Time to Think

A Message From The Old Dominion                          #259 By Hank Silverberg Virginians go to the polls on Tuesday. On the ballot is the entire General Assembly, along with many local offices like county sheriffs and school board members.  (Virginia Capitol Building)   So why does this matter to those outside Virginia? Answer: the state is a microcosm of the USA, with the  urban centers and D.C. suburbs up north predominately Democratic, and the rural Shenandoah Valley and southeast predominately Republican.   There has been more than a month of early voting, and my sources indicate about 59% of those who cast their vote early were Democrats (based on voter registration). Early voters have usually made up their minds way before they get to the voting booth, so logic would assume Democratic candidates have an advantage going into Election Day. So as usual, which ever party gets the remainder of their voters to the polls on November 7, will end up on top. A recent poll done by the S

Never Again?                                      #258 By Hank Silverberg Commentary You have seen the video on TV. Thousands of people protesting the war in Gaza that Israel is now fighting against Hamas.  The death toll on both sides is terrible and yes, innocent civilians are the victims. History proves they usually are.   War protests are not new. Peace is something we all want--I think.  But you should be very troubled by a group of people who I believe don't really know what they are saying.  I have written before that a two-state solution in the middle east, one where the Palestinians can have their own state and live side by side with Israel, is the best solution. But it has been rejected several times by Hamas and attacked by other countries in the region. Iran, which cares more about its own efforts to spread authoritarian theocracy than it does about the average Palestinian on the streets of Gaza or the West Bank, has done a great deal to stop any progress toward this go