Monday, October 31, 2016

Letter to Standing Rock, Trump, and America


This is a post from one of my cousins, and my responding comment:

Government OrganizationFort Yates, ND
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Shiela Branson See if you can get folks to sit down and figure out how to work this thing out together, willya? Everybody's been too overwrought for too long. All those people COULD be working to get that new water system up and running. This nation doesn't need any more 'pity parties' - it needs somebody to stand up and show us how it's done. *IT* being protecting air, water, earth. Standing Rock is in a uniquely perfect position to get alternative energy sources providing its power, for example. Focusing on taking positive steps toward being able to fill in every pipeline and eliminate dependency on fossil fuels would redirect attention into something positive and good for everyone.

... And here are more of my ponderings on the topic:

If Roger's there, he may as well make himself useful.

I've left it alone for the most part first of all because I might have more faith in the Elders of our tribes than a lot of folk do. This is for them to deal with, not me and not you. My 'meddling' isn't going to do the least little bit of good; heaven knows our tribal folk have been meddled with plenty enough over the course of the past few centuries.

And no I'm not going to even try to get into a diatribe about history. We live in today, and we live in this nation together.

One thing I will say, though. There was a lot of fussin' and fightin' going on long before 'the white man' came onto the scene. Even so, the tribes WERE taking care of air, water, earth, and all of the lives that depend on having a decent place to live. Granted, there weren't as many back then but that's a whole different topic.

Me, whatever traces of native DNA might be in my blood don't really count for much so I'm stuck with only being able to say anything as a little old white gramma lady. Nobody's going to listen or pay me any mind, which is fine by me as I don't really have to be any too polite if I don't want to. This is my blog, this is America, and I can (and I will :) ) yammer to my heart's content.

Now, we can't go back and fix anything, but we might be able to learn a thing or two or three from looking back, right?

Yes, the early white folks could have and should have taken a lot more care to actually LEARN from the folk who were already here back in the day. It didn't have to go the way it did, you know. Nevertheless, it did and is water under the bridge now so can we PLEASE at least try to learn something from that mess?

We can't exactly start over, but we CAN start from where we are now.

I had to sleep on this three or four times before even opening my yap here, so it's not like I'm just blathering all of a sudden out of thin air.

WHAT IF Standing Rock really does want to (finally) want to take the lead in something positive that will actually fulfill some goals that have needed attention for a very long time? 

How are we as a nation going to address the problems posed by our energy needs while protecting our environment?

We have to use what we've got to develop what we need. That's plain common sense. We have fossil fuels; almost all of our energy HAS to come from them for a while yet. Fussing about that isn't going to do anybody any good at all, so just stop it already. 

Use all the energy you put into fussing in a different way. Redirect it into fighting to get Standing Rock energy-independent, for cryin' out loud. Set an example, and set the standard. Set the bar as high as you can make it go. Don't tell me it can't be done. Years and years ago the first wind generator I noticed just happened to be the one at the casino up in Devils Lake. You know, the one that provides the power that place needs to run.

Get your water system done on schedule, to begin with, and if it needs to be powered, by golly use the river to power it, not fossil fuel dependent equipment. That would be a good start, and send the message you want to make people listen to. Don't fret about having to use gas/diesel to get that transition made; just get it done. THEN you can stand proud and say 'We're practicing what we're preaching' ... and folks will pay attention. 

Standing Rock, Spirit Lake Nation, Three Tribes, and Turtle Mountain, along with all of the other Native Nations, can do things the rest of us can't, so get the lead out and start showing us how to do what needs to be done. Some cities are already ahead of you on the alternative energy grid thing, but they've got hurdles to leap that you don't. USE your independent nation status for pete's sake. Get your own alternative power sources on line with your own independent power grids. Focus on that and put your people to work on it. If you've already begun, how come I haven't heard about it? I've certainly heard a lot of stuff coming out of the rez lately, and would a LOT rather have had the focus on something that nobody can argue about than what it's been. Just sayin'. If you've got something going that can set a positive example, that's the noise we ought to be hearing - the fight you're winning if you've got an energy grid in place and renewables that are powering your nation. 

What I'm saying here is that the battle over one pipeline is probably technically going to go down as a loss for you. BUT the awareness it's produced is a win for you. Now you've got our attention - show us what you can do to protect and preserve what is yours to protect and preserve.

I do believe that our native folk honestly have a destiny that has long been on hold. It's maybe finally the time for them to Speak more clearly and for us to listen with open ears, to see with open eyes. That does not mean fussin' and fightin' I'll have you know. It means a clearly presented position, a well-planned and operational system in place, and a willingness to both share and receive wisdom. It is not wisdom to pick fights, by anybody.

Why am I focusing on renewables? Because it is our need for energy that seems to be a sort of common denominator in most if not all of the troubles we're trying to cope with these days. We spend a lot of time and effort bickering about everything, time and effort that would better serve us all if it were being directed at getting to the root of the problem and taking steps to solve it. 

So I'm not just talking to Standing Rock and the other tribes here. 

I'm also talking to Mr. Trump and anyone else who might be in a position to actually do something about things (as opposed to this little voice yammering here that nobody's going to listen to). What goes for the tribes goes for the nation as a whole. Give them what they need to develop what we all need. Put our folk back to work in the fossil fuels arena - with the stipulation that a LOT of those fossil fuels are going to be used to provide the energy needed to get the renewables up and running. AND that the folk who are working with fossil fuels are going to be getting training in the technology of renewables so that their employment in the energy producing field will be a smooth transition from fossil to renewable. Yes, put our miners and steelworkers back to doing what they do best, producing what we need to both keep going and to move forward, and guarantee their future employment by getting them ready for that transition.

