The Oath

I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

The Oath

On December 7, 1941 people were awakened by the sounds of explosions, gunfire and planes. Now 78 years passed, The Empire of Japan had attacked the Naval Fleet of the United States of America while anchored at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. By the end of the day some 20 naval vessels were damaged or sunk, over 300 airplanes were destroyed, more than 2400 Americans were dead and another 1000 wounded. By the next day the United States was at war.

It took nearly 4 years, 420, 000 American lives and $4,100,000,000,000 (in today's dollars) to emerge from that war victorious. It remains the most savage period in our planet's history.

Every one of the military personnel took the oath of office mentioned above as had all others prior to this day. They did not swear an oath to God, the President or even to the people of the United States. They swore an oath to the Constitution of the United States of America. Every person who holds office in this great nation swears this oath or one very similar. All to the Constitution. To defend it against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Our Constitution came into force in 1789 and since that date every person who acts in the name of the United States has taken that oath. It is telling that we swear an oath to the Constitution because it is that founding document that is the supreme law of the land. The swearing of the oath says that we are a nation of laws and not people. That all people are held to be equal under the Constitution. It has not always been acknowledged in that manner nor has it been enforced in that manner but we continue to strive to achieve that “more perfect union.”

When we think of those American men and women who have served, many of whom lost their lives, it is important for us to remember the reason they did that. It is important that we remember than it is the principles set forth in the Constitution for which they served and sacrificed. It was for things like Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Unreasonable Searches and Seizures, Equality of Treatment under the law, Freedom to Choose our Representatives in Congress and the list goes on and on. Any time we deny our fellow citizens these Rights and Freedoms we are denying the sacrifice of those who have served to ensure them. It is also incumbent that we realize that, as citizens, there is a requirement that we uphold those Constitutional Freedoms. The burden does not fall on military alone.

On this day, when our national memory reaches back to December 7, 1941, not only should we recall the unanticipated destruction of that day and the war that followed but we should reflect on why we found it important to state that we would not see those Rights and Freedoms become only a memory. That should also be on every citizen's mind as he or she walks through life. That even in our everyday lives we defend those Freedoms.

On this special day our individual and national thanks go out to our Fathers and Mothers who sacrificed in this National Cause, regardless of the means of their sacrifice. When we consider the destruction of that day let's not forget the real reason for the sacrifices and let's assume the same fealty to the Constitution that enumerates those rights that our forbears did and take up the cost of assuring them for our brothers and sisters.

Indivisible Lake Cumberland

Impeachment 2019

While I believe that the President has committed impeachable offenses I don't believe he will be convicted unless further evidence is produced. As a matter of fact, I believe it is an exercise in futility to continue down the road of articulating the charges. It is not that I don't believe he is guilty. It is that I don't believe the American people believe that what he did in respect to the Ukraine rises to the level of an impeachable offense.

Democrats are faced with a conundrum. If these things are not impeachable then what is? Should we allow the President to avoid oversight and drag national ethics through the mud? What avenues of recourse are open that would express dissatisfaction with how the President casually ignores the mores of international relations? It may have been more reasonable to censure the President rather than impeach.

What is at the center of this ordeal is the President instructing his minions to ignore subpoenas from Congress. How can Congress conduct oversight without being able to command testimony? This tactic amounts to stonewalling and will set a terrible precedent for future cases that involve the Separation of Powers doctrine. The President MUST be subject to oversight for the oversight to work.

What is absent is the smoking gun linking the President to a demand of the Ukrainian President in return for American favors. A very strong circumstantial case can be built and likely will be but I don't think that will be enough in the eyes of the American people. Not many will be able to follow the train of evidence that going to be presented. Without that pressure from the people it is not likely that impeachment will come to pass.

I am still amazed that impeachment did not arise out of the Mueller Report and it is only because the Attorney General still refuses to release documents that impeachment charges were not brought there. This can't go on. Congress must be able to command testimony and evidence from wherever it may be.

WITHOUT FURTHER EVIDENCE I think this affair needs to be brought to an end while we still have time to prepare for an election to terminate his service.

Animal Cruelty V. People Cruelty

Animal Cruelty V. People Cruelty

Millions of Americans are ecstatic that Congress passed and the President signed a bill making animal abuse a federal crime. In the interests of full disclosure let me say that I have no sympathy for a person that treats animals in a cruel and abusive manner. However, I feel this is an issue that should be dealt with on a state level rather than a federal one.

