Dru Tieben's Writing Corner

Musings and Meanderings

When We Become Too Comfortable

Posted on November 6, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

Denver voters voted for Propositions LL and MM to fund healthy meals for all children in their schools. Those who opposed Proposition MM—the tax on incomes higher than $200,000.00—had incomes higher than $200,000.00! Wow! However, all the little people stood up and voted in favor of this measure. They know what’s important.

Georgia voters approved a measure to increase exemptions for seniors on school funding, which is expected to cause a deficit in the public school system. I understand that many seniors suffer, but those with more financial means should pay their fair share to help the younger generations. The “I got mine, the hell with the rest of the world” ideology has to stop now. We must become the person our ancestors wanted us to be.

As a senior, I understand that money can be tight, but I believe in paying my fair share of taxes to help fund public schools and care for future generations. And people with more means should also pay their fair share. Without accessible education and healthy meal programs, we have doomed our future leaders and given power to the multi-billionaires. (Sound familiar?)

When we start to make money, and some of us have done very well, we forget how we got there. Our education was important and helped create healthy and successful people in most of us. Some of us entrepreneurs have amassed a significant amount of wealth over the years, and we’ve lost touch with the humble person who started out with less. I never made it into the $200,000.00 income crowd, but I shared what I had with those who needed it more than I did. I still do that today and have increased my sharing amounts.

So I am asking all of you to adjust your comfort zone. I am asking all of you to go beyond selfishness and consumerism. Consider taking one less vacation, not buying the latest and greatest iPhone, and save a little money to donate to a cause that helps your local schools and food banks. ALL children deserve an education, and teachers deserve to be treated with respect. That’s all I am asking of each of you. YOU made these children, and you also have neighbors who have children. Treat all of the children and families right, and they will honor you when they take over the world!

Colorado Gives Day is coming up on December 9^th. Consider giving more than you did last year. Enough said.

I love you all on this windy, warm day. Hope for rain or snow!

END OF TRUTH AND REAL NEWS AS WE KNOW IT

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

Or: We Can’t Give Up!
So now we are silencing our comedians for making fun of you know who and his ilk who are making a mockery of our government. It’s a sad day for America when large corporations are silencing the last vestiges of sanity and news reporting and giving money to those in power. When is it going to stop? It’s a sad day when we allow these people control our world.

On Colbert’s show Wednesday night (7/16), his monologue was a bit scathing about the parent company selling out because they wanted CBS to be sold to Skydance and you know who’s billionaires didn’t like what they were hearing. They wanted to make a lot of money so they paid the orange one off. Last night, Colbert announced not only were they getting rid of him, but they were also cancelling The Late Night Show for good. The last show will be in May 2026 after 33 years on air. And of course, the owners said it had nothing to do with politics and was purely a financial decision. Really? Do you think the public believes you? There are many articles posted on this subject and it has made me realize that I no longer want to support CBS. As government slowly demolishes our right to know, our right to the truth, I hope we are all thinking about the long-term consequences. Colbert-Late Night Show Cancelled

But that’s not the only thing I wanted to say today. Colbert’s guest on Wednesday was Dr. Francis Collins, former director of NIH (National Institute of Health), an amazing and renown scientist. After the current regime gutted funding and the ability to conduct research, Dr. Collins retired from office. He stated that over 2500 projects were stopped. They were told to shut down any further critical research on Vaccines, Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Covid and even Aids which they were making great strides in creating cures and advances for our health care. Now the science has stopped and we will no longer have those medical miracles at our fingertips.

Dr. Collins also stated that since our brilliant young scientists are being laid off and can’t get jobs here, they are leaving to go to countries where they can, such as Australia, Europe, and China. He stated we will start to see the effects of this brain drain soon. We are allowing this to happen. I don’t blame these young people. They want to learn and discover new cures and aren’t able to do this here. Perhaps if we get a sane and rational person back in office next time, they will come back. But it will take years to catch up to the progress we made in the past. Contrary to popular belief, it takes time to study and research cures.

Finally, Dr. Collins told Colbert that right now two-thirds of the country are what he calls the exhausted middle because of the controversy and outrage Olympics happening in our world right now. He believes that this has happened because of these deficits:

Truth deficit (no penalties for lying)
Trust deficit (we have stopped trusting each other)
Civility deficit (we are just being really mean to each other)
Compassion deficit (he gave an example of the USAID cuts and how people are suffering world-wide; over 90,000 children have died unnecessarily)
He believes that we, the exhausted ones, have to get all of this back. We are the ones who can make change happen.

