Greetings from the Other

Although I'm a bit less acerbic than our cranky editor, I wanted to chime in here with my list of New Year's Resolutions... not just for things I would like to change but that I would like to see the country embrace in 2004:

* Trust the mainstream media less and do our research more to understand what is going on; this country is involved in a tremendous amount of issues both here and abroad and we can no longer trust the media to try to keep us apprised in a fair and balanced way (oh dear, Fox will sue me)

* Better appreciate that issues are not always black and white

* See ourselves more as a responsible community and identify ourselves less by our divisions (GOP vs. Dem, black vs white vs Latino vs.., Christian vs. Jew vs. Muslim vs....)

* Think more, watch reality TV less

* Have a much better voter turnout in 2004; voting is a primary responsibility in a representative democracy

* Not just grin and bear the intolerable; whether the injustice is being visited upon ourselves or others

* Use our First Amendment privilege strongly and wisely

* For those who believe in a higher power, perceive Him, Her, or It as more compassionate than we are and that the best gifts tendered to us were our minds and our free will; such gifts should not be squandered

* Understand that a "recovery" of any type can only help so much if that recovery is not offered to all

* Listen more carefully to voices different from our own

* Treat each day as a fresh opportunity with which to learn and to grow