This was an actual question asked by the Trump administration yesterday. One of our supporters thought there might be some better questions to ask. We provide her far better questions, ask for questions you’d like to ask, and provide two opportunities to Tithe, one with Jambo Cafe and another in support of our refugee neighbors. And don’t forget to donate to KSFR, this Sat, 11 – Noon.
The Heart of the Matter: Our National Leadership is Heartless
Asking why should a coal miner pay for PBS assumes that no coal miner has any interest in the varied programs offered through PBS, a slap in the face of all coal miners. But the question also begs us to consider other questions, and one of our supporters, Esha Chicchio posted some of her own questions. I thought it might be good to use her excellent questions as a springboard to a participatory process through which we add to the list and create a page of your suggestions.
There are so many questions to pose about what I am calling the Trump Death Budget. The first you may ask is: Why do I call it a Death Budget? Very simply, the cuts proposed in this budget will kill people, as would the passage of the ACHA (America’s Cruel & Heartless Act). We need to be clear about this. When a person with cancer can’t afford to pay for her chemo or a person with diabetes can’t pay for his insulin treatments, they die. We need to be very clear about this. And when you shut down Meals on Wheels seniors will die, not just of starvation, but of heartbreak as in their autumn years become a nightmare fueled by greed, fear, and selfishness. So this is a Death Budget, a Death Healthcare Act, and a Death Agenda. We must remain vigilant and active for the sake of justice. Today, I ask you to tithe locally. Tomorrow there will be a specific action related to Healthcare. Real healthcare, not the Death Healthcare proposed by the GOP.
After reading Esha’s questions, scroll to the end of this short post and provide one or two (or more) of your own questions you’d like to see answered.
Esha Chicchio’s far better questions:
- Why should a poor black family in Detroit pay for the President to go golfing?
- Why should a single mother of 3 who’s working 2 jobs in Louisiana be denied health-care so that the CEO of Aetna can get a tax-break?
- Why is the guy washing dishes in Baton Rouge paying for the President’s wife’s secret service protection so she can live comfortably in NYC?
Esha goes on to comment that we could do this all day. But for her, the real questions the Trump administration and the Republicans who empower him need to answer:
- Do you have a heart?
- Did no one teach you to care about your neighbors?
- Do you know what “empathy” means?
- Did no one teach you to “share” when you were in kindergarten?
- Have you never heard the phrase “do unto others”?
Esha went on to say that “I can’t think of a group of people who need to watch Sesame Street MORE than the Republican party. Perhaps they would learn some common decency.” I add to Esha’s thoughts: the GOP won’t be able to access Sesame St. if they cut funding to PBS.
Please use the comment at the bottom of this post to help us create a more comprehensive list.
Let’s Give It Up for Jambo
Jambo Café, has been shut down since the sad accident on Thurs, March 2, 2017. While the accountants, insurers, and builders sort out the logistics and mechanics and work to bring Jambo Café back to us, the loyal staff and workers are in limbo.
In the spirit of community solidarity, let’s all come out to celebrate and keep everybody’s spirit up during this trying time. Come show some love for Chef Ahmed Obo, his entire crew and for us too, the patrons missing our best hub.
Jambo Cafe Solidarity Shakedown
Saturday, March 25, 7 – 11 pm
The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing, 37 Fire Place, Santa Fe
Local Refugees Need Our Support
Another supporter, Robert Mang, did some leg work after the refugee presentation a few weeks ago. He wanted to find a way to tangibly help our refugee neighbors. Most of us can’t offer them jobs, or provide childcare, or serve as an English language tutor. But we can contribute funding to enable the programs serving these refugees to expand their staffing and better meet the needs of our refugee neighbors. If you missed the refugee presentation, click here for Retake Our Democracy’s synopsis of a most powerful afternoon.
Santa Fe Refugee Collaborative is a grassroots, altruistic, community-based organization that launched in September 2016 with a goal of welcoming and supporting new immigrant refugee families from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mozambique, Congo, Somalia, Chad, Pakistan, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. SFRC also collaborated with the 1st Presbyterian Church to present the “Refugees Speak” event, an extraordinary afternoon of refugee testimonials summarized in the link above.
SFRC is currently sponsoring the Kick4Six program hosted at the ICNM to assist our Syrian refugee families through their resettlement via community projects and a Gofundme fundraiser. The Santa Fe Refugee Collaborative seeks to raise funds for art supplies and support the ESL pilot program for our most vulnerable, immigrant refugee families through the “Kicks4Six” program hosted at the Islamic Center of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Acclimating to a new culture can be quite a challenge for new immigrants, and learning a new language in a community setting can provide both ESL and broader community integration. The children’s fun activities can provide social integration and a positive outlet for better communication and creative expression.
If you need motivation to support this KickStart campaign, imagine for a moment being uprooted from Santa Fe, thousands of miles away in a land where you do not speak the language, where you frequently are viewed with skepticism or hatred, and where your children are suddenly without friends or any sense of cultural context. Add to this that you have likely experienced extraordinary trauma from the beginning of your journey to now and are desperately poor and in need of a job. I am guessing you can find $25 or $50 or $100 to allow these kids to participate in art programming while their parents take the ESL they need to seek employment in their new country.
Please act today: give what you’re able, and share on social media to support these much needed efforts and the many humble hearts involved. Click here for more information on how you can tithe to support this group.
And if you still have a few bucks left to give, call KSFR tomorrow, March 25, 11am to Noon and show your support for its incredible programming. I was told the other day that KSFR would lose 15% of its funding in the Trump Death Budget. So please, create a calendar alert to call 428-1393 between 11am-noon on Saturday and give generously. And if you can, listen in as Paul interviews Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver: 101.1 FM.
In solidarity,
Roxanne and Paul
Mara Lago trips and stays are an abusive of government budget and our tax dollars in addition to being a poor security risk. I want a lawsuit to prevent this meeting venue.
Taxes: I want a lawsuit to get Trump’s tax reports for the past 10 yrs.
Immigration: Who will sponsor an immigration reform bill NOW!?
Question for Trump? Will you take a US Constitution Test and a religious test and the MMPI( psych. test0?
RE Gov. Martinez: How can we impeach her. really, I am serious! She has wasted legislative time and money with her narrow minded and spiteful vetoes and her corporate alliance is not in the best interests of our state!
Why should an arthritic senior citizen who doesn’t drive and lives alone in Florida be deprived of a hot meal once a day while 3 of the Trump children and their families have Secret Service security during a ski weekend in Aspen, CO?
What was the real deal on the lease between Trump International and the GSA brokered by Kevin Terry who tells us that it is not a conflict for POTUS? See BuzzFeed’s article September 16, 2016, that casts suspicion on Terry’s “deal” and his unrevealed connections to a company called Concorde Financial Services. Is there another money trail to be unveiled?