"The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro"

  by Frederick Douglass

Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. They were great men, too Ñ great enough to give frame to a great age. It does not often happen to a nation to raise, at one time, such a number of truly great men. The point from which I am compelled to view them is not, certainly, the most favorable; and yet I cannot contemplate their great deeds with less than admiration. They were statesmen, patriots and heroes, and for the good they did, and the principles they contended for, I will unite with you to honor their memory....

...Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here to-day? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? and am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?

Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! Then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful. For who is there so cold, that a nation's sympathy could not warm him? Who so obdurate and dead to the claims of gratitude, that would not thankfully acknowledge such priceless benefits? Who so stolid and selfish, that would not give his voice to swell the hallelujahs of a nation's jubilee, when the chains of servitude had been torn from his limbs? I am not that man. In a case like that, the dumb might eloquently speak, and the "lame man leap as an hart."

But such is not the state of the case. I say it with a sad sense of the disparity between us. I am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common.ÑThe rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak to-day? If so, there is a parallel to your conduct. And let me warn you that it is dangerous to copy the example of a nation whose crimes, towering up to heaven, were thrown down by the breath of the Almighty, burying that nation in irrevocable ruin! I can to-day take up the plaintive lament of a peeled and woe-smitten people!

"By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yea! we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there, they that carried us away captive, required of us a song; and they who wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, 0 Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth."

Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them. If I do forget, if I do not faithfully remember those bleeding children of sorrow this day, "may my right hand forget her cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!" To forget them, to pass lightly over their wrongs, and to chime in with the popular theme, would be treason most scandalous and shocking, and would make me a reproach before God and the world. My subject, then, fellow-citizens, is American slavery. I shall see this day and its popular characteristics from the slave's point of view. Standing there identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July! Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. America.is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the Bible which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery Ñ the great sin and shame of America! "I will not equivocate; I will not excuse"; I will use the severest language I can command; and yet not one word shall escape me that any man, whose judgment is not blinded by prejudice, or who is not at heart a slaveholder, shall not confess to be right and just.

But I fancy I hear some one of my audience say, "It is just in this circumstance that you and your brother abolitionists fail to make a favorable impression on the public mind. Would you argue more, an denounce less; would you persuade more, and rebuke less; your cause would be much more likely to succeed." But, I submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued. What point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? On what branch of the subject do the people of this country need light? Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man? That point is conceded already. Nobody doubts it. The slaveholders themselves acknowledge it in the enactment of laws for their government. They acknowledge it when they punish disobedience on the part of the slave. There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment. What is this but the acknowledgment that the slave is a moral, intellectual, and responsible being? The manhood of the slave is conceded. It is admitted in the fact that Southern statute books are covered with enactments forbidding, under severe fines and penalties, the teaching of the slave to read or to write. When you can point to any such laws in reference to the beasts of the field, then I may consent to argue the manhood of the slave. When the dogs in your streets, when the fowls of the air, when the cattle on your hills, when the fish of the sea, and the reptiles that crawl, shall be unable to distinguish the slave from a brute, then will I argue with you that the slave is a man!

For the present, it is enough to affirm the equal manhood of the Negro race. Is it not astonishing that, while we are ploughing, planting, and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses, constructing bridges, building ships, working in metals of brass, iron, copper, silver and gold; that, while we are reading, writing and ciphering, acting as clerks, merchants and secretaries, having among us lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators and teachers; that, while we are engaged in all manner of enterprises common to other men, digging gold in California, capturing the whale in the Pacific, feeding sheep and cattle on the hill-side, living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian's God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men!

Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? that he is the rightful owner of his own body? You have already declared it. Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Is that a question for Republicans? Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to be understood? How should I look to-day, in the presence of Amercans, dividing, and subdividing a discourse, to show that men have a natural right to freedom? speaking of it relatively and positively, negatively and affirmatively. To do so, would be to make myself ridiculous, and to offer an insult to your understanding. There is not a man beneath the canopy of heaven that does not know that slavery is wrong for him.

What, am I to argue that it is wrong to make men brutes, to rob them of their liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh with the lash, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their mastcrs? Must I argue that a system thus marked with blood, and stained with pollution, is wrong? No! I will not. I have better employment for my time and strength than such arguments would imply.

What, then, remains to be argued? Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken? There is blasphemy in the thought. That which is inhuman, cannot be divine! Who can reason on such a proposition? They that can, may; I cannot. The time for such argument is passed.

At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could reach the nation's ear, I would, to-day, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy -- a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.

Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival....


...Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented, of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country. There are forces in operation which must inevitably work the downfall of slavery. "The arm of the Lord is not shortened," and the doom of slavery is certain. I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from "the Declaration of Independence," the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age. Nations do not now stand in the same relation to each other that they did ages ago. No nation can now shut itself up from the surrounding world and trot round in the same old path of its fathers without interference. The time was when such could be done. Long established customs of hurtful character could formerly fence themselves in, and do their evil work with social impunity. Knowledge was then confined and enjoyed by the privileged few, and the multitude walked on in mental darkness. But a change has now come over the affairs of mankind. Walled cities and empires have become unfashionable. The arm of commerce has borne away the gates of the strong city. Intelligence is penetrating the darkest corners of the globe. It makes its pathway over and under the sea, as well as on the earth. Wind, steam, and lightning are its chartered agents. Oceans no longer divide, but link nations together. From Boston to London is now a holiday excursion. Space is comparatively annihilated. -- Thoughts expressed on one side of the Atlantic are distinctly heard on the other.

