Halloween Fright

This makes me sicker than gorging on Halloween candy ever has.  How about you?  The thought of these guys "owning" our country, increasing their influence through big-bucks at a time—creatively, to be sure—is creepy 364 other days of the year, too.

Let's turn it around on Tuesday!  VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS.   You'll be doing yourself and the Country a big favor.

 

 

 

Trick or Treat?

Don't be tricked into staying away from the polls on Election Day.  Let's treat ourselves to good Democrats on every level of Government.  I treated myself to voting a straight Democratic ticket.  

(Thanks to Kaye Lingle Koonce for posting this on Facebook.)

Christie Needs a Rest from Governing!

Ain't that the truth?  One of the sad, sick reasons homelessness continues to be a national shame.    (from Jobs With Justice/Facebook)

Homelessness Continued...

(Brave New Films: Justice)

Homeless

(Image from Living Blue in South Carolina posted on FB)

Tonight I'm honoring in my thoughts all those who understand that a person who has  no home is first, and foremost, a person.  Not primarily a homeless person.  We share all the same emotions, trials, joys—how can we ignore them?  How can we be fearful of "them?"  Maybe because we're thinking of the people without homes as "other."  

Consider pausing to speak to someone who looks a little world weary...walking along with his or her hump of a backpack...figuring out the next place he or she might "be" for a while without being asked to move along.  But do it only if you recognize the person is your equal...with positive traits and negative.  Flesh and blood like you and me.  Shadow and light, just like the rest of us.  Only without the shell we human turtles call "home."  

 

I'm coming across as preachy and getting on my own nerves here.  Some of these words are for me as much as for anyone who might read them.  I tell myself I care about the horror of homelessness.  What have I done lately to make the plight of homeless humans any better?  I have volunteered at shelters and served on a board at one of them.  But that was a long time ago, and I received as much from the people there as I gave to them.  

 

My small contributions back then are nothing compared to the work of people who devote themselves to eradicating homelessness.  Who spend exhausting days and evenings working for whatever nonprofit they represent, endlessly striving to convince the community that homeless people are not criminals.  Not thugs.  Just humans.  It's okay to acknowledge them.  Okay for them to live a block away.  No one in your house is likely jeopardized by their presence.

Here's to the friends who spend much of a  lifetime searching for solutions just out of their grasp.  To people I am proud to have the honor of calling friends.  To Anita, Paula, Kathy...and others who have passed on and many whose names I do not know, Thank you for giving yourselves to the homeless among us.  To making their lives better. To being the bearers of hope.   Thank you for not giving up.

This and That

"God is not afraid of new things."  And neither is Pope Francis.   He made that statement in relation to  homosexuality and homosexuals, a topic under scrutiny and discussion during a two-week summit at the Vatican.

 

I'm still madly in love with this man.  He's a gutsy fellow who shows that a person can practice humility and still exercise tremendous personal power.  This Pope has already taken the Catholic Church and its followers to levels of social progress that are almost unbelievable.   Who'd have dreamed....?  Stay tuned.  More to come, I feel sure.

 

                                                          *****& That*****

 

I'm wearing something brand new that I wouldn't trade or sell for anything.  A hint:  It's on my lapel.  A diamond broach?  No!  Not my style.  More precious than any gems to me.  Okay, I won't drag this out with guessing games.

 

Early voting isn't permitted in South Carolina.  Absentee voting, however,  is allowed for those qualifying under one of a number of prescribed requirements.  For example, one qualifier is caregiving.  Another is being 65 or more.  So...I voted today.  And I was happy to vote a straight Democratic ticket.  Happy and proud of the candidates I voted for.  It felt good walking out into the sweet autumn air and catching what felt like hope swirling in the breeze around me.  And the brand new bling on my lapel?  An "I voted" sticker.  

 

Go get your own sticker as soon as you can.  Early if you live in a state that allows early voting.  Absentee if you can qualify.  Take someone (or someones) with you!  We must have some  positive changes; it will take all our votes and all the votes we can make sure get cast by people we know.  Let's get it done.

 

Carpe Diem!

In Case You Missed It

By now you've probably either seen or heard about South Carolina's recent gubernatorial debate.  I was behind on that and happy to see someone call out current Governor Nikki Haley on a debate statement that begged for closer examination.  I'll post a video link to Melissa Harris Perry's take on the Confederate flag at the end of the post. 

But first:  Haley says she talks to CEO's quite a bit, and they haven't complained about the Confederate flag flying on the State House grounds in Columbia.  What does that tell us?  It just confirms that Haley's attention and allegiance is to the corporate/business world--and the mostly men who run that world.   Who influence her world.  Her thinking, her focus and her actions.  Most of us voters don't fit in that category.  I keep hearing Vincent Sheheen doesn't stand a great chance of winning the governor's race next month, but I'm not giving up.  I implore you to vote for him.  Get out and vote! I can't imagine any reason I won't be voting the straight Democratic ticket.  And it will give me great satisfaction to vote and then be prompted by the machine to confirm that vote.  It's almost like getting to vote twice!

Here's MHP's "letter" to Governor Haley:

http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-perry/watch/mhp--time-to-take-down-the-confederate-flag-344659011677?adbid=753339028095685&adbpl=fb&adbpr=273864989376427&cid=sm_m_main_1_20141019_34010087

Sick of Ebola?

I'm doing it again—talking back to TV.  About the Ebola coverage.  Especially when they talk about fear spreading like wildfire in America.  As if the media isn't fanning the flames—after serving as fire starter!   Watching Republicans react to the President's effort to educate and calm irrational fears has been entertaining, especially with the heavy cloud of hypocrisy hanging over them.  They complain about not having a consistent message from the Administration, having too many spokespersons.  Of course the appropriate "point person" on Ebola would be the Surgeon General of the United States—but Republicans blocked President Obama's Surgeon General nominee along with any other person or program he has proposed.  Their worn-thin strategy continues to be destruction by obstruction.   AND of course his opponents have gone wild with accusing the President of lagging in his response to Ebola.  Check out this from Occupy Democrats:

Then GOP lawmakers called for someone to lead the "fight" against Ebola and contain the (media-manufactured) panic in the populace.  So, do you think President Obama's appointment of a so-called Ebola "czar" was met with Republicans'  (a) enthusiasm  (b) relief  (c)  criticism.   Yep, "c" for criticism.  There have been far more hateful attacks on the President...One right-wing talker even said President Obama cares about Africa, not America.  He's one of "them" not "us."  When I see clips of fact-free, reason-deficient and hate-filled tirades, it sickens me to think how many Americans tune into these sources daily for their "news."   Trusting the peddlers who pass off snake oil for news is  like opting to ingest poison.  A form of poison that allows the body to live but is sure to damage the brain,  tax the spirit, and keep the "news" consumer in a constant state of anxiety, anger, and agitation.

 

Republicans continue to carry on about instituting a travel ban (against all advice from infectious disease specialists) and some have managed to link Ebola to "border problems."  That could be the most absurd insult to reason of this election season.  it's not over yet!

 

Elections Are Coming

 Right behind Halloween.  I hope we're treated to more Democrats at every level.  I'm about to register in a new city—in plenty of time to vote.  Everybody out there registered?   Check your photo ID, too—I know, we shouldn't need them, but let's be sure we have one before November.

Thanks to Pro-Choice Liberals for posting this on Facebook.