CIvil Rights - Women Gave It To Us Too

In so many ways, men are in the forefront because they are the only ones given opportunity to be visible leaders. Hence, men get the credit. The women who work in the background to make the movement, event, or the organization happen are too often forgotten.

In this week of honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., let us also remember some of the women who also brought us the Civil Rights Movement.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/speak-easy/item/77522-the-invisible-women-of-the-civil-rights-movement

Majority of School Children Feel the Direct Effects of our Hierarchies

We all know that, in one of the world's richest countries, the money is going somewhere. And not to most people who are building this country through their hard work and sacrifice.

So now, finally, we have the situation that over half of our children in public schools qualify for  free or reduced lunch, meaning the majority of our children in public schools are poor.

Republicans just keep sending more resources to the top, and many people who are poor keep being brainwashed to support them. Hierarchies are great at getting people to work against their own best interests.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/majority-of-us-public-school-students-are-in-poverty/2015/01/15/df7171d0-9ce9-11e4-a7ee-526210d665b4_story.html

Diversity Helping our Collective Independence

Who is defying the dominance of the United States by corporate America, and trying to keep the thought of mom and pop businesses alive? It's the immigrants.

Between 2000 and 2013, immigrants accounted for all net Main Street business growth nationally and in 31 of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the country.

Maybe immigrants aren't so brainwashed as the rest of us about our overly capitalistic system, where those on the top can't have enough and we should pass our resources to them and sit quietly while we are grateful for crumbs.

Immigrants are keeping our American dream of independence alive.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/most-main-street-growth-due-immigrant-businesses-n286071

Absence of Leadership and Philosophy

Piers Morgan has written an editorial about the lack of the presence of the United States leadership at the Paris rally and support yesterday by millions in support of Charlie Hebdo solidarity.

At the head of the march were 50 world leaders; the Prime Ministers of France, Britain, Spain, Denmark, Poland, Turkey and Israel stood side-by-side, arm-in-arm with the German chancellor, the Palestinian president, and the Queen of Jordan. 

As a country who prides itself as being on top of the world hierarchy, the United States absence of leadership would be noticed.  Also, as a country who prides itself on spending trillions of dollars fighting international terrorism, absence of leadership would be noticed. And of course Morgan would get the point across by referring to the sport in this country on top of the sports hierarchy only played by men and mostly popular only in the United States - football.

As a country who thinks military might and free use of guns will solve problems, our lack of leadership presence sends another message - other ways of addressing problems in the world are not as effective. We'll see who is right in the end.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2906879/PIERS-MORGAN-Fifty-world-leaders-marched-freedom-yesterday-leader-free-world-Watching-football-dropping-ball.html

Go Ducks - In the Right Direction

Yes we do live in Oregon, so we would like the Ducks to win the football college national championship. But articles like this make us even more convinced we live in a wonderful state.

We have come a long way when it comes to LGBT awareness.

http://www.outsports.com/2015/1/7/7510145/oregon-ducks-coach-mark-helfrich-gay-football-player

A Billion Dollars not Enough in a "Top 1%" Divorce Settlement

Though we don't dispute that maybe she is not getting her fair share, Ann Arnall, 56, refused a $974.8 million divorce settlement check saying that the amount is too small. She is the ex-wife of a billionaire oil tycoon and former hubby Harold Hamm — CEO of the energy company Continental Resources. She is demanding more money because he was allowed to keep the bulk of his $13.5 billion fortune.

If we in the other 99% have a hard time perceiving just how much the other 1% has, here is a good example to remind us. The accompanying question is, of course, why do Republican lawmakers keep insisting the top 1% doesn't have enough and need even more tax breaks.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wife-rejects-billionaire-oilmans-975m-personal-check/story?id=28055210

Empowered Women Speak Out the Truth in America

Speaking the truth. Through poetry. About the issues facing young people and people younger and older than they. It works. It is effective. Watch.

http://www.empoweringwomennow.com/videos/3-fearless-girls-queen-latifah/