Wow!

Just wanted to show off my new computer and it's capabilities! Wow!

Rev. Wright at the Press Club - Boy Was I Wrong!

I was excited to hear the Rev. J. Wright was going to be doing an interview with Bill Moyer on PBS last Friday, April 25, 2008. I made sure the kids were settled down and I got myself cozzy in my favorite place on the couch with my blanket. I was ready to hear the words of a learned theological scholar in his own words. I was prepared to listen to him explain the truth behind the his jostled and misrepresented words. I was also prepared for the hard questions from Bill Moyer which would represent the ring wing's unwavering position to hold him accountable to what they perceived as anti-American, incendiary comments about the USKKK of A, AIDS, and the now infamous GD America comments. I just knew Rev. Wright would right those wrongs and America would be able to see once and for all this man's true colors and how he was honestly taken out of context. I was proud when he accomplished that.

Then on Saturday night I stumbled across his NAACP speech as I was looking for the Fox News interview with Barack Obama. I didn't know I missed it b/c it was on at 2pm (my bad), lol. But as I proceeded to watch I was again impressed at Rev. Wright's wit, style, prose, delivery, message, intellectualism, humor, and impeccable oratory skills. His message about "different does not mean deficient" was honorable. After the speech I couldn't help but turn on every news channel just to see what the immediate reaction was going to be. I felt my viewpoints were reflected in every comment I heard as the commentators praised his work and his nay sayers were stumped for anything negative to say. It seemed he accomplished the goal he set out to. The goal I had hoped for him (and quietly for Barack).

On Sunday everyone gave him praising remarks and some even rescinded their harsh words and incediary comments towards him. Some even went so far as to apologize for not listening to the entire sermon and rushing to judgement. This was more than one could hope for given the horrible toll this was taking on everyone.

Then Monday came and all hell broke lose...again! I sit now almost a week later and ask myself, "Why couldn't Rev. Wright leave well enough alone?" Why didn't he walk away and lavish in the praises and apologies knowing that it was all better for him and subsequently for Barack. Why didn't he know that there was a larger, bigger picture that was playing in the movie theater next door - a movie called, "The 2008 Presidential Primary" starring Barack Obama (the first real African American candidate in American history? Why did he get caught up in the applause and thunder in the room of the National Press Club that ultimately igged him on to disaster? Why did it seem that he irresistably turned into Mr. Hyde just when we believed Dr. Jekkyll had seemed to win out over his evil alter ego.

Initially I got caught up in his dismissive, flippant and downright egotistical, meniacal remarks. I stood up and cheered with the crowd knowing there was truth in what he was saying. I completely allowed my emotions to get the best of me as I said, "you go Rev. tell 'em like it is!" I heard with one ear the difficult questions being fired off one by one by the woman with the natural two toned curly long locks and I relished in every flippant response fired back by the Rev. I forgot that the world was listening and watching, judging and waiting like a rabid dog ready to attack at the first site of blood shed by a weak victim. Rev. Wright continued to ravage on like that weak victim while the media continued to follow the rules and sit quietly in their balcony seats - blood dripping from the corners of their mouths waiting to pounce on him once given the go ahead. And, Rev. Wright kept on pushing the green light as every second passed by. He didn't have the sense enough to know he was lead to the kill - no - he just kept going.

It wasn't but minutes or hours before the media trounced on him showing how he proved them right. Oh how naive of me to think what he did was right and wouldn't carry the heavy consequence it finally did for him and for Barack.

I realized when I got caught up in the moment that I too, like many others who were rooting for Rev. Wright, got swept up in the moment - quite like one does when observing a street fight. You root for the underdog, yelling, screaming "punch him back, kick 'em, yeah!" Not thinking at all about the consequences to come. I lost sight of the goal. The bar Barack had set over a month and a half ago during his race speech in Philadelphia when he asked everyone to keep their eyes on the prize of a truly United States of America. All of a sudden I was human...like the rest.

When Barack finally denounced his Pastor's comments and behavior - finally severing ties with him - it hit me. I needed to refocus my eyes and re-evaluate what I thought was a good duke 'em fight to the finish - was really a nasty egomanical brawl fest filled with self-graitfying moments of selfishness from a narcissist who truly was caught up in the past and couldn't see the forest for the trees.

Rev. Wright got blindsided by his own ego and totally forgot about Barack and his message. I guess he was quiet for so long that he felt he needed to get it out - and the media was more than accomodating. I was also more than accomodating.

