Flipside and the Election and the Cubs

"May you live in interesting times." Old Chinese curse

It's #6 in kindle, #25 in books at Amazon

Well, it's gotten pretty interesting the past week.  We had a 10th inning comeback from the lovable losers, who defied all the odds, and created a new paradigm by winning the world series in the 10th inning.

Cub fan? Could be.

Being a fan of the Cubs (as noted in Flipside, even knowing how the Flipside works, doesn't stop me from being a fan) I got the chance to sit down and watch all the playoff games in a row. MLB offered them on their channel - and it was only the games the Cubs won.  So I sat through edited versions of all the Giants, Dodger and Indians games.

I've never done that before.  Like life, normally we don't get a chance to experience the thrills of sports in a row.  It's usually one week at a time, or one game per day, or even every four years.  But watching the games, I started to see the familiar patterns, which of course I've seen in a lifetime of sports - but all in a row, I could see it from a new perspective.

"Two men on, two outs, two strikes... and the wind up... and the pitch..." And something dramatic would happen. The person would strike out, or they would get a hit.  But something else was apparent.  In innings where a player made an error, that person had a chance to "course correct" the error - Javy Baez and Dave Ross come to mind in Game 7 - where they went from "goat to hero" in one inning.  But when you watch all the games back to back, you can see this happening game after game.  Only we never see games back to back like this. We only see them at various times.

It's like life - we can't see how all of our lifetimes are connected, how in one life we make errors, and in the next life we correct them or "hit it out of the park."  We can't see that we grow and evolve in each game, we get better (or we fall back) but we're there being cheered on by our friends and fans, and at the end of the game, we all congratulate each other - or hang our heads in sorrow.

A long time ago. A planet far far away.

In this research, we're shown time and again that we "choose our parents" "choose our lives" and "choose what's going to occur."  But we don't know the outcome - no one can know the outcome - because time is not set.  But we can have likely outcomes.  We come to the field with a team, and if everyone does their part, we will get the outcome we came for.  And sometimes we sign up to "lose a game" so we can experience what that feels like.  I'm sure Cleveland fans are feeling that right now - they're happy for the delirious Cub fans, but they are licking their wounds, figuring out how not to lose next time, etc.

And we come to the ballpark, or the series if you will, armed with the hallmarks we are supposed to achieve.  We come to help our pals achieve their goals.  Not everyone can pitch a no-hitter, but it requires invisible help from all of our teammates to make that happen. The manager sends signals, the catcher sends pitches, the pitch makes the pitches - and the outcome is not set in stone, but the hitters do their best to change the course of those events.

Cub fans circa 59

But when the game is over, we can't jump off cliffs, run into traffic, or blow up the neighborhood.  We cheer, we laugh, we cry, we think of all those people who've been here before, who couldn't "be here" to experience the victory. That fellow who drove to his father's gravesite comes to mind.  You know, the Cub fan who "watched the game" with his father at his tomb, based on a promise he made in 1982.

Was his father there watching the game? Of course he was.  His father was likely saying "Son, I appreciate the long drive and the trip. But I'm not here in this cemetery. I'm WHEREVER YOU ARE." He didn't have to make that long trip to watch the game with his dad.  They were all watching the game as well.

I had lunch with Jennifer Shaffer that week. And she said "Oh, they're all celebrating over there. They're all enjoying this week."

And then another thing intervened.  The election.

Jennifer Shaffer Scott De Tamble

I can vouch for Jennifer's insight into the election.  I don't believe the future is set, and I've spoken about it often.  People come to see Jennifer Shaffer because they want to know the future.  She can tell them likely outcomes, but no future is set.  But in this case we were talking about the coming election, and she got a sad look on her face.  "I'm sorry, but I don't see her winning. Something happens."

So I was prepared for the loss, emotionally.  I spoke to her after the election and she was pretty upset about it, like having seen a car wreck and helpless to do anything about it.

I meditated on it a bit, and asked my "spirit guides" (who knows? you ask a question you get an answer. Maybe it's your spirit guide. Maybe it's Harry Carey) and here's what I heard.

"We got this."

And an odd calm came over me.  As if to say "The events that have happened are meant to be, and there's a higher purpose for them."

I know that sounds... eh... not very helpful.  I equally know that in this research I've had tons of conversations about "the rise and fall of Hitler" because it's the most memorable human event where the drama of life is played out in front of all of us.  And I've heard consistently the same information about that era - that people agreed to experience the "light and darkness" of the time period.  I've heard variations on people saying "it was a lot darker than I imagined it would be" or "that experience scorched my soul."  So I'm not mitigating or diminishing it, or anyone's experience with it in any way.  I didn't sign up for a lifetime during that era that I'm aware of - and I get the feeling that I did that because I just didn't have the courage to do so, or some other reason.  But it takes courage to come to the planet, it takes courage to live through difficulties.  

