“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

March is Women's History Month. Let's celebrate the many accomplishments of our sisters.

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

Vote, Vote, Vote!

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s all remember to vote blue in order to keep women safe. I must, of course, stress the significance of this year’s theme: “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” 2024’s presidential election must go down in history as a victory for our nations female population, with a vote for President Biden and our first female VP Kamala Harris. Our president has fought to preserve women’s rights, he wrote the Violence Against Women Act, and reinforced his commitment to our issues during his awe inspiring state of the Union address. Joe Biden is a a pro-choice man of God who treats women with respect. His wife Dr. Biden is an empowered woman of faith.

Two Steps Forward…

This year’s Oscars, also during this historic month, has the “Barbie” movie nominated for Best Picture but we have a long way to go, since the movie’s star and producer failed to be nominated for Best Actress. Barbie joins the ranks of female hero films like “Legally Blonde”, “Miss Congeniality”, “Princess Diaries”, “The Miracle Worker”, “Sophie’s Choice” and “Norma Rae”, to name a few. We must not back down in our fight for equal rights. Ladies of all nationalities, races, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds are celebrated during March, as we join hands across our country to recognize the very important role all women play in history.

A Seat at the Table

From the beginning of time, the Bible and other literary works have recognized the strength of women. From childbirth to picket lines, women have shown they are powerful. Mothers, homemakers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, factory workers, service employees – all play significant parts in American history. Gloria Steinem said, “Any woman who chooses to behave like a full human being should be warned that the armies of the status quo will treat her as something of a dirty joke. That’s their natural and first weapon. She will need her sisterhood.” Shirley Chisholm, the first black candidate for a major-party nomination for President of the United States and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, declared, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

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The Electoral College Stinks

The Electoral College Stinks

If we want real democracy in this country we need to get rid of the Electoral College

The Electoral College Stinks

Support the National Popular Vote compact, it makes sense if you believe in democracy.

By D. S. Mitchell

Losing While Winning

I believe whoever wins the most votes should become president of the United States. Unfortunately, with the Electoral College system that is not what happens. Twice in the last five elections the candidate that became president of the United States lost the popular vote. Donald Trump, won by less than 80,000 votes in four key electoral college states. He simultaneously lost the national popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. That means the guy who came in second was elected in 2016 (Trump), 2000 (Bush), 1888 (Harrison), 1876 (Hayes), and 1824 (J.Q. Adams), thereby altering history. Does anyone doubt that a Hillary Clinton presidency would have looked very different than the Trump presidency that we got.

The GOP Solution

The Electoral College system has become a powerful tool for the Republicans in their effort to lock in one party control of government. Elie Mystal, in an Editorial from a couple of years back, in The Nation magazine, wrote the GOP’s ultimate solution to the country’s changing demographics is to “forge a new theory of government where the rule by a white minority can withstand the popular will.” The nature of that effort was clear during Trump’s first impeachment trial. Republicans desperate to acquit Trump married themselves to a group of discredited legal theories, perhaps appropriate in a banana republic, but certainly not fitting for one of the world’s longest surviving democracies. The Senators embraced a view of executive power and privilege, that ultimately denies our democracy and anoints a king; which coincidently meshes nicely with Trump’s “permanent immunity claims.”

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Home Care; My Personal Experience

Home Care; My Personal Experience

Home Care Workers keep people with aging and disabilities in their homes

Home Care; My Personal Experience

Editor: Home Care programs administered through state and federal services are helping struggling families keep disabled family members living at home vs being placed in a nursing home. The following article is a reprint of an article written by me, nearly a decade ago. I will be publishing an update on the state of Home Care in 2023 sometime within the coming week.

By D. S. Mitchell

Caregiver Risks

Most of the people called on to help an ill or disabled family member have no training in being a caregiver. Not only that, but many spouses, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters have their own health problems and physical limitations. The risks of being a family caregiver is premature aging, sickness, death, depression, anger, resentment, and potential financial loss. Aside from that, it can be rewarding and more worthwhile than anything you will ever do.

Financial Resources Make the Difference

Receiving affordable or free home care may be what makes the difference between a family member being able to stay in their home or being moved into an assisted living facility or nursing home. One in five Americans provide unpaid care to family members so they can continue to live in their home, according to a recent AARP report.

