Columnists

The splintering of the powerful Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) into warring camps—with Qatar, supported by Turkey and Iran, on one side, and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), supported by Egypt, on the other—has less to do with disagreements over foreign policy and religion than with internal political and economic developments in the Middle East. The ostensible rationale the GCC gave on June 4 for breaking relations with Qatar and placing the tiny country under a blockade is that Doha is aiding “terrorist’ organizations. The real reasons are considerably more complex, particularly among the major players. -more-

The helplessness of homelessness, as viewed from Oakland, applies to Berkeley too. -more-

In March of 2016, presidential candidate Donald Trump was asked: "Your slogan is 'Make America Great Again,' When was America actually great?" Trump responded that America was last great in the late forties and the fifties. Sorry Donald; I remember that period and it wasn't great.Trump explained that after World War II: "We were not pushed around, we were respected by everybody... we were pretty much doing what we had to do." Most Trump voters agree with this sentiment , but their response is influenced by when they were born -- for example, Trump supporters born in the sixties think the eighties were great. -more-

A rationale of some who become noncompliant with mental health treatment is the idea that we could fix our mental illness with "enlightenment." That would be a Buddhist type of enlightenment, or, for some, it might be prayer of a Christian type—or, it might be piousness of some other religious practice. -more-

Dear Trumpsters:

Even after observing Trump's hate-filled, bullying campaign for president, I can understand, but not excuse, why you voted for him.

Perhaps, you thought Trump would bring change for the common folk or you just couldn't vote for a woman who had so much perceived baggage. Of course, you totally disregarded Trump's obvious baggage.

Since taking office, Trump has done nothing for the average working man and woman. Instead, he has championed big business and the wealthy. In sum, Trump's presidency to date is grounded in ignorance, irrationality, and immorality.

You Trumpsters are in deep self-denial that is downright shameful. I implore you to wake up and face reality. You really don't want the America envisioned by Trump. -more-