Thank you, Robin. No one is ever going to agree, totally, on the right of a woman to govern her own body. When a man rails against that, it sounds misogynistic, to say the least. Freedom of religion means ANY religion.

Searcher, as a woman who definitely has very different views than you, I felt your very strong posting was presumptive and VERY personal. I did not respond because I do not believe you would *hear* what a woman has to say about the subject and because I have no interest in trying to change your outlook. It might sound trite, but the one bumper sticker sums it all up for me: "Keep your laws off my body". And, I have three wonderful, adult children one born when women had no right to choose, the other two after that right was legislated. NONE of them have grown up to be murderers or any other kind of criminal and I would put their reverence for life up against anybody else's anyday.

To get back to what we can do for the children:

From one of my favourite catalogues, Northern Sun Merchandising, these are on posters:

Paraphrased it goes something like this: "A small boy lived by the ocean. He loved the creatures of the sea, esp. the starfish, and spent much of his time exploring the seashore. One day he learned there would be a minus tide that would leave the starfish stranded on the sand. That day he went down to the beach and started picking up the stranded starfish and putting them back into the sea. When a neighbor asked him what he was doing, he told him that he was saving the starfish. The neighbor shook his head and sighed, "I am sorry to disappoint you, but if you look down the beach there are stranded starfish for as far as the eye can see. It's the same the other way up the beach. One little boy like you isn't going to make a difference." The boy thought about that for a minute. Then he reached his small hand down to the sand, picked up a starfish, tossed it out into the ocean and said, "I sure made a difference for that one."

Another one almost sounds to common sense and simple to be true, but if America and her children are to regain a sense of a community which cares, these are good suggestions:

How To Build Community:

Turn off your tv; leave your house; know your neighbors; look up when you are walking; greet people; sit on your stoop; plant flowers; use your library; play together; buy from local merchants; share what you have; help a lost dog/cat; take children to the park; garden together; support neighborhood school; fix it even if you didn't break it; have potluck; honour elders; pick up litter; read stories aloud; talk to the mail carrier; listen tot he birds; put up a swing; help carry something heavy; barter for your goods; start a tradition; ask a question; hire young people for odd jobs; organize a block party; bake extra and share; ask for help when you need it; open your shades; SING TOGETHER; share your skills; take back teh night; TURN UP THE MUSIC; turn down the music; listen before you react to anger; mediate a conflict; seek to understand; learn from new and uncomfortable angles; know that no one is silent though many are not heard, work to change this"

For more go to: http://www.northernsun.com

katlaughing