Dissident

Transparency, Accountability, & Truth

2011-10-23T14:23:00.000-05:00

We need more Sunshine Laws, not less...

...Would you like to see all the terrorists come to our country? I for one would not. Our government does a lot of things wrong but it is still the best country in the world and I say to all of those who continually criticize and try to bring America down "SHAME ON YOU".

Criticism can come from love, and not at all from trying to bring America down. We see a great country behaving badly and we will protest because we love our country and want to be proud of it. No one is talking about loosening security. None of us are remotely ashamed of pursuing our right as citizens to make our elected officials accountable--to the law and to the constitution instead of to the banks and corporations. You can assume your way is the only patriotic way, but that sure isn't how this country was founded. Democracy means we must act and voice our opinions to be worthy of citizenship. This country IS great because everyone can voice their opinion and not be thrown in jail without a trial. That's what people are dying for in North Africa right now...

- Facebook thread regarding recent U.S. military killing of a civilian U.S. citizen (and minor)

It has been argued that they did this for a reason otherwise they wouldn't have done it. Of course there was a reason, that's not the point. The point is that these things are often done with no transparency or accountability. There has to be oversight. At the very least, we need to continually encourage our representatives in Congress to insist on this. We have committees on this and that, and are they doing this? If they are, they sure aren't telling us, those they represent. Too many of those in charge think they know better, are protecting us, etc. Thanks but no thanks, I don't need protecting. I need the truth.

2011-10-03T13:07:00.000-05:00

We're Screwed

2011-06-16T22:23:00.000-05:00

Transparency, Accountability, Freedom

2011-02-15T10:38:00.000-06:00

Lawmakers Discuss Constitutional Issues Raised by WikiLeaks | C-SPAN

2010-12-16T10:03:00.000-06:00

Lawmakers Discuss Constitutional Issues Raised by WikiLeaks | C-SPAN

Wikileaks & Freedom of Expression

2010-12-16T09:06:00.000-06:00

Anonops Communication: A Letter from Anonymous

2010-12-11T08:38:00.000-06:00

Anonops Communication: A Letter from Anonymous

Wikileaks Petition

2010-12-08T19:03:00.002-06:00

The vicious intimidation campaign against WikiLeaks is wrong, dangerous and undermines the rule of law. Top US politicians have branded WikiLeaks a terrorist organization, and urged corporations to shut it down. Commentators have suggested assassinating its staff.

The future of our freedoms and the Internet is at stake. Let's urgently take a stand to ensure governments and companies act with restraint and due process, not escalate this fight.

Sign the petition to stop the crackdown!

Stuff

2010-11-26T14:31:00.000-06:00

Call me a Scrooge, a party pooper, but speaking for myself, I have too much stuff as it is...I'm cutting back, simplifying, and learning how to be more self-sufficient. I have a LOT to learn (and re-learn...my parents taught me a lot about making do that I 'forgot'...) and am feeling much better for it.....

Liberty

2010-11-25T04:33:00.001-06:00

About the latest sacrifice of personal freedom via TSA (there are so many, and they keep coming as long as we let 'em):

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin, 1775

Remembrance Day

2010-11-11T08:22:00.000-06:00

DULCE ET DECORUM EST
by Wilfred Owen

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned out backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame, all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!--An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.--
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin,
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs
Bitter as the cudOf vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

SUICIDE IN THE TRENCHES
by Siegfried Sassoon

I knew a simple soldier boy.....
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.

In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
And no one spoke of him again.

You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.

Columbus Day

2010-10-11T13:41:00.000-05:00

“To emphasize the heroism of Columbus and his successors as navigators and discoverers, and to deemphasize their genocide, is not a technical necessity but an ideological choice. It serves — unwittingly — to justify what was done.” - Howard Zinn

When Our Celebrations Strengthen Ignorance (Columbus Day)

Disinformation of the Worst Kind

2010-09-25T19:17:00.006-05:00

They say it better than I could, so I will let them speak for themselves:

We don’t have to let Fox’s attempts to stoke fear and hate shape our country’s politics and culture. It’s easy to turn off Fox News in our own homes — but when TVs in public places are tuned to Fox, that also spreads fear, division, and misinformation. Turn Off Fox is about ordinary people and small businesses working together to reduce Fox’s influence in their own communities and across the country.

Fox’s race-baiting and fear-mongering is more than just deceptive and offensive — it’s bad for the country, it’s dangerous, and it can result in violence. If we want a political culture rooted in factual information and free from violence and racial animosity, now is the time to stand up against Fox.

By organizing businesses and other public places to stop playing Fox News— the cable news network, not local affiliates — we will reduce Fox’s ability to poison our political conversations and divide our country. And we will send a powerful message: that this country will support media that informs us, sheds light on the problems we face, and inspires us to solve them together — not deceptive propaganda that plays on fear and paranoia, spreads confusion and falsehoods, exploits our divisions, and pits us against each other.

While Fox has the right of free speech in our open society we call a democracy, those of us who see them for who they really are have an equal right to speak up against them. Even more so, I feel we have a responsibility to...

9/11 Legacy

2010-09-14T11:16:00.000-05:00

If you read the different slides, it should scare then anger you. It is hateful, manipulative rhetoric that will only stir up more violence and death. I could easily, for instance, quote Biblical references that sound just as bad as the Quranic quotes. It's the classic take words and twist then put with some other information that makes it look authentic and official, then pander to people's fears, and it's all to make people feel superior - and ultimately to benefit certain parties, usually for power and/or money, taking the rest of the 'sheep' (aka people or 'sheeple') along for the ride, usually as cannon fodder...

We Must ALWAYS Be Vigilant!

2010-09-01T10:53:00.002-05:00

I think it never matters who is in the Whitehouse - we ALWAYS must be vigilant about our rights as citizens!

Few with power can brook opposition or criticism, especially when it is a simple matter for those with power to sweep away constraints upon their power in the name of "national security." It won’t be long before a decision of the US Supreme Court will not mean anything. Any decision that goes against the regime will simply be ignored.

