I wonder how often I’ve unconsciously influenced someone, in either a positive or a negative direction–when I wasn’t aware of how I was acting, reacting, speaking, or expressing myself through body language. Today’s Thursday Thought quote made me think about that.
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” (Albert Schweitzer)
WHAT A MESS! With all this time stuck at home, I see so much that needs to be done to my home and garden…junk to get rid of, garage to organize, deck to be stained, fence to be repaired… I can’t do it all myself. What to do?!!!
Help yourself and others by hiring a day-worker from a local day-worker center (we have St. Vincent de Paul and Mitty). Pay is $10-$15 an hour, and the center sends you people who are qualified to do the job you need done. When not out on a job, these people spend their time in training, improving their English, and gaining skills that make them better workers for you while building a brighter future for themselves and their families. So, what’s there to lose, except for that broken fence, or that peeling paint, or the hopelessness that these willing workers have felt in the past?
In today’s Thursday Thought quote, John Lewis reminds us of our obligation to our children.
Ever wonder why the Republican and Democratic Parties’ symbols are what they are? Not what you might think—like maybe the stubborn, stand-for-what’s right donkey or the huge, powerful elephant. Here’s a bit of American trivia.
In 1828 the Democratic donkey was “born” during the 1828 Presidential campaigns. Candidate Andrew Jackson’s opponents didn’t like him much, so they called him a “donkey,” and the label stuck to his party. Later, in 1874, Thomas Nast, a satirical cartoonist, drew a cartoon of an elephant and gave it the caption of “the Republican vote,” and, again, the symbol stuck to the party.
In other words, the labels came about not because they symbolized anything in particular but because they made fun of or criticized a party or their candidate.
Personally, I think both parties today are acting like animals, but I can’t quite identify which species.
We’re all aware of the demonstrations in recent months sparked by the death of George Floyd. And most of us realize that he’s mainly a symbol of the racial discrimination in our country. The demonstrations are NOT, as we’ve been repeatedly told, mismanagement by one party’s governors. In fact, 26 of those states experiencing these demonstrations have Republican governors and 24 have Democratic governors. Yes, that’s all 50 states, indicating that this is a concern shared by every state in our union. So, let’s stop making this an election-year political football and get down to the hard work of curing our national black eye. If you’re interested, here’s the list.
Republican: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Democratic: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.
I think this cartoon expresses the frustration and angst most of us are feeling about now.
They’re just dumb animals…maybe. But should they suffer needlessly? Some researchers have abandoned what they deem cruel product-testing on animals, saying its results are questionable (human and animal allergic reactions differ) and can be obtained in other ways (e.g., artificial skin in a test tube). The USDA tries to ensure proper food and shelter for these animals but can do nothing about the infliction of pain or relieving it. Laws are being passed to stop the sale of family pets (ever wonder where they go when they’re stolen?) for clinical trials and to prohibit animal testing when other methods are available. Meanwhile, companies use animals, for example, to see what eye and skin damage a product can cause. Go to www.navs.org, to learn more.
Look for a “Cruelty Free” label on packaging. If you don’t see it, show your disapproval by boycotting products from that company and let them you’re doing so and why. Tell offending companies that we won’t tolerate needless violence against animals.
Go to www.navs.org, to learn more.
Starting in November, no matter who we vote in as President, I fervently hope the spirit of Martin Luther King., Jr. rests upon his shoulders and infuses his decisions with the fire to fight violence and its major cause, injustice, in our nation. I dream that this spirit spreads from our leader to our lawmakers, who will then regain the respect of their constituents, who will, in turn, reject violence in all its dehumanizing forms and embrace justice for all of our citizens. From there, they will demand justice for all other citizens of the world and pursue it in peaceful, yet effective ways.
This is a huge dream, even a foolishly optimistic one. But, just imagine–if everyone shared my dream and worked to make it reality, what would our new world look like?
Let me dream.
Today’s Thursday Thought quote comes from Maya Angelou, who experienced hate and wrote powerful poetry about it.
Who’d think that a hand-held device could become a verb? Yes, the iPod has begun to show action. I heard perfectly intelligent people on the TV show Press Here discuss companies that are starting to iPodify! Now, I’m all for language growth–it enriches us all. But I prefer borrowings from other languages, like the French chic, Irish hooligan, Italian fresco, Yiddish klutz, and, of course, the Spanish taco. I’m not sure I like that gizmo I can’t escape from wheedling its way into my language, forcing me to listen to people iPodify, watch neighbors iPodify, seeing my dog step into something after someone carelessly iPodifies…my Heavens! being forced at gunpoint to iPodfy or perish…and I don’t even know how! No, I’m not ready for this.