The far off and almost fabulous Pacific rolls in grandeur at our feet. The Celestial Empire, the mystery of ages, is being solved. The fiat of the Almighty, "Let there be Light," has not yet spent its force. No abuse, no outrage whether in taste, sport or avarice, can now hide itself from the all-pervading light. The iron shoe, and crippled foot of China must be seen in contrast with nature. Africa must rise and put on her yet unwoven garment. 'Ethiopia, shall, stretch. out her hand unto Ood." In the fervent aspirations of William Lloyd Garrison, I say, and let every heart join in saying it:

God speed the year of jubilee
The wide world o'er!
When from their galling chains set free,
Th' oppress'd shall vilely bend the knee,
And wear the yoke of tyranny
Like brutes no more.
That year will come, and freedom's reign,
To man his plundered rights again
Restore.

God speed the day when human blood
Shall cease to flow!
In every clime be understood,
The claims of human brotherhood,
And each return for evil, good,
Not blow for blow;
That day will come all feuds to end,
And change into a faithful friend
Each foe.

God speed the hour, the glorious hour,
When none on earth
Shall exercise a lordly power,
Nor in a tyrant's presence cower;
But to all manhood's stature tower,
By equal birth!
That hour will come, to each, to all,
And from his Prison-house, to thrall
Go forth.

Until that year, day, hour, arrive,
With head, and heart, and hand I'll strive,
To break the rod, and rend the gyve,
The spoiler of his prey deprive --
So witness Heaven!
And never from my chosen post,
Whate'er the peril or the cost,
Be driven.




The Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass, Volume II
Pre-Civil War Decade 1850-1860
Philip S. Foner
International Publishers Co., Inc., New York, 1950

Trying a little exercise

I’ll call this Covid warmup because we are under a semi-quarantine for the Corona Virus and the days are warming up into summer.  I have been busy working on my media server and have been adding movies and tv series’ as fast as I can.  I have a seemingly limitless amount of storage - about 12.5TB across a raid 5 volume of three drives and over 500 movies and a couple of hundres 1 hour tv/mini-series  episodes occupy only about 2TB.  Of course I remember thinking the same thing about 25 years ago when I first started installing 120mb drives in PC’s.

Who could ever fill one - a single ful length movie takes about 2gb of storage (more than 15 of these 120mb drives).  Technology certainly has improved by many orders of magnitide since the early 90’s.

Which brings me to the question of the day: How can an entire planed be held hostage to a virus that first made its appearance last Fall?  The US has been in a virtual state of lockdown since early March, the economy devistated, millions of cases and 150,000 dead.  Now we are being told of a “Second wave” of infections because many advocates of liberty and opposition refuse to take common sense precautions like wearing a mask and washing their hands after handling anything outside their home to prevent the spread of this disease.  

Lots of free people out there spreading death and the more you spew, the longer it will take to return to something approaching normal.

Till next time.

Tennessee 32829 cases, 509 deaths
Loudon County 221 cases, 1 death

Visiting an old book friend

The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book first hit the best seller list in 1961 when I was a 14 year old boy with raging hormones and much curiosity. The adults in my family whispered about it and passed it around - but not to me because I was just a boy and too young to know about many of the facts of life. (I didn't think so but had no say in the matter.) My interest in the book soon faded.

In 1966, Steve McQueen starred in Nevada Smith based on the character from The Carpetbaggers and my interest was rekindled.

WOW! This book had it all, sex, lust, power, love, power, hate and life all wrapped in a riveting tale of Jonas Cord (supposedly based on Howard Hughes). I couldn't put it down - I read it on a weekend all 673 small print paperback pages.

The Carpetbaggers is a raw tale of life staged in the high speed world of the rich and famous in the first half of the 20th century. If you enjoy novels about real life, you must read this one.

It is a love or hate kind of book, I read it about once a decade.

View all my reviews

What has the New York Democrat Primary go to do with me?

Why vote, the State has Chosen For You

Those of you who know me are probably aware that I am a Libertarian.  I believe that the rights of an individual are supposed to be protected (not granted) by the state.

You are born free to do with your life as you choose.  If you infringe on another person's rights, you must be accountable for your actions.  More often than not, agents of the state are tasked with enforcing orders that infringe your rights and they tend to do so with little chance of being held accountable.

Here is a link to an article in "The Guardian", In this article US district judge Analisa Torres wrote that the state had deprived voters of their constitutional guarantee of freedom of association. New York voters, she said, weren’t just voting for a presidential candidate, but also for delegates who could influence the direction of the Democratic National Convention in August.

You can read more in the link above but in essence this decision appears to indicate that a state restricting the right of a citizen to vote for whom he wishes and to have that vote counted has deprived voters of their constitutional guarantee of freedom of association. 

