Action 18: Keep up the Dialogue

So glad you are here.

Several months ago, while walking my dog, a page from our town newspaper
flew against my leg.

In it I read a ‘Letter to the Editor’ by a woman named Betty.

For months I have been playing with the idea of how I would like to respond to Betty.

Last weeks volatile topic on abortion has helped clarify my thoughts.

Here they are.

But first, ….

LISTEN UP!

Betty has something to say.

Christians Fighting Back with Prayer

Christians are under attack in this country… Because we stand behind our religious beliefs (which are good and decent)… We are standing up for our religious beliefs and rights guaranteed us under the U.S. Constitution, and we are attacked for this.  The people in our parish, and others, are fighting with prayer – pretty powerful stuff….

That’s it.

As you can see, pretty powerful stuff!

So, here I go ….

Dear Betty,

I thank you for your heart-felt appeal.  In response I would like to say the following:

First, keep up the prayer.  (In fact, include me, if you’d like.)

Second, stand behind your religious beliefs (which, as you say, are ‘good and decent’).

Third, have church picnics in public parks and sing passionate hallelujahs.  Build new churches and recruit new believers.  Teach your children about God and Jesus and all that other good stuff.

Fourth, if you don’t believe in birth control, DON’T use it. 

Fifth, if you don’t believe in terminating your pregnancies, DON’T have an abortion.

Sixth, if you want to marry a man, rather than a woman, by all means, PLEASE do so!

Finally, please know, Christians are generally NOT under attack FOR their FAITH. 

Instead, Christians are often under attack for their LACK of FAITH. 

• Your lack of faith in your God, who created diversity for a reason.
• Your lack of faith in your God, who created choice for a reason.
• And lack of faith that prompts you to force everyone else to be just like you.

So, Betty, please have faith.  Have faith that your loving, almighty God knew exactly what He was doing when He created diversity, differences and choice. 

And then, live YOUR life as you see fit, and allow others to do the same.

Oh, by the way, next time you have one of those church picnics in a public park,

look for a stranger singing along.

It may be me.

Yours truly, Bena

Peep and the Parade by Bena

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Keep up the dialogue   …..   it’s good for us!

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Action 17: Another confession

Hi there,

OK. 

I have to make another confession. 

In case you should be washing your dishes
or walking your dog, 
you may want to do that 
right now …… 

....... what I mean is, if you don’t want to read this confession, 
you certainly don’t HAVE to. 

There are plenty of other things to do.

(pause)

For those of you who decided to stick around, 
here is my confession.

I haven’t donated a single cent to the Obama campaign yet.

Too small to read?

I haven’t donated a single cent 

to the Obama campaign yet.

No, I am not kidding. 

I, who have been tooting my horn about the importance of supporting Obama, 
haven't even done THAT!

Before you judge me too harshly, let me say this in my defense.

I desperately want to believe in our Democracy.

I want to believe, what counts is the voice of PEOPLE, not the voice of money.

I want to believe, that my voice counts just as much as someone who can pump millions

into these crazy campaigns.

The fact is, when it comes to the millions, they win.

Flat out … I can’t compete.

But, I’ve changed my mind about writing a check.

I’ve changed my mind, because I’ve learned something from writing this blog.

I’ve learned that writing this blog can be darn hard and often a bit lonely.

I’ve learned that there are days I feel that mountain is just too big.

I’ve learned that sometimes it feels like all my sweat and tears end up in some great big dark void.

And THEN when one of you says, ‘Hey, you make sense,’

When another says, ‘I’ll share your ideas with a friend,’

When another says, ‘I’ll risk my butt as well,’

THEN …

THEN  I am EXCITED to write my next blog, to forge ahead, to try even harder.

And THAT is why I am sending Obama a check.

With my check I want to say, 

'Dear President Obama, 
I know your work is darn hard and often lonely.

Sometimes it may seem like that mountain is just too big.

It may feel like all your sweat and tears end up in some great big dark void.

BUT, PLEASE KNOW

Hey, you make sense.

I’ll share your ideas with a friend.

I’ll risk my butt as well.’

Yours truly,  Bena

Peep and the Parade    by Bena

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A little check …. A BIG message!

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Action 16: Get Ready

So Glad You are Here!

In honor of Mitt Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan, 
I will do the following:

 Grab a Dictionary

I am interested in three important words:  

trickle, down, theory

According to my dusty Webster Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, I learned the following:

TICKLE

• to move little by little
• to flow in a thin stream 

DOWN  

• toward a lower or worse condition
• defeat, descend, depression 

THEORY

• a hypothesis
• a speculation based on unproven assumptions 

When I combine all three words, I arrive at the following:

TRICKLE DOWN THEORY

A slow movement - little by little - which descends to a lower and worse condition towards a depression, based on speculation and unproven assumptions.

Such Words of Wisdom!

The inventors of the Tickle Down Theory certainly spoke no lie.

  

Since, I don’t like to criticize without making a suggestion for improvement,

I propose the following:

MOVING UP FACT

Once again my dusty Webster Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary proves invaluable.

MOVING

• to proceed into a certain direction or condition
• to take action

 UP

• rise above
• move into a higher position

 FACT

• an actual occurrence
• an objective reality

When I combine all three words, I arrive at the following:

  

MOVING UP FACT

An actual occurrence of taking action to proceed into a higher position.

In other words, Moving Up Fact implies that we take action, to allow regular people to move up through solid wages, health insurance, guaranteed social security and affordable education to benefit our nation as a whole.

I would like to add, for the reassurance of the mega rich: When Moving Up Fact has been accomplished, you are certainly welcome to your sixth mansion, your tenth jet and another really fancy toy.  After all, THIS IS AMERICA!

OK?

By the way, congratulations Paul Ryan!

May the race begin.

Yours truly,   Bena

 Peep and the Parade by Bena

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 Rock on …. MOVING UP FACT! 

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Action 15: Try the impossible

Welcome!

Today I am going to do something slightly insane. 

I am going to invite a Republican and a Democrat to the very same political parade.

WISH ME LUCK!

Here I go ....

Me:      Hi Pete, let me introduce you to Jack.  Jack is a Republican.

Me:      Jack, let me introduce you to Pete.  Pete's a Democrat.

(silence …… more silence….. hmmmm….)

Me:      Jack, guess what!  Pete likes baseball, like you!               

Me:      PETE, DID YOU HEAR?  Jack LOVES baseball!

(silence ..... more silence ...... hmmmm ....)

Me:   JACK, Pete bought a sit down mower, just like YOU!

Me:   PETE, Jack has a sit down mower with the same COLOR!

Jack:    Gotta go ......                                               

Pete:    Gotta go ......

Me:  OK.  Stop right THERE….

…. before you go, I’ve got to say ONE thing.

As long as you fight, you lose!

Both of you will have fewer jobs, fewer homes, fewer choices, less money, less security, fewer privileges, fewer obtainable dreams, less power and less democracy.

As long as you fight, THEY win.

They will have more mansions, more jets, more millions, more security, more privilege, more power …. and they will not give a crap about the death of  democracy.

THIS fight is NOT between regular people like you and I, 
who happen to be Democrats and Republicans. 

THIS fight is between those with massive wealth, power and privilege

and those without.

You guys are NOT stupid!

Let’s WIN for a change.

OK.  I’m done.

You can leave.

(silence)



(more silence)

Jack:    Baseball, hugh?                                                                     

Pete:    Since Little League.

Jack:    Same here.

Pete:    How’s that mower working out for you?

Jack:    Gets the job done…

Pete:    Yeah, in no time.

Jack:    Notice that pot hole on Main?

Pete:    That pot hole's INSANE!  

Jack:    Something’s GOT to be done about that ….                                      

Pete:    EXACTLY!

Jack:    ….over a steak on the grill …

Pete:    …at my house...

Jack:    ….next time mine…

Pete:   … with the wives …

Jack:  … and kids …

The end.

OK, so you ask,  "What's the point?'
The point is:

How about we try something pretty much impossible, 

just 'cause there is absolutely no other way!

Yours truly, Bena

Peep and the Parade    by Bena

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Try the impossible    ....   sometimes it works!
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Action 14: Another Dummy Book

So glad you are here!

I love bookstores.

Recently I stumbled on the isle with all those ‘Dummy Books.’

Here are some that I remember,

Remodeling your Bathroom for Dummies …. It’s about time!

