Diamond Mike Watson's Blog, page 13

The Wholeness of Truth Outweighs the Pain of the Past

When adoption rules were written, the original deal was to protect the “rights” of the adoptive parent and the birth mother. By sealing the birth records, the goal was to prevent shame and to hide the secrets of the past.

That has always been the defense if you are an attorney on the side of the adoptive parent or the birthmother. Because of this, there are millions of adoptees who live in the limbo of the unknown. This created a cruel decision for adoptees, who have been doomed to live their entire lives in the shadow of not knowing how they got here.

There was not enough thought in the making of these policies. Perhaps attorneys didn’t realize that adopted children eventually grow up. Even though I am now nearly 60 years old, I am not supposed to know the woman from whose womb I arrived, where I was born, or any circumstances of my birth.

I spent twenty years going around the system trying to find truth. I finally discovered the woman who gave birth to me. She had died 13 years earlier. Although I will never meet her, I will always be proud that I never gave up. After being a single “child” my entire life, I now have wonderful brothers and sisters.

For all adoptees, we have a right to know who gave birth to us and how we got here. The wholeness of knowing the truth will always outweigh any pain from the past.

Filed under: Adoption, Life Adventures

A Letter to the Cabinet of the President of the United States to Invoke the Twenty-Fifth Amendment

October 14, 2017

Vice President Mike Pence

RE: Removal of the President of the United States invoking the

Twenty-Fifth Amendment. Section IV.

The White House

Office of the Vice President

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington DC, 20500

Dear Vice President Mike Pence,

There comes a time when the leaders of our government must make difficult decisions. That time is now.

It regrettably appears evident that President Donald J. Trump has acquired a position in which he cannot serve. After nine months of his Presidency, he has demonstrated that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Beginning on the day of his inauguration, he has been distracted and disturbed by insignificant and illusory encounters, such as his smaller than expected crowd size, and later of the possibility that millions voted illegally. Rather than seeking to bring our country together through compromise or inspiration, he has created a grand division amongst most Americans.

From children to adults, Americans have traditionally respected the character and wisdom of our presidents. They have sought guidance and moral support. During Donald Trump’s Presidency, his character has been one that seeks constant conflict and discord rather than harmony. He falsely claimed our former president’s birthplace, claimed he was wiretapped, and continues to condemn the validity of our free press whenever it portrays him negatively.

It is reasonable to agree that the President of the United States must possess basic character traits to govern and discharge the duties of his office, such as;

a reasonable attention span
a measure of restraint and self-control
an ability to work in unison with others
a exerted effort to articulate the truth
a reasonable level of intellectual curiosity
a genuine feeling of human empathy
a higher than average knowledge of American history and our Constitution.
a functional moral compass

It is with regret that President Donald Trump has proven to be deficient in all these attributes.

The actions of President Trump, before and during his Presidency, have attempted to eradicate the basic principles that founded our nation.

To more fully understand the President’s inadequacy, we must examine his current and past actions. These actions do not portray a reasonable person of peace and poise.

He encouraged violence at his campaign rallies, promoted torture for captured prisoners, and suggested we “take out the families” of ISIS to win the war on terrorism. He continues to write social media posts that encourage violence with words, photos and gifs.
He publically mocked Serge Kovaleski, a disabled person who suffers from arthrogryposis.
Rather than showing empathy or honor, he publically belittled Khizr Khan and his wife, the Gold Star parents of a killed Muslim soldier. He was devoid of feeling the pain of a mother who sacrificed her son during the Iraq war.
Rather than acknowledging the suffering of Senator John McCain for being a five-year prisoner of war after his plane was shot down in Vietnam, he publically mocked him for being captured.

