Sows, Pigs, Politics, Corporations & Valentines

"Winter Arrives" Copyright 2018.  Photoartdb.  All rights reserved.

It seems like winter wanted to wait so it could roar into Southwest Missouri with an entrance worthy of someone distinctively important who needs to be paid attention and honored.  It's somewhat like the way some politicians walk into a room or down a hallway, expecting all ears to be attuned to their wisdom and sage guidance.  Not exactly the way they're being perceived these days in Missouri or on the national scene with one scandal after another diverting attention from the important concerns of the people they were elected to serve:  healthcare, economic issues, new foreign markets for our farming community - especially the small independent farmer - retaining our clean water sources and protecting their cleanliness, and local control of our farmlands and protecting the rural citizens' health.

Since moving here now almost four years ago, temperatures have not dropped into the minus numbers one time until this year.  Although the snow and icy moisture is welcomed, the bitter cold contributing to record flu numbers with children and our elderly dying as a result.  Listening to the evening news, it was noted that there were 30,600 cases of flu in Missouri alone putting us in the top States combating this virus.  Our family certainly struggled with it through Christmas and into the month of January.  It was also sad to watch the school children cope with the disease that would come, leaving a cough behind and then sometimes a recurrence.  Makes me wonder why people doubt the phenomena of "global warming," when it is so clear that something is shifting with the weather patterns and their impact on our environment, our health and changing farming patterns.

My New Year's Resolutions this year were fairly simple.  It's my firm belief that keeping things simple as I age will be the best way to ensure that they are done.  The first one was to start speaking out when wrong and unethical things occur and to not be a part of a Silent Majority who will allow democracy to be twisted and used for the benefit of the "few".  Still believe in the adage that Government "for the people, by the people" is the best system, but it is clear our system is broken.  My second resolution was to try and keep my health at a better level than it has been since moving here four years ago by trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  It is my wish not to be a burden on those that I love as I enter my "golden years."

As a result of the first resolution, it was my decision to attend a Lobby Day hosted by the Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC) in early January.  Several focuses of the visit to our elected representatives in the State Capitol was to encourage legislation to preserve and defend local control in rural communities, as well as to put a limit on foreign ownership of our Missouri farmlands.  Do we really want other countries controlling our food resources?  It does not seem like a wise move to me or others who believe in sustainable and independent agriculture.  

Finally, lobby day participants were encouraging the Senate to halt an egregious act of our Governor Eric Grietens whereby changes were made in silencing the people's voice on the important Clean Water Commission (CWC) by replacing experienced and independent commission members with new members who have clear ties to the industrialized farming lobby.  Without confirmation by the Senate, these new members took action immediately to approve out-of-state corporate factory farms to be built in rural Missouri despite strong community opposition in the areas impacted.  These new members are up for vote soon  (within the next few days, actually) by our Missouri Senators who can stop this unfair action by the Governor by refusing to allow these commission members to be seated.  Two things need to be put into action:  The Senate voting NO and rejecting Governor Grieten's pro-factory farm appointees; then the legislature should change the law back to have the public's voice once again on the Clean Water Commission. If you wish to do something, please contact your State Senator now and ask him or her to vote NO on these new appointees and encourage changing things back to the more fair makeup of the CWC.  Clean water is something that we have come to take for granted.  Having travelled in the Far East, Pacific Rim and Latin America, I can tell you that we are lucky to have the amazing waterways in this State.  They should be protected and preserved or we will end up like many third world countries with the disease and other plagues that the lack of clean water can create.  

If you feel like you want to get involved and make your voice be heard, participate in the next Lobby Day scheduled for Valentine's Day - February 14, 2018 - by contacting Brian at the Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC).  You can find more information by checking their website at:  

Missouri Rural Crisis Center website

A recent Letter to the Editor in the Joplin Globe about the CWC called attention to how important it is to take action and call your Senators today about these new appointees.  Please read it and take action if you feel compelled to maintain the clean water in our rural communities.  Click on the link and you will find the phone number of the State Capital switchboard.  Ask to be connected with your Senator and ask that they VOTE NO on Grieten's appointees.  This confirmation may take place before February 3, so act today.

