DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

I bought a lotto ticket today and like so many others am hoping that I win the jackpot….. I quickly went into a day dream thinking of paying off my bills and then onto how I could use this money to help others..

While I buy my tickets and dream I do not get as carried away as some folks I see spending lots of money on many many tickets..

Who knows perhaps I will win this week ..and then you will know a rich Chicano

 

 

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      Georgia

b.      Losing our rights

c.       Who is lying about the cross

d.      Distributing Obama shirts

e.       Green chilis

f.        Voter registration

g.      Mother nature

 

GEORGIA

            On my mind and ooh so far away

I am always surprised about how our government reacts to different situations. I wondered how we were able to load planes and land them so quickly to deliver goods to the country of Georgia. …???? It was rather quick don’t you think??

I mean how long did it take them to deliver services and help to our own citzens when Katrina hit our gulf coast cities… and how long did it take us to send aid to the DARFUR…. ?/

Another thing that was strange was John McCain talking on the phone more than once with the President of Georgia…oops I forgot one of McCain’s staff was a key lobbyist for the country of Georgia…and some of staff for McCain flew to Georgia…(most interesting) McCain’s harsh statements towards Russia are not productive and get in the way of peace negotiations…   further more I believe that it is wrong for a candidate for president to be talking to leaders of a country involved in a major conflict such as that between Russia and Georgia…. That is Bush’s and Condi’s  job… not McCains.

Had Obama done what McCain did he would have been criticized by almost everyone.

Oh… by the way while I don’t diminish the deaths or destruction of this skirmish …I believe that our governments response was much quicker than in other disasters…

LOSING OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES

It is upsetting to know how much freedom we have lost during the years under the presidency of Bush. This has damaged our way of life for years to come as well as our standing in the world.. The new president must begin unraveling this web of decit.

This is a serious threat to our democracy and all its institutions.

Is John McCain a big fan of Alexander Solzhenitsyn? Article taken from internet

Upon the author’s death, John McCain said “He was a writer with unusual gifts, utterly devoted to his art, brilliant and exacting, producing work that would stun not just literary worlds but the entire Cold War political world” http://www.nysun.com/opinion/solzhenitsy…

He was such a big fan that he probably read this:

“Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Russian author who spent many years in the gulag of Siberia, bears witness to the power of the cross. After long suffering in the work camp of Siberia, he fell into despair. Like other prisoners, he had worked in the fields day after day, in rain and sun, during summer and winter. His days were filled with backbreaking labor and slow starvation. On a particular day, the hopelessness of his situation became too much. He saw no reason to continue living, to continue fighting the system. He thought that the rest of his life was meaningless since he would most likely die in this Siberian prison. His life made no difference in the world. So he gave up.

Laying his shovel on the ground, he slowly walked to a crude work-site bench and sat down. He knew that at any moment a guard would order him to stand up, and when he failed to respond, the guard would beat him to death, probably with his own shovel. He had seen it happen to many other prisoners.

As he waited, head down, he felt a presence. Slowly, he lifted his eyes and saw a skinny, old prisoner squat down next to him. The man said nothing. Instead, he drew a stick through the ground at Solzhenitsyn’s feet, tracing the sign of the Cross. The man then got back up and returned to his work.

As Solzhenitsyn stared at the sign of the Cross, his entire perspective changed. He knew that he was only one man against the all-powerful Soviet empire. Yet in that moment, he knew that there was something greater than the evil that he saw in the prison, something greater than the Soviet Union. He knew that the hope of all mankind was represented in that simple Cross. And through the power of the Cross, anything was possible.

Solzhenitsyn slowly got up, picked up his shovel, and went back to work. Nothing outward had changed, but inside, he received hope.”

Recently McCain has begun using a story that someone  made the sign of the cross when he was in prison in Viet Nam… can it be that this is happening to so many individuals. I DON’T THINK SO .. so either John McCain is lying or Solzhenitsyn is lying… what do you think????? Just so you know until a few years ago has McCain began using his new  story… it wasn’t in his book about his imprisonment and not in his speechs for 30 years and now all of a sudden her remembers his Solzhenitsyn moment… let me know what you think of this issue…

DISTRIBUTING OBAMA SHIRTS         

I have a great offer for those who would like Obama shirts. I can get you 25 or more at the price of $5 each.. plus bumper stickers at .50 cents each… the bumper stickers and shirts can come with YES WE CAN in Spanish or in Creole.. Let me know and I will get them and send them off to you …and yes you can pay by Credit Card.  As you know I will forward your orders to Jack Lieberman who operates www.Progressiverags.com.

