I'd say I'm going to take tonight off, but I already did-- I've been asleep on the couch for hours (all the way through Bullitt!) and am just over here to post a picture so you all know I'm alive, and then I'm falling into bed.
Last year, just after my husband died of ALS, I made a plan for what I needed to do going forward. My goal was simple: grieve my loss, care for our daughters and help them recover- and not get lost in depression.
There were four steps in the plan. First, adopt a dog again. Fresh air and exercise are helpful in staving off depression and anxiety and dogs- and their people- need exercise. Second, go back to being an artist-I make and sell bead woven jewelry. Third, go back to school-I had started a masters program 35 years ago; it was time to finish what I’d started. And fourth, get back to spending more time with friends and family.
Adopting a dog proved to be a real challenge-Kiri was advertised as a lab mix. Yes, she is mostly black, short haired and has amber eyes. But she didn’t act like a lab so I did a DNA test on her. Turns out, she is half mountain cur, a third pit bull, and the rest is mostly German Shepard. Three big, active, reactive, aggressive, protective breeds. Yikes! I’d wanted an exercise buddy. I adopted an Olympic level athlete!
Going back to working my art was much easier- and my sales at area art fairs have been off the charts. But going back to school in the midst of a pandemic was impossible-at least short term.
Fortunately, I found Dr. Richardson’s LFAA- and this community. And as others have said so often, I have learned more American history here, and more about how to be active in protecting our democracy from all of you than I ever thought possible. I also found a whole group of people I have come to think of as friends- who care as deeply about preserving democracy as I do and so inadvertently found a way towards my fourth goal-time with family and friends.
All of you have my deepest gratitude for taking me to school with you this year. Thank you! And special thanks to Buddy Poland for the beautiful photos. Now its time to go to the dog park. We’ve miles to go…….
Such a devastating loss and still you're moving forward. What an amazing example of resilience you are for your children. May the new year bring you joy and continued purpose. ❤️
Thanks so much for this Diane. My girls, ages 35 and 29, are amazing young women and very resourceful in their own right. When one of us stumbles, the others help us get up. Together, we’ll make it. 💕
It has been a wonderful morning with subscribers, the comments, music and love.
Sheila B, your goals: mourning, care for daughters, exercise with dog Kiri, walks, art, friends and family, along with embracing of us all -- thank you. Being with you here this Sunday morning, Sheila, has brought more light to the day.
Thank you, Sheila, for your great comments. I would like you to add to number two - another part of art, and that is "Writing," for that is another thing at which you are good.
I was so taken with your post. Yesterday evening, a friend who very suddenly and tragically lost his significant other to a massive heart attack (she was only 53 and had no symptoms) called me to ask me "a dumb question." Of course, it wasn't dumb at all, it was an excuse to talk about Susie and his experiences with the grief journey and a whole host of other topics. He has inherited the responsibility of caring for her massive collection of rescued cats (down to 21 now); she could never turn away from a lost or injured cat. So, that is keeping him busy. He's also doing a lot of self help through reading about loss and grief, and now, he has decided to pursue a lifelong dream to play the piano! We had a lot of laughs, a long, long and deep discussion of dealing with personal pain and the need to go forward. I have too much experience, as a widow and having recently lost a brother, but with experience comes responsibility to reach out. As I told him, it helps me to listen and learn and share as much as it helps another. The holidays don't HAVE to be dismal for those who have lost loved ones if we reach out to each other and hold each other close in love.
Oh, the dumb question: was my Christmas tree actually decorated with ornaments that students had made and given me over the years? If so, he wanted to encourage his sister to use her student ornaments this way. My tree (not up this year due to two playful cats) was literally covered with hundreds of grubby little ornaments and if you backed away from it and squinted, it was actually quite pretty!
Good for you on your journey! Keep the faith! Keep moving forward!
I’m laughing a little at your wonderful description of a Christmas tree covered with “hundreds of grubby little ornaments.” Glen was a retired shop teacher so our tree has plenty of grubby little wood ornaments, lol. Fortunately, I have been able to balance the grubby just a bit with a few hand woven beaded ornaments. Smile.
I also know the pain of losing a brother-I’m ever so sorry.
Thanks for the encouragement and good wishes. Right back at you!
Sheila, what a wonderful piece of writing! Depression act like a maelstrom where the vortex keeps pulling you down. By taking proactive measures, you are avoiding being sucked in. I agree that Heather's readers become a supportive community that adds a historical basis for taking steps to keep our democracy. You can give others strength.
Love the appellation "mountain cur" for the generously diverse basic hound dog (who but a hound could manage to come out one-third?). Is that an official breed, Sheila, or did you make it up? Cheers to you and Kiri....
Lol. Yes, official breed and she definitely lives up to the appellation. Bred for hunting small rodents and also kept as farm dogs. The rescue I worked with brought her back from a large “kill” shelter in Alabama. She has quickly learned the joys of being a couch potato, and learned-the hard way- to respect my cats. We are still working on greeting people without jumping up and nipping at them. 65 lbs lunging at your face is a bit scary. Cur is not usually the first word I use when she misbehaves but it works…..🤣
Bless you Sheila. I am so glad you have joined our family. Thank goodness for us finding Heather. I have learned so much in the 2 years that I have been one of her readers. Heather is a few months younger than my daughter, Lori. I love reading comments. I am on vacation in Florida until mid January when I return home so it is hard to be connected. I do try to catch up when I have a chance. Happy Holidays....and life does more forward after the death of your husband. I lost mine at the age of 31 back in 1974. I have survived! Yes, I have made a lot of mistakes along the way! Hugs
You’ve earned it. A couple of Sundays ago you posted one of Buddy’s photos and said on Monday we would carry on. I’ve been carrying the words and melody of an old folk song that became an anthem of the civil rights movement in my head ever since.
Carry It On
“ There's a man by my side walking
There's a voice within me talking,
There's a word that needs a sayin’,
Carry on, carry it on. Carry on, carry it on“
(It was later recorded by Joan Baez and Judy Collins)
Gil Turner was a prominent American folksinger and songwriter in Greenwich Village in the early ‘60’s. He was the first to record Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Don't Think Twice."
What a terrible indictment of America that this song needed to be written.
What a benediction of America’s best soul that it holds within it people such as Gil Turner, Len Chandler, and Joan Baez to bring forth a song of this simple magnificence.
Evil will always be countered with truth and courage.
Hope you read Sheila B's inspiring words this morning. From mourning, care of her daughters, return to art, walks with dog Kiri... to a touching embrace of subscribers on the forum.
Thanks, Ellie. The younger Joan had such a beautiful soprano singing voice, not that the still doesn't sing well. I first saw her in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband David Harris, in 1968.
Well, she went to the same High School as I in Palo Alto and was my friend's older sister's best friend. She was years ahead of us but we first heard her name when we were in Junior High when word got around that she refused to go home during an atomic bomb practice alert. She has been ahead of the times all of her life!!
Apparently we do now have the capability of editing on here! After you post something, in the line where it says "Delete", next to it you'll see 3 little dots. Click on them and it then opens your comments for you to edit. Substack joins the 21st Century!!
It would be difficult to exaggerate the benefit of reading your views of present developments in their historical context. While no one would want to add to the stressful enterprises of teaching and producing a daily letter, believe in gratitude from me and all I know who subscribe—thank you, and have a splendid and (really?) restful holiday.
