speaking with your wallet

As an expression of protest or disfavor with products, services, policies, or organizations, boycotts can accomplish a lot.  Usually the things I write about here are positive ones - suggestions about doing various things that will make a difference.  Sometimes though, simply NOT doing something can make a difference.  Not eating in a certain restaurant or not shopping in certain stores or not buying certain products can speak volumes.

 

A personal boycott might not do much, especially if nobody realizes you are boycotting.  There is always more strength in numbers and it is more helpful when you let it be known that you are protesting a particular policy or program or whatever your reason for the boycott might be.

 

For a long time I refused to go to a certain restaurant where I had been treated very badly.  On principle I of course should not go back there unless there is some kind of apology and amendment of policy, but by personal boycott wasn't making them change - they didn't even know I was boycotting.  When I finally realized this, it became clear that I also needed to communicate the problem that had occurred and to involve others.

 

If I disagree with the actions a company takes, whether they are small or huge, it makes no sense for me to give them my money.  It makes no sense for anyone to give them their money!  This is when we should be speaking with our wallets.  If an organization is anti-gay or anti-women or if it is racist or if it bullies or any number of other things that I disagree with, I boycott.  I urge you to be informed and to let your wallets do the talking too!

Working Together to Prevent Suicide

We hear about the death of a favorite performer and then hear that they died at their own hand.  A friend or relative dies suddenly and there are whispers that he took his life, but shh don't talk about it.  Well we need to talk about it and that is what today is about.

An estimated one million people per year die by suicide or about one person in 10,000.  Suicide rates in the United States have risen nearly 30 percent since 1999 according to the Centers For Disease Control.  The CDC also says that nearly 45,000 people in the US died by suicide in 2016. (Numbers for last year are incomplete).

Every September, the month is used to focus on prevention and awareness and World Suicide Prevention Day is a special awareness day observed on September 10th every year.  It should not just be when a friend or famous person dies.  We need to remember that it can happen any time to any person.  Think about those numbers.  We can get them lower, but we need to focus on it and we need to care about it.  Human beings can do anything.  This year's theme, "Working Together to Prevent Suicide," really says it all.  We need to work together.

 

Putting an end to hate and bullying is a great place to start.  Openly talking about our feelings is important too.  Nobody should ever feel like they are alone.  Reach out.  Be present.  Get involved.  Talk to professionals.  Find out other ways to help from The Trevor Project at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ and take note of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline HERE.

Hooray for Colin

Yesterday Nike announced that they will make Colin Kaepernick the face of their "Just Do It" 30th anniversary campaign and while I joined in the cheering of many, there were also the crazies who once again felt the need to tear down Mr Kaepernick.  I don't get it.  The man is a hero - I have said that before right here. 

 

For those who still think that Colin Kaepernick dislikes this country, it's flag, or the military, let me share with you once again his own words:  "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." He went on saying "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

 

There have already been protests against Nike and against Colin and folks showing pictures of coffins and cemeteries saying "This is what a real hero looks like."  Seriously?  Some think you have to be dead to be a hero?  Folks there is no cookie-cutter type hero out there.  How wonderful it is that they don't all have to be the same!  A hero though is someone who makes a difference for the better, and that certainly is the case for Colin Kaepernick.  To quote Jason Chu's song Marvels,  "We become heroes because of what makes us human."

 

When I see pictures of Colin looking into the face of his mother Teresa, I see love.  When I see Colin kneeling on the sidelines, I see love.  When I see Colin on stage speaking to children, I see love.  This is not a man who hates his country.  This is a man who loves his country that he wants to make it better.  He has already done so much.  Listen to him my friends.  Cheer him on and join him.