Postcards From Myself

I was browsing YouTube tonight and came across some music that stirred me up again. I had nearly forgotten how meaningful and poignent R.E.M. can be. I love them and always have.

Talk About The Passion by R.E.M.
(Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe)

Empty prayer, empty mouths, combien reaction
Empty prayer, empty mouths, talk about the passion
Not everyone can carry the weight of the world
Not everyone can carry the weight of the world

(chorus)
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion

Empty prayer, empty mouths, combien reaction
Empty prayer, empty mouths, talk about the passion
Combien, combien, combien de temps?

(repeat chorus)

Not everyone can carry the weight of the world
Not everyone can carry the weight of the world
Combien, combien, combien de temps?

(repeat chorus 4x)

Fall On Me by R.E.M.
(Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe)

There’s a problem, feathers iron
Bargain buildings, weights and pulleys
Feathers hit the ground before the weight can leave the air
Buy the sky and sell the sky and tell the sky and tell the sky

(chorus)
Fall on me (what is it up in the air for) (it’s gonna fall)
Fall on me (if it’s there for long) (it’s gonna fall)
Fall on me (it’s over it’s over me) (it’s gonna fall)

There’s the progress we have found (when the rain)
A way to talk around the problem (when the children reign)
Building towered foresight (keep your conscience in the dark)
Isn’t anything at all (melt the statues in the park)
Buy the sky and sell the sky and bleed the sky and tell the sky

(repeat chorus)
Fall on me

Well I could keep it above
But then it wouldn’t be sky anymore
So if I send it to you you’ve got to promise to keep it whole

Buy the sky and sell the sky and lift your arms up to the sky
And ask the sky and ask the sky

(repeat chorus 2x)
Fall on me
(repeat chorus)
Fall on me
(repeat chorus)

From the looks if this car, we aren’t in conservative Charleston anymore! Loving it – this was from the parking lot of the retreat I went too this weekend. It was nice to actually have other cars around that spoke to similar views.

Posted via email from Carnellm’s Posterous

Can someone explain to me how anyone in this country, right or left, would not want their child listening to an address by the President. I really don’t care which I way lean, if the President is making a speech, especially to children regarding education, I would love for my kids to hear it. It can be by Bush or by Obama, by Reagan or by Clinton. These are important people, arguably the most important single individuals in our country, so why would I not want my children to hear them speak?

Some say that in his upcoming speech to our schools President Obama will try to push his leftist agenda. Well first of all, that is kind of narrow minded. But even more importantly, why would any parent be so afraid that one speech on a television by a distant individual is going to undo all of the teachings they have done with their child. Perhaps they are afraid their kid will learn the truth? Perhaps they are afraid that they haven’t had such a great influence on their child up to this point? Perhaps they haven’t watched the horrible role models their children are glued to TV every afternoon and evening?

When I hear the hatred and fear being spewed out of some of these parent’s mouths, I realize that our educational and religious systems really have failed some people. Only pure ignorance, stupidity and bigotry could fuel such comments. I am left in pure sad wonder at these events. And with that, more than anything else, I fear for the future of this great country.

I was sent this email by someone who I bow to but will not name. It is excellent do I am printing it and it recommendations in full…

Most of you probably received an email from President Obama asking you to sign on in support of the President’s three principles of health care reform: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/healthcarestories

As we recall from the presidential campaign, a key element of candidate Obama’s health care plan was a public plan option* that would allow individuals and small businesses an option to buy affordable health coverage through a government plan. I believe that a public plan option is crucial to any substantive health care reform, but there is much opposition to including such a plan. President Obama does not explicitly include a public plan option in the three principles that he is asking us to sign. If you support a public plan option, I urge you to make this known.

There are a couple of ways to do this
1) Sign the petitions at http://standwithdrdean.com/ and message to legislators

2) If you sign on in support of the President’s three principles, use the comment box to say something like “I believe that a public plan option must be included in health reform legislation.” [The link gives you two chances to make comments, first in the "personal story" box and later in a "comments" box]

(3) Send a message to President Obama telling him that you support a public plan option using the form at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ *Public plan option: If you want more information about what is meant by a public plan option, there is concise information at http://standwithdrdean.com/faq Sometimes the public plan option is referred to as a Medicare like option or Medicare open to all.

