“UGLY” can change, we can help

‘What I did was shameful’

DORAL CHENOWITH 111   COLUMBUS DISPATCH

At a rally against health-care reform on March 16, Chris Reichert threw dollar bills at aman who has Parkinson’s disease and favors reform.   “I snapped” Reichert said this week.

Man says he snapped during confrontation at rally

By Catherine Candisky
COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The man protesting federal health-care legislation who berated and tossed dollar bills at a supporter with Parkinson’s disease last week says he is remorseful — and scared.   “I snapped, I absolutely snapped, and I can’t explain it any other way,” said Chris Reichert in a Dispatch interview. In his first comments on an incident caught on video that went viral across the Internet and was played repeatedly on cable-television news shows, Reichert said he is sorry about his confrontation with Robert A. Letcher, 60, of Grandview Heights.

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Letcher, a former nuclear engineer who has Parkinson’s, was verbally attacked as he sat before health-care-reform protesters during a rally outside U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy’s district office.    “He’s got every right to do what he did, and some may say I did, too, but what I did was shameful,” Reichert said. “I haven’t slept since that day.” Reichert, a 40-year-old father of two who lives in the Harrison West neighborhood, said he apologizes to Letcher and everyone else at the rally.   “I made a donation (to a local Parkinson’s disease group), and that starts the healing process.”

When approached by a reporter this week, Reichert would not acknowledge that he was involved in the confrontation on March 16 featured in a Dispatch video that drew an emotional response from viewers across the country.   The next day, he contacted The Dispatch and acknowledged his participation.   “I wanted this to go away, but it won’t, and I’m paying the consequences,” Reichert said.

He said he’s fearful for his family after reading caustic comments about his actions on the Internet.   “I’ve been looking at the Web sites,” he said. “People are hunting for me.”

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Letcher said he hopes no harm comes to Reichert, although he’s not sure what to make of his latest remarks.  “I’m touched by his donation to the Parkinson’s Society, but you can’t just buy your way out of this,” he said. Letcher said he still views Reichert as “calculatedly cold and angry.” The confrontation, Letcher said, exemplifies how political debate in America has been reduced to name-calling, with winners often determined by their volume alone, and antics that do little to help resolve complex issues such as health-care reform.

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The demonstration took place just days before the House vote on the health-care legislation, drawing hundreds of supporters and opponents.   When Letcher sat down in front of opponents with a sign that read “Got Parkinson’s? I do. You might,” an unidentified man yelled, “If you’re looking for a handout, you’re on the wrong end of town.”
Reichert then stepped from the crowd, bent down, pointed a finger in Letcher’s face and, as he tossed a dollar bill, shouted, “I’ll pay for this guy. Here you go. Let’s start a pot, I’ll pay for you. I’ll decide when to give you money. Here. Here’s another one.”

Reichert said he did not read Letcher’s sign and did not realize he had Parkinson’s until reading news reports. He said his comments were based on the accusation that Letcher was looking for a handout.  “I perceived him as an agitator,” Reichter said. “My reaction to my perception was poor at best.”

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Organizers on both sides of the debate quickly condemned the actions of Reichert and the other man, who has not been identified. Kilroy slammed the confrontation during a speech on the House floor, placing a link to the video in the Congressional Record.

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Now, Ohio Democrats are using the video to make a fundraising appeal, telling prospective donors, “We need your help to stop these types of vicious tactics.”

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Reichert, a registered Republican, said he is not politically active nor is he affiliated with the Tea Party movement or Americans for Prosperity, two conservative groups who organized the rally (although the video shows him carrying one of the latter’s signs). He said he opposed the health-care overhaul because of its cost.

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Reichert said he heard about the rally — actually competing demonstrations by those on both sides of the proposal — on the radio, and a neighbor invited him to attend.   “That was my first time at any political rally, and I’m never going to another one,” Reichert said.   “I will never ever, ever go to another one.”

DORAL CHENOWETH III DISPATCH

It is painfully evident that this outcome was not what anyone wanted – not Mr Reichert, Mr. Letcher,  the health-care reform movement, the Republican or the Democratic parties – no-one!  This is heart-ache for all of us.  And my sympathies go greatly toward Mr. Reichert as I fear that he is having an inordinate amount of blame and guilt for the entire ordeal.

