Earlier this year, I tried to minimize my social media posts on political topics. I also worked hard to scroll past others’ posts that contained opposing political views. I, however, was far from perfect. Even though I understood that my writing was not going to change the views of diehard MAGA supporters—and that political debate was likely to end in the loss of some friendships—I still failed occasionally and let political commentary slip through the cracks.

The good news from this practice of avoidance was that my stress level went down, my blood pressure decreased, and I don’t think I really missed the “friends” who felt offended and chose a different path. The bad news is that many people view silence as agreement or consent. So, as part of my closure to 2025, I’m going to make my position on several political topics clear. These are not in any particular order—just a stream of thought.

1. The President should not call a reporter a “pig.” If your granddaughter grows up to be a reporter, how would you react to someone in a position of power calling her names? If your son, after a great high school sporting event, used degrading language during an interview, would you tolerate it? We should expect more from our leaders.
2. I don’t mind the President selling red MAGA hats and T-shirts at campaign events. I do, however, find it tacky—and question the ethics—of the President selling Bibles, tennis shoes, watches, and cell phones. I’m just not sure whether President Trump is the leader of the free world or the host of the Home Shopping Network. Do you really want to buy an outdated Chinese cell phone just because the President endorses it? I’m not sure that qualifies as “America First.”
3. Does anyone find it odd how many places and things are now named after President Trump? There is the Donald Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, the Air Force F-47, the new “Trump-class battleship,” and the commemorative $1 Trump coin. His face is even on National Park passes, which seems especially odd given that DOGE fired more than a thousand park rangers and even more employees from the Forest Service.
4. Avoiding the debate over the rules and precedent for making changes to historic buildings in Washington, D.C., I will say that it is fairly common for Presidents to make changes to the White House according to their style. Can anyone really say, however, that they liked when President Trump paved over the Rose Garden? I’m not an architect, but does anyone think a ballroom of roughly 90,000 square feet sitting next to the existing White House (about 55,000 square feet) wouldn’t look out of place? Do you think it is appropriate to put plaques with false or unflattering quotes under the photos of previous Presidents inside the White House? How about replacing the photo of President Biden with a picture of a pen? That might be funny for a reality show, but is this really the image we want representing our country?
5. This is my “I told you so” moment. For everyone who said it was okay for Secretary of War Hegseth to send operational messages over an unclassified messaging app, please read this paragraph from the Inspector General’s report:

“(U) The Secretary sent nonpublic DoD information identifying the quantity and strike times of manned U.S. aircraft over hostile territory over an unapproved, unsecure network approximately 2 to 4 hours before the execution of those strikes. Using a personal cell phone to conduct official business and send nonpublic DoD information through Signal risks potential compromise of sensitive DoD information, which could cause harm to DoD personnel and mission objectives.”

If you were flying those jets, I’m sure you wouldn’t want your boss giving the bad guys a heads-up that you were coming.

6. As a former unhappy colony of Britain, I never thought America would look to colonize other independent countries. Once again, I am amazed that the U.S. has a Special Envoy focused on annexing Greenland. And by the way, Canada does not want to become the 51st state either.
7. Democrats may disown me for saying this, but I would be okay with a “worst of the worst” immigration policy. I think Congress could sit down, define what qualifies as “worst of the worst,” update immigration law, and then allow ICE to focus on those individuals. Offenders could be given due process, and if the evidence supports it, they could be deported. The current administration, however, continues to use “worst of the worst” for headlines while their actions do not match the rhetoric.

• The ICE database shows—and the most recent leaked 60 Minutes episode on CECOT confirms—that a majority of people that ICE is deporting have no criminal record. Their only crime is crossing the border illegally. That does not sound like the “worst of the worst” to me.
• So what seems to be the plan for sorting out the “worst of the worst”? The administration revoked visas for people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. More recently, President Trump said he doesn’t want “Somali trash” in the U.S. either.
• If simply being Haitian or Somali makes someone the “worst of the worst,” who does President Trump see as the “best of the best” and worthy of U.S. citizenship? He increased numbers for the asylum program for white South Africans. At a rally, he asked why the U.S. couldn’t get “nice immigrants from places like Norway or Sweden.” He now offers a Gold Card so wealthy people can enter.

Just my opinion, but I don’t think nationality, skin color, or wealth is the correct metric if you truly are executing a “worst of the worst” policy.

8. This is for everyone—Republicans and Democrats alike—and here is an ugly truth neither side likes to admit because it doesn’t win elections.

• As a country, we are terrible at economics. We continue to spend more than we earn.
• There are two simple solutions:
  A. Earn more. Someone would have to pay higher taxes or tariffs, which might mean reconsidering full deductions for private jets or ending tax breaks on tips or overtime.
  B. Spend less. The government would have to decide what to cut.

DOGE was popular with many people because it promised to cut government waste and solve the $2 trillion shortfall, but it fell short and found only about 10% ($200 billion). To be fair, it was bound to fail. The entire discretionary portion of the U.S. budget is about $1.7 trillion. Roughly half goes to the Department of Defense, and the other half covers everything else—education, transportation, health, and more. The current administration has focused on the non-military portion, which, even if completely dismantled (an unrealistic scenario), would save slightly less than $1 trillion.

The budget fights will continue, but more likely than not, neither party will balance the budget. At some point, there will be hard decisions about whether the U.S. needs more Golden Domes, F-47s, and battleships—or whether healthcare and education should take priority.

(Just so you know, this will never happen until the country fully collapses. Economists understand the drastic measures needed, but none of these solutions can be executed by a politician—not even one as abrasive as President Trump.)

9. Here is my next prediction—and someday it will be my next “I told you so” moment. We put Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services. He is a lawyer who made his money on anti-vaccination cases and has a long history as an anti-vaxxer. As Director of HHS, he removed all 17 doctors from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. While downplaying the importance of vaccines, the U.S. now has more than 1,800 measles cases. His organization removed the recommendation that newborns receive hepatitis vaccines. My prediction is that the distrust in medicine fostered by this administration will lead to increases in diseases that were nearly wiped out, such as whooping cough, measles, and influenza. There’s nothing quite like returning to the 1800s, when life expectancy was under 40 and many children died before the age of five.
10. I’ll keep this one short. Historically, under the “code of the West,” it was unacceptable to shoot an unarmed man or to shoot someone in the back. America should never be seen as the country that shoots people clinging to a crippled boat. We should be wearing the white hats.

