Sunday, December 4, 2016

Two Petitions, One to Obama: STOP the Dakota Access Pipeline and Violence

https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-dakota-access-pipeline
https://www.change.org/p/president-barack-obama-shut-down-the-dakota-access-pipeline 

The Army Corps of Engineers cited "reduced proximity to residential areas" in the Bismarck routing change and more tellingly calling it a "“high consequence area.” ("In its environmental assessment, the Corps rejected the Bismarck route to protect wells that serve the municipal water supply, according to according to The Bismarck Tribune.") We could play ethics here and say, sure, a more highly populated (albeit white) area is at more jeopardy than a less densely populated area (by the Indian reservations). So while perhaps Snopes is right by saying 'white outcry' did not primarily cause a re-route of the proposed route per se (although I'm sure there was some, either public and/or private outcry that I will not take the time today to find)... even those on the record statements can be seen to assert very plainly and essentially "WE WILL NOT ROUTE IT NEAR OUR POPULATED [WHITE PEOPLE] CITIES but WE WILL TRY TO ROUTE IT OVER TRADITIONAL SACRED INDIAN LANDS AND JUST UPSTREAM FROM THE INDIAN WATER SUPPLY." You can spin that as you'd like. Just imagine being on the Indian Reservation and seeing that unfold.

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Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012

Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012
I've been thinking some about the Winter Solstice, the Mayan end of the 30,000-year-cycle on 12/21/12.

What if in fact the world did end? Even though this probably will not happen, to live consciously it is honest for us to take a bit of an inventory.

Am I happy with how I've lived my life? (Yesterday, I thought mostly yes, with some areas for improvement, as below.) Are there changes I would make?
Would I have tried to forgive those that were hostile or disappointing to me?
Would I spend more time with those I loved the most, telling them that, feeling that more?
Would I be happier, grateful for what I have, what I've experienced, the joy, the beauty in this world?

Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above.
So this time can serve as a point of rebirth for all of us. If we think about it.

Because somewhere along the line I realized I think maybe mankind deserves it. !
The way we are killing each other, killing the planet.
How selfish we are, and snotty to those around us. Petty, competitive. Why is this? Do we have to behave this way? (I say no, it greatly detracts and misdirects energy from the full-time celebration in which we could engage, the great multi-cultural, multi-rhythmic dance we can sustain here.)

Maybe God or the Great Universe is fed up, and will pull the rug out from under us.
Don't think I can say we could blame Him/Her/It.

But it probably won't happen. (Probably not! This time.)

Still we are finite on this ride.

It is a time to think, am I happy with how I've lived my life?
Hopefully most of us can say yes.

For the part of us that have a little worry, a little sadness....
This is the time to be present.
This is the time to be the person you want to be, that can die at peace, that can hope to every day be able to look yourself and the Universe in the eye and say, how beautiful, smiling, and thank you. Let's do that.

Antidotes to Violence, a.k.a., Take Charge of Where Your Head's At - here

Tell Congress to Strengthen Gun Control Laws NOW - here

Good News & Brain Food News -
Christians & Muslims Gather, for Peace here
Good News - Top RIO+20 Summit Posts here
The 'Busy' Trap - NYTimes.com
here