9.15.2009

CBS News

"SENTIMENT WITHOUT ACTION IS THE RUIN OF THE SOUL." Edward Abbey

Pres. Obama, for US, in a day risks more, commits more of himself, works more,
attempts more than:
* Most presidents in a term, or two,
* We Sheeple attempt in a lifetime.

SHAME on our Spectating.
SHAME on our Criticizing.
SHAME on our Rock Throwing.

START, WE HAVE THE RIGHT! WE HAVE THE DUTY! No. We sheeple s lost the right
when WE RISK NOTHING, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOTHING.

And, with our moral incompetence we sheeple lost the duty.

STAND UP, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

Obama: 'Who would MLK Jr. vote for? Neither of us. He'd be out building a Movement.'

Obama: 'Who would MLK Jr. vote for? Neither of us. He'd be out building a movement.'

'I ask you to believe not just in my ability to bring change; I ASK YOU TO BELIEVE IN YOURS." Barack Obama
moveon.org barackobama.com

Pres. Obama get's it. And he shows us, and tells us. WE'VE GOT NO EXCUSES FOR
SITTING ON OUR BUTTS - HE IS EXHORTING US TO STAND UP TO THE SPECIAL
INTERESTS. AND WE IGNORE HIM, AND THROW ROCKS, AND RIDICULE HIM....

Forget the Oval Office, Obama's out campaigning again today
// (UM; IT'S CALLED "LEADING," "ORGANIZING.")

Los Angeles Times

http://www.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F11_0_s_4_0_t&usg=AFQjCNEpg1LvfPz4EapsP_1WIVcEl7v9qA&sig2=XJ79QLcFszMEZn1O8MN7Aw&cid=1312681154&ei=TXqvSrj8CJ-IlQf-68ngAw&rt=HOMEPAGE&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Flatimesblogs.latimes.com%2Fwashington%2F2009%2F09%2Fobama-kanye-west-healthcare.html

9.14.2009

HUGE: The Health Insurance Racket VID SHARE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4TsaHmtgfA

BraveNew films

BarackObama.com

MoveOn.org

Now.

"DON'T MISS" DN! Segments today. HUGE!

>>>>>> DN! Artists Protest Isreal Tel Aviv in Toronto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3bk_nBuXgc <<<<<<<<<<<<
DN! NYT Exposes Nationwide Water Contamination http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H6voDtR7Cg
DN! 'Post-Racial' Presidency??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRW1viSlAPE
DN! Hiroshoma Mayor Calls for Nuclear-Free World by 2020 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMAxed4jI1k
DN! Six Activists Arrested at Protest Against Army Experience in PA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65G1sVSB45M
DN! ALL Protest BANNED at G20 in Pittsburgh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_i5PNBgdlg
DN! US Agrees to Talks with Iran http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uxheAGJqKw

Bill Maher: "When will we Lefties Show Up?!?!?"

Bill Maher: "When will we Lefties Show Up?!?!?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPXFhvU6CmQ

Watch. Think. Act. SHARE. Hmmm. ACT. NOW.

9.13.2009

Start L is very depressed at the moment.

[I had a wonderful conversation with a fellow at the Vigil this
morning - Bill. Early 40's professional man, with kids. It was a
wonderful connection - we covered much ground - and he
asked if since I've Lived this new life I've suffered depression.]

Bill, :-)

You asked me if I ever suffered depression. With the greatest
gusto I said NO!

Of course I was attempting to tell you the truth, but to my
amusement, at my many limitations, I write to tell you - absolutely
I suffer depressions. I'm in one this afternoon - a significant
one.

One of my advanced degrees is in psychology. Abe Maslow
is one of the handful of psychs whose work was not toxic -
but extremely health producing. At a conference back
in the 1960's he was challenged for listing Abe Lincoln as one
of his Icons of human health with, 'Dr. Maslow, Abe Lincoln
was known to be depressive, an "illness," and you label him an
icon of human health?'

'Hmmmm,' Maslow replied. 'Yes. Lincoln was in the midst of
a war destroying thousands of his brothers and sisters both
north and south. He was deeply depressed about this. And you
deem this unhealthy???'

