Tony Brasunas

There is pervasive sexism in our society and in our political systems, and we need to change this immediately. We need equal pay for women, more women in elective office, and it’s long past time we elect a woman president. I understand and accept that some progressives support Hillary Clinton for president, particularly if the most important issue to them is voting for a woman.

I am ready to vote for a woman president, and I have in the past. Today I would support Elizabeth Warren, Barbara Lee, or any other progressive woman candidate for president wholeheartedly.

In fact if Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton were essentially the same on the issues, I would be supporting Hillary even more enthusiastically than I am supporting Bernie.

Identity Isn’t Everything

The thing is, when I look beyond their race, gender, and religion, and carefully examine not just their words but their actions, Hillary and Bernie are two very different candidates. They differ sharply on the issues that are most important to me.

For economic justice, racial justice, militarism, reducing money in politics, and fighting climate change, a Hillary Clinton presidency offers, at best, no progress, and at worst, war with Iran, escalation in Syria, deepened influence of corporate money on all political decisions, and another financial catastrophe from an essentially unregulated Wall Street. What I see in Hillary Clinton is a politician who is part of the ruling class, conservative by nature, corrupted by extensive and copious corporate donations, and willing to say nearly anything to get elected.

Some years only corporate Democrats run for office, and if this were such a year, I might support Clinton in order to at least elect a woman. But the best candidate I’ve seen in the decades I’ve been closely watching politics is running for president this year. Bernie Sanders is not perfect, but he is an exceptional candidate on so many issues affecting our country and planet, and I believe he will make a great president.

An additional issue, though by no means the most important, is that Bernie Sanders is polling better against all the Republican candidates and is more likely to win in the general election. A recent poll shows 1 in 6 Republicans already would vote for Bernie over Donald Trump. I believe Bernie polls so well in putative head-to-head matchups because of his honesty and forthright nature, qualities that have helped him win so many elections as an independent in Vermont and that likely will carry him to the White House if he wins the nomination.

I voted and worked for Obama in 2008, and for Jill Stein in 2012. This year I’m enthusiastically supporting the democratic socialist Bernie Sanders for president.

A Pledge and an Invitation

That’s my opinion. I’m sure that you have yours, and I’d like to hear it. Let’s be respectful and discuss the issues we care most about. If we disagree about whom to support for the nomination, I humbly ask that we disagree based upon the issues we care about and leave personal identity out of it.

I pledge never to slur you or anyone else based on race or gender or any other personal attribute, regardless of opinion.

Will you agree never to slur me or anyone else based on race, gender, or any other personal attribute, regardless of their opinion?

With respect, and for progress,

Tony

A Vote Today for Hillary Could Be a Vote Tomorrow for GOP

There are many very important issues at stake in this Democratic nomination, but the truth is that many people just want to avoid a Republican in the White House. So I’ve been carefully looking at the latest polls on head-to-head match-ups with Republicans.

Put simply, if we want to put a Democrat in the White House, it’s looking like Bernie Sanders has to be our candidate.

The latest poll found:

• Sanders beats Trump 48–42 percent
• Sanders beats Cruz 49–39 percent
• Sanders beats Rubio 47–41 percent
• Sanders beats Bush 49–39 percent
• Sanders beats Kasich 45–41 percent
• Clinton barely beats Trump 44–43 percent
• Clinton loses to Cruz 46–43 percent
• Clinton loses to Rubio 48–41 percent
• Clinton loses to Bush 44–43 percent
• Clinton loses to Kasich 47–39 percent

Both Bernie and Hillary poll well with Democrats and are essentially tied now nationwide, but their strengths are quite different, and you can see why Bernie will shine in a nationwide general election:

Bernie polls well with
 — Young people of all races and genders
 — Middle-aged men
 — Independents
 — Conservatives
 — New voters

Hillary polls well with
 — Middle-age and older women
 — Longtime Democrats
 — Older people of color 
 — African Americans

Not Many New Voters For Hillary in the General Election

What’s apparent is that Hillary won’t really gain many voters in the general election. Her strongest support are people already voting Democrat. Sanders, meanwhile, polls well with many groups who might not vote in the Democrat primaries, but will vote in the general election.