GREEN CHILI

            Smuggling chilis out of New Mexico after the wonderful wedding in Santa Fe

I got Carolyn who left New Mexico on a later flight to take a gunny sack full of New Mexico green chilis. She carried it on the plane and no one made her open it  .. and when she changed planes in Dallas many knew the smell coming from the gunny sack and offered their opinions of how to roast the chilis and then peel them and freeze them.

Finally these fresh GREEN CHILIS arrived and Jenny Butler, Carolyn an I roasted and toasted these chilis … after this process is done you arrange so that they can steam in a closed container… the moisture makes them easy to peel..Once you peel them then you use the meat for your chili dishes.

So today I went to Costco to buy some pork and then Jenny and I peeled some green chilis and then I proceeded to make a large pot of GREEN CHILI…I use my own recipe and play around with spices. I have to be careful and not make it to hot… otherwise only me and my daughter Aviva can eat it…

So now I have four larger Tupperware containers full of my green chili dish …not to mention that I have a number of baggies of frozen green chilies unpeeled in the freezer in the late 60’s I would have had baggies filled with something quite different … but that’s another story for another day…

VOTER REGISTRATION IS UP IN FLORIDA

            And in many other states..

The Secretary of State for Florida is reporting that more then 200,000 have registered as

Democrats, 100,000 plus as Rebulicans and another 100,000 plus as independents.  Now are they all going to vote in Novemeber and if so ..for whom  ??????

You should take a moment to check out the voter registration in your state and help to add to the roles.. it is important that we reach the stage where we have 75 % of the eligible voters actually voting. In past years it has been more like 25% of the eligible voters who actually cast a ballot.

And will the youth show up on this year’s election day.

We need to make this more of a democracy… get people registered and get them out to vote.

MOTHER NATURE

            HER OCEAN AND HER HEARTBEAT

Today we went to the South Beach and were lucky to find a parking space… once in the ocean and rolling with the waves with my snorkel and mask on I was amazed by the power and the beauty of the ocean. It seemed to me that this was the heart beat of our world.. Steady, sure and constant.

Today in respect of Mother Nature .. .i spent a few moments transplanting some chili and tomato plants to a larger pot… this is not the best time to be having these plants but I hope they survive into September. And from there they will all have a better chance.

Oh yes… talking about MOTHER NATURE  we got the winds and rain of Hurricane Fay as it made its way north turning into a tropical storm…

My best

leno

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

I arrived at the Albuquerque Airport and found that the woman giving me my rent a car had suffered WAGE THEFT at her previous place of employment.. And I hope to find some to take on her case.. This is a national epidemic.

I have come to Santa Fe New Mexico to perform the wedding ceremony for my Nephew Max Avila Friedenberg and his partner Rachel Jeannette Rivera. I am just happy to be here with his mother Tencha (my sister) and all her family and friends… this is most special just to be here.

Driving north along US 25 on my way to Santa Fe I was surprised to find another street named in honor of Cesar E. Chavez..made me think of this wonderful leader who taught us all so much …

While in New Mexico I plan to eat plenty of green chili. Just might gain another pound or two…

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS
a. 500 dead in Afghanistan
b. Paris Hilton
c. Death penalty shirt
d. Tell your story
e. New job
f. Gangs in Jamaica

500 DEAD IN AFGHANISTAN

The New York Times has reported that we have had 500 soldiers killed in Afghanistan. The Times published stories and the photos of the 500 and it makes one sad to see the faces of so many who have died.

Now add to that all those who have been seriously injured and continue to live in pain and with disabilities… and then add to that all the Afghan citizens who have been damaged by this war and you have a horrific situation which many of us do not fully understand.

PARIS HILTON AD

Paris did a most interesting spot in response to the McCain ad … Paris was funny, charming and on point… if you did not see it .. you might consider doing so.

