Extremism is only rarely a virtue

Yes, just a few people can bring many troubles.
There is a U.S. "church" calling itself Dove
(a highly paradoxical appellation, it turns out)
which intends to publicly burn a copy of the Koran.
The fearless leader of this tiny sect (estimated
membership, 50) proclaims he and his are tired
of being intimidated by kings and others, wants to
bring back the U.S. to its rightful place in the
Sun.

So he thinks our great and glorious nation can
regain its premier position by intentionally
antagonizing irrational, violent extremists abroad?
There is a photo of him and his all white truck
emblazoned with bright red lettering,
"International Burn a Koran Day", 9/11/2010, 6-9 pm".
Mr. "Church of the Dove" Jones is well-advised
to look into a very polished mirror, long and
hard. Maybe then he will counsel his flock to cancel
the ill-advised little conflagration he's planned,
and while he's at it, rename his church too.
Since he and his are NOT peaceful as is the Dove
of the Holy Spirit, how about " U.S. Chapter of
Worldwide Extremists"?

If only this irrational person and his devotees
would consult various history books with a
thoughtful studiousness, they might realize
what has proven true:

Extremism is only rarely a virtue.

A GOOD TIME IN THE GOOD NEWS GARDEN

Friday, August 27th gave Maywood, Illinois a
perfect weather day to showcase the fresh
produce planted by Green Corps, young people
who may have previously never dealt with gardens
of either the vegetable or flower variety.
The Prairie Path "Open House" (outdoors only)
was a tripartite effort by Loyola University
Medicine, Cook County Green Corp and University
of Illinois' Extension....you should have
seen the pride and joy on those young faces!

The garden of course was bursting with tall
leaves of Kale and other vegetables, baby
watermelons hidden between them on the ground,
etc. Today, Saturday, the mature crops
go to the local Farmers' Market for sale.
Meanwhile, the young planters have already
sampled some of their wares. What could be
better?

Projects like this have sprung up all around
the U.S., with many teens gaining insight
into more than mere appreciation of where
food actually comes from. The value and rewards
of teamwork, sensitivity and sustained effort
are pearls beyond price, food for the soul.

In this Good News Garden
a good time was had by all.

Reason, Fairness and Compassion: Off the Table

Why don't most of the politicians and
Wall Streeters read and heed Paul Krugman
and Simon Johnson? There's really only
one ugly reason: The super-rich and
well-fixed political figures really
don't care about middle and lower class
Americans, the majority. As Paul Krugman,
Simon Johnson and James Kwak so ably point
out, the rich and political, hereinafter
referred to as "they","them" or "their",
keep changing their reasons to deny
further assisting the unemployed. I've
seen cries of "socialism", "deficit-driven
depression/bankruptcy", "bond investor
withdrawal risk", etc. ....Whew! Say,
call me when you make up your minds--
AND make some sense.

Some of them have forgotten, if they ever
apprehended it, 6,000 years of recorded
history, oh, and a pithy little saying:
"...You can't fool all of the people all
of the time". The scales of Justice
sometimes swing back to weigh in favor of
the oppressed. Yet I see that many of
"them" must act and live by the old saw,
"take the money and run". But by forgetting
the lessons of history and economics, in the
long run, EVERYONE pays for stupid,
narrow-interest policies, even the very
proponents of same.

TO THE POWERS THAT BE: FIX UNEMPLOYMENT

(1) Exhort those sitting on cash to hire!
Productivity numbers have lied for decades;
I'm here to attest to the sharp decline in
accuracy AND quality; you can't really do
"more with less", you just do LESS.

(2) If there is stimulus money unspent, allocate
it to employ people to fix our infrastructure.
Realize nothing lasts forever, not even the proton.
(Reading more science over a lifetime versus
partaking in many pointless social
opportunities would be a big help here.)
If the stimulus fund HAS truly been spent,
vote more money to do this vital work which
has been stupidly, niggardly, overlooked.

TO THE LARGER ELECTORATE:
Remember in November.
(Please, remember in November.)

Unless a miracle of sane policy or
voter awareness/alacrity occurs, reason,
fairness and compassion are off the table.

Clean Air or Clean House: The Senate

The Union of Concerned Scientists is quite disturbed by the
current Senate inaction on climate change legislation, and so
am I. The following is a letter I sent to Illinois Senators
Durbin and Burris through the Union of Concerned Scientists'
take action website, which encourages editing the sample
letter they thoughtfully provide:

Some Senators are attempting to delay or block the EPA's
authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate global
warming emissions. These sorts of attacks are unacceptable:
the very politicians who want things to remain as they are
haven't read enough science to understand that the impending
climate change danger affects everyone on Earth--INCLUDING
their OWN families.

This denial insanity has progressed so far that even
physicist Stephen Hawking has been quoted as making
outrageous statements like "We must leave Earth or
face extinction." --What?? Say, let's fix things
right here, right now, while there may yet
be time. Moving to another planet to continue the sad
historical human pattern of overpopulating, polluting and
violence isn't even in the realm of possibility for several
hundred years, so let's get down to business now, shall we?

