We want to give an extra special thanks for all the volunteers who are working hard to get Mapendo House back in tip top shape! In addition to the amazing Hannah and Davis who continue to do work almost every day, as well as Amada Morales who is tirelessly coordinating volunteers, we want to thank Angie Rodriguez, Mike Trokan, Jenny, Joe Stubbs, Jerry Danks, Nancy Chaplicki, Troy, Michael, Brian, and Caitlin O'Brien. Soon we hope to offer hospitality at the house once again.
NOTES FROM 21ST STREET: Walking in nature is still allowed during the corona virus pandemic. I am so glad this is so. One must wear a mask and be socially distant, but that in no way diminishes the healing power of nature. I have been awed by the brilliantly colored trees with leaves of red, orange and yellow. Then as some leaves fall to the ground the dark intricate patterns of limbs and trunks become visible, and they too, all glorious and awe inspiring. It strikes me as odd that at the end of summer and fall, with its warmth and rain, the trees seem to go into the winter with a shout of halleluya! We are already in a harsh season, the pandemic and a divisive political season. I want to be as stalwart as the trees and face whatever comes with a faith rooted in beauty and hope.
Halleluya! Roberta
On Christmas day 1917, Ben Salmon. a young Catholic husband and father in Denver, refused the draft into WWI. He was arrested and was held for 3 years in a military prison. He stated, “I am in the Army of Peace.” In the centuries between the fourth century and our own day, the theme of Christian non-violence and Christian pacifism has echoed and re-echoed, and that many great Christian figures took non-violent stands. They point out that St. Francis of Assisi forbid members of his lay orders from taking up arms. The Catholic group the Knights of Columbus kicked Salmon out. Almost all Catholic bishops and prelates of the time supported sending our men to the European war. It’s uncanny, but the same thing happens now. The Catholic hierarchy almost always supports its government’s wars. Apparently, the Catholic Church values its temporal security over Christ’s commands to “love your neighbor” and “do not worry about tomorrow.” Salmon believed that the idea of a “just” war went against the nonviolent teachings of Jesus. He declared that World War I had created 17,000 new millionaires (from war profiteering) while US soldiers received only $50 a month to sacrifice their lives in Europe. The government declared him insane and sent him to a psychiatric hospital in Washington, DC. The newly formed American Civil Liberties Union and a Catholic University professor, Father John Ryan, finally secured Salmon’s release toward the end of 1920. Salmon was ostracized from his home town of Denver, Colorado, moved to Chicago to work, and died in 1932 at the young age of 43. His death was attributed to the ill treatment he had received in prison. Many Catholic workers have gone to jail many times following the words of Christ, they do not commit violence acts. They speak out the truth by word and deed in nonviolent ways and are then persecuted for doing so. They refuse to kill, even when the Church hierarchy and the government instruct them to do so. They will only follow the command of Christ to love all people. How many Christians are willing to this? ---Don Timmerman
DON’S JOKES
A man suffered a heart attack and had open heart bypass surgery. He woke up after the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at a Catholic hospital. As he was recovering, a nun asked him questions about how he was going to pay for the surgery. She asked, “Do you have health insurance?” He replied, “No health insurance.” The nun asked, “Do you have any money in a bank?” He said, “No.” The nun asked, “Do you have a relative who could help you?” He replied, “I have only a spinster sister, who is a nun.” The nun became agitated and said, “nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God. He replied, “Then send the bill to my brother-in-law.”
Q: What did the stamp say to the envelope? A: Stick with me, and we will go places! What’s another name for a clever duck? A: Wise quacker Q: Why do the French eat snails? A: They don't like fast food. Q: What do cats eat for breakfast? Mice Krispies.
INTERESTING FACTS
—The Pentagon has deployed the first submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead in a move that anti-nuclear activists say increases the threat of nuclear war. The USS Tennessee is currently patrolling the Atlantic carrying a nuclear warhead with a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima --NukeWatch
—Every year we spend $80 billion incarcerating citizens.-Pres. Obama
—If we would require all gun owners to carry liability insurance, the insurance industry would destroy the gun industry.