I’m sure I could vent about more, but I’m comfortable now with the stand I’ve taken. Hopefully, I’ll have one more blog post before the end of the year—one that is more upbeat and focused on gratitude for my many blessings (and less complaining).

As I lay in bed for the fifth straight day fighting COVID, I still had plenty of time to think, surf the internet, and share many angry posts about the state of U.S. politics—then take a deep breath. Then, I decided to write again, this time about my extremely boring closet. Far less drama.

I imagine if you stayed in one place for your entire life, your closet would become a sort of scrapbook that tells a pretty interesting story. Just look back at those old childhood photos and imagine if you still had the clothes you wore when your parents did the shopping. I believe there’s one photo of me wearing vertical striped pants and a flowered shirt with a wide collar. Then, as you grow up, you enter the phase where you get to make your own clothing choices—but were they really your own? As you skim through the yearbook, the colors may have been different, but you really tried to be like most of your peers (good or bad—just hoping to be part of the crowd).

Next phase: you’re off to work, and the goal is to dress for success. Once again, an external influence dictates the clothes you buy and wear. The banker doesn’t get to wear khaki pants and a polo shirt. His big decisions each day are: gray suit or black suit, red tie or blue tie (sounds like it could be a new Dr. Seuss book).

So, why all this background? Someday, your parents stop picking your clothes (other than an occasional Christmas gift). You’ve matured and no longer feel the need to fit in with your friends. You’re retired or semi-retired, so your profession no longer drives your clothing choices. Heck, you look into your closet and it’s complete freedom (with maybe a little spousal oversight).
What might that look like? Here’s a preview of my closet:
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Shoes
The days of closets filled with 14 different pairs of athletic shoes are gone. No longer do I need separate pairs for the basketball court and the track. The boots and shoes for the Navy uniform were pitched in the trash a few years ago. What remains:
• A pair of slip-on Skechers tennis shoes (great for the airport)
•	A pair of ASICS tennis shoes (the day-to-day shoe that occasionally finds its way to a treadmill)
•	A dusty pair of dress shoes (hurts my toes—so glad there aren’t many weddings or funerals)
•	Four pairs of Merrell World Passports in various stages of aging (my favorite shoe, but Merrell has discontinued them. I bought the last remaining stock I could find on Amazon a couple of years ago and recently opened the last box. I’ll enjoy them while they last and hope to find a worthy replacement). I’m likely one step away from New Balance with Velcro.
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Socks
I could say that it’s a drawer filled with the standard blacks, grays, and neutrals for the office, and white for home. That, however, is not the case. Socks (and ties, which I try to avoid) are one of the places where your wardrobe personality can shine without being too crazy. My favorites include:
• Bigfoot Sh*tting in the Woods
• Cows in Spaceships Abducting Aliens
• Monkeys in Spacesuits Playing Guitars
• Dinosaurs
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Pants
Jeans are a staple. Gone are the days of acid-washed, holes-in-the-knee fashion statements. Now, relaxed-fit Levi’s or Lees rule the day. (The only bit of depression is that at one point, the length number was bigger than the waist. Those numbers swapped about 30 years ago—never to be seen again.)
For more official business, I have Dockers in a dozen different shades. As they hang in the closet, it’s a true khaki rainbow.
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Shirts
Official business and work are simple: long-sleeve Oxfords in winter, polos in the summer. Boring.
At home, T-shirts reign. There are two piles for me:
• The ones my wife picks up for me. They’re usually a single color (preferably dark, since it’s not uncommon for me to slop some mustard down the front). A pocket is a plus, and if it can be purchased for under $10, that’s a bonus. She’s an expert, and it seems like the T-shirt supply in the closet is always rotating. Shirts with stains, tears, and stretched collars disappear and are magically replaced with new ones—one of the mysteries of marriage that I still don’t fully understand.
• The ones that I buy myself. The beer belly of an aging man makes a great billboard. I still manage to find a few old concert shirts—recently found a reprint of Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. shirt. I also discovered a shop called Citees while traveling through Europe and liked their novelty shirts, so don’t be surprised to see me sporting Star Cats, Live Fast / Eat Trash, You Can’t Outrun a Bear – Always Bring a Slow Friend, or Einstein sticking out his tongue.
• Special mention goes to a few remaining Hawaiian shirts. I’m always hopeful we might return to the islands for a bit. In my dream world, “Aloha Casual” would catch on in workplaces beyond the shores of Oahu. I’m even considering a transition to more Hawaiian shirts once I fully retire. Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I. may have had the right idea.
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Hats & Accessories
This is where the “old man vibe” can really shine. I still have a couple of ball caps (Ohio State Championship and Ohio Against the World) that I love. They’re gifts from my son and family, and holdovers from younger days.
In general, though, my accessories scream “retired, old, tourist.” I have three primary hats: a fishing hat with a wide brim, a straw hat, and an Italian wool coppola. Two are rather unstylish but manage to keep my head from burning (since the hair doesn’t provide much protection anymore). The third makes me feel like one of the locals—if only I could speak an ounce of Italian.
To my wife’s dismay, I also own a traveler’s vest. She hates it, but the 100 pockets seem useful for passports, keys, money, phone, snacks, medicine, hand wipes, and the sundry of other items that could be needed at any time on any day.
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In Summary
There was once a time when I made fun of “grandpa clothes.” Now, I relish the freedom to dress with no need to impress.
(Note: The spouse still may have limits.)

