Tags
charity, Dick Cheney, food banks, gay marriage, gay rights, GOP, Karl Rove, OneIowa
Sorry I missed you all yesterday. I was gone the better part of the day working at our church library. We’re culling our collection and preparing for a nice gift from a former pastor who left us a sizable portion of his personal library. After working at that for several hours I met with my “soul partner” for a light lunch and some conversation.
Our church has paired up people who desire to delve deeper into their spiritual lives and figure that two heads together can be a real help. Our first meeting was lovely, and we both look forward to sharing more in upcoming weeks.
Tomorrow, the Contrarian and I are off to Iowa City for his appointment at the VA. It’s always something we don’t look forward to, but never takes long, but I’ll probably not get a chance to post. I need to stop off at the store on my way home for some charity ideas I’m trying to promote. Speaking of which. . . .
It’s beginning to sound like a broken record. “I was watching GMA this morning when I got this idea. . . .”
Well, I did. So listen up, and see what you think. Everybody is talking about how food pantries across the land are suffering in this economic black hole we are all suffering through. GMA has been hitting up big food companies and they bring their truck filled with whatever down, and say they are donating it to such and such food bank in such and such a state.
Nice, but look at the free advertising and good press they are getting. Well, I thought, gosh, most everybody who can afford a few cans a month would be happy to do the same. Problem is, lots of folks don’t know where the pantry is in their town or city, lots don’t “have the time” to run over to deliver, and well, you get the idea. People have lots of excuses why they can’t help.
The trick is to make it easy. I figured lots more folks will help out if you make it simple. So I thought, what if the grocery stores set aside a bit of space and put in a box where shoppers could drop in purchased cans and boxes as they left the store. The store would make the delivery once a week or so, as needed?
Well I called our local HyVee and Fareway stores. Both are localized operations so I thought they would be the better choice. I got reasonably good responses from both, though Fareway asked me to stop in “to discuss it further.” HyVee was all smiles and wow, great idea, but didn’t ask for my phone number or anything. They do tend to be very upbeat and then not do anything, at least that has been my experience in the past. The woman I talked to did say, “Well, I hope in the near future you’ll see a box in our store.” I’ll follow up I promise.
So, I’m calling on all you bloggers to consider doing the same thing where you live. It can’t hurt, it may help. Who knows. A phone call or a check with the manager next time you are in is easy enough.
***
While I’m on my bully pulpit, let me ask you to consider a donation to OneIowa. I follow them on Twitter. They have been working tirelessly to fight off the religious right’s attempt to undo the Iowa Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage in Iowa.
Recently, as many of you know, NOM, (National Organization for Marriage) has been running a commercial trying to scare people that same-sex marriage will be the end of the world. OneIowa has been able to do it’s own commercial. Funds are needed to keep it on air.
The link will link you to the donation site. If we can hold the line in Iowa, I think we will have gone a long way to break the back of the opposition. Oddly I ran into a short explanation of how marriage came to be the province of the Christian church. It seems that marriage always was a civil issue and the early church wasn’t even particularly keen on blessing them. Only after the collapse of the Roman Empire did the church get involved. They were among the few who could actually read and write, and thus record the contractual arrangements.
***
Okay, it started with Limbaugh and Hannity and O’Reilly being the spokesmen for the GOP. That was bad enough. But no one really took that seriously. These are but guys who know what side of bread is buttered.
Then there was Michael Steele, but he proved to be just nutzy and could be shoved aside and left to his “message to da hood” silliness.
Newt reared his head, and started to bellow, and, well again, one can make allowances. The dude wants his own shot at the White house. I mean if Sarah can be held up as an icon of Republican virtue, then truly anybody has a shot.
But then we started to hear again and again from Cheney and Rove. Rove, the architect of the GOP demise has found a new home at Foxy NO-News where he can attempt to resurrect his defunct reputation for singularly destroying the GOP product in but four short years. He doesn’t seem to be running for anything, and trying to recapture rep creds seems his only motivation.
What of Cheney? Well one could argue he is doing the same, but given his supreme arrogance, this seems unlikely. To a guy who responds with “so what” when asked how do you feel about 75% of the American electorate disagreeing with your policies, his reputation is well, not his concern. After all, he assumes that anyone who questions his reputation is just some minor bit of fluff the duster missed.
So what is he babbling around town about how Obama is such a disaster? Clearly he ignores protocol since it is unseemly for the outgoing administration to criticize the new one. Bush even got that, though Daddy probably had to sit him down in his jammies and splain it to him.
I think the rationale is quite simple. Cheney, in the rarefied world he lives in, quite simply believes that the world cannot go on without his fine hand at the tiller, or wheel, or whatever steering mechanism you care to use. I think he’s so full of self-importance he really, actually, truly, honestly, categorically, believes that he is the savior of America. He’s convinced that somehow he is still pulling strings and behind the scenes directing traffic around the Beltway. Worse, he believes it is essential that he continue to do so.
And if that don’t make you a wee bit skeered, you are mighty mighty brave!