Remember, I said in the first sentence that I am a Libertarian yet my state, Tennessee has deprived me of my right to vote for a candidate or an office of my choice at EVERY election.  This is not new, while a resident of North Carolina, I encountered the same thing. Indeed, I was once removed from a North Carolina City Council ballot becaused the state board of elections decided that they could remove my party at the last minute (6 weeks before the election) and I would not have time to obatin the necessary signatures to get on the ballot as an independent in that race.

States routinely violate citizens' rights by making it more difficult for a Political Party to appear on their ballot, by deciding local and/or state issues via votes on a party ballot instead of in a general election where everyone can vote.

Each party when in power tends to tighten the rules on elections to favor keeping themselves in power, when re-districting is required after a census, district lines are redrawn to favor the party in power.

When you go to vote (assuming that you are one of the roughly 50% of Americans who does vote in Presidential Elections or one of the 25% who votes in the off years) do you really have a choice to vote for the person you deem best to fill a particular office?  How many of you if given a blank piece of paper and told to write down your choices would actually choose the one or two candidates for each office presented to you on a printed ballot? I daresay none of you would do that.

In my state as a Libertarian, I am barred from voting in any primary other than my own, Libertarians are not allowed on ANY ballot as anything but an independent candidate and there is no independent primary.  Many bond issues are decided at the primaries but Independent voters cannot vote in primaries.

Well, you might say, write in your favorite person for an office but in many states (Including mine) write in votes are not counted and if they are, they must come from an approved list of candidates.

The system is rigged and until you take a position contrary to the mantra of the "2 Major" political parties in this country, you will wonder what all the hullabaloo is about.

So, what has the New York Democrat Primary got to do with me? Or you or anything?  I am not a Sanders supporter  nor of any of the other Democrats who qualified for the ballot BUT the primary should be held and the votes tallied for all the candidates and the write-ins too.  In any political contest in a democratic country, every citizen who wants to be heard and can meet the basic qualifications for an office has a right to have his name placed on the ballot and any voter should have the right to vote in any election that affects without regard for party affiliation.

I believe that ballots with a very large number of candidates for every office give us a better chance of electing great leaders. Choice in all things is the best way to insure an educated electorate.

This tiny step by US district judge Analisa Torres is a start.

Tennessee: 13938 Loudon County: 39

Wednesday Night Banjo & Donut Marching Society

Last Wednesday I attended the inagural meeting of the "Wednesday Night Banjo & Donut Marching Society" via Zoom.

For those who do not know, when I was attending UNC at Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1969, I met a young woman at Greensboro Women's College who would have been at home in hoop skirts, sipping mint julips while fanning herself and uttering such southernisms as, "Bless yo'r heart" and "Pass the suggah sweetie".  Myra was my first up close encounter with a "Southern Belle" who would have been at home at Tara and I was infatuated.

While listening to a local folk group at a small bistro one Saturday evening, Myra remarked, "I just Luv the Banjo, don't you?"

The next day, I bought a banjo and a how to play book to match and began my short lived banjo playing career.  I played badly and couldn't find anyone to teach me.  Myra was unimpressed and was soon off to find another Rhet for her Tara and I Was soon off to distant places and other pursuits but I never seemed to have the time to learn how to play the banjo.

Fast forward 40+ years and retirement and finally, enough time to learn to play the banjo.  In the on-line find anything you want I found an affordable banjo at Amazon and I found Patrick Costello as a teacher and a role model: you see, Patrick is deaf (cochlear implants did give him some hearing a few years ago), has more health issues than anyone ought to have but he plays beautifully and has a knack for teaching.

Patrick and his "Dear old Dad" Pat has an on-line publishing and teaching Claw-hammer Banjo to the likes of wannabes like me.  We've been on-line friends for nearly 10 years now and I have become a reasonable player.

Last week, I received an email from Patrick inviting me to the first gathering of the newly formed "Wednesday Night Banjo & Donut Marching Society" via Zoom and I had to be there.

22 banjo players joined Patrick and Dear Old Dad for an hour of mayhem in an international jam session.  We had fun - there were issues and questions and a bit of learning but the Society had a successful launch.  I'll be back next Wednesday and I'm sure others will be as well.

A Touch of Normalcy

Mobile Bay Tanker 2017

Last night, we went to the home of long time frinds Bill and Phyllis for dinner and conversation.  Just the sort of thing we used to do all the time with them before COVID-19 invaded our world,

The remarkable thing about it was how unremarkable it all seemed.

We sat on their deck couple by couple (the pairs about 10 feet apart) and enjoyed wine and cheese and conversation.  Topics ranged from the virus to cooking and shopping, to mutual friends and family Zoom gatherings.

Bill had gone to Bonefish Grill for a great take-out dinner for 4 of Lily's Chicken.

Just the idea of getting together and having a normal evening was refreshing.

What a great evening - hand waves (no hugs) and back home feeling much better.

Tennessee: 11891  Loudon County: 32

The straight skinny!

My New Hobby

Your intrepid blogger has taken a couple of week off to do some exhaustive research on the real situation with Covid-19.  I have combed through hours and hours of reports from all the major news outlest, the CDC, the Tennessee department of health, My brother-in-law Tom, Neighbor Chuck, Madam Rue (you know that gypsy with the gold tattoo from Love Potion #9).

