ack’s Winning Words 4/29/21 

“If the rich could hire the poor to die for them, the poor would make a very nice living.”  Yiddish Proverb)  I could do a whole year of Yiddish proverbs.  They are funny, true and poignant…all at once.  When Jesus said, “The poor will always be with you,” He was saying that there will be a continuing need for the “haves” to be concerned for the “have nots.”  It’s not what God had in mind, but it’s economic reality  Even the racism of today can, in large part, have poverty attached to it.  It’s my feeling that God wanted people to share with each other, willingly, as there was need.  Have you ever known poverty?  ;-) Jack

FROM HUNGRY HOWIE:  When two Jews go into a room they come out with three opinions  The only thing you can get two Jews to agree on is how much a third should give to charity===JACK:  If I repeat that story, am I a racist?===H.H.:  There is a fine line between sarcasm, irony and easy banter. If you put this out there would be  blowback for sure.  The two I sent plays into stereotypes yours does not it plays into class relations ===JACK:  Is "classism" just "racism dressed in different clothing?===H.H.:  Yes it is. good point

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  oh, no, not you, too... it’s all raaaacism.  sorry, lebron, you are not addressing the real issue, which is gang violence, baby mamas, absent fathers (many dead or incarcerated), zero education.  we all have to live within the confines of society to succeed. it is not a race thing.===JACK:  We had this conversation at breakfast today.  America is a divided nation.  We tend to think that it's political, but peel to back (like a banana.  It comes down to racism.  It was like that when I was growing up; it may not be as severe as today, but it's still racism.===LIZ:  sorry, you live in the past. most people today are not racist, but they are sick of giving passes to people who continue to push the limits of civilized behavior... demanding, threatening, and rioting do not accomplish anything, except maybe to grow racism.  when the community starts building itself up instead of blaming others, there will be progress.===JACK:  What color are the people who push the limits of civilized behavior?  ...and (I just deleted the rest of my response considering it to be more divisive than constructive)===LIZ:  .i think you know what i mean... why do we have to tiptoe around discussing the obvious POOR CHOICES that much of the black community makes for themselves... and call it “racism” if anyone dares to talk about it?  herein lies the problem.  i would like to hear your response. we are thinking adults... and should be able to discuss this subject as such.  do you think biden’s banning menthol cigarettes is racist? i do.===JACK:  You're "pushing it" with the menthol thing.  Ciggies cause cancer...whatever flavor, and they cost money.  It's a health issue.  With regard to choices...what we choose to do today and in our tomorrows is what's important.  Yesterday was simply a learning experience.===LIZ:  not i... bought sig sauer 365 w/stimulus $. never dreamed i’d own a gun, tho my grandfather was a sharpshooter/collector. the defunding of police, support of riots last summer changed my mind. now i go to the range for sport. i’m pretty good. grandpa would be proud.  you have lived thru so much history... how can you not see where this is leading? i recall my german legal immigrant grandfather’s saying his german brother thought the nazis would do great things for germany. we know how that turned out.===JACK:  I do not try to change your Libertarian views, but personally I'm please that there are speed limits, that there are laws to protect me from contaminated food and water etc, etc.  Laws, generally, are for my protection.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  good one, Jack.  i just forwarded it to 7 friends and family members.===JACK:  Another one...."When you have coins in your pocket, you are smart, you are handsome, and you can sing well." ===SP:  Haha, thanks!     here is one more:  we should always try to walk a mile in someone else's shoes.    that way,  we will be a mile away and we will also have their shoes!😀===JACK:  Don't get me started.

FROM THE FISH IN NOVA SCOTIA:  I once saw a small collection of rabbinical stories and enjoyed them. My favorite (the only one I remember) was that a grandmother was standing on the dock with her grandson. A big wave came and swept him away. She pleaded with God for his safe return. Another wave swept over and deposited him dripping but healthy next to her. She looked him over, looked up at God, and said "He did have a hat!"===JACK:  The funniest jokes are the ones we tell on ourselves.  My Jewish friends tell "proverbs" that are especially funny to those who have experienced the situation.  

FROM WILLMAR REV:  God sure gave us a nice gift of His sharing with us.   

It’s been interesting driving the two-hours to Minneapolis in recent times seeing all the “help wanted” signs posted in the variety of work places along the way...seemingly the unemployment and pandemic supply of dollars is finding it more profitable in staying home. I could suppose too that business’s are booming so well that they can’t keep up with the demand and are in need of hiring more labor?!?! 0;-)===JACK:  Some job offers are limiting because of skill needed....others because wage does not pay for living expenses.  BTW, did you cash your stimulus check?  I did...although I didn't need to.  For others, it was a life saver.===REV:  Put in savings, but blessed a single mother of three with several hundred $$$ who’s husband is incarcerated for 20 years on rape and drug charges. She described a beautiful marriage until he became hooked on drugs that had not previously been apart of their marriage.  I feel tremendously blessed in recent years with house and cars paid, social security being received, along with a partial but very adequate salary from the church and community chaplain incomes. It’s now an opportunity to be a blessing in benevolent ways that I wasn’t able to be in those earlier years. As you and I say often, “To God be the glory!” 0;-)===JACK:  Let's sing it out loud...."Count your blessings, name them one by one.

FROM MD IN BSF:  My family was poor in my childhood.   Helping hands qto poverty were handled by the church and local community. The federal  or state governments do not do a good job of spending our money to help or  elevate these poor people. Obstacles in our life were fuel for achievement.===JACK:  There are different kinds of poverty.  Financial is one.  Poverty of a loving and caring family.  It was not easy during the Great Depression.  We were forced to move from our home and live for a time with some neighbors.  Depressing!  But we had a caring family.  Poverty in one sense, but not in another.  I cashed my (uneeded) stimulus check.  I shoulda done what a friend did...tuurn it over to the local Food Bank.===MD:  Perfect. The stimulus money goes from you (taxes)  to the government back to you (stimulus)  to charity. More efficient  and effective if the bureaucratic  thievery could be eliminated. You saw the depression devil and saw a way to a self determined successful life and career. Why do certain political factions of our society choose to keep the slaves on the  government dependent plantation? Is it money or power or both?===JACK:  During the Great Depression (in my formative years) I became an FDR Democrat, because they seemed to care for the poor.