What can be done on the CWC Letter to Editor by a local farmer and rancher 

- Joplin Globe, 1/18/2018

Moving back to my first resolution, something happened in the hallways of the State Capitol that I thought would never happen in these times, especially now that young women are speaking out about sexual harassment in the workplace.  It gives me great hope that my grandnieces will not have to endure the embarrassment of ever being put in such situations.   I'm of an age where my parents taught me to respect elected governmental officials but to know that they should be held accountable to a certain set of ethical standards and morality.  I also participated in the women's liberation movements in the 1970's to try and ensure "equal pay for equal work."  After college, I worked for a large radio station in Springfield and went on to jobs in large corporations in marketing services and communications.  I did my best to ensure that ethical standards were kept in the ad campaigns that I worked on both in the ad agencies and companies that I represented.  And my radio news stories reported and written by me were verified and fact checked before they ever made it on the air.  Back then, Walter Cronkite was my hero, so were Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein along with their publisher at the Washington Post, Katherine Graham and Executive Editor Ben Bradlee.

Stories in the daily news have changed my point-of-view greatly.  I see little to respect among many politicians.  Many of them behave like pigs themselves.  Lobbyists run free and even sometimes author the legislation going through our Congressional Chambers.  Knowing that respect should be earned and not given freely, my stance as an Independent Voter has been strengthened by seeing partisan interests take precedence over the people's interests.  While visiting various State Representatives' offices, our group had one very positive interaction with one of the legislative assistants who listened carefully to our points, took our information and allowed us to move forward.  Other newly elected representatives and senators who took the time to speak to our group resurrected my faith and hope that perhaps there were people taking positions that would save our natural resources in Missouri.

Suddenly, we were stopped in the hallway by an elderly gentleman that I later found out was Representative Warren Love (R) of the 125th District.  He started talking about his days on a farm before he became a politician.  It was easy for me to see that he was winding up for a "hallway filibuster" to detain our group.  Since I'd been standing for a good part of the morning handing out flyers in front of the House Chambers and having a rather bad knee, I decided to break off from our group and go rest my sore joint for a moment while he regaled the group with his tales of "when I was a farmer and had a few pigs on my small farm".  I could tell that this guy was full of hot air, out of touch with what was going on now with small independent farming operations and intent on delaying the progress of our group.   While resting my knee, I got into a conversation with a farmer who reminded me a lot of my father and who had practiced farming "the old fashioned way" for years.  Time slipped away and I didn't make it back to the group.  My forte is really to talk to people to help them understand legislation coming through the channels -- after all my job before retirement was in communications and marketing services.  

When my group returned to the tables, the person that I'd ridden with to Jefferson City said, "I was looking for you. Where did you go?"  I couldn't believe that my presence was that important since there were far more experienced folks in the group than me to talk about the issues - I was a "newbie" at this stuff.  On the way home, he explained further.  As I was not there when the next section of my story happened, I called several women in our group that I was fortunate enough to meet that day to get their take on what had happened and verify the facts.  I'm now confident enough pulling out my old journalist's hat to relay the story to my readers confident in its accuracy.  

It seemed that while Representative Love was recounting his days on the farm, he started talking about sows and delivering litters on his farming operation.  He suddenly - apparently feeling his oats with a captive and polite audience - said something like "Well, you know how it goes with those old sows after they give birth, they go right back into 'heat' again.   Now you ladies know all about that, don't you?"  Add the "good old boy" chuckle to the end of this sentence.