UPDATE ON THE NO A LA PENA DE MUERTE SHIRT

Abe Bonowitz gave me the shirt a couple of years ago urging me and others to wear out shirts so that they would create conversations…and it works..

Tell Your Story

I am encouraging you all to tell your story and share with others your most interesting life . Let those around you know what funny, tragic or interesting things have happened in your life

Recently a friend Arwen shared with me an essay that she has developed on Love and all its possibilities. . When I read it I learned a lot about my friend and it made me revisit some things about my own life…

We can teach each other many lessons and in the process we will all be stronger…

If you want you can use this blog to begin sharing…

SISTER HELEN PREJEAN
Will be in Denver for the Democratic Convention

The NUN as we call her is not being considered for the VP position although she would be good … she instead will join other interfaith leaders at a wonderful gathering… and she is the only woman speaking.. Attached is the link to the upcoming event..

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/08/interfaith-gathering-kick-democratic-convention/

NEW JOB FOR THIS CHICANO

I have left SOUTH FLORIDA INTERFAITH WORKER JUSTICE to work with INTERNATIONAL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT. I will still be a volunteer with SFIWJ since I believe in the work that they do.

In my new job I work from home and manage a $2.6 million dollar project and am in the process of negotiating two large agreements with sub grantees. This is all administrative work. No speeches, no rallies, but I can organize my time to work on my next book and join in the events of others…

GANGS IN JAMAICA

I was invited to speak at a conference on Jamaica and its issues with gang cultures and violence. This conference had many police officials and others from Jamaica who came to learn from police and violence prevention projects in the Miami area…

I offered our experience from Homies Unidos at the conference and later found out that my photo ended up in the Miami Herald.. They should have had instead the pictures of the Jamaicans.

The deportation of youth and the proliferation of gangs in the Caribbean and Central America create many problems for the country trying to work with this situation. Most often the governments have responded with harsh and draconian laws which don’t work.

Instead we need to look for projects that help us diminish violence and provide creative opportunities for these youth .. .incarceration is a dead end.

HANDING OUT INFORMATION

Every where I travel I hand out information about my favorite issues. I brought shirts and bumpers stickers on Obama and on Immigrant Rights and glad that most of them will stay here and be of use to others..

I also give folks my opinions and share my stories and listen to theirs so I am always learning while I travel …and that is the beauty of listening and on occasion speaking.

New Mexico as you can imagine is beautiful …and I will be back on the 26-28 of September to speak in Las Vegas which is a small town north and east of Santa Fe. And there I will meet many more individuals..

My best
leno

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

Larry Kleinman of Oregon was reminding me today that they can vote by mail …This is good since you can turn out most of your voters ahead of time.

Now all of us still have time to register or re-register voters and where you don’t have mail in voting ask our folks to get an absentee ballot. That way the votes are in and we know how many have voted.

Our voter turn out will help Obama and anyone further down the ticket. There are US SENATE AND CONGRESSIONAL SEATS AS WELL AS STATE LEGISALATIVE SEATS AND GOVERNORSHIPS AT STAKE…we can build a solid foundation for change by getting people to vote and electing good candidates.

Plan to take sick or vacation days off on Election Day and work with your local coalitions to turn out voters. If you can take more days off it would even be more wonderful..

TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

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NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      silly and mean

b.      Obama a traitor

c.       tequila

d.      the polling

e.       dark knight

f.        no to the death penalty

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SILLY AND MEAN ADS

The recent ad by the McCain campaign is silly and mean spirited… he is putting Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton in an ad accusing Obama of being the most popular person in the world. First of all Ms. Spears has endorsed in the past George Bush and Paris is part of the country club scene that Cindy McCain is a part of.

Seems that Brittney is thinking of suing McCain for use of her image and the parents of Paris Hilton who are big donors to the McCain Campaign are upset about the use of a photo of her daughter… seems like JOHN might have to apologize to a few people …

McCain would wet his pants if he could get 200,000 to show up and cheer him.  Since he is a long time representative of Arizona he should ask his supporters to fill the biggest stadium in that state to show how much they love and believe in him.  I doubt that he could get much more than a couple thousand and then they would have to pay half of them. He is jealous of Barack. McCain is boring as a speaker, personality and can’t seem to remember what his previous position was in the past..

