"Us" and "Them"

Astrobarry.com offers some insights into the situation we in the U.S. face this week -- and in the months to come.


"Along our way, each of us will meet countless other individuals facing the same fundamental life questions (don't we all live within the same cosmos?)… though many will approach them from positions in sharp contrast to ours. What inspires our hope may trigger their terror. What represents our liberation may constitute the radical destruction of their near-and-dear values. And what we may do to try and build these fresh freedoms into our reigning social structures, they might seek to undermine or sabotage in righteous refusal to bow down.

Can't you see? We are both us and them in different guises, based on the situation. No matter what side of history we find ourselves on, the other players deserve our basic human respect—regardless of whether we feel they've given us the same. Compassion's got to start somewhere."

http://www.astrobarry.com/2008/nov208.php for the whole article

For a Friend

I have a friend who's been having a rough couple of days.

I've been told -- nicely -- that there's nothing I can do to help. . . but I figure a smile is always a good thing.

Watching Farmer Hoggett dance to cheer up his ailing pig always makes me smile. Hopefully it will help him smile too.

No comparison of my friend to a sheep-herding pig intended. ;-)