I worked Tuesday, in the rain, as a poll watcher (and it took a week of phone calls to different election boards before I found someway to be used - Independents aren't desired - you HAVE to be a party member. Among the people, all women, who were banished to outside the 100 yard limit of the poll was an older woman who I recognized quickly as not well. In talking to her, I found that she had battled cancer. Jean became cold, occasionally she napped in my van. She worked the entire voting day to pass out literature for her party. Even though the rest of us were supposed to be non-partisan, if Jean wasn't up to the task at the moment, we made sure her flyer was distributed. I was just in awe of her - that despite her infirmities, she was still doing what she believed in and for.

Is there something in your life that you can be that passionate for and dedicated to that you truly stand-up for what you believe?

I think I've been spending the last three days doing this homework!

I've come down to a few basics:

1. The separation of church and state. Faith is personal, laws are not.

2. Educating people about the importance of protecting the rights guaranteed by the constitution and it's amendments. Under this heading goes gay rights and fighting sections of the Patriot Act. While this may sound liberal, I think it's actually ultra-conservative and in the spirit of defending our basic rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness..

3. Free access to clear and truthful information. This is sort of media reform and government watching.

4. Health education, especially nutrition and exercise.

5. Abortion. Too many moderates have sat by quietly while this issue is discussed openly only be extremists. It's time we spoke out for common sense and compromise. There are positive avenues towards reducing abortion without depriving women of their rights--and these actually involving protecting other rights. We can only prevetn abortion by addressing its root causes.

And that's the short list.

alli

Along with mental illness issues, which directly affect me, my passion are the children. I work with kids whose parents or another family member have abused them. I do play therapy so that the therapist can watch them unaware. It is very sad sometimes to see how their real lives affect their play. I go to the ER's to pick them up after they've been "put back together" as if that ever happens. I go to court with them, when it is their turn to tell what has happened to them. I fight for them, hold them, cry for them, and pray constantly as if they were my own kids. Even these kids are our future....if we don't take care of them, what will our world be like?

D, you and I have much in common. As a person who suffers from mental illness, but appears and acts "normal" on the outside, I fight with the fiercenss of a cougar for those like myself.
I have Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD and chronic depression. Yet, I can hold a job, for awhile, have a family, take care of them and myself. I have two Masters degrees in education and counseling, yet I can't work because of my mental illness. I thank you for your support in this area. It's tough on the inside to deal with people who think you are faking it.

CJ

I can't imagine not teaching after school band. Not to toