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United States

Life From Above

May 7, 2025 by Peg Leave a Comment

Israel has imposed a total blockade of humanitarian aid to the citizens of Gaza. No food, no water systems and no medical supplies are allowed to the more than 2 million people who live there. Israel enforces its prohibition militarily. Israel also bombs hospitals, schools, places of worship and residences. Since October 07, 2023 over 52,000 Gazans, including thousands of children, have been directly killed by Israel and many more are dying each day due to lack of food, water and medical care. The Zionist led government of Israel in March 2025 publicly announced these actions to be its official policy. Israel has received massive amounts of United States military aid to help enable it to implement these actions. The United States has the moral and legal responsibility to cease aiding this humanitarian catastrophe.

The moral issues are subject to debate, but the legal prohibition of United States military and civilian aid to Israel is specifically required by Section 6201 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. Six United States Senators have just signed a letter addressed to the Comptroller General, Gene Dodaro, citing the Foreign Assistance Act, asking for an investigation of Israel’s, and other countries’, denial of human rights to others while receiving U.S. aid. The Act provides no presidential waiver for such actions. Aid to Gaza’s residents should be both massive and immediate. And history provides a guide. From 26 June 1948 to 30 September 1949, the United States and Great Britain operated the Berlin Air Lift that flew over 250,000 humanitarian flights over Stalin’s blockade of aid to Germany’s war-ravaged populace. Food, fuel, medical supplies and other non-military aid helped save countless lives. It would also be apropos for the West to help Palestine because there would have been no state of Israel in 1948 without America and England.

The United States has far greater capability in 2025 than it did in 1948. We can and should alleviate the suffering we helped create. It is both our moral responsibility and our legal duty under our own laws. Also, the only truly permanent road to peace and prosperity involving Israel and its neighbors must come from a Marshall Plan type of solution. America knows both the Berlin Air Lift and the Marshall Plan were humanitarian actions that helped bring much of the world peace, stability and prosperity since WWII.

Since history has proven how greatly we ourselves can profit by simply doing the harder right things, let’s do them. After all, our own laws require them, even if we do not do so because it is right and just.

 

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Filed Under: America, Gavel Gamut, Israel, Justice, Middle East, Military, Palestine, United States, War, World Events Tagged With: Berlin Air Lift, doing the harder right, Gaza, Gene Dodaro, Israel blockade of humanitarian aid, James M. Redwine, Jim Redwine, Marshall Plan, no food, no medical supplies, no water systems, prosperity, Section 6201 Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, stability, United States, world peace

Motes and Logs

February 27, 2025 by Peg Leave a Comment

The United States has several mottos: E Pluribus Unum [out of many one], Land of the Free, America the Beautiful, In God We Trust, United We Stand, This Land Was Made for You and Me, etc. If a national motto is meant to be a goal, perhaps we should consider adopting golf legend Jack Nicklaus’ motto when the media was urging him to pile on Tiger Woods after Woods’ consenting adult personal behavior came to light. Jack responded, “How is that any of my business?” Now, I shamefully admit to the titillation aroused by indiscretions of public figures such as Tiger, Bill Clinton or The Donald. However, my too normal weakness does nothing to assuage our national political angst nor does it comport with any of our grandiose views of ourselves, you know, our mottos.

As we struggle to mend our shredded national self-image and our decimated international reputation, a movement away from personal attacks among one another and especially by the national media might be a logical starting point. The mote that is so concerning in the eye of those we disapprove might be better left out of our serious considerations of issues such as war, inflation, unemployment and health care.

We sometimes lose sight of how good we have it. When we spend our national energy denigrating the religious views or personal behavior between consenting adults, or the differing political or sociological philosophies of our fellow Americans, or non-Americans, we might lose sight of what truly matters.

Numerous alarms have been sounded by people who may be well intended but not grounded in history. We are not, “On the eve of destruction” as sung by Barry McGuire. I remember this dire warning from 1965 and note that during the sixty years since we have been constantly in or preparing for war, but we have also virtually buried Jim Crow and eliminated polio. We have accomplished much in spite of our frailty of personal attacks. Of course, we have much more to do, but we should build on our successes, not forget why they were necessary.

Well, my recommendation for our national motto falls on the Golden Bear side of the ledger, not shrill voices of those who espouse America’s greatness but call for its pettiness. A removal of the log from our own eye could be a fitting place to start.

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Filed Under: America, Gavel Gamut, United States Tagged With: America the Beautiful, Barry McGuire, E Pluribus Unum, In God We Trust, James M. Redwine, Jim Crow, Jim Redwine, Land of the Free, mottos, On the eve of destruction, United States, United We Stand

Those Who Serve

January 15, 2025 by Peg Leave a Comment

Photo by Peg Redwine

January 20, 2025 America swears in its new president for a four-year term. A president who just completed a four-year term will leave office on that same date. Countless public servants will also be leaving as countless replacements will move in. Throughout the United States, local, city/town, county and state officials will be switching roles as the rest of us juggle our past and future servants’ identities and duties. These offices will not all change on the 20th or even during the same month or year. Of course, most of us barely take note of the shifting federal servants much less who is figuring our taxes or keeping track of our real and personal property, enforcing our laws or chasing down rabid animals. We take almost everything any of our multiple governments do without a second thought, unless we or our family needs a service.

But as one who has sought elective public office on several occasions, I appreciate the angst our elected and appointed public workers suffer. My first political campaign was for the nomination for Prosecuting Attorney; I was unopposed. I was convinced the world recognized my superior talents. That fall I lost the general election; I was comforted by telling myself the public had not appreciated its mistake. However, I have never completely recovered, although the person who beat me and I later became respectful friends.

Then, two years later I ran for judge and won. I just knew the public had recovered from its political dystopia. Thereafter, I ran for judge every six years for thirty years, but was unopposed in each primary and general election. However, until the filing date closed each cycle, I held my breath as all office seekers probably do. Even an uncontested election calls forth anxiety, although each time I convinced myself no one had cause to run against me. And it was not just my welfare I was responsible for; my staff, not to mention my family, relied on my status too.

Well, Gentle Reader, you probably right away figured out what I meant to say today, but I will continue to say it anyway. Most people quickly criticize their public servants, but few of us acknowledge their precarious predicament and their essential roles. Many of them expend great energy and significant amounts of money for the privilege of operating our democracy. For me, they deserve thanks; so, Thanks!

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Filed Under: America, Democracy, Elections, Gavel Gamut, United States Tagged With: angst, anxiety, elections, James M. Redwine, Jim Redwine, president, privilege of operating our democracy, public servants, thanks

A Turn From The Right To The Right

November 13, 2024 by Peg Leave a Comment

According to CNN this morning, 13 November 2024, President-Elect Trump will nominate former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister, Mike Huckabee, to be United States Ambassador to Israel. Mr. Huckabee was quoted this morning as denying the existence of a Palestinian people, referring to Palestine as Canaan and Palestinians as Canaanites. As the Republican Party will almost certainly have the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in 2025, Mr. Huckabee will likely be confirmed.

United States foreign policy in the Middle East will likely continue to be one of aggressive support for Israel, as it has been since Israel was created out of Palestine in 1948. But, it may turn from a philosophical position to a dynamic one. From a war more of words and increasing military materiel backing to one that shifts from old people making threats and spending our national treasure to our young people bleeding and dying. We have recently traveled this one-way road in Viet Nam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan and the Iraq War. Now is the time to change both our direction and our moral position.

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Filed Under: Gavel Gamut, Israel, Middle East, Palestine, United States, War Tagged With: Afghanistan, Canaan, Canaanites, CNN, Gulf War, House of Representatives, Iraq War, James M. Redwine, Jim Redwine, Middle East, Mike Huckabee, Palestine, Palestinian, Republican Party, Senate, Trump, United States Ambassador to Israel, Viet Nam

No Blood, No Ratings

October 6, 2024 by Peg Leave a Comment

Tuesday, October 02, 2024 on CBS was a disaster for the TV networks but a breath of clean air to American voters. Unlike the mud wrestling between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on ABC on September 10, 2024, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance engaged in a civil and substantive debate on important issues: Immigration, the Economy, Reproductive Rights and the Middle East. The post-debate analyses by the national media of the presidential debate was like hearing post-game comments from a home-town fan.

If Harris and Trump explained their positions on any issue, I did not hear them. But I did hear the media chortle over the competing charges of lying, criminal intent and incompetence. The commentators were simply giddy with the prospect of selling advertising by regurgitating gossip. In contrast, Walz and Vance never called one another a crook or a liar and several times agreed that the other candidate had a good position on important national problems. The media hated it. The talking heads wrote the entire vice-presidential debate off with the disdainful description that it was “Mid-Western Nice”.

Harris is from California; Trump is from New York. In between is America. My wife, Peg, once had a tee shirt that depicted the United States as New York (along with the rest of the east coast states) on the east edge, California (and Oregon and Washington) on the west edge and everything in between just a black hole. The caption read: “A Bostonian’s view of America.” Apparently, many in the national media see the United States that way. And the inhabitants between the east and west coasts are seen as unassuming simpletons who do not have the sense to come in out of the rain or to cast aspersions on all with whom they disagree.

Midwest Nice, or as your mother might admonish, “Say something nice or say nothing”, just does not “bleed to lead”. On the other hand, filling an hour and half debate with invective, whether based on fact or based on nothing, can ramp up interest in the populace. Turn on, tune in and enjoy the scrum; we should not concern ourselves with policy or solutions. That is so boring.

