[Alffe]

Kathy I can't even imagin how terrifying it must be to live each day with that hanging over your head. I so admire you for your courage and I kinda like that fella you're living with although I don't know him as well as I feel like I know you. I wanted to tell you that I love you and remind you that you can talk about how you are feeling here with this other family of yours. I pray that we will be out of Iraq before next May.

I thought of you this morning while reading the newspaper. Here is a letter from the Voice of the People page.

"According to an under-reported news item, Native Americans will be the lucky recipients of 2,000 unused FEMA trailers. There are reportedly some 90,000 homeless or "underhoused" native people.

The worst act of terrorism committed on American soil was not 9/11, it was the atrocities perpetrated against the American Indians. The white man stole their land, murdered and starved them, brought them disease and alcoholism and herded them onto reservations. Now they are to be housed in these formaldehyde-saturated fire traps.

"60 Minutes" featured a segment last fall that showed congressmen bemoaning the high cost of living in Washington, D.C. Since there are around
10,000 of these unused trailers, why not make these deluxe accommodations available for our elected officials? To free up even more housing for permanent residents, lobbyists and visiting dignitaries could luxuriate in them. Instead of Camp David, why not Camp FEMA?

FEMA's moronic idea rubs salt in the wounds left by the odious history of the Trail of Tears and Wounded Knee. The myth of shining city on a hill is lacking in luster."

Janet Collins

***********************
More hugs in case you missed the first one.

[KathyM]

I wonder if complementary blankets came with those trailers.

Here's one that makes me go "Police Pepper Spray Infant"

http://opposingdigits.com/vlog/?p=1891

It's difficult for me to wrap my head around this story. The police are saying they are justified in pepper spraying and INFANT because they didn't know the gathering was an annual soccer celebration. They were justified because a simple gathering of natives caused them to fear for their lives!?! Pepper spray isn't like teargas, it's a steady stream. They intentionally sprayed the woman and infant in her arms.

They say the man became hostile towards the police. I've seen that happen before, and the "suspect" usually looks roughed up afterward. This man still has his sunglasses on his head, and his shirt still looks fresh (not stretched out of shape).

So much for taking a break from war and racial discrimination/oppression and trying to enjoy a soccer game with your family and friends.

I'm glad those police don't patrol our streets when a Little League championship is on the line.

[Doody]

Oi vey ((Kathy)). What a disgrace. Those poor people and those poor kids!

Yes, I think the FEMA trailers should be used as suggested above.

[Addy]

Hi my friends... I'm incognito because of relatives visiting the past 10 days (sister Sparkle still here )...

KathyM... I'm ashamed to say that the pepper spray incident happened HERE in my area. It made the tv news for many days and still isn't over. It was an annual soccer win celebration and the ignorant RCMP member did NOT have any business abusing their "power"... it has done a terrible damage to the advances we have all made to get along.

Apparently the Chief has forgiven the RCMP which in turn has his people very upset, demanding that he no longer be Chief.

I am ashamed of the prejudice in our world.... and equally saddened and disturbed by the fact that we seem to forget that the person we persecute is a brother or sister human being.

Someone very close to me has learned that one of her children is gay. Until that time, she was very critical of gay people and thus, was prejudice. It makes me sad that it took a "rude awakening" to change her views that being gay was a "choice" or a "bad thing".

I forgive those who live in silence and ignorance behind rose coloured glasses.
I cannot forgive those who make a loud statement with their prejudice ... without reason or understanding they destroy their fellow humans.
That, to me, is unforgiveable.

I hope the war is over soon.
I want every mother's son and daughter home safely.
Sadly, they will never be the same.

I apologive for my thoughts running all over today.

[KathyM]

Thanks Doody

Hi Addy - sorry to hear you have the runs

It looks like the chief was placed in a tough position. If they took any type of stand against the police, you know the harassment would continue - at maybe an even higher level. That is, if your cops are anything like ours here - ours have the ways and means to have the last word. But, it also looks a little weak to accept an apology when you know it's not sincere, and the offense will most likely happen again. What does a person do, huh?

How I wish people would begin to care for each other as they would their own - or at least as they would want to be treated themselves.

I've heard the military often refers to Iraq as "Indian country" and insurgents as "savages." One Native American in Iraq (20-yr Army Veteran) was quoted as saying "It made me wonder whose side I was fighting on." It's so sad to see Iraqi children pretending to kill "insurgents" as a form of play, and to hear them say they learned it from us. How will this effect them 10-15 years from now?

Why do we consider it such an honor to destroy another human being? Is a victory still honorable when everyone knows the method to achieve the victory was not?

My husband took me out for a rainbow cone last night. Mmmmmmmm. The place was packed with - you guessed it - kids, parents and grandparents after a soccer match. Those kids were quite excited and loud. I was thankful they were allowed to have some fun without getting pepper sprayed. I suspect it was an honorable victory.

We sat outside and ate our ice cream together, gazing at the trees in a park across the street (it's either a cemetery or a golf course - can't remember). We watched a storm come in, so the skyline above the trees put on a great show for us. The storm gave us enough time to finish our ice cream before it started raining.

Now you got me running all over. It must be contagious - maybe it was the ice cream.

[Doody]

Originally Posted by Alffe

... "According to an under-reported news item, Native Americans will be the lucky recipients of 2,000 unused FEMA trailers. There are reportedly some 90,000 homeless or "underhoused" native people.

On the news this morning, CNN, FOX, I don't remember. They were interviewing one of the people using one of the FEMA trailers. Now they are reporting physical illnesses from the people living in the trailer. Before the news reporter even SAID what the problem was, I knew. It's formaldehyde.

When I bought my new mobile home 5 years ago, the person who sold it to me warned that mobile homes are full of formaldehyde when they are new. He said if I noticed any physical problems, I should let them know and that someone would come out and do something to it to reduce the formaldehyde problems. I didn't really notice anything (well I have so many physical problems anyway), but I did notice all of my cats started losing their fur! One of them, last year, died from cancer and she wasn't very old.

So now here we have a gazillion of these trailers full of formaldehyde.

I say, move them onto the white house lawn.

Formaldehyde news bits: Bayou Buzz

Toxic Tin Cans

Fema's response In other words, let's go the beauracratic way and take our time fixing the problem.

[Addy]

Kathy, I enjoy reading about those times your husband takes you out.
Thank him for me.

We have two types of cops in Canada - City Police and RCMP. City Police are in Toronto or Vancouver - densely populated cities where you'll find the majority of problems. RCMP are "stationed" and move around our country from town to town.

Like politicians and most other people in power (including clergy!), cops do not always walk the talk.

Humans are so complex.

I wish cops weren't consumed with their "power" because they so often abuse it...
and they lose ground ....
and respect.
They really haven't lived enough life to understand how complex the world is.

The older I get...
The kinder I become...

I'm more accepting...

and wish others would let the anger go...

its so much easier to live, I think.

[Addy]

Re: Formaldeyde...
Damn... damn, DAMN!

I wonder and I wonder why Katrina is still damaging lives!!!!!

Inside I scream -
USA - quit killing people... save your own people!
It really can't be that difficult to do?