We know what divides us, now it's time to find what unites us!

Republican and Democratic Conventions are over and have succeeded in showing clearly what issues deeply divide our people.  No matter what candidates win the presidency, seats in congress, or governorships, we can look forward to the same governmental stalemates that have plagued our country for the last four years.  Can we overcome our divisiveness and focus on what we can agree on?  Gramma Sez “We can agree and unite to create a society based on caring and sharing.” Come to the Us for Precedent Unconventional Convention on Oct 14 at Presence Studio in Bellingham and let’s find out what we can agree on and take actions together for meaningful change. Are we willing to look at our own values and attitudes and change our “consumer lifestyles”? These are the questions that the Unconventional Convention will be addressing.
Here's a link to the Facebook event.  Hope to see you on Oct 14 -http://www.facebook.com/events/508911599137553/ 

Feelings about Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a holiday that celebrates the traditional tasks of women in the context of meeting the needs of their families. Mothers make sure their children have food, water, clothes, shoes, shelter, and sanitation.  Mothers make sure their children share toys with siblings and friends, settle sibling disputes, and decide time-outs.  Our Mothers teach us to respond politely to requests, to make friends from other families, and to go to school.  They provide care for sick family members including most elder care and last, but not least, they teach us to love our family members.
     If we look at the word's problems, the listing above describes the same tasks that on a societal scale need to be addressed by governments. In country after country, including the USA, large budget cuts are being proposed in these "caring" areas. We need governing to be "motherly" with caring, sharing, cooperation, peace and love as its goals. Our Constitution describes it as "provide for the General Welfare."
   Women all over the world are raising their voices and are demanding to be heard.  It is time for us to be equally represented at all levels of government. Gramma sez: Moms and Grandmothers know what "needs doing" for the families of the world. Let's organize a companion government and see what we can do together.  (More about this idea later.) Until then - Happy  Mother's Day.

Occupy Bellingham

When the Occupy Movement spread throughout the country and to other countries, I felt I must watch, learn and evaluate what was happening. These are some of the things I learned:

1) Occupiers called to our attention by marching and encampments that 1% of "Rich" people control the resources of our country. They protested "inequality" in a way that no other political party nor organization had.

2) The protest methods were practiced by only a small minority of the 99% of us. The suggestion to take your money out of big banks and put it in local banks and credit unions was an idea that caught on in our community and others as well.

3) The march and encampment protest method was literally stopped by police (who were paid for by the taxes of the 99%) with riot gear, tear gas, rubber bullets and batons. These violent methods were used to stop the Occupy movement encampments in almost every city in the country.

4) People of the 99% who did not visit an Occupy encampment, did not have the opportunity to experience the warmth and community spirit created in the encampments.  Although, the middle class is being hurt by the greed of corporate America, they were conspicuously absent from the marches and events.  Why didn't we turn out in large numbers to protect the protestors in their encampments?  This is the question that keeps arising in my heart.

5. Encampments used democratic procedures in regular weekly "General Assemblies" where the encampment members discussed issues and moved to consensus about further actions. See a link which demonstrates the unique hand signals to speed and clarify discussions.  http://youtu.be/2xV3zTlgu3
Also, "Check Mike" was a procedure where the words of one voice were repeated by all voices so that microphones were not necessary.

6) It was apparent to me that the response of our local government to Occupy Bellingham was no different then the threat of  or use of violence against protestors in our country and also in countries all over the world - Egypt, Libya and Greece.

7) Our community, as well as other communities in our own country, must look at the fact that violence has been and still is the way that protest in our so-called democratic country has been squelched.

The movment of protest and actions to remedy the unfair  accumulation of enormous wealth of 1% OF OUR COUNTRYMEN  have only just begun!

