Things that need to be said

Three thoughts for the day

FIRST, history has a way of repeating itself.  One of the key lessons the world learned 80 years ago was this:  It took a combined effort of a dozen nations and 2 million troops to break thru the German forces at Normandy.  Today, Ukraine's fight against Russia has been sustained by another group of nations.  This coalition, of course, consists of NATO alliance members.  Hitler's goal of dominating Europe in 1944, and Putin's goal of expanding his nation's borders today, are eerily similar.  Clearly, the first goal began to unravel on D-Day.  The question now is this:  Will NATO allow the second goal to happen?  

SECOND, I commend two Bay Area figures, VP Kamala Harris and Warriors basketball coach Steve Kerr, for teaming up with students to help prevent gun violence.  While their efforts are important, I don't believe they go far enough.  

Harris and Kerr should be lobbying President Biden to convene a gun summit at Camp David.  Invited participants would include leaders of the National Rifle Association, 2nd Amendment proponents, law enforcement officials and families of victims.

Impossible you say?  Isn't that what Jimmy Carter's staff told him before he invited old warriors Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Menachem Begin of Israel to Camp David in 1978?  It may have taken them nearly two weeks to hammer out a peace agreement, but their  hard work still is paying dividends today.  The same could be true if Joe Biden calls for a 2024 gun summit at Camp David. 

I respect Harris and Kerr for teaming up to prevent gun violence.  Isn’t it time for them to double-team Biden?

AND THIRD, here’s my answer to the Orange County Register’s Question of the Week. "Was Trump’s guilty verdict correct?"

The answer to your question is yes.  The jury heard testimony from several Trump insiders who knew about the hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels which, in and of itself, is not a crime in New York.  But, like the old saying goes, the cover-up was worse than the crime.  That crime, of course, was for the purpose of influencing the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.  Was the former president treated fairly?  Yes, he had the opportunity to testify in his own defense, but declined.  Despite his daily protests of a rigged trial, the jury found the former president guilty of 34 felony counts.  As is his right, I'm sure he will appeal the verdict.  This is how our system of justice is supposed to work.

As always, feel free to send me your comments.

-DF