...September 11 destroyed more than lives, World Trade Center buildings, and Americans’ sense of invulnerability. The event destroyed American liberty, the rule of law and the US Constitution.

I have always felt it was the duty of individuals to educate and inform themselves, to use common sense, thoughtfulness and logic - all in order to process their times and experiences, then do what they can about them. Vigilance the price of liberty? I would say that is the least of it. Too many are apathetic or ill-informed, both of which can make things worse instead of better.

I can only speak for myself, and act on my own behalf, but I hope I can and have made some positive differences. I will continue to strive to do so.

By the way, the article in the link, and which the quotes are from? Written by a man who worked in the Reagan administration by the name of Paul Craig Roberts, who was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury during President Reagan’s first term.

Harbingers of Violence

2010-08-24T08:27:00.000-05:00

This is exactly what I figured would happen, and it is. This must stop, and it won't unless we speak up. I ask myself, if the momentum goes like it has historically, it may be a floodgate opened that cannot be stopped until drastic measures are taken. I ask myself, will I have the moral courage to stand up against it?

Harbingers of violence in anti-mosque movement

There Is No 'Ground Zero Mosque'

2010-08-17T13:41:00.002-05:00

I challenge anyone reading me to listen to all 12 minutes of this carefully and then think about it. I am not that familiar with this commentator, but he very thoughtfully and articulately lays out the history and logic of why this issue is so important. As he says at one point, historically we all - including America - have dirt on our hands. As he also says, we could be at an early step of something worse (quoting Martin Niemöller...)

"THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

THEN THEY CAME for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up."

- Pastor Martin Niemöller

American Empire

2010-02-25T14:25:00.006-06:00

It is hard to deny the American Empire. The U.S. has more than 2,500,000 Dept. of Defense personnel deployed across the planet and 761 military bases on foreign soil, not counting more than 100 in Iraq and more than 400 American and NATO bases in Afghanistan. U.S. troops are now stationed in 148 countries and 11 territories according to the DoD’s “Active Duty Military Personnel Strengths by Regional Area and Country.” America has spawned a military network larger than the Roman Empire, which at its height had 37 major military bases, and the British Empire which had 36. More bases are planned; billions spent building bases in far off lands while large swaths of American cities degrade into impoverished zones and the infrastructure of the nation crumbles. - From Antiwar.com's Time for a Broad-Based Antiwar Movement, by Kevin B. Zeese

Remembrance

2009-10-15T18:35:00.002-05:00

This is Where We Take Our Stand

2009-07-13T22:08:00.000-05:00

For Those Who Would Judge Me from Displaced Films on Vimeo.

Breakdown

2009-06-08T10:53:00.002-05:00

Many folks are observing the break down of society. We're seeing higher taxes, law enforcement energy wasted in mostly useless directions. Some products are contaminated, or otherwise not useful (peanuts, for example).

Another poster suggested that the regime won't shut down truckers, as the nation needs the transport. What should we expect to be blocked or unavailable first? And what should remain much longer?

My sense is that the ammo shortages are early in the process. Later, we'll see more inadequate government services. Dial 911, and wait 10 minutes on hold. No more trash pickup along the highways. We'll see a bit more volunteer work, as people help out. Eventually, we will likely see food shortages, contaminated drinking water in cities, and pollution becoming a problem. Maybe less often trash pickup at homes and dumpsters.

From a survivalist list I belong to came those words from the moderator recently. People are watching, they are observing trends, and what they see is not encouraging...

The New Socialism: Global Collectivist Society Is Coming Online

2009-05-25T18:40:00.001-05:00

The New Socialism: Global Collectivist Society Is Coming Online

I am a Muslim!

2009-05-21T07:16:00.000-05:00

Dreams with Sharp Teeth

2009-05-19T23:02:00.000-05:00

Bully!

2009-05-18T05:23:00.005-05:00

A great post with lots of motivational posters from the great Theodore Roosevelt...

My Revolver Specs

2009-05-08T21:14:00.003-05:00

History Revisionism

2009-05-07T08:41:00.002-05:00

Here's a shocker - what we were taught about history isn't all true...or even true at all.

[NOTE: For anyone actually taking the shock aspect to the above statement literally, look up the word sarcasm]

This is a reminder to do your own thinking. Don't assume, and don't trust everyone. Dig around, ask questions, be a pain in the butt. You can thank me later...

Rally for Hometown Girl

2009-05-03T07:02:00.000-05:00

2009 Swine Flu Outbreak Map

2009-04-28T23:09:00.002-05:00

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

Casca: The Eternal Mercenary

2009-03-13T23:12:00.004-05:00

Recently, thanks to my boyfriend, I was introduced to a series of books by Barry Sadler. They are about a character called Casca. Now no one would mistake these books as great literature, but in their own way they are great. Written in the tradition of pulp fiction, they are exciting, fast-paced, and in this case surprisingly literate on historic facts, which is rather fun and refreshing. I am hooked!

Yes, We Will

2008-11-10T18:22:00.003-06:00

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

2008-10-19T18:15:00.000-05:00

"If women are enslaved, then so are men"

2008-10-14T09:51:00.001-05:00

Great article on Kurdish women fighters - fighting for their culture, and equality.

Amen, Sisters...

New National Symbol

2008-10-10T21:35:00.000-05:00

My First Gun

2008-09-05T19:10:00.000-05:00

I bought my first gun today. I keep staring at it on my kitchen counter. I think, "Now what?!" Well, I'll tell you...I'll find a good gun safety course and take it. I'll read about it. I'll study how to take care of it. One of these days I'll find a place to shoot it and learn how to do that. Why did I get it you say? Damned if I know. Well, I do know, but I'm still not sure I believe it because it all seems a bit surreal. It's because it's not a safe world, and having it gives me a bit of sense of control and peace, even though that's delusional really. I don't think my little handgun is going to protect me from all things bad. But it's a start...

