We Stand With Our Muslim Neighbors and / or clean a refrigerator

RantWoman comments on the We Stand With Our Muslim Neighbors #counterQACTHate event and that other #MarchAgainstSharia thing.

RantWoman offers these wonderful pictures with great appreciation to South Seattle Friends for making the banner.


Quakers for Peace and Justice Banner

RantWoman unapologetically reprints these pictures without asking because they were taken at a public event likely to have been photographed by heaven knows who else.

Two smiling Quakers

RantWoman mostly just did not get her act together to get out the door in time to attend herself. RantWoman begs indulgence for additional reasons:

--RantWoman spent some time, not very much, but a little familiarizing herself with the lines of thinking propounded by those other people who rallied at City Hall Plaza. RantWoman could find NOTHING in their literature she found agreeable. RantWoman wonders why the Seattle Times article she saw quoted representative after representative of the group and found not a word for the We Stand with Our Muslim Neighbors voices who had such wonderful talking points. RantWoman thanks KUOW for doing a much better job in this regard.

--RantWoman candidly feels absolutely no moral imperative to be as fearless about demonstrations as Blind Roommate was in college. This is only one of RantWoman's efforts to liberate herself of expectations about being Wonder Blind Person.

--RantWoman also found herself energized enough to FINALLY round up and ship out some terrifying science projects that had lingered LONG in RantWoman's refrigerator.

--RantWoman was charmed and amused by accounts of glitter and silly string, appalled by someone who was seen with a gun, and just peeved by the people who after the event was winding down thought having a colossal brawl in Occidental Park would be the perfect way to send a message of peace and law to the world.

Blessed Ramadan to all who observe, again.

When The Little Quaker Book of De-Clutter Won't Cut it.

For Bad Friends when The Little Quaker Book of De-Clutter  won't quite cut it.

Warning: strong language and reference to bikinis.




RantWoman does not give a flying  ... if you are bored of accessibility matters moments:
1. The link above is to the Kindle eBook edition of the book. People who need p-p-print and cannot deal with monstrous global company or use their search engine are invited to call their library or ask a friend or visit their last remaining neighborhood bookseller.

2. A gee-whiz RantWoman item about Youtube keyboard controls
Info from other blog about YouTube Keyboard controls RantWoman, again does not give a flying ... about readers who find this information distracting, unnecessary, irrelevant... For RantWoman and many of her groupies the keyboard controls are MUCH easier to deal with than mouse functions.

3. Sighted readers who really need something visual to help herd them through spoken content. There is awesome Death by Powerpoint material in the background. RantWoman's screen reader does not read it and RantWoman's visual experience may or may not interact. Be grateful RantWoman did interact enough to call it to people's attention.

Gratitudes: Friday Edition

Peculiar Gratitudes, Friday Edition

RantWoman appreciates the awesome opportunity to binge-watch Inclusive design #ID24 videos on Youtube. use your search bar. There are LOTS of them

Who knew Paul Ryan had such comedic gift?
Trump is new at government and does not know not to obstruct justice

The Still Didn't Get the Memo on Email Immoderation has achieved some stunning "successes." Stay tuned for further details. Hold in the Light.

RantWoman finally has enough energy back to go places AND mop her kitchen floor. Next stop: wrangling the science projects in the refrigerator. Unless...RantWoman has secretly been wondering whether there is ANY faint possibility that the science projects will evolve into enough of a sentient being to do a better job than the current Tweeter in Chief.  (shhh, RantWoman, NO.)

RantWoman's leg infection has GREATLY improved. The crusty scabby spots are getting smaller. RantWoman can now wear her most exuberant support stockings and not her favorite sandals but some perfectly fine ones. RantWoman HATES the entire subject of cellulitis partly because of too many rounds of watching Little Sister deal with it before she started to get serious about taking better care at the first sign of trouble. RantWoman is grateful that Little Sister and RantMom can handle details in email because family conversation patterns mean RantWoman will barely get two words out before someone plows in and talks over whatever RantWoman is trying to say. Sometimes there are also exploding people elements. Enough said for now.

اعلان زين رمضان A Blessed Ramadan 2017

RantWoman offers this video with wishes to all who are observing for a blessed Ramadan.