During his Presidency:

He blurted out classified information to impress important Russian visitors in the White House.
He refused to acknowledge the information given to him by several intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
He failed to understand the consequences of his actions- like firing former FBI Director James Comey, the same person he asked to obstruct justice.
He does not have the ambition to comprehend perhaps the most challenging era we are facing today, which is our rapidly changing climate and how humans have contributed to our planets harmful greenhouse gases. Pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement demonstrated that he does not comprehend what this means for our future survival.
His intense sense of self-importance many times cripples his interpersonal communication with world leaders and members of his own party. This personality disorder is disruptive because he constantly seeks praise and admiration and attacks those who do not agree with him. This disorder is perilous to government leadership.
He continues to hurl derogatory names and insults at leaders from other nations, including members of his own party, in retaliation of negative remarks.
After the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, he could not to comprehend the difference between a group that promotes hate and inequality with a group that condemns hate and inequality.
He does not seem to care or comprehend the trauma and fear of deportation instilled into nearly 800,000 illegal immigrants currently enrolled in the DACA program, who have woven a cultural and economic value into our country.

Many of these actions can be compared to the nature and psychology of a child. A child must not govern our nation.

Americans love peace. Therefore, during heightened international tensions, we understand that even a misplaced word from the President could cause military conflict. This could mean the suffering and death of millions of people.

A man who demonstrates the unrestrained impulsive anger of a child must never have access to the nuclear codes.

 

In a dignified way, we must remove the president from office invoking the Twenty-Fifth Amendment. Section IV. We are thankful the President has not suffered an illness or has symptoms of dementia, but he has, without a doubt, proven his incapacity to govern. His removal from office is imperative to help ensure a peaceful future and the self-preservation of our people.

As we continue to understand the nature and character of President Donald J. Trump and realize his nature and character will not change, it is an act of gross negligence to allow him to remain our president. We must not blindly ignore the peril that faces us.

Please reconsider your support for a man who has never held a government position, who has never served in the military, who refuses to relinquish the control of his business empire or disclose his taxes, and should never have been elevated to this office.

It is with much thought and compassion that I write this. I respect the office of the president and the tremendous power it represents. If a president with a reasonable mind can discharge the powers and duties of his office, we will be propelled through positive change. However, if a president cannot discharge the powers and duties of his office, then we have come to a standstill in our evolution as the greatest nation in the world, and are dangerously toppling the building blocks that our forefathers have worked so hard to construct.

Sincerely,

Diamond Mike Watson

Filed under: Life Adventures, Society

Never Be Afraid of a Bully

When I was a child, my adoptive father would always joke with me, telling me that he and my adoptive mom picked me out from a room of babies. “I want the curly-headed one over there,” he told me he said to the nurses. For years, I happily believed this story of my beginnings. When I was about eight they modified the story, explaining that someone else gave birth to me, but I still believed in the magic of my dark curls.

I have continued to carry those curls as I approach my golden years. Even though my adoptive parents have since died, I continue to feel loved and proud to display my tight, dark brown locks of hair wherever I go.

There was a time I wished I did not have curly hair.

Kids can be cruel. Bullies always find a way to find that one unique aspect of a person and pounce on it. Then they will use that aspect relentlessly until their victim is shamefully defeated. In elementary school, some mean kids would hurl names at me like “Curly top” or “Kinky hair.” Before I had the chance to feel inferior my adoptive mother became my motivational coach, encouraging me to always walk tall and be proud of my physical appearance. “Never be afraid of a bully,” mom would always say.

Of course, many bullies remain bullies, and they will always search for prey that appear weaker than themselves. Kids become teenagers, teenager become adults.

And tonight I was thinking how our own president has acted precisely like the person my mother warned me about. It doesn’t seem correct that I have passed down my mother’s wisdom to my own kids, teaching them never to be like our current president. I wonder what bully name the president would call me if I ever disagreed with him? Maybe, if I were lucky enough, he would call me, Little Curly Mike.

