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.

 

Helping Cats Survive Winter

The Marshmallow Foundation in Detroit Lakes was recently contacted by an owner in a local trailer park.  His part of the park was being shut down, and residents were leaving their cats behind.  He had been feeding nine cats, but was getting desperate.  He was already living without water, food was expensive, and the landlord had told him to get rid of the cats.

The sad reality of shelters throughout the state is that they are full to overflowing.  So we knew we couldn't immediately scoop them up, get them vetted, spayed and neutered and ready for adoption.  But the weather forecast called for -50 wind chill in the next couple of day, so we had to do something.

Volunteers sprung into action, Googling how to build cat shelters and gathering supplies.  7 heavy duty totes with lids were purchased, along with styrofoam sheets for insulation, and probably the most valuable thing; mylar insulation.  You know, the stuff you wrap around water heaters to keep them from freezing.  Mylar is used for emergency blankets to keep warm, reflecting body heat very effectively.

A wonderful volunteer offered her kitchen as a build station.  Here's what we did.

We measured the length, width, and depth of the totes, and cut styrofoam to cover the bottom, sides, and top.  We covered the bottom and top pieces with the mylar, and circled the inside of the tote with more mylar.  First layer was styrofoam, second layer was mylar insulation.  We cut a six inch hold on one side of the tote and corresponding styrofoam and mylar, and covered the rough edges of the hole with duct tape.  We had a bale of straw, which we stuffed inside the tote, between the tote wall and styrofoam, and then filled the inside with lots of straw for the cats to burrow in.  Then they mylar covered styrofoam lid goes on, followed finally by the tote lid.

On location, we put the totes with the hole facing a wall so that it would make it harder for predators to get into.  And to anyone passing by, it just looks like totes lined up, not cat shelters.  Two heated bowls and several gallons of water toted in completed the set-up.  We had some wet cat food, which is very important in the winter since it provides the necessary calories and fat to help them survive.  The cats were climbing into the shelters as soon as we arrived, so we knew we were successful.

In the meantime, we'll continue to hunt for rescue.  Its obvious these were once people's pets; several have collars, and I was able to pick up and cuddle a couple too, before I was forced to seek shelter myself with frostbit fingers and toes.

[caption id="attachment_298" align="alignnone" width="300"] Bottom styrofoam wraped in mylar and 2 end pieces cut[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_300" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Remaining styrofoam pieces added, sides wrapped in mylar[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_303" align="alignleft" width="169"] Top styrofoam wrapped, entrance cut, and tote lid on[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_296" align="aligncenter" width="300"] On site with shelters, food, water, and straw[/caption]

Death, Dying, and Unemployment

For 28 years, I was fearless.  Working in the airline industry automatically means instability; like walking through a mine field with clown shoes on.  But still, the constant layoffs always seemed reasonable.  You'd see the list of names affected and think, "he really sucked at his job", or "with that attitude it's a wonder she lasted as long as she did".

And for 28 years, I made it through that minefield just fine.  Until the time I didn't.  Until the time the layoffs seemed to have no rhyme or reason other than age and salary.

This felt like a death.  A death of a partner whom I've been with for 28 plus years.  The same stages of grief; disbelief, bargaining with God, anger, incredible sadness, and finally being resigned to the fact that that stage of my life is over, done, kaput.

Many days I still sleep walk through the hours, just waiting for dark so I can crawl back into bed, to hopefully sleep without dreams.  More and more now though, I feel a spark of hope, and apply for a job or two.  Or do a load of laundry.  Both tasks seem insurmountable some days, doable on others.

When strangers ask me what I do, I stumble on the answer.  Who am I, if not my job?  "Temporarily unemployed" is my usual answer, at which point I feel them shrink away from me like it's contagious.  In reality, they don't care one way or another; I could have said "I'm a paid operative for the CIA" and the response would have been the same.

So for now, I'll celebrate getting the laundry done.  Last week I celebrated getting out of bed before 10.  Who knows - next week might be even better.