Last year on New Year’s Day alone, there were 177 gun deaths in America. That includes 132 gun suicides and three mass shootings.---Brady United for Gun Control
An estimated 5.2 million Americans with felony conviction were barred from voting in 2020 election ---Nation of Change
—Three of the pharmaceutical companies that have contracted with Warp Speed to develop a vaccine have never successfully brought any vaccine to market. Novavax has a Warp Speed contract for $1.6 billion, Moderna has a $1.5 billion Warp Speed contract, and Vaxart’s stock prices have soared, its owners realizing huge profits. Pfizer also has a Warp Speed contract worth $1.95 billion.---Truthout
—On Sept. 24, 1918, a parade to sell war bonds resulted in an epidemic of the "Spanish flu" that caused mass death in Philadelphia. The reason given for the existence of Electoral College is tied directly to racism and slavery. During the Constitutional Convention in 1787, delegates from southern states wanted to make sure they had a say in picking the president, despite their population consisting overwhelmingly of enslaved people.----AEC
—C.J. Polychroniou’s latest book, The United States of War: A Global History of America’s Endless Conflicts, from Columbus to the Islamic State, is a detailed survey of the U.S.’s obsession with militarism and war. Have you come to a definite conclusion or explanation as to why the United States has been at war for about 225 of the 243 years since its independence?
—We would like to share some very exciting news from International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The big moment is finally here: the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) just reached the 50 ratifications needed for entry into force! Just now, Honduras ratified the treaty bringing about a historic milestone. Congratulations everyone! WE banned the Bomb! Please take a little time to celebrate and enjoy this overwhelming success.
In peace, John LaForge, Kelly Lundeen and Christine Manwiller for Nukewatch
—In Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan and Yemen alone, an estimated 755,000 to 786,000 civilians and combatants have died as a result of combat. Total deaths may reach 3.1-4 million or more, including those who have died as a result of disease, hunger and malnutrition caused by the wars. At least 37 million people have been displaced from their homes during U.S. fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. For perspective, 37 million is about as many people as live in California and in Texas and Virginia combined. Thirty seven million displaced is more than those displaced by any war anywhere in the world since at least 1900, with the exception of World War II.--- C.J. Polychroniou, a political economist/political scientist
—In Palestine, Maher al-Akhras, a prisoner of conscience who has been on hunger strike for 86 days to protest his indefinite imprisonment, is “on the verge of death,” according to rights groups. The 49-year-old was arrested by Israeli forces in July but is being held without charges. From his hospital bed, al-Akhras called on the international community to help free the Palestinian people. “I refuse to give in to the decisions of this occupying state. He said that he I will either return freely to my children and to my people, or I will die without submission,” ----Democracy Now
—Currently 87 nations have signed, and 45 (of a needed 50) ratified, the U.N. treaty criminalizing the obscene nuclear stockpiles of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and (semi-covertly) Israel. ---Peace Action
—The United States spent a crushing $35.1 billion on nuclear weapons in 2019, roughly twice as much as France and the United Kingdom combined, and more than Russia or China.
—Fr. Steve Kelly with the 6 others broke into the King’s Bay Military base in St. Mary’s GA. They went with the intention of stopping a nuclear war. They were not concerned with the effectiveness of his protest, but rather with being faithful to their Christian calling. Elizabeth McAlister was sentenced in June to time served. Four of the seven have asked to postpone the sentencing because of a surge of COVID-19 sweeping through prisons. Patrick O’Neill, a member of the Plowshares 7, was recently sentenced to 14 months in prison.---Nukewatch
—Environmentalists are warning of a looming oil disaster as a stricken tanker threatens to spill oil that could rival the 1989 Exxon Valdez catastrophe. Images of the ship show it continues to take on water not far from Trinidad and Tobago. The Venezuelan-flagged tanker has 80 million gallons of oil on board. The ship has been idled in the Gulf of Paria since the Trump administration imposed an embargo on Venezuela’s petroleum industry in January. Recently, a federal judge denied a request by Native American tribes to halt construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The tribes say Trump violated their rights under treaties from the mid-1800s. ---Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
—Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union are working to identify families that were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border who say they haven’t been able to find the parents of 545 children in U.S. custody, as most of those parents have already been deported to Central America. An investigation by the Los Angeles Times has uncovered 265 calls to police reporting physical and sexual violence against asylum seekers inside California’s four privately run immigration prisons; nearly all of which went unprosecuted---Democracy Now
NOTES FROM 21ST STREET: Walking in nature is still allowed during the corona virus pandemic. I am so glad this is so. One must wear a mask and be socially distant, but that in no way diminishes the healing power of nature. I have been awed by the brilliantly colored trees with leaves of red, orange and yellow. Then as some leaves fall to the ground the dark intricate patterns of limbs and trunks become visible, and they too, all glorious and awe inspiring. It strikes me as odd that at the end of summer and fall, with its warmth and rain, the trees seem to go into the winter with a shout of halleluya! We are already in a harsh season, the pandemic and a divisive political season. I want to be as stalwart as the trees and face whatever comes with a faith rooted in beauty and hope.
