Richard,

Channeling our inner Tevye, aren't we?

One indicator of a maturing society is that it tosses out traditions that have become useless or downright dangerous to the populace and the ecosystem.  Let me enumerate a few.

1. Female and Male Genital Mutilation

2. Child Marriage

3. Corporal Punishment

4. Honor Killings

5. Bullfighting

6. Animal Fighting

7. Animal Tourism

8. Greyhound Racing

I am sure, Richard, that you and other readers out there can add to the list, some more horrific than others.  And yes practicioners of the above claim entitlement by ethnicity, religion, pure righteousness, amusement, etc.  

We have a lot of growing up to do to practice the Golden Rule. 

Dick

 

D. Crook,

One tour in Vietnam cured me of any attraction to fireworks.

Dick

Carol,

Thanks for the very interesting and compelling suggestions for  entertainment at celebrations that do not involve blowing stuff up. We already have to much noise in our lives.

You may be familiar with the Navajo proverb: 

"Before me peaceful, behind me peaceful, under me peaceful, over me peaceful, all around me peaceful."

Dick

Taimi,

How right you are.  There is a tipping point at which taking logical steps to protect our citizens, as with banning fireworks, becomes obvious to all (or mostly all) and a surge of similar actions becomes much easier and more widespread.  This happened in the late 70s when I worked on the first ban on smoking in restaurants that was eventually passed in Howard County Maryland where I lived.  That also took years to accomplish but 50 years later, smoking bans abound in countries around the world.  

Dick

Marcia,

I was surprised to see your comment that referred to Hannah Arendt, a personage whose writings are rarely, if ever, found as references in NWCitizen articles or in the comments made by the readers.  Arendt's lecture THINKING AND MORAL  CONSIDERATIONS (a rather turgid piece I must warn as are most of Arendt's writing) might inform our readers regarding your statement, "I am a member of a philosophy club and have been studying Hanna Arendt and the idea of totalitarianism being seeded by the idea of the Banality of Evil and especially of the loneliness of masses of people who no longer think for themselves."  By thinking Arendt means critical thinking, not just having passing thoughts about this or that.  

Dick

 

 

I just received this email from Rep Rick Larsen (2nd Dist) who states his support for the Major Richard Star Act.  

Dick

----------------------------------------------

From: Rep. Rick Larsen <Rick.Larsen@mail.house.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2026 11:10 AM
Subject: Responding To Your Mail

 

Dear Richard:

Thank you for contacting me about the Major Richard Star Act. It is critical to my work to hear from you and I welcome the opportunity to write to you.

Washington’s Second Congressional District is home to more than 59,000 veterans. I am committed to ensuring those who served in the Armed Forces have access to the resources and services they need. Since taking office, I have held over 70 roundtables for veterans to hear directly about how I can better serve them.

I support the Major Richard Star Act, which would ensure combat-disabled uniformed service retirees with fewer than 20 years of service receive veterans’ disability compensation and retired pay or combat-related special compensation. Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind should Congress consider further legislation to support veterans.

Thank you again for contacting me. I appreciate hearing from you. Please continue to reach out.

If you are interested in receiving periodic updates about my work in Congress, please sign up for my newsletter by clicking here . I also invite you to follow me on Facebook , Bluesky, Instagram and YouTube.

Sincerely,

Rick Larsen
United States Representative
Washington State, 2nd District 

Readers,

I wrote the following about a decade ago in response to those who want to thank veterans for their service.  (Click here for the article) My desire is...  

- That you participate as a citizen in government at some level

- That you write to your representatives on issues of importance to you

-  That you discuss politics and government with your family at the dinner table

-  That you expose your children to the process of government at city or county council meetings

-  That you take your family to visit the state capital or our nation's capital to learn it workings

-  That you ensure that civics and government is taught in our schools

-  That you take your children to historic sites and explain their significance

-  That you value the teaching of history and critical thinking skills

-  That you demand our nation care for the men and women it has sent to war

-  That you vote and, moreover, that you vote for men and women of peace

Richard,

This from the article "Understanding the Major Richard Star Act".

"DoD retirement pay and VA disability compensation are different benefits created for two distinct reasons. Retirement pay compensates the retiree for the years of service sacrificed to defend this nation. In contrast, VA disability pay compensates for the loss of future earned income due to service-connected disabilities. 

"Congress allows close to a million retired veterans with 20-plus years of service and a disability rating of 50% or higher to receive both their retirement pay and VA compensation. The Major Richard Star Act would provide the same opportunity to the 54,000 veterans who were FORCED to retire because of combat or combat-related injuries."

These 50,000 or so vets are not getting over on anyone.  In fact, it is all the other combat-injured vets who are getting over on the 50,000.  The Act would even the playing field.  

Dick

D. Crook,

You are most welcome.  Your comments are reminiscent of the poem Tommy by Kipling, especially the last stanza which reads:

"You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!" 

Dick

Richard,

When a private entity takes over the management of a government program like Medicare to enrich itself at the expense of the people who paid into the program and who are then denied treatment and services, the program has been privatized.  Medicare Advantage (MA), Direct Contracting Entities (DCE) and Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) siphon off hundreds of billions of dollars in profits from Medicare dollars that could have been used for health care to directly assist the beneficiaries.  It is a privatization scheme created by Bush II and nursed along by Obama, Trump and Biden.  Traditional Medicare uses a very small percentage of Medicare dollars to run its operations.  These bastardized versions of Medicare  claim to save money and enhance health care but the cost to the beneficiaries for these confiscatory "management" services goes way beyond that of Traditional Medicare.  Money saved by getting rid of these parasitic privateers would allow Traditional Medicare beneficiaries to get additional services such as dental and vision.  There is no need to filter Medicare funds through a third party MA, DCE or ACO whose "management" costs far exceed those of Traditional Medicare.   

Read again my article in its entirety and explore the links I provided.  They will backup what I have said in my article.