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Black History Month May Be Over, But Black History Never Is . . .

Black History Month May Be Over, But Black History Never Is…

Black History Month celebrates the contribution of black citizens to world culture

Black History Month May Be Over, But Black History Never Is…

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

A Dark Past and Present

We celebrate Black History, annually each February. During the month we reflect, appreciate, and acknowledge people of color and their rich history. In 2023 the Black History theme was “Black Resistance,” focusing on the struggle African Americans have endured, both in the past and continuing today. Oppression, injustice, repression, racism, exploitation, suppression, maltreatment, and disadvantage are still shockingly present in today’s society. White privilege is regretfully, appallingly alive within the ultra-conservative community. We may have moved passed black performers using different hotels, restaurants, and restrooms during artistic tours but a startling number of atrocities still continue to occur.

Art for Artists Sake

The 2024 Black History Month theme was “African Americans and the Arts. This year’s theme was a different vibe than previous years but the message was equally important – we need to value the arts and encourage these great artists to thrive. The focus this year has been the celebration of the incredible black artists that have enriched our lives over the years through classic performances on the stage, screen, radio, television, music and concert. Dramatic and creative professionals in the spotlight and the many more working hard behind the scenes compose the vast number of Black artists we salute. We make every effort to not just celebrate those in the mainstream of culture but the large number of less well known but equally talented individuals that comprise this community. Black History month may be coming to a close for another year but African history in the arts lives on.

Black Makes Beauty

2024 was also the 18th year of the UNI African American Read-In. The Read-In was once again a significant part of  Black History Month activities. To broaden participation many activities occurred on line for students. Theaters, schools, and libraries across the country held special events to honor Black artists and artisans during the month by reading aloud of many of the great books, plays, and poems of black artists.

Life Ain’t Over Yet

Celebration of Black history should be 365 days a year, not just one month. Respect and equality, not just in the arts but in all areas of life. Housing discrimination still exists,  mortgage and rental applications being denied disproportionately, and higher interest rates in African American communities, as do food deserts, with grocery stores that offer fresh, healthy choices avoiding opening or continuing operations in communities of color.

Dreamers

Activists such Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. and John Lewis fought decades ago for civil rights that are still being denied today. Black pioneers in the arts, such as Nina Simone (whose birthday is appropriately February 21st ), Maurice White, Josephine Baker, and Mahalia Jackson (to name just a few) were very instrumental in paving the way for future artists to be treated with dignity. As Dr. King said in his “I Have a Dream” speech, “With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.”  And Mahalia Jackson sang, “If I can help somebody, as I travel along; if I can help somebody, with a word or song…” – she broke significant ground for the African-American musicians who followed.

Labor On

2025’s Black History Month theme, will be “African Americans and Labor,” celebrating, recognizing, and highlighting the very compelling impact of Black workers on American society.  We need to draw attention to their productivity with the broadest outlook, providing versatility and intuitiveness, a vision of Black culture throughout the ages.

The Rise of Depression in the United States

The Rise of Depression in the U.S.

The Rise of Depression in the U.S.

Depression and divorce are up in the United States 

By Jones William 

Depression Affects All Ages

Depression is a mental health disorder and it’s increasing in the United States. Depression doesn’t just affect the brain, the disorder also has physical and emotional effects. Anyone can be affected, children, adolescents, and adults. Despite being one of the most advanced countries in the world, an estimated 30%  of Americans are currently suffering from depression. When compared to 2015 data, this is an increase of 10%; making it the highest rate of depression ever recorded for Americans. A third of American women are victims of depression, that’s about twice as many as men.  Furthermore, individuals aged 18-35 record are subject to higher rates of depression than other age groups.

Factors Contributing to Increasing Prevalence of Depression

Economic Hardship in America: The middle class in the United States has been steadily shrinking since Ronald Reagan. The promise of a better life than that of your parents had is gone. Many “middle-class” people are maintaining the middle class life style by high credit card debt, and home equity loans. Facing disappointing realities, and suffering from financial stress, depression becomes the order of the day.

