Building peace

We have to stop. We have to stop. We have to stop.

We have to stop pouring billions of dollars into wars in other nations.

We have to stop depending on arms sales to earn billions of dollars.

Hillary Clinton was actively involved in stirring up these wars as Secretary of State, and has made it clear that she will keep the pot stirred as president. Donald Trump wants to expand our armed forces and go nuclear.

Gary Johnson is the only remotely viable presidential candidate who is entirely committed to ending American involvement in wars outside our borders, wars to change other sovereign nations, wars to force the American Dream on people by subjecting them to the American Nightmare … and our ClinTrump-bedazzled media seems hell-bent on discrediting him.

Deb, who originally posted this, didn’t mean for it to be a political post. Nor did I, actually. It’s about people – people who are dying because America Knows Best. Because America won’t mind its fucking business. Because oil. Because money, lots of money.

We have to make it stop, and I don’t know how, except by grabbing hold of an opportunity to choose a leader who also really wants it to stop. If we choose a hawk to lead us, we’ll never know peace.

Make it stop, guys. Please, I’m begging you, make it stop.

Written words are my preferred medium, but they’re not always as expressive as are sights, sounds, and motion. “Under My Country’s Sky” is an excellent example of video lending greater color and life than could words alone. In this video, Yemeni filmmaker Bushra al-Fusail describes for Eleanor Goldfield what it’s like having lived “under the ongoing airstrikes in Yemen for […]

via Building peace — Learning to Speak Politics

Some truths about American exceptionalism

I’ve been wanting to write about “American exceptionalism” ever since I learned it was a thing … but I could never quite do it without foaming at the mouth and ranting. Now one of my favorite bloggers has done the job – and far better than I could have done.

This is worth reading, folks. It’s important stuff – especially if you’re someone who gets to help choose whom to put in a frighteningly important position in only a few weeks time.

Just wanted to mention: I support Gary Johnson, of the Libertarian Party. Because yes, we actually do have options, and if half the people who are wandering around saying “I don’t trust Clinton and Trump scares the heck out of me and I really like Johnson but I don’t want to waste my vote” had the courage of their convictions and voted for him, he’d win by a landslide. Yes, actually, he would!

Deb, the author of this wonderful bit of thinkology, supports the Green Party’s Jill Stein. I like her, you might too … I wish Bernie had endorsed her rather than Hillary, because then she’d actually stand a chance. If you vote for her, in my opinion, you’ll be Making A Statement (which neither Clinton nor Trump will care about) but I think her chances of actually winning this time around are slim at best. On the other hand, you won’t have any reason to feel ashamed the day after election day.

So that’s enough of what I think. I may say more in a future post (soon!) … for now, over to Deb. Because if you think America’s in good shape … think again, friends. Think again.

On Wednesday, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke to an Ohio crowd about U.S. exceptionalism.* One of the ways the U.S. most excels is in weapon sales. In 2014, it was the world’s #1 arms exporter, beating the next in line–Russia–by a very, very long shot. This isn’t a Republican thing, either; arms sales have […]

via Saturday Soliloquy: American Exceptionalism — The Monster in Your Closet

Losing loved ones still here

Deb is one of my favorite bloggers… for lots of reasons. One big reason is her uncompromising honesty. She writes with humor and compassion, but never pretties up the raw truth. As she shares this story, I’d encourage you to follow along – and please, if you know people who are coping (or not) with loved ones suffering from mental illness, pass this along to them too.

Being color brave

I had in mind to write a post today, because it’s been way too long. Then … I read this. And nothing I have the energy or the time to say measures up.

Please read it. Think about it. Click the links. Something has to change, and it starts with you – and you – and you – and me – and you.

Oh, and by the way, I am routinely stopped for traffic violations. The routine goes as follows: Cop peers into car. Sees apologetic middle aged white woman and a couple of cute dogs. Says, “Ma’am, slow down. And you have a nice day now.” The end.

British stereotypes of Americans–and my own

So there are bloggers that everyone follows because they are brilliant. And then there are bloggers who, while they may not have many followers, are so brilliant (or something) that brilliant bloggers write about them, thereby sparing them the embarrassment of being too lazy to write their own posts!

Guess which kind I am! And then go read another great post from Ellen Hawley, featuring yours truly.

Notes from the U.K.

In the U.K., Americans have a reputation for bluntness, but do we live up to the stereotype?

In my last post, without even noticing it I went along with the stereotype, and Belladonna Took wrote, “It absolutely fascinates me that you consider Americans ‘blunt and to the point.’ Maybe that’s true over on the East Coast, but here in the Pacific Northwest? Oh dear, hmmm, I think perhaps it may be a little different. (Note: Everything in the preceding sentence after ‘Oh dear’ is Pacific Northwestese for ‘Oh hell no.’ And it’s pronounced in a lilting smiley voice, so I should probably insert lots of smiley faces. Only stuff it, I won’t, because I’m from Johannesburg.)

“…I had lived here two years before it finally dawned on me that when smiling women remarked, “You’re very direct, aren’t you?” they weren’t actually complimenting me.”

Irrelevant photo: flowers growing in a…

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