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Thank you for this beautiful photo! speaking of celebrations, recently Jess Craven published a compilation of recent wins from last week, and there feels like a lot to celebrate - her list is here at open.substack.com/pub/c…
And, having just returned from camping for the past few days, I feel refreshed and ready to take on whatever comes …
Thank you for this beautiful photo! speaking of celebrations, recently Jess Craven published a compilation of recent wins from last week, and there feels like a lot to celebrate - her list is here at https://open.substack.com/pub/chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions/p/extra-extra-58-242
And, having just returned from camping for the past few days, I feel refreshed and ready to take on whatever comes next.
Jess opened with a quote from the Talmud:
"Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief.
Do justly NOW.
Love mercy NOW.
Walk humbly NOW.
You are not obligated to complete the work but neither are you free to abandon it."
Rest well, Dr. Heather. ❤
I'll have to remember that passage from the Talmud.
" We are the arrows shot forth from the quivers of our parents to carry their legacy " - Paraphrased from Kahlil Gibran.
Absolutely true quote, good start to the week.
One of the things she mentioned, worries me. Colin Allred giving up his seat to oppose Ted Cruz. Texas has written the script for cheating and all types of voter suppression shenanigans, making it virtually impossible to unseat the cretins. I depleted my resources significantly supporting Beto. He would have won in the last two races, but for the sleight of hand and legal machinations of repubs in Texas. It will take a miracle, and my wand is worn. Hope there is one, but Texas and Florida took aim at fair elections and have stacked the deck.
Jeri,
I hear your angst and understand Texas situation having lived there until I was 32 and my sisters still do.
But, I want to offer some encouragement.
In probability mathematics there is something powerful that applies to, well, everything.
It is called "The Mean Value Theorem".
Simply put: In ALL systems, a distribution of (anything) tends to the mean, or the center of the distribution, and excursions from the mean drop off rapidly from the center.
Extremes exist, but, their probability and existence are progressively less likely the farther one moves from the mean. Practically speaking, everything obeys something called a "Normal Distribution".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_distribution
So it will be in Texas and it WAS in Texas when I was a youth and young adult.
The mean/center will prevail, it always does, although, extremes always exist (at progressively lower probability from the mean).
So, don't worry and don't give up.
Regression to the mean is one of the best explainers I learned in multivariate statistics And also one of the most exasperating, at times. But hot damn, Mike S., you’ve got a winner here.
Maureen. Have not heard hot damn is quite a while. Thanks for the smile.
I like this Mike. Not only is it optimistic - it is logical. And sadly, the Texas GQP will be the cause of much more suffering and death by fall of 2024. The "mean" and cruel will help us swing back to a more normal mean.
And...I think that simply in terms of presentation, Allred is a far better candidate than Beto was (who I also sent money to).
Me too, Beto would have been much better than Abbott! Which was I sent him $ even tho I live in MD.
Bill. Yes. Allred is better. Beto cannot win in TX, although if he did I think it would be a vast improvement. TX has been drinking the Ronald Reagan, let’s all vote ourselves poor, coolaid for 43 years.
Thank you for your ray of hope....
And May the theorem hold in NC too. (I lived in TX when Ralph Yarborough was my senator and Henry B. Gonzales my rep.)
Beto may have lost the battle due to GOP shenanigans but, his boots on the ground, grassroots work, helped to build resilience to the fascist propaganda. That’s a win!
I was really enjoying my coffee out on my porch until I read this. Is it with blind hope that I wait for the likes of the two Justins to rise up in a state that's gone rogue where they're openly killing each other with assault rifles? How can someone so hideous as Ted Cruz be re-elected? I guess you just told us Jeri. I'm bummed....
Ted Cruz is indeed a puzzle.
Visually repulsive an intellectually challenged he has nothing to offer TX.
Where IS Beto? Out of funds? Exhausted? Life and family threatened beyond bearable? Important to know. It could be one more Republican horror to remind US of.
Good words to start my week with. Thank you, Janice.
Thank you JustJanice
Love the Lincoln, Nebraska celebration of mayor winning ~ "Gaylor Baird prevailed despite Geist’s receiving massive amounts of money from both the state GOP’s political establishment and dark money PACs. Dems also won 3 of 4 open city council seats, and a clean sweep of all 3 open school board seats." Thanks Just Janice from Jess' list of things to celebrate. Also her Wes Moore's celebration!
JustJanice, you shared for me. Thank you. This beautiful quote and the idea of Tikkun Olam, Repair the world, the way each of us separate and joined together have an obligation to make the world a better and safer place for all of humanity. Through action. In my search I found this site, Tikkun, and letter to Rabbi Lerner. “How Speaking Truth to Power Can Be a Catalyst for Change.”
https://www.tikkun.org/a-chance-meeting/
@ JustJanice...we are about to leave for a short vacation too-I'm hoping for the same refreshment of the soul and restoration of the will to carry on.
Great words, fitting as never before.
This is perfect for today - for every day. Thank you for sharing this - a lovely message to "our" Dr. Heather, too.
Love your attitude, Janice. Here is Leigh McGowan, Politics Girl, with an empowering podcast from last week. Republicans truly are “not reading the room” in any way, shape, or form that supports our freedoms. A good listen to start the week.
https://youtu.be/3n7gYDwEHAY
Salud!
🗽
Perfect.
And here we are in the NOW.