The Chinese fellow at the local take out restaurant said it sounds like the Russian flu to him while my friend is Cuba last said to stay the hell indoors and wear a mask everywhere before he went off the air about a week ago (I'm worried about him!)

But here is the straight skinny derived (stolen & plagiarized  from dozens of reliable sources.)

The LIST:

1. Basically, you can't leave the house for any reason, but if you have to, then go ahead.

2. Masks are useless, but please wear one, it could save you or someone else or maybe not. Also could be mandatory, maybe. 

3. Stores are closed, except the ones that are open. You can buy the same stuff at some open stores that they have at closed stores and there are a lot more people inside them. 

4. You should not go to hospitals unless you have to go there. Same applies to doctors, you should only go there in case of emergency, provided you are not too sick. If you are sick stay home.

5. This virus is deadly but still not too scary, except that sometimes it actually leads to a global disaster or instant death. 

6. Gloves won't help, but they can still help. If you touch anything then throw them away! 

7. Everyone needs to stay HOME, but it's important to GO OUT.

8. There is no shortage of groceries in the supermarket, but there are many things missing when you go there in the evening, but not in the morning. Sometimes. Check Facebook for current inventory. 

9. The virus has no effect on children except those it affects.

10. Animals are not affected, but there is still a cat that tested positive in Belgium in February when no one had been tested, plus a few tigers here and there…

11. You will have many symptoms when you are sick, but you can also get sick without symptoms, have symptoms without being sick, or be contagious without having symptoms. Yeah.

12. In order not to get sick, you have to eat well and exercise, but eat whatever you have on hand and it's better not to go out, well, but please support local restaurants. 

13. It's better to get some fresh air, but you get looked at very wrong when you get some fresh air, and most importantly, you don't go to parks or walk. But don’t sit down, except that you can do that now if you are old, but not for too long or if you are pregnant (but not too old).

14. You can't go to retirement homes, but you have to take care of the elderly and bring food and medication.

15. If you are sick, you can't go out, but you can go to the pharmacy or pretty much anywhere. 

16. You can get restaurant food delivered to the house, which may have been prepared by people who didn't wear masks or gloves. But you have to have your groceries decontaminated outside for 3 hours. Pizza too?

17. Every disturbing article or disturbing interview must start with " I don't want to trigger panic, but…"

18. You can't see your older mother or grandmother, but you can take a uber and meet an older Uber driver.

19. You can walk around with a friend but not with your family if they don't live under the same roof.

20. You are safe if you maintain the appropriate social distance, but you can’t go out with friends or strangers at the safe social distance.

21. The virus remains active on different surfaces for two hours, no, four, no, six, no, we didn't say hours, maybe days? But it takes a damp environment. Oh no, not necessarily.

22. The virus stays in the air - well no, or yes, maybe, especially in a closed room, in one hour a sick person can infect ten, so if it falls, all our children were already infected at school before it was closed. But remember, if you stay at the recommended social distance, however in certain circumstances you should maintain a greater distance, which, studies show, the virus can travel further, maybe.

23. We count the number of deaths but we don't know how many people are infected as we have only tested so far those who were "almost dead" to find out if that's what they will die of

24. We have no treatment, except that there may be one that apparently is not dangerous unless you take too much (which is the case with all medications). 

25. We should stay locked up until the virus disappears, but it will only disappear if we achieve collective immunity, so when it circulates… but we must no longer be locked up for that?

I hope you feel better now that you are correctly informed.

Tennessee: 9667  Loudon County: 27

Another note from Cuba

Early 4/1 warning from Unicef

Things have changed in Cuba, here is a note from my friend there:

"The country that I’m in; Cuba, is 90% black or mixed and every single person whether it’s the president, new’s commentators, doctors or lawyers are waring a face mask. It is an absurdity— digress — for the black people there in the USA; not to be exhibiting necessary and prudent behaviors to protect themselves and their families from this contagious disease. And I don’t care who it is, if they hang their hat on the premise “I’m afraid I’ll get shot,” if I ware a mask to protect my family and friends. Those individuals should be fined or prosecuted for their brazen behavior in this time of crisis that has been cast upon virtually all of humanity."

My friend is outspoken but if you follow this blog, you will notice how his three posts have changed over the last few weeks.   From the slight concern of a distant storm, to storm clouds on the near horizon and ultimately the realization that the storm is here and we all need to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

Tennessee: 4634  Loudon County: 15

A little about COVID-19 VS. Personal Liberty

Big Brother is watching

I am a Libertarian, I believe that the rights of the individual are sacrosanct and should not be infringed by individuals or governments without just cause.

We have just been informed that cell phone tracking is being used to compare personal movements with COVID-19 infection hot spots.

Portions of the Tennessee/North Carolina boundary have been closed to all traffic.

Some counties on the Ourter Banks of North Carolina have been walled off to all but residents (prompting Federal lawsuits).

Florida is quarantining people crossing its border from New York and Louisiana. 

A parent was arrested in Colorado for playing ball with his wife and daughter.

A law enforcement team of lifeguards, coast guard and police are called out to arrest a single surfer breaking a closed beach restriction.