Just reading everyone’s comments gives me glimmers of hope in a society gone quite mad . The photo is brilliant and nature in all its glory reminding us of how blessed we are to be here . Yes Heather you deserve to rest and put your feet up as your facts , history and calm amidst the storm give us what we need to counter the lies and selfishness. Thank you thank you and Merry merry Christmas to you and yours
This week I found much hope as I have read Love your enemies, by Arthur C Brooks. Every one of us can Listen. Listening to Dr R, I never hear contempt. Now I will finish the book and go forward with a sound track Carry it on.
Always busy. No rest for those who fight the system.
Today was different though. We lost our Norwegian Elkhound over a year ago, He was 16, a long time forgone to live. He had many accomplishments along the way. He taught a young boy how not to be afraid of dogs. He was my walking companion in Michigan, in upstate New York and in Ohio when I could not find work in Michigan. We walked miles together on and off lead on the dirt roads and hills around Cazanovia and Lexington.
In the end and as he grew weaker, we would walk the perimeter of the yards on either side on my house. His nose to the ground catching the scents of the animals which passed through there.. He grew weaker over that time and he finally succumbed to old age and we released him. "T" for Tyler was a great friend.
Today, my wife of 50+ years and I rescued a young female German Shepard. She is acclimating to our new home in AZ and has bonded with my wife for now. Of course, she will accompany me on many new journeys exploring AZ. I am looking forward to it. We saved a life and will gain from it in the end.
Kind of happy right now in spite of the near overthrow of our country. For a moment at least . . .
Bill, I love that you and your wife have rescued a dog after a year of loneliness. I am posting a link to a musical piece called "Off Leash". It's written by a man we met over Thanksgiving. His piece was written in memory of a beloved dog. As a dog lover, you will recognize each movement. Here's to the new dog!🎉
My best friend has had Elkhounds all the time I've known her. Her original pair (Willa, who she got as a puppy) and Sheba (who was a rescue) both lived into their late teens. She had two senior rescues (Cora and Hunter) both of whom had hard lives before her and were able to live their senior years in a good place. Her current Elkhound Jasper is also a rescue, but he's a young 'un, and I call him a counter-tenor; his bark is high pitched.
More than anyone else, I bet you know why her home wi fi is named "Bark Bark".
"T" as we called him was our 3rd. Before him was Smokey who we raised from a puppy. Our first Elkhound was Tyra, a smaller 40# boss of the house who watched over the children, taught a puppy how to behave, and adopted a black Lab who was almost twice her size. She ruled the house. Great family dogs.
"T" and I would disappear for hours at a time. He would point pheasants, wonder what the big bird strutting in the barnyard was able, stare at the huge snappers . . . Just a curious male who welcomed strangers to our home after many barks. He did protect my wife.
When I was ill with pneumonia, he crawled up on top of me just looking at my wife to see if it was ok. He was warm but heavy. I have catatropic insurance at the time. The clerks at the hospital took pity on me and told me to get my lab work done at Quest. Hence my interest in healthcare for all. Been asked to write articles on Opioids, Maternal healthcare, etc.
Too many more stories to tell now.
This young female Shepard did not eat much yet and is still adjusting. She is sleeping near me in the den. I think she was given up as the papers had a birth date on it. She was sleeping on my wife's feet last night. She likes her humans.
You will never know how much these letters mean to me. I have always said the best teachers are those who absolutely love their subject. And that is how I look at you, as a teacher. And, by the way, how I look at so many of the commentators here... so many smart and wonderful teachers. Rest up, thank you, and happy holidays to all.
Sometime back, someone (how's that for specificity???) suggested that we are all students at Letters from an American University. I'm with you; I love this cohort of people we have here.
Heather and her Now & Then podcast partner Joanne Freeman talked about being teachers, getting the calling, and teaching so much more than didactic subject matter. Sorry I can’t find the link, but I’m sure it was a Now & Then Backstage chat.
Heather, the fact that all of us think of you by your first name is a sign of the incredible intimacy with which you write and inform us all. You are like that photo, a sunrise that came when we were in the dark. Thank you for the generosity with you which you tend to your work as a historian who teaches us all. Your knowledge educates us, and Inspires , and motivates us to be better citizens and keepers of our democracy. I quote you and share your wisdom with others. Like that sunrise, your light reaches out.
Thank you…. For every letter. I never miss your class.
The photo is gorgeous and reminds us that we must fight to never lose our democracy. Thank you for helping us to see the truth through the smoke of lies. We need you desperately!
What a vista ... Truly, nature is the artiste supreme!!
While the good professor sleeps, this might be a good time to share this good news from Steven Donziger:
12/15/21
I write to share a stunning update: after 45 days spent largely in lockdown in Danbury prison, I am now out. Prison authorities furloughed me last Thursday to serve the rest of my six-month sentence (now 131 days) at home — just like I had spent the previous 813 days before prison due to the unprecedented Chevron-engineered targeting of me.
Needless to say, I am thrilled by this turn of events.
But one thing I want to say immediately: thanks to each of you. I felt your presence every minute of every day behind bars suffering through what undoubtedly was the biggest challenge of my life. Conditions were abysmal. But I and many of my new mates on the inside knew there was a powerful force for accountability flowing like a wave over the prison and that it came from the movement we have built together. And I think that movement had a great deal to do with my early release.
Your presence on the outside made me feel safer on the inside. More empowered. More hopeful, more focused, and more productive. In fact, I believe I emerged even stronger because of your support. Without that support, I certainly would not have written a 250-page journal while on the inside that documents much of what I saw and felt as I came to grips with both the injustices and the teeming humanity that bubbled up around me.
While my furlough is a great victory for all of us, I am still not free. President Biden and Attorney General Garland still have not acted to dismiss the case or comply with the United Nations order that I be released and compensated after finding my detention to be illegal and the product of a “staggering” level of bias by Judges Preska and Kaplan.
There are no mirrors in prison. I sort of forgot what I looked like. When I took my shirt off at home for the first time, I saw someone who was almost emaciated. I had lost 20 pounds in prison due to a scarcity of food. There was also a mind-deadening information blackout: no Internet access, no newspapers, and extremely limited email that the residents had to pay to use. Visits were virtually impossible. And the people I left behind — people like Fats, Tommy, D-block, Rail, Ruben and Rabbi — are all still there, dealing with a level of treatment (despite best efforts by some staff to help) that often was extremely dehumanizing. Almost all are serving extremely long sentences for non-violent crimes.
One thing that was reinforced for me while in prison is that all injustice is intimately connected. While the Indigenous peoples of Ecuador suffer at the hands of Chevron, literally 70 million Americans have a criminal record in a country where our prison system has become a business. I saw this in prison: there is almost no incentive to let people go early, and every economic incentive to keep them as long as possible and to make money from them while they are there.
Many are asking how I got out. I’m not really sure, but I want to say that prison authorities are professional. They saw my "paperwork" which indicated a minor misdemeanor. I was the only person among all 900 men in Danbury that had not been convicted of a felony. They realized I should not have been in prison. And unlike Judge Preska, they had no incentive to abuse their mandate to do Chevron's bidding.