A am in agony over, and depressed about the lethargy in my
brothers and sisters in this country regarding the Health Care
Legislation - and how the most promising minds I see insist
on sitting on the sidelines pontificating while the greatest
leader in the history of the world, Pres. Obama, stays on the
field of battle fighting for us, Alone. You know the movie,
"High Noon," with Gary Cooper?

The question my brain (oh so limited) was hearing from you
when you said "depression," I was responding to Joy - was
there ever an instant when I didn't experience Joy. No IS
the correct answer to that - including now.

In his studies of Self Actualized people, among the traits
he found among all was that they, 1. Were all completely
and totally dedicated to the well-being of humanity, and
2. Practically all would relate that - 'Life is so wonderful
I almost can't stand it - it is just too much - excruciating.'

That is how it is. The pain of the world is so acute in me
that at times it does lead to depression. NEVER do I
regret either the pain or the depression. I'd be "Dead" if
I lacked either. A STONE would feel the pain so rampant
in the world today. Yes?

But in my own experience and in my ongoing
studies in many fields - the Agony and the Ecstasy are NEVER
separate; NEVER. The Agony of those needlessly
suffering is the FUEL, the ENGINE for LOVE and the
fruit of Living out of our Love is JOY - Ecstasy.

It is not rare that I am depressed. It is NEVER that I do
not Live Joy. It is Heaven, and Hell. :-)

Your brother,

Start

Pres. Obama - "I own it," 60 Minutes. Gary Coper "High Noon" all over again?

Pres. Obama - "I own it," 60 Minutes. Gary Coper "High Noon" all over again?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75lmLBBJeIk

Shame on anyone with the slightest conscience or goodness if they
let this great man fight alone any longer.

Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame.

NO MORE EXCUSES.

BarackObama.com MoveOn.org

NOW. NOW.

ps: You remember the movie "High Noon," right?

BuzzFlash: "[Pres. Obama] we need to hit the streets as part of a movement and give you the support you need." YES!!!!!!

BuzzFlash: "[Pres. Obama] we need to hit the streets as part of a movement
and give you the support you need." YES!!!!!!

Please read article below.

Strong article, particularly in calling out that Racism is back in front in this country!

Also helpful in articulating the title line above!!!!! HOWEVER, it too strongly urges
President Obama to step up punching back at the racist attacks because, in part -
"We''ll have your back." Hmmmm. Nope. The past is the best predictor of the
future and in the past 10 months all we've had is a firm grasp on our comfortable
armchairs.

WE are the ones that need to lead! We are not responsible or accountable for
what President Obama does. We are responsible for what WE do.

Time for US to step up. Maybe we can take a cue from the Right. THEY are
NOT WAITING to enter the Civil War that has broken out (or is it to be a Civil Rout?)
BarackObama.com / MoveOn.org

No More Code Words: Racism is Public Again

http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/9406

Fw: What you(?) did in August

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "Nita Chaudhary, MoveOn.org Political Action;
To: Start Loving;
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 10:38:11 AM
Subject: What you did in August

Click here for more photos from the summer.

Dear MoveOn member,

Wow—August was really something.

At town halls, state fairs, public forums, and hundreds of other events across the country, MoveOn Councils and individual MoveOn members showed Congress and the media that the vast majority of Americans support the change agenda that President Obama ran on.

Local MoveOn members organized face-to-face conversations with key senators including Evan Bayh, Kent Conrad, and Olympia Snowe. And we got a slew of positive press coverage to amplify our message—from television stations in St. Louis and Sarasota, FL to MSNBC.

Then, we capped it off by holding hundreds of powerful "We Can't Afford to Wait" Vigils across the country. (Check out this terrific homemade video of the Los Angeles Vigil.) The vigils had over 100 people in attendance, on average; and over 70% of them got media coverage.

The sum of all this? We've had a big impact. We're starting to regain control of the debate over health care reform, despite a small but disruptive minority. Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst during President Obama's powerful speech on Wednesday was symptomatic of the right's growing credibility problem.

And now, in these next few weeks, we'll be fighting hard to keep the pressure on.

On September 22nd, we will stand up to the multi-billion dollar health insurance industry at our "Big Insurance: Sick of It" rallies.

There's still plenty of work to do, but the fact that the progressives are taking back the health care debate—and holding the line on clean energy—is a testament to the amazing work you were part of this summer.