So True it Hurts

2008-07-17T23:46:00.000-05:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

A Dark Day in USA History

2008-07-16T15:54:00.004-05:00

From Democracy Now:

A federal appeals court has ruled President Bush can order the indefinite jailing of civilians imprisoned in the United States. The five-to-four decision effectively reverses last year’s ruling that the administration cannot label US residents "enemy combatants" and jail them indefinitely without charge. The ruling came in the case of the only person still held as an enemy combatant on US soil. Ali al-Marri was arrested six years ago at his home in Peoria, Illinois, where he lived with his wife and five children. He was initially charged with credit card fraud and lying to federal agents. But in June 2003, President Bush declared him an enemy combatant and ordered him into military custody. He has spent the last four years in solitary confinement at a Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina. Al-Marri’s attorney Jonathan Hafetz said, "This decision means the president can pick up any person in the country—citizen or legal resident—and lock them up for years without the most basic safeguard in the Constitution, the right to a criminal trial."

Solidarity for Peace

2008-05-04T12:08:00.003-05:00

Dock Workers strike against the war in Iraq...and their counterparts in Iraq join them!

Pfft

2008-04-22T20:36:00.001-05:00

American Empire

2008-04-20T14:50:00.000-05:00

Respect

2008-04-19T14:08:00.001-05:00

"...I guess the lesson is that if you ever happen up on an old timer feeding a little milk to his cat you might ought to walk softly and show proper respect, cause you never know for sure where he has been, or what he has seen. The old Quantrill Raiders are all gone, but today, some of those old timers driving slow and getting in your way just might have stormed the beaches of Normandy, or stood firm on the hills of Okinawa, giving you the freedoms you enjoy today. So, instead of giving them one of those un-neighborly gestures for slowing you down, you might ought to just tip your hat real friendly like, give them a polite wave, and pass them when you can." - From Old Timers

Patriotic Dissent

2008-04-11T08:55:00.003-05:00

Many men have been carried to the cemetery with honor guards and rifle salutes who, if the truth be known, knew their missions were not worth the price but went anyway. Many, many of our honored dead were dissenters.

What makes no sense at all is when the arrogant idiot expects us civilians to support his unprincipled policy as a way of "supporting our troops." The troops are not mercenaries, they are American soldiers in a long proud tradition going back to General Washington's Continental Army at Valley Forge, and what gives their mission dignity and meaning is that it comes from a constitutional government in which war is not a point of personal privilege but a matter to be openly debated, opposed, protested, reported. For the troops to fall into line is a noble thing; for civilians to fall into line is shameful. - From Theirs Not to Reason Why (Old Scout) by Garrison Keillor

Internet: Silver Anniversary

2008-01-05T16:29:00.001-06:00

Ah, the Internet.

It truly revolutionized my life, and I shall forever be grateful to Vinton Cerf and the rest of the gang...

90 Orbits

2007-12-21T08:09:00.000-06:00

World AIDS Day

2007-12-01T11:38:00.000-06:00

Civil Disobedience = Terrorism?

2007-11-22T16:56:00.000-06:00

Not new news, but still worrying.

The Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act continues to make it's way through Congress. Democracy Now covered this, this week.

Remembrance Day: Lest We Forget

2007-11-11T00:01:00.000-06:00

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— John McCrae

Breach of Contract

2007-10-06T19:43:00.000-05:00

National Guard Troops Denied Benefits After Longest Deployment Of Iraq War

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (NBC) -- When they came home from Iraq, 2,600 members of the Minnesota National Guard had been deployed longer than any other ground combat unit. The tour lasted 22 months and had been extended as part of President Bush's surge. 1st Lt. Jon Anderson said he never expected to come home to this: A government refusing to pay education benefits he says he should have earned under the GI bill.

"It's pretty much a slap in the face," Anderson said. "I think it was a scheme to save money, personally. I think it was a leadership failure by the senior Washington leadership... once again failing the soldiers."

Anderson's orders, and the orders of 1,161 other Minnesota guard members, were written for 729 days. Had they been written for 730 days, just one day more, the soldiers would receive those benefits to pay for school. "Which would be allowing the soldiers an extra $500 to $800 a month," Anderson said.

Looking Death in the Face

2007-08-05T10:24:00.000-05:00

I've been reading obituaries at MyDeathSpace.com this week. It makes very sobering reading. I think it is a dose of reality all of all could use. Some amazing discussions go on there, at the forums, also...

Pay Attention

2007-07-30T18:10:00.000-05:00

Killer of Sheep

2007-07-20T14:11:00.000-05:00

"A national treasure..." - Library of Congress

School Bell

2007-07-05T17:08:00.000-05:00

I recently attended a class reunion. Actually, it was much more than a class reunion; it was an all-school, all-class reunion, done at the same time as the town's centennial (which I have found out - long story - is something of a mystery since there are other dates considered to be when the town was established, incorporated, etc., but I digress...)

The photo here is of a new memorial, dedicated during the weekend celebrations. It is on the site of the old school, which does not exist any more. Except in the memories (and my dreams...yes, I dream often of walking the hallways of my old schools...) of former students, etc.

What was really strange is coming across an old teacher who I swear looks younger than she did when we were in high school.

It was amazing to talk to old classmates, and meet 'new' even older former students. I finally met Michael Rustad, without whom this site would not exist. I also met Allen Ahles, who assisted me with some of the Ahles family history on this site. And of course, I not only met, but stayed with, Chuck Walker, whose story of his ancestor is being serialized on this site.

All and all, an amazing weekend I will never forget!

Humboldt School 1906-1956
Humboldt-St. Vincent School 1956-1991

Dedicated to all the teachers, administrators, students, custodial and transportation personnel who so faithfully served
and attended this school.

Bell monument provided by Garylle B. Stewart, Class of 1958. Construction and installation of Bell by Wayne G. Stewart, Class of 1964. Masonry work by Steve Olson and Grandson Construction, Fargo, ND. Bell saved from school and provided by long-time residents Curis W. Miller and Brad Hemmes.

Dedicated at Humboldt Centennial and All-School Reunion,
June 22-23, 2007.

