“Fly Like An Eagle“….the lyrics mean as much today as they did when the Steve Miller Band released this song in 1976. The political parties have spoken and their platforms are clear; it is now up to the citizens to decide which party plans to address the needs of the hungry, the elderly, and the homeless…not just the select few at the very top of the economic ladder.… [Read more]
Distracted by Conservative Ugliness
Monday night, I knew exactly what I was going to write about: The third and final presidential debate on foreign policy, with Romney acting a fool and a typical blunderbuss (when, that is, he wasn’t telling the American public that, when it came to President Obama’s foreign policy, he wouldn’t change a thing). And then there were the post-debate Tweets from conservatives which demonstrated, without question, that right-wingers are in the grip of demonic possession. … [Read more]
The Biden-Ryan Debate: Here’s Hoping Biden Brings It
Make no mistake about it: despite Mitt Romney’s changed tone and policy flips during his debate with President Obama, the fact remains that although they will never state it directly, a major political party, the GOP, has built its platform on the backs of the poor, middle-class, civil servants, veterans, elderly, disabled, ‘working stiffs’ and ‘non-elite’ people of this nation — even though unemployment, poverty, illness and disability affects people of all political affiliations.… [Read more]
Is killing sinners more important in Islam than saving lives?
The news in Pakistan has brought forth two stories that makes you wonder whether some aspects of Islam place a higher value on saving innocent lives or getting a sinner killed. The first tells of two children starved to death in the Sindh province where torrential rains caused considerable destruction, particularly to the poor part of the population.… [Read more]
Mississippi Goddam
This week’s Say It In Song choice features Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam” — still as timely now as it was then.
How’s voting against your own interests working out for you, Mississippi?… [Read more]
The Republicans, The Protestant Ethic and the Poor
The Republican attack machine has been in full force this election season and their number one target is Barack Obama, but pulling a close second are poor people. The GOP has been attacking poor people for some time now in their policies but now the poor are attacked almost daily by their rhetoric. Wednesday at the Republican National Convention, GOP operatives hammered the President and the poor relentlessly.… [Read more]
A Guaranteed Living Wage
I was talking to an acquaintance the other day; she was telling me how tired she was after her week of work. She told me that after being laid off from her job of 28 years with a carpet company in Georgia, she now makes minimum wage on a factory floor standing for eight hours a day on her fifty-something legs.… [Read more]
Poverty…Israel’s Internal Enemy
Poverty is the worst form of violence. – Mahatma Gandhi
Almost two weeks ago 57-year old Moshe Silman, a social protester from the northern city of Haifa, set himself on fire at a demonstration for social justice in Tel Aviv. Standing before a crowd of people, Silman read a letter explaining how the State of Israel had “robbed” him, poured flammable liquid over his body then set himself alight.… [Read more]
Placing Hope in the Right Hands: An Interview with Mama Hope’s Founder
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
~ Margaret Mead
When was the last time you saw an advertisement for a charity, non-profit or NGO that said “Stop the Pity”? Wait, what…you have never seen one like that? Well neither had I, that is, until someone shared a video produced by MamaHope.org… [Read more]
Borrowing from the Money Store
In case you aren’t painfully aware that the student loan situation has gotten terribly out of hand, consider this: the average college graduate owes $25,000 in debt—what do you say to someone in that situation? Add to this the sublime impossibility of finding a job (days and days spent, dozens of CVs sent out… it’s like a ritual of sorts) and the proliferation of unpaid, or “for credit/experience/exposure” internships, and moving back home to your parents seems like more of a dire necessity than a sensible decision.… [Read more]