At noon yesterday, Rebecca Solnit convened a live online event entitled “The Way We Get Through This Is Together: Celebrating Community.” It was much more uplifting than watching the inauguration. You can view it here.
Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/21/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-21st-2025/
During World War II, mail between service members and their loved ones was crucial for morale but delivery mechanisms broke down in Europe, resulting in millions of pieces of mail being stuffed into airplane hangars in Scotland.
Meanwhile, the 6888th Women’s Army Corps (WAC) battalion has been trained to an exemplary level but, despite their level of excellence, has not been assigned because it is comprised of Black and mixed-race women.
Finally, they are assigned the seemingly impossible task to go to Scotland and clear the backlog within six months. Under the command of Major Charity Adams, they use their training, skills, creativity, experience, and intelligence to complete the task in under three months. They then are deployed to France, where they clear a similar backlog.
This amazing history has now been brought to the screen, thanks to Tyler Perry, who directed and co-produced the film and wrote the script, based on an article by Kevin Hymel. Kerry Washington delivers a strong performance as the formidable Major Adams, with Ebony Obsidian touchingly portraying Lena Derriecott King, a servicemember of the 6888th who is grieving the loss of a friend who was killed in action.
While the film was released in theaters in December, most people are probably going to view it now via Netflix.
I wanted to lift up this film today in particular because the United States is commemorating the 95th birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. A major figure in the area of civil rights, especially for Black Americans, King was assassinated at the age of 39.
I appreciated that the film includes the later history of the women of the Six Triple Eighth. Given the racism and sexism they faced, recognition of their work was long delayed.
In 2023, a military base in Virginia was re-named Fort Gregg-Adams in honor of Lt. Col. Charity Adams and Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg, the first time Black Americans had been so honored. This was part of an initiative to finally remove the names of Confederate officers from United States military bases.
I am appalled that Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, wants to undo the re-naming. Some other Republicans have agreed.
No.
We need to recognize, lift up, and celebrate leaders like Charity Adams.
Thank you to Tyler Perry, Kerry Washington, and all who were involved with The Six Triple Eight for bringing this inspiring story to the public.
*****
Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/20/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-20th-2025/
Vote for Democracy #28
The Equal Rights Amendment
There is always a flurry of activity in the last few weeks that a president is in office, with various declarations, awards, pardons/commutations, executive orders, rules, and other summations being offered and Joe Biden has been actively engaged in this.
On his last full day in office, I’d like to highlight one in particular, the declaration that the Equal Rights Amendment is the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
I’ve been waiting for this for my entire adult life.
When Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972, it put a time limit on its ratification by the states, 38 of which had to vote in their legislatures to reach the constitutionally required three-fourths of the states. However, this limit was not part of the amendment itself. In 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA, so it should have been recognized and added to the Constitution at that time. Lawrence Tribe and Kathleen Sullivan explain all the legalities in this piece in The Contrarian.
Many legal scholars and organizations have been working on this issue. In particular, I would like to raise up Carrie Baker, a distinguished faculty member at my alma mater, Smith College, for her legal and journalistic skill in advocating for the ERA.
I have no doubt that there will be a flood of lawsuits, claiming that the Equal Rights Amendment is not in effect, either because of the original Congressional advisory deadline or because several states have said they want to rescind their ratification. However, states have never been allowed to rescind ratification and amendments remain open for ratification in perpetuity. For example, Mississippi did not ratify the 1865 13th Amendment abolishing slavery until 1995 and their vote wasn’t certified until 2013.
I hope that having the Equal Rights Amendment in the United States Constitution will help protect the rights of everyone, especially women and girls. This is especially important now when some states are denying health care to women and even trying to restrict their ability to travel.
When new democracies form around the world and the United States is assisting in writing constitutions, the US insists that equal rights for women be included. It’s fundamental to civil and human rights. I’m glad that it is now part of our Constitution, which should strike down discriminatory state laws. It will also align with many of our state constitutions that already include equal rights in regards to gender.
With so much else going on in the United States and the world right now, this momentous news has flown a bit under the radar. I’m hoping that it will be embraced and followed by all the people.
Its text is very simple. The 28th Amendment states:
Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Yes!
Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/19/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-19th-2025/
So, yikes! Going to try to post for Stream of Consciousness Saturday with a political post…
Linda’s prompt this week is “pack/peck/pick/pock/puck” and the first thing that popped into my head was the hearings in the US Senate over the past week for President-elect Trump’s Cabinet picks.
The scariest hearing so far has been for DT’s pick for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. While he is a military veteran, he is best known for being a host on Fox News. Unfortunately, he is also known for public drunkenness, misogyny, and mismanagement of charitable organizations. His defense against this evidence was that the accusations against him were “anonymous smears” even though many of them are on public record and that he has now found Jesus and is happy with his third wife and won’t drink if he becomes Defense Secretary.
While I sincerely hope that Mr. Hegseth has mended his ways and retains his new-found maturity and sobriety – or potential sobriety, as I don’t think he said that he has stopped drinking yet – this is not a person whose history suggests he is capable of managing over 3 million employees and a $1 trillion budget. (Apologies if I’m misremembering the figures. Stream of consciousness writing does not allow for side research.)
The vote on his nomination, first on the committee before whom he testified and then, if he passes that, by the full Senate, has not yet been scheduled. I would hope that such an unqualified individual would not be confirmed but the Republicans do hold the Senate majority, so it’s entirely possible.
I’m afraid.
*****
Join us for Linda’s Stream of Consciousness Saturdays and/or Just Jot It January! More information at the link in the second paragraph.
Vote for Democracy #27
I have decided to end my subscription to the Washington Post; I’ve cancelled but was a yearly subscriber so it will still be available to me through early April. I had been trying to stay on in support of the journalists and editorial team members that I respected, but the level of interference from owner Jeff Bezos is too much to look past.
Jennifer Rubin recently resigned from WaPo and has started a new outlet with Norman Eisen called The Contrarian on Substack. I realize that platform will pose a problem for some readers but it’s what I need to do to access their content. A number of experts whom I already trust, such as Joyce Vance and Ruth Ben-Ghiat, will be contributing. The Contrarian is dedicated to truth-telling, which is what we all need to counter the tech oligarchy, skewed social media algorithms, and government liars.
The Contrarian just started and I am currently a free subscriber. If I find it valuable, I will upgrade to a paid subscription, which will actually cost less than WaPo.
I hope interested people will check out the site and subscribe, if they are so moved.
It looks to be a great resource for those of us who are dedicated to democracy in the United States.
*****
Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/17/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-17th-2025/
“…and this was said to me by a cryptologist: If you think technology is going to solve your problems, you don’t understand technology and you don’t understand your problems.”
~~~ Laurie Anderson
Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays and/or Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/15/one-liner-wednesday-jusjojan25-the-15th-be-colourful/
A gazebo/bandstand in a park in my town.
Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/14/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-14th-2025/
Is anyone else having problems with the WordPress editor? Sometimes, when I’m working on a draft, it won’t let me go back to a previous paragraph to make edits. It seems to freeze on the paragraph I’m in. To get out of it, I usually have to look at a preview of the post and hit edit from there to open it in a new tab.
I’ve tried asking WordPress for help but no luck so far. Just wondering if others are seeing this happen.
Join us for Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/13/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-13th-2025/
Vote for Democracy #25
One of the outrageous lines of comment that Donald Trump has hammered recently is that the United States should take over various places, including Greenland, Canada, and the Panama Canal. He seems to think he can do this by buying them or attacking them economically, diplomatically, or militarily.
This is totally unacceptable and violates both national and international law and treaties.
Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, one of our NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies. Both the leadership of Denmark and the mostly indigenous government and population of Greenland have made it clear that Greenland is not for sale.
Like Denmark, Canada is an original 1949 member of NATO. They are consistently one of our top five trading partners. They are a nation with a long, storied history and diverse cultural influences and heritage. Canadians do not want to be part of the United States. They value their own democracy with its own laws, freedoms, and ways of doing things.
While the Panama Canal Zone was a US territory under a 99-year lease, it was returned to Panamanian sovereignty in 1999, in accord with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, negotiated by the administration of President Carter, whose state funeral was on Thursday, which was ratified by the Senate in 1978. Panama has made it clear that they will remain in control of their sovereign territory.
So, no, Trump cannot add to the United States in violation of law and treaty. Any members of the military, Congress, or executive branch who are asked to assist in these efforts must reject those requests or orders because they violate their oaths.
If Donald Trump wants to expand the number of states, he should concentrate on granting statehood to the District of Columbia and to Puerto Rico, if their citizenry votes to change their status. He should also work toward granting House voting status for the remaining US territories and our indigenous nations. As Delegate Stacey Plaskett of the US Virgin Islands pointed out during the selection of the Speaker of the House earlier this month, 4 million Americans had no vote for Speaker because they have no votes in Congress.
I call on Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in Congress to prioritize full recognition of those living in current territories and our nation’s capital, not trying to take away the sovereignty of citizens of other nations.
*****
Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/12/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-12th-2025/
I know that people warn against taking the little things for granted.
I’m in a situation where the “little things” are more the involuntary things.
Like being able to keep my balance.
Or see or hear clearly.
Or make it through the day without having to lie down and rest.
I’m not sure those are the little things that most folks mean…
*****
Linda’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday this week is “Take whatever the phrase “it’s the little things” brings to mind and use it in your post.” Join us for Stream of Consciousness Saturday and/or Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/10/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2025-daily-prompt-for-jan-11th/
Joanne Corey 