Locker room talk....

What has been missing in this conversation is the effect on the perpetrator as well as the victim. The conversation will not detract from what the victim has endured, but will awaken in the perpetrator a sense of consequence for his behavior.

I raised my sons with a simple guideline: Don't do anything you do not want to appear on the front page of the local newspaper.
Sent February 28, 2017

Public lands....

Our public lands are our greatest resource. Not resource as the timber, mineral, and cattle industries think of it. Rather as a resource for the people and the animals of our country. A place to feed our spirits and our souls, instead of our pockets.

My parents took me camping every weekend all summer as I was growing up. We would drive far and near to spend time in the precious lands of the west.

Now, there are those who wish to take this land away from us for exploitation. They have paid for a seat at your table and are hoping to have your ear.

Please do not allow our beautiful lands to taken. Come visit the west, see what will be lost if we are not vigilant.
Sent February 27, 2017

Citizen's United....

Citizen's United gave personhood to corporations who wish to influence laws and policy with money. That influence has already been seen in the appointments in this administration and in the executive orders signed by Mr. Trump.

The Dakota Access Pipeline has been approved in spite of the overwhelming numbers of people in this country who are against it. Key environmental protections have been reversed for the benefit of corporations who do not want to bear the cost of environmental protections. The Environmental Protection Agency is at risk of being disbanded altogether, putting our water, air, health, and biodiversity in the hands of those whose first priority is making money.

Who will hear my voice?
Sent February 25, 2017

Trust....

Trust may be the one trait that is the basis for all relationship. Without it, we will fall into chaos, fearful of everyone.

I was at a family gathering recently. The word got out that I am a democrat. There was a murmer through the room. I was immediately seen as untrustworthy. There was general agreement when I said, "All we have to learn is how to talk to each other." Being open and honest is what will bring trust back into our country, from me all the way up to you. Without it, we will have nothing.
Sent February 25, 2017

Sanctuary....

We are all looking for sanctuary. We want to be safe within our families, our homes, our communities, our nation, and our world. The dictionary says, "...a place of refuge." That is what we all want, a place for our families where they are safe and fed. How can we deny sanctuary to anyone when we, all of us, would ask the same for our selves and our families. We were created as a nation of sanctuary, it is who we are.
Sent February 24, 2017

First Amendment...

Either we live by this or we don't. If we don't, then we are not the democracy we say we are. There is no half way. There is no "for some of us, but not for all". There is no exception for my religion and not for yours.
Sent February 23, 2017

Please and Thank you....

As a young mother and as a teacher, I expected basic manners from the children. "Please" and "Thank you" are the most basic of our manners.

If a person holds the door for you or steps out of the way or answers a question or hands you a pencil, say "Thank you".

If you need anything, say "Please".

What could be easier?
Sent February 22, 2017

Your taxes....

In my world, if you don't follow the rules you don't get to play the game.

I suspect that Donald Trump will not show his tax returns because he has not paid any taxes for at least 19 years. According to him, "That makes me smart."

Now he is living off my taxes and your taxes. We are paying for his security and his family's security. Not only are we paying their security, we are paying for the security on a hotel in New York City and for his Florida digs. Ironically, chances are good that he and his billionaire cronies have paid nothing or next to nothing into the pot. I can't help but wonder what else he is hiding.

I am currently working on my taxes. I am proud to contribute to what makes this country great.

Sent February 21, 2017

Justice....

I guess we all have to ask ourselves, how would we respond if a group of people moved into our country and began taking our homes and land. And, what would we do if even the greater powers that be, justified and defended the ousting of us from our homeland?

If left to our own devices, wouldn't we react as the First Peoples on the North American Continent when settlers took their homes and land and made a government that disenfranchised them? Or, as European countries responded to Hitler's drive to conquer the world. Or, when Japan attacked us at Pearl Harbor?

Wouldn't we fight for what was ours?

How is it different for the Palestinian people. Their homes and land were taken. Their children are incarcerated or killed. They must fight for every morsel of food and drop of water. Yet they are blamed for fighting for what is rightly theirs.

