We participated in No Kings Protest yesterday in Santa Fe.
We had a huge turnout but my photos don't capture the size of the crowd. While I can take decent photographs, I will never be a photo journalist. Here is what is left after I deleted about 20 other shots that were, well, uninteresting.
The video was the tail end of the march returning to the Capitol but by that time many marchers had remained at Santa Fe Plaza.
Took a day off from the monotony of the endless junipers (and bad news) and took a hike with Leon to San Gregorio Reservoir, a lake in Rio Arriba, near Cuba New Mexico. We were hiking at an elevation of approximately 9,400 feet. And my knee was good...no pain and that alone was a miracle. The lake is located in the Jemez mountain range.
There were fields of wild iris (most were just past their prime), lots of wild flowers, fir trees, aspen trees, scrub oak and lot of other green growing things...and NO JUNIPERS!
(I may have mentioned that where we live there are endless junipers and prickly pear and cholla and not much else. I find the landscape really gets me down sometimes. So it was a treat to have a change of scenery and see a real green forest - very much like our old haunts in Vermont).
Here are a few photos:
A somewhat obscure song from Queer as Folk "PROUD"
With all that's transpired at the direction of the current administration I am not terribly optimistic about the future of LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms. But I will not present you all with my half-baked thoughts on the subject. Just a reminder of where we've come from Before Stonewall.
I commented in reply to Bob's post about Scott Pelley, speaking at Wake Forest University’s graduation, urging the graduates to take a stand.
So let me repeat my rant here this morning, just because I really need to:
It is encouraging to hear those who are vociferously speaking truth to power. It is also discouraging that we have come to this point in history. There are all kinds of political and social analysts trying to explain how we got here, but explanations are not enough. And speaking out seems courageous but also does not seem enough. I'm not sure what we can do.
The powerful seem to be implementing their plan of attack from multiple directions, attacking every democratic institution, program, ideal and structure that has made this country what it "was" and what we believed it would always be. These fascists are dangerous people.
At the age of 77, I can say I have marched and protested and voted and worked in the forefront of the AIDS crisis, the LGBTQ liberation movement and the anti-war movement, mental health and for the homeless. As tired as I might be, I plan to be protesting again on June 14 against the Dictator/King in the White House.
May he and all his fascist entourage get what justice demands and soon. I have never wished harm or evil on anyone, but I am tempted to make an exception for the narcissist-in-chief and the power hungry entities who are using him as a convenient tool to their evil ends. May God, if there is a God, help us.
Hubby Leon, Wilderness Park Ranger, still has a job as of today with the Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior, and will be employed for the foreseeable future, at least until further litigation resolves the issues. See story below.
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| Some of the Trash Leon Has to Deal With |
A federal judge on Thursday indicated she will issue a longer-term injunction that bans the Trump administration from implementing layoffs, suggesting those actions were unlawful and in violation of the Constitution.
President Trump, the White House and the Department of Government Efficiency have all exceeded their authorities in requiring agencies to develop and implement layoff plans, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said. She made her remarks at the outset of a hearing in San Francisco on a lawsuit challenging the reductions in force and one day ahead of the scheduled expiration of a temporary freeze she previously placed on the layoffs.
“I do believe the evidence before the court suggests that plaintiffs will likely succeed on the merits of their claims,” Illston said. “I believe injunctive relief, preliminary at this stage, remains necessary to preserve the status quo and protect the power of the legislative branch.”
She added the evidence strongly suggested that “the recent actions of the executive branch usurp the constitutional powers of Congress.”
Her existing temporary restraining order, which she earlier this month put in place for two weeks, prevented agencies from implementing their Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans. Those plans were required by the Office of Personnel Management and Office of Management and Budget, as well as President Trump’s executive order that precipitated them. It applied to OMB and OPM, as well as the departments of Agriculture Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Treasury, Transportation and Veterans Affairs. It also applies to AmeriCorps, the Environmental Protection Agency, the General Services Administration, the National Labor Relations Board, the National Science Foundation, the Small Business Administration and the Social Security Administration.
Illston said every large-scale government reorganization effort in recent memory, such as the one Trump is undertaking, has required congressional approval.
“The president may not initiate a large-scale executive branch reorganization without partnering with Congress to hold otherwise would be telling nine presidents and congresses that they misunderstood the Constitution,” Illston said. “I do not have that level of self confidence.”
Much of the remainder of the hearing concerned the scope of Illston’s potential preliminary injunction, though attorneys for both sides also debated the merits of the case.
The Trump administration has defended the layoffs by arguing the president did not issue mandates for specific actions and OMB and OPM only provided guidance for how agencies should conduct RIFs. Andrew Bernie, a Justice Department attorney representing the government on Thursday, said OMB and OPM do not view their roles as “substantively second guessing agencies determinations.” He added the RIF blueprints were just planning documents and agencies did not have to follow through on them.
