The British who it seems are by far America’s closest association in the world — even if to me it is not obvious that this must or even should be the case or deciding whether of not to leave the European Union. NATO is surely in decline and is troubled despite being very big and victorious. As a Cajun I would like to see better relations between the US, France, Belgium, Spain and the UK especially. But realistically those relationships may be as good as they are going to get. the Brits who want to stay in the EU fall into those who see Europe as a country and say the sooner it becomes a superpower nation state the better and those who believe it is better for British interest to stay in the EU. Those who want to leave include people who fear woes of limitless migration, economic collapse and cultural corruption in the new order. But the real thorny issues are not simply resolved into two camps — but the votes are in tow camps. Some have said the shooting in Orlando helped the leavers most — called Brexit. BRexit can argue that families like the Mateens can arrive anywhere in Europe and strike anywhere else and nobody has a chance to know the risk. Some who want to stay in believe Europe mus change and offer better collective security and that will be best for Britain.
The uncertainty that grips the world is much larger than the issue of one political referendum outside of the country where I am blogging today. We are not sure who will be the next President of the United States, not sure how the tensions over issues of guns, terrorism, Islam, LGBT issues, migration and wars will shape up in coming years and months. We are not sure if Britain will leave the European Union. To undertake any blog with a political awareness in these times calls for an ability to embrace some high degree of uncertainty. Of course that is largely true for all journalists in most situations in which they earn their keep. Nor is uncertainty limited to journalists. I am bringing attention to my resume being more accessible on this blog now and in that resume I have something about published writing:
Publications
Academic Publications:Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television; 1993, Review – FDR’s Moviemaker: Memoirs and Scripts.
Journalism: Extensive journalistic work in the: Abbeville Meridional, The Daily Advertiser, The Vermilion, Bonne Nouvelles ;Straight Street, Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Philippines. Resounding Praise newsletter, International , Serve (Global) newsletter, Family Missions Co.
Those positions and opportunities do not make me a world or national figure in journalism. But they did give me a chance to see what it is like to write in uncertain times. In every life and almost very job we find that managing the unusually stressful and difficult situations that arise is a part of our lives. For many people that is to some degree the secret to earning a living as opposed to not earning a living. Just a few example of my won life experiencing some kind of crisis management modality are on my mind as I blog today. Some instances included under the heading Crisis Management Experiences in the brief resume that I now include in the links on the blogroll of this blog are that I:
- Taught extremely long hours as a substitute teacher after Hurricane Lili.
- Cared for my brother Simon as IBC caregiver during Hurricane Rita and afterwards.
- Directed a Youth Conference in Bukidnon in the Philippines while in my late teens during a set of separate national, regional and familial crises.
But the truth is that a reader of that document would find other things that relate to my own belief that I can and do manage to deal with uncertainty. I cover a great deal of ground about my personal life and background very briefly when I write a simple section that gives some sense of my journey through these fifty two years:
Special Adaptation Challenges:
Have lived in and adjusted to new conditions in: Mexico City, London, New York, New Orleans, Manila, El Paso, Saltillo, Yantai, and other urban environments. I also have lived & adjusted to new conditions in rural Colombia, Mexico, Philippines, Louisiana, Virginia, Tonga & other rural environments.
Have had a great deal of exposure to people under extreme duress, the poor, the sick, those in disciplinary education situations, those in special education, those in need of transport to and from jail and so forth.
America is shaken by the sustained carnage which has not been so easy to categorize politically and culturally. It has many faces and many issues emerge in any discussion including which issues to include in the discussion and which events to look at when describing the carnage of which I am speaking. It is clear to me that these shootings do not occur in a vacuum. They are connected to the violence of crime, “protests”, riots, war and other facets of our troubles and current struggles.
In the United States house of Representatives the Democrats have rallied to a significant degree behind the sit-in demanding a vote on gun limiting bills that are linked to others already voted down in the Senate. One can find stories about this revolt against House governance and procedure here and here. The protest is led by Representative John Lewis who has a long history of protest in the Civil Rights movement in his own background. In the trying and uncertain times that the country currently faces it is somewhat natural for him to bring this new level of seeking change through Civil Disorder to a new level. Many around the world feel and have felt that even if protest and demonstrations can be condoned on the street this is exactly the kind of thing that does not belong in a legislative assembly. On the other hand, many may see this as just another kind of extension of the Senate filibuster made famous beyond the norm by Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and which has been a part of our lives during many crises in American politics. The occasion for all this acrimony and uproar is the shooting in Orlando of scores of people. I dealt with that shooting in a post on this blog which can be found here. The implications for discussion of gun control, Islam, LGBT issues and terrorism have continued to shape the American political season. Trump has shown a strong support for the idea that Terrorists do appear on the no fly list and are then conveniently found to be prohibited from buying guns. But he has conceded the merits of Republican plans for a due process mechanism that would review the cause for not being allowed to buy a gun. This comes in the context of his campaign’s overall support for gun control. Hillary Clinton would like to restore the Federal Assault Weapons Ban as instituted under her husband’s administration, would support Democrat bills making the No Fly List also a No Buy List for guns. In addition there is no doubt in the minds of conservatives that no real conviction would keep her from evolving as far as she could toward a completely disarmed lawful citizenry. But she insists that such characterizations of her intentions are not fair.
