#and equally as unafraid to praise his efforts

[vi-visected]

projecting on arthur pendragon time!!

i’ve had a lot of conversations with people about my father over the years and it’s resulted in me heavily relating to arthur in the relationship that he has with uther. arthur is constantly trying to prove himself to uther by aiming for goals that he can’t see. his father has set these markers in arbitrary places and told arthur he needs to meet them to earn his respect but won’t tell arthur where they are in even the vaguest sense. and then in these moments arthur is exhausted from trying to hit a bar that is constantly and continuously moving out of his reach, when he’s begging for leeway or for guidance, uther gives him a backhanded compliment or a “you know i’ve always cared about you” and fuck him but it’s enough to keep arthur aiming and throwing over and over again. and it’s not just the goals that he hides from arthur, it’s the rewards too. uther talks of his son in the third person and away from where arthur might hear. he uses him as a measuring point to morgana (and vice versa). he tells anyone and everyone what his son is worth EXCEPT arthur. uther sometimes acts as if arthur should just intrinsically know that he has his love and care, that he should just be able to sense it or something. he treats arthur coldly and makes him earn his love only to never ever show it to him.

arthur pendragon spends his whole life wanting someone to just love him to his face.

[thewaytoaclonesheart]

Chosen Heart ✨

Rated: T due to sexy time reference.

Warnings: tooth rotting fluff, Waxer and Boil being little sh*ts, clonecest (non explicit and only briefly)

Summary: “I think we’ve both been dancing, so to speak, around our feelings for some time. At least I know I have.” Cody was shocked. He had expected discussing tactics, not what seemed to be shaping into a heartfelt confession.

Obi-wan and Cody has been dancing around each other for some time. It seems now is the time to act upon their mutual feelings. Although.. they really didn’t expect to run into Waxer and Boil on the way.

Crossposted on Ao3 on account: teenfreaker

_______________________________________________

It had been difficult, more so than usual.

Cody was more than tired, exhausted really. They had only just separated from the 501st after ensuring their safety, and the republics foothold, on a small mid-rim planet. A constant downpour and bad terrain had made progression difficult, and even more so when several of the men became injured. While Cody hadn’t spend a lot of time with Fives, he knew it had shook all members of Torrent Company to see him so weak and lifeless.

Thankfully, the 212th had arrived during the final stages of the storm, and then immediately deployed all medics to assist the 501st, and as many men as needed to ensure the foothold, Cody and his General among them.

And now? Why was he standing in a haze of his own, while he should be listening to his own general and General Windu discussing the mission, and subsequently the state of both the 501st and 212th. The answer was made clear to Cody when he looked at Ob- his general, and saw the man sending a small, but genuine, smile his way.

He had saved him, Obi-wan had saved him from a native creature, more interested in ripping Cody and his men apart, than being tamed. Only, the general had stepped in, and used the force to tame the creatures, and saving the men, including Cody.

“Well done, Obi-wan, you not only secured a foothold for the Republic, but did so with minimal losses” Cody heard General Windu say.

It wasn’t often the man made a conscious effort to praise, although Cody didn’t question that the General was a kind man. Ponds had spoken kindly and respectfully of his General to Cody and the rest of their batchmates more than once, cementing the belief, that General Windu was a fair and kind man, unafraid of risking his hide for his men, earning even more respect for doing so.

“And Obi-wan? Give my regards and praise to young Skywalker as well.” The words shook Cody out of his haze, and he once again focused on the holo of General Windu. “He handled himself and his men extremely well, given circumstances, and has proven he was more than ready for command.” While it was no secret, not even amongst most of the Vode, that Windu and Skywalker didn’t always agree or get along, there was certainly mutual respect and understanding between them, evident in the Masters tone.

But it was Obi-wan’s, when had he become Obi-wan and not general?, smile that captured Cody’s attention. It was a genuine smile, one seen lesser and lesser as the war progressed, especially if his men had been injured or compromised, and it seemed this extended to the 501st as well. Not that it surprised Cody. General Skywalker was, after all, once his own Generals Ad, and so the protective streak extending to the young mans troops wasn’t all that surprising.

“May the force be with you as well, Mace” Having zoned again, Cody caught the last of the holotransmission between the two generals, and saw the blue image flicker, then disappear. They were now nearly alone on the bridge, most of the men resting, and only the troopers on the night rotation around.

“Would you join me Cody? I would like to speak with you” Obi-wan asked and gestures to the doors, leading onto the rest of the ship. The words, or perhaps the request, made the back of Cody’s neck sweat. This sounded personal, not professional, and they had already debriefed before the transmission. Well, curiously and perhaps slightly sheepishly, he answered his general “yes sir, lead the way”.

they walked the halls of the ship in comfortable silence, with an air of anticipation surrounding them. They crossed paths with a few troopers, most noticeably Waxer and Boil stumbling out from one of the refreshers. And hadn’t that brought embarrassed smiles and blushing all around? While most of the Vode participated in a little fun and fraternization with each other, which most generals knew, most generals didn’t know about some of the Vode marrying each other, speaking the Riduurrok. Although it did seem like their general wasn’t surprised seeing Waxer and Boil together, or that they quickly stammered out an apology, only to rush down the hall, towards then on-board barracks. Hell, the General even smirked at them. Smirked! Suddenly Cody found himself more worried and at ease at the same time. How was that even possible?

He wasn’t a fool, nor was he blind. He knew about Codys feelings towards him, and recognized them being the same as his own. But it wasn’t just the force or his instincts telling him. It was the small gestures, the cup of tea Cody would bring along with his own cup of a caf, when they were discussing tactics, or briefing a mission. It was the way Cody would ensure his health after every mission, ask him how he was doing, ensuring he got food when deployed. The man was not only kind on the eyes, being incredibly handsome, he was kind in the ways of the heart and soul, and it showed through every single action the man made, whether he was giving orders or helping a man of the ground and escorting him to the medics. It hadn’t taken long before he had claimed a small piece of Obi-wans heart, the size of which, had only grown over time.

When they finally reached Obi-wan’s quarters, it took ably a moment to open the door, and gesture for Cody to enter.

They were both nervous, this made specially clear once Cody’s helmet came off, only to be placed on the small desk, sending a metallic clang out into the quiet of the room.

“You wanted to speak, General?” The words nearly took Obi-wan by surprise, only for him to quickly wanting to assure Cody that nothing was the matter. “I think it would be best to drop the formalities, Cody.” Obi-wan said, and sighed before choosing his next words, carefully.

“I think we’ve both been dancing, so to speak, around our feelings for some time. At least I know I have.” Cody was shocked. He had expected discussing tactics, not what seemed to be shaping into a heartfelt confession.

“I.. I’ve come to care for you a great deal Cody, and not only as a friend. At the risk of sounding rather cliché, or even completely lovestruck. You..” Obi-wan hesitated on his next words. While they could certainly go back to comrades and friends, perhaps after a period of embarrassed adjustment, there would be absolutely no going back if he uttered these next words. Obi-wan looked at Cody, and nearly took a step back from the look on the mans face. Pure hopefulness and infatuation, mixed with a slight bit of apprehension, shone as bright as stars in Cody’s eyes.

“You have made yourself a home in my heart, Cody. I didn’t realize until recently, but it seems my heart has found a place with yours as well. Cody, I care for you, you have made my life infinitely better and our battles easier to fight, simply by being apart of my life. I know there’s going to be issues of rank, and I never want you to feel as if you have no choice, or feel like I demand this of you in any way.” Obi-wan breathed, looked up and-

Lips, soft and plumb, found his own in a bruising kiss, only to pull away to show the embarrassed and sheepish face of his hearts chosen.

“I’m sorry Gene..- Obi-wan, I don’t..” Obi-wan spend only mere fractions of a second enjoying the sheepish look on Cody’s face, the slight blush on his cheeks, undeniably resurfacing on his own cheeks just as well.

He reached..

And firmly grasped the back of Cody’s neck, only to drag his lips back to his own with clear-cut confidence and intention. The kiss quickly became impassioned, and their hands found their way unto each other. Obi-wan’s hands quickly finding gaps in armor to grasp, and Cody’s own finding a home each, one in reddish hair and the other on Obi-wans waist.

And in between kisses, bated on quick and happy breaths, Cody could only reply with a single repeated word. Cyare.

And as they kissed, the force seemed to sing and dance in earnest around them. Showing it’s joy in one of its children having found such love in an equal.

[miraculouscontent]

Hi there! You're one of my go to sources for information on Miraculous, so I figured I should ask you. I'm attempting to write a Miraculous Ladybug AU centered around Rose and Juleka, and later Kitty Section maybe. Definitely Lukanette haha. I'm not very much caught up with the show tho, are there any episodes that center around them aside from Reflekta and Princess Fragnance? Or any that develop their characters? I'm guessing not but thank you anyways

Aw, I’m glad to be one of your go-to sources! And Lukanette, yes, good choice.

Anyway, for Rose and Juleka specifically and not the rest of Kitty Section? Haha, I’ll save you some trouble and just give you the notable character moments (that aren’t background details because I don’t think those count):

“Origins” - Juleka totally dug Ivan going lose as Stoneheart and thought it was cool, either implying that she wished she could be more of a loose cannon or... well, she just liked the destruction. 

“Mr. Pigeon” - Pretty light and I know I just said I wouldn’t mention background details, but Juleka and Rose made a gear derby hat together for the hat contest. They���re later revealed to be in the art club (see “Reverser”), so this might have something to do with that.

“Horrificator” - Juleka thinks monsters are rad and isn’t at all afraid of them. Rose also readily offers snacks and drinks to everyone, even when the situation doesn’t call for it.

“Darkblade”/”Zombizou”/”Timebreaker” - Rose goes to Chloe for advice on the akuma attacking in “Darkblade” (despite Chloe having threatened her into not running for class representative in the same episode) and is ecstatic by Chloe’s backhanded compliment in “Zombizou” (she also tries to save Chloe in “Zombizou” - whether she’s physically strong to lift Chloe or it’s just a joke is up for debate - and Timebreaker in “Timebreaker” despite the obvious danger), indicating that she’s a bit of an airhead and a lot of a pushover. Ultimately tries to be nice and do good; can be brave when needed. “Darkblade” also confirmed that Rose enjoys scrapbooking (this comes back in “Zombizou”), comfy things, and the color pink, and that she was confident that Marinette would win class representative (”When you win, can we get more comfortable chairs?”), showing how blindly supportive she is.Juleka also mumbles a lot in “Darkblade,” unable to get her full thoughts out, but lets out a “you know” as if expecting her mind to be read. Juleka doesn’t do much in “Timebreaker,” but she’s vocal for once when she talks about being through with Kim’s dares.Juleka and Rose are extremely touchy-feely in “Zombizou” in particular, but have close contact throughout the show that implies something beyond friendship.

