Revolution: Motion of body round its orbit or focus: a radical change in Constitution of a country after revolt: marked by great and violent changes: to change completely ( to turn around).
We are in a Revolution by definition when you hear that Golf Digest ran an article about how fifty nine percent of golfers agree that Global Warming is real and that golf courses need to do something about the millions of gallons of water being used each day for the "greens". This is not violent protest however it is real change. Now forty one percent of golfers polled said that they did not believe Global Warming was real so they are not on board. The good news is they are out numbered. Why am I talking about golf when people in the world are suffering Genocide?Because it take real and radical thinking to get the elite to change their ways. In effect the people in the world who use the most resources. A golf course in Palm Springs uses a million gallons of water in one day. A typical American family of four uses that much in four years. We as a nation and as a global society have to make that connection between our use, our vote and social justice in the world.
In Dar fur the Genocide continues and while the U.S. has made a push for more action than any other country we have not done enough. Oil was discovered in Sudan. China is the main consumer of this oil. China has put up a fight not to punish the Sudanese Government for their role in the atrocity's that are happening there. Oil or natural resources seems to always be a factor in war. When there is great disparity amone the poor in the world you get war. The rich conservatives are comfortable and have no need to upset their position in life and want to hold on to what they have. The poor get pissed off and revolt. In many cases the rich and middle class (concerned and enlightened or conscious) step up and pool resources to join the revolt. For instance in the U.S. civil war against slavery and today's "Genocide Olympics Campaign" to put pressure on China to do something about genocide in Dar fur.
In our own back yard we are allowing corporations to feed our children junk. The government is instituting policy to reward or punish schools monarily based on test scores,not entirely a bad thing, except when you dig deeper you learn the truth. Forced by my circumstance in having a child with a learning disability I have learned that his scores count the same as my gifted child and my two other capable children. So the schools in effect get on probation when the schools learning disabled can't meet a set expectation and they lose money. Due to this recess has been cut back to fifteen minutes a day in primary school, p.e. has been cut back to one to two times a week, and tutoring for children is cut do to remediation for those who aren't up to snuff and ready for the test. For example my eldest is very bright and exceeds his grade ability on the Benchmark exams. He has A.D.D. or what I now think is School Academic Disease, he needs about three hours of after school tutoring a week to keep his grades up. There is no quite in my household of six. What he needs is a quite focused area to study , like a study hall with a teacher to keep him on task. His tutoring is cut when prep time comes for Bench mark. When Bench marks end tutoring is not reinstated for the last six weeks of school. What incentive is there to care after the fact?
The foods our children are eating are boxed and processed. Most days I make my kids breakfast and pack their lunch. However many days I know three of my kids are sneaking food at school because, hey they are kids, and when faced with a funnel cake for breakfast or a toaster pastry vs bran flakes at home, what do you think they would pick? Same goes for pizza, hot dogs and corn dogs. Yes you give kids a whole apple or an Orange on a plate and most of it will be thrown out, you cut it up and give them some yogurt dip or peanut butter and watch them go.
We have to be a little smarter and ask questions of those in authority. We also need to realize our own authority and stop with this complacency. When I speak to parents most of them are not aware of what their kids are eating at school or how short recess is.
Over the past ten years with No Child Left Behind the diagnosis and subsequent medication of children has increased. Eighty five percent of ADHD medication in the world is given in the U.S. and seventy percent of that is to boys. Do you see the connections here. Add to that are increase in high fructose corn syrup and you have a recipe for disaster. Over and over again there are documented cases of healthy schools producing healthier happier kids that do better on test. What we need here and abroad is a Revolution and we have to get active doing more and speaking up. My motto is " Never let anyone intimidate you" and " you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar". We have to throw our shoulders back, lift our chins,band together, speak our minds, be kind, and get to work.
To sustain our planet it has been said that Americans and Europeans need to get back to living like a European in 1980, in relation to our use of natural resources. It will mean giving up some of your life style but you will gain exponentially in self worth and happiness.
All facts and research was based on: Frontline, PBS, (Dar Fur); Voluntary Simplicity, current edition,nwei.org; Raising Cain Documentary 1998; N.P.R. June 11th 2008; Healthy Children- Healthy Planet, current edition, nwei.org
Tips:
1. Contact your superintendent and write a letter concerning food and physical activity. Ask what you can do to help. For instance I offered to help do parent surveys.
2. Be an advocate:you must educate yourself so you will be confident when facing issues and talking about them. Start to volunteer in areas that interest you.
3. Be a voice: vote with your dollars as well as your money.
4.Take some time off from buying. Constant travel and consumerism only hurts your pocket book and psyche, and fuels oil demands and support of China and what they are doing to support Dar furs actions on Genocide.
5. Take action where you are. At work be an example: simple things like not using Styrofoam can start conversations. When you lead by example you will start conversations. Saying " I don't believe in using Styrofoam because it takes 1500 years to break down" can lead to further discussions. Set up recycling at work. Doing something is the first step.
6. You could start a discussion group at work or church, anywhere in the public arena. My groups meet at a yoga studio and the library. For more info go to nwei.org , Northwest Earth Institute.
Namaste'
Courtney
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