It Shouldn’t Be A Crime To Be A Woman

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by Chuck Watts, Co-founder

Thousands of women are rallying under the banner of “Stop the War on Women.” It’s the wrong banner and will further enslave women.

The American Idol judges tell the singers they love all the time to find the right fit – the right song. I’m with you on your passion. I’m with you on your moral outrage. I’m with you on refusing to be silent. I’m your choir.

AND I’m not singing a WAR song about what bully corporations and authoritarians are doing to women, which is a CRIME.

Metaphor is the way the human mind works and metaphors matter. The metaphor of war calls up different images, responses, etc., than the metaphor of crime. Have you read about what Mississippians do to women who miscarry? They imprison them.  There are no generals involved. There is no army, navy, air force involved. So consequently there is no need of a commander-in-chief.
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Imagining and Shaping the Hometown We Want

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Celebrating 109 Years of Social Responsibility and National Service!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

5:30 p.m. - Social Time, Cash Bar & Displays

6:30 p.m. - Introductions, Dinner & Program

7:30 p.m. – Adjourn
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Compassionate Americans Want Compassionate Government

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by Dean Feldmeyer with permission

Many thanks to Mr. Gary Abernathy for last week’s op-ed column laying out the Libertarian point of view that God doesn’t give a hoot what the government does or doesn’t do. He argued that government is incapable of care and compassion, virtues of which, he said, only individual citizens are capable.

He also opined that Jesus was interested in changing only the people, not the government. And he informed us that government is, by nature, repressive, in that it enforces taxation and legislation by threat of imprisonment and fines.

I am not a political scientist; I am a theologian and, since Mr. Abernathy has ventured into that realm, I believe it is within the purview of my calling to add a few thoughts to the discussion. Continue reading →

Buy Local Human Rights Needs A Compassionate Press

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by Chuck Watts

The idea is simple: Ethical businesses and a moral market are tools to enhance the common good defined as expanded human rights and individual liberties.

Market success is measured by a growing common good through protection and expansion. Incentives that enhance the common good AND punish violations of the common good should govern ethical business and the markets.

By contrast, consider our current American nightmare of market failure: bully corporations and their bully enablers inside public government, who shift public resources AND the moral mission to protect and empower all of us, to themselves and enslave us.

The Buy Local Clinton County project is a worthy endeavor because I believe it is based on American principles of progress, based on American values, and a simple American vision: Caring citizens are the solution to building trust for effective community governance and the broadening of our mutual prosperity.

The American dream is a trust. Others created it. Caring citizens protect and expand it. Last night’s Candidate’s Forum, hosted and sponsored by the Wilmington News Journal at the Murphy Theatre, violated that trust. Continue reading →

An Open Letter to Pat Haley, County Commissioner

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Chuck Watts
by Chuck Watts -
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In Response to the Facebook group I Love Wilmington, Ohio, Trails – Call to Action!
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Dear Pat,
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What do the following five items have in common with bike trail grants?
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They all, including supporting bike trail grants, requires strength of character that includes empathy and responsibility, both personal and social, to promote them.  Continue reading →

Occupying Progressive Strategy

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by Joe Brewer, Cognitive Policy Works, with permission

Overview

Emergence of the Occupy Movement in 2011 represents a sea-change in US politics.  The landscape for strategic action is now transformed, enabling dramatic new opportunities for bold progressive policies to be implemented on the national stage.

This strategy brief maps out the core strengths and potential risks for progressive organizations and elected officials to build on the major advances made throughout the last year as we move into a critical election cycle.

This work was commissioned by Progressive Congress to serve its mission of supporting progressive members of Congress and the vast ecosystem of organizations they depend on to advance a progressive vision for America.

Download the PDF version of this strategy brief Continue reading →

Portland City Council Declares Persons, Not Corporations, Have Human Rights

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by David Delk
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On January 12, 2012 the Portland City Council voted unanimously for the historic resolution purposed by Mayor Sam Adams declaring the city’s support for amending the US Constitution making clear that money is not speech and that corporations are not people.
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The vote was 3-0 with Commissioners Nick Fish and Dan Saltzman absent. Commission Fish had indicated that he would have voted in favor had he been there.
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