My Ah-Ha! Moment - The Need For Power and How I Failed

I was catching up on Chapter 4 of Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle's world wide web event, "A New Earth" last night when suddenly it hit me...I HAD MY AH-HA MOMENT! I was plodding along since the beginning having little moments of awakening never suspecting this. Then WHAM....as I sat in my office bathroom crying my eyes out, I wondered was this moment supposed to feel wonderfully painful? I mean after all - I finally GOT IT!

Eckhart Tolle repeated a wise Zen master who said, "His need to win drains him of power." It took a moment for the meaning to hit me, but when it did it felt like a brick wall began to crumble within me - an emotional wall began to slowly crumble down. One I didn't even know was there.

This one saying defined the motivation behind entire life moments from failed career choices to the casualties of lost personal relationships. Boy, was I happy for the pause button. I didn't know I was going to need it for about 30 mins while the walls of Gericho came tumbling down.

In a flash I realized winner's reach their goal by wisely and joyfully pacing themselves by living in "the moment" of planning and preparing - not by rushing through life's moments just to get to the finish line before everyone else. It made me realize that I bought into societies lie of competitiveness that forces us to believe it's better to be better than everyone else just for the sake of winning the 1st place prize. I never realized how that mentality sets us up to drain our power and causes us to fail miserably and feel empty inside -even if we do "win."

We drain ourselves of the very life force energy that is supposed to sustain us through our goal attainment. When we rush through life's precious moments just to "be #1 or to get to the next moment...it's no wonder we fail and are unsatisfied, unfulfilled and waiting for the next moment just so we can repeat this self-defeating, energy draining cycle all over again. Even those of us who have successful careers, wonderful homes, kids, cars, etc...who still feel empty and drained inside - this is why. But for most of us who are still searching to fill-up the empty holes that aren't filled up by material things - we are being driven by the empty desire to "win" which in turn drains us of this life force power and causes us to inevitably fail. We suddenly find ourselves wanting more of ourselves, more of the next moment, more from life, more from our spouses, more from our kids, etc...

For the past 9 years (or so) I've been looking (like most people) for purpose in my life. Something that would redefine me. Something outside of being a "mom" or a "wife," or a "doctor" who missed her chance. I wanted some divine answer that would take away the pain of not becoming a doctor or singer, not feeling like I'm being a good enough mom, wife, or friend like I wanted - something that would heal the emptiness inside of me that most often times feels like failure. That void that being a "mommy" is supposed to fill - but doesn't. That void that being a "good wife" is supposed to fill - but doesn't. That void that becoming "somebody" who has "everything" is supposed to fill - but doesn't.

You know that void too? You've felt it too?

I've been looking for another career to throw myself into once my littlest one's head to school in anothe year and I realized something. Whatever I decide to do "is enough" because "I am enough." Whatever I choose to do I need to slow down and pace myself enough to stay in the moment b/c all you ever have is the moment, today, right now - not tomorrow, next week, next month, next year. Just right now and each "right now" moment leads to the next one and the next one. Without reaching for it - it's already there waiting for you. You don't have to do anything except get through this moment - right now!

I've officially pulled myself out of the RAT RACE and look ahead to my new career path with my new philosophy...AT MY OWN PACE!

Wheww....I can't tell you how my Ah-Ha! moment felt life birthing another baby. Wonderfully painful, exhausting, but beautiful when it was all over. All my failures (or what I thought were failures in my life) were teaching moments given to me by a gift called, "The Present." All I had to do was live in the "Present" and the future would take care of itself.

What I Hope Americans Hear In Obama's Speech Today...Yes We Can!

Today is going to be a groundbreaker. Today is going to be historical. Today is going to turn things back around for the Obama campaign...for the good. This is my audacity of hope as a bi-racial woman who has lived a life so close to Barack Obama's in so many ways.

I, like Obama, am the product of a white mother and a black father. I too, like Obama, was raised for a time by my white mother because my black father abandoned us when I was very young to pursue his own goals. I too, like Obama, was raised by a surrogate who stepped in when my mother was suffering. I too, like Obama, grew up with discrimination and confusion. I too, like Obama grew up as a devout Christian. I too, like Obama, pulled myself up by my boot straps and went to a prestigious college beyond the doubts of many.

