Tag: war

One-Liner Wednesday: Congress, convene!

While I’m grateful that a partial ceasefire was declared in the Middle East yesterday, I call on the United States Congress to immediately return to Washington to remove Trump from office because he publicly threatend destruction of a civilization, also known as genocide, in violation of international and United States law.

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! While this particular post of mine is very serious, many of the posts in this series are more fun or have lovely photos. Learn more about the series here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/04/08/one-liner-wednesday-im-not-opening-up/

No to war and war crimes!

Vote for Democracy #55

(Photo by Lucas Sankey on Unsplash)

I wanted to add my voice to the millions in the United States and around the world that I am opposed to Trump and Israel’s war against Iran.

In particular, I want to say that it is absolutely unacceptable to bomb infrastructure that civilians use, such as power plants, roads, bridges, and desalination plants. To do so is a war crime, as recogonized by both US and international law. Military leaders given such orders have a duty to refuse them because they are illegal.

I have long feared that Trump is mentally ill and it seems his condition is deteriorating. He should be removed from office by the 25th amendment which provides for the removal from office of a president who is unfit to serve.

I fear, though, that no one will intervene and Trump will perpetrate war crimes against the Iranian public. As a US citizen, this action is undertaken in my name but I am disavowing it here, not that I expect it to have any impact.

I appreciate Pope Leo speaking so forcefully and so often on behalf of peace. If only Trump would listen to him and the millions of others trying to avert any more war, death, and destruction.

several things…

By rights, there are several posts I should write but I don’t have the brain to do it so this post will be short takes on different topics glommed together. Sorry about that.

I am horrified by the US and Israel attack on Iran which included the assassination of many of their leaders, including the Grand Aytollah. I am also horrified by the couterattacks of Iran against many of their Middle East neighbors. None of this had to happen. In his first term, Trump walked out on a multi-country agreement that was keeping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. If he had left it in place, there would not have been the pretense for these attacks now. I hope that Congress finds the courage to vote that this is not a valid use of presidential power; the US Constitution makes clear that only Congress has the power to declare war. Still, with the war underway, it will be difficult to stop it. I do think, though, that this constitutes grounds for impeachment. Unauthorized war certainly seems to fit the definition of a “high crime.”

If you need a brief break from the horror, you can visit my new (five-line) poem with Silver Birch Press. My blog post about it is here.

Yesterday, I got a COVID vaccine. Now that I am 65, I can choose to renew my protection more frequently. My last dose was in late August so that I had my strongest immunity for the Boiler House Poets Collective 10th anniversary residency several weeks later. Like all my other COVID vaccines, this was from Pfizer, which is fitting because B, T, and I all participated in the Phase III trial that led to its emergency authorization in the US in December, 2020. To my knowledge, T and I have never contracted COVID and I’d like to keep it that way, if I can. It is likely that I will be needing to travel to major medical centers in the coming months, so I thought it was prudent to re-up my resistance to COVID. While many people ignore the existence of COVID at this point, it is still out there infecting, sickening, and sometimes killing people, especially in the older demographic. I want to do everything I can to not be one of them, especially with so much else going on with my health.

While I can still get some reaction from the vaccine, it’s much milder than it was initially. I chose to have the shot in my right arm, which is already pretty severely affected by what appears to be thoracic outlet syndrome, so my right arm is very sore today. I’m also fatigued, but it’s hard to tell if the shot is contributing to that or not, as that has also been part of my hEDS symptoms for a couple years now.

There’s a lot more to say, but I don’t have the energy and focus to write more now. Wishing you as much peace and equanimity as you can find in the midst of all of this.

One-Liner Wednesday: the root of war

“The root of war is fear.”
~~~ Thomas Merton

Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January and/or One-Liner Wednesday! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/01/07/one-liner-wednesday-jusjojan26-the-7th-i-hate-when-that-happens/

One-Liner Wednesday: for justice and peace for Ukraine

Image by Satheesh Sankaran from Pixabay

As we continue to hope and work toward justice and peace for Ukraine, I’m sharing a recording of John Rutter’s “A Ukrainian Prayer” recorded in April ’22 by the Madrigal Choir of Binghamton.

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednsdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/08/20/one-liner-wednesday-you-know-youre-tired-when/

One-Liner Wednesday: supporting Ukraine

Slava Ukraini!

This message of support for Ukraine’s sovereignty from me, one among millions of like-minded Americans, is brought to you by Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays. Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/02/19/one-liner-wednesday-if-i-didnt-laugh-id-cry/

Memorial Day

(Photo by Lucas Sankey on Unsplash)

Today is observed as Memorial Day in the United States, set aside to honor all those who died in the armed services.

One of our neighbors has turned their front yard into a memorial for the day with small flags in rows and a sign listing the last names of those killed in recent US military actions, starting with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Remembering them and all who have died in service of the United States today and hoping for peace and comfort for the families who grieve their loss.

Also, praying for peace so that no more deaths will be added to those already suffered over the centuries.

Revisiting a poem on Ukraine

In the early weeks of this most recent phase of the war Russia is waging against Ukraine, Lorette Luzajic of The Ekphrastic Review chose Carousel, a 1906 painting by the Ukrainian artist Olexandr Murashko, as the prompt for the biweekly Ekphrastic Writing Challenge.

I was honored that she chose my poem for inclusion in a powerful set of responses.


In Kyiv

‘round and ‘round
the sisters
on the carousel

up and down
smiling
until

the earth shakes
the horses fall
the bloodied flee

or fight

