poverty than anything else, and this nation has been unwilling to come to grips with the reality of brain disorders, not only Autism related problems, but also the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on military personnel, and the effects of Bi Polar Disorder and other forms of depression, which have a massive deleterious effect on millions of Americans, most of it in silence.

If there is a physical problem with health, insurance covers it, but in so many cases, mental disorders, whether genetic or environmental, are not covered, and put great stress on millions of people annually, and undermines their ability to cope and to deal with the high unpaid bills involved in trying to deal with the problems they, or their loved ones, face.

This is not the time to say that we do not have to worry about health care for those who do not have it, but rather that the entire nation must face the crisis in health care, both related to Autism and other mental problems, but also that of the poor, the elderly, and average Americans who are being destroyed financially, as well as economically, by these problems.