Doris O'Brien is a retired college Speech teacher and banker. She has published two books of humor (Up or Down With Women's Liberation and Humor Me a Little) and for many years contributed light verse to the Pepper 'n Salt column of the Wall Street Journal. She is an avid writer of letters to the editors.
Doris celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary in the same year she welcomed her first grandchild. She now lives in Pasadena with a great view of the San Gabriel mountains — and the annual Tournament of Roses Parade.
She can be reached by e-mail: witsendob at (@) gmail.com
Listen to Children Who’ve Just Been Separated From Their Parents at the Border
The desperate sobbing of 10 Central American children, separated from their parents one day last week by immigration authorities at the border, makes for excruciating listening. Many of them sound like they’re crying so hard, they can barely breathe. They scream “Mami” and “Papá” over and over again, as if those are the only words they know. Then a distraught but determined 6-year-old Salvadoran girl pleads repeatedly for someone to call her aunt. Just one call, she begs anyone who will listen. She says she’s memorized the phone number, and at one point, rattles it off to a consular representative. “My mommy says that I’ll go with my aunt,” she whimpers, “and that she’ll come to pick me up there as quickly as possible.” more »
My 1950s: A Nordic Museum Exhibition of Social Ideals As Well As Nylon stockings, Corsets, Accentuated Waists and Flared Skirts
The 1950s was a decade of change. The Second World War was over, and American influence was sweeping across the Nordic region. There was more money around, more people were in work, and in terms of fashion the range of ready-made clothes was ever-increasing. Many women were also good at sewing, and shops and women’s magazines had plenty of patterns to choose from. The My 1950s exhibition gives visitors an insight into every level of clothing, from everyday wear to the finest finery, worn by everyone from wealthy big-city fashionistas to women in rural areas. more »
Congressional Action: Passing Bill Prohibiting Child Sex Dolls, Peer Counseling for Women Vets, Bill Including Funding For Office on Violence Against Women
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)/Education and the Workforce introduced a Bill; Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration (6/13/18)—A bill to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, parent-in-law, adult child, sibling, grandchild, or grandparent who has a serious health condition, and to allow employees to take, as additional leave, parental involvement leave to participate in or attend their children’s and grandchildren’s educational and extracurricular activities. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)/Finance (6/12/18)—A bill to ensure access to mental health and substance use disorder services for children and pregnant women under the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes. more »
Policy of Trump Administration: Office of the Attorney General, April 6th, 2018 Memo for Federal Prosecutors Along Southwest Border; MSNBC Videos
Atty General Jeff Sessions, April 6, 2018: "I direct each United States Attorney's Office along the Southwest Border to the extent practicable, and in consultation with DHS- to adopt immediately a zero-tolerance policy for all offenses referred for prosecution under section 1325(a). This zero-tolerance policy shall supersede any existing policies. If adopting such a policy requires additional resources, each office shall identify and request such additional resources." more »
