Historian, author, editor, educator Remy Benoit's ongoing weblog for Veterans, writers, students, others who believe in learning from and making history. Thousands of articles and posts and a free writing seminar, Using History for Healing and Writing.
—"The best works by living writers on the heart of New Orleans." Miz' Remy is the author of Annie.
From Truth Staff, The Elkhart Truth, at MSNBC Food caravan stops in hard-hit Ind. county
Thousands in town that Obama visited line up to get free supplies.
We cannot let Congress rest until they get this situation fixed. We need jobs here.
Makes you wonder how much those billions that went missing in Iraq could have helped people today to make it through this man made monster. Accountability is needed here, or it will happen again. From Stephen Labaton at the NY Times Some Banks, Citing Strings, Want to Return Federal Aid.
/p>We will recover; the question is will we allow so few again to make so many lives so miserable for decent folk who played by the rules and lost anyway because of someone else's greed.
So, what can you as an individual do? Get those seeds sprouting for a Victory Garden and share with your neighbors, with a local food bank.
Clean out your closets and call your local Vietnam Veteran Organization to pick them up. You will help them, and others.
Donate that old car so someone else can get to work when they find a job. It is also a tax write off. You also could get your local churches to have a clothes bank, a food bank.
And keep those phones ringing, those e-mails filling up e-mail inboxes at Contact Congress.
Remind them too that they need to do something to bring down usurious interest rates on credit cards. Contact The White House.
And one more thing. Let broadcasters know that you don't want to be hearing their gloom and doom; that yellow journalism playing on fear is no part of your life. If they keep it up, turn them off. They will catch on as their ratings drop.
We are not powerless. We are the People and this country belongs to us, not to just a few who haven't stood in a supermarket line with a half full basket wondering if they can pay for even that. They are not the ones having to say no to their kids for needed things. Let them know that this won't do, that we demand as much of them as we do of ourselves—and that means a health care plan as good as theirs for the rest of us. That also means a rational foreign policy; that also means care for our Veterans.
Have a block party, get to know your neighbors and help each with things that are just sitting around attics and garages. Let the lawn grow a few days more and save the price of the gas and donate those few dollars to a local food bank. And, do please, make sure that everyone on the block can meet that heating bill. If you have elderly on your block, make sure someone has contact numbers for their families if the need should occur.
This is a can do, if each and everyone gets up and does something to help ourselves and someone else.
Learn all the verses to Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger/ This Land Is Your Land.
What exactly is it about the overall economic situation and its devastating effects upon ordinary people that some elected officials can't quite grasp? As a life-long resident of the Hoosier state, most of us here fit into the "ordinary people" category and we are struggling. I have been out of work since February 2nd due to a RIF (reduction in workforce)and it's the first time I've ever been out of work. I have a great work history (30+ years), fantastic references, highly developed research skills, and continue to upgrade those skills through education. I shouldn't have a problem finding work, right? Wrong! In fact, I almost took a job at $8.50 per hour filling vending machines just to start earning a regular paycheck. Finally, today I was offered a full-time position with a salary just 25% less than I was making and I was thrilled. We just might survive on that. Here we ordinary Americans are wanting to work, wanting to support our families, wanting to pay our mortgage payment, wanting to be responsible, productive citizens, but it seems a segment of our society intends to thwart any plan towards that end simply because they want to see "Obama fail." What?? If he fails, Congress fails. If he fails, the ordinary citizen fails. If he fails, America fails. We are not powerless and we must demand nothing less from our elected officials than a coming together to solve our problems for the good of our country and its citizens. We, the citizens, must support each other, reaching out to those in greater need, using all our resources to help each other to survive until we can once again get honest work for an honest wage. Now is the time to problem-solve, work together, and believe. This great country has an opportunity to prove to the world that it has the foresight and tenacity to pull itself from this economic hole, fill that hole up with innovation, and build!
Posted by: Janet Kieninger, at 2009-03-11 22:16:52
This item is part of WelcomeHomeSoldier.com: historian, author, editor, and educator Remy Benoit's ongoing weblog for Veterans, writers, students, and others who believe in learning from and making history; including thousands of articles and posts and the free writing seminar, Using History for Healing and Writing.
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Both Sides of the Wall: Reflections of the West Point Class of 1968 (Edited by Remy Benoit).
Read Jerry Wenstrom's review of Loving.
Rhea and Jordan Devereaux had it all: undying devotion, a tender love, and a grand passion. And then the Vietnam War separated them. Follow the course of their love across time and space. Journey with them through the steaming jungle; dance with the Mardi Gras revelers while revolution unseats Louis XVI and protestors on the Washington Mall scream, Hell, NO. We won't Go. Sail with Laffite's pirates into Devil's Isle and rejoice as an unconditional and timeless love emerges victorious.
Purchase a signed first edition of Loving for $20 including S&H:
