Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.
Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."
International Human Solidarity Day is:
a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.
Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.
Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.
Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.
The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."
For those of us in the United States, it feels like our semblance of sanity as well as our literal safety is in peril because we, as a nation, as in many other parts of the world, still struggle with hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency and solidarity, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who believe those leaders and are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.
Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.
Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."
International Human Solidarity Day is:
a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.
Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.
Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.
Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.
The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."
For those of us in the United States, it feels like our semblance of sanity is in peril because we, as a nation, as in many other parts of the world, still struggle with hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency and solidarity, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who believe those leaders and are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.
Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.
Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."
International Human Solidarity Day is:
a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.
Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.
Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.
Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.
The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."
For those of us in the United States, it feels like our semblance of sanity is in peril because we, as a nation, as in many other parts of the world, still struggle with hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency and solidarity, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who believe those leaders and are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.
Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.
Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."
International Human Solidarity Day is:
a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.
Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.
Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.
Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.
The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."
For those of us in the United States, it feels like things are returning to some semblance of sanity, and we hope light and reason are once again going to be guiding forces. But we as a nation, as many in other parts of the world, still struggle with hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who believe those leaders and are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.
Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.
Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."
International Human Solidarity Day is:
a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.
Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.
Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.
Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.
The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."
For those of us in the United States, it feels like things are returning to some semblance of sanity and light and reason are once again going to be guiding forces. But we as a nation, as many in other parts of the world, still struggle with pockets of hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.
Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.
Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."
The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."
For those of us in the United States, it feels like a new day has dawned and light and reason are once again going to be guiding forces. But we as a nation, as many in other parts of the world, still struggle with pockets of hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.
Georgetown created fact sheets on illegal militias at the polls and what to do if you spot them
By Scottie Andrew, CNN Updated 1:50 PM ET, Tue October 6, 2020
It's illegal in all 50 states to engage in militia activity. Still, militia members will almost certainly appear at some polling places this election cycle.
A private militia engages in law enforcement activities without authorization by state or federal officials. Their members are often armed and wearing uniforms or identifying insignias, and they often believe they have legal authority to protect property or control crowds.
But no private militia has that authority. Every state bans unauthorized militias from taking on the activities of law enforcement.
So, Georgetown Law's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, along with several pro bono law firms, created state-specific fact sheets about militias and the state statutes that ban their activities.
Voter intimidation is more than likely this election
The threat of voter intimidation is high this election. The US has already seen private militias deploy themselves this year, most notably at protests against racism, often inciting violence and intimidating protesters.
It's also the first election since the expiration of a 1982 consent decree put in place to prevent Republicans from engaging in voter intimidation schemes. And President Donald Trump has repeatedly nudged his supporters to appear at voting locations to "watch very carefully," spouting unproven theories even as his own FBI director has denied evidence of widespread voter fraud.
For those reasons, "communities must prepare for similar unlawful private militia activity and intimidation in connection with the election," said Mary McCord, legal director of Georgetown Law's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and a former acting assistant attorney general for national security at the Department of Justice.
Contemporary militias are illegal
The Constitution -- a document created in the 18th century, when colonial militias were operated by states -- uses the word "militia" to refer to "all able-bodied residents between certain ages who may be called forth by the government when there is a specific need," according to Georgetown Law.
That definition of "militia" has changed. Now, an "organized militia" may refer to the National Guard or National Reserve. Some states operate state defense forces legally.
But it's illegal for private citizens to "activate themselves" for militia duty. Private militias also aren't protected by the Second Amendment, according to Georgetown Law.
What to do if voters see armed people at the polls
If voters spot armed groups near a polling place, they should first document what they see, according to the fact sheets.
Voters should take stock of what the group is doing, what type of firearm members might be carrying, if they're wearing an insignia that might identify which group they belong to and if they're speaking to people or threatening violence.
Georgetown Law advises voters to report that they see to the Election Protection helpline, a nonpartisan coalition for voting equity, at 866-OUR-VOTE.
Have a great debate tonight! Looking forward to seeing you call out the current administration's Fascism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, cruelty, ineptitude, callousness, corruption, hypocrisy, destruction, etc. etc. ad infinitum.
Please consider making a donation, and for the love of our literal freedom, democracy, and future as humans, vote for Biden-Harris.
