Ancestry, Freedom, Fighting and DNA

If you look at all of our DNAs, you'll find we are connected, from one part of the world to the other...

My question is, since we are all related, what makes us want to be so different...does a person's religion make us important? Does it make you who you are? 

As I watched the PBS documentary on "Pilgrims", and the reason they wanted to leave Europe, it had a lot to do with being left alone to be whatever and whomever they wanted to be, an independence, and not be held down by religious restrictions.  But their religion became a restriction to many when forced upon them.

Migration to a basically unknown part of the world took a great deal of courage, but it also put other unknown restrictions into play, life and death played out to a what was hoped to be a daily peaceful life.

More fighting ensued, in the process of wanting space and peace. What does this say about the Indians who were here in the US before the first European?  Some were peaceful farmers, some where migratory, some were filled with hate and warred. 

Whether the Indians liked it or not, the immigrants fought to take away this land to claim as their own.

Upon knowing your heritage, this "should" bring people closer together, to realizing we are not so different after all. 

But fighting each other to gain importance, or to gain imagined freedoms, or to gain lands, or someone else's properties, is not a freedom at all, it's a restrictiveness with a cost put on lives...and does not bring us closer...it tears us apart and puts a price on your head.

...and Peace be to all who want it with love, unconditionally, without a price; not with hate that brings about an unfathomable cost.

http://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/2013/05/14/actress-vanessa-williams-explains-how-dna-powers-her-family-tree/?o_xid=73812&o_lid=73812&o_sch=External+Paid+Media

The Heart of These Protests

These words are by Ryan Groff.
Take them to heart.

I think there is a misconception on the right in regards to the protest movement spreading across the country. From what I can tell from the posts you are writing, you have two main points. You assume that since our side lost the election, that we should accept and move on, and that most, if not all, of the protesters are violent thugs. You also think President Obama and/or Sec. Clinton should be on national television telling the protesters to stop their crybaby ways.

Let's take the first point. You need to understand that this has nothing to do with Sec. Clinton losing an election, this is about Donald Trump winning. You would not see massive protests had any of the other 15 Republicans who ran, won. The protests are over the way Donald Trump ran his campaign, the divisions he exploited in order to win. Whatever you think his motives were, whether or not you think he meant everything he said, this was a campaign that used hate and fear to win.

He said he would appoint justices who were willing to overturn Obergefell, invalidating millions of marriages. He picked a running mate who not only thinks you can electrocute the gay out of someone, and also thinks parents should be able to force their minor children to undergo it.

He publicly toyed, more than once, with requiring American Muslims to register. That's not even mentioning the comments on Muslim immigrants and Syrian refugees. He truly thinks it's not only feasible, but moral to deport 2 million undocumented immigrants, tearing families apart. He mentioned instituting stop and frisk nationwide, described African American communities in apocalyptic terms, and demonized minority activists.

He denigrated women based on their appearance, sexualized his own daughter, and bragged about sexual assault. There is a reason why he brought Breitbart News into his campaign. There is a reason why his message resonated with the White National movement, and why they got involved in this campaign in ways I've never seen from them.

You can ignore it, you can pretend it never happened, but that doesn't change reality. You need to quit trivializing the very real fear and pain the millions of your fellow Americans are feeling. Try to understand how and why it exists, until you do, this isn't stopping anytime soon.

As far as the violence and destruction of property goes, you are more than right, there is no place for that in our society, and therein lies what you have wrong on this. Please understand that there is a difference between the protesters and anarchists. Every protest movement draws them like moths to a flame, but they are not the same people, they are not fighting for the same things.

As far as the second point goes, I'll be brief. President Obama and Sec. Clinton could both go on national television, stand shoulder to shoulder and ask the protests to stop, and nothing would change. Again you are missing a fundamental point, this isn't about them, so they have no power over it. This is about Donald J. Trump and the unnecessarily divisive campaign he chose to run on.

So please, take the time and try to understand what's at the heart of these protests. Stop being dismissive and condescending of the people in the streets. Try to understand why they are in pain and living with very real fear.  

I am not trying to get you to change your mind on Donald Trump, but I am wanting you to put yourselves in the shoes of those who are truly frightened right now. Imagine yourself in their situations, how would you react? I'm betting that there wouldn't be a lot of difference between them and you. You love to talk about unity and coming together, and I agree that is an admirable goal.

Now, show me that you mean it. Display the empathy I know you are capable of.

Hillary Clinton - November 9, 2016

Hillary Clinton - November 9, 2016

Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans. This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I’m sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country.

But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together—this vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized campaign. You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life.  I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too. And so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this: Our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It was about the country we love—and about building an America that’s hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted.

We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America—and I always will. And if you do, too, then we must accept this result—and then look to the future.  Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.

Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power, and we don’t just respect that, we cherish it. It also enshrines other things—the rule of law, the principle that we’re all equal in rights and dignity, and the freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these things too—and we must defend them.  And let me add: Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time. So let’s do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear: making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top; protecting our country and protecting our planet; and breaking down all the barriers that hold anyone back from achieving their dreams.

We’ve spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe that the American Dream is big enough for everyone—for people of all races and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people, and people with disabilities. Our responsibility as citizens is to keep doing our part to build that better, stronger, fairer America we seek. And I know you will. I am so grateful to stand with all of you.

I want to thank Tim Kaine and Anne Holton for being our partners on this journey. It gives me great hope and comfort to know that Tim will remain on the front-lines of our democracy, representing Virginia in the Senate.  To Barack and Michelle Obama: Our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude for your graceful, determined leadership, and so do I.