Finally, I believe public pressure matters. Amnesty International's Urgent Action led to hundreds of letters from around the world flowing into the prison. There were days an entire mail bin was brought to our unit filled with dozens of letters and books sent in support. Staff took notice. I was treated with respect. And the fact 10 Congresspersons also were demanding my release was huge. Not to mention pressure from Amazon Watch, Global Witness, Greenpeace and so many other organizations.
Again, thank you. We did this together.
As I sit here today, I realize how much pain I carried out of Danbury. I've been weeping on and off for days. Weeping at how close we are to the edge in modern-day America. How corporate prosecutions engineered by the fossil fuel industry in the name of the “government” can now happen; how Indigenous peoples in the Amazon can be utterly devastated by an American oil company that flouts the law; and how average citizens can be destroyed by our "justice" system while the judges who make it happen enjoy their holidays with nary a worry.
Going forward, there is now an incredible amount of opportunity. Big media — including CNN, the New York Times, and MSNBC — are now covering the case. Lawyers from all over the world want to join our team. And thousands of people globally have donated small amounts to our defense fund that have allowed us to grow even stronger!
That said, by the end of the year, we need a major infusion of resources to protect me and my family from Chevron's attacks. We also must continue to demand my immediate freedom — that is, to put an end to this corporate prosecution so it never happens again. We also must ensure we have resources to go after Chevron and force the company to comply with the historic Ecuador judgment. Help us force Chevron to pay the $10 billion Ecuador pollution judgment so thousands of lives can be saved.
Wonderful Work, Kathleen and Fern! Great news on Steven Donzinger! Thank You. And then there is Enbridge's Line 5, lying on the bed of Lake Michigan where it meets Lake Huron, both of which roiled this week from ferocious wind storms that caused power outages around the state. Broken electric lines cause very little environmental damage. One leak from the pipeline...
Here is a 3 part video of the Enbridge Line 5 time bomb. A dear friend of mine's house is the closest building to it on the Upper Peninsula side, and she fights this good fight. Another, Former Tribal Chairman of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Harbor Springs, Frank Ettawageshik, speaks eloquently in Part 3 of our responsibilities to the lake and lands. To that end, we all must work to preserve democracy NOW or all of these efforts are moot.
Thank you MaryPat. ... Arrggghhhh!!!!! All to preserve the powers invested in this industry of obsolescence ... what really chaps my hide is the suppression of technological options that serve health and integrity (personal and environmental) but do not support the dominating paradigm of money and 'power over' fueling a 'divinely inspired' vision of a perfect world - and wee people are the wood chips that feed the fire.
It only has been 150 years or so - not so very long ago - the seeds of dependency on oil/gas were sown and the need for pipelines to transport this new wonder fuel was born - empowering a brand of progress that threatens to undermine and devastate the natural environ that took nature millions of years to create, fostering ambitions and appetites for wealth and power that transform the American Dream from a quest for divinely inspired prosperity into a cesspool of avarice and greed.
Ultimately, even if we win our wars and overcome economic challenges, it won't matter much if we continue to strip our soils barren, pollute the skies and foul the waters with the industrial thrust of our rapist, murderous culture. Own it.
From what I can see, almighty man has yet to know how to create water ... clean, clear vital water ... and fresh air ... if we continue to desecrate the waters, air and earth with our ravenous appetites and unbridled ambitions, those who do survive will inherit a dried up wasteland.
Humans were created to care for this garden planet - not to pollute and destroy it. However conflicted we have become among ourselves, we must come to terms with our differences in ways that serve planetary sanity ..., or die ....
For the moment, we still have a choice. That moment will pass. Will we pass with it, or will we choose to heal the wounds and stop the wounding of these treasured grounds?
Thank you Fern ... just posted this - in case you miss seeing it - more and more of more 😁😆😁 ... more on Line 3:
Today, December 14th, Stop Line 3 and Defend the Gulf are teaming up to deliver messages to US Army Corps offices from North to South and East to West, holding the Corps accountable for two emergencies we need addressed:
* A federal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Line 3
The need for a Line 3 federal EIS has reached an emergency level. Rushed construction caused severe, permanent environmental damage. Sooner or later, tar sands oil is likely to spill and sink in these pristine waterways, poisoning the drinking water of millions. The Line 3 expansion was built using old, weathered pipes, and Enbridge lines are infamous for their accidents.
The need for a regional EIS for the Permian and Gulf South is equally urgent. The Corps must meet and tour with communities already burdened and sickened by the fossil industry, and must prepare a regional statement to give a comprehensive review of the infrastructure and cumulative environmental impacts of current facilities, in addition to cumulative risks from proposed and recently permitted projects.
Line 3 + Gulf South = 1 Fight. Now that the expanded Line 3 is running tar sands from Alberta across Minnesota to Wisconsin, leaving three known artesian aquifer breaches and at least 28 toxic frac-outs in its path, plus countless manoomin and treaty violations and over 1,000 arrests, Enbridge has announced plans to expand onward capacity to the Texas Gulf Coast. Proposals include building a 200-mile pipeline from Houston to the Port of Corpus Christi, where the Canadian oil giant recently acquired the largest crude-exporting hub in the United States.
Referring to the Line 3 and Southern Access expansions, Enbridge CEO Al Monaco told Platts, “Returning the line to full capacity sets us up for downstream expansion to the US Gulf Coast,” promoting “full path access for Canadian [tar sands] to the US Gulf Coast.”
Together, connected by the power and beauty of the Mighty Mississippi, we can stop the black snake from North to South, protecting the water, treaties and climate we all share. Please support today’s actions, whether in person or online.
... also, this from Madonna Thunder Hawk of The Lakota People’s Law Project:
"In case you missed our Wopila Gathering at the end of November — or if you want to revisit parts of the program — you can now watch the new playlist with highlights from our many incredible guests.
It was a truly one-of-a-kind gathering with Indigenous experts from across Turtle Island to enjoy music, art, and conversation. We discussed important topics like healing generational trauma and empowering frontline resistance movements. In the condensed video, we’ve even divided the program by chapter so you can easily jump to what you want to see the most.
The spirit of generosity shown by our supporters and our panelists alike truly inspires me, and I know my Lakota Law colleagues remain buoyed by the day’s outpouring of love, warmth, and knowledge.
The spirit of wopila — honoring our ancestors and friends through sharing time together — is something we always strive to embody here at the Lakota People’s Law Project. We hope you know how much your friendship means to us! We wouldn’t make the differences we do for our Native communities without you."
Wopila tanka — thank you for watching, supporting, and participating!
Thank you so much for posting this. We are hosting a series of webinars on Historic Trauma in America. This is a terrific story to share with our members (55,000) and to learn from as we delve deeper into learning, understanding, connecting and applying the wisdom gained in this experience. Post with link is coming.
And the Building the movement webinar series. The movement is to prevent and heal childhood trauma (root cause of our most intractable problems: violence, addiction, incarceration, environmental racism, racism, poverty, inequality, etc.)
Thank-you Kathleen, for your continuing work and sacrifice for environmental justice (all justice, really). Your time in prison seems to have changed you (stronger?), but then, no caring person can be so up close and personal with the welter of humanity that make up the inmates and staff of most prisons can come away unchanged from that experience. Happy holidays. We got you, we really do.
Hi Steve, I should have used quote marks - the above post is an email from Steven Donziger - I just cut and pasted it ... but thank you for your compassion and support - if I ever do wind up in prison, I know it will make a difference ... and, in a way, even those of us who survive outside the walls - aren't we also imprisoned by dependency on institutions that suppress truth and incarcerate truth tellers ...?
