Chat about "Hope" with Author Beth Ward, Oct 13

The true story of an American Indian who realized just how much tribal and federal government policies were destroying his extended family.  

Roland grew up watching members of his family die of alcoholism, child abuse, suicide, and violence on the reservation. Like many others, he blamed all the problems on “white people.”  

Beth Ward grew up in a middle class home in the suburbs. Raised in a politically left family, she also believed that all problems on the reservation originated with cruel treatment by settlers and the stealing of land. Meeting her husband, her first close experience with a tribal member, she stepped out of the comfort of suburban life into a whole new, frightening world.  

After almost ten years of living with his alcoholism and the terrible dangers that came with it, they both realized that individual behavior and personal decisions were at the root of a man’s troubles, including their own, and no amount of entitlements would change that.  

What cannot be denied is that a large number of Native Americans are dying from alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide, and violence. The reservation, a socialistic experiment at best, pushes people to depend on tribal and federal government rather than God, and to blame all of life’s ills on others. The results have been disastrous. Roland realized that corrupt tribal government, dishonest federal Indian policy, and the controlling reservation system had more to do with the current pain and despair in his family and community than what had happened 150 years ago.  

Here is the plain truth in the eyes of one family, in the hope that at least some of the dying in Indian Country — physical, emotional, and spiritual — may be prevented.  

Dr. William B. Allen, Emeritus Professor, Political Science, MSU and former Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (1989) has called the book, “…truly gripping, with a good pace.”  

Meet the author at an online book signing, Saturday, October 13th, 3 pm eastern time, 12 noon pacific, at https://dyinginindiancountry.campfirenow.com/room/533942

The book sells for $29.99 and is available online. For more information about the author and to purchase the book, please visit http://dyinginindiancountry.com/

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9-Year-old Christina Taylor Green; 9/11 Hope, Victim in Tucson

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IN all the rhetoric about who is to blame for the shooting, there has been little talk about 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green.

Her Grandfather, Dallas Green, who managed the Phillies to the World Series in 1980 and one of the few men to manage both the Yankees and the Mets, was confused when his wife, Syliva, came into the living room after talking to their son on the phone Saturday. She was in shock and tears, barely able to get out the words, "They shot our beautiful Christina."

Christina was killed in the shooting spree at U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' meet-and-greet in Tucson, AZ, Saturday. One of the bullets had been fired directly into Christina's heart.

"I can't believe our princess is gone," Green said to a friend. He then told the Daily News, "I've had a lot of tough things happen to me in my life but this is one I'm never going to get over. We're all hurting pretty bad. My son is devastated."

Christina, who was the daughter of his son, John, a Dodger scout, had gone with neighbors to meet Rep. Giffords so she could see how government works.

Her mother Roxanna, told Fox News that Christina was "very interested in government ...how she could help her community."

The Arizona Republic, interviewing her uncle, Greg Segalinia, outside her house, reported that a neighbor had invited Christina along because she thought she would enjoy it. “The next thing you know this happened," Segalini said. "How do you prepare for something like this. My little niece got killed-took one on the chest and she is dead.”

Segalinia told the Republic that his niece was involved several extracurricular activities ranging from ballet to baseball, the sport of her father and grandfather.

According to TV station KVOA, she was a passionate dancer who loved ballet, hip-hop, jazz and gymnastics. KVOA also noted that Christina was the only girl on her Canyon del Oro Little League baseball team, "The Pirates," and played second base. She also loved horseback riding, swimming, and animals. Family members described Christina as vibrant and excited about life.

Her parents called her "the best daughter in the world."

The 9-year old had just been elected to her student council at the Mesa Verde Elementary School. "She was a good speaker," John Green told the Arizona Star. "I could easily have seen her as a politician."

John Green later reflected on his daughter being born on September 11, 2001, and now dying in this massacre. Born - and died - on two very emotional, senseless and tragic days for America; yet, said Green, the nine years in between were magical for his little girl as well as for them.

Christina was one of the babies featured in a book called Faces of Hope, Babies Born on 9/11, by Christine Pisera Naman. When she was old enough, her parents had told her about the day she was born. Misunderstanding, Christina then told a few people that she was born on a "holiday."

Big Journalism.com had an additional, sad perspective on this national tragedy; "Christina’s birth brought hope to America, taught us that in the face of tragedy life goes on. Her death was used by the media to destroy hope and generate political divisiveness, a sad tribute to this young girl’s life."

It was tragic that "CBS found the time to exploit the shooting for it’s own progressive slant, but didn’t have the time to show this picture, or to tell Christina’s story in their report."

As for the personal, family perspective, Dallas Green said, "I can't believe this could happen to any 9-year old child, much less our own," and that it's "The worst thing to ever happen to us."


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/01/09/2011-01-09_christina_taylor_greens_grandfather_exmets__yankees_manager_dallas_green_devasta.html#ixzz1AayHExLI

Would an Obama Presidency bring Civil Unrest?

I'm not trying to be incendiary, this is just a question that has been on my mind...

Let me say first - when I refer to civil unrest, I am NOT trying to incite violence. I have never been involved in violence and don't have intention to be.

That said, I can’t listen to what Senator Obama preaches about without wondering how intends to carry it off.

What exactly does he mean by “Change?” What is he leading half the country to “Hope” for? He hasn’t been specific, other than to say that he would like to spread the wealth around.

He talks about how we “divide one another”, and how we can’t afford to do that. He talks about how we are “all together,” and we have to “believe in each other.” What does he mean by "believing in one another? And what does he mean by saying, “We will change the country and we’ll change the world”?

How is he going to bring about change, (whatever change he is referring to) if half of the country doesn’t believe in him or the direction he intends to go?

But People must understand America. Half of us do not believe Obama. We don’t believe what he says, what he stands for, and who he is.

So unless he can sweet talk the conservative half of America into accepting his vision for our country - which would include universal health, increased funding of entitlement programs, cuts in defense at a time when the world is most dangerous, increased availability of abortion, same-sex marriage, and maybe even relaxed drug laws - how will we ever become One America? It doesn’t seem likely that even he, "The One," can sweet talk half of America into accepting these types of changes.

So how will he bring about this "United" America that he keeps telling crowds we will be? Unless he plans on creating forced “re-education camps,” everything he claims he can change in America will meet strong opposition from the right. His only option will be to simply force it on us - and I don't see how that will give us a united America.

With the Senate and House at his command, it is very possible that many of his bills will be passed. Yet, with half the country not behind the extreme changes he intends to make, some say the likelihood of civil unrest exists.

I guess the point is - despite what he is telling people at his rallies, no matter what he claims, he can’t control half of us. He can’t make us into who he wants us to be.

I don't understand what they are really expecting at these chanting rallies.

Personally, I don't see a united America as a possible reality - outside of God.

Which brings me to another point. I was singing a worship song this morning. It went - 'You are my Hope! Your promise never fails me. And my desire, is to follow you forever. For you are good...for you are good...for you are good to me..."

Well, this song reminded me again of where our only "Hope" comes from. Not from Man.

I can accept a man as our government leader, but as far as who I will follow forever, it will never be a man. My Lord alone is my rock.