My mouth fell open and my eyes flew up to my eyebrows in disbelief and I gasped!  How dare him?  How unbelievable rude?  Then I understood why my companion who knows me darned well wanted me to have been there.  There is no way that I could not have said something ... loudly and directly ... to this man who took advantage of his legislative position by hurling an insult at both the women AND experienced male farmers standing in that group!  How could any intelligent voter put such an embarrassing, sanctimonious human being into office to represent their area?  Power has obviously taken the humility from this person and many of our elected officials these days. This is not behavior to be respected.  It is behavior that is out of tune with today's societal norms, but then I've been seeing worse things happen on television and in the news stories that I've been reading lately.  

In later recounting the story to a friend who also supports environmental issues and takes trips to Jeff City to lobby for different causes, he told me that this same Rep. Love made a comment about the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) that he would like to "personally put a nail in the coffin of the HSUS" before he was out of office.  What kind of ignorance drives such a statement to a group of voters?  From the HSUS website, their focus is:  "The HSUS seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals—a world that will also benefit people."  Any farmer knows that if you care for your flock or herd in a humane and sustainable manner, the animals will return that care by providing sustenance for hungry masses that is not full of hormones or carrying detrimental viruses like MRSA.   It has been shown in independently funded studies that Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) often harbor and spread this virus to humans and other animals - it is airborne.  One article by Maryn McKenna in the January 22, 2014 Science Section of Wired.com cited the correlation between this deadly disease and CAFOs.  You can read the article by clicking on this link:  

"ALMOST THREE TIMES THE RISK OF CARRYING MRSA FROM LIVING NEAR A MEGA-FARM"

My own health has taken a downturn since the proximity of one of these operations is right around the corner from my own rural residence.  One of the factors enabling this growth of CAFOs in the State of Missouri is the prevalent thought that corporations are now "individuals" with the rights of an individual.  Having worked for several pretty large corporations, I totally disagree with this viewpoint. Corporations are legal entities created within the law to do business in specific areas.  

In a book first published in 2002 called "UNEQUAL PROTECTION:  The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights" by Thom Hartman, in Chapter 21 End Corporate Personhood, he writes "...new laws controlling corporations aren't the ultimate answer.  Instead what is needed is a foundational change in the definition of the relationship between living human beings and the nonliving legal fictions we call corporations.  Only when corporations are again legally subordinate to those who authorized them -- humans, and the governments representing them -- will true change be possible."  

People can make changes in their governments and corporations should be held accountable for their actions in a court of law.  We truly need change to preserve the future for our children.  As for Representative Love, my final comment is that he is indeed a "pig" for behaving in such a disgusting manner around the people who were there to exercise their rights to make their views known in our State Capitol that day.  Hopefully, his constituents will recognize this behavior is unacceptable and he will not represent anyone in the future.  It's time for him to "go back to the farm" and see what kind of changes have happened as a result of his poor representation. Pigs are intelligent animals, so I hate to insult them by putting Love in their company, but the human variety has a great deal to learn before they should be allowed in civilized company.  He should know better than to sling mud on those poor sows or us.

It's always fun to leave on a lighter note.  Sometimes, I laugh just to keep from crying.  Here's one of my favorite signposts from social media these days:  

Finally, I'd like to dedicate this song from one of my favorite groups to Representative Love and others like him whose "piggy ways" were certainly demonstrated clearly by his words and demeanor.   Here's a more classical rendition of the Beatles' song written by George Harrison with appropriate visuals:

Piggies, Classical Rendition from YouTube

Until next time ... enjoy the view before it's gone.

"Looking Back on the Country that Was" Copyright 2018.  Photoartdb.  All rights reserved.

And remember ... this is just one woman's opinion.

Comments are by the individual writing the blog and no other company, nonprofit or other organization has approved or endorsed them. Am not a scientist, so can't claim my own scientific research but just comment on what is happening around me. These words are my sole opinion and no one else is responsible for these remarks. Anonymous comments not accepted. 

Stand up for your opinion. 

Thanks for your thoughtful and kind responses. 

Please keep language clean and our farmlands green. 

Freedom To Go To Court Instead Of To Market... Why Not Save Our Farming Economy?

