Equal Rights

EQUAL RIGHTS
© ARC October 21, 2009
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When my daughter was small,
I overruled stereotyped children’s books.
If the picture and wording said this is for a girl,
I inserted: this is for anyone.


I was part of feminist and civil rights movement
that struggled for equal rights.
How long, dear God, before the same for my daughter
as exists for my son.

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USA MART

USA MART
© ARC October 11, 2009

What would it be like to have a USA MART?
A nonprofit competitive democratic source of goods/services.

We now have government subsidized in multi areas:
Political, Military, Medicare, Fire, Legal, Social conveniences.

Auto, Bank, Electronic, Health, Textile et al would be part/parcel.
Managed as competitive `people’s business’ with employees/volunteers.

Democratic Mission would be quality competition not profit motive.
See FDR in Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story: rights not tears.

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The Man In The Glass - ARC Library - `top 10'

http://www.cyberparent.com/men/glass.htm
The Man in the Glass
Author Unknown

When you get what you want in your struggles for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass,
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

Some people might think you're a straight-shooting chum
And call you a wonderful guy.
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest
For he's with you clear to the end
And you've passed your most dangerous test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

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America Sold Its' Soul

America Sold Its Soul
© ARC 10/8/09
America has `we the people’ services that help us all equally.
Police, sheriff, fire, library, social workers all receive tax money.

Government payroll includes the military and politicians.
Civil Service, U.S. Postal - get a government job and it’s sunny.

Government Monies go for VA hospital, city, state, federal buildings.
Jails, Prisons, All Courts, Offices of DA and PD are on the dole.

No money though for homeless shelters and or medical/dental clinics.
America leaves it up to nonprofits to care for the bottom: sold its’ soul.

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Ethics of the Fathers - ARC Library - `top ten'

“IF I AM NOT FOR MYSELF…WHO WILL BE?
IF I AM FOR MYSELF ONLY…WHAT AM I?
IF NOT NOW…WHEN?”

Ethics of the Fathers 1:14

In the lifetime of your children…?
In your lifetime…?
This year…?
This day…?
If not now…when?

Look at your hand…
You can move it…as a caress or as a fist;
to build up or to tear down;
to give or to take.
Always, your hand can make a mistake or correct one.
Or it can do nothing.
So with your heart and your mind,
as with your hand.
They can serve your need alone…
or serve another…
or serve no one.
The decision is yours.
This is the wonder, and the challenge, of our lives.
For the harsh fact of our lives is how free we are to do nothing.
Or to do the wrong thing:
to hurt not only others but ourselves.
Yet the great thing of our lives
is how free we are to start again;
to find a better path from whatever wrong turn we,
or our world, may have taken.
We are not caught forever in any effort or confusion.
The power is ours to move again.

“IF NOT NOW…WHEN?”

Look at yourself…

For whom has the power to move been given
if not for you;
so that you can be responsible for meeting your own needs.
You have every right – indeed, the obligation – to do so:
- the right to use your heart,
and your mind, and your hand,
to advance your standard of living;
to enjoy the blessings
which today's world makes possible.
the right to seek and earn the respect of those around you;
to achieve recognition of
your talents and efforts.
And who but you
should strive for a better life for your family,
a promising future for your children?

“IF I AM NOT FOR MYSELF…WHO WILL BE?”

Look at your neighbor…

Aren’t his children as dear to him
as yours are to you?
Isn’t his self-respect as necessary to him as yours to you?
And if he is denied
the freedom and opportunity to serve his own needs,
to fulfill his obligations, to enjoy his rights,
what happens to you?
For you are your neighbor’s neighbor.
And it is only together
that you can possibly achieve the kind of community
you want for yourself, for your own family,
and for the family of man.

“IF I M FOR MYSELF ONLY…WHAT AM I?”

Look at the world…

Even as we can reach out our hand
to give or to take,
to build up or tear down,
so men everywhere can now easily move their ideas,
their values, and themselves,
to any corner of the earth –
to give or to take, to build up or to tear down.

We are no longer alone;
whether as an individual,
as a family, as a community, as a nation.
We all live in one place.
What is happening “there” is happening here.

Thus, there is no longer any such thing as poverty “there.”
It is poverty here.
There is no such thing as oppression “there.”
It is oppression here.
There is no such thing as ignorance “there.”
It is ignorance here.

Again, this is the wonder and the challenge of our lives.
As we seek wisdom, and freedom,
and sustenance for ourselves,
we can only hope to reach and maintain these goals
as we are concerned that others achieve them too,
creating them together.
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“God: we’re in trouble down here.
Please send help”.
“I did: I sent you”.
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Life Lessons

Life Lessons
© ARC Wednesday, October 7, 2009

A popular column by Regina Brett on Life Lessons was forwarded to me;
I encourage one/all to check it out for each like branch on illuminating tree.

She encourages us to share ours and although she sums them up best,
I decided to add in verse and rhyme a personalized version of my quest.

Reading, studying, praying have been foundation beginning age five.
Now in late sixties, they are still `primal force’ that `keeps’ me alive.

My inner sight is on divine axiom of loving God/neighbor.
Role modeled by best of all - Jesus, my Lord and savior.

I have had inspirational counselors along my pilgrim’s progress way.
King, Gandhi, Tubman, Wilberforce, ten Boom’s and Dorothy Day.

Contemporaries: Oprah, Martha Williamson, Jean Houston, Michael Moore,
Paulo Chaelo, Granny D, R. Maddow, C. Rose, Bill Moyer enrich spiritual core.

Hindsight says so many things would have done different, but don’t regret life.
Grateful for countless blessings, divine mercies, seasonal good, learning strife.

