EDU Trending: At Last! A Gun Safety Bill.
On Saturday morning, June 25, 2022, President Biden signed the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” into law saying it was “going to save lives” (https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/25/politics/biden-signs-gun-bill/index.html).
Twenty-three years after Columbine, 18 years after the Brady Bill expired, 10 years after Sandy Hook, five years after Parkland, and in the aftermath of Uvalde on May 24, 2022, we have a bill that will better protect our children from death by gun violence (https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/21/senate-gun-legislation-uvalde/). To all the families of the children and staff who died in school shootings, this is a day to ease your hearts, if only a little, simply to know that someone else will be spared your pain.
To the families of every person who woke up one morning to go to work, the supermarket, a spa, a concert or nightclub (or to do any of the things that people do) but were cut down by an individual shooting a gun, to the thousands of these families whose loved ones never came home, this is a day to reflect, remember, cry, and be grateful that others may never know your heartache.
The issue of gun safety and control has long been a political lightning rod. The new legislation is the first meaningful act of substance since the Brady Bill became law in 1994. It is a first step in honoring the memories of all those lost to gun violence as our nation is united in resolve to stem the bloody tide. It is formal recognition that those in power owe a debt to the ordinary citizens who voted that power to them. A key obligation of elected officials is to listen to what the majority of people want and to put their will and their rights above personal ambition and political self-interest.
But this is a time to look forward, not back. With a special nod to Senators Chris Murphy (D) of Connecticut and John Cornyn (R) of Texas, we thank the leaders of both political parties for their honest intent, sincere purpose, and diligent collaboration to find common ground in the best interest of the country. They accomplished what, until now has been impossible, and did so in just a month after the school shootings in Uvalde.
Most of all, we thank the families, parents, students, and the millions of Americans who have been pushing for gun safety laws for decades. Today, as an American community, we can breathe a sign that at long last, and with bi-partisan support in the House and Senate, we have begun. It is a sign that the protection of the Second Amendment and the protection of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are not mutually exclusive. The principles of our democracy can and must acknowledge us all.
It should not go unnoticed that President Biden put his signature on the ”Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” a little more than a week before we celebrate Independence Day. A good reason to doubly enjoy spectacular fireworks displays across our land. See a video sample at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh-mhRfPP1w
Wishing you all delicious barbecue and a happy, safe, and hopeful Fourth of July, 2022.
News and Views: T is for Totalitarianism.
The Supreme Court is supreme no more. In the tight-fisted grip of a conservative super majority, the Extreme Court has conferred upon itself the mantle of totalitarianism, defined as a form of government in which people are controlled in a very strict way with complete power with no opposition.
The decisions of this Court have upended long-standing Constitutional precedents and ignored the rights, will, and opinions of the majority of our fellow Americans. It is Orwell’s 1984 brought to life in our time, in our country (https://reference.yourdictionary.com/ books-literature/7-essential-1984-themes-know). It is unnerving. It is wrong.
The Founders envisioned an independent Court that would be a stabilizing, neutral force, a fulcrum to check and balance the seesaw of power in the Executive and Legislative branches of government. This is not that Court. This is an Extreme Court – in lock step with the minority political position in our country (https://www.washingtonpost.com/ opinions/2022/06/25/supreme-court-rulings-abortion-roe-guns-represent-minority-tyranny/).
In one week, the Court has overruled case law and overturned Constitutionally-protected precedents. Let me count just a few of the ways:
June 21, 2022: Maine’s tuition assistance program must cover religious schools opening the door to use of public money for religious education and weakening the separation of church and state (https://www.npr.org/2022/06/21/1105348236/supreme-court-rules-maines-tuition-assistance-program-must-cover-religious-school).
June 21, 2022: Maine’s tuition assistance program must cover religious schools opening the door to use of public money for religious education and weakening the separation of church and state (https://www.npr.org/2022/06/21/1105348236/supreme-court-rules-maines-tuition-assistance-program-must-cover-religious-school).
June 23, 2022 Concealed carry gun laws expanded while the country is under siege from chronic mass shootings (https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/23/politics/supreme-court-guns-second-amendment-new-york-bruen/index.html).
June 24, 2022: Roe v. Wade overturned after 50 years of settled law (https://www.cnbc.com/ 2022/06/24/roe-v-wade-overturned-by-supreme-court-ending-federal-abortion-rights.html)) exposing all privacy rights to the same fate (https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/24/thomas-constitutional-rights-00042256)
June 27, 2022: Prayer on the football field ruled a First Amendment rightclearing the path to bring religion back into public schools (https://www.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/27/23185586/supreme-court-schools-prayer-football-coach )
June 30, 2022: Limiting the EPA’s ability to control carbon emissions, a move which is antithetical to all scientific worldwide warnings about the current and urgent dangers of climate change to the entire planet. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/06/30/us/supreme-court-epa
Let’s sum up. The conservative super majority on the Extreme Court has hi-jacked the Constitution to reflect their own views, biases, and politics. Because they can. Their rulings show a frightening, totalitarian indifference to the perspectives of most Americans and the dangers all Americans face in today’s world. In their decisions, this Court has put at risk the health, safety, and economic stability of our citizens, our country, and the planet for decades, and perhaps generations, to come.
I want to be clear. If the Court comprised a liberal super majority, who also acted with politically radical impunity, the opinion of this writer would be just as harsh. Americans do not need and do not want an extreme, runaway Court - of any ideological persuasion - to whiplash the country every time one faction or the other attains unilateral control. We deserve better.
To best serve the country, the Court needs to regain its integrity and standing. They need to be an independent and honorable third branch of government. It can do so only if the Justices prioritize impartiality over politics, listen to each other to find balance and common ground, and honor the national and global needs of our citizens first, last, and always.
Question of the Day: “Remember the ladies.”(Abigail Adams)
In addition to Vice President Harris, how many women are in President Biden’s Cabinet?
11
5
7
10
8
For the answer, please go to “Remember the Ladies” at https://www.merleschell.com/reflections/
From Me to You: Finding Balance.
We are living in fraught times. COVID and the toxic political whirlwind have infected us, thrown us off balance, and made us afraid. The world sometimes looms too large for us to face. At these moments, it is healthy, even necessary to seek an escape to our smaller, safer world. We need to give our hearts and minds the space to emotionally sift through, remind ourselves of our blessings, and regain hope and purpose. Then, fortified, refreshed, and confident, we can square our shoulders and return to fight the good fight one day at a time with a smile.
When I need an escape in the winter, I bake – breads, cakes, cookies. The smells wafting from the oven are as comforting and cozy as a hug and make me eager to share with family and friends. The results are the baked goods equivalent of comfort food.
Spring and Summer are my favorite seasons. My garden is my happy place. A few hours of weeding, pruning, and planting leave me feeling absolutely triumphant. Balance restored. The garden looks better, too. I hope you like the results:
If you want to see additional garden highlights and tips, please check out “My Garden Diary” at https://www.merleschell.com/taking-care-of-you/
Whatever the season, I hope you give yourself permission to take a break, ease your mind. Find something you love to do. Appreciate yourself, let yourself be happy, and regain your balance.
P.S. Sometimes, I crave a more introspective respite. Then, I write a poem or a song. I will be pleased to share another day ☺