I know we are all tired, but we can’t give up. We can’t stop believing in each other AND the science (and scientists) behind the advances to create a better world. We must continue to write to our representatives who are supporting this slippery slope slide (say that mouthful out loud!) into fascism. We must ask them to not take money from those billionaires who support this nonsense because these people are not helping to make a better world for all. Those billionaires seek power and want to buy your representatives. Those billionaires are only thinking about themselves and their money. I am starting to worry that censorship will not be far behind these blatant acts of our cancel culture.

So keep up the protests. Don’t give up even though you are exhausted. Don’t give up on learning and loving all people. Check out Dr. Collins’ book: The Road to Wisdom. I ordered it on Kindle today. It is going to be very interesting read.

I love you all, and hope you continue to do good things and support those in need every day you live on this smoke-filled planet!

Absurdity Must Not Be Tolerated

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information—getting the facts wrong. Disinformation is false information which is deliberately intended to mislead—intentionally misstating the facts.
https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-disinformation

“According to behavioral models, exposure to misinformation increases the odds that people will believe it, which in turn increases the odds that they will spread it….Misinformation spreads differently on social media than on legacy media such as television, radio, and newspapers. Mainstream news outlets tend to have robust safeguards in place to prevent and correct false claims, but several unique features of social media encourage viral content with low oversight. Rapid publication and peer-to-peer sharing allow ordinary users to distribute information quickly to large audiences, so misinformation can be policed only after the fact (if at all).” For more information go to the American Psychological Associations website and take a look at this article:
https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/how-why-misinformation-spreads

Another great article to read about how to critically evaluate online information is located at:
https://princetonlibrary.org/guides/misinformation-disinformation-malinformation-a-guide/

I am a great believer in education and encourage discourse every chance I get. But, when I hear the crazy misinformation that is being given out to the public at our nation’s capitol (yes, it is with an o, look it up!), I have to speak up. Absurdity (or Idiocy) is not okay.

Poul Anderson wrote a series of short stories that became a compendium known as The Complete Psychotechnic League. In the story called The Troublemakers, the protagonist stated that “…politics is the art of creating an equality of dissatisfaction.” This story unfolds in a spaceship bound for Alpha Centauri that would take centuries to get there. People grew old and died enroute, and the officers were in charge. The protagonist posed that the people in command made it a point to “stir up against each other men who should have been comrades [and] break the innocent with lies…provoke mutiny by injustice and intrigue…[and] infiltrate the revolts [that] they themselves had created [to] control them….” The people in charge believed that “cultures have momentum [and] don’t change overnight.” And, finally, he stated that “Conflict was inevitable.”

Anderson wrote this series of short stories over many decades (starting after World War II or late 1940s and ending in the 1980s during his life). These stories were later compiled in a more orderly date/time fashion and tweaked a little to make them fit in his future timeline. When he first wrote The Psychotechnic League as a short story, Anderson believed that conflict could be controlled if properly directed by using psychology and involving the United Nations (U.N.) as the supreme leaders in command. However, he changed his mind in his later years and decided that the U.N. shouldn’t be the folks in charge of a world government. But he also didn’t believe that any commander (or president) should have absolute overt control. He felt that indirect control could allow events to take their natural course.

What we are seeing in this decade is a massive surge of a control by our government for their own monetary personal gain. Society is being forced to change in order to retrieve control and retain personal freedom. Society is warring with each other and not understanding our own history. Cutting funds to education, fact-check news, and especially NPR and PBS funding is an affront to all those wishing to pass on correct knowledge to our future children and grandchildren.

And we the people are rebelling, even as social media by those in power condemn us. Most of us believe in education and understand that illiteracy cannot be tolerated.

Protests throughout history haven’t always gotten what we needed or wanted at the time, but everyone must understand that we all have a right to do so without people like that guy in office and his minion, you know who, attack you online and have the insane MAGA media defame you. Protesters, teachers, and professors being attacked online is not right. We all have rights, and I may not always agree with others, but shouting misinformation online and sharing this nonsense is ridiculous.

