The bombs bursting in Air

I just drove home through the country of New Russia Township, greeted by wonderful explosions of light and color. The giant flowering trees of cherry, apple, pomegranate, blueberry.. This, is my Fourth of July Post.

Seeing America all go out for the fireworks is a reminder that our country is still working– the trucks are still moving, the families are still having dinner conversations, the cars still droll to work each morning. The backyard barbecue is something that’s so American, to see them happening means that life for many still goes on.

If and when the higher oil prices come, many will find that they still have this life, and they still have what matters (especially if you haven’t divorced your spouse..) AND furthermore, that the adaptations they make for the recession will be mostly a welcome change. It’s not the money that matters — just basic expenses — and if we can provide food then we remain a proud, independent nation. Let’s show the world that we can do more than consume oil and bully internationally; if/when the time comes, let’s be followers for a while. Proudly.

America is a great country. It’s the rural folks and the non-rural folks, the countryside and city gardens and parks, the trees land and air that make is so. We have abundant resources to make use of once we grow in ideas that do not require fossil resources. Despite what will happen to some farmers, our food system will be okay.

Politically, I have a great hope that Barack Obama’s last year in office will be a good one. There are many ideas on this very blog that can make it so if he listens. I would happily advise the president on Economic and Environmental Policy.. in fact it is what I got a degree on. If you’re any closer to the White House than I am as a blogger and small farmer, pass it on!

I am happy to be in America, with or without money, and hoping to stay here for a while. Happy fourth of July, for it’s a good year to be in the USA.
-EM “Che” Fernando Miller

MAPSBlog

New Post: http://mapsblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/a-brief-run-in-with-the-police/.

Let’s be thankful.

let’s take a moment..
At least some break from your daily lives, and spend time with family and friends. How graceful our lives are in the United States! Reading Thoreau always reminds me of the inherent good in life– let’s not watch messages that tell us we need more, we’re not good enough, we’re overweight or uncompetitive. In debt or unemployed, we have everything we need. Cherish our health! Relish the community! Our politicians are doing well! Sometimes being happy is the best privilege we have.

The Crisis in Darfur

What is happening, and what can we do about it?

Just went to an incredible talk from a Darfur refugee- that means he was a Muslim in Western Sudan when government backed militias destroyed 50 villages in his valley and killed 21 members of his family. That was in 1983. From there, what do you do?

1. He fled to Egypt and organized. Wrote for 6 years to Arab and Muslim leaders, press, all to condone the killing. Nothing.
2. Contacted embassies in Egypt: large-scale internet distribution to amazing world response. Awareness hit international community.
3. Mentioned in US and UN circles, but no International backed action.
4. Now travelling around speaking, crying out for peacekeepers who would be welcomed by the darfuri people. But still no action has been taken.

The story ends on a sombering note: 15 years of genocide and murder and rape, until his people can no longer leave their villages for firewood. International complacency (follow the money…). African Union inefficiency and corruption.

But WHAT to do?

People have been trying to get our government to act. Maybe Obama will. The letters are all in…

International action would be best. UN declares genocide= moral obligation to act. Target=Ban Ki Moon secretary general.

International causes have to be stopped. Clog the vein that feeds government war. Locate and destry multinational streams of revenue. Lawsuit or…

Direct action from the people.
Set fire to the oil reserves they want. Shut down the gold mines and release international press. You clearly aren’t benefitting from the revenue, better without. If the trade becomes too dangerous, people will divest and the money will leave. The crisis burns itself out.

My thoughts on how to solve crisis: Any resistance effort has to be led by the affected, charged by a will to survive. Donations could flow much more efficiently through the internet into organizer’s hands than through government or international aid channels.

Any largescale peace effort would instantly give itself away: white people, white vans, white weapons drive the war underground. Instead it needs to be escalated vs. Silent millions.

*SO…*
This is where I must leave you, dear reader. I am not going to be the one to organize for the solution to Darfur. I do know that more visibility is a waste of effort, and untargeted begging is unclassy. What can one person who really cares DO?

Organize! The internet gives us unlimited power of knowledge. Find out what’s going on, look at solutions and then make a better one. People are dying, but every crisis has a best plan of attack. Go, click, thrive.

Amnesty International
BU coalition to save darfur

A New Hope for Darfur (in Water) speaker tomorrow:
Thursday, November 20th
7:00 PM
COM 101 (640 Commonwealth Avenue)

Hope and change must dominate our thoughts, or else we will be lost.
https://eddiemill.wordpress.com

-Eddie Miller
BU ’10
eddiemill@gmail.com