By Christine Sheller
The Climate Crisis Parade held Saturday noon Feb. 1, organized by Bold Iowa along with cosponsoring organizations (numbering approximately 50) was amazing to see. Bold Iowa reported approximately 1000 were present. Unfortunately, there was not a lot of media attention, although there were reporters and photographers present!
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
As Trump escalates tension with Iran, 2020 candidates need clear vision for peace
By
Arnie Alpert and Jon Krieg, American Friends Service Committee; reprinted with
permission, first printed in the Des Moines Register and Concord Monitor
Just (less than a week) before votes are cast in Iowa New Hampshire U.S.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Book Review: The Opposite of Hate by Sally Kohn
By: Jess Hoffert
Hate: It’s a word that gets tossed around all-too-freely
these days, from “I hate brussels
sprouts” to “I hate that person.” In her all-too-timely 2018
book The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide
to Repairing our Humanity,” CNN political commentator Sally Kohn digs deep
into the roots of hate, identifying what true hate is before using case studies,
interviews and personal experience to identify how and why we hate others.
Thursday, December 19, 2019
CALLING ALL PIPELINE OPPONENTS! WRITE TO THE IUB!
Reprinted with permission
We need as many pipeline opponents as possible to write to the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) and ask the board to stand strong against the aggressive tactics of Dakota Access. The pipeline company has been pushing officials in Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota, and North Dakota to double the amount of oil flowing through the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). We can and must stop them.
Staying Connected
by: Jessica Reznicek, first printed in the Hildegard House CatholicWorker Newsletter, Duluth MN
newsletter, Fall, 2019 News letter p. 7; reprinted with permission
newsletter, Fall, 2019 News letter p. 7; reprinted with permission
Time certainly can reveal to us so much about who we truly
are when we are attentive and present in our journey. As I grow, everything
within me seems to be slowing down. Calming down. And I like it.
Peter Wigginton, mission and refugee worker in Ecuador speaks to JPOG in eastern Iowa
By: Holly Blosser
Yoder, reprinted with permission; first published for JPOG email list
Over thirty persons enjoyed listening to Peter Wigginton
describe church mission and refugee work in Ecuador at a JPOG meeting on
November 24, 2019 at East Union Mennonite Church.
Friday, November 15, 2019
I Felt a Responsibility as a Veteran, as a Latino
Armando Perez Interviewed by David Morales, reprinted with permission by Commitee Against Militarism and the Draft, from their newsletter Draft NOtices, Oct.-Dec. 2019
Q: Could you tell us about yourself?
A: I’m a 26-year-old Teacher Apprentice/Graduate Student at High Tech High Media Arts. I was born in El Paso, TX, where I was raised as a transfronterizo and 1st-Gen student and oldest of three siblings. I have two dogs that I rely on for emotional support and you can find me at most extracurricular events that my students partake in.
Q: What branch did you enlist in? How old were you when you enlisted? And why did you decide to enlist?
A: I enlisted in the Army; I joined at eighteen years old. I wanted to join at seventeen but my parents refused to sign for me at that age. I decided to enlist for a multitude of reasons: I wanted educational benefits, at the time I worked at a low-wage job while being able to only afford one community college class at the time. I felt stagnant at that point in life; I wanted to leave El Paso to seek other opportunities. Some part of me wanted to feel more ‘American.’ I felt as if joining the Army would open more doors for me in this country.
Q: Where were you stationed during your time in the Army?
A: My first duty station was Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. Throughout my Army career I was also stationed at: Ft. Bliss (TX), Ft. Dix-Maguire (NJ), Germany, Romania, and Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Q: In the process of deciding to enlist, did you talk to others about it?
A: I talked to my parents but they had no experience in the matter. I talked to a lot of friends that were enlisted in other branches of the military. They would often say that they didn’t like it as much as they thought they would but felt like staying in El Paso offered no better options. Half of our friends were either getting into criminal activity or worked for low-wages. In the end, there was a lack of resourceful information or people to talk to.
Q: What was it like identifying as a young Latino male in the Army?
A: I experienced a lot of racism and aggression for how I identified. Latinos who would assimilate had preference. My ‘leaders’ butchered my name all the time. When I played ‘the game’ of making my accent more ‘American’ I was told I was liked for not being like other Mexicans. I would often be verbally assaulted and faced physical abuse when defending myself. One instance led me to being held down by my ‘fellow’ soldiers while they took turns beating me. While in uniform I would often be verbally assaulted by civilians who appeared Caucasian. I would often be called a disgrace although I risked my life overseas.
