Category Archives: POLITICS

April 1, 2012 · 2:49 pm

GROWING STRONG GRASSROOTS

GROWING STRONG GRASS ROOTS

Louise Annarino

April 1, 2012

Year after year Mom planted grass seed on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and curb which served as our front yard; where we played football if street traffic too frequently interrupted a long pass. As the school kids rounded the corner on their way home every day, they trampled her newly sown patch of lawn. One day, after a repeated resowing, I offered to take over the task. I was embarrassed by my mother’s staccato “get off the lawn!” as the kids walked over it.

Mom handed me the hoe, rake and seed bag, “Go to it”, she sighed. An hour later, she came out to check on me. The soil had been turned and raked, but I calmly sat on the stoop holding the bag of seed. “What are you waiting for?” she asked. “You’ll see,” I replied. I had an idea after having just read TOM SAWYER.

As the kids swung around the corner, I started whistling and smiled a greeting, “Want  to throw around some grass seed with me ?”  Soon, the hoard of lawn terrors were helping me plant. At the suggestion of one helper, we then strung string from twigs gleaned from the bushes in the alley, as a barrier to keep “others” from walking over the grass. Mom appeared with a pitcher of Kool-Aid and freshly baked chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for each of us.

Over the next few days, Mom and I watched the kids lean over the string barrier, looking for signs of growth; but, no one stepped over it. The lawn was secure from then on. Kids stopped on their way home from school to greet Mom, grab a cookie, and wave to me.

This is what grassroots organizing looks like. It is not enough to give kids a bag of seed and say “Go plant; Get Out The Vote!” The leader has to plant alongside the field workers, provide them the necessary tools, accept and implement their suggestions, and offer tangible rewards other than the joy of success. A chance to meet and greet the candidate, tickets to closed events…whatever reward is easily created.

Neighborhood teams are now forming, volunteers are needed for a number of tasks:

Walking door-to-door, making phone calls, driving volunteers and voters, housing incoming field organizers, volunteers, and trainees, providing food at field headquarters, giving or loaning equipment and supplies,setting up and cleaning up after events, creating and distributing posters, flyers, mailings. Sending emails to educate, encourage and motivate more volunteers and new voters, registering new voters, helping others obtain proper ID for voting, fill out address or name-change data, raise money for candidates, encourage donations, purchase and distribute yard signs-buttons-bumper stickers, attend fairs and festivals and walk in parades on behalf of candidates, sit at tables at local and school events to sign up volunteers and distribute information or swag. there is no task too small, no effort too little. It all adds up over time to  a momentum which is unstoppable.

To plant seed alongside President Obama, contact one of the persons below:

Riley Wells,Field Director,Obama For America (OFA)

614-329-4862

rwells@ofaoh.com

Ashley Allison, Regional Field Director, (OFA)

286-9486

ashleyrallison@gmail.com

1 Comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , ,

March 31, 2012 · 6:16 am

THE SIN OF FLYING FEATHERS

THE SIN OF FLYING FEATHERS
Louise Annarino
March 31, 2012

A young boy goes in to the confessional.

“Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been one week since my last confession. I lied about my cousin so our friends would think he was rotten.”

“Before I give you your penance and absolve you of your sin, go get a pillow and bring it back to the confessional.”

The boy runs home, grabs a pillow from his bed and returns.

“Father, I have the pillow.”

“Now, my son, go stand on the front steps of church. Tear open the pillow and let the wind carry away every feather. Then return to the confessional.”

The young boy does as instructed. He rips open the pillow with a shout. The feathers are flying! It takes some time, but soon the feathers have dispersed. He returns to the confessional.

“Now, for your final penance before I can absolve you of your sin, go back outside and collect every feather.”

It is not easy to forget this lesson taught by Father Torre as we prepared for our first confession. Telling a lie is one of the most destructive and irreparable sins one can commit.

The feathers Have been flying in speech after speech,and ad after ad; not simply by misleading and untruthful “facts”, but in a slew of ad hominem attacks on President Obama. You cannot help but watch them float by.

–ObamaCare proves Obama is a socialist.
Fact: delivery of services is by the private sector; Doctors and hospitals are paid by insurance carriers or individuals, not the government.

Fact:Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage for pre-existing conditions,canceling coverage when someone gets sick. The Donut Hole is closed. Companies must spend at least 80% of premiums on health care or refund difference to consumers.Quality and lower costs are now part of healthcare picture. This is good business sense;not socialism.

–Obama is a Muslim, was born in Kenya, was sworn in on the Koran.

Fact: He is a Christian (not that this should matter to anyone since the US Constitution assures freedom of religion, especially in those seeking government office). He was born in Hawaii. He was sworn in on the same Bible used by President AbrahamLincoln.

–Obama’s economic policies made the Bush recession worse, are anti-business, and are destroying our freedom.