Filed under: Childhood Memories, Life Adventures, Philosophy, Society

The 25th Amendment

President Donald Trump has acquired a position in which he cannot serve. He awakened our darker side by promoting fear and discord. He reminded us to check our doors and lock our windows. He made us pause before interacting with someone outside our religion or race. He made us suspicious that most Mexicans were rapists and our Muslim neighbors could be dangerous. He continues to systematically unravel virtually every accomplishment made by the former president. He is disturbed by petty encounters, such as his smaller than expected inaugural crowd size, and the possibility that millions voted illegally. Rather than seek to bring our country together through hope and inspiration, he has sowed doubt that our former president wasn’t born in our country, claimed he was wiretapped, and condemns the validity of our free press when it portrays him negatively.

Most of us would agree that any leader would need the following attributes to successfully fulfill his duties:

a reasonable level of intellectual curiosity
a reasonable attention span
a genuine feeling of human empathy
a functional moral compass
a measure of restraint and self-control
-an ability to work in unison with others

President Donald Trump is deficient in all of these.

He also has the character of a child.

A child would blurt out classified information to impress visitors.
A child would ask the head of the F.B.I. why the rules could not be overlooked for his friend.
A child would not understand the consequences of his actions- like firing the same person he asked to obstruct justice.
A child would hurl a bad name at another in retaliation of a negative remark.
A child without conscience would make fun of a disabled person.
A juvenile child would brag about his sexual conquests.
A child may not conceptualize the difference between a group that promotes hate and inequality and a group that condemns hate and inequality.
A child would not have the ambition to understand the science of climate change and how humans have contributed to our planets harmful greenhouse gases.
A child may not comprehend the fear of deportation instilled into 700,000 illegal immigrant DREAMers, who have added cultural and economic value to our country and know no other home than the United States.
But even most children would understand the pain and suffering of a five-year prisoner of war.

A child cannot be our president.

In war, a misplaced word from the President of the United States could mean life or death for millions.  Accepting a President with unrestrained rhetoric is an act of gross negligence because it is dangerous to our world and our survival.

A child cannot have the nuclear codes.

In a dignified way, we must remove the president from office under the 25th Amendment.

This Amendment provides the steps for the removal of the president if the vice president and a majority of the cabinet informs the Congress that he is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office” and a two-thirds vote by Congress confirms the cabinet’s judgment. Although the President has not suffered a stroke or has symptoms of dementia, he has proven his incapacity to govern, and the 25th Amendment does not constrain itself to physical or mental illness.

To remove the President there must be Republican leadership. Please join me in the effort to ask Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to reconsider their support for a man who has never held a government position, who has never served in the military, who refuses to relinquish the control of his business empire, and should never have been endorsed or elevated to this office.

Amendment XXV. Section. 4.
…Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

Filed under: Life Adventures, Society

The Tweet that Changed the World

Never in history have we had a direct line to the President of the United States. Although it is only a one-way communication, his tweets give us the real-time thoughts of a man who holds the highest title of the land.

I remind myself that real life happens outside the rectangular rim of my iPad. However, it is sometimes difficult for me to pay attention to other areas of my life when the president impulsively tweets.

October 1, 2017.

7:30am. I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man…

7:31am. …Save your energy Rex, we’ll do what has to be done!

12:01pm. Being nice to Rocket Man hasn’t worked in 25 years, why would it work now? Clinton failed, Bush failed, and Obama failed. I won’t fail.

Keep in mind that Kim Jong Un and millions of others may have read this tweet long before a shocked Rex Tillerson read it.

Just to keep things in perspective:

Total deaths from natural disasters:

Hurricane Harvey: 63.

Hurricane Irma: 72.

Hurricane Maria: 16.

9-19-17. Earthquake. Mexico City: 361.

9-23-17. Earthquake. Oaxaca, Mexico: 6.

Total deaths from man-caused new Korean war:

Pentagon estimates 20,000 deaths daily in South Korea, retired US general says.

Jeff Daniels. CNBC. 9/25/2017.

Total deaths could be millions.

 

Filed under: Life Adventures, Society

We must not Stand Silently

Sometimes a seemingly insignificant event in one’s life may later turn out to change that person forever. That person was me.

When I was a teenager I took my girlfriend to the fair with friends. An elderly lady was caught in a bustling strip of rides and fairgoers and was knocked down by some running youngsters.

