Be not afraid -- or be more worried?

H1N1 -- Perhaps the most life threatening reality today is the swine flu pandemic.  A number of individuals have died from the H1N1 flu virus since we learned what was going on earlier this year.  But not everyone is convinced that the United States is on the right track with its its plans for a mass vaccination program.  Almost unbelievably, some New York health care workers went into revolt, holding a rally and staging a protest, over the H1N1 vaccine says Signs of the Times (9/30/09).  They are worried that the vaccine is unproven and thus not safe.  They feel that being forced to be vaccinated is a violation of their rights.  They are being told to get the shots or lose their jobs.  And in a strange twist some parents of autistic children will be worried that other kids may be at risk because, from Signs of the Times (9/25/09), we learn that Washington State has lifted the limits on mercury preservative in swine-flu shots given to pregnant women and children under the age of 3. The preservative, thimerosal, has never been linked to any health problems, but a vocal minority believes the compound could be linked to autism. The state Legislature adopted the limit in 2006. Experts generally say this is not the case, however.  But the belief that shots are not safe is still worrisome to a group of die hards.  In these cases I am not so worried about the safety of the vaccine program as about all the deaths that could be prevented by getting the shots.

Terror threats -- A number of well respected generals, about a dozen in all branches of the military, are openly accusing Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney of scaremongering according to Politico at Common Dreams (9/29/09).  This is a rather significant development and and could be instrumental in helping President Obama close the Guantanamo Bay prison, and lessening unreasoning fears about the possibilities of immanent terror attacks om anyone held in the United States.   Conspiracy theories remain powerful.  And here is another one. Yahoo! News (9/27/09) is reporting that an attorney believes the Oklahoma City bombing tapes appear to be edited.  The attorney, who lost his brother in the bombing, obtained the security camera tapes after years of trying to get the FBI to turn them over.  Read the story for further details in this convoluted and complex mystery of what is missing from the tapes.

U.S. $$$$ -- According to Common Dreams (on 9/28/09), the U.S. dollar is set to be eclipsed, the World Bank President predicts.  The official tells those who will listen that they can no longer take a strong dollar for granted.  The Chinese government wants to replace the dollar with some other form of currency.  Realities may be changing in the global economy.  Ralph Nader, writing for Common Dreams (9/28/09) says that it is time for citizens to convene  and take back their country from the clutches of the decades long "corporatocracy."  To quote:

Just when many conditions seemed ripe for a progressive political movement, the likelihood is fading fast. Concentrated corporate power over our political economy and its control over peoples lives knows few boundaries.

As Republican investor advocate leader Robert Monks puts it: “The United States is a corporatist state. This means that individuals are largely excluded both in the political and corporate spheres.”

It is my belief, in conclusion, that we all are able to be thoughtful rather than blindly reactive when it comes to our fears and worries.  Our daughter teaches third grade and we have several grandchildren in high school and college.  You bet we are worried about their being able to get through a pandemic.  But we assume they will be as smart about getting their shots, and as careful as possible with hygiene.  The latest terrorist threat came from inside our borders.  But, because I have given up my privacy, about which I worry, he was caught before he could make a bomb out of beauty supplies, of all things!  I do not have so many dollars that I worry about their value.  But I do worry that corporate lobbyists for the health care industry have been so easily able to "buy" senators and representatives.  I do not worry about my Medicare coverage.  I am a cancer survivor because of it, and it will be there again if I need it.

[post date 10/1/09]

See also Behind the Links, for further info on this subject.

Blogs: My general purpose/southwest focus blog is at Southwest Progressive. My creative website is at Making Good Mondays. And Carol Gee - Online Universe is the all-in-one home page for all my websites.

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