I am feeling sick to my stomach.

What the hell is my country coming to????
Watching what out troops have done and each new lies from this illegitimate administration is pushing me to the edge.
I told myself to stay away from the new today, but I couldn't.
How can any decent human being not be disgusted by what is going on in this country and what is being done by this administration.
I try to separate myself from the evils that are happening, but I seem unable to. I am continually having nightmares. Having trouble sleeping and seem unable to focus on day to day life because I am always thinking about the horrible evils that are happening in our world and in our name.

That we just need more decent human beings. Seems to be a shortage, presently.

I'd like to add at least one decent human being.

and days like today I am very grateful.
I do work with and for children and hopefully make a difference in a life once and a while.

>I'd like to add at least one decent human being.<

You are a great human being. We don't have kids, either, so we do a ton of volunteer work. You and many other DU'ers could truly make a difference in the lives of kids who need your life knowledge and compassion, and whose families are uninvolved or nonexistent. Here's some ideas for those who might have a couple of free hours once in awhile:

Tutoring programs
Camp Fire, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs are *always* looking for leaders, chaperones, etcetera.
Foster kids -- there are a minimum of half a million children in the United States whose parents and relatives didn't want them or have given up on them.

One of the things DH and I participate in is a local program, started by our Chief of Police, that keeps an informal eye on the teenagers in our "business core" on Friday nights. So many of these kids look to this small group of adults as mentors, or even someone to talk with about bad family situations or problems at school. We also are thrilled to contribute whatever time and money we might have to http://www.treehouse4kids.org. Treehouse works exclusively with foster kids to help them have a childhood, instead of an existence.

There are so many kids whose parents are too busy for them or whose family situations have them languishing in the foster child program in the USA. These kids need to know that they are cared about and they are important. The Republicans don't give a shit about any child that isn't white, Christian, and rich. As Democrats, we have a mandate to do whatever we can, even if it's a couple of hours at a time or squeezing a few dollars out of the household budget, to help these kids grow up to be happy, functional adults.

Sorry for the soapbox, but as you can tell, I'm pretty passionate on this issue ;-).

Julie

n/t

www.grannyd.com

Soil of Good Democracy
By Doris "Granny D" Haddock
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Wednesday 12 May 2004

Detroit, Michigan - I am on a long journey to take a good, long last look at my beautiful country and to encourage as many people as I can to take up the ballot and to brighten up the colors in our fast fading democracy. It has been a long journey for me. While I enjoy making so many new friends along the way, I would rather be back in my home in New Hampshire and walking for leisure instead of in desperate search for a few more good Americans to do the right and necessary thing.

My life has been long and grand, and I am about done with it, but I am determined to not say goodbye to all of this until I can go to my rest in the soil of a good democracy.

I know that many of you are working hard to speak the truth and speak for justice, and to bring America back to some more sensible path. But I am asking you now to do something more. This advice comes from what I have seen along the 20,000 miles I have traveled since I left home in October.

http://truthout.org/docs_04/051604B.shtml

difficult these days, and nights. Do go read GrannyD as posted above. It is getting more difficult by the day for me and I can only be grateful that I can come here and read what I need and renew my soul knowing I am not alone in my absolute disgust and horror at what is being done in our names.

I've been trying not to follow things as closely for awhile. I've been focusing on my corner of the world. I did watch a sad but uplifting show that Oprah did about AIDS in Africa. She is one heart-filled person who is using her celebrity status to make a positive impact on this world and do what she can. Although we don't have her money, she is an inspiration to us all. I've been trying to focus on people like this. There are still good people in the world. We just fail to see them through all the upstaged evil.