South Africa

A group of South Africans, all white, as arrived in the U.S. There is no basis for calling them refugees.  White South African church leaders speak up against Trump's statements about whites. “We make this statement as white South Africans because these claims are being made about us and our experience in this place.  The narrative presented by the US government is founded on fabrications, distortions, and outright lies. It does not reflect the reality of our country and, if anything, serves to heighten existing tensions in South Africa,” it said.

“It also detracts from the important work of building safer, healthier communities and addressing the complex history of land dispossession by white Europeans from the Black African majority.”“As followers of the God of life, and of Jesus Christ whose ministry of healing has guided the work of the Church over centuries, we must protest in the strongest possible terms where we see racial politics being weaponized in ways that will contribute to the early death for the poor and vulnerable, while serving the political agendas of the powerful,” it continued.

Whites only 2 percent of murder victims

The Christian leaders noted that South Africa has endured immense violence over generations, continuing even today. However, they said, Trump’s narrative of “disproportionate violence” against white South Africans is in contrast the reality that Black South Africans still face the worst of violence and oppression. 

They acknowledged that South Africa “has failed to effectively address the racial injustices of apartheid and colonialism,” but noted that one factor in this “is the sustained resistance by many white South Africans to initiatives that seek to meaningfully address the economic and land ownership consequences of these systems of racial oppression”.

2nd American Pope

 Just to be clear, Pope Leo XIV is the second American Pope. Pope Francis was born in. Argentina, South America. We should not equate the United States with America.  Pope Leo is the first pope born in the United States.  He served in Peru and has dual citizenship with Peru and the United States. Blessings on Pope Leo XIV as he leads the Roman Catholic Church.

Please show us the resistence

 Are your news sources showing you pictures of the over 1400 pro-democracy rallies that have taken place in all 50 states over the past few weeks? There have been 3-5 million participants.  This has been non-violent resistance to Trump's policies.  Many media outlets show only one here or there where there has been a scuffle.  As with the Civil Rights movement, the public needs to see the marchers so that they knew they have a voice and that it is working.

VE Day 80th anniversary.

 What is VE Day 80th AnniversaryE Day commemoration without any of the royals who stood on the balcony that day, 80 years ago. VE Day was declared on 8 May 1945, after Britain and its allies formally accepted Nazi Germany's surrender after almost six years of war. Four days of celebrations, which have been organized by the government, began on Monday 5 May and will run until Thursday 8 May. I remember VE day. I was 6 1/2 years old on May 6th that year. Even at the young age, we understood what war meant. 

Jackson earns AA degree

North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC), Mason City, is a fine school of about 2500 students today. I, a graduate in 1958, was proud to attend the 2025, graduation of my grandson, Jackson Everist. An excellent place for both of us to begin our higher education. Jackson received his AA degree in humanities in one year with honors (4.0 GPA and Phi Theta Kappa) Jackson's parents, Joel and Rachel, teach at NIACC.

PBS and NPR

 Donald Trump has signed an executive order to end federal funding of PBS and NPR.  He has no authority to so do.  Congress does. We need to contact our Congressional delegations to stop Trump. Small towns and cities and metropolitan areas need PBS and NPR for balanced truthful coverage of the news. They also give us local weather forecasts. Some people listen to NPR all day.  I trust PBS and watch it every day. We must act.

Whooping Cough

Before there were vaccines, I had whooping cough as a very young child. My sister, my mother, and I were quarantined at home for 10 weeks. (Our dad had to stay at his sister's house). I still have memories of sleeping in my crib with a cover over it and steam.  I almost died. We worried my mother would.  To this day, I cough often for no reason, except for remaining damage from that disease.  So far this year, there have been 8,064 reported cases of whooping cough in the U.S., compared with 3,835 for the same time in 2024, Please, vaccinate children! 

Yale Alumni

 

On Monday afternoon, 0ver 6000 Yale University alumni (including myself) signed and delivered letters to Yale leadership. To the best of our knowledge this alumni response is unprecedented--and in one week. 

We were very pleased to see that yesterday morning, Yale President Maurie McInnis, joined 171 other university presidents to issue a joint statement “speak[ing] with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.”  

 

Musk

 Tesla sales are way down! People are protesting Elan Musk doing so much damage (on behalf of Trump). So, Musk may be out of our lives soon, but the damage he has done remains.  We need to keep protesting and calling our legislators.  There are so many issues. How about USAID and Head Start? I'm going to speak about these cuts today. What about you?

Pope's death

 Billions across the globe mourn the death of Pope Francis. He cared for the marginalized. He washed tired feet. He was a servant leader. He lived a simply life. We give thanks for him. From him we have all learned so much. 

Easter Eve

 "We had hoped." Such sad words on the walk to Emmaus at the eve of that first Easter Day. Jesus appeared and walked with the two, telling them the whole story. And then, they invited this stranger to stay with them because it was almost evening. And Jesus, at table with them, revealed himself in the breaking of bread. So it is this Day of Resurrection for us. 

Easter Morning

At early dawn "they" came to the tomb. Who are "they"? We will find out. The stone was rolled away. The women were perplexed, then terrified. They bowed down and were told, "Why do. you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen." The "women" turned from the tomb and told the apostles and all the rest. Once they have witnessed, they are named: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the other women who were with them. The men thought it an idle tale. The women were not believed.