I too, am a woman who's biracial parents are no longer alive to see history being made. I am too, a bi-racial woman who is Christian and heard words I didn't agree with spoken by a beloved Pastor whom I adored, looked up to and who also baptized me and my children. I too, am a bi-racial woman faced with a Christian dilemma. I too, like Obama, grew up with a mother who told me that people were better than the sum of their parts...and that things would get better and that I was the catalyst to make that change happen if I could recogize and realize my power within.

My mother, like Obama's mother, believed that it was better for me to keep on hoping and watching for this change in people. She told me that despite the distancing, alienation and discrimination I experienced from others including my own blood family (her parents, sisters, aunts and uncles) to look beyond their shortcomings to a brighter future. She knew instinctively that there would come a time in history SUCH AS THIS TIME when a bi-racial person would be the only catalyst to unify and join people together for change.

My mother, a white woman, said this to me many times throughout my lifetime. She also prepared me, like Obama, to be the catalyst for this change because as she always told me "I had the best of both worlds." I had the internal DNA (unlike anyone else) to know how to bridge people together, not because of a personal desire to do good for all people and not because of a learned Christian duty. But, solely because, as she told me, God in all his wisdom had a specific intention for people like me - to be the band-aid that would bring people together beyond their divided past. The only question would be how would I search within to find a way to manifest this internal god-given gift to see it birthed into frution. A nation no longer divided because of race, gender, sexual preference, etc...

As I got older I began to see the manifestation in her prophecy as I has friends from every corner of the globe, like Obama. I was always accepted easily but often mistaken for many different global ethnicities and welcomed in the home of my international friends because there was always something familiar about my face to them - something that reminded them of themselves - something from "home." I was often called "the international face."

When it was time for me to go to college, I too, like Obama paid my own way...and had to pave my own way. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth...I was poor and had to pull myself up by my bootstraps. I worked my way through New York University while working a full time time job as a medical technician in one of the world's most famous and reknown NY research hospitals with some of the most presigious and influential medical minds working through school and hoping to join the ranks with them as a physician. I had high hopes to become a physician, but a long, hard, lonely uphill climb to get there, like Obama in his journey to become a lawyer.

I did well when no one thought I would. I was a 4.0 student who got accepted to Columbia University also, like Obama, solely on my own merit after being told 10 years prior that, "I wasn't even NYU material."

I, like Obama looked to define myself through those tough years. I looked to see where that silver lining was my mother spoke of when discrimination would take a back seat, and I could boldly take my seat as a proud American who was no longer seen and judged by my color and sadly at that time I still couldn't find it - until now!

I was never raised with strict religious views, but my mother always raised me to know who Christ was and that he represented unconditional love. But as I entered into my life, I too, looked for this unconditional love from others in the world and was sadly disappointed most times. But, when my mother took ill and couldn't care for me for a short time I finally found that unconditional love in the most unsuspecting place.

I too, like Obama was raised for a short time in my life by someone other than my mother. That person who stepped in for me was a "closet" homosexual man - who was not blood related to me and who later died in 1993 of AIDS, but who saw a woman who was alone in a big city and didn't have any family and needed a helping hand with her two small bi-racial children.

His act of unconditional love for me to step in as my surrogate father when I was only 4 years old and teach me critical life lessons was a turning point in my life - because he didn't have any obligation to do this for me or my mother. This was my first early exposure and living example of true Christian compassion, unconditional love, understanding, and capacity to look past color, creed, blood relation, and religion - in order to love and care for someone who needed it. This man was also an African American.

This man embodied the same strange contradictions as Rev. Jeremiah Wright. He introduced and showed unadulaterated Christian love, stepped in as a surrogate father, spiritual guide and teacher to someone who wasn't blood related to him, and yet harbored a hated and demonized secret deep within himself (much like the words now categorically spoken and representative of Rev. Wright's deep feelings about America - which were hidden away from a wider American public tucked away in the black church until now.)

Our open denouncement of this man's anti-American sentiment of race and discrimination reminds me alot like the American sentiment on homosexuality - a taboo subject that was thrust into the public forum for discussion by way of the AIDS epidemic and the fears and prejudice that it personified for most average Americans. It made people have to confront the elephant in the room, and it served to make or break them about their feelings on homosexuality and it's dicotomy in American culture and the church.

Ultimately, it made them come together to collectively decide if they were going to be consumed by their fears or stand up and do something about defeating the disease that was ravaging a religiously condemned people. It made them realize that gay people were people like all of us - a people who deserved to be loved with the same forgiving, unconditional Christian love that we learned about in Sunday school and demanded from each other.