Although life reveals rainbow splendor, gray weaves within dark and light.
Day by day, second by second, choice is to be like child with divine sight.


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http://www.cleveland.com/brett/blog/index.ssf/2006/05/regina_bretts_45_life_lessons.html
rbrett@plaind.com
　

Sugar Cubes

Sugar Cubes
© ARC Friday, July 31, 2009

Once upon a time there was a
phenomenal conscientious employee
who was held in high regard by one/all.

This employee went above and beyond
all expectations.

The primary boss used to like coffee
every morning with two sugar cubes…
the employee was on the spot
with served coffee and cubes on the saucer.

There was an administration change;
and the new boss too liked coffee,
but preferred the cubes stirred in the cup.

The employee presented the coffee
with the sugar on the side
and couldn’t believe it
when the employer actually called attention to it -
requested it in the cup.

The employee was upset;
liked doing things a certain way;
and was even tempted to stop bringing the coffee at all.

Then the employee had the thought:
my way, employer’s way, and/or the highway.

So the employee decided to `enjoy’
putting the cubes in the coffee
because the bottom line was that any job
is like seasons: spring, summer, fall, winter…
and the coffee incident was like a winter…
and the more the employee
`was comfortable’ with winters,
the better the other seasons were.

The employer not only
began getting coffee with sugar stirred in…
but also got extra at no charge.

The administration observed
and became even more impressed
with the employee’s `seasonal’ versatility;
employee became even more admired than before.
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Solo Lifestyle

SOLO LIFESTYLE
© May 13, 2009 ARC

In my 40s, I was a self-employed single mother
with a need for social networking.
I made it into an adventure.

Once a week I would visit a different singles event.
The local newspapers had several sections
that listed events by churches, singles organizations,
business and educational groups.

The goal was to stay long enough to meet
at least three peers of same and opposite sex.

I had a tried and true intro -
I would introduce myself and say:
I love hearing about Magic Moments and Memories,
would you share one of yours? It broke the ice.

I compiled a list of the events -
became another source of topic.
It eventually became a resource directory -
would walk into events with singles coming up to me.

I wasn’t discriminatory - `all’ groups were investigated
and explored from established groups
like Parents Without Partners
to different denomination churches
to Sierra Club to home house parties hosted by peers -
several of them used clubhouses.

One very popular group hosted monthly parties
at different clubhouses where everyone contributed
potluck with simple punch, no liquor - donation was $15.00.

Then I decided to host my own.
Mine were very, very simple -
small donation and very simple snacks.
RSVP only and the time was strict: 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Guests were cautioned to arrive and leave quietly
(I would make announcement at 9:45 p.m. and turn off music).
There was a theme: guest speaker.

Evening went as follows:
guest arrive/greeted at door/sign-in/name tag/donation.

There was a literature table
where I had placed literature from other groups,
guests were encouraged to place their business cards.

7:30 I would introduce myself -
tell them my formula for meeting people,
encourage them to do the same.

8:00 everyone intro
coupled with any caring/sharing announcement.

Then I would introduce guest speaker
for one hour presentation.

Popular speakers were
representatives from other groups,
ministers, psychologists,
someone running for public office.

Then party music mixing/mingling.

Good bys encouraged sensitivity and respect
in quiet residential neighborhood.

News Releases went into local papers
that made it very easy to stay consistent
without repeating myself.
Singles 40+ RSVP Only
House Parties every 1st Friday month 7:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. -
simple refreshments - $3.00 donation -
Guest Speaker - Networking Literature Table -
Directions Upon Confirmation.

They/I became extremely popular -
excellent resource meeting interesting people.
I often met `lonely singles’
who were `messing’ up their life
with one form of addictive behavior or another.

My academic studies were psychology.
I found a consistent `thread’ that dominated -
too much into their own head -
not enough into `caring/sharing’ with others.

When asked, guidance was simple.
Find one or two organizations to volunteer for
that `take you out of yourself’
like Special Olympics and/or Senior Convalescent Homes;
and attend one new social event each week
meeting at least three new people focusing
on the ones `hiding in the corner’ - put them on stage/you off.

People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.
Oftentimes lonely people
surround themselves with `same ol’ - `same ol’.

They are missing drama and excitement of `new’.
People are like countries.
People are like great books just waiting to be read.
People are new horizons.
People generate healing blessings.

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Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me

Shoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me
© ARC March 14, 2009

If you’re like me, `negative’ thoughts
come in unbidden into your head…
what’s a person to do?

My cultivated response is prayer,
prayer, and more prayer.

We’ve all learned that `negativity’
has the power to poison you -
it’s like baking a cake with arsenic for someone else,
and you eat the cake.

We’ve all heard the powerful word of `transformation’ -
normally used for the
concept of good -
but, I say, it can also be the reverse…
you can `become’ what you hate.

I’ve got another trick -
it’s that fun ditty:
Shoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me.

When I become aware,
and this becomes more and more conscious
with practice,
I sing in my head the ditty -
which, of course, is always coupled with prayer.

The bottom line is this…
when hurts, trespasses, Injustices happen,
there is `no’ forgetting,
but there is `overcoming’.

It’s like the erased writing on a chalkboard -
imprint there -
but I’m `overwriting’ on it -
I’m `choosing’ the `dominant’ thoughts in my life.

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Divine - positivism; Evil - negativity = life; I’m choosing my response.+

Rule Of Thumb

RULE OF THUMB
© ARC - Tuesday, July 28, 2009


I have a rule of thumb to help me think through issues:
Would I think, say, do the same if my daughter or son?

It is amazing how quick the dynamics center my being.
Tranco, macro, micro concepts - all kith & kin loved one.

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