http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/capitol-painting-cops-animals-removed-233286 It took me a few days to gather my thoughts about the content of this mural. My first reaction was that if those of us who are members of marginalized groups want to be seen as full-fledged human beings of equal intrinsic value by the police and all of society, then we need to offer the same consideration in return. My next thoughts were about freedom of expression and art as social commentary, peaceful protest and non-violent rebellion against the status quo. If it's a choice between a mural with dehumanizing imagery or a physical clash of civilians versus law enforcement, the art is the lesser offense (at least in the short term). But for me, depicting cops as pigs is as offensive and dehumanizing as depicting black people as monkeys. Neither image contributes to creating a society where every person's humanity and citizenship are equally acknowledged, respected and protected.

On Thanksgiving weekend my reaction to reading this piece  https://www.arcamax.com/entertainment/humor/belowthebeltway/s-1897248  by Gene Weingarten led me to e-mail him at the address listed at the end of the article. The following thread is the result of our exchanges so far. Attempts to verify that G.W. actually wrote the response sent from his e-mail address received no reply. [This is my mindset whenever people complain about political correctness in the 21st century.] Political correctness in not new in the U.S. or around the world. It's had many names and iterations: Jim Crow, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Indian Schools, the internment of American citizens of Japanese descent, the Salem witch trials, "no Italians/Irish/Greeks/Jews..." signs and policies, the Holocaust, the persecution of Alan Turing and other QUILTBAG people, the Rwandan genocide,,, Until we decide to honor the truth that every human being's intrinsic value is equal to that of every o...

The electorate has chosen the next U.S. president. Not-Hillary sentiment overcame Never-Trump sentiment and too many people love (or at least tolerate) his hate-mongering. Will the 45th president-elect speak and behave differently as president than he did as presidential candidate? My sincere hope is yes. Although it feels as if more than clocks have been set back this November 2016. Wisdom and godspeed to the next administration.

Sometimes performing one's civic duty feels like time spent in purgatory. May we all work toward an effective political truce as a result of this election. (Yes, my Pollyanna streak is showing.)

The Great Pumpkin granted this blerdy book glutton's wish for tasty reading treats with a new MJD title available for loan from the library and the latest RG title on sale for fifty cents at their book donations sale bin. Yay! (instead of Boo!) Now maybe the powerful spirits of the authorsphere will conjure new fiction titles from Frankie Y. Bailey and Crystal Hubbard (Meljean Brook, Marjorie M. Liu, Sugar Jamison, Jo Goodman...).

Receiving this box of books felt like Christmas in October. Many thanks to my publisher and my editor at 5 Prince Media Group for their unwavering support and impressive efforts to make this gorgeous print edition of Dodging Eros, Through Past, Present and Pleasure a reality. [giddy happy dancing] https://www.amazon.com/Dodging-Eros-Through-Present-Pleasure/dp/1631121855/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476316088&sr=1-1&keywords=cardyn+brooks

So Colin Kaepernick's silent, non-violent protest generates more outrage from some people than the loud, violent attacks against marginalized people. Gun ownership is patriotic and supports Second Amendment rights, but kneeling during the national anthem in protest of injustice and to demand equal protection under the law for all U.S. citizens doesn't support First Amendment free speech? The disturbing video of Terence Crutcher's death in Tulsa, Oklahoma is so sad and frustrating and infuriating. And yet it's only the most recent in a long list of such incidents. We must have practical ways to keep law enforcement officers safe without making this pattern of preemptive executions the permanent norm.