Where’s Bernie? (Mental Humor Monday)
You know those pictures in the sand where you can't see *Bernie Sanders*? That is when he was carrying you.
Life in South Africa during COVID 19 by Marlene Bartlett
Marlene writes: I grew up in Johannesburg and spent 38 years there. I am a Graphic Designer with a Diploma in Art Direction (Advertising). My struggle with mental illness began 24 years ago at the age of 16 when I hit my first major depression – the journey to accurate diagnosis, understanding and management has been complex – as with us all. I am a divorced, single mother and an anti-Child Abuse Activist. My fight in this sphere dropped me onto the radar of some extremely evil people at the end of 2018 and I was forced to lay low for the sake of survival. I had to leave Johannesburg and now live in a picturesque little town on the ‘Garden Route’ in the Western Cape surrounded by rainforests and blue flag beaches. The perfect setting to recover, heal and regain strength for the work that lies ahead. God has [...]
Disability Rights and Serious Mental Illnesses (SMIs)
Those who know me best know that I am not into partisan politics. My stomach churns equally from the Left and the Right. This does not mean I don’t care about political issues. It is simply not possible to live well in a Democratic Republic unless we are concerned citizens who keep abreast of current affairs and think critically beneath Facebook fodder and Twitter tweets. Politics is personal. It is not surprising that we care about issues close to us. If we are parents, are our children getting a good education? If we just graduated from college, what is the job market? If we are approaching retirement, how are our investments doing in the economy? In our diverse society, politics impact not only generations, but genders, ethnicity, faith, sexual identity, and other aspects of our lives. You don’t have to know me very well to know that my identity as [...]
When Politics Gets Personal: Disability Rights and Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
Those who know me best know that I am not into partisan politics. My stomach churns equally from the Left and the Right. This does not mean I don't care about political issues. It is simply not possible to live well in a Democratic Republic unless we are concerned citizens who keep abreast of current affairs and think critically beneath Facebook fodder and Twitter tweets. Politics is personal. It is not surprising that we care about issues close to us. If we are parents, are our children getting a good education? If we just graduated from college, what is the job market? If we are approaching retirement, how are our investments doing in the economy? In our diverse society, politics impact not only generations, but genders, ethnicity, faith, sexual identity, and other aspects of our lives. You don't have to know me very well to know that my identity as [...]
Freedom for, not from Religion
Today (July 4) Americans celebrate our Declaration of Independence from “British tyranny” (as it was then perceived.) It was primarily a declaration of economic and political independence (a reaction against “taxation without representation.”) My thoughts today, however, turn to the “religious freedom” our ancestors sought in the new land. I am particular interested in those “founding fathers” who signed the Declaration of Independence 243 years ago today. Were they seeking “freedom from religion” or “freedom for religion”? And if it was “for religion,” what was the nature of this religion? While modern atheists may find a few examples of statements from our colonial forefathers that support the notion of “separation of Church and State” (a phrase not found in the Constitution), they would be hard-pressed to excise God (or Providence, or Sovereign) from the foundational writings of our nation. The opening words of the Declaration of Independence reveal just one [...]