Lend A Hand

This month’s topic was War, terrorism, and the military. Unfortunately I had a tough time staying focused on this topic. Honestly I’ve written war off as a sort-of necessary evil and only hope that the powers that be will wake up and stop ticking off other countries, acting superior, and invading places where we don’t belong. Wishful thinking, huh?

Speaking of don’t belong, during June we’ll be talking about illegal immigration. I have some very strong opinions about illegal immigration which was not improved by the current swine flu epidemic. Specifically I’ll discuss how illegal immigration hurts both the American citizens and the immigrants. I will fight for helping people living in impoverished countries but I can’t stand it when people feel they have the right to go where they want and take whatever they please.

Happy Memorial Day & See You In June.

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While George W. may not have agreed with Edward Bulwer-Lytton when he said the “Pen is mightier than the sword”, I certainly do. Writing to the right people, the right way, enough times can really move mountains. Do you remember that part of the movie “The Shawshank Redemption” where Tim Robbins’s character writes a letter everyday to try and get funds for the library?

Eventually he receives a check for something like $250 (which was worth a lot more in those days). Instead of considering the matter resolved, he starts writing two letters a day. Finally the funding department surrenders and sends boxes and boxes of books, records, magazines, and research material along with a substantial monetary grant for the expansion of the library.

The power of the pen. After all, if writing to representatives was such a waste of time, why would activists and organizations keep asking us to do it? If words could not move people to take action, companies wouldn’t bother with advertising. While I wouldn’t suggest just writing a letter for something you feel strongly about, keep fighting on after your mail is sent.

In any case though a well written, concise letter stating exactly what it is you want done is the perfect first step to creating change.

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It is naive to think that our country is not undergoing a drastic change right now. Between the economy, substandard health care, failing education system, illegal immigration, rising unemployment, millions losing their homes to foreclosure and on top of all that, war raging overseas and a brand new flu virus hitting here at home. With all that to deal with, what should we do?

Should we sit back and hope our government will step in to pick up the pieces and put them all back together again like Humpty Dumpty U.S.A.? Or buy into the idea that all this is a natural flux in history and everything will eventually work itself out? We can support the media personalities that agree with our point of view and hope that their other listeners will take a stand for what’s right…

Or we can do something.

Almost every great movement in the history of this country – from the Revolution to Civil Rights – started around the kitchen tables and living rooms of America. Talking politics (and complaining about our government) is as American as apple pie.

And it will be at these informal chats that the first steps towards a better nation will be taken. It will be our actions, our beliefs, our movements that take our country back from the greedy CEOs and the politicians that are more concerned with their pockets than their people.

Now I’m not suggesting a coup or revolution. Get together with some like-minded neighbors, friends, and relatives and talk about pro-active steps you all can take to make real changes to our country. Decide what is the most important issue to your group and come up with an action plan to get what you want.

And Push.

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I’m going to take a day off from talking about war to address a serious threat to our water supplies and food fish.

Remember those old thermostats – the round metal ones or the rectangle ones with the little metal lever? Today’s thermostats are made quite differently with the most vital difference being the absence of mercury.

I’m sure you remember years ago when doctors and authorities were telling us not to use mercury thermometers and to get rid of them if we did have them. Most importantly, to dispose of these thermometers properly.

However we haven’t heard much about the dangers of mercury switch thermostats, of which there are over 550,000 in my state alone. In fact, 83% of homes in the Rhode Island area have a mercury thermostat. Combined these remaining thermostats contain more that 3651 pounds of mercury. Now keep in mind that one gram of mercury can contaminate all of the fish in lakes as large as 20-acres.

The problem is getting people to dispose of these old thermostats in a safe way – one that eliminates the chance of mercury contamination.

In Rhode Island there is a Mercury Thermostat Pollution Prevention Act being considered that would require the manufactures if these thermostats to take responsibility for their collection and recycling.

Your call to action if you live in Rhode Island, please write a letter (see sample letter below) to show support for the Mercury Thermostat Pollution Prevention Act. If you live outside Rhode Island I ask you to look into the status of mercury thermostats in your state.

Clean Water Action works to ensure clean, safe, and affordable drinking water, prevent health threatening pollution and empower people to make democracy work. Clean Water Action has more than 1,200,000 members nationwide. To learn more: www.cleanwateraction.org

Sample Letter:

Dear Governor/Senator/Representative,

Please support the Mercury Thermostat Pollution Prevention Act (S 668, H 794) to require thermostat manufacturers to pay for the collection and recycling of mercury thermostats.

Mercury pollution threatens our health and our environment.

Please add a sentence about why preventing mercury pollution is important to you.

Sincerely,

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What would you wish for if you could? Many people would answer World Peace. It’s a wonderful thought and a beautiful dream. But what would really happen if we suddenly had World Peace?

For the first day the majority of the world would celebrate. Parades and parties of all kinds would be thrown and people would be dancing in the streets in honor of this historic day. Politicians would likely spend the day signing documents, truces, treaties, and holding press conferences.

On the second or third day when the celebrations start to wind down, police, soldiers, all military personnel, private military soldiers and anyone involved in waging war or protecting the people would begin to wonder what can be done for work. Obviously their jobs aren’t needed any longer. Can anyone say mass unemployment?

Obviously peace would be a wonderful thing to happen – for most of us. Perhaps peace would create jobs we haven’t thought of but there is no doubt that a lack of violence in the world would put a lot of people out of work. Which is kinda sad when you think about it. I’m sure most of them wouldn’t mind being out of a job for a reason such as this.

I just think that since fighting and wars are never going to completely disappear (it just isn’t in human nature to not have conflict) we should look at some of the slightly-tarnished silver lining.

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Propaganda is a way the government gains support for their military activities usually by exaggerating or misrepresenting the facts. In America frequently we are told that the people we are warring against are evil, bad, and wrong. Naturally the people on the other side are telling their citizens the same things about us.

The problem is that wars are usually fought for a number of reasons; economical, political, religious, and social. There are always at least two points of view and, right or wrong, two sides to every message of propaganda.

Walter Lippmann, former advisor to President Wilson once said,

“We must remember that in time of war what is said on the enemy’s side of the front is always propaganda, and what is said on our side of the front is truth and righteousness, the cause of humanity and a crusade of peace.”

Many times was is avoidable despite what the government wants you to think. This is why it is so important to read beyond the mainstream media when it comes to the real reasons behind the wars we wage. On the other side of the coin, alternative media sources can be rather biased as well so really do your research:

Alternative News Sources

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR)

Alternative Resources on the War against Terriorism

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For as long as there has been life on the planet there has been struggle. Let’s face facts; war is here to stay and World Peace is a fantasy.

And if you think about it, while we disapprove of war, we also are more than happy to support wars that we feel are (or were) fought for a good cause. If it wasn’t for the American Revolution, we’d all still be living under English rule. Few people have a problem with out role in World War I or World War II. In fact there are some that think we should have joined World War II sooner.

So it isn’t war that we’re opposed to, not really. At least not most of us. It’s war for no good reason. It’s war without a real purpose. It’s the senseless death of our young people that we’re opposed to – as well we should be.

This month we’ll be discussing some facets of war and how they affect us as Americans.

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