Vote like your life depends on it, because it DOES. The personal IS political.
You have the right to vote. If anyone tries to stop you, call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-687-8683.
Vote.org has written a crucial guide to your voting rights:
Election Protection Last updated on May 20, 2019 Here are the basics: 1. Keep your place in line. The lines may be long, but as long as you are in line when the polls close, you will be allowed to cast your ballot. If you leave the line, you may not be able to vote. 2. Do everything you can to vote a regular ballot. Cast a provisional ballot only if you have no other option. In many states if you cast a provisional ballot at the wrong polling location it will not be counted. If you experience any of the following, report it to Election Protection (866-687-8683) immediately:
Intimidation
Harassment (including harassing questions about your qualifications to vote)
False information about voting requirements
People impersonating poll workers or election officials
If you registered and are not showing up on the voter roll, call the Election Protection Hotline (866-687-8683).
Did you recently move? If so and you didn’t update your registration, you are likely on the voter roll of your old polling place.
Check with a poll worker to see if you can update your registration and vote a regular ballot where you are. Otherwise, you may need to vote at your old polling location or at a central polling place.
Make sure the poll worker is spelling your name correctly and is looking in every place that you could be listed. Ask a poll worker if there is a separate “inactive” or “suspense” list of voters that you may be on. Many states maintain similar lists of voters who have not recently voted. If you are on this list, you can still cast a regular ballot.
If you are being turned away from voting for not having the proper ID:
Figure out if you have anything on you that qualifies. Some states accept documents you may not think of as ID, like a paystub or utility bill with your address.
Do you have something at home that qualifies that you can go back and get? If you can’t come back the same day, some states may allow you to come back and show your ID following Election Day. Ask a poll worker if this is an option.
If you do not have any acceptable form of ID, does your state allow you to vote without ID by signing something under oath?
In several states where ID is required (CT, ID, IA, LA, MI, MT, NH, SD, TN), you may be able to vote without proper ID by signing a something under oath.
Cast a provisional ballot if that is your only option. In some states that require ID, your provisional ballot will be counted if your signature matches what is on file in the voter registry.
If you cast a provisional ballot:
Ask for written instructions about what you must do to ensure the provisional ballot will be counted.
Ask for a phone number you can call to confirm if your vote was counted.
IMPORTANT: In 27 states, if you cast a provisional ballot at the wrong polling location, your vote will not be counted.
Michelle Obama spoke beautifully at the Democratic National Convention:
Good evening, everyone. It's a hard time, and everyone's feeling it in different ways. And I know a lot of folks are reluctant to tune into a political convention right now or to politics in general. Believe me, I get that. But I am here tonight because I love this country with all my heart, and it pains me to see so many people hurting. I've met so many of you. I've heard your stories. And through you, I have seen this country's promise. And thanks to so many who came before me, thanks to their toil and sweat and blood, I've been able to live that promise myself. That's the story of America. All those folks who sacrificed and overcame so much in their own times because they wanted something more, something better for their kids. There's a lot of beauty in that story. There's a lot of pain in it, too, a lot of struggle and injustice and work left to do. And who we choose as our president in this election will determine whether or not we honor that struggle and chip away at that injustice and keep alive the very possibility of finishing that work. I am one of a handful of people living today who have seen firsthand the immense weight and awesome power of the presidency. And let me once again tell you this: the job is hard. It requires clear-headed judgment, a mastery of complex and competing issues, a devotion to facts and history, a moral compass, and an ability to listen—and an abiding belief that each of the 330,000,000 lives in this country has meaning and worth. A president's words have the power to move markets. They can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You simply cannot fake your way through this job. As I've said before, being president doesn't change who you are; it reveals who you are. Well, a presidential election can reveal who we are, too. And four years ago, too many people chose to believe that their votes didn't matter. Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn't be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep. Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes. In one of the states that determined the outcome, the winning margin averaged out to just two votes per precinct—two votes. And we've all been living with the consequences. When my husband left office with Joe Biden at his side, we had a record-breaking stretch of job creation. We'd secured the right to health care for 20,000,000 people. We were respected around the world, rallying our allies to confront climate change. And our leaders had worked hand-in-hand with scientists to help prevent an Ebola outbreak from becoming a global pandemic. Four years later, the state of this nation is very different. More than 150,000 people have died, and our economy is in shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long. It has left millions of people jobless. Too many have lost their health care; too many are struggling to take care of basic necessities like food and rent; too many communities have been left in the lurch to grapple with whether and how to open our schools safely. Internationally, we've turned our back, not just on agreements forged by my husband, but on alliances championed by presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower. And here at home, as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and a never-ending list of innocent people of color continue to be murdered, stating the simple fact that a Black life matters is still met with derision from the nation's highest office. Because whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division, and a total and utter lack of empathy. Empathy: that's something I've been thinking a lot about lately. The ability to walk in someone else's shoes; the recognition that someone else's experience has value, too. Most of us practice this without a second thought. If we see someone suffering or struggling, we don't stand in judgment. We reach out because, "There, but for the grace of God, go I." It is not a hard concept to grasp. It's what we teach our children. And like so many of you, Barack and I have tried our best to instill in our girls a strong moral foundation to carry forward the values that our parents and grandparents poured into us. But right now, kids in this country are seeing what happens when we stop requiring empathy of one another. They're looking around wondering if we've been lying to them this whole time about who we are and what we truly value. They see people shouting in grocery stores, unwilling to wear a mask to keep us all safe. They see people calling the police on folks minding their own business just because of the color of their skin. They see an entitlement that says only certain people belong here, that greed is good, and winning is everything because as long as you come out on top, it doesn't matter what happens to everyone else. And they see what happens when that lack of empathy is ginned up into outright disdain. They see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists. They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages, and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protestors for a photo-op. Sadly, this is the America that is on display for the next generation. A nation that's underperforming not simply on matters of policy but on matters of character. And that's not just disappointing; it's downright infuriating, because I know the goodness and the grace that is out there in households and neighborhoods all across this nation. And I know that regardless of our race, age, religion, or politics, when we close out the noise and the fear and truly open our hearts, we know that what's going on in this country is just not right. This is not who we want to be. So what do we do now? What's our strategy? Over the past four years, a lot of people have asked me, "When others are going so low, does going high still really work?" My answer: going high is the only thing that works, because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that's drowning out everything else. We degrade ourselves. We degrade the very causes for which we fight. But let's be clear: going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty. Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top. Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we are one nation under God, and if we want to survive, we've got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences. And going high means unlocking the shackles of lies and mistrust with the only thing that can truly set us free: the cold hard truth. So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is. Now, I understand that my message won't be heard by some people. We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic Convention. But enough of you know me by now. You know that I tell you exactly what I'm feeling. You know I hate politics. But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children. So if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: if you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can; and they will if we don't make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it. I know Joe. He is a profoundly decent man, guided by faith. He was a terrific vice president. He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic, and lead our country. And he listens. He will tell the truth and trust science. He will make smart plans and manage a good team. And he will govern as someone who's lived a life that the rest of us can recognize. When he was a kid, Joe's father lost his job. When he was a young senator, Joe lost his wife and his baby daughter. And when he was vice president, he lost his beloved son. So Joe knows the anguish of sitting at a table with an empty chair, which is why he gives his time so freely to grieving parents. Joe knows what it's like to struggle, which is why he gives his personal phone number to kids overcoming a stutter of their own. His life is a testament to getting back up, and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up, to help us heal and guide us forward. Now, Joe is not perfect. And he'd be the first to tell you that. But there is no perfect candidate, no perfect president. And his ability to learn and grow—we find in that the kind of humility and maturity that so many of us yearn for right now. Because Joe Biden has served this nation his entire life without ever losing sight of who he is; but more than that, he has never lost sight of who we are, all of us. Joe Biden wants all of our kids to go to a good school, see a doctor when they're sick, live on a healthy planet. And he's got plans to make all of that happen. Joe Biden wants all of our kids, no matter what they look like, to be able to walk out the door without worrying about being harassed or arrested or killed. He wants all of our kids to be able to go to a movie or a math class without being afraid of getting