I know nothing about you, Mike, but this post hit me where I lived. So, I joined so that I could comment on this post. There is an old, old Protestant hymn called "Brighten the Corner Where You Are," and I have lived by that notion all my life. People can make a difference every day just by showing up and living a life of civic engagement, concern for others, and the belief that everyone is important. THANK YOU for doing that. I am a retired Social Studies teacher who taught the Constitution for years, tried hard to teach critical thinking to my students (including a lesson -created by someone else years ago - about Jane Fonda and her trip to Hanoi. The lesson on civil disobedience was really powerful for 8th graders - and most felt she was wrong - but the discussion provoked amazing discussion which made the kids truly thinkers.) Teachers today are hard-pressed to teach anything they consider as critical thinking because there is so little time for that. I commend them for trying every day to help kids become thoughtful, considerate, civic-minded adults. Keep up the good work - it's all under the radar, but it makes a world of difference.
Yes! And teaching is extra hard right now. Eighth grade! Good for you! That takes a special kind of caring person. I only made it two years with 7/8 graders and it kicked my butt all the way up to teaching college. Those kids did me in! LOL!
Amen! One time I went into the principal’s office at my daughter’s school and told them I had concerns about the new reading program, told her I knew kids who were spending hours on homework, only to fail the test. The principal pulled out the file and said “Your daughter has an A.” I said I was aware. She said, “Wait - you came in here on behalf of other students?!” Yes!!
So to your point and your involvement with the local school — if we all stepped in for others and not just when it affects us personally, we could create change in one little corner of the world at a time. Our church in San Antonio, Texas helps immigrants (you know, those “dangerous” ones they are trying to round up 🙄). We even have a couple of civil rights attorneys that step in to help get their papers. That’s a tangible thing we can do here.
Thank you Mike for sharing the value of helping where you are planted. As a retired health care employee I started my retirement running for my HOA board and became president just as Covid hit. We had a great board who invited the best out of the community. We set up outdoor libraries, Corn Hole in the courtyard for kids and adults and hired out of work musicians to give us an outdoor concert. We had a community newsletter warmly requesting people to be mindful of wearing a mask only in enclosed spaces like the elevator and subterranean lobby to protect their neighbors from infection. We never had animosity because of the respect we had for the individuals that made up the community.
Every Wednesday, in Burlington, MA, "Bearing Witness" participants stand outside the ICE office to show support for immigrants and their rights and to express our shame at ICE. Hundreds gather peacefully with flags and signs and line both sides of the street. I'm an 84 year old activist who has recently joined this effort. I always come away feeling uplifted by the energy of all the folks that come every week! Thanks for all you do, Mike.
For you, 108 protest signs for the fight. This is critical for Occupied D.C. Many signs are revised to sing. 🎶. I recommend using a local printer, but national print companies offer great pricing, shipping included. There is time to get the lot printed for your protest group, assuming you have a gathering of 300 to 1,000. This would help fill the hands of the signless.
I hit the wall after the last election and went into hibernation aside from calls, postcards, and protests, but since 2017 I have registered hundreds of voters in Texas, where they make it as difficult as possible to register to vote. I was a VDR (volunteer deputy registrar) in five counties, and one of my favorite activities was registering brand-new citizens as they left their naturalization ceremonies. Such a joyous scene--whole families there to cheer, children all dressed up, taking photos for beaming new Americans holding little American flags. It was great even when they would not let us set up inside and we had to sweat in the Texas heat for hours. (Happily that has changed.) I keep telling myself it's time to gear up and get going again but I haven't done it. When I get home from vacation I'm going to check into a food bank in my neighborhood. It might just be time for something new. I felt betrayed after the last election.
I have built a native species garden in my backyard-- way beyond my knowledge and physical ability so I hired professionals. I invite people over, to delight and encourage them. We've got to take way better care of Mother Earth, because we absolutely depend on "her."
I also show up as another pair of boots on the ground at rallies and protests, small and large. I lead workshops on making big, bold protest signs. I serve as a marshal at Indivisible protests. I chat people up and encourage them. I read and study so I can talk knowledgeably and persuasively with people. It's all little bits and pieces, and it helps roll the rock in the good direction.
DUMP AND IMPEACH TRAITOR , NAZIS , FELONS, PREDATORS ,AND CON REPUBLICONS EVERYWHERE. YES CON REPUBLICONS, CLIMATE CHANGE IS DANGEROUS, REAL, DISRUPTIVE WORLDWIDE, COSTLY, AND PREVENTABLE. STOP DENYING CLIMATE CHANGE AND FACE THE SCIENCE . DUMP THE CON RTRUMP AND CRONIES. DEPORT RTRUMP'S WIFE AND RELATIVES. BOYCOTT NAZI MUSK AND NAZI RTRUMP. VOTE FOR DEMOCRACY FOR A FAIR DEAL, NOT THE RAW DEAL.
I volunteer as the Saturday Trail Docent at the Maidu Museum. On Thursdays I also work with the museum restoration crew returning native plants to what used to be a ranch, pruning, weeding, pitching mulch and enjoying the companionship of our eclectic restoration crew - all volunteers. This allows me to socialize where I don't have to talk much, but still enjoy human contact.
Every Thursday afternoon I either donate platelets at the Red Cross or deliver their blood products to local hospitals. I also sponsor 5 poor girls overseas (paying for schooling, medical care, etc) and have sponsored 37 through the years, and visited 10 of them, and for quite a few years have been writing to them to them monthly.
