I am so grateful for Dipo Faloyin’s book Africa is not a country: Notes on a bright continent, written in a way that felt as if I could hear the author’s voice telling me stories, charming me and helping me feel connected to people and places far from my home, even as he had toContinue reading “Reading Notes: Dipo Faloyin’s Africa is not a country”
Category Archives: democracy
Kitchen table issues
A few weeks ago, I saw a meme on social media about inflation, something about it being better to pay more for gas than give up basic rights and freedoms. Then I saw another one about why complain about the price of eggs when you pay so much for coffee. Putin would love these imagesContinue reading “Kitchen table issues”
Reading Notes: Vicious is my middle name
I’ve chosen to spend most of my life in a small college town in the mountains of North Carolina, and despite the understandable yen to explore the world in my youth (which I did), I have always loved it here, loved the sight of the mountains and nature all around. But one of the thingsContinue reading “Reading Notes: Vicious is my middle name”
Here’s why
This week, I’ve been volunteering to help get out the vote for Democrats. Here’s why… Because we need sensible people to face challenges such as inflation, those who know employment, education, and accessible healthcare are good for families and good for the economy; Because Democrats have already passed major legislation designed to boost our infrastructureContinue reading “Here’s why”
Vote D for Democracy
This November 8 (or sooner if you can take advantage of early voting or absentee voting in your state), it’s time once again to save our democracy. It would have been nice if the last election had been enough. But apparently not. The stakes are as high if not higher this time around, even withoutContinue reading “Vote D for Democracy”
Yes, And…
It’s a confusing time because it is (and has been) essential to elect as many open-minded and ethical Democrats/Independents to local, state, and national office as possible, yet it is understandable that people want to yell at anyone they can. Yelling at the main perpetrators (right-wing Republicans, Libertarians, and similar) is not as satisfying becauseContinue reading “Yes, And…”
Choose pride. Choose love.
In honor of pride month, I am going to attend a pride march for the first time ever. Thanks to the wise teachings of my father, gained both from his academic research and love for his gay brother, I have succeeded in being straight but not narrow most of my life, though I continue toContinue reading “Choose pride. Choose love.”
What I accept/What I abjure
I accept—and respect!— that people have strongly held values and religious beliefs that motivate them. I abjure any attempt to force such beliefs upon others. I abjure it on principle… but also in practical terms, I am yet to observe that any religious person fully agrees with another religious person on all issues, even thoseContinue reading “What I accept/What I abjure”
And yes, I am a little mad, thank you for asking.
In the early stages of a pregnancy, abortion is a form of contraception—the prevention of an unwanted pregnancy. In some cases, it is an assisted miscarriage for an unviable or life-threatening pregnancy. In later stages of pregnancy, it is a form of healthcare used only to address an unviable or life-threatening pregnancy. Limiting access toContinue reading “And yes, I am a little mad, thank you for asking.”
Speaking Up
I have so much I want to write for this blog, but I have been holding back. Sometimes, it is because there is a topic about which I feel so much anger and outrage (so many reasons for this lately, especially today), yet I don’t want anger to cause my words to miss my goal,Continue reading “Speaking Up”
reader. writer. 