"Storm Coming," Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.  Photoartdb Consulting.

It's been a while since writing this blog has been at the forefront of my "to do" list.  Have been watching the current political circus from afar, reading books to educate my aging mind, teaching when I'm invited to do so and caring for family and household matters.  Live in a little house that needs a lot of TLC in the winter.  Just finished replacing some steps when finally had a near fall myself as well as other folks special to me and watched my aging 91-year-old father have to navigate the steps to feel safe walking up them to come up and sit on my front porch.  That's my main priority these days - health and welfare of those I love.  Well, a few things have stirred me to write another edition of my blog to celebrate the end of 2017 and recognize the incoming challenges of 2018.

At the forefront of a New Year, agricultural issues as well as the economy are top of mind at our family farm.  The current political shift in Washington and Jefferson City makes me wonder why things always seem to move four steps forward and then three steps backward.  It's been that way for decades.  It is also the reason that at this stage of my life, I remain a diehard Independent where political parties and issues are concerned.  Obviously, the system is not working well or to the satisfaction of anyone except maybe the top 1% of this country.  Things that looked hopeful, like the recognition by the last administration of the danger of environmental destruction needing to be recognized on a global scale, have come undone by an administration that obviously cares more about money than people despite what their political rhetoric claimed.

This time of year, the wind rarely comes from the South where the CAFO neighbor sits so it's better going outside and doing whatever needs doing in the dormant yard of my little piece of the world.  Nice to breathe the crisp air without gasping or putting on a mask.   But that North wind cuts right through you in Southwest Missouri, as well as in other parts of the country being hit by the now renewed term "Bomb Cyclone" on the East Coast where many friends reside.  Been listening to some new music and one song by Brandi Carlile spoke to me, as what can happen in the hurricanes as well as a tornado both in life, weather and other ways.  Just would like to share it now because it speaks to so many things politically and emotionally because "you can dance in a hurricane, but only if you're standing in the eye ..."  Hope you enjoy it, too, and just using this to illustrate a point with no other monetary gain.  Just sharing some good music this morning to go with the thoughts:

"The Eye" by Brandi Carlile on Youtube

Our family and some good close friends were hit with a lot of upper respiratory illnesses at the end of the year even the ones living in the city as well as country, despite being vaccinated as recommended by medical professionals.  It always amazes me when sitting in a church congregation or a school auditorium or the place where the public is gathered how people cough without covering their mouths or do not carry cough drops.  Often, if they see you looking at them, they just say "Oh, it's only allergies" like it is nothing contagious.  Well it spreads germs anyway, so it's still recommended to cough and cover as we were taught to do by my mama so long ago.  Allergies or not.  Health seems to be declining in my part of the world and I do believe that the prevalence of Monsanto products tossed in the wind over decades and other unhealthy environmental factors like corporate farming deteriorating our natural habitat have an impact on what used to be considered a "healthy way of life" on the farm.  But that is just one woman's opinion.

Even my poor domesticated pets are suffering the consequences and lost one of my furry friends this past year who'd been part of my life for over 14 years. Friends who have asthma or other autoimmune conditions that come with aging bodies avoid long visits because, as one of them confessed to me after a several week stay while she had some work being done on her house in St. Louis, that she had to resort to her inhaler more than she usually does in their big city home.  Pretty poor testimonial to "living clean" in the country air.  A nice road trip to Colorado in the Fall of 2017 reminded me of what it was like to breath crisp, clean air and drink water straight from the tap in the kitchen.  It was a nice change from my little house in the Midwest where I rely on bottled water and watching when I go outside to preserve my own lungs.

