Then and Now - Covered Bridges

 

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O Say Can You See…

We're living through a National Anthem remix. It's a troubling tune.

   Opinion Editorial
    written by contributor Bill Mix

September 26, 2025

“O say can you see…” That America is losing its freedom. That democracy is being taken away. That America is being taxed without representation of the people, for the people and by the people. It is losing its values because of President Donald Trump, and the Republican Party, are changing our lives day by day.

“O say can you see…” That America is not being governed by the Constitution, but by the pen placed on executive orders. The GOP does not meet, debate, discuss, or resolve. They just implement Trump's executive orders. Republicans do not meet with or listen to their constituents. They only talk with themselves after getting orders from on high.

“O say can you see…” America has no more neighboring countries or partners that respect us. It is only through threats and coercion that other countries even meet and speak with American officials. America has become a bully, not a diplomat. America uses force, fear, and hatred as tools for political warfare. Trump and the GOP also use fear internally and externally. There is no more “home of the brave, nor land of the free." America and Americans no longer feel free, but anxiety.

For 60 years America was free. In the 1960s Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Council freed America. President Lyndon Johnson, a reformed Southerner, signed the Voting Rights Act and other legislation freeing America from laws that supported hate, fear, racism, bigotry, and prejudice. But, now, the Republican Party is enslaving America again.” Can you feel it? Can you see it in the news? Can you hear it in private conversations? Do you sense the hyper-anxiety that something bad and wrong is happening?

“Oh, can you see by the dawn’s early light.” If so, that would mean you are "awake." You see that the GOP has taken our money and used it to make the rich richer. The tragedy is that we are not awake and therefore can't see this truth. The plan is brilliant. Keep repeating a lie and people will start believing it. It is a scheme to keep you asleep.

Trump does not want America to wake up to the truth. So, they make “progress,” “democracy” and “freedom” bad words. They called that being “Woke.” Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act was “Woke.” Unifying the world under “climate change” was “Woke.” Former President Biden’s Infrastructure Act was “Woke” because it improved jobs and salaries. When Biden tried to help reduce student debt that was “Woke.” Affirmative action (DEI) for women and minorities was “Woke.” Helping the poor and widows is “Woke.” Giving aid to poor countries is “Woke."

When Americans are “WOKE” it is difficult to fool them. When they are “WOKE” they can see clearly what is going on. That is what freedom feels like- seeing clearly.

The Star-Spangled Banner ends with verses that we never sing: “O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand…the conquer we must, when the cause it is just, And this be our motto – In God is our trust…and the Star-Spangled banner shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”  

We need to remember another song, “This land is my land; this land is your land…” Let us take it back — again by speaking up and voting in 2026.

Political Cartoons 9-28-2025

 

Google AI: John N. Mitchell, former U.S. Attorney General under President Richard Nixon, went to prison in 1977 for his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Conviction - In January 1975, Mitchell was found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury for his part in the Watergate cover-up. He served 19 months before being released on parole for medical reasons. Mitchell died in 1988. 

Our Agenda

 

Blue Is For...

 

Feminine Differential - New Bike Wear

 

A few Saturdays ago I rode my bike to my nearest Harley store. On many Saturdays there are events, like free hot dogs, beer, soda and bike riding demos. The trip is somewhat safe with out a lot of interstate involved. On the ride back I always take the beach highway through Hobe Sound and enjoy the scenery and Atlantic to my east. 

That Saturday was a great barbecue sandwich on a bun sponsored by the local HOG chapter; (Harley Owners Group). There was a decent number milling around; not a crowd. Sad but, I see not as many Harleys on the road these days. It seems like the number of  riders is dwindling. At least a few make the effort for a ride-in for the weekend events. There are many doom-and-gloom YouTubes on the demise of Harley-Davidson. 

It is fun and I do not shy away from being part of the group. What they see / perceive seem to not matter. Maybe, I am just one of the rare non-tattooed girl riders. Got to work on that tattoo thing. That will happen after the ear piercings - someday.  

To get to the point, as I was walking through the logo appeal section my favorite sales girl pointed me to the above top. It is listed on-line as "Women's Essential Off The Shoulder Top" ($55). It is not off-the-shoulder.  My description is an extended boat-neck, not falling off-the-shoulders which is a very flattering look for me. It has just the right differential - Looks good. 

One other feature is the long sleeves have thumbholes at the cuffs. I am not sure how that will play out because most long-sleeved tops I pushup to be 3/4.  

