We Will Not Go Away; Welcome to Your First Day!

      It's been awhile since I posted, but I'm happy to say my tardiness has been for all the right reasons.  Namely: activism in other ways.  Today will be the first "working" day of Trump's presidency.  That seems like a good opportunity for me to check in about my own goals and progress.

In the last 30 Days I have:

 - Attended a Community Potluck at one of my local mosques, & heard a presentation from the police about Bias Crimes & how they are reported, tracked, & acted upon.*

 - Called out one of my close relatives on some racially biased comments, & engaged her in a conversation about White Privilege.  (I'm not sure it had much of an impact on her, but she was a gracious & thoughtful listener, & I think at least one person listening to us may have been impacted.)

 - Started organizing a Self-Taught Spanish Group at my workplace to encourage learning a second language.

 - Participated in the Seattle Womxn's March on 01/21/2017, as one of over 100,000 protestors.  It was the largest protest event in Seattle's history, and part of a world-wide demonstration of unity that has never been seen before!

 - Subscribed to my local newspaper, the Seattle Times, as a way to support "real news."  This may seem like a small thing, but for $220 it may be the most important action I've taken thus far.  If you do not have a subscription to a REAL newspaper, I cannot encourage you enough to take this simple step.  The best failsafe between us and a fully corrupt government is freedom of a diverse press.  Every dictatorship involves intimidation & limitation of the press.  And if the very words "alternative facts" don't send a chill down your spine, you are not paying attention.

*While minor offenses - such as yelling out of a car window - cannot be prosecuted, the police in Seattle WANT such things reported, so they can track them.  A pattern of behavior can be an important part of prosecution at a later date, or in the obtaining of legal protection orders.   The officer repeatedly requested that people report such incidents.