Fact: Not since the Great Depression were so many jobs lost, 750,000 in one month. Within a year of the stimulus package, the peak of 4 years of job loss began to steadily decline, and continues to do so despite economists predicted a continued rise to a 20% jobless rate. The economy has added 1.2 million jobs in the past six months, the fastest pace of growth since 2006.The private sector created 3 million+ jobs during 22 months of consecutive job growth.

Fact:1.4+ million jobs were saved when the auto industry was saved from collapse.

Fact:The month to month change in new home sales was a gain of  approximately 14% in 2012 vs. 5% in 2011. Lowest prices are rising slowly;highest prices are not. Movement is upward, but it will take more time for full recovery.-WallStreetExaminer,3-23-12

Fact:Business Roundtable‘s 2012 first-quarter survey of 128 CEOs,results:
-81% expect sales to increase in the next six months–a 12 percentage point gain over the prior quarter’s survey
–48% say their firms will increase U.S. capital spending, a 16 point jump.
-85%say staffing at their firms will hold steady or grow in the coming months.
-Survey’s index, a composite of CEO expectations for the next six months of sales, capital spending and employment–increased to 96.9 in the first quarter of this year, from 77.9 in the fourth quarter of 2011. Readings above 50 reflect growth.   -Wall Street Journal, 3-28-2012

Fact: Senate Republicans have used the filibuster more than any time in history. Both House and Senate republican leadership has clearly stated they will stop Obama from succeeding. Despite this strategy of obstruction, the overall economy move steadily upward,as does the hopeful expectation of most Americans.

–Obama’s energy polices and refusal to drill for American oil are the cause of rising gas prices.

Fact: “The U.S. exported more oil-based fuels than it imported in the first nine months of this year, making it likely that 2011 will be the first time since 1949 that the nation is a net exporter of such goods, primarily diesel.That’s not all. The U.S. has reversed another decades-long trend. It began producing more crude oil in 2008 than the year before and accelerated that upswing 3% in the first nine months of this year compared with the same period in 2010. That production has helped reduce U.S. imports of crude oil by about 10% since 2006.
“It’s dramatic. It’s transformative,” Edward Morse, a former senior U.S. energy official who now directs global commodities research at Citigroup, says of the historic shifts. He says the U.S. is importing a smaller share — 49% in 2010, down from 60% in 2005 — of the oil it uses, adding: “We’re moving toward energy independence.”
-http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2011-12-16/us-oil-boom/52053236/1

-Obama is an apologist, anti-American, unpatriotic, and supports terrorism.

Fact: Osama bin Laden was found and killed.

Fact: Between 2004-2008 / 42 drone attacks. Between 2009-2012 / 252 drone attacks. Al Quaeda Afghanistan decimated – http://counterterrorism.newamerica.net/drones

Fact: End of Iraq War with orderly withdrawl of troops.

Fact: End of War in Afghanistan and orderly withdrawl of troops expected by 2014.

Fact: Obama gets agreement form companies to create hundreds of thousands of jobs for veterans. Obama negotiates settlement to reimburse veterans who suffered excess interest rates and/or foreclosure from private mortgage lenders.

Fact: Obama signs into law the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act which expands mental health and counseling services to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including National Guardsmen and reservists.

Fact: Michelle Obama and Jill Biden tirelessly work to improve the lives of miltary families.

Scattering feathers of deceit is not a pretty sight. While you sneeze and wheeze remember this: there can be no absolution at the polls for such sins. Vote for Barack Obama in November.

Leave a comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , , ,

March 30, 2012 · 6:12 pm

ObamaCare: Not a tree, But a Forest


ObamaCare; Not a Tree, But a Forest.
Louise Annarino
March 30, 2012

“The Best Time To Plant A Tree Was Always 20 Years Ago. The Second Best Time Is Always Today.” ~ Old Chinese Saying  

While every other industrialized nation has already assured universal health care for its citizens, the United States has not. Other presidents tried unsuccessfully to enact universal health care. It took President Obama’s pragmatic efforts to get the country this far. We still have far to go. It does not make economic sense to continue hi-tech health delivery system underpinned by a profit motive. A single payer system, removing the profit motive, is more efficient and cost-effective.

Dr. Atul Gawande’s insights caution us to not focus on cost over care. http://www.npr.org/2011/01/19/132931975/lowering-medical-costs-by-providing-better-care . His influence was written into ObamaCare, which offers free preventive care, researches and pays for quality outcome rather than billable minutes. ObamaCare is controlling costs by controlling quality, while extending coverage. An amazing accomplishment.

