I never heard the name Debra Haaland until President Biden appointed this Native American woman to his Cabinet as Secretary of the Interior last December. Our paths will likely never cross, though I would love to meet her and learn more about her tribal affiliation with the Laguna Pueblos. Her appointment is a sign of hope for our multi-cultural continent. Finally, after four centuries, a Native American woman sits at the table where national policies […]
Continue readingCategory Archives: Environment
Land Yields Life
Land. Land yields life. All living creatures depend on the land. No land, no life. We fight wars to determine who has the right to dwell on and drill or dig into the land. We harvest natural resources for shelter, food, and fuel. We go to court to determine whose rights will prevail in property disputes. Our modern ways of managing the land are based on assumptions imported to this continent by early European colonists. […]
Continue readingThe Texas Deep Freeze of 2021
In response to the Texas Deep Freeze last week, I decided to reflect on our experience with the latest unprecedented event. I’m ready to retire the word “unprecedented.” Unprecedented events appear to be the new normal what with the 2017 Hurricane Harvey, the 2020/21 COVID-19 pandemic, and now the Texas Deep Freeze of 2021. As I sat in the cold, huddled under blankets, reading by flashlight, I kept thinking about the Mayflower passengers I’ve written […]
Continue readingMayflower Voyage Anniversary
Happy Mayflower Voyage Anniversary! This Sunday, September 6, 2020, marks the 400th anniversary of the third and final attempt by Master Christopher Jones to sail the Mayflower from England to New England. I suspect if Master Jones had known what was in store for him, his crew, and the 102 passengers, he’d have declined the honor. Jones and his crew sailed the wooden cargo ship Mayflower from London to Southampton in July. He’d probably navigated that […]
Continue reading#ListenLearnLove: Whose Land of the Free?
My summer 2020 blogs come from a variety of people commenting on the theme #ListenLearnLove. Today’s guest blog is from Phoebe Morad, the Executive Director of Lutherans Restoring Creation and a woman whose voice is worthy of a broad audience. Thank you, Phoebe for this blog and your important work. As we head into a Fourth of July holiday, in the midst of a pandemic that precludes our usual celebrations, this is a good year […]
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