The list of such actions grows larger with each passing day.  The patchwork of state, county and city orders has created a situation in which many law enforcement people are themselves violating social distancing and quarantine rules to arrest people for violating those same rules. 

Many are clamoring for a Federal order to force people so stay in place; opening the door to more crazy instances of conflicting rules and regulations being enforced by people who are themselves largely ignorant of the procedure, rules and orders they are tasked to enforce.

Now, there is a point here: Most of these orders are put in place by well meaning officials who feel as though they must "Do something" but often that something causes harm to the citizens it is supposed to protect and endangers the people charged with providing the protection.

Most of these "Temporary orders" infringe some of the rights of the people but on the flip side foolish behavior by some will endanger some others.

What is the answer? Is there an answer to the rights vs. Corvid-19 question?

The answer is that there is just no one answer.  

My position is that the restriction of some of my rights (as ordered and enforced in Loudon County Tennessee today) may provide me with some protection from the virus and that reasonable enforcement of those restrictions by well informed and trained officials might help to slow the spread of COVID-19 and insure preservation of my life and the lives of my loved ones.  I can accept a temporary restriction.

However, any restriction of individual rights must constantly be reviewed and reduced wherever possible with the stated goal of removing all restrictions as soon as possible.

Now, if the public will do their part in following reasonable guidelines when you must venture out, behave as though you have the disease and don't want to spread it and treat everyone you encounter as though they have it and you don't want them to infect you.  Distance, masks, gloves, avoidance.

Not fun but not deadly. Be safe out there.

Tennessee: 4138  Loudon County: 15

Yakking with the kids

Our far flung family

One of the worst parts of being quarrantined at home is not being able to visit with friends and family in person. 

With stay-in-place orders in nearly every state, and 14 day quarantines imposed on travelers that cross many state lines, visiting is not a realistic option.

So after weekend phone calls, emails and a bit of downloading, we all got together via Zoom this past weekend.

Our three kids, their spouses and one granddaughter spent a delightful 40 minutes just talking and looking at each other.  From Colorado, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Tennessee, the nine of us were able to have a relatively normal conversation just as though we were sitting in the living room together and COVID-19 was far away.

Tennessee: 4138  Loudon County:  15

Sunday in the Suburbs

Official - No Means No Handbook!

Our community,  "Tellico Village" is located in Loudon County, Tennessee a largely rural county just Southwest of Knoxville.

Most of the county residents live in Lenoir City (Pop 8642),  Loudon (Pop 5381) or Tellico Village (Pop 5791).

The Village consists mostly of single family homes on winding streets along the Southern shore of Tellico Lake.  Originally intended as a place for city dwellers in the greater Knoxville area to build their "Cabin by the Lake", the Village transformed to a semi retirement community for affluent retirees from the burgeoning cities around Lakes Michigan, Erie and Huron - Steel, automobiles and other industrial products provided good wages and retirement plans, expensive real estate, high taxes and cold winters.  East Tennessee offers low taxes, less expensive property and moderate winters and the salespeople of Cooper Properties were happy to inform those northern retirees of the little paradise called Tellico Village.

Oh there are lots of native Tennesseans and imports from other parts of the country and the world and they almost universally share a few traits - they are well educated, law abiding intelligent people many of whom seem to share a common fault.

They don't seem to comprehend the word NO as it applies to all of us in this awful time of COVID-19.  Please refer to the official handbook of No Means No above and we might just live through this.

If its Tuesday, this must be Friday?

Keeping track of the Days

This is being written on Saturday for Sunday publication but I no longer pretend to have a good sense of time.  Retirement 10 1/2 years ago wend a long way toward reducing my internal clock to a quivering mess of time chalenged jelly but 17 days on the, "Stay at home" timeclock pushed me over the edge.

Up until mid March, we had a Silver Sneakers class 3 days a week in Lenoir City at 8:30am. That necessitated waking up at 6:15, coffee in bed, morning routine, breakfast about 7:15 and out the door before 8:00.

Exercises over by 9:30 and off to get groceries, haircuts, gass up the car and whatever else needed doing in town that day.  We would grab lunch at Casa Fiesta a couple of times a month.  Maybe we would drop off one of the vehicles for service, travel to the liquor store to replentish the wine cooler.

Mondays we would be home by 10:30 for Mary's card club but on Wednesday and Friday we could go off on some adventure for the afternoon - or visit one of our assortment of doctors.

But those 3 days were predictible and forced us to keep our internal clock reasonable on-time.  Now we have only two reference points; Saturday, Mary fixes Oatmeal (Thank you Jerry!) for breakfast and on Sunday, I fix Cranberry Pancakes (Thank you Dinny).

The rest of the week, we haven't a clue.  Must be getting old.

Tennessee: 3321 Loudon County: 13

It really is Saturday...

Jim, Andrea & Mary in happier times

I was lazy yesterday but I'm really slothlike today (Saturday 4/4).

My phone reminded me that 4 years ago today we were in Savannah, Georgia with friends Jim and Andrea Bradshaw.  This was a, "why don't we just go" trips that we all enjoyed for a number of years when we were all retired (mostly) and could come and go as we pleased.