Thanks so much for all you do.

–Nita, Anna, Lenore, Ilya, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to Start Loving on September 13, 2009. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

The Perfect Measure of Love: How far we live from the Least of These our Human Family

"If you Love the Poor, you will share their fate." Oscar Romero (assassinated).
[Your child gets ill and to save them costs everything that you own - you gladly
sell everything, right? The poor child IS YOUR child. No? Then THAT is
how poor you are, THAT is how much you do NOT Love. Perfect measure!

"Love cannot remain passive in the face of suffering [, sooooo if you are passive
in the face of suffering, it is not Love]." Teresa of Calcutta

"Love [IS AS] I have Loved." Jesus. [Jesus Love, Jesus Life was a Perfect
Measure.]

Anonymous - Think of the person that you most despise in the world.
THAT is how much you Love.

Good and God - for me, they are identical. Identical. IDENTICAL.

Good and God - for me, they are identical. Identical. IDENTICAL.

Fascinating that only a "o" separates them. Nothing. Nothing separates them.

Awesome. Divine. Magnificent. Holy. Whole.

"If one values pleasure, then what Pleases us, that is what we believe. Gandhi was an exception." SL

True of both the Left and the Right in this country, of all but the few,
1 in a million, the True Liberals or True Conservatives:

"If one values pleasure, then what Pleases us, that is what we believe.
Gandhi was an exception - Pleasure was NOT what he valued so he
was free to believe that which is True over that which Pleases;
the one in a million True Conservatives or Liberals are the exception." SL

Those of us on the Left have been learning this about the Right. Clearly
they don't value accurate information - they believe whatever supports the
pleasure they get from feeling Superior, in Control, Dominant, Smart,
Powerful, Righteous... - when in reality, in Truth they are anything but.
They are slave to, addicted to these feelings, even at the price of no
health care for themselves or their loved ones. Madness. More clinically -
ADDICTION.

The Left is NO DIFFERENT - only more sophisticated. The sophistication
comes in making beliefs of fairness, truthfulness, justice, knowledge
accuracy, reason... as central in what they think and say - but what they DO,
OR MORE PARTICULARLY THEIR NEGLECT OF RESPONSIBILITY, IS JUST AS
DISHONEST, INCONSISTENT, DISINGENUOUS, UN-TRUE as the Right.
But dishonestly holding these "beliefs" is a Pleasure they just can't
resist - the Addict.

Only one in a million on the Left escapes EXCUSES, WHIPPING BOYS,
SCAPEGOATS, REASON(S)-FOR PERSONAL INACTION AND
IRRESPONSIBILITY.

For the Left AND the Right The distinction is between "feeling" and "being."
The Left chooses beliefs that make them "FEEL": Fair, Just, Truthful,
Knowledgeable, Educated - and done "religiously" this enables them to
"BE" anything but - thriving on EXCUSES, WHIPPING BOYS,
SCAPEGOATS, REASON(S)-FOR PERSONAL INACTION....

All it costs both sides is their Soul, their Humanity, their Joy, and any
True Future. Reality, Mother Nature - Punishes Lies and Deception;
Lack of Integrity - in the end.

VALUING "JOY" OVER PLEASURE IS THE ONLY ESCAPE FROM THIS
SUICIDAL, DUPLICITOUS ADDICTION TO PLEASURE - AND JOY
COMES FROM LIVING THE TRUTH, BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE TRUTH,
AT THE EXPENSE OF PLEASURE.

9.12.2009

Does your Position, or your "Positions," Role, Lifestyle, Belief... define you? Probably. R.I.P

Does your Position, your "Positions," Role, Lifestyle, Belief... define you?
Probably. R.I.P

WE are born these Godlike, Divine creatures.

We quickly trade in our Divinity, our Life - judgment, Truth Seeking,
Creative Problemsolving... for Position, for our "Positions," Role, Lifestyle, Belief....

This is no less true on the Left than on the Right, but it is easier
to see on the Right.

It is not that Position, Role, Lifestyle, Belief... are bad per se. It
is that we almost always in this society REDUCE OURSELVES to
these, thereby Killing the Humanity within ourselves. We pay the
ultimate price and do the same to our children.

This is how we plug ourselves and our "love ones" into the Matrix.
Existence happens inside the Matrix, but Life happens only outside.

