by Will Espero
The prostate cancer diagnosis of former President Joe Biden is a sad and unfortunate announcement from a great man with a stellar political career.
The prostate cancer has progressed to his bones, and the president has handled the prognosis with dignity and grace. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents have expressed their support for the president and have wished him a speedy recovery.
With the death of his first wife and young daughter and with the loss of his oldest son, Beau, to cancer, Biden knows how to handle misfortune and difficult times.
He has bravely addressed his illness and vows to battle forward every day. May our prayers provide comfort and healing to our former leader and president.
The battle between Harvard University and the Trump administration should be watched and monitored by all. Harvard University must win the war that Donald Trump has unleashed against the university.
The Trump administration is in a vengeful mode, as it has suspended all federal funding to Harvard, which totals over $2.7 billion. It is also trying to cancel existing contracts that Harvard has with the federal government.
History has shown us that governments that have tried to control academia or educational institutions are afraid of educated and knowledgeable citizens.
These dictators or authoritarian figures fear the confidence, conviction, and advocacy of an informed electorate.
Trump is not only going after universities, but also after law firms and journalists.
The common denominator is Trump’s dislike of their past actions, policies, and behavior that he does not agree with.
This is a sign of a vindictive tyrant and is a threat to democracy. If Trump is not stopped by the courts, our society will be in big trouble as Trump rules with fear and intimidation.
The murders of the two young Israeli embassy staffers in New York were tragic and heartbreaking. The couple planned to get married and spend their lives together. They were a young couple with a long life ahead of them.
Unfortunately, the killings reminded us of the struggles, conflict, and war that have haunted the region for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
Will Israel and Palestine ever live in peace and friendship? Can Israel and Iran co-exist in a region of peace?
Can Israel and all Arab nations begin a 1000 years of peace and harmony? Will we stop the root causes of terrorism and eliminate terrorism from our earth?
My whole life has seen the Middle East as an explosive powder keg that could ignite any day.
I’m sick and tired of reading about displaced refugees, civilian killings, and retaliation. I hope and pray that there is someone somewhere that can one day bring a lasting peace to the region.
Our government has spent billions of dollars in the Middle East and Afghanistan. These dollars could have been better spent in our country for education, homelessness, transportation infrastructure, healthcare, and other areas important to our nation.
Until there is peace in the region, the military and charitable spending will continue. I do hope Trump can bring peace to Gaza and end the war against Ukraine. It would be an impressive accomplishment.
In my retirement, I have tapped into my creative side to keep busy and have my mind and imagination engaged.
My latest project was my new poetry book titled BE.
It is a collection of my prose and poetry written over many decades. It includes Haiku, Tanka, prose, and various styles of poetry about nature, Hawaii, events, my experiences, people, love, and heartache.
I am humbled and honored that my new poetry book, BE, has been recognized in several book festivals. BE was selected as runner-up in the London Book Festival and the Great Northwest Book Festival. BE also received an Honorable Mention award at the Los Angeles Book Festival.
BE and my novels, Passion In Paradise and Vengeance In Paradise, are available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
Along with artists Corinne Gallardo and Chanel Tanaka, we have an art exhibit and sale in Waipahu at Camille’s Hawaiian Food located at Westgate Shopping Center.
My style of painting is abstract art using acrylic paint. The art will be displayed until June, so stop by for some delicious Hawaiian food and enjoy our art in West Oahu.
WILL ESPERO retired from the Hawaii legislature after serving 19 years in the state House of Representatives and state Senate. He is currently a novelist, poet, and supporter of the arts. Lingering Thoughts provides a glimpse of his perspective on current events and issues.
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