Today with COVID-19 in the picture, we can't go anywhere not deemed essential (motels are, RV Parks & campgrounds are not) - some North Carolina counties are preventing Tennessee licensed vehicles from crossing into NC and others are restricting access to residents only.  Florida has long

Beach Bum 2016

entry lines checking for undocumented aliens from the likes of Louisiana and New York.

All the while gasoline for my thirsty RV is less expensive than it has been in many years and police along the way might ask me for my note from my employer saying I am employed in an essential job (let me see your papers rings a bell) or I might be fined for risking COVID-19 or be tossed into a jail where I will be sure to get it.  Then I can't return to the state I just left without a 14 day quarentine (in ine of those essential contaminated motel instead of my non-essential RV kept meticulously clean and sanitized by my nurse wife).

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

The madness perpetrated on the American governments (state, federal and local) in the name of keeping us safe is astounding.  But not to worry - this will all be over by April 1, 2020 -- OOPS, that was last Wednesday.  How about April 15, 2020. May ...............

No wonder I'm tired!

Tennessee: 3067 Loudon County: 12

Old Folks Having Fun

Old folks having fun

Today (Thursday 4/2) was grocery shopping day - so after a leisurely breakfast, we cranked up the Rxpedition and drove to our loca Food Lion grocery store.  many partially filled shelves, a few empty ones and some full ones.  Obviously they are either not getting all they order or they are getting cleaned out quickly.

Pre-mixed salads were nearly totally gone, ground beef was 73% only although they did have pre-made patties with a lower fat content.  Paper towels and TP were non-existant  and the veggie selection was limited but better than last week.  We got most of the items on our list and decided to drive another 6 miles to the Food City store in Vonore.  We haven't shopped there since they opened about 5 years ago but we were amazed!

Nearly full shelves throughout (except paper products and most cleaning and sanitizing rpoducts were gone or in short supply).  Food city's prices were a bit higher but they seemed to be well stocked on most things.  We'll probably head there first next time.

This was an almost normal shopping experience.

Tennessee: 2845  Loudon County: 9

Life here is actually pretty good right now

Carabelle, Florida 2015

Mary and I are basically homebodies. When we travel it is usually in our 20 foot Pleasure Way Lexor.  About 5 years ago, we took a 4 month trip across the country ending in Hyder, Alaska - then down the West coast as far as LA and back home again. You can read that blog HERE,

We are used to living in small places together and our tiny 932 square foot home seams quite large when compared to our rolling home but current events do place some unwelcome limitations on us.

I do miss my weekly golf with Bill and while our neighborhood courses are open under COVID guidelines, I just don't think it is worth the risk - Bill also participates in wine tasting groups, poker games and hand and foot groups and I just can't trust that every one of those people is virus free.

The same goes for Mary's Monday card group - all of the ladies in that group are careful but what about their friends and their friends and so-on.

You very quickly go from exposing yourself to a person or two to dozens with just a few interactions and THAT is unacceptable to us. We'll stay put right here except for necessary outings to the grocery store.

Please don't be upset if we don't accept your invitation to visit or fail to issue our own to you.  It is just a sign of the times and this too will pass.

Tennessee: 2683 Loudon County: 8

Fishermen or Liars?

One thing missing in the minute-by-minute reports on the COVID-19 situation is accurate information.   Every "Talking Head" on every newscast, social media platform and the print media has only ONE thing in common with all the others - they just don't KNOW.

They don't know how many people are infected, they don't know the mortality rate, they don't know how many people are asymptomatic carriers, they don't know how many masks or ventilators or hospital beds will be needed, they don't know if you ought to stay 3 feet or 6 feet or 10 feet or a mile from other people to be out of virus range, they don't know if you ought to wear a mask anytime you leave your home or wear eye protection or a full blown hazmat suit.

Many of the talking heads are no better informed than you or I, they have educated guesses perhaps or a spreadsheet complied from known data or perhaps SWAGs (Scientific Wild Assed Guesses).  But they just don't know and in their lack of firm knowledge they make assumptions and reveal them as though they were fact to the information humgry masses.  Think about this:

Now I am probably not the brighest guy on the planet but when one person tells me that 50,000 people are going to die from this COVID-19 virus and another puts that figure at 50,000,000 it is not too much of a stretch to understand that they are each peddling their own agenda and it is rife with the stuff that comes from the South end of a North bound horse.

What can you do to survive this pandemic?  Well my idea is to listen to the reasoning that we try not to spread this virus around, stay away from large groups, and reduce unnecessary interactions in person as much as practical.

1. Hug your loved ones that live with you. 
2. Call the others on the phone or Skype or Zoom as often as you can.  
3. Talk with your neighbors from a distance.  
4. Use your brain to try to make sense of all of this mess. 
5. Be grateful for those who are risking their lives to make things better. 
6. Don't spread false information - if you don't know it for a fact, keep it to yourself.
7. Understand that everyone wants to make it better but no one knows exactly how - be patient, we'll figure this out in time.
8. Don't pay much attention to talking heads or crazy old men like me.