Poor community ties and shattered relationships: In the last twenty years  church fellowship and neighborhood activities have dramatically decreased. The COVID-19 pandemic has isolated Americans from their support system. We rarely even say hello to our neighbors. Divorce rates have skyrocketed. As those  human networks disintegrate we as a society are experiencing an increased isolating technology boom. This technology boom, including the use of social media, decreases face-to-face interactions. It is difficult to experience healthy relationships, and normal communication when all interaction between individuals are at a distance or on line. As a result, a sense of belonging, the meaning and purpose of life, and familiar human support systems are lost.

Expectations of Americans are too high: Some experts believe that despite mental health communities and schools having good intentions; promoting unrealistic self-positive expectations can be harmful. Fostering the notion that all Americans “can be anything they want or dream” opens the door, especially for adolescents and young adults, to experience disgrace and disappointment, when the reality of their life fails to match what they had imagined for themselves. Sounds like  a guarantee for misery and depression.

Is it possible to lower depression rates and cases in the U.S.?

The United States government and citizens can do several things at societal levels to curb depression. For instance, meeting the basic needs of citizens and improving their interpersonal relationships and community ties can reduce depression rates and cases.

Nurturing Social Connections: Post pandemic America feels different than pre-COVID America. The current high depression rates are likely to decline as the country moves towards “normalcy” and social networks are revitalized. Since human beings are social beings, social isolation and loneliness can cause mental and physical disorders such as depression, headaches, suicide, anxiety, in addition to many other problems. When people are connected to their country, their community, their friends, and family members, reducing depression is achievable.

Meeting Basic Needs: Increased depression rates from food insecurity and homelessness could be  reduced if our government can find ways to meet its citizen’s basic needs. In colleges and universities, three out of five students have basic needs challenges. They suffer from hunger, homelessness, and lack of affordable healthcare services. There is a direct link between financial stress and depression. Furthermore, individuals suffering from mental illness tend not to seek services because of the expense.

Ensuring Mental Healthcare is Available: Accessing mental healthcare is difficult in many areas of the country. Lack of money and insurance coverage prevents many Americans from getting the needed  mental healthcare services. To make matters worse, in many areas of the United States there are no mental health clinics, practitioners, or hospitals. Government funding for mental health services is sorely lacking and with Medicaid and Affordable Care not being available in many states with Republican governors is a big problem.

Conclusion

Depression is a major health concern in the United States. Men, women, and children can all be victims of mental illness. Depression risks among adolescents and young adults have increased dramatically in recent  decades. The question becomes, will our government ever prioritize the well being of the majority of American citizens over the billionaire class? Until that question can be answered we will live with a patchwork of laws and a failure of services.

Sources

https://www.health.com/depression-rates-higher-than-ever-things-to-change-7501286

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140930132832.htm

https://abc3340.com/news/nation-world/depression-on-the-rise-in-the-us-cdc-says-centers-disease-control-prevention-mental-health

http://www.drrevelmiller.com/2019/09/why-is-depression-so-common-in-the-usa/

My Hand in an Electric Socket

My Hand in an Electric Socket

Don't let the events of the day deter you from the work of democracy.

My Hand in an Electric Socket

By D. S. Mitchell

 

4,000 Days

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’ve had my hand stuck in an electric light socket for the last 4,000 plus days. Those four thousand days roughly translating into the ten years since Donald Trump descended the golden escalator at Trump Tower amidst the cheers of a paid-to-show-crowd, and announced his run for the presidency of the United States. Of course it wasn’t Trump’s first run; he had gone after the presidency in 1999 as a Reform Party candidate, but this time he was going to run as a Republican.

Shame on Them

Trump’s escalator announcement came on June 16th, 2015. Since that day, Donald Trump’s lies, misogyny, xenophobia, isolationism, conspiratorial theories, Putin love, and bombastic rhetoric have altered our national political discussion and, quite honestly, that of the world. We as a nation had  consciously been working toward kindness and civility in our speech to one another; since Trump’s emergence as a big voice for roughly 30% of the country, tough talk and gun waving, have emerged as acceptable. The acceptance of the minorities “right” to use violence when they are unhappy with the results of an election is terrifying. This is not a good thing and is unacceptable in a democracy. Death threats and mafioso tactics now define how things get done in the Republican Party.