In recent weeks, I have struggled to meet my self-imposed writing deadlines. A poorly timed onset of COVID-19, however, has provided an unexpected opportunity to reflect and write while isolated on my front porch with a computer and a cup of coffee. The ongoing government shutdown has emerged as a timely and significant subject of interest.
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It is my opinion that the Republican Party is responsible for the current government shutdown.
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Reason 1
Evidence supporting this conclusion can be found in a 2013 interview with Donald Trump, accessible at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1457908685441984 . In this interview, Trump says that responsibility for a government shutdown rests with the sitting president and his party. After that interview, not sure how he can look to shift blame elsewhere.
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Reason 2
Although the consequences of this shutdown are deeply problematic for Democrats in the short term — and for the broader health of American democracy in the long term — Republicans have been willing to bypass the 60-vote rule (a key procedural safeguards within the Senate) when it is to their benefit. Specifically, Republicans disregarded the 60-vote rule and permitted a simple majority to confirm a series of President Trump’s nominees last month.
Fortunately, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R–S.D.) has stated that he will not employ the same tactic, commonly referred to as the “nuclear option,” to pass the continuing resolution (CR) required to reopen the government. Maybe he had a change of heart, and realized that the previous actions of bypassing rules designed to preserve checks on power was a bad idea.  

The question; however, still remains. If the nuclear option has already been used to advance Republican interests last month, why the hesitation to apply it now?
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Reason 3: My Conspiracy Theory
A more speculative consideration involves the potential relationship between the shutdown and the pending release of the Epstein files. Although the official justification for the shutdown centers on budgetary disputes, it is conceivable that other motivations are at play.
Currently, 218 signatures in the House of Representatives are required to compel a vote for the release of these files. When Congress reconvenes to address the budget, Representative Adelita Grijalva is expected to be sworn in, becoming the 218th signatory. 
Without bipartisan support, the Democrats alone cannot meet this threshold. At present, Republican representatives who have reportedly expressed support include Thomas Massie (Ky.), Nancy Mace (S.C.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), and Lauren Boebert (Colo.). However, there has been notable pressure within the Republican Party to remove names from the petition — possibly through backroom negotiations or political incentives.
For example, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has been a vocal advocate for the release of George Santos and even submitted a letter to the pardon attorney. It will be interesting to note whether future presidential actions favor Representatives Mace or Boebert, and whether Greene remains a signer following the perfectly-timed release of George Santos (having served only 84 days of a 7-year sentence).
Delays in reconvening to finalize the budget necessarily delay the swearing-in of Representative Grijalva, which in turn provides Republican leadership additional time to persuade signatories to alter their positions on the release of the Epstein files.

My “Top Nine Pro-Stuff List”

I waste countless hours browsing on the computer. Most of the time, it is just digging through the trash. I have watched Tubby Nugget, Simon’s Cat, and Lucas the Spider videos, and it is hard to pass up any videos containing babies, kittens, or puppies. Most evenings, surfing in my recliner is just a mind-numbing waste of time.

Recently, however, I stumbled upon a graduation speech by Australian comedian, actor, writer, and musician Tim Minchin. In his speech, he provided nine life lessons ranging from “Be Kind” to “Exercise,” sprinkling his message with plenty of metaphors and humor. Some good common sense, and not too preachy—it seemed to be a good fit for the audience of new graduates and likely had a little bit of wisdom for everyone. If you would like to watch the video, it can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoEezZD71sc.

Of his nine lessons, #7 piqued my interest, and I decided to spend a little additional time considering his advice to “Define Yourself by What You Love—Be Pro-Stuff, Not Just Anti-Stuff.”

In no particular order, here is my Top Nine Pro-Stuff List:

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1. Pro-Library and Bookstore

My love of reading started early. When I was in grade school, my parents would strictly enforce bedtime, but I was allowed to lie in bed with a book and a small flashlight. Books were the only way to avoid the call for “lights out and go to sleep,” and I would flip through the pages of books borrowed from the school library and escape to a different place and time.

Over the years, the school library has been replaced by Barnes & Noble and Amazon, but I still find books are a great way to end a day. The smell and feel of the pages reduce stress before the first chapter is finished. As I age, however, I find that books and libraries serve a purpose far greater than avoiding bedtime or simple relaxation.

Benjamin Franklin said, “These libraries have improved the general conversation of the Americans … and made the common tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries.” Thomas Jefferson said, “Wherever the people are well informed, they may be trusted with their own government.”

Our next leaders should be avid readers found in libraries or bookstores, surrounded by books containing the experiences of the past and the dreams of the future—not standing by a pile of banned books with a match. It is also our civic duty as Americans to “get the full story” and understand all sides of an issue (reading required)—and not cast our votes based on information gathered from a meme or sound bite.

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2. Pro-Travel

[Note: Before the complaints start flying, I love America. As a country, we have done some incredible things, but travel will make you realize that the U.S. does not have a monopoly on “greatness.”]

Mark Twain wrote: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

In my opinion, Mark Twain was absolutely correct, but let me provide you with some things to consider:

• As you hit your third pothole or pass your 1,000th orange construction barrel on the highway, realize that there are still Roman highways you could drive upon after 2,000 years.
• As you sit for hours in traffic around Washington, D.C., or Los Angeles, realize that nearly all residents in Japan live within five minutes (in a few areas it may be ten) of a train station, and the average delay is less than one minute per year. Since you will be sitting in that traffic for a while, you can also consider that Amsterdam has more bikes than people and hundreds of miles of bike paths.
• As you put money into savings for college tuition or pay that student loan, realize college tuition is free in Denmark. In fact, students are paid (about $800/month) to go to school.
• As you look at that overflowing trash can at the park, realize Stockholm has a vacuum system connected to many of their trash cans to pull trash directly to processing plants.

Bonus 2. Pro-Travel Upgrade: I am usually crammed into a tiny seat on the plane, but if you get the travel miles or work bonus, splurge on business class. After seeing the advertisements for air travel from 1950 to 1970, I’m not sure how we ended up in the cattle-car conditions of economy class today.

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3. Pro-NPR and PBS

Living in the country with reception for only three TV channels, I do not remember watching much Sesame Street or Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. My granddaughters, however, benefited from PBS educational programming, and they loved to watch Elmo.

I also spent hours on long car drives listening to NPR. My favorite programs were Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story and Garrison Keillor’s News from Lake Wobegon. It is clear to me that NPR and PBS serve educational and entertainment purposes now, just as they have for decades. It is a shame that their funding always seems to be under attack. You might want to take a minute and watch Mr. Rogers defend PBS funding in his 1969 Senate testimony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKy7ljRr0AA.

Bonus 3. Pro-Old Sitcoms: I will gladly watch reruns of The Andy Griffith Show, Happy Days, MASH, Cheers, or Friends before watching any reality TV programming. I will choose Arthur Fonzarelli over Kim Kardashian any day of the week.