Nothing is free in life, but if each person who believes in free speech as well as reliable and credible speech (the other 50% and hopefully more now) would give a dollar to their local TV stations, especially NPR and PBS, it would add up quickly, and reach the .1% that is being cut by that guy in office. Legal civil disobedience in action can be an amazing and uplifting strategy. Billionaires shouldn’t be in charge of our money, or our news. They shouldn’t be able to demean us with their ridiculous diatribes. We can continue to have great unbiased news and lovely shows to watch if we all just pitch in to save them.

Out here, we love our local Rocky Mountain PBS and give to them as much as we can every time they fund raise. Those people in office that don’t have the intellectual capacity to understand the shows, they try to shut it down. Those who have never watched the kid shows that my child grew up on (and became an incredible person as a result of watching and participating in the lessons) should not have a say in what programming can be on television. They should look deep into their hearts and souls to understand what that guy in office is trying to do with their support.

It’s time for everyone in these positions to take a look at who they really are and why they were voted into office. It’s time to become human beings once again that are not afraid to stand up to money and power for the greater good.

The misinformation that our government and their minions are giving out to the world is simply just WRONG. They should be in therapy if their childhood was incredibly bad. They want others to suffer for their upbringing. No other child should suffer because of their personal history bias. Just keep telling them to go to therapy and listen to their constituents. We cannot be afraid like they are. We have to Get Up! Stand up! And take a stand!
Enough said.

Love to all tonight and wish for rain!

Rewriting History-Part II

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

“The significance of historical accuracy cannot be overstated, as it plays a crucial role in our ability to discern the truth, make informed decisions, and maintain the integrity of our collective memory.”

In this current administration fact-checking has become a dominant conversation piece for every citizen who is appalled by what is going on in the political scene. Historical events are being distorted and/or outright fabricated at will. This era is rapidly becoming the misinformation age.

We are forgetting about the consequences for spreading outright lies and deleting information that is critical to us. People who believe in what is going on with that guy in office haven’t suffered the consequences yet. They don’t care that we as a country are not preserving the historical truth for ourselves as well as for future generations. They don’t care that the current administration has no understanding of historical events that should be accounted for in the current decision-making process. “Accurate information helps us avoid repeating past mistakes and make informed choices about the future [emphasis mine].”—from https://medium.com/@thehistorychip

And finally, they don’t care that they are not preserving cultural heritage and identity. As a result, there is no critical thinking based on the evaluation of the past.

When misinformation rears its ugly head, the challenges are:
1.         Confirmation bias – people seek and believe information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs. They simply believe the inaccuracies being told to them because of their worldview.
2.         Misleading Narratives – When people in power interpret the past due to their confirmation bias, they skew perceptions of others.
3.         Echo Chambers – “Social media and online communities can reinforce existing beliefs and isolate individuals from diverse perspectives. In such echo chambers, misinformation can thrive unchecked.” [e.g., Fox News]
4.         Digital Manipulation – “Advancements in technology have made it easier to manipulate historical content, including photographs and documents, leading to the creation of convincing but false narratives [emphasis mine].”
Please read this blog for further information. It was an excellent source outlining the problem:
https://medium.com/@thehistorychip/facts-vs-fiction-the-importance-of-historical-accuracy-in-a-misinformation-age-f82c3475a3d9

I want to emphasize how much this bothers me. We are visiting this misinformation age once again 10 years later from the time this article was published: Political Lies: Altering Facts and Rewriting History. On 2/9/15, author Richard A. Barrett reviewed a book by Hannah Arendt, titled Truth and Politics. Arendt stated that “Freedom of opinion is a farce unless factual information is guaranteed and the facts themselves are not in dispute.”

Barrett stated, “In other words, factual truth informs political thought just as rational truth informs philosophical speculation….Such attempts by states to alter history are not the only danger of political lies. Arendt warns that “self-deception is the danger par excellence; the self-deceived deceiver loses all contact with not only his audience, but also the real world, which still will catch up with him, because he can remove his mind from it but not his body” (Lying in Politics).”

Barrett stated that Arendt brought new light to the information given in the Pentagon Papers. He stated that “in her commentary on the Pentagon Papers, Arendt details how little the Administration managed to deceive others about the reality of the Vietnam War but nevertheless managed to deceive itself into believing and basing policy on information it knew was not true. In the end, the free press, which Arendt refers to as the fourth branch of government,” performed its crucial check on government—not by alerting the public to facts hidden from it, most of which were already known but—by forcing the executive to confront those facts, facts it had previously been so successful in deceiving itself about.”