A note on the boots above. The heel boots on the left are for show only and not riding. I tried it and they did not work. A near disaster attempting a graceful stop. The boots on the right are my everyday riding boots. Just enough heel and grip to function for me. Being short, the extra 2 inches with platform helps.

How much longer will I ride?  Good question.  Likely as long as I still feel comfortable and willing to accept the risk. My vision issues may become the tipping point. 

Yes, I am aware of all the dangers and feel time and maybe good-sense will eventually catch me too. Until then...    

Gaslighting

 

Pam Evens explains the origan and destructive nature of Gaslighting:

Because of its innate insidious nature, victims of gaslighting often don’t recognize that they are being manipulated. This, in turn, enables the manipulation to continue and stealthily keep ramping up until the victim questions what is real and ultimately, questions their own sanity.

 Make no mistake about it: gaslighting is emotional abuse.

What is the origan:

The term "gaslighting" originates from Patrick Hamilton's 1938 play Gas Light, which was later adapted into a 1940 British film and a 1944 Hollywood film starring Ingrid Bergman. In the play and films, a husband manipulates his wife by secretly dimming the gas lights in their home and then denying that the lights changed when she points it out, making her believe she is losing her mind. The term was first used in its modern psychological sense in the 1950s and gained broader recognition in the 2010s, describing a form of emotional abuse where a person manipulates another into doubting their own sanity and reality. 

I had the pleasure of seeing the play present at my local equity theater last winter.  It was that play that helped me finally understand the term and the insidious nature of  "Gaslighting".  

 

I Have The ....

I will bet you have thought that as well?

 

Political Cartoons 9-21-2025

 

You can't make this stuff up - Kentucky's Republican representative, Thomas Massie, tweeted the photo with the caption: 

Merry Christmas! ps. Santa, please bring ammo".

The post has been condemned by a host of families affected by gun violence, plus figures on both sides of politics.  What were they thinking?  

______________________

When asked about mass shootings, Charlie Kirk said this about the Second Amendment:

 

“I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment.”

My Comment: If you don't get the cruelty of third graders being blown apart with AR15 military assault weapons, "so that we can have the Second Amendment", read that again.  It is within the power of politicians to do something; they do nothing. 

Your killer's second amend rights were on full display that day using a powerful, accurate and military based, hard-to-trace firearms. Charlie Kirk, how did that workout for you. Some tragedies are preventable! 

Be Real #2

Be Real, Not Perfect - Bella Canvas Tee

 

Careful...

 

Ball of the Foot Cushions

Heel Inserts for Women 

Sky-high stiletto heels are one of the most significant sources of foot pain due to decreased dorsiflexion (the act of pointing the toe toward the shin bone) throughout the metatarsal joint. These metatarsal pads made of medical-grade silicone gel are designed to relieve pressure at the forefoot that carries the brunt of your body weight while in heels. That translates into more time on the dance floor and less time ducking out early to change into slippers.

Has anyone tried these?  I have ordered and will keep you updated. 2 pair for $9.97

According to Amazon:

• INSTANT RELIEF – Whether you’re at the office, dancing the night away, or out shopping with your girlfriends, our shoe inserts will give you the protection you need.
  
  
• LOOK GOOD FEEL GOOD – We all want to look great in our high heels but we know it can come at a price. The sexier the heels the more our feet are in agony. With our amazingly soft, gel based, and cloth covered high heel inserts we can finally enjoy our day free from pain.
  
  
• FEEL LIKE YOU ARE WALKING ON CLOUDS – Enjoy every step you take with confidence and comfort. Now you can wear all of your favorite heels all day or night without worry.
  
  
• NO SLIP NO PROBLEM – Our adhesive foot pads will stay in place all day with no risk of ruining your favorite pair of shoes.
  
  
• LIFETIME SATISFACTION GUARANTEE – If this product does not relieve your ball of foot pain simply let us know and we will refund you in full! No Questions Asked. We stand behind our product and we know that it will help you.

Bondi Says Government Will Target Those Who Use Hate Speech

 

We Must Not Posthumously Sanitize Charlie Kirk's Hateful Life

My Note: This weekend Charlie Kirk will be exalted as a youth energizer.  However, as Bondi pledges to target hate speech, her president will likely elevate Kirk's hate speech to apocalyptical levels. There will be vows to continue his work. Let's take an objective look. 

Should I be speaking out?  I must.  Hate, not science, drove his anti-trans ideology. Will you speak up even if this blog gets cancelled over this post?

