Great Election Signs 2020 November 2, 2020

In situations of dire consequence, I appreciate the use of gentle, yet pointed, creative humor. It seems to give me back a bit of clarity and life force.

Here are some of my favorite USA 2020 Presidential elections signs. A few are from the ‘net but most are from around my neighborhood; I took the photos.

*

This one is my all-time favorite:

*

Halloween “Trumpkin.” made by Patricia MacQueen.
She reports that local deer ate the toupee first.

*

Keeping the bar low:

*

An oldie but still a goodie – now with new layered meanings.

*

What I love about this next one is its subtlety and stealth. I suspect many of those who wouldn’t like it won’t understand it. (Meow.)

*

This one is a bit hard to see from the street. The small print below Biden/Harris says, “Our best days still lie ahead.” A vision of hope!

*

Then there are the alternative candidates:

*

Best reason ever:

*

Here’s one we can likely all agree on:

*

I wanted to give equal opportunity to the Republican side here, but honestly, I could only find one pro-Trump sign that showed a sense of humor. That’s kind of telling in itself.

Here it is. You’ll notice its humor is based on cruelty and divisiveness. This carries scary implications for our country, and it’s not actually even funny.

I also recently received this horrifying email that confirms how in a Trump administration, “We The People” means only his unquestioning supporters:

*

USA 2020: Please Vote!!

“Vote as if your life depends on it.” You can still sign up and vote, even on election day. Given responses to Covid-19, the increasing effects of climate change, systemic racism, the alienation of our country’s historic allies and exaltation of dictators, nuclear escalation, the decimation of EPA protective guidelines leaving us vulnerable to pernicious toxins, the fomenting of hate and jeering at integrity we’ve seen so much of lately, etc., etc., etc., our lives may literally depend upon the outcome of this election.

And even afterward, we must stay vigilant. Recent breaking news gives evidence of Trump needing the position of US President to protect him from his many debtors and lawsuits, not to mention our collective coffers for his ongoing personal plundering. These conditions can make a person desperate. Then there’s the proven matter of his not liking to lose. Trump will not want to let go. And the boy has proven he clearly only cares about himself and his own wallet, certainly not about any sense of service, collaboration, dignity or integrity. Therefore, no matter who wins, the upcoming interregnum period holds potential for being one of the most dangerous periods in US history.

For a detailed analysis of this, you may wish to read Barton Gellman’s exceptionally well-thought-out essay in The Atlantic: The Election That Could Break America.

As the Boy/Girl/Youth Scouts encourage, let’s be prepared. We will be called to respond to the many upcoming changes in both external and internal ways. To keep it a response instead of reaction, I invite you to join this call for one radical intervention on the personal level, no matter what happens in the short term or on a large scale: remember your innate goodness, and repeatedly act from that place.

That doesn’t mean being all perfect or ethereal; it just means being a good human. And IMO, this includes the skillful, non-mean application of humor. Friends, we’re in rough waters and have to row this leaky boat together. Please be as kind and compassionate, honest and real to all beings as you can now — including yourself. Let yourself dare to feel, really see others, and be seen yourself. Speak out about what you find important at the core so we can find our similarities underneath the surface differences. Together, we can make this a country to be proud of once more.

…Okay, dharma talk/sermon over. 🙂 Which signs did you like best?

Paris Climate Agreement: We Are Still In June 6, 2017

I feel proud to be able to tell you that my employer, Naropa University, joins other college and university leaders, mayors, governors, investors and businesses in declaring that regardless of current decisions made by the Republican president, we will continue to support climate action to meet the Paris Agreement.

This action thereby continues alliances with other countries, businesses, and systemic thinkers around the globe. More basically, it is a step that helps ensure that large mammalian life on this planet (such as humans) can continue.

This is the only smart move.

Companies like eBay, Netflix and Microsoft are in. And you can add your company’s name to this pledge as well – link below.

You may be as surprised as I to learn that even ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, two of the world’s largest oil producers, pledge to abide by the Paris Agreement! They recognize that this change to alternative fuels is inevitable, and that being on board is the best choice for their business’ bottom line. From Bloomberg.com:

“President Donald Trump faces some unlikely opposition to the idea of pulling the U.S. out of the 2015 Paris climate accord: Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips, two of the world’s biggest oil producers. 

Both companies reiterated their support Wednesday for the global agreement to cut greenhouse gas pollution amid reports that Trump planned to ditch a pact he says hurts the U.S. economy. Their argument: The U.S. is better off with a seat at the table so it can influence global efforts to curb emissions that are largely produced by the fossil fuels they profit from.

…ConocoPhillips, the world’s largest independent oil and gas producer, also expressed support for the climate agreement on Wednesday. “It gives the U.S. the ability to participate in future climate discussions to safeguard its economic and environmental best interests,” spokesman Daren Beaudo said in an email.

BP Plc CEO Bob Dudley, another oil executive who supports the accord, said that even if the U.S. quits, the nation should find new policies to support the inevitable transition to a low-carbon economy.”

Every one of you, please stand up and act with us – the majority.