If allowed to become fully implemented ObamaCare will continue to shift what Evan Falchuk calls our misguided focus. “The misguided focus on saving money over good medicine means we get neither.  The surest way to save money is to make sure that patients get enough time with their doctors, who need to be able to use their training and judgment to help their patients make the right decisions.  It’s a global problem, but America suffers from the most exaggerated version of it.” Warning: Graphic Politics By Evan Falchuk, http://www.seefirstblog.com/2009/12/25/warning-graphic-politics/

Spending more money does not guarantee a better outcome. As of 2009, the “US still shows a dramatic divergence from the other countries, spending more than twice as much for a slightly below average life expectancy.” Graphing The Cost of Health Care by Jon Peltier,December 30th, 2009 Peltier Technical Services, Inc., Copyright © 2012. See chart at:Graphing The Cost of Health Care | Peltier Tech Blog | Excel Charts http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/graphing-the-cost-of-health-care/#ixzz1qceLwkVw. ObamaCare includes on-going reviews to determine what does/does not improve treatment outcomes; assessing quality while reducing costs.

In 2010 an analysis by Drs. Orszag and Emanuel in The New England Journal of Medicine summed up the multifaceted approach which makes ObamCare so promising and so confusing.”The ACA not only will extend health care coverage to millions of Americans but also will enact many policies specifically aimed at reducing the amount we are spending on health care and, by changing the delivery system, reducing the rate of growth in health care costs over time. Indeed, one of the essential aspects of the legislation is that unlike previous efforts, it does not rely on just one policy for effective cost control. Instead, it puts into place virtually every cost-control reform proposed by physicians, economists, and health policy experts and includes the means for these reforms to be assessed quickly and scaled up if they’re successful. By enacting a broad portfolio of changes, the ACA provides the best assurance that effective change will occur. Moreover, by taking a multifaceted approach that includes hard savings plus the mechanisms for creating a dynamic health care system, it enables physicians, hospitals, and other providers to consistently improve outcomes, boost quality, and reduce costs as health care evolves.” http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1006571

Whatever the U.S. Supreme Court rules, I am convinced we will have universal health care soon. For reasons both humane and cost effective, we cannot afford not to do so. A single payer system, medicare for all, would best serve both purposes. The second best time to press for universal, single payer health system may be now. We should have planted this tree long ago. The U.S. Supreme Court may uproot or prune the sapling. We will continue to plant. ObamaCare is not a single tree, but a forest.

Leave a comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , , , ,

March 28, 2012 · 5:00 pm

EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD

EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD
Louise Annarino
March 28,2012

We were driving south on I-71 on a crisp Fall day; my companion, a strong and wise African-American man, seated beside me. We talked and laughed, settling into conversation dragged from the depths of thoughts only shared after a car trip exceeds 30 minutes, and hours on the road loom ahead. The road was straight but our thoughts veered back and forth across the lanes of ideas, enjoying the creative energy generated by years of friendship. Occasionally, the CB radio crackled to life with the comment of a trucker, warning others of a “black and white” in the median at mile marker 102. the chatter of truckers was soothing until it focused on another black and white threat – us.

As we passed a truck, the verbal assaults began.

“ I just saw a ‘Co…’ with a piece of white ‘Cu..’ drive past.”
“ F…ing Bi…’ needs a lesson, dude. Oughta’ hang the ‘N…..’ first.”
“ Nah, make him watch us show her what a real man is like first.”
“Then bring out the rope.”

We turned to one another, my companion’s hand stopping me as I reached out to turn off the CB. “No”, he warned, “We need to know what they are saying.”

After describing our car to other truckers, the discussion continued with racial and sexual slurs, and threats of violence. One trucker announced that if he saw us he would drive us off the road. Others threatened worse.

I continued to drive. The only sign of my companion’s distress, a tic in his cheek from clenching his teeth. I could not contain my anger, which fell with tears across my cheeks. “Don’t cry”, he said. When I replied that I could not help it. He explained that tears are a luxury people of color cannot afford. I stopped crying at the truth of that comment. It takes courage to face such hate with equanimity. Allowing one to feel anything while under attack weakens one’s response. It is not safe to take time to cry, shout or even run away. We simply kept driving, and listening. Alert in a landscape unfamiliar to me, the landscape of racism.

This was not our first experience with racism, and would not be our last. But it is the one which awakened in my white soul a deeper understanding. As we approached the first truck we would need to pass, my friend told me to wave and smile as we drove by. This made little sense to me but I trusted him to know better than I what we must do. So, we waved and smiled. We continued this strategy every time we passed a truck. With each successive pass, the dialogue among the truckers shifted from outrage to discomfort; and, finally, to indifference.

During these hours of racial confrontation, I reviewed the entire history of racism: being herded into holding prisons, boarded on ships, sold at auction, whipped or maimed for running, casting down eyes, false smiles, steppin’ and fetchin’, Jim Crow and segregation, anti-miscegenation laws, red-lining, affirmative action and ruse of reverse racism… “Driving while Black!” Finally, we reached our destination. We had come so far for so little…simply glad to still be driving on the road together.

