Visit takepart.com/the cove.

Yesterday my husband and I attended this film and want to share the word. Japan has a news blackout on the evil practices in the town of Taiji, where more than 20000 dolphins are slaughtered each year. The cove that gives this film its name is red with the blood of these sentient, intelligent creatures when the fishermen slaughter them. Japanese citizens don't know about this. They don't know the whale meat they buy is actually dolphin meat with 2000 ppm of mercury in it. So it is not just for the sake of the dolphins that the slaughter must stop. Also, it is for the health of Japanese citizens. (Mercury is extremely toxic to us!)

We were lucky this film came to our town. (Sometimes I am surprised by the good UNmainstream films our local theater presents.) Maybe you can see the film. Even if you can't, you can take a few simple steps to help stop the slaughter of dolphins, and you can do it by going to www.takepart.com/the cove. Please do it.

Peace, y'all

Molly

A few thoughts on the health care "debate"

Health care is important. I believe good health is the birthright of every human being.

I am a person of faith and I believe our current system is broken. We need a radically different approach, and I think that means a single-payer system.

Insurance companies add layers of complexity and do ration care. They lobby Congress and no doubt give them lots of information (and meals, etc) on how important they are and what good they do. Understandably, they want to maximize their profits, and exclude sick people (pre-existing conditions).

Drug companies spend thousands on advertising to create demand for their products. And they lobby. This drives up the price of our medicines. This bothers me.

My nephew and his family live in New Zealand, which has socialized medicine. They are happy with it. For urgent care they get what they need, and when they need it. For less urgent care, they do wait a bit, but not to harm their health. If they were wealthier, they could jet somewhere else as medical tourists, just as wealthy Americans can do now.

I am a “have.” I have good benefits and good health. I still suffer from the system’s inefficiency. I despise filling out forms every time I walk into any doctor’s office, and being interrupted as I write the stuff down by health care providers asking me for the same information—which I sent in to the hospital in advance, by the way.

And it hurts me to know 47 million Americans are without insurance and good care. They have fewer choices. They don’t get preventive care. They must skip meals or skip medications—a draconian choice. They fill our hospitals’ emergency rooms, which drives up costs for the rest of us.

Even as a “have,” I am unhappy with the status quo and want to see Congress step up and deal with the tough questions. I want them to represent the citizens of their districts, not the lobbyists for insurance companies and drug companies.

Peace, y'all

Mollly

Make your plans now. How will you recognize Women's Suffrage Day on August 26? That is the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. Our foremothers worked so hard to secure our right to vote. Then endured ridicule, imprisonment, even force-feeding.

Susan B. Anthony once was arrested for the "crime" of voting. As women were not allowed to vote, her attempt to do so was "criminal."

In many other countries voting is universal and compulsory. We don't have to vote. But we have that right. People have suffered and even died to secure and protect that right. I think that to NOT vote is an affront to those people.

I don't know how I will celebrate August 26 but I have started to think about it. My local League of Women Voters will have a party in the park--that's a start. Maybe I'll wear white, as did the suffragists.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Violet-eared Emerald - awesome, huh? This picture was taken by Greg Prelich, a very good photographer and decent guy on our Costa Rica trip in the Spring.

I like the Quaker connection to Costa Rica. The Q's from Fairhope, Alabama moved to Costa Rica in the 1940s or 1950's. They were delighted to move to a country that had no military. Their trip was arduous. They bought some land they named Green Mountain, or Monteverde, as it is known today. They also bought a large chunk of land and made it a preserve. And, they introduced cheese making to the area. The dairy and cheesemaking continue to this day, as does the Meeting. The area still has a number of Quakers. And today Costa Rica has a huge number of preserves and national parks. I don't know if Monteverde's was the first but it was certainly among the first. And now the people in Monteverde and nearby Santa Elena have opposed the paving of the road up to their lands, because there are too many traffic problems there already!

Peace, y'all

Molly

Repression is wrong

We know what is going on in Iran is wrong because the government is not letting the press report it.

When people cannot assemble peacefully in the street without facing violence from the government, the people are oppressed. When the government shuts down the press, the people are oppressed.

In other undemocratic countries the press seldom have free reign, but they aren't shut down altogether, either. So the government in Iran shuts down the press, so people can't find out what is happening, and they are beating up or killing people who do anything to oppose the government.

I know my perspective is American, and I have always lived in a country with a free press. I know also that while the government makes a lot of mistakes, I have the freedom to criticize it, without fear for my health, safety, or family. I know not everyone has this perspective.

But I cannot imagine any perspective that would think it right for a government to harm its people for peaceful actions, and the shutdown of the press means they are hiding something.

They are not hiding their light under a bushel basket. They are hiding what they are doing because they know it's wrong, too.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Peace in Iraq, peace with Cuba, peace with former enemies

My thoughts go to other countries today.

Cuba - today I watched a documentary called "the Power of Community - How Cuba Survived Peak Oil." And I watched Cubans who have much to teach to their neighbors to the north.
Japan - today is the anniversary of the 1995 expression of remorse for World War II from the parliament. Japan was our enemy and is now a powerful trading partner. Ditto Germany. When will it be Cuba's turn?
Iraq - today state flags are at halfmast because another one of our citizens has died on Iraqi soil in the military conflict there. I grieve his death, and pray we can soon end the suffering and begin in earnest the healing and reconciliation the region so badly needs.

One of the Cubans advised, "think globally, act locally." So I will. Another letter to the editor (at least more than 2 people will read it), and some prayerful contemplation. Then more local action, but what they are I don't yet know.

peace, y'all

Molly

fiction, peace, China and Costa Rica

This bird -- silver-throated tanager-- is my desktop wallpaper this week. It takes my breath away when I see it. I can't feel the heat and humidity of where I first saw this species. I can't hear all the other jungle sounds. Still it awes me.

Peacemaking proceeds even slower these days. Maybe I am like a plant, and right now I am growing deeper roots rather than bearing fruit.

I am amazed recently at all the connections I'm noticing between the fictions I'm reading lately and the ideas and situations in real life. Bio-hazards. The meaning of America. The importance of training and drilling, so we'll know what we need to do when the time comes.

Maybe peacemaking is slower because I am reading so much fiction lately and it fills my head. Guess I'm reading a little too much.

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Tiammenen (sp?) Square face-down of pro-democracy activists and the Chinese military. The Chinese military squashed the protesters. I thank God America's military cannot participate in internal affairs. Glad to live in the USA.

Maybe my focus will return soon.

peace, y'all

Molly