Where does racism belong?

Despite being fueled by populists and actual neo-nazis more and more people are convinced that racism isn't normal. Some state it belongs in the past but I say it belongs nowhere. Not in the past, not on the workfloor or the supermarket and not on the police force.

(Now ex-) Cops in the American city of Torrance were caught spray painting a swastika (click) in a suspect's car in april 2021. December 2021 Torrance police officers were caught sending eachother text messages that showed they're racists. Cases in which suspects were handled with brute force and police officers from the Torrance district acted as witnesses in the courtroom are now being re-investigated.

And that's good. Violence against suspects should never be condoned. When they are treated worse than others, just because the colour of their skin is darker than that of said police officers, it's a sign that racism runs deep.

Unfortunately not just in the Torrance police force but also in other police forces, on the workfloor, in the supermarket and other places where people fear others just because of the colour of their skin.

Here's a clip that shows that people - no matter the colour of their skin - don't have to be afraid of cops, like they are in 'the land of the free':

It may have been 'normal' to be scared of people who look different from us, some 30,000 years ago when it was of vital importance to belong to a group of people but most people have evolved into people who know that there's only one race of people these days: the human race.

Unfortunately, some have not evolved.

How can we help racists evolve into normal, caring people?

I think we should start with calling racists racists. 

I'd like you to share your thoughts and ideas on the matter. 

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Let's go get Al

Do you believe it will all be ok?

I've named this ladder 'Al Gore's solution'

for a reason.

So come with me to ride it out.

Can Al come?

Sure! I'm sure Al will make a great addition. Just put him in the back.

We'll have to pick him up first.

Al's not your ladder? Okay. Where is Al?

Last time I saw him, he was in the barn, chasing his own tail.

There's always room for people who chase their own tale.

Let's go get Al.

Yes,

let's go get Al.

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Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

How should an apology be made?

It's almost the end of the year. According to the calender used in the white, Anglo-Saxon part of the world. Traditionally people contemplate their lives and maybe even realise they should apoligize for any wrongdoings.

When it's a genuine and heartfelt 'I am truly sorry, my beloved', that beloved person will know. If not, that person just may not love you back. Or is completely numb for signs like body language, intonation and facial expressions. 

Some recommend an apology to sound like this: 

Personally I would like an apology to be coming from the person him- or herself, not from a lifestyle coach or a behaviour therapist. It reminds me too much of the methods that pick up artists use when they practice in front of a mirror to look and sound sincere while they're preying on people they consider weak.

How would you like an apology to be made? And how do you apologize yourself?

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

No one is to blame (a poem in a picvoice)

In the dark nobody sees 

you're living in the shadows.

You can turn a corner 

but it all looks the same

You can run through the boroughs,

chasing a flame.

You can treat life like a game,

changing the rules as you go

You could even change your name

but in the end you will find

that no one is to blame.

=======================

Also available as picvoice:

(Music: Ad Visser - Ouverture in S)

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Is the law for everyone or just for people who don't look like you?

Good news is that finally right wing extremists have to answer for their loathful behaviour. In Florida three people got jailtime for commiting voter fraude. So I guess Trump and his sheep were right: there was voter fraude in the 2020 elections: three of his fans were caught casting their votes twice. The three are white, elderly rich people. Not exactly the demographic group their hero had in mind when he said: 'They are committing voter fraud (click)!' One of them got arrested while being on a luxury cruiseship. All three are residents of The Village in Florida. You know, that neighbourhood with nice white old people who call themselves christians.

I guess their defense will state they were only sheep who simply did what their Great Leader ('Führer' in German) asked them to do (click).

Also in America a self proclaimed 'Proud Boy' was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for breaking the law. And not regretting it. He went to Portland to fight protesters and used excessive force to hurt innocent people. The judge didn't agree with his 'defense': self-defence. People who defend themselves do not travel for miles, armed and all, to simply hurt anyone who has a different skincolour than they and claim 'self-defense'. If you still feel sorry for 51 years old Alan Swinney, I reccomend you read this article.  

Even members of government bodies don't escape their racially based conducts anymore. Like in Sweden where former Immigrant Minister Inger Stojberg (click) got jailtime for illegaly separating married immigrant couples. 

'When you break the law, you go to jail.' Isn't that what white rightwing people like to say? 

What do you think: should the law be applicable to anyone or just to people who don't look like you?

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Before (a poem. Now as a picvoice!)

Something in the way her hair moved

when she rode her bike.

Something in the way she smiled

when she looked at a random child

playing with its mother.

Something in the way

she didn't seem to notice

an upcoming truck.