As I watch the coverage of Trayvon Martin’s murder, the inadequacy of response does not surprise me. Nor do the facts of this incident. African-American parents impart the rules for survival to their children, especially their sons, as if their lives depend upon them…because they do. While white parents are shocked, African-American parents are not even surprised. One white official being interviewed commented with great conviction, “No parent could ever anticipate such a thing happening to their child.” I had to shout at the screen in response, “You are so out of touch! The parent of every child of color knows better. This is exactly what they expect and fear!”

As others have commented, we have elected an African-American man president, but we still cannot protect African-American boys from “Walking Black”. President Obama is right when he says:

“It is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this. … But my main message is to the parents of Trayvon Martin. You know, if I had a son he’d look like Trayvon. And I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and get to the bottom of exactly what happened.”
I hope so. We still have so far to go together.

Leave a comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , ,

March 28, 2012 · 2:12 am

EMERGENCY CARE OR HEALTH CARE ?

EMERGENCY CARE OR HEALTH CARE?
Louise Annarino
March 27,2012

What is health care? it is more than curing the sick or saving the dying.It is also preventing disease and enhancing wellness. In fact, Medicare has 3 parts: hospitalization, in office medical treatment and preventive care, and pharmaceutical coverage. The oral arguments both sides made today, and the questions of the Supreme Court Justices pivoted about a conception of saving lives through emergency treatment. it is easy to see how this happened. In arguing for the ACA (Affordable Care Act) one might think it best to stress the harm the ACA seeks to prevent in the strongest fashion, i.e. preventing the deaths of Americans. The opposition arguing against would argue that hospitals do not refuse treatment, and no one will die from lack of treatment even if they are uninsured since emergency rooms don’t refuse treatment. Focusing on emergency care is shortsighted.

Justice Scalia engaged in a conversation with General Verrilli who argued in support of ACA,each falling into the trap of distilling health care down to ER care:

GENERAL VERRILLI: No. It’s because you’re going — in the health care market, you’re going into the market without the ability to pay for what you get, getting the health care service anyway as a result of the social norms that allow — that — to which we’ve obligated ourselves so that people get health care.

JUSTICE SCALIA: Well, don’t obligate yourself to that. Why — you know?

GENERAL VERRILLI: Well, I can’t imagine that that — that the Commerce Clause would –would forbid Congress from taking into account this deeply embedded social norm.

JUSTICE SCALIA: You — you could do it.

It is time for a history lesson. “In 1946, Congress passed a law that gave hospitals, nursing homes and other health facilities grants and loans for construction and modernization. In return, they agreed to provide a reasonable volume of services to persons unable to pay and to make their services available to all persons residing in the facility’s area. The program stopped providing funds in 1997, but about 200 health care facilities nationwide are still obligated to provide free or reduced-cost care.” – http://www.hrsa.gov/gethealthcare/affordable/hillburton/

I am familiar with this case, having assisted in enforcing its provisions while a Columbus Legal Aid Society Lawyer,1978-83, when local hospitals were failing to notify eligible patients of the program; denying care to those unable to afford treatment and/or suing them for unpaid charges which should have been covered under Hill-Burton. Is there a societal norm to treat those in need of medical care? Perhaps, but it is not consistently applied; and in the case of hospitals, did not exist under the law until hospitals needed the latest technology and machinery but could not afford it without help from the federal government. The competition between hospitals to have the latest and best drove this bill. Hospitals improved their competitive edge. To get the federal money to do so, they agreed to not turn away those seeking emergency room treatment. They agreed to stop the bleeding, restart breathing, sew up or put in a cast those in need of emergency care. What happens after the emergency is over, i.e. the person will not soon die is not part of the pact. Once one survives the emergency, further treatment is not assured. If one has no insurance, he must pay out-of-pocket. I am concerned the next step will be to repeal Hill-Burton requirements. Justice Scalia would have no problem doing so.

Justice Scalia spoke correctly. Not only could we imagine a system where hospitals and doctors are not obligated to provide health care; we were operating that way until 1946. We still are except for emergency care in the ER, and a percentage of reduced-cost hospital services for income eligible patients. Hill-Burton applies only to participating hospitals (not every hospital participates), and only to hospital costs. It does not apply to doctor’s services.

To focus on emergency care, a saving lives paradigm, and hospitalization needs is too limited a discussion. Health care is so much more.

Justice Kennedy expressed his concern that healthy young persons are mandated to pay for care they don’t need. He assumes more old persons than young persons die. Of course! But health care is about more than saving persons from death. Justice Scalia expressed a belief persons could buy health insurance when they go to the hospital, no need to mandate it beforehand. Again, he focuses on emergency care, hospital care; not health care.

