vituperative – Great word! Thank you for using it, and therefore making me look it up.
🙂

I meant to tell you, I played your Nettleton a couple weeks back in church. I can’t remember if I did it before – I wanted to, because I like it and it’s a fun little piece, but I think it struck me as slightly too tricky for a sight-read, the first time I pulled it out. Anyway, I think I did it reasonable justice this time. If you write anything and want someone to play through it and give some feedback- just ask!

Less banging.

?

I think perhaps she is referring to the hammering in the middle of the night (in relation to your blood pressure)… 🙂

If you have to get a Hope College Community library card, make sure it comes with online access. Chelsea, where we purchased a card last year, doesn’t give online access to paid subscribers. Only townies. Of course, I actually had access but they couldn’t explain why…

I haven’t read your blog in a long time, but started again a couple weeks ago since you are visiting soon. Ironically, when I started reading it you are blogging about the same things you were maybe a year ago or so; playing music, politics and burnout. At least you’re consistent. =^)

I just thought I would provide a comment

The New York Times “bomb robot” article brings some valid food for thought. As I process this situation in Dallas, I keep reminding myself that this was an urban warfare firefight instigated by an aggressor, that targeted white people, specifically white police officers (as so far reported by the media). Granted, I am skeptical of the media as I continue to read about the situation and as with any story, it is bound to get twisted in emotional driven opinion, forgoing factual information.

With regard to the United States police forces, I believe they are a far cry from being militarized in the literal sense. Just because they have significant tactical resources, doesn’t mean they could handle situations that call for military involvement. Some of the latest military gear is so far advanced that it makes most police unites look rather primitive, not to mention the military’s vast size. I’m not saying the police forces are unprepared or lacking in resources, but funding for the military and advanced research into the latest and most effective military tactical resources is and has always been, staggeringly higher than local law enforcement.

With respect to the Dallas situation, my experience tells me that, for all practical purposes, a tactical decision was made during the firefight somewhere between the continued barrage of bantering bullets and broken negations, to gain the upper hand to prevent continued further killings. In this instance, it was to use a make shift intermittent explosive device (IED) carried by an explosive ordnance robot to stop the attack.

Similar situations arise in military wars and depending on the scenario, what might seem like excessive force, is in fact a tactical practice that solves the immediate combat situation in favor of the attacked.

For example, a battalion (relatively large amount of troops) of soldiers could be attacked by a regiment (even larger amount of troops) of enemy aggressors. The smaller battalion force could be eventually whittled down to a platoon or fire team (much smaller unites). In the interest of assuring the enemy does not move forward or gain the upper hand, the smaller team could call in an airstrike (meant to inflict maximum enemy casualties with the least effort and loss of friendly life) to basically take out the enemy’s position and secure the situation. Granted this is an exaggerated scenario, but is relevant for the discussion.

Was the robot bombing excessive? Maybe, but it stopped the immediate situation and prevented the enemy from moving forward and gaining the upper hand, or rather, the aggressor from killing more people. Could a SWAT sniper have taken out the aggressor from a distance? Maybe, but in firefights, time is of the essence and tactics are dictated by the immediate needs of the situation.

I’m not necessarily comparing the Dallas situation to a war time scenario, in the sense that excessive force is justified. The comparison is in the rules of engagement. Police must follow procedures and protect, preserve and serve dictated by policies that are in place to avoid breaking the rules of engagement. Similarly, in times of war there are rules of engagement with respect to excessive force. An example is that either party in a war should not be shooting a single soldier with a tank (it’s a Geneva Convention thing or the rules for war). However, it happens, especially if the single soldier is a critical player such as a radio operator. So too does excessive force happen during local engagement between police and lawbreakers, such as the situation in Dallas. I’m not advocating either way, I’m simply pointing out that old saying of “all’s fair in love and war” has some truth to it.

I’m sure this is all irrelevant to you, since I know that you do not believe in war, killing or violence. FWIW, it’s just how I am and have been tracking these situations and processing them.

Looking forward to the visit.

David J

I actually wrote a sermon from scratch yesterday even though, in retirement, I often rewrite an old one.

Pointed to three actions the Samaritan takes:
1) He really SEES the person as he is (a human being not just “the other”)
2) He GOES to the person WHERE he is
3) He RESPONDS to the real need (not perceived but real need) and sets in place a structure to respond to the need in an ongoing manner

Then proceeded to apply the above to the events of last week, drawing in some of the material from Van Jones’ conversation with Newt Gingrich and the FB post from the Friday morning encounter between the young African Woman and the police officer in a convenience store.

Then ended with a “Go and do likewise” ending…

It sort of wrote itself…

We moved from Flint to Columbus during the summer between my 5th and 6th grade years. I was scheduled to go into Greg Angus’ father’s class for the 6th grade. It was an experimental type class that was only open to students who excelled academically. I had been very excited about being accepted into the class and was equally disappointed not to be able to be part of it because of our move to Ohio. And, of course, because Michigan was slow in sending my records to the inner city Columbus school, the school I transferred to placed me in a “slow” class “just to be sure.”

It took more than six months of me acting out and dancing on the teachers’ heads (refusing to stand and say the pledge of allegiance and the Our Father and making it clear that my reasons for this refusal were political among other things) and getting beaten up by classmates (for various reasons but generally because I knew how to spar with words that they lacked – and not with fists) before they transferred me into a more advanced class.

It was during this time that I began my lifelong adventures in therapy… Woohoo!

Wow. Good remembering! Thanks for this!

Bill Moyers isn’t dead. He’s 82 years old and kicking. Shut down his program in January 2015.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Moyers

Jamal May was one of the poets at this year’s Chelsea Midwest Literary Walk. I heard some of what he had to say but, unfortunately, the room was large with a terrible acoustic that was only made worse by incredibly bad PA mixing and speaker placement. At one point, the klieg lights and the PA tripped a circuit breaker and, until they got it fixed, I was actually able to make out what the two featured poets were saying.

I bought his latest book and got him to sign it afterward. We spoke briefly about Wayne State and ML Liebler, a mutual friend. I asked him if he would be willing to come and speak at our Writers’ Workshop and he said yes. Unfortunately, the person who does the scheduling, eschewed my efforts to give them a mutual email introduction so that she could set it up. In so many words, she said she didn’t need my help. And, of course, since he had no idea of who she is, she has so far been unable to get a response from him. Ah well. He seemed a really nice guy and said that he was willing to come be with us “for the love.” All of us from the Workshop who were there for the event (unfortunately, that didn’t include the person who handles scheduling authors) were really impressed with him. We actually would pay his mileage and a VERY modest stipend. Maybe next semester… And, in fairness to the scheduler, she has a pushcart prize “special mention” winner / Publishers’ Weekly “author to be watched” short story writer scheduled for the Fall. I’m looking forward to that…

Obviously, grilled portobello mushrooms are delicious. But I recently discovered that one can put a portobello mushroom in the microwave for a few minutes (along with say, feta cheese and breadcrumbs – actually your only limit is your imagination) and it’s a great lunch with no real cleanup to speak of. But yes, grilling would be better.

We bought a gas grill. I put it together but haven’t actually used it yet. Maybe this weekend if it gets a little cooler outside…

Oh, and I keep meaning to send you this poem by Jamal May that I like:

There Are Birds Here
BY JAMAAL MAY
For Detroit

There are birds here,
so many birds here
is what I was trying to say
when they said those birds were metaphors
for what is trapped
between buildings
and buildings. No.
The birds are here
to root around for bread
the girl’s hands tear
and toss like confetti. No,
I don’t mean the bread is torn like cotton,
I said confetti, and no
not the confetti
a tank can make of a building.
I mean the confetti
a boy can’t stop smiling about
and no his smile isn’t much
like a skeleton at all. And no
his neighborhood is not like a war zone.
I am trying to say
his neighborhood
is as tattered and feathered
as anything else,
as shadow pierced by sun
and light parted
by shadow-dance as anything else,
but they won’t stop saying
how lovely the ruins,
how ruined the lovely
children must be in that birdless city.

Jamaal May, “There Are Birds Here” from The Big Book of Exit Strategies. Copyright © 2016 by Jamaal May. Reprinted by permission of Alice James Books.

Cass & I reallly missed you being at the Hatch Family Reunion!!

The NYT article about blood pressure and politics was interesting. I was discussing it over lunch with a nurse friend of mine. She agreed and actually finished a couple of sentences of mine while I was explaining the article. Go figure.
David J

Cool. As always, thank you for reading. I enjoyed visiting the Calif branch of the Jenkins and seeing Rosenthals as well. Best to all out there and love from Steve

It was fun being there. Thanks for the hospitality.

RE: the prior day’s post and chromatic scale fingering..

Although I know little to nothing about playing the piano or organ, I will say that learning to type correctly from the beginning has made my skills at the “office” keyboard pretty impressive. To most folks, I sound like I’m fake typing as they don’t think people actually type with any purpose or accuracy at that speed.

Not trying to be boastful, only pointing out that learning the basics might seem difficult or tedious to begin with, can have amazing results. So many in my early classes fought the basics with an attitude of “this is unnecessary”. I have found that the basics make a huge difference. Probably preaching to the “choir” here (hardy, har har).

Fortunately your efforts will result in a much prettier sound than my tippity tap!
Again, missed having a conversation with you while in Michigan.

xoxo

Thinking of Larry Wilmore and “traveling under the radar…” Leigh and I were watching him via downloaded videos (even though we could record it from our cable box) which means that our viewership wasn’t part of the equation. I wonder how much that sort of thing happens.