... and certainly, not a big mistake - no harm done - in fact your kind expression of support warmed my heart with gratitude - so, maybe not such a mistake after all - thanks again for sharing ....
Hi Steve, thanks again for your caring response. I just sent this email to Steven Donziger via his wife, Laura Miller (lbmiller104@gmail.com) on your behalf - thought you might like to see your message get through to him personally:
Dear Laura,
I hope it's ok to use your email to send a message to your husband ... my heart goes out to you and your whole family for the challenges you face in this process - I wish for you strength and determination to see you through - and comfort to your heart for the hardship of it all.
Please share this message with your husband:
Dear Mr Donziger,
Deep thanks to you for your courage and persistence to fight the good fight, and congratulations for your recent release from prison - and yes, the fight is not over, with 'miles to go before we sleep.'
I appreciate the email updates, and have been cutting and pasting the content to Heather Cox-Richardson's daily "Letters From An American." I think you might like to hear this response from Steve Abbott, one of the people there - posted to me, intended for you - it really warmed my heart - I trust it will yours too:
"Thank-you ... for your continuing work and sacrifice for environmental justice (all justice, really). Your time in prison seems to have changed you (stronger?), but then, no caring person can be so up close and personal with the welter of humanity that make up the inmates and staff of most prisons can come away unchanged from that experience. Happy holidays. We got you, we really do."
Thank you again - blessings, success, and peace to you, your family, the people you represent, and all of us who will benefit from your truly heroic sacrifice. I hope more people will follow your example and create a tidal wave of courageous actions to counter the murderous, rapist fossil fuel industries and damages they incur in pursuit of their vision of a perfected world - disrupting an already perfect world if we just would get out of the way and leave it be.
Best wishes, Merry Christmas and Happy Holy Days to you - and all ...,
☺️ Sure thing Steve - I hope it reaches him - he provided the email listed above for his wife and son, Matthew, when he was heading in - asking people to keep in touch with them - unsure of what his fate might be ... if you have time to connect, chances are, they would be happy to hear from you. Best wishes always, and thanks again for your caring support ... yes, Happy, peaceful Holy Days to you as well (trusting those sincere words will not 'ruin anybody's Christmas'!)
Heather, thank you for your unflagging devotion to your followers. I've been concerned lately that you hadn't taken a break, so glad that your body made you do what your mind resisted. As always, Buddy's photography is wonderful. Tonight's is especially brilliantly festive.
Doc, you really must be exhausted to sleep through Steve McQueen and his green Mustang in the epic of all car chase scenes. Take a break. Thanks for all you do in helping make sense of this real world of insanity. Semper Fi!
I fell asleep to a Christmas movie and woke up to a Star Wars movie. I don’t know if it’s all educators across the land this time of year, or women of a certain age. There’s just no other tired as there is like teacher tired at Christmas break! 😂
I’m so happy to see your post Denise. I’ve been concerned what kind of madness you are living thru in your work. I wish for you a very restful and joyful break from the hard work of building a better world one child at a time ❤️🙏🎄
(The following statements are off the record and not to be used by any news media entity.)
You’re so sweet! It’s a strange year! Students in first grade that have never been to school and don’t know how to identify or write their own name! Like what is this dystopia we’re living in? Definitely adjusting to a new scene. But at the end of the day, we’re teaching kids where they are and helping them just learn! And yep our administrators are giving us some new instructions, can you tell? 😂
Thank you Denise. I can tell your students are very fortunate to have you in their lives. And I see your tenacity in coping with the dystopia. Merry Christmas! ❤️
Last year, just after my husband died of ALS, I made a plan for what I needed to do going forward. My goal was simple: grieve my loss, care for our daughters and help them recover- and not get lost in depression.
There were four steps in the plan. First, adopt a dog again. Fresh air and exercise are helpful in staving off depression and anxiety and dogs- and their people- need exercise. Second, go back to being an artist-I make and sell bead woven jewelry. Third, go back to school-I had started a masters program 35 years ago; it was time to finish what I’d started. And fourth, get back to spending more time with friends and family.
Adopting a dog proved to be a real challenge-Kiri was advertised as a lab mix. Yes, she is mostly black, short haired and has amber eyes. But she didn’t act like a lab so I did a DNA test on her. Turns out, she is half mountain cur, a third pit bull, and the rest is mostly German Shepard. Three big, active, reactive, aggressive, protective breeds. Yikes! I’d wanted an exercise buddy. I adopted an Olympic level athlete!
Going back to working my art was much easier- and my sales at area art fairs have been off the charts. But going back to school in the midst of a pandemic was impossible-at least short term.
Fortunately, I found Dr. Richardson’s LFAA- and this community. And as others have said so often, I have learned more American history here, and more about how to be active in protecting our democracy from all of you than I ever thought possible. I also found a whole group of people I have come to think of as friends- who care as deeply about preserving democracy as I do and so inadvertently found a way towards my fourth goal-time with family and friends.
All of you have my deepest gratitude for taking me to school with you this year. Thank you! And special thanks to Buddy Poland for the beautiful photos. Now its time to go to the dog park. We’ve miles to go…….
Such a devastating loss and still you're moving forward. What an amazing example of resilience you are for your children. May the new year bring you joy and continued purpose. ❤️
Thanks so much for this Diane. My girls, ages 35 and 29, are amazing young women and very resourceful in their own right. When one of us stumbles, the others help us get up. Together, we’ll make it. 💕
It has been a wonderful morning with subscribers, the comments, music and love.
Sheila B, your goals: mourning, care for daughters, exercise with dog Kiri, walks, art, friends and family, along with embracing of us all -- thank you. Being with you here this Sunday morning, Sheila, has brought more light to the day.
Thank you, Sheila, for your great comments. I would like you to add to number two - another part of art, and that is "Writing," for that is another thing at which you are good.
Right back at you Richard- and thank you!
I was so taken with your post. Yesterday evening, a friend who very suddenly and tragically lost his significant other to a massive heart attack (she was only 53 and had no symptoms) called me to ask me "a dumb question." Of course, it wasn't dumb at all, it was an excuse to talk about Susie and his experiences with the grief journey and a whole host of other topics. He has inherited the responsibility of caring for her massive collection of rescued cats (down to 21 now); she could never turn away from a lost or injured cat. So, that is keeping him busy. He's also doing a lot of self help through reading about loss and grief, and now, he has decided to pursue a lifelong dream to play the piano! We had a lot of laughs, a long, long and deep discussion of dealing with personal pain and the need to go forward. I have too much experience, as a widow and having recently lost a brother, but with experience comes responsibility to reach out. As I told him, it helps me to listen and learn and share as much as it helps another. The holidays don't HAVE to be dismal for those who have lost loved ones if we reach out to each other and hold each other close in love.
Oh, the dumb question: was my Christmas tree actually decorated with ornaments that students had made and given me over the years? If so, he wanted to encourage his sister to use her student ornaments this way. My tree (not up this year due to two playful cats) was literally covered with hundreds of grubby little ornaments and if you backed away from it and squinted, it was actually quite pretty!
Good for you on your journey! Keep the faith! Keep moving forward!
