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David Perlmutter's avatar

"They're coming to take me away, ha ha, ha ha/to the funny farm/where life is beautiful all the time/and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats..."

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cindy ramirez's avatar

we had that record when i was a kid! we loved that it played backwards on the flip side. 😂

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Valerie Van Cleef's avatar

May they NEVER come to take you away.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Valerie!

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Unity Prophet's avatar

This is good news! Please keep writing for all of us.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you!

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Charles Bastille's avatar

I hear you on the pullback on politics, especially regarding he who should remain nameless. The vast majority of our readers don't need any more convincing on what is so obvious to half the country, but mysteriously not the other half.

Some of his activities will be too despicable to ignore. But I, too, am recalibrating. I think it's Joyce Vance who regularly signs off, ,"we're all in this together." This remains true. But we're missing something in our targeting and strategy when someone so obviously detestable finds a way to win the presidency.

The contours of our efforts will change. But the fight continues. I appreciate your efforts and those of many other social justice warriors on Substack, Medium, and other platforms. No matter our approach, let us lock arms together and refuse to bend to the will of the depraved.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Charles, that's a lovely comment and I agree completely!

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

Your idea to write the stories that show how bad “policies” affect people is an excellent one. I think it’s the only way for people to understand what has happened and will happen. I remember when the orange monster and Stephen Miller were enacting the family separations and children were locked up in cages, my sister simply would not believe me. I know, it was too horrific to even believe. But recounting how this and other horrific things by storytelling, if they can make it through the intentional noise of disinformation, is at least one way to impart Truth and make a change. I think the political is always personal. …coming in the back door might make it more well received? I haven’t read your story about your wife helping someone but I will.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Suzanne. I've done a couple articles discussing the true plight of ELL students. I'll keep doing them. But you're exactly right, people just don't want to believe.

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

Yes! Please! I created a whole exhibit of American women to tell some of those kinds of stories. I was never taught about Japanese internment camps or how young native American women on the reservations in the 1970s were being sterilized by our own federal government. I created portraits to tell the stories (in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment). It has shown for 4 months here in Phoenix. There’s a possibility of it again at City Hall. I keep looking for public spaces. I want people to know how these “policies” affected others. It’s horrific and I can’t believe I didn’t know about these stories until well after the fact. (www.noteworthyamericanwomen.com if you are interested).

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Walter Rhein's avatar

All of these would be great articles for Cultured (on Medium) if you want to feature some there. That would be the type of thing I'd like to nominate for a Boost.

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

Walter, I intend to join your zooms when things slow down for me. I’m getting slammed with plaster work (with interior designers) right now and Fridays are difficult. I really want to finish my book and the political essays are a bit tricky now. I do want to get your feedback on some when I can rework them. I think you are just the person to help me.

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

Shameless self promo on your page!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

You're welcome to do that :)

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Patris's avatar

We are in a battle. You’re a good man. Don’t give up.

The ACLU and Democracy Docket help. If you’re interested they can help us all.

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