Do we really want the FBI chasing animal cruelty allegations? Or the DEA making sure that you aren't subjecting your pets to unapproved drugs? For instance, many use these drugs that you put on dogs and cats to deter fleas and other bugs. It absorbs through the skin into the bloodstream and kills any future infestations that feed on their blood. My question is that if that is so great then why aren't we using them on humans to combat Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Will there be scheduled drugs that will require a trip to the vet to get a prescription? Will the FBI launch investigations into whether or not you left your dog out during cold weather or if you keep it penned up in too small an enclosure or with too many other animals?

Maybe we could create a whole new enforcement bureaucracy with badges and guns who could seize your property if it was in furtherance of the animal abuse. This could expressly apply to the breeders who treat these animals as if they were chattel or to the feedlots that keep their livestock on barren ground and feed them processed food with antibiotics. It could likely lead to requiring permits to breed animals with annual applications for license renewal to thwart those who do not adhere to the guidelines. Now, all of these practices are good practices but is it something that we want the FBI and DEA involved in?

What if those people, some of whom are children, who are held in cages in concentrations that make public health impossible begin to demand that they receive treatment at least as good as the family dog? Could they also demand public health inspections in the way that the USDA inspects farming facilities? And are those who are responsible for keeping those people in holding pens licensed and regularly inspected by federal inspectors? Could they expect to have climate controlled facilities so that they are not allowed to be too hot or too cold?

Could this lead to applying civil rights to animals? No doubt this would cause great consternation to our farmers who grow meat producing animals expressly for the purpose of being killed. They also leave their dogs out in the fields with sheep and goats and herding dogs work in all kinds of weather. Would there be a limit on how many hours they could work each day or for how long they would have to work before taking a break? Would we have to come up with more humane methods of slaughtering animals so we can have that porterhouse steak? And what about wild animals? These questions will have to be decided by the court system and just try to imagine that.

These considerations may seem foolish to you and it may seem that I am making light of animal cruelty but I assure you that is not the case. I am just reminding you that this is the same federal government that many believe can't get national security, education and health care right.

It could result in animals being treated much better and that is an admirable goal. A direct link has been established between those who abuse animals and people who commit awful abuses of humans. We should always strive to be better people and regard God's creation with respect.

With any piece of legislation there are always unintended consequences such as, but not limited to, those previously mentioned. But what if people see these protections for animals and begin to demand them for themselves?

In short, could they expect to be treated at least as good as the family dog?

Some of this is meant to be tongue-in-cheek and some is meant to encourage people to think about what they ask for. For Congress and the President there is no downside to this unless the farm lobby kicks. I haven't read the bill but it probably makes some exception for farmers. Having said that, I have heard people talk about our meat producing processes and some even advocate not killing animals for food.

Mostly it is meant to encourage more thought about how we treat our fellow humans. How can we advocate for more humane treatment of animals when we treat other humans inhumanely? Could we see a photo of a man bragging about his knife skills while posing with a dead dog and consider it equal to a man doing the same with another human?

Being cruel is despicable no matter to whom or what one does it but isn't it more so when it is done to our brothers and sisters? Shouldn't we care more about that?

The Favors of Citizenship

The Favors of Citizenship

It's not about religion.

It is about a citizens right to be considered equal to any other citizen and to enjoy the benefits thereof.

It is about the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States in which it is declared that all men are created equal.

It is about the 14^th amendment to the Constitution in which it is stated that anyone who is born within the United States or Naturalized as a citizen is guaranteed equal treatment under the Constitution and entitled to due process of the law.

It is about the 19^th amendment which extended the right to vote to women.

It is about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin,

It is about the right of ALL citizens to be treated equally under the law.

It is NOT about some people being excluded.

The Chill Out and Proud event scheduled for Saturday, October 5^th downtown at the Judicial Center Plaza is being held to validate those precious rights and to demonstrate that, as citizens, the participants are no different than you or me.

There are some who disagree with this but if legal standards are applied it is obvious that the rights of some may not be infringed upon without due process of law.

Recently the City of Somerset refused to pass what was referred to as a “fairness ordinance” reaffirming those natural rights of citizens. It created quite a hubbub centered mainly on religious doctrine without addressing the legal application of the law. Just recently Versailles became the 14^th city in Kentucky to pass a “Fairness Ordinance.” Some say that we are all already guaranteed protection under those laws and therefore no ordinance is required. That may be true but just as it took the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to affirm the rights enumerated under the 14^th Amendment it would be useful and beneficial to have a city and county ordinance to demonstrate determination to enforce those rights. It's just not that hard to understand.

Conflicts arise from the enforcement of civil rights. In this instance it may be the 1^st Amendment which guarantees freedom of religion along with the freedom to gather in public places for peaceful purposes. There may be objections to a “Fairness Ordinance” or the Chill Out and Proud event based on religious principles. Those objections are protected free speech and those that choose that route are guaranteed a right to assemble to speak against whatever they choose as long as it is peaceful and does not incite violence. This guarantees an individual a right to speak but it does not guarantee a right to have it codified into law nor does it give government the right to ignore the law.

My Take is that this is an opportunity for Somerset-Pulaski County to engage with the LBGTQ community in an effort to defuse tensions and, perhaps, come to an awareness that there is no threat here. I am pretty sure that many, if not all, of the people gathered will be citizens of the United States of America and privileged to enjoy all the favors thereof. Let's have a nice day.

Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later

What is needed now, more than ever, is leadership that steers us away from fear and fosters greater confidence in the inherent goodness and ingenuity of humanity.

President Jimmy Carter

President Carter goes on to say that, in his opinion, the world is at a turning point. I share that opinion.

In a recent interview President Carter stated that the United States of America has become the most warlike nation in the world. That statement in incontrovertible. It is time that we ask why it is that our nation, which we describe as the greatest nation on earth and a refuge for the downtrodden, is that way.

Here, within our own borders, we have millions who do not have adequate access to health care, we have food insecurity, violence that we seem to be unable to stop and a general lack of the comity that once held us together in the darkest of times. It is not that we lack the resources to meet these needs but that we lack the political will to make some hard choices. The divide between the haves and have-nots grows wider by the day. We know what to do about it but the inherent corruption in our political system plays to the strongest and wealthiest.

We are the world's largest manufacturer and vendor of the mightiest and most deadly weapons the world has ever seen. Once we acquired the corporate power and technology to develop them then it became necessary for there to be markets for them to be purveyed.

In a country with less than 1/10^th of the worlds population we consume on average 25% of the world's resources but China is coming on strong. The United States remains the only global superpower but that does not mean we are invincible. We would do well to remember that our military expenditures during the Cold War forced the Soviet Union into bankruptcy. Depending on who you ask, we spend some 25% to 60% of our budget in the defense department, a misnomer if ever there was one. We have not been threatened in any significant manner since WWII. 9/11 was a blow to the national psyche but from a military and economic standpoint it did little damage. We have damaged ourselves much worse than that tragedy did by ill advised military adventures that accomplished nothing but to engender hatred for us around the world and now we have insulted and disregarded our allies so that they have decided they are better off without us.

We have also been one of the big 3 in contributing to the greenhouse gasses that bring climate change which has the ability, if left unchecked, to not only destroy our nation but to bring to an end the human species. We are not alone. China, Russia and India are also huge contributors to Climate Change largely due to the use of coal as an industrial fuel and, to a lesser extent, oil and natural gas. The disturbing thing is that we possess, right now, the technology to bring those contributions to a halt. We have to ask ourselves why it is that we do not take advantage of those technologies to save an Earth for those who will come after us to reach for horizons we have seen only dimly.

What should we do? The obstacles seem insurmountable but, as with all things related to our species, nothing is beyond our reach if we unite in the pursuit of a common goal. It will take time and things will and must change. The threat of Climate Change is here and present. We will not be able to avoid it now that we have wasted the time for reasonable and painless efforts but we must change our definition of reasonable if we are to go forward.

Our political system is corrupt to the point that nothing that is difficult or causes pain can be done. The influence of money in our system is a cancer that must be excised or we will have no hope of remaining a republic. We will degrade into an autocracy that has classes that do not receive the benefits of our wealth. We must bring to heel our warlike nature and the machines that provide the instruments of death. This will require a massive diplomatic effort which we are currently unable to provide. For it to succeed we must have assurances that those machines of war will not be required. (I know that many will dismiss this out of hand but we will do this, one way or the other).