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4. Pro-Arts

My parents made sure that my sister and I were always exposed to the arts as children. I remember going to see shows at the local theater, watching a barbershop quartet competition, and going to an opera. I also remember watching my Grandpa Patton create wood carvings and my Grandma Patton paint china teacups. Their works still have a place of honor in my house.

I did not inherit their artistic gene. I cannot sing, dance, paint, sculpt, or perform in any way, but I admire those who can. If we get the chance, my wife and I love to watch a good musical on Broadway or in London’s West End. Wicked, Grease, and Mamma Mia! were great at the theater; and we liked watching Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and Yul Brynner in The King and I on TV.

During a recent trip to Salzburg, Austria, my wife and I took The Sound of Music Tour. The film is still one of my favorites, and I try to watch it each year at Thanksgiving. While stationed in the U.S., I loved seeing the Boston Pops Christmas show, and my wife and I regularly attended the Hawaii Symphony performances. In Italy, I have also seen the works of some fabulous sculptors. The Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino is one of my favorite sculptures, found in the Sansevero Chapel Museum in Naples.

When I retire, I might take a shot at painting or sculpting. I’m always up for a new challenge. Until then, the best I can do is watch and support those with far greater artistic skill.

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5. Pro-Science

In a time when opinions instead of facts control the headlines, I support the professionals who do the hard work and protect the truth. In a country where conspiracy theories instead of evidence flood social media, I am glad that there are people holding the line for fact-based reporting. In an environment where politics, instead of research, could determine the health and well-being of our most vulnerable citizens, I will support the scientists and doctors who speak based on years of schooling and a lifetime of experience.

I think of it this way—if I’m on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and I get asked a tough question about primates, who do I use for my “phone a friend”? Do I get my primate advice from a politician? (Remember Hank Johnson, a Democratic Congressman from Georgia, made comments about Guam capsizing from overcrowding during a Congressional hearing.) I’ll pass on getting any scientific advice from a man who believes islands can flip, and I’ll have them dial Dr. Jane Goodall, who studied chimpanzees in the wild for more than 60 years.

I think of my health the same way—since I believe being healthy is worth more than a million dollars. If I get cancer, I will not be seeking medical advice from politicians, lawyers, or social media influencers for treatment recommendations—I will be looking for an oncologist with 60 years of experience.

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6. Pro-Coffee

It is early on a Sunday morning after a late Saturday night, so I have decided that I am now a big coffee supporter. This was not always the case. In college, I didn’t care for the taste of coffee. I thought it was too bitter. I would still drink it, but I would add four heaping spoons of sugar and a large amount of creamer. The resulting concoction could hardly be called coffee.

Once I joined the Navy and arrived at my first ship, coffee became a way of life—and I slowly quit using sugar and creamer. Navy coffee is strong, and served from a multi-gallon urn. I’m not sure if the urn was ever washed. When the pot got low, more water was poured inside over the remaining coffee, a new pile of grounds was added to the basket, and the brewing process started again.

Now, I am not too picky. I’m certainly not a coffee snob. I can still enjoy a cup from a ship that has been brewing for hours or days, but I also won’t decline an overpriced Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.

I have also come to enjoy the coffee culture in Italy. The coffee bar is a meeting place to socialize. It is like taking a smoke break—without the adverse health impacts. It is also fun trying to learn all of the unwritten Italian coffee rules: “no cappuccino after 11:00—espresso all day” and “caffè americano is just dirty water, unfit to drink.” You can also afford to practice these rules often in Italy—an espresso costs less than $1.50. No need to shell out $6 for a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

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7. Pro-Movies

I love to watch movies. From sci-fi/fantasy to rom-com, I am more than happy to spend a few hours watching a story unfold with a bucket of popcorn and a box of Sno-Caps in my hands.

I can still remember some of my favorite movie experiences, like my Uncle Terry and Aunt Vicky buying me ice cream and taking me to see the first Rocky movie at the theater. I remember my mom taking my sister and me to see National Lampoon’s Vacation as a way to avoid the heat and get out of the house for a few hours. I also remember watching the saddest movie ever—Brian’s Song (a rerun on TV since it was released in 1971).

Here are a few of my favorite genres, even if they never win Oscars or become chart-topping blockbusters:

• Sports Comedies: Slap Shot with the Hanson Brothers was one of the first I remember. Kevin Costner in Bull Durham and Tin Cup and Keanu Reeves in The Replacements were great ones. More recently, Adam Sandler has been successful with Happy Gilmore. It is impossible to be a sports fan in Ohio without mentioning Charlie Sheen’s portrayal of Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn in Major League.
• Zombie Movies: Watching the undead has become a recent pastime for my wife and me. With Netflix, we can now watch horror from around the globe. We have watched some of the early American movies like Night of the Living Dead. While we were dating, we spent a Saturday afternoon watching Resident Evil. Our favorite zombie movie so far has been a Korean film: Train to Busan.
• Sci-Fi C-List and D-List Movies: Growing up, I enjoyed the old Godzilla movies. Later, I would make my girlfriend (now my wife) sit through all of the low-budget movies on the Syfy channel. I loved all of the Sharknado films and all of the shark movies that followed: Sharktopus; 2-, 3-, 5-, 6-Headed Shark Attacks; Trailer Park Shark; and Malibu Shark Attack. There was also Steve Guttenberg in Lavalantula and 2Lava 2Lantula, and if you preferred ’80s pop stars Debbie Gibson and Tiffany: Mega Python vs. Gatoroid.

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8. Pro-Cookout

I have been to some great restaurants with fancy food and fancy drinks—but nothing beats a good Ohio cookout with family. If I could combine all of my families into a single event, this would be the perfect menu:

• Starters: Deviled eggs. I can eat a dozen by myself, so my niece Holly and her chickens need to be busy to provide the raw material. My sister Jamie has become a whiz in the kitchen, so I’ll leave the prep to her. I would also try to convince my Aunt Judy to bring her 7-layer dip and stuffed mushrooms.
• Main course: Cheeseburgers on the grill. I just had a burger with mustard and mushrooms made by my wife, and it was spectacular. If the weather is bad, I would gladly substitute some Italian sausages made by my Aunt Denise (I tried plenty in Italy, but hers are still the best).
• Sides: My Aunt Vicky’s macaroni salad (best in the world).
• Dessert: Apple pie by my dad’s wife, Pam. (If still alive, Grandma Weber’s blackberry, elderberry, or rhubarb pies were also pretty great.) All pies would be served with Uncle Terry’s homemade ice cream.

