While Monday is like getting reacquainted with the workweek, Tuesday is when it begins in earnest. In no particular order, I have noted a few truisms for this Tuesday.
Looking out at the rainy early evening, it is wonderful to see how green everything looks. The trees frame an enchanting view.
On a more sober note, on our travels to visit our son a few hours away in NC we saw two huge confederate flags flying boldly off the highways. I know the flyers do not care, but when I see a flag like this, especially having grown up white in the South, my first thought is bigotry. This flag represents Jim Crow and the KKK as much as it does the Confederacy. When I see a Confederate flag side-by-side with an American flag, the hypocrisy that one flag represents rebellion against the other is not lost on me.
I mention this as the persona non grata NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick won a global award from Amnesty International for human rights this month. He was made an example by the US President for his very brave protest of kneeling during the national anthem in deference to black Americans not having the same rights and opportunities in America as whites. His courage and understanding of our constitutional rights far exceeds that of the President who resorted to flaming fires of jingoism among a dutiful base against this man. I am reminded that MLK was equally unpopular when he won the Nobel Peace Prize. People outside the US are watching if we are living up to our ideals which mean far more than an anthem.
A final thought on our ideals includes the freedom of the press. It should not be lost on others that reporters for The Washington Post and New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for Journalism for their coverage of the Russian meddling. It is important to note that the US President has called this fake news and a witch hunt. Apparently, the Pulitzer people disagree. Let’s see, if the man is lying about that, what else might he be lying about?
I started with how green everything looks with the rain. Maybe our country needs a good cleansing rain to wash away our fears and demeaning of others and our ideals.
musingsofanoldfart 
Yeah, for some strange reason, I thought today was Tuesday too. Thank-you — excellent thoughts no matter what day of the week it is 😉 😉
Thanks Vanessa. I wanted to release the hounds before the dawn of Tuesday. 😎
Note to Readers: If you have an extra minute, please click on the suggested reading about “Strange Fruit” beneath this post. Highlighting Billie Holiday’s mournful lament will provide context to the Confederate flag in the Jim Crow era. I was reminded today that the Jin Crow era began in 1876 when President Rutherford Hayes settled a close election count by agreeing to withdraw federal troops from the South. Lynchings and imprisoning blacks to be used on leased work crews began in earnest after that.
These are all excellent things for us to be pondering on this grey, rainy Tuesday, my friend. And as I ponder, I think that our nation is not heading in the right direction, but rather seems to have put its transmission into ‘R’ and is heading on a backward trajectory. I like your idea of a good cleansing rain to wash away some of the evil that we see. Good post!
Jill, agreed about the “R” on the transmission. What people who blindly follow the President’s lead should ask themselves is don’t you realize how hard it is to go against the grain, knowing it may cost your career as it did with Colin Kaepernick? Should we not resoundly condemn the President for equating white supremacist who want the right to demean blacks, Jews, Muslims versus those who are standing up for their rights? Members of Congress were not uniformly forceful to call this bigotry out. Keith
My first reaction to your great post was, “Where does Keith live? Must be WAY south!!” I look out my window and see the last mounds of ice melting away, brown lawns, and trees with no leaves. YUCKY! Congrats on your lovely spring greenery, good sir.
All of us seem to have a hard time living up to our ideals – I think it is a human problem not unique to America. Having said that, it is good that America promotes such ideals because it gives every nation a set of noble goals to work toward.
I agree the White House needs a thorough cleaning out.
John, I live in North Carolina, but raised in Florida. We are having a rainy week, but it is green. Sad news in Toronto. Keith
I live one hour by car from Toronto and that event was a horrible shock – and the country was still reeling from the bus crash in Saskatchewan that killed 17 members of a hockey team. Thanks for your kind words, good sir.
I just hope spring is here to stay here in southern Ontario. Thanks, Keith.
Dear Keith,
There have even been some beautiful Spring days here in Denver. I’ve seen lots of pink and white blooming trees with temperatures in the 70s. I love this time of year. To see the confederate flag in this setting would definitely mar any panorama.
I have taken time to visit a local cannabis shop where I received quite the education.
Billie Holiday’s jazz classic “Strange Fruit” tells it like it is:
Southern trees bear strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees…
Would you believe that President Trump is expecting to earn the “Nobel Peace Prize” over his part of any peace agreement between N and S Korea?
Hugs, Gronda
Gronda, I would love to hear about your cannabis store learnings. I have a brother-in-law who has been on severe pain meds for years which affected his speech. He is now on a medical marijuana (a topical cream) and has shed all other pain meds and is coherent.
I am glad you quote Billie Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit.”
Take care, Keith