I remember her ambling up on her knees and dusting off her dress as she looked embarrassingly at us, saying, “Can you believe that?”

We all froze, staring back at her, hoping she would stop looking at us. We were cool, and cool teenagers are not cool when they associate themselves with old people. The elderly lady didn’t ask for help, and limped away.

Of course there will always be those who are rude and will ignore the feelings or well-being of others. What I could not believe was that person was me.

My friends followed my lead by shaking their heads thinking, ‘poor lady, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.’

I could have reached over, took her arm, and helped her up. I could have made an example to my friends and the world that we must always love and respect each other, no matter of our age, color, or creed. But I didn’t, and to this day I still feel shame.

That was over forty years ago yet I vowed never to repeat that mistake.

That is why you will occasionally hear me when I feel someone is unjustly treated. If we are silent, we are saying everything is okay. Sometimes everything is not okay.

Our president has attempted to bully us, push us, and knock us on the ground with rhetoric contrary to the morals and values in which our country was founded. Most of us have been reared with love, respect and that we all share equal importance.

It is time to honestly ask ourselves to redefine the difference between what is good and what is bad, and what is right and what is wrong.

I will not stand silently and watch.

Filed under: Childhood Memories, Life Adventures, Philosophy, Society

Does Donald Trump Understand Human Compassion?

Donald Trump has been on the Howard Stern Show many times before he ran for president. Most of these interviews are easy to find on the internet. I believe that in understanding another’s essence, one simply needs to listen to the words they speak. Howard Stern was talented in bringing out the lewdness of his guests, and Trump was never an exception. He loved to talk about himself, brag about his conquests, and physically rate women.

There is a particular interview that stunned me, for it clearly brought Trumps deficiency of human compassion into focus.

Nine years ago, during such an interview, Trump told this story about the time he thought he saw an elderly man fall to his death at a charity ball at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. I offer no personal commentary other than to caution the reader of the shocking dialogue. I do wonder if his presidential rise to power would have happened if more Americans fully understood Donald Trump’s lack of human empathy.

“I was at Mar-a-Lago and we had this incredible ball, the Red Cross Ball, in Palm Beach, Florida. And we had the Marines. And the Marines were there, and it was terrible because all these rich people, they’re there to support the Marines- but they’re really there to get their picture in the Palm Beach Post. So you have all these really rich people, and a man, about 80 years old- very wealthy man, a lot of people didn’t like him- he fell off the stage.

“So what happens is, this guy falls off right on his face, hits his head, and I thought he died. And you know what I did? I said, ‘Oh my God, that’s disgusting,’ and I turned away.

“I couldn’t, you know, he was right in front of me and I turned away. I didn’t want to touch him. He’s bleeding all over the place, I felt terrible. You know, beautiful marble floor, didn’t look like it. It changed color- became very red. And you have this poor guy, 80 years old, laying on the floor unconscious, and all the rich people are turning away. ‘Oh my God! This is terrible! This is disgusting!’ and you know, they’re turning away. Nobody wants to help the guy. His wife is screaming- she’s sitting right next to him, and she’s screaming.

“What happens is, these 10 Marines from the back of the room… they come running forward, they grab him, they put the blood all over the place- it’s all over their uniforms- they’re taking it, they’re swiping (it), they ran him out, they created a stretcher. They call it a human stretcher, where they put their arms out with, like, five guys on each side.

“I was saying, ‘Get that blood cleaned up! It’s disgusting!’ The next day, I forgot to call (the man) to say he’s OK. It’s just not my thing.”

July 20, 2008.

Filed under: Life Adventures, Society

The Quiet Kneel that transformed a Nation

The drama that recently unfolded on the NFL field was from Trump’s brash, non-related comments from his Alabama speech. Colin Kaepernick had an issue on his heart. That issue could have been for anything. In his case, it was his concern of police brutality and the equality and justice for Afro Americans.

He must have known the ramifications of his actions. Kaepernick was willing to sacrifice a generous income, and he did.