“Reflekta” - Juleka has insecurities about her “photo curse” (that gets fixed by the end) and it’s implied that she’s often felt left out/ignored (further proven by the principal forgetting her completely even though he’d commented on her leaving earlier). She’s even quick to tell Rose to “forget about her” which may imply that she feels unworthy/like a bother. Rose, meanwhile, shows another case of airheadedness when Marinette talks about the picture “disappearing”, but also has a moment of pointing out Chloe’s “mean tricks” when she sees Juleka in distress (showing that she may have a limit).

“Princess Fragrance” - Rose very much views people by what she’s seen and heard about them, even if she’s never met them, as shown by her reaction to Prince Ali. She’s also open and unafraid of expressing her feelings, willing to ask Chloe for a favor just so she can let Prince Ali know how she feels.

“Despair Bear” - Rose is excited by Chloe’s invitation despite Chloe making her cry earlier (Chloe also insults her macarons later). This indicates that Rose is the forgive-and-forget type, or at least that she flip-flops easily.

“Befana” - Rose considers Marinette “the nicest person in the world.” Juleka thinks that Marinette is “cool.” They both bravely defended her.

“Gigantitan” - Rose is a romantic, but believes that boys would never pick up on a girl crushing on them. Rose also praises effort even if it’s not that successful. Juleka manages to get over her mumbling briefly when helping out with the “Adrienette scheme,” to the point of shouting.

“Reverser” - Juleka and Rose are part of the art club. Rose listens to music while writing lyrics.

“Frightningale” - Rose comments on the music video being better with everyone dancing equal parts of it, implying that she’s a “share the glory” type and likes all roles to be spread equally whenever possible.

“Frozer” - Rose can’t take a hint.

“Catalyst” - Juleka is horrified when Rose gets akumatized, but with a little encouragement, still manages to impressively hold her fear in to keep akuma away from her.

“Reflekdoll” - Juleka is revealed to be interested in modeling (and is supported in this wholeheartedly by Luka), but even though she’s able to ask Marinette (shyly), she hyperventilates once she’s actually given the opportunity (viewing this next to “Gigantitan”, Juleka might do better under pressure when it comes to friends than with herself). She blames herself at first and tells no one what her problem was, insisting that she’s fine, but later shifts the blame onto Marinette (likely being quick to deflect to the first person she deems “offended” her, even if they don’t deserve it, just so Juleka herself doesn’t have to endure sulking). Rose, meanwhile, is supremely supportive and concerned over Juleka, checking on her multiple times before being convinced to leave.

So yeah, beyond “Reflekta” and “Princess Fragrance,” “Reflekdoll” is the only big one I can think of that centers around Juleka and/or Rose. “Captain Hardrock” and “Silencer” feature Kitty Section at least, with a lighter nod to them in “Desperada”, though Juleka and Rose don’t get many good lines in these episodes due to the heavier Lukanette content.

[hispeculiartreasure]

All We’ve Got is Time - Chapter Four | B.B.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

AU: If They’d Survived/Post-War/Window Washer!Bucky Barnes

Rating: Teen

Word count: 3,371

Chapter 4/24

Warnings: Very brief, yet strong language

AN: Let me just say that I am profoundly grateful for the love this series is getting! I am enjoying your comments and theories and am so flattered by your praise. I didn’t get a chance to respond to every comment like I usually do - my car accident took care of that. I’ve had a hard time focusing and coping after that traumatic day so I hope everything in this chapter is in order. Love you all so dearly. Come scream at me when you’re done. 💖

Chapter Three

‘All We’ve Got is Time’ Masterlist

Exiting the elevator the next morning you fumble through your handbag, trying to find the lipstick you didn’t have time to put on before you left.

Of all mornings for the subway to not be working it had to be today. I’m so late, I’m gonna have to bust my tail before Anderson notices.

“Good morning, Mrs. Flannery,” you say absentmindedly as you approach her desk.

“You’re late. I have-”

“I know, it’s been a hell of a-- excuse me, it’s been a heck of a morning,” you interrupt, head still down, lipstick nowhere to be found.

“Miss-”

“It won’t happen again, I promise.” You rush past her as your mental to-do list only grows longer.

“Ahem.”

There was no denying that was aimed toward you. You come to a halt, slowly turning back to the daunting woman. Peering over her glasses, one hand perched on her hip while the other was stretched out to you, grasping a piece of paper.

“This was left for you yesterday afternoon after you had completed your shift.” You timidly reach for the slip, when Flannery pulls it back at the last moment. “I feel the need to remind you that this is a place of business. Not romance, not courtship, not frivolity. I meant what I said on your first day - beaus are not allowed in this office. This is the only time I will extend grace. Understood?”

Mystified you take the paper, nodding your understanding.

What the hell is she talking about?

Suzy sidles beside you on the walk to your desk before she whisper-shouts, “The note was for her!”

Immediately, six other women leap from their desks and huddle around you talking a mile a minute.

“We were here when he dropped it off!”

“He was so cute!”

“Why do I feel like I’ve seen him in the movies?”

“Maybe he’s a war-hero?”

“He looked familiar,” Connie muses.  

“Who cares! What does it say?” Suzy urges as she pokes your arm.

The huddle falls silent as you open the neatly folded note.

The gaggle of girls around you squeal for a moment before Flannery’s harsh shhhh quiets everyone to whispers.

“How sweet.”

“He’s one of the window washers?!”

“Wait, we have window washers here?”

“I still feel like I know him from somewhere else. . .”

“Well, how do you feel?” Suzy draws the focus back to you.

You bite your lip. “Umm. . . it makes me feel. . . pretty great.”

“Jeeze, for you that may as well be equal to jumping up and down!” One nudges you gently with her elbow. “What are you gonna do?”

“Do? I- I’m not going to do anything. I got a nice note and I appreciate it,” you state, hoping it would bring an end to all the attention surrounding you. It didn’t.

“Oh come on!”

“Have you been flirting? You need to be more tantalizing!”

“You have to find him right now!”

“Show us your moves, we can help!”

Waving your arms for quiet you declare, “I’m already late and if I don’t get to work, I’ll be canned before I get the chance to see him again. Is that what you want?”

Everyone begrudgingly trudges across the office while Suzy lags behind. With a knowing grin she says, “Lemme know if you wanna talk about it. It’s nice to see you smile like that.”

As she leaves you plop down into your desk chair, rereading the note. It’s then that you realize just how much you’ve been smiling the last few minutes and just how fast your heart was beating.

Yeah, I could tell you enjoyed the new look. Why am I blushing all over again?

He came up here to try to talk to me. To actually see me. In person. He faced the wrath of Flannery to get up here and leave this.

He can’t wait to see me? Does he look forward to seeing me as much as I look forward to seeing him? Of course he couldn’t be bothered to sign his actual name. What a tease.

It takes a shout from Anderson’s office to bring you back to reality. Propping the note against your typewriter you read it one more time before grabbing your pencil and notepad.

For the rest of the day you anxiously check the window every few minutes, waiting for the author of your note. Every moment you feel self-conscious, not sure what you should do when he stops on your floor. Is he expecting more to come from this? Do you need to be a little more flirtatious, like some of the girls had mentioned? Should you be making more of an effort? Is that something you even wanted?

But then you see him and the uncertainty fades away. The work day is almost over before he descends to the sixth floor. You make eye contact, check your watch, and tap its face twice. You’re late.

He nods while wiping his brow. His head lolls to the side, eyes closed, tongue sticking out in a comical manner. Slept in.

Shaking your head and tutting softly, you raise an eyebrow.

Both his hands shoot up in a I know, I know. Won’t happen again.

With a short nod, you go back to filing and leave Window Washer to his work.

By the time you turn around, you expect him to be gone. To your pleasant surprise, he seems to be waiting for you. He beckons you to the window. When you get close enough, you notice something written in the suds at the very bottom of the pane. The word doesn’t make sense to you, so you scrunch your eyebrows at him.

He taps himself on the chest several times and mouths “my name”. You look again and it finally clicks. B-U-C-K-Y. You nod your understanding and smile. It isn’t until he points at you that you realize he’s waiting for your name. You press your finger to the glass, waiting for him to mirror your touch. You trace your name on your side, allowing him to spell it on his side. He reads it and grins wide. Nice to meet ya, he mouths.

“Mary! Get in here, take notes.” You turn from the voice, eyes rolling into the back of your head.

Hooking a thumb toward your boss’ office, you sigh deeply. Gotta go.

Bucky held two fingers to his brow and gave you a half-hearted salute. Good luck in there.

------

You are dutifully typing a letter when a pair of shiny Oxford heels appear in your peripheral vision next to your desk.  “You need to go ask that boy on a date.”

Heaving a sigh, you keep your eyes on the task in front of you. “Didn’t we have this discussion yesterday, Suze?”

“Yeah, and you still haven’t wised-up.” Papers rustle on your desk as Suzy props a hip against it.

“On the contrary, I think I’m exercising a lot of wisdom.”

She scoffs, finally drawing your attention away from your paperwork.

“Someone’s a scaredy cat.”

“Suzy.” You fix her with a pointed look.

Pretending to have a sudden interest in her cuticles she mutters, “It’s the only possible explanation.”

“How do we know that note was an invitation? What if he was just saying hi? What if he-”

“Mhmm. Those are the thoughts of someone who is unafraid.”

“How do we even know if he’d want to go on a date with me?” You lean back in your chair, tired of this conversation.

The redhead’s eyebrows shoot up her forehead. “I’m sorry - ‘You looked beautiful’? ‘Can’t wait to see you’? Sorry, doll, but people don’t say that to just anyone. I adore you, but I can definitely wait to see you if it means coming in to work.” She dodges the playful kick you aim in her direction. “All I’m saying is that you weren’t here when he left that note - I was. He was all kinds of antsy and blushing.”

“He works outside, maybe he had a sunburn,” you deadpan.

