A blog about life as seen by a retired Middle School Science Teacher from California
Author: Bruce Halen
I am a retired Middle School Science Teacher that loves to sing, ride bicycles and write. I am a Unitarian Universalist by religion and thrive on exercise to keep mentally and physically healthy and happy. I am an Ovo-Lacto vegetarian.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
There are folks that don’t want you to vote. And if you do vote, they want to devise ways to make your vote not count. And if they can’t deny your vote, they will take the voting issues to the court system which they have bought and sold to the highest bidder. You know the names of the buyers: Harlan Crow, Elon Musk, Tim Dunn, Farris Wilks, Dan Wilks, David Sacks, Joe Lonsdale, Marc Andreeson of Andreeson-Horowitz, the Western States Petroleum Association.
This list of rich people and organizations willing to sacrifice our freedoms for their own wealth preservation and power is partial. Very partial. Money has always run this country. The difference now is that MAGA (Money Against Great Americans) has grown weary of what us common people think and want and have decided among themselves that now is the time to remove us from the political process by hook or by crook. Mostly by crook.
Democracy has been loosely tolerated as long as the wealth and power stayed where it has been in control. They are rich and they are powerful and they will pull out all the stops to complete their coup against the United States. Donald Trump is merely the tip of their melting iceberg.
Be aware of what they are doing and do what you can to wear then down, to fight for our country, it’s Democracy and it’s freedoms. Keep up the struggle for this wonderful country.
And how about those Olympic athletes, their stories and their families. They make me proud and they remind me of what stock I am from. We live in a great country. Never forget that.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
I do. Maybe not the winged kind found in Christian iconography, but I do believe that whatever they are, they are real.
Their presence was felt on multiple occasions during a three day backpacking trip with a friend in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park recently.
The first angel made its appearance on a hike to Alta Peak out of Pear Lake. After a challenging bushwacking and boulder-hopping adventure, my friend and I found ourselves at the base of the Pass just below Alta Peak.
This last element of the climb was steep. But, it was not just steep, it was a thick layer of loose gravel or what is also called “scree.” My friend started up first. I started to follow but was having trouble getting a foothold into the loose rock material. As I scrambled to get a foothold, The two 1.5L SmartWater bottles that I was carrying fell out of my pack and went tumbling down towards a snow field below.
I really thought I was screwed at this point. My hydration source for the remainder of the trip was now gone a couple hundred feet down the slope. Also gone was my will to continue up to the Pass below the 11,000′ Alta Peak. I yelled up to my friend that was unable to continue.
He told me to wait where I was while he continued up to the Pass. At this point, I was pretty scared. Going up was no longer an option and going down the scree slope didn’t seem like an option. I was holding on to a small protruding rock anchored to bedrock and curled my leg under me to arrest a slide down the slope.
Actually, that rock was the first of my Angels. If it had not been in that precise spot, I may have joined my water bottles down near the ice field below. In fact, a second rock appeared within reach to help stabilize me while I waited. Enter Angel # 2.
It was an uneasy wait for my friend to come back down to help me get down to the base of the scree slope where I could find some solid granitic rock to stand on. I contemplated life, which at that time seemed to be on precarious ground. I thought about what if something happened to my friend before he got back to me. After a few minutes I yelled to see if I could get his attention. But, I was yelling downhill. He was uphill which made it unlikely that he would hear me.
I had a whistle around my neck, but I was afraid that removing my hand from one of the rocks would secure my fate so I didn’t try to blow it. Eventually, he yelled down to me and suggested that I try walking down the slope. This wasn’t going to happen as I had by now lost all confidence in my boots.
So, I ended up sliding down the slope on the seat of my pants (which miraculously were not torn along the way) and made it to where I felt confident that I could stand and walk once again. I guess that you could consider the people responsible for the durability of my pants as Angel #3.
I believe that angels can be both animate and inanimate objects. My animate angel was my friend who talked me down the slope while he went down to check on my water bottles. Miraculously, the two water bottles were still intact and came in very handy for the remainder of the long descent back to our campsite at Pear Lake.