To Bill, Chelsea, Marc, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers, and our entire family, my love for you means more than I can ever express.  You crisscrossed this country on my behalf and lifted me up when I needed it most—even 4-month-old Aidan traveling with his mom.

I will always be grateful to the creative, talented, dedicated men and women at our headquarters in Brooklyn and across our country who poured their hearts into this campaign. For you veterans, this was a campaign after a campaign — for some of you, this was your first campaign ever. I want each of you to know that you were the best campaign anyone has had.

To all the volunteers, community leaders, activists, and union organizers who knocked on doors, talked to neighbors, posted on Facebook—even in secret or in private: Thank you.  To everyone who sent in contributions as small as $5 and kept us going, thank you.

And to all the young people in particular, I want you to hear this. I’ve spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. I’ve had successes and I’ve had setbacks—sometimes really painful ones. Many of you are at the beginning of your careers. You will have successes and setbacks, too.

This loss hurts. But please, please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it. It’s always worth it. And we need you keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives.

To all the women, and especially the young women, who put their faith in this campaign and in me, I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion.  I know that we still have not shattered that highest glass ceiling. But some day someone will—hopefully sooner than we might think right now.  And to all the little girls watching right now, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world.

Finally, I am grateful to our country for all it has given me.

I count my blessings every day that I am an American. And I still believe, as deeply as I ever have, that if we stand together and work together, with respect for our differences, strength in our convictions, and love for this nation—our best days are still ahead of us.  You know I believe we are stronger together and will go forward together. And you should never be sorry that you fought for that.

Scripture tells us: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.”  My friends, let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do.

I am incredibly honored and grateful to have had this chance to represent all of you in this consequential election. May God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

Michael Moore’s “Morning After To-Do List”

Facebook Post For Democrats Is Going Viral….

by Adam Albright-Hanna….  November 9, 2016 at 10:30

Filmmaker Michael Moore’s Facebook post today is

currently going crazy viral. His “Morning After To-Do List” is a challenge to citizens to reject fear and embrace the power we all have to get out there and actually do something that matters.

You can read the transcript of his post below or view it directly here:  

Morning After To-Do List:

1. Take over the Democratic Party and return it to the people. They have failed us miserably.

2. Fire all pundits, predictors, pollsters and anyone else in the media who had a narrative they wouldn't let go of and refused to listen to or acknowledge what was really going on. Those same bloviators will now tell us we must "heal the divide" and “come together.” They will pull more hooey like that out of their ass in the days to come. Turn them off.

3. Any Democratic member of Congress who didn’t wake up this morning ready to fight, resist and obstruct in the way Republicans did against President Obama every day for eight full years must step out of the way and let those of us who know the score lead the way in stopping the meanness and the madness that's about to begin.

4. Everyone must stop saying they are “stunned” and “shocked.” What you mean to say is that you were in a bubble and weren’t paying attention to your fellow Americans and their despair. YEARS of being neglected by both parties, the anger and the need for revenge against the system only grew. Along came a TV star they liked whose plan was to destroy both parties and tell them all “You're fired!” Trump’s victory is no surprise. He was never a joke. Treating him as one only strengthened him. He is both a creature and a creation of the media and the media will never own that.

5. You must say this sentence to everyone you meet today: “HILLARY CLINTON WON THE POPULAR VOTE!” The MAJORITY of our fellow Americans preferred Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. Period. Fact. If you woke up this morning thinking you live in an effed-up country, you don’t. The majority of your fellow Americans wanted Hillary, not Trump. The only reason he’s president is because of an arcane, insane 18th-century idea called the Electoral College. Until we change that, we’ll continue to have presidents we didn’t elect and didn’t want. You live in a country where a majority of its citizens have said they believe there’s climate change, they believe women should be paid the same as men, they want a debt-free college education, they don’t want us invading countries, they want a raise in the minimum wage and they want a single-payer true universal health care system. None of that has changed. We live in a country where the majority agree with the “liberal” position. We just lack the liberal leadership to make that happen (see: #1 above). Let's try to get this all done by noon today. -- Michael Moore

Your VOTE IS Your VOICE

The thing I can't get ahold of is the word leader...it implies someone you want to follow…

A Demagogue or a Dictator?... A brainwashing procedure in which Trump has taken very seriously...(Someone who TELLS you how to think and feel without you knowing it), making you feel like you're the underdog...making you feel like you have no control...making you feel as though it has to be your way or no way...so you will follow "The Leader".

This was exactly how Hitler was able to "persuade" the masses of people to believe his way was the right thing to do and the right way to follow.

                          
Most people have no clue what the History of the U.S.A. is, they're followers...what went on when masses of deportations happened to the Mexicans...and how the states worked independently of the US government in regards to the independance of negroes/blacks; where the rightful laws had to be instated time and again to bring justice for all...and to this day there are still counties and states that fight against these laws.  

It's criminal how people are taught to not get involved, not to be independant, not to have a voice.  I saw it within our community just this week. We have an HOA board, elected by the "people"...but there are people who think their voice is meaningless.  I stood in the parking lot and told this guy, "It's A different board, they listen... "  I could tell he didn't believe what I said. I told him to come to the HOA meetings, we have them morning and evening.  He said, “There wouldn't be any point, they do what they want....".  

This is the mindset of a lot of the people in the US...they feel their voice is meaningless, and Trump is the one who seems forceful enough to change "what they think they don't like in the world"...and they haven't a clue what impact it will bring down on them.    

History has a way of repeating itself if you don't pay attention to it. You're not doing anyone any favors by not being involved, and not voting.