So let's start there. To those who "lost" in this election, there is no losing or winning.  On the flipside, everyone is equal, there exists unconditional love for everyone, and we come to the planet to experience the loss of it.  Or the journey to finding it or giving it.  That's the process, that's why we're here.  We chose to be here. Things don't happen "by accident" - although there's variation involved.  Imagine if you were watching a play called "the world series."  

Wasn't that one of the most dramatic series ever?  

Imagine you're watching a play called "the election of 2016."  That was a pretty dramatic turn of events, wasn't it?  Someone despised by both sides of the fence rises through the ranks and "takes the crown."  Hard to take the crown for a guy who already thinks he's wearing one, but I digress - for those who "won the election" - they too signed up to experience this.

At the end of the day, the game will end, the series will be over, the election will be another one, and life will move on.  Since no one dies - there's no harm that can ever come to us.  There's suffering, but it's only the kind of suffering you get from stubbing your toe. "OW!"  But eventually the pain subsides and you move on. "What did I learn from this?  Don't walk barefoot.  Wear thicker shoes.  Love my neighbor as myself.  Love everyone equally."


After all it is about love.  The loss of it, finding it, giving it.  People are mourning for the loss of what they thought their country was.  I'm mourning to find out that the owner of the Cubs and one of its ace pitchers voted for that other guy.  But I love them too. I love the orange haired balloon as well. He's playing his role very well.  It's only when you take it all seriously that you can find yourself in the miasma that human emotions can be.  Which is okay too.  Experience pain and loss, because it only makes love and acceptance all that more glorious.

My two cents.

Post Mortem - RIP the 2005 campaign & Prop 8

ah... it's over.

finally.

we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

unless you're gay in LA. I think it's interesting to hear and read pundits debate this vote in california. On bill maher last night, it was opined that Hollywood was too chicken to vote down Prop 8 - (Prop Hate) and the evidence was that "Crash" beat "Brokeback Mountain" for an Oscar. C'mon.

It's pretty simple. People are prejudiced. They were and are prejudiced against other minorities that are different than they are. I was part of a program in the 60's called "Wingspread" - where a black high school from the south side of chicago teamed up with a white high school from the suburbs - and a group of students switched with each other. I became friends with the guy that I was assigned to - Frank Allen - despite growing up in the projects, he was like me in many ways, same kinds of interests (blues and piano) same position in football (guard and linebacker) same sense of humor (wacked) a fan of ripple wine that we'd get from Walgreens, we had many many laughs. However, the color of his skin was blacker than any person I'd ever met at the time, and I'll never forget when my friend Dave's mom nearly fainted when she ran into him at the local grocery store. Her three boys stood there and stammered and she had her mouth agape. Frank just smiled. Also remember hanging with him on the South side, and one of his friends little brothers coming over and feeling my arm. "I just wanted to see if the color of your skin would come off," he said "cause I've never touched a white person." That was pretty weird. We lived about 20 miles apart, but lifetimes apart.

But that was the 70's. And when the group of students who gathered together as part of Wingspread went to their final lunch together in Chinatown, I remember how everyone in the group made fun of the Asians in the restaurant - mocking their accents, eyes, etc. I thought to myself, "Wow, people don't learn anything other than their own world view." I was 15 at the time. I saw that prejudice was always there until you got to meet the other person, or minority.

Well it is everywhere. Some 70% of the minorities in California voted for Prop 8, the anti gay marriage ballot. 49% of the white voters voted for it, the rest against. So it was the minority vote that put it onto the books, preventing gays from marrying each other (or being legally bound to each other.)

Hey, I got news for you. And listen up you folks in Mormonland; MARRIAGE IS A CIVIL MATTER OF LAW. A legal matter if you will, which only means something to the state and the courts. A WEDDING IS A MATTER OF RELIGION, or ritual, or getting together, or whatever it is that you want to have to commemorate your vows.

So, people can have whatever wedding ceremony they want. It can be Mormon, it can be Lutheran, it can be on the moon - but it has nothing to do with the eyes of the law, which doesn't recognize a marriage unless it's a contract.

About 50 years ago it was illegal for races to intermarry. Was that a religious choice? I saw in the LA Times today, some nincompoop saying "I was born black. I didn't have a choice. These people weren't born gay. They chose being gay." Well, that's not true. At least if you believe in science - but genetic studies show that people have a predisposition to their sexuality. If you ever ask anyone when they started having feelings for someone else, they'll tell you it's in the early teen years when they start to know what kind of lover they prefer - even if they don't wind up going down that path.

