WORDS FROM A RAGING SPIRIT

The glory of justice and the majesty of law are created not just by the Constitution - nor by the courts - nor by the officers of the law - nor by the lawyers - but by the men and women who constitute our society - who are the protectors of the law as they are themselves protected by the law.

 Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. 

Everything that makes man's life worthwhile - family, work, education, a place to rear one's children and a place to rest one's head - all this depends on the decisions of government; all can be swept away by a government which does not heed the demands of its people, and I mean all of its people.

... well said, Bobby Kennedy!

YES, ALWAYS...

ALWAYS BEAR THIS TRUISM IN MIND...

YOU CAN'T/DON'T/WON'T FIND WHAT YOU DO NOT LOOK FOR!!!

* VOTE  SMART *

EPILOGUE:  I generally give credit to those whom such credit is due, even if I don't totally agree with them. That said, I believe Sen. Susan Collins deserves 'a degree' of respect for her very comprehensive, well-thought-out dialogue.  While bearing in mind that there's still much work to be done in the realm of violence against women, Senator Collins wholly acknowledged this sorry fact as she went on to a genuine and heart-felt discourse outlining the varied reasons behind her ultimate decision to confirm Judge Kavanaugh. Hopefully her expansive dissertation cultivates a modicum of civility and healing to this whole nomination process. In sum, I congratulate her for her earnestness and due diligence despite maintaining some very serious reservations vis-à-vis Judge Kavanaugh. [NOTE: I am not a conservative but a centrist-liberal Democrat who is strongly pro-choice ]. Furthermore, I might add, Judge Kavanaugh owes Senator Collins the following: that his pledge to be even-handed, independent and open-minded in his [Supreme Court] ruling(s) remains vigorously firm...  Anything to the contrary will be viewed as outright heresy.

'CHECK-MATE' CAN BE A LOATHSOME WORD...

Why?

ANS: The socially adept, chess-loving sociopath strictly plays to win: in a court of law, no less.

The sociopath's socially adept cleverness also comes with this caveat. Since they regard life as ONE BIG CHESS GAME, others are mere objects to be used, manipulated, and disposed of. You see, sociopaths don't feel sympathy, empathy or guilt. Hence, one little move in the wrong direction puts them dangerously close to anti-social criminal behavior and other malicious acts (e.g., sexual assault and denial thereof).

Ostentatious lying is one of the telling traits of being a sociopath, as well. Moreover, due to the fact that the majority of the population have brains wired differently from the sociopath, ordinary people struggle to understand the motivation that sociopaths have for repeatedly lying. In the same way that normal people see no good reason to lie, sociopaths simply see no reason to tell the truth. "Their web of lies can become so massive that they seem inconceivable to normal adults. Yet if 'empaths' fail to recognize such egregiousness, it strongly predisposes them to getting hoodwinked by the sociopaths' lies. All too often, honest folk end up (i.e., erroneously) projecting normal brain function and behavior onto people who are neurologically wired altogether differently."

In sum, the reason that sociopaths lack genuine contrition, shame and guilt can definitively be traced to their brains. The normal synaptic connections to the areas of the brain that deal with the aforesaid emotions, as well as the center in the brain that helps individuals recognize their mistakes and learn from their misdeeds, both appear to be dysfunctional and/or impaired in sociopaths. 

On that note, 'God help us all' next week vis-à-vis the senate hearings!!

WITH LABOR DAY BEHIND US

'Tis a day past

Our Labors,

And all through

These States,

Students greet school yards;

Amassed at their gates.

Summer begins

Its auspicious decline;

Yet nature replies,

Placing fruit on

The vine. 

_ written by L.P.-G.

P.S. A very happy birthday to my husband as well as wedding anniversary wishes to my daughter and her husband!!!

P.S.S. And love and kisses to my beautiful grandsons, with Jim back to school today and John already missing him...

THE POETRY of EMILY DICKINSON...Just Because

Because I could not stop for Death – 

He kindly stopped for me – 

The Carriage held but just Ourselves – 

(And Immortality).

We slowly drove – He knew no haste-

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His 'Civility' – 

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed us – 

The Dews drew quivering and chill – 

For only Gossamer, my Gown – 

My Tippet – only Tulle – 

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground – 

The Roof was scarcely visible – 

The Cornice – in the Ground – 

Since then – ‘tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses’ Heads

Were toward Eternity – 

...With sincere wishes for peace and comfort to the McCain family