Aretha Franklin

Hello all.

I have been in New Jersey/ Manhattan for a month and jet lagged and busy since my return so I have not published anything for some time.
In the last 10 days, 2 American icons, Aretha Franklin and John McCain have passed away and I wanted my first new post to be about them
Aretha’s death really touched me; I’ve been a groupie and admirer of hers since I was 16. She was my favorite R&B/ soul singer and her voice and spirit were unique. Her funeral was a celebration of music and love and you should google it  (yes, google’s also a verb!) if you can.

I’m including a link to a Washington Post article about her.. I had wanted to post only the links to the first 2 videoclips but there is only a link to the entire article. However, I suggest you only listen to the videoclips embedded in the article unless you’re very interested and ambitious.

CLICK HERE

My list of favorite Republicans is certainly shorter than my list of favorite R&B singers, but McCain was definitively at the top of that list.  I think he was every Democrat’s favorite Republican because he was a man of great principles and courage. He didn’t care about parties, only his convictions, so 3 of his best friends, Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden, Obama’s VP and Joe Lieberman were Democrats. (in general, he was a hawk, cause of his military background, conservative on fiscal issues and moderate to progressive and humanitarian on social issues).

I will try to find a videoclip or 2 on McCain for another post..

The funerals of Aretha and McCain were both impressive and implicit rebukes ( reproches) of Trump in very different ways. Hers highlighted the richness of what African American culture has brought the country despite or perhaps because of their unspeakable suffering and abuse, something Trump
has never gotten.  Of course, he didn’t attend even though she hadn’t specifically asked him not to but because, unlike the Clintons, he knew he wouldn’t be comfortable there!

As for McCain, he and Trump were enemies. With a very fine intelligence and irony, McCain actually planned his funeral as a slap in the face to Trump. He invited Obama and Bush and asked them to be speakers but specifically asked Trump not to attend. His anger at Trump was justified not only because of his principles but also because Trump mocked him and said cruel things about him even after he knew McCain was dying. Several of the eulogies, his daughter Meghan’s, Obama’s Lieberman’s, and even Bush’s speeches, were implicit contrasts between McCain and Trump, without
 mentioning Trump’s name! You should google Obama’s on YouTube if you have time.. He is such an
eloquent and clear speaker..

I wouldn’t be surprised if, after these 2 funerals, Trump’s polls ( encuestas sobre intencion de voto) drop even more.
PS Apologies if you tried to read this before. My new iPad does very strange things. Still now sure if it’s okay