Home: Our United States of America

 

Keeping the shop filled with inventory, upkeep on the building and working in the village gardens keeps me busy in June. The freezer is filling up with black raspberries. There are still plenty to share with my neighbors.

I took a friend to the hospital today for a test and saw many people fighting age and illness. A nurse walked by with a tomato plant in a wheelchair. I called out, “I hope your tomato plant gets better.” and she laughed.

I finished watching the Ken Burns and Stephen Ives DVD called The West. Once you pick yourself up from the floor, the history of settling the western part of the United States has much to teach us now.

This is the criteria of Cheyenne people when choosing a chief for the tribe:

• He must be a father to all members of the tribe.
• He must be good, generous, brave, courageous and must have concern for the welfare of the people.
• He does not acquire wealth for himself; but to give to the people who are less fortunate.
• He has led a morally up-right life and is respected.
• This is how the people choose a spiritual father, a true servant of the people.

Four of the last seven governors of Illinois went to prison. They were very bad chiefs.

Stay strong America. We must have courage and not become apathetic. We must close our ears to the self-serving people who tell us good people are weak. That is a lie.

Good leaders know how to compromise for the well-being of the people, all of the people. Democrats and Republicans, throughout history, have used tactics to block the meaningful decisions of good leaders. That is wrong. We should not allow this.

We are Americans first. This is our America, all of ours. We must act and think like chiefs.