Halleluya! Roberta
On Christmas day 1917, Ben Salmon. a young Catholic husband and father in Denver, refused the draft into WWI. He was arrested and was held for 3 years in a military prison. He stated, “I am in the Army of Peace.” In the centuries between the fourth century and our own day, the theme of Christian non-violence and Christian pacifism has echoed and re-echoed, and that many great Christian figures took non-violent stands. They point out that St. Francis of Assisi forbid members of his lay orders from taking up arms. The Catholic group the Knights of Columbus kicked Salmon out. Almost all Catholic bishops and prelates of the time supported sending our men to the European war. It’s uncanny, but the same thing happens now. The Catholic hierarchy almost always supports its government’s wars. Apparently, the Catholic Church values its temporal security over Christ’s commands to “love your neighbor” and “do not worry about tomorrow.” Salmon believed that the idea of a “just” war went against the nonviolent teachings of Jesus. He declared that World War I had created 17,000 new millionaires (from war profiteering) while US soldiers received only $50 a month to sacrifice their lives in Europe. The government declared him insane and sent him to a psychiatric hospital in Washington, DC. The newly formed American Civil Liberties Union and a Catholic University professor, Father John Ryan, finally secured Salmon’s release toward the end of 1920. Salmon was ostracized from his home town of Denver, Colorado, moved to Chicago to work, and died in 1932 at the young age of 43. His death was attributed to the ill treatment he had received in prison. Many Catholic workers have gone to jail many times following the words of Christ, they do not commit violence acts. They speak out the truth by word and deed in nonviolent ways and are then persecuted for doing so. They refuse to kill, even when the Church hierarchy and the government instruct them to do so. They will only follow the command of Christ to love all people. How many Christians are willing to this? ---Don Timmerman
DON’S JOKES
A man suffered a heart attack and had open heart bypass surgery. He woke up after the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at a Catholic hospital. As he was recovering, a nun asked him questions about how he was going to pay for the surgery. She asked, “Do you have health insurance?” He replied, “No health insurance.” The nun asked, “Do you have any money in a bank?” He said, “No.” The nun asked, “Do you have a relative who could help you?” He replied, “I have only a spinster sister, who is a nun.” The nun became agitated and said, “nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God. He replied, “Then send the bill to my brother-in-law.”
Q: What did the stamp say to the envelope? A: Stick with me, and we will go places! What’s another name for a clever duck? A: Wise quacker Q: Why do the French eat snails? A: They don't like fast food. Q: What do cats eat for breakfast? Mice Krispies.
INTERESTING FACTS
—The Pentagon has deployed the first submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead in a move that anti-nuclear activists say increases the threat of nuclear war. The USS Tennessee is currently patrolling the Atlantic carrying a nuclear warhead with a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima --NukeWatch
—Every year we spend $80 billion incarcerating citizens.-Pres. Obama
—If we would require all gun owners to carry liability insurance, the insurance industry would destroy the gun industry.