The question becomes, "Is the Clean Air Act the law, or not?"
If it IS the law, Congress must find a way to enforce it,
period. Otherwise it might be time to politically clean
house, if not the air, in subsequent elections.

Crazy Like a "Fox": Insanity Creep Grips the Nation

In their "coverage" of Shirley Sherrod, Fox News has
revealed (yet again) several symptoms of organizational
insanity, formerly referred to as "the Big Lie", a tactic
used by the unconscionable over the centuries, but more
recently, spectacularly and hideously, by the Nazis and
racist U.S. southern state politicians of notorious
yore/lore. To wit, (if scarcely witty):

(1)--Say anything! Don't bother with further research, post
a video purportedly making your point without even really
reviewing it, etc. That's what worthy news outlets believe
in doing, yessir. Then, with egg on your face after the world
discovers your egregious error, self-righteously backpedal
and blame the hated Obama White House for not properly vetting
what Ms. Sherrod said at an NAACP meeting.--Whew!
Lie and deny, me oh MY.

(2) Yet insanity creep is gripping much of the U.S.,
because this news outlet is crazy like a fox, knowing
that many Americans are intellectually lazy, won't
dedicate the time to ascertain accuracy in invidious
accusations like this. Sadly and inexcusably,
an administration official was just as negligent as
Fox News. But UNLIKE Fox, the White House jumped to an
apology with alacrity after discovering their mistake,
offering to rehire Ms. Sherrod, who appears to be mulling
such an idea over carefully....very carefully.

Alexis De Toqueville, touring a young America in 1831,
observed the nation's flaws even then, and we haven't,
regrettably, reformed them since. A hunger for novelty,
not delving deeply into important issues or knowledge,
makes Americans hostage to liars of every stripe and
agenda. (Bernie Madoff, anyone? He "made off" with the
money, fulfilling the negative imperatives of his name.)

What M. Alexis saw is at bottom of the worst excesses
and errors of the entire business world as well. Those
laid off during deep recessions are not usually rehired
by their old employers, and at least since 1982, I've
noticed the wholesale elimination of job titles.
Foisting more tasks on those still working has
become common practice.

Are any of you patriotic, truly? If so, don't fall
for the crazy like a "Fox" in our culture. Demand
more from yourselves and all others. After all,
people who love their country can't possibly
enjoy jokes or criticism about their nation's
very public rash stupidities.

At least I don't. Who likes derogatory comments
about their mother? One's country is at once
mother and home....

We forget that at our peril.

The Good Fight Wages on , Everywhere

Just when the constant barrage of negative network news
threatens to overwhelm many of us, with its horrifyingly
repetitive, seeming inevitability, we can be reminded that
everywhere, the good fight wages on.

Here are just a few of the many ways to be inspired:

(1) We can go outside, stay awhile! (But observe all
safety/health measures.) Let's try to do without our
sexy tech cells, etc. for a few daylight hours a week.
(2) Follow PBS (Public Broadcasting) programming, even
their substations, and you will see that everywhere, even
in the poorest sections of the globe, good and positive
efforts are succeeding. Particularly view newscasts from
all around the world, for a better world perspective, and
I don't mean Google Earth, pretty as that is.
(3) Volunteer! Every community has need of whatever
gifts we may possess, so why not share them; the feeling
one gets is like nothing else, even love, but then,
it IS a form of love, no?

Recently I took my own advice (1) and went canoeing for
the first time, thanks to my very kind and smart nephew.
Being on the water in a local lagoon for two hours was
balm indeed for an over-harried mind. Calm waters
can smooth turbulent emotions....even merely recalling
the experience is calming and pleasant.

Following item (2) I found a little something called
mindtv.org, which allows everyone to put a program
on tv. It's similar to CAN TV in many respects, but
unlike CAN, only a free broadcast tv with PBS is required
to receive it. Like CAN TV, mindtv.org is accessed by web
and cable as well.

So, yes, this blog focuses on the many errors everywhere,
but now and again good news is great, important too.

Let's join the good fight, wherever we find it.

Fast Flight from Common Sense on Facebook

Yessir, Facebook is surely a study in contradictions and
extremes. One thread covers memorializing a departed gifted
friend, important issues of the day, as well as the usual minor
ordinary occurrence. Then there's the thread, 60,000 fans strong,
which is cheering on the 19 year old fugitive thief/burglar who
reportedly stole planes, boats, cars and $1,500.

The "Barefoot Bandit, Colton Harris-Moore, escaped from
a halfway house two years ago after a troubled childhood. His
mother has a different last name, hasn't had custody since
he was 17, hasn't seen him for two and a half years. She says
the charges against her son are "exaggerated".

But it's no exaggeration to say that there's something wrong
with a culture which can produce 60,000 "fans" of a disturbed
young thief who was eventually apprehended carrying a handgun.
A fund created for Harris-Moore has already received donations.

One of his victims said it best: "Just knowing he has a huge
network of supporters makes me really worry about the state
of this country." Indeed.

Hey, if anyone has a charitable itch they are yearning
to scratch, donating to needy children and animals would seem
a better way to spend money and supportive sentiments.

But that would involve genuine caring, not circus-like entertainments.