Best E-mails of the Week 06/16/02
Here is a cool site that is a
musical and pictorial tribute to 911.
It might take a few minutes to download this 7 meg file. |
A few petitions arrived last week: Here is the first if you would like to sign
up.
Petition in Support of an Independent Bi-Partisan Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the U.S.
On September 11th, 2001, our government failed to protect its citizens. Important warnings of impending acts of
terrorism went unnoticed due to major breakdowns in communication between the CIA, FBI, FAA and numerous other agencies. As a result nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives. How and why were the terrorists successful in attacking our country? What changes should be made to protect us from future attacks? All of America was impacted by these tragic events and its citizens continue to be at risk of terrorist attacks until these questions are thoroughly examined and answered.
We, the undersigned, support the establishment of an independent, bi-partisan Commission to examine and report the facts and causes related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. We support an investigation to examine ALL relevant governmental agencies in order to account for the circumstances surrounding the attacks. We feel our country continues to be at risk unless a full investigation is undertaken which would draw conclusions and make recommendations for corrective measures to prevent future terrorist attacks on Americans.
Name Address Date Email ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RETURN TO: VOICES OF SEPTEMBER 11, P.O. BOX 1002, NEW CANAAN, CT 06840
Take this little test and see
how you score. Know your enemy. You Tell Me: To ensure we Americans never offend anyone --- particularly fanatics intent on killing us - airport screeners will not be allowed to profile people. They will continue random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, Secret Service agents who are members of the President's security detail, 85-year old Congressmen with metal hips, and Medal Of Honor winning former Governors. Let's pause a moment and take the following test. 1) In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by: (a) Olga Corbett (b) Sitting Bull (c) Arnold Schwartzeneger (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 2) In 1979,the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by: (a) Lost Norwegians (b) Elvis (c) A tour bus full of 80-year-old women (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 3) During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by: (a) John Dillinger (b) The King of Sweden (c) The Boy Scouts (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 4) In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by (a) A pizza delivery boy (b) Pee Wee Herman (c) Geraldo Rivera making up for a slow news day (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 5) In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked, and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard by: (a) The Smurfs (b) Davy Jones (c) The Little Mermaid (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 6) In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a U.S. Navy diver was murdered by: (a) Captain Kid (b) Charles Lindberg (c) Mother Teresa (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 7) In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by: (a) Scooby Doo (b) The Tooth Fairy (c) Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid who had a few sticks of dynamite left over from the train job. (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 8) In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by: (a) Richard Simmons (b) Grandma Moses (c) Michael Jordan (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 9) In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by: (a) Mr. Rogers (b) Hillary, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems (c) The World Wrestling Federation to promote its next vlllain: "Mustapha the Merciless" (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 10) On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked and destroyed and thousands of people were killed by: (a) Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck, and Elmer Fudd (b) The Supreme Court of Florida (c) Mr. Bean (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 11) In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against: (a) Enron (b) The Lutheran Church (c) The NFL (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. 12) In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by: (a) Bonny and Clyde (b) Captain Kangaroo (c) Billy Graham (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40. Hmmm . . . nope, no patterns anywhere to justify profiling that I can see. |
Here is another On Line Petition or Membership to join a new Catholic lay persons organization starting in Boston:
The WEEKLY VOICE
NEWS FROM VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL (VOTF)
www.VOTF.org
June 7, 2002
Contents
- Welcome New Members
- 15 Things Any Catholic Can do
- VOTF Election Update
- US Bishops Meeting This Week In Dallas
- Announcements
>> Welcome new members!
Our membership is well over 13,000 now from 20+ countries and 40 States in the
US. Our goals are to 1. support those who have been abused. 2. support priest
of integrity and 3. shape structural change within the church. More information
about VOTF is available at www.VOTF.org. Also, consider starting a VOTF group
(we call these Parish Voices) at your parish as you learn more.
>> 15 Things Any Catholic Can Do.