Of course, if you are an advocate of single payer health care and you sign on in support of President Obama’s health care principles, you might also wish to communicate your support for single payer in the comment box or you may wish to sign a single payer petition such as the one at http://www.democrats.com/single-payer-petition

There is more information about single payer at http://www.pnhp.org/facts/single_payer_resources.php

There is a great opportunity to learn more by watching Bill Moyers Journal on PBS, Channel 16, this Friday, May 22 at 9 PM. Several guests will discuss health care policy and single payer health care. The show will repeat Sunday morning at 11 AM.

And finally, you might find interesting the recent words of progressive Rabbi Michael Lerner on the role of the public in forming current policy:

The pressures on a President to stay with the status quo and the forces of the economic and political elites of the country are enormous, so that even when a President wishes to move in a different direction, he needs to be able to point to forces from the progressive world that are equally vociferous and pushing him in the direction he wished to go.

So, those who say, “Don’t criticize Obama, because he is such a decent person, so smart, and obviously wants the right things” are missing the point: OBAMA NEEDS TO BE PUSHED FROM THE PROGRESSIVE WORLD IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BE WHO HE WANTS TO BE. He needs our support in this way.

Take care,
xxxxxx@gmail.com

PS Below I have copied the text from President Obama’s request for support

President Obama’s email links to http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/healthcarestories which contains the following:

The Principles

President Obama has announced three bedrock requirements for real health care reform. It must:

• Reduce Costs — Rising health care costs are crushing the budgets of governments, businesses, individuals and families and they must be brought under control
• Guarantee Choice — Americans must have the freedom to keep whatever doctor and health care plan they have, or to select a new doctor or health care plan if they choose
• Ensure Quality Care for All — All Americans must have quality and affordable health care

Now we have to show Congress where the American people stand.

It has come to my attention due to some comments of various caring people I know that much like economics in general, there are two major theories of philanthropy at work in our society. Neither of these two styles is wrong, they just approach our societies problems from a different angle. And, much like any other cause with differing methodologies, they are often pitted against each other.

The first method that many of us are familiar with is the direct approach. With this we go out and help build a home for Habitat For Humanity, we donate blood to the Red Cross, or we send canned food to the local food bank. With each of these there is a relatively short road from the donor to recipient. Even in situations like the Red Cross or Goodwill where there may be an administrative level of isolation, there is still a direct connection between the organization we are giving to and the recipients of that donation. Maybe we should call this “Main Street Philanthropy”.

In the second method, there is a more indirect approach. Here we have practices as varied as educating people about problems in other areas of the world to holding benefits to raise money for charities. There isn’t anything at all wrong with this methodology, but there is a bit of distance put between the donor and the recipient. In addition, due to that distance and often infrastructure overhead, there is a certain signal loss before the end is achieved. We can call this “Trickle Down Philanthropy.”

An example of what I am talking about is this. If I have $100 to give, I could go to the grocery, buy $100 worth of food and give that out at the food bank. In this instance, 100% of my donation reaches the end recipients. Conversely, if I took that $100 and sent it to any number of well known charities, part of it would go to processing fees. Part of the donation would also go to pay for office staff, rent perhaps, and maybe even transportation. In the end, it is possible that only $50 of my donation would actually reach the recipient at the end.

And if instead I spent that $100 to give a few lecture or classes on the plight of the impoverished and starving, then it is also conceivable that absolutely none of my money would reach those in need. It is possible that all that money I had to offer was simply washed away.

This would seem like a clear choice to make until we realize that when the Trickle Down Philanthropy method works, it can actually amplify our donation. If that class I spent a $100 to teach was paying attention, didn’t fall asleep, and heeded my message, it is possible that each of the 25 people in attendance reached into their purse or wallet and made a $100 donation to the food bank. And they may also take what they have learned, spread the lesson, and triggered more donations. That amplification of effort is the magic of the Trickle Down theory.

So, here we have two methods of donation – one direct and one indirect. As I said before, neither is write or wrong. Certain people feel drawn to the direct satisfaction of the Main Street method and others have the vision and planning for the Trickle Down method. The truth is, each one needs the other to survive. Without feet on the street doing the work, the Trickle Down method is just so much posturing and conjecture. And without individuals doing the background education, fundraising, and paper work, those people doing the work on the street would have no funds, supporters, or growth. The key is finding where you fit in the picture and applying yourself there. And realizing that just because someone uses a different method, that doesn’t mean they are doing it wrong.