EPA Will Review 79 Coal Mining Applications New York Times

EPA Will Review 79 Coal Mining Applications
New York Times

Rachel Maddow Fri Nite 9/11

EARLIER KEY VIDS:

DN! 9/11, Ground Zero Volunteer Dying (1\3) of Lung Disease
DN! 'Progressive Ground War, NOW!' Jesse Jackson re Health
Rachel Maddow: Good Thru Government <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

FRI NITE:

9.11.2009

When did the Election become CHOOSE YOUR GLADIATOR FOR THE COLISEUM?

THE ONLY THING FATAL TO A DEMOCRACY IS TO MAKE THE CITIZENS SPECTATORS.

When did the Election become CHOOSE YOUR GLADIATOR FOR THE COLISEUM?

I mean, what would happen if choosing a President / Leader / Captain meant:

* The rest of the football team left the field?

* All hands on deck hit the deck chairs to watch?

* Everyone else in the Corporation became hostile observers?

* The soldiers went left he battlefield, except to throw rocks, at the General?

THE ONLY THING FATAL TO A DEMOCRACY IS TO MAKE THE CITIZENS SPECTATORS.

Rachel Maddow - HUGE friends. SHARE pls.

RACHEL IS A PROPHET - HER WORDS, NOT TO BE MISSED.

Rachel Maddow: Good Through Government <<<HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE

9.10.2009

NYT In Barack we have the greatest Pres. In US HE has... hmmm...?

What WILL be said of we people. We people were among Lincoln's greatest
obstacles. And what will be said of US relative to Pres. Obama?

He is MINDING HIS BUSINESS - BRILLIANTLY.

Who is minding OUR BUSINESS? Time to get off of this vacation we've
been on these 10 months since the election, and get back to work!
If it is not too late.

Obama's Speech Is Seen as Unifying Democrats

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/health/policy/11health.html

"The Nazis came for me, and there was no one left to stand up."

Is this how it was to be? Deja Vu all over again?

"First they came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me." is just one of many variations of a poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came...

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Supporter:

On Saturday, the opposition is coming to DC.

Glenn Beck and so-called teabaggers - the opposition that's been yelling at town halls across the country - are marching on Washington, DC on Saturday, September 12th.

They may be loud, but they do not represent America. They're coming to our hometown, and we need to be there to make sure everyone knows this is not the America we believe in.

So come out on Saturday for a Vigil for the Common Good, a solemn protest against the shouting and violence that they're injecting into our country's discourse.

Where: West front of the U.S. Capitol Lawn (map)
When: Saturday, September 12th, 12:45 pm

Can you come? Click here to RSVP on Facebook. (If you're not on Facebook, just show up.)

Thanks for standing up for America. I'll see you at the vigil!

To your health,

Levana Layendecker
Health Care for America Now

This email was sent to:
Start_Loving@yahoo.com

To unsubscribe, go to:
http://healthcareforamericanow.org/page/m2/3560dc32/5137e7ca/32af10b7/786f274c/370175471/VEsF/

HUGE: DN! 'A Progressive Ground War NOW.' Jesse Jackson re Health Care Reform

DN! 'A Progressive Ground War NOW.' Jesse Jackson re Health Care Reform
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUPgW33q49c

PLEASE SHARE. NOT A SECOND TO LOSE.

Great Speech! Bumped UP Polls! Like the big guns hitting the beach before the troops land. THAT'S US!!!

Great Speech! Bumped UP Polls! Like the big guns hitting the beach before the troops land. THAT'S US!!!

DON'T MISUNDERSTAND. Pres. Obama SOFTENED UP OUR TARGETS.

BUT THEY ARE STILL OUR TARTETS. WE'VE GOT TO GET THE VOTES!!!!!!!!! CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good news for Obama: New CNN poll shows viewers liked speech

http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/19883

Fw: Video of Abe's, ooops, I mean Barack's phenominal speech last night -

Vid of Abe's, ooops, I mean Barack's phenominal

speech last night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju2UuP8Tjow

Hmmmm. Should we take the time to hear him,
before we resume lynching him?

Seems only fair.

