Family & Community
WALKER’S SHALLOWNESS
A letter to the editor
Oh what a difference a week can make in the lives of people in the news. If you doubt me, check with newscaster Brian William, former Olympian athlete Chris Jenner, Or, closer to home, Gov. Scott Walker. At least Jenner wasn’t caught lying, but rather being honest.
The last week of January was good to Walker. His speech to conservative and reactionary Iowans went over well though, of course, he was preaching to the choir. But then came his February 1 interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz, who quizzed him on foreign affairs matters, and his ...
SAVE THE U.S. POST OFFICE
As a child, growing up in rural Wisconsin, I remember the excitement of watching for the mailman. We loved the surprises waiting for us in our mailbox. Today, many people still depend on the U.S. Postal Service. It delivers everywhere. Many small businesses depend on it for their business. Independent newspapers need it to deliver their papers and to keep independent journalism alive.
Recently our mail delivery has slowed down. Why? On January 5, 2015, many distribution centers were closed in an effort to cut costs. This slowed down the processing of mail.
Why does ...
EDUCATION FOR THE COMMON GOOD
Inclusive education for the common good is guaranteed under Wisconsin's Constitution.
"The legislature shall provide by law for the establishment of district schools, which shall be as nearly uniform as practicable; and such schools shall be free and without charge for tuition to all children between the ages of 4 and 20 years; and no sectarian instruction shall be allowed therein." (Wisconsin Constitution Article X Section 3)
Nowhere in Wisconsin's Constitution does it grant legislators authority to:
Label our children as failures because they cannot pass a ...
WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM?
The power of money in politics is on our minds these days, especially since the Koch brothers just announced that they will be spending almost a BILLION dollars on the 2016 election.
What’s in it for the Koch brothers? To bypass party politics altogether.
Why? To govern on their terms.
What would that mean? In 1980, David Koch ran for vice president on the Libertarian ticket. The party platform answers this question. Here are a few excerpts:
Repeal federal campaign finance laws, and abolish the Federal Election Commission.
Abolish Medicare and Medicaid....
A LETTER FROM A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER
Angela Bina is a Spokane, Washington teacher. She moved to Washington a year ago after having taught 18 years in Wisconsin. WEA (Washington Education Association) is sharing her letter.
Dear Union,
Thank you. It’s the least I can say, and the very least I can do. I’ve missed the sense of belonging and unity that you bring. I miss being “one” with my colleagues.
I’ve been “separate” for too long, having to ask if my colleagues are members or potential members. I’ve missed the certainty and clarity which comes with a Master Agreement. An ...
Hypocrisy is Not Good Diplomacy
It was recently in the news that Cuba is going to release 50 “political” prisoners as part of normalizing diplomatic relations. Cuba must reform its evil ways, but we can continue ours.
Ironically we still have 122 political “detainees” in Guantanamo Cuba. Most of them have not been charged or convicted of anything. Of these, 54 have been cleared for release but are still being held.
Estimates of other U.S. “political” prisoners range from hundreds to thousands. We certainly have many “prisoners of conscience” even though they may not have been ...
WISDOM FOR JUSTICE
Religion at its very best is universal. It knows no boundaries, transcends all divisions and labels, judges not, excludes none. It is the ancient and eternal quest for a decent humanity, for caring societies and communities, for seeking unity with others. It accepts. It knows the human acts of thinking, questioning, doubting, of fearlessly seeking the truth, as deeply moral endeavors. It moves convictions to actions.
The Wisconsin faith based organization known as Wisdom is the embodiment of religion at its best. A member of the international network known as the ...
ON THE BOOKSHELF…TOUCHING SPIRIT: THE LETTERS OF MINOMINIKE
I am honored to review this marvelous book by James C. Washburn, a retired teacher living in Marshfield. This book has reached #4 on the Amazon Best Seller list for Spirituality.
A white infant is orphaned in northern Canada and is adopted by a childless Ojibwa/Inuit couple. The young boy enjoys the beautiful environment and is lovingly raised with full awareness of the Spirit Within. He goes south for seminary and becomes a pastor where he loses touch with the Spirit.
When his father dies, he returns to his childhood home and finds letters written by his grandfath...
Clean Green Action lists 2015 Projects
Clean Green Action (formerly known as Citizens for a Clean, Green & Welcoming Community) is beginniing its eighth year of working on projects that focus on sustainability and reducing our impact on the environment. In 2014 we continued to build on successes in previous years, and in 2015 we will maintain some past projects while adding some new projects.
Continuing projects include the following:
Choose to Reuse – This event, which is organized by different area townships (e.g. Rome, Grant, Grand Rapids, Saratoga, Seneca), allows people to drop off useful ...
Rocky Balboa Political Types
A letter to the editor
Rocky Balboa political types appear attractive in Wisconsin these days. Portraying themselves as a fighter makes a winner. Voters appear not interested in the details such as who and what the fight is for, and how it will affect me. Adam Jarchow, our current assembly representative, fought hard against Polk County's efforts to improve and preserve our lakes. Had he won, the result would have been deteriorating lake water quality producing lower property values and increased taxes for some. Water quality deterioration lowers property values and ...
