Opinion
- Details
- Written by: James BlueWolf
It is, of course, not a “thing” that can be simply bought and sold – though humans pretend it to be so. Original inhabitants recognized it as a “relative” – like a grandfather or grandmother – imposing and worthy of respect beyond the usual sacred place that needs its space and solitude to fulfill its responsibilities to the earth.
Its nature and attributes, responses and communications may not easily be perceived but that does not mean they are not occurring. As with any living being, any kind of manipulation or domination implies unintended consequences.
There are other places in the world that we recognize as sacred – Bethlehem, Mecca, Bear Butte, Everest, Stonehenge, Nani Waya. Each of these places has its special recognition, protections and agreements for preservation. Each has inspired people to expound upon its “sacred quality.”
But people often talk out of both sides of their mouths. Take Everest for example. Every guide and climber that has ever gone there has felt its power and been willing to acknowledge its “sacred quality.” Yet the mountain of trash they have left there in their personal quests to “conquer it” belies their good intentions and exposes their first commitment – to themselves.
Domination has been the theme of western society. Using horses as an example – they perceive the horse’s agreement to be ridden (often achieved by a forceful coercion) to be an indication of human superiority when it is instead a simple collaborative agreement. Each species shares itself with the earth.
The mountain has chosen its co-inhabitants through time. Human beings may have a reason to go there – but that reason is best known by the native peoples who have a long relationship and communication with it. They know the restrictions and circumstances that govern the mountain’s relationship with humanity.
Before additional discussions occur to discuss acceptable uses and inevitable abuses are held, native people need to come together to formulate a proposal representing the needs of the mountain. The purposes of humanity have enough spokesmen.
Just because we can “open” the mountain does not mean we should. What is the nature of this compulsion to put our footprint upon all of creation?
My own opinion is that the mountain is like a spiritual leader and needs space and solitude to represent creation for all life forms. My wife says it more simply: Opening it to the public “is a bad idea!”
James BlueWolf lives in Nice.
- Details
- Written by: Donna Christopher
I attended Thursday's round table discussion between the Lake County supervisors and our Congressman Mike Thompson at the Lake County Museum.
After comments, questions and cries of assistance from the board members and department heads Mike had time for three questions from the public – but we Lake Countians are a crafty bunch and four folks actually got to speak.
I appreciated being one of the folks who got to ask a question. During the meeting I got the what I like to refer to as the ACME answer. You remember the Road Runner cartoons, place your order to ACME and then add a drop of water – Viola! – instant prepackaged (yet somehow not satisfying) answer.
As I helped Kelly Cox set up for the meeting I also hung around to help put things away with Mireya Turner, the clerk of the board. And there my fellow policy wonks is when I got the real answer.
Mike saw me and started to speak to me about the “bill” I had asked him about. I had actually incorporated three bills into my question: 1) Gramm/Leach/Bliley, 2) Bankruptcy Act of 2005 and 3) his flip-flop on TARP, so I asked, “Which bill?”
His reply was Gramm/Leach/Bliley and he commenced to tell me how large vote was in favor of it. For some reason I could hear my dear departed mother's voice: “Just because someone else jumps off a bridge doesn't mean you should.”
To which I responded how Sen. Dorgan had stood on the floor of the Senate warning all of them that in eight to 10 years we would all be watching the wheels come off of America's financial cart as we are now doing.
“You heard him and yet you voted for it,” I said to Congressman Thompson.
And his answer was ...
Yes, that's it folks. That great big blank space. He didn't have a word to say. I do give him credit for realizing he was in a hole and it was time to stop digging. And I do appreciate the opportunity to ask him face to face.
Donna Christopher lives in Lucerne.
- Details
- Written by: David W. Smith
I am writing today as an In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) home care provider in Lake County. I am currently taking care of my disabled son.
The IHSS program allows the elderly, the disabled elderly and the younger disabled persons to receive care at a huge savings to our local, state and federal governments. “In-home” means exactly that – they receive care in their "own" home instead of being placed in an institution, which costs taxpayers up to 8 times more than home care.
Here are some facts.
Fact 1: Any one of us, or our family member(s), could become disabled in an instant; lose everything we have and need to rely on Social Service programs to help us (I speak from experience, on this subject).
Fact 2: We're all getting older. Our retirement savings may not be enough to last us, for the remainder of our life, and we may have to (I say again) “rely on Social Service programs to help us.”
At this point in time, our state government is planning on cutting into the IHSS program, which is already a lean program. This type of fiduciary cut could lead to institutionalizing people who are currently IHSS recipients.
For those who do not move into institutions, their safety could be placed in jeopardy if they do not receive the care that they need. If our state government is attempting to justify cuts to this program, legislators must take into consideration that if thousands of people are placed in institutions, taxes will have to be increased to cover the extra costs.
So you ask yourself, “What can I do?”
The answer to the question is simple: Get involved. Work with others who are dedicated to ensuring that the voices of those who rely on vital programs such as IHSS, are not silenced, but rather heard from every corner of Sacramento.
Our elected officials are the people that have control on how these programs are funded, and we are their voting constituents. We need to speak up. We need to help protect our most vulnerable residents and the programs that serve them.
This nation started with a group of people that came together and wrote the Constitution – which became the backbone of democracy. It's up to us to remind our elected officials, that even in difficult times, it's about “We the people.”
David W. Smith lives in Nice.
- Details
- Written by: Randy Ridgel
I don’t know where Democrats find people who dislike the United States to run for President – Michelle Obama got the campaign in trouble when she announced she was ashamed of our country until it nominated her husband. She hasn’t said much since then; I believe they wired her jaws shut to eliminate further eloquence. Still, Obama ran around Europe with his teleprompter apologizing for our country to everyone.
His inability to speak without teleprompters reminds me of the Yankee ventriloquist who kept a Texas audience in stitches with jokes denigrating Southerners until a huge, angry galoot in the third row stood up and shouted, “You badmouth us Southerners one more time and I’ll come up there and whup you good!”
After the ventriloquist apologized, the man shouted, “You stay out of this Mr., I’m talking to that little blabbermouth sitting on your lap.”
Even as an ignorant country yokel, I wouldn’t make that mistake. If I wanted to shut up Obama, I’d say, “You badmouth the United States one more time and I’m going to whup that blabbermouth teleprompter.” Do you suppose a secret serviceman is programmed to leap in front to save the teleprompter? With the teleprompter dead would Obama be mute?
Randy Ridgel lives in Kelseyville.
How to resolve AdBlock issue?