Growing up in West Virginia has had it’s up’s and down’s, especially being a gay man as i am. I’ve faced homophobia but not much, I’ve been accepted by many.  West Virginia is different than we’re portrayed to be. We’re portrayed as ignorant bigoted hillbillies, while that can be true of a few, it’s not the case with many. Many of us are progressives who love diversity and people. I’ve said many times I’ve hated West Virginia but deep inside of me i love West Virginia. West Virginia is one of America’s most beautiful states. West Virginia has some good people living here. Do i think West Virginia needs to progress some? Absolutely and i think we will. West Virginia, my beautiful home state….

The infighting in the Democratic Party has begun. Bernie wing vs the Moderate wing. The infighting accomplishes only one thing: It helps Donald Trump. It takes the attention away from his disastrous presidency. Both sides need to stop the infighting. Wait until the primaries begin and then start the debate on who’s better and who’s not better. Right now we need to focus on one person: Donald Trump or as i and others like to call him, Julius Geezer. Just stop the infighting.

This Christmas i wish for:  A more humane country that has compassion for other people. A country that is more humane towards immigrants. A country that is more humane towards black and brown people. That’s my Christmas wish this year. I wish our country was more humane towards people. My Christmas wish…I hope it comes true. We need  humanity and compassion more now than ever before.  I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

The 2020 Presidential election isn’t very far away. It’s still a ways to go but not that far. Donald Trump will likely seek reelection and try to win another 4yrs. We as Americans need to ask ourselves: What kind of a country do we wanna live in? Do we wanna live in a country that jails babies? Do we wanna live in a country that is mean to people of color? Do we wanna live in a country that is full of hatred and bigotry? We make the decision on what kind of a country we wanna live in. We vote people into office.  We will have to make a decision in 2020 on what kind of a country we wanna live in. Do you wanna continue going in the direction we are going in? Or….Do you wanna go into another direction that is full of love and and a better America? We have to make a big decision in 2020. I truly hope we reach for our better angels and go into a direction full of love. I know that America can be better and i hope America proves me right in 2020. We can and must be better.

White Supremacy is dangerous and sadly it still exists in America. Donald Trump, the *President of the United States is a white supremacist himself. We must stand up against white supremacy and say no to hatred. White Supremacy exists in the criminal justice system and that’s why we need criminal justice reform. We (white people) need to stand up and speak up. We white people need to support our black friends and fight for a better America where innocent black lives aren’t murdered by police.  The Black community has been saying for a few years now that racism exists in the criminal justice system but white people didn’t believe it and some still don’t believe it. Those who don’t believe it are wrong. Racism absolutely does exist in the criminal justice system and it has for years but we didn’t realize until it got worse and was very noticeable. We must create a fair country for black and brown people. We must. It’s an absolute must. It has to happen in order to change things. Black people are tired of being murdered by law enforcement. I’m tired of seeing innocent black lives murdered for nothing. They are murdered for simply being black and that’s racism. It has to stop. I’m gonna end this post with a simple question: Are you tired of it yet?

I have some 2020 thoughts. What kind of candidate Democrats need in 2020: A Grassroots Progressive candidate. No corporatists/neoliberals. Platform: Medicare For All, Criminal Justice Reform, LGBTQ Rights, Climate Change, Legalization of Marijuana, Immigration, etc. Run a Progressive. The Democratic Party will need progressive voters to win in 2020. That’s why Hillary lost in 2016: Progressive voters voted 3rd party because they did not like her. Run a candidate they like.

It’s progressive or bust for me in 2020. I want a real progressive who is for the people not corporatist neoliberal hacks. I voted Clinton in ’16 because the election was so important and i didn’t like Trump. That won’t happen again in 2020. For me to support a candidate they must support: Black Lives Matter, Criminal Justice Reform, Climate Change, Medicare For All. They also must not accept PAC money. They have to be a “people’s candidate.” Your choice, Democrats. Do you want voters like me or not? Do you want another 4yrs of Trump? It’s your choice, Democrats.

White Privilege exists and we must talk about it. White Privilege is: When a white man threatens to kill a police officer and gets away with it. White Privilege is: When unarmed black men get murdered by law enforcement but white men who rape women get no jail time and gets away free. White Privilege is: When Dylan Roof kills black people in a church and gets rewarded with Burger King food but unarmed black man Eric Gardner gets choked to death for selling cigarettes “illegally.” White Privilege exists and we must talk about it. We as white people must address white privilege and call it out.

Colin Kaepernick should have a job in the NFL. He doesn’t because he protested injustice and the NFL blackballed him. White owners are uncomfortable with black players kneeling and protesting. It makes them uncomfortable. That’s why they don’t like it. People have suggested Kaepernick isn’t in the NFL because he’s not good enough: That’s BS. He’s better than some of the starting QBs. He’s better than Mark Sanchez. He’s better than Colt McCoy. He nearly won a SB with San Francisco. So yeah, he’s good enough. He’s not playing because he makes white NFL owners uncomfortable. That’s the truth. I don’t see how anybody can deny that. It’s really obvious. Bottom line: Kaepernick should have a job. He’s good enough. The NFL is wrong in banning him. They are very wrong.

The *President is obstructing justice openly on Twitter. He’s also witness tampering according to lawyers/legal minds, including George Conway, Kellyanne Conway’s husband. Trump’s actions and tweets may suggest he’s finally realized that he’s in trouble and there’s no escaping. He may see the writing on the all. Everything suggests the walls are closing in and Trump finally realizes that and he’s in panic mode. Maybe he should’ve thought before colluding with Russia and Putin. As one political commentator put it, we aren’t at the end  of the Mueller probe yet, we are just at the beginning. Many questions remain and unanswered: What will Republicans do if Mueller has evidence of obstruction of justice and Russia collusion? How will America react? Those are unanswered questions that will soon be answered.  Mueller is coming.