Few are braving the consequences of speaking truth to power after the Charlie Kirk killing.  i.e. Professors are losing their classrooms, News editors, Columnist and employees are being fired. "Erin In The Morning" is a blog bravely speaking out:

By Erin Reed

Charlie Kirk

Political violence is corrosive and we must not excuse it—killing Charlie Kirk was horrific. But we also must not sanitize the memory of a man who wished harm on those he disagreed with, and who spread a message of hate to anyone willing to listen or pay him to so. We can denounce the violent killing of Charlie Kirk without praising his abhorrent legacy.

Later in 2023, Kirk took the stage at a megachurch to unleash a tirade against transgender people. He called them an “abomination” and a “throbbing middle finger to God,” before turning his venom on swimmer Lia Thomas, citing scripture to brand her the same. It was the kind of hate-speech pulpitry we remember from the most virulent anti-LGBTQ+ preachers of the 1990s—rhetoric meant not to persuade but to dehumanize. This is Charlie Kirk’s legacy: a campaign to eradicate entire classes of people from public life. It is not dialogue, and it is certainly not something that deserves to be honored or continued.

You can stand against political violence, as anyone with a conscience does. You can call for a politics rooted in kindness—something we desperately lack today, and something I know the absence of intimately as a transgender person who has lived under the weight of rhetoric like Kirk’s. You can and should condemn killing over speech. But to ask that people carry on Kirk’s “work” is a bridge too far. We must not valorize his life. We must not sanitize his hate. Not now. Not ever.

Charlie Kirk declares that "the transgender thing happening in America" is "a throbbing middle finger to God" and then proceeds to deadname Lia Thomas and tell her "you're an abomination to God" while the congregation applauds.  Watch the video:   (https://x.com/i/status/1701259614077989121)

My Lingerie Store Experience...

The Store Staff

Rhonda's  heart races the moment she stepped inside. Rows of  lingerie--bras in every color [style], satin chemises, slips, and lace  / plain panties all spread before me like something out of a dream. I pressed my lips together to keep from grinning too widely. Once inside, I feels like I might burst. I can't believe this. I'm actually working at a lingerie shop. [part-time three years now]

This opening paragraph is adapted from the FictionMania story "Mackinaw Bridesmaids" by Jennifer Roberts.  Her character's reaction to her first shopping trip in an lingerie shop. 

I clock in using the iPad and survey todays inventory changes / sales. Yes, the beautiful 36DD bra I have been watching is still on the sale rack. I will get it at the close of my shift if I don't sell today. We get associate discounts. A new addition to the store is our satin and stretch knit cami.  Do we have matching panties?  Of course, in our high-leg vanishing-edge collection.

"How may I help you?" I greet my first customer. Could I get measured, she ask?  Of course and we are able to measure over your clothes.  Step here to the side. Is there anything unusual about your existing bra, like pushup or strapless? "What size are you currently wearing so I have a starting point, I ask? "I measure a 36C".  Would you like to try a bra that has underwires or none?  

"Head back to the changing room, get comfortable and I will bring you three bras in your size to try".  So goes my first sale with two bras wrapped in tissue paper and place in our logo bag. Thank you so much for coming in", I say.

Ever-now-and-again, I will get a request from the fitting room to cut off the tag and the customer will wear the bra home.  That is the ultimate validation that the fit was correct.    

My next customer is looking for deal on panties. What do you have today?  Our vanishing-edge panties in all styles from thong to high-waist are 6 for $39. Our regular panties, without the silicone edge, are buy 5 get two free. "What style do you have in mind and what size. Here is you style / size in this drawer. "You look through and pick 5."  I will check back. Let me know if you need any help. I ring up the five and see that is customer has a $10 reward coupon. She is happy and I complement her taste in picking such beautiful panties.  

Next there were several customers looking for sale sleep-sets. "I don't see my size."  Let me go in the back and see if have that size there. I am reasonably sure that all of the sleep-set are out on the floor, but like for the customer to think we do the extra effort to meet there needs. "Sorry, we don't have that size in the store, however, I can order it for you. It will arrive at your doorstep in 7-10 days, free shipping". "Please do" is her reply.

So my days goes with variation of the above. Are my legs tired at the end of the day? You bet! On the drive home, still, "I can't believe I do actually work at a lingerie store.  

_____________________

PS: The photos above were taken at our store on the last day for our store's manager and assistant manager. We had a party and I got a sheet cake with a bra and panty drawn in the cake icing. There have already been some unpleasant changes, so my days may be numbered. I do want to work through this season's holidays.  Black-Friday is so much fun.  I will keep you posted.   

