This is my first diary. I have been a lurker on this wonderful site for many years, and I have learned much that I probably would not have otherwise, and for that and for many other reasons, I thank every contributor and member of this great community! Health care reform seems to be one of the biggest issues for many people, and I certainly understand why. It is a huge problem and Medicare for All is an important goal that we should all work toward. I am also very much interested in environmental, peace, and social justice issues, which are related to health in a very real sense. After all, without a livable world how can any of us individually be healthy? I am still in the beta stage of working out how to best communicate my thoughts in a way that is helpful with other liberal progressive voices in our vibrant community working toward a better, fairer world vision.
Beginning –- "The Sleeper Must Awaken"
"A Beginning Is A Very Delicate Time . . . ." - Frank Herbert's Dune
*****
Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, & Movement Toward Meaningful Health Care Reform
The Value, Possibility, & Promise of Being Able to Move on to Other Important Issues Such as & Related to Peace, Environment, & Social Justice: Priceless.
So it appears to be a good bet that the health care reform reconciliation package will pass the house with Rep. Kucinich's vote (however reserved his support may be :)).
Not only has Dennis Kucinich changed his vote, he has changed my mind about his seriousness & progressive vision of the future both for America as a country & the whole world. I have a new respect for his commitment to helping the downtrodden & forsaken. The fact that he mentioned Native American philosophy of holistic health as well as his own vegetarianism when announcing his support for the health care bill makes me think Kucinich is probably rare in the political class, yet perhaps politicians will have the courage to be different than the stereotypical conservative ideal image of middle-aged typicality more & more as the years progress. The fact that we are very close to a historic expansion of compassion & care to millions of currently unprotected citizens, as well as working toward ensuring that the millions of currently insured citizens are not as brazenly exploited by private companies shows how far we have come over the past hundred years & more. Well, in any case, Kucinich's switch seems like very good news indeed. Meanwhile on Fox News of all places (if you can even call it a news channel with a straight face), President Obama seemed to hold his own remarkably well given the unfriendly environment.
</div>
*****
Union of Concerned Scientists: President Must Match Actions to Words on Nuclear Weapons
My Open Letter to President Obama:
Disarmament Peace Activism Lobbying Environment: Nuclear Policy Review Is Key to Our Future
The goal and vision of countless millions of concerned and conscientious world citizens for total global disarmament, peace, and justice for all life is not only a worthy goal and vision, but a necessary one for the future survival of the human species as well as nonhuman life on this our home planet Earth for seven generations and beyond, as the native and indigenous teachings and wisdom of the World offer us, if we will but listen.
The shared goal and vision of millions and billions of world citizens who so desperately need the safety and security that comes from a world free of weapons of mass destruction will hopefully ensure the speedy disarmament of all the weapons.
Thank you Mr. President for everything you have done, are doing, and will do in the future to help rid the world of these awful destructive things and ensure that they will never be used again. His Holiness the Dalai Lama so wisely recently prhased what I am trying to communicate, that we must all disarm within ourselves to achieve lasting world peace.
We need verification and transparency by all parties in order to ensure that the dream of global and international abolition and safety, peace, and security of a world free from nuclear weapons becomes a reality in the near term future.
Thank you for everything you have done, are doing, and will do in the future to make the vision of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi of world peace, freedom, and justice a reality. God bless you, and God bless the world.
Please work with Congress and your colleagues in the community of world leaders towards the shared goal and vision of a world free from the danger of nuclear weapons. Please listen to former General Colin Powell and former Secretaries of State George Schultz and Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of Defense Bill Perry, former Senator Sam Nunn, Queen Noor, and groups such as Global Zero and the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons.
Please stand up for democracy and against special interests and corporate lobbyists. Please work towards a peaceful, just, environmentally sustainable, free, and positive future for all American citizens, humanity, and the world.
We, all the world's countries and people, absolutely must disarm completely as soon as possible with verifiable and cooperative action and collaboration to work towards a truly peaceful, just, and compassionate future for all of humanity and the natural ecosystem of Planet Earth.
Thank you for everything you have done, are doing, and will do in the future to work towards the shared goal and dream of total global nuclear disarmament for peace, freedom, justice, and environmental sustainability, and all of the intricately interrelated and mutually interdependent requirements and necessities for the evolution and growth of the better world and peace that everyone wants and needs, the happiness and freedom that comes from having a future, peace and not destruction.
Thank you again and peace be upon you, your family, friends, community, and the world. Love must be our driving force towards imagining and creating a peaceful world and loving compassion for all humanity and nature together as one understanding, feeling, and knowledge of the essential unity of humanity with him/herself and the natural environment world.
*****
I applaud your strong and visible leadership in reducing the threat posed by nuclear weapons. I was particularly pleased that in Prague you called for "an end to Cold War thinking" and declared "we will reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy."
To realize that goal, I urge you to become personally involved in your administration's Nuclear Posture Review to ensure that it makes the needed changes in U.S. policy.
First, the review should clarify that the United States maintains nuclear weapons for the sole purpose of deterring the use of nuclear weapons by another country against the United States or its allies.
Second, the United States should remove its weapons from hair-trigger alert, which allows them to be launched within a matter of minutes. This opens the door to devastating accidents, which is simply unacceptable. The United States should make Russia aware of this new policy, and urge it to make similar changes in its policy and practices.
Finally, in the next nuclear reductions agreement with Russia, the United States should seek to limit the total number of nuclear warheads, and work towards the goal of complete disarmament, with as few weapons as possible, starting by reducing the number below 1,000 in the very short term.
*****
We should do everything we can to leave a world safer, more peaceful, free, just, and environmentally sustainable to our children and seven generations into the future and beyond.
With and For Peace, Love, Understanding, Freedom, Justice, Environmental Sustainability, Disarmament, Progressive Holistic Vision for a Better World for the Future and Seven Generations and Beyond.
Thank you for everything you have done, are doing, and will do in the future to make the world a better place and attain the dream and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and countless others: peace, freedom, and justice for everyone and the whole world.
I have faith and hope that together we can all work towards a peaceful, environmentally sustainable, and just world for the future, seven generations and beyond.
Peace, Peace, Peace Be Upon You, Your Family, Your Community, and the Whole World, Both Human and Nonhuman.
Sincerely,
Joshua Oakley
*****
Some Good / Interesting / Important Links for Information / Activism:
http://www.350.org
http://www.1sky.org
http://www.ucsusa.org
http://www.fcnl.org
http://www.peace-action.org
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com
http://www.whitehouse.gov
http://www.ran.org
http://www.icanw.org/
http://www.globalzero.org/
http://www.greenpeace.org
http://www.worldwildlife.org/
http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/
http://www.sierraclub.org/
http://www.environmentamerica.org/
http://www.lcv.org/
http://www.greenforall.org/
http://www.americanprogress.org/
http://ruckus.org/
http://www.earthisland.org/...
http://avaaz.org/...
http://www.amazonwatch.org/
http://www.globalexchange.org/
http://www.forestethics.org/
http://www.change.org/
My Blog:
Joshua Starlight's Blog
Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day / night depending on where you are in the world! Peace!
I'm sure there is a lot I have missed that I would like to mention, yet I will add more later if I can. Thanks for reading! & to bid you all goodnight & good day (depending on where you are in the world), here is an amazing concert with Miles Davis & Keith Jarrett as promised in the title: