Check for web archive captures
Making Changes for 2010. From NY State to the Planet in
pursuit of true peace and justice. Two short guest articles
by Dot Richards and Sheree Cammer
By mickielynn on 2010-01-31 08:29:35
May the New Year open the door to a more informed and courageous electorate. Voters who will finally turn on their
disgraced elected representatives in our State Senate and Assembly. Who will remember the self-serving behavior of those
who took an oath to work for their constituents in a decent, honorable and trustworthy manner. But instead, betrayed the
citizens of our beloved State and embarrassed themselves time and time again with deceitful and greedy liaisons totally at
odds with the spirit of the Law and its Sacred founder. These men and women (except for a small minority) should and must
be voted out of office to begin the repair and reconstruction of our Constitution and Legislature so sadly neglected and
abused. Election finance reform and term limits are the piles that must be deep driven to form the foundation essential to a
New York Government the people of this state can once again be proud of. Dot Richards My [problem] with "peace" issues
is that they often do not get at the roots. For example, "We will discuss spring actions against the war" attacks the outward
manifestations of the war of the moment. There are countless wars, other wars, some of which may not even be called wars,
but here are a few: The US supported conflict in Colombia The US/international corporate support of conflicts in Congo,
Sudan, Nigeria, etc. The relentless war on global resources carried out with our complicity, in ravaging the world's oceans
for fish, the world's forests for goods such as soft toilet paper... Need I go on? When we decrease our ravenous appetite for
resources, When we really look at where our consumer goods come from and at what price, When we relocalize our lives,
many of us in the US, so that our economies are truly sustainable in the manner of preserving Earth's resources, perhaps we
may get closer to addressing the roots of war. I have been a warrior protecting our planet for some time. I believe that is
where a truly sustainable peace, and not merely the absence of war, will emerge. When we honor the one Earth which is our
home. Sheree Cammer. Editor's note: At the end of 2009 Waging Peace (in the words of Anita McKay) called for some
short articles in the form of: "A New Year's resolution about something you plan to do differently in 2010 to bring more
peace and justice into the world. It could be a change of attitude, a personal habit or practice, or a new project. A wish
for the New Year - grand or specific. A dream for peace." Here are a couple of such resolutions or wishes. What they
seem to share is the level of paying attention, educating yourself, forming an intention, and being willing to act strongly to
bring about change. M.L.
