Because of my strokes nine years ago, I have a condition called “Aphasia.” Does Aphasia affect a person’s intelligence?
NOPE.
A person with aphasia may have difficulty retrieving words and names, but the person’s intelligence is basically intact. Aphasia is not like Alzheimer’s disease; for people with aphasia it is the ability to access ideas and thoughts through language – not the ideas and thoughts themselves- that is disrupted.
Nevertheless, my words - or the lack of them - seems to have gotten worse. The repercussions have damaged my self-confidence.
As a result, I am withdrawing from social media for the time being. This includes my blog.
My blog was a place I felt safe to express my thoughts. But for now I am doing a self imposed silence. I don’t feel safe anymore.
I will lurk in the shadows but not post or comment.
The massive wave of Norwegian immigration to Minnesota from the 1850s through the early 20th century wasn't a casual choice; it was an escape from crushing land scarcity and economic desperation. My ancestors, the Dunhams, arrived in 1851 and built a life in Otter Tail County in Minnesota. My great-great-grandfather, Jens Christian Dunham, didn’t just survive—he thrived. He served in the Minnesota legislature as a Republican from 1888 to 1890 and later became a staunch advocate for President Teddy Roosevelt. He was the literal embodiment of the American Dream: an immigrant who fled poverty to become a lawmaker in his new home. Fast forward a century, and a new wave of immigrants—this time from Somalia—is following that exact same blueprint. Like the Norwegians before them, they fled hardship to build a future in Minnesota, and many have run for office to serve the state that welcomed them. Yet, the political rhetoric surrounding these two groups couldn't be more polarized. Don...
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