Where is the humanity, or justice?
Sent February 21, 2017

1st Grade Rules....

These are the rules I followed when I was teaching 1st and 2nd grade. I think they apply equally to the governing of our country. If each and every one of us followed these rules of kindness and respect, we would change the world.
Sent February 18, 2017

Obstructionism...

There is really not much more I can say.

The Republican Congress under President Barak Obama set an obstructionist tone that is being expanded under Donald Trump. It was not appropriate then and it is not appropriate now. Every member of Congress was elected to represent their constituency, they must all be allowed to do their jobs. Strangling one, strangles us all.
Sent February 18, 2017

Little Blue Boat...

For me, doing nothing is not a choice. Doing nothing means choosing not to change anything I do. I can still burn fossil fuels with abandon without taking into account the effect on our climate. I can fill my garbage bin with plastics every week without thinking of its life expectancy. I can eat meat at every meal and ignore the amount of methane that comes from all those animals. I suppose one could even say, "I don't believe the science so I will continue doing whatever I have always done."

Or, you can say, "I will do what I can. I will reduce my footprint on our Earth."

I am grateful for anything you do to benefit our little Blue Boat floating in the vast ocean of our universe.
Sent February 17, 2017

Boomerang Effect...

In my classroom I witnessed the opposite effect. The more kindness I used in my discipline, the less negative behaviors I needed to discipline. The more I modeled helpfulness, the less the children needed my help, they were being helped by each other. The more even tempered I was, the the more cheerful everyone was. The end result, was more quality work being done, more learning happening, and less reason for me to get upset. I bet it would work in Washington as well.
Sent February 16

Who you trust...

Often, I suspect the only reason we do not end up doing something illegal or mean spirited is because of the people with whom we choose as our friends. Choosing carefully, our chances of making it through our teenage years without making the front page of the local newspaper are pretty good.

If, on the other hand, if we choose self-centered, greedy, mean, or selfish friends, the chance of causing harm or actually doing something illegal increases.

The same is true if you are President of the United States. Who you trust to do the work of the government and represent you, will make it clear who you really are.
Sent on February 15, 2017

Guilt...

I wish to repeat something from my February 6th postcard:

"We, or I should say, I have no guilt for what happened from the 1400's on. That is a common refrain for those who do not want to take responsibility for the damage done by our ancestors. It is true. It wasn't me. But, knowing the injustice that was done and continues to be done, often in my name, makes me a party to the injustice. I am a citizen of the United States and I have benefited from injustice toward the First Peoples. I must work to correct the wrong or I am guilty."

This applies to all disenfranchised populations throughout our history. From the First Peoples of this land, the people we imported to be our slaves, and the people whose religion we unfairly target today, if we do not stand up to demand justice for all, we are guilty!
Sent on February 14 - Happy Valentines Day, the day of love.

Mother Earth #6...

So far, six of my postcards to President Trump have included my concerns for our planet. With all the other concerns about peace, equity, and justice that I support, I feel our first and foremost concern is the health and well being of our Earth. If we are not vigilant with our care, we will not have a second chance or second choice. To allow profit driven exploitation of our ground, our waters, and our air will have lasting effect on every species, including ours.

If for nothing else, our children and grandchildren will ask us why we didn't do anything when there was still time to do something.
Sent February 13, 2016

No Big Deal!

I suspect that men like Trump, men who are full of themselves and think women are a cut below, would not be able to share.

Fortunately, most men, once they are over the surprise of having a woman in front of them in line, just relax and go with the flow.

There were over 100 women waiting to go to the restroom. Were there less men? No, of course not. They can just pop in and out (oh, excuse the visual), and they are done. Once we were in two equal, diverse lines, the rights of all users were brought into equality. Who could complain? I refer you to my first line of this post.

PS: Since I wrote about this, I have heard stories of restrooms in Europe that are gender neutral. Apparently, there are no complaints. I urge us to make this the norm. It would do a world of good for our transgender citizens.
Sent February 11, 2017

Oregon is...