Tennessee: 2239  Loudon County: 8

Troubling update from Cuba

I received his update about 10pm Sunday (3/29)/2020:

After four days here in xxxxxx, Cuba, under a mandatory lockdown inside our home, I’ve spent a lot of time in our rocking chair out on our balcony reading (“Splendid and the Vile,” by Eric Larson) and observing the certain changes in the daily behavior of the thousands of pedestrians, bicyclists, etc., dashing here and there on the street below. Likewise on several occasions I’ve been out; on my bicycle also, scurrying about with them, searching for necessities for our survival: water, food and to get things that were broken heretofore, repaired. Hence, I’ve had a birds eye view of the sense of urgency that has been cast upon the citizens as they attempt to face head on, comprehend, and adjust to the inevitable. The arrival of an invisible enemy (Covid-19) that has been long talked about by their government and its media apparatus. But now a stark reality of a possible death within their midst; abounds! And if you recall from my previous report. Last Tuesday the twenty fourth of March everything changed when the government here in our city closed the schools, virtually all public establishments, and told every one to go to their homes and stay; especially the children, and stay their with few exceptions. But since then; I’ve noticed a gradual up-tick in pedestrian activity here in the city. And at least ninety percent of them, or waring face mask as they move back and forth. I believe the reason for this increase in pedestrian activity is because many essential services have been ordered to reopen. And a good number of these individuals are waring federal uniforms of all kinds. And that most government offices have scheduled their employees to return to there workplaces for security reasons, to prevent looting and be available for vital services if needed. Thereupon each employee is working at least one day a week or more as a guard in his or her place of employment. For example, yesterday a friend, neighbor and a boss here in the city pounded on our door and shouted, “Yxxxxx (my wife), I need a mask! Well, I need five face mask to be exact, because no one is allowed to go into our office building without one.” Then he handed my wife the money in advance of making them, “but I’ve got to have one for me, right now,” he continued speaking to my wife’s mother Nxxxxx who didn’t have a single one completed. Then Yxxxxxx took upon the task and hurried back to her machine, made one, walked downstairs and handed it to her mother within 3o minutes. Then Yxxxxx walked on over to the clients home to inform him that one of the 5 he wanted was ready, but he wasn’t there so she returned, but as she approached our’s and her mother’s doors, she noticed her mother taking money from another customer through her door, then Yxxxxx asked her. “What are you doing mama?” “I sold him a mask, what do you think?” she murmured. “What mask?” Yxxxxx asked. Her mother stared at her with absolute amazement spread all over her face while pondering the question, this I was told. Then her mother exclaimed! “ The mask you just handed me!” “What!, I made that was for the neighbor, and he has already paid-for it! The words ejaculated from my wife’s lips. “WTF!” So down the stairs I bounded to witness the misunderstanding, between my wife and her mother, but after a few choice words and some deadly facial expressions passing back and forth between them, they both shook their heads smiled and resumed the task of producing the five mask they were under obligation to produce before the customer returned to take them, at eleven. Then, on another occasion; just this past Friday, a sweet little lady rushed up to Yxxxxx’s mother’s door, desperately needing a mask; on her face, before entering her place of employment. Nxxxxx promptly handed her one through the door and the lady handed Nxxxxx the payment, neatly folded. Then after taking the money, Nxxxxx turned her back to the entrance and headed toward her work station 3 or 4 yards back inside her home, but just before she reached the back of the chair she was anticipating taking a seat on, she discovered in her hands only half the money she had charged for the mask; “she wailed,” to the top of her voice. Yxxxxx’s sister ran to the door and stuck her head beyond the jamb and looked right, there she saw the woman as she turned right at the corner 30 yards away and then, out of sight. Yxxxxx leaped from the door landed on her feet in a full stride toward the corner, there she looked around it but the woman had vanished. Pissed! Because, we had no drinking water in the home, so I was forced to take a perilous trip on my bike to refill one of two, of our six gallon empty water jugs and procure a few other items on a growing list of things we needed to acquire while I was out. But because I had a couple of “spokes” broken away from the rear rim of my bicycle, I was afraid to load the additional weight of water (50 pounds), upon the rear wheel for fear of breaking another spoke, so as a precaution, I stopped by a repair shop to have the two broken ones replaced, and the others fine turned. Done, I dashed directly to a nearby outdoor market: purchased a few more pounds of black beans; a staple in times like this, a couple of large papayas, a string of garlic and some onions, then over to the ice cream factory, and filled the jug I carried with fresh water to drink. But, during my quest for our necessities I couldn’t help but notice, all but a few people scurrying about including myself were waring face masks that reflected every color of a rainbow, and also moving about with a sense of purpose. And not one person was dawdling an attribute of Cuban society, and another attribute of the Cuban culture is that the older kids play kick ball in the middle of the streets for entertainment when not in school. As a result of the present danger that activity has disappeared too along with our grandchildren which I’ve not seen since the lockdown was announced last Tuesday. But I’ve heard that some of the younger children, within different neighborhoods had been venturing out of their homes and into the streets to play,... but that activity was squashed immediately by the authorities who announced over the radio, as well, for this activity to cease, and if seen by anyone; any where, please call the police. Long lines prevail wherever: food, paper products, soap, oil, toothpaste, etc., are for sale. Not because those wanted items are in short supply, but because of the exponential rise in prices of everything essential. And with out a doubt. Heretofore the virus too, was was kilometers away in some distant provinces or countries. Thereupon, deviation from normal behavior was not necessary and the people responsible for those kinds of things; thought they only needed to curtail the transportation system and close the borders until the threat abated. However, today Saturday March 28th there’s one case of the Covid-19 amongst the population here in our quiet little city despite all our efforts to prevent that from happening. And as a result, and without a doubt there is an obvious change in the Citizenry’s: postures, demeanors and their overall appearances, as the news that one of their own has been infected by this life threatening influenza. As a result of knowing the unimaginable is amidst, they’re actually trotting through these almost empty streets without tarrying in the least bit, with their heads lowered looking straight ahead, shoulders rounded, faces shrouded from the crown of their noses down and beneath their chins. Another reaction, from this depressing discovery is that everyone “today” is waring some kind of eye protection; in addition, the women that are “with child” even have their heads wrapped. Thereupon, unless, you know the persons you’re observing very well, they’re almost unrecognizable in their rigged, colorful and protective attire, which is a stark contrast to the carefree and dawdling behavior that was exhibited amongst the population here in eastern Cuba; just one week ago.” When “I” too began pining for the return of normality(?). 