Done With George

Unpredictability, narcissism, and other despotic traits are things our Founding Fathers rejected. The American Revolution began on April 19, 1775. The next year the colonies jointly declared independence from the tyrannical, tax collecting, King George the Third. Trump says he’s ready to be a dictator on day one. Well, Donald the majority of Americans reject such bullshit. Maybe you and Tucker Carlson should buy a place in Victor Orban’s Hungary and settle down over there. 

Down Memory Lane

In case you’ve forgotten, Trump like any entertainer worth his salt, managed to excite, incite, and agitate us all, everyday of the year, for four explosive years. Although seemingly impossible, the Trump administration grew more chaotic with each passing day. Diplomacy via Twitter, threats of U.S. military intervention in domestic affairs, promised “target practice” at the border, and bleach injections for those who wanted to give it a try. I was so glad to see quiet, “normal” Joe Biden, take over the reins of government from Trump; but I’m still unsure if there will ever again be such a thing as normalcy.

We Have the Numbers

An overwhelming number of Americans support a progressive agenda. Progressives want to put a stop to big money dominating elections, they want to cut drug prices, and seriously address the dangers of climate change. By large numbers Americans favor stronger gun laws, national health insurance (Obamacare), transgender rights, same sex marriage, and access to abortion. Sometimes it seems as though the Trump side is smarter, better funded, more united, and more determined, than we progressives, but I don’t believe that’s true. When I say an overwhelming number of Americans support progressivism I am talking about 75% of the population and growing. Powerful well-funded minorities are threatening our democracy and we must stand up to them. It is not okay that a minority is able to impose its will on the entire nation.

Sucking up all the Oxygen

It’s Friday February 16, 2024. Aside from the tragic news of Alexei Navalny’s death in a Russian prison camp, the news focus for today has mostly centered on the many trials of Donald Trump.  It looks like Trump has just been hit with over $453,000,000 in fines for a civil fraud case brought against the Trump Organization by New York Attorney General, Letitia James. Furthermore, Trump and his two sons, Erik and Don Jr will be unable to conduct real estate in New York for at least two years. Between the civil fraud case, and the E. Jean Carroll defamation case, it looks like Donald Trump will be required to pay over half a billion dollars in fines and damages in just these two cases. Yikes, that ought to take a bite out of his “billionaire” status.

The End Result

It will probably take fully a generation to measure the damage Trump  and Trumpism has done to America; but that is a job for the historians, not humble writers. A lot depends on whether Trump can get his ass re-elected. If Trump succeeds in winning the presidency in 2024, America will go down the same road as Brazil, Russia, China, Hungary, and Venezuela. If however, the United States can resist the lure of neo-fascism we have a chance to recover from Trump’s terrible vision for the country, but it will take time to heal. It will take working together, participating in collective action.

Indefinable and Immeasurable

The effect of Trump and MAGAism, is probably, at least as yet, unmeasurable.  The effect Donald Trump has had on the American body politic has been horrifying and terrifying. For the sake of the country, I hope the love affair with Trump and MAGAism is about over. Hopefully, we don’t have to wait until he’s dead.

What’s Joe Biden Done? Plenty. . .

What’s Joe Biden Done? Plenty…

Joe Biden has done a lot in four years and it looks like he's going to have to keep telling the people, cause so far, it's a running into a severe case of ageism.

What’s Joe Biden Done? Plenty . . .

Editor: Over the last couple weeks Joe Biden has taken a bashing from all sides. If I were him I’d be giving the media, the MAGA’s, Robert Hur, and the Mango Mussolini, the big middle finger. JOE BIDEN IS SMARTER ON HIS WORST DAY THAN TRUMP IS ON HIS BEST DAY. Dum, dum, dum, Donald. Let’s take a look at the accomplishments of Grandpa Joe, without a doubt one of the most successful presidencies of the last couple hundred years, at least since FDR. I love, Joe, Jill, Kamala, and Doug. Let’s keep these amazing people working for us.  VOTE BLUE. VOTE BIDEN-HARRIS.

By Cate Rees-Hessel

Good Policies

For those asking what President Biden has done since he took office, my question is what hasn’t he done? Joe Biden has accomplished a great deal in the last three years. The benefits for the American people have been enormous and his policies continue to better our nation. Below is a short list of Joe Biden’s many accomplishments. Four more years of Biden-Harris is just what our country needs.