What legislation this postcard does not include:

Everyone in our state has equal rights.

If you are black, white, brown, gay, straight, trans, old, young, female, male, abled, disabled, ailing, well, rich, poor, native born, immigrant, tall, short, fat, thin, blond, brunette, red head, bald, right handed, left handed, literate, nerdy, uneducated, stylish, tacky, Democrate, Republican, or any other political leaning, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Taoist, Unitarian, atheist, or undecided, you are welcome here. If none of these words apply to you, be assured we have a place for you.

It is our diversity that makes us strong.
Sent February 11, 2017

Profits...

We are a nation that rewards the rich. Exploitation of our lands brings great wealth to a few. Our entire healthcare system is designed to make a profit. Our banking and loan institutions can take your home if you lose your job or have health issues. Corporations are rewarded with tax breaks on top of hiding assets in off-shore accounts. Colleges and Universities get enough in donations to build a giant sports complex to play seven games a year... for profit. Even our government is a pay to play game with decisions favoring the the big money players.

One public institution that has no profit motive is our K-12 education system. And, now we have Betsy DeVos whose stated goal is to privatize our children's education. Why? Why else? ...but for profit.

I am more afraid of the money grabbers than I am of terrorists. Who exactly are you afraid of?
Sent February 10, 2017

Inspiration....

What more can I say?

The people who have inspired me...

The tall, black man who saved my life when I was five years old inspires me to this day. He pulled me out of Washington Park Lake in Denver. My mother didn't even thank him. He is always in my mind, reminding me that we are all people who deserve justice, freedom, and equity. I am so grateful to him.

The immigrant from Burundi, who our church is sponsoring, inspires me. He remains positive and hopeful as his wife and children, who have gone through the vetting process and are waiting for their visas, are faced with the travel ban. His smile and laughter are infectious.

Hilary Clinton inspires me. She has given her life to helping all people work toward a better life. What higher calling is there?

Children inspire me. They call me to give them my best. I must work for them and the world they and their children will inherit.

Donald Trump inspires me to be my best self and not to get caught up in anger, fear, and hatred.

Who inspires you?
Sent February 9, 2017

Day of Devotion...

There are those who have been installed in our democratic government who appear to believe that the United States of America is and always has been a white and Christian nation. I thought that belief had been overturned in the 60's. I guess it was just quietly feeding itself with "alternative facts".

Who are we if not the very immigrants we are afraid of?

My heritage is Irish. My ancestors came to this land when food was scarce in our homeland. They were persecuted, beaten, murdered, and jailed. How is that different than what is being done today.

May our days of devotion include kudos to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for blocking a racist, deist, and nationalist Executive Order.
Sent February 8, 2017

So lucky!

The climate is changing. Record snows and record heat everywhere. Ninety-nine percent of scientists acknowledge the credibility of the science. More and more people around the globe are living in food deserts. Refugees are leaving their homelands in hopes of finding homes and work to sustain their families.

How can anyone deny that things are changing and that human exploitation of the Earth is contributing to the problem?

If changing our ways could make a difference, do we have a choice? To face our children and our grandchildren in the years to come, we have to be making changes now. If we deny responsibility and continue our desecration, the generations to come will have no patience with excuses. If not for ourselves, then for the babies to come. We must take action now.
Sent February 7, 2017

First Nations....

Since we, pilgrims and all subsequent immigrants, landed on the North American continent, we have claimed, stolen, and exploited the lands of the First Peoples. Our ancestors saw nothing wrong in their unquestioned right to take another's land. They were simply following the intention of the Doctrine of Discovery. That doctrine has not yet been rescinded or in anyway refuted.

It gave legal right to any land that was "discovered" to the discoverer. It was that doctrine that fed the European expansion throughout the Americas and throughout the world.

We, or I should say, I have no guilt for what happened from the 1400's on. That is a common refrain for those who do not want to take responsibility for the damage done by our ancestors. It is true. It wasn't me. But, knowing the injustice that was done and continues to be done, often in my name, makes me a party to the injustice.

