Showing posts with label independence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label independence. Show all posts
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Still Wild About Harry
Wishing a posthumous very happy birthday today to Missouri's own Harry S Truman, born this day, May 8, 1884 and thank goodness.
One of his many great and so true quotes: He had these people down all that long ago. If anything, they've only gotten worse. “Republicans approve of the American farmer, but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand four-square for the American home--but not for housing. They are strong for labor--but they are stronger for restricting labor's rights. They favor minimum wage--the smaller the minimum wage the better. They endorse educational opportunity for all--but they won't spend money for teachers or for schools. They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for people who can afford them. They consider electrical power a great blessing--but only when the private power companies get their rake-off. They think American standard of living is a fine thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people. And they admire of Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it.”
― Harry S. Truman
Saturday, December 26, 2020
On This Day, December 26, 1972
Yes, on this day, December 26, 1972 we, Missouri and the nation, lost a great man.
Missouri state history---On this day, December 26, 1972, President Harry S Truman dies at age 88 in Independence,.
The 33rd president of the US dies of multiple-organ failure after several weeks in the hospital. His wife, Bess, will opt for a small private burial in their hometown of Independence, Missouri, instead of a state funeral in DC, thinking it a more fitting goodbye for the down-to-earth Truman.We miss you, sir. We've missed you since you passed. We miss your wisdom, your guidance and your efforts for the more common man and woman--working people of the nation.
Thank you for all you did for us.
Links:
Sunday, July 26, 2020
A Proud, Very Proud Day for Harry Truman and All Missourians
It was on this day, July 28, 1946, Missouri's own President Harry S Truman desegregated the military.
Executive Order 9981
Executive Order 9981 is an executive order issued on July 26, 1948, by President Harry S. Truman. It abolished discrimination "on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin" in the United States Armed Forces. The executive order led to the end of segregation in the services during the Korean War (1950-1953).
Thank you, sir. So much. We miss your wisdom and leadership.
So very much.
Links:
Harry Truman and the desegregation of the military
Friday, May 8, 2020
Harry Truman and V-E Day, Same Day!
Yessir and ma'am, today would have been President Harry Truman's 136th birthday!
And then yes, the 75th Anniversary of V-E Day--Victory in Europe Day, the end of World War II.
Huge, huge day.
So happy birthday, Harry! And thanks so very much for all you---and certainly our Veterans---did.
Would that we had such leadership today.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Incredible Kansas City History: On this day, February 25, 1870
Kansas City has some incredible history and in lots of ways. Today's date points out one more.
The nation's first African-American Congressman, Senator was from--you guessed it--right here in the Kansas City area.
So the first African-American member of Congress, Senator, was from right here in our own area.
Incredible.
And so few of us know it.
Additional links:
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
On This Day, 1948, From Our Very Own President Harry Truman
This speech was given October 13, 1948 in St. Paul, Minnesota. It's sad to see we've been fighting the exact same battles for all these 70 years. I recommend reading the entire speech but here is an excerpt:
'Today the forces of liberalism face a crisis. The people of the United States must make a choice between two ways of living--a decision, which will affect us the rest of our lives and our children and our grandchildren after us.
On the other side, there is the Wall Street way of life and politics. Trust the leader! Let big business take care of prices and profits! Measure all things by money! That is the philosophy of the masters of the Republican Party.
Well, I have been studying the Republican Party for over 12 years at close hand in the Capital of the United States. And by this time, I have discovered where the Republicans stand on most of the major issues.
Since they won't tell you themselves, I am going to tell you.
They approve of the American farmer-but they are willing to help him go broke.
They stand four-square for the American home--but not for housing.
They are strong for labor--but they are stronger for restricting labor's rights.
They favor a minimum wage--the smaller the minimum the better.
They indorse educational opportunity for all--but they won't spend money for teachers or for schools.
They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for people who can afford them.
They approve of social security benefits-so much so that they took them away from almost a million people.