Setting: Any large backyard with picnic tables or lawn chairs would suffice. At night, throw in a little music and lighting by the tree frogs and lightning bugs (or, for you Westerners, fireflies). Everybody is welcome to attend. Dress code: casual—shoes optional.

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9. Pro-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

I want to live in a world and country where DEI policies are not required. It would be amazing if skill and expertise—not race, color, gender, sexual orientation, or age—were the factors that determined college acceptance or employment opportunities. It would be great if job interviews were like blind taste tests—flavor and performance the only considerations for a decision.

For now, however, blind decisions are not always made. As a result, many people are often excluded from screening based on their appearance, origin, or sexual orientation before there is any consideration of their capabilities.

When done correctly, DEI is not a method of getting a lesser-qualified minority into a college or position—it is a way to ensure that they are not excluded from the competition early based on appearance, so a decision can be made fairly based on skill alone.

I don’t want medical schools or Fortune 500 companies pre-screening so that white men (with rich alumni parents) are the only ones to get interviews. Someday, these individuals will be saving me from a heart attack or managing my retirement account—and I can tell you for certain that it will be their skills, not their appearance, that concern me.

My “Top Nine Pro-Stuff List”

I waste countless hours browsing on the computer. Most of the time, it is just digging through the trash. I have watched Tubby Nugget, Simon’s Cat, and Lucas the Spider videos, and it is hard to pass up any videos containing babies, kittens, or puppies. Most evenings, surfing in my recliner is just a mind-numbing waste of time.

Recently, however, I stumbled upon a graduation speech by Australian comedian, actor, writer, and musician Tim Minchin. In his speech, he provided nine life lessons ranging from “Be Kind” to “Exercise,” sprinkling his message with plenty of metaphors and humor. Some good common sense, and not too preachy—it seemed to be a good fit for the audience of new graduates and likely had a little bit of wisdom for everyone. If you would like to watch the video, it can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoEezZD71sc.

Of his nine lessons, #7 piqued my interest, and I decided to spend a little additional time considering his advice to “Define Yourself by What You Love—Be Pro-Stuff, Not Just Anti-Stuff.”

In no particular order, here is my Top Nine Pro-Stuff List:

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1. Pro-Library and Bookstore

My love of reading started early. When I was in grade school, my parents would strictly enforce bedtime, but I was allowed to lie in bed with a book and a small flashlight. Books were the only way to avoid the call for “lights out and go to sleep,” and I would flip through the pages of books borrowed from the school library and escape to a different place and time.

Over the years, the school library has been replaced by Barnes & Noble and Amazon, but I still find books are a great way to end a day. The smell and feel of the pages reduce stress before the first chapter is finished. As I age, however, I find that books and libraries serve a purpose far greater than avoiding bedtime or simple relaxation.

Benjamin Franklin said, “These libraries have improved the general conversation of the Americans … and made the common tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries.” Thomas Jefferson said, “Wherever the people are well informed, they may be trusted with their own government.”

Our next leaders should be avid readers found in libraries or bookstores, surrounded by books containing the experiences of the past and the dreams of the future—not standing by a pile of banned books with a match. It is also our civic duty as Americans to “get the full story” and understand all sides of an issue (reading required)—and not cast our votes based on information gathered from a meme or sound bite.

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2. Pro-Travel

[Note: Before the complaints start flying, I love America. As a country, we have done some incredible things, but travel will make you realize that the U.S. does not have a monopoly on “greatness.”]

Mark Twain wrote: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

In my opinion, Mark Twain was absolutely correct, but let me provide you with some things to consider:

• As you hit your third pothole or pass your 1,000th orange construction barrel on the highway, realize that there are still Roman highways you could drive upon after 2,000 years.
• As you sit for hours in traffic around Washington, D.C., or Los Angeles, realize that nearly all residents in Japan live within five minutes (in a few areas it may be ten) of a train station, and the average delay is less than one minute per year. Since you will be sitting in that traffic for a while, you can also consider that Amsterdam has more bikes than people and hundreds of miles of bike paths.
• As you put money into savings for college tuition or pay that student loan, realize college tuition is free in Denmark. In fact, students are paid (about $800/month) to go to school.
• As you look at that overflowing trash can at the park, realize Stockholm has a vacuum system connected to many of their trash cans to pull trash directly to processing plants.

Bonus 2. Pro-Travel Upgrade: I am usually crammed into a tiny seat on the plane, but if you get the travel miles or work bonus, splurge on business class. After seeing the advertisements for air travel from 1950 to 1970, I’m not sure how we ended up in the cattle-car conditions of economy class today.

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3. Pro-NPR and PBS

Living in the country with reception for only three TV channels, I do not remember watching much Sesame Street or Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. My granddaughters, however, benefited from PBS educational programming, and they loved to watch Elmo.

I also spent hours on long car drives listening to NPR. My favorite programs were Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story and Garrison Keillor’s News from Lake Wobegon. It is clear to me that NPR and PBS serve educational and entertainment purposes now, just as they have for decades. It is a shame that their funding always seems to be under attack. You might want to take a minute and watch Mr. Rogers defend PBS funding in his 1969 Senate testimony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKy7ljRr0AA.

Bonus 3. Pro-Old Sitcoms: I will gladly watch reruns of The Andy Griffith Show, Happy Days, MASH, Cheers, or Friends before watching any reality TV programming. I will choose Arthur Fonzarelli over Kim Kardashian any day of the week.

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4. Pro-Arts

My parents made sure that my sister and I were always exposed to the arts as children. I remember going to see shows at the local theater, watching a barbershop quartet competition, and going to an opera. I also remember watching my Grandpa Patton create wood carvings and my Grandma Patton paint china teacups. Their works still have a place of honor in my house.