Thus Arendt informs us, “Even if we admit that every generation has the right to write its own history, we admit no more than that it has the right to rearrange the facts in accordance with its own perspective; we don’t admit the right to touch the factual matter itself.”
https://hac.bard.edu/amor-mundi/political-lies-altering-facts-and-rewriting-history-2015-02-09

For further information about our changing facts in history due to the political climate see:
https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/30-years-of-world-politics-what-has-changed/

So, my point in this rather long diatribe is this:
Every day that you are on this planet and in this current realm, combat historical misinformation and uphold historical accuracy. Become a critical thinker and encourage this same thought process in others. Question sources, verify information, and seek many perspectives on any matter. Don’t believe everything. Fact check when you can, but also use your common sense. Ask yourself: “Is this really true?” Why would someone believe this?” “Why should I believe this?”

Educate yourself and others and learn how to look into the media and review the historical data. Share accurate information with others, not just something that people say over and over again. Remember this: “If you say it over and over again, it doesn’t make it true if it’s a lie!” Don’t believe everything you hear. Counteract the spread of ridiculous claims. Believe in humanity once again. We will survive!

I love you all on this windy, weeknight in Colorado! Hang in there!

Moving On – Take it Easy

Posted on February 27, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

How many times have I heard these two idioms in my lifetime? When something is so difficult to fathom, how are these helpful statements?

It’s true that individuals must let go of past experiences to move forward. Dealing with emotions that bring us down helps us get a sense of clarity and purpose for our future selves. And yet, so many of us have held onto the grudges from the past. It doesn’t serve us when those in power hold onto these feelings and try to change the perspective of everyone around them. This me-centric personality is not a good fit for the highest office in the land.

But you know that’s not the only thing that I am here to talk about tonight. I was pondering how our future voters are doing in their government/civics and history classes in school? Are they learning what governmental entities should be doing? Are they learning what democracy is all about so when it becomes their time to vote in the next presidential election, we won’t have this fiasco once again?

Reporters in a 2023 article in USA Today, stated that the “2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (often called “The Nation’s Report Card”) showed that only 22% of eighth graders are proficient in civics and 13% in U.S. history. These scores have been declining – and we will pay the price if we don’t turn around those scores.”

This article further stated that “There is nothing partisan about being a good citizen. Understanding our history and the fundamental principles of our country and government are as fundamental and learnable as our ABCs − if we follow sound principles, and take history and civics seriously as a nation….That means quality history education for all − anchored in well-researched and verifiable truths about our nation’s unique founding and contributions to the world, our high ideals and core civic principles, the promises we’ve struggled to fulfill, and the diverse voices and experiences that have shaped our history.”

How has this gotten past the fundamental knowledge kids need to know about history and government? Why haven’t we provided teachers the support to create “critical thinking skills” to shape early minds so they don’t turn out like the crazed forces who put this person in office? What happened to teaching students how to “…evaluate evidence, consider different perspectives, and to discuss and debate historical events and controversial topics − respectfully and in a balanced manner. They should be taught the awesome responsibilities of citizenship, and the equally awesome powers of civic engagement and community involvement.”
Kid’s Education in Civics and History

Why did the parents of this last generation lose interest and a priority to teach basic understanding of their government, its history, and how it works to their children and themselves? An article on the Big Think website explained that “When political know-how is low among a populace, misinformation spreads easily, and citizens don’t have the confidence to engage with the system.” Author and professor of Political Science, Lindsey Cormack, asked this question among many others and has authored an amazing book called How to Raise a Citizen which came out in 2024. She stated: “I don’t know anything that gets better by people not being willing to talk about it,” Cormack says.

The article further states that “Civics is often taught as a checklist of must-memorize facts that don’t build into valuable skills. The short time frame is partly to blame, but so is a social climate that makes teachers and districts fearful that going beyond the “most anodyne” of trivia risks a social media firestorm.”

“The result? “It turns kids into spectators of history rather than participants,” Cormack says. For more information on this subject see the website:
Explaining How Government Works

We have to allow teachers to teach these subjects without fear of repercussions. We have to teach our children to delve deeper into topics that are controversial and are now being controlled by social media.

“Democracy dies in silence, and…parents need to do this job because no one else will….Follow her [Cormack’s] advice and maybe inspire them for life. Our national conversation starts with you.”—David Daily from How to Raise a Citizen.

