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Despite a life-long interest in politics and commitment to liberal values and policy, I don't often write about these topics.  I'd like to take a moment to reflect on a couple broad concepts in the interest of bolstering our current shaken sensibilities.  First, consider the preamble of our Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more Perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."  Among the flourish of capitalized nouns, there's some pretty clear language there about how we'd like to -- how we must -- function as a society.  Our Constitution is strongly influenced by England's Magna Carta, the document that established that the rule of law supersedes the supposed "divine right of kings," a.k.a. despotism/dictatorship.  It states unambiguously: "We will appoint as justices, constables, sheriffs, or other officials, only men that know the law of the realm and are minded to keep it well."  

It is essential for all people subject to our government to actively participate in its healthy maintenance.  Free and fair elections, equal opportunity, and proper enforcement of laws and administration of justice don't magically happen on their own: these fundamental elements of our democracy are made manifest by us, our living actions.  When dissatisfied, we must persuade and reform.  Violence is neither persuasion nor reformation, but destruction -- and destruction certainly isn't restoration of some perceived past state.  I'm no optimist, but surely we can do better for our Union by our union.  

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Thanks for following along if you made it through that. There's another important topic I want to address.  My former mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly a few days ago.  Marietta was kind, loving, fun, bubbling with warmth and enthusiasm, and always told me I cooked delicious vegetables.  I learned a good deal from her about how to be a partner to a passionately inventive and creative husband.  Despite my occasionally being prickly and taciturn, the tumultuous end of my marriage to her beloved older son, and our withered ties, I always knew she loved me.  And I go on loving her.

Me and a big slice of the Veligdan family with Marietta beaming from the center.