There are a few things can be done by an individual to make a difference and this is only my advice, not an edict of what you should think.  You all seem intelligent enough to think for yourself:

1)  Get involved at a local level.  Volunteer for those things you love and believe need to be preserved for our future generations.  Consider these choices carefully.  Advocate for causes that you believe will make a difference for our future generations, because our time is past.  My choice is to support a few organizations - art-related, agricultural-related, faith-related and education related - because these are the things that I believe will sustain our culture and prevent further degradation of the human race.  One in particular that I chose to donate a good amount of time to this past year and money to help sustain them was the Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC).  Our family has been in the farming business for a little over 80 years - multigenerational.  Not me individually because I was the kid who left the area, went to college and lived in other states before landing back here a little over three years ago now.  Even if you are not a farmer yourself, the membership is inexpensive and information disseminated by MRCC is good to know whether you live rurally or in the city.   They have a Facebook presence and website where you can sign up to be informed, even if you don't join.  Personally, I like to put my money where my mouth is so I gave them more of a donation than I did other organizations close to my heart in 2017.  You can join the mailing list, volunteer or become a member.  All the information is on their website so it's a good place to start your learning about this good organization:  Missouri Rural Crisis Center Website

MRCC has a Jefferson City Lobby Day coming up next Tuesday, January 9th.  It's not too late to be part of the solution and here's an excerpt from their email to folks who've expressed an interest in being involved.  You can connect on their website as well.  Don't sit on the sidelines and complain.  Be part of a solution.

We need you NEXT Tuesday, January 9th, to join Missourians, family farmers, rural citizens and consumers, both urban and rural, at the Missouri capitol to show our elected representatives the importance of Local Control in protecting all Missourians and our water and air from the negative impacts of corporate factory farms.  Important Reminder: If your county currently has a health ordinance to protect family farms and rural landowners and citizens from corporate CAFOs, then you NEED to come to the capitol on January 9th! NOW IS THE TIME to get up and stand up for local democracy, family farms, clean water, property rights and our natural resources! Questions? Please call or email Brian Smith at (573) 449-1336 or brian@morural.org. So if you've been looking for a way to be connected to what's going on in Missouri with our independent farming issues, natural resources and sustainable agricultural subject matter as well as educational opportunities for our youth, here's one good source of information:  Missouri Rural Crisis Center

2)  Educate yourself about the issues that matter to you and your family personally.  We as do a number of friends in the city as well continue to worry about our country's  fragile economy.  With the plethora of "fake news," unknown sources spilling information that should be kept confidential, the danger of nuclear options being touted by world leaders who should know better and other craziness, the only thing that an individual can do is to try to read as much as possible from both sides of the equation and form their own opinion.   If you have others that would be worthwhile, please shoot me an email or message via Facebook at my page "The Factory Farm As Neighbor."  Here are two authors that I follow fairly regularly:  John Ikerd and Robert Reich.

Ikerd is a former professor in agricultural-related subjects at the University of Missouri who now writes and speaks on the subjects of clean water, clean agricultural practices and other things of interest to our family farm.  He has lived both the corporate and rural scene, seen the dangers of corporate farming trends and knows his subject matter.  He recently published a writing on his website about the importance of clean water, a commodity in serious danger from the runoff of Monsanto product-laden fields and corporate farming operations.   Here's a link to his website so you can read this intelligently written piece and get involved if you want by receiving his newsletter and knowing what he reports on a national, local and international scene.  This newsletter is something I've signed up to receive in 2018 so I can stay informed on what is going on at a larger scale:

John Ikerd's Website

Another writer that I've been following for a few years now is Robert Reich and his economic works and articles.  As a former Clinton administration member, Reich is now a professor of Economic Public Policy at UC-Berkeley.  His book, Saving Capitalism piqued my interest in 2015 so downloaded and read it before the last election.  Now, I'm a diehard fan of his as well.  The words made sense to this victim of the great Economic Crisis of 2007-2008.  It was also interesting that he stayed independent without endorsing either presidential candidate in the last election.

Although economic policy is not a big interest of mine because I really don't understand the subject matter that well as a former art photography and liberal arts major in college, his writing makes this history much more understandable for the average American who may not have been schooled in this subject area.  Heck, even the new math being taught in grade schools baffles me a bit.