Tennessee: 1834  Loudon County: 8

Every Day is Saturday

Sailing with Tristan - Many moons ago

When you are retire, the saying goes, every day is Saturday and to a certain extent, that is true.

You eat, sleep, and play when and where you wish.  You do need a little discipline medications need to be taken on a schedule, regular meals keep you regular and you need to know that it is Sunday and Mary will not be happy if she misses her 9:00-10:30am date every Sunday with Jane Pauley and CBS Sunday Morning.

Other than those few things, your retirement time is your own.

Until you have an appointment or a meeting it muddies the waters somewhat.  You have to be somewhere or do something at a prescribed place and time stress is introduced into your life and even if it is something you really want to do, it is stressful.

Fishin' at the coast

My first realization of this condition was in the Spring of 2010.  We had brought our sailboat from North Carolina and placed it in a slip at the Yacht Club where we expected to sail several times a week whenever it was sunny and warm.  After all, every day was Saturday.

Then came golf.  Golf is a great pastime for retired people.  Fresh air, sunshine exercise; we can do this several times a week whenever it is sunny and warm. After all, every day was Saturday.

Oh, fishing.  When I worked in my own business, 60+ hour weeks were in order but I regularly went to the lake after work and fished for an hour or two.  It is very relaxing I can do it several times a week when the weather is sunny and warm.  After all, every day was Saturday.

Kayaking on the lake

Oh, clubs.  If there is  anything a retirement community excels at, it is supporting a myriad of clubs. New Villagers, Home Owners, Book clubs, Knitting, Cards - pinochle, poker, canasta, rummy, euchre,  golf groups, fishing clubs, shooting clubs, VFW, American Legion, Lyons, Kiwanis -- over 100 clubs and we can do them several times a week whenever it is warm and sunny.  After all, every day was Saturday.

Don't forget the "Doctor Dance", this is my term for an appointment or two nearly every week to add another drug to your daily intake and remove a few dollars from your wallet.  Internists, GPs, Chiropractors, Dermatologists, Rheumatologists, Cardiologists and a whole bevy of other everythingologists clamoring for your time and money.

ARRGGHHHHHH! It isn't warm and sunny every day and maybe I need a job just so I can have some time off.



Tennessee: 1537  Loudon County: 8

Herding the pigs

Oink oink! Congress has completed a 1400 page $2,000,000,000,000 (that is 2 TRILLION dollars)  "Stimulus package" to get the country moving again.  Can you write, read and understand a 1400 page document in a week?

Use Money, cheaper than TP!

How did every congress person vote? Sorry you can't know that, you are just one of the little people and wouldn't understand. My congressman voted for it and even sent me an email bragging about it.

I'm going shopping for a new one next time. Vote them all out!

Tennessee: 1373   Loudon County: 6

Chores and Pizza

Ocracoke Vacation - A long Time Ago on an Island Far Far Away

Today (Friday 3/27) was a beautiful 91 degree Spring day.  I have been putting off spraying my super homemade weed killer because it needs heat and dry conditions. We had both today so I mixed up a batch (1 Gal White Vinegar: 2 Cups Epsom Salts: 1/4 Cub Blue Dawn) sprayed on in the morning and weeds dead at night.  Will let you know how it did tomorrow.

Putting around in the garage and I found the missing parts of our sliding front door screen.  I took it down last Fall when we had the front deck rebuilt - then 3 months later I sealed it and a month after that it started raining - and after a few warm dry days in January, I couldn't find the hardware (I stored it in a safe spot) then it rained, and rained some more. Today, the hardware returned to the place I remembered and I got the door re-installed.

We uncovered the deck furniture, cleaned some window screens and colaspsed on the couch for 3 hours of "The Return of the King" finishing off the third episode in ad many days.

More puttering around the house and yard and we opted for a take out Pizza for dinner.

Just an ordinary day in a world gone mad.

Tennessee: 1203  Loudon County: 6