Q: What is one thing you wish you had known before you enlisted?
A: I wish that I would have taken the time to look over my contract for clauses that may have led me to not sign. One of the main reasons I enlisted was because I was under the impression that I would not be pulled into a deployment while attending college. Being pulled out mid-semester and deployed to a combat zone really impacted my life and relationships.
Q: What led you to get involved with Project YANO and counter-recruitment work?
A: When I found out that there was an organization that presented the facts as they were without omitting critical information, I was all in. I felt a responsibility as a veteran, as a Latino, to present the facts and necessary information for the youth to know the full scope of what the military is and how it can affect one’s life before they make a choice for themselves.
Q: Do you have any words of advice for anyone thinking of enlisting in any of the branches of the military?
A: Make sure you are well informed. If you feel like there are no other options for you, make sure you truly embark on an exhaustive search and you will find options. Seriously contemplate whether or not you will be happy with this commitment. Four-year and eight-year contract offers require a strong commitment to the U.S. government, and it is no easy feat to attempt to leave the military under contract. Research and talk to as many people as you can. Actively listen to everyone (yes, even your recruiter) so that you may make a list of things you need to know about. Get informed so that you don’t feel misled or cheated when you are already signed under a contract you cannot get out of.
Q: Could you tell us about yourself?
A: I’m a 26-year-old Teacher Apprentice/Graduate Student at High Tech High Media Arts. I was born in El Paso, TX, where I was raised as a transfronterizo and 1st-Gen student and oldest of three siblings. I have two dogs that I rely on for emotional support and you can find me at most extracurricular events that my students partake in.
Q: What branch did you enlist in? How old were you when you enlisted? And why did you decide to enlist?
A: I enlisted in the Army; I joined at eighteen years old. I wanted to join at seventeen but my parents refused to sign for me at that age. I decided to enlist for a multitude of reasons: I wanted educational benefits, at the time I worked at a low-wage job while being able to only afford one community college class at the time. I felt stagnant at that point in life; I wanted to leave El Paso to seek other opportunities. Some part of me wanted to feel more ‘American.’ I felt as if joining the Army would open more doors for me in this country.
Q: Where were you stationed during your time in the Army?
A: My first duty station was Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. Throughout my Army career I was also stationed at: Ft. Bliss (TX), Ft. Dix-Maguire (NJ), Germany, Romania, and Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Q: In the process of deciding to enlist, did you talk to others about it?
A: I talked to my parents but they had no experience in the matter. I talked to a lot of friends that were enlisted in other branches of the military. They would often say that they didn’t like it as much as they thought they would but felt like staying in El Paso offered no better options. Half of our friends were either getting into criminal activity or worked for low-wages. In the end, there was a lack of resourceful information or people to talk to.
Q: What was it like identifying as a young Latino male in the Army?
A: I experienced a lot of racism and aggression for how I identified. Latinos who would assimilate had preference. My ‘leaders’ butchered my name all the time. When I played ‘the game’ of making my accent more ‘American’ I was told I was liked for not being like other Mexicans. I would often be verbally assaulted and faced physical abuse when defending myself. One instance led me to being held down by my ‘fellow’ soldiers while they took turns beating me. While in uniform I would often be verbally assaulted by civilians who appeared Caucasian. I would often be called a disgrace although I risked my life overseas.
Q: What is one thing you wish you had known before you enlisted?
A: I wish that I would have taken the time to look over my contract for clauses that may have led me to not sign. One of the main reasons I enlisted was because I was under the impression that I would not be pulled into a deployment while attending college. Being pulled out mid-semester and deployed to a combat zone really impacted my life and relationships.
Q: What led you to get involved with Project YANO and counter-recruitment work?
A: When I found out that there was an organization that presented the facts as they were without omitting critical information, I was all in. I felt a responsibility as a veteran, as a Latino, to present the facts and necessary information for the youth to know the full scope of what the military is and how it can affect one’s life before they make a choice for themselves.
Q: Do you have any words of advice for anyone thinking of enlisting in any of the branches of the military?
A: Make sure you are well informed. If you feel like there are no other options for you, make sure you truly embark on an exhaustive search and you will find options. Seriously contemplate whether or not you will be happy with this commitment. Four-year and eight-year contract offers require a strong commitment to the U.S. government, and it is no easy feat to attempt to leave the military under contract. Research and talk to as many people as you can. Actively listen to everyone (yes, even your recruiter) so that you may make a list of things you need to know about. Get informed so that you don’t feel misled or cheated when you are already signed under a contract you cannot get out of.