:-) :-(

Tip - "Reincarnation of Lincoln" - Warts and All - We Assassinated Lincoln

"Obama is the reincarnation of Lincoln," someone at the Vigil told me Monday.
The Truth of this so stunned me that I can't think who it was that said it.

We Assassinated Lincoln. Will we this time, stand alongside Obama?
That is the question that will determine the ages hence.

Liberal, centrist Dems praise Obama speech

http://www.thehill.com/homenews/house/58061-liberal-centrist-dems-praise-obama-speech

"I'm not going to quibble over what something is called," said Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.),
one of the leaders of the Progressive Caucus who last month rallied liberals to threaten to derail
Obama's signature policy issue if a public option was stripped for the sake of political feasibility.
"I'm going to quibble over whether or not something leads to quality, affordable coverage
for every American."

9.09.2009

WE, the GRASSROOTS LEFT FAILED AMERICA ON HealthCare in 1993. And NOW?

"YOU MUST BE THE CHANGE [COURAGEOUS, SELFLESS, TIRELESS ACTION]
YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD." Gandhi

'GIVE ME A MILITARY MAN TO WORK WITH ANY DAY;
DON'T GIVE ME ANY COWARDS [whiners, blamers, complainers,
excuse makers, watchers, armchair quarterbacks....]" Gandhi

Bill Clinton did not fail.

Hillary Clinton did not fail.

BARACK OBAMA WILL NOT FAIL.

THEY, did GREAT, HEROIC WORK. WE, the GRASS ROOTS LEFT FAILED,
as we failed Bill WE FAILED Jack, Harry, Ted...America, Americans.

AND NOW? THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE.

WE WILL NOT GET ANOTHER CHANCE.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Clinton on Health Care, 1993

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/bill-clinton-on-health-care-1993/

The Right TERRIFIES. The Left DOES NOT.

This is a problem.

Yes, I am a TOTALLY COMMITTED PEACE WORKER,
but that the LEFT TERRIFIES NO ONE, THIS IS A PROBLEM.

WE NEED THE RIGHT TO FEAR US. They do not. They have no reason to.

WE NEED THE MEDIA TO FEAR US. They do not. They have no reason to.

WE NEED THE TRAITOROUS, PSYCHOTIC GOP IN CONGRESS TO FEAR US. They do not. They have no reason to.

WE NEED THE BLUE DOGS TO FEAR US. They do not. They have no reason to.

WE ARE SO TIMID, SO COWARDLY, SO INACTIVE, SO DIVIDED, SO PRONE TO BLAME,
SO AVERSE TO TAKING RESPONSIBILITY, SO PATIENT, SO MILK TOAST,
SO FULL OF EXCUSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......................

BUZZFLASH.COM,
DEMOCRACYNOW.ORG,
YOU, YOU, YOU AND YOU... LEAD US TO STAND UP
AND BE COUNTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BE WILLING TO FAIL.

BE UNWILLING TO FAIL TO TRY.

Blame who? When Harry, Jack, Ted, Bil & Barack aren't enough? Blame who?

Really? Is the answer for Health Care Reform yet another president? We wait for the right president?

Of course! The is no other option! I mean there couldn't be anyone to blame but the President!

Or could there?

Well, there is the team; COULD THE "TEAM" BE TO BLAME?. US? Democrats? The Left? Progressives?

THERE ARE THREE REASONS WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THE PRESIDENT, OR A "NEW" PRESIDENT:

1. WE ARE OUT OF TIME, unless we accept collapse of the US Economy and
return to Rethuglican rule as acceptable answers.

2. WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET BETTER THAN BILL OR BARACK. EVER.
They don't come MORE capable than that.

3. THE "RIGHT" PRESIDENT HAS NEVER BEEN THE ANSWER. THE PEOPLE,
UNITED, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE ANSWER (repeat). THE PRES. WAS THE ANSWER FOR -
* NOT for Civil Rights.
* NOT the end the Vietnam War.
* NOT for Labor Rights.
* NOT for Women's Suffrage.
* NOT for the huge social issues.
* NOT EVER. NOT EVER.

I'm no historian, but wasn't the Bush 1 & 2 GOP takeover largely the result of a 30 year
forced "march" by the Right ROOTS??? From the town, to county, to city, to state... 30 year
march of TAKEOVER? YES!