Justice for Millie

Millie is a 14 week old Bluetick Coonhound puppy that was slammed to the floor multiple times into her own feces simply because she went potty inside the house.  Her back leg was broken so badly local vets couldn't fix it.  After being stabilized, she was transported by Marshmallow Foundation volunteers to the University of Minnesota, where she underwent surgery to repair the break.  More volunteers went to transport her back to Detroit Lakes, where she is now resting comfortably in a foster home.

This incident was witnessed, and the police were called.  The alleged perpetrator was arrested, made bond, and has a hearing scheduled for early next week.

Good news, right?  Maybe.  Animal abuse cases are rarely prosecuted, simply because there are often no witnesses, or the witnesses are intimidated by the perpetrator so they don't report it.  And if they are prosecuted, the offenders are given a warning or small fine.  Some states only treat it as a felony if it's the first animal abuse offense.

And here's a statistic that should concern everyone: Intentional cruelty to animals is strongly correlated with other crimes, including violence against people.  

Help us help Millie and ensure that justice is served.

1. Donate to Millie's care here.


2. Call the prosecutor in this case and tell her that animal abuse should not be tolerated in our community.  Her name is Jennifer R.J. Knutson, Assistant Becker County Attorney, at 218-847-6590


3. Contact your local officials and your state legislators and demand that animal cruelty be treated as the serious crime it is.


4. Volunteer for your local animal shelter.  If your heart can't take the daily contact with the animals, volunteer to transport to vet appointments or to other rescues.  Millie wouldn't have gotten to Minneapolis without caring people who were willing to go the extra mile (pun intended).

It starts with one person.  And together, we can change the world, or at least change our community.  For Millie.

 

White and Privileged

I have white privilege.  If I get stopped for speeding, it's likely I'll get a warning.  If I step into a crowded elevator, people won't back away from me, unless I forgot to shower that morning.  If I walk into a liquor store with a hoodie on, no one asks me to put the hood down so the security cameras can see my face.  When I walk down a sidewalk, people won't cross the street to walk on the other side.

When people see me, they don't assume that I'm a troublemaker.  I could have the most vile of views, and yet if I showed up to march in support of my hatred, I'd not only get a permit, when violence arises, people would blame the protesters and not me.

I don't worry about being pulled aside at the airport and being subjected to extra "security" measures.   No one will forcibly drag me from an airplane.  I don't worry about random gunfire killing me in my living room.

White lives have always mattered in a country built around the concept that all people were created equal.  White Christian lives matter even more.

So yes, I am white and I am privileged.  And I am ashamed.  People like Peter Tefft of Fargo do not represent me.  I don't want to make America hate again; we've had too much of that already.  I want to live in a country where my life matters just as much as anyone else.  Anyone else.  No exceptions, period.

 

 

 

Death to Lutherans

Got your attention, didn't I.  After this week's horrific events in Charlottesville, VA, I've been seeing posts on Facebook and Twitter saying that the counter-protesters are as much to blame as the neo-nazis, white supremacists, and fascists in attendance.

Yes, there was a valid permit to march.  And yes, there were counter protesters that fought back physically.  But putting these groups of people in the same box is sickening.

Is it because the protesters were chanting "death to Jews" that you feel that both sides are to blame?  You're not a Jew, you're not African American, or Latino, or Muslim, or any of those things.

So let me ask you this.  What if they chanted "death to Lutherans" and came to Detroit Lakes to spew their hate speech?  If you stood on the beach with your own signs telling the haters to go home, and an anti-Lutheran drove his car into your line of folks, would you still think that both sides were equally to blame?  Because the Lutherans were yelling too, and spitting, and I think I even saw one throw a punch.

The KKK originally thought that Catholics were in the same category as blacks and Jews.  Did you miss that part of history?  Look it up.  Catholics aren't to blame for the cross burnings are they?  What about the lynchings?

And just because you're not one of the groups they hate now doesn't mean you won't be someday.  The nazis hated more than just the Jews.  You know from school history about the 6 million Jews murdered, right?  The Jews were just one of the groups the nazis hated.  Estimates of between 11 and 20 million people were murdered by this "hate group".   Read here for some statistics.

Martin Niemöller was a Protestant pastor that spoke up against the nazis.  He was one of the counter protesters.  He spent the last 7 years of nazi rule in a concentration camp.

Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.