It was another opportunity for us to love the way we wanted to be loved. Much like this situation with Rev. Wright who represents another "imperfect" human being who was raised in a day and time when racim, segregation, and discrimination was very real and created a deep seated feeling of outrage. Outrage that was carried with him to the pulpit along with his deep seated conviction to love and help poor people like Christ - unconditionally.

We now owe that unconditional Christian love back to Barack Obama and Rev. Wright just as I did to my father when I found out he had AIDS and was secretly gay although it was against every Christian tenet for righteous living I had learned about in Sunday school. This is what makes us human and Christian all at the same time - sin and forgiveness. This is our blind duty to one another - the colorless, race-less, religion-less duty we owe back to one another now as we move forward to grasp onto the change we say we so desperately want.

These are the reasons that makes me and Obama and all bi-racial children the right catalyst for this change. We were designed as the embodiment of this type of change for everyone else. A unique people who learned from the examples shown to us through the lens our white side and our black side from the viewpoint of divided races, who were now ready and able to blend this perspective into a collective caleidoscope to then show others how to love unconditionally regardless of race, creed, nationality, religion, mental instability, sexual preference, political party, handicap, gender, sex, or human condition.

This example shown to me by my mother and surrogate father solidified and exemplified my mother's message of hope for this country -the same hope Barack speaks of. The same hope I completely identify with. Through my father's love for me I was able to understand her call of duty to my life as a catalyst for change between the races when I found out my father's secret gay lifestyle through watching his physical health deteriorate from AIDS and I was left with a Christian dilemma much like the country is in now with its current political dilemma.

Would I condemn my father by God's word because it said homosexuality is an abomination and that homosexual's would burn in hell? Would I condemn Rev. Wright to hell because of his condemning remarks about America and racism and disown Barack Obama. I say...Hell no! Because Christ also charged us to forgive one another as we are all sinner's saved by His grace. It also says, judge not...lest you be judged.

So, being a person of character, charged with a higher calling on my life, I did what Christ asks of all of us as Chritians and that was to pray for my father and Rev. Wright and to ask God on both of their behalfs if God would recognize the loftier sacrifice they both made to improve life through unconditional love and compassion for "imperfect" human beings, and not judge either one of their human indiscretions (something we all have) as was given to me by Christian favor by my father when I was suffering.

This is the definitive message sent forward by Barack Obama that I hope with audacity will join the races together after this Rev. Wright debacle. There is no one better suited to do that than Barack Obama. I should know, because he is made and cut from the same cloth as I am.

I can no more denounce Rev. Wright as I could my homosexual father who also made a mistake in his life, but more than made up for it by showing a sacrificial love for others. I want to move forward past these hard, painful issues towards a better America.

Obama/Rev. Wright and The Black Church

I'm sad today as an American citizen and a fellow bi-racial citizen, like Barack Obama. I cried last week as I watched CNN, CSPAN, MSNBC, & Fox News network debate the issues about the Rev.'s Wright's comments and their unfair link to Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.
No matter what your political or religious beliefs, I believe we all have an obligation to do 2 things if we call ourselves true Americans before we abandon support for Obama over this insidious situation.
1. Take a real look at the African American history of slavery here in the US and be sensitive to the fact that AAs have looked to the church for many years to make sense of their oppression. There are legitimate cries of outrage, sadness, tears and disappointments about discrimination the AAs have suffered for hundreds of years. The black church is where AAs go to vent these frustrations and seek peace to continue to work through these "private" issues. That is what the Rev. Wright was voicing. Those are issues Obama understands being 1/2 black and asks other Americans to try and get past.
2. Take a look at the melting pot of ethnic diversity all around the US to know that every race has a similar story of oppression which led their families to this great land. Arab-Americans, Russians, Jews, Haitians, Rwandans, Polish, Japanese, Koreans, Cubans, Italians, Yugoslavians, Albanians, Chinese, etc...All speak in "private" of their experiences with discrimination and trying to get ahead against adversity in America.
Why is it okay for Jews to speak publicly and privately about their feelings of the Holocaust, but it is not okay for African Americans to voice their hatred for the the atrocities of slavery and how it's devastating effects have followed them and continued on to this very day without being taken out of context and seen as hate mongerers?
Barack Obama has been forced to denounce these passionate (yet true) words spoken from a man he has respected for over 20 years all in the name of running for President instead of speaking to his need to align himself with Rev. Wright while attempting to help the underserved community in Chicago which Rev. Wright's church has successfully served for many years.
Barack stands for a new tomorrow where all people of all races can get past the atrocities of yesteryear that we all can somehow relate to. He also knows the plight of African Americans - that's why he fore went a well-paying job as a corporate lawyer to serve his own people for no pay. That's an admirable person who knew what it was going to take to get his feet wet in a town he wasn't originally from, but saw a need. He needed Rev. Wright and saw something else in him we didn't - something wonderful.
Unless you've gone to an African American church (anywhere in America) and listened to the passionate sermons coming out of the pulpit that speak to the African American community and their unique situation as citizens here in America, you don't really know your African American neighbor, co-worker, or passers-by on the street.
Everyone knows AAs are not hate-mongerers of any sort. They are loving people who know and carry the weight of their slave ancestors who were oppressed by the American affluent (a sad but honest truth). Just as Jews say, "never again" why can't African Americans.
I am sad that we are in this place to rip down a good man for speaking the truth (albeit passionately) and for trying to make another good man denounce him unfairly.
Research Rev. Wright and the good he's done in Chicago before you make a snap judment based on 30 sec sound bites put together by people who don't understand, don't want to understand and have a different agenda all together.
This man has given thousands of sermons over the course of 30 years "in the name of Jesus and love" and does not sit there and bash America in every sermon.

