Where Are We Headed?

Mandatory Voter Photo I.D. laws have been enacted in the states shown in green. The Texas law has been challenged by the U.S. Department of Justice. Ostensibly, these stricter laws were passed to prevent voter fraud, even though there is no evidence of such. It appears that they were implemented for political reasons, and meant to discourage seniors, minorities, and young voters who would more than likely vote for a Democratic ticket. Not surprisingly, these states are headed by Republican Governors and legislatures with a Republican majority as well.

"Florence F. Noyes as 'Liberty' -- Suffrage Parade, 3/13/1913"

From 1867 until 1920, when Congress finally passed the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote, brave women protested, marched, and were even arrested and thrown in jail for demanding equal rights as men - the first being the right to vote. It took many more years for them to gain ground in other areas, such as property rights, Roe v Wade, and the ongoing struggle to gain equal pay for equal work. 

How can something so hard won as "equal rights" for women be in jeopardy now at the hands of white, middle-aged, mostly Republican men? If we study our history, it seems we are moving backwards to the days of the Woodrow Wilson administration! Many men are still opposed to women's rights. They would rather see them "suffer"! Or keep them at home, barefoot and pregnant!

Feminists March for ERA 1970 (Public Domain)

Under the guise of "religious objections", slowly but surely across this nation women are losing the right to say what happens to their own bodies. Many states are now instituting legislation to supposedly limit or prohibit abortion by requiring invasive sonograms as well as ridiculous questioning beforehand, such as asking women how their marriages are, are they certain they were "raped", and even asking if birth control pills -- which are hormones -- are to be used for medical or contraceptive purposes. The idea being that such programs providing these services are promoting promiscuous sex -- that is the opinion of at least one Republican presidential candidate, Rick Santorum. And Mitt Romney says if he is elected, Planned Parenthood must go! 

By pandering to the religious right, making opposition to funding of abortions by the new healthcare laws (Which, by the way, I understand not wanting to use tax dollars for abortion if one is fundamentally opposed -- but for denying women contraception coverage? Give me a break!), they stand the chance of eliminating essential health care coverage for many women who have no insurance and many who have been unemployed due to the current economic conditions. 

"Stand Your Ground" laws exist now in 21 of our 50 states (most of which have Republican Governors), some stating that you can use deadly force without attempting to retreat in any location, even outside your home. Such laws do not require that your own property is threatened. You can be anywhere, and if you feel threatened, you may shoot and kill the person you perceive to be threatening you without being prosecuted for murder. It is considered "self defense". 

This is a generalization of such laws, I know, but it is essentially what has happened to the young black male, Trayvon Martin, in Sanford, Florida. I don't know about you, but I had not heard of these laws until this recent incident. I can understand the laws that permit one to shoot an intruder into your home with the expectation your life is in danger, but "stand your ground"?? The NRA had to be involved in the passage of these laws! And the rise of right-wing, conservative Republicans in the states involved speaks to a scary trend in our country. A lot of the above states are known to have a number of white supremacist and survivalist groups, as well as being home to the Ku Klux Klan. They may well be more trigger happy than some. (I'm just sayin'.)

These are just a few of the things that cause me to wake up during the night and ponder the direction of our country. The issues of Social Security and Medicare benefits being considered for budget cuts are high on my list as well. Being a senior citizen, I am in a minority category. I did a little research on minorities in this country that included not only seniors but races and ethnicities other than "white", and have decided that if all of the so-called minorities (women actually outnumber the men in the U.S.) band together in this election year, we can stop the progress of these trends towards a repressive government, concerned more for the powerful corporations and the wealthiest 1% of our population. One only has to look at the wealthy supporters of the Republican candidates and the Super Pacs they represent to know that these folks are not out to improve the lives of the 99%! 

I know who I'm going to vote for this year! How about you?


Peace, love, and wisdom to make right choices,
Marilyn

Yayyy! Travis!

He can swing...

...he can hit...

And that's the ballgame!! Now Dad needs to take a video of his pitching prowess! I understand he is going to pitch tomorrow night. 

He's small, but he's MIGHTY!

Proud Grandmommy,

Marilyn

In Case You Missed It!

You've come a long way, baby!

Yes, he can!!

KUDOS AND RASPBERRIES

I seem to have got addicted to the news this past winter. Guess I could have given it up for Lent. Instead, I thought I'd just share some of my thoughts on things making the headlines lately.

Two thumbs up to the following people in the news:

• Everyone who called for public ostracising of Rush Limbaugh
• The women speaking out against the war against women being waged by politicians -- i.e., Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Gloria Steinem, et al
• The advertisers pulling their commercial ads from the Rush Limbaugh radio show and other "offensive" programs -- i.e., Ford, GM, Toyota, J.C.Penney, Prudential, Allstate, et al
• All of the remarkable women in attendance at the third annual Women in the World Summit
• Jaycee Dugard and her ability to overcome the horrendous adversity of her 18-year captivity in the back yard of a sex offender
• The U.S. Department of Justice for blocking the recent Texas Voter I.D. Law for being discriminatory
• The CDC's graphic anti-smoking ad campaign
• The "Don't Mess With Texas Women" rally in Austin, TX

Thumbs down on:

• Mitt Romney for saying Planned Parenthood has to go
• The Republican opposition to the Violence Against Women Act
• Ammonia-treated ground beef, or "pink slime" (H.E.B. stores do not carry any of it!)
• High gasoline prices when oil companies are enjoying their highest profits in history
• Santorum's statement that Puerto Rico must adopt English as the "main language" in order to become a state
• Russia's supplying the Syrian dictatorship with $1billion of arms -- and saying they were only for "defense"

What items in the news got your attention this past week or two? Besides the Republican presidential race, that is.  

Peace,

Marilyn

HAPPY EVERYTHING

(Photobucket Image)

Egads! I see that I have missed several holidays without acknowledging them on my blog. There were Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, and even Valentine's Day celebrations. As the silly little image above says,  I now wish you  "Happy Everything"!

My only excuse is that I was extremely self-absorbed with a lot of minor ailments, and I didn't want my depressed mood to seep into anything I wrote. We've had so many spring-like days, sunshine, warm temperatures, and some glorious, much-needed rain, it is hard not to be in a good mood. I'm also feeling better. It makes me wonder which comes first -- the good mood or the  physical well-being. People smarter than I have pondered this mind/body connection and still have not come up with a definitive answer. Dr. Herbert Benson's book, The Relaxation Response, published in the late 70s, brought credence to the theory that we can heal many of our ailments with our mind by learning the "relaxation response", which is very much like meditation or self-hypnosis. Around the same time, Norman Cousins cured himself of what he was told was an "incurable" and "irreversible" disease by working in tandem with his doctor, massive doses of Vitamin C, and laughter, which he brought on by watching funny movies, such as the Marx Brothers' films. He documented all of this in his book Anatomy of an Illness. These are just a couple of the early mainstream books to discuss the subject. And who can forget Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking?

Just this week there were reports on the news about the latest research into the effects of anti-depressants, which are accompanied by many undesirable side-effects. The recent studies show that, in most cases, depressed patients get better just as quickly when given a placebo pill as when they are on an anti-depressant drug - even when they are told it is a placebo or "sugar pill". Of course, there are exceptions with cases of extreme mental/emotional problems. No one should ever cease taking prescribed medication without talking to their physician.

"You become what you think about all day long." Emerson had a good understanding of the mind/body connection, as do some modern day spiritual traditions. Unity and the Church of Religious Science come to mind. Also, one of the most popular ministers in the U.S. today, Joel Osteen, understands these principles. He fills his sermons with a lot of positive affirmations, using Biblical references to relate to. He is teaching that if one does nothing but dwell upon problems of any kind - physical, financial, emotional, etc. - one locks himself into a negative, self-defeating condition in life. In other words, "What you focus on increases!" Best to hold positive, healing, loving, abundant thoughts in mind! And of course, "Let go and let God."

If I believe these observations -- and I do -- why did my complaints linger so long? I've had over twenty years of Unity teachings under my belt, and should know better by now. I believe it's because for over ten years I have not lived near people who believe and practice these same principles. I have been spending way too much time alone or with folks with differing beliefs! The one big exception is the time I spend with Community Kitchen and the volunteers there. Now that I am feeling better, and I know I don't have anything contagious, I am going back more frequently. The loving energy there is palpable. I also felt better when I volunteered at Hope's Closet, but I haven't been there in a few months.

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Travis, Carajean, Kelly

Another reason for my recuperation and lifted spirits is a visit from my daughter, Carajean. We had nearly four fun-filled days together earlier this month. While she was here, daughter-in-law Amy and grandchildren Travis and Kelly joined us for one day and night. We all had a good time playing games, eating, and watching movies. One day Carajean and I stayed in our pajamas all day long. The bed didn't even get made. I don't recall that happening in many years!

Amy and Carajean

These two gals outlasted me, and stayed up late playing dominoes. They even cleaned the kitchen so I could get my beauty sleep. They are both so youthful and beautiful that they can get away with late hours from time to time with no after-effects!

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Next weekend we are going on a journey together. Oldest grandson Cameron is performing in his Senior recital at LSU in Baton Rouge. His mom and dad will join us there from Dallas. Carajean is flying to Austin, where she, son Matthew, Amy, and I will drive to Baton Rouge. It's over 7 hours to get there, so it's a good thing we all love each other! Needless to say, Cameron is pleased to have such a big family turnout for this special occasion. This past week he performed with the LSU A Cappella Choir in Plano, Texas. My oldest granddaughter, Audrey (a senior at SMU) was among family members who attended that performance.

(Cameron and Audrey)

Due to the isolation and ailments I suffered the past few months, I broke my "news fast" and gorged on all of the cable newscasts. I could not help getting caught up in all the GOP primary coverage. Some of it would be funny if it weren't so scary. I'll cover this in my next blog post. I'm so angry over the recent women's rights issues I probably couldn't keep from being overly insulting of the people involved. That is no way to keep up my positive attitude and assist my continued healing!

Peace and love,

Marilyn

"DESPAIR INTO ACTION"

I have written many times about my oldest granddaughter, Audrey, who is a senior student at SMU, majoring in Environmental Science. She is currently doing an internship in Maui, Hawaii, studying the migration of humpback whales. This morning I received the following email from her. I don't think she will mind my sharing it with you. Her passion is very obvious, and I feel she will continue to grow spiritually and make a very big difference in the world. Needless to say, I am  very proud of her.

(iptimes)

"I have experienced an awakening during my time here in Hawaii. The past few days we have studied some very emotionally enraging topics. Like how the captivity industry fuels the heinous slaughter of 20,000 dolphins every year in Taiji, Japan; how the international laws are consistently being broken and (are going) unpunished regarding the moratorium on whaling; how anthropogenic activities have managed to have a devastating effect on every ecosystem on Earth; how protesters, who are peacefully practicing their First Amendment right, are targeted, punished, and sometimes physically hurt by people of our government; how our government has become a plutocracy, with 200 of the large corporations that own 80% of the world's profits making all of the decisions that impact each of us (by the way, none of their decisions so far have been in favor of the environment).

I have been so moved by the films we have seen, articles we have read, and speakers we have listened to here. One night, watching The Cove followed by a Hawaiian native speaker (a vegetarian) made me cry so much I had to use my sleeve as a tissue. I came home that night, sat on our lanai (Hawaiian for balcony) and pondered. I realized that I had to write something and get it all out on paper. So I did. It's not finished yet, but I made some dramatic realizations about myself and my concern for our current world. Today I am in the middle of reading an interview with Joanna Macy who has made it her mission in life to help transform people's despair into action. I realized that she has literally taken the words right out of my mouth - the same things I realized for myself that night on the lanai. Please take time to read this article -- it  is worth it." 

http://www.personaltransformation.com/Macy.html   

I hope this brief report from a young (21 years) woman of today's world gives each of us pause to think during this election year. I love the way the native Americans used to consider the welfare of the seven generations to follow them before taking any action that might negatively affect the environment. At the current rate of destruction, our Mother Earth may not be here in seven generations! Or if it is, it will not be a very pleasant place to inhabit -- if it is habitable at all.

