Category: General

  • USCCR: United States Commission on Civil Rights on LGBTQ Equality

    Their Mission

    USCCR LGBTQ Civil Rights
    Download Full Two Page Memo (PDF)

    The Civil Rights Act of 1957 created the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Since then, Congress has reauthorized or extended the legislation creating the Commission several times; the last reauthorization was in 1994 by the Civil Rights Commission Amendments Act of 1994.

    Established as an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding federal agency, our mission is to inform the development of national civil rights policy and enhance enforcement of federal civil rights laws. We pursue this mission by studying alleged deprivations of voting rights and alleged discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice. We play a vital role in advancing civil rights through objective and comprehensive investigation, research, and analysis on issues of fundamental concern to the federal government and the public.

    The Commission Writes in Their Memo:

    The United States Commission on Civil Rights, by a majority vote, strongly condemns recent state laws passed, and proposals being considered, under the guise of so-called “religious liberty” which target members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (“LGBT”) community for discrimination. [1]

    Read the full memo as a PDF below.

    References:

    1. USCCR, August 18, 2017 (PDF) – The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Statement Condemning Recent State Laws and Pending Proposals Targeting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community
    2. USCCR – Home Page

  • Art Fettig’s Newsletter: Love Sweet Love

    Art Fettig’s Monday Morning Memo 

    August 21st, 2017

    In this Issue

    o  Love Sweet Love
    o  Say Something Good
    o  Points To Ponder
    o  A Little Humor
    o  Quote
    o  To Subscribe

    Love Sweet Love

    Votive CandlesOnce again there seems to be a whole lot of anger and hatred traveling around this nation of ours.  What is that old slogan, “Divide and conquer?” Yes that’s it. Well, it appears to me that we are a nation becoming more and more divided, not just politically in Washington where so many of our so called “leaders” are spouting off on all of the people and the things they are against but in the daily signs that we are becoming divided socially – by race, by religion, by age groups and within our very family structures. I’m reminded of that old song that went, “What the world needs now, is love sweet love. That’s the only thing there’s just too little of.”

    In 1992 I wrote a book titled “Love is the Target.” It was a challenge to myself and to the whole world to become more loving in our lives. I don’t know about you, our readers, but today I am going to make a real effort to become more loving. God Bless.

    Say Something Good

    Zoowie!  Whit’s Frozen Custard just opened it’s doors at 240 S. Nash Street here in awesome Hillsborough, North Carolina and Jean and I just shared a sumptuous

    Banana Split that sent us on our way delighted and refreshed.They offer so many varieties of really cool sundaes that it will tickle your mouth into watering right there in front of everybody. Like Blue Devil Dream or a Grasshopper or maybe an O’Henry George.  Yes Mam, or Sir, this is the kind of place that makes America Great. Oh, by the way, if you are like me you will be happy to hear that the prices are not touristy. That big split we shared was only $5.25 plus tax.

    May God bless America and keep our troops out of harms way.

    Points To Ponder

    Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue. Buddha

    A Little Humor   

    At my age, I don’t want to eat health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

    Quote

    One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. Bryant H. McGill

    To Subscribe 

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    References:

    1. ArtFettig.com
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  • Art Fettig’s Broken Glasses

    Art Fettig’s Monday Morning Memo 

    August 14, 2017

    In this Issue

    o  Broken Glasses
    o  Say Something Good
    o  Points To Ponder
    o  A Little Humor
    o  Quote
    o  To Subscribe

    Broken Glasses

    Reading Glasses The wife of my old music partner had made arrangements for me to visit a women’s  maximum security prison and do an inspirational talk for the prisoners. In the past I had done half a dozen talks at prisons and I always felt that I learned something on such visits.

    The prison had a nice big assembly room and every seat in the auditorium was filled.  After my introduction I began my speech and it was going just fine.  Of course there were guards standing right up front and at all of the exits and it all seemed rather intimidating.

    I reached for my glasses which I had sitting on a little table on the stage and somehow I dropped them.  One of the lenses just popped right out.

    I simply looked out at the audience and asked, “Who will try to fix my glasses for me?”

    After a long pause one of the older women who was sitting in the front row reluctantly raised her hand and I walked to the front of the stage and signaled for her to come forward and take the glasses.

    Three guards came rushing forward to protect me from that sweet old lady.

    I negotiated with them and managed to hand her the parts.

    She sat down and examined the glasses and said, “A screw is missing.”

    One of the other prisoners sitting in the front row said, “I see it.” And she stood up and tried to approach the stage but those three guards appeared again and stopped her.

    Evidently the guards were just doing their jobs.  Again we negotiated.  The girl retrieved the screw, handed it to the other prisoner who was working on my glasses and went back and sat down.

    I went back to my speech and a couple of minutes later the lady signaled me that she had my glasses fixed.

    We negotiated again with those three guards and she gave me my glasses.  I thanked her and asked her name.

    “Bonnie,” she said, “Like in Bonnie and Clyde.”

    The audience roared.

    “Yeah, I’ve read about you.”  I said, playfully.  They laughed again..

    “Thank you Bonnie.” I said, “Without those glasses I would not have been able to read a poem I had planned.  In fact, you just saved me a real mess because without you I could not have gone on.  Let’s give Bonnie a nice round of applause…no, hold it. Bonnie has saved the day. I want you all to join me in giving Bonnie a standing ovation.  Everybody up.”  They all stood up and I led the applause.

    Bonnie just stood there looking out at that audience with the darndest look on her face.  She was absolutely dumbfounded.

    Later I found out that Bonnie had been one of their most uncooperative prisoners and she was serving a life term for murder.

    A few days later I gave Sally a few books and poems autographed to Bonnie and a couple of months later Sally told me that Bonnie had really changed for the better following that meeting. I learned that after that standing ovation she had changed her attitude about herself. She had become somebody special.

    How many people go through their entire life without ever receiving one standing ovation?  Close your eyes and listen. I’m giving you one right now.

    Say Something Good

    We’ve got two great farmer’s markets and my wife Jean comes home most Saturdays with a wide assortment of great fruits and veggies and often some baked treats too. Once in a while I wander over there and what I love most is the warm hospitality that abounds there. There is live music too and I generally sit down a bit and just soak in the music and most of all the people.  May God Bless America and let there be peace and harmony among nations. Please God, please keep our troops from harm.

    Points To Ponder

    Most great people have attained their greatest success one step beyond their greatest failure. Napoleon Hill

    A Little Humor

    Experience. The wonderful knowledge that lets you recognize a mistake when you make it again.

    Quote

    Doubt is a virus that attacks our self-esteem, productivity and confidence. Faith that you and your life are perfectly unfolding is the strongest vaccine. Sean Stephenson

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  • A Collector of Rare Books

    Martin LutherAs the story goes…

    A Collector of rare books ran into an acquaintance who told him he had just thrown away an old Bible that he found in a dusty, old box. He happened to mention that Guten – or somebody-or-other had printed it. Not Gutenberg? – gasped the collector. Yes, that was it! “You idiot! You’ve thrown away one of the first books ever printed. A copy recently sold at auction for half a million dollars!”

    “Oh, I don’t think this book would have been worth anything close to that much,” replied the man. “It was scribbled all over in the margins by some guy named Martin Luther.”