A Mother's Joy

Why can't a mother be proud? This was my day to shine too!

My daughter was so excited about this day. She talked about it for weeks and was sadly disappointed when the original day of the event was canceled because we had snow. But, today was the rescheduled day and she was full of excitement as she buzzed around getting ready for school this morning. She talked my ear off as I ironed her "white" top and jeans (mandatory event day apparel). "Would they call her name last?," she kept saying to me this morning as she did just about every day leading up to this day. She kept me on my toes by repeating this catch phrase so I'd know she was referring to this day.

Our morning was fairly regular. The 2 year old woke up talking to himself like usual repeating to me and his father that he wanted to get out of his crib. My husband and I usually let him go on until he gets besides himself and we have to tell him it's not time to "wakey upy yet." He usually doesn't like it when we tell him he has to wait a little while longer so he decided to tell me to "shut up." After perseverating on an on, he finally got his way he proceeded downstairs to greet the rest of the crowd.

My 4 year old is usually already downstairs bossing the older two around and seeing what touble he can muster up before me or his father come down. The older two are usually finishing breakfast and getting their lunches packed while they amuse the 4 year old with song or play fighting. He likes it. They usually know they can shut him by getting him something to eat - so they help him out a little with some Cap'n Crunch knowing that ought to keep him out of their hair for a while.

After I get a shower I hear a knock on my door. Not unusual for me as I hear, "Can I come in?" As "the mommy," I'm not entitled to much alone time here at the Amaya Prison Camp - not even after a shower. My children don't believe in waiting for me, especially the little ones who usually bust right in the door. I know they just want to see me, but they don't grasp the concept that I'd like to be alone to at least get my undergarments on in private to spare anyone the grotesque scene of me stuffing and jumping.

Well, anyway so much for privacy my daughter walks in and reminds me of our special day with the usual catch phrase, "I wonder if they'll call me last, I'm so nervous." I knew she was talking about our event today. As it's 8:20 - ten minutes before the bus - I look and see her clothes are are wrinkled, she'wearing brown tennis shoes, and her hair looks a frightful mess - OMG! I can't have my child possibly winning an award in front of 300+ people with wrinkled clothes, brown tennis shoes and messed up bed hair.

We're from the old school where you don't go to the doctors with dirty underwear - so you know I wasn't going to let my daughter's acceptance speech be overshadowed by whispering undertones about wrinkled clothes or tennis shoes that didn't match and messy hair! - my conscience wouldn't let me have a pass on this one. We rushed - I ironed everything, did the hair, changed the shoes to her black sparkly ballet flats - and she looked like a gem! I think we're ready for our close up now, Mr. DeMille!

The smell of coffee is wafting upstairs by now as it does every morning. That lets me know my husband is up and at least managing the 2 and 4 year olds downstairs. I rush my daughter downstairs to catch the bus and kiss everyone goodbye. Now I have to get the little ones ready.