I did not inherit their artistic gene. I cannot sing, dance, paint, sculpt, or perform in any way, but I admire those who can. If we get the chance, my wife and I love to watch a good musical on Broadway or in London’s West End. Wicked, Grease, and Mamma Mia! were great at the theater; and we liked watching Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and Yul Brynner in The King and I on TV.

During a recent trip to Salzburg, Austria, my wife and I took The Sound of Music Tour. The film is still one of my favorites, and I try to watch it each year at Thanksgiving. While stationed in the U.S., I loved seeing the Boston Pops Christmas show, and my wife and I regularly attended the Hawaii Symphony performances. In Italy, I have also seen the works of some fabulous sculptors. The Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino is one of my favorite sculptures, found in the Sansevero Chapel Museum in Naples.

When I retire, I might take a shot at painting or sculpting. I’m always up for a new challenge. Until then, the best I can do is watch and support those with far greater artistic skill.

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5. Pro-Science

In a time when opinions instead of facts control the headlines, I support the professionals who do the hard work and protect the truth. In a country where conspiracy theories instead of evidence flood social media, I am glad that there are people holding the line for fact-based reporting. In an environment where politics, instead of research, could determine the health and well-being of our most vulnerable citizens, I will support the scientists and doctors who speak based on years of schooling and a lifetime of experience.

I think of it this way—if I’m on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and I get asked a tough question about primates, who do I use for my “phone a friend”? Do I get my primate advice from a politician? (Remember Hank Johnson, a Democratic Congressman from Georgia, made comments about Guam capsizing from overcrowding during a Congressional hearing.) I’ll pass on getting any scientific advice from a man who believes islands can flip, and I’ll have them dial Dr. Jane Goodall, who studied chimpanzees in the wild for more than 60 years.

I think of my health the same way—since I believe being healthy is worth more than a million dollars. If I get cancer, I will not be seeking medical advice from politicians, lawyers, or social media influencers for treatment recommendations—I will be looking for an oncologist with 60 years of experience.

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6. Pro-Coffee

It is early on a Sunday morning after a late Saturday night, so I have decided that I am now a big coffee supporter. This was not always the case. In college, I didn’t care for the taste of coffee. I thought it was too bitter. I would still drink it, but I would add four heaping spoons of sugar and a large amount of creamer. The resulting concoction could hardly be called coffee.

Once I joined the Navy and arrived at my first ship, coffee became a way of life—and I slowly quit using sugar and creamer. Navy coffee is strong, and served from a multi-gallon urn. I’m not sure if the urn was ever washed. When the pot got low, more water was poured inside over the remaining coffee, a new pile of grounds was added to the basket, and the brewing process started again.

Now, I am not too picky. I’m certainly not a coffee snob. I can still enjoy a cup from a ship that has been brewing for hours or days, but I also won’t decline an overpriced Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.

I have also come to enjoy the coffee culture in Italy. The coffee bar is a meeting place to socialize. It is like taking a smoke break—without the adverse health impacts. It is also fun trying to learn all of the unwritten Italian coffee rules: “no cappuccino after 11:00—espresso all day” and “caffè americano is just dirty water, unfit to drink.” You can also afford to practice these rules often in Italy—an espresso costs less than $1.50. No need to shell out $6 for a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

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7. Pro-Movies

I love to watch movies. From sci-fi/fantasy to rom-com, I am more than happy to spend a few hours watching a story unfold with a bucket of popcorn and a box of Sno-Caps in my hands.

I can still remember some of my favorite movie experiences, like my Uncle Terry and Aunt Vicky buying me ice cream and taking me to see the first Rocky movie at the theater. I remember my mom taking my sister and me to see National Lampoon’s Vacation as a way to avoid the heat and get out of the house for a few hours. I also remember watching the saddest movie ever—Brian’s Song (a rerun on TV since it was released in 1971).

Here are a few of my favorite genres, even if they never win Oscars or become chart-topping blockbusters:

• Sports Comedies: Slap Shot with the Hanson Brothers was one of the first I remember. Kevin Costner in Bull Durham and Tin Cup and Keanu Reeves in The Replacements were great ones. More recently, Adam Sandler has been successful with Happy Gilmore. It is impossible to be a sports fan in Ohio without mentioning Charlie Sheen’s portrayal of Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn in Major League.
• Zombie Movies: Watching the undead has become a recent pastime for my wife and me. With Netflix, we can now watch horror from around the globe. We have watched some of the early American movies like Night of the Living Dead. While we were dating, we spent a Saturday afternoon watching Resident Evil. Our favorite zombie movie so far has been a Korean film: Train to Busan.
• Sci-Fi C-List and D-List Movies: Growing up, I enjoyed the old Godzilla movies. Later, I would make my girlfriend (now my wife) sit through all of the low-budget movies on the Syfy channel. I loved all of the Sharknado films and all of the shark movies that followed: Sharktopus; 2-, 3-, 5-, 6-Headed Shark Attacks; Trailer Park Shark; and Malibu Shark Attack. There was also Steve Guttenberg in Lavalantula and 2Lava 2Lantula, and if you preferred ’80s pop stars Debbie Gibson and Tiffany: Mega Python vs. Gatoroid.

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8. Pro-Cookout

I have been to some great restaurants with fancy food and fancy drinks—but nothing beats a good Ohio cookout with family. If I could combine all of my families into a single event, this would be the perfect menu:

• Starters: Deviled eggs. I can eat a dozen by myself, so my niece Holly and her chickens need to be busy to provide the raw material. My sister Jamie has become a whiz in the kitchen, so I’ll leave the prep to her. I would also try to convince my Aunt Judy to bring her 7-layer dip and stuffed mushrooms.
• Main course: Cheeseburgers on the grill. I just had a burger with mustard and mushrooms made by my wife, and it was spectacular. If the weather is bad, I would gladly substitute some Italian sausages made by my Aunt Denise (I tried plenty in Italy, but hers are still the best).
• Sides: My Aunt Vicky’s macaroni salad (best in the world).
• Dessert: Apple pie by my dad’s wife, Pam. (If still alive, Grandma Weber’s blackberry, elderberry, or rhubarb pies were also pretty great.) All pies would be served with Uncle Terry’s homemade ice cream.

