Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.

The soft-minded man always fears change. He feels security in the status quo, and he has an almost morbid fear of the new. For him, the greatest pain is the pain of a new idea.

This past year, these two statements have shown themselves to be self evident. The work of Martin Luther King Jr. and others is far from over. The uptick in overt racism around our nation is unsetting, from pictures of the President with a bone in his nose, to pools excluding children based solely on the color or their skin. It has been a rough year for equality in this country. Some people are fighting to keep the status quo but many others are trying to push for progress. The thing about change, is that it can be glacial, and it can wax and wane, but it will NOT happen if one gives up. It's not enough to recite "I have a Dream", you have to help make it happen. I refuse to let the status quo continue in this nation. For every step back, there are stories of success in this nation. Many of them come in strange and amazing places, that you would never expect. (hold on, this blog is going to make a hard left turn)
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41 comments (Latest Comment: 01/19/2010 02:43:27 by Raine)

I don't like Martha Coakley.

There, I said it.

I don't know what it is. She really and truly rubs me the wrong way. I don't think she's been that great of an Attorney General, and I also don't believe she has the temperment, passion, or wherewithal to be an effective senator.

I also didn't like the fact that Senator Kennedy's body was barely cold when the democratic machine in this state started lining up behind her; we had many good and bold candidates, but because it was important that she be the first woman senator from this state, she became the chosen one.

And her attitude all along has been all wrong...from the day she annouced, it felt like she expected to be called "Senator"....and this entire campaign and election was nothing more than a formality before she went to Washington.

But then along came Scott Brown.

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5 comments (Latest Comment: 01/17/2010 14:23:36 by AuntAzalea)

There are no words to describe what I have been seeing.

Today, I ask you to do something, anything to help alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Haiti. That said, be aware. The FBI has -- sadly and somewhat expectedly -- issued a fraud alert. Do what you can, but heed these warnings.

Today is critical for hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti. They need water, they need shelter and they need to be rescued. You and I can only donate what little money we have, and even if it is one dollar, it will help. I fear that this is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to what we are seeing. My heart is heavy, and I wish I could do more. There are lists of ways to help all over the internet. Here is one to get you started. Please add to the list as you find more.

While tempted, I'm not posting links to the stories of devastation, or to the stories of the evil hatred I am seeing out there -- not in today's blog. Now is time to focus on helping the victims of this disaster. Now is a time to not waste energy on those that desire to see more suffering. The news will unfold on it's own as the day progresses, and I will allow for them to do their jobs.

Right now is the time when collectively we can put our energy together for those that need us most. This is one planet and one home. We must do what we can for the mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers that need help in the most desperate way.

and
Raine

 
19 comments (Latest Comment: 01/15/2010 05:57:59 by livingonli)

Good Morning.

Today is our 2,491st day in Iraq and our 3,019th day in Afghanistan.

We'll start this morning as we always do, with the latest casualty figures from Iraq and Afghanistan, courtesy of antiwar.com:

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 4373
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 4234
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 3910
Since Handover (6/29/04): 3514
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09): 145

Other Coalition Troops - Iraq: 325
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 956
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 626
Contractor Employee Deaths - Iraq: 1,395
Journalists - Iraq: 335
Academics Killed - Iraq: 431

We find this morning's cost of war passing through:

$ 948, 221, 550, 000 .00

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26 comments (Latest Comment: 01/12/2010 22:07:36 by Will in Chicago)

Okay so sometimes, well, often, the news organizations get things wrong or leave out important little details to stories. I know, SHOCKING. It's our jobs as citizens to help them out (straighten them out). This couldn't have been clearer with the recent faux pas by George Stephanopoulos on GMA when he let "America's Mayor" say some pretty stupid things, namely, that "we never had an attack under George W. Bush".

We need to speak up en masse when they fuck, er, forget their jobs. So keep these numbers handy people: (a few may be out of date, but I'll try to update them asap).
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2 comments (Latest Comment: 01/10/2010 23:38:01 by Will in Chicago)