Snapped at Willamette University when on my way to attend a lecture :

I find the apostrophe in “Gaurdian’s” especially unfortunate.

I pretty much hate politics.  Most politicians too.  I like statesmen and statesmanship and public servants.  I like the democratic process that is the basis of this republic.

Regarding the original intent of the framers, I surely think they meant well.  Still, when they set up our system of checks and balances in the separation of powers, in their wildest dreams, could they have foreseen the gridlock that it creates?

In the First Amendment, did it not occur to them that in 2014 freedom of speech might mean a cruel adolescent could tweet hatred about another girl? And what exactly did they mean when they wrote “a well-regulated militia” in the Second Amendment?  And they completely neglected to mention that no rights are absolute.

When they wrote the Declaration of Independence, did it occur to them that the word “men” would come to mean “people”?  All people are created equal.  Girls too.  People of color too.  And that they would vote and hold office.  What does it mean that I can “pursue happiness?”

Now, the Republicans control Congress.  And what will change?  Will my Social Security and Medicare benefits be cut?  Will abortion become illegal?  Will global climate change be declared a fallacy? I guess maybe gridlock is okay.

Tonight, I asked my Citizenship Class, “What is one thing you will be able to do when you become a citizen?”  There are lots of answers to this question, but tonight, they all answered, “Vote!”   They know that in the Revolution, men died in battle to win this right. I didn’t think this was the time to point out that, not very long ago, women were thrown into jail when they crusaded for this right and when they went on hunger strikes they had feeding tubes stuffed down their throats.

Of course, this is in Hawaii.

Thank goodness, in Oregon, we all vote by mail because we’d be going to the polls in rain gear, not flip flops.  I don’t show an ID when I hand my ballot to my postman.  You can register to vote online and voter fraud is extraordinarily rare here.

Another totally random Oregon factoid I have to mention: Tonight driving home in the rain from teaching, I saw three cars signal that they needed to change lanes and each time a car in the needed lane just slowed down to let them in.  No one around here knows what it means to “cut me off.”  It does rain about 200 days out of the year but everyone says “We sure do need it.”

Interesting note: In Texas (pop. 26.45 mil.) where they have new stringent voter ID regulations to prevent fraud, there have been 18 confirmed instances of voter fraud since 2002. Hometown factoid:   There was a 2006 case in which a Pecos woman filled out and mailed ballots for others.  Anyone know who this was?

Vote.

When did this get to be a major feast day?  Everybody dresses up nowadays, not just little children and not just in creative finds from mom and dad’s closet.  A man in my Citizenship class of very modest means said he spent about $100 at Walmart on costumes for his three children.

I must admit I love this charming arachnid outfit my neighbor Burt created for his adorable Farris:

Late that afternoon, Dave and I were driving back from a paddle where we enjoyed many waterfalls and lots of fall color.  With Dave, it’s always about lovely country roads.  Several of the small towns we drove through on the way home seem to have a custom of down town trick-or-treating. Had a good time stuck in gridlock in Silverton watching the dressed-up folks.  We were very lucky to get stuck right next to Silverton’s long-time and very popular tranny mayor, Stu Rasmussen, taking pictures of everyone.  Stu is always dressed up.