They believe in international trade--so much so that they crippled our reciprocal trade program, and killed our International Wheat Agreement.
They favor the admission of displaced persons--but only within shameful racial and religious limitations.
They consider electric power a great blessing-but only when the private power companies get their rake-off.
They say TVA is wonderful--but we ought never to try it again.
They condemn "cruelly high prices"--but fight to the death every effort to bring them down.
They think the American standard of living is a fine thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people.
And they admire the Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it.
Now, my friends, that is the Wall Street Republican way of life. But there is another way--there is another way--the Democratic way, the way of the Democratic Party.
Of course, the Democratic Party is not perfect. Nobody ever said it was. But the Democratic Party believes in the people. It believes in freedom and progress, and it is fighting for its beliefs right now.
In the Democratic Party, you won't find the kind of unity where everybody thinks what the boss tells him to think, and nothing else.
But you will find an overriding purpose to work for the good of mankind. And you will find a program--a concrete, realistic, and practical program that is worth believing in and fighting for.
Now, I call on all liberals and progressives to stand up and be counted for democracy in this great battle. I call on the old Farmer-Labor Party, the old Wisconsin Progressives, the Non-Partisan Leaguers, and the New Dealers to stand up and be counted in this fight.
This is one fight you must get in, and get in with every ounce of strength you have. After November 2d, it will be too late. It will do no good to change your mind on November 3d. The decision is right here and flow.
Against us we have the best propaganda campaign that money can buy.
But we are bound to win--and we are going to win, because we are right! I am here to tell you that in this fight, the people are with us.
With a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress, you will have the right kind of unity in this country.
We will be unified once more on the great program of social advance, which the Democratic Party pioneered in 1933.
We will be unified in support of farm cooperatives, rural electrification, and soil conservation.
We will be unified behind a housing program.
We will be unified on the question of the rights of labor and collective bargaining.
We will be unified for the expansion of social security, the improvement of our educational system, and the expansion of medical aid.
Moreover, we will be unified in our efforts to preserve our prosperity and to spread its benefits equally to all groups in the Nation.
Now, my friends, with such unity as this, we can secure the blessings of freedom for ourselves and our children.
With such unity as this, we can fulfill our God-given responsibility in leading the world to a lasting peace.'
Friday, May 8, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
Harry Truman on "Trickle Down Economics"
We think of the Right Wing's and Republican's "trickle down economics" as having begun with Ronald Reagan back in the 80's, most of us but the fact is, it's a much older idea than that.
It's especially poignant and applicable to us all now because the latest Republican budget introduced in the last few days calls for much the same tactics of cutting social programs like Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid while increasing defense spending and slashing more taxes for the wealthy and corporations, tragically.
Our own Missouri President Harry S. Truman wrote on it, all that long ago. News flash: he wasn't for it, either:
The reactionaries hold that government policies should be designed for the special benefit of small groups of people who occupy positions of wealth and influence. Their theory seems to be that if these groups are prosperous, they will pass along some of their prosperity to the rest of us. This can be described as the "trickle down theory."
The vast majority of us reject that theory as totally wrong.
We know that there will be more prosperity for all if all groups have a fair share of the wealth of the country. We know that the country will achieve economic stability and progress only if the benefits of our production are widely distributed among all its citizens.
We believe that it is the Federal Government's obligation, under the Constitution, to promote the general welfare of all our people--and not just a privileged few.
The policies we advocate are based on these convictions.
We maintain that farmers, like businessmen, should receive a fair price for the products they sell.
We maintain that workers are entitled to good wages and to equality of bargaining power with their employers.
We believe that cooperatives and small business should have a fair opportunity to achieve success, and should not be smothered by monopolies.
We hold that our great natural resources should be protected and developed for the benefit of all our people, and not exploited for private greed.
We believe that old people and the disabled should have an assured income to keep them from being dependent on charity.