***
Existential Ennui 
Actually Sherry, the Dick was even more succinct than that; all he said was, “So”?
I just posted over at our place that Dick and George’s days are numbered; so I hope they keep blathering on and on, until the day comes when they can blather behind bars.
Cheney doesn’t live in the real world, so when he says things that reveal he justified torture, he’s sealing his own fate. Oh, the irony is too much some times.
Even if they should escape justice here, rest assured there is justice in the universe. . . and a fair and just reckoning will be theirs. That’s all I ask.
Glad to see you are back to your feisty self. I love it when you have a good post.
Vicki
Our church does a monthly donation to the food pantry but I forgot to buy anything last time. Maybe I’ll do it ahead of time and just keep the stuff in the trunk so I’m all set for the next date.
That’s a great Cheney picture. I appreciate your writing about helping with food banks; it’s a difficult time for them in all areas of the country.
I also appreciate your help in your church library. Today I spent hours in ours, doing of all things–dusting! The tops of the book shelves had probably not been dusted for years. The most recent (for 10 years) librarian has moved, so another woman and I are volunteering to take over. We’re planning to cull books, too–which our priest has given her blessing to.
Pls Thank Contrarian for Serving Country, Sherry. Am working to get More Public Individual Respects shown for our One Million Eternally on Duty: Especially Teens. Most teens have little clue Why/What Memorial Day Is. Am launching an effort to get the Rock DL’s of the USA to ask Everyone to Bow their head for a minute at 3PM local Time, for the Million Americans1770’s on.
I specifically mean the Kids on the Beach. Pop DJ’s need to remind them.
Oldest Ideas are Bestest, Sherry. The early Christian Church was Catholic first 1500 years.
Marriages were of course Religious Ceremonies/Sacrament from early days. Very Early. Only Religious Marriages existed until Recent 150 years in West. Civil marriage is “New Idea”, Very.
We Catholics have Many organizations of a Few (Each Group) who meet several times Monthly to Pray, To jointly read Religious Books to learn more, Appreciate Faith more, then discuss at regular meetings, Pray together:
Prayer Cells
Leagion of Mary (3 million every part of the world)
Etc Etc Etc.
Our Food, Clothing, Shoes for the Poor are Through Church organizations, which distribute them to the needy of Any Denomination or none. Only Poverty counts.
Local Nurse and her Doctor Husband (38), have begun Poor/Homeless Family Shelter; Vast New Show collections, ditto new basic clothing, To the poor in Nearby DC. Very Major new project, with 50 volunteer helpers. Highly Time demanding, to do the Lord’s work unrecognized.
George W and Chaney? Only One thing to say about them: Try them for War crimes AUTHORIZATION (Violation of Mil Regs also), (They Authorized the Torture Policy Unique to the USA last 7 years, among almost all Nations; Felony Violations (18 Types) of the Cionstitution of the USA. They are the Only reason for the Unique, Proven Unproductive Torture Policies We Condemned, Signed against, for 150 years.
Not many are aware Who were the Highest Educated in World History: China Began Education of their Officials when they “Invented” Currency, Government Administration about 4,000 or more years ago…
Then Tibetan Monks
Then Christian (Only were Catholic) Priests, Clergy from Earliest days.
First Western “Universities” began as direct offshoots of Seminaries, 1100’s (Oxford, Cambridge, Padua, Paris, etc., etc `1200’s), Protestant Seminaries (Princeton, Harvard, etc 1600’s)
Irish Monks Hand Printed the Bible in the Dark Ages, And kept Education active/alive.
Thank you for the reminder about food pantries. Our church has a box for monthly donations and I don’t pay enough attention to it. Great idea for the collection box placement!
Enjoy working with the church library set-up….sounds fun and interesting. And, so does the “soul partner” program. Lots of good things going on at your church!
I’m not sure if Cheney believes he’s the savior of America as much as it’s simply his divine right to rule, much in the style of a Roman Emperor or a Renaissance pope. Megalomaniac, thy name is Unka Dick.
Michael, so true. As the Contrarian says, proving that some torture worked is no defense. It’s wrong because it’s WRONG. Shep. Smith on Foxy had it dead on right. “WE DO NOT TORTURE! IT’S NOT AMERICAN”
Vickie: Tee hee, they are all supposed to be! but you have caught me, sometimes they are just average as all get out! I’m working to keep them funny and on point though, trust me.
Jan, it’s a touchy area the library. So many are donated, but 50 bibles in every possible configuration are simply unnecessary ya know. Nobody is stopping in to check one out, except maybe the one translated to hawaiian. And of course, when I saw the book on Christianity by Ratzinger, I wanted to heave it out the door! lol…But we have lots of double checking, so hopefully nobody will feel hurt when we finish. We are really getting boxes of really heavily theological and exegetical stuff, so I’m so excited. I’ll have reading material for years!
Ruth, ours does to. we got little laminated cards with the foods for each week that are needed. That’s where I got the idea for supermarkets putting in a bin for people to donate. It’s made easy, and I think they will get a lot. The pantries sure need the stuff, that’s for sure.
