Original Title: Change This! My Wish List for Accomplishing the Changes We Need By Gramma Willi
Note: I am re-posting this because someone deleted the old one.
It is wonderful to have a chance to reach you. I am known in some circles as a legendary activist. This means that many of you will not have heard of me; to those who have, I pray that you find good ways to share truths, good analysis and facts with the next generation of legendary activists.
Here's my wish list for accomplishing the changes we need:
1. Find a way to value the contributions of legendary activists. It is not enough to solicit our ideas and opinions and simply run away with them, to apply without the benefit of proper context and analysis. Activists are not enemies - they tend to be wise, giving and in need of a thank you every so often... a nice contract now and again would be even better.
2. Place the long term health of the people and the natural environment that we depend on at the top of all priority lists. Long term means the next 7 generations.
3. Always plan for peace - including economic plans. We have to get away from war economies.
4. Move away from reliance on fulltime staff as decision makers for social institutions. They poison social programs because their main priority becomes their personal financial health and not the success of the programs. The best staff will include putting themselves out of a job as their main priority, because this will mean that the goals have been accomplished. The best staff will never undermine volunteer Boards of Directors or Citizen Task Forces.
5. Fire the architects of the failed economic system and their cronies. Replace them with the people who have been predicting the collapse and offer well-thought out constructs for designing our emerging social economy.
6. Find ways to value legendary activists - you will find the best friends of humanity among their number.
All My Relations, Gramma Willi
I am proud of our Obama's announcement today.
It is wonderful to see a smart, strong young man stepping up to the plate and doing what needs to be done. It is wonderful to see one of my "Change This!" Wish List items getting attended to. (see earlier blog "Change This!")
We have a lot of housecleaning to do - at least it's springtime and time for it anyway. I can't wait to watch this Failed Lead Executive Extirpation Program (FLEE, for short ;) become common practice as we go about our economic recovery. I look forward to courageous, honest and deserving players taking the place of a too-long-entrenched uncaring régime - good thing you have a lot of résumes to choose from.
My prayers are with you folks and, for what it's worth, I'm around for ya.
P.S. Bringing the Indian Tribes into the UN is a sheer stroke of genius. Mad props to everyone who is behind it! Suggestion - put some of those savvy Native Elders at the helm of some of these organizations.
The Obama-Biden administration has the power to make sure that everyone has good, clean food. Change This stewardship agreement!
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=090000648084de39
"Technology/stewardship agreements required for the purchase of genetically modified seed explicitly prohibit research. These agreements inhibit public scientists from pursuing their mandated role on behalf of the public good unless the research is approved by industry. As a result of restricted access, no truly independent research can be legally conducted on many critical questions regarding the technology, its performance, its management implications, IRM, and its interactions with insect biology. Consequently, data flowing to an EPA Scientific Advisory Panel from the public sector is unduly limited."
also see
"Rising Rhetoric on Genetically Modified Crops"in PR Watch, Volume 10, No. 1, 1st Quarter 2003.
"Their level of desperation appears to be increasing," says Michael Hansen, a scientist with Consumers Union in the US, who monitors the activities of the biotech industry as it lobbies for acceptance of genetically modified (GM) foods. Hansen has watched with increasing alarm as the pro-GM lobby escalates its vitriolic attacks on critics.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rising_Rhetoric_on_Genetically_Modified_Crops
Fangirls and overdogs
Multicolored president
Yes we can... pinch me!