9:15am rolls around - I scarf down a bowl of Cheerios and finally convince myself that the little ones will sit still and behave at the ceremony if I remember to take along enough jellybeans. We get our coats on and leave. My husband can't go b/c he's got some god forsakenly long project that just happens to be due today. Okay, that leaves me and the boys. God, please don't let this outing be an utter mistake. The 2 year old can be very unpredictable sometimes - even when we do remember the bribe.

We get there just in time and I feel like mother goose with her brood following behind as we all hold hands and I keep reminding the 4 & 2 year olds about being good and getting jellybeans. Oh whatever - you've done the same thing, you know what I'm talking about - by any means necessary.

We enter the "All Purpose Room" and take a seat. I wave to Kaylynn as I see her class enter. I see her big smile and I hear her catch phrase in my head, "Ma, I wonder if they'll call my name last." It doesn't register what that really means until the ceremony is about 2/3 over and I've heard 4 other children recite their S.T.A.R.T. essays b/c I'm too busy at my seat trying to keep WWIII from breaking out with my 2 year old as I slide him jellybeans and whisper in his ear to remind him of how good he's being.

I'm halfway trying to listen - thinking they're going in order of classes until I hear the MC call out the last poster winner and I wonder what just happened. He went out of order - they usually call the essay winner first and then the poster winner. And then it finally clicks in my head past the dense fog of empty space that half hears you children when they're really trying to tell you something important - when your mouth goes on automatic pilot and says someting like , "Uh-

Huh, oh yeah, that's great, wow! Now, I finally get it!

This is a REAL essay and poster contest and the winner of the whole entire fifth grade will be called last. So no one really knew who the winner was - she did tell me that (OMG, I can never admit that to her) But I get it now. I saw her name in the program, but I thought they just hadn't called her up yet to recite her essay about her grandmother.

Well, Well, Well, after they call the last poster winner I hear the S.T.A.R.T. teacher tell the audience that they went out of order for a reason. The last child to be called will be the chosen winner of the entire essay contest out of 300+ students. This child will win a $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble, etc, etc, etc...

AND THE WINNER IS.....MY KAYLYNN! She won!

Yes, she was called last! And, I finally got what it meant to her to be called last - my daughter won the essay contest out of all the 300+ children in her fifth grade class. I couldn't believe it. I was so proud of her. And, yes...I cried! I know it's not okay anymore for you to shout out and scream, "THAT'S MY BABY" at school functions, but I really wanted to. I was just that proud.

Why can't mother's be proud anymore and show their inner joy when their child is recognized above others for their excellence? I know all children are special - I have 4 of them and have to make them all feel special (especially 3 of them whose b-days all fall in January (go figure)). But, this was to become one of those "ugly cry" moments for me - a day to remember. A day to put in the scrapbook. One of my crowning moments as "Mom".

My joy of the day!

This is my oldest baby - a winner!

YEAH!!!!!!!! YOU GO GIRL!

DRUGS - In Our Water Supply - Yuck!