Thanks Sailka, I’ll pass it along to the Contrarian. It’s wonderful that our churches lead the way in helping in our communities. Without them, I know things would be ever so much worse.
Jeannelle, Yes I’m blessed with a church that is super service oriented. It’s personal creed is Matthew 25–when you did it for the least of these, you did it for me.”
I would love to see the thing catch on in supermarkets. I’ve got a call into the director of the linn cty food pantry to see what she thinks might be most effective. If they can pick up the stuff at the stores, that would be even more helpful to getting the stores to join in. all they have to do is supply a big box and sign and a small area from the cash registers.
Randal, it is seldom one meets a person of such arrogance. I know one on a forum who is similar. Dismissive of everyone’s opinion, because of course,only he has the intelligence to clearly determine what is true. Unbelieveable folks grow up, though I cannot figure out how they come about.
Sherry, I love all your replies. Thanks.
Sherry, Are Always People in need of Bibles. The Problem is Finding them: I know of a homeless ‘mormon’, with bicycle flat tire, who had been helped at the above mentioned Homeless shelter by the Medical Couple. He wanted to convert to Full Church Catholic, and havibng been told that only bible counts, he asked for a low priced “Catholic” Bible. I told him of the definitivelly Annotated “New American Bible”, ($6.95 Then), by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (Succesors to the Authors of the New Testament, the Council of Catholic Bishops, Highly Knowledgeable about the culture, meanings of First Century wrtings, unspun.
But God never gave us a Book, a Bible to save us, get us to heaven. The Bible tells us He gave us The Church (70% of all Christians today). Only The Church Lives The Full Bible, the New Testament, As Written, intended.
“Do This in Memory of Me” means the Consecration of Bread/Wine into the Bod/Blood of the Lord. The Mass is the Last Supper Feast, with Ancient words, sentences.
The Eucharist and the Daily Mass have been the 2 Key Elements, Centers of The Church Since the Last Supper. Documented.
Sorry about ‘Pushing” One Faith. Only want to correct Any Misunderstandings. Almost everything “bad” about the Catholic Church, Faith are invented or misunderstood ideas.
Wanted to dispose a book by Ratzinger about Christianity? From the Library of a Clergyman? Ratzinger wrote no book about Christianity; Only about the Church: governed by the Council of Bishops (As the Apostolic “Council of Jerusalem” about How to replace Judas, and following Jewish ‘laws’?
Ratzinger, a famed World Theological Scholar, recently wrote a book about Christ.
The Church has Zero Spin, Twists. It is the Church founded by our Lord.
And Chaney, like GW, was always into Money Power, Controlling it, enriching the richest. Which Massive Tax Cuts on the Richest Reagan 1980’s, and same from Clinton Surpluses through FY 2001 ($28 Billion) with same Massive Tax Slashes, And Major Subsidies Of Big Oil, Big Filthy Profits Pharmaceuticals, etc with Tax Dollars, Has Bankrupted the US of A, as Again to be revealed Much Stronger than GAO May 2008 Economic Report of Entire USA (Includes Your Home, Car). Look at GAO report May 2009.
Then Read the Policy that Caused it: STARVE THE BEAST. Most Important Reading, to understand Anything.
The One Giant Mistake of the Obama Administration is Ignoring the Constitutional Requirement to Enforce it, Impeach. Never has USA hasd so many Gravest Felony Violations of the Constitution: allegedly 28 counts, by National Panel of Lawyers.
And Obama determining that we will not Prosecute Crimes of the Past. Crimes are Only prosecuted Afterwards.
And it is the Authorization by Gonzalez, George W, Chaney (All non-vetetrans) Of Using Universally Known, Counterproductive Torture. “Enhanced Interrogation” included Ddenying Any Sleep 6 Days (And how done)
Normally called torture has been Universally Bannned (1864 Geneva Agreement) and not used by almost any country as Policy.
GW/Gonzalez/Chaney’s Authorizing Torture Violated even US Armed Forces Captives Laws.
These were not CIA/Operatives abuses, or 2 Enlisted and Guard Major Tried, convicted, But the Top Officials who Falselly Signed Authorization to Torture, “Enhance”.
Studies show Most effective Interrogations (German Armed Forces of POW’s, Police, FBI, Law Enforcement) are the Good Cop/Bad Cop method.
History Channel had excellent, comprehensive 2 – 3 hour series a few years ago. Highly Informative on “Interrogation”
Laws Must be enforced, against All, Especially the Perpetrators, Initiators. Is No Brainer.
And………Was not USA Mistakes! Was Bush/Chaney Administration Policies , Totally Illegal, Immoral, that turned the entire world against us: On Immorality of worst sorts. Not American, but The Administration.
Jan, thank you…
Sailka, I agree, there are never enough bibles, but we don’t need 50 in a church…lol..you are correct in my view on the issue of interrogation and about holding the designers responsible.