~~~ Joanne Corey


I’m sorry that, nearly two years later, the Ukrainian people are still suffering this terrible invasion. I call on all freedom-loving nations to continue to support Ukraine without delay and without letting would-be authoritarians or autocrats get in the way. I particularly call on the United States Congress to pass an aid package without preconditions or extraneous amendments.

Human needs are much more important than political points.
*****
Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2024/01/25/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-25th-2024/

Christmas ’23

I’ve been struggling with whether or not to write a post for Christmas Day.

Maybe, it’s because I’ve been struggling with just about everything related to Christmas this year.

For so many years, the Christmas season brought most of our extended family together, often over a period of days and in various constellations, but this year, it will be just me, spouse B, and daughter T at home together. Daughter E and her family are celebrating an ocean away at home in London. B’s and my siblings are all busily dealing with their families and/or medical issues.

This lack of planned travel and guests turned out to have a silver lining when T was offered a slot for a needed shoulder surgery last week due to a cancellation in the surgeon’s schedule. So, our already subdued Christmas plan got even quieter as we have factored in the early stages of recovery.

While I’ve done some of the Christmas preparations, like singing in Lessons & Carols with the Madrigal Choir of Binghamton, writing Christmas cards and letters, and some gift-shopping and wrapping, the bulk of the decorating, cooking, and baking has been handled by B, with an assist from T prior to her surgery.

I’m sure that my feeling more somber than festive is not helped by the state of the world. The continuing horrors of war in Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan, and elsewhere. The ever-increasing evidence of climate change impacts. The increasingly vile political rhetoric and threats against judges, Jewish people, Muslims, immigrants, pubic officials, etc. here in the US. The local battle against CO2 fracking with global implications here in the Southern Tier of New York. Increases in cases of flu and COVID in the Northern Hemisphere as winter sets in.

This somber time we face is also reflected in my religious observances. For many years, I was actively involved in music and liturgy planning for Advent and the Christmas season, but I haven’t been for a number of years now. While I still attend and participate in services, some of the anticipation and joy is muted for me.

It’s also true that there are many difficult issues raised by the nativity narrative that seem particularly salient to me this year. The real dangers that Mary faced as a young woman facing pregnancy before marriage. Her being forced to travel and give birth away from the comforts of home and neighbor-women who could come to her aid. The threats to her baby’s life. The slaughter of children ordered in an attempt to kill him. Fleeing to protect her child and their becoming refugees.

Angels and magi aside, there was a lot of pain, fear, and loss.

With all of this in my head, I went to 10 PM mass at my church for Christmas Eve. There was a photo of the baby Jesus amid rubble as displayed at a Palestinian-Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus on the West Bank, where Christmas observances usually draw crowds from around the world but are not being publicly held this year because of the war. The homily dealt directly with the struggle that I have been having this year and called on us to have hope. As part of the homily, we sang the first verse of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” near the beginning and the fourth, final verse at the end. We sang:

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in;
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels,
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!

Phillips Brooks

The message is to have hope because God, who is Divine and Eternal Love, is with all people of good will, as the angels announce.

I admit that hope is not one of my better virtues, but I will continue to add my actions, small though they are, in the efforts to make the world safer, more loving, more kind.

After all these centuries, still searching for the peace the angels proclaimed…

horror and sorrow

I don’t have words that adequately express my horror and sorrow at the death, injury, trauma, and destruction in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

We know that more will be added.

The fate of hostages that Hamas has taken is a primary concern for people around the world.

I understand that Israel is trying to warn civilians to leave northern Gaza before they invade but it’s impossible to re-locate so many people in such a densely populated area when there is a total embargo on bringing in aid, there is no electricity, there aren’t safe shelters, and the borders are sealed so they can’t leave Gaza. There are two million people in Gaza, about half of whom are children and teens. Only a tiny number are terrorists and militants. The vast majority are trapped and suffering.

We don’t know how this immediate situation will resolve but we do know that it is another chapter in a decades-long struggle. We don’t know when or if there will be a resolution that brings about lasting peace.

I am also struggling with reports of attacks against Jews and Muslims around the world. I know in the United States many synagogues and temples are being offered extra security as they prepare for Sabbath services.

All the major religious traditions teach peace. Secular philosophers teach peace. How can some still not hear that message and live it?