Times, they are a changing. Change in inevitable. Change is good. Change sucks. One thing is for certain, change will touch all of us — some of us will welcome it with open arms, others will go down kicking and fighting.
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Random Thought Number One: Do you think the Russians are laughing at us? If they, as we were told for 18 months of Congressional Inquiries were responsible for swaying the 2016 Presidential Elections, do you think they are stoking the fires of unrest now?
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Random Thought Number Two: You know, we will really never know if shutting down the entire country and imposing quarantines on nearly everyone worked as the government says. We won’t know, because there is nothing to compare to. We do not know and only can presume that if we tackled the COVID as we had other pandemic-like viruses what the effect would have been. We don’t know if death numbers would have soared, or if the healthy bodies would have built up immunities.
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Number Three Random Thought: Second guessing and Monday Morning Quarterbacking are just like hindsight, perfect. Stop blaming the President. Stop blaming the governors just because you’re on the opposite political side. The media and politicians and medical experts have called the COVID thing, “unprecedented.” Which means, like never before.
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Just to show how divided we are in this country, here are two reactions to my column of last week, headlined, “Pillow Fights and Eating the Weak.”
Don’s Evidence, Exhibit #1.
“Best column of 2020, I really enjoyed reading it, well done!” An email from Dave.
Don’s Evidence, Exhibit #2.
“Don Rush, Looking through the latest issue of your paper, I did see a headline that caught my attention. As I proceeded to read, I felt your anger which then resulted in my own. I reread the article, set it aside, discussed it with a couple of people and waited until this morning to respond.
“As a retired educator I understand that it is important to set an example. Therefore, your points are clear in the article to young cub reporters but you forgot to edit it before it went to print. Taking that time may have changed your point of view a bit, but if it didn’t, it would have at least improved the quality of the article.
“Do you really think it is only kids protesting in our communities, our states and the world today? Do you really think we can’t improve on the way we do things and treat people without becoming wussies or pansies?
“Do you think burning down the city on Devil’s Night is a good thing? Do you really think the Detroit Piston Bad Boys were the toughest off the court? Do you really think we should always do the right thing out of fear? Do you really think independence and feeling real and alive comes from overpowering others?
“If you do feel these things, you have every right to do so in this country. I have faith and am sure there are more of those of us who do not agree with you.
“Expressing your feelings as the editor is your right. Doing it correctly is your job. Understanding the world you live in has changed since you lived in that lily-white community of Clarkston is your responsibility. I retired from teaching when I realized the educational world was going about things differently and I needed to let the next generation take on the responsibilities.
“Maybe you should think about that and evaluate your situation. Maybe living in that cabin in the woods would make you happier.
“We are in the midst of a global pandemic and many societal changes – I pray for all of us as we navigate through it and we work together in a manner that is best for everyone.” An email from a person who shall remain nameless.
I am amazed how different folks put different meanings into the words I throw together. I didn’t think I was angry when I wrote last week’s column. I know I am not angry now. Just goes to show, “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”

  don rush, don’t rush me