Trivia: The bricks forming the base of the memorial were once part of the old-wing of the Humboldt School

Story of Healing

2007-06-08T15:44:00.000-05:00

Click To Play

Loss of a Son

2007-06-07T20:18:00.000-05:00

Growing Old Is So Much FUN

2007-06-06T21:46:00.000-05:00

I have been diagnosed with this condition. It's also connected to other autoimmune diseases. I have very low iron (hemoglobin count yesterday was 9…) I have the associated symptoms of fatigue and joint pain…

Yes, as Mom said, it’s so fun growing old!
______________________

Q. What is Sjögren’s syndrome?

A. Sjögren’s (SHOW-grins) syndrome is a chronic or lifelong autoimmune disease. Normally, the immune system acts to protect the body from external threats like germs. When a person has an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks the body instead.

Sjögren’s affects nearly 2 to 4 million1 people in the US, primarily women in their perimenopausal years. While there is no cure for Sjögren’s syndrome, there are things that can be done to help relieve the symptoms that are part of this disease.

If you have Sjögren’s syndrome, attacks typically start with your moisture-producing glands, which are called the exocrine glands [Oy...after reading the Wikipedia list, it all makes sense! I'm dry everywhere...and I do mean EVERYWHERE...!] You need healthy exocrine glands to produce saliva and tears. These glands also produce moisture needed in the vaginal area, and in the gastrointestinal tract (stomach and intestine) and respiratory tract (airway and lungs). If your exocrine glands fail to create enough moisture, you may experience a number of uncomfortable symptoms.

Q. What are the symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome?

A. Symptoms may include the following:

dry mouth
dry, painful tongue
dry throat
dry eyes
sand sensation in eyes
burning feeling in eyes
mucus in and around the eyes
dry nose
vaginal dryness
difficulty speaking without drinking water
difficulty chewing and swallowing food
difficulty sleeping due to dryness of the mouth and throat
coughing
fatigue

My Heroes

2007-05-31T22:03:00.000-05:00

Better Than Ever

2007-05-16T16:12:00.001-05:00

I want people to talk to one another no matter what their difference of opinion might be.

A hero of mine, Studs Terkel turns 95 today.

He's publishing his first memoir later this year - now THAT'S when you should publish a memior, after most of a life has been lived!

Not Your Average War Documentary

2007-04-30T18:19:00.000-05:00

Ahead of Their Time: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade

2007-04-30T17:59:00.000-05:00

These men were ahead of their times, only now getting the long-overdue recognition they always deserved.

They understood that the line should be drawn on the fascism rising in Spain and Italy, who in turn supported Hitler.

If their words of warning had been headed, some say WWII could have been avoided, at least in Europe...

The Machine is Us/ing Us

2007-04-21T23:19:00.001-05:00

Strange Bedfellows

2007-03-18T12:39:00.000-05:00

The status of being a dissident unites dissidents on either side.

- Professor Douglas Laycock, offering an explanation for the strange bedfellows (ACLU and religious organization) supporting the Joseph Frederick case now in front of the Supreme Court

Islamic Women Scholars

2007-03-17T09:57:00.000-05:00

Flabby leadership and a focus on politics rather than scholarship has left Muslims ignorant of their own history. - Mohammad Akram Nadwi on Islamic Women Scholars

RIAA Boycott

2007-03-03T11:40:00.000-06:00

I'm a bit slow to the party, but I am proudly proclaiming my solidarity...

"This Little Light of Mine, I'm Gonna Let It Shine..."

2007-03-02T15:55:00.000-06:00

Turkey

2007-02-27T22:00:00.000-06:00

Turkey is not a country at ease with itself. A person can be arrested for even mentioning the genocide against Armenians, which officially never happened. Until 1991 there were officially no Kurds. They were referred to, if at all, as Mountain Turks. Their language was illegal and its existence was denied, called a corrupted dialect of Turkish with no written version because the Mountain Turks were illiterate.

- Jo Wilding (Lawyer, Activist, Clown)

Alive in Baghdad: Night Life

2007-02-12T18:07:00.000-06:00

From Alive in Baghdad:

Alive in Baghdad was formed to counter the sound-bite driven, “Live From” news model. Through the work of a team of Americans and Iraqi correspondents on the ground, Alive in Baghdad shows the occupation through the voices of Iraqis. Alive in Baghdad brings testimonies from individual Iraqis, footage of daily life in Iraq, and short news segments from Iraq to you.

Dildo Diaries

2007-02-11T00:10:00.001-06:00

Dildo Diaries is a tongue-in-cheek investigation of the Texas legislature’s obsession with “dipshit stuff like this,” as political columnist Molly Ivins puts it...

- Review

Eye for an Eye = BLIND

2007-01-27T18:45:00.000-06:00

Wanna see what's going on, on the ground, in Baghdad now? Go here...

Pluralism in America

2007-01-20T12:12:00.000-06:00

Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, or IDIC...
I am of the Star Trek generation. A major reason I loved Star Trek is because I immediately recognized the deep truths many of its stories conveyed. It was the world as it was meant to be, as it should be.

While I was raised in a Christian family, I unconsciously wanted to see practical applications of the love Jesus talked about. I saw that illustrated in ways I could relate to in many of Star Trek's storylines. One theme that came up many times was being accepting of others different than yourself, to even appreciate the differences. To be open-minded.

To this day, it is one of my core values. I don't always practice it as well as I would like, but I continue to try.

Day After Tomorrow

2007-01-13T15:57:00.000-06:00

I got your letter today
And I miss you all so much, here
I can't wait to see you all
And I'm counting the days, dear
I still believe that there's gold
At the end of the world
And I'll come home
To Illinois
On the day after tomorrow

It is so hard
And it's cold here
And I'm tired of taking orders
And I miss old Rockford town
Up by the Wisconsin border
But I miss you won't believe
Shoveling snow and raking leaves
And my plane will touch tomorrow
On the day after tomorrow

I close my eyes
Every night
And I dream that I can hold you
They fill us full of lies
Everyone buys
About what it means to be a soldier
I still don't know how I'm supposed to feel
About all the blood that's been spilled
Look out on the street
Get me back home
On the day after tomorrow

You can't deny
The other side
Don't want to die
Any more than we do
What I'm trying to say,
Is don't they pray
To the same God that we do?
Tell me, how does God choose?
Whose prayers does he refuse?
Who turns the wheel?
And who throws the dice
On the day after tomorrow?