I’m laughing a little at your wonderful description of a Christmas tree covered with “hundreds of grubby little ornaments.” Glen was a retired shop teacher so our tree has plenty of grubby little wood ornaments, lol. Fortunately, I have been able to balance the grubby just a bit with a few hand woven beaded ornaments. Smile.
I also know the pain of losing a brother-I’m ever so sorry.
Thanks for the encouragement and good wishes. Right back at you!
Grubby with love!
🫂
What is the little box?
Two people hugging as you and Sheila, analogous to us all in the circle of caring.
Thank you! I have learned something new - again!
Such a beautiful tribute to yourself and your core values. Keep on keeping on, dear friend (thanks to LFAA).
Sheila, what a wonderful piece of writing! Depression act like a maelstrom where the vortex keeps pulling you down. By taking proactive measures, you are avoiding being sucked in. I agree that Heather's readers become a supportive community that adds a historical basis for taking steps to keep our democracy. You can give others strength.
🐾 miles, miles, miles 🐾
Yes, exactly! 😎
☮️💟 All the best, Sheila—you deserve it.
Love the appellation "mountain cur" for the generously diverse basic hound dog (who but a hound could manage to come out one-third?). Is that an official breed, Sheila, or did you make it up? Cheers to you and Kiri....
Lol. Yes, official breed and she definitely lives up to the appellation. Bred for hunting small rodents and also kept as farm dogs. The rescue I worked with brought her back from a large “kill” shelter in Alabama. She has quickly learned the joys of being a couch potato, and learned-the hard way- to respect my cats. We are still working on greeting people without jumping up and nipping at them. 65 lbs lunging at your face is a bit scary. Cur is not usually the first word I use when she misbehaves but it works…..🤣
👍
Bless you Sheila. I am so glad you have joined our family. Thank goodness for us finding Heather. I have learned so much in the 2 years that I have been one of her readers. Heather is a few months younger than my daughter, Lori. I love reading comments. I am on vacation in Florida until mid January when I return home so it is hard to be connected. I do try to catch up when I have a chance. Happy Holidays....and life does more forward after the death of your husband. I lost mine at the age of 31 back in 1974. I have survived! Yes, I have made a lot of mistakes along the way! Hugs
Hoping you find some peaceful moments for yourself from wonderful memories.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
You’ve earned it. A couple of Sundays ago you posted one of Buddy’s photos and said on Monday we would carry on. I’ve been carrying the words and melody of an old folk song that became an anthem of the civil rights movement in my head ever since.
Carry It On
“ There's a man by my side walking
There's a voice within me talking,
There's a word that needs a sayin’,
Carry on, carry it on. Carry on, carry it on“
(It was later recorded by Joan Baez and Judy Collins)
Gil Turner was a prominent American folksinger and songwriter in Greenwich Village in the early ‘60’s. He was the first to record Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Don't Think Twice."
Carry it on
Joan Baez "Carry It On" with nice slide show
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrVBLv7xL5hVhUAETL7w8QF;_ylu=c2VjA3NlYXJjaAR2dGlkAw--;_ylc=X1MDOTY3ODEzMDcEX3IDMgRhY3RuA2NsawRjc3JjcHZpZANYX2JWcVRFd0xqSm1mMjlzWWI3QllBRGlNall3TXdBQUFBQXBMeUdoBGZyA2NybWFzX3NmcARmcjIDc2EtZ3AEZ3ByaWQDa19jU1lBaHVRSi5qOFpNYTd4MVFnQQRuX3JzbHQDNjAEbl9zdWdnAzEwBG9yaWdpbgN2aWRlby5zZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMyBHBxc3RyA0NhcnJ5JTIwSXQlMjBPbgRwcXN0cmwDMTEEcXN0cmwDMjkEcXVlcnkDam9hbiUyMGJhZXolMjBjYXJyeSUyMGl0JTIwb24EdF9zdG1wAzE2Mzk4OTIyNDE-?p=joan+baez+carry+it+on&ei=UTF-8&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&fr=crmas_sfp#id=2&vid=c4c94efb86a0c23d99ddab778ea005c0&action=view
What a terrible indictment of America that this song needed to be written.
What a benediction of America’s best soul that it holds within it people such as Gil Turner, Len Chandler, and Joan Baez to bring forth a song of this simple magnificence.
Evil will always be countered with truth and courage.
Hope you read Sheila B's inspiring words this morning. From mourning, care of her daughters, return to art, walks with dog Kiri... to a touching embrace of subscribers on the forum.
Yes, I did. See my response to her great words.
I did see your caring words, Richard. My response was meant to encourage Eric.
Eric you’re such a honey
Thank you for this link , Ellie. Thank you !
O thank you. Love this.
Thank you very much!
Thanks, Ellie. The younger Joan had such a beautiful soprano singing voice, not that the still doesn't sing well. I first saw her in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband David Harris, in 1968.
Well, she went to the same High School as I in Palo Alto and was my friend's older sister's best friend. She was years ahead of us but we first heard her name when we were in Junior High when word got around that she refused to go home during an atomic bomb practice alert. She has been ahead of the times all of her life!!
Apparently we do now have the capability of editing on here! After you post something, in the line where it says "Delete", next to it you'll see 3 little dots. Click on them and it then opens your comments for you to edit. Substack joins the 21st Century!!
I’m coming back to double-endorse this great find of an edit function! It’s the little things in life…
Hallelujah! Great find, Bruce! Trying out our new edit option! Yay!
I just found the dots, did the edit, and then deleted my
'oops' message.
Thanks, Bruce, I have always looked for the three dots to right and had not seen them by "Delete."
Thanks so much, Ellie!
I like this version by Len Chandler and The Broadside Singers. Reminds me of a spiritual being sung as gospel.
Have a wonderful Sunday, Candace and all!
https://youtu.be/RZZLDJ4KDHA
Great spirit this early Sunday morning. Gratitude to you Christine. Len Chandler & The Broadside Singers.
I really enjoyed that! Thank you.
Wonderful song, and thank you
It would be difficult to exaggerate the benefit of reading your views of present developments in their historical context. While no one would want to add to the stressful enterprises of teaching and producing a daily letter, believe in gratitude from me and all I know who subscribe—thank you, and have a splendid and (really?) restful holiday.
P Raymond
Wonderful photo. Thank you and Buddy. REST. This struggle will be long and strenuous. Your “Letter…” is the best thing I read every day.
The best and the first.
When you cannot write, you give us beauty. What a good friend you are:)
Just reading everyone’s comments gives me glimmers of hope in a society gone quite mad . The photo is brilliant and nature in all its glory reminding us of how blessed we are to be here . Yes Heather you deserve to rest and put your feet up as your facts , history and calm amidst the storm give us what we need to counter the lies and selfishness. Thank you thank you and Merry merry Christmas to you and yours
This week I found much hope as I have read Love your enemies, by Arthur C Brooks. Every one of us can Listen. Listening to Dr R, I never hear contempt. Now I will finish the book and go forward with a sound track Carry it on.
Good thoughts. Thank you Mary
Always busy. No rest for those who fight the system.
Today was different though. We lost our Norwegian Elkhound over a year ago, He was 16, a long time forgone to live. He had many accomplishments along the way. He taught a young boy how not to be afraid of dogs. He was my walking companion in Michigan, in upstate New York and in Ohio when I could not find work in Michigan. We walked miles together on and off lead on the dirt roads and hills around Cazanovia and Lexington.
