Posts tagged with Citizen Journalism Academy
This One’s For Toot
I was what you would call an idealistic child. I couldn't read about historical events without dreaming about what it would be like to have been there; and in some cases which side I'd be on. This election feels like something big; something that could change the course of history. I am a grandmother now and I will not squander my chance to be a part of this by staying home and watching it unfold on CNN. I will be in Missouri today helping with GOTV efforts there. It is a gesture small in comparison to what others have done but it's the least I can do for Toot and others like her who sacrifice selflessly so that their loved ones can realize their dreams.Sadly, Barack Obama's grandmother, Toot, didn't make it to election day to find out whether her beloved grandson would become the next President of the United States of America. We can join with her spirit and like "The Little Engine That Could" we can help push that mighty train over the mountain top toward a righteous victory. Yes We Can!
The Politics of Lipstick
This blog is in response to this article in the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/us/politics/13mccain.html?hp "Politics is a game," I hear some say. A game it is; albeit one with potentially grave consequences. We are, after all choosing the next leader of the free world. It comes as no surprise to those of us who have been around for awhile that the negative rhetoric of the presidential campaign has intensified as we head into Election Day. What has changed, at least for me is the new lows to which candidates are willing to stoop.According to polls, few among us are happy with the job that George Bush has done. Yet according to polls, voters are currently favoring the Republican candidate who embraces the same policies as George Bush. In addition, John McCain is using the same unethical political tactics, courtesy of the same people who wanted George Bush in office.With the economy in the tank; the quagmire in the Middle East growing increasingly complicated; and Americans in increasing numbers concerned about healthcare, jobs, education and retirement; how can this be?In this recent article, Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics, George Lakoff says that rather than choosing a leader based on the issues that affect us, Americans vote on these characteristics, "Values; Authenticity; Communication and connection; Trust; and Identity." He says that "McCain and Palin are being marketed as American icons: the war hero and the ideal mom." Lakoff advises Obama to drop his thoughtful discussion of the issues in favor of an identity campaign in order to regain his favor with voters.My dilemma is this: if the candidates don't run on the issues how are we, the voters, to know where they stand?I believe that meaningful change comes from the bottom up rather than the top down. Perhaps it is time we voters change the rules of this game called politics and consequently take our government and our country back. That would take responsibility on the part of voters to check for accuracy in advertising and statements by the candidates. My Grandson suggests the candidates be connected to lie detectors during debates. Hopefully, such drastic measures won't be necessary for voters to see the pig for the lipstick.
H-I-L-L-A-R-Y
As a 53 year-old woman and an admitted feminist, I watched in awe tonight as Hillary Clinton delivered the speech of her life. Having spent a lifetime in the service of others and working for the greater good, I was one with Hillary as she selflessly passed the torch to Barack Obama and the younger generation. Most true Democrats had no doubt that she would do so - and do so in style - in spite of the speculation by "ratings greedy" pundits who have spent the last several days perpetuating the "rift" between Hillary supporters and Obama supporters. You see, Hillary is no fool. Like most progressives and most women, her daughter's interests and your daughter's interests come before hers and ours.Tonight, Hillary put on her big girl panties and took one for the future of our country. I, for one, intend to follow suit.
Women Priests Ordained
I'm a fan of Eileen Roddy. And her post commemorating Nelson Mandela on his 90th birthday is no exception. After contrasting Mandela's ideals of freedom and equality with the divisiveness we are experiencing in America, she offers this profound thought, ":I can be a channel for harmony or a source of discord." Ok, so I was feeling enlightened(ish) and resolved to be a "channel for harmony" from this day forward. But:then I read this article about three women who wanted to be Catholic priests:so they got two female bishops to perform the ordination ceremony:but the Church said it didn't count:but they said yes it did because the bishops were ordained by "all-male Roman Catholic bishops who are in good standing with the church"...but the Church said they would be excommunicated anyway:You get the idea.According to the article "Catholics who are excommunicated cannot receive sacraments. The penalty can be lifted if those who have been punished are sincerely repentant."By now the "source of discord" in me was starting to rear its ugly head. I hit the email-this-article-to-a-friend-button and began spewing in the add-a-personal-message box: Sincerely repentant?...or sincerely and passionately defended?... "Speak out," I told my fellow Catholic women. "Write a letter to the editor; contact your local bishop; wear a veil to mass on Sunday in protest:do it for your daughters and granddaughters."But then...I thought of Eileen and wondered, "What would Nelson Mandela do?":Ok, so I pushed the send button.
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The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Mothers Day, like so many of our holidays, is rooted in ancient times. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans celebrated motherhood by honoring their goddesses. In Medieval times, in the British Isles, goddesses were replaced by "Mother" Church.Mother's Day was introduced from Europe by Julia Ward Howe, best known for her lyrics in the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Howe suggested that June 2nd be a day of peace in honor of mothers in the United States. In 1870 she wrote A Mother's Day Proclamation, urging mothers in America and around the world to work towards peaceful co-existence.In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared Mother's Day a national holiday to be celebrated the second Sunday in May. In contrast to the commercialized holiday it has become, it was to be a day in which Americans flew the flag to honor mothers whose sons had died in war.In her book, "We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For," Alice Walker talks about the Swa people of the Amazon. In their culture, men and women are equal but different. It is the man's job to hunt, to cut down trees, and to make war when necessary. Women take care of the home the garden and the children, but their most important job is to "tell the men when to stop."Walker says, "When the Swa are brought to this culture they observe:that the men have cut down so many trees and built so many excessively tall buildings that the forest itself is dying; they have built roads without end and killed animals without number. 'When, ask the Swa, are the women going to say stop?'" My young friend Natalie became a mother on Wednesday. I am going to give her a book that my daughter reads to my grandson. The book is "Potatoes, Potatoes" by Anita Lobel and is a story about two brothers who go to war for opposing armies. After battling in their mother's beloved potato garden with near disastrous consequences, she finds a clever way "to say stop." The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Blogging the Capitol
Do you ever wonder if government really works for you? If so, you're not alone. According to the web site Government is Good, "only 29% of Americans trust the government to do what is right always or most of the time. But, writes Amy J. Douglas, project founder and Professor of Politics at Mount Holyoke College, "Beneath the surface lurks surprisingly strong public support for the public sector." For instance, when asked specific questions about issues like automobile safety and healthcare, Americans value government regulations. Many of us take government for granted until it affects us in a negative way. I have been reasonably interested in government on a national level but didn't pay much attention to what was happening in Topeka until the Legislature voted to put the "Marriage Amendment" on the ballot. That political maneuver and the hateful environment that ensued, affected my family personally. I felt so jilted by my government. First, because it happened so quickly that I didn't have a chance to advocate for my family member. And secondly, in spite of fear mongering by lawmakers and others, marriage wasn't even on the radar screen of gays and lesbians I am acquainted with.Once I decided to pay attention to the Kansas Legislature, I found it wasn't that easy to get the information I wanted. Until, that is, I started reading the Lawrence Journal World on a regular basis. So when I saw that LJW was taking applications for the Citizens Journalism Academy, I applied. Now I am attempting to quell the "political junkie" in me by blogging the Capitol.I met LJW correspondent, Scott Rothschild, at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning for a briefing of the days agenda and a tour of the Capitol. Next, I got a press pass and access to the internet, then off to a committee hearing on taxes. Among those testifying in front of the committee, was the mother of an adopted child with special needs who was formerly a ward of the state. Testifying is what you do in order to advocate for or against an issue coming up for vote. In order to testify, you are required to notify the committee assistant 24 hours in advance of the meeting. You also must have thirty copies of your testimony to hand to committee members.After the committee meeting, I headed for the House Chamber for the morning session. After the morning prayer and pledge of allegiance, the House took final action on several bills. All passed easily including a bill that contains new provisions to Kansas abortion law which would presumably create obstacles for women seeking safe and legal abortion services. I left the House Chamber to sounds of cheers reverberating through the rotunda from the first floor. I only paused a moment before hurrying down two huge flights of stairs and into a crowd of about two hundred people. The group, Sunflower Community Action, a grassroots organization that advocates for low income families, had come from Wichita to visit their State Representative. The Senate session got off to a bit of a slow start:blah, blah, blah tax exemptions:blah, blah, blah tax exemptions. Then, discussions about drug courts, board of healing arts licensure, driver improvement programs and noise abatement for motor boats.The session ended with a thoughtful and at times passionate debate about healthcare reform. Senators spoke of the more than 300,000 Kansans without health insurance and the negative effects to individuals and families. Over objections to her proposal to expand SCHIP, Senator Wagel recommended a study - of the study done by the Kansas Health Policy.Senator Barnett said he prefers premium assistance, calling it "market based" but said the money isn't there. Democrats just wanted to do something and expressed concerns that others were engaging in election year politics. In the end, the Republican led Senate prevailed and healthcare reform was put on the back burner...again. .