“You were just talking about how you barely know anyone in the city and you need to meet new people. He’s new people!”

“But I don’t even know if I want a romantic relationship right now.” “Then you’ll tell him that after your first date if you still feel that way. But why shut it down now when it doesn’t even exist yet? Maybe he’s lonely too-” Suzy’s eyes dart behind you and her posture changes. She leans in toward you, feigning interest in the letter you’d abandoned. “Oh yes, those are the addresses I was looking for. Don’t know how they got on your desk. And you needed something from me right?”

You sit stunned by this sudden change of behavior until you see Flannery approaching your desk.

“Uhh-yes. I was wondering what the protocol would be for when. . .” you both watch as the office manager floats into the filing room and shuts the door behind her. You and Suzy relax back into your previous positions. “I never said lonely,” you point out, shoving your defensive instincts down.

Suzy rolls her eyes and with a wave of her manicured hand says “Fine, fine, you’re being adventurous. Does that make you feel better?”

“No.”

“Answer me one last question, Newbie, and I’ll leave you alone.” Raising a brow, you wait for the question. “What’ve you got to lose?”

You weren’t able to answer then, and you still don’t have an answer now.

Under Suzy’s watchful eye, the second your watch reads 12 o’clock you leave your desk and hustle down the stairs, hoping the physical activity would work out some of the anxiety in your chest. It doesn’t.

Turning the corner toward the service entrance you see the window washers gathered outside in a loose group, taking their lunch break. Your heart begins to beat faster when you imagine actually holding a conversation with Bucky. What in the world were you going to say to him?

I really should’ve thought this through a little more.

But then your feet were taking you toward the group and it was too late to turn back now. The clicking of your shoes on pavement draws the attention of each man whose heads simultaneously swing to watch you. You stop a few feet away from them, losing your words.

“Can we help you, miss?” The apparent leader of the window washing crew steps forward. He’s much younger than Bucky, scrawny and tan. He’d be lucky to be 18.

“Um. . .” you scan the faces, not finding the one you’re looking for. “Is Bucky around?”

The leader’s eyes narrow, giving you a too-thorough once-over. “Whaddya want with him? If it has to do with windows, I’m in charge here. Name’s Harrison. Maybe I can help you out.”

You control the urge to fidget under his scrutiny, steeling yourself to squarely match his gaze. “No, there’s something else I need to discuss with him.”

“He had to skip out early today. Something about a family emergency.”

“Oh. I see.” You think for a moment, not enjoying the pack of men watching you like vultures. “Would you let him know I stopped by?” You turn on your heel when Harrison speaks again.

“What’s your name, baby-doll?”

Shutting your eyes you remind yourself to watch your temper. Thinking better of giving your name, you spare a glance over your shoulder. Coldly you reply, “Tell him ‘Sixth Floor’. He’ll know.”

More questions are shouted at you but you keep walking, very familiar with the rakish tone in which they were spoken. You didn’t have time for drooling boys. For a moment you worry that Bucky is cut from the same cloth as them. But something deep in you urges that he’s different.

Unbeknownst to you, when Bucky arrives at work the next day Harrison actually does mention your visit.

“Barnes, some broad came lookin’ for ya at lunchtime yesterday.”

Bucky doesn’t spare a look from his kit he was preparing for the day. “Yeah? What for?”

“She wouldn’t tell us. Seemed kinda stuck-up and snooty. Like she was better than us or something.”

Hitching his kit over his shoulder to head to the roof, Bucky smooths back a stray strand of hair. “I hate to break it to ya, but if she was acting like that I’m sure you deserved it.” As the kid who was technically his supervisor opens his mouth to protest Bucky interjects, “Did she say anything else?”

Unamused, Harrison practically pouts. “She just said ‘sixth floor’ and said you’d get it. Then she left.”

Bucky stills immediately at the mention of you. “Really? She said that?”

“Yup. Was a bombshell too, real date-bait if you catch my drift.”

Eyes closing, Bucky imagines strangling the teenager in front of him rather than actually carrying out the action. “Shut your trap.”

“Wish she’d stop by again, wouldn’t mind an evening of necking with her.” He conspiratorially winks, mistakenly thinking he would go along with the sentiment.

Squaring up with Harrison, Bucky leans in dangerously close and says lowly, “You’d better watch that mouth, kid.”

“What’s the big deal? She’s not your girl or anything is she?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Bucky insists, eyes practically boring through the terrified kid in front of him. “She’s not yours, so don’t be a creep. Girls don’t like creeps, if you haven’t caught onto that yet. And I don’t either.” He leans back, smirking with satisfaction at the deer-in-the-headlights look he was getting. Resting his brush on his shoulder Bucky turns to begin his day.

“Keep your paws off me, Barnes!” Harrison shouts to Bucky’s back.

“I didn’t touch you, Harrison. Maybe you would’ve noticed if you weren’t always on skirt patrol,” Bucky tosses over his shoulder as he begins to climb the fire escape.

As Bucky climbs higher his thoughts turn to you. You’d been looking for him. You’d obviously shut down Harrison and the rest of the boys. Anyone that sassed that kid was a hero in his book.

Maybe his note hadn’t been a total disaster after all. Once he’d gotten into bed that night, he fretted over that dumb piece of paper for hours. He thought of a million things he could’ve said besides the three hastily scribbled lines. A million kinder, wittier, more fitting words for you. You’d been nice enough the next day, playful even. And he’d finally gotten your name - a sweet, suitable name that rolled around in his head for hours. But he couldn’t help feeling like he needed to do more.

He found himself even more excited to get to the sixth floor today, to see you, to have a little hope, to share in a smile. Though that’s not exactly what happens.

------

“Get in here, NOW!”

Anderson’s tone instantly drowns your insides with dread.

You rush to his door, quietly opening it. Anderson’s heels are crossed, kicked up to rest on the edge of his desk. His eyes bore into you, disdain obvious.

“Sir?” you make out much smoother than you feel.

“Do you know what this is?” he flicks a letter across his desk toward you. Quietly picking it up, you silently read its contents.

“The steel mill is turning down our partnership offer? Because they never received paperwork? Sir, I definitely-”

“Read the letterhead,” he bites out. “And then read what you sent out. What do you notice, Doris?” Another letter is flicked in your direction. You bite back a retort about your name.

Holding the letters side-by-side, a pit drops in your stomach. “I copied the address incorrectly.”

Anderson gives you a tight nod, jaw clenched. The room is claustrophobic in silence.

“Sir, I-”

“You cost us thousands of dollars with this idiotic move, because you didn’t proofread your work enough? Because you can’t copy a damn number over?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know how I missed-”

“You missed it because you were careless!” Anderson bangs a fist to his desk, causing you to jump a fraction. He stands up abruptly, stalking over to you. “This job isn’t a fucking joke. You were given a chance because you kicked up a fuss about being let go when our boys came back from war. You want this job? Act like it!” With every word Anderson steps in your direction causing you to match with a step backward. You are in his office’s threshold when he leans in and whispers menacingly, “If you can’t get a damn letter right then you shouldn’t even be here in the first place, Marge. Make sure it doesn’t happen again or you’re gone. Now get out of my office and fix your screw-up!” The door slams in your face.

Hands shaking, you make your way to your desk. Willing the tears not to fall you take a few deep breaths. Elbows rest on the surface, head in your hands, focusing on not falling apart in the middle of the busy office.

You’re tougher than this. A man raising his voice at you is nothing new. You are fine, you made a mistake. Don’t you dare lose your composure, it’ll only make you seem weak.

A tapping on the window directly next to your desk startles you. Bucky is there, looking more concerned than ever. He tilts his head, eyebrows furrowed together. What’s wrong?

The tears spill out at the kindness reflected in his own. You search desperately for a handkerchief before turning back to the window. Dabbing at your wet cheeks furiously, you gesture to Anderson’s office. You blink against the hankie, hoping to catch the makeup before it runs down your entire face. Pointing to yourself you mouth “my fault”. The tears don’t stop for several minutes, but everytime you look up Bucky is sitting at the window, watching you sorrowfully.

Eventually you dry up, puffy eyes meeting Bucky’s. “I’m fine,” you whisper, dropping your gaze to the handkerchief in your lap that you’ve been twisting into knots.

More tapping draws your attention back to Bucky, who promptly flips off Anderson’s closed door. You manage to stutter a laugh out in between your sniffles, feeling a little lighter already.

With an admonishing shake of your head that you don’t mean, you return his smile. Thanks.

You could be imagining it, but Bucky seems hesitant to move on to the next floor. Giving him what you hope is a reassuring thumbs-up you mouth, “I’m okay.”

Looking thoroughly unconvinced he watches you for a few seconds before nodding slowly. He drops out of your sight, though you still stare out the window where he had been.

------------------

One day passes where you don’t see Bucky at all.

Two days pass. No Bucky.

Three days pass. Zero handsome window washers.

When the end of your day comes and it hits you that he hasn’t made his usual stop you try to ignore the disappointment that prickles your heart.

It takes a while before it dawns on you that since you had started your job Bucky had washed every single window on this side of the building. Which meant he would move onto another side or possibly an entirely different building.

On your walk into work Friday morning, you notice that the window washing crew’s tools are absent from the sidewalk. An unfamiliar emotion has you biting your lip as you approach your desk.

I guess that’s that. We kept missing each other and time just. . .ran out. It’s not a big deal. . . If it’s not a big deal then why am I so sad?

Turning your gaze to the window immediately to your left, you notice a piece of paper in the middle of the pane. You stare for a moment, fairly certain that it hadn’t been there when you left work last night. With a purposeful step you go to the window, a sneaking suspicion in the back of your mind. You find a note written in a familiar hand taped to the outside of the window, the writing facing you so you could read it clear as day.

Chapter Five

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[cavefelix]

Skinny Jeans: A Glitch story

Jenna Moran is currently kickstarting her latest RPG, Glitch. And it is a... what’s the literary equivalent of earworm? The sort of thing where you read that the first step in character creation is to come up with something that’s killing your PC, and you think of something random like “They’re dying of skinny jeans.” And then two hours later you’ve turned it into a short story/character intro? 

One

You remember the first time you realized the world was wrong.

