One of the holiest days of the year is fast approaching. Are you ready? Remember the true meaning of Pearl Harbor Day!

The U.S. government planned, prepared for, and provoked a war with Japan for years, and was in many ways at war already, waiting for Japan to fire the first shot, when Japan attacked the Philippines and Pearl Harbor. What gets lost in the questions of exactly who knew what when in the days before those attacks, and what combination of incompetence and cynicism allowed them to happen, is the fact that major steps had indisputably been taken toward war but none had been taken toward peace.

We are all grieving. We grieve the loss of our normal freedom to come and go; to hug a friend; to sit in “The Shoe” with 80,000 other people cheering the Buckeyes; to gather at our local watering hole and share an evening with friends old and new.

Yes, we are all grieving. Some of us have lost loved ones to COVID. For us, the grieving process will have to play out. We are all pissed of at “the stupid virus” as my 6-year-old grandson calls it. Many of us have moved past denial into acceptance. It sucks, but it is what it is.

We’ve become expert negotiators, bargaining for a better deal: “I’ll wear the mask in the grocery store but not in the park.” Of course, there IS no entity to bargain with, there’s only a very cagey virus that takes advantage of the ignorance of a few to wreak havoc on our country.

You did it! You flexed your electoral muscles and made history. Marijuana voters – all 13+ million of you, along with your legions of supporters – passed a full range of ballot issues and elected or reelected pro cannabis candidates. Let’s take a look:

Overall Vote. According to Bloomberg, as of 11/27/20, a record 156.7 million votes had been counted, with 4 million more to go. If these numbers hold, over 160 million voters or roughly 70% of the citizen voting population will have turned out for the 2020 election. Comparatively, that’s 38 million more than the 2018 midterms. At 82%, the highest voter turnout belongs to Colorado, undeniably a stoner state, and while only 53% of Ohioans cast ballots in 2018, 67% went to the polls in 2020.

In a few words, a close associate of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, summed up the logic behind the ongoing frenzy to expand illegal Jewish settlements in Israel.

“These days are an irreplaceable opportunity to establish our hold on the Land of Israel, and I’m sure that our friend, President (Donald) Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu will be able to take advantage,” Miki Zohar, a member of the Likud Party was quoted in the Christian Science Monitor. 

Friday, November 27, 7pm, this event will be live-streamed on “Facebook Live”

Facebook Event

Join Bill Cohen and friends as they sing about many things that we may be thankful for: friends, family, freedom, nature, music, art, and more. These tunes from the 1940’s, ’50’s, ’60’s, and ’70’s will warm your heart and make you feel good. This year’s show will be live-streamed online. Go to Facebook and search for the page called “Bill Cohen Sings.”

The concert is free, but we’ll welcome contributions to the International Medical Alliance, an all-volunteer group of doctors, nurses, and medical students who provide free medical care to impoverished villagers along the Haiti/Dominican border. Bill’s wife Randi serves as a team’s interpreter.

Use this link to attend the concert.

Use this link to donate to the International Medical Alliance.