I wonder if the arguments would be better presented by women. After all, we need health care no matter our age. We bear the babies while young, and we take the kids to the pediatricians. We also push the men we love to go to the doctor they strenuously avoid admitting they need to see. We understand health care as much more than emergency care.

1 Comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

March 26, 2012 · 3:15 pm

FACT + FICTION = FANTASY

FACT + FICTION = FANTASY
Louise Annarino
March 26, 2012

Italians are great storytellers. An Italian does not simply answer a question; he tells you a story. An Italian does not simply tell you how he feels; he tells you a story. An Italian does not simply give you directions; he tells you a story. Life is an opera. There is no feeling, event,or experience that is big enough when simply explained. Everything is bigger and better when described in a story; the more dramatic, the better.

This does not mean that the main point an Italian is making is false. Colorful descriptions are often added to bolster the drama; not change its core truth.If the descriptions are accurate the storyteller is not lying. He is merely helping you enjoy the story. The story is authentic. An authentic story is powerful. Authentic stories uplift us, strengthen us, guide us in the pursuit of larger truths than we could conceive without them.

But, when a story is constructed with the marriage of fact and pure fiction, it not authentic truth. It becomes fantasy. When the storyteller believes his fantasy, it may appear true; but, it is very dangerous. Such fantasies can be pleasant to hear, but their dishonesty is destructive. Rather than uplift us, they bring us down to the low baseness. Rather than strengthen us, they weaken us. Rather than open our minds to larger truths, they narrow our thinking. Presidential candidate Rick Santorum is a storyteller who believes his story; but, too many of his stories are fantasies. http://articles.philly.com/2012-03-11/news/31145518_1_rick-santorum-heinz-campaign-student-body

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is not such a gifted storyteller as Mr. Santorum. While it is true that a good storyteller alters his story to reach his audience, the story must be authentic. He may use different color commentary to describe the facts; but, he should never change the facts. And, the color commentary must also be true. Mr. Romney, too often, changes his facts. When he repeats a fact truthfully, his descriptive color is untrue. One need only recall that he did/did not support the auto industry bailout. he did/did not approve Massachusetts/Obama healthcare plans. His facts and fiction change so much so that his stories lose all authenticity. One wonders if even he believes his own stories. Like Mr. Santorum, Mr. Romney’s stories are fantasies.

Where are the “birthers” when we need them?

Leave a comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

March 21, 2012 · 8:33 pm

FEAR OF DEATH: The Politics of Fear and Loathing

FEAR OF DEATH: the Politics of Fear and Loathing
Louise Annarino
March 21, 2012

Few among us do not fear death. So much so, that most of us refuse to discuss it, nor even think about it. My 2d. grade Catholic catechism instructed me that God made me to show His goodness and to make me happy with Him in heaven. This told me 2 things: life was good, and heaven was good. But, I knew I had to die to get to heaven. I knew I was made to live, then to die, then to live again. Does it make dying any easier to contemplate I shall live again, or still, after I die? Not really. This is merely a theory, a tenet of faith, after all. Who really knows?

One thing I do know; death is not pretty. I have sat near the bedsides of my dying parents and friends. Their physical and emotional suffering, physical deterioration, sense of helplessness, utter dependence on others, and questioning why any of it is necessary is heartbreaking. I struggled to be faithfully present for them, to keep a smile on my face, to offer a gentle touch of personal care, to remain hopeful. I felt terror that I might have to stare death in the face, that my grief might overwhelm the loving relationship we shared, that I could cause physical or emotional pain. And I felt guilt.

I felt guilt that I would continue to live, that I enjoyed my free time, and that I planned for my future. Most of all, I felt guilt because I was relieved I was not the one who was dying. That is the secret we all keep to ourselves. We keep quiet about death because we rationalize that if we avoid thinking or talking about it, it will not happen; not to us. We act as though we are immortal, totally in charge of our world and our lives. We fear death. We have given it a power of its own. In reality, it belongs to us. It became ours the moment we were born. When we run from death we are running from ourselves.

What if an entire culture were facing death? First, we must answer the question, “What is death?” A simple answer might be : the end of life; or, perhaps, a transition from one life or energy form to another. What we really fear is the disintegration of self, the inability to be who we are at our core. The death of our body does not frighten us so much as the death of our soul-personality-inner being. Our essence, the “I” we feel at our deepest level, is immortal, never-ending, never-changing. Truly, we are made in the image of God, for these attributes are those we normally assign to God. We are god-like, on the way to becoming one with God. What we fear is the loss of our personhood, our individuality, the name we call ourselves, our personal power to be us. So even the thought of going to heaven to be one with God is a very scary proposition. We want to maintain our identity, our uniqueness, our control. We don’t even want to give it up to be one with God.

