America, Want to Borrow my Bag?

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists held their conference in Cincinnati last weekend. Amid presentations by Jerry Springer and Nick Clooney, veteran news people suggested that we find ways to twist our words to grab more readers and get our points across. I thought about what I say to people when I tell them I live in Kentucky. They look at me in disbelief, offer some smarmy comment about Mitch McConnell or roll their eyes at the mention of Matt Bevin. That's when I metaphorically put a bag over my head, nod and say, "I know, I know. Politically we have our problems, but you don't know the people."

While we listened to Peter Bhatia, Clarence Page and Rochelle Riley give moving presentations on social injustice, memes of the members of the G-7 towering over an obstinate Trump, ran rampant on Facebook. By Wednesday, those were replaced with news of a propaganda video directed at Kim Jung Un. We laughed at the parody that blazed across the New York Times Facebook feed. Satire is supposed to send a message. Sadly, I believe we have become so numb to it all that we just try to laugh it all off.

On the final night of the conference, Connie Schultz received the Ernie Pyle Award. In my ignorance, I could only conjure up Pyle's writing as something my mother had read during World War II. After hearing Connie read from some of Pyle's lesser know works, I wanted to connect with him and her. I wanted to here more of what he wrote prior to the war, and I wanted to know more about this woman who talked my language.

By in large, I am a blogger with a few published credits to my name. And for the most part, I have written in cautionary ways so as to keep peace and not provoke anger. But as this week ended with the Attorney General quoting the Letters of Paul in the New Testament to try to justify the contemptible decisions his boss is hell bent on making, I can't be silent anymore.

Two nights ago, I was on Skype with a friend from Australia. She reminded me that if we do nothing we are part of the problem. Children, sweet babies have been ripped from their mothers' arms. Who are we, if we allow this to continue?

Today, I commit, as I have done since November 9, 2016, to do all that is within my power to restore my neighborhood, my town, my state, my country to the compassionate nation that everyone looked to when injustice was served on the under served.

America, want to borrow my bag? Or are you with me? Call your elected officials. You can find contact information for your representatives here: https://www.house.gov/representati…/find-your-representative.