You’re Killing Our Democracy

Every time you share a meme on Facebook that's designed to inspire rage, you're helping kill our democracy.  Let me explain.

No matter your political/moral/social views, you will be angry when you see and share a meme made to inspire a particular point of view.  Here's an example.  I recently saw a meme that purported to show a homeless vet living in a car.  The text said something to the effect that our government should help homeless vets before helping refugees.  "Share if you agree" is usually a part of these inflammatory posts.

If we agree with the meme, it means that we're against refugees.  If we disagree, we're against homeless vets.  Either way, you're pitting human being against human being and working to split us apart in a very real way.  That's exactly what the Russian troll farms intended to do, and we have all fallen into the trap.

If you must express your opinion, how about writing it yourself and not sharing a meme or article that shares your view?  If you believe that homeless vets need more help, volunteer.  Or cite statistics (real ones) that show what and where the problem is.  Start a conversation.

Otherwise I'm simply going to believe you've fallen under the thrall of an entity determined to hurt us.

 

Abandoned Cats Find New Lives

I recently told you about the efforts volunteers at The Marshmallow Foundation made to help abandoned cats in a local trailer park survive the bitterly cold temperatures outside.  We built insulated shelters for them, and one of our volunteers (Connie) brought food and water almost every day, which was kept from freezing with heated dog bowls.  Wet food especially was critical for them, since they desperately needed the calories to survive.  Marshmallow took 5 of them when they could, and pleas were sent statewide for help from rescues.

It's been a bad winter for cats, and shelters are full to the brim everywhere, but Connie kept networking on social media trying to help these cats, while also raising funds for them.  Miracle of miracles, the Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society posted on Facebook that they needed cats for their adoption floor, and did anyone know where they could get some?  Luckily, Connie jumped on that opportunity, and soon made arrangements to pick up as many of the remaining cats she could, added those to the 5 at Marshmallow, and arranged transport.

The manager at the shelter in Mankato fell in love with the cats immediately; they were, as we knew, perfectly tame, and very lovable.  And today someone else fell in love; the first of the trailer park cats was adopted.

Connie is an employee at The Marshmallow Foundation.  The reason why I call her a volunteer is because all of the time she spent building shelters, delivering shelters, feeding cats, buying supplies, transporting, fundraising and networking was on her own time.  The employees there are all like that; its not just a job for them, it's a vocation.  And I think you'll find that at most shelters.

So on Caring Hearts Day, will you consider supporting an organization that can't even raise enough funds to be included in Caring Hearts Day?  You're not just giving money to a charitable organization; you're letting unpaid volunteers know that their work doesn't go unnoticed.  You're giving them the "wind beneath their wings" to try to soar higher and higher to ensure that no homeless, abandoned animal leaves this world without being loved and cared for.