I look forward to their presidential campaign debates and look forward to watching Obama unravel McCain’s cheap suit of right wing armor… many hard line conservatives are ashamed of their candidate and his inability to deliver effectively his message nor remember what he voted on and why he voted the way he did. The base of the Republican Party is worried that McCain could drag down the rest of the ticket.

While on the democratic side Obama and his enthusiastic supporters should have long and wide coat tails which should help a lot of candidates. But this means that all have work their butts off… They might become the party with a victory but no bootees …

That means you too have to work hard in the weeks ahead…

work your nalgas/butt off..

Obama a Traitor

                        Thoughts by Ira Moss

McCain has in affect called Obama a traitor. Someone who would loose a war to win the presidency. And so it begins. Obama the traitor, not a true American, the other. This will be the theme throughout the campaign.  This is America and cheering Europeans can and will be held against him. GOP types are suggesting that Obama is an American Mussolini or worse. After all. anyone who can attract hundreds of thousands of cheering enthusiasts, must be a fascist demagogue, even if he’s simultaneously, the most “far left member of the US Senate.”
I have recently received an email that included an op-ed piece by Ken Blackwell, It asserted that Obama may be the “ant-christ” predicted in the Book of Revelations. As they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. They are very desperate and despite McCain’s alleged honor, there is no doubt that he’d rather loose his honor than the

Presidency.

 

TEQUILA

I happen to like Tequila and when I drink which is seldom I most often drink Tequila.. Do many of you join me in this addiction and do you have good recipes to share with me.   In my past youth I could drink more and did not worry about getting out of bed the next morning … a friend after watching me drink too much said I was drinking TO KILL YOU  ..very funny but not very interesting…(as they used to say in LAUGH IN)

 

THE POLLING

The media daily does internal analysis of each poll .. It is like watching a pre election colonoscopy daily and often they have gone up or down the wrong tunnel.

As I understand it the polls are done of most likely voters who have land line phones. This means that if you are a voter and have only a cell phone you will not be polled.. Thus I would think that perhaps 1/3 to ½ of potential voters are not being reached. Most youth and low income folks have given up on expensive and cumbersome land lines.

Plus these pundits say that these youth will not turn out to vote… but I believe that this will be a good surprise for many when the YOUTH do turn out to vote. And the majority will vote for Obama…

 

THE DARK KNIGHT

I went to this movie thinking that it would be about perhaps a black or brown man but instead it was the same old plot of mostly white on white.  Morgan Freeman was one good exception but looks like they killed his character. And then there was Officer Ruiz.

But for GOTHAM CITY an urban area there was not enough color.

At least batman could date a person of color … or we could find out that Batman’s grandfather could have been Native American, Asian, Latino or some thing ..

Hey how about some one in the movie being a person with disabilities or different abilities and having a good and positive role…

Wait .. before I get carried away … I enjoyed the movie a lot … great acting, directing, screen play, special effects and music … by the way I ate too much popcorn and enjoyed myself ..

Here are some issues that popped out at me regarding the movie

The acting was good and it brought up some interesting issues

1. torture and abuse of prisoners
2. police corruption
3. rendition… batman bringing the guy back to the usa from Japan
4. FISA…spying on folks phone calls

e.   revenge

Also they sacrifice the woman and save the male …

And love is painful even for super hero’s

 

I plan to see it again to check out carefully the special effects..

 

NO A LA PENA DE MUERTE

            NO TO THE PENALTY OF DEATH

I was at the post office mailing off more Obama shirts and bumpers sticker to PCUN in Oregon when the postal clerk at the counter said to me

I AGREE. .

WHAT …I asked

NO ONE SHOULD BE KILLED he responded

I gave him a puzzled look

And he in turn pointed to my shirt which said in Spanish

NO A LA PENA DE MUERTE …

Once I realized that my t shirt was the cause for this discussion, we began a most

Interesting and wonderful discussion about the death penalty for all who were in the post office to hear and hopefully understand

Today it is Saturday and I have on my red Obama shirt.

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING??

My best

Leno

www.progressiverags.com

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