We believe that families should have protection against loss of income resulting from accident, illness, or unemployment.
We hold that our citizens should have decent housing at prices they can afford to pay.
We believe in assuring educational opportunities for all our young people in order that we may have an enlightened citizenry.
Links:
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Clean, renewable, sustainable energy, winning locally
As the Sierra Club points out
Known for being the hometown of President Harry S. Truman, the city of Independence is now leading the shift to cleaner energy in Missouri - eliminating coal power by 2016 and tripling its clean energy goals.
As Independence, Missouri's own Examiner newspaper covered the story:
Council solidifies renewable energy goals
With a resolution Monday, City Council threw its support behind a future of increased renewable electric energy in Independence.
The resolution, introduced by Council Member Scott Roberson, identifies the Council’s goals regarding renewable energy and provides direction to the city manager for policies and programs related to that.
“This gives a whole new direction to energy in Independence,” Roberson said during the end-of-meeting comments. “Leon Daggett at Power & Light, the city manager, all of us have working really well together on this.
“I think this will bring all sorts of new possibilities.”
The resolution states the Council’s goal to have 10 percent of IPL’s energy supplied by sources that are not carbon-based (coal and natural gas) by the year 2018, which would conform to a state standard for investor-based utilities; as well as to increase that goal to 15 percent by 2021.
It also notes the city’s recent conversion of its streetlamps to LED lights, as well as future plans to remodel an office building for IPL’s administrative offices.
The resolution directs City Manager Robert Heacock to:
• Assure the new IPL offices are designed to minimize energy use and incorporate renewable energy.
• Develop a feasibility study for options such as solar, wind and geothermal energy at city-owned facilities.
• Develop a study to evaluate incentives and sustainable programs regarding renewable energy that can be provided to customers.
• Provide a status report by November on those projects.
• Do a rate study for residential, commercial and industrial customers, including provisions for renewable energy programs, and report back to the Council by May 2015.
Other directions include shutting down the coal-fired Missouri City Power Plant and phasing out coal at the Blue Valley Power Plant by January 2016 – both plans that have been in the works – and producing a report by next July outlining options and costs for disposing the Missouri City plant.
It's enough to give a person hope.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Gas across Western Missouri
From Springfield to Kansas City, Friday to Saturday this weekend:
Springfield: $3.28/gal
Higginsville (least expensive anywhere I saw): $3.10/gal
Independence: $3.12/gal
Raytown (not far from Indep): $3.22/gal
Roeland Park, KS: $3.35/gal
Interesting. (To me, anyway). Quite a spread in price.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Big weekend for Kansas City
Yes sir, a big few to several days coming up for the metropolitan area.
First up, Saturday night, Waterfire on Brush Creek on the Plaza. A great, fun, unique and free event.
Next up, also Saturday night, the defacto Hallowe'en Saturday night since the actual Hallowe'en falls a few days later on a week night. It will likely be crazy.
Because the full moon is the 29th, it's rather perfectly situated as nearly full for Saturday night and then, again, nearly full on the actual Hallowe'en, the 31st.
I'm thinking it's going to be at least a crazy weekend in the area, if not also a deadly one for some.
Here's hoping I'm wrong on that last point.
Happy Hallowe'en, y'all. See you at Waterfire.
Link: http://moravings.blogspot.com/2011/10/brush-creek-two-fer-tonight.html
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
More Catholic priests: This is weird
Did you see the article in the Star today, telling of the local increase in candidates for the Catholic priesthood, bucking national trends otherwise?
More area Catholic ordinations challenge a national trend
In Missouri and Kansas, more men are being ordained or studying to become priests.
And why wouldn't these young men choose the Catholic priesthood? Look at all the benefits.
--free housing
--bills paid
--education paid for, once you're in
--people shower you with gifts and praise nearly no matter what kind of job you really do
--no matter your ability, you can always, always give other people advice on their lives--even their marriages--even though you've never been and never will be married
And the biggest reason to become a Catholic priest was just witnessed by all of us when Bishop Finn got off, one more time, in a court of law from any responsiblity for not doing what you would otherwise have to do if you were a layperson.