Danielle Leonard, an attorney for the plaintiffs, countered that her team had presented evidence of OMB and OPM overruling agencies that submitted first drafts of their RIF plans.
“They are saying what to cut, when to cut, where to cut,” Leonard said.
The Trump administration has largely complied with Illston’s order, though some reorganization actions—such as the Interior Department’s efforts to consolidate functions—have continued. Agencies have also moved forward with the re-firings of employees in their probationary periods. Some agencies have notified employees subject to layoffs that those efforts were paused.
Going forward, Bernie suggested if Illston were to issue an injunction it should be limited to only employees who are part of the unions bringing the cases. Illston suggested she was looking to expand her order to apply retroactively to benefit those already laid off, though she said she may immediately pause enforcement of that part of the order so employees do not “ping pong” back and forth.
The judge added she could require agencies to reinstate to full working status those who have received RIF notices but are still on paid administrative leave waiting for their terminations to take effect. Agencies generally must give 60 days notice before RIFs are finalized.
Doing so, she said, “makes a lot of sense, because it doesn't make sense to have employees sitting around not working.”
The Trump administration has already appealed the judge’s restraining order to both the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, though neither entity has issued a ruling.
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, who has helped orchestrate the Trump administration’s federal workforce reduction efforts, told reporters on Thursday all of the RIFs across government were conducted legally and predicted the administration would ultimately prevail.
“They've been an effort to scale down the federal workforce with care, with wisdom about what's necessary to statutorily conduct and operate agencies,” Vought said. “And I think at the end of the day, wherever they're at, they're going to be successful when they get to the Supreme Court."
The administration has also faced more targeted setbacks: on Thursday, a federal judge in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Education Department from carrying out its mass layoffs. Other judges have paused RIFs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Institute of Museum and Library Studies. The legality of layoffs at the Health and Human Services Department is currently being litigated.
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| When he's not in the office, the views are expansive. |
Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost) gave his greeting of peace to all people and made it a point to be "inclusive"of the world.
He has done missionary work, was a bishop in Peru. Seems to have a heart for the poor and marginalized.
He has made a few mis-steps from what I've read. But I think he will do good. I feel relieved that it was not a doctrinal conservative.
I don't like to make predictions, but I have a sense that he will be a thorn in the side of our felonious dictator.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIV
Trump posted a picture of himself as Pope on the official White House account. I can’t stomach reposting it here.
The depth of his deprivation and disrespect is unfathomable.
Every Catholic who voted for him should do penance for the rest of their lives.
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| An Old Demotivator Poster - Always Liked the Concept |
To my Blogging buddies, especially Russ, Debra, Mitchell, Mark, Bob:
I don't know how you all do what you do so consistently, so profusely, so creatively.
As you may have noticed, I'm not posting much of late, as I've been feeling uninspired. I have pretty much run out of energy and enthusiasm and find I have little to say, or little I care to say, anymore.
My Personal life: Ho hum, nothing to see here.
Politics/Breaking News: It's been reported, said, written, video recorded, memed, shared, re-hashed and bait-clicked already.
Travel: We don't.... or we've been there, done that and took photos already.
Pop "culture": Doesn't interest me at all
Cooking/gardening: Just go to YouTube. It's all there.
Health: Do you really want to hear about my aches and pains?
Sex: Isn't it available on about 79% of the internet?
My reticence extends to commenting on your blogs as well as writing posts on Reluctant Rebel. I'm more reluctant than ever...but may do a post now and then or then.
Please don't take my lack of commenting on your blogs personally. I will still check in, even if I don't comment. √
I am dismayed by some of the vitriolic criticisms of Francis that I have read in other forums. Like all of us, he had his flaws. But providing guidance, instruction and discipline in a religious-political arena which includes not only the Catholic Church, but the larger, multi-factioned political environment is not an easy or a "black and white" task. Perhaps only the saints among us can fault him for not being the perfect Saint Francis.
May his spirit and compassion continue to guide the Church in the coming days.
https://www.newsweek.com/pope-francis-us-catholic-church-ideology-faith-1822802
I wrote a blog post back in April of 2012 and a revised version April 2013. (The first versions were addressed to a Catholic audience and one was actually published in a progressive Catholic journal). Today, thirteen years later, I feel compelled to offer another revision
for 2025. This time addressed to anyone who calls themselves
“Christian”.
“The Last Station of the Cross: Jesus Turns Over in His Grave”
Perhaps I am depressed. I know I am tired. I am weary of the world and all its petty squabbles and all the ego-trips and political posturing and religious hypocrisy.
It seems this year has been exceptionally brutal in many arenas and I find religion, and Christianity in particular, virtually silent in response to all of the social (in)justice issues and other global issues that face societies in all parts of the world today.