The world must invest in those technologies that produce energy but do not pollute. There are small nations and island nations that will require assistance which should be available from the richer ones. Yes, the economic disturbance will be significant if we dramatically curtail the industries that rely on the production of obsolete products. Their time has come and passed.

We are already seeing the results of Climate Change in the migration of people. It is expected to become tens of millions of people moving to find a place they can survive. Water is becoming a scarce commodity in places that are home to millions. We are likely to see much of the land that is our bread basket become arid and non-productive. The Ogallala Aquifer that waters much of the mid-west is being drawn down at rates that are unsustainable. We must learn to use our food resources with less waste. It is estimated that as much as 1/3^rd of our food production is wasted. To have such waste while people are starving is inhumane.

Most importantly, we must have leaders who are able to take us to a future in which cooperation is the norm and strife becomes rare. My Take is that the human species is at a crossroads where we must decide if we want to be present for an unlimited future or fall into the geological history where our existence is known only by the remains in the rock.

You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one.

John Lennon

Annex It

I agree with Mayor Keck on the need for Somerset to annex some surrounding area.

I've been writing on this topic for a few years now and I am gratified to see one of our leaders take up the challenge. It will not be easy. Our friends and neighbors are quite reluctant to change anything and a significant number like things just the way they are and if you could go back about 50 years that would even be better.

But when it comes to cities if you ain't growing then you're slowing and Somerset is no exception. When I was a kid when we came to town there was a sign right at the top of Harvey's Hill on North Main Street that announced the city limits and a population of just under 10,000. It hasn't changed much in the intervening decades.

If citizens want services then someone has to pay for them. If you want more services then you have to pay more. Truth is, you're going to have to pay more just to stay even due to inflationary pressures and a tax base with no growth. Previous administrations have brought phenomenal growth to services but, as far as I know, the natural gas service is the only one that has brought financial growth to the city budget. Perhaps I am in error but not by much.

Mayor Keck says that he intends to hold town hall meetings in the areas that he will propose be annexed and that is a fair and transparent way to do things. Kudos to the Mayor and his advisors. I don't expect the county Magistrates and residents to be too thrilled with the idea but I hope that patience and negotiation will win the day.

Personally, I would like to see Somerset annex the entire area from Slate Branch Road to West 80 all the way to the lake. This would open up a vast area to tourism development to the extent that the Corps of Engineers would allow. Having a Congressman like Hal Rogers as a resident could be a great asset there. I would envision access from the lake to entertainment venues and restaurants. Such a development could make Somerset the go to spot on the lake. Burnside already has this advantage but seems to be reluctant to seize the opportunity.

County residents enjoy some low tax rates that would rise with annexation into the city limits but, at the same time, would be eligible for benefits like fire protection, sewer, policing, etc. Mayor Keck says all of those may not be available immediately but I believe that residents could expect to see advances in those areas. A greater population also increases the bonding capacity for the city which would allow Somerset greater leeway in construction of public projects and would also make the area more attractive to businesses looking for a place to locate. When businesses relocate they are not only looking for low costs but also at the entertainment, arts and dining opportunities. Those executives don't live in a vacuum.

Why on earth should a county resident be excited about being annexed into the city with it's attendant increased tax burden. Truthfully, many won't be but I encourage citizens to look at the issue as participants in a larger vision for our area. Already we see too many of our young people have to move away to find work that will allow them to realize their dreams and we need ways to encourage them to stay and be of service to their home areas. Household income in Appalachia (did you know that we're in Appalachia) is roughly half what it is in other more prosperous areas. If we want to be able to earn a living in a new economy that is not based on extraction industries then we need to look to what is possible.

I have often said that as Somerset goes, so goes the County. That is reason enough for County residents to be excited about future prospects. The benefits won't accrue to the City only but also to the County. Witness the industry being located at Hwy. 80 and Hwy. 461. Those projects would be unlikely were it not for the City of Somerset being able to provide sewer and natural gas. The advantages that Somerset provides to attract industry is substantial and without the city very few of them would locate here. Many of you either work at those places or have relatives that do. Consider what things would look like without those places.