Face it--become a priest, become above the law.
Such a deal.
Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/10/3808061/more-area-catholic-ordinations.html
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Bishop Finn: Our institutions fail us again
Justice was done but only partly and then weakly, weakly at that.
Our institutions fail us, once again. In this case, two of them--these people's Catholic Church and our court system.
From the Kansas City Star this afternoon:
Bishop Finn verdict: Guilty
As you can see, I'm happy with this, with the one guilty verdict but still, Judge John Torrence "... acquitted him on another count of failing to report."
Here's the other disappointing thing:
"Torrence sentenced Finn to two years of probation then suspended the sentence, meaning that if Finn completes the unsupervised probation without any new incidents happening, his criminal record will be expunged."
This is so disgusting.
To begin, it should have gone to a jury, to a juried trial.
I saw this little figurative slap on the wrist coming.
I'm disgusted.
Isn't it super that Catholic leaders have gotten off easy one more time and they're free--still--to molest or sexually or physically abuse the students--their children--in their own schools and churches still longer?
They'll never learn, at this rate.
To Judge John Torrence and the Catholic Church--you all disgust me.
You deserve each other.
Congratulations to all Catholics.
To our disgust--but not our surprise--you get to keep your male hierarchy that keeps molesting and abusing your own children:
A) We hope you're happy;
B) We can't believe you keep giving these people money;
C) We can't believe you still support these people in any form, verbal, financial or otherwise and finally,
D) Unless and until you stand up, speak up and demand this end--including getting the resignation or firing of Bishop Finn--you are culpable for what Bishop Finn, Shawn Ratigan and all the rest of the people like them have inflicted and for what they will continue to inflict into the future on your children, because it will surely continue to keep happening, as we see time and again, across the nation and world.
Seriously, y'all are disgusting, vile, enabling human beings.
Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/06/3800269/bishop-finn-verdict-guilty.html
SNAP urges no sentencing for bishop today
Direct from their email:
Victims write to the judge and the prosecutor"
A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is urging a Kansas City judge and prosecutor to delay any sentencing of embattled Bishop Robert Finn today, should he plead guilty or be found guilty of concealing child sex crimes.
A copy of the letter, sent this morning by fax and e mail, is below:
Dear Judge John M. Torrence:
Dear Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker:
We respectfully urge that Bishop Robert Finn not be sentenced today. Essentially he is guilty of a crime involving secrecy. He ignored and refused to listen to people who should have been listened to. It would be a shame if his case was resolved in a way that also involved secrecy and the ignoring of people who should have been listened to.
Bishop Finn wants this over as soon as possible with the least amount of public scrutiny and public input. While sentencing the Bishop today serves his interests, it does not serve the public's interest. Nor does it help bring justice, healing and prevention.
Normally, weeks transpire between a guilty finding or plea and a criminal's sentencing. That's what should happen here. Bishop Finn should receive no special consideration or privileges. Doing so would only undermine public trust and faith in our justice system.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, have been hurt by Bishop Finn’s wrongdoing. Victims include families hurt by Fr Ratigan, other clergy sex abuse victims, and devout but betrayed Catholics. As victims of Bishop Finn’s crimes they deserve a chance to be heard before the bishop's sentence is determined.
Fast-tracking his trial is bad enough. Fast-tracking his sentence is even worse. The justice system should not be abused for the convenience or protection of a powerful wrongdoer.
One reason child sex abuse victims stay silent is because they have seen predators and their allies get preferential treatment by authority figures. Many victims are hopeless and feel if they speak up, somehow, wrongdoers will still escape punishment, get privileges and future crimes will not be deterred. Please do not exacerbate the hopelessness many victims feel. Please do not show such favor to Finn and thereby rub even more salt into the already deep and still-fresh wounds of those he has hurt. Please give them the opportunity, another crime victims have, to express their views, in court, after his plea, at a later date before sentencing is determined.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Barbara Dorris
SNAP Outreach Director
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Bishop Finn---Going down?