I couldn’t believe my eyes yesterday when I read that trace pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics, anti-convulsives, anti-cholesterol, asthma, birth control, heart meds, sex hormones, and mood stabilizers as well as 56 other Rx byproducts were found in the drinking supply of 24 major metropolitan areas across the US (including my own town of NJ). I don’t know about anyone else, but this is alarming and it’s time to take it to the feds in a major way to call for mandatory testing of our water and eradication of these drugs from the water we drink, cook and make our children drink (all in the name of 8 glasses a day!) Every major city from Southern California to Detroit to Louisville, KY was found to have a considerable amount of trace drugs in their water supply and bottled water drinkers weren’t protected from this either. I’ve never been one for the conspiracy theory, but it’s looking more and more like something fishy is up with our nation, gov’t and it’s ties to the pharmaceutical machine - all at the expense of sleeping Americans who are on more drugs than ever before and now will be moreso when you take a swig of your favorite tap water (whether you are already taking drugs for this or that - or not.)
According to the Associated Press, who investigated and issued the story on 03/09/08, it was learned that the “federal gov’t doesn’t require testing of America’s water and hasn’t set safety limits for drugs in the water.” An utter atrocity considering there is a federal mandate to (loosely?) test for microbial wastes, pesticides, PCBs and lead which still mysterioiusly turns up in our drinking supply from time to time. According to the story scientists have voiced concerns over the long-term exposure and effects to humans but stated they are limited to testing for a solution to due lack of federal funds, but recognize there has been negative effects on wildlife. How is it that longterm testing of our water supply has gone to the low end of the todem pole of importance in this highly volatile area but pharmaceutical companies have gotten fast track approval from the FDA on these same drugs that have now made their way into the drinking supply. How was it conveniently overlooked and not a part of the human trial portion of drug testing from the FDA to test the environment and test the long-term effects of the byproducts of some of the most powerful drugs on the market right now [who also just so happen to be at the top of the list amongst the nations top-selling Rx drugs also]. Not to mention how a vast majority of these same meds that were fast track drugs have been either pulled from shelves or locked in multiple law suits for ineffectiveness, damage and loss to human life(?) This is unbelievable and I will be sadly disappointed if Americans all over our vast country don’t rally together and demand a “fast track” solution from the federal government and pharmaceutical companies who are to blame for this atrocity.
I believe a federal mandate should be attached to the fast-track agreement and the entire drug approval process for pharmaceutical companies to put money aside to pay for continuous long-term testing of America’s drinking water and for testing of the environment since they are well aware that only small amounts of these drugs will actually be metabolized into the human body and the other components will be excreted out of the body and naturally be re-introduced back into the environment via reservoirs, rivers and lakes, and watersheds! It’s only comon sense that although these drugs are showing up in trace amounts now in the water supply, that there is certainly going to be a negative combined effect when all of them merge together over time in our water supply. Even now we shouldn’t be surprised that it’s packed a whallop of a punch to humanity and wildlife -as statistics are proving right now. I’ve only been in the medical field for X-number of [many] years working at 5 of the top research hospitals from NY to Seattle with the best researchers in the world to know how this process works and to be this outraged b/c the pharmaceutical companies know exactly what they’re doing and have enough money strategically placed in the places they want and where it’s going to net the highest return for them in their bottom line - PROFITS! It’s also not a big secret how pharmaceutical companies do everything they can to protect their own interest and leave the consumer out to dry in order to satify their shareholders, stock value and profitmargins. So, I guess I should believe the statement provided by microbiologist and pharmaceutical consultant for the Pharmceutical Resesearch and Manufacturers of America, Mr. Thomas White, when he told the AP that there was little to no risk from pharmaceuticals in the environment to human health. Or, maybe I should believe Mary Buzby - director of environmental technology for drug maker Merck & Co., Inc. who said, ”There’s no doubt about it, pharmaceuticals are being detected in the environment and there is genuine concern that these compounds, in the small concentrations that they’re at, could be causing impacts to human health or the aquatic organisms.” I mean who is more to blame here - the consultant who protects the pharmaceutical company because he’s on their payroll and worried about his retirement profile - or the Merck environmentalist who also works for the pharmaceutical company who agrees that there’s a problem, but doesn’t do use her power with Merck to do anything effective about it.
You didn’t hear it from me, but is anyone paying attention to any of the major signs of the decline of human health and the decline of the environment and species within it (within the last 20-30 years) despite the introduction of all these so-called miracle drugs and treatments by the pharmaceutical companies that line the shelves of our major drug stores before we finally accept that we are really facing a considerable crisis to human existence. I know no one listened to Al Gore back in 2000 when he first pointed this out and the forces that be (Bush) thought it best to steal the Presidency from him in order to shush him. Thank God he decided to release his award winning video independently on the subject anyway to get people’s attention - and finally did (however late.) But, this is an outrage to me and I think it’s time for a major change in Washington by someone who is not tied to the environmentalist and pharmaceutical lobbyists money on Capital Hill (Hillary - McCain) so that the pharmaceutical companies can truly be held accountable for once! This is not okay for my family and it shouldn’t be okay for anyone else’s family regardless of race, ethnicity, party preference, nationality, job status, economic status, religion, etc… With things like this going under the rug - nothing will be done and our children’s children will inherit this problem and God only knows what it will be like then. What is it that people are waiting for before they really take a stand - another thalidimide situation where more of our children are born in the millions with more unimaginable and untreatable birth defects, more mental handicaps, reproductive malfunctions that aren’t detected until their adults, or until people are born green with 8 heads? Not that that’s what’s happening now - and you didn’t hear it from me. But, when are we finally going to make the gov’t and the pharmaceutical companies accountable for what they’re doing to the environment and humanity all for the sake of the almighty dollar? I don’t know what you are going to do but I’m going to make my voice heard loud and clear with my vote in November and push for legislation on the grassroots level until something is done!