Sanders received the largest number of votes ever in the New Hampshire primary because thousands of Republicans crossed over to vote for him. That’s unprecedented. And that’s why we likely need the candidate to be Bernie Sanders if we don’t want a Republican in the White House.

Poll: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2324

Trying something new is a humbling experience. It’s also one of the ways we feel alive. The “beginner mind” we experience when we do something for the first time is a combination of the pleasure we get as our brain wires new neural pathways and the awkwardness our body feels doing something new.

I recently tried Chinese calligraphy, and it was an intimidating and sublime experience.

I’ve been writing Chinese characters — at least occasionally — ever since my first Mandarin class at Amherst in 1994. But calligraphy is a different animal entirely.

In China, calligraphy is truly a revered art form, a practice of creating beauty that is as highly regarded as painting or music. Great calligraphers throughout Chinese history have become famous throwing themselves into painting poetry with strokes that evoke the full range of human emotion.

I was after a more modest goal. I wanted to create name posters for some of the early supporters of Double Happiness.

First, I devised a name for each person I wanted to honor. I chose common (more…)

Amid all the news about terrorism and war — there seems to be bad news all over the world these days — Double Happiness recounts and celebrates the possibility of cross-cultural understanding and self-discovery.

And my journey isn’t unique. International comprehension and amity is growing all over the world, in places and at events not covered in the media. Let’s remember: There is good news too, and a great deal of it.

The journey of exploring a culture and a people who are different (say, Chinese, Peruvian, or Iranian, etc.) is a powerful thing, and coming to understand oneself better through this exploration is an inspiring idea. When did you last take a journey into the unknown, and didn’t you come back wiser and kinder?

Holiday Discount

To share my story — and to inspire you to create more like it — I’m delighted to offer a Double Happy discount on the book this season. The journey of Double Happiness can be a gift for yourself or for a traveler on your list for half off the normal price.

Here’s the Holiday Discount >

And remember: Bad news is given more space in the media than good news, but that doesn’t mean there’s more bad than good going on today.

The winners aren’t announced until next year, but getting fives in all the judges’ categories should be a good sign.

Here are the judges’ review and remarks.

A fully experiential read, this book takes us on quite an adventure, immersing us into Chinese culture with the author’s extremely well-written details, made all the richer through exemplary use of sensory elements. We experience Chinese culture with him via tastes, smells, sounds, and textures. This author has a mastery of making his book an experience, not just a story to observe. Very well done.

Especially good are the moments of tension. When he is confronted by the ticket taker with a terse statement about Americans thinking their voice is the only one, the author diffuses the situation brilliantly, and provides smart diplomacy in the moment. Well done. We’re also worried in a scene where he suspects that someone will get into his bag. The author’s sense of exhale/relief, when he suspected for nothing, holds great resonance.

Beautiful phrasing throughout. The author has a majestic sense of description. Very well done.

We’re hopeful for him and Michiko, and when it doesn’t develop into a fulfilling relationship for him, we are disappointed for him. Yet he explains this not with any bitterness. Just a mature explanation and a glance forward. Well done.

Gorgeous ending with a look at nature, at how all grows, at how you must have a little death in the moment to open a path for growth. Excellent. This is a very talented writer, and his journey is filled with rich insight.

Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 5

Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5

Production Quality and Cover Design: 5

Plot and Story Appeal: 5

Character Appeal and Development: 5

Voice and Writing Style: 5

It is an honor to report that Double Happiness has been recognized by another book awards program. The 2015 International Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News, have selected Double Happiness as an award-winning finalist in the Memoir category.

Counting these book awards and prizes which have recognized Double Happiness, as well as these others, this award brings the total number of awards in which my book has either won or been recognized to eleven.

I’m proud of this book, and proud of all the work that so many people put into it on its way to publication. Every once in a while it’s nice to know that all that work is recognized.