You were an adolescent, or maybe on the cusp of adolescence; you always thought of yourself as awkward. You were in a mall. Buying clothing. Maybe school was starting again? You assume your mother or father or some caregiver took you there. The details may be a little fuzzy, but they don’t matter, because they are part of the world, and the world is wrong. But you do remember seeing your science teacher at the store. Miss Pendergrass was her name. Or something like it. It was definitely a name you’d assign to a science teacher. She was one of those well meaning, helpful type of teachers who want to be your friend.

But she wasn’t there when you realized the world was wrong. That happened when you were alone, in the changing room.

It happened when you tried on a pair of skinny jeans, and looked in the mirror.

And realized you were beautiful. Whatever gangliness or plumpness or awkwardness adolescents were supposed to have didn’t affect you. You looked great in those skinny jeans.  You looked perfect. You looked beyond perfect, like someone had taken a Photoshop filter to reality; your beauty was an impossibility.

You don’t remember how long you stared. Maybe for the first few seconds you felt awe at how great you looked. It wasn’t that you looked great in the skinny jeans, you realized. They were just a catalyst. But the feeling soon changed from awe to puzzlement. How could a woman look like you did? How could you look so impossibly good.

And then, within minutes, timeless minutes, you felt anger. It was wrong for beauty like this to exist. The artist who put the image you were looking at in the mirror may as well have photoshopped a dragon or a klein bottle in there. (You were young, and did not yet know that seeing four dimensional figures was possible, or that dragons were not fictional.) Your reflection, your you, didn’t belong here.

You scowled.

The mirror did not scowl back.

You waved your hand.

The mirror did not wave back.

You hurriedly changed out of those skinny jeans, replacing them with the frumpy clothes you’d been wearing. The mirror did not change; showing you with a wide-eyed expression in those skinny jeans. You’d have looked perfect in the mirror, if it wasn’t wrong.

You ran out of the changing room and saw Miss Pendergrass there. “I have a science question. Can mirrors break? Not, like, glass cracking, but just stop working?”

You don’t remember exactly what she said. You think she laughed. But eventually, you convinced her to come with you to the dressing room and look at the mirror, to see for herself. Your image was still there, staring back.

“Why, you’re--” Miss Pendergrass began, then stopped. She leaned closer to the image. Her mouth opened. In awe. It didn’t shut.

You don’t know how long she stared at it, silently, perhaps as thin stream of drool running down her face? You dried to snap her out of it, running your hand in front of her eyes, clapping your hands, covering the mirror with a jacket you had been planning to try on next. She refused to, or couldn’t, look away. She couldn’t handle the fact the world was wrong. You’d broken her. She’d never explain what refraction was again.

You suppose you were upset at the time, but can’t get quite as worked up over it now. You understand that the world is fundamentally broken, and pieces in it break sometimes.

Two

The meeting never happened, in several senses of the word.

When you were a little child, you saw your elder sibling kissing the child of the pastor, who was roughly the same age. You think one of them had skinny jeans on. Or maybe a nice shirt.

You think it was your elder sibling. It’s hard to remember details of people who are part of such a flawed world. But it was considered bad that the two had kissed. You don’t remember why. Maybe they were the same sex and society at the time frowned on this. Maybe they were opposite sexes and people at the time frowned on that. Perhaps the pastor was a different faith than your family. Or perhaps it was a class thing. Or that there was a plague. The important thing is they thought it was wrong that the two be seen kissing.

When your sibling saw you, he or she told you, “This didn’t happen.” And you understood what they meant. Of course it had taken place. Cameras, if cameras existed at the time (you don’t quite remember) and were filming the area (they weren’t) it would have seen them kissing, but you were to pretend that such hypothetical recordings were unreal

The meeting didn’t exist in the sense your sibling never kissed the spawn of the religious leader.

It also didn’t exist in the sense that the universe could possibly have any record of it. Both sides scoured time and meaning to remove it after the fact. No being who experienced time linearly, and most others as well, could wor will find a scintilla of evidence it happened. You wouldn’t recall it either except you were there.

It was doomed from the start. Both sides knew truce was impossible, peace could not exist. They were led by pure evil, and freely admitted it. How could they want to stop the endless bloodshed. And your side knew the wrongness of the world? How could you let that continue?

You knew it was doomed at the time, but you were old and foolish then. You’re younger than that now.

But both sides also knew they had to make the effort. It was how Things Were Done.

You wore skinny jeans to the meeting. Or perhaps a vermillion robe of the softest fur. And a hat, of course. You remember that your allies wore crowns and diadems. You chose a black pillbox hat with a veil. You wanted your foes to know the effort was dead on arrival, and you had come to a funeral.

You wound up teamed up with the pretty one on their side. You think that your colleagues avoided him because he was so good looking.

Like you, he was impossibly beautiful. But his beauty was a different sort of impossibility. His was the beauty that made people burn their own eyes out so that they never needed to look at another thing again. His comeliness was the category 5 hurricane after a years long drought. His radiance said that there was more to the world than you could ever dream of; a reminder that “terrific” and “awesome” were not always words of praise, but words of overwhelming fear that is oft indistinguishable from praise.

It was said that to look at his beauty was to die. But you were already dying of an impossible beauty. You gazed at him unafraid. And he at you. He seemed … surprised. If his looks were infinite, yours were equal, but multiplied by the square root of negative 1. Of course, you aimed to conceal your beauty, wrapping your body in furs and skinny jeans, covering your head, while he seemed to casually radiate it in his robes.

“It’s like looking into a funhouse mirror,” he said. Or seemed to say with his expression. Perhaps he was all business, talking of negotiations and the ramblings of snakes, but those were pro forma, and you knew it, he knew it, and he knew you knew he knew it. So the conversation that never happened stuck in your mind more than the words that did.

“You have killed to try to accomplish your goals,” he seemed to say. “I am no stranger to murder. It is not ugly to preside over intentional malicious deaths. You could still join us.”

At the time, you knew he was wrong. You still suspect he’s wrong.  There can be no peace, no end to the war. But you…

Well, the talks failed, as everyone at the table seemed to know, must have known, they would. And then steps were taken to ensure the talks had never happened. The talks had been wrong. And they were erased from existence. All that remains are memories of a conversation that never happened, in a meeting that never happened in a world that it was wrong to have happened.

Three

You remember the first time you realized the world was wrong, and took action to try to fix it.

You were an adolescent, or maybe on the cusp of adolescence; you always thought of yourself as awkward. You were in Greece. Or maybe somewhere in Asia Minor.

You had just gotten a new pair of skinny jeans, and were walking around the break them in. Or maybe it was a toga. That would be more temporally appropriate, you think. Skinny jeans had yet to come to that part of the world, what with denim being centuries away. But in your memory you were wearing skinny jeans.

You were, of course, wearing a helmet. A bronze one to protect your head in battle. Not that your enemies would be deterred by bronze. Or titanium. Or a planet imposed between you and them. But it was important to show you were a general, a leader of forces. The helmet had plumes and decoration that, had your foes been ordinary humans, would have served no purpose.  But you were young. Agelessly young. Maybe you weren’t actually a general yet? A commander? A would-be soldier?

The important thing is you were walking through an ancient quasi-Grecian city. And you passed a statue of Aphrodite. A beautiful new statue of gleaming copper, still the cheerful red shade copper has before it realizes the world is horrible and turns a sickly green in solidarity.

It was bright enough you could see your distorted reflection in it.

You would be beautiful.

You had just awoken from a long rest. You had deliberately forsaken makeup. You had put on your frumpiest clothes over your skinny jeans and/or toga. You deliberately wore a scowl. And still, the horrible, broken beauty almost broke through.

It angered you, the fact that you would soon show how wrong the world was. And the fact you were seeing this through an idol of beauty, probably one of your foes, pushed you over the edge.

You don’t remember the details of what you did, but by the time you were done, a thousand ships had sunk, the city’s topless towers burned, and the people of the land erased from history and consigned to mythology.  You sometimes think you may have tried to bury your petulance into Achilleus, since while they got most of the story wrong, his attitude feels like you.

The story Homer told was wrong, but then again, the world is wrong.

Four

You remember when you felt love. You never expected to.

It’s not like it’s wrong for you to fall in love. Your enemy might forbid their troops from doing so, but your side is different. Besides, you are a leader, not a follower. You are a commander; who would blame you for falling in love.

But the world is wrong. Why love what must be wrong? It’s like painting a house during a rain storm; it’s permissible by changes nothing. Love is pointless.

But it happened to you.

You were in a cafe on poetry night. Or maybe you were still in school, and there was some sort of talent show. Something stupid. You didn’t really want to be there. You had to be there. Maybe it was required to graduate. Or you were spying on the god who was in charge of itchy shirt labels. But you weren’t there because you wanted to hear people recite poetry.

You were wearing skinny jeans. Or maybe a flapper skirt. Or a poodle skirt. And you had on a big, floral hat that said to everyone “I am a unique iconoclast like everybody else in the audience so pay no attention to me.”

Then she came up to the microphone and spoke.

I died for beauty, but was scarce Adjusted in the tomb, When one who died for truth was lain In an adjoining room.

He questioned softly why I failed? "For beauty," I replied. "And I for truth - the two are one; We brethren are," he said.

And so, as kinsmen met a-night, We talked between the rooms, Until the moss had reached our lips, And covered up our names.

It was the most amazing thing you’d ever heard. And it was real, you could feel in your bones. You were dying of beauty. And truth was the same as beauty. Beauty was a sign the world was wrong. And truth was also wrong. Nothing mattered.

Except the girl who had recited that.

You broke your cover. (Was it your cover of a nobody in a cafe or an indifferent student? You don’t remember. It doesn’t really matter.) And you went up to her.

“I liked your poem,” you said.

She turned and faced you, and her eyes were like yours. Perhaps not objectively as pretty, but the same, eyes filled with night and void. You recognized her. She was that girl. The one that people warn about The one that only lies. That you should never have speak.

“It’s not my poem,” she replied, smiling. “It’s by a woman called Emily Dickinson.”

You paused. You were not used to casual conversation like this. Perhaps you should have asked her if she needed help destroying a continent. But you felt instinctively should could handle herself in matters like that. Her clique would reject you if you tried to get too close. They were all a bunch of beatniks or hipsters or the resistance or whatever the phrase was at the time.

“Oh,” you said. “I bet this Emily had a fascinating life.”

She shook her head. “Emily was a recluse. She barely left her house.” You like to think that she saw your crestfallen expression and threw you a bone with her next line, but you’re never sure; perhaps that’s just the story she felt like telling at the moment.

“But she knew a lot of important people, and everybody loves her today.”

You are weirdly charmed by this Emily Dickinson the girl made up. You’ve read some of the silly poetry, claiming hope has feathers (it’s scaled) and that death stops in a coach, which they only travel by Rolls Royce limousines.

The girl at the microphone changed your life. You love her for that, even if love must be wrong since the world is wrong.

Five

You remember the first time you realized the world was wrong.

You were an adolescent, or maybe on the cusp of adolescence; you always thought of yourself as awkward. You were in Africa. People hadn’t left there yet. Maybe they hadn’t even become people, technically. You doubt you were an australopithecine, but maybe your people were still playing around with fire?

You had just killed a pair of wild jeans. Not enormous ones; you were barely more than a kid yourself, so the jeans were kind of skinny. Or maybe you had just killed a young antelope. Either way, you skinned it. Of course, back than you were supposed to wash and cure and tan these things before wearing them, since you couldn’t just get them at a mall.

But you  tried it on and looked at yourself in the rippling lake immediately.  You were beautiful. Too beautiful. So beautiful it was wrong.

The lake stopped rippling to capture the perfect image in it. Then the water decided that wasn’t enough. It turned to ice. The cold, something you were unused to in the tropical savannah, startled me and you backed away, but yourreflection did not change. Had this been a more sophisticated era, an era of malls and physics and mirrors, you might have been surprised by this. But we had not yet mastered the science of understanding reflections.

Besides, the water soon decided that ice was not enough to preserve the image and changed yet again. And then it decided that it couldn’t share with anyone, and the lake moved underground, hiding in a water mine.

Today, it’s still around, though of course it broke into fragments. Water is not good at staying together, even when harder than rock. You probably won’t see the image in them anymore; it’s been turned into small fragments of pigment; people remember that the water contained beauty, but not what it was.

But you have to remember; the beauty was wrong. (How can you forget that the beauty was wrong. The whole world is wrong. The beauty is just a sign, the sweet smell of the fruit that indicates the locust will soon devour everything.) And today, people dig up these chunks of my reflection in those skinny jeans, and kill and die for them.

For a long time, this did not bother you. Even today, what people do with these diamonds that are as meaningless as droplets of water doesn’t bother you. But it bothers you that it doesn’t bother you. Is that progress?

Six

You never said “I love you” to the girl at the cafe. (Or was it a classroom?) But you thought about that conversation with her a lot over the years. All the silly things she said.

“I enjoy coffee,” she told you. “Almost everyone does.” It’s so funny. Coffee is acrid and burns your mouth and makes you jittery. But because she said it, almost everyone insists they love coffee and need it to start the day.

You understand she’s alone even in her clique. They don’t want to hear what she has to say. You wonder if she’s lonely.  You wonder if you should talk to her?

Talking to people is hard. What do you say? “Hi. The world is wrong. I’m wrong. You’re wrong. We should not be but cannot help the fact and I am perpetually dying?” After that, what do you say?

But the thing she made true about beauty and truth being intertwined made you think. Or maybe it was her smile.

Either way, you’ve spent more and more time wondering, what’s the point of it all?

And you realized, you don’t want to do it anymore. The endless fighting that accomplishes nothing; can accomplish nothing. The pointless killings. The things you’ve made so that they never were. Was it worth it?

You’re not really sure the answer to the last question is no. You haven’t been sure for a long time. You’re not even sure time has any meaning. Time is part of the world, and you’ve known the world is wrong ever since that time you were barely an adolescent, and tried on skinny jeans (or was it a peasant’s tunic?) and the dauphin had you burned at the stake for being too beautiful.

You never said goodbye to your allies. That seemed like it would be simultaneously maudlin and suicidally foolish. So you packed a suitcase with skinny jeans (you can fit more of them than regular clothing), put on a stylish hat -- a spotless white one to symbolize the emptiness and nothingness you hope can come, or maybe to symbolize a new beginning -- and headed out to try to … do something. Something different.

You hope what you do won’t be beautiful. You fear it will.

-----

Note: While not mentioned by name, Ananda and Iolithae Septimian are Jenna Moran’s creation, referenced without permission. It is probably unwise to love Iolithae, even in a non-romantic way.

[sinrau]

Speaking from the convention stage in Cleveland in 2016, Donald Trump made a solemn promise to the American people: that “the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20, 2017, safety will be restored.”

It was, at the time, a striking promise. Starting in 1994, the US murder rate had fallen consistently for 20 years. Violent crime had fallen so much that nobody talked about it anymore as a political issue, and the “tough on crime” politics of the 1980s and 1990s was widely viewed as embarrassing.

After Michael Brown’s death at the hands of police in Ferguson, Missouri, the mainstream conversation in the United States was about criminal justice reform, not reducing crime. But crime went up a bit in 2015 and then up by a larger amount in 2016. Progressives didn’t really want to talk about it, but Trump — a man who seems unafraid to be seen as an embarrassing throwback to the 1980s — did.

It’s not entirely clear how many voters found this particular gambit persuasive and appealing, but obviously Trump thinks it works because he’s saying the same stuff again. And if Trump were just some guy on Twitter, that would make sense: Murder is on the rise again after ticking down for a few years, and acts of looting and vandalism are occurring in cities across the country.

But Donald Trump is the president of the United States.

He promised four years ago to restore safety and bring law and order to our streets. He never bothered to articulate a message about how he would do that, but it didn’t matter. He was the “law and order” candidate. But today he’s a candidate with a record. A record of rising crime and urban disorder, and a record that makes it clear he has no idea how to make any of it better — and is intervening in several ways to make it worse.

Trump is defunding the police

One of the greatest oddities of the 2020 election season is that while it offers many examples of Republicans accusing Democrats of wanting to “defund” the police, the exact opposite is happening on a policymaking level.

Trump has been very critical of the 1994 crime bill and the 2009 economic recovery act, both of which increased federal support for local police. He’s also submitted four budget proposals to Congress, each of which proposed cuts in police spending. More to the point, right now politicians are debating what to do about the expiration of bonus unemployment insurance money that was provided by the CARES Act.

Democrats and Republicans are arguing, in part, about the structure of UI benefits. But they are also arguing about Democrats’ desire to provide state and local government with a massive injection of emergency aid money to plug giant budget holes created by the Covid-19 pandemic. With no aid forthcoming due to GOP opposition, cities are cutting budgets.

And while the abstract defunding debate plays out among intellectuals, real cities are cutting. Not just liberal enclaves, either. Oklahoma City, one of the most conservative cities in America, is cutting its police budget because it’s cutting spending across the board.

If you believe in the empirical evidence that more cops equals less crime — which Trump seems to pretend to — then this trend would appear to make America less safe. And that’s only more so the case, given that the cutbacks in policing will be paired with cuts to mental health and other social services and occur at a time of high unemployment. But while Trump undermines public safety, he also undermines citizens’ efforts to demand accountability for the actions of law enforcement officers.

From day one, the administration’s standpoint has been to deny that any increased accountability from police is needed. In February 2017, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the administration would no longer pursue civil rights lawsuits or investigations of alleged police abuses. Sessions characterized federal consent decrees, a powerful tool DOJ can use to fight abuses, as “an insult.” In August, he reversed course on another Obama-era policy and restarted the flow of military equipment to police departments.

Trump himself has written in praise of rough police tactics, tweeting one day about White House protests that “whenever someone got too frisky or out of line, [the Secret Service] would quickly come down on them, hard — didn’t know what hit them,” before fantasizing about scenarios in which protesters would breach the White House fence only to be “greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen.” He pardoned crooked cop Joe Arpaio, and defied the top brass of the military to issue pardons for suspected and convicted war criminals.

Encouraging bad policing is bad on the merits. It also creates a very different political dynamic than prevailed from 2014 to 2016. The federal government is openly contemptuous of the basic goals of police reform advocates who are now taking to the streets in mass protest.

Protesters have spent the summer on the streets as part of what some historians have said could be the “ largest movement in American history.” If Trump’s goal is to disband protests to eliminate the adjacent violence, the best tool he has is the legislative process. Mitch McConnell could send him a sweeping package setting forth plans for real reform that satisfy most protesters and signal to others that the political process is responsive to community concerns. Ideally, then, it would be far easier to identify troublemakers who are more interested in stealing things than advancing a political cause. It would also make it easier for police departments to expend their resources on conventional crime prevention, rather than focusing on nightly standoffs with predominantly peaceful protesters.

In this optimal world, the reforms would work, police misconduct would diminish, community trust would rise, and a virtuous circle where a higher level of confidence leads to more crimes being solved and a greater sense of public security could emerge.

That optimal path is hard to get on. Trump isn’t even trying.

Senate Republicans blocked major policing reform legislation, and from the president down to governors and state legislators, Republicans are taking the side of police unions in a way conservatives would recognize as irresponsible with regard to any other form of public sector union.

Unions try to deliver wins for their members. Elected officials don’t like to raise taxes. That makes it perennially tempting to compensate public sector workers with things whose costs don’t show up on an official budget document — things like a level of job security bordering on impunity that can actually prove to be very costly to society as a whole. But today’s Republicans are more interested in using cops and their unions as props in political campaigns than in pointing out that a classic piece of conservative policy analysis speaks directly to one of the main concerns in the contemporary United States.

This creates a situation in which people are not only angry but frustrated with the prospects for political change. NBA athletes have successfully used their clout to increase voter participation efforts. But the GOP Senate majority that’s blocking reform is already elected by a minority of voters, precisely because the Senate map systemically underweights the political voice of Black people and residents of big metro areas — exactly the people the NBA is in a position to influence.

From the courts to the Senate to the Electoral College to gerrymandered state legislatures, Republicans have managed to put themselves in a position where ordinary participation in the political process doesn’t suffice to get rid of them.

That’s not to excuse random acts of theft or destruction. But it is a reality that makes it much more challenging for responsible people to try to redirect the less responsible into more constructive activities.

But what does Trump have on tap beyond angry tweets and absurd posturing? He’s been the president for years, and he’s flailing even with the issues he does want to talk about. Vice President Mike Pence ended his speech last week by asking the American people to let him and Trump “Make America great again, again.” In context, it was essentially a request for a mulligan on Covid-19, which is absurd. But it’s exactly what Trump is pushing on crime as well — that we should just ignore the parts of the presidency where his ideas don’t work and his administration fails on its own terms.