Here is the formal statement, with signatories visible below:  We Are Still In  Note that you can add your company’s name to this pledge as well – see link at the end.

Open letter to the international community and parties to the Paris Agreement from U.S. state, local, and business leaders

We, the undersigned mayors, governors, college and university leaders, businesses, and investors are joining forces for the first time to declare that we will continue to support climate action to meet the Paris Agreement.

In December 2015 in Paris, world leaders signed the first global commitment to fight climate change. The landmark agreement succeeded where past attempts failed because it allowed each country to set its own emission reduction targets and adopt its own strategies for reaching them. In addition, nations – inspired by the actions of local and regional governments, along with businesses – came to recognize that fighting climate change brings significant economic and public health benefits.

The Trump administration’s announcement undermines a key pillar in the fight against climate change and damages the world’s ability to avoid the most dangerous and costly effects of climate change. Importantly, it is also out of step with what is happening in the United States.

In the U.S., it is local and state governments, along with businesses, that are primarily responsible for the dramatic decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. Actions by each group will multiply and accelerate in the years ahead, no matter what policies Washington may adopt.

In the absence of leadership from Washington, states, cities, colleges and universities, businesses and investors, representing a sizeable percentage of the U.S. economy will pursue ambitious climate goals, working together to take forceful action and to ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in reducing emissions.

It is imperative that the world know that in the U.S., the actors that will provide the leadership necessary to meet our Paris commitment are found in city halls, state capitals, colleges and universities, investors and businesses. Together, we will remain actively engaged with the international community as part of the global effort to hold warming to well below 2℃ and to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy that will benefit our security, prosperity, and health.

Click here to read full press release.

Companies, investors, mayors and governors wishing to add their name to the statement can do so by registering here. Colleges and universities wishing to add their name can do so by registering here.

*

*

ON BEHALF OF THE EARTH AND HER CHILDREN OF ALL SPECIES, THANK YOU ALL.

Thank you for being responsible adults who take care of our home, despite the short-term difficulties we face from the current White House now.

In the wise words of King Solomon, this too shall pass. According to the New York Times, the withdrawal process from the Paris Accord could take four years to complete, by which time the regime will have been changed. So let’s just keep steering our collective boat of systemic wisdom through these jerky rapids until the river flows freely and easily once more.

*

 

The terrific political cartoons in this post are by Dan Wasserman, Monte Wolverton, and Christian Bloom (from Norway).

*

 

 

A Judge for the People September 15, 2014

I was on Jury Duty today. I wasn’t selected to serve, but it would have been fun if I were because the judge was such a big souled person with a sense of humor.

It turns out he’s the one who gave the green light to the resistance action of clerk Hillary Hall, who issued licenses for gay marriages in Colorado even though it was still technically illegal, saying her behavior was not harming anyone. “She is apparently taking the position posited by St. Augustine and followed notably by Martin Luther King Jr. that ‘an unjust law is not law at all.'”

Judge Andrew Hartman, I salute you.

—

To read one of the news articles with that quote in it, click here.

I Stand with the Xingu River June 1, 2011

This photo, which I got from La Mina Circle in Los Angeles, reveals a tragic moment in the politics of the earth.

Chief Raoni of the Kayapó people broke down crying when he learned that the Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff. approved construction to begin on the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant & dam project on  Xingu indigenous lands.

If it does go through as planned, the Belo Monte dam will inundate nearly a million acres of rainforest & indigenous lands. The new water body will be bigger than the Panama Canal.  40,000 local and indigenous people will be forced off their native lands, all that habitat vitally useful to countless local and migratory species destroyed, and millions of unknown species of animals and plants murdered.

The goal to produce electricity is a good one, but this way of attaining it is not. It brings unconscionably high environmental and social costs, and could just as easily be met through greater investments in energy-efficient, place-appropriate methods of generation.

Let’s just call the Belo Monte project what it is: a horrific genocidal project for the short-term financial gain of a few. This project means a death sentence for the people of the Great Bend of the Xingu river, as indigenous peoples’ culture and survival are inextricably tied to the land. It also means irreversible environmental destruction.

Large dam projects like this are just the sort that North Americans endorsed for so many years as a symbol of successful “progress” but which we are now are coming to regret, as we realize their contribution to unintended unpleasant environmental consequences. For example, such dams play a key role in the tragic loss of salmon populations, who need an adequate flow of very cold water in contiguous waterways to survive. This means less delicious wild salmon to eat and serious economic trouble for all the folks making a living from the fishing industry, as well as an unimaginable loss to the native peoples for whom salmon is an extremely important totem of their identity.

I stand with the Xingu River and its people of all species in opposing this madness. If you do too, AmazonWatch.org has a petition to the Brazilian president that you can sign:

Stop the Belo Monte Monster Dam!

From their website: “This is the last chance we have to paralyze Belo Monte’s construction,” said Renata Pinheiro. “The future of the Xingu is in your hands, indigenous peoples and social movements. You succeeded in stopping Belo Monte for 30 years – now more than ever we need to strengthen our resolve.”