People are afraid of seeing taxes go up but even more they fear losing total control over the property that they own. Very likely annexation would bring some zoning but I can assure you that property values go up when your property is protected from negative neighbors. In additon, in an appeal to your civic spirit, just think of where all that sewage that is put into septic systems is going. In a karst and cave geology into the ground water is the only place it can go. We really have to do better about tending to the places we live. Humans are one of the very few animals that will foul their own nest.

My Take is this. If you want to have jobs and infrastructure then you need to get on board and be part of the solutions or get left behind. If you want to leave a healthy place to live to your grandchildren then join in. Join in and help decide where Somerset/Pulaski County is going or just sit back a gripe when it moves on without you.

Master Musician's Festival 2019

Less than a month from now thousands of us will gather again for the annual installment of The Master Musician's Festival or MMF as it is becoming known to an increasing number of fans. Last year's edition was very likely the best one yet. It featured John Prine who had been an object of desire for festival planners for many years. In addition the festival itself ran better than any I have seen since I have been attending.

This year the featured artist will be Jason Isbell and the 400 unit. He was here a few years ago and has been perhaps my favorite singer/songwriter since. His songs feature not only his Alabama twang but also some of the finest lyrics I have heard for many years. To say that I am looking forward to seeing him again is a gross understatement.

But, make no mistake. He is not the only performer on the playbill that will leave you wanting more. Cedric Burnside closes out Friday night with his brand of rocking blues. Burnside comes from a long line of blues singers and if you love blues then you won't want to miss this one. He was nominated for a Grammy in traditional blues this year and it's easy to see why.

Since I was a young man the festival circuit has changed quite a bit. There are quite a few small festivals that give musicians a forum that they would not have had before. For them it is just not as important to have a hit on radio in order for them to be recognized. The blossoming field of Americana is a diverse conglomeration of styles that do not fit neatly into either pop or country and this allows for great diversity in music. The Master Musician's Festival has become adept at recognizing them and bringing them to our stage and this has been a monumental benefit to music lovers and commercial interests in our area. The festival scored The Avett Brothers while they were on their way up and John Prine during what may be his most in demand period in his long career. One of my favorites has been here twice. Robert Randolph and the Family Band bring it with the opening chords and don't give it up until the last one. They have been featured in Eric Clapton's Festival of the Guitar that he does every couple of years or so. To be recognized in the same league with those performers is to walk in tall cotton indeed.

If you haven't heard of or listened to War and Treaty you will want to make this a must see show. Their songs of gospel influenced blues will leave you begging for more. The music will remind you of church. Just not one around here. I became aware of them a few years ago and their popularity has grown steadily since then.

A few years ago the Festival added another stage over in the hollow that features some musicians who maybe are not so well known but there are some surprises to be had there. Bee Taylor was there last year and that woman knows how to rock. She has been seen often locally by those who appreciate her music. She even did a little recording with some local people. This year the Eastwood Stage promises to be more entertaining than ever so you might want to be prepared to walk a little if you don't want to miss a chance at something amazing.

If you haven't heard The Mama Said String Band and you love down home string band music you won't want to miss these ladies. Same goes for Spooky Fox. This guy can get more out of a guitar than most musicians that I have seen.

Home town writer and performer Kevin Daulton and the Tuesday Blooms will be on the Eastwood Stage and I will guarantee you that you will be hard put to find a better singer/songwriter anywhere. There is also a special tent set up to feature some other local artists. To my chagrin, I have not heard all of them but I am familiar with Pearlie Jenkins and he is one of the most vivid, incisive writers I have had the pleasure of meeting. I am in awe of people who have the gift of expessiveness and can also put that gift on paper. If they can then perform it then that is very special.

This festival was established by a group of friends some 26 years ago to give local musicians a forum and the way it has met that goal in the past several years is not only gratifying but has been a blessing to those performers who may not get to play the big stage until they develop a larger following. Even if they don't these musicians are often, note for note, the equal of the bigger names. The arts community in Somerset/Pulaski County is far more extensive and talented than I ever could have imagined. People my age despaired that we would ever be able to seen such talent locally but, I can say without reservation, that despair has been washed away by the outpouring of talent and venues to give it voice.

As I have said before, this is the only weekend of the year that I block out everything else and enjoy music and good friends. I have had many of these friends for decades and I enjoy hanging out with them as much as the music.

