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Rolla Peace News August 31, 2021 |
Dear Friends:Editor's note: Please consider writing for our newsletter. It's always very exciting to be able to publish submissions from our readers.In this newsletter is: 1. NOON VIGIL FOR PEACE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 2. THE MISFIT MATHEMATICIAN (Tom's column, http://tomsager.org) a) US War Against Afghanistan: It Ends As It Started b) COVID-19: Let's Stop Pretending c) Hurricane Ida: Stirring the Pot 1. NOON VIGIL FOR PEACE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 We vigil for peace in front of the Rolla Post Office, THIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, FROM NOON TO 1:00 PM (and most subsequent Thursdays until Peace is established). Please join us this Thursday in saying NO MORE WAR AGAINST AFGHANISTAN or any other country. The temperature is predicted to be around 80. If you do not feel comfortable standing with us in front of the Post Office, please consider driving by and showing your support for our message by honking your horn and flashing a peace sign. Note 1: Since there are so few of us, generally 2 or 3, no need to cancel; but let's maintain social distancing. Note 2: In case of inclement weather, vigils may be canceled or terminated early. 2. THE MISFIT MATHEMATICIAN (Tom's column, http://tomsager.org) a) US War Against Afghanistan: It Ends As It Started b) COVID-19: Let's Stop Pretending c) Hurricane Ida: Stirring the Pot US War Against Afghanistan: It Ends As It Started The US evacuation of Afghanistan appears to have been completed, ending the two decade US War Against Afghanistan. The war ended with a US drone strike that killed at least ten Afghans including children under two years old, presumably in revenge for the killing of 13 US troops. It began 20 years ago amid US bombings and an invasion and occupation that ended up killing hundreds of thousands of Afghans, presumably in revenge for the killing of 3,000 at the World Trade Center. In both cases, revenge was taken mostly upon the innocent. Hopefully, we will have learned that revenge killings are never just. “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” Perhaps, inshaAllah, (God willing) with US and other foreign troops gone, Afghans will be able to live in Peace. COVID-19: Let's Stop Pretending This article by Buzz Hollander, a family physician in Hawaii, came to me by way of a friend of Helen, It appears to be well researched, well thought out and well worth a very careful read. For me, the most important point: There are still many gaps in our knowledge of COVID-19 and no one can predict the future of a fast-mutating virus. The CDC and others essentially shot themselves (and the rest of us) in the foot by pretending to know what they don't. As Hollander states: Perhaps the biggest problem with lying is that once you get a reputation as a liar, (spinning the data as some like to say) folks won't believe you even if you are telling the truth. That seems to be where we stand now.“The obvious gap between ‘what the CDC says’ and ‘what we see, hear and read’ has left a large space for grifters, self-styled experts, and conspiracy theorists to thrive, especially among the large group of vaccine-hesitant (often vaccine-terrified) Americans. The whole thing might have gone better had we stuck to telling the truth as we knew it.” A few personal notes: Hurricane Ida: Stirring the Pot1. My decision to forego vaccination and double-down on avoiding risky behaviors by going double-masked in public and avoiding crowds and, as much as possible, people in general, probably leaves me at least as well protected against COVID-19 as one who is double vaccinated and has thrown caution to the winds. And while our attention has been focused on Afghanistan, Hurricane Ida came ashore as a category IV hurricane and wreaked havoc throughout Southeast Louisiana. Very likely, the long-term effects from toxic pollution that has been spread about by Ida's winds, rain and storm surge; will be far worse than the immediate damage, which is estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars. Rolla Peace News is distributed by email once a week on Tuesday evenings (except on rare occasions) and is posted on the web at http://tomsager.org (click on Rollaites for Peace: near the top of rightmost column).Wage peace, Tom yushasager (at) yahoo.com |