!FELIZ DIA DE LOS MUERTOS!
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Breaking the News Habit
I decided a couple of days ago that I simply can't keep watching the new on a daily basis--it's just too disturbing and probably sends my blood pressure through the roof. This decision conflicts with another feeling that I have, that I'm responsible for keeping conscious of all the injustice and worse that's going on in today's world! I guess it's a question of striking a balance.
However, I'm still upset--as are many of us-- about the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Puerto Rico, and the racism and history of colonialism that's behind it. But now that 45 and the other bigwigs have had their photo-ops and are less in the media picture there's more room for stories about what ordinary Puerto Ricans are doing to care for themselves and their communities--giving the lie to the statement that "they want to have everything done for them"! Consider the inspiring story in today's (10/17) New York Times about the things that residents of an isolated area are doing to help one another:
"Stranded by a Hurricane, Creative Puerto Ricans Improvise to Stay Alive"
By Caitlin Dickerson
Rufino Tamayo
As one way of coping with awareness of this great tragedy, I wrote a short story, "Maria," which I learned today was accepted for publication by Adelaide Literary Magazine for their next edition. My goal was to write the simplest story possible about the experience of surviving the hurricane, so I told the story from the perspective of a six-year-old girl living in a remote mountain community. I'll post a link to the magazine when it comes online, which may be as soon as in a week.
I decided a couple of days ago that I simply can't keep watching the new on a daily basis--it's just too disturbing and probably sends my blood pressure through the roof. This decision conflicts with another feeling that I have, that I'm responsible for keeping conscious of all the injustice and worse that's going on in today's world! I guess it's a question of striking a balance.
However, I'm still upset--as are many of us-- about the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Puerto Rico, and the racism and history of colonialism that's behind it. But now that 45 and the other bigwigs have had their photo-ops and are less in the media picture there's more room for stories about what ordinary Puerto Ricans are doing to care for themselves and their communities--giving the lie to the statement that "they want to have everything done for them"! Consider the inspiring story in today's (10/17) New York Times about the things that residents of an isolated area are doing to help one another:
"Stranded by a Hurricane, Creative Puerto Ricans Improvise to Stay Alive"
By Caitlin Dickerson
Rufino Tamayo
As one way of coping with awareness of this great tragedy, I wrote a short story, "Maria," which I learned today was accepted for publication by Adelaide Literary Magazine for their next edition. My goal was to write the simplest story possible about the experience of surviving the hurricane, so I told the story from the perspective of a six-year-old girl living in a remote mountain community. I'll post a link to the magazine when it comes online, which may be as soon as in a week.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
The Island's Condition: Critical!
More and more health experts are expressing concern about the dire situation facing medically vulnerable residents of Puerto Rico, especially those who live in remote areas. As I read of many preventable deaths and yet see the official death toll stuck at the number where it's been for the past week I have to wonder if some kind of statistical cover-up is going on. What counts as a "death" caused by Hurricane Maria? Only that of someone who has drowned or been hit by a falling tree? Or the many others that are taking place as the "ripple effect" of the natural disaster spreads throughout the island and morphs into other forms for man-made reasons?
This is beginning to look like something that I would venture to call genocidal. It's time to call 45 out for what he is--a hater of Latinos! And now in this new bad hombre Miller, he's apparently adding another anti-Latin racist to his circle of toadies. And mocking a Spanish accent--how low can you get?
I'm curious to watch how Big Brother reacts to the exodus of Puerto Rican islanders to the mainland, which is already taking place. I think that to a moronic mind this may look a lot like the stream of "illegal" Mexicans and Central Americans "pouring across" "our" southern US border. The only problem with that perception is that these arrivals are American citizens who are free to travel wherever they like within their nation! But I'm sure that won't stop the forces of evil from trying to come up with some form of deterrence to stem the migration. Especially when it starts to dawn on them that the former island-dwellers CAN vote in national elections as soon as they establish residency in one of the mainland states!
Another interesting situation that's emerging is that since Puerto Rico is the site of large scale manufacture of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, mainland hospitals are beginning to feel the impact of that industry being largely shut down in the territory. When "real" Americans see THEIR OWN health care status threatened, maybe there will be more interest in sending effective help to Borinquen!
Please go to this link to read about the background and context of the current crisis in Puerto Rico.
https://shar.es/1VMkEZ
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