Donald Trump is the president

[gduncan969]

Has the Church Lost Its Purpose

Matthew 16:18 “..and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

If you’re like me, you are probably pretty fed up with Covid-19 and all the ever-changing rules and regulations thrust upon us in our government’s efforts to control it—by controlling us!  When will we get past this and back to normal is the question uppermost in many minds but no one is giving any definitive answer and by the looks of it, whatever answer there is, is still a long way off.   So we stumble on trying to remember to put our masks on, squirt our hands with another dose of hand sanitizer and then go home to watch the riots and mayhem in the city streets of downtown USA.  Where is all this headed and how does the Church fit into this scenario?  The Shorter Westminster Confession tells us the chief end of man is to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever” but in these days of closed, or partially “open” churches where singing is forbidden and masks must be worn, the question is: “What is the chief end of the Church of Jesus Christ?” and we can also tack on a second question: “Why does our government think the Church is non-essential when the casino’s and liquor stores are open and the rioters and protesters are given a free hand to assemble?.  How we answer these questions very much depends on our view of the Church’s purpose in this time of world pandemic and social unrest.  All of us who have committed our lives to Jesus Christ already know that the Church is the body and bride of Christ whom the Lord Himself will return to earth to “present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:27).  It is not an organization but an organism which Jesus continues to nurture and grow through the revelation of Himself by His Spirit (Matthew 16:18) and that this present age will come to an end at the “marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9) when the old earth and Heaven will pass away and a new Heaven and a new earth will be created. These are great, all-encompassing statements describing our final destiny to “be ever with the Lord” but there’s a more pressing question that demands an answer at this current moment: “Has the Church lost its purpose in the middle of this Covid-19 pandemic in its compliance with government closures and restrictions, its social distancing rules, job losses, political uncertainty and a host of other issues like suicides, drug abuse, etc.?  How is the Church meeting these situations and challenges? One thing for sure is it has not been able to carry on as usual.  There is nothing “usual” about being forbidden to assemble together with fellow believers in our homes and churches, about being forbidden to praise God together in song or about having to wear a mask and distance ourselves from one another to avoid all physical contact during our services, but if these are the only things we miss then the “new normal” is really little more than an inconvenience.  Perhaps this is the reason most churches around the world have so easily accepted the mantra of the media and the government “It’s all for the common good” and agreed that the Church must do its part along with the rest of humanity to curb the spread of this deadly virus that supposedly is threatening to engulf the entire world in a holocaust of death.  Who would dare gainsay such common sense?  (I think it was Albert Einstein who declared that common sense is very uncommon!)  Let’s re-examine what the Church is and what it represents and then decide what its true purpose is.

Post Modernism

To the post-modern world in which we now live where your “truth” and my “truth” are equally acceptable and tolerable, the Church of Jesus Christ appears to most as little more than a social gathering of like-minded people enjoying each other’s fellowship on Sunday mornings in buildings called churches where we sing praises to God accompanied by an organist or pianist or even a full blown band with drums, guitars and sometimes even laser lights and smoke generators to create the “right” atmosphere.  We listen to sermons from the bible about how to be good and afterwards go to the local restaurant for lunch. Beyond that, the world is largely uncertain as to what the purpose of the church is and what it actually does and most are content to leave it to itself with no desire to get involved, especially if (not always when) it talks about things like “sin”, a word no longer acceptable in polite company.  Is it any wonder that governments have deemed church gatherings to be “non-essential” and almost all churches have quietly agreed to their banishment “for the common good” because the bible tells us to be “subject to the authorities” (Romans 13:1) while forgetting that Peter resisted those same authorities because “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29)?  Objections from the Christian community to church closures has been tepid at best and supportive at worst. This is understandable from a point of view that sees church meetings as an unnecessary opportunity for the virus to spread.  This may have been OK for the purpose of “flattening the curve” but those days are long past and the current fear of a second and possibly a third wave of the virus is making the long-term outlook for a return to normalcy very uncertain indeed!  There’s now plenty of evidence to show the damage being done to the Church by its obedience to these rules.

The Church is Suffering Damage

The harm done to the church by its complicity in its own closure is appearing in the form of a dramatic drop in attendance.  A Barna Group poll in the US taken in May of this year shows that one third of “practicing Christians” (I take that to mean those who attend church regularly) have completely quit attending any church—either on line or in person—and half the millenials (young people) have done likewise!  Barna’s latest poll, announced this week carries the headline: “1 in 5 Churches Facing Permanent Closure Within 18 Months Due to Covid-19 Shutdowns.”  The reason for this is quite simple: one in five churches do not have enough income to keep their doors open even as the restrictions have been eased and partial services allowed!  These figures lead me to ask, “What kind of commitment to the local body of Christ do those have who so soon walked away?” This is not encouraging news but my real concern is not church finances or even church attendance, it is the failure of many in the Church to recognize what the Church is, a living body, spiritual in nature and determined in its purpose to reach a dying world with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ who died for it, rose again to empower it with His Spirit and is coming again to receive it to Himself at the end of the present age.  Each born again believer is a member in particular joined to every other member by the “joints and ligaments” (Colossians 2:19) that connect us to the Head, Jesus Christ and to each other. The “joints and ligaments” are the relationships between us and the Head that hold the body together and these suffer damage when members cannot assemble together to pray together, worship together and minister to the world around them together.  It is very difficult to maintain real relationships through a mobile phone.  It is impossible to visit the sick at home or in hospital to lay hands on them or anoint them with oil. It is impossible kneel by the bedside of a dying saint to hug them one last time or wrap your arms around a grieving saint from six feet away and it is impossible to encourage anyone with a smile while wearing a mask.  These are not trivial issues, they go to the heart of Christian ministry.  How many church members have and will forsake the faith and wander off into the world because their church was obedient to their civic duty and closed its doors?  Church gatherings are far, far more than a social event, they are a critical function of the Church to further the gospel in the lives of believers and unbelievers alike.  I was not saved by watching a video but by attending a meeting where I went forward before thousands of others to commit my life to Christ.  Yes, of course God uses videos to reach others but He doesn’t leave us there, alone in our basement wondering where do I go from here.  He joins me to the rest of His body in personal, human, on-going contact with other believers. If the Church is not meeting, lives are being lost!

The Lord is Shaking His Church

Why has the Church been so afraid to disobey the government and so unafraid to disobey the Lord who has told us to “forsake not the assembling of (y)ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25); to “lay hands on the sick” (Mark 16:18); to gather together to pray and sing; to baptize; to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  Can you ever imagine Jesus saying to the leper, “Sorry, I can’t touch you because I may get what you’ve got and besides, it’s against the law for me to touch you”?  What kind of gospel is that?  It is the gospel of fear, not love, of weakness, not strength.  Father Damien of Molokai was a Belgian missionary to the lepers in the Pacific who willingly lived among them and became one of them for the sake of the gospel.  Countless others have done likewise throughout the history of the Church and have “counted it all joy” (James 1:2).  I believe the Lord Jesus is using this present pandemic to shake His Church awake from its slumber.  He is removing the old normal and replacing it with a whole new church experience of the power of the Holy Spirit at work through its members to reach the world.  The old order with the pastor and the platform team doing all the work while the congregation waits to be led (and entertained?) will be replaced with God’s order as described in 1 Corinthians 14:24 - 26 showing how the early church ran its services: “if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation.”   The world wants evidence that the gospel we preach is real and the only way to show it is real is to do as Paul did, “not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:4).  How exciting and challenging it will be to go to church knowing that the Lord wants to use you in the service to bring something besides your bible and your tithes, (although many bring neither). If you feel you don’t have a psalm, a teaching, a tongue, a revelation or an interpretation to offer and if you feel you are unable to demonstrate the Holy Spirit and His Power, then go to Jesus and ask Him first to baptize you in His Holy Spirit and then open your mouth and let Him fill it as He gives you the utterance.  Expect the Lord to give you something to add to the service besides your presence and your praise (but first pray that the elders will make room for your ministry and wait until they do). This may seem all too far-fetched but it is clearly biblical and in the coming time of testing for the Church, clearly necessary.

The days ahead are filled with uncertainty but God is faithful and we will not be deserted by Him or left to figure it all out by ourselves.  He loves us intensely and will carry us through as long as we hang on to Him.  More than that, He will reveal how great His Power is in us if we will but trust Him to use us for His glory. That’s the kind of Church He is building.  If you are still uncertain as to the purpose of the Church, pray for God to reveal this to you that you may function as a healthy member.  I sense that God is about to judge the earth but first He will judge His Church and cleanse it from every spot and wrinkle.  “He that endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13) and as I said in my last blog, endurance may not be pleasant but it is necessary to get through what lies ahead.  The initial acceptance of the closures by the churches is understandable in human terms but given the great damage being caused to the Church (and to society) as it continues, this issue must be faced prayerfully and determinedly.  If the Barna polls are correct---and I believe they are---we must decide whether to continue in obedience to man or God!

[teachanarchy]

Schools are places of learning and also miniature societies. The climate of a school has a direct impact on both how well students learn and how well they interact with their peers. Teachers and administrators work hard to make their classrooms welcoming places where each student feels included. But despite these efforts, students who are—or who are perceived to be—lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) continue to face a harsh reality.

According to a recent Human Rights Campaign survey, LGBT students report being harassed at school—both verbally and physically—at twice the rate of non-LGBT youth. With heightened stressors like bullying, harassment and a lack of role models, LGBT students are also more likely to experience negative educational outcomes.

Needless to say, LGBT students need allies.

Studies have shown that creating a supportive environment for LGBT students improves educational outcomes for all students, not just those who may identify as LGBT. And remember, it’s not about politics—it’s about supporting students. Any educator, regardless of his personal beliefs, can be a resource for LGBT students.

It all starts with awareness. Often educators are unsure how to support their LGBT students in a meaningful way. These best practices were compiled to give school leaders the knowledge they need to create a climate in which their most vulnerable students feel safe and valued. Through inclusive policies and nurturing practices, administrators, counselors and teachers have the power to build an educational environment that is truly welcoming to all students.

Build an Inclusive School Climate

Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs (GSAs) GSA’s are a great way to educate students about diversity and support LGBT students. They can also be a valuable resource to administrators trying to gauge the temperature of their school climates.

Remember that a GSA club is no different than any other student club and cannot be subjected to any extra regulations.

Get Started Empower GSA members to educate their peers by providing venues for communication (e.g., airtime during the daily announcements, a wall on which to hang posters or a school assembly).

Inclusive Leaders and Allies Leaders who promote a safe and inclusive environment are essential in creating a positive school climate, and they should be rewarded accordingly.

Publicly praise staff members who actively promote an inclusive environment. This practice both affirms their positive action and creates a culture in which other staff members are unafraid to be allies to LGBT and gender-nonconforming students.

Get Started At end-of-the-year award ceremonies, present special “Diversity Leader” certificates to educators who actively promoted an inclusive school environment throughout the year.

Clothing and Dress Codes Clothing is a key way students express their various identities—and many fashion choices are protected by the First Amendment.

• Enforce dress codes among all students equally. A school cannot Constitutionally forbid male students to wear dresses, for instance, if other students are allowed to wear dresses.

• Empower students to express themselves. Messages supporting LGBT rights are protected speech, whether they’re spoken, worn on a button or printed on a T-shirt.

Get Started Check your dress code today. Are there rules that apply only to some students? If so, take immediate steps to remove them from your student handbook.

Transgender and Intersex Students Gender (how a person feels) and biological sex (the physical makeup of a person’s anatomy) are two different things, and they are not always aligned. For example, a person may be raised as a girl but identify as a boy. Others may have been born with a condition that places their biological sex between male and female; they may still be deciding which gender they will ultimately adopt.

• Help students whose gender is incorrectly listed on paperwork to correct the situation and ensure school staff and students address them using their preferred pronouns.

• Designate a gender-neutral restroom. Binary (women/men or boy/girl) restrooms aren’t inclusive and can be unsafe spaces for transgender and intersex students. Allow each transgender or intersex student to use the restroom in which that student is most comfortable, whether it's the gender-neutral restroom or the restroom that corresponds with the student's self-identified gender.

Get Started Evaluate your administrative forms and communications. Do they use gender-neutral language or provide an opportunity for students to communicate their gender identity? If not, make the needed updates.

Proms and Other School Events LGBT students and students who do not conform to gender norms can easily feel excluded from extracurricular events like proms if care is not taken to implement inclusive practices and language.

• Use gender-inclusive language on all event communications, including invitations.

• Educate event organizers about students’ First Amendment right to attend events with a same-sex date and to wear clothing of their choice.

Get Started Designate one member of your prom committee as the “Inclusivity Planner” to ensure that every student feels welcome.

Privacy Four of ten LGBT youths say the community in which they live is not accepting of LGBT people, which makes it absolutely imperative that educators respect students’ right to privacy.

Never reveal a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity without the student’s permission—even to the student’s family.

Get Started Include language in school privacy policies that explicitly states the confidentiality of information pertaining to students’ sexual orientations and gender identities.

Preventing and Addressing Problems

Anti-Bullying Policy Before a school can be inclusive of all students, it must be safe for all students. Your school’s anti-bullying policy or code of conduct is the most public statement of its commitment to student safety. A strong policy protects all students, but many schools need explicit guidance on safeguarding LGBT students.

• Include language specifically prohibiting harassment based on nonconformity to gender norms, gender identity and gender expression.

• Give examples of harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of your school’s anti-bullying program annually using student and staff surveys.

• Designate an anti-bullying coordinator as well as an anti-bullying task force. Staff members specifically trained to prevent and respond to bullying incidents play a pivotal role in developing and maintaining your school’s anti-bullying program and are essential if a bullying incident occurs.

• Communicate effectively and often with students, parents or guardians and the community about school climate issues such as bullying. Post the name and contact information for your schools’ anti-bullying coordinator in the office, on the school website and in the student handbook.

• Ensure that reactions to reports of harassment do not further stigmatize students who were targeted for their real or perceived LGBT identities.

• Educate teachers and administrators about common bullying myths, such as the idea that LGBT students are “asking for it” by expressing their sexual orientations or dressing in their preferred manners.

Get Started Review your current anti-bullying policy. Don’t forget to get input from students, parents, guardians, educators and the community.

Bullying Hot Spots Bullying often occurs when adults aren’t present. Identifying areas where bullying takes place and taking action to make those places safer is an important step in the school climate improvement process.

Identify “hot spots” where bullying often occurs (inside or outside) and take immediate corrective actions to eliminate them, such as training and assigning students or staff to monitor these locations and/or adding cameras.

Get Started Teaching Tolerance’s mapping exercise helps you begin identifying your school’s “hot spots.”

Training From students to district administrators, everyone has a role to play in creating an inclusive school climate. Proper training gives all school community members a thorough understanding of the part they play in making their school an environment that welcomes all students.

Conduct student training once a year, including ageappropriate discussion of the following:

• The importance of diversity (including nonconformity with gender norms) in the student body;

• Behaviors that constitute bullying;

• The negative impact of bullying;

• How students should respond to bullying;

• How teachers should respond to bullying;

• Disciplinary consequences for students who bully their peers; and

• The process for reporting bullying.

Conduct teacher and administrator training once a year, including the following topics in addition to those above:

• Root causes of bullying;

• Steps to foster an inclusive education environment for all students—specifically students who don’t conform to gender norms or who might be perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender;

• Review of the school’s bullying policy, emphasizing staff’s responsibility to respond to all bullying; and

• Disciplinary consequences for school staff who engage in or ignore bullying.

Get Started Teaching Tolerance’s guide, Speak Up at School, gives both educators and students practical strategies for speaking up against biased speech.

Religion Religion can be a hot topic when discussing LGBT issues. All students are entitled to their religious viewpoints, but those viewpoints may not intrude on the rights of others.

Harassment based on religious beliefs is unacceptable and should be addressed according to your school’s anti-bullying policy.

Get Started Include faith groups in your school’s multi-cultural club as an opportunity for crosscultural understanding.

Conversion Therapy Also known as reparative or sexual reorientation therapy, this pseudo-scientific “therapy” has been denounced by all major medical and psychological associations and may cause a student great psychological harm.

• Educate school staff about myths perpetrated by those who conduct conversion therapy. It is impossible to “turn” an individual from gay to straight.

• Prepare counselors and teachers to support students who are coping with the emotional side effects of conversion therapy. Students who have undergone this so-called therapy have reported increased anxiety, depression, and in some cases, increased thoughts about suicide.

Get Started Our article, “Therapy of Lies,” is a great resource for educating school staff about conversion therapy.

Additional Resources

Responding to Hate and Bias at School A Teaching Tolerance guide that shows educators how to respond to a haterelated incident in their school or community and guides them through crisis management and post-crisis efforts at improvement.

Speak Up at School A Teaching Tolerance guide that gives educators the tools to help students and themselves turn from bystanders to upstanders and explains how to respond to biased remarks from peers, parents or even administrators.

Examining Your School’s Climate A questionnaire to begin the process of assessing your school climate.

Glossary of Terms A quick-guide to improve your LGBT vocabulary.

Ten Tips for Starting a GSA These 10 simple steps can help make a GSA’s launch successful.

Common Roadblocks Learn how to constructively respond to common objections to LGBT-inclusive policies.

Copyright © 2013 by Teaching Tolerance. May be reproduced for educational purposes.

[today-in-wwi]

Wilson’s “Peace Without Victory” Speech

Reaction in the belligerents’ press to Wilson’s speech was mixed.  This cartoon from Punch is captioned: “President Pygmalion Wilson. ‘The durned thing won’t come to life!’” 

January 22 1917, Washington--Wilson’s peace note in December had largely been dismissed by both sides.  As a result, Wilson decided that he would attempt to address “the people of the countries now at war,” in the form of a highly-publicized speech to the US Senate on January 22.  Selections from the speech are reproduced below:

..It must be a peace without victory. It is not pleasant to say this....Victory would mean peace forced upon the loser, a victor's terms imposed upon the vanquished. It would be accepted in humiliation, under duress, at an intolerable sacrifice, and would leave a sting, a resentment, a bitter memory upon which terms of peace would rest, not permanently but only as upon quicksand. Only a peace between equals can last....

No peace can last, or ought to last, which does not recognize and accept the principle that governments derive all their just powers from the consent of the governed, and that no right anywhere exists to hand peoples about from sovereignty to sovereignty as if they were property....There should be a united, independent, and autonomous Poland.... So far as practicable, moreover, every great people now struggling toward a full development of its resources and of its powers should be assured a direct outlet to the great highways of the sea.

I am proposing, as it were, that the nations should with one accord adopt the doctrine of President Monroe as the doctrine of the world: that no nation should seek to extend its polity over any other nation or people, but that every people should be left free to determine its own polity, its own way of development--unhindered, unthreatened, unafraid, the little along with the great and powerful. 

I am proposing that all nations henceforth avoid entangling alliances which would draw them into competitions of power, catch them in a net of intrigue and selfish rivalry, and disturb their own affairs with influences intruded from without. There is no entangling alliance in a concert of power. When all unite to act in the same sense and with the same purpose, all act in the common interest and are free to live their own lives under a common protection. 

Wilson proposed that America would help to arrange peace now and to guarantee it in the future.  To deflect isolationist criticism, Wilson framed the language in terms of the founders, saying it is merely an extension of the Monroe Doctrine, and that participation in his proposed “League of Peace” would not be an “entangling alliance” of the sort Washington had warned against in his farewell address.

Wilson’s speech was cheered worldwide by peace advocates, and even by some parties that had largely been committed to the war effort (such as the French Socialists).  In the United States, Democrats hailed the speech, while most Republicans thought that Wilson’s speech was too idealistic, too interventionist, or (in the case of Teddy Roosevelt) outright traitorous.  There was a small coterie of midwestern pacifist Republicans, however, who joined Robert LaFollette in praising it as “the greatest message of a century.”

German Ambassador Bernstorff welcomed the speech, and tried to use it as evidence of American good intentions; he sent desperate pleas back to Berlin to try to postpone the German U-boat offensive that he knew would wreck any chance for an American diplomatic solution.

Today in 1916: Dock Workers Strike in Petrograd Today in 1915: British & Germans Attempt to Bomb Each Other’s Ports

Sources include: Barbara Tuchman, The Zimmermann Telegram; Michael Kazin, War Against War.