Which Way Is The Wind Blowing?

The 1933 Berlin Reichstag Fire

The 1933 Reichstag Fire

Last week's senseless assignation of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy. Whatever your political views, violence is not the correct solution. The FBI announced the arrest of a suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, on Friday, but no motive has yet been announced.  

Utah Governor, Spencer Cox, made an emotional plea for an end to political violence. His plea; "An off-ramp":

"We can return violence with violence, we can return hate with hate, and that's the problem with political violence — it metastasizes because we can always point the finger at the other side." 

A "watershed moment": The governor framed the killing as a pivotal moment for the nation. With Americans having a choice between escalating division and finding a way to de-escalate. "Is this the end of a dark chapter in our history, or the beginning of a darker chapter?" he asked. 

I personally fear this to be the beginning of the darker chapter predicted. 

Charlie Kirk's widow spoke angrily Saturday with this threat "You have no ideal what you have unleashed" and "the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry".

According to the site "lost in History:

On 27 February 1933, the German parliament building in Berlin, the Reichstag, went up in flames from an arson attack. Adolf Hitler skillfully harnessed the after effects of the Reichstag Fire to seize absolute power. Hitler claimed the fire was a Communist attempt to overthrow the government. He played upon public and political fears of chaos to consolidate his power, cementing the rise of his Nazi regime.  As the newly named Chancellor, he used the fire as an excuse to seize absolute control in Germany and ultimately declare himself Fuhrer. All this happened in little over a year.

Already the killing of Kirk is being used to further divide the nation. Steve Bannon, “We are at war in this country. We are!” Fox News host Jesse Watters also said Wednesday night, “They [liberals] are at war with us, whether we want to accept it or not. What are we gonna do about it?”  Trump confidant Laura Loomer, "No mercy. Jail every single Leftist who makes a 'threat' of political violence".

On Alex Jones' InfoWars Oathkeepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy himself for his part in the Jan. 6 insurrection (later pardoned), called on Trump to “invoke the Insurrection Act and to declare the left in this country in obvious open rebellion against the law of the United States.” 

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) is tearing into conservatives who “immediately” blamed Democrats for the death of Charlie Kirk. Crockett noted that some conservatives blamed the trans community for Kirk’s death “as soon as it happened.” Donald Trump Jr. and Megyn Kelly respectively said Thursday that trans people are “more violent” than Al-Qaeda and that many are “murderous.”

At a time when a calming voice is needed, Trump himself doubles down on blaming the 'radical left' after a vow to go after political violence: 

"The radicals on the left are the problem," Trump continued, "and they're vicious and they're horrible and they're politically savvy, although they want men and women sports, they want transgender for everyone, they want open borders..."

__________________

With an ineffective congress and a politically bias Supreme Court, Kirk’s murder may give Trump the pretext to try to enact the wildest fantasies of his most extreme supporters. That may prove difficult without popular support or a legal structure to pull it off. However, it doesn’t take a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. 

I hope that this is not Americas' "Reichstag Fire Moment".

. 

Political Cartoons 9-14-2025

 

A Sea Of Water...

 

I am a boy...

I can relate to this...

I’m a boy, Tone. My body is a male body and that’s okay. It’s more than being femme, though. I’m a boy with a lot of feminine traits, both in how I feel from day to day and how I like to dress, to present myself. I’m a boy and a girl both, in different ways. Some people call it gender-fluid.”

Anna Martin

He Was...

 

I Want to Break Free

Wikipedia:  I Want to Break Free" is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by their bassist John Deacon. It appears on the album The Works (1984), and was released in three versions: album, single and extended. The track became a staple of the band's 1984–85 Works Tour and their 1986 Magic Tour.

After its release in 1984, the song was well received in Europe and South America and is regarded as an anthem of the fight against oppression. The single reached only number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100, but reached number three in the UK and was certified double platinum with over 1,200,000 copies sold. It also topped the charts of Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The song features on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits II.

SABRINA CARPENTER ON TRANS RIGHTS

So far, the VMAs have been void of any mentions of the current political climate. But that didn’t stop Sabrina Carpenter from making a bold statement at the show — even if she didn’t say a single word.

Sabrina Carpenter made history at the 2025 MTV VMAs with her debut live performance of “Tears.” Beyond the music, she used the stage to deliver a bold message: advocating for trans rights and celebrating queer visibility. Backed by drag performers and dancers carrying signs like “Protect Trans Rights” and “Support Local Drag,” her performance became one of the most talked-about moments of the night.

