It has been a busy Monday @ #Outsiders as we have beeen busy w/the Daily Twitter Curation (and I have also been a bit busy on my Personal Twitter Feed). It was gratifying to see how the World has come together as epitomized by Paris tonight remembering the fallen in Orlando:
The political battles though have already begun as Mr. Trump made his major speech calling for a ban and being tough. He also went on an extended attack against Mrs. Clinton as he also came out yet again strongly in favor of his view of the 2nd Amendment. As he on the one hand said that the "muslims have to cooperate", he also noted how he would support all. It was also interesting how he came out with this as reported by the Washington Examiner:
Donald Trump has blocked Washington Post reporters from receiving press credentials to his campaign events, citing the publication's "incredibly inaccurate coverage." "Based on the incredibly inaccurate coverage and reporting of the record setting Trump campaign, we are hereby revoking the press credentials of the phony and dishonest Washington Post ," the presumptive Republican presidential nominee wrote on his Facebook page Monday. Read the full story here >.
I made it a point of sending a quick tweet to Jeff Bezos to note how I hope The Washington Post team wore this revocation as a badge of honor. I suppose +USA TODAY and +The New York Times are next especially after their stories about how Mr. Trump's business dealings have left such a trail of destruction for many small businesses. I wonder if and when their turn will come as the Washington Post did its' job:
It was another insightful day of service and reflection. For me, it began as I joined the youth of the Aliso Niguel Second Harvest Food Bank Club on a morning of service as we helped harvest onions, squash, and green beans: As I worked away, it was a marvel to be witness to how people come out as they are supporting the Second Harvest Food Bank's Incredible Edible Farm. I have learnt so much about farming from the Second Harvest' Raul in understanding the basics of farming--I don't mind noting that I was exhausted after the 2 hours I spent there. After pulling myself together, I worked away doing some work at the Daily Outsider and other projects before heading out to attend a lecture by Professor Touraj Darayee of UC Irvine--one of the preeminent scholars of Iranian History. The insights he shared with the audience blew me away--stories that have to be told. We have to embrace history and be prepared for it to evolve--I could not agree with him more. As Pandora plays in the background, I also had a chance to pick up President Obama's commencement address at Howard University:
He was in his element--for sure. If anyone has 45 minutes, it is worth listening to. For me, though, what I found especially heartening as I worked away was the courageous stance by Mitt Romney that he has taken against Donald Trump. I made it a point of visiting Mitt Romney's Facebook wall to thank him for the courageous stance he has taken. It is true that he praised Donald Trump in 2012--however as Professor Daraye reminded us, we have to be prepared for history to evolve. What is problematic about Mr. Trump is what Mr. Romney noted as "trickle down racism" that is at the heart of the campaign as Mr. Trump has been relentless in attacks against all and asking the GOP to "Man Up". As I finish off these thoughts, what continues to sustain me and give me hope is to be witness to what I saw today at The Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County's Incredible Edible Farm and what I saw today at Professor Darayee's Lecture. It was thereafter quite timely as this hit the inbox for #Outsiders which I wanted to share--and the image put forth by +Jonathan Huie and his team as this was sent out was from a Yazidi Refugee Camp (and I was so glad to see that Amal Clooney will be bringing a case before the International Criminal Court to highlight the plight of the Yazidis):
I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing,
than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity.
- Robert E. Lee
'Tis the business of little minds to shrink,
but they whose heart is firm,
and whose conscience approves their conduct,
will pursue their principles unto death.
- Thomas Paine
The man who has won millions at the cost of his conscience is a failure.
- B. C. Forbes
There are only two ways to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball.
One is to have a clear conscience,
and the other is to have no conscience at all.
- Ogden Nash (paraphrase)
Cowardice asks the question - is it safe?
Expediency asks the question - is it politic?
Vanity asks the question - is it popular?
But conscience asks the question - is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position
that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular;
but one must take it BECAUSE it is right.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Onward to the new week with all its' possiblities.....
It is "officially" summer for me as School has ended. I will be again on the road Saturday on Community Initiatives. It was quite a week as I was witness to Democracy in Action and the spirit of the Community in action as selfless souls came together to help with the Aliso Niguel High School Graduation Night. Selfless souls came together starting at 7:30 PM to check over 300 newly minted graduates as they spent graduation night at Dave & Busters playing the night away!! As I saw the selfless acts of the dedicated souls, it reminded me of this thought from the great Rumi: I saw that this week in how all the election Volunteers, the School Volunteers and all others who do such fabulous work make America great as it is. They do plant the seeds of compassion and love beyond what I can ever imagine. As I continued supporting the work of #outsiders as well through the daily curation on the Social Grid and helped with the Friday Musical Interlude, this featured on the Interlude today is something that truly inspired me: Billy Crystal's Muhammad Ali tribute - 15 Rounds (1979) from Face Productions on Vimeo.
This is as I listened to this moving speech he gave:
