It is time all American people, democratic, republican, and independent, stood up and voiced our opposition to the moral degradation that is happening in our country. It is not all right to propagate lies for political gain, it is not all right to liable those who don't believe as we do, it is not all right to threaten people's lives if they disagree with us, it his not all right to limit people's right to vote, it is not all right to break the law because you don't like it. These behaviors are an anathema to our civility as a nation. We cannot let ourselves devolve into a "mafia like" society where we all look the other way, while wrongs are being perpetrated. It is way past time for passivity and inaction, It is imperative that all of us speak out to save our country from this moral decline.  Vote for those who have integrity, stop supporting organizations that propagate hate, work to assure our election is free and open to everyone, support those who defend our values and that respect the equality and dignity of every person. It is not too late to save that which we have always cherished about our nation.

In this time of isolation, I was so busy I actually “Zoomed out.”

I know I am not alone.  So many people all over the world have connected in amazing and creative ways over the past year and through this pandemic.  Many people held regular Zoom coffee hours, shared music and art on Zoom, held office meetings and school conferences.  Families, that may not have gathered for ages, reached out to connect regularly on weekly Zooms. Grandmas Zoomed with their grandchildren daily, and businesses struggled to maintain team building efforts virtually, via fun gatherings, classes, and conferences all done online.

What did we learn?  We learned that we humans need each other to be fully human, to explore ideas, to think, and to show our love and compassion for one another.  We learned that being together, in whatever way we can, is so much better than being alone.  We learned that giving and receiving support is fortifying, satisfying, and soul fulfilling. 

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Very soon, our world will open up and we will again be meeting each other in person . . . looking into each other’s eyes, seeing each other’s smiles, fist bumping, and -- gradually -- maybe even hugging each other.  We will come together again in a renewed spirit, knowing that connecting makes us feel whole.  What we found out, this crazy year, is that humans are social creatures who flourish in community with each other.  Soon, as we finally are able to come together again, we will rejoice in that human communion that gives us life.  We learned quite a lot this year! Happy connecting.

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The leaders who have gained the respect and attention of their people, and who have succeeded in dulling the impact of the disease, share certain traits and approaches to leadership valuable for this pandemic, and for future crises that will inevitably come.  A willingness to take quick and bold action, even when it carries political risk, is surely among the most important hallmarks of leadership in a crisis. It is now obvious that China’s politically motivated efforts to conceal the outbreak of Covid 19 in Wuhan and President Trump’s actions to downplay it for far too long, proved disastrous. Ms. Ardern, by contrast, chose, as she put it, to “go hard and go early.”

In recent history, we have seen other examples of women’s leadership in difficult times.  The women of Rwanda, who suffered endless rape during the horrendous ethnic war, and bore children with HIV, are the very people who put their nation back together again despite the odds.  Rwandan women led reconciliation efforts and healing.  They turned their nation around and now 61% of their national parliamentarians are women. With the future of children and the whole society in mind, they have reversed decades of hatred and fear and united their nation to move forward toward a brighter future.

In America, the Black Lives Matter movement was started by women -- Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors. Today, in cities all over the world, people by the thousands have streamed into the streets to shout “enough of the abusive police violence against people of color, enough of the autocratic harsh way of policing.” People in cities all over the world are literally crying out for compassion, empathy, justice, and human rights. ​

Are empathy, inclusivity, and compassion important leadership skills? In times of crisis they demonstrably are. Citizens want to be reassured and know that their leaders care about them and are taking decisive action. People skills are an asset in a functional democracy where winning votes matters; they are even more so during a crisis. Leaders have to win the trust of their people.  They have to inspire a sense of loyalty, and a cohesion of purpose. Certainly, some male leaders show these qualities.  For example, former President Obama, who often works in a collaborative fashion and has publicly exhibited empathy, was able to enlist the hearts and minds of Americans in striving for a better society. For him, it wasn’t yes I can, but yes, we can. For this more compassionate leadership style, he has earned the support of some, yet reaped criticism from others more used to a forceful male dominant leadership.
Other elements of effective leadership include a respect for science, transparent messaging, constant updating of  valid evidence. In Ireland, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar’s background as a doctor prompted him to start giving phone consultations half a day each week; and this open approach helped boost his previously flagging standing. Ms. Merkel’s background as a scientist is, by all accounts, a major factor in her credibility during the pandemic. ​

I had a great conversation today with Tim Love of the Discovering Truth podcast.  There couldn't be a more timely topic in these crazy times! Have a listen..