We can’t “take it easy” about fascism and its grip on our society and people. We have to be vigilant and learn what government should be about. We have to get our country back to a state of peaceful cohabitation with the rest of the world. Sure, it’s easy for those in power to tell us to “Move on,” but we can’t move on to a government that shouldn’t be ours. We have to return to what is right and lawful and make our peace with the world leaders who are kind and just. We cannot let oligarchs take over. Their actions are despicable and self-centered and people are hurting everywhere, even those who bought into the whole world of that guy in office. They truly drank the Kool Aid (Look it up!). They are suddenly realizing that all of these events to defeat democracy are affecting them as well as the people they hate.

So, no, I’m not ready to give up the fight and move on. I will continue the fight locally and have my say. I can’t take it easy until lawful and peaceful movements take precedence. It is good to see people attending meetings and asking good questions. But Democrats have to stop being frustrated with the people they elected. They are doing the best they can. They don’t have a majority and so many illegal things are happening right now in our government. Now is the time to keep the conversations going. Now is the time to keep asking questions. Everyone has to reach out to the neighbors (Republicans) and explain to them what they have done. We have to all come together and understand what is going on. We must make the world a better place.

Something to think about and hopefully, react to, in these next few years. Keep reading, keep writing, keep asking good questions.

Reach out to all those in need and help them in any way you can in your little hometowns. I love you all tonight and stay safe out there.

How Did You Get This Way?

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

Weren’t you loved enough when you were little? I am referring to the outrageous acts of shameful behavior (to get attention) that are going on with some of our billionaires (you know who I am talking about) and that guy in office. I would love to send these two lists to their mothers and fathers and ask them “Why?” And “What happened to their parenting of these children that made them behave this way as adults?” And why are 25% of the population still enamored with these folks? Why are people giving them the attention and worship that they do NOT deserve?

Maybe the parents of these disgruntled yet very loud people should look back into history and learn from the best. I can start them out! Here are 25 of history’s greatest moms (taken from the website):

Mental Floss

And interestingly enough there were only 10 dads listed In history that I could find in this website:

Listverse
1.        William Jackson Smart
2.         J.R.R. Tolkien
3.         Eddie Koiki Mabo
4.         Amasa Coleman Lee
5.         John Holter
6.         Chiune “Sempo” Sugihara
7.         Frederick Kohner
8.         Joseph Friedman
9.         Candido Jacuzzi
10.       Amilcare Anguissola

A Forbes Magazine article quoted two authors regarding why the rich are different:
The author F. Scott Fitzgerald is credited with saying: “The rich are different from you and me.” And Ernest Hemingway is supposed to have responded: “Yes, they have more money.” In fact, the actual words Fitzgerald used in his short story “The Rich Boy” (1926) are: “Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy [it] early, and it does something to them, makes them soft, where we are hard, cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand.” Forbes Study

While I don’t agree with all of the study’s test results, overall, I think there is some validity to look into this kind of research further and include data from the recent behaviors of those billionaires who are making the most noise (in the negative of ways). I think we little people should ask why they are throwing huge tantrums in public and not helping fix the problems instead of making more problems with their drama and actions. They don’t deserve the attention they are getting and if they were in my school, they would probably have been asked to sit in the corner for a while and think about their outbursts (or getting a swat on their bottoms (back in my day).

When we were kids, we learned to share and share alike, because none of us had a lot to give. It seems that some of the poorest people are the kindest people and give what they can no matter how small. For the most part, they nurture their children and care more about their neighbors. But, it isn’t just a small-town thing, or a poor people thing. It’s about all parents caring and teaching their children how to behave. It’s about parents and teachers nurturing them when they were young, and showing them how to give meaningfully to others, especially when they inherit ALL their wealth. It’s about believing in a polite democratic society that helps everyone, not just perpetuate the 2%.

I always find it interesting that the ex-wives, like MacKenzie Scott, give away their wealth. Sure, it doesn’t necessarily sustain the organizations long-term, but it is a huge gift either way. Why doesn’t her ex-husband do the same? He seems to just give it away to his wealthy friends for political reasons.

You don’t have to give it all away but giving is a noble endeavor, no matter how much you give. Hopefully, it also humbles you into understanding the underdog and why we must always help them.

As we head towards a revolution because of this disparity of wealth, we still worship the super-rich. I cannot hold all this in my head. There is a really spot-on article about this from last December in Psychology Today and I encourage you to read and discuss it for some answers you are seeking: Why Do We Hero-Worship Billionaires

So, yeah, probably a little bit preachy tonight, but I ponder these things to help others move their thoughts along. I love you all and hope you can give your hearts over to doing the right thing every day that you live on this planet!