Many thanks to Tiffany Finley and the Board of Directors who work all year long to bring this gem of a festival to our beautiful area. The job they do as volunteers brings what is very likely the premier festival of its sort.

July 19-20. Be there for a good time.

Observations From the Beach

A few observations from the beach and nearby environs.

There were a lot of Latinos at the beach. Way more than I noticed when I was there in 2016. I remarked on this to my daughter and she said, “well, it's free and they can all come.” That is a likely truth. I pondered on this and decided that is a quality that most of us have forgone since we grew up. When we were kids our families did the same things. We went swimming in the creek, picnics wherever we could find a spot, gatherings at our homes where the grownups would chat and kids would play into the night. This is not a bad thing. This is something that we should return to. I do not find it plausible to criticize those people for being family oriented and thrifty. We should look inward before we try to find fault with them.

It could be that some of the natives find it uncomfortable to mingle with the Latinos given our fear of anything different from ourselves. It is more plausible that they do not unduly fear mingling with us.

I don't know where they came from. Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, etc. It may be they've never had access to a beach and enough safety to gather in numbers. We should think about that before we criticize them for fleeing the danger and poverty of their homes. We should think about our boundless good fortune because most of us did nothing to deserve it other than be born here. An accident of birth left those people with danger that most of us would find intolerable and would flee also.

Much of the hardship in those countries is a result of the actions of of our government to make available to our corporations the natural resources of those countries. We have overthrown elected governments and installed dictators who would do our bidding. If you would like to have a few names just ask.

My daughter was amazed that the children of the Latinos were playing in parking lots unsupervised and walking down the middle of the streets. Now, this may be a little overboard but one should consider that they came from places where they lived in huts, didn't have enough food, girls were raped and boys were drafted into the local gangs who ran roughshod over the residents. This must seem like the Garden of Eden to them. What's to fear? Unfortunately, give them a generation or so and they will likely be just as unappreciative as the rest of us.

We could learn a thing or two from our new compatriots.

Reformation or Sublimation

Excellent spot. I wonder if other people think about this a lot. I do. This man says here that we are facing a crisis (not using that word lightly) in which the inequality of wealth and the lack of upward mobility will create conflict. When that happens chances are that the people will turn to more authoritarianism in order to quell the conflict at which point freedom is gone. He gives the examples of several democracies just prior to WWII that chose that course. He is a billionaire who has promised to give half his billions away along with Buffet and Gates and others. But that will not do the trick. According to him capitalism must be reformed to return advantage to the lower classes and taxes must rise on the wealthy for that to happen. He gives the odds of that happening as 60/40 for a negative outcome. I think about this a lot and that is why I do not dismiss out of hand the radical solutions proposed by some in our society. I believe that it is too late for anything less that that to work. I'd be very interested to know what you think. Please be civil and provide cogent arguments to your statements.

Principles of Ray Dialo 

Watch this short video to see what this man thinks.

The Right Thing

The Right Thing

“My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it,”

The eulogy for Robert F. Kennedy by Edward M. Kennedy

On March 7, 1965 the marchers approached the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the way into Selma, Alabama. The local population did not want them there. While it may have been legal it certainly was not allowed in the eyes of the populace. As the marchers began to cross the bridge they were set upon by police, citizens, dogs, water hoses and any other type of impediment the citizenry could come up with to deter their entrance into Selma. Current House Representative John Lewis was there. He was the President of the SNCC. The Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee. He was beaten so badly his survival was in question. The ignominious day became known as Bloody Sunday. After a successful march led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and under federal protection the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 was guaranteed by the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Many efforts had been made to peacefully achieve the rights enumerated under the 14^th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and all had been rebuffed. Local ordinances, state law and any other impediment that could be considered were used to deny these rights by what has become known as the Jim Crow Laws.

These citizens felt they had exhausted all avenues open to them to achieve equality and felt obliged to push against the illegitimacy of the legal system that prevented them from enjoying the profound rights of citizenship. Their efforts were not politick or safe, were questionably legal and were sure to draw the ire of the local inhabitants of their communities but they persisted. And persisted and persisted and persisted until there could be no doubt of their legitimacy. But their legitimacy is still questioned by many of our countrymen and they have become more emboldened in recent times to express themselves publicly showing that sometimes doing the right thing doesn't bring peaceful and complete recognition of those rights. It certainly doesn't mean everyone will like it.