It hard to believe that, as recently as 1920, women (51% of the US population of the United States) did not have the legal right to vote. Women could not own property, enter into contracts, sign legal documents, or control what happened to their wages or their children. Women, who dared to speak in public, were ridiculed, reviled, threatened, brutally attacked, thrown in jail and even tortured. The story of the fight to achieve women’s suffrage is not a pretty one. Today 55% of American voters are women! Here is some of the history of how we got that vote:

In 1848, women held a convention in Seneca Falls, New York, and wrote the Declaration of Sentiments declaring that “All men and women are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony initiated the struggle, advocating for gender equity at town halls, in legislative offices, churches and community gatherings. Despite their remarkable efforts, they never lived to see women achieve the vote.

The baton was taken up by Carrie Chapman Catt, who was appointed by Susan B. Anthony to lead the National American Women’s Suffrage Association (NAWSA.) Catt was a skilled orator and negotiator. She and her followers met with legislators throughout the nation, in small towns, large cities, and state capitals. They advocated for equal rights with US Congressmen and Senators, and even met with President Woodrow Wilson on numerous occasions. They appealed to the Republican and the Democratic party leaders to lead the way and free 17 million women from political slavery. (Catt, also founded the League of Women Voters to educate and inform the public.)

There were others who had different opinions about how to achieve the vote. Alice Paul and Lucy Burns broke from the NAWSA and formed the National Women’s Party, because they believed that the only way to win the vote was to use non-violent civil disobedience. In 1913, the day before Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration, they staged The Woman Suffrage Procession, which was the first suffragist parade in Washington, D.C. They were the first organization to stage a demonstration in front of the White House. This brought the ire of many who thought their actions were undemocratic during World War I. Eventually, 33 women were thrown in jail, and after they began a hunger strike, were force fed. When covered by the press, this torture of women led to a national uproar and eventually led the US Congress to adopt the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution.

However, in order to become law, it had to be ratified by ¾ of the states in the nation.
All of the women’s organizations began to advocate with state governments for their rights. Starting with Wyoming, which gave women the vote in 1869, ratification slowly began in the west and moved east. Unfortunately, the leaders of the women’s movement needed the votes of the southern states. Some in the suffrage movement therefore abandoned the inclusion of blackwomen. This left a stain upon the suffrage history.

Finally, it came down to one more needed state, all eyes were on Tennessee. A special session of the Tennessee legislature was called in the summer of 1920. After a brutal year of political fighting, on August 20, 1920, by one vote in the legislature, the 19th Amendment was ratified and became law, giving women the right to full citizenship in the United States.

The struggle for the vote lasted 72 years! The League of Women Voters has been a strong voice for educating voters for 100 years. In 2016, 63.3% of women and 59.3% of men voted. Women’s vote is every bit as important today as it was 100 years ago!

Today more than ever, the vote is the emblem of your equality, women of America, the guarantee of your liberty. There are many issues in today’s political landscape that need the input of women. Honor those women who struggled for you. We need your minds and voices. Exercise your rights. ACT! VOTE!

​Goodbye to the toxic teens. On to the roaring 20s! Who among us are sad to see 2019 go. It has been a devastating year with one degradation of American ideals after another. Almost all Americans are tired of the outrages, the depravity, the pettiness that has pervaded our political landscape in the last few years. We are tired of feeling depressed by and ashamed of our government.  It is way past time to move on!  Let's move on to the Roaring Twenties!

For the sake of our nation, this new decade gives us an opportunity to roar and stand up for the values we, Republicans and Democrats alike, hold dear as Americans. It gives us an opportunity to individually participate in our democracy and right our government.  It offers us a fresh page, on which to make it clear that we, the American people, are better than this.  It is not only a new year, but a new decade. It is a time to show our "better angels." As the Better Angels organization states: the months ahead will be quite challenging for our nation. Red and Blue (and Purple and any variation of those colors) coming together for respectful conversations can change the tone of our political discourse and depolarize our nation. Don’t let any political difference harm your relationships with your loved ones. Respect the worth and dignity of each person you’re talking with even if you are dumbfounded or appalled by the views they express. Try to find common values on which to agree and connect. Believe it or not, there are many. It is up to each of us to do so for future generations of Americans. What we lose if we do not, is tragic.  Our American tradition of equality and justice for all is at stake. We all care about it. Together we will have a great deal more power and influence.  So friends, roar, roar into the new roaring 20s and as President Lincoln said so long ago:
"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature." 
​Thank God for a New Year!