Peace and love to all living things on our planet,

Marilyn

Be the change..

Many young people are stepping forward and making a difference in today's world. Some of them are part of the Occupy Wall Street movement here in the United States as well as across the world. Not all are necessarily part of a religious faith, but all are united in their wish to "change the world" for the better. They deserve to be heard, and they deserve our support in their nonviolent protests.

I know in my heart that my grandchildren are going to contribute in special ways to a better world. Each of them has a spirit of striving for excellence in everything they attempt, and each shows great love and compassion for animals as well as people. They have loving parents who are guiding them and instilling good values in them. Allow me to exercise my grandmother's bragging rights in the following..

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13-year-old Tanner has been busy this summer learning to make his own videos. Always an A student, he plays cello and has been learning computer programming from his dad.  His very early love of turtles has blossomed into a love of all animals, and he shares the vegan lifestyle with his family. He has his own YouTube channel now, where you may go and check out his two fantastic videos thus far. Notice how he clones himself in both! Click on this link:  TANNER'S VIDEOS

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11-year-old Hannah decided not to attend the TAG (talented and gifted) middle school this year, but to go to the same middle school that her brother Cameron attended. There she auditioned for the school choir, and just this past week auditioned for and made the Dallas All-City Choir. I haven't heard her sing yet, but she sings soprano and her dad promised to video her singing for me soon. He forwarded a copy of her first report card -- all As, with several 100s and one of those was 103 in choir!! How does one perfect perfection??  You go, girl!

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Audrey debuted as an apprentice ballerina with Contemporary Ballet Dallas last weekend. She had an entourage of family members attend, and her Uncle Craig told me she is a beautiful, talented dancer. She is in her senior year at SMU, and this semester has a light load which allows her more time to dance and even do some modeling on the side. She is excited about going to Maui in January to study the migration of humpback whales, and is still an avid animal rights activist. Her degree will be in Environmental Science. She's a whiz at calculus, too! And loves to play violin with her mom when she's at home. The lovely photo of her reminds me of Degas' fascination with ballerinas at rest.

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Travis recently brought home his first fourth grade report card of the year - he made the All A Honor Roll! As the only grandchild thus far who doesn't seem to be interested (yet) in music or the performing arts, he has channeled his interests into sports. This year he has made his dad proud with his baseball ability. The last two baseball games, Travis made great catches. One was a flying catch he made at third base when the bases were loaded. I think his dad, Matthew, was as excited about that as he was at attending one of the World Series games in Dallas this past week. Dad was a Junior Ranger when he was a kid, and still loves the Texas Rangers.

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This photo is of grandson Cameron in full makeup for an operatic performance at LSU. We can see how he will look as a middle-aged man, huh? Not bad! He sings the role of Alcindoro in LaBoheme this weekend. He said that for this production they set it in the French Quarter during  Prohibition. Cameron would love to go to graduate school next year. I pray that the economy improves, so it may be a plausible possibility. He's one of the many students in this country who - in spite of a four year scholarship, will be saddled with student loans when he graduates. Besides his beautiful voice, Cameron is politically savvy, and has a spiritual side that is developing as he is gaining life experiences. Maybe singing every Sunday for the Episcopal Church choir has had an influence on him! 

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I don't have the latest up-to-date info on my other two granddaughters, Ashlyn and Kelly, but it will be forthcoming. A little reminder to moms, Carajean and Amy!

It is obvious how proud I am of these beautiful, young, developing souls. But what I don't say often enough is how very proud I am of their mom and dads.. my children, Craig, Carajean, and Matthew. Their lives were not easy growing up, and they never had the stability and security I wished to give them. I've commented before that sometimes our dreams for a good life are not realized in our own life, but if we hang around, we can often see them come true in our children (sometimes, in spite of their upbringing!) and grandchildren.  Congratulations, you three (and your supporting spouses, of course).. I send my love and prayers for your continuing success in raising such super grandchildren of mine!

As the video suggests... "be the change"... You and yours are bringing about a better world for all of us. One that will be filled with beauty, compassion, and love of all life. 

Peace and love,

Marilyn