Setting: Any large backyard with picnic tables or lawn chairs would suffice. At night, throw in a little music and lighting by the tree frogs and lightning bugs (or, for you Westerners, fireflies). Everybody is welcome to attend. Dress code: casual—shoes optional.

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9. Pro-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

I want to live in a world and country where DEI policies are not required. It would be amazing if skill and expertise—not race, color, gender, sexual orientation, or age—were the factors that determined college acceptance or employment opportunities. It would be great if job interviews were like blind taste tests—flavor and performance the only considerations for a decision.

For now, however, blind decisions are not always made. As a result, many people are often excluded from screening based on their appearance, origin, or sexual orientation before there is any consideration of their capabilities.

When done correctly, DEI is not a method of getting a lesser-qualified minority into a college or position—it is a way to ensure that they are not excluded from the competition early based on appearance, so a decision can be made fairly based on skill alone.

I don’t want medical schools or Fortune 500 companies pre-screening so that white men (with rich alumni parents) are the only ones to get interviews. Someday, these individuals will be saving me from a heart attack or managing my retirement account—and I can tell you for certain that it will be their skills, not their appearance, that concern me.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. I walked up several narrow staircases. I slid behind the bookcase. I stood in the sparse attic.  I saw pictures of the 8 people who hid in the cramped quarters for more than two years, and I envisioned the day that the soldiers found the secret entrance and transported them to the concentration camps. [Seven died in the camps.  Only Otto Frank –  – Anne’s father – – survived and was released at the war’s end.]  This walk through the hidden attic was a silent and somber event for me and the other visitors that spent a single hour, imagining Anne’s 761 days in hiding.

Walking in the footsteps of the Frank family through the attic was certainly a solemn and humbling experience, but the ground floor of the museum piqued my interest in a different way.  The ground floor of the museum provided information on the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party.  While walking the ground floor, a couple questions came to my mind:
1.) “How were regular German citizens convinced that such horrible acts against their neighbors – – against a 15-year-old girl and her family – – were acceptable?” and 2.) Could a U.S. politician today sway the opinion of the average American, and amass support for a morally questionable action?

In my opinion, President Trump has already adopted some of the same strategies that Hitler used to convince the Germans to sit idly and accept the horrific treatment of the Jews.  I think similar tactics are being used to garner public support in America for the administration’s mass immigrant deportation policies.
 

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Disclaimer:  President Trump is not Hitler, the red-capped MAGA are not the Nazi Party, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents are not the Gestapo.  It is easy for many reporters and politicians to make these comparisons – just the mention of the words “Hitler” or “Nazi” makes for an entertaining interview or emotionally-charged newspaper article to rally supporters to the cause. These comparisons are an injustice to the Holocaust survivors and the millions of Jews who suffered unspeakable horrors and perished at the hands of the Germans during World War II.  The actions of the Republican Party will not result in the death of 6 million.  I think it is fair; however, to look at instances where current U.S. leaders and German leaders in the 1930s have used similar language and taken similar actions in order to gain acceptance for questionable policy.
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STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE “THEM” WHO HAS LED TO MISFORTUNE

After World War I, life in Germany was hard.  Unemployment was high.  Inflation was high.  it got to a point that it took a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread.  In general, it was just pretty difficult to be an average German in the 1920s.  There was uncertainty and anger in the population. Hitler needed to pull the citizens together following the great Depression and focus the anger of the population outward from the government.  Part of that plan was to blame the Jews for the problems that plagued the average German citizen.  In a speech in 1929, Hitler said “We [Germans] are resolved to prevent the settlement in our country of a strange people [Jews] which was capable of snatching for itself all the leading positions in the land, and to oust it… Workers of all classes and of all nations, recognize your common enemy!”

In America in the 2000s, it might not have taken a wheelbarrow of cash to buy bread, but average citizen had their own problems.  There were times when unemployment rates increased.  Crime rates became a concern for many, and the housing market was bad.  Politicians in the U.S. also looked to find a scapegoat for these problems, and it is easy to find videos and press releases where our leaders placed the blame on immigrants.
[Note: Facts don’t matter for this first step.  For example, there is no evidence that the Jews were the cause of problems like inflation in Germany, and there are plenty of studies that indicate that communities with high immigrant populations today have lower crimes rates.  It doesn’t matter if the statement is a lie…..Politicians just need to continue to repeat it, the press and social media need to broadcast it, and many in the public are happy to accept “THEM” as the source of their problems.]     

STEP 2:  REMOVE OPPOSITION

Hitler was aggressive in his acts to silence any political opposition to the Nazi Party.  Laws, like the Malicious Practices Act, were passed in March 1933 that made it illegal to speak out against the Nazi Party or its leaders. The Nazis used the new laws to frighten and intimidate Germans.  Between 1933 and 1939, more than 25,000 Germans were imprisoned – – many without a trial – – for opposing the Nazi Party.  The political prisoners were placed in concentration camps, mistreated, and were used for forced labor. Due to this harsh treatment and fear of imprisonment or death, the number of people within the German population who dared to question the actions of Hitler or his party greatly declined.

Today, U.S. politicians are not using concentration camps, forced labor, and death to quiet their opponents; but there are other methods used to silence opposing views.  President Trump sued CBS when he didn’t like their coverage of his debate with Kamala Harris.  The White House has referred to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) as “radical propaganda” and “a waste of taxpayer dollars” and hopes to withhold billions in funding.  When the Associated Press (AP) continued to use the term “Gulf of Mexico” vice using the administration’s new nomenclature “Gulf of America”, AP reporters were punished and barred access to an event in the Oval Office.  When State and local governments have established “Sanctuary Cities” which limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and are an obstacle to President Trump’s plans for mass deportations, he has threatened legal action or the withholding of Federal funding.  In today’s society, legal action and fines and the withholding of Federal dollars – – not prison nor death – – are used to silence any opposing viewpoints.