Wow.
The Star really had a scoop today. They posted this story (link below) online this afternoon:
'Boys will be boys,' Bishop Finn purportedly said after being told of priest's lewd photos
When confronted by the diocese’s computer director about her concerns over lewd images found on a priest’s laptop, Bishop Robert Finn replied that, “Sometimes priests do things they shouldn’t,” court papers filed Thursday alleged.
“Sometimes, boys will be boys,” the bishop is purported to have said, court records show.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/30/3787983/boys-will-be-boys-finn-purportedly.html#storylink=cpy
That seems like quite the "smoking gun" in the Bishop's case. The prosecutors now have, it seems, something in which they can prove he knew of the pictures on former priest Shawn Ratigan's computer and that he did nothing of it.
All this in spite of the fact, too, that the Bishop and the Catholic Church in this diocese swore, last time this happened--the last time there were Catholic schoolchildren found to be sexually molested or exploited--that they would do everything possible to look into the situation but to also turn it over to the police to investigate.
Unfortunately for Bishop Finn, that ain't all. There's also this:
Julie Creech, the director of management and information systems for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, described her meeting with the bishop during an Aug. 17 deposition in a Jackson County civil case. According to that lawsuit, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan abused a 9-year-old girl months after the diocese learned of the photos on his computer...
According to the study, prepared by former U.S. Attorney Todd Graves, Creech examined Ratigan’s laptop on Dec. 16, 2010, and discovered hundreds of disturbing photographs of young children, primarily girls. That evening, Creech called vicar general Robert Murphy and advised him to call police, the study said. The diocese did not report the suspected abuse until May 2011.
This flies in the face of everything Bishop Finn has said, to date.
This certainly doesn't look good from the Bishop's point of view, for sure.
I'm not assuming he's guilty, in spite of all we've learned from the documents and facts printed in the Star and reported in the media so far. It's up to the court and the defense attorneys and prosecution to come to a conclusion.
But the fact is, if Bishop Finn is guilty in this situation--and it has looked as though he is for a long, long time, since the reports broke, he and the Catholic Church let those children and their families down and he should be held accountable.
We shall see what we shall see.
Side note: It seems a bit tacky if not out-and-out tawdry that the advertisement at the bottom of the online page for the Star I saw had an add for mattresses. It seems in poor taste, at least, for what it's worth.
Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/30/3787983/boys-will-be-boys-finn-purportedly.html
Thursday, April 5, 2012
On American energy independence
Monday, January 23, 2012
I'm so old...
Friday, November 11, 2011
Another weird one from Independence
I mean, come on. Check out this headline in the Kansas City Star: Independence woman accused of fatally beating KC man, 93, who wanted sex. Yikes. That's weird in a couple different ways, at least, even before you get into the article. Our hat's off to you, Independence. But that's all. Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/11/3260429/independence-woman-accused-of.html
Thursday, November 10, 2011
No! Not here in Kansas City!
I was just perusing breaking stories as I read email when all of a sudden I saw a headline that I thought would be great to have some fun with: "Woman found fused to vinyl chair." I figured I had to check it out, you know, see where she's from and write a short piece about it. I thought it would be perfect if she's from, oh, I don't know, Arkansas? Mississippi? Alabama? Anywhere South or Southeast from here. The nightmare? I read the first sentence and find out the world is presently reading she's from RIGHT HERE IN SUBURBAN KANSAS CITY. Serves me right. The "silver lining" for me, if there is one, is that it happened in Independence. Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/missouri-woman-found-with-skin-fused-to-chair-son-says-she-wanted-to-be-left-to-die-at-home/2011/11/09/gIQAnIGB6M_story.html
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