On The Fence
It is Monday before Super Tuesday and I'm waffling. Me an admitted feminist! It's not that I don't think that Hillary is right for the job. In spite of the rhetoric from those who oppose her; she is qualified and ready to lead. And I believe that we desperately need a woman president. Not just to break the glass ceiling. I believe we need more women in power to balance out the confrontational nature of our current male leaders.So why am I waffling? I am inspired by Obama's ability to engage young voters. The enthusiasm of these young people gives me hope that America can be great again. For the first time in awhile I feel good about handing over the reigns to the younger generation.Lately it seemed that people had forgotten that our government is of the people, for the people, by the people. Obama seems to embrace this. Perhaps that is why so many youth and others are becoming engaged in the political process this election.What do you think?
Brother Can You Spare A Tax Cut?
Today's middle-class workers are experiencing, like never before, job instability related to international competition, technological advances and outsourcing of jobs to China and India. Yet, our belief in the American Dream spurs us to strive ever harder in the face of greater unemployment levels; rising healthcare and energy costs; and the current housing crisis.Until recently, our economy has experienced a rise in overall growth and productivity; some say due to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. Many businesses have experienced record profits while the middle class worker has seen decreases in wages and skyrocketing healthcare and energy costs. For some of these workers, the promised trickle down effect has come too late. Recently, talk of a recession has the stock markets falling and Washington considering an economic stimulus package. That has lobbyists and special interest groups scrambling to grab a piece of the pie, while Democrats and Republicans fight over economic ideological differences. Back in the real world more and more Americans are falling below the poverty line and middle class workers, like the forgotten Everyman in E. Y. Harburg's "Brother Can You Spare A Dime," ponder:"They used to tell me I was building a dream,And so I followed the mob.When there was earth to plow or guns to bear,I was always there, right on the job.They used to tell me I was building a dream,With peace and glory ahead --Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?"
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- National group seeks repeal of 'Stand Your Ground' law in Kansas May 27, 2012 · 162 comments
- Kansas tax act most regressive in nation May 27, 2012 · 272 comments
- Study suggests continued population drop in Kansas May 29, 2012 · 13 comments
- U.S. military sees new appreciation May 28, 2012 · 45 comments
- Tax gamble May 26, 2012 · 93 comments
- On the street: How did you spend your Memorial Day? May 28, 2012 · 35 comments
- God, marriage May 25, 2012 · 200 comments
- Brownback tells federal judicial panel to toss legislative redistricting maps May 29, 2012 · 2 comments
- Sound Off: How much does the city’s transit system collect in fares compared with how much it costs May 27, 2012 · 136 comments
- Blog: Writing Your Erotica: An Afternoon Lead By Dixie Lubin In The Company Of Other Women May 28, 2012 · 47 comments
- Kansas tax act most regressive in nation May 27, 2012
- Thread of pain ran through Jackson’s career June 28, 2009
- Friends mourn Lynn Bretz, former voice of KU May 28, 2012
- Hilltop executive director Pat Pisani stepping down May 28, 2012
- Kansas football scouring country May 29, 2012
- City, county mull upgrade to emergency radio system May 28, 2012
- How to help: Guides needed for Lamplight Tour of Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park May 27, 2012
- Town Talk: UPDATE: Frank Male files for county commission; keep an ear open for local sales tax talk; city hires new city engineer; wholesale water district buys land near Kaw; weekly land transfers May 29, 2012
- Library kicks off reading program May 27, 2012
- Town Talk: UPDATE: Thellman files for re-election to county commission; News of salvage yards, curbside recycling and a pig May 25, 2012
