Charles Mingus, Blues & Roots.
This is one of my mantras. Rules aren't bad in of themselves. It's important to know which part of a rule is helpful and which isn't.
It's a cold, rainy holiday after a long drought. I'm in a coffee shop next to a drafty window. A young guy just walked in with flowers for a young lady sitting and waiting. Later today, my wife and I are belatedly celebrating our 20th anniversary with a long weekend getaway in the woods.
"Israelis and Palestinians alike are traumatized people who love the land and deserve to live there in peace."
https://www.christiancentury.org/article/editors/bearing-witness-multiple-stories
From a great blog, #Quaker Ranter...
Levi Coffin (1798–1877) was a dedicated #Quaker abolitionist often referred to as the "President of the Underground Railroad." Born in North Carolina, he and his wife, Catharine, provided a safe haven for hundreds of escaped enslaved people in their Indiana and Ohio homes. His relentless efforts, combined with his belief in equality, solidified his legacy as a key figure in the fight against slavery, assisting thousands on their journey to freedom.
https://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/24/Levi-Coffin
"The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design." ~ Friedrich Hayek
gm, nostr. be still and listen.
This week's been nonstop busy. I'd love to spend a few hours sitting and reading, but don't see that happening for a while.
More of this in the world, please...
... and logoff Twitter. 😉
The Q3 2023 Twitter Migration report is out: https://www.deweysquare.com/digital/twitter-migration-report/
It shows Nostr is holding steady after Threads tsunami. We’ve got users, interest, and development but we’re stuck in a bitcoin / crypto echo chamber. The problem isn’t the tech directly so much as culture. How can we cultivate millions of communities with their own values and norms. Sure they can use lightning for payments, but mostly people won’t be here because they believe in nostr or bitcoin. In fact for both to succeed we need folks who don’t care about the underlying tech at all.
That's why I'm here trying to hold down the other side of conversations.
This is a great big picture episode. I find Neil Howe to be one of the few intellectually honest people left.
gn, nostriches.
Some Wendell Berry..
gn, nostriches
The letter I sent to my Senators and Representative:
The U.S. Must Push for Ceasefire in Israel and Gaza Now
I am deeply troubled by the recent violence between Israel and Gaza. The loss of innocent lives is heartbreaking; mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters — all wanting the same basic things we do: to live in peace, to feel secure, and to raise their families. Fanning the flames of war will only darken the hatred and spread the destruction.
The current conflict in Gaza poses grave threats to human life on both sides. There are immediate dangers to the Israeli hostages and to roughly one million children living in Gaza. But the roots of the violence run much deeper than this current crisis. Decades of oppression, rights violations, and collective punishment against Palestinians have created the conditions for extremism and violence to thrive. We must protect lives now while also working to end oppression.
I humbly ask you to:
1. Call for an immediate ceasefire.
2. Oppose the transfer of more weapons to the region.
As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
War is not the answer. This is a rallying cry for Quakers, who are part of a historic peace church. While many Quakers are pacifists, not all are. It's not a requirement. But it is one of our central testimonies to the world. We should always strive to create the conditions for peace and remove the impetus for war.
Below is a recording from FCNL, a Quaker lobbying group, on the crisis in Israel and Palestine.
"On Oct. 25, we gathered as a community in grief and action. Watch the recording for insights into what is happening in Israel-Palestine, the response from U.S. lawmakers, and what we can do as advocates to respond."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfpZtktPnvM
#Quaker
Early on you will see a woman pause in silence. That is a common way for Quakers to begin a gathering. It is a reminder to bring to center yourself and listen to that of God around you. It is a shortened version of what we do in a #Quaker meeting for worship.