Tag: hurricane Ida

World Travel Advisory: Avoid The United States At All Costs

While my attention was on what Hurricane Ida was doing to the south and then the northeast, and my God it was epic–dozens dead, property damage I can’t get my head around–some terrible things have been going on here.

In Texas, two laws which either defied or abused our Constitution have passed. First, because this is only the beginning of women losing every bit of their equal rights so bitterly fought for, is the Texas abortion law. I’ll tell you right off, if you are against abortion, you probably would be much happier skipping this post.

Because, fuck that. Rich white men in bed with the Catholic Church and other interests had passed a law in May which the U.S. Supreme Court has given its blessing to. And god damn them for it, too.

Known as the “heartbeat” bill, it specifies what on the surface looks strange.

It says that as soon as any doctor can detect a fetus’s heartbeat, the mother may not legally abort it. It also restricts the state from enforcing the law and puts responsibility for that onto private citizens through civil cases. Oh, and that goes for the mother, the doctor and includes anyone who aids the mother. With that kind of ambiguity, even a municipal bus driver can be sued, although I doubt that will happen.

At least not right away.

This now forces women to leave the state for the procedure, but you can bet all states surrounding Texas will do something to prevent it; probably with their own abortion restriction laws.

Pregnant women will be forced to carry and deliver babies with severe birth defects and handicaps that will make child and parents alike suffer. The states are fighting to take away all aid to poor parents. That means that the heartless Republicans would gleefully have a child born with special needs that the state is not responsible for giving any help to. Not for procedures, not for formula, pediatrician visits–nothing will be provided. And if the poor baby dies, I would not be surprised to see a law providing for parents to be criminally prosecuted.

A bunch of bald, fat white men are taking away the right of a woman to decide what to do with her body.

A Grenade With The Pin Gone

As of 1 September, people in Texas can carry handguns without a permit.

Or training.

This makes it the most dangerous state to travel through or to. Stay out. Because any traveler from another country is in grave danger. The Texans who will carry guns also are the most likely to be racist. Or in a gang. Both are equally dangerous.

There are many infamous cities around the globe that are rated the most dangerous. Although not in the top ten, Baltimore Maryland consistently ranks around the same general spot on the charts. It’s an easy city to get shot in and we don’t have any such gun laws. That doesn’t matter; gang violence and other gun violence kill over 300 people per year, and children, even babies are among the murdered.

I live about 45 minutes away. I don’t go there and constantly tell others not to. Because visiting the amazing National Aquarium, the magnificent USS Constellation, dining in Little Italy or watching a Ravens or Orioles game is not worth your life. True, most crime happens away from those areas, but not all, and the Baltimore Police Department has a long record of corruption. It’s not safe anywhere.

COVID-19 Alert

The rising rate of infection from coronavirus makes any travel in the United States dangerous. Particularly in Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi and Texas. The governor of Mississippi told his constituents that they would not be provided with the vaccine. He actually told them to sit back and let God take care of them. He forgot the part of the Bible that says “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Despite what’s reported by American media as an increase in vaccinated individuals, the rates of transmission are rising and there are still cases ending in mortality. If people here aren’t taking covid seriously by now, then stay away.

Why risk your life for anything in this country? I’ve had enough of this bullshit. I’d rather see businesses lose money than to see visitors to our country die because of stupid bastards without regard for others.

Take care of yourselves. Stay away from the United States.

Stay safe. Be well.

As always, I’m humbled and grateful that you’ve let me be a part of your life.

Hurricane Ida

Help the people affected by hurricane Ida at this link.

You know, any help makes a bigger difference than you might expect. People are living under dangerous conditions like extreme heat and flooding. No food or water, mosquitoes proliferate, sewage in the flooded streets…

Not to mention alligators and venomous snakes swimming in close quarters with people who might never even see them coming.

This is a horrible situation.

If you can, please help. It doesn’t matter if you feel bad that you can’t do more. Any help is awesome and I promise you, it will make a difference.

As I write this, thunder approaches in the distance: Ida’s remnants. Twister watches are up. I have little to worry about, and compared to Gulf coast residents on Saturday, with a category 4 hurricane coming at them like some vicious predator, what I’ll see tonight is nothing.

My heart hurts for the people hit by Ida’s full force. The videos I have seen are quite frightening. I can’t imagine being in such a storm.

I know one thing. We are at our very best when others need help. Volunteers will travel long distances to help, to assist in handing out MREs, bottled water, help with temporary shelters, to donate money or blood. The every person becomes a magnificent hero but never seeks recognition or reimbursement. There is no better thing than putting love and compassion into helping another.

With more storms possible very soon, the need for help takes on an immediacy. We cannot know what’s next. We can only help with the current situation as best we can.

This way we have of pulling together after major disasters is not an American thing. It’s a human thing. We’ve always needed each other, no matter who we were, what we believed or what our station in life happened to be. We always will, too.

And as long as we continue to answer the call to serve our brothers and sisters across the world, there will be hope for us.

I’m not afraid to say, if you can’t help any other way, prayer works, and God hears the call of the suffering. In this world there is much suffering, but I know better than to blame my lord for that; I do believe in my heart that pleas for help are heard and often, miracles really do happen.

Thank you for being here. May God bless. It’s an honor to be a small part of your day.