What Liberal Means

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

I’m Sharing It!!! WOW!!! Thank you Ron Howard.

Ron Howard has summed up what many of us believe. Including me….

“I’m a liberal, but that doesn’t mean what a lot of you apparently think it does. Let’s break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I’m getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. PERIOD.

2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow that’s interpreted as “I believe Obamacare is the end-all, be-all.” This is not the case. I’m fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it’s impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws, but I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes “let people die because they can’t afford healthcare” a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I’m not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.

3. I believe education should be affordable. It doesn’t necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I’m mystified as to why it can’t work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.

4. I don’t believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don’t want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this. Ever. I just have a massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can’t afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their share would go a long way toward alleviating this. Somehow believing that makes me a communist.

5. I don’t throw around “I’m willing to pay higher taxes” lightly. If I’m suggesting something that involves paying more, well, it’s because I’m fine with paying my share as long as it’s actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.

6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multibillion-dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn’t have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.

7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is – and should be – illegal). All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I’m not “offended by Christianity” — I’m offended that you’re trying to force me to live by your religion’s rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia law on you? That’s how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on me. Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don’t force it on me or mine.

8. I don’t believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don’t believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN’T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they’re supposed to be abusing, and if they’re “stealing” your job it’s because your employer is hiring illegally). I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

10. I don’t believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It’s not that I want the government’s hands in everything — I just don’t trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products/practices/etc. are actually SAFE. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they’re harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.

11. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I can’t get over an election, but because I’ve spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.

12. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege — white, straight, male, economic, etc. — need to start listening, even if you don’t like what you’re hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that’s causing people to be marginalized.

13. I am not interested in coming after your blessed guns, nor is anyone serving in government. What I am interested in is the enforcement of present laws and enacting new, common sense gun regulations. Got another opinion? Put it on your page, not mine.

14. I believe in so-called political correctness. I prefer to think it’s social politeness. If I call you Chuck and you say you prefer to be called Charles I’ll call you Charles. It’s the polite thing to do. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you’re using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person?

15. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. Sorry, billionaires. Maybe try investing in something else.

16. I believe that women should not be treated as a separate class of human. They should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men and should be free from abuse. Why on earth shouldn’t they be?

I think that about covers it. Bottom line is that I’m a liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn’t mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don’t believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.”

Ron Howard

Chances and Democracy

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

“Today You’ve been Gifted with Another Chance. And: “Only dreams give birth to change.”—Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance

The main idea of this idiom is to be open-minded and optimistic about something. It means to try something new or different, or to be patient and wait for something to improve or change. To allow someone another opportunity to do something or to prove their ability or worth.

I just want to give you the definition one more time in case you forgot:
Democracy: literally, rule by the people. The term is derived from the Greek dēmokratia, which was coined from dēmos (“people”) and kratos (“rule”) in the middle of the 5th century bce to denote the political systems then existing in some Greek city-states, notably, Athens.

In brief, the theory that democracy is the rule of the people and that the people have a right to rule. One study identified 2,234 adjectives used to describe democracy in the English language. Democratic principles are reflected in all eligible citizens being equal before the and having equal access to legislative processes. (No yeah, buts, here….)

The notion of democracy has evolved considerably over time. Throughout history, one can find evidence of direct democracy, in which communities make decisions through popular assembly. Today, the dominant form of democracy is representative democracy, where citizens elect government officials to govern on their behalf such as in a parliamentary or presidential democracy. In the common variant of liberal democracy, the powers of the majority are exercised within the framework of a representative democracy, but a constitution and supreme court limit the majority and protect the minority—usually through securing the enjoyment by all of certain individual rights, such as freedom of speech or freedom of association.—Wikipedia

We have a real chance to use our gifts and create trust in one another again. If we just reach out and dream the dreams of our childhood:

“Peace in your mind, peace on earth, peace at work, peace at home, peace in the world.” ~ John Lennon
“We cannot have peace on Earth until we learn to speak with one voice. That voice must be the voice of reason, the voice of compassion, the voice of love. It is the voice of divinity within us.” ~ Neale Donald Walsch
“Nothing that I can do or say will change the structure of the universe. But maybe, by raising my voice, I can help the greatest of all causes — good will among men and peace on earth.” ~ Albert Einstein
For more enlightening and inspiring peace quotes go to: https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/peace-on-earth.html

We can all make changes if we tell ourselves we are important enough to say the things we need to say. For example, I supported the workers and didn’t cross the picket lines at King Soopers. And I am writing my congressman and senators to be BRAVE and be the Democrat representatives they are supposed to be. So not all people like what I have to say, but at least I feel that as of this moment many of us are trying to make a stand and be on the right side of justice. There will always be controversy and mistrust if we don’t try to help each other, and ignoring the problem won’t help anyone. Let’s fight for the truth every day.

