I recently watched the German made movie Look Who’s Back released in 2015 and based on the Timur Vermes novel of the same name that was published in 2012.  In the  movie Adolf Hitler returns from the dead and finds himself laying on the ground of where his World War II Bunker was and he is staring at the sky.  As Hitler interacts with random Germans throughout the film they first are astonished by his dedication to character, as they assume he is performing a theatrical stunt, and subsequently find themselves guiltily laughing at his over the top bigoted statements.  But slowly more Germans, who according to the film reviews I read were often real people, begin to agree with Hitler’s xenophobia and commit their allegiance to his purity of race ideology.

The insidiousness of the transformation of regular hard working good natured people into agreement with how much better their society would be if they could simply rid themselves of the undesirable races was chilling.

Hitler’s coy transformation from a person considered to be a stunning comedian…to a political following and movement morphed so adroitly that if you were not paying attention you would not have known when it happened.

At one point Hitler enumerated the many frustrations that the German people were undergoing, such as; youth unemployment, old age unemployment, and an influx of refugees as this “being a time that I can work with.”

How uncomfortably close this movie hit home both in the similar issues confronting Germany and Europe and the United States. I was reminded of the Hannah Arendt book about the Adolf Eichman trial “The Banality of Evil.”

The sameness, the mediocrity, and the Conformity of the protecting of a large number of hard working, church attending, similar in political ideology and ethnicity is easy and comforting…as long as you are in the protected group!

The real Hitler was first thought of as a dangerous joke.  He traveled from that to the beatified savior of Germany…the Fuhrer.  When did the transformation happen…where were the good, industrious people who loved God and loved their neighbors…as themselves?

The concept of time travel has always fascinated me.  The idea that if Einstein’s Theory was correct time may indeed be the fourth dimension.  Quantum Physics is mind expanding.  I wonder how I missed it when I was in school.

When I retired I found that I had the time to connect with some old friends that I had not seen or communicated with in many years.  When Mary Jane and I re-connected with  our friends from the early seventies, Margo and Jeff, it was as if we had traveled in time.  Our former association and friendship was as if there had been no gap of twenty-five years.  We have traveled with them on several occasions and thoroughly enjoyed their company!

Facebook is a wonderful vehicle for bringing old friends together!  I was able to communicate with my old friend Jim A. from our school days.  He is such and nice person and someone that I have always admired.  We have talked about our mutual affection for target shooting.

Jane B. often comments on my Facebook posts and how she enjoys them.  I can remember her from my first day of first grade along with Debbie C.  They were so nice to me and made me feel welcome in the beginnings of my education experience…and I had more than a little trepidation at the outset having not attended kindergarten and recently moving from Chicago and my mother and father experiencing domestic problems and shortly after divorcing.

Recently I have communicated with my old friend Jeff D.  Jeff has experienced some serious health issues.  However his attitude is inspiring!  Jeff is one of my church friends from the early seventies.  Whatever Jeff tells me…I take to the Bank…as the old saying goes.  As we talk in 2016 Jeff seems to me just as he did over forty years ago…a very sincere, candid, caring individual.  Jeff is a Marine veteran.  I have such great respect for the Marines and the high standard of excellence that they uphold.  Jeff is wonderful example of the excellence of the Marines!

As I talk with these old friends I am transported back to our origins…to the feelings…and thoughts and joys of that time.

I have often heard it said that just prior to a persons death…that their life flashes before their eyes…I can believe that this is the case.  I think that our life experience is a seamless narrative from birth to death.

Every Sunday evening there were three television shows that I watched when I was a child.  Lassie, Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, and Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom signaled to me that indeed the magnificent weekend was coming to a close and Monday morning and school were knocking at the door.  I cannot say that the sure knowledge of another week of school gave me a heart full of joy but these three shows made an indelible impression on my young mind.

Last week I was able to engage in one of my favorite pastimes which is walking through the luxurious Thompson Woods around Campus Lake at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Above is the Great Blue Herron, who a photographer friend of mine has named Herman.  Now we move on to the Land of the Turtles.

Finally the wonderful world of squirrels.

I continue to learn the lessons of peace and tranquility from the textbook of nature.

I just mowed my grass at the earliest date that I can remember, March 16!  I have never been a big fan of mowing…but have through the years formed a passing affection for the process.  There is something special about the smell of the first new mown grass of the season.  There is something special about spring.

Over the past few years of my retirement I have developed an appreciation for nature and its’ indescribable beauty.  Often I see parallels between nature and human life.  As I have become older…senior…which in school was to be desired…I have become aware of the chapters of human life.  What was important to me when I was twenty was very different from what I considered vital at forty.  Now, as I am approaching the grand door of sixty…I have time and inclination to focus on the beauty of life and my short chapter in its’ book.

Spring illustrates the promise of the renewal of life in all of its’ splendor.  The same could be said for our human life in that whatever comes our way…tomorrow is another day.  While you have life…you have hope and dreams that can still be realized.  Stopping is not an option.  The miracle of life must be savored and developed until the moment that it ends…and then much as the slowing and hibernation and death of nature in autumn and winter…so comes the promise of new life…in the spring.

Of late we have been hearing the often admired quality of “saying it like it is” attributed to one of our political candidates.  In the world of political double-talk and correctness this compliment is not often bestowed and usually must be earned by a lengthy history of one’s speech matching one’s actions.

Winston Churchill said, “Some people’s idea of free speech is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage.”

Churchill also said, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to set down and listen.”

Ronald Reagan said “There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers.  We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”

Abraham Lincoln said, “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.”

John F. Kennedy said, “The interaction of disparate cultures, the vehemence of the ideals that led immigrants here, the opportunity offered by a new life, all gave America a flavor and a character that make it as unmistakeable and as remarkable to people today as it was to Alexis de Tocqueville in the early part of the nineteenth century.”

Donald J. Trump said, “When Mexico sends its’ people, they’re not sending their best.  They’re not sending you.  They’re not sending you.  They’re sending you people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us.  They’re bringing drugs.  They’re bringing crime.  They’re rapist.  And some, I assume are good people.”

Trump said, “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.”

Trump referring to a protestor at one of his rallies said, “The guards are very gentle with him.  He’s walking out, like, big high-fives, smiling, laughing,  I’d like to punch him in the face, I tell ya.”

Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump said at a rally on the day of the Iowa caucuses,”So if you see someone getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of ’em, would you?  Seriously.  Okay?  Just knock the hell-I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees.  I promise.  I promise.”

This past Friday a Trump rally on the campus of the University of  Illinois at Chicago was cancelled due to violence.

According to Blickwink when speaking of another political leader who millions thought that, he said it like it was, “He was a high school dropout.  He had artistic ambitions.  He was Time magazine’s Man of the Year.  He slept a lot.  He never took off his jacket in public.  A real Don Juan type.  He liked being kicked.  He was afraid of blades.  He was a vegetarian.  He invented the concept of blow-up dolls.  He said, “If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.”

Although I was born is Chicago, Illinois my family moved back to Southern Illinois when I was five years old.  We moved to Eldorado, Illinois where I attended both Grade School and High School.  My first encounter with Southern Illinois University came when Theatre students came from the Carbondale Campus and performed a Play for our little school…probably about the time I was in first or second grade.  I was awe struck with the performers talent and skill and their beautiful singing.  It must have been a musical.  I determined at that very young age that SIU must be a very special place indeed!

Later it was my good fortune to be employed at SIU in Carbondale.  As I watched many first generation college students have their lives changed by the transforming miracle of higher education…I experienced my life changing as well!

I observed first hand the open door of opportunity to all peoples and all races with equal access to obtain what… not long ago… was only was available to royalty…the rich…and those privileged by birth.

I witnessed many students in  wheel chairs …the deaf…those whose challenges met with only closed doors in society…come through the wide doors of opportunity at Southern Illinois University!

Could it really be true that educational possibility was available to all peoples and not just the wealthy upper class?

Last week we were shocked to hear that our beloved Junior College John A. Logan  was laying off 55 of its’ faculty and staff.  My son has a friend who received a lay off notice after seventeen years of service.  John A. Logan is a nationally recognized Junior College.

Yesterday we were appalled by the news that if the Governor of Illinois’ projected budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1st, holds, the Southern Illinois University system’s budget will be cut by:

SIUC – $22.856 million

SIUE – $14.074 million

School of Medicine – $8.799 million

System – $807,000

The budget reductions for next fiscal year come on the heels of an unprecedented “no budget” for this fiscal year that began July 1, 2015.  Yes, there has been no state money for state schools for over eight months…with no end in sight!  Many believe that there will be no state budget prior to the November elections.

Included in the draconian results of Southern Illinois University’s reduced budget for next fiscal year are according to the SIU System Connection:

“-The elimination of 180 faculty, Administrative Professional, and Civil Service Staff-

-Eliminates academic programs, reduces more than 400 classes, and increases time to  graduation-

-Reduces support services for students, particularly underrepresented populations-

-Reduces student employment that helps students pay for their own educational expenses-

-Merge four colleges into two colleges-

-Reduction of hours at Morris Library-the building will be closed up to 28 hours per week, including all day Saturday-”

Recently Chicago State University sent 900 lay off notices…their entire faculty and staff, due to the democratic senate and house not being able to agree on a budget with our republican governor.

Eastern Illinois University laid off 198 staff members in February due to there being no state budget.

Western Illinois University projects at least a lay off of 50 staff due to there being no state budget.

Our democratic House of Representatives is currently on a months’ recess.

Our Governor will escort, Friday, Republican Presidential candidate Ted Cruz to a Chicago fundraiser honoring the Governor where tickets begin at $500.00 apiece and going up to $40 thousand dollars to be deemed a Gold Sponsor which includes a photo opportunity and  a one year membership in the “Governor’s Council.”