However, I can't let the euphoria of Barack Obama's historic victory to get in the way of my feelings how wrong this Proposition was. I agree that the anti prop 8 people probably missed a chance to go into African American and Latino churches and preach tolerance - but they also missed the opportunity of showing how this is a matter of civil rights - because it's about civil laws - and you can't legislate civil rights away.. at least not while the country has a Constitution. If it's okay for races to intermarry, then it's okay for sexes to intermarry. That's pretty simple. If you're offended by races intermarrying, you have no right to stop them - it's the same with people of the same sex. The legal argument is the same.

So.. they have to go back into court, and they will win in court, because logic and the law is on their side. And until we decide that civil rights don't matter, then it will remain an unsolved mystery - but someone has to get out into the world to teach the truth; gays ARE BORN THAT WAY (as if shouting would help!), Marriage is a matter of civil law, and Weddings are a matter of ceremony - and one has nothing to do with the other.

Barack and Joe say they're "anti gay marriage" but pro gay unions. That's nonsense. I agree it's the most prudent position to take in an election, but it's false - it's based on prejudice. It's based on a belief that marriage has something to do with morality - when we all know how quick divorces can become law, and how easy it is to get married in Vegas but Marriage is a matter of the heart, and a matter of law - and no amount of legislating it is going to change the fundamental truth; gays have a right to marry, just like blacks and whites have a right to marry each other, just like Chinese and Latinos have a right to marry each other, just like an 80 year old business mogul can marry a girl 60 years his junior.

We are either a nation of laws, or we aren't.

my two cents

Palin is a bully, oh my!

Alaska panel finds Palin abused power in firing

By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writer 7 minutes ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Sarah Palin unlawfully abused her power as governor by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper, the chief investigator of an Alaska legislative panel concluded Friday. The politically charged inquiry imperiled her reputation as a reformer on John McCain's Republican ticket.

Investigator Stephen Branchflower, in a report by a bipartisan panel that investigated the matter, found Palin in violation of a state ethics law that prohibits public officials from using their office for personal gain.

The inquiry looked into her dismissal of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, who said he lost his job because he resisted pressure to fire a state trooper involved in a bitter divorce with the governor's sister. Palin says Monegan was fired as part of a legitimate budget dispute.

The report found that Palin let the family grudge influence her decision-making even if it was not the sole reason Monegan was dismissed. "I feel vindicated," Monegan said. "It sounds like they've validated my belief and opinions. And that tells me I'm not totally out in left field."

Branchflower said Palin violated a statute of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.

What a shock. They have ethics in Alaska. There's hope for Alaska yet. Even though the spawned this phenomena, and like my previous posts, I've noted I feel sorry for Sarah.. after all, she didn't ask to run for this office. But boy, it must stick in McCain's craw, to have Karl Rove shove someone down your throat.. and then this comes out. Whatever. They'll say it's the "liberal media bias" and ignore the bipartisan part of the message. I hate liars. Hate 'em. Just can't stand a pickle for 'em.

Meanwhile, I'd like to take a moment to let Sarah speak in her own words!

Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again pointing backwards again. You preferenced [sic] your whole comment with the Bush administration. Now doggone it, let's look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future. You mentioned education, and I'm glad you did. I know education you are passionate about with your wife being a teacher for 30 years, and god bless her. Her reward is in heaven, right? ... My brother, who I think is the best schoolteacher in the year, and here's a shout-out to all those third graders at Gladys Wood Elementary School, you get extra credit for watching the debate.

Looks like she may need to get some schoolin' ya think?

Meanwhile I got a post from a Republican friend who was claiming that the dems are trying to sign up folks 77 times for voting (Oh, my! And ya think they'll vote 77 times? No! Really?) and today I got the opinion that the Stock Market is falling because traders fear an Obama Presidency. Repubs are running around screaming that ACORN, a homeless advocacy group, is signing up the homeless to vote! Gee, ya think they'll vote for McCain? why not, he's going to increase their rolls!

So far the rallies have got people shouting "Kill Him!" and "Traitor!" - sounds like they're priming us for a race riot. Only problem is - Obama is white. At least according to people who live in Puerto Rico. If you're born with a white mom there, you're considered white. No one considers this but me? Obama's a .. white guy?

So every time I see an article about him being "black" I think - "that's your point of view." Listen, I like the way the guy talks, I like his friends, I like his calm. I have no idea if he's going to be the best or worse President. But it can't get much worse. And the thought of having old grumpy pants and caribou Barbie (sorry, not my coinage, but tis clever) in the White House makes me.. hmm. Sounds kind of funny really. Would it be so bad to have them in their, carrying on their banner?

There's the Tom Bradley effect everyone's talking about in California.. that's the one where you answer a pollster that you'll vote for 'the black guy' but when you get in the booth, you get the willies (not willie horton) and pull .. the white lever. I wouldn't be surprised. Nothing surprises me these days.

Does anyone besides me get the "end of days" feeling about this Administration? That martial law can't be far off? The country is going to hell in a handbasket (what does that mean anyway?) and tra la, off we go on another adventure.

Can't wait for Nov. 5th!!