Turtles are terrapins and terrapins are turtles. They just prefer different environments in which to thrive. This past summer, this terrapin sunned itself by my back door and didn’t budge when I opened the door. I suppose it was exploring because the nearest suitable habitat was the brackish water in the abandoned railroad bed that is adjacent to my property. Just a side note–when I was growing up, we would eat turtles, but not terrapins. I have no idea how my grandmother/mother knew the difference or the reason for the terrapin taboo. Let me speculate–the preferred environment of the terrapins had more germs, bacteria, fungi, etc. that when eaten would sicken humans? Just a thought.
But, isn’t Mother Nature grand? In her munificence, she provides just what the terrapins and turtles each need to thrive. Mother Nature does not distinguish where there is no distinction. Only homo ignoranium stupidus distinguishes the non-distinct. Some of us who are striving to be homo sapiens sapiens–we are coming to the understanding and acceptance that Mother Nature will win. She always does.
I’ve been to one boxing match and that one was more than enough. I went with a friend who was dating one of the boxers. We had front row seats–ringside. Never again. Blood, spit, sweat flew about, landing wherever. Something wet landed on me and I wanted to leave, but my friend was shouting encouragement to her friend, mesmerized by the barbaric violence. She wanted her friend to win. I couldn’t watch and I couldn’t leave, so I closed my eyes. Never turn down an experience has been one of my mantras. I have learned that some experiences are best left to the imagination. I had forgotten, but there was a bloody boxing match featured in a show on television. I didn’t watch–just listened, and I remembered.
Just read an article in The Atlantic on “hopeful pessimism”. Interesting concept–hope grounded in the reality of the current situation. Like the Jews cited in the article digging a tunnel–if death is inevitable–choose the why of your death. For example, if I died trying to escape, rather than waiting for my captors to kill me even though I knew they would kill me after they had no more use for my labor, then I would have agency over my death. If I escape, they could no longer use my labor and, if they killed me because I was caught trying to escape, then, again, they would not have the use of my labor. However, if I escaped, what my captors were hiding may be brought to light and maybe, just maybe…there would be some justice. I think “hopeful pessimism” is a useful concept.
Because hope, mere hope, in and of itself presupposes an outside force to realize the hope. And that hope sometimes, mostly, leads to inaction because some miraculous outside force/entity will aid you, make everything right, answer your prayer.
In a way, Matthew 7: 15-20 NIV speaks to this. Our actions are the measure of our character and how we will be known.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
This verse also warns against the silver tongued sellers of snake oil. Remember–actions speak louder than words. However, when you have a people who have no intelligence, only emotion as their guide, the silver tongued seller of snake oil is their god.
If the Bible was presented as the lore and learning of a person or people who have observed human nature and wrote their findings for posterity to learn from, then, maybe it would not have been used to wreak the mayhem it has over the centuries. It should have been a learning and lore that could have been added to as we humans learned to live harmoniously with each other and this earth. But, the patriarchy latched onto it as a means of control and the words have been so twisted and misused that many gems of wisdom have been lost.
It’s 2025 and we now know that the definition of merit as defined by white supremacy is that merit means white and monied. We have seen that knowledge, education, experience…none of that matters. Only being white and having, preferably, lots of money–that is the merit worshipped by those in control. Oh, yes, you must hate anyone who is not white and who does not believe what a good white supremacist believes. And, let’s not forget being an amoral misogynist seals the deal.
I don’t get the delusion of the Blacks who voted for their own re-enslavement. I don’t see a Black presence being nominated, not even those who buckdanced and proclaimed their love. I don’t see any policy that would make their life better. I see policies that will make their life harder and more miserable. I really don’t think these black traitors get it. They are no longer needed and they’ve been paid. The whites have no reason to give them anything else or to throw any crumbs their way. I hope the entertainers who buckdanced for white supremacy got paid and not in cryptocurrency. I would like to see their sales tank. There should be consequences for their betrayal of the people who supported them before they were co-opted by white transactional greed.
I do understand that Black longevity in the field of entertainment is directly correlated to how well they adhere to the expectations of the whites who control the entertainment field. What I don’t understand is why so few of them, either on their own or as a group, form their own entertainment empires. This example I’m about to give is not from the entertainment industry, but I think the analogy holds–there was once a person who needed capital and because this person was Black there was none to be had. What did this person do? This person seized the opportunity to be a mule and was paid quite handsomely for a successful run. This person used that money to buy a legitimate business. One well-paid role; one payday–if you play your cards right–isn’t that enough capital to get your start in the entertainment business as your own boss?
I doubt if the Loving decision will be revisited. Too much Black wealth is flowing into the white community via the marriages of Blacks to whites. It’s a shame, but whites are quick to take advantage of any practice that enriches them. And, the poor deluded Blacks think that they are special because some white person has deigned to be with them. But whites are transactional. Love has nothing to do with most of their decisions. All they have to do is marry a Black person, pretend to care, and that Black person’s wealth is their booty for lowering themselves to marry said Back person. So, no…that decision paved the way for much wealth to be divested from the Black community and the whites would want that to continue.
The message I am getting and have been getting for a while is that whites cannot compete on a level playing field. They are stupid, mediocre, and ill educated. What a pathetic group to be a part of!
A nation that worships greed will be full of individuals with souls that are empty–empty of compassion, empathy, philadelphos. These are the individuals that engage in the cruelty that is rampant in this country, who kill with impunity, who spread hate of the other, who have no positive light to shine, who have no greatness for which to strive.
A long time ago–a second or third cousin said that when she was growing up, one didn’t let anyone sweep under one’s feet. Why? Because you would never marry. Anyway, she deliberately did not move when someone was sweeping near her and she said that she politely raised her feet so they could sweep the floor. Long story short–she was married twice. Sometimes old wives tales are just that…tales!
But, I’ve been thinking–why? Why would permitting someone to sweep under one’s feet be tied to marriageability? Is one lazy if one allows someone to sweep under one’s feet? Does it show lack of initiative…i.e, why aren’t you sweeping. Is this a red flag that you expect to be catered to? Does this portend that you are inconsiderate and care only for your own comfort? Is it a clue that you might be unhealthy–no energy to move away from the sweeper? An interesting thought experiment, don’t you think?
Okay, Colombia’s President did not back down. He held the U.S. to the agreement in place for accepting deportees. That truth is so different from what the corporate media are touting. The corporate media, owned by the billionaires that are fawning over the person they helped elect, are biased and the media have no qualms about promoting their bias. Now, it’s okay that prices are increasing. Make it make sense!
I am of the same mind as a YouTuber who was speculating–where are the lawsuits by the groups that have fought the good fight for so many years? Why are these groups so silent? Are they gearing up for the long haul? Maybe, then, we will see a flurry of lawsuits? So, far, their silence is deafening. Now, on this day, some days after I wrote the above, the silence has a bit of sound.
There is a cowardly propensity in the human heart that delights in oppressing somebody else, and in the gratification of this base desire we always select a victim that can be outraged with safety. James T. Rapier, Lawyer and politician from Alabama during the Reconstruction Era. Also, was a cotton farmer in Maury County after moving to Nashville where he worked as a reporter for a Northern newspaper. Rapier was born in Alabama and returned to his home state where he was elected to the House of Representatives during the Reconstruction Era.
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