Virtually silent (there are faint voices) about the things that Jesus talked about - what are called the Works of Mercy in particular: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and those in prison.
So called “christians” have been disturbingly silent on matters that cry out for love, justice and compassion but have been disturbingly vocal on issues that promote divisiveness, hate and repressive ideologies.
Christians are silent and do not speak out on behalf of Mother Earth or condemn the waste, the wanton disregard for the environment and the obscene use of limited resources by the few.
- Instead they celebrate every attempt to reverse laws and policies that were put in place to protect the earth and the biodiversity of life and the water and air so they may plunder every resource to enrich themselves.
Christians are silent and do not speak out on behalf of the poor and needy, though they profess to believe in the gospel that requires they serve the least of these.
- Instead they watch idly while those in power actively cut off the funding and personnel which serve the poor and needy, effectively cutting them off from life-sustaining food and medicine and services that are not available to them through other means.
Christians are silent and do not speak out on behalf of those who cannot afford health care, though they profess a belief in the value of all human life.
- Instead they applaud the plot to limit or disrupt the healthcare system, allowing companies to profit obscenely on medications and insurance premiums; terminate employees who are critical to providing care; deny science and medical research in favor of crack-pot conspiracy theories and pseudo-science. And to ice the cake, withdraw health insurance from illegally terminated federal employees.
Christians are silent and do not speak out against those who are driven to amass obscene wealth on the backs of the struggling working classes and the poor though they profess to believe the words of Jesus that it is harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven than for a camel to go through a needle's eye.
- Instead they justify enriching both the wealthy and themselves, legally or illegally, by pointing to the behavior of the oligarchs who hoard and acquire wealth aggressively, unashamedly, blatantly and provocatively with no regard for ethics or society.
Christians are silent and do not speak out against the blatant weaponizing of government to punish and retaliate against those it perceives as disloyal to a person of questionable ethics and morals. - Instead they delight in seeing their enemies unjustly persecuted and deprived of livelihoods without due process or any consideration of legality.
Christians are silent and do not speak out against the infiltration of religion into government though they profess to believe the words of Jesus to "render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's".
- Instead they actively pursue draconian laws and policies that they justify by couching them in “religious freedom” while quoting biblical texts or junk science or erroneous opinions, all with the subversive agenda of making government an arm of their particular religious sect at the expense of those who have different beliefs or none at all.
Christians are silent and do not speak out against the growing prejudice and discrimination towards persons who they perceive to be “the wrong color” or who are immigrants or refugees, though their bible admonishes them in more than one place how to treat the foreigner, e.g. “The Lord proclaims: Do what is just and right; rescue the oppressed from the power of the oppressor. Don’t exploit or mistreat the refugee, the orphan, and the widow. Don’t spill the blood of the innocent in this place.”
- Instead they adopt a mob mentality in their eagerness to deport immigrants and refugees and non-christians, and put “undesirables” into detention (concentration) camps without due process.
Christians are silent and do not speak out against the actions of those in power to erase the “inconvenient” parts of history that show the pain, suffering, patriotism and contributions of diverse groups of persons of color or of indigenous origin or gender identity.
- Instead they support and promote false narratives, the editing and rewriting of history to suit their ideologies, the destruction of monuments, the banning of books, the censoring of art and artists, the excluding of journalists, the stifling of free speech and diversity, equity and inclusion (under the guise of protecting free speech and diversity).
Christians are silent and do not speak out against the pedophile ministers, priests, pastors in their midst.
- Instead, they protect and often hide the perpetrators who continue to victimize vulnerable children and in their embarrassment and shame and silence actually "normalize" abusive behavior on the part of their abusive leaders while at the same time fail to make meaningful amends to all to whom they caused pain and suffering.
Christians are silent and do not speak out to embrace gay and lesbian and transgender children, too many of whom take their own lives because of judgements passed by religious leaders who condemn them.
- Instead they actively ridicule the very existence of LGBTQ+ citizens and wish to strip LGBTQ+ citizens of their hard won civil rights and, in some cases, make it a crime to declare, act on or profess one’s sexual orientation, gender identity or status. They would end marriage equality and the right to love the person of one's choosing.
Christians are silent and do not speak out to condemn the deliberate dismantling of of our democracy and the wanton disruption of the the global economy which causes undue suffering and hardship to many in this country and abroad.
Instead many so called “christians” are not only supporting such irresponsible actions but are celebrating the ripping apart of traditions and institutions we have held sacred in the misguided belief that all is in the service of their god and his plan for the end of times. (It may very well signal the end of times, but god has nothing to do with it.)
So during this Easter season, I cannot help but imagine that if Jesus Christ could see the hubris and hypocrisy of his "followers" today....... He would certainly "turn over in his grave" so to speak.
The passion of Christ lives on in the poor and oppressed and those in service to others, but Resurrection seems highly unlikely.