I know nothing about you, Mike, but this post hit me where I lived. So, I joined so that I could comment on this post. There is an old, old Protestant hymn called "Brighten the Corner Where You Are," and I have lived by that notion all my life. People can make a difference every day just by showing up and living a life of civic engagement, concern for others, and the belief that everyone is important. THANK YOU for doing that. I am a retired Social Studies teacher who taught the Constitution for years, tried hard to teach critical thinking to my students (including a lesson -created by someone else years ago - about Jane Fonda and her trip to Hanoi. The lesson on civil disobedience was really powerful for 8th graders - and most felt she was wrong - but the discussion provoked amazing discussion which made the kids truly thinkers.) Teachers today are hard-pressed to teach anything they consider as critical thinking because there is so little time for that. I commend them for trying every day to help kids become thoughtful, considerate, civic-minded adults. Keep up the good work - it's all under the radar, but it makes a world of difference.
Yes! And teaching is extra hard right now. Eighth grade! Good for you! That takes a special kind of caring person. I only made it two years with 7/8 graders and it kicked my butt all the way up to teaching college. Those kids did me in! LOL!
Hey folks, accidentally sent the comment restriction to paid. It's available to everybody now. Sorry about that.
Amen! One time I went into the principal’s office at my daughter’s school and told them I had concerns about the new reading program, told her I knew kids who were spending hours on homework, only to fail the test. The principal pulled out the file and said “Your daughter has an A.” I said I was aware. She said, “Wait - you came in here on behalf of other students?!” Yes!!
So to your point and your involvement with the local school — if we all stepped in for others and not just when it affects us personally, we could create change in one little corner of the world at a time. Our church in San Antonio, Texas helps immigrants (you know, those “dangerous” ones they are trying to round up 🙄). We even have a couple of civil rights attorneys that step in to help get their papers. That’s a tangible thing we can do here.
Thank you Mike for sharing the value of helping where you are planted. As a retired health care employee I started my retirement running for my HOA board and became president just as Covid hit. We had a great board who invited the best out of the community. We set up outdoor libraries, Corn Hole in the courtyard for kids and adults and hired out of work musicians to give us an outdoor concert. We had a community newsletter warmly requesting people to be mindful of wearing a mask only in enclosed spaces like the elevator and subterranean lobby to protect their neighbors from infection. We never had animosity because of the respect we had for the individuals that made up the community.
Every Wednesday, in Burlington, MA, "Bearing Witness" participants stand outside the ICE office to show support for immigrants and their rights and to express our shame at ICE. Hundreds gather peacefully with flags and signs and line both sides of the street. I'm an 84 year old activist who has recently joined this effort. I always come away feeling uplifted by the energy of all the folks that come every week! Thanks for all you do, Mike.
For you, 108 protest signs for the fight. This is critical for Occupied D.C. Many signs are revised to sing. 🎶. I recommend using a local printer, but national print companies offer great pricing, shipping included. There is time to get the lot printed for your protest group, assuming you have a gathering of 300 to 1,000. This would help fill the hands of the signless.
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/protest-sign-sign-everywhere-a-sign
I hit the wall after the last election and went into hibernation aside from calls, postcards, and protests, but since 2017 I have registered hundreds of voters in Texas, where they make it as difficult as possible to register to vote. I was a VDR (volunteer deputy registrar) in five counties, and one of my favorite activities was registering brand-new citizens as they left their naturalization ceremonies. Such a joyous scene--whole families there to cheer, children all dressed up, taking photos for beaming new Americans holding little American flags. It was great even when they would not let us set up inside and we had to sweat in the Texas heat for hours. (Happily that has changed.) I keep telling myself it's time to gear up and get going again but I haven't done it. When I get home from vacation I'm going to check into a food bank in my neighborhood. It might just be time for something new. I felt betrayed after the last election.
I have built a native species garden in my backyard-- way beyond my knowledge and physical ability so I hired professionals. I invite people over, to delight and encourage them. We've got to take way better care of Mother Earth, because we absolutely depend on "her."
I also show up as another pair of boots on the ground at rallies and protests, small and large. I lead workshops on making big, bold protest signs. I serve as a marshal at Indivisible protests. I chat people up and encourage them. I read and study so I can talk knowledgeably and persuasively with people. It's all little bits and pieces, and it helps roll the rock in the good direction.
DUMP AND IMPEACH TRAITOR , NAZIS , FELONS, PREDATORS ,AND CON REPUBLICONS EVERYWHERE. YES CON REPUBLICONS, CLIMATE CHANGE IS DANGEROUS, REAL, DISRUPTIVE WORLDWIDE, COSTLY, AND PREVENTABLE. STOP DENYING CLIMATE CHANGE AND FACE THE SCIENCE . DUMP THE CON RTRUMP AND CRONIES. DEPORT RTRUMP'S WIFE AND RELATIVES. BOYCOTT NAZI MUSK AND NAZI RTRUMP. VOTE FOR DEMOCRACY FOR A FAIR DEAL, NOT THE RAW DEAL.
All of the comments that I have read are those /people who are STARS IN THE DARKEST OF NIGHT! Let's keep the stars shining and dispel the darkness!
I volunteer as the Saturday Trail Docent at the Maidu Museum. On Thursdays I also work with the museum restoration crew returning native plants to what used to be a ranch, pruning, weeding, pitching mulch and enjoying the companionship of our eclectic restoration crew - all volunteers. This allows me to socialize where I don't have to talk much, but still enjoy human contact.
Appreciate you so much, Mike. 💪
Every Thursday afternoon I either donate platelets at the Red Cross or deliver their blood products to local hospitals. I also sponsor 5 poor girls overseas (paying for schooling, medical care, etc) and have sponsored 37 through the years, and visited 10 of them, and for quite a few years have been writing to them to them monthly.