I agree that all employers must have a job description handbook, but there should also be room for employees to express themselves for noble causes as long as they are not disruptive to the organization. NFL teams are now kneeling or locking arms before or after our national anthem. In this way, our flag or country’s song is not undermined.

Although the original purpose of Kaepernick’s kneel was to bring attention to inequality, it seems that the cultural revolution on the playing field today is not solely to support Kaepernick’s cause. It is also a protest to the words of the president himself, who vulgarly insulted such a vast group of professional athletes, their owners, and even their fans.

From Donald Trump’s lack of condemnation of white supremacists in Charlottesville to his full page newspaper ads targeting blacks in his early real estate years, he has been instrumental in fueling the racial division of our nation. The irony of this is that Trump has actually awakened multitudes of people by helping them rethink what is important about being human. Whatever Trump’s intention, he has miraculously brought us somewhat closer together. I don’t think Kaepernick yet realizes how he will positively impact millions of people by being the first NFL player to kneel quietly on a football field.

Colin Kaepernick was not a martyr.

He was a genius.

Filed under: Life Adventures, Society

Dialogue between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.

I looked up “communication styles of great leaders” and found these five traits.

* Being a good listener

* Friendliness

* Empathy

* Open-Mindedness

* Respect

Following is a dialogue between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. I couldn’t resist adding a few lines of my own.

Trump: North Korea best not make any more threats. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely.

North Korea: UN Ambassador Nikki Haley is a political prostitute.

Trump: Spoke with President Moon of South Korea last night. Asked him how Rocket Man is doing.

Rocket man is on a suicide mission.

North Korea: YOU are on a suicide mission!

Trump: The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.

Kim Jong Un: You are a mentally deranged dotard.

Trump: You are a madman who doesn’t mind starving or killing your people, will be tested like never before!

Kim Jong Un: You are not invited to my sleepover party.

Trump: Rocket Man!

Kim Jong Un: Dotard!

Trump: Little baby Rocket Man!

Kim Jong Un: Big fat dotard. A frightened dog barks louder.

Trump: Oh yeah? At least I can lose weight but you’ll always be ugly.”

KIm Jong Un: You’re too dumb to pour water out of a boot with instructions on the heel.

Trump: I’m going to bed. And don’t even think about coming up to tuck me in or give me a kiss.

Kim Jong Un: You’re dumber than snake mittens.

Trump: When I grow up I will never marry you!

Kim Jong Un: You don’t love me, and you’ve never liked me.

Trump: If (Foreign Minister of North Korea) echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won’t be around much longer!

North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho:

Since the U.S. declared war… we will have every right to…shoot down the U.S. bombers even when they are not yet inside the airspace border of our country.

Oops, so much for great communication.

Filed under: Life Adventures, Society

Every Knee Shall Bow

Kneeling during our national anthem may be controversial, but it does not show disrespect to our country. I remember refusing to recite every verse of the Apostles creed at a Christian church. I was not being disrespectful. This was my way of expressing my beliefs within the congregation.

In the case of NFL free agent Colin Kaepernic, he knelt last season to bring attention to police violence against African Americans. Yes, he was there to play a game. But yes, millions were watching. He could have endorsed a product he was selling. Instead, he quietly knelt. I cannot imagine a more impactful way to communicate the intention of his heart.

The money he may earn or not earn is irrelevant. The bigger issue is that the president of the United States deliberately veered from the topic of his Alabama speech to not only condemn the action of kneeling, but calling for NFL owners to fire or suspend any “son of a b#%ch” who “disrespects our flag,” adding that “fans should leave the stadium!”

Although the president’s words and tone were shamefully inappropriate from the person who holds the highest title in the land, it is ironic he has seemed to strengthen the bonds of other athletes around the world, who are now kneeling together in unison. He has not quelled us by tearing us apart, but has rather brought us closer together in standing up (or kneeling down) to express a humble symbol of what is means to be human.[image error]

Filed under: Jewelry, Life Adventures, Philosophy, Society