shot. He wants all our kids to grow up with leaders who won't just serve themselves and their wealthy peers but will provide a safety net for people facing hard times. And if we want a chance to pursue any of these goals, any of these most basic requirements for a functioning society, we have to vote for Joe Biden in numbers that cannot be ignored. Because right now, folks who know they cannot win fair and square at the ballot box are doing everything they can to stop us from voting. They're closing down polling places in minority neighborhoods. They're purging voter rolls. They're sending people out to intimidate voters, and they're lying about the security of our ballots. These tactics are not new. But this is not the time to withhold our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning. We have got to vote like we did in 2008 and 2012. We've got to show up with the same level of passion and hope for Joe Biden. We've got to vote early, in person if we can. We've got to request our mail-in ballots right now, tonight, and send them back immediately and follow-up to make sure they're received. And then, make sure our friends and families do the same. We have got to grab our comfortable shoes, put on our masks, pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast too, because we've got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to. Look, we have already sacrificed so much this year. So many of you are already going that extra mile. Even when you're exhausted, you're mustering up unimaginable courage to put on those scrubs and give our loved ones a fighting chance. Even when you're anxious, you're delivering those packages, stocking those shelves, and doing all that essential work so that all of us can keep moving forward. Even when it all feels so overwhelming, working parents are somehow piecing it all together without child care. Teachers are getting creative so that our kids can still learn and grow. Our young people are desperately fighting to pursue their dreams. And when the horrors of systemic racism shook our country and our consciences, millions of Americans of every age, every background rose up to march for each other, crying out for justice and progress. This is who we still are: compassionate, resilient, decent people whose fortunes are bound up with one another. And it is well past time for our leaders to once again reflect our truth. So, it is up to us to add our voices and our votes to the course of history, echoing heroes like John Lewis who said, "When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something." That is the truest form of empathy: not just feeling, but doing; not just for ourselves or our kids, but for everyone, for all our kids.
This is very valuable information. Please pass it along to all who might need to know this. As long as the Fascist-in-Chief is trying to actively PREVENT people from voting by sabotaging the postal service, there ARE other ways to get your ballot counted. If you are worried about COVID and do not want to or cannot vote in person on voting day perhaps for a reason other than COVID, there are other places you can drop off your ballot BEFORE the election. Here in California, in addition to numerous drop boxes in my county, I can return my ballot anytime before election day to my county clerk's office. Some states even allow a proxy to drop it off for you. Read below to find out more! Don't let the Monster thwart your vote for Biden.
Absentee ballots don't need to be returned through the mail. Here are other options. BY SOPHIE LEWIS AUGUST 15, 2020 / 12:59 PM / CBS NEWS As the United States Postal Service faces a financial crisis and nationwide in-person voting seems less and less likely due to the coronavirus pandemic, voters around the country are concerned that their votes will be compromised. But absentee ballots do not need to be returned through the mail — there are several other options to make sure your ballot arrives on time. President Trump requested an absentee ballot himself, but his positions on funding USPS and voting-by-mail have been inconsistent. And on Friday, USPS warned 41 states that it may not be able to deliver all mail-in ballots on time. According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, casting a ballot using a voting machine at a polling place has declined steadily in popularity over the last several election cycles, with more voters choosing early voting, absentee voting and vote-by-mail. More than 50% of voters in 16 states cast their votes in one of these ways in 2016. USPS is the only way to receive an absentee or mail-in ballot in most states. However, there are many ways to vote by mail that do not involve returning your ballots through USPS. "In the states where election officials mail ballots to all registered voters, recent data shows the majority of those voters do not return their ballots in the mail," a 2017 EAC report stated. "They either drop them off at designated locations or at drop boxes." Click here for up-to-date information on voting in your state during the pandemic. - In-Person Early Voting Forty states and the District of Columbia have some form of early voting in place, allowing voters to cast their ballot in person while avoiding crowds. Some states have even extended early voting due to the pandemic. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) website has information on early voting by state. - Local Election Office or Polling Location Almost all states allow voters to deliver their ballots in person at their local election office. To find a list of local election offices, you can search your state Board of Elections website or Secretary of State website. However, many voters may not live close enough to return their ballot to a location election office. In this case, they may be able to instead return it to an alternative location. According to the NCSL, eleven states and Washington D.C. allow voters to drop off ballots at any in-person voting locations in the county, including Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Two states, New Hampshire and Vermont, allow voters to return their ballots to a polling place. In these cases, a voter must return their ballot to their assigned precinct polling place on Election Day. Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia allow someone else to return ballots on behalf of voters. Communities can designate a single person to collect ballots for the community, keeping voters with higher risks of contracting coronavirus safe in their homes. Ten states permit an absentee ballot to be returned by the voter's family member: Arizona, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio and Oklahoma. In some states, the number of ballots a single person can collect may be limited. Check the NCSL website for details on ballot collection in each state. Remember to wear a mask and maintain social distancing when delivering your ballot in person. - Drop Boxes Drop boxes — special containers for voters to drop off absentee ballots in sealed envelopes — have become more commonplace in the last decade, and are an efficient and secure way to return your ballot while entirely skipping the mail process. Those monitored by surveillance cameras are often available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, while others that are monitored by election workers have specified hours of operation. Boxes are often placed in convenient and accessible locations, including city or county office buildings, libraries, college campuses, community centers and along public transit routes. Eleven states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington — have ballot drop boxes set up in some or all counties, NCSL says. The EAC recommends counties install one drop box for every 15,000 to 20,000 registered voters. It also advises that officials make the locations of these drop boxes publicly known 80 days before an election — which is Saturday, August 15. The number of drop boxes varies widely by state. Michigan says that it has nearly 1,000 drop boxes ready to go ahead of the election, and Connecticut recently installed around 200 drop boxes just one month before its primary election. But Ohio's Secretary of State Frank LaRose said this week that he is banning counties from adding any more drop boxes, saying its too close to the election to make new changes. Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett said his state does not allow drop boxes for fear voters may feel pressured by peers to vote a certain way. In June, President Trump and the RNC sued election officials in Pennsylvania to prevent the state from using drop boxes. This week, a federal judge ordered them to provide evidence of vote-by-mail fraud in the state. Typically, election officials need to receive absentee/mailed ballots by the time polls close on Election Day, November 3. Some states accept ballots received after this date if they were postmarked before the election. Check with your local election office to figure out which option is best for you.
This upcoming election might well be the most important in the history of the United States. Not only are we facing a literal Fascist coup, we are doing so in a global pandemic. It is extremely vital that we all vote to rid the country of this pestilence--the type that our ancestors fought in World War II--but stay safe doing so. The solution is to vote by mail, which states have offered and utilized for many, many years now, but of course the Republicans are falsely claiming that voting by mail is fraudulent, corrupt, and an attempt by Democrats to "rig the presidential election" according to the Fascist-in-Chief. In fact, the Fascist-in-Chief appointed a sycophantic donor, Louis De Joy, as head of the U postal service and he promptly fired top executives and restructured the organization to deliberately slow down mail.
As mentioned, voting by mail has been happening in the United States since the Civil War! And there is no evidence or proof of widespread fraud in the system and there is no proof that voting by mail benefits one political party over another.
So this year, consider voting by mail. I live in California where all registered voters will be mailed a ballot to return either by mail, in person on election day, or in my case, I can drop it off anytime at my country courthouse. If you are planning on voting by mail, please check your state's timing requirements at vote.org to see by when you need to request a mail-in ballot (if one is not being automatically sent to you like here in California), and by when it needs to be returned in order to be counted.
This page has vote by mail information listed by state but your situation may have changed due to the pandemic.
Some people don't want their lives improved, they want the lives of those they hate made worse. We won't change their minds on that, but we can outnumber them. PLEASE VOTE for Biden.
Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.
Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."
The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."
For those of us in the United States, but also for many in other parts of the world, these dark days should motivate us to rise above the ugliness, hatred, and divisiveness and affirm the value of the human being. We can be better than the leaders who are leading us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of people who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.
Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.
Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."
The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."
For those of us in the United States, but also for many in other parts of the world, these dark days should motivate us to rise above the ugliness and affirm the value of the human being. We can be better than the leaders who are leading us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of people who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.