Something in the way

she pulled on her brakes

and put her feet on the street,

almost falling over,

smiling at her own clumsy self,

taking her time to continue her way.

There was something about her

that told him

- with absolute uncertainty -

he had never seen her before.

===================

Now in a picvoice!

(Music: Bicycle Race - Queen)

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

The world needs leaders who think like scientists and act like entrepeneurs

Countries need strong leaders. Leaders who know when to listen. To the people but also to scientists. A real leader convinces his people to think for themselves and to rely on people with actual knowledge of the subject on hand if they're unsure what to do.

In the USA a leader told his people not to listen to scientists. Unfortunaly the people listened and thousands upon thousands died. Because they believed in their Great Leader. A leader who secretly didn't listen to his own advice and got himself vaccinated. Recently it was discovered he not only contracted the virus but willingly affected others while knowing he had it. When he was treated for Covid-19, healing him (click) cost the American taxpayer over half a million dollar. Fun fact, eh?

'Yes, but also vaccinated people died so vaccins don't work.'

True. Just like people still die in car crashes despite wearing seat belts.

But a lot less than befote seat belts were mandated.

The people of Turkey believed in their Great Leader ('Führer' in German) to help the economy. In stead of taking advice from the countries best economists he convinced his people and himself that his own economic theory should be put in practice. Consequential the Turkish Lira plummeted in value (over 30 percent in just two months) and the people of Turkey are getting hungry because their wages and allowances like pension or not sufficient to pay for basic necessities like rent and food.

'Erdogan believes that high interest rates cause high inflation – the exact opposite of conventional economic thinking – and has insisted he would keep rates low.' is a quote from this article (click) on the subject.

The government of Sweden listened to the people (click) and didn't issue a lockdown or mandate facemasks. Until it was too late and thousands of Swedes had died. Unnecessarily. A lot more per thousand civilians than neighbouring countries with leaders who díd listen to scientists. 

Also when it comes to climate change, the leaders of the world tend to listen to the people but mostly to the few largest companies that have everything to gain by not making the shift from depleting the Earth from oil and coal to using more renewable sources. If governments don't start listening to scientists in stead of personal friends in the oil and coal industry, the planet and our children will suffer the consequences.

Unfortunately the world seems stuck with leaders like Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte who held a speech at the 2021 Climate Change summit in Glasgow: 'It's true that the government of The Netherlands should talk less and do more about climate change; let's talk about it some more.' 

The world needs - and deserves - leaders who think like scientists and think like entrepeneurs.

Read this article to learn more.

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Shared by a few (a poem)

I miss you, darling.

And the smell of mascara 

mixed with that of stale beer and sweat 

in a dressing room in the early morning. 

When complete strangers have become friends for life 

for one glorious night. 

And give eachother a final hug 

before they put on their shades and go out. 

Into the dawn of a new day. 

With a grin and the memory of a secret, 

only shared by a few.

===============================

And here the same piece in my voice,

with a picture and music. 

Real Gone by Sam Taylor & His all time Jazz:

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

About cause and effect

Have you heard that joke about the doctors who didn't believe in vaccines, held a conference about alternative treatments and contracted COVID-19? It's not a joke:

Seven anti-vaccine doctors fell sick after gathering earlier this month for a Florida “summit” at which alternative treatments for Covid-19 were discussed.

Turns out: in stead of taking Ivermectine, not contracting the virus and claiming that's because of Ivermectine you might as well state: 'Every Sunday I walk around with a banana in my ear and I am still alive. That proves that habit works against dying.'

You see? Even smart people can make the mistake to find a correlation where there is none.

Famous example: in a certain American state there were a lot of arsons. It also happened to be a state with a large density of people of colour. People drew the conclusion that black people must be causing arsons. Makes sense, right? Wrong. Turned out that because there were a lot of people of colour, the Ku Klux Klan was very active in the region and they made a hobby out of setting houses, cars, crosses, churches and sometimes even people on fire.

People also falsely assumed - and still do - that people of colour more often than white people, are prone to committing crimes. Not true. It's mostly a matter of racial profiling.

'Yeah, but numbers don't lie!' No, but people do. And numbers are often either incomplete or simply made up.

Recently people noticed that a lot of people who are in IC with symptoms of Covid are vaccinated and 'that proves vaccins don't work!' No, it doesn't. Following the same logic one could state that seatbelts don't work because 'almost every person that got killed in a car accident was wearing a seatbelt. That proves seatbelts don't work!'

See how stupid that is?

If you still don't, let me give you another example:

'When the number of storks went down, so went the number of babies being born. That proves storks deliver babies.'

So please think carefully before you share a conclusion, based on numbers. It there really a correlation?

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon