The Furious Spinner

Go here for a nifty new short film the ACLU put together. I think the ACLU is very groovy, man, and now I know they have a sense of humor too. Although I will confess that their little movie made me a bit teary-eyed near the end. This country has fallen so low and the American public and the politicians we elected are allowing this administration to get away with so much—it just makes me sad. We can't even pretend this country stands for anything any more.

I went to the Gathering last night, and one of the women kept saying, "I can't believe what he's doing." She kept saying that over and over. I said, "Hey, believe it. You gotta get past that. Believe it. Figure out what you can do and then do it. And then dance and live in joy as much as you can." "But I'm so afraid and so depressed that I can hardly leave the house," she said.

I understand, I understand, I understand.

But they want us to be in fear. Then we concentrate on the fear mongering and we don't see what "they" are actually doing.

I say turn off television! Or at least turn off the ads and news. (Sometimes TV has moments where the truth is spoken. Brilliant!) Stay away from advertising as much as you can. Find a few news sources that give worldwide news. Don't just read corporate news or leftwing news or rightwing news. They're all doom and gloom. I don't mean you turn away from the truth—but find the truth. Discern the truth. Things aren't always as bad as they're made out to be and sometimes they're worse. But all sides seem to think they need to scream the loudest and be the worst doomsayers to get people to listen.

Or our brains get filled with crap. I stopped by the CNN website just to see the headlines and I saw a link to an article about Phil Collins separating from his wife (not that I read it), and I thought, geez louise, why on Earth is that considered news? Nobody's business but theirs. That's just so weird. Or all this fuss and bother about Iran. This fuss may be appropriate (and I doubt it—sounds more like a pretext to bomb the shit out of another country), but what about what's happening right in our own front and backyards? The Bush administration is illegally wiretapping American citizens. He misled the American people about the reasons for going to war with Iraq. The House just passed legislation to make our food choices harder and easier for manufacturers to put crap in the food without us knowing it. (Now, come on, THAT should make people mad. I mean isn't it an American anthem: Don't fuck with my food, dude?) And of course, let's not forget what's happening with the environment and women's rights.

Anyway, it's a daunting list, but we can each decide what we are able to do and then do just a bit more than that. Local issues and local involvement are so important. Mario's going to yet another meeting about the use of pesticides at our local schools tomorrow. Saturday and/or Sunday we'll participate in local peace and anti-war rallies. Well, anyway, you know the drill. I'm really just giving myself a pep talk.

Now, time to go make-out with my hubbie and have some lunch. Not necessarily in that order.

May You Stand Up (even if you have to sit) in Beauty!

And May You Smooch in Beauty also! 2 comments

2 Comments:

Great post. Thanks Kim! I'm committed to taking a stand on many of these issues. Calling Washington, writing letters, sending emails, demonstrating for peace, but most of all, trying to BE the change I wish to see in the world. Keep 'em coming!

BTW, Boston Legal is speaking some truth! It's the only "regular" show I enjoy.

By  Steve, at 9:01 PM  

Regarding the pesticide issue, see:

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/news/daily.htm

Updated on April 3, 2006

National Coalition Launches Neighborhood Hang-Tag Campaign for Safe Lawns
(Beyond Pesticides, April 3, 2006) Little yellow caution flags warning CAUTION are popping up on lawns across the nation with the arrival of Spring. This season, concerned people are taking to the streets to alert their neighbors to the dangers that pesticides cause children, pets and wildlife with a new Safe Lawn Door-Hanger, spearheaded by the National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns. Grassroots groups and citizens across the nation will be hanging tags in the hopes of stopping lawn chemical use, and urging the adoption of safer practices.

“The average do-it-yourselfer using the traditional Four-Step Chemical Program and “weed and feed” type products is simply unaware that these are poisons that they are exposing their children and pets to,” said Eileen Gunn, Project Director for Beyond Pesticides who coordinates the lawns campaign. “People who hire a lawn service may not give much thought to what that company is actually doing. They may also not be aware of the growth of companies that offer an organic care program that uses natural fertilizers and management systems that prevent weeds and insect problems.”

This Safe Lawns Door-Hanger campaign is being launched on the heels of a federal government report released March 3, 2006, The Quality of Our Nation's Waters Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992-2001, which finds that pesticides linked to cancer, birth defects and neurological disorders contaminate almost all of the nation's rivers and streams and most fish.

Of the 30 commonly used lawn pesticides 19 are carcinogens, 13 linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 15 with neurotoxicity, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 27 are irritants, and 11 can disrupt the hormone system. Pregnant women, infants and children, the aged and the chronically ill are at greatest risk from pesticide exposure. A new scientific study released in March 2006 shows that children are 65-164 times more sensitive than adults to some pesticides.

Outdoor exposures and contamination are not the only issue. When pesticides are tracked inside they remain in carpets and household dust. For instance, 2,4-D, the most common herbicide in “weed and feed,” has been detected in homes at levels ten times higher than before the application.

The warnings people receive prior to and after a pesticide application vary in the 21 states that have notification laws. In some states, signs are required to be posted in conspicuous points of access and remain up for 72 hours, warning people to KEEP OFF!

The number of organic landscape companies is growing rapidly. A 2004 national survey reveals that 5 million homeowners use only organic lawn practices and products and 35 million people use both toxic and non-toxic materials. The National Pesticide-Free Lawns Coalition seeks to raise awareness about the ever-increasing availability of safer alternatives to maintaining beautiful landscapes. There are over 600 citizens and member organizations in the Coalition and 15 states represented in the launch of this campaign. For more information contact: Eileen Gunn at 202-543-5450 or visit www.pesticidefreelawns.org to order your Door Hangers.

By  Anony Mous, at 11:33 AM  

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