[jovieannramos-blog]

Who is really the “boss”?

                                       (photo courtesy from Google)

Rodrigo Roa Duterte elected as the 16th president of the Philippines on June 30, 2016 at exactly 12 in the afternoon. Who would imagine that a Davao City Mayor now became the President of the nation. His love for the country as well as his love for the people of the Philippines are one of his reasons why he was placed on that position. Indeed, he is ready to start his work for the nation. Unlike what former president Noynoy Aquino pledged to Filipinos, “Kayo ang boss ko”, President Duterte took a great risk of change. 

According to Professor Richard Heydarian, a professor of political science in De La Salle University-Manila said,

 “Duterte presented himself as an independent, competent and simple-living provincial mayor. He promised safety and effective governance.”

These characteristics made him to be the champion of the nation. He promised to the people that in his administration, change would come. According to Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase-Albert Del Rosario Institute (ADRi) for Strategic and International Studies stated, 

“During Duterte’s campaign, He positioned himself as an alternative to traditional presidential candidates. His unorthodox demeanor appealed to many Filipinos who saw him as unafraid to speak his mind, even to the extent of testing the limits of so-called “civilized” behavior. As a result, the millions of Filipinos that voted for him have high expectations for his presidency.”

Duterte’s aim is to destroy crime, illegal drugs and corruption. I am favored for his agenda because as one of the youth of this generation, we deserve a good and well-disciplined community. I noticed that he was focused in the campaign against illegal drugs and he continue this kind of war with the joint efforts of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He said that whoever makes the lives of Filipinos miserable because of illegal drugs should be punished. He assured that these evil factors would be end in 3 to 6 months but later, he said that he might given a chance to extend another 6 months or even years for these to end. If we remembered in his inauguration, he pledged that there would be promotion, protection and fulfillment of human rights to the people but now that he is on the core of his campaign, however, he praised the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) of suspected or allegedly drug pushers and users. Even though the PNP denied about it, many Filipinos still cry for justice. According to Inquirer.net,

 “On Tuesday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson described as “disturbing” that Filipinos seemed “resigned” that EJKs are part of the government’s war on drugs. On Monday, Pulse Asia’s Survey results showed that 73 percent of the 1200 surveyed respondents believed that EJKs exist in the government’s brutal crackdown on illegal drugs but 88 percent of them still support it.”

Some were killed by vigilantes others by military and police. I was worried about EJKs. I don’t know what is the standard of the current administration but we should still respect our law concerning human rights and even our culture that we are a Catholic nation. Not just about the issue of EJKs is being tackled about even the corrupt government officials have been revealed. According to Los Angeles Times,

 “Dozens of government officials in the Philippines have surrendered to police under Duterte’s administration. Last year, he named 150 officials that he said were involved in country’s drug trade.”

One of the most prominent government officials he jailed was Sen. Leila de Lima. Well, I am satisfied for he really fear not the government officials as long as it is corrupt and greedy in money. But I don’t want his other side where he favors someone due to campaign’s performance before. One of those is the dancer turned blogger Mocha Uson. He rewards her with a position of Presidential Communication Assistant Secretary and now earns ₱106,000.00 monthly. It is okay with me if he is not bias in appointing officials and it would be better if he chooses the right and skilled people regardless its political background. 

Aside from those, I also noticed that among previous administration, President Duterte made international trips for most of the time. According to Official Gazette,

“As of October 2017, he made 11 presidential trips to 16 sovereign states internationally since his inauguration day.”

Well, I doubt no more because his trips serve as an opportunity to foster and maintain relations with other governments and meet other leaders of the countries. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) classifies these trips as either a state visit, an official visit or a working visit. Whatever the purpose of his trips, I assumed that there would be sense and significance in each. He must be aware of the amount of budget releases especially now that Marawi City is under construction and about to rise up. 

There were lot of beautiful plans that Duterte promised to us. According to Philippine Star, there are his plans to carry out:

1. Improvement of government provision of social services which include education (now that we have K-12 curriculum), health (now that he wants to implement the reproductive health rights, children’s rights, HIV epidemic awareness), mass transportation (now that he wants to phase out old jeepneys and implement the modern ones).

2. Provision of assistance to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families.

3. Adaptation to climate change through reducing risk.

4. Preparing for national disasters.

5. Adopting 911 nationwide.

“Duterte intends to overcome the alleged structural dissonance between macroeconomic reform which has been the hallmark of Aquino’s “Daang Matuwid” program and concrete improvement of living conditions and standards of Juan Dela Cruz.”

Yes, there were lot of good plans of Duterte’s administration. Some are implementing and some are still in the line of waiting. However, you are wondering why this essay is entitled, “Who is really the boss?”. Despite of his good achievements in his first year term, still, I must say that his character is more important than anything else. His character will reflect on his actions. His decisions are always changing and some are not put into practice. Did you remembered when he said that he would place our Philippine flag and protect the West Philippine Sea from China but what happened now? Well, I think he just did that because he wanted to maintain foreign relations in China. Did you also remembered when the family of Mary Jane Veloso cries for mercy and help to save her from death in Indonesia but what our president replied? “Follow your own laws, I will not interfere”, he said. Well, I think he said that because during that time he was so aggressive and angry when it comes to illegal drugs issues. I want to extend my deepest condole for those families who have been involved in EJKs. I am not satisfied for what’s happening in war on drugs. Though I like his agendas but the way of executing his people, that is another story to be concerned about, I am also worried about “Dutertards” thingy that is supposed to stop because there must be equality between government groups. No more “dilawans’’, “pula”, or even “asul” groups reigning in our country. At the end, the people itself will be suffer. 

Well, how we will called the boss if even the president prefers to listen in his own decisions. Is there a possibility that we could lose our justice forever? Indeed, no one can stop the administration in governing us. In fact, he said that, 

“There is no due process in my mouth.”

“You can’t stop me and I’m not afraid even if you say that I can end up in jail.”

                                                                               - President Rodrigo Duterte

He sometimes called joker to the point that he once reported in media the fake news information about the bank account of Sen. Trillanes IV. Is it still a joke? Our president should realize that he is no longer running for campaign but he is now leading the country towards victory. He should think first before releasing a statement since all his words will now be treated seriously. Even though his hallmark was “Change is coming”, change can not be done immediately rather it is gradually happened. Changing one country is not just a responsibility of a single person rather it is done by the unity of the people whose mind, decision and passion are for good. 

Though the administration is busy in fighting illegal drugs and criminality and sometimes the president admits that his decision is the decision of all, they should be reminded that we, Filipino people are still living in this country and we’re waiting for the government’s better quality of service. They should not disregard the voice of the people because at the end, the government is created to serve its constituents.

After all the events happened under Duterte’s administration, the question came up to my mind, 

“Who is really the boss? The Filipino citizens, the president or the speculators inside the government?”.  

[books4us]

Be bold and daring. REVIEW ✍🏿Professor Eddie Glaude Jr., of Princeton comes out firing on all cylinders in this book. He really has his pulse on the race situation that continues to plague America and has come up with some thoughts that I'm sure will become part of the prescript of any discussions concerning race. One such idea is the "value gap", which Eddie describes as, "...(the belief that white people are valued more than others) and racial habits (the things we do, without thinking, that sustain the value gap) undergird racial inequality, and how white and black fears block the way to racial justice in this country." "We talk about the achievement gap in education or the wealth gap between white Americans and other groups, but the value gap reflects something more basic: that no matter our stated principles or how much progress we think we’ve made, white people are valued more than others in this country, and that fact continues to shape the life chances of millions of Americans. The value gap is in our national DNA." This is an interesting new angle in which to view the issue of racism, i.e., white supremacy. When you frame white supremacy in those terms, there certainly isn't much to argue with there. Clearly white people and white lives are valued more than others in America. In support of this "value gap" theory he quotes from Dr. King, "that in this country the idea of racial equality remains 'a loose expression for improvement.'" And by the way his understanding of Dr. King is superb, many try to lock King into a dream state, but if you listen to and read King from 1967 to the time of his assassination, you would think of him as a totally different person than the I have a dream King. And the radical King is rarely mentioned or praised in print, public or schools. Eddie is unafraid to raise the radical King, though I'm not of the belief that courage is needed in doing this, truth is truth. There is a chapter in the book titled Restless Sleep After King's Dream. I digress. But here is what the author is attempting to convey in this book, "Most Americans see inequality—and the racial habits that give it life—as aberrations, ways we fail to live up to the idea of America. But we’re wrong. Inequality and racial habits are part of the American Idea. They are not just a symptom of bad, racist people who fail to live up to pristine ideals. We are, in the end, what we do." Is that not correct? We all have heard the arguments of reverse racism, I'm not a racist, Black people need to take responsibility, etc. etc. Eddie does a fantastic take down of these rhetorical devices while clearly establishing that "Our democratic principles do not exist in a space apart from our national commitment to white supremacy. They have always been bound tightly together, sharing bone and tissue." Eddie provides several anecdotes that intelligibly illustrate the "value gap" and how it effects the lives of Black people. President Obama takes a heap of criticism from Eddie and even those who disagree will find Eddie's arguments logical, though I did detect a bit of contradiction. He also takes to task the modern civil rights leaders and their failure to move the needle. His definition of liberal is quite different from what usually comes to mind and challenges readers to redefine their own definitions. So what of solutions? Eddie offers up, a revolution of values and a more strident democracy as the way forward. "A revolution of value upends the belief that white people are more valued than others....It involves three basic components: (1) a change in how we view government; (2) a change in how we view black people; and (3) a change in how we view what ultimately matters to us as Americans." He has great respect and admiration for the Forward Together moral movement as well as the #blacklivesmatter campaign. Perhaps his boldest and most controversial recommendation is the "blank-out" campaign. A trip to the presidential ballot box in 2016, but instead of choosing the lesser of two evils that no doubt imprisons us to the status quo, we write in none of the above, thereby calling for a new democracy while still exercising the franchise to quell the screaming crowd of citizens who instinctively cry, "you must vote." I'm sure he will be roundly criticized for this suggestion. Though I have some minor quibbles, none worth mentioning, this is a 5-star effort. The book is not at all academic, which in this case I mean as a compliment and he supplies plenty of analogies to help readers grasp his explanations, these analogies make an already accessible book that much more of an easygoing read. Surely you will see this book on many year end "best" lists.