Mmmmmmm...
I'm not fighting
For justice
I am not fighting
For freedom
I am fighting
For my life
And another day
In the world here
I just do what I've been told
You're just the gravel on the road
And the one's that are lucky
One's come home
On the day after tomorrow

And the summer
It too will fade
And with it comes the winter's frost, dear
And I know we too are made
Of all the things that we have lost here
I'll be twenty-one today
I've been saving all my pay
And my plane will touch down
On the day after tomorrow
And my plane it will touch down
On the day after tomorrow

Tom Waits

Taking the Plunge

2007-01-06T13:09:00.000-06:00

This week, I applied for a U.S. Passport. No, I'm not going to be 'traveling abroad'. I'm only going to Canada. But as part of the ongoing tightening of homeland security, crossing America's northern border with Canada will now require a passport (technically, it's only air/sea this year, and land crossing in 2008, but hey, I thought I might as well get a jump start...)

New passports like mine - or E-Passports - will have an RFID chip in them. The problem with that is that your PII is theoretically available to hackers, not only the government (which is bad enough...) There are, however, already products available to shield the passport from this risk.

Words from the Past

2007-01-06T12:33:00.000-06:00

As true now, as it was then...

In our own history, from the Moot court through Magna Carta to the Imperial Parliament was the work of centuries, yet the first contained the germ of all that came after. The tribes of the Iraq have advanced but little beyond the Moot court, and should the shaping of their destinies become our care in the future, we shall be wise to eschew any experiments tending to rush them into highly specialized institutions - a policy which could commend itself only to those who are never worried by words that signify nothing.

- Gertrude Bell, excerpt from an article published in The Arab Bulletin (Issue dated 5 October 1916)

I Heard You, Malachi

2006-11-26T18:34:00.000-06:00

Futile? Some would say the crucifixion was futile, judging by the results to far.

I don't think Malachi's act was futile. I think lone voices can be heard, and do matter. I don't think he wasted his life, but lived - and died - as he believed.

I heard you, Malachi.

Memory Jogger

2006-11-25T00:36:00.000-06:00

Coming in September 2007, The War is the new documentary by Ken Burns. Burns was inspired by two main things - the increasingly fast loss of the war generation, and the loss of memory of the war itself with younger generations.

Until then, you can hear a marvelous interview of Ken Burns conducted by the Archivist of the United States...

Dinner Conversation

2006-11-24T09:36:00.000-06:00

Same Story, Different War

2006-11-18T15:33:00.000-06:00

Sam Stone by John Prine

Sam Stone came home,
To his wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas.
And the time that he served,
Had shattered all his nerves,
And left a little shrapnel in his knee.
But the morphine eased the pain,
And the grass grew round his brain,
And gave him all the confidence he lacked,
With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back.

Chorus:
There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes,
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose.
Little pitchers have big ears,
Don't stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.
Mmm....

Sam Stone's welcome home
Didn't last too long.
He went to work when he'd spent his last dime
And Sammy took to stealing
When he got that empty feeling
For a hundred dollar habit without overtime.
And the gold rolled through his veins
Like a thousand railroad trains,
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose,
While the kids ran around wearin' other peoples' clothes...

Repeat Chorus:

Sam Stone was alone
When he popped his last balloon
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair
Well, he played his last request
While the room smelled just like death
With an overdose hovering in the air
But life had lost its fun
And there was nothing to be done
But trade his house that he bought on the G, I. Bill
For a flag draped casket on a local heroes' hill

Was it All Worth it?

2006-11-05T11:37:00.000-06:00

So, to review: Americans invade Iraq, destroy the government, catch a butcher and put him in a show trial that was already marked by interference and showboating by all sides, and then watch gleefully as he’s sentenced to death two days before the political party that started this fiasco face almost certain defeat.

From Back to Iraq

Who Watches the Watchers?

2006-10-28T17:24:00.000-05:00

From Slashdot comes a heads-up about an article warning us of what a recently-signed law portends for freedom (or rather, lack thereof) in our country's future...

"In a stealth maneuver, President Bush has signed into law a provision which, according to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually encourage the President to declare federal martial law. It does so by revising the Insurrection Act, a set of laws that limits the President's ability to deploy troops within the United States. The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) has historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), helped to enforce strict prohibitions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement. With one cloaked swipe of his pen, Bush is seeking to undo those prohibitions."

Shooting War

2006-10-02T00:35:00.000-05:00

A great online comic...I'm late coming to it, but I'm catching up fast. Damned topical and it makes you uncomfortable, and you might have to think (or re-think) a few things. Then again, if you have strong feelings and a closed mind, nothing will change either...

Survivor Health

2006-09-10T00:54:00.000-05:00

In New York, hundreds of residents gathered last night [September 7, 2006] at St. Paul's Chapel - across the street from the former World Trade Center site - to demand the federal government stop ignoring the health effects from 9/11. At the meeting residents had a chance to share their concerns with the federal 9/11 Health Coordinator, Doctor John Howard. This is what they had to say...

My Son

2006-09-02T22:05:00.000-05:00

My son wants to make a living as a professional musician. He is a (mostly) self-taught guitarist (acoustic and electric), starting on a bass. He writes his own music and lyrics.

He knows to get beyond the point he's at right now, he needs several things - better sound equipment (a half stack), practice space (he has some ideas he'll be exploring on that front), and other musicians to collaborrate with (so far, he only has found a drummer...)

I'm very proud of him - no matter what, he's stayed true to his dream.

The Interview

2006-08-28T21:53:00.000-05:00

1- Why "Victorian Sex Machine"?

I figured it would get a lot of hits in search engines (boy, does it ever!) and drive traffic - some of the traffic might actually stay around and like what they see despite it not being their original goal (!)...plus I always have gotten a kick out of finding out more and more about sexuality in the Victorian era, including actual sex machines...there was a lot more to those people than you might think!

2- How did your interest in toy theaters develop and why does it continue?