1.The Biden’s have brought dignity, decorum, and class back to the White House. We have a wonderful “working First Lady” with a Doctorate of Education. My relief is obvious, I no longer have to worry that my overseas friends think of the White House “as a stripper bar.” Unlike the loser, President Biden is not being indicted or found guilty of rape and defamation. Joe is a man of God that actually prays, knows Scripture, and attends church, as opposed to the one holding a Bible upside down, in front of a church he does not attend, and who if asked cannot tell you the meaning of Easter. I remember with gladness Joe bowing his head in prayer during his inaugural speech, an image of a man that has a heart felt faith and gentle demeanor – that’s President Biden. Never lewd, crude, rude, or disrespectful; dignity personified. Well, I have heard an F-bomb dropped now and then, but otherwise we’re good.
2. Passage of the much needed infrastructure bill to repair and rebuild our roads and bridges. It had become a running monthly gag with Trump, but Joe and the Dems made it happen.
3. The lowest unemployment rate in years. Joe’s bringing back ‘Made in America,’ creating countless good jobs in the rust belt and other hard hit areas of the Midwest. More people are working than ever before.
4. His policies have lowered the cost of living for families across the country and raised 40 million children out of poverty.
5. Altered the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provided vaccines and at home virus tests free of charge.
6. Rescued the economy from a catastrophic free fall and his sound economics will continue to make the U.S. economy the envy of the world. Like Joe says, “build the economy from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down;” not the nonsense of Ronald Reagan’s  trickle down economics.

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Sojourner Truth Quote

Sojourner Truth Quote

Sojourner Truth

“I will not allow my life’s light to be determined by the darkness that surrounds me.”

Editor: Sojourner Truth was an American abolitionist and activist for African-American civil rights, women’s rights, and alcohol temperance. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, in 1797, but escaped with her infant daughter to freedom in 1826.

 

 

Grandma, Unhoused in America

Grandma, Unhoused in America

Grandma, Unhoused in America



By D.S. Mitchell

Face of the New Homeless

The lack of housing for low-income people or those on fixed incomes is a big problem and experts are working on it but there is no one size fits all solution to alleviating homelessness; certainly, more affordable housing units and additional housing vouchers are needed, but many of the homeless need specialized housing. Housing that offers wheelchair ramps, roll in showers, grab bars, single level units and other accommodating features to assist the many older and disabled individuals now facing homelessness.

55 and Over

As baby boomers age into senior citizens, a series of recessions and the lack of a strong social safety net have pushed more and more elderly people into homelessness — a number that’s only expected to rise. Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council of Homelessness tells us that “Seniors over the age of 55 are the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness and for many of them, it is first-time homelessness.”

Why is this Happening?

Like with most things there is no simple explanation; the reasons are complex. Most obviously, the U.S. has an aging population. With aging, people are more at risk of poverty, more subject to traumatic events, such as the death of a parent or a spouse, and more likely to suffer with chronic illness, such as diabetes and heart disease,  and at increased risk for falls and other physical injury.

Stagnant Income

While their income is limited, rent costs have skyrocketed across the country. Housing protection and assistance available during the COVID-19 pandemic have expired, leaving many people on the street. In addition, many of these folks with stagnant incomes are of retirement age, but are still working part-time, at low pay hourly jobs with no chance of a raise, just to supplement their Social Security check.

Federal Action

On December 19, 2023, President Biden, alarmed at the unprecedented number of people with no place to live, across all age groups, released an ambitious federal plan to strategically reduce homelessness by 25% by 2025. The plan will address the lack of affordable housing, aid people in crisis, and prevent people from losing their homes to foreclosure in the first place. Focus of the action are those most seriously effected: people of color, veterans, the disabled, and the elderly.

Statistics On the Growing Problem

From 2009 to 2017, HUD statistics indicate the number of unhoused individuals aged 51-61 grew from 14% of the total homeless population nationally to nearly 18%. The percentage of people 62 years or older living on the street has nearly doubled. Predictions indicate that by 2030 the number of unhoused individuals over the age of 65 will triple compared with 2017.

