Our new vietnam

Yes, it's easy to contrast Vietnam against Afghanistan. But the similarities are more important.

We don't belong there.

We can't win.

Our continued presence costs too much in life, good will, and money.

Al Queaida is not in Afghanistan.

We can't win a war on terrorism via conventional military.

We were welcomed years ago but we have outworn our welcome and the longer we stay there, the more blood will flow, the more Americans will die, the more Afghans will die, the more money we'll waste, and the more enemies our presence there will foster.

We must get out.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Truth and integrity

Yes, I am thinking about the hard stuff. I am glad I have never been asked to submit to a drug test. I am clean and think my word on this should suffice.

Cat Lovers Against the Bomb (thanks, Nebraskans for Peace) reminds me today is anniversary that in 1999, the US Senate rejected the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, 48-51. Dark day. Not a moment of our nation's history I am proud of.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Nobel Peace Price

I am shocked our president has won the planet's greatest honor. I think it's too soon, and would rather have seen him receive this award when he has done more for world peace.

Still, I am proud of our president. I am hopeful he will fulfill the promise this enormous honor represents. Wish more would support him and we could move forward rather than have little pissing matches about death panels and the like.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Afghanistan

It is a beautiful fall day and I am thinking about Afghanistan. Why must we be there at all? It is wrong. Our nation has an absolutely dismal record for nationbuilding. Let the Afghans determine their own government. If it isn't as open as ours, that is regretable but far better than to kill and maim, disrupt, instill fear and hatred. We need to get out of there.

I heard on NPR some comparisons between the now 8-year war in Afghanistan with our nation's entanglement in Vietnam. I clearly understand the differences - size of our force, size of the "enemy" force, proxy war vs not a proxy war. All true. Also true is that the longer we stay, the more lives, money, and good will we waste. We cannot win and the longer we stay, the more hatred of our nation will fester.

How about this. Instead of sending thousands of soldiers, what if we sent thousands of engineers and laborers and nurses to help rebuild the country? Build roads, water treatment plants, schools, clinics. That's a plan I could get behind.

Don't idle your car

Eschew the drive-through.

Today I found some good internet sources about engine idling. Thanks to Umbra Fisk at the Grist, our beacon in the smog.


http://ww2.earthday.net/noidling

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/myths/idling.html I like this one especially.

http://www.epa.gov/OMS/schoolbus/antiidling.htm#myths

http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/18-youdo.pdf

If you're reading this you probably know not to idle. Perhaps these links will fortify your persuasive abilities and can help you spread the word.

peace, y'all

Molly

America's infant mortality rates illustrate we have a problem

One ugly truth is that infant mortality in the U.S. is higher than in many other countries. Many Americans believe ours is the best country on Earth and don’t like facts that contradict this.

A recent letter to the editor of my local newspaper proposed that anyone stating this truth name the sources and have a computer to back it up. This is silly. Since when must we drag a computer into a meeting when we state a truth?

This morning, I googled “infant mortality.” Here are is what I found in the first five hits.

According to the 2006 United Nations World Population Prospects report, our country ranks 33rd in infant mortality, with a rate of 6.3 deaths per 1000 live births. Outranking us are most European countries, Cuba, Israel, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, New Zealand, Brunei, Cyprus, Israel, and New Caledonia.

According to the CIA’s World Fact Book, last updated in April, the U.S. has 6.26 infant deaths per 1000 live births. Our own government ranks us 46th.

Information Please ranks the U.S .45th. Nationmaster doesn’t list the U.S. at all. Indexmundi ranks us 41st.

The CIA World Fact Book also lists the U.S. as 50th in life expectancy at birth.

Before we can fix a problem, we must recognize we have one. Our health care policies and practices are not working for all of us. Some of us are healthy. Most of us, sadly, are overweight, and a huge percentage of us are clinically obese. And that is only true if we survive infancy, which is harder to do in the U.S. than in dozens of other nations.

Yes, we have a problem. Now let's figure out what we can do to fix it.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Peace making ideas for fall

Fall enters gracefully around here, and I embrace it. Plenty of peace making activities come our way in the fall.

For example, elections. November 3 is not far away. In Washington and perhaps your state too, the deadline to register is 30 days before the election. That's not to long from now, so if yo need to register, do it THIS WEEK. Are we not supposed to look out for the least of us? The poor, the young, the disenfranchised, the voiceless (i.e, environment)? -In other words, those who can't vote. Shouldn't those of us who can and do vote make sure our votes protec the least among us?

Gleaning is a great peacemaking activity. It is a good group activity, which builds relationships and connections. Also it's amazing how much good fresh local food gleaning can yield for the poor in our communities. A few years ago my daughter's school gleaned an orchard. In a few hours, with a few families, we filled a pickup truck with fresh, sweet apples. Fun, worthwhile, and tasty!

Thanksgiving is a fine holiday for peacemaking. It is not too afflicted with the sin of greed (read: rampant, blatant commercialism), but does flirt with the sin of gluttony. But please, DON'T call it turkey day. It's a day of thanks, and that is what we should do.

I like the idea of a thanksgiving calendar, like an advent calendar, with little windows that open each day to reveal one more thing to be thankful about.

I like to observe "international buy nothing day," which is the day after Thanksgiving. It's a fine day to keep expressing thanks, to spend with one's family, taking it easy in the kitchen!

When the days get darker and colder, it's a good time to read. Read good stuff, nourish your mind and your soul. As it gets darker and colder it's easier to get depressed. Having a stronger mind and soul will surely help.

peace, y'all

Molly