government Archives - My Word with Douglas E. Welch

It’s here!!!!! via Instagram

October 4th, 2020 dewelch Comments off

From my Instagram Feed

Categories: Art-Architecture, LA, Los Angeles, Photos-Photography Tags: ballot, civics, government, mailinballot, ready, vote, voting

“100 pebbles still have weight when thrown together.”

August 27th, 2020 dewelch Comments off

“100 pebbles still have weight when thrown together.

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Whenever injustice, oppression, hatred, fear, or just plain stupidity invade my social media feeds, I tilt at windmills and post my thoughts, fears, and opinions.\

Sure, I am a nobody, with a small number of followers and no more expertise than simple common sense, and I often get called on that by others. Who am I to think my opinion matters? Why do I think I can have any effect on what is happening in the world? How dare I have an opinion?

A few weeks ago I wrote that I post and share not to try and change the minds of others, but rather support those who share my opinions and let them know that they are NOT crazy and other people also see the problems they see. You can’t force anyone to change their mind. You can offer support, evidence, reasoning, data, but only they can decide to change their mind.

So why do I continue posting? This phrase came to me last night…

“100 pebbles still have weight when thrown together.”

Alone, I am one pebble, tapping at a stone wall. Online, with many others, we are a hundred, a thousand, a million pebbles making our mark individually and collectively on the walls of injustice, oppression, hatred, and fear. Perhaps in this way, we can give change a little nudge — a middling push — a heavy shove — in the right direction.

Use your pebble wisely!

Categories: Opinion, Writing Tags: fear, government, hatred, injustice, opinion, politics, social change, social media

When the rule of law ends, the rule by mob begins!

February 11th, 2020 dewelch Comments off

Follow Me On Instagram!

When the rule of law ends, the rule by mob begins!

No one is above the law!

Protect the rule of law around the world or we risk a descent into madness.

From my Instagram Feed

Categories: Art-Architecture, Education, History, Photos-Photography, United States Tags: democracy, government, law, mobrule, ruleoflaw, unitedstates, usa

My Word on Impeachment

September 25th, 2019 dewelch Comments off

The impeachment of a President is a horrible thing. Impeachment is disruptive, contentious and one fo the most violent political acts that can be taken by one branch of government against another. Impeachment is a necessary evil, though, to prevent the co-option of our government by those who put self before country, profit before the gain of all citizens and lies in the place of truth.

Read How IMpeachment Works, Washington Post

Impeachment is to government as chemotherapy is to the human body. It is horrible in itself, but it just might suppress a cancer. It withers the body but restores a lifetime if it works. One person suffers most, but all around them suffer too with grief, the unknown future, and the day-to-day punishment of it all. It will be the same with the coming weeks as we march through seemingly endless interrogations, testimonies, and news reports.

Still, Impeachment is necessary. Impeachment is important. Impeachment is political chemotherapy for the ills that have infected our government. I absolutely hate that we must take these steps. It would have been better for everyone had we not had to take these steps, but when faced with no other choice we must steel ourselves and impeach.

Today, like many other trying times in my life, I think back to one of my favorite book series, The Lord of The Rings. In the first volume, The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo and Gandalf have this short exchange.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien

We are often faced with terrible situations not of our own creation. Just earlier this year, I had to watch my son barely escape death from a car crash and face the long, painful, road through stabilization, multiple operations, crashingly painful recovery and finally return home with us. Would I have rather avoided this? Of course, but often we are faced with situations that can only be faced day by day. There is no way to avoid them. The only thing you can do is do your best with the time you are given. This is how I envision the slow march of the impeachment process over the next several months. One day at a time.

Despite what might be said by some in government, there is a process to be followed here. The President has not been impeached. There is no immediate impeachment trial in progress. There is no rush to judgment. There is no “judgment” to be had. Rather, Yesterday’s announcement was only for the beginning of an impeachment investigation.

This investigation is of the greatest importance. While there may be significant anecdotal evidence of wrongdoing, we are a country that believes in the rule of law. Law is carried out in specific, through specific actions and policies and no one is above the law. This investigation turns away from anecdotal and circumstantial evidence and burrows deep into the actions that may have taken place and the evidence that directly and clearly proves any malfeasance.

We need this desperately. The last few years have been filled with actions that have caused such accusations and rancor that we all need to be reassured that our government can work to the benefit of all its citizens. It is only by the application of this “terrible medicine” of law that we can all begin to clearly assess what has occurred and move forward with a mended heart and clear conscience.

Let us all move forward into this battle to determine the truth — no matter how that truth may stand — and preserve our democracy for ourselves, our future and future generations.

Categories: Opinion, Writing Tags: essay, government, impeach, impeachment, political, politics, us government, usa

What I’m Reading: All The President’s Men – 1 in a series – “Five men had been arrested earlier that morning in a burglary at Democratic headquarters…”

August 20th, 2019 dewelch Comments off

“JUNE 17, 1972. Nine o’clock Saturday morning. Early for the telephone. Woodward fumbled for the receiver and snapped awake. The city editor of the Washington Post was on the line. Five men had been arrested earlier that morning in a burglary at Democratic headquarters, carrying photographic equipment and electronic gear. Could he come in?”

All The President’s Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

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