So, if a culture were facing disintegration; if it had to constantly adjust to the attempted merger with identities unlike itself, who might threaten its uniqueness and control…would it be afraid? Would it want to avoid any change to its identity? Would it want to persist in its uniqueness? Would it fear the “other”, no matter how good or god-like the other is? Would it be too afraid to talk about its fear? Would it be angry whenever someone else brought up related subjects. Would it fear a loss of control? Would it fear a disintegration of self ? Can a culture die? What happens when it does?

When I listen to the tea party, Republican leaders, and Republican presidential candidates attack President Obama I hear the fear of death; the death of an ideology, a political party. When I see what appears to be a Sanford,Florida police cover-up of the murder of Travyon Martin; and, when I listen to the phone tapes of his killer, witnesses etc. I hear the fear of death, the death of racial superiority. When I listen to Joe Arpaio, Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona discuss his need to control immigrants, I hear the fear of death; the death of white “good ole’ boy” culture that is “as American as motherhood and apple pie”. When I hear Rick Santorum denounce science and man-made climate change, I hear the fear of death; the death of religious domination of thought. When I tabulate the efforts to deny women access to birth control, reproductive freedom, and abortion rights I see the fear of death; the death of control by men over women. When I hear Governors such as Wisconsin’s Walker and Ohio’s Kasich attack labor unions, regulation of Wall Street and corporations, I hear the fear of death; the death of moneyed interests’ absolute control of wealth. When I hear FOX News and other media sources ignore facts, twist facts, create facts and outright lie I hear the fear of death; the death of media control of information.

What if we admit we will die? What if we admit our “culture” will die? I submit that once we accept death we can get on with living. But so long as we continue to live in denial we must live in fear. I am not afraid of dying. Either I will transition, or I won’t; but, I can do nothing to stop the system. It is an evolutionary scheme I am part of by reason of my birth. And, I am just ornery enough to believe my personality is immortal. I will go on and on and on. I have just as much confidence in my country, my nation, my American culture. It is a culture prepared for change, ready to evolve, eager to accept the “Other”. America is a country which transforms itself into something ever-new. It is this alchemy of spirit which makes us a strong nation. We take the base metal of so many different ethnicities, religions, and ideologies and turn them into gold. This does not make me afraid; it makes me hopeful. It makes me proud. President Obama, despite what the fearful “birthers” would have us believe, is the quintessential American.

Christian liberals marvel at the fear expressed by fundamentalist Christians, fundamentalist Muslims, and fundamentalist Jews. One thing all religions have in common is a story to resolve our fear of death. Perhaps, resolving the fear of death will allow us to enjoy an America where a civil conversation is possible, and we don’t need to lie to one another or ourselves. Now that would be heaven on earth.

Leave a comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , , , ,

March 18, 2012 · 2:06 pm

COLLATERAL DAMAGE

COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Louise Annarino
March 18,2012

Watching flood water inundate Hebron, Ohio his week reminded me of the 1959 flood which caused my family’s evacuation from our Newark, Ohio home. Our street lay between the railroad tracks and the Licking River, in a neighborhood where Italian immigrants displaced Germans who had come before them. It was rich in culture, if not in cash.

The Sisters sent us home from school early that morning to be with our families as the water continued to rise and flooding seemed certain. My 12 year old brother Angelo joined other neighborhood men and boys at the levee, filling sandbags to hold the rapidly rising river at bay. It was January, the ground still frozen, and the rain steady. It was cold.

My Mother had put her huge soup pot on the stove and was making enough beef stew to feed half the population of evacuees. She was ready for anyone who was forced to flee and needed shelter until the water receded. Dad called every hour or so to check on us; his restaurant open as an emergency station for local police officers, state highway patrol, National Guardsmen and fire personnel. He would be there throughout the ordeal offering hot coffee and meals to our rescuers.

While Mom hummed and cooked I packed every suitcase or satchel with clothes for my three brothers. I layered 6 year old Michael in every item I could fit over him, sat him on the couch with a few toys and told him to be ready to put on his coat because we would be leaving soon. I packed six month old Johnny’s diaper bag, dressed him in several layers, and prepared extra blankets to wrap him up when they time came. I knew we were leaving because the water was rising all around us; the sand-bagging temporarily safeguarding the few nearest streets.

Mom insisted I was overreacting when I piled every jar of baby food in the cupboard into brown grocery bags. While I was listening to geography on the radio, Mom was listening to the numbers of persons made homeless. It was not clear to either of us, each of us listening so hard, what we must do. I insisted we leave; Mom was determined to stay. Dad had told us the Army Corps of Engineers guy warned him that our entire south-end would be under water and we needed to prepare to leave. So, we prepared. When Mom called to tell the radio announcer she was offering our home as a shelter with plenty of hot food and a place to be warm and dry, she finally understood no one would be coming to our house. As she spoke he aired her information directly to his audience. When he asked her to provide the address for people, she told him and he responded to my satifaction, “Lady, you are in the evacuation area! You need to get out of there as soon as possible.”