In the end and as he grew weaker, we would walk the perimeter of the yards on either side on my house. His nose to the ground catching the scents of the animals which passed through there.. He grew weaker over that time and he finally succumbed to old age and we released him. "T" for Tyler was a great friend.
Today, my wife of 50+ years and I rescued a young female German Shepard. She is acclimating to our new home in AZ and has bonded with my wife for now. Of course, she will accompany me on many new journeys exploring AZ. I am looking forward to it. We saved a life and will gain from it in the end.
Kind of happy right now in spite of the near overthrow of our country. For a moment at least . . .
Good night.
Bill, I love that you and your wife have rescued a dog after a year of loneliness. I am posting a link to a musical piece called "Off Leash". It's written by a man we met over Thanksgiving. His piece was written in memory of a beloved dog. As a dog lover, you will recognize each movement. Here's to the new dog!🎉
Oops, forgot the link... http://www.russellpinkston.com/?portfolio=off-leash
My best friend has had Elkhounds all the time I've known her. Her original pair (Willa, who she got as a puppy) and Sheba (who was a rescue) both lived into their late teens. She had two senior rescues (Cora and Hunter) both of whom had hard lives before her and were able to live their senior years in a good place. Her current Elkhound Jasper is also a rescue, but he's a young 'un, and I call him a counter-tenor; his bark is high pitched.
More than anyone else, I bet you know why her home wi fi is named "Bark Bark".
"T" as we called him was our 3rd. Before him was Smokey who we raised from a puppy. Our first Elkhound was Tyra, a smaller 40# boss of the house who watched over the children, taught a puppy how to behave, and adopted a black Lab who was almost twice her size. She ruled the house. Great family dogs.
"T" and I would disappear for hours at a time. He would point pheasants, wonder what the big bird strutting in the barnyard was able, stare at the huge snappers . . . Just a curious male who welcomed strangers to our home after many barks. He did protect my wife.
When I was ill with pneumonia, he crawled up on top of me just looking at my wife to see if it was ok. He was warm but heavy. I have catatropic insurance at the time. The clerks at the hospital took pity on me and told me to get my lab work done at Quest. Hence my interest in healthcare for all. Been asked to write articles on Opioids, Maternal healthcare, etc.
Too many more stories to tell now.
This young female Shepard did not eat much yet and is still adjusting. She is sleeping near me in the den. I think she was given up as the papers had a birth date on it. She was sleeping on my wife's feet last night. She likes her humans.
Nothing like the love of a dog!
What a wonderful beginning for you , your wife and one lucky canine
I swear those rescue pups live their lives out knowing they hit the jackpot.
You are your country. It's got to stay that way.
You will never know how much these letters mean to me. I have always said the best teachers are those who absolutely love their subject. And that is how I look at you, as a teacher. And, by the way, how I look at so many of the commentators here... so many smart and wonderful teachers. Rest up, thank you, and happy holidays to all.
Sometime back, someone (how's that for specificity???) suggested that we are all students at Letters from an American University. I'm with you; I love this cohort of people we have here.
Heather and her Now & Then podcast partner Joanne Freeman talked about being teachers, getting the calling, and teaching so much more than didactic subject matter. Sorry I can’t find the link, but I’m sure it was a Now & Then Backstage chat.
Heather, the fact that all of us think of you by your first name is a sign of the incredible intimacy with which you write and inform us all. You are like that photo, a sunrise that came when we were in the dark. Thank you for the generosity with you which you tend to your work as a historian who teaches us all. Your knowledge educates us, and Inspires , and motivates us to be better citizens and keepers of our democracy. I quote you and share your wisdom with others. Like that sunrise, your light reaches out.
Thank you…. For every letter. I never miss your class.
The photo is gorgeous and reminds us that we must fight to never lose our democracy. Thank you for helping us to see the truth through the smoke of lies. We need you desperately!
Enjoy a peaceful sleep and warm happy days with those you love. Thank you for all you do for us.
You’re an American treasure.
What a vista ... Truly, nature is the artiste supreme!!
While the good professor sleeps, this might be a good time to share this good news from Steven Donziger:
12/15/21
I write to share a stunning update: after 45 days spent largely in lockdown in Danbury prison, I am now out. Prison authorities furloughed me last Thursday to serve the rest of my six-month sentence (now 131 days) at home — just like I had spent the previous 813 days before prison due to the unprecedented Chevron-engineered targeting of me.
Needless to say, I am thrilled by this turn of events.
But one thing I want to say immediately: thanks to each of you. I felt your presence every minute of every day behind bars suffering through what undoubtedly was the biggest challenge of my life. Conditions were abysmal. But I and many of my new mates on the inside knew there was a powerful force for accountability flowing like a wave over the prison and that it came from the movement we have built together. And I think that movement had a great deal to do with my early release.
Your presence on the outside made me feel safer on the inside. More empowered. More hopeful, more focused, and more productive. In fact, I believe I emerged even stronger because of your support. Without that support, I certainly would not have written a 250-page journal while on the inside that documents much of what I saw and felt as I came to grips with both the injustices and the teeming humanity that bubbled up around me.
While my furlough is a great victory for all of us, I am still not free. President Biden and Attorney General Garland still have not acted to dismiss the case or comply with the United Nations order that I be released and compensated after finding my detention to be illegal and the product of a “staggering” level of bias by Judges Preska and Kaplan.
There are no mirrors in prison. I sort of forgot what I looked like. When I took my shirt off at home for the first time, I saw someone who was almost emaciated. I had lost 20 pounds in prison due to a scarcity of food. There was also a mind-deadening information blackout: no Internet access, no newspapers, and extremely limited email that the residents had to pay to use. Visits were virtually impossible. And the people I left behind — people like Fats, Tommy, D-block, Rail, Ruben and Rabbi — are all still there, dealing with a level of treatment (despite best efforts by some staff to help) that often was extremely dehumanizing. Almost all are serving extremely long sentences for non-violent crimes.
One thing that was reinforced for me while in prison is that all injustice is intimately connected. While the Indigenous peoples of Ecuador suffer at the hands of Chevron, literally 70 million Americans have a criminal record in a country where our prison system has become a business. I saw this in prison: there is almost no incentive to let people go early, and every economic incentive to keep them as long as possible and to make money from them while they are there.
Many are asking how I got out. I’m not really sure, but I want to say that prison authorities are professional. They saw my "paperwork" which indicated a minor misdemeanor. I was the only person among all 900 men in Danbury that had not been convicted of a felony. They realized I should not have been in prison. And unlike Judge Preska, they had no incentive to abuse their mandate to do Chevron's bidding.
Finally, I believe public pressure matters. Amnesty International's Urgent Action led to hundreds of letters from around the world flowing into the prison. There were days an entire mail bin was brought to our unit filled with dozens of letters and books sent in support. Staff took notice. I was treated with respect. And the fact 10 Congresspersons also were demanding my release was huge. Not to mention pressure from Amazon Watch, Global Witness, Greenpeace and so many other organizations.
Again, thank you. We did this together.
As I sit here today, I realize how much pain I carried out of Danbury. I've been weeping on and off for days. Weeping at how close we are to the edge in modern-day America. How corporate prosecutions engineered by the fossil fuel industry in the name of the “government” can now happen; how Indigenous peoples in the Amazon can be utterly devastated by an American oil company that flouts the law; and how average citizens can be destroyed by our "justice" system while the judges who make it happen enjoy their holidays with nary a worry.