I am a citizen of the United States and I have benefited from injustice toward the First Peoples. I must work to correct the wrong or I am guilty.
Sent February 6, 2017

Ms. DeVos...

Ms. DeVos' lack of understanding of the difference between measuring growth and measuring proficiency should be enough to disqualify her bid for Secretary of Education.

Let's say you and I are in the same class. You are a whiz at fractions and I am struggling along. If we are measuring proficiency, the tests we give today will show that you have reached a certain standard of performance and it will show that I have not reached that standard. After thousands of dollars spent on a scripted curriculum, people coming into my class to make sure the teacher is following the script, and the thousands more spent on high stakes standardized tests, all you know is that you have reached proficiency and I have not.

Now, let's say we are still talking about the two of us and we are in a system that measures growth. It will probably cost the same to educate and test us, but now you will see that since the last test, I have made measurable growth in my understanding of fractions and the teacher knows exactly what I need to learn next. You, on the other had, have spent the last year resting on your laurels and have made no growth in your fraction understanding. I made a year's growth and, while once you met the proficiencies, there is no evidence you made any growth in mathematical understanding of fractions. It may be because you have been a flake all year, but it also shows that the teacher relied only on proficiencies to decide how to dole out his instruction for the year.

In the second scenario, you have done nothing for the year and I have worked myself to the bone. My proficiency may still be below yours, but I have worked hard and made measurable growth. This system holds even those who are proficient to continued learning and performing beyond the standards of proficiency.
Sent February 4, 2017

America IS Great....

I heard recently that we are two generations out from makers and fixers. If you are old enough, you will remember that new cars came with a tool kit. You were expected to make repairs on your own car. It is that kind of independence, determination, fortitude, and confidence that brought this country through hard times.

I do believe that we are still that country. But we have become lazy. All our needs are met, and then some. We have become distracted by screen time with all its fantasy, violence, sports, and commercials. We work too many hours and sleep too few.

It is time we reach back into ourselves and find the makers and fixers. We do not need Donald Trump to make us great again. We are the greatest when we stand alone on our own two feet and engage the world.
Sent February 4, 2017

Bullying...

As a first grade teacher, I have learned that the best strategy to use with a bully in the classroom is to give him as little attention as possible. The rest of the children need protection, but they will learn by my kind, but very firm, manner that bullying is not rewarded. If I, as the teacher, use bullying tactics to manage a bully, it is hard to tell the difference.

In my classroom, bullies do not get their way, but they also do not get my attention. There are consequences, but they are meted out without the spectacle of a public shaming. I am sorry that you did not have a first grade teacher like me.

Sent February 3, 2017

Lady Liberty....

Whatever our education and life experience, we in the United States of America, need to know a very important piece of our history and destiny. The Statue of Liberty, Liberty Enlightening the World, was designed, made, and given to the U.S. by the French. It was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Funds to complete the base came from more than 120,000 contributors, most of whom gave less than a dollar.

The statue and its welcoming inscription have greeted immigrants from around the world for over 130 years. We have not always lived up to these noble words, but we cannot turn our eyes and hearts from her lofty inspiration. None of us whose heritage began on other lands can ignore what these words meant to our ancestors seeking asylum or opportunity. Wherever we came from and whatever our politics, if we claim citizenship in our melting pot of a nation, we must live up to the ideals of our ancestors who found a home on these shores.
Sent February 2, 2017

Diversity....

One of the principles I learned in freshman biology was diversity. A culture, whether it is in a petri dish, a garden, a forest, a reef, or a human population, needs diversity to survive. A mono culture is at risk of eradication by disease, predation, or interbreeding. A culture that is uniform will be decimated, one that has a strong diversity in its population will survive. For far too long, Americans has lived with the mistaken belief that being a white country shows our purity. Laws were made and are still being made to prohibit the dilution of that purity. We do this to our peril. America's democratic experiment will fail if we continue to exclude those who do not look or act like us. Sent February 1, 2017