Dan Harper has begun blogging at Yet Another Unitarian Universalist Blog. Welcome aboard!
He reminds us that, for the first time in sixty years, the infant mortality rate in the United States rose last year. Lord have mercy.
This reminds me of the very engaging speech I heard on Monday — as a part of my Day Job — from Marian Wright Edelman. She told the same sorry fact.
I forgot how much I like to hear her speak. For one thing, she doesn’t shy away from a source of her concern for children’s welfare — “the prophets and the gospel” — which she’s sure sides with children and especially poor ones over the interests of the rich and powerful. And I’m sure she’s right.
But for today, I’ll head her (and Dan) because Title V is in danger, and if it goes, so goes one of the basic safety-nets for children, and especially those with special needs. Add this budget cut to the pile of stupid ideas that have come from this administration and ya’ wonder if anything short of divine retribution on the White House will do any good.
In the meantime, stand for God by standing for the kids. Read Edelman’s essay Wake Up Black Folks! A Code Red Alert for Children, which has many of the same themes she gave in her speech.
Then leave your email address at the top of the page to keep yourself hooked in. And tell your friends. And tell your representatives and senators.