Good Wednesday Morning! It is that time again when the Gnusies gather with their favorite beverage and enjoy a little slice of good news to brighten the day.
As the first debate is set for this week and election day draws ever near I wanted to talk a bit about love of country. I am not talking about co-opted patriotism shouted by the right or originalism as promoted by the majority of SCOTUS, but the true love for this country and our democracy even with all of its flaws.
Here are just some of the reasons I love this country:
- Freedom: We have the freedom to do what we want, believe in what we want, and say what we want and to do so without persecution. For many in the world, this is not true. In America…we can.
- Diversity: We are a melting pot. Every nation, race and color is represented in America. The diversity of every man, woman, and child is what makes our country strong.
- Opportunity: This is the land of opportunity. If you work hard enough, and persevere through failures and setbacks, you can still achieve success in the United States. The spirit of America lives and we see it every day with hard-working people, small businesses, entrepreneurs with a vision and determination, and the dreamers who are out there wanting a better life.
- Volunteerism: People in the United States love to help. Whether it’s around the globe or next door when people are in need, the people of American help. We see this all the time with our senior care. We have seen friends and family members and virtual strangers lend a hand after a horrific storm or deliver hot meals to home-bound seniors. We have seen the resiliency of Americans numerous times after 9/11 as everyone pitches in and helps. When there is a need, Americans rise to lend a helping hand (and ask for nothing in return). We should be very proud of our fellow Americans.
- Beauty: Have you looked outside lately? Have you driven across our wide-open country? It’s beautiful. Each region of our country has special beauty that if you pull over and look out, you’ll be pretty impressed with our mountains, lakes, beaches, rivers, the open plains, and everything else. Even the large city landscapes and open parks are something to love.
So what really irks me to no end is Donald and his enablers and followers always trashing this country. At his rallies he calls America a shithole country, a failing country. He calls some states horrible places. He calls citizens like veteran’s suckers and losers and people with disabilities are to be poked fun at. He tells a Jewish person to remember the ovens, his outreach to Black Americans is to shout at with America, and of course there is vermin, poisoning the blood of our country dehumanizing immigrants, citizens or not, and there should be a migrant league of fighters.
We know republicans do not love America. They only love the power and wealth this country provides them as they brainwash their cult members.
I am intent on making this one of my arguments/comebacks when someone parrots the RWNJ talking points. There is just no way to love this country and support cult of the republican party. America is not perfect and continues to be a work in progress with issues we must advocate to solve but I love this country because of its freedom, diversity and opportunity.
In the words of Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, “So I got a message to Donald Trump and all his negativity and his whining,” Shapiro said. “Stop shit talking America. This is the greatest country on Earth, and it's time that we all start acting like it.” “The good people of Pennsylvania understand that this is a great country. Understand that we got a whole lot going for us, and now it's time for us to continue this path of progress that Joe Biden has laid out and not go back to a negative time, not listen to the whining of the former president, and instead focus on a positive future for all of us," he added.
Remember when you vote this November you are voting for the country and while you are at remind others they are too.
On to the (mostly non-political) Good News.
I have been the supervisor of the AmeriCorps Seniors (RSVP) program for over 19 years. We also hosted AmeriCorps members from a partner agency for several years. Needless to say this is good news.
Finally, the American Climate Corps Is Getting Down to Business
Within weeks, the nation will deploy 9,000 people to begin restoring landscapes, erecting solar panels, and taking other steps to help guide the country toward a cleaner, greener future.
The first of those workers were inducted into the American Climate Corps last Tuesday during a virtual event from the White House. Their swearing-in marks another step forward for the Biden administration’s ambitious climate agenda. The program, which President Joe Biden announced within days of taking office in 2021, is a modern version of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the New Deal-era project that put 3 million men to work planting trees and building national parks.
During the ceremony, the inaugural members of the corps promised to work “on behalf of our nation and planet, its people, and all its species, for the better future we hold within our sight.”
Oklahoma Supreme Court Blocks First US Religious Public Charter School
Faith leaders, parents, and educators on Tuesday applauded the Oklahoma Supreme Court's ruling against the establishment of the first U.S. taxpayer-funded religious charter school—which was widely seen as a test case for Christian nationalists' broader efforts to break down the barrier between church and state as well as further undermine public education.
The court's decision against St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School came in a case filed last October by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond. Unlike some fellow Republicans, he argued that the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board's approval of the online institution violated the state and federal constitutions.
"This decision is a tremendous victory for religious liberty," Gentner said in response to the ruling. "The framers of the U.S. Constitution and those who drafted Oklahoma's Constitution clearly understood how best to protect religious freedom: by preventing the state from sponsoring any religion at all."