From the 1990s                                                

The younger half of the boomer generation have long been the dominant group among unhoused adults. In 1990, on average those folks were 30 years old; today their average age is 62. But it isn’t just the long time homeless, many are newly unhoused; people tossed out of houses and apartments for the first time. These people often experiencing a total shattering of their lives.

Nothing New

The shortage of affordable housing in the United States goes back at least 40 years; Ronald Reagan’s war on “welfare queens” did incredible damage to the social safety net and it has never been repaired. This long-time problem has been exacerbated by a number of factors. Large corporations are buying up apartments and single-family homes and charging whatever the market will bear. In fact, rent and home prices have skyrocketed, while the country has recently experienced exceptionally high inflation on basics like food and gasoline. However, economics are only part of the explanation for the dire straits many elders find themselves in.

Growing Numbers

In 2023, homelessness shot up by more than 12%, with an estimated 653,104 unhoused individuals living on American streets and in her parks. I personally have a hard time accepting these numbers, because of the large number of displaced persons I see everywhere in my small southern Oregon town. All that aside, these numbers represent the sharpest increase ever in homelessness, leading to the largest unhoused population ever recorded in the United States.

Graying of the Unhoused

Recent HUD data shows that nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States (that’s ‘effin 20% of the population) have no permanent place to live and a good share of those people are 55 years or older. Some are calling the spike in unhoused older citizens the “graying of America’s homeless.”

 Intervention and Prevention

Advocates for the homeless preach intervention and prevention. For example, it might be better to pay for a seniors medication or arrange for meals than allow them to become homeless because they have had to choose between the landlord and the pharmacy.

Bigger Than the Finances

As already suggested, the issues are often more than just financial. Recent studies indicate that older unhoused people have problems performing daily activities and have greater difficulty with walking, seeing, and hearing. Furthermore, they are subject to falling, and their overall health is significantly worse than those of the same age in the general population. Importantly many of the identified individuals also have significant cognitive impairment.

In San Francisco

The problem is so significant that in San Francisco they are planning for at least one shelter set up specifically for older adults and those with disabilities. Similar shelters are being planned for New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Boston.

Self-Medicating                                           

Exposure to the elements, poor diet, lack of sleep or fitful sleep, failure to take prescribed medication, shunning of professional services with doctors or dentists are commonplace among the homeless. Their physical circumstances trigger anxiety and depression, leading some to self-medicate with drugs and or alcohol. Such problems create a need for low barrier shelters, and housing, which are few and far between.

New Approach                                                  

Many experts are suggesting several types of shared housing situations that might be good solutions for the graying homeless population.  A homeowner takes in a tenant, cohousing (where there is a cluster of private mini homes with communal spaces or a large central building with separate bedrooms and shared kitchen and living room) or the immensely popular backyard Accessory Dwelling Units. ADU’s are springing up in neighborhoods across the country where zoning laws allow them. ADU’s are usually built on the lot of a single-family residence.

Conclusion

I wish I could conclude with a happy ending, but I see no happy ending here. As baby boomers age into senior citizens, a series of recessions and the lack of a strong social safety net have pushed more and more elderly people into homelessness — a number that’s only expected to rise over the next few years before common sense tells us it will drop off, probably after 2030, as the boomers die.

Another, I Saw It On The Internet #3

Another, I Saw It On The Internet #3

May be a doodle of heart and text that says 'Be careful who you hate. It could be someone you love.'

Another, I Saw It On The Internet #3

By D.S. Mitchell

 

Slime Pit

The internet is an unbelievable source of knowledge and social connection, but it is also the source of an incalculable amount of hate, anger, bigotry, ignorance, and downright bullshit. But every once in a while I see something that strikes at my heart and I want to share it. Today I saw the above image posted to the Josephine County Democrats on-line newsletter; I love it.

From My Heart

It is so easy to hate, so easy to blame others for our life-situation, but folks, believe me, hate does not build, it destroys. A culture based on anger, bigotry, and hate is destined for failure. Hate requires a lot of energy to keep the dynamic going. It is exhausting,. It consumes every bit of mental or emotional energy a person has, there is no energy left to create, to build, to grow. Limit the hate, expand the love.