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If one were to take all these pieces and try to weave them into a very short story, it would just be unbelievable.  But, unfortunately, it has the ring of truth in it!  This is what happened and Mr. Reichert MUST  find a way of letting himself off the hook.  Mother Nature’s evil brother must’ve cast murky dust everywhere and did a damned good job of it.  Mr. Reichert said it best when he stated “My reaction to my perception was poor at best” Have we not all been there – at some time in our lives?

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What I want to suggest is that all of us who care and can understand how such things can indeed happen, try a little experiment.   Let us all recognize that anyone with this amount of ‘passion’ has great value and worth.  This is not to be discarded or taken lightly.  But can one heal – become whole again – if one daily berates or flogs himself and can not get over the guilt?  Feels the world staring at him and judging his every move or action.  No, this is unacceptable. Perhaps most of you remember that I am an EFTer, so I plan to tap on myself in a surrogate fashion for Mr. Reichert, very simply stating the occurrence and declaring that I love and accept myself anyway, and I’ll keep doing that until its done.  If many of us could join on this, you know. . . . where two or more are gathered. . . . and if we could just, out of love for another human who has discovered his own feet of clay – let him know that he is fine, it’s Okay, we’re Okay.  Well, you understand – we could change the world.  Seriously.

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In the event some of you don’t have the faintest idea what I’m referring to;  EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique and simply put, is a tapping technique  very similar to acupuncture only without the needles.  Anybody can do it and the simple abc’s are ensconced up in the pages (upper right corner of this blog).  Our emotions can make us well – heal us or conversely, tear us apart and even do us in.  Tapping can clear up these burdens and do it so well.  One can use it on anything and for anything.   One can even tap on your ‘blessings’ because the heart is so grateful and full.     So, Chris Reichert – here’s lookin at you kid – come on in. . . . .  Jan

There IS “light” J-R

LOVING EACH DAY
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You never turn completely from the Light into the darkness. You can turn to a lesser degree of Light, a Light expression less than what is possible for you. And when you do that, you might see a lot of shadows and it might be a little dark and murky.

There is Light, however, in all extensions of God in all universes. The mind, the body, the words, the emotions are so very far from perfect it’s sometimes a wonder that we get the body out of bed in the morning and safely back there at night. If that doesn’t require a form of God consciousness, I don’t know what does.

- John-Roger
(From: The Way Out Book, p. 127-128)

Balsamic

VINEGAR

Balsamic known for indulgence

By Carole Kotkin
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

Little-known in the United States until about 15 years ago, balsamic vinegar has been warmly embraced by American cooks.   They drizzle it on salads and steamed vegetables, sprinkle it on sautes and marinate strawberries in it.
An array of balsamic vinegars is found in most supermarkets, next to the wine and cider vinegars.

Because the prices in specialty stores top $100 for a small bottle, an understanding of the origin and subtleties of balsamic vinegar is needed.   Unlike most other vinegars, which start with fruit juice or wine, balsamic starts with unfermented Trebbiano grape must (crushed grapes). Cooked in big kettles, it turns to vinegar with the addition of a starter yeast. The color deepens and becomes more opaque, and the flavor grows in complexity, as the vinegar is aged in barrels of different sizes and woods for 12 to 25 years.

Authentic balsamics come from Modena or Reggio Emilia, towns in northern Italy where the traditional style of balsamic vinegar was codified in the 18th century. The highest-quality vinegar is labeled tradizionale and sold in tiny bottles, to be used sparingly because it’s so concentrated. Some chefs keep it in a spray bottle and spritz it on food.

Balsamics that cost $3 to $14 are probably nothing more than ordinary wine vinegar with caramel added for coloring and sugar added to mimic the sweetness of the real thing. Chefs have a trick to improve them, however: They melt a teaspoon of dark brown sugar and stir it into a cup of the lesser vinegar.

For an everyday value, look for bottles labeled Aceto Balsamico di Modena at supermarkets. As an indulgence, seek a small bottle of higher-grade balsamic (marked condimento or tradizionale) from a specialty shop or an Italian market.

Americans are drawn to the rich, luscious flavors of balsamic vinegars, which are priced according to their age and quality.