RantWoman's wishes go equally to the women of Saudi Arabia who have to commit civil disobedience to drive, to the real women behind stories such as Khaled Hosseini's A thousand Splendid Suns, and to women, many highly educated who choose to wear hijab  as a sign of their faith.

RantWoman's wishes go to immigrant parents struggling to raise children in new cultures and to the second generations, caught between their parents' worldviews and the challenges and disappointments of new countries.

RantWoman's wishes go to the speakers of many different languages who board the bus near the largest mosque in Seattle and to all the different national and religious strands woven across the whole of the muslim world.

A Blessed Ramadan to all; may we all understand each other better, uphold our different beliefs and ways of worshipping, and make community in the face of global challenges and international intrigues.

Link that includes video and text description / English translation

From the Church Council of Greater Seattle

This item is posted here because of links to several valuable resources

ACTION ALERT Standing with our Muslim Neighbors Dear Friends, We realize there has been a lot of changing information about this Saturday, June 10th, and an upcoming rally (now at Seattle City Hall plaza, 600 4th Ave.) by Act for America, which is recognized by Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group, along with some counter-presences to support our Muslim neighbors. While faith leaders have been involved in conversations with an ad hoc group planning a counter-presence this Saturday, the Church Council of Greater Seattle, the Faith Action Network, and other faith organizations have decided not to sign on organizationally to a counter rally. While solidarity with our Muslim neighbors has been lifted up as a primary value in planning for the counter-presence there, we realize that there will be a diversity of voices and expressions in how that counter-presence manifests itself, which may or may not be consistent with public vigils that local faith communities have traditionally convened. We appreciate the significant thoughtfulness and conversation in planning among people and groups, some of whom have been meeting for the first time. That being said, we want to share some options for faith community members who will participate downtown or who choose to express solidarity in other ways. We offer the following list of possibilities to Stand with Our Muslim Neighbors before/during/after Saturday, June 10th: The most important thing is we are there for one purpose, one message: We Stand with Our Muslim Neighbors. Whatever happens on Saturday will have the greatest impact on their communities. Between now and Saturday: Contact the media as people of faith, with op-eds and letters to the editor. These can be sent to: letters@seattletimes.com; letters@nytimes.com; or letters@washingtonpost.com to name a few. Please let us know if you are willing to do media interviews. Please see and share with your networks these wonderful faith leaders speaking on KING 5 Tuesday night.  Please download signs (letter size or ledger size) to be displayed publicly in your faith communities/homes/cars/businesses, to show your support. We want to leaflet the city with this message, during our Muslim neighbors’ holy month of Ramadan. A sign delegation is planning to go out in downtown Seattle and ask businesses to post these signs on Friday 6/9, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM; please contact Rev. Mike Denton revdenton@gmail.com or FAN at 206-625-9790 if you’d like to be part of that effort. On Saturday, join with other faith community members to be OBSERVERS or LEAFLETTERS: Meet at Plymouth Church on 6th and Seneca at 8:45 am to finalize the plan and walk to the site of the Act for America rally. Our purpose is to be a presence of peace and non-violence, observing what is happening, and perhaps documenting by social media. Leafletters will share an information sheet that describes the positive contributions of our American Muslim neighbors and what Sharia Law really is, and also counters the Islamophobia the rally is trying to spread. FAN Governing Board Co-Chair Rev. Carol Jensen will be the contact point for Leafletters: Contact fan@fanwa.org or 206-625-9790 before 5pm on Friday and they'll put you in touch with Carol. After Saturday: Check out the Combating Islamophobia Action and Resource List shared with the Church Council from our local Muslim partners. Get to know your Muslim neighbors through interfaith Iftar dinners during Ramadan; see this list for the Puget Sound area.  Continue reaching out to media in your community. Visible gatherings and education opportunities for faith leaders and faith communities about countering Islamophobia will be held after Ramadan. Stay tuned! Peace. Church Council of Greater Seattle | (206) 525-1213 | www.thechurchcouncil.org STAY CONNECTED

Church Council of Greater Seattle | 4820 S. Morgan St., Seattle, WA 98118

Memorial: Sarah M

Sarah/Sallie McElroy

 

A Life of Action and Spiritual Growth

June 1, 1935 - April 19, 2017

Gathering of Remembrance at

University Friends Meeting, Seattle

http://ufmseattle.org

June 3, 2017 - 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Starting at 2:00 pm in Meeting Room

Welcome to this Memorial, which reflects both Quaker and Buddhist Ways.

Reading of the Quaker Meeting Memorial Minute.

Impermanence and letting go

Silent Meditation and Worship

Speaking from the silence

Reflections by family and friends

Songs

Acknowledgements

A moment of closing meditation

At 3:00 pm in Social Hall

Gather for conversation and light refreshment.

If you would like to make a donation in memory of Sarah's life, she would be happy for your

consideration of:

- University Friends Meeting in Seattle (http://ufmseattle.org/)

- Seattle Insight Meditation Society (http://seattleinsight.org/)

- Nonviolent Peaceforce, US Office, St. Paul, MN (http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/)

- or similar organization promoting peace and social justice.

RantWoman could not attend this memorial and offers these notes in humble appreciation of Sarah's gifts to our community.

RantWoman is VERY grateful to Friends who responded to a request after worship for nuggets from the memorial.

Okay, so the request came with the following peculiar honesty confessions, topically phrased in context of other messages that day

--RantWoman had not realized that Sarah was in her early 80's!

--One of RantWoman's arguments with God and with various people in RantWoman's life who do Buddhist practice: too much Buddhism makes rantWoman want to punch someone. God and RantWoman are still sitting with what that problem is supposed to teach.

--RantWoman remembers Sarah as kind of challenging and insistent or clear in her positions.

--Despite RantWoman's personal vexations about Buddhism, it somehow made RantWoman glad to know that Sarah also had a Buddhist community.

Among the nuggets shared that stick with RantWoman:

RantWoman found Sarah a challenge sometimes. Like many good Quaker memorials, ministry came with both love and honesty. Someone from Sarah's Buddhist community recounted various moments of Sarah sticking to strong opinions. One moment was about where to go have tea and whether the workers were treated well. To Sarah it was never just tea.

One Friend commented about how nice it was to have a memorial with other people who get the concept of sitting in silence.

RantWoman is very glad to know Sarah had a care committee and did not just drop dead without telling anyone. RantWoman is also glad the care committee was composed of other people and is glad to know the work was appreciated.

May the strength of Sarah's light live on among the rest of us.

Tuesday Gratitudes

RantWoman's peculiar gratitudes for today:

Awhile ago RantWoman heard radio broadcasts about two different figures filling journals with the details of daily life. RantWoman does not aspire to be Andy Warhol but is touched to think of people putting lots of Woody Guthrie's reflections to music. RantWoman does not particularly promise anything headed in a musical direction but does feel steadied a little in her need to fill this blog with words.

It's Tuesday, Korean Lunch day for the local Korean Seniors Association. The seniors come to the same building where the Friendly Neighborhood Center for Extreme Computing  is. Some days there is a Korean-speaking social worker. The seniors eat lunch. The olfactory experience is variable; RantWoman greatly hopes the aromas just mean "Don't mess with people's comfort food!"

It's Tuesday, the day a now-deceased denizen of starof.seattle.org used to volunteer. His customer service skills were, um, uneven, and over time RantWoman collected considerable data about his struggles with spina bifida and his family or origin and various vexatious realities. A further,  somewhat redundant blog post and a repeat of a cool image in his memory.

RantWoman has recovered enough from nasty cellulitis in one leg to be able to put on both socks and shoes she has not worn for the duration of the infection. This improvement cuts down dramatically on the time needed to fuss about shoes and socks.  This is good also because the socks RantWoman has been wearing are all still damp from laundering yesterday. RantWoman has been wearing shoes with various over-worn spots that RantWoman does not think should be overdone with skin that is blistery and seepy so it is good to be back to better shoes.  The antibiotics are working. There is still more swelling than normal, and the skin looks ugly. The skin looks ugly but not ugly in a way that involves pus or that seems to need more care than good non allergenic lotion. RantWoman gets to be grateful to have what she needs in that department.

RamntWoman has other riffs percolating and gets to be grateful for time maybe to fuss further with them. But Not Now. Now RantWoman gets to prepare for a meeting!