My 80th Birthday Party

On October 14th, 2011 I had a marvelous 80th birthday celebration combined with a presentation of the basic values and goals of Us for Precedent. During my explanation I stressed the importance of recognizing our role of treating each person as part of the human family. I then asked my guests this question: "Will you be a member of my family?" I was given a resounding yes answer. Then I asked "Who is the one to make the change in the way we treat each other?" Half the guests said "I am the one" and the other half said "You are the one". Next,each half reversed their answers.

Since my "Coming out Party" I haven't written a word or shot a video- nada - about Us for Precedent. Occupy Wall St. came to life and I decided to listen and learn about this movement. I went on an Occupy Bellingham trip to Olympia in "Rave Queen", my campaign home. After some amazing interviews with Occupy Seattle members we were getting into Rave when I fell backwards out of its entrance and broke a vertebra in my back and shook up some ribs. Since then, I've been in constant pain and felt as if I had backed out of my own dream work of being a "Precedent".

Since the fall I've been working on my pain and anger. All of sudden I needed to be "taken care of". This realization came to me both as a drag and a gift. I've had to change the way I look at myself. The last three months have been the toughest challenges to my self-esteem and spiritual growth that I've ever had! I've had to ask myself the same question I posed at my party. "Am I the one to help renew the spirit of the Disunited State of America by "being the change". Once again I feel ready to say "I am the One" in answer to the question...Now I ask you to say aloud: "I am the One." Let our united hearts be the voice of our society. Love, Serene

GRAMMA ASKS: WILL YOU RUN Us FOR PRECEDENT WITH ME?

A new idea – the Us for Precedent Campaign – will be launched at an event that also celebrates the 80th birthday of well-known community activist and teacher, Serene Stevenson.  For over four decades, Serene has studied and taught some of the “hows” of being a peaceful, happy, positive person. She feels that the problems of our times demand a vision that unites and inspires us to make the personal and community changes that acknowledge the connection and equality of ALL peoples.  
On her new BLOG, Ms. Stevenson presents her ideas as the character of a ‘Gramma’ who seeks truth with candor and humor. Gramma Sez - let us start with the old adage: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”. It’s a simple basic value agreed upon by every religion. Just imagine how different life would be using this ideal as a standard for relationships. 
The concept of Us for Precedent is about You and Me, all of Us, reaching a united state of agreement to learn to live at our highest level of consciousness. The Us for Precedent Campaign is a model for a different quality of political conversation and will suggest collective actions that will open up new ways of living together.  It encourages us to act as our own representatives and prove to ourselves and the world that as Americans, we can and will agree to realize at all levels of government the ideal of truly caring about the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for ALL citizens.  
A key element in the Us for Precedent platform is agreeing to love as motivation for all our actions. Gramma sez “If you and I can agree to model this principle in our daily lives, we can then set a precedent for a new kind of self-governing.”  It is Gramma's hope that politicians of all parties re-examine their motives for wanting to govern and commit to the Platform <http://grammasez.blogspot.com/2011/02/us-for-precedent-platform.html>  of the Us for Precedent campaign.  Because Bellingham is already on the path of transition and sustainability, it is the perfect community to demonstrate the ‘how’ of living in harmony with the earth and each other.  Our city can be a ‘precedent’ of a vibrant community by agreeing, uniting and taking collective actions to remedy problems we haven’t tackled yet.  
Gramma has just purchased an RV and is getting ready to take her campaign to neighborhoods around Bellingham and the region. She wants to answer people’s questions about the Campaign and hear their suggestions for solving problems. She also hopes to meet and interview other ‘Precedents’ who are implementing creative change.  She will be posting these videos on her BLOG and YouTube channel so others will be excited to try new ideas.
Gramma Sez – “Let our united hearts be the voice of our society.”