His recent Netflix documentary really brings it home for me and in a personal way as well.  The graphics and explanation of what he outlined in the book are brought to light in a significant way.  He has a good message at the end of it that every American should ponder carefully.  As a "child of the television generation" born in the 1950's, sometimes the synopsis executive summary view offered by the documentary medium suits me best in this era of "information overload."

A few years back, his film crew came to our part of the world and used my brother as an example of one independent farmer impacted by the economic crisis.  A few of us volunteered to discuss politics, which normally we do not do at family gatherings -- too many 'free thinkers' who agree to disagree on many things like political stuff.  We still love each other and respect disparate viewpoints, thank goodness, as should all families and friends who choose to engage in discourse of a political nature.  Anyway, check out Reich's work.  It's worth it.  He does little vignettes on different economic subjects as well as advocacy work that is being done nationally.  I watch many of his Facebook posts and check the website regularly to see what's happening.  You can find out about the documentary and other things he's doing off his website and Facebook offerings. Here's a link to help get started and a cute cartoon from his website and a Chattanooga newspaper that I love sharing with friends who still have fooled themselves into thinking that trickle-down economics will work -- yeh, probably as well as it did in Reagan's era, right?:

Robert Reich's Website

If you prefer Facebook to check the information of the world while posting comments, jokes or photos to personal friends and family members, here's the link to Reich's Facebook page where you can see some of his video episodes about what is going on right now:

Robert Reich's Facebook Page

Well, that's about all I can get down for today.  Just received a call from my father who needs a few things picked up in town where I also need to go this afternoon.  His needs are a priority along with those of my other family members these days.

Stay strong and be committed to those people and things that you believe in.  Get involved.  Will end this blog with a song and another piece of art that says it all for me.  Believe what you want, but a lie is a lie.  "Alternative facts" was my favorite made-up phrase from this past year's media reports on the current administration in Washington D.C..  Made me laugh a few times when it first emerged as a communication phrase but that laughter turned into tears when really thinking about what it meant.  It's a lie - not an alternative fact.

Will end this little missive with the repeated disclaimer that I am only stating a personal opinion and get no compensation for supporting what I support or talk about in this blog.  Think what you want.  We still have Freedom of Speech and Thought in this great country, thank goodness.  I write because despite all the tragedies on a worldwide scale, I still believe in the human factor and that we can change things if we get involved and do something to change things - be that getting out and voting in local elections or carrying a sign to show that we will not go quietly into the night without exercising our right to protest.  That's what a true democracy allows.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Check out the crowds that gathered in Washington, D.C. to protest what is happening from Reich's website and Facebook page and know that is the truth.  Government for the People, By The People.  We can still make a difference - even if one voice shouts in the night, others can join and make things happen.  Leaving you with a song is my preferred way.  Dave Matthews is another voice I've been listening to a lot lately.  He and his work with FarmAid as well as Founder Willie Nelson appeals to my country girl heart and this song says a lot about what is happening today, as well as yesterday.  From YouTube, here's a clip from a 2005 concert of the song, "Stand Up!"

Dave Matthews Band Live at Red Rocks performing StandUp on Youtube


My advice for 2018?  Choose freely while you still have the choice to Stay Strong. Stay Focused.  Stay Informed.  Stand Up For What Is Right!  Until next time .... go take a walk down a country road and enjoy the sunrise or sunset like my dog and I do on a regular basis.  We live in a beautiful country.

"Sunset at The Little House," Copyright 2018.  All rights reserved.  Photoartdb Consulting

Comments are by this individual writing the blog and no other company, nonprofit or other organization has approved or endorsed them. Am not a scientist, so can't claim my own scientific research but just comment on what is happening. These words are my sole opinion and no one else is responsible for these remarks. Anonymous comments not accepted. Stand up for your opinion. Thanks for your thoughtful and kind responses. Please keep language clean and our farmlands green. :)