So far, that’s four angels that helped me out on this hike.
There was one more. This one came in the form of my own mind engaging in self talk with me to negotiate my way along a narrow stretch of trail known as the Watchtower route named after a prominent slab of granite of the same name. This stretch of trail was particularly challenging for me as I have mild to moderate Vertigo.
I was reminded to breath, walk slowly and methodically, be aware of the rock face and how close my pack was to it, to not under any circumstances look down and to keep my eyes focused of my friend’s feet in front of me. The half mile stretch was harrowing for me, but with some help from my friends, I was able to make it to the Watchtower and once again resume taking in full breaths of that clean mountain air.
So, do angels exist? I’ve answered that question for me. No one in this world is self made. No one does anything solely by themselves. Anyone who says they can do things without help simply don’t know what they are talking about. A natural lesson in humility is called for now-and-then.
It might sound to you like I had a miserable time on this trip. Quite the opposite is the truth. In another post, I can tell you about the people that we met along the way along with the natural history lessons that my sagely friend imparted on me along the over 14 miles and close to 4,000 feet of climbing that we did together.
But, that story will wait for another posting. This one is to thank my angels for giving me a chance to share this experience. For me, the purpose of a life of travel and adventure is to share it with others. After all, what is the experience if it stays only inside of me?
I believe in angels. Oh, I almost forgot one more angel..,
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
I was recently reminded by a friend of mine who is Buddhist of the Buddhist concept of karma. Karma is important to me in dealing with the authoritarian threat facing us .
As my friend describes it, karma literally means “action.” Actions range from brushing your teeth to directing a missile strike on a children’s hospital, deciding as a batter whether to swing at a pitch or take it, should I drive through the amber signal light or stop, should I direct my armies to invade a sovereign country. These are actions.
Actions have consequences . Those consequences as I understand what my friend explained to me, are determined by whether or not the action is acceptable or unacceptable. Since violence is unacceptable under Buddhist beliefs, the violent deed would be followed by a consequence for the “doer.” The “doer” of the act would be viewed as ignorant, unskilled or hurtful under the tenets of Buddhism. The person or persons responsible would ultimately be held responsible for their deeds. There would be a karmic response, but that response would take place without prior knowledge of when or where or what that response will be.
The Dalai Lama, the titular head of Buddhism, draws a distinction between the deed and the doer. In Christianity this is called separating the sin from the sinner. It is the deed that is unacceptable while the doer is fully accepted and embraced in Love and forgiveness.
What prompted me to seek out my friend was my question: “How would the Dalai Lama respond to the missile attack on the Children’s Hospital in Kiev?” Before providing deeper understanding, I was reminded that the Dalai Lama views China as his friend even though it was the Chinese government that violently forced the Dalai Lama out of Tibet on March 13, 1959. Nevertheless, he treats his enemy (China) as a friend and says: “Hatred (violence) never ends through hatred, but through non-hatred alone does it end.”
I intellectually understand that there is a difference from the deed and the doer or the sin and the sinner. To me, karma should be swift and appropriate to fit the action and it should happen now. How 21st Century of me. I want it and I want it now.
The truth is that justice is patient and thorough and often very slow in coming. That is incredibly unsatisfying for me as a developing human being. I accept it in my heart, but not my head.
The forces that prompt me to unleash verbal tirades at talking heads on a screen come from a place of direct contrast to the teachings of Buddhism which is a belief system that I deeply respect. I am a flawed human being. I accept that and I forgive myself for my faults.
At some point I will learn to forgive Donald Trump, MAGA supporters, the Republican Party, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban and a long list of people imposing violence and hate on the world.
In the meantime, this flawed human being will turn to the Dalai Lama for guidance. I believe that the same wisdom can be found in the teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is unfortunate that many modern day Christians have chosen to ignore Christ, a figure that stands in solidarity with those being victimized by violence, hatred and fear. They have instead created a false God and have chosen to follow his words instead. I forgive the Christians that have been led astray. Beliefs can be easily manipulated by unscrupulous demigods. Karma is as karma does.
One form of karma is your vote. Be sure to use this karma. This karma is yours to create. The future of the world is up to us. Each and every one of us.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Whether it be banning books, gutting voting rights, eviscerating the ability of government to govern , denying climate change, slashing taxes for the rich (not for us), promoting gun culture, encouraging White Supremacy culture, taking away the most personal freedoms of families, blurring the the constitutional separation of church and state, collaborating with international despots, tyrants and Fascists,
promoting and disseminating disinformation about the United States or packing the Supreme Court with extremist idealogues who are trying to tilt the law in the favor of the very wealthy, rollbacks of voting rights and Affirmative Action,
the comprehensive assault on Democracy has been well devised and effective.
But the end result is not the inevitable downfall of Democracy.
And here’s why I think that Democracy can still be saved.
_________________________________________
The timing of the Dobbs Case that rescinded the decision in Roe v. Wade (1973) to legalize abortion.
All the guns, cynical Supreme Court rulings or out-of-touch Republican politicians can put the pent up energy of American women back into the bottle that the Dobbs decision opened up. Their glee at being able to accomplish this task at the earliest possible moment allowed women and to prepare and mobilize into a political force that has the potential to rumble over Republicans and Project 2025.
2. People under 30 (Gen Z) will cut through the crap and vote for their causes.
Gen Z is starting to come of age as adults. They are a substantial voting block and they are concerned about abortion, climate change and gun violence. There's is an important voting block.
This issue crosses political boundaries, but not surprisingly these days, only one in four Republicans Republicans identify Climate Change as a major threat whereas nearly 80% of Democrats identify Climate Change as a threat to our well being. I believe that this issue could tip the scales especially if we have a bad 2024 Summer of wildfires, hurricanes and floods.
7. Supreme Court Melt Down
Formal group photograph of the Supreme Court as it was been comprised on June 30, 2022 after Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson joined the Court. The Justices are posed in front of red velvet drapes and arranged by seniority, with five seated and four standing.
Seated from left are Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and Justices Samuel A. Alito and Elena Kagan.
Standing from left are Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States
Well, the sad sack six made it official that they have no interest in observing the Constitution of the United States. Essentially granting full immunity to any future president for virtually any action that they take while in office. So much no American being above the law. This is a dark day in American democracy, probably the darkest. But, out of the darkness there is light. Americans WILL speak up and rule from the bottom up will restore sanity to our country. Do anything and everything that you can to promote the vote and show this Right Wing cabal that they will not take over this country without a fight. And I do mean a fight.
From Reuters: Trump on the Supreme Court Ruling: Trump hailed the ruling in a social media post, writing: "BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!" The ultimate in Fascist generated reflection of reality. Don't fall for it. What a way to celebrate Independence Day!! We're heading back to what our forefathers fought so hard to escape. Conservatives want less government and Putin wants no U.S. government to stand in the way of his Fascist goal of world domination. STAND UP TO THIS BAND OF AUTOCRATS!! I think back to what my father would be telling me right now and I'm listening. Dad, I'm listening.
It would be absurdly selfish of me, with all of my privilege and skills, to sit back and watch this country be destroyed by some very, very rich and very, very, very powerful people.
Let’s make no mistake about it, we have an ignorant, bigoted felon running for the highest elected office in the land. He is in that position because he can be so easily manipulated by forces both foreign and domestic. His only concern is himself and his powerful handlers. Now he has cover from the highest court in the land.
Do whatever you can using your own personal superpower to keep this man…these people away from the White House.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
I reluctantly watched the Presidential Debate tonight and having watched it, my reluctance was justified.
All I’m going to say on the subject is thank God for Joe Biden. Whatever he lacks in communication skills he makes up for in his courage and with his heart. He had to stand up to a bully tonight and God bless him for taking on the bully despite knowing that this was not his best platform.
I wish that he had answered some questions differently, but this “debate” made the choice of the next president ever so much clearer to me and I was already pretty clear about it. Before the opponent’s indefensible attacks on his own country and personal attacks on his President, the Make America Grimace Again candidate was everything (and more) of what he wrongly accused the President of being. He is a despicable human being who has no business being anywhere close to representative government.