The new video for "Love It If We Made it" by The 1975 is pretty devastating. Lyrics reference drug culture, racism, the new nonsensical world of post-facts, dying and dead immigrants, the looming death of our planet via climate change, the current culture's (and President's) stomach-churning obsession with fame and celebrity, Black Lives Matter, Trumpism and his revolting misogyny and breathtaking lies and cruelty and petty gossip mongering, and WW III happening right now, fought piecemeal all over the globe. The video images reference the death of the world's oceans by plastic, the destruction of cities and countries by their own regimes, the insane gun culture of the United States, the opioid crisis, the continued assault on people of color, the unethical for-profit prison system that has infected much of the world, ongoing homophobia, Harvey Weinstein and Brett Kavanaugh and the #MeToo movement started by women who have had enough of being sexual victims, the horrific Grenfell Tower fire, and white supremacists and the KKK. That is what this song and video is about while masquerading as a fun little pop ditty.
But the montage of the faces of young people must be--has to be--a direct call to action. The youth vote is the only thing that is going to turn the world around. THAT is what this song is about too. With the rise of xenophobic right-wing isolationists in the United States and around the world, with Trumpism ripping apart any shred of humanity left in the US, we MUST vote in the upcoming mid-terms. This is the first step in restoring sanity and humanist values. This is not a drill, this is not a test, this is not something that will blow over, this is not something that can be waited out, this is not a game, this is not a reality show. It is literally life and death at this point. We have had decades and decades of warnings to change the way we behave and now we hear the news: we have maybe 20 years left. After that, the seas will be too warm to support the oceanic food chain so no more food. More Category 5 hurricanes, more droughts, more wild fires. The rising waters will displace millions and millions of people--if you think there is an immigration problem now, just wait 20 years. Earth is really dying. We are killing ourselves. And the ones who are in power now are doing nothing to right the ship and reverse course. They don't care. They--and their supporters--don't care that we are going to be out of land, out of food, and out of luck. They don't care that people of color are being assassinated, they don't care that women are being raped, they don't care that children are shot en masse in their own schools (of course conservatives shriek about protecting fetuses, but once you are born, then they will destroy you). We need decency, sanity, the ability to think ahead and determine consequences. As John F. Kennedy said, we need leaders who believe in human dignity as the source of national purpose, human liberty as the source of national action, and the human heart as the source of national compassion. And when you see conservative leaders and their supporters siding with Neo-Nazis and white supremacists, denying a safe haven for those ravaged by poverty and war, giving--yet again--huge tax cuts and more money to the wealthy and more and more hardships for everyone else, deliberately telling lies to incite violence toward one of our most cherished manifestations of democracy which is a free press, blaming women for being victims of male violence, supporting child molesters and wife beaters and embezzlers and black-out drunk sex-assaulting judges for public office (they have admitted the only reason they do so is to annoy and incite the left, which is harming themselves as well), and trying to destroy any system of sane healthcare in favor of profit margins for insurance companies, it is clear that they are NOT the ones who will bring much needed dignity, purpose, action, liberty, or compassion to the United States.
If you or someone you know has ever thought or said, "I don't vote because my vote doesn't count" has to realize that 2/3 of the US population usually does not vote. If that missing 2/3 did vote, then their vote would matter tremendously (and we have seen proof so many times where a candidate won an office by only a handful of votes). Then they would wield power, and in order to wield power, you have to take it. You have to actually vote. If you or someone you know has ever thought or said, "Well, I'm not really into politics" has to realize that what is before us is not "politics." This is not partisan, this is about survival. We have a chance now. Maybe the last real, clear shot. I too, like The 1975, would love it if we made it, if we pulled through and were brave enough to create the world that the best part of ourselves strive toward.
We're f******g in a car, shooting heroin Saying controversial things just for the hell of it Selling melanin and then suffocate the black men Start with misdemeanours and we'll make a business out of them And we can find out the information Access all the applications That are hardening positions based on miscommunication Oh f**k your feelings Truth is only hearsay We're just left to decay Modernity has failed us And I'd love it if we made it Yes, I'd love it if we made it And poison me daddy I've got the Jones right through my bones Write it on a piece of stone A beach of drowning three-year-olds Rest in peace Lil Peep The poetry is in the streets Jesus save us Modernity has failed us And I'd love it if we made it Yes, I'd love it if we made it And I'd love it if we made it Tell me something I didn't know Consultation Degradation Fossil fuelling Masturbation Immigration Liberal kitsch Kneeling on a pitch "I moved on her like a bitch" Excited to be indicted Unrequited house with seven pools "Thank you Kanye, very cool" The war has been incited and guess what? You're all invited And you're famous Modernity has failed us And I'd love it if we made it And I'd love it if we made it And I'd love it if we made it Tell me something I didn't know
I was going to wait until next April 2019 to post this for National Poetry Month, but it's too good...we need it now.