SO AGAIN, WE-THE-LEFT ARE THE PROBLEM.

SOOOOOO, WE LOOK IN THE MIRROR, SUCK IT UP, AND GET TO WORK, AND STOP
BLAMING THE PRESIDENT, OR IT IS TIME TO SHUT UP.
THE PRESIDENCY IS NOT THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE PRESIDENCY IS NOT THE SOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE-THE-LEFT ARE THE SOLUTION, WE MUST BECOME THE SOLUTION - NOW.

MOBILIZE, NOW, OR FAIL. PERIOD.

9.08.2009

HELP FRIENDS, ENCOURAGE THIS GREAT ARTIST, SHARE THIS, NOW; PLEASE We need to INSPIRE WORK, and SOLIDARITY, and UNITY; NOW.

HELP FRIENDS, ENCOURAGE THIS GREAT ARTIST, SHARE THIS, NOW;
PLEASE We need to INSPIRE WORK, and SOLIDARITY, and UNITY; NOW.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WQ2bO7JF10

Hurry.

Please PUT YOUR BACK INTO THIS.

PLEASE.

RIGHT NOW.

Start

Obama is being Killed by the same Mob that got ML King.

Paraphrase (with liberal liberties) of the intro to Saul Alinsky's definitive Reveille for Radicals, that Pres. Obama knows and lives well:

'Conservatives: Will fight every day to the death(preferably yours) to keep things the same.

Progressives/Liberals: Want change with their head, and will talk (whine, complain) all
day long trying to get others to bring about change, but themselves,
they will risk nothing, fight THEMSELVES for
NOTHING,
EVER.

Radicals: Want change so much with their head and Heart they will
fight to the death (not yours, but their own) in order to achieve it.

I am so totally not a Conservative, or a Progressive/Liberal.'

I am a Radical.

Pres Obama is a Radical. No wonder the
Progressives/Liberals are
killing him.

Progressives were the death
of Dr. King, Jr, too,
standing
by.

'My problem is not the vicious bigot. My problem is the good person that says yes,
we need change, but not so fast, not in this way, I can't pay for it now.' MLK Jr's
letter from the Birmingham Jail, paraphrase with ample license by me.

This remind me that ALL of us were put here to TEACH and of course to LE...

Hi! This is Start. I Love you, and I am really glad you are in my Life.
From: Nancemerrill
To: Nancemerrill
Sent: 9/8/2009 8:46:59 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: This remind me that ALL of us were put here to TEACH and of course to LEARN...

Excerpt from: The Heart of a Teacher,
by Paula Fox

He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in Morris, Minnesota. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million. Very neat in appearance, he had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.

Mark talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving. "Thank you for correcting me, Sister!" I didn't know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.

One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, and then I made a novice teacher's mistake. I looked at Mark and said, "If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!" It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, "Mark is talking again." I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it. I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my desk, very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape. Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room. As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That did it! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark's desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister."

At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math. The years flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again. He was more handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to my instruction in the "new math," he did not talk as much in ninth grade as he had in third. One Friday, things just didn't feel right. We had worked hard on a new concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, frustrated with themselves and edgy with one another. I had to stop this crankiness before it got out of hand. So I asked them to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. Mark said, "Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend." That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual.

On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" I heard whispered. "I never knew that meant anything to anyone! I didn't know others liked me so much." No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again.

That group of students moved on. Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual questions about the trip, the weather, my experiences in general. There was a lull in the conversation. Mother gave Dad a sideways glance and simply said, "Dad?" My father cleared his throat as he usually did before something important. "The Eklunds called last night," he began. "Really?" I said. "I haven't heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is." Dad responded quietly. "Mark was killed in Vietnam," he said. "The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend." To this day I can still point to the exact spot on I-494 where Dad told me about Mark.

I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, "Mark, I would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me." The church was packed with Mark's friends. Chuck's sister sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? It was difficult enough at the graveside. The pastor said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps. One by one those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water. I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to me. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. "Mark talked about you a lot," he said.

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed to Chuck's farmhouse for lunch. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting for me. "We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it." Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. "Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it." Mark's classmates started to gather around us. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. I keep it in the top drawer of my desk at home." Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album." "I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said without batting an eyelash. "I think we all saved our lists." That's when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.