With multiple VMA nominations and her chart-topping album Man’s Best Friend debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200, Sabrina continues to prove she’s not just a pop star, but a powerful cultural voice. Her tribute to Britney Spears blended nostalgia with activism, creating a performance that was both artistic and political.

Why Are Dresses Better - A Feminine Differential

Talbots - Sleeveless Linen Blend Shift Dress - Damask Swirls

My note: I have been watching this Talbots "Sleeveless Linen Blend Shift Dress - Damask Swirls" for a good part of this season. I knew it would look good on me and the color blocking, swirls would be flattering.  I seldom wear a dress and its original $149 price was hard to justify. My mall's Talbots is right next to my Soma store and more than once shopping after work, I knew it would look good.  Last weekend Talbots had its 70% off markdowns weekend sale and $29.00 was a very good price.  I receive it a few day ago and it is just as imagined, flattering and feminine.  If interested, the price is back up, but watch for another sale.  

I remember the girls in my high school wearing "Shift Dresses", Anyone else remember them? Here is a definition of the Shift Dress: 

A shift dress is a simple, comfortable, straight-cut dress that hangs loosely from the shoulders, featuring a straight, unstructured silhouette without a defined waistline. Its "shift" or movement comes from its loose drape, allowing for ease and freedom of movement, making it a versatile and timeless garment that flatters most body types.

Why don't we wear dresses more?  Here is a discussion from Google AI:

Dresses are sometimes considered "better" than pants for reasons including increased comfort and freedom of movement due to their non-constricting design, effortless style as a complete outfit, and potential for greater breathability, particularly in warmer weather. Dresses can also create a more traditionally feminine appearance and offer flattering silhouettes that celebrate the body's shape. Additionally, wearing dresses can simplify the dressing process and provide a simple way to feel more polished and elegant.  

political Cartoons 9-7-2025

 

Financial Malfeasance

The Palm Beach Post:

$218 million

The cost of Alligator Alcatraz, a detention facility in Florida, is estimated to be $218 million. This amount reflects the state's investment in converting a remote training airport into a detention center. If the facility were to be closed, the costs to shut it down would be between $15 million to $20 million immediately, and potentially another $15 million to $20 million to reinstall structures if allowed to reopen. 

According to AP: The amount — to be fronted by Florida taxpayers — is in line with the $450 million a year officials have estimated the facility will cost.

We Are All One...

 

I Though that Guns Were Not The Problem?

Trump DOJ is looking at ways to ban transgender Americans from owning guns

BY CNN

According to the Justice official:

The goal of the potential ban, according to the Justice official, is “to ensure that mentally ill individuals suffering from gender dysphoria are unable to obtain firearms...

In the wake of the Minneapolis Catholic church shooting, senior U.S. Justice Department officials are weighing proposals to limit transgender people’s right to possess firearms, according to two officials familiar with the internal discussions.

The talks, described as preliminary in nature, appear to build on an idea that has gained some currency in conservative media since the Minneapolis shooting that killed two children and injured 21, most of them children, at Annunciation Catholic Church, an attack that police say was carried out by a 23-year-old transgender woman.

Such a move would represent a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s fight against the rights of transgender Americans.

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders on the topic, including one barring transgender people from serving in the military and another ordering federal prisons to move transgender inmates to facilities corresponding to their gender assigned at birth.

In addition, the idea of restricting gun rights has long been a red line for conservatives, with many Republican lawmakers and gun rights groups opposing red flag laws and or other policies aimed at keeping guns away from people suffering from mental health issues.

But Justice Department leadership is seriously considering whether it can use its rulemaking authority to follow on to Trump’s determination to bar military service by transgender people and declare that people who are transgender are mentally ill and can lose their Second Amendment rights to possess firearms, according to one Justice official.

Another senior Justice Department official cautioned that any such proposal, should it gain steam, would likely run into legal complications. Millions of Americans have mental health issues and many take medications, but are not a danger to society and therefore cannot have their rights infringed upon.

Federal law requires that a judge declare a person to be mentally “defective” before being stripped of their right to own firearms.

The vast majority of mass attacks in the US have no connection to transgender people. Still, after the deadly shooting last week, some conservative allies of the president quickly claimed that gender dysphoria – the psychological distress and discomfort some people feel when there’s a difference between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity – is a mental illness that should bar citizens from purchasing a firearm.