Interviewed by David Morales
Q: Could you tell us about yourself?
A: I’m a 26-year-old Teacher Apprentice/Graduate Student at High Tech High Media Arts. I was born in El Paso, TX, where I was raised as a transfronterizo and 1st-Gen student and oldest of three siblings. I have two dogs that I rely on for emotional support and you can find me at most extracurricular events that my students partake in.
Q: What branch did you enlist in? How old were you when you enlisted? And why did you decide to enlist?
A: I enlisted in the Army; I joined at eighteen years old. I wanted to join at seventeen but my parents refused to sign for me at that age. I decided to enlist for a multitude of reasons: I wanted educational benefits, at the time I worked at a low-wage job while being able to only afford one community college class at the time. I felt stagnant at that point in life; I wanted to leave El Paso to seek other opportunities. Some part of me wanted to feel more ‘American.’ I felt as if joining the Army would open more doors for me in this country.
Q: Where were you stationed during your time in the Army?
A: My first duty station was Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. Throughout my Army career I was also stationed at: Ft. Bliss (TX), Ft. Dix-Maguire (NJ), Germany, Romania, and Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Q: In the process of deciding to enlist, did you talk to others about it?
A: I talked to my parents but they had no experience in the matter. I talked to a lot of friends that were enlisted in other branches of the military. They would often say that they didn’t like it as much as they thought they would but felt like staying in El Paso offered no better options. Half of our friends were either getting into criminal activity or worked for low-wages. In the end, there was a lack of resourceful information or people to talk to.
Q: What was it like identifying as a young Latino male in the Army?
A: I experienced a lot of racism and aggression for how I identified. Latinos who would assimilate had preference. My ‘leaders’ butchered my name all the time. When I played ‘the game’ of making my accent more ‘American’ I was told I was liked for not being like other Mexicans. I would often be verbally assaulted and faced physical abuse when defending myself. One instance led me to being held down by my ‘fellow’ soldiers while they took turns beating me. While in uniform I would often be verbally assaulted by civilians who appeared Caucasian. I would often be called a disgrace although I risked my life overseas.
Q: What is one thing you wish you had known before you enlisted?
A: I wish that I would have taken the time to look over my contract for clauses that may have led me to not sign. One of the main reasons I enlisted was because I was under the impression that I would not be pulled into a deployment while attending college. Being pulled out mid-semester and deployed to a combat zone really impacted my life and relationships.
Q: What led you to get involved with Project YANO and counter-recruitment work?
A: When I found out that there was an organization that presented the facts as they were without omitting critical information, I was all in. I felt a responsibility as a veteran, as a Latino, to present the facts and necessary information for the youth to know the full scope of what the military is and how it can affect one’s life before they make a choice for themselves.
Q: Do you have any words of advice for anyone thinking of enlisting in any of the branches of the military?
A: Make sure you are well informed. If you feel like there are no other options for you, make sure you truly embark on an exhaustive search and you will find options. Seriously contemplate whether or not you will be happy with this commitment. Four-year and eight-year contract offers require a strong commitment to the U.S. government, and it is no easy feat to attempt to leave the military under contract. Research and talk to as many people as you can. Actively listen to everyone (yes, even your recruiter) so that you may make a list of things you need to know about. Get informed so that you don’t feel misled or cheated when you are already signed under a contract you cannot get out of.
Photo caption: Army veteran Armando Pérez speaks to students at High Tech High School in San Diego. Photo: Rocío Cordova.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
A Day When Way Opened: Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
By Anthony Wier; first published as media on the internet; reprinted with permission
On Nov. 9, 1989, something that had been permanent evaporated—and the impossible suddenly, stunningly, became real. When the sun rose that November morning, a wall physically divided East and West Berlin, just as it had for 28 long, frightening years before.
On Nov. 9, 1989, something that had been permanent evaporated—and the impossible suddenly, stunningly, became real. When the sun rose that November morning, a wall physically divided East and West Berlin, just as it had for 28 long, frightening years before.
Thursday, October 31, 2019
"Because" - a disaster ministry
By Karl Goodfellow
Disasters are physical, emotional and spiritual events. We
spend most of our time and resources responding to physical events. Yet the
biggest affects are often emotional and spiritual.
Why Christians Should Take a Stand on Climate Change
By Christine Sheller
Christians should take a stand on climate change. Jesus said the second greatest commandment
after loving God was loving our neighbor (Matthew 22:39-40).
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