America does need to get on with getting on. It's going to take work, and it's going to take time. 

And yes, I am of the opinion that our native folk can and will show us how it's done. Give them what they need to do the job, and let them be while they're doing what they need to do - for themselves but also ultimately for all of us. What they come up with is going to be the standard we'll have to meet so we'd better be watching and paying attention while we're leaving them alone to do what they have to do. If we fail them, they fail, and we all go down the tubes. 

Yeah, all those people who have spent months 'protesting' could have been working on that water system instead, but you know what? That too is water under the proverbial bridge. Let it go. Let it flow on down the river. And pay attention to what's hopefully going to be coming next. Not violent confrontation but a meeting of the minds whose responsibility it is to take us beyond what has been and into what can become.




Monday, October 24, 2016

The Thing About Ducks ...

found this pretty duck via a google search


There are lots and lots of different kinds of ducks, right? Look it up - there are well over a hundred different duck species.

And they're all ducks. There are a lot of some of them; not so many of others; but they're most assuredly all ducks.

When I have time I'll post photos of some of them, which will be a pleasure because they're so varied but all beautiful.

Me being me, I can't help noticing that North America has many, if not most, of those different ducks represented.

Because you know me, you know I'm  not just talking about ducks here.

A great organization called Ducks Unlimited has been working for a long time to protect and preserve habitat for all those ducks. 

The ducks need a safe place to live, to raise their young, and/or as stop-overs for when they're migrating to/from their nesting sites. That's what Ducks Unlimited is all about.

No I'm not a member of Ducks Unlimited (yet). For the moment that isn't the issue. Neither are the ducks themselves right at this particular time. They're important in and of themselves, of course, don't get me wrong here. 

But right now they're going to be representing something besides themselves. They're going to represent us - kind of.

Now, the ducks really do need basically the same things we do: safety, food, homes in which to live their lives. Ducks Unlimited works pretty darned hard to make sure they've got what they need, those ducks - ALL of those ducks, mind you, not just the mallards (for example). 




So, while for our purposes the ducks are going to represent us, Ducks Unlimited is going to represent our government, doing what it's supposed to do to protect and preserve us and what we need.

And that's just about where the 'representing' thing stops. Our ducks are NOT US. They have wings, for one thing. Neither is Ducks Unlimited our government. They do what they're supposed to be doing, what the whole organization was designed to do, giving it their best shot, for one thing.






Regarding Hillary's Hilarious Plan

No it's not FUNNY funny, not really ... except it is.


Apparently we have Mrs. Clinton to thank for this bit of Hilarity, a brief moment of respite from too much trauma and drama. Her plan ... revealed by a video ... what the heck ... I hope this Halloween to see every duck costume flying off the shelves ... :) ... just for the fun of it.


Thursday, October 20, 2016

Is The Divided States of America In Our Future?


Some Democrats I know have been thinking over the option of seceding, which would essentially turn the USA into two distinct and independent countries – the Democracy of America, and the Constitutional Republic of America. 

What would something like that actually look like?


Here’s one visual we can use. It represents the upper houses of each state as of 2015. Nebraska is different because it has a non-partisan unicameral legislature. Using this visual makes sense because the folks of the states elect these people from among themselves, reflecting the definitive choices of each area.

Red would become the Constitutional Republic of America, blue the Democracy of America.

Democratic leaders are already referring to the USA as a democracy (it dawns on me that they might choke on the word ‘Constitutional’, let alone ‘Republic’) so why not just let ‘em have it?

 Nebraska stands alone, or chooses when the time comes.

The Democracy of America would include:
1) Oregon
2) California
3) Hawaii
4) Minnesota
5) Iowa
6) Illinois
7) Vermont
8) Massachusetts
9) Rhode Island
10) Connecticut
11) New Jersey
12) Delaware
13) Maryland
14) *Washington DC*

The Constitutional Republic of America would include:
1) Alaska
2) Washington state
3) Idaho
4) Utah
5) Nevada
6) Arizona
7) Montana
8) Wyoming
9) Colorado
10) New Mexico
11) North Dakota
12) South Dakota
13) Kansas
14) Oklahoma
15) Texas
16) Missouri
17) Arkansas
18) Louisiana
19) Wisconsin
20) Michigan
21) Indiana
22) Ohio
23) Kentucky
24) Tennessee
25) Mississippi
26) Alabama
27) Georgia
28) Maine
29) New York
30) New Hampshire
31) Pennsylvania
32) West Virginia
33) North Carolina
34) South Carolina
35) Florida
36) Virginia

Wrap your head around the concept and consider the ramifications. Look at the above map again. Divisiveness to the point of no possible reconciliation might be right around the corner. Democrats might want to (really) think this through. 

Friday, October 14, 2016

Can We Please Focus Our Attention On Specifics?

The United States of America will soon be electing a new President.

I would really like to hear from supporters of each candidate specifically what issues they find most important at this time in history and what their preferred candidate has done, is doing, will do about those issues. 

Without anyone making a single remark ... at all ... of any kind ... about the opposing side.