I love you all and hope you are continuing to learn something new every day. Dispel misinformation and pass on the News of the World like Tom Hanks to those in isolation who need to know what is happening out there. Pass on the news one positive statement at a time.

We Are All Immigrants

Posted on January 30, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

After a stressful conversation today I wanted to clarify something in hopes that the person I spoke with understands why what she said to me made me unhappy. She didn’t like where my conversation was going when I argued with my friend. (We are friends but have differing opinions about things and can sometimes get a little loud. We will probably never agree about some things, but we continue to talk about it.) So, she kept sighing really loudly and interrupted our conversation because she didn’t like what I had to say. I am sad that something bad happened to one of her family members and I told her I was sorry for her loss. Unfortunately, she blames immigrants for all of her sadness on this subject, and blames them for all of our woes in this country. She thinks (her words, not mine) “they are all criminals” and should be “sent back.”

I am saddened that she has no place in her heart to understand that not every person that has been labeled in a demeaning way as an immigrant is a bad person. After all, unless we are the indigenous people of North America, we ALL came from somewhere else, albeit mostly Europe, but other countries as well. And we as original transplants weren’t all white people. There are many colors of people who came here with hopes and dreams of a society that accepts them for what they are: hard workers who want a safe place to live. We should embrace that all people should be welcome here. It’s the fearmongering people in office who keep stirring it up that the current immigrants are all bad people and so many of us believe this lie.

Immigrants often get a bad reputation due to a combination of factors including negative stereotypes, fear of economic competition, cultural anxieties, political rhetoric, and the use of inflammatory language. Fearmongers continue to paint immigrants as a threat to national identity, jobs, and social cohesion, even when these perceptions are not based on reality. Let’s break that down a little. Here are some key reasons why immigrants might be negatively perceived:
Cultural anxieties: Differences in language, customs, and religion can lead to concerns about cultural assimilation and a perceived loss of national identity, especially when immigration waves are large or from diverse backgrounds.

Political rhetoric: Politicians often use anti-immigrant rhetoric to mobilize certain voter bases, which can contribute to negative perceptions of immigrants.

Media portrayal: Certain media outlets might focus on negative stories related to immigration, further reinforcing negative stereotypes.

Labeling and terminology: Using terms like “illegal immigrant” or “alien” can dehumanize individuals and contribute to negative perceptions.

Historical prejudices: Past waves of immigration have sometimes been associated with social problems, leading to lingering negative associations with certain immigrant groups.

I know some of you don’t want to hear it but I will continue to point out inaccuracies about what you say in public. I hope that I will help you realize that not all immigrants are the same. They come from diverse cultures and backgrounds, and just like us, they have different skills and motivations. They want a good life for them and their families in their countries, but cannot get it because of government corruption or other factors that harm them. I will continue to point out the positive impact of immigration. Research has shown that immigrants can contribute significantly to the economy by starting businesses, filling labor shortages, and boosting innovation. I will continue to combat negative stereotypes by promoting accurate information to you, even when you have closed your mind to possibilities. The best way to combat fear and prejudice and challenge harmful stereotypes of these folks, is to not only promote accurate information, but highlight positive immigrant stories, and use inclusive language when talking to each other. I hope you can overcome your fears and stop condemning an entire group of people who are not so different than you.

And that’s the story for today. I still love you all and feel your pain, but this fear must stop. We cannot continue to pass on misinformation among ourselves. We have to take charge and do what we can, one person, and one day at a time. We have to care about each other once again, no matter what we hear from others. I’ll do my best to help everyone. Can you say the same thing?

