Justin Trudeau you are my hero.........

To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada

Justin Trudeau

I am horrified about the events of this week, each day getting even worse than the previous one.  When looking for something to grab onto I looked to Canada, Justin Trudeau is my new hero.  Speaking out for what is right, what is kind and what is decent.  I applaud all Americans who have protested the horrible executive orders that have been signed this week.  You had better protest now because I read yesterday that some states are trying to make protests illegal.   

I just want to tell the world that we are not this.  It looks like Americans right now are horrible people, but we aren't.  Most of us are kind and embracing those people from different nations and different religious faiths.  We want peace, not alienation.  We want equal rights for all, and we want to welcome all of you, not ban you because you have come from a country that does not have a business interest by the president.  We want to tear down walls, not build them.  I really can't put into words what this week has done, I have tried to post about it several times but find the magnitude of these despicable acts have rendered me speechless.  Do I blame the man in charge, you bet, but I also blame those men and women in the government that are allowing all of this to happen.  Our elected officials are not governing for the people, they are governing for themselves and for big business,  They are governing on a platform of fear, not kindness.

  Here are some interesting links that might help you feel there is hope, well a smidgen of hope out there anyway.  That the press is not lying, that not all the people in America find these new policies to be okay.  

The newest issue of Time Magazine is out and it is amazing.  Wouldn't it be great if we actually went out and bought the hard copy instead of just reading it online?

For those of you who want to continue your quest to do more after the Women's March on Washington, D.C. and all over the globe, you can find out how to do more here.

John Pavlovitz, a minister, is my favorite read of the day.  He seems to be able to articulate so much of what I want to say in a much better way than I could ever imagine.  I have been reading his posts long before the election, and I find that he speaks for many of us.

Votespotter, is an app that keeps you in touch with your representatives and lets you know how they vote on the things that are interesting to you.  It is a non partisan project, just the facts.  Thank you Araignee's Tangled Web for bringing this to my attention.

The last day to sign up for the ACA or Obamacare is January 31.  You can still sign up if you want to and be covered for the next year.  The new administration does not have this information up anymore so now you know.  32 million people are going to lose their healthcare if this is repealed. with no alternative put in place.  The billions of dollars that will be lost repealing and replacing is staggering and so unnecessary.

Climate change is real.  Support those scientists that have been shut up, those at the EPA, NASA and the National Park Service.  Did you know that the new administration has made it much easier to sell off public lands to developers, oil drilling and for commercial purposes?  Our sacred parks and national monuments could be gone.

I just finished Small Great Things by Jodi Picout.  Oh my you have to read it.  I am usually not a huge Jodi Picout fan, I love her style I just don't always love her endings.  This book about race and the prejudice we all have was very enlightening to me.  I had to read it in small spurts as it was uncomfortable and frankly appalling at times, but it is so relevant to where we are in this country and in many others.  And it is relevant to some of the people who are helping to run this country, this mindset is beyond my comprehension but is necessary to face head on.

I have to say I am having a hard time reading blogs right now, my spirits are very low and I can't seem to hide them by posting about a pretty flower.  It isn't that those flowers are important with the beauty they bring to our lives, it is that there is so much going on that is against everything I believe in.  This election has brought a huge fissure to our country.  It has let the ugliness that is in all of us become unchecked in many.  I can't bury my head in the sand and pretend it isn't happening or that it will all go away.  I realize you come here to see Little Buddy and a few of the things I make, but this is my life right now and I am going to be honest.  Speaking freely is our right, protesting is our right, disagreeing is our right.  Speak out before our voices are silenced.

So I don't end this depressing everyone I found this article about people knitting/crocheting sweaters for elephants.  You can find it here.  It is helping restore my faith in humanity.