SPLIT

Satan's greatest weapon

4 Likes, 2 Comments - Cindy Maddera (@elephant_soap) on Instagram: "Satan's greatest weapon"

There are things about the places we drove through while on vacation that I have not been able to shake. I mentioned before that we saw a lot of rural America. We also saw a lot of signs supporting Trump and proudly flying Confederate flags. We saw many well lived in houses that looked like they were standing only out of habit. We were probably the only actual campers in the campground we stayed in at Mark Twain National Forest. All of the travel trailers were settled in and had been there for some time. A few of them had full sized refrigerators strapped to the outside of the camper. One or two had their own shed. I was raised in rural Oklahoma. I've seen my fair share of rundown homes with a few cars sitting on blocks in the yard. This is not a new sight for me to see. It just struck me that I was seeing so much of it outside my home state. 

I was reading the New York Times the other day and there was an article on the impact this new health care reform bill will have on the people of Kentucky. Most of the people in that state rely on Medicaid to help pay for insurance and medical costs. The Affordable Care Act gave insurance to people who had never been able to have insurance before. This is important since Kentucky is in the midst of an opioid and a black lung epidemic. It also brought jobs to Kentucky. More people with healthcare means more doctors, health care facilities, and staff to run those facilities. The ACA brought jobs to a state who desperately needed jobs. Mitch McConnell, who is one of the biggest supporters of this reform bill, hails from Kentucky. The people of that state voted for him. This is a population who support and vote for a political party that does not have their best interest in heart. And I don't understand the logic behind this. 

Part of it comes from a lack of information. While driving across rural Missouri, Michael flipped through the radio stations and we came up with four different religious channels, one 80s rock station and three country stations. We did not once stumble across the closest NPR station. Which left me wondering. How do the people out there get unbiased, real fact news? I'm not talking about opinion pieces. Just the actual story and events that are currently taking place. Yes, those news outlets exist. It is why I have a subscription to the New York Times, but also follow other news outlets in order to get a wide range of information. Many Americans are being distracted by a President who is the most vile and hateful cyberbully in the U.S. He's misogynistic and vain. His cabinet meetings are not about coming up with strategies to help the average American, but are all about inflating his ego with praise. But none of this matters. 

Because while this President is distracting you with his awfulness, the Republicans are moving forward with agendas to take away health care from 22 million Americans, cut Medicaid and suspend all funding to Planned Parenthood. The real problem is this current group of Republican men in office have made it abundantly clear that they do not care about your well being. 

Call your Representatives and your Senators. 

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Paper hearts

10 Likes, 2 Comments - Cindy Maddera (@elephant_soap) on Instagram: "Paper hearts"

Michael and I watched the Arrival this week and my first thought was that Eric Heisserer and Ted Chiang really get grief. Or maybe that was an unintentional thing. I don't know but in those scenes when Louise is flashing back to what we think are memories and those memories make her breath catch and bring her to her knees, I was like "yeah...it's just like that." Even the good memories can be like being slammed in the chest with a sledge hammer. That saying about time healing all wounds is partially right. Those heart stopping breath catching moments happen more infrequently these days. Something to be thankful for in a mixed blessing kind of way.

My second thought about the movie was that language and communication is hard. It is complex. It is mind boggling complex. It has never been more apparent to me then it is right now with how this president has aided in creating such a divided country just how complex language truly is. There are people in rural America who believe that those of us who do not support this president, mostly those of us in cities, do not believe in family, do not believe in community or country. I am not talking about right wing extremists. I am talking about regular hard working people. Like me. Really, that's the thing. Like me. We share more beliefs than we think. It's just that somehow we've lost the ability to communicate to each other about these things. My family may not look like your family. My family is made up of a conglomerate of blood relations and friends who I wouldn't know how to survive without. If any one of those people called me today and said "I need you." I would drop everything and go. I am thankful for this family I have created. 

I donate monthly to Donors Choose and Planned Parenthood and I raise money every year for the AIDS Walk of Kansas City (You can donate to my AIDS Walk Page here!). I do these things because I care about my community. This is my way of giving back to my community. I support legislation that provides health care for all because healthy people build a healthy community. I support inclusion of people of different religions and races because I believe that diversity builds stronger and safer communities. I recycle and pick up trash when I am walking in the neighborhood because I believe that a healthy environment makes a healthy community. I am thankful for my community. I support taxing corporations who outsource their labor to other countries. I do my best to buy local products to support small business. I support legislation that provides better benefits for our veterans. I vote every time we are asked to vote on an issue, every time, not just for presidential elections. I believe this country is already a great country, filled with amazing people and great innovation. I am thankful for this country and the freedoms we are allowed. 

So you see, Rural America, we are not all that different from you. Most of us any way. I am finding gratitude in our similarities today. I am also thankful that we are no longer sick in this house. I am thankful for the boat load of eggs we've gotten from the chickens this week. I am thankful for warmer temperatures and dog walks. I am thankful for being well enough to be back on my yoga mat. I am thankful for this weird super cushiony standing mat they gave me for my standing desk. I've been hopping around on it like a crazy person. I am thankful for this video of Mia the Beagle that my friend Heather shared with me. 

I am thankful for you.