Well...like a LOT of my interests, it was something that caught my eye earlier in passing, probably somewhere in popular media, then again years later by accident, then I took it under advisement, fascinated by it wanting to know more, and before I knew it, another obsession was born! I love the details, the color, the imagination necessary, and variety that is endless, and of course, the history...

3- You are very open about your life in your blogs. Does that ever affect your personal life?

Strangely no. I suppose that may mean I'm rather boring, but that's OK...

4- How old were you when you adopt your first rodent, and why the intense fascination with the wee beasties?

I've always had a deep love of the natural world which of course includes animals. I was around large and small animals growing up, although I must admit, my exposure to mice until recently was mostly observing them being tortured and beheaded, then eaten, by my best friend "Dusty", my cat I had growing up (who lived to age 18...) He was an amazing hunter who I would go out with into the pastures around my parents' home and watch track down prey. Fast forward to now, however, and a past boyfriend nicknamed me Trishmouse which I got a kick out of. I started thinking about mice a bit more after rediscovering Beatrix Potter and her amazing illustrations based on her own interactions with real animals friends including mice. I just decided to go and see them for myself, and fell head over heels in love at the pet store. Rodents have 'owned' me since...!

5- What is the most annoying song ever, in your opinion?

The "Hamster Dance" - I love it, yet once it's in your head, you can't get it out!!!

Uncle Mossa Takes the Stand

2006-08-23T23:57:00.000-05:00

My son-in-law Meran's uncle Mossa testified today in the trials in Baghdad; he was recently flown over there to participate as a key witness...

Hussein's Lawyers Defend Chemical Attacks
By DAMIEN CAVE (New York Times)
Published: August 23, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 23 — Defense lawyers hammered a former Kurdish militant for being "a traitor" today, arguing on the third day of Saddam Hussein's genocide trial that chemical attacks on Kurds were legitimate acts of aggression against local militias that were conspiring with Iran.

During the third day of Saddam Hussein's genocide trial in the Green Zone in Baghdad, there was testimony from Bahiya Mustafa Mahmood, left, Moussa Abdullah Moussa and Adiba Owla Bayez.

The emerging defense strategy — evident in comments from lawyers and two of Mr. Hussein's six co-defendants — came on a day filled with continued testimony of Kurdish suffering during a six-and-a-half month campaign in 1988 to wipe out several Kurdish villages.

Three middle-aged women appeared in court, wearing traditional dress, each offering similar tales of a sweet, mysterious smell that blinded them, killed their relatives and forced them to hide in caves.

The attacks they described preceded by a few months the start of the so-called Anfal campaign, the heart of the case against Mr. Hussein and his co-defendants. But the witnesses said that the attacks represented the start of a wider effort to destroy everything they had.

"I lost all my livestock, all my property. I lost all my health," said Adiba Awla Baiz, 45, a mother of five from Balasan. "I lost my sight. My children lost their sight."

She said she also lost the ability to give birth. After two miscarriages and the death of an infant, "the doctor told me my womb was affected by chemical weapons," she said.

"We were not at fault," she added. "Whoever had a hand in this is a criminal."

Another Balasan woman, Badrya Said Kheder, said nine of her family members died from a gas attack in the spring of 1987. At one point in court, she said she could not keep talking because she still suffered after-effects that affected her throat.

A third woman, Bahiya Mustafa Mahmood, said she was unable to flee for the first 24 hours, even to caves nearby. Trapped in her village, she tried to soothe her burning throat with milk. But it failed.

"We drank the milk and when we vomited, it was like cheese," she said.

Mr. Hussein's team of defense attorneys have spent little time disputing the victims' claims of being subjected to chemical weapons. Instead, particularly today, they suggested that Kurdish families were collateral damage in an effort to root out Iranian troops in the area.

Several questions worked around a single inquiry: Were there soldiers in the village loyal to Iran?

Every witness offered a response much like the one provided by Ms. Baiz. "No, no never," she said. "I never saw anyone like this."

But the line of questioning continued. The attorneys asked Ms. Kheder if she knew why the area was being bombed. ("There was no reason," she said. "They were just bombing us.") They asked repeatedly about shelters described by victims, suggesting that they were actually bunkers for Iranian soldiers or Kurdish Peshmerga militias opposed to the Iraqi government.

The legal assault intensified after Mosa Abdullah Mosa, 50, the final witness of the day, admitted to being a Peshmerga militant at the time of two chemical weapons attacks, one in 1987 and another in August 1988. After he described harrowing scenes of death and injury, with some people’s eyes falling from their sockets, a defense attorney rose to declare "he’s a traitor."

A barrage of questions followed. Had he ever fought against the Iraqi government?

"Nobody asked me to participate in a military operation," said Mr. Mosa, a father of four who now lives in Tennessee. "I was a Guard in the First Brigade headquarters."

Was the militia keeping war prisoners from Iraqi government? "Sure, there was war prisoners," he said. "They were released."

Why didn’t he lay down his weapons, as the Iraqi government asked?

"The amnesties were false," he said. "They were just trying to arrest us."

At one point, Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali," commander of the north at that time, stood up asked Mr. Mosa — a defendant is allowed to question a witness under Iraqi law — if he knew anyone who served in the Iraqi forces, or only people who opposed them. When Mr. Mosa said the only government was run by Kurdish political parties, Mr. Majid concluded: "Then the state had no control at all over the area where he was."

Sabir Aziz al-Douri, a former intelligence officer who is also a defendant, offered a summary of his own. In the lead-up to a question for the witness, he said, "The Iranians and the Kurdish were joined." He said Iran had large headquarters in the area, and he asked the witness for its address.

Mr. Mosa pled ignorance. "I never heard that," he said.

Fighting for Free Speech

2006-07-22T20:27:00.000-05:00

Those who disagree with the Bush administration are finding their right to free speech not only squelched, but punished.

What I did this summer...

2006-07-07T10:39:00.000-05:00

What we did on our mini-vacation:

- Went to new Guthrie Theatre and saw two plays ("The Playboy of the Western World" and "The Shadow of the Glen") in the J.M. Synge cycle being put on all las week/weekend by the Druid Theatre Company of Galway, Ireland - AMAZING and moving (and funny in that sad Irish way) performances...