STEP 3: DEHUMANIZE (HORRIBLE ACTIONS ARE LESS HORRIBLE IF VICTIMS ARE NOT PEOPLE)

If division and “US versus THEM” is a pillar of your political party, the actions that follow may be horrific.  Hitler had convinced many in the German population that a native “US” was superior to the Jewish “THEM”, and that the Jews were at the center of his country’s problems.  In the beginning, it was just words uttered by Hitler used to focus the people and gain support. At some point, the words became action.  For his brutal and immoral policies to be tolerated by the population, the Jews had to be dehumanized.  Hitler’s supporters may have wavered and taken action if the press was reporting that “The Nazi Party tortured and killed a 15-year-old Jewish girl” or “Hitler sent Grandma to a concentration camp”.  These headlines make “THEM” seem like innocent individuals, and not the collective cause of your problems – – your enemy – – worthy of punishment.  To make his actions acceptable, the Nazi Party did not talk about the Jews as individuals.   They were all part of a race, and that race was not even human.  Hitler said in a speech: “The Jewish race was only created by God for the purpose of being in a certain percentage a parasite living on the body and the productive work of other nations.”  In other cases, Jews were called “rats” or “vermin”.  With this narrative, the actions of German leaders were less horrific since “people” were not being murdered – – it was just cleaning up the German problem by exterminating those pesky rats.

President Trump is not going to exterminate the 15 million immigrants in the U.S. while MAGA cheers.  He is; however, using chapters from the Nazi playbook in order for him to carry out his plan for mass deportations.  The current administration has no plan to look at the immigrants as individuals. Individuals have families, and stories and rights, and that storyline would hinder their plans.  The Republican Party started by saying that the plan was to deport the worst criminals, but that morphed into all immigrants are criminal and all are going to be deported to meet quota.  A quick scan of the newspaper or social media posts, and the terms “non-humans”, “animals”, and “gang members” are the headlines.  Some of the latest ads talk about the “Immigrant Invasion” like we are dealing with an overpopulation of mice or a plague of locust.  I believe it would be hard, even for the die-hard MAGA, to look at themselves in the mirror and show support for a leader or policy that authorized masked men to grab a young student on the way to school.  It is; however, easier for an American to sleep more soundly if we are just clearing our communities of the faceless members of an invasive species that eats pets and rapes and pillages the countryside.     

THE AFTERMATH (THE SHAME THAT FOLLOWS)

There are plenty of cases in history where the “US” have tried to separate and remove themselves from the “THEM”.  American settlers wanted the Native Americans removed from the plains.  It would be difficult to think of yourself as a God-fearing Christian if you dislodged a young Cherokee girl from her home, but easier when your actions are just a way of rounding up the savages.  In an earlier post, I discussed how Americans turned on their own Japanese-American citizens, and they found a way to justify internment camps.  Germany found a way to have a large majority of their population sit idly by as their countrymen systematically killed 6 million Jews. The dehumanizing and justification that allowed these actions to take place; however, was short lived.  As time passed, each of these countries experienced a collective shame.  These events were a blemish on their history, and the ancestors of the perpetrators are left to wonder how their great-great grandparents ever allowed these atrocities to occur.    

As I sit and peer into my crystal ball and attempt to predict the future, I think that today’s mass deportations will be viewed poorly too- – and these deportations will lead to a national shame, vice being viewed as a proud American moment.  If I live long enough, I predict that my great-great grandchildren will likely be asking how anyone in 2025 found it acceptable (and some even celebrated) sending the most vulnerable in our communities to places called Alligator Alcatraz.  Like the post-war Germans, I’m not sure that we will have a good answer to that question.

As an ongoing experiment, our Government is a work in progress. There have been some stellar moments where America has lived up to the “shining city on a hill” reputation espoused by President Reagan. There have also been some instances where America has fallen short. Our Government, politicians, and people are not perfect, but I hope that as a country we learn from the mistakes of our past. In my opinion, fixing our mistakes and vowing to do better is how America becomes greater.

In December 1941, the Japanese launched the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor.  Americans were angry and afraid.  World War II (WW II) was no longer some foreign war fought in the cities and countryside of Europe.  The war was now on the U.S. doorstep, and the enemy had an Asian face.

Just a couple months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. It said:

“Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time designate, whenever he or any designated Commander deems such action necessary or desirable, to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion.”

This order was the Executive Branch’s guidance which allowed for the forcible removal of Japanese families from their homes, and the detainment of the families in internment camps in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Two-thirds of the Japanese people that were forcibly moved were American citizens.  This action appears to be a clear violation of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Due Process Clause which states that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause since it targeted a single race. However, the President, supported by public opinion, believed the nation’s security during war outweighed the rights of any individual.

Faced with a questionable executive order that seemed to remove constitutional rights from some American citizens, the Legislative Branch could have addressed it in several ways.  The House and the Senate could have passed a law to invalidate the order, or they could have limited funding to prevent the implementation. In this instance, neither of those actions took place, and the Legislative Branch followed in the President’s footsteps with Public Law 77-50 which made it illegal for the Japanese-Americans to violate the military orders for re-location. 

Several Japanese-Americans tried to overcome their forced re-locations by using the Judicial Branch.  Questioning the legality of Executive Order 9066, the case of Korematsu versus U.S. made it all the way to the Supreme Court.  The Supreme Court ruled, in a 6-3 decision, that the detention was a “military necessity” not based on race. The Supreme Court ruled that the evacuation order violated by Korematsu was valid, and it was not necessary to address the constitutional racial discrimination issues in this case. With this loss at the Supreme Court in 1944, all branches agreed that personal constitutional rights could be removed.

This injustice and failure by the U.S. Government remained for nearly 40 years.  In 1983, Korematsu’s conviction was finally overturned, and the Supreme Court has since recognized the injustice of the internment. Additionally, the Legislative Branch and President signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-383) that formally apologized to, and provided reparations for, Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in internment camps during World War II. It took decades, but America finally acknowledged that the Japanese internment was wrong. Hopefully, this blemish on our history will never be repeated, and our leadership ensures the rights of all people, vice removing rights based on racial prejudice.

[There is one strange twist to this story. Despite the horrible treatment and trampling of the rights of the Japanese-American community, a large number of young Japanese-American men wanted to join the U.S. military and fight. At first, they were denied – – but eventually, they were organized into an all-Japanese unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The 442nd became the most decorated unit for its size and length of service, earning approximately 4000 Purple Hearts, 21 Medals of Honor, and 7 Presidential Unit Citations. If you want to learn more about the Japanese internment and the actions of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, I would highly recommend reading Facing the Mountain by Daniel James Brown.]

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