Politics and Government

The Pledge of Allegiance -What does it mean to you?

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
--Francis Bellamy (a Christian Socialist), for school celebrations of Columbus Day, 1892

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic
for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
--National Flag Conference, (The American Legion and
the Daughters of the American Revolution), Flag Day, June 14, 1924

Formally codified by Congress June 22 1942 (36USC, Section 172)
Supreme Court ruled that school children could not be forced to recite the pledge, June 1943

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic
for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
--Congress (after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus), 1954

Activism

To me, activism consists not just of voting and communicating with the government, but also of promoting discussion in your community and of educating yourself on current events and issues. Read the daily news and tell your friends and neighbors what you think.

Feminism

Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.

I belong to a Yahoo discussion group called Atypical Feminists. Stop by sometime; there's a lot to talk about.

H.J.RES.40 is this year's Equal Rights Amendment bill. Let the judiciary committee know you want it voted on, let you representatives know you want it passed, and let your state know you want it ratified!

Environmentalism

Please support our National Park Service as well as our Forestry service and your own state and city parks.

How many of our National Parks have you been to? Through my sister's and my road trip and other excursions, I have visited the following:

Arches National Park
Badlands National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Cabrillo National Monument
Canaveral National Seashore
Canyon De Chelly National Monument
Canyonlands National Park
Capital Reef National Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park*
Crater Lake National Park*
Glacier National Park*
Grand Canyon National Park*
Independence National Historical Park
Jewel Cave National Monument
Lincoln Memorial*
Mesa Verde National Park
Montezuma Castle
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Muir Woods National Monument*
National Mall
Olympic National Park
Padre Island National Seashore*
Petrified Forest National Park
Redwood National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Saguaro National Park
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National parks
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Washington Monument
Wind Cave National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yosemite National Park
Zion National Park*

* My favorites

I Vote. Do You?

Voting is a crucial part of a participatory democracy. I encourage everyone to use and support Vote Smart.

Visit the web sites of your Representative and Senators. Find out their positions on issues that are important to you and let them know how you feel.

You can find detailed information about legislation at Thomas.

Civil Liberties

I'm one of those card-carrying members of the ACLU you're always hearing about. Specifically, I'm a member of the ACLU Michigan.
That's not to say I always agree with every single thing they do, but I do think it's crucially important to have a legal group defending civil liberties, especially Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and Freedom of Association. I also support the ACLU's defense of the rights of Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals, as well as their defense of all peoples against abritrary police action and brutality.
Remember, Freedom of the Press doesn't mean much if all the presses belong to the same small group of people.

I'm also a member of Amnesty International, and I am opposed to the Death Penalty. I am concerned at the large numbers of Americans imprisoned every year, and think reducing that number should be a high priority. Additionally, we need to make sure our prisoners are treated well, and that adult education is available to help them get at least a highschool education.

Reproductive Rights

I'm politically pro-choice. I support family planning and am a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation.

I support the Womens Right to Know Act of 2001 (H.R.185), which would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect nonfraudulent speech about the availability of reproductive services.

Education

Education is a key to understanding, to peace, and to personal freedom. Public education is an important system, to be defended at all costs. Every child has the right to a good education.
My personal concept of a good education was shaped in an alternative high school where kids got personal attention and were encouraged to follow their interests.
I believe sex education needs to be better developed and better distributed. I am opposed to the hypocrisy of filling the national media with lustful images while maintaining sexual ignorance in national education.
The Internet is a wonderful resource. I use Merriam-Webster OnLine all the time. Encourage your schools to turn off internet filtering software and get more active teaching kids how to do research online and create their own web documents.
The Federal Government has a whole Department of Education. Go there to find out about federally funded student financial aid. Drug convictions could make you ineligible -be informed.




last updated April 30, 2001 by Netmouse

[Home]
[Latest News] [Friends] [Hobbies]