Fishermen Pull Off Dramatic Rescue of 38 Dogs Treading Water with No Shore in Sight
What started out as a nice weekend fishing trip turned into a massive rescue operation for two colleagues at State Farm Insurance for a pack of hunting dogs that almost drowned in a Mississippi lake.
Bob Gist, 61, and his friend had hired a local bass fishing guide named Jordan Chrestman to take them out on Granada Lake, and after a morning without much action, they decided to change spots. That’s when they heard the barking.
Casting their lines, the pair, along with Gist’s friend Brad Carlisle, deduced that some hounds had chased a deer into the lake which was paddling along at a good clip, with the dogs unable to keep pace.
They needed to make three trips to get them all, bringing the first haul of a dozen hounds to the shore where their anxious owners rejoiced in relief.
Voyager 1 Returning Science Data from All Four Instruments After Months of Radio Silence
Two months after NASA crews reestablished diagnostic communications with Voyager 1, they just recently received scientific observational data as well.
Transmitted via the last remaining instruments still operational aboard the furthest man-made object from Earth, the data provides critical observations on plasma and magnetism in interstellar space.
It’s been 46 years and 7 months since Voyager 1 left Earth, and 11 years and 8 months since it bade Pluto farewell and left our solar system. It’s currently 15 billion miles, or 24 billion kilometers from Earth.
Farmers Are Creating a Brighter Future for Bolivia’s Red-Fronted Macaws
Red-fronted macaws are found nowhere else on earth except Bolivia’s dry, forested Andean valleys. Like many other members of the parrot family, they have suffered from habitat loss, illegal capturing for the pet trade and conflicts with farmers who kill them for stealing crops. In 2013 only an estimated 600 red-fronted macaws remained. While the latest census from 2021 estimates nearly double that number now soar through the valleys, these tropical birds are still critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Luckily, innovative conservation agreements that improve rural landowners’ livelihoods are creating a brighter future for red-fronted macaws as well as the forests they depend upon. Many Bolivian farmers now see the bird as a boon rather than a burden, and a valuable resource worth safeguarding.
Small Alabama Town Wins Lawsuit Allowing Residents To Vote For First Time In Decades
Residents in a small Alabama town will be able to vote in their own municipal elections for the first time in decades after a four-year legal battle.
A proposed settlement has been reached in the town’s voting rights case, allowing Newbern, a predominantly Black town with 133 residents, to hold its first legitimate elections in more than 60 years. The town’s next elections will be held in 2025.
"She's distancing herself": Melania Trump unlikely to ever move back to the White House
Bahahaha! Enough said.
Liz Cheney Taunts Trump With Clip Of Taylor Swift's Crowd Size
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) trolled former President Donald Trump over the size of the crowd at Taylor Swift’s latest concert tour stop.
Thank you @taylorswift13 for giving us a million reasons to smile,” Cheney posted on X Sunday night, sharing a clip from the pop superstar’s concert in London. “PS- @realDonaldTrump this is what a sold out crowd actually looks like.”
One of my faves..
Here, as usual, is something to just make you smile.
From Indivisible:
Your weekly to-dos
- Use our toolkit to host a Presidential Debate Watch Party. Bring your community together to watch exactly what the candidates present to the American people. We know that Trump will be a loose cannon (thankfully, they’re muting the microphones this time). Make sure you know exactly what extremism he’s bringing to the people so that you can let others know. Don’t want to host or attend a watch party, but still want to engage with the debate? Play Presidential Debate Bingo!
- Register for our next Coffee Klatch with Leah and Ezra on Monday, July 1 at 4pm ET/1pm PT. Hear our organizational reactions to and analysis of the debate in this informal virtual chat. Don’t forget, you can pre-submit questions when you sign up.
- Sign up to phonebank, textbank, or write to voters with our new Majority Over MAGA: State to State resource. Neighbor2Neighbor (see below) may only be available in our target districts, but it’s going to take everyone coming together to drive wins in November. This State to State page will be our home for all of the other resources and strategies that will power us to a true Democratic trifecta that will codify reproductive freedoms and enact democracy reforms. Check this page to learn about phonebanks, textbanks, postcards, reimbursements, and more that will be the backbone of our 2024 election program.
- Neighbor2Neighbor is open!!!! Check and see if it’s available in your area, and help get out the vote. We have opened our highly effective, community conversation program -- Neighbor2Neighbor. If you want to have the biggest impact on voter turnout, this is the most effective way we’ve found to mobilize community members (our numbers prove it). Check and see if Neighbor2Neighbor is available in your area and, if it is, sign up today.
Remember to GOTV!
Some parting music...
That’s it for me Gnusies. You know what to do from here.
Peace ✌️