Wall Street Protestors

Why are the young, peaceful protestors being treated violently and arrested by the NYC police?  Each of us needs to consider the answer to this question.  What are the rest of us going to do?  The major news networks are not covering the story.  As Eisenhower warned the industrial/military complex is totally in charge. We live in an America controlled by a very greedy, power hungry 1% of our population.  A country ruled  by the wealthy is a plutocracy not a constitutional republic. Capitalism is not about profit - it is about profiteering. We are no longer citizens - we have become cloned consumers.  Gramma Sez we have some very deep soul searching to do together. We have allowed ourselves to be ruled by our own belief  in the Almighty dollar.  Our people are confuse, depressed, out of work, hungry and angry. It is time for us to remember who we are an exercise our spiritual power.  We have an extraordinary opportunity to recognize that if we value each other and choose to care and share we will meet this challenge to change our personal direction and thus change the direction of our country.

Gramma's "Love Yourself" Breath Excercises

     Finally, with the help of my friend, Emily,  I have made videos of four simple breathing exercises you can try.  They are designed to help you unlearn old, unconscious  breathing habits and bring to your awareness how easy it is to energize, soothe and calm yourself with a full breath. Practice with the videos taking a full inhale and exhale.   Now you will know how to breathe consciously "to pull yourself together" and experience your body, heart and mind in a united state of consciousness.

     These first videos will be focused on ways to accomplish the number one agreement of the Us for Precedent personal changes already listed on this blog. The idea is that by trying the suggestions that will be offered for each agreement you will test if they work . Then if you teach your friends what you've learned, we can begin a wave of change that supports the evolution of consciousness.

Why Do We Allow the Big Banks to Bilk Us?

  I received a letter from Card Member Service informing me of a change in my credit card account. My APR was being "revised" from 8.99% to 12.99%. Naturally, I wondered why since I pay the minimum required or more and am not late.. I read further and was astonished at the blatancy of the  following statement: "The change in the APR on your credit card Account was made as a result of a review of your Account and our decision was based on the net level of profitability on the Account."

 Banks can borrow money at 0%. My savings account earns .15%. The bank uses my money and offers me a credit card at 12.99%. Do the math - who is being served here? Have you noticed similar changes in your account?

Do you know the profits of the "poor" banks that we bailed out? Here is one example: Bank of America received a  $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS last year, although it made $4.4 billion in profits and received a bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department of nearly $1 trillion.  The question we all have to  ask is: Why do we put up with a banking system that is so clearly "taking us to the cleaners"? What are your ideas for change? I'm looking at my credit card habit.

"The Freedom Riders"

Fifty years ago the “Freedom Riders” boarded busses to Mississippi as a first step to stop segregation in transportation and lavatories. It was a small group of black and white young people trained in non-violence who risked their lives and forced the Kennedy administration to take action about segregation.

On May 17^th a documentary film commemorating their bravery will be aired on PBS’s program “The American Experience.” Even if you know about the “Freedom Riders,” watch this film. It is deeply moving to witness the sacrifices they made to overcome deep-seated racial hatred and violence.

Young peaceful protesters in many Middle Eastern Countries are in the streets, crying out for freedom from oppressive dictators. Many have already given their lives. Americans are again on the march also. Protests to protect their right to collective  bargaining, to make choices about their own bodies, the treatment of immigrants, profiteering corporations and other infringements of rights and freedom. Change comes with commitment, action and love. Gramma Sez “let our united hearts be the voice of our society.”

 The film premiers on PBS on May 16th at 9pm/8pm central. Go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/ for more information.

Grandmother Revolution

What fun to tune into Patch Adams again and find out that he is urging us to make the same change that Gramma Sez is needed! We all know what the problems are and they are painful. What I love is Patch's emphasis on the 'how' of making the change. As a woman I know there is nothing more joyful than helping people to solve their problems and find happiness. Our world won't survive unless we become more loving and willing to share and care about each other. Let's join Patch in living this dream together.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF 'PRECEDENT'?

Be a Model   Take the Lead   Be First
YOU CAN DO IT - BE A PRECEDENT

 A Precedent makes changes in one’s own life and is a model citizen. Precedents are leaders in their communities with new ideas about how to participate in self-governing.

There is a demand by people all over the world to change  to more  democratic governments. Their revolutions are being televised and we are witnessing violence an civil wars as part of the changes.

America had its revolution and a Civil War. Now in our country the President can't make the many changes he says he wants to make. The Congress is stalemated. The Supreme Court has a business bias. The corporations, billionaires and millionaires are really in charge. We’ve been asleep, apathetic, depressed and/or just plain cloned by advertising in the media to be good consumers and workers rather than vocal, active citizens.  Gramma Sez it's time for an evolution - a make-over instead of a take-over.  We can begin by insisting that sharing and caring about our welfare be the major role of  local, state and federal governments. This evolution will be "internalized." We can communicate and come to agreements because of the technology we have now and then act together to make the changes we want. We can form a companion government based on a new idea for Us being involved.

Who is going to make this happen??? Why you and me – Us –  by first acting collectively  to change our own attitudes toward one another. We can learn to participate in governing  besides just voting and expecting others to make it happen.    

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Gramma Announces She is Running Us For Precedent!

Last week our President, Barack Obama, announced that he is beginning his campaign for re-election.  His campaign chest is purported to become $1,000,000,000 - one billion dollars!  The Republicans also have several possible candidates, some of whom are very wealthy. We don’t need money to be the determinant of who runs for office, who runs our government or who runs our lives. We also don’t need vitriolic attacks based on making an opponent look bad when power is the real goal and not the welfare of the people. That’s why I’ve decided that now is the time to announce the launching of a new kind of campaign called - Us for Precedent. 

This campaign is a model for a different quality of political conversations and actions that acknowledge the connectedness and equality of all human beings without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, education, class or sexual persuasion.We must immediately act as our own representatives to prove to ourselves and the world that as Americans we can agree to realize the ideal of a government that truly cares about the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of ALL its citizens.  Every major religion in the world says the same thing in different words - that we must do unto others, as we would have others do unto us.  Imagine 2012 State and Federal budgets based on this universal principle!

If you and I can agree to model this principle in our daily lives, then we can set a precedent for a new kind of self-governing society that is truly democratic.  It is Gramma's hope that politicians of all parties will re-examine their motives for wanting to govern and commit to the Platform of the Us for Precedent campaign.

To join the Us for Precedent campaign add your email to my mailing list in the column to the right of this posting or follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Let Us be the change to realize the American dream.

Am I the Best Person I Can Be?

The process of personal change begins the moment you recognize that you want  to change and are willing to take an action or actions to find out if the "doing"  you've decided to try works. The first of the Us for Precedent goals asks "Do I feel good about Myself?" and "Do I feel good about You?".   On this blog I'm going to make some suggestions  that you can practice to see if your answer to both questions can remain yes.  The actions described are simple and practical.  Watch and learn from the instructional videos and become your own model or precedent for change.

US FOR PRECEDENT AGREEMENTS

Us for Precedent

A Process of Creating a United State

As a Precedent I agree to make the following changes and commitments:

My Personal Changes – I Agree to:

1.     LOVE of self and others as the motivation for my actions.

2.    TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for daily maintenance of a healthy, happy lifestyle.

3.    RECOGNIZE and HEAL my part in family problems, grudges and divorces.

4.    PARTICIPATE in the lives of elders (relatives and neighbors) and honor their right to grow old with dignity and in safe happy environments.

5.    BUY and SELL locally to support sustainable community economies including using local banks and credit unions.

6.    CARE for the earth as my personal home.

My Community Commitments – I Will Act to See That My Local Government:

1.     GIVES top priority to the physical and emotional needs, the learning opportunities and safe recreational facilities for our children.

2.     SHARES community resources so that each person has food, shelter, and opportunities to learn and work.

3.     ACKNOWLEDGES the connectedness and equality of all human beings without regard to age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, education, class, or sexual persuasion. 

