On this day of Samhain, let us remember and celebrate....

[TechBear_Seattle]

In Wicca and other related modern religions, Samhain (pronounced SOW-een) is a day to remember and celebrate those who have died. It falls at the end of the harvest, when the last task is to slaughter excess livestock and preserve the meat to sustain the homestead during the winter. With the growing darkness and cold of the world, it is natural that one's thoughts would turn to mortality. (I leave it as an excercise to the reader to draw parallels between Samhain and the upcoming elections.)

And so, I would like to start a tribute list of people who have died that you feel best exemplify your political and social ideals, people you would gladly hold up as mentors, teachers and positive role models. Please don't just give a name; tell us why you want them on this list, so that we can remember and celebrate them, too.

[plcdude]

1. interesting

thanks for the contribution

[grizmaster]

2. in remembrance of our Constitution

may it rise again from the dead

[MuseRider]

3. My brother

who was the kindest person I have ever known.

He gave his time and money and effort to help anyone who needed help. Because of these things he was given a large tribute and a scholarship was named after him in Houston. He never had a lot of money although he worked enough to be rich. He either donated it back or just donated his time.

May he be always remembered for the excellent human that he was. I look up to him every day.

[InternalDialogue]

4. Rachel Corrie

This week's New Yorker reviews the one-person show in New York that tells her story through her emails and journals. I was touched by her recognition of a call to action, how she realized the futility of living life only to work toward its end: "If my whole life is going to amount to one shrug and a shake of the head, who cares if it comes in eighty years or at eight p.m."

She took up the challenge to reach out, realizing she was but one person and had very little experience or skill at hand, but knowing that not to have made any effort to inject humanity into inhuman circumstances meant a life wasted: "I've had this underlying need to go to a place and meet people who are on the other end of the tax money that goes to fund the U.S. military. I can't be Picasso. I can't be Jesus. I can't save the planet single-handedly. I can wash dishes."

(edit: spelling)

[InternalDialogue]

5. Kick to push this back to the top

and a rec for the positive exercise. Let's have more people add to this list.

[hippiechick]

6. Our own, Khephra

Ever the diplomat, relentless digger-of-truth, big in heart and spirit as any man I've ever known yet still humble enough to embrace any and every one of us as his equal.

He left us way too soon, but I have to believe it's because the Universe needed his talents on the other side, to help shed light on so much of the BFEE's evil.


O8)

[donsu]

7. all the people on the Bush Body Count site

murdered by poppy's gang to keep them quiet and/or to stop their good works

[Fierce]

8. Paul and Sheila Wellstone.

nt

[Javaman]

9. My Dad...

He taught me to never follow the crowd, always question authority and never to allow other peoples opinion of you dictate how you should feel.

My dad: independent, brilliant, inventor, insightful and loving.

He was a teacher.

[InternalDialogue]

10. Kick for some evening responses.

:kick: