Category Archives: Patriotism

Activist, freedom, March for Our Lives, Patriotism

Amnesty International

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On the way to the March for Our Lives protest, I met some very impressive young adults in their senior year. Kristen and Olivia.  Volunteers for Amnesty International, an organization, a global movement of more than 7 million people who take injustice personally.  We had a great and enjoyable conversation.  One is planning to go into accounting, the other in International Relations and possibly politics.

I see a hope in this generation.

WHAT DOES AMNESTY DO?

They investigate and expose the facts, whenever and wherever abuses happen. 

We lobby governments, and other powerful groups such as companies. Making sure they keep their promises and respect international law.

By telling the powerful stories of the people we work with, we mobilize millions of supporters around the world to campaign for change and to stand in defense of activists on the frontline.

We support people to claim their rights through education and training.

Read More about Amnesty International here.

Activist, freedom, March for Our Lives, Patriotism, Protest Marches

March For Our Lives – History in the Making

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March 24, 2018 – Denver, Colorado

March For Our Lives

More than a million people showed up for the March for Our Lives rallies across the country Saturday, according to crowd estimates from local officials and organizers in several cities.

The news says that one of the largest marches was here in Denver, 26,000 people expressed interest in attending, 10,000 people were expected, but so far I haven’t found the exact numbers that actually attended.  I know observing this gathering personally, it looked as large as the first Women’s March I attended.  The Women’s March was inspiring, this march was not only inspiring but also provoked so many more feelings.  I actually found my eyes stinging with tears as I listened to these young people speak, seeing young children that need to go through “lock down” exercises in school.  Innocence lost concerns me for children – it should concern all adults and parents.  Our children should not have to live like this.  I thought our country was better than this.

However, what I did find hopeful was that this generation of children is so aware, so articulate and politically inclined. I saw a less apathetic generation that is currently able to take action but has not.  This generation is ready to ACT!

This movement is the beginning for new leaders in our country.  These leaders are currently in their teens but history will mark this day in their biographies.  I see these kids becoming great leaders.   Just as the Civil Rights movement went down in history, so shall this day.

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freedom, freedom-of-speech, Patriotism, signs of democracy, Uncategorized

Standing for the flag or Acting on what it Stands For

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Standing for the flag or Acting on what it Stands For
All this controversy whether kneeling or standing with arms locked is disrespecting our country’s  flag has many people upset, some confused.  “For liberty and justice for ALL”.  I believe it would be disrespectful if we did not honor what our flag stood for and STAND UP for our rights to insure that we are indeed the country that our armed forces through the life of our country spilled blood over to give us. – the liberty and the freedom for justice for ALL.  Those who only see the kneeling during a song are missing the big picture and are not understanding the injustices that are going on. Respect is earned, Defending our democracy is respecting our country and given by partcipating and not quietly allowing it to be taken away. Democracy is not something fought for just on foreign soils but here in our own home. we cannot allow racism, bigotry and hatred destroy us.

Activist, Patriotism, Protest Marches, Uncategorized

The Trashing of the First Amendment

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The Trashing of the First Amendment

 

We are increasingly seeing the trashing of the first amendment going on in our country, today 45’s White House banned access to the NY Times, as well as CNN, The Los Angeles Times, Politico, and BuzzFeed from the press briefings; only allowing a handpicked group of conservative-leaning media outlets into the briefings.  These organizations included Breitbart News, the One America NewsNetwork and the Washington Times. Journalists from ABC, CBS,  The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Fox News also attended.

Although, this may have happened before,  45 thinks that any news that does not favor him or tells his version of the “truth” is fake news.  Are they probing too deeply, asking questions that he does not want to be answered, investigating too well? 

As an ex-reporter, myself, it is our duty to report the news and the facts as they occur, whether the public, the president or the leaders like it.  Not everything is pleasant to hear not everything is going to be favorable to “his majesty”. If you have nothing to hide, don’t do anything wrong and don’t be afraid to invite the press in to report what they find.  Transparency is key.  This maneuver on 45’s part sounds like a cover up and a smokescreen for other behavior that is going on that the Whitehouse and the Republicans do not want the public to know about- the scandals he wants us to forget about. It is a diversion to make us forget about what is at stake – our freedoms, our rights, our health care.  

The professional team of reporters for any honest and ethical media outlet will continue to report the news.  They will continue to dig and investigate to get to the truth of the matter.  Those press briefings have proven to be only platforms of propaganda and lies.  They don’t get the truth when they attend them, they get the runaround, they get platitudes and insults.

Another thing, I also understand that in Arizona,  a Republican state senator has introduced legislation that could give police the authority to arrest anyone involved in a peaceful demonstration.  It would also enable the police to arrest those who attended the event, even if they themselves did not commit any crime.   They claim that those who protest are full-time, professional provocateur anarchists that are there solely to create public disorder and chaos.  As a protestor myself, and one who as taken part in several of these marches, they are talking out of their hat! 

To those and to those Congressmen  refusing to meet with us because they say we are paid protestors and to those who tell us to get a job, I only say,  we work full time, we are not all senior citizens with time on our hands, we are not professional anarchists, we are not paid by anyone, we pay OUR TAXES, we pay your salary, we are concerned citizens of the world and we see it going to hell in a hand basket unless we speak up.  Listen! We will persist!  Do not doubt us, you cannot silence us, and we will go to jail if need be.

 

 

Artist, Contributor, Patriotism

“Women are the future”

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“Women are the future”

We Can Never Be Complacent!

He was inspired by the march yesterday and I admire the results of his inspiration.  Thank you for your art, Matthew.

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Artist: Matthew Waite, a comic book artist, was so inspired by the marches yesterday he made this. “Women are the future”. Immigrants are the future. LGBTQIA are the future. Equality and human rights are the future. We can’t let the momentum wane and we can NEVER be complacent again.

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© 2017 Photography by Candace L Stauber

© 2017 Women are the Future by Matthew Waite

freedom, Patriotism

Freedom Quote of the Day #34 -Jan 15, 2017

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“The ugliest thing in America is greed, the lust for power and domination, the lunatic ideology of perpetual Growth – with a capital G. ‘Progress’ in our nation has for too long been confused with ‘Growth’; I see the two as different, almost incompatible, since progress means, or should mean, change for the better – toward social justice, a livable and open world, equal opportunity and affirmative action for all forms of life. And I mean all forms, not merely the human. The grizzly, the wolf, the rattlesnake, the condor, the coyote, the crocodile, whatever, each and every species has as much right to be here as we do.”

― Edward Abbey, Postcards from Ed: Dispatches and Salvos from an American Iconoclast

Freedom Quote of the Day #34 -Jan 15, 2017

Activist, Contributor, Patriotism, Politics

Violating Logan Act

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One by one, violations stack up and yet, nothing it seems, to make a difference to those that have come into a position of power within our country.  Ethics, morality, even a conscience to know what is right and wrong has gone out the window and is totally ignored with no regard for anyone other than those in their tight circle of comrades with their own agenda.  This path, I believe is a dangerous one for those of us who are left with no champion.

The Logan Act (18 U.S.C.A. § 953 [1948]) is a single federal statute making it a crime for a citizen to confer with foreign governments against the interests of the United States. Specifically, it prohibits citizens from negotiating with other nations on behalf of the United States without authorization.

Congress established the Logan Act in 1799, less than one year after passage of theAlien and Sedition Acts, which authorized the arrest and deportation of Aliensand prohibited written communication defamatory to the U.S. government.The 1799 act was named after Dr. George Logan. A prominent Republican and Quaker from Pennsylvania, Logan did not draft or introduce the legislation that bears his name, but was involved in the political climate that precipitated it.

The Logan Act has remained almost unchanged and unused since its passage. The act is short and reads as follows:

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly orindirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or anyofficer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of anyofficer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat themeasures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government orthe agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of itsagents or subjects.

The language of the act appears to encompass almost every communication between a U.S. citizen and a foreign government considered an attempt to influence negotiations between their two countries.

*Interesting  Reading on U.S. Uncut by Zach Cartwright