Within minutes Angelo ran in announcing the levee was leaking and sure to break open, so everyone was fleeing. Things got serious then. Mom decided Michael still would need a birthday cake on his birthday the next day and began packing flour,sugar,cocoa,butter,eggs and vanilla. She filled containers with water, gathered milk and juice, fruit and vegetables. An Army ‘duck’ was patrolling the street,a soldier shouting from his bullhorn, “everyone, evacuate immediately…IMMEDIATELY!” We were ready, but need transportation. Dad had our only car. Luckily, Dad arrived within minutes, just behind the army personnel who had allowed him permission to enter our sealed-off neighborhood. He ran to the basement, turning off the gas, water and electric to avoid potential fire or explosion as water began rising in the basement. We were not able to put all we had packed into the car. Dad quickly prioritized food and water, baby supplies, the many layers of clothes we were wearing, and extra blankets. We were each allowed a pillow, but no toys. My new Shirley Temple doll, the love of my life,was to be left to fend for herself. I was crushed. I cried all the way to Grandpa Annarino’s house, where we would be staying. He lived on some of the highest ground in Newark.

The next day, despite every adult’s protest, but to the delight of us children Michael blew out the candles on his birthday cake. The adults opined it was a waste of precious water and eggs; the kids opined it was the best cake ever. We were safe. Mom and I were contentedly happy women. After dropping us off, Dad had talked his way past the guards telling them he had forgotten to turn off the gas and he would just be in and out.He rescued Shirley and the long leather coat he had recently given Mom as a Christmas gift.

I asked Dad about a report I had heard on the radio that the reason Newark flooded was because the flood gates were opened at Buckeye Lake, allowing the lake water to flood those of us living downstream. Dad explained that the property values around the lakeside were so much higher, the decision was made to flood the poorer neighborhoods near the river, where property values were very low. It was clear to me what was going on. This protected the rich people who had summer homes at the lake, at our expense. We were collateral damage. This was not simply Mother Nature, but politics.

While I watched the people living in Hebron trailer parks, on a low-lying area near the river, drag soaked sofas out into the yard to dry in the sun and shovel mud out their front doors I did not need to ask myself, “Why is it that the poor are always hardest hit?” They are positioned to suffer the brunt of any natural disaster. Their homes are built on land the rich can afford to avoid. They can’t afford rental insurance. They have nowhere to run when things get tough. They cannot afford to hire clean-up companies; they are on their own. They cannot afford to miss work; recovery stretches into weeks, not days. The suffering of the poor is disproportionate to their loss when compared to the loss suffered by insured homeowners, or the rich whose neighborhoods are so well protected.

I am not pointing this out as a declaration of class warfare. I knew from an early age that the well-being of my class was already threatened by those with money and power who would always protect themselves at my expense. I was chosen by the powerful and rich to suffer the possibility of becoming collateral damage. Now what would you call that? While Gingrich, Santorum, Romney and Paul decry the collateral damage caused by American drones they continue to espouse policies which would cause collateral and direct damage on our middle class and on our poor.

Is there a Republican war on women? No, women are merely collateral damage in the war on President Obama and the Democratic Party, Is there a Republican war on immigrants? No, immigrants are merely collateral damage. Is there a Republican war against gays? No, the LGBT community is merely collateral damage. Is there a Republican war against universal health care? No, health care for all is merely collateral damage. Is there a Republican war against labor unions, union and non-union workers, immigrant and female workers? No, workers are merely collateral damage. I think Republicans truly believe this. Some collateral damage to Americans is permitted to protect the interests of the wealthy and powerful, and just to destroy the presidency of Barack Obama, who is dedicated to ending the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war here at home against the 99% of Americans.

No more collateral damage, please.

Leave a comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

March 16, 2012 · 2:29 pm

FOR WANT OF A NAIL: CHILDREN'S NURSERY RHYME

 

FOR WANT OF A NAIL: CHILDREN’S NURSERY RHYME

Louise Annarino

March 16, 2012

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

-“Confesio Amantis” – John Gower- 1390

-Benjamin Franklin – Poor Richard’s Almanac

 

“During World War II, this verse was framed and hung on the wall of the Anglo-American Supply Headquarters in London, England.” http://www.rhymes.org.uk/index.htm

Pick up your hammers and drive the message home that we cannot allow a misdirected effort to reduce deficit allowing the United States of America’s middle class, the glue that holds together any democracy, to be lost “for want of a nail”. David Cameron, Prime Minister of Great Britain,who recently paid a state visit to the United States,and President Barack Obama probably did not recite together the nursery rhyme “For Want of a Nail” during their talks; although it has long history on both sides of the pond. Many Americans and Brits seem to have forgotten it, and are failing to heed its wisdom. Vice-President Joe Biden’s speech to UAW workers in Toledo indicates that the Obama Administration has not forgotten the rhyme’s wisdom, and has the strength of conviction to supply the nails to keep the country working.

