Some questions . . .

First, the Republicans want the government to intervene (by preventing an abortion) when a woman wants to abort a pregnancy under "normal" circumstances, but they don't want it to intervene by providing an abortion when she's been raped.
Then the Republicans want government to intervene if you are a man who loves a man or a woman who lives with a woman, but don't say anything when a man beats his wife, or if their candidate is a serial philanderer.
Now, the Republicans want the government to intervene if you lose your job: they want you to pass a drug test before you can collect your unemployment payments.
What drugs will they test for? What happens if they get a false positive? What recourse do you have? Who's going to pay for all the testing and notifying and verifying? I thought the Republicans were for less government.
They want to interfere with someone who just lost their job, but they aren't willing to increase taxes on rich people nor allow regular middle-class people to keep their stimulus tax credit.
From whence does such doctrine arise?

Notes from 5/8/11 meeting (our first!)

To all (from George)
Sorry for the lateness of these notes from our 5.18.11 meeting.

We began the meeting with a brief sketch of what our organizations/congregations were like.
1. United Church of Christ, St. Peter's in Perkinsville, NY 40-45 on Sunday Mornings, most progressive church in the Dansville/ Wayland area. interested in helping others.
2. 7th day Baptist, 8-12 attendance, help from others and give help to others, being practically helpful, socially active in the 19th century
3. First Friday, started at the build up of Iraq War, it is a conversation group, trying to understand what was going on, looking for different points-of-view in order to get some clarity, community oriented, individual participation, 12 people regularly, 12 on and off, Olean to Genesseo, mission of the group is to become peaceful citizens, not radicals.
4. Quaker group, 12 ind. has satellite group in Dansville 3-5 people, a large part of the group is involved in Indonesia at the current time.
5. Unitarian Universalist, 12 individuals, would like to know what others are doing

Called ourselves Progressive Collaborative Network. We are intersecting circles. We are the left hand of God

Ideas expressed:
1. wanting to know what other groups are doing
2. possibly set up a youth retreat, possibly at the 7th Day camp
3. have retreat for adults at the camp
4. maybe use the UCC/UU sexuality curriculum
5. set up a calendar of our activities
6. some phrases to describe what we might be about or just be: cultural spirituality, moral space, connections, feet on the ground, ignore power, focus on the positive, affirm goodness
7. possibly have a picnic over the summer.
8. set up a blog

Next meeting June 15th at Paddy's at 6 pm

First meeting

So seven of us met for the first time, around a table at the Friendly's restaurant in Hornell, today . . . I'll post notes from that meeting when George sends them to me. Our next meeting will be on June 15th.