Those white residents of Selma and other places felt they had every legal right to refuse service to whomever they chose for whatever reason they chose. If you asked them why often they would point to the Bible and reference the curse of Ham, son of Noah. This is not news. Most of us of a certain age are acquainted with references to this story to justify discrimination against the black people. One would expect that as reasoning humans we would learn from our shame and not repeat those errors. But maybe many don't really see them as errors. Maybe many see them as just being politically correct or pandering to those who don't deserve it. After all, it wasn't us that did those things. Or was it?

On Monday night the Somerset City Council voted to deny what is described as a “fairness ordinance” that proposed the LGBTQ people be considered to be a group that should not be discriminated against. Some of the arguments dealt with a case recently decided by the Supreme Court and other cases in the pipeline to the Court and suggested that the City would want to avoid becoming entangled in court cases that could cost a lot of money. One council member said that his constituents were against it and he voted that way. For many it was enough that Scripture speaks against LBGTQ behavior no matter the United States Constitution. The Public was congratulated on being engaged and now we'll move on.

These are exactly the kind of things that were done in city councils everywhere that allowed the Jim Crow laws to be enforced. This still leaves some citizens of our country unable to not be fearful that they will be denied service at places that most citizens are welcomed. Some see it as a infringement of religious freedom but those proprietors prior to the Civil Rights Act saw their religious freedom being infringed upon. Who decides? It must be that one cannot, in the public sphere, apply his own religious freedom to another person. In the private sphere one can be as discriminatory as one wants.

So, what now? My Take on this is that some groundwork needs to be laid. This is a conservative area and this decision was not unforeseen. As much of a no-brainier as it was to some passage would have been unlikely. Perhaps recruit businesses to post in their windows or in a visible space a sign or sticker stating they support equality for all. Perhaps building support among businesses will be helpful because motivations are different. Community positions are hardened here. As long as this is a cause that depends on doing the right thing in the face of contrary opinions progress will be difficult. But gaining allies could turn some heads.

Redemption?

I believe in redemption. The recent revelation of a racist photograph on the yearbook page of the Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, presents a perplexing conundrum. In a confusing move the Governor confessed to his involvement before he denied it. That seems a bridge too far on the

surface. It was taken in 1984 when it should have been more than obvious that such a photo was, at the very least, in poor taste. These days we attach the label of racist to such photos.

Northam states he was in medical school at the time so he would likely have been in the neighborhood of 23 years old. I, for one, would hate to be held to account for my actions at that age but he has chosen to enter public service. I really don't know what to believe in this matter but it is unfathomable to me that a candidate for public office would not try to get out ahead of such a matter that is so easily discovered, in a yearbook of all things. Wouldn't any politician be aware that opposition research would go to the yearbook in search of information to use against him? As a matter of fact, I am certain that is why this has surfaced although that has no bearing on the matter. The question I have is why didn't it show up during his gubernatorial campaign?

As citizens of the United States and as members of the Democratic Party we are ideologically and honor bound to condemn such behavior but it is less imperative that we deny an apologetic Governor who now denies it is him the right to hold office.

So, where do we as Democrats come down? This is already being used to challenge Democratic candidates for President and, as usual, the candidates are more than willing to throw anyone under the bus that could cause them to be less appealing to any constituency and we, as supporters of Democrats, are faced with the same accusations that could cause damage to our efforts to persuade voters.

So, what are we to do? Firstly, as in the case of the boy with the MAGA hat the condemnations have been rapid. Perhaps we need to slow down. Northam should be given a reasonable length of time, and that should be brief, to come up with a satisfactory and believable denial of participation. It shouldn't be too hard to determine the identities of the people in those disguises. Secondly, Northam is going to have to come up with a reason that his admitted use of blackface in an impersonation of Michael Jackson (although it is hard to imagine why blackface would be required) is not the same thing.

Absent verifiable and believable refutations of culpability Mr. Northam should resign. We can't make him do so but as citizens and as Democrats we must be able to state, without need for clarification, our disgust and refusal to allow racism a place in our society.

I do, however, find it a bit too coincidental that this only shows up after Virginia's efforts to rewrite the state's abortion laws and I don't for a minute believe that the two are not linked. But that does not matter. If the Governor is guilty and is lying he should be toast.

Yes, redemption is possible but it may not include public office.