There are those who cry President Obama does too much; he’s a socialist! There are those who say he does too little; he’s in bed with Wall Street!  I would remind each side of another nursery rhyme, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”. President Obama is helping our economy, our energy development, our environment, our health care protections, our food-water-air safety, immigration reform, women’s rights, LGBT rights, voting rights etc. “just right”. Would the president like to see less obstruction and more cooperation  from House and Senate Republicans for even better outcomes? Of course. But, the Republicans have indicated since the election, even before President Obama was sworn into office and daily since, that their primary goal is a failed presidency; thus, the country’s failure. Republicans continue to withhold the nails needed to build the country and ensure its economic security. Holding back the nails males it difficult for the president to rebuild America. The fact that he has accomplished so much despite such obstruction is because as Joe Biden put it, the president is “tough as nails”.

We must elect those who agree we cannot suffer the U.S.’s failure “for want of a nail” to the House and the Senate. Support the Obama-Biden ticket.  Support Democrats willing to hammer some nails alongside Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Elect Democrats who are tough as nails.

Help get out the vote. Help others to obtain the I.D. they will need to vote, get them registered to vote, then provide transportation to the polls. BE the hammer! BE the nail!

Leave a comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

March 13, 2012 · 4:06 pm

UD BASKETBALL AND OBAMA

UD BASKETBALL AND OBAMA

Louise Annarino

March 13, 2012

President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron will be at UD Arena tonight. It is probably too much to hope that these men who have so much of the world’s burden on their shoulders will be able to forget the world for a moment, and simply enjoy a basketball game. The selfless dedication of our public servants amazes me. Yes, cynics, I know the doors of fame and riches open to them. But, they are talented in so many ways that those doors would open regardless. But, such men and women sacrifice so much more than they gain from public service. They serve you and me. In the case of these world leaders, they serve the entire world. I don’t know about you; but, I find that heavy an obligation overwhelming. I am so grateful, they are willing to take on this role.

For President Obama, the role has been made even more difficult by the racism which undermines every facet of our society. He has faced such racism all his life; every African-American does so. Mr. Midea, my high school social studies teacher, helped my class conduct a racism survey across Newark, Ohio in 1966-67. The results were appalling. People even acknowledged they would refuse to receive communion from a Black priest. Of course we all read of the priest who recently refused communion to a lesbian woman at her mother’s funeral. Have we learned so little over all this time?

One thing I have learned is that every one of us is a recovering racist; well, not all of us want to recover. I see too many political pundits, rally signs, internet cartoons etc. which are gleefully,blatantly racist not to realize some of us enjoy our racism. At the very least we should denounce these blatant expressions of racism. Better yet, face it in ourselves. When we do that we open our eyes to its impact. We become empowered to defeat it.

I once thought that if we could see one another as people with the same innate intelligence, ability, hopes, and dreams we would reduce racism. However, it appears that establishing such congruence actually increases our racist behavior. We seem to like believing we are superior to someone else. Politicians and pundits praise our “American exceptionalism”.  History books extol “Manifest Destiny”. At tonight’s basketball game someone will hold up a foam hand with a single finger raised in a victory sign, “We’re number 1”.

We eliminated a class or caste system and held “these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal”; while  excluding African-Americans or women. As a kid I noticed that one-upsmanship ruled every discussion. Your dad made you shovel the sidewalk? My dad made me shovel mine and my grandmother’s! Your school has only two 15 minute recesses? Mine has only 1 recess? And so it would go, on and on. We all want to be number 1; especially politicians. It is unrealistic to expect otherwise.

However, we can ask these hard questions of ourselves: Am I better than anyone else? If so, in what way? Is it because I am a man and she is a woman? Is it because I am a white person and he is an African-American? Is it because my family came here legally years ago, and his did not? Is it because I am a straight person and he is not? Is it because I live in a decent neighborhood, and she does not? Is it because I went to college and he did not? Is it because he has been imprisoned, and I have not? What really makes one person better than another ? If you believe in American values of equality, the answer is “Nothing”. One person may DO something better than another; but that does not mean he IS better.

A politician who recognizes this distinction, who honors every citizen and every country with equal respect is a statesman. President Obama is such a politician. He is a true statesman. He is the very best America has to offer the world. He embodies are core value of equality. We are so fortunate he and Michelle Obama are dedicated to public service. I hope he can enjoy tonight’s game half so much as we enjoy having him there, and as our president.

Leave a comment

Filed under POLITICS

Tagged as , , , , ,