Going forward, there is now an incredible amount of opportunity. Big media — including CNN, the New York Times, and MSNBC — are now covering the case. Lawyers from all over the world want to join our team. And thousands of people globally have donated small amounts to our defense fund that have allowed us to grow even stronger!
That said, by the end of the year, we need a major infusion of resources to protect me and my family from Chevron's attacks. We also must continue to demand my immediate freedom — that is, to put an end to this corporate prosecution so it never happens again. We also must ensure we have resources to go after Chevron and force the company to comply with the historic Ecuador judgment. Help us force Chevron to pay the $10 billion Ecuador pollution judgment so thousands of lives can be saved.
https://donorbox.org/steve-donziger-legal-defense-7-3/
MORE and MORE and More empowered. More hopeful, more focused, and more productive ...' you are Kathleen Allen. With appreciation and support.
Wonderful Work, Kathleen and Fern! Great news on Steven Donzinger! Thank You. And then there is Enbridge's Line 5, lying on the bed of Lake Michigan where it meets Lake Huron, both of which roiled this week from ferocious wind storms that caused power outages around the state. Broken electric lines cause very little environmental damage. One leak from the pipeline...
Here is a 3 part video of the Enbridge Line 5 time bomb. A dear friend of mine's house is the closest building to it on the Upper Peninsula side, and she fights this good fight. Another, Former Tribal Chairman of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Harbor Springs, Frank Ettawageshik, speaks eloquently in Part 3 of our responsibilities to the lake and lands. To that end, we all must work to preserve democracy NOW or all of these efforts are moot.
New Documentary Exposes Enbridge Line 5 - Oil & Water Don't Mix
https://www.oilandwaterdontmix.org/new_documentary_exposes_enbridge_line_5
Thank you MaryPat!!!
Thank you MaryPat. ... Arrggghhhh!!!!! All to preserve the powers invested in this industry of obsolescence ... what really chaps my hide is the suppression of technological options that serve health and integrity (personal and environmental) but do not support the dominating paradigm of money and 'power over' fueling a 'divinely inspired' vision of a perfect world - and wee people are the wood chips that feed the fire.
It only has been 150 years or so - not so very long ago - the seeds of dependency on oil/gas were sown and the need for pipelines to transport this new wonder fuel was born - empowering a brand of progress that threatens to undermine and devastate the natural environ that took nature millions of years to create, fostering ambitions and appetites for wealth and power that transform the American Dream from a quest for divinely inspired prosperity into a cesspool of avarice and greed.
Ultimately, even if we win our wars and overcome economic challenges, it won't matter much if we continue to strip our soils barren, pollute the skies and foul the waters with the industrial thrust of our rapist, murderous culture. Own it.
From what I can see, almighty man has yet to know how to create water ... clean, clear vital water ... and fresh air ... if we continue to desecrate the waters, air and earth with our ravenous appetites and unbridled ambitions, those who do survive will inherit a dried up wasteland.
Humans were created to care for this garden planet - not to pollute and destroy it. However conflicted we have become among ourselves, we must come to terms with our differences in ways that serve planetary sanity ..., or die ....
For the moment, we still have a choice. That moment will pass. Will we pass with it, or will we choose to heal the wounds and stop the wounding of these treasured grounds?
Everything you said, Kathleen. 😔
Thank you Fern ... just posted this - in case you miss seeing it - more and more of more 😁😆😁 ... more on Line 3:
Today, December 14th, Stop Line 3 and Defend the Gulf are teaming up to deliver messages to US Army Corps offices from North to South and East to West, holding the Corps accountable for two emergencies we need addressed:
* A federal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Line 3
* A regional EIS for the Permian and Gulf South
https://www.stopline3.org
https://defendthegulf.org
https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/dec-14-day-of-action-to-stop-line-3
https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5c6dfd87a0f418f496062988/619be5668d0e8c2dcd7d4a2a_USACE+LETTER+FROM+DEFEND+THE+GULF+ORGANIZING+GROUP.pdf
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m9c_ILTpA_4ygytDHbOc_h5jmUshLFQLAvKdsRMY81M/edit
https://www.facebook.com/WinonaLaDukeHonorTheEarth/videos/609504123621468
The need for a Line 3 federal EIS has reached an emergency level. Rushed construction caused severe, permanent environmental damage. Sooner or later, tar sands oil is likely to spill and sink in these pristine waterways, poisoning the drinking water of millions. The Line 3 expansion was built using old, weathered pipes, and Enbridge lines are infamous for their accidents.
https://vimeo.com/616475506
https://www.stopline3.org/fact-sheets
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/03/03/30-years-ago-grand-rapids-oil-spill
The need for a regional EIS for the Permian and Gulf South is equally urgent. The Corps must meet and tour with communities already burdened and sickened by the fossil industry, and must prepare a regional statement to give a comprehensive review of the infrastructure and cumulative environmental impacts of current facilities, in addition to cumulative risks from proposed and recently permitted projects.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HbpPXEkAxfEoNR8kGiHSWgtlthusNwHb/view
Line 3 + Gulf South = 1 Fight. Now that the expanded Line 3 is running tar sands from Alberta across Minnesota to Wisconsin, leaving three known artesian aquifer breaches and at least 28 toxic frac-outs in its path, plus countless manoomin and treaty violations and over 1,000 arrests, Enbridge has announced plans to expand onward capacity to the Texas Gulf Coast. Proposals include building a 200-mile pipeline from Houston to the Port of Corpus Christi, where the Canadian oil giant recently acquired the largest crude-exporting hub in the United States.
https://weprotectthewater.org
https://vimeo.com/647182045
https://vimeo.com/646785542
https://www.centerforenvironmentalrights.org/rights-of-manoomin
https://www.dropline3charges.com
https://nativenewsonline.net/environment/indigenous-leaders-pledge-to-oppose-new-enbridge-developments
https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/oil/110521-enbridge-next-focused-on-adding-crude-capacity-connections-to-texas-gulf-coast
https://truthout.org/articles/gulf-coast-tribe-vows-to-resist-enbridges-new-pipeline-expansion-plans/
https://www.ienearth.org/indigenous-peoples-of-the-coastal-bend-there-will-be-no-expansion-of-enbridges-seawall-pipeline-expect-us/
Referring to the Line 3 and Southern Access expansions, Enbridge CEO Al Monaco told Platts, “Returning the line to full capacity sets us up for downstream expansion to the US Gulf Coast,” promoting “full path access for Canadian [tar sands] to the US Gulf Coast.”
https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/oil/110521-enbridge-next-focused-on-adding-crude-capacity-connections-to-texas-gulf-coast
In response, Indigenous Peoples of the Coastal Bend promised “the same resistance from tribal communities in Texas as they did with Line 3.”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/407127563299000/
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/09/23/criminal-cases-against-line-3-protesters-stress-rural-minnesota-legal-system
Together, connected by the power and beauty of the Mighty Mississippi, we can stop the black snake from North to South, protecting the water, treaties and climate we all share. Please support today’s actions, whether in person or online.
https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/dec-14-day-of-action-to-stop-line-3
Miigwech,
The Stop Line 3 Team
https://www.stopline3.org
... also, this from Madonna Thunder Hawk of The Lakota People’s Law Project:
"In case you missed our Wopila Gathering at the end of November — or if you want to revisit parts of the program — you can now watch the new playlist with highlights from our many incredible guests.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0aLW4CNeveQ3TCV_3TOqjlUIDn_gxPgR
It was a truly one-of-a-kind gathering with Indigenous experts from across Turtle Island to enjoy music, art, and conversation. We discussed important topics like healing generational trauma and empowering frontline resistance movements. In the condensed video, we’ve even divided the program by chapter so you can easily jump to what you want to see the most.
The spirit of generosity shown by our supporters and our panelists alike truly inspires me, and I know my Lakota Law colleagues remain buoyed by the day’s outpouring of love, warmth, and knowledge.
The spirit of wopila — honoring our ancestors and friends through sharing time together — is something we always strive to embody here at the Lakota People’s Law Project. We hope you know how much your friendship means to us! We wouldn’t make the differences we do for our Native communities without you."
Wopila tanka — thank you for watching, supporting, and participating!
Madonna Thunder Hawk
Cheyenne River Organizer
The Lakota People’s Law Project
https://action.lakotalaw.org
Thank you so much for posting this. We are hosting a series of webinars on Historic Trauma in America. This is a terrific story to share with our members (55,000) and to learn from as we delve deeper into learning, understanding, connecting and applying the wisdom gained in this experience. Post with link is coming.
Here’s the link to register for the series https://www.pacesconnection.com/blog/paces-connection-presents-the-historical-trauma-in-america-series
And a link to another series of free webinars in which many of you would likely be interested. These webinars are free, too!
And the Building the movement webinar series. The movement is to prevent and heal childhood trauma (root cause of our most intractable problems: violence, addiction, incarceration, environmental racism, racism, poverty, inequality, etc.)
https://www.pacesconnection.com/blog/register-now-for-building-the-movement-with-coalitions-presented-by-the-campaign-for-trauma-informed-policy-and-practice-the-national-prevention-science-coalition-to-improve-lives-and-paces-connection
Excellent and detailed information. Thank you.
Thank you too Mike - when the good professor takes a nap, I stay up all night, filling in the gap!!
Hand to heart, my friend.
Thank-you Kathleen, for your continuing work and sacrifice for environmental justice (all justice, really). Your time in prison seems to have changed you (stronger?), but then, no caring person can be so up close and personal with the welter of humanity that make up the inmates and staff of most prisons can come away unchanged from that experience. Happy holidays. We got you, we really do.
Hi Steve, I should have used quote marks - the above post is an email from Steven Donziger - I just cut and pasted it ... but thank you for your compassion and support - if I ever do wind up in prison, I know it will make a difference ... and, in a way, even those of us who survive outside the walls - aren't we also imprisoned by dependency on institutions that suppress truth and incarcerate truth tellers ...?
Kathleen, I figured that out a few minutes after I posted, but then busy schedule took over. Not the first or last mistake I'll ever make!
... and certainly, not a big mistake - no harm done - in fact your kind expression of support warmed my heart with gratitude - so, maybe not such a mistake after all - thanks again for sharing ....
Hi Steve, thanks again for your caring response. I just sent this email to Steven Donziger via his wife, Laura Miller (lbmiller104@gmail.com) on your behalf - thought you might like to see your message get through to him personally:
Dear Laura,
I hope it's ok to use your email to send a message to your husband ... my heart goes out to you and your whole family for the challenges you face in this process - I wish for you strength and determination to see you through - and comfort to your heart for the hardship of it all.
Please share this message with your husband:
Dear Mr Donziger,
Deep thanks to you for your courage and persistence to fight the good fight, and congratulations for your recent release from prison - and yes, the fight is not over, with 'miles to go before we sleep.'
I appreciate the email updates, and have been cutting and pasting the content to Heather Cox-Richardson's daily "Letters From An American." I think you might like to hear this response from Steve Abbott, one of the people there - posted to me, intended for you - it really warmed my heart - I trust it will yours too:
"Thank-you ... for your continuing work and sacrifice for environmental justice (all justice, really). Your time in prison seems to have changed you (stronger?), but then, no caring person can be so up close and personal with the welter of humanity that make up the inmates and staff of most prisons can come away unchanged from that experience. Happy holidays. We got you, we really do."
Thank you again - blessings, success, and peace to you, your family, the people you represent, and all of us who will benefit from your truly heroic sacrifice. I hope more people will follow your example and create a tidal wave of courageous actions to counter the murderous, rapist fossil fuel industries and damages they incur in pursuit of their vision of a perfected world - disrupting an already perfect world if we just would get out of the way and leave it be.
Best wishes, Merry Christmas and Happy Holy Days to you - and all ...,
Kathleen Allen
Thank-you so much for sending my message on to Mr. Donziger. Happy, peaceful Holy Days.
☺️ Sure thing Steve - I hope it reaches him - he provided the email listed above for his wife and son, Matthew, when he was heading in - asking people to keep in touch with them - unsure of what his fate might be ... if you have time to connect, chances are, they would be happy to hear from you. Best wishes always, and thanks again for your caring support ... yes, Happy, peaceful Holy Days to you as well (trusting those sincere words will not 'ruin anybody's Christmas'!)
Wonderful news, this is the first I’ve heard of his release! Hallelujah! and a restful or fiery (or both) Noel to all.
Yes Mary, cause to celebrate ... and the beat goes on ...,
Chevron, one of the big donors in Texas to the antiabortion law.
That’s just bizarre.
... ever hear of 'the Stepford Wives' ...? Oh, that was just a movie - right?
... right.
Thank you Kathy, ... whooo, oh ... now why does this make so much sense?! ...?!? ...!?!
Rest well, Heather. You need it and have certainly earned it. Thank you for all you do.
Heather, thank you for your unflagging devotion to your followers. I've been concerned lately that you hadn't taken a break, so glad that your body made you do what your mind resisted. As always, Buddy's photography is wonderful. Tonight's is especially brilliantly festive.
Doc, you really must be exhausted to sleep through Steve McQueen and his green Mustang in the epic of all car chase scenes. Take a break. Thanks for all you do in helping make sense of this real world of insanity. Semper Fi!
I fell asleep to a Christmas movie and woke up to a Star Wars movie. I don’t know if it’s all educators across the land this time of year, or women of a certain age. There’s just no other tired as there is like teacher tired at Christmas break! 😂
So True. And at the end of the school year. Sometimes it is just good to sit and let the last year, or semester, just pour through you.
I’m so happy to see your post Denise. I’ve been concerned what kind of madness you are living thru in your work. I wish for you a very restful and joyful break from the hard work of building a better world one child at a time ❤️🙏🎄
(The following statements are off the record and not to be used by any news media entity.)
You’re so sweet! It’s a strange year! Students in first grade that have never been to school and don’t know how to identify or write their own name! Like what is this dystopia we’re living in? Definitely adjusting to a new scene. But at the end of the day, we’re teaching kids where they are and helping them just learn! And yep our administrators are giving us some new instructions, can you tell? 😂
Merry Christmas!🎄🎁
Thank you Denise. I can tell your students are very fortunate to have you in their lives. And I see your tenacity in coping with the dystopia. Merry Christmas! ❤️
Congratulations on finishing another semnester. As a retired college teacher I know the feeling after turning in your grades! Gorgeous photo.