Using Facebook for Political Discourse, Activism and Social Change

Facebook use has exploded all across the world and while many still use it for more trivial pursuits like posting pictures of their latest, yummiest meal, status updates about work or endless cat memes, more… Read full post »

J.T. Ready and Arizona Senator Russell Pearce  

A peaceful early May afternoon in a Phoenix suburb was violently shattered when a notorious white nationalist opened fire on his girlfriend and her family, killing four including an 15 month old baby before turning the gun on himself.

The&… Read full post »

Photo by: Robert Haasch/Sand Angel Media, Inc

I was sitting on the pavement stopping traffic in the middle of a busy Phoenix thoroughfare at rush hour with five other  activists. A large banner was laid out on the ground between us that read: ICE, STOP DEPORTING ARPAIO’S VI… Read full post »

Arizona's republican dominated legislature has introduced a tsunami of wacko legislation so far this session.  From abolishing all public sector unions in the state to outlawing the Healthcare Reform Act to defining life as starting at conception to an immigration bill tha… Read full post »

 An Arizona state senator is sponsoring a bill to allow public schools to opt out of the federal school lunch program.

As reported in AZCentral.com:

“A bill introduced by Sen. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa, would allow schools to drop out of the National School Lunch Prog… Read full post »

Protest against ALEC in Arizona  

"The 13th Amendment, when it abolished slavery, did so except for convicts. Through the prison system, the vestiges of slavery have persisted." ~ Angela Davis

Every now and then we get a piece of information that makes us sit up and take notic… Read full post »

First they ignore you.

On a sunny day in January, 2011 I found myself driving around a section of west Mesa, Arizona looking for a meeting.  I was from out of town and the address I was given was hard to follow because the buildings were unmarked.  I drove around… Read full post »

Photo: Robert Haasch 

A volunteer medic's observations of Occupy Phoenix

I’m standing behind my table with a bright “Medical Station” banner taped to the front of it.  On this table I’ve laid out plastic bins filled with donated vitamins, over-the-counter re… Read full post »

As the news filtered across the social media sphere about the death of singer Amy Winehouse I found myself strangely saddened by this loss.  After all, wasn't this just another celebrity whose life had run amok in a very predictable fashion?  But asid… Read full post »

“To take revenge is often to sacrifice oneself.” ~ Congolese proverb

Like most people, I’ve been reflecting on the killing of Osama bin Laden.  I’ve read many opinions about the matter, from those who feel that this is a moment for rejoicing to othe… Read full post »

I recently came across an article that brought attention to a particularly troublesome bit of curricula being employed by an elementary school in Duluth, Georgia.

 When third grade students brought home an assignment that dealt explicitly with the subject of i… Read full post »

Arizona is presenting a shining example to the rest of the nation just how economic recovery is done right.  If one follows the doctrine of Senate President Russell Pearce, all you need to do is drive every single undocumented immigrant from your sta… Read full post »

Recently, while attending a 14th Amendment rally at the Arizona State Capitol, I found myself embroiled in a short debate with a very angry man. He was striding by me and I couldn’t help but hear him muttering that Jesus would never have approved of this birthright cit… Read full post »

Arizona bill will force hospitals to verify the immigration status of patients

Since Senator Russell Pearce became president of the Arizona Senate this year he’s ushered in a barrage of anti-immigrant legislation, most famously the assault on the 14^th Amendment’s guar… Read full post »

 One gun owner’s musings on better gun regulation

I frequently hear this odd rationale that somehow advocating for better gun regulation is equal to banning guns altogether. Whenever I dare broach the subject that not everyone should be allowed to have a gun-- and those… Read full post »

A Mixed Bag of Unspeakable Violence, Racial Profiling, Failed Leadership and Urban Medicine

It was another beautiful winter’s morning that heralded my drive into downtown Phoenix.  The sun was bright, the sky cloudless and temperatures were climbing into the 60s./… Read full post »

 Protest in Arizona approaches high theater

The crowd around me was a strange one.  It was dominated by young men and women dressed in black with dark kerchiefs tied around their faces, serving to both hide their identities and proclaim them as anarchists.  There was a/… Read full post »

Post Election Reflections in the Desert

After the disappointing results of the November elections my husband and I decided to get away from the noise of the pundits and the seduction of the internet for just a little while.  We put our dogs in the truck and/… Read full post »

 Now that November 2^nd is looming we are witnessing a tidal wave of fear mongering from the right with allegations of voter fraud echoing around the blogosphere.  Sharron Angle in Neva/… Read full post »

Malcolm Gladwell’s New Yorker article entitled “Small Change-- Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted,” has caused a bit of a stir in the social media world lately.   Gladwell asserts that Facebook and Twitter do not have a valid or active rol/… Read full post »

I’ve become quite fascinated by the political activism pages that are cropping up daily on Facebook. Since Facebook is the largest social networking site in the world, I suppose it’s hardly surprising that it is being used as an instrument for social change.   When I bec/… Read full post »

Perhaps you have read recently about how the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) is found to be prevalent in our food and water. As a hypothyroid patient, I was surprised to see that not all articles about this harmful substance adequately describe the connection between thyroid function and BPA.&nb… Read full post »