- Went to BODYWORLDS (I have been, as you know, a body donor to Dr. von Hagen's program for awhile now, so this was amazing to finally see his work up close...) I brought a DVD of autopsies he has done and have been watching it at home - amazing! I know in another life I must have been a doctor...!!

- Went to several Irish pubs and had great food - boxty, champ, roast beef & roots (parsnip, turnip, potatoes, etc.), bread pudding, etc., etc.

- Toured the Cathedral of St. Paul (it was breathtaking and inspirational...)

- Went to the Minnesota Historical Society, and did 2 hours of research in their microfilm library (unplanned since I didn't know how close our hotel was to it - an added bonus!)

- Visited the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which has a brand new (large) wing - spent 4 hours there and didn't see it all! It has TONS of stuff from ancient to modern art. My friend Gail works there, and she was on duty when we got there...

- Visited my good friend Gail and her husband Dale at their new house. Walked around their neighborhood in St. Paul, a very old section of town. In fact, they live only two blocks away from the oldest cemetery which we walked through (we love old cemetery art and history, so it was a lot of fun to see, but will have to go back - not enough time...)

- When walking in downtown Minneapolis, we walked by the Federal Courthouse building and saw some fun public art by Tom Otterness.

- On our way to the cities on Friday, we stopped at De La Luna Rattery in Maple Grove, Minnesota to visit their rats and choose a new furry friend. It was very tough - there were two available for adoption - a little girl named Solera (a velveteen dark grey, so soft and sweet) and a larger male named Chaucer, a sky blue dalmation. We chose Chaucer, and picked him up on our way home Monday.

It was hot, I wore a LOT of sunscreen and drank a lot of water, and walked and walked and walked!!

Memorial Day

2006-05-27T13:23:00.000-05:00

I will be thinking of my father, Gordon Leo Short. He was a corporal in WWII and fought in New Guinea, the Philipines, and was in the occupational forces on mainland Japan. He was in the 32nd "Red Arrow" division of the US Army. I grew up hearing stories - usually ending with him being very quiet, or quietly tearing up, and my Mom saying "That's enough...", and would respect that. There were some funny stories, like when he was at a USO show starring Dennis Day, and a rat ran up his pant leg. There were other stories seeing friends getting killed in front of him. One story told how he came very close to being taken out by a sniper, but an officer pulled him off of a ammunition run just before the other two soldiers in his group got shot.

My Dad passed away in 2001; I was there with him when he left us. I had never seen anyone die before, and it was a strange experience; I could see he was gone, that the body in front of me was just a shell now. I always loved my Dad, but I treasure his memory more and more as time passes, warts and all. He was just a quiet, hard-working man, one of many such men, but he was MY Dad. This Memorial Day I remember his service to all of us...

You go, Girls! (make that, Sisters...!)

2006-05-12T19:56:00.000-05:00

For everyone that has been asking, here is proof that some in the Islamic world at least are trying to find innovative ways to combat extremism...

Wall Drug vs. Abortion

2006-03-14T18:55:00.000-06:00

I'm in South Dakota on business. On the way here, the farther into the state I got, I saw the famous Wall Drug billboards. Vieing for a close second (in numbers) were the "Abortion stills a beating heart" billboards. I have no idea what to make of those. Yes, an abortion does do that. But I also feel that the subject is owed much more than such emotional and simplistic jinglism...

Freedom of Speech

2006-02-04T14:49:00.000-06:00

My daughter and her family are Muslims. I have learned a great deal through her and her husband's family about Islam because of this, as well as my own research because I want to understand other people's cultures and beliefs better. As with anything relating to human society, it is complex and diverse, good and bad.

I state these things as a way of introduction before I comment on the current controversy surrounding the publication of cartoons in a Danish newspaper that has offended many Muslims.

While I understand being upset about it from a Muslim perspective, I do believe that freedom of expression is the higher principle here. If we begin limiting speech, it will eventually hurt everyone, including the very individuals who are so upset by this...

The Brethren

2006-01-15T00:42:00.000-06:00

I grew up with the Brethren.* They were always a semi-mysterious group to those of us on the outside looking in. Everyone in St. Vincent knew them, worked with them, were neighbors of them, even went to school with them. But we really didn't know them. Many of them left their church, knowing full well that they would be ostracized from the rest of the group for the rest of their lives, including their own parents and siblings. Those that did leave often felt torn between loss and a sense of freedom. Others never looked back, bitter from their experiences.

The Brethren were early settlers to the St. Vincent area, and although apart, were at the same time part of the community. While they continue to be to this day, they appear to be drawing further apart by creating and maintaining separate schools for their children, where in earlier years they sent their offspring to the public schools.

For a few years, the self-appointed 'universal leader' of the Exclusive Brethren was James Symington from Neche, North Dakota.

* To be specific, they are the Exclusive Brethren

HERstory

2006-01-07T16:25:00.000-06:00

I've been reading a book called Uppity Women of the New World.

I should mention here that I read everywhere. And I mean everywhere. This book is particularly suited for bathroom reading since each story about an individual woman is short.

They're also absolutely fascinating and inspiring. This is the HERstory we don't get in school, ladies...

Cute Legs!

2005-12-31T16:28:00.000-06:00

For Christmas, I gave Christopher a utilikilt.

He's wanted one for a long time. I've wanted to SEE him in one for a long time.

Rather dashing, I think.

I think I got the better end of the deal since I'm the one looking AT him.

MY Great American Novel

2005-12-17T13:09:00.000-06:00

I was NOT a participant this year, only having found out about this recently, but I do like the motivation factor, and plan to participate next year. I've always been a writer, all my life. I've always wondered what it would be like to put my nose to the grindstone and have to really chug out the words, and not just words, but the thought behind them, the whole process. I imagine it to be an amazing experience...

Other corners of my world...

2005-11-19T22:41:00.000-06:00

Until I decide what I want to do here, I can be found on these other websites...

Wee Little Beasties
St. Vincent Memories
Penny Plain, Twopence Coloured
Victorian Sex Machines
Scribbles from Memory
Our Mothers
Ephemera: The Story of My Life
Downtowner

Communities of War

2005-07-24T12:25:00.000-05:00

An excellent essay on communities of war...

What I believe

2005-06-24T22:37:00.000-05:00

I grew up in 'the church'.

Someone from the area I grew up recently asked me,

"...One of the things I have been dying to ask you is how you were able to transcend the narrow world view of the Evangelical Free Church. My sisters are members and it seems to be a narrow, constricted and very boring way to live. I cannot imagine myself going to a Bible College or even spending one hour with this group. I really resent the way that the Republicans use the evangelicals. I cannot imagine how JC would be giving tax breaks to the wealthy, plundering the environment, or really any of the policies. How have you been able to find the balance and have an interest in books, art, etc. other than the Holy Book? My sister [censored] in particular sees everything through that lens, but [censored] at least does not press it on me. I would like to understand more about how one can be an evangelical and see other dimensions of life."

I answered him after some thought...

"I admit I'm not your average joe in the EFC church, but I know there are others like me in the church. I am not 'in' the church anymore, but still consider myself a Christian of sorts. Mostly out of habit, I admit. I mostly tell people that nobody knows anything and to say otherwise is pure arrogance. I think atheists are just as bad as fundamentalist anything else. 'Believers' can be very narrow-minded no matter what their agenda. One thing I liked about some of the stuff I grew up with was that there was truth in some of it that made sense to me then and now - 'all have sinned' - ain't it the truth!"

Small World

2005-06-11T17:28:00.000-05:00

It's a small world in my experience.

Example #1: Back in 1980, while living in southern California, I called a local church in the LA area and their bookstore line answered. After asking about an upcoming concert, somehow where I was from got mentioned. The guy talking to me said, "You're from...?" I replied, "Yeah...why?" He went on to explain that his Dad had been born there. I found out his Grandmother was Matilda Cameron, who had been a good friend to my grandmother, Elizabeth Fitzpatrick. In a metro area of over 10 million people, I had got ahold of someone from my home village of 177 people over 1,000 miles away.

Example #2: I am a team blogger on The Boileryard. Today, while perusing the team's other blogs, I ended up reading a recent posting by the wife-to-be of one of the Yard's member's being from Steinbach, Manitoba. Steinbach is just a stone's throw from where I was born (Emerson, Manitoba) and grew up (St. Vincent, Minnesota). Small towns in rural areas, and I just happen to end up blogging with someone who's marrying a gal from there. Well, I'll be damned...

Time slipping away

2005-04-16T20:12:00.000-05:00

I haven't been posting here in months. I've been posting on other blogs - The Boileryard, of which I am but one of a team writing there; The Waiting Place, Our Mother, and Wee Little Beasties.

I'm 45, almost 46, and the years continue to speed past me at ever-increasing rates. I was reading a special post today on a great blog about aging, and I really identify.

She's old enough to be my mother, yet I feel more of a sisterhood with her on her reflection that she's still waiting to know what it feels like to be 'old'. I think being 'old' is just like being 'young' - the only difference is your body is falling apart. The real you is just like always.

In college, I was visiting an elderly lady named Mrs. Toews (pardon the spelling - I cannot remember it exactly now, but know it was spelled different than it was pronounced, which was TAYVES, long "A"...) We visited nursing home residents on a weekly basis and Mrs. T was assigned to me. She told me on my first visit that she didn't feel any different now than when she was 16, that the only strange thing was when she looked in the mirror and saw this old lady looking back at her. She told me about her three husbands that she outlived. Her first husband who she married very young, and was the 'love of my life'. The second husband who died from an accident. The third husband who died from old age. "But I always loved my first husband the best..."

I look in my own mirror now and don't recognize myself some days. The longer I live, the less clear things are in my mind about identity and meaning. I am finding that for me, the process itself is what's meaningful.

I remember you often, Mrs. Toews, as I have been growing older.

Can of Worms...

2004-11-30T01:18:00.000-06:00

I'm stunned. My sister forwarded this article to me tonight. For those that know me, you'll understand. For those that do not, let me explain...

Shortly after I received the message from my sister, I received another from a mutual friend of ours we grew up with. He is now a tenured professor at a prestigious Eastern university...

I lived in Turkey and in North Africa and have a very different view of Islam. I think that there are many positive features to Islam and what we've seen in the form of extremism is not a reflection of the larger religious tradition. I lived in Sweden and there is toleration and respect for different religious traditions contrary to the columnist. I think there is a danger confounding Islam with radical fundamentalism just as this country that it is a mistake to confound true Christianity with the right wing brand of fundamentalism that is sweeping our country. The two brands of fundamentalism actually share a great deal in common. The self-identified hypocritical types who encourage violence against abortion doctors and sponsor hate share a zealotry. I am writing this to you to get your opinion as opposed to register a dissenting view. What do you think?

I wrote back to him, saying...

I have a different view also, Mike, as you might suspect...

My initial reaction was very similar to your last point, about there being a similarity in all zealots of any faith or belief system (there are most definitely non-religious, even atheistic, zealots...It knows no boundaries...) The fear, hate, intolerance, etc. I see in many corners of this world, whether it be politics, religion, economic power (and many times these overlap and blur), is the core of what drives the worst in humanity.

The columnist is one seemingly innocent soldier in the WRONG cause - the cause of misinformation, ignorance, and confusion. It's nothing new, but it never fails to amaze me how powerful it is...

As I said at the beginning, I couldn't believe it when I received the message from my sister. I was so sure she was more open-minded since her niece - my daughter - is Muslim, and Betty has met some of my son-in-law's family, etc. and should know better than to promote generalizations. I immediately forwarded it to my daughter Eva for her reaction, writing to her, "While there may be some truth in some of the points this writer makes, the overall article is simplistic and misleading..." I have yet to hear back, but rest assured I will share with the Yard when she does. Better yet, I hope she shares it herself, since she's one of the Team!

Thanksgiving Roots

2004-11-25T13:36:00.000-06:00

The roots of Thanksgiving are not as simple as most of us were taught in school, but they are much more fascinating, illuminating, and disturbing.