Defined in the English-Cambridge Dictionary, the meaning of “see things in Black and White; to have a simple view of what is right and wrong, or good or bad.” But, if you think this way, it is likely you have the tendency to see things in extremes…either ALL good or ALL bad.

I now agree that there is a lot of ‘seeing in black and white’ going on in the good old USA along with the emotional urge to ‘watch out for yourself’ coupled with Ethical, Geographical and Racial considerations as well.

Three recent events that I experienced of late support that B/W notion above;

two happened over otherwise friendly telephone calls and one after I read the OPINION page piece by Elwood Watson on 7/6/24.

I was a bit surprised to hear my friends’ deeply held political positions concerning one of the Presidential candidates and not really surprised to read Elwood Watson’s published drivel piece…I’ve read him and commented on his thinking process before.

Elwood and I might just come to blows if we faced each other in person or our phone-sets would explode if we talked over our ‘cells’.

Of course, ALL of us feel that OUR positions are as ‘clear as black and white’ and the other guy’s are just ramblings of a nut-job at best…

To recap; MY take is the REAL thing, it is how things are…PERIOD!

Just how the heck Elwood and his ilk, and the rest of the world, could witness the ‘Debate’ and conclude what he (or ANYONE else) saw was NOT as I saw it just boggles my mind!

Elwood, please read My take on the SAME events while I gladly pick your viewpoints to death. IF you can actually overcome Your B/W type thinking, you MIGHT actually see clearly, change you mind and AGREE with me??

FAT chance of that happening…FAT chance…

I will start, as I have in the past, by citing the very words you choose to express yourself with… (WHAT happened to “if you cannot say something NICE…”): “Dismal”, “Dystopian”, “Failed”, “Poor”, “Incoherent”, “Lying”, “Disturbingly he steadfastly refused”, “Abrupt”, “Combative”, “Ruthlessly negative”, “Implosion”, ” Shift and slide at will”. “Pathological confidence”, “Denied”. “Praising White Supremacists”, “Ignored questions”….whew!

Dear readers, ALL the above are to be found in the FIRST of three columns and ONLY one, “Dismal” applied to TRUMP…Elwood at least got ONE right!

As he continued to express HIS opinion of what HE saw…just how Black and White the whole thing was, he went on to say; “Other dishonest nonsense” which he must have not realized applies to him, but DOES describe his own position…at least in my eyes.

WORDS carry both defined and an emotional meanings and impacts and Elwood your choices reflect more than the dictionary’s definition, something you darn know well…they are NOT just Black and White in meaning (or are they?) or as B&W as you and me. And, the very SAME can be said about my two ‘phone’ friends…the very same thing.

I have to wonder if Elwood saw or heard the remarks Joe Biden made AFTER the ‘Debate’ where he stated the HE was a BLACK WOMAN…the only Black Woman V.P. to serve under the only Back man President?

Yet YOU lied to us Elwood when you omitted that reference when reporting Biden’s statement…a LIE BY OMMISSION is a LIE my friend and LIAR!

DO NOT give me anymore of that ‘Cold, Jet-lag and Overcoaching’ crap this time out…no-one believed the spin then and we don’t buy it now BINKY!

Perhaps they pumped him up with too many drugs again(?) or he is ACTUALLY no longer fit for the job at hand???

Spoke with GUSTO? Watson, it is NOT only how you speak…it’s WHAT you say…BUT the actual TAPES are not necessary if they turned over the redacted transcript???? (Different strokes, Double Standard for JOE???)

And I must totally agree with “Prominent Democratic operatives” (HILL, Bill and Obama, the Democratic National Committee)…got any I can believe???

Blew it again Mr. Liar Watson…blew it in your own words…

THEN you minimize dissent from the left and go on the attack on the right…Prez Trump again…big surprise here! But you MUST remember YOU lied when you called TRUMPY a CONVICTED insurrectionist…HE JUST AIN’T that now and probably never will be…MR. Liar Watson.

Here’s a ‘History’ lesson for YOU pal…DON’T throw rocks at a glass building when YOU live in one…teach that in your History class…there are many examples to choose from.

AND explain how the ACCUSED are INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty or don’t you agree with that basic principle of our DEMOCRACY?

Elwood you downplayed the very idea of a debate at all since Biden failed big-time,,,we actually NEED more DEBATES that expose who these candidates really are! We saw the REAL Biden and the rats are jumping ship more and more every day, James Carville (YIKES!), Democratic elected officials, backers and even YOU brought up the ‘possibility’…WOWZA.

I’ll clue you in as to WHO remains the better choice BUDDY…want to guess?

Yes, the guy you labeled; “to be disqualified, ambitious, unhinged and immoral”.

ELWOOD BABY, do YOU want to know what really is ETCHED in HISTORY and LEGACY? It is the First and only “Debate’ between the Former and next President and a tired and spent Present ‘President’ who doesn’t know his race or gender…Perhaps you can teach him that since that is part of YOUR job description?

JOE, bow out gracefully, take a rest, a long rest at the beach surrounded by Elwoods, HELP your pathetic son stay out of the slammer and figure out exactly who and what you are.

And you folks out there…all of you…STOP seeing ONLY in BLACK and WHITE….

Richard Phillips

New Iberia