In about a month, two of the four candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency will be chosen to lead our national government for the next four years. It might be refreshing if between now and November 05, we in the “Fly Over” part of America could be called upon to do more than just finance the choices those on the coasts make for us. A little Mid-West Nice from everyone might ease the national angst.

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Filed Under: America, Elections, Gavel Gamut, Presidential Campaign, United States Tagged With: Harris, J.D. Vance, James M. Redwine, Jim Redwine, Mid West Nice, Tim Walz, Trump, Vice President Debate

Labor Day

August 30, 2024 by Peg Leave a Comment

My father’s father was killed in an accident when my dad was nine years old. My father had to quit school in his third-grade year to help his mother support the family. He went to work in an independent coal mine running water to the older workers. The mine was unregulated by state or federal law. The shaft was supported with tree limbs for beams and the coal produced was high sulfur. The dust he breathed helped lead to his death from cancer when he was fifty-eight. He left the mine which closed when the shaft collapsed upon some of the miners. Dad was out of the mine on a water run at the time the supporting tree limbs gave way.

It was not just coal dust that contributed to his health problems. When he had to search out another job after the cave-in, he found work in a cement plant where he breathed in cement dust for several years. He lost that job when he had a heart attack at age thirty-three but had no health nor unemployment benefits from the company. He was out of work and bedridden for six months while my mother nursed him back to health. They were without outside income or insurance during that period. That is why my father went into insurance sales. He and my mother were strong supporters of workers’ rights who revered Labor Day just as they did July Fourth. They knew that law was essential to ensure safe working conditions. Such things as child labor laws, restricted work hours and days, health precautions and minimum wage requirements are not socialist ideals but are some of the building blocks of our economy. Labor Day is a celebration of America’s commitment to fairness, equality and good economics in the workplace.

Of course, as Peg points out, for about half of America’s workforce the bulk of their work is in their homes. Peg says it is ironic that we have a national holiday named Labor Day. She asks, “What about some fairness and equality in labor around the home and, what’s more, what about some recognition not just for ‘child labor’ but for the labor of having a child?” I should have seen this discussion coming when I casually mentioned my days of manual labor for hire.

According to Peg, Mother’s Day is a fine recognition of mothers but flowers once a year just doesn’t cut it. “Where’s the beef?” she asks. “Where is the minimum wage for round-the-clock cleaning, cooking, laundry, deliveries, nursing, sewing, yard work, gardening, child care, carpooling, schedule maintenance, bookkeeping, counseling and furnishing a sympathetic sounding board for every hurt feeling? And what about some time off occasionally? How about some time alone with peace and quiet and a cool drink that somebody else brings to me?”

Well, Gentle Reader, you most likely fall on whichever side of this one-way discussion your gender dictates. So, for now, I plan to change the subject and return to a topic I may be able to discuss without interruption, that is, Labor Day. Oh, not the one Peg is on about, but the one declared by President Grover Cleveland in 1894. So here goes.

Peg got agitated as we watched numerous male politicians on television exhort the wonders of the American, mostly male, workers whose harsh working conditions in the 19th and 20th centuries caused the birth of Labor Day. When it came to Peg’s complaints about work in the home, I felt duty bound to point out that husbands were responsible for much of her complained about female labors. After all, someone has to wear the clean clothes, eat the food and watch the kids play soccer and baseball. It is not all beer and TV you know. And if anyone had ever asked men to have the kids, who is to say we might not have considered it.

Further, most men have no problem with wearing the same comfortable t-shirt and Levi’s for a week or so. And on top of that, beer and chips have plenty of nutritional value to sustain men through football season. I told Peg, gently, that she was being disingenuous in her analysis of the significance of Labor Day. Labor Day for male workers was much like the right to vote for women. While women were wearing white, marching and singing songs about freedom, we men were busy gathering at bars talking about seeking fair working conditions. Men gladly organized for shorter work weeks and safer working conditions as women sought not just the right to vote, but also better working conditions and fair and equal treatment everywhere. The two movements fed off the synergy of one another and, together, made life better for both men at work and women at home and work.

Of course, those intertwined crusades for justice made our country better for us all. So, I guess if Peg thinks Labor Day is truly about all labor, I will, in the spirit of home harmony, agree. After all, I’m getting hungry and the game’s about to start on tv and I’m hoping Peg will bring me chips and a beer.

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Filed Under: America, Events, Females/Pick on Peg, Gavel Gamut, Males, Personal Fun, Socialism, United States, Women's Rights Tagged With: child labor laws, Gentle Reader, health benefits, James M. Redwine, Jim Redwine, Labor Day, minimum wage requirements, Peg, safe working conditions, unemployment benefits

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© 2024 James M. Redwine

 

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