He is an embarrassment on what it means to be an American. I refuse to bullied by this idiot and it is in expressing my opinion and writing my letters and talking to people that I stand up to this bully. I spent 30 years of my life as a public school educator. Bullies are a fact of life for kids. Bullies are pained and insecure in their own lives and bodies. They lash out because they are desperately unhappy and troubled. President Biden’s opponent tonight fits that definition to a tee.
Don’t be distracted by performance. Be focused on results. There are some very rich and very powerful players both foreign and domestic that stand to benefit from a )((&^%^(& presidency. Biden’s opponent does not care about the people that vote for him. He’s already said that he doesn’t care about them. Does he care about you? Not a freaking lick.
When Hitler pulled the wool over the eyes of the German people in the last Century, Germany had real problem and the Nazis were able to exploit those problems into a political movement that resulted in the murder of on the order of six million Jewish people and a World War that resulted in the deaths of somewhere around 65,000.000 people.
America is not Germany of the mid 20th Century. The puppet candidate is trying to enunciate and create problems that do not exist in order to justify his need to be a strongman authoritarian style ruler in the model of people like Hitler, Putin, Orban, Xi and Kim Jung Un. Don’t be fooled and don’t be fooled by master communicators. What they communicate is not always true
So tonight’s debacle of a debate really serves no one. It should be forgotten and filed way. I yearn for the days when we will again have a real debate on issues affecting the United States of America. Your work over the next four months and your vote in November will demonstrate that Americans do have the courage to stand up to and defeat bullies, tyrants and dictators.
Indeed we have already done it and will do it again.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Qualifier: This post was written by Chat GPT from the prompt: First they came for me..." In reality, the poem starts "First they came for the Socialists," but the AI knew my intentions and wrote the gist of what I intended to write. BH
In times of upheaval and uncertainty, we often turn to history to understand our present. There’s a chilling poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller, reflecting on the consequences of staying silent in the face of injustice: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist…”
These words resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the dangers of apathy and complacency in the face of oppression. The poem captures a universal truth about human rights and societal responsibility: that the erosion of one person’s rights threatens the freedoms of all.
The poem’s message is timeless because it speaks to a fundamental truth about the human condition: our interconnectedness. It reminds us that our fates are intertwined, and that when any group is targeted unjustly, we must speak up—not out of fear that we might be next, but out of a shared commitment to justice and humanity.
First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew Then they came for me And there was no one left To speak out for me
History has shown us countless examples of what can happen when good people remain silent. From authoritarian regimes to systemic discrimination, the consequences of indifference can be devastating. But it also shows us the power of collective action and solidarity in defending human rights.
In today’s world, where issues of justice, equality, and freedom are as pertinent as ever, “First they came for me” serves as a poignant reminder. It challenges us to reflect on our own roles in shaping society and asks us to consider what we are willing to stand up for.
Each of us has a voice, and each of us has a choice. We can choose to speak out against injustice, to support those whose rights are under threat, and to advocate for a more just and inclusive world. Or we can choose silence, hoping that the storm will pass us by.
But as history has shown us, silence is not neutral. It is a choice—one that can have profound consequences. It is a choice to look the other way, to ignore the suffering of others, and to abdicate our responsibility as members of a global community.
“First they came for me” challenges us to confront our fears and to recognize our shared humanity. It calls on us to stand together against oppression and to defend the rights of all people, regardless of race, religion, nationality, or political beliefs.
As we navigate the complexities of our modern world, let us remember the lessons of history. Let us heed the words of Pastor Niemöller and refuse to be silent in the face of injustice. Let us speak out, not because it is easy or comfortable, but because it is right.
Because, in the end, our silence will not protect us. It is our voices, united in solidarity and compassion, that have the power to change the world for the better.
So, let us be brave. Let us be bold. And let us never forget that when we speak up for others, we are also speaking up for ourselves.