Last year on New Year’s Day alone, there were 177 gun deaths in America. That includes 132 gun suicides and three mass shootings.---Brady United for Gun Control
An estimated 5.2 million Americans with felony conviction were barred from voting in 2020 election ---Nation of Change
—Three of the pharmaceutical companies that have contracted with Warp Speed to develop a vaccine have never successfully brought any vaccine to market. Novavax has a Warp Speed contract for $1.6 billion, Moderna has a $1.5 billion Warp Speed contract, and Vaxart’s stock prices have soared, its owners realizing huge profits. Pfizer also has a Warp Speed contract worth $1.95 billion.---Truthout
—On Sept. 24, 1918, a parade to sell war bonds resulted in an epidemic of the "Spanish flu" that caused mass death in Philadelphia. The reason given for the existence of Electoral College is tied directly to racism and slavery. During the Constitutional Convention in 1787, delegates from southern states wanted to make sure they had a say in picking the president, despite their population consisting overwhelmingly of enslaved people.----AEC
—C.J. Polychroniou’s latest book, The United States of War: A Global History of America’s Endless Conflicts, from Columbus to the Islamic State, is a detailed survey of the U.S.’s obsession with militarism and war. Have you come to a definite conclusion or explanation as to why the United States has been at war for about 225 of the 243 years since its independence?
—We would like to share some very exciting news from International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The big moment is finally here: the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) just reached the 50 ratifications needed for entry into force! Just now, Honduras ratified the treaty bringing about a historic milestone. Congratulations everyone! WE banned the Bomb! Please take a little time to celebrate and enjoy this overwhelming success.
In peace, John LaForge, Kelly Lundeen and Christine Manwiller for Nukewatch
—In Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan and Yemen alone, an estimated 755,000 to 786,000 civilians and combatants have died as a result of combat. Total deaths may reach 3.1-4 million or more, including those who have died as a result of disease, hunger and malnutrition caused by the wars. At least 37 million people have been displaced from their homes during U.S. fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. For perspective, 37 million is about as many people as live in California and in Texas and Virginia combined. Thirty seven million displaced is more than those displaced by any war anywhere in the world since at least 1900, with the exception of World War II.--- C.J. Polychroniou, a political economist/political scientist
—In Palestine, Maher al-Akhras, a prisoner of conscience who has been on hunger strike for 86 days to protest his indefinite imprisonment, is “on the verge of death,” according to rights groups. The 49-year-old was arrested by Israeli forces in July but is being held without charges. From his hospital bed, al-Akhras called on the international community to help free the Palestinian people. “I refuse to give in to the decisions of this occupying state. He said that he I will either return freely to my children and to my people, or I will die without submission,” ----Democracy Now
—Currently 87 nations have signed, and 45 (of a needed 50) ratified, the U.N. treaty criminalizing the obscene nuclear stockpiles of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and (semi-covertly) Israel. ---Peace Action
—The United States spent a crushing $35.1 billion on nuclear weapons in 2019, roughly twice as much as France and the United Kingdom combined, and more than Russia or China.
—Fr. Steve Kelly with the 6 others broke into the King’s Bay Military base in St. Mary’s GA. They went with the intention of stopping a nuclear war. They were not concerned with the effectiveness of his protest, but rather with being faithful to their Christian calling. Elizabeth McAlister was sentenced in June to time served. Four of the seven have asked to postpone the sentencing because of a surge of COVID-19 sweeping through prisons. Patrick O’Neill, a member of the Plowshares 7, was recently sentenced to 14 months in prison.---Nukewatch
—Environmentalists are warning of a looming oil disaster as a stricken tanker threatens to spill oil that could rival the 1989 Exxon Valdez catastrophe. Images of the ship show it continues to take on water not far from Trinidad and Tobago. The Venezuelan-flagged tanker has 80 million gallons of oil on board. The ship has been idled in the Gulf of Paria since the Trump administration imposed an embargo on Venezuela’s petroleum industry in January. Recently, a federal judge denied a request by Native American tribes to halt construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The tribes say Trump violated their rights under treaties from the mid-1800s. ---Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
—Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union are working to identify families that were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border who say they haven’t been able to find the parents of 545 children in U.S. custody, as most of those parents have already been deported to Central America. An investigation by the Los Angeles Times has uncovered 265 calls to police reporting physical and sexual violence against asylum seekers inside California’s four privately run immigration prisons; nearly all of which went unprosecuted---Democracy Now