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Je Suis Charlie
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Even in Sparks, God works in mysterious ways
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The hand of God stopped me from becoming bi-partisan last Saturday evening after I spent the day wallpapering the world with fair and balanced announcements about white bibs vs. white sheets.

The local Democratic Party hosted its annual crab feed at the City of Sparks Community Center. Meanwhile, the Washoe Republican Party produced its annual Lincoln (mea maxima culpa) Day Dinner at Reno's Atlantis Hotel-Casino.

The fare at both events was decidedly white. I crashed the GOP dinner several years ago and had quite a pleasant time. I didn't have the heart to correct the sweet ladies at the front door who naturally assumed that I was one of the faithful. As best I could determine, I was the token Italian liberal, former State Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks, was the token African American and Gov. Brian Sandoval served as token Latino.

Afterward, I introduced myself to Gov. Veto El Obtúsè who responded "I know who you are." I've always hoped that his courtesy constituted a cordial compliment. Or perhaps not.

I took the opportunity to invite him to that year's César Chávez celebration. Alas and alack, since the event's inception, no governor has attended but hope springs eternal. (See below.)

I like the Donkeyite event because it's basically a chow line which facilitates max schmoozing and politicking. Formal dinners don't allow for much circulation although I did score an as-yet unpublished selfie with no less than the mercurial Sharron Angle at the GOP soirèe. (One never knows when such may come in handy.)

The Nevada Republican Party loves firearms to a fault. Witness Saturday's admirably acrobatic demonstration of shooting itself in one foot while inserting the other in its mouth.

A gentleman named Sebastian Gorka was keynote speaker. The former Trump White House advisor has been widely and credibly accused of bigotry and anti-semitism. (Websearch whiter portions of the Internet at will.)

I'll leave judgment up to qualified journalists and God hisself and/or herself. I have not heard if Atlantis boss John Farahi attended. He and his family own the hotel and have a very interesting history as Jews who immigrated from Iran. I wonder if John, always the impresario, got a chance to speak with Gorka.

I had hoped to meet Mr. Gorka should he have ventured out to the sidewalks to greet demonstrators rallying against him. Alas, the hand of God in the form of a hopelessly dead battery intervened, so I spent the evening curled up with The New York Times.

I look for better weather at César Chávez XVII on March 27 at the Grand Sierra-Reno. (Info at CesarChavezNevada.com/ ) ¡Sí se puede!

With continued wicked weather predicted to continue, I suggest hibernating far away from any white stuff and far-right stuff.

Hie thee thus to the front page of NevadaLabor.com where you will find my Black History Month Tetralogy along with links to Dennis Myers' impressive BHM series from the Reno News & Review

RESPONSES FROM DIE-HARD FANS: "Take my Email address off your stupid site !!!!!!!!" stated an emphasis freak...From Sparks City Hall: "I don not want to receive any more of your emails." (Such a doubly negative person. Or perhaps big time into donuts.)

"Andrew, Sounds like you are still stirring the pot to keep political and racial differences cooking. We now have a president who wants to protect and include all of us and the infected liberals just can't accept it." I told my token freedom-loving racist thanks for the anonymous postcard from Uranus.

"Goofy as ever" said an erstwhile business associate who's now a confirmed moonhowler, adding "we may not even be able to meet in the middle, but you’re still a good guy." (Pssst: Don't tell anybody, but bi-partisanship has reared its ugly head.)

IT CAN HAPPEN HERE. Last week, California lawmakers introduced legislation removing the secrecy of the Catholic confessional should some creep confess to child sex or abuse. All 50 states have placed some version of clergy privilege into law. See Nevada Gen. Statutes, 1885, S. 3405, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia. Several searches of Nevada Revised Statutes turned up nothing more recent.

"A priest who intentionally violates the seal incurs an automatic excommunication," according to the Catholic News Agency.

So I must conclude that in Sparks once lived an excommunicated priest. The very corrupt early 1970s Sparks City Council had a couple of bonafide crooks thereon. One tried to shake down his parish priest during confession when the church needed a zoning change. I can only conclude that the very saintly source who informed me got it directly from God.

Nonetheless...