The goal of the potential ban, according to the Justice official, is “to ensure that mentally ill individuals suffering from gender dysphoria are unable to obtain firearms while they are unstable and unwell.”

Because gender dysphoria is included in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also called the DSM, it is diagnosed as a mental disorder (The DSM is the handbook used by health care professionals as the authoritative guide in diagnosing mental disorders).

But the gender incongruence – having a gender identity that’s not the one assigned at birth – isn’t what makes gender dysphoria a mental disorder. Having clinically significant dysphoria around the incongruence is what makes it a disorder.

The DOJ under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has launched a broad effort to target gender-affirming care across the country, including sending more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics who have provided transgender medical procedures to minors earlier this summer.

One of those subpoenas, made public through court proceedings, demanded that the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia turn over swaths of sensitive information about its treatments, including patient data like birthdays, social security numbers and addresses.

Bondi has previously advocated for some gun restricting laws. As Florida attorney general, she defended a state law that raised the age requirements for gun purchases in the wake of the Parkland school shooting in 2018.

She also worked on the policy to ban the use of bump stocks – which allow a shooter to convert a semi-automatic rifle into a weapon that can fire at a rate of hundreds of rounds a minute – during the first Trump administration. The US Supreme Court has since overturned the bump stock ban and Florida lawmakers are pushing to lower the age restriction on gun purchases.

Be Your Beautiful Self

EYSY

 

More Erasure Efforts

Trump administration threatens to pull federal funding from sex ed programs that mention transgender people

August 27, 2025
Jen Christensen

A division of the US Department of Health and Human Services told 40 states, five territories and the District of Columbia on Tuesday that they “are now on notice”: Some federally funded sex ed programs need to remove any mention of gender identity or transgender people, even in passing, or risk losing potentially millions of dollars.

The letter from the Trump administration says the programs need to remove “gender ideology content” from sex ed materials paid for through the State Personal Responsibility Education Program, which was created by the Affordable Care Act.

“Accountability is coming,” Acting Assistant HHS Secretary Andrew Gradison said in a news release Tuesday. “Federal funds will not be used to poison the minds of the next generation or advance dangerous ideological agendas.”

Begun in 2010, PREP’s ultimate goal is to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, according to the US Family and Youth Services Bureau, an office of the Administration for Children & Families within HHS. Programs are meant to target groups including homeless youth, kids in foster care, people living in rural areas or areas with high teen birth rates, and young people who identify as being from “minority groups (including sexual minorities).”

Individual program details vary by state, but to get funding through the Personal Responsibility Education Program, they must design curricula that teach young people about abstinence and contraception.

The federal government had already approved the curriculum and program language before the funds were granted to the states or territories. But in April, ahead of a “medical accuracy review,” the letters said, the Administration for Children and Families identified program materials that “fall outside of the scope” of PREP: Most of the programs mention gender identity or transgender people in some fashion. According to the new letter, even a mere mention puts federal funds at risk.

________________________

Remember When:

 He Lied!

"[I will]  do everything in my power to protect LGBTQ citizens from hateful ideology."

What Can You DO?

 

"Stay With Me"

We are all in shock by another insidious school shooting. Also, if you are not in "Shock" over the virulent attack on our community, post mass shooting, you should. Ignoring the most obvious cause/effect (guns and political inaptitude), we have become an easy target. (pun intended). As my friend wrote me last week "The story played right into Jessie Watters bend to hurt trans-people."

Medical shock is when there is a life threatening condition or pain that occurs depriving the body of sufficient blood flow to meet essential organ functions. The body moves into survival mode. 

Have you ever wondered why medical professionals say, "Stay with me"?  

According to Reddit: "The Medical staff monitors consciousness, simply because conscious patients are easier to treat. You can ask questions, you can find out where it hurts. You can ensure the airway is clear and that they is breathing. You can monitor mental state. In "real life it is done casually and encouragingly. Another reason is to calm a patient with chat."

It appears that our community is in such a deep state of shock that consciousness is waning. Are we going to let this frontal attack land so brutally, that we will slip into retreat and social death? That is what our enemies want; invisibility, then disappearance. 

Complacency is the enemy. Coming out / being out may be our best defense. There are more people that claim to have seen a ghost than have seen a transgender person. Although ghost can be friendly, transgenders are being painted as monsters. The world must know we are not mobsters! We are their bankers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, ministers, fathers... When inaccurate verbal assaults are made do you speak up? 

The "stay with me!', implies we will die [socially], if there is no consciousness.