Beyond the fact that the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando was shot up by a man who seems to have given countless warnings that he was likely to do such a thing as he actually did there are many questions about how he did what he did that are not answered. It is also unclear whether Latin Night at a Gay bar was a very important part of the targeting strategy are only a clearly relevant one as regard this killing by a man who pledged allegiance to the leader of ISIS. The human cost even if one limits the discussion to those killed is huge. Having given the killer’s name in my earlier post I add a link to a site discussing the victims here. I also take the time to list the names themselves here: In the wake of so many other mass shootings it is clear that this issue will not go away as a gun violence issue despite having many other facets.
Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 | Stanley Almodovar III, 23 | Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 | Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 | Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 | Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 | Luis S. Vielma, 22 |Kimberly Morris, 37 |Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 | Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 | Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 |Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 | Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25 | Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 | Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 | Martin Benitez Torres, 33 | Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 | Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 | Amanda Alvear, 25 | Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 | Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 | Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 | Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 | Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 | Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 | Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 | Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 | Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 | Cory James Connell, 21 | Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 | Luis Daniel Conde, 39 | Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 | Juan Chavez Martinez, 25 | Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 | Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 | Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 | Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 | Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez, 27 | Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 | Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 | Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 | Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 | Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 | Frank Hernandez Escalante, 27 | Paul Terrell Henry, 41 |Antonio Davon Brown, 29 | Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 | Akyra Monet Murray, 18 | Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25
Britain is considering leaving the European Union. It is a special time of turmoil and many people are affected by this whole vote directly. That includes the recent death of Member of Parliament Jo Cox , who was shot dead while campaigning for the United Kingdom to remain in the EU. One of my relatively long-time correspondents Lord Norton of Louth has blogged about her death and about some political aspects of it without blogging much about the BRexit vs Remainers debate itself. His link should be available here however. The lack of certainty this vote has created in the stock market and elsewhere is discussed here. But this is an analysis mostly of how the markets will react if BRexit beats the Remainers. It is a bit more complicated to decide whether the current process itself is affecting financial markets and other economic indicators, perhaps some of that complexity can be recaptured here. The Lords of the Blog which has been a major influence on this blog has been notably quiet as of and up to this date of June 23 at noon on America’s great central river valley, deltas and Gulf Coast. It is also interesting that some have suggested that American Neo Nazis helped the killer of Jo Cox to arm himself. It is certainly true that Britain has rigid gun control and it also seems well documented that Cox’s killer had ties to America’s Neo Nazis. Lots of people will draw contradictory conclusions about what the all means but ties between the killer and American Neo Nazis are spelled out here. One possible belief, which I myself espouse is that when large and compelling ideals, plans and dreams for societies and nations become less successful then individual acts of violent and murderous political expression abound and are more influential. The role of Neo Nazis in Europe’s politics is clearly on the rise and violence is likely to play a major role in their politics. How does one deal with an act of violence? Lord Norton has been an influence on this blog for a long time and his post is relevant if only for that reason…
Lord Norton’s Post does bring up some interesting points about politics and political perception in Britain.
The appalling death of Jo Cox, the MP for Batley and Spen, generated considerable reflection on the role of an MP. There was recognition that MPs are generally dedicated public servants. Jo Cox was a remarkably able and dedicated Member. She was one of many. There has been a tendency to generalise from the unworthy few rather than the hardworking many. MPs work long and unsocial hours and the demands of the job have got greater over time. If there is one positive thing that may possibly come out of this tragedy (other than the amazing public response in donating to Jo Cox’s favoured charities) is a better public awareness of what MPs do. It may provide some balance to the cynical and generally ill-informed view taken of MPs and the work they undertake.
Lord Norton has a compelling position from which to comment on the events shaping Britain at the moment as does Representative John Lewis and as do the major Presidential candidates. My own position is less to be envied but I have included my resume on the blogroll to provide blog readers with a concise summary of my experience and other relevant information related to my life and work and availability for future opportunities. But Also and principally to give some context to my writing. I am able to mention there, and have it stay accessible, that I have accumulated the marks of a measurable education. These studies have included receiving two degrees — Master of Arts, Louisiana State University, August 4, 1993. Cumulative G.P .A. 3.846 and Bachelor of Arts, University of Southwestern Louisiana, ( now University of Louisiana at Lafayette), May 14, 1989. Cum Laude G.P. A.: 3.686. In addition, the resume lists some distinctions acquired along the way. These include the 1991-1993 Board of Regents Fellowship, 1989 Outstanding Graduate, Alumni Association Honors at Spring Commencement for then USL, being the 1989 Outstanding Graduate of the College of Arts and Humanities and also the same season being the 1989 Outstanding Graduate of the Department of English, USL. The Document recollects that in 1987 I was admitted to Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society and in 1985 recieved Sophomore Class Award for a male student at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio. It was in 1990 as a memeber of the business community that I was recipient of the title of Honorary Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana. While a graduate student I received a 1992 LSU Research Grant to study at the Ekstrom Photographic Archives, University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. It also includes such data as the fact that in 1992 I was admitted to Mensa. Further that in 2012 I became a Grand Prize Winner Lord Norton’s Quiz on the official blog of the House of Lords.
Those distinctions do not mean more or less than they mean and they connect in ways not altogether clear with other parts of my life like the work I have done or have not done in various years.But today as i watched Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on the Today Show and was reminded of the role celebrity plays in getting a hearing in America I could not help comparing my blog to the popular songs and the comments associated with them that also influence policy. I recently wrote about America’s national conversation. That focused on journalism and violence but as we also consider legislative procedures, blogs and popular song we get a fuller picture.
This is one of those posts that only appears really in my blog. It does not really introduce all the main elements of my resume. it does not really resolve any questions related to Britain leaving the EU. It only adds these to discussions of American politics and enables a few readers get a bit better grasp of how a few things fit together in our world.
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