4.     HONORS all veterans and their families with the personal understanding and services they need to lead peaceful lives.

5.     IDENTIFIES those persons endangered by violence, domestic abuse or neglect.

State/ National Actions – I Will Raise My Voice to My Legislative Representatives to:

1.    INSIST that each person in every country has the right to water, food, sanitation, shelter and the pursuit of happiness.

2.    DEMAND that the resources located in a country be used for the general welfare of the people of that country and not be exploited by large corporations.

3.    SELECT JUDGES from candidates not identified by political party or religion and require that all funds for their campaigns be public information.

4.    PROHIBIT seeds from being owned by a corporation and protect seeds that are the result of a farmer’s harvest.

Activate a circle of friends to join you in working toward realizing the goals of Us for Precedent.

DOES KING MONEY RULE YOU?

Gramma Sez:

It is time for KING MONEY to be
DETHRONED and
EARTH OUR MOTHER
Be RESTORED As
QUEEN of LIFE on the Planet!

GETTING STARTED

The first Us for Precedent Party happened on Sunday, Jan. 30th. We considered the Party Platform, decided on some changes, and will present the final draft by the end of this week.  We shot an hour of video defining the mission of Us for Precedent, explaining the Platform and presenting some start-up  Gramma raps. The editing process will help clarify our format. We will meet again next Sunday at 3:00 at my house. Just wanted you to know we welcome your energy and creativity in this planning and strategy phase! Gramma Sez the time for us to commit to evolving our consciousness consciously is NOW.

''I SHALL NOT HATE''

This morning Amy Goodman interviewed Izzeldin Abuelaish about his new book,  "I Shall Not Hate: A  Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity."  Please go to Democracy Now and listen to her conversation with this extraordinary man. I don't have words to describe the dimensions of pain he has experienced in his life or the spiritual strength with which he views it.  I can only say that his nobility touched my soul and I wept to begin the day with the inspiration of  his courage and humanity. We must stand for truth with him.

The Unrealized Dreams of Martin Luther King

Yesterday I attended the 20th ceremony celebrating the life and dreams of Martin Luther King Jr. held by citizens of Bellingham, Washington.  It was sweet and inspirational. There was not an outside guest speaker this year.  Instead key servants of this community - members of the Lummi nation, the Mayor, and ex-Mayor, a middle school teacher, a  city council member, President of the Peace and Justice Center, and an author - spoke with humility and gratitude for the leadership of  this amazing American! I must also mention a 40+ volunteer chorus who sang with all their hearts lovely. spirited music.  There was a call for other citizens and young leadership to step forward and help keep this tradition alive. Distributed at the event was a copy of highlights from King's less familiar Riverside Church speech against the Vietnam War and about "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today - my own government...If America's soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read: Vietnam." Let me add Iraq and Afghanistan,  This is a major aspect of unfinished business we must attend to.  We are teaching violence to our children with TV programs, inter-net games, vitriolic rhetoric, availability of guns and in our families with ugly divorces. We have unfinished business to attend to -let's get busy! I'll have more to say tomorrow about where I feel we can start to make "the change".

The Beginning

This is a picture taken at my 79th birthday party.  I have given myself the year 'til my 80th birthday to materialize the vision I have been holding for forty years and share with many others.
This vision is to create a wave of consciousness that is necessary for us to heal ourselves and others and to protect life on our planet Earth, so that negativity does not continue to separate us.  When you and me-US, begin to work together, we can achieve a United "State" of America.
"US For Precedent" is each of us taking the steps to make personal changes that will inspire a different, more evolved consciousness in our nation, and world, so that we may be the best people... and know what it is to be all that we can be as human beings.  It's a time for creativity, new ideas, and a joy that inspires us to celebrate each day as a step towards better life for all.
I hope this blog will stimulate and inspire us to have a creative discussion about "the hows" this can take place.