Personal
By Tony Hoagland
Don’t take it personal, they said;
but I did, I took it all quite personal—
the breeze and the river and the color of the fields;
the price of grapefruit and stamps,
the wet hair of women in the rain—
And I cursed what hurt me
and I praised what gave me joy,
the most simple-minded of possible responses.
The government reminded me of my father,
with its deafness and its laws,
and the weather reminded me of my mom,
with her tropical squalls.
Enjoy it while you can, they said of Happiness
Think first, they said of Talk
Get over it, they said
at the School of Broken Hearts
but I couldn’t and I didn’t and I don’t
believe in the clean break;
I believe in the compound fracture
served with a sauce of dirty regret,
I believe in saying it all
and taking it all back
and saying it again for good measure
while the air fills up with I’m-Sorries
like wheeling birds
and the trees look seasick in the wind.
Oh life! Can you blame me
for making a scene?
You were that yellow caboose, the moon
disappearing over a ridge of cloud.
I was the dog, chained in some fool’s backyard;
barking and barking:
trying to convince everything else
to take it personal too.
Hoagland's poem brings to mind a great quote:
“I think that life is so important and, in its workings, so upsetting, that nobody should be spared, but that it should be rammed down their throats from morning to night.”
--J.R. Ackerley
Can I convince you to take it personal too? Because, really, there is nothing else...
"Oh, By The Way" is my digital scrap book of things I like, things I would share with a close friend and say: “Oh, by the way, do you know of this artist/ clothing or interior designer/ model/ singer/ actor/ gorgeous man… or, have you seen this video/ photo/ film... or heard (or do you remember) this song/ band... or, read this book/ poem/ inspiring quote... or, visited this place/ museum/ restaurant/ famous building... or, have you heard of this amazing new scientific discovery?”
I am dedicated to posting the positive, the fascinating, the beautiful, the interesting, the moving, and the inspiring and uplifting. Sometimes I post cultural as well as personal observations, milestones, and remembrances. And just like life, all of these things may often have a bit of melancholy or even sadness in them, which is what makes our time here so lovely and bittersweet and precious.
Some of the photos, art, poetry, and prose are my own original work, credited with my initials, JEF. When it isn't, I always try to post links to the original source material, but often I find photos on the web that are not linked or other material that is not sourced. In these instances, I post them without malice since it is assumed that such things, by being globally posted on something as uncontrollable as the internet to begin with, are in the public domain. If you identify the source of an image that is not linked, please politely let me know (without accusing me of theft) and I will be happy to provide a link. If you are the owner of an image and would prefer it be removed, I am happy to do that as well.
I hope to inspire and entertain my readers with things that inspire and entertain me. There is a startling amount of beauty and creativity in the world and it enriches us all to participate in it.
All-time Favorite Films
2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick)
After Hours (Hysterical, hair-raising ride through NYC at night)
Amelie
American Beauty (Alan Ball)
Baraka (Stunning, transcending—the "spiritus mundi" on film)
Belle et Bete (Cocteau)
Big Sleep, The (The epitome of film noir)
Bringing Up Baby (Hepburn & Grant—the epitome of screwball comedy)
Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover, The (Greenaway)
Crash (Cronenberg—DIFFICULT subject, not for everyone)
Don’t Look Now (Nicolas Roeg—ultimate modern gothic horror)
Drowning By Numbers (Greenaway)
Easy Rider
Edward II (Derek Jarman)
Erendira (From magic realist Marquez’ brilliant short story)
Eyes Wide Shut (Kubrick's last film)
Fearless (Jeff Bridges—life and death)
Funny Bones (Leslie Caron, Jerry Lewis, and the brilliant Lee Evans)
Holiday (Hepburn & Grant)
Howard’s End (The ultimate statement of the unfairness of class systems)