Because, as Pastor Niemöller reminds us, “First they came for…”—and then, there was no one left to speak for me.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
I don’t believe in the way that MAGA Republicans use the word “woke .” To be woke is not a pejorative. Rather it is a celebratory word. It celebrates awareness, curiosity, involvement and positive action for the good of all people. These things to me are positives and don’t deserve to be treated in this way by anyone. Jesus would have been woke and the teachings that he left behind in the Bible appear to me to be quite woke.
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has made an attempt to take a word that has been defined by MAGA-leaning Republicans to demonize those speaking truth to power in the area of social justice. That in itself I believe is despicable.
But DeSantis takes his crusade against “wokeness” to include issues in the realm of environmental science. What the bloody hell does , say, Climate Change, have to do with wokeness anyway.
Even if I believed in the Trump/DeSantis/MAGA definition of the term, it doesn’t apply to their own definition of woke.Woke, if you follow the link above to the ABC News piece is, in the eyes of the MAGA Minority, carries with it a White Supremacist overtone. But, it doesn’t appear to have any connection to Climate Change or COVID. These things, among countless others, sit beyond the range of the Anti-woke agenda promoted with this trifecta of …
I am trying to find some logic in Gov. DeSantis’ position on wokeness. Maybe that is a poor thesis position to start from, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of at least a little doubt.
In the meantime as the governor marches the state of Florida into the sea, maybe a few Floridians will jump off of the ship that is Florida and vote for what they see and not what they are told is happening in the world around them.
Climate Change is real and Gov. DeSantis/Trump/MAGA are not.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
I know that I am not happy with the current state of political discourse in the United States.
I know that race, immigration, issues revolving around the origins of life and the role of women in society each have points that reasonable people can disagree upon.
I know that climate change is real.
I know that the United States has a Constitution to abide by.
I know bullshit when I hear it.
I know my limitations and my strengths.
I know that Americans can disagree without being disagreeable.
I know that authoritarian-run governments don’t like democracy and have infiltrated into the bowels of American institutions of government.
I know that I don’t want to spend one second having my life being ruled from Moscow.
I know that people are inherently good.
I know that good people are capable of doing bad things.
I know that people can change.
I know that Democracy is better than any alternative.
I know that their is plenty of hypocrisy to go around.
I know that the only place for chaos is in nature (entropy).
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Recently I wrote in this space about my experiences in Punta Colonet, a small community in the northern Baja Peninsula of Mexico. It was really about “love made visible” as my church likes to say.
Love is love. You know love when you see it, feel it, experience it. This form of love is the stuff that is the win-win-win kind of love that benefits everyone. It is symbiotic and increases exponentially. Small amounts of it get magnified in ways that we are incapable of understanding yet are linked to by its everlasting power.
Love is the reason for living. Love and the ability of our species to spread it is why our individual impact on the world is important. Each one, teach one. Or each one teach 10 or 20 or 100 or 1000 or a Billion. The power of love is tangible and real. There is nothing about it that can be faked.
The Christian Bible says in Corinthians 13:4–8a (ESV) “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”
The central tenets of this statement are the blood cells of my blood, the carriers of the oxygen that gives me life, the stuff that guides my thoughts, that formulate my beliefs, that fuel my actions. It is the reason for my passionate beliefs about my fellow human beings, about individual liberty and freedom and the pursuit of values and actions that spread love.
Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).
How to Debunk:
1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.
2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.
3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.
4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.
5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.
"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.
"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."
"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."
Sander van der Linden Social Psychologist University of Cambridge
Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021
Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.
In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk." Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.
Anyway, read this article to any degree of detail that you like, but at least consider this before reading my thoughts on Iceland. …”modern liberals hold that the point of government is to remove obstacles that stand in the way of individual freedom.”
My brain is constantly looking at connections between people, ideas, events and places and time. So, here I am again going where my average brain takes me. Again, humor me. That is if I haven’t already scared you off!
On to the most intriguing place that I have ever had the opportunity to visit. Iceland.
Quick Facts:
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Iceland. FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional republic. CAPITAL: Reykjavík. POPULATION: 317,000. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Icelandic (Others include: English, Nordic languages, German) MONEY: Icelandic króna. AREA: 39,769 square miles (103,001 square kilometers)
Fun Facts:
You can find five, 10, 18, 100 fun facts about Iceland. Here are a few of them: _______________________________
Iceland has no mosquitos (can you guess why?). You can have 23 hours of darkness or 23 hours of sunlight (depending on the season).
It is loaded with Viking history and stories (sagas).
Iceland is constantly growing (It sits on top of an open crack in the Earth's crust)
Iceland and St. Louis, MO have about the same number of people.
Prohibition ended in 1989. Some Icelanders celebrate Beer Day on March 1.
Many Icelanders believe in the "hidden people" (Trolls and Elves)
Very strict gun policy. The Police do not carry guns except for a special force called the Viking Squad. Approximately 90,000 people own guns, but they are primarily used for hunting and sport.
Icelanders enjoy a good quality of life even though they work the longest of any country in Europe (43-44 hours per week).
It's southern-most point is the youngest place on Earth (Surtsey Island was born from 1963-67).
11% of Iceland is covered by ice. Story has it that the Vikings named the relatively hospitable island "Iceland" to discourage anyone else from coming here.
Psst: There are lots of other fun facts (do an Internet search using "fun facts of Iceland."
I visited Iceland for the first time from May 10-20 and came away with the feeling that this Nordic people, decendants of the Vikings, are my people. I was initially drawn here by the natural history of this island country in the northern North Atlantic ocean.
But what has bonded me to this place is the Scandinavian roots of it’s population. They are independent, egalitarian, enterprising, compassionate, creative, hard working, fun loving and, for the most part, liberally happy people.
They eat lots of cod (baked, smoked, steamed, fried, raw…) and to help it go down, they might indulge in the Icelandic delicacy of fermented shark meat. This vegetarian was the only person in our Road Scholar group that would admit to liking it. It is supposed to have probiotic qualities. I can’t confirm or deny it, but I was able to eat a good amount of seafood and not pay the price for it.
These people have a long and rich literary tradition that goes back as far back as the 13th Century when the early Viking stories of Iceland were finally written down in the form of Sagas which have a style all there own. My own interest in the written language may very well have its roots in my Swedish blood.
Traveling around the country mostly by motor coach one can see in the stark volcanic landscape the very essence of the Icelander. Nearly 2/3 of the population live in and around the capital city of Reykjavik (Smoking Harbor/vik means harbor). The rest of the population is scattered around the island in small towns and an occasional large town.
The place generates lots of electricity. About 30% of it comes from magma heated water (geothermal) and 70% comes from running water (hydroelectric). It generates so much surplus electricity that Australia operates two Aluminum processing plants in Iceland. Yes, they ship the ore rock Bauxite all the way from Australia to Iceland to take advantage of the cheap and plentiful electricity. Aluminum processing requires very large amounts of electricity.
Iceland’s golden age of freedom and independence was the 9th and 10th centuries. The old parliament called the Alpingi was formed in 930 and in 1000 Christianity was adopted as the official state religion.
The golden age didn’t last long as warring chieftains gave in to Norwegian rule. The Norwegians gave way to the Danes who ruled Iceland from mid-13th Century to the mid-20th Century. Iceland became a sovereign state in 1918 and independent republic in 1944. It was one of the few European countries to have actually benefitted from World War Two. They gained independence and received substantial Marshall Plan Aid money. The current international airport in Keflavik was built by the American military and the domestic airport in Reykjavik was built by the British military. At one point there were 50,000 American soldiers on an island with about 120,000 Icelanders!
Economically speaking, Iceland started the 21st Century with a robust period of economic growth and prosperity. Iceland was hit hard by the global recession of 2008 in which all of the main banks collapsed. This “Crash” resulted in declining living standards and a period of “psychological shock” for the people. Bu things are looking up for Iceland thanks in large part to an increase in tourism.
So, as I reflect on this first visit to Iceland, I reflect with a sense of individual pride. The liberal traditions that Icelanders carry on from their Viking forebearers also lives on in me. I don’t think that it is any accident that the history of this island nation lives on in me as well.