At VOTF, we believe in 'picking up a shovel'. Review our list of 15 things any
Catholic can do at http://www.voiceofthefaithful.org/pv/15things.html
>> VOTF Elections
In our May 31st Weekly Voice, we asked for a "yes or no" vote for an interim 4
month plan for a Leadership Council. You, the Faithful, by an overwhelming
margin, approved this plan. We are finalizing the exact totals, but
approximately 2000 people voted yes and 4 voted no for the plan. We also
received over 25 candidates for the At-Large positions. As mentioned last week,
this was a historic event in VOTF's young history and in the history of laity
movements. VOTF is committed to democratically representing the laity to the
hierarchy of the Roman Catholic church. Last week was an important step in this
direction. More on the elections will be shared soon.
>> VOTF View on the US Bishops Proposal
This week in Dallas the US Bishops are meeting to discuss a working draft
proposal to help keep our parishes safe for our children and grandchildren.
Please say a prayer for them.
We, VOTF, applaud the courage of the U.S. Bishops to present a policy to repair
the damage caused by sexual abuse and restore the fractured trust among the
laity. However, we firmly believe that decisions regarding the response of the
church to sexual abuse accusations should be rendered by a majority of
lay-appointed individuals including: healthcare professionals expert in
management of sexual abuse and victims of past abuses. In addition to lay
majority involvement, VOTF advocates zero tolerance for any priest proven to be
guilty of sexual abuse of a minor ¾ in the past, present or future. The initial
step in enforcement of this policy should be the reporting to civil authorities
of all allegations of sexual abuse of children. The process should be used to
determine if a misdemeanor or felony occurred. The failure of management seems
to result from excessive concentration of power in the hands of the hierarchy.
A more active laity, as visible with VOTF, is a necessary step to achieve
balance.
>> Many announcements of meetings are on our website.
Note the VOTF meeting June 13 at 7:30pm in Dallas (the same week as the US
Bishops Meeting) at the Adams Mark Hotel. Also, please join us in Boston July
20th for the VOTF national convention.
>> Summary
The VOTF movement continues to grow by leaps and bounds. On the media front
this is a busy week. The world heard what the Pope had to say a few months ago
and will hear what the US Bishops have to say this week. Next month, in Boston
on July 20th the world via the press will have a chance to hear what the laity
have to say. Our July 20th conference in Boston is called "Response of the
Faithful." Join us if you can (info at www.VOTF.org).
Hope
Hope looks for good in people, instead of harping on the most worse
Hope opens doors where despair closes them
Hope discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot
Hope draws its power from a deep trust in God and the basic goodness of human
nature
Hope "lights a candle" instead of 'curing the darkness"
Hope regards problems, small or large, as opportunities
Hope cherishes no illusions, nor does it yield to cynicism
Hope sets big goals and is not frustrated by repeated difficulties or setbacks.
Hope pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit
Hope is a good loser because it has the divine assurance of final victory
- By Father James Keller. Founder of The Christophers
Keep the Faith. Change the Church.
Paul Baier for The Voice of the Faithful Team
Timmy was a little five year old boy that his Mom loved very much and, being a worrier, she was concerned about him walking to school when he started kindergarten. She walked him to school the first couple of days, but then he came home and told his mother that he did not want her walking him to school everyday. He wanted to be like the "big boys." Mom, of course, knew how to handle this. She asked a neighbor, Mrs.Goodnest, if she would surreptitiously follow her son to school, at a distance behind him that he would not likely notice, but close enough to keep a watch on him. Mrs. Goodnest said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed. The next school day, Mrs. Goodnest and her little girl, Marcy, set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor boy. She did this for the whole week. As the boys walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, the little friend of Timmy noticed that this same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally, he said to Timmy, "Have you noticed that lady following us all week? Do you know her?" Timmy nonchalantly replied, "Yea, I know who she is." The little friend said, "Well who is she?" "That's just Shirley Goodnest" Timmy said. "Shirley Goodnest? Who is she and why is she following us?" "Well," Timmy explained, "Every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers cuz she worries about me so much. And in the psalm it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life,' so I guess I'll just have to get used to it." |
Here
is another site for the Connecticut Special Olympics held last week.
Password when prompted is Gold2. http://homepage.mac.com/gold730/SpecialOlympics2/PhotoAlbum9.html |
My sister Joanne and Jack's son Bob had quite a high school career.
This published story summarizes his accomplishments.
1570 SAT's and a great graduation party too!
At the opposite end
of the educational spectrum from Bob:
The following are actual excerpts from reports and tests from America's |
Uncle
Pete
Back to the Best E-mails Home Page |