Plus Letters to the Editor
I began last week’s column with one word: Change. Maybe this week the word should be Transformation. It’s a fitting word, especially as the aftermath of last week’s upheavals in Eygpt continue to sink in. Transformation is good, but even better when one is aware of what kind of transformation is taking place—a quest for rights, freedom, democracy? Today in America, there are many who fight for those very same things. And while the culture’s obsesson with modern technology can sometimes distract or blur our focus on those who are making strides for greater civil rights, their efforts are nonetheless commendable and deserve notice, too. Civil rights activist Terrence Roberts spoke at UC Santa Cruz’s 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation earlier this week. A few weeks ago, Santa Cruz Next saluted a “quad squad” of locals forging ahead in innovative ways in their attempts to unite the community through their individual “progressive” projects.
All of it makes me take pause. Standing back a bit and observing everything that has unfolded in the last few weeks, locally and globally, I find myself asking: “So, what does it take to create real change?” And the words that continue to pop up when I ask that question are: effort and persistence. But there’s more to it than that, too. Awareness and insight are vital, too. And that, I suppose, starts right here at home—”at home,” meaning “within.” I’m not sure about you, but if you’ve ever plunged beneath the surface of your own actions and motivations, you might find a powerful river full of “stories,” habits and intentions that are often challenging to shift. The sheer inertia of these built-in inner energy plants are powerful. Somebody once told me, “everything living, wants to keep living,” which made me chuckle—then, I couldn’t help but immediately begin taking a deeper look at what thoughts and patterns were alive and well within me; those that were in no mood to make certain shifts for the better. For the better—now that’s an interesting notion because, as somebody once told me, a little revolt—internal or otherwise—may actually be necessary and turn out to be a good thing.
More soon. (There’s always more …)
Greg Archer | Editor-in-Chief Letters to the Editor
Stimulus Redux
As reported in GT’s “Still Stimulated?” article of 1/13/11, in 2009 Salud Para La Gente applied for and received ARRA funding to hire additional providers & to expand a clinic. Congressman Sam Farr was extremely helpful to Salud in securing this funding, and Salud is deeply grateful to him for his efforts. Salud has long recognized Congressman Farr as a champion of health care delivery for the poor and underserved.
Congressman Farr chose Salud’s renovated Clínica del Valle del Pájaro as the site of a press conference held on Feb. 17, 2010, the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the ARRA law, to inform the public about the nature, extent and importance of stimulus funds.
Salud worked closely with the Congressman’s staff in the District and in Washington to arrange the press conference, covered by print, radio and television media, attended by over 70 people including contractors and subcontractors who worked on Salud’s clinic renovation, and by Central Coast Energy Services of Watsonville, which also received ARRA funds. All speakers, including Salud’s board chair, top clinicians and administrators, lauded the widespread beneficial impact of ARRA funds, and all speakers expressed heartfelt gratitude to Congressman Farr.
Not only is Congressman Farr to be commended for his work on securing ARRA funds for this region, but also he deserves great thanks for his tireless support for federal health care reform, and for his continuing support for the Affordable Care Act in the face of current efforts to repeal that legislation.
For further information, readers are welcome to contact me at (831) 728-8250 Ext. 1005 or at sc*********@sp**.org , and can read more at splg.org.
Sara Clarenbach, J.D.
Director of Advocacy, Community Engagement & Media Relations
Salud Para La Gente
‘Word’ Counts
Thanks for Lisa Jensen and her “What’s In a Word?” column. Thanks for eco-death article (GT 1/27). I swear, if I read GT cover to cover every week it would be like trying to process dreams in Hawaii—takes all day but good.
On “Green to the Grave,” I do want to say Joe Sehee is a treasure for anyone wishing to negotiate this sticky path to green burial in U.S.A.
Even this article implies that you have to get embalmed (so let’s discuss non-chemical embalming options; Broddus). You don’t have to get embalmed! You will keep happily for a week on dry ice, giving your loved ones ample time to bathe you, brush your hair, sing you over and shlep your remains out to the cemetery if you so wish.
And concrete vaults; don’t need them! England has over 400 green burial/conservation/preservation characteristically uneven-ground foresty cemetery sites to date. We can do it too; all of it, thanks to such pioneers as Finalpassages.com (who helped Joan Baez’ family do all this for sister Mimi Farina).
Corrina McFarlane
Santa Cruz
Best of The Online Comments
On The NEXTie Winners
All are beautiful people, doing beautiful things.. and to Mr. Duetron Kebebew, you sir, are truly an inspiration to all of us. Kudos on obviously finding your niche, I am happy for you. I really enjoyed the “3 a.m.” comment! We should all seek to be so content in our work.
Anonymous
On Kim Luke’s ‘Heal Thyself’
This article was written in such a clever way and rang true to me. I moved to Santa Cruz, not knowing anything about the town. I was looking for a small city by the sea with clean air and close enough to a large airport and a large city with cultural events. It was a toss up between Santa Cruz and Monterey. I chose Santa Cruz, and remember one day sitting in my vehicle ‘people watching’, and was taken back to the ’60s. That’s when I started to get the ‘feel’ of this town. Very unique to say the least.
Thea Delisio
On ’Vacation Rentals’
Ayn Rand in 1957 in “Atlas Shrugged” described looters as those who confiscate others’ earnings by force, including government officials whose demands are backed by the implicit threat of force, and those who are proponents of high taxation, big labor, government ownership, government planning, regulation, and redistribution. Citizens who save and risk to own a home have every right to live in their home or rent it as they alone decide. Owners and renters are obligated to abide by the fair and universal occupancy, parking, and noise control codes and ordinances that those working in government are obligated to provide for the peace and protection of all citizens equally—and that is all.
Betty Sakai
