Rushing's Ramblings

After many years of avoiding libraries, I finally obtained a library card. When I entered Hampton Branch at Oak Hill Library today, I encountered Frank, a friend who lives in my apartment complex. Frank and his wife worked diligently to improve the Hampton Branch library grounds. They also successfully advocated that the library be named after William Hampton, a beloved attorney-community activist murdered in 1996. The library sits in a beautiful, established neighborhood surrounded by inviting trails meandering through open fields with a gigantic Live Oak tree gracing the front entrance.  A gazebo adjacent to the building provides a quiet, shaded place for reading or contemplation.  The first time I entered the library felt like coming home after many decades of being away.  Although I’ve belonged to various book and writing clubs for several years, I would lazily order the selected books through Amazon.  I would then give the books to my mother, who horrifyingly th...

I Read The Paris Library today, inspired by the true story of courageous Paris librarians during World War II. The author, Janet Skeslien Charles, explained in the Author's Note, "I wanted to explore the relationships that make us who we are, as well as how we help and hinder one another. The foreign staff and subscribers of the Library were considered "enemy aliens," and several were interned [after the Nazi occupation of Paris]. Jewish subscribers were prohibited from entering the Library, and many were later killed in concentration camps. A friend said she believes that in reading stories set in World War II, people like to ask themselves what they would have done. I think a better question is what can we do now to ensure libraries and learning are accessible to all and that we treat people with dignity and compassion."  Amen, sister. I always spend a few hours or days pondering what a book means to me, especially books as profound as this one. The main chara...

Want to know why people are leaving organized religion in droves? It's the open display of hypocrisy on issues like pro-life, inclusiveness, and equality. Their support of politicians who reflect this faux Christianity is another reason many don't want anything to do with churches, especially Evangelical congregations. I have admired and loved many gay couples who have been together for years, unlike my shameful record of numerous short-term heterosexual relationships! I could care less about who people love or what they do in private unless they are hurting someone else, and that has nothing to do with their sexual orientation.   Recently, 1800 United Methodist Churches split to form their anti-LBGQTIA churches under the Global Methodist Church. Over 400 of those church separations are in Texas. How is that following Jesus's example of being inclusive? How do gay relationships hurt anyone? When are the Christians today going to start following in the footsteps of Jesus? I...

Texas public schools are under attack by far-right activists and wealthy donors who have bought many Texas legislators, including Dan Patrick and Greg Abbott. They aim to channel public school funding to charter schools, preferably evangelical, faith-based ones. For the past few years, those with this agenda have been disrupting school board meetings and running candidates to serve on those boards who share their beliefs. They are also actively calling for banning books about anything not agreeing with their extreme religious-based, conservative agenda (race, sexual orientation, etc.) Millions of dollars are poured into these supposedly "non-partisan" elections. One of the main reasons I moved from Llano County to Austin was the movement to ban books from Llano County's public libraries. This same group,  leaders of the Llano County Republican Party, caused a significant disturbance in trying to oust the Horseshoe Bay Property Owners Association Board on which I served. T...