Lemons and Legacy

Posted on January 21, 2025 by Drusilla Tieben (Dru)

It doesn’t seem like these two things are related, but hear me out. I went to lunch and afterwards went to swim in the pool. I was thinking about my baking and how I was going to send my kiddo some of the chai shortbread. And then I thought, “Ooh, the lemon shortbread is also good and I should bake those, too!” Which of course led me to, “I’ve gotta put that on the grocery list.” So, here I am making that mental list. Then, I sang our choir songs for a while, (I water walk/swim for an hour), and then my thoughts moved on to: “Why do we think lemons are a metaphor for bad things?” (This is my brain exercise and I have been turning into Sheldon from Big Bang Theory for years!)

The word lemon brings thoughts of something being poor, bad, or broken, or giving an unsatisfactory answer. Lemon symbolizes something that looks sweet but is bitter to the taste so that could mean negativity, disappointment, betrayal, or a bad or bitter experience. Finally lemon can be a metaphor for a defective product, for example a car that looks good on the outside but has significant flaws or problems underneath.

Next, I started thinking about the news (Pod Save America hosts were on Colbert last night) and thus my thoughts went a little downhill from there.

Over these last few days, the news has been somewhat abysmal, yet there are some highlights that I have been contemplating about, such as the loss of two great men in my lifetime, one more recent than the other – Martin Luther King and President Jimmy Carter. They left a legacy that will be hard for anyone to follow.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s greatest achievements include leading the civil rights movement, organizing nonviolent protests, and delivering his famous I Have a Dream speech at the march on Washington in 1963. The speech called for an end to segregation and racism in the United States.
-He was a leader of the modern American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, organizing and leading marches and boycotts.
-He was a catalyst for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
-He organized nonviolent protests, advocating for nonviolent methods.
-King led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a nonviolent protest that lasted over a year.
-He refused to allow violence, prison, or the threat of death to sway his goals.
-In 1964, King became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

I was young when the civil rights riots took place, but growing up in the south you were exposed to that hatred and fear so it was absorbed into your very bones. I believed in Dr. King’s fight and contemplated how I might make a difference in the future. The injustices that occurred back then cannot be undone, and yet some of us learned that if we kept fighting, one neighborhood at a time, we could help others who didn’t look like us get the justice they deserved. Some of us still have hate in our hearts, but I will continue to strive to overcome that hate in others every day that I am on this earth. I commit small acts of kindness every day and that’s what I can do right now. I believe in Martin Luther King’s legacy. His message and model have reminded us over the years how to combat inequality today.

Jimmy Carter might not have been the greatest president, but he made great strides. Here are some of the facts about him:
-As president, Carter pardoned all Vietnam draft evaders and negotiated several major foreign policy agreements, including the Camp David Accords, the Panama Canal Treaties, and the second round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, and he established diplomatic relations with China. He also confronted stagflation.
-As president, he set out to increase human and social services. He created the Department of Education, bolstered the Social Security system, and appointed record numbers of women, blacks, and Hispanics to Government jobs. In foreign affairs, Carter set his own style.
-After his presidency, President Carter emerged as a champion of human rights and worked for several charitable causes. He and his wife Rosalynn traveled as freelance ambassadors all over the world to help others. In 1982, he established the Carter Center to promote and expand human rights, which earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He traveled extensively to conduct peace negotiations, monitor elections and further the eradication of infectious diseases. Their dedication to eradicating Guinea worm disease (dracunculiasis) was exemplary. Under his championship cases dropped from 3.5 million in the mid-1980s to just eleven cases so far in 2024.
-Additionally, Carter worked with Habitat for Humanity International, an organization that works worldwide to provide housing for underprivileged people. Through such projects, Carter has maintained a high profile; he was often seen on television, wielding a hammer, and helping with Habitat home construction or providing his opinions on the issues of the day.

I grew up in Georgia and remembered visiting his hometown when I was young. I never met him, but people loved him. I campaigned and voted for him when I was in college and was so proud people listened to me and also voted for him. His legacy inspired me to give to needy causes such as Habitat for Humanity, and volunteer and work on various local projects over the years.

So when we Lemons need to change our image (and thoughts, and actions…), we need to make lemonade and create our own legacy. Life may give you lemons every day, but you can make your own lemonade (or lemon melt-away shortbread cookies!) and find your way to overcome the challenges presented to you and keep a positive attitude no matter what happens. Do something great every day. Forgive and be happy with the accomplishments you’ve made in your lifetime so far. Achieve your lifelong dream no matter how old you are and forget about the naysayers and crazies for a little while because no one that I know of can predict my future. I love you all and send you warm wishes!