Auto Repair for Dummies …. Hmmm … maybe.

Fashion for Dummies  …. Is that a hint?

Solar Power for Dummies …. Great Idea! 

Religion and Inspiration for Dummies … THAT should be interesting!

I have decided to write my own 'How to book for Dummies.'

Here it is:

How to Change the World

for dummies (like me)

by me

The average dummy book has about 368 pages.

Mine will be a bit shorter.

I’ll stick with two words.

‘SHOP wisely.’

The end!

This is what I learned, while writing my book:

If I want fresh air and clean water and healthy land, I need to shop smaller cars, smaller homes and smaller toys.

If I want my money to go so schools and roads and libraries, I need to shop ‘Made in America’.

If I want to continue to baby my dog, because I just LOOOOOVE animals, I need to stop buying tortured pigs from supermarkets …. (who happen to be a lot smarter than my dog!)

If I want wonderful little stores that make me want to hug a stranger, then I need to start my Christmas shopping THERE today! 

Which brings me to the best part of my entire book:

The official, new and improved, NUMBER ONE excuse for going shopping!

Change the World.

Go SHOPPING!

Yours truly,  Bena

By the way, I need to reduce my blog from twice a week to once a week.  Juggling life AND a blog is turning out more complex than anticipated.

Oh, one more thing.  I’d love to know what you have decided to shop lately to 'Change the World.'  No pressure …. just an invitation to press that ‘Links to this blog’ button  .... By the way, showing off is ENTIRELY welcome!

Peep and the Parade  by Bena

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Just doing my part ….. wisely (more often).

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Action 13: Sing!

Welcome!

I figured out how to get a song for this parade.

OK, ready?

First, get in the shower.

Turn it on.

Sing the following:

Don’t tell me they’re too big.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it can’t be done.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it’s just too hard.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it’s too late.  This is America!

Don’t tell me things will never change.  This is America!

(Make up your own great big finale.)

Forgot the lyrics?

OK.

Get out of the shower.

Drip all over the floor.

Print the lyrics.

Get back in the shower.

Plaster the lyrics on the shower wall.

Sing.

Don’t tell me they’re too big.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it can’t be done.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it’s just too hard.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it’s too late.  This is America!

Don’t tell me things will never change.  This is America!

Good!

Now go to the kitchen.

Pull out that long dangly extension faucet.

Pretend it’s a microphone.  (Do NOT turn on the faucet!  You are already wet enough!)

Call your dog or cat or kids or neighbor….

Sing.

Don’t tell me they’re too big.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it can’t be done.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it’s just too hard.  This is America!

Don’t tell me it’s too late.  This is America!

Don’t tell me things will never change.  This is America!

Never EVER underestimate the power of a good long shower.


Yours truly, Bena

Peep and the Parade    by Bena

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loud is good ..... LOUDER is BETTER!
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Action 12: It's time

Welcome

I am back home.

I just returned from visiting family and friends in the Midwest.

Great people.

Amazing cornfields.

Wide open horizon.

What an incredible country we live in.

While traveling along hundreds of miles of highway, I encountered two bumper stickers.

The first read,

‘Obama 2012’

I smiled.

The second read,

‘Obama You Lie’

I stared at that bumper sticker with mounting irritation.

Finally, I switched my turn signal, pushed the gas pedal, and passed THAT bumper sticker!

Out of sight, out of mind….

…. or so I pretended.

The fact is, 
my rear view mirror has never been in such heavy use.

When THAT bumper sticker got closer, I accelerated.

When THAT bumper sticker tried to pass, I hit the gas.

I ignored the breathtaking beauty of the road ahead.

I ignored amazing cloud formations spread above.

I ignored my favorite songs, my hopes, my dreams and my joys.

I was so UTTERLY determined to avoid that bumper sticker,  

it occupied my full attention for an entire hour!

Finally, sanity returned.

I realized I have limited time and energy.

I reminded myself that I need to make a choice.

Either I can fight against what I DISLIKE,

or I can fight for what I LIKE.

The fact is, I REALLY like Obama.

In all my life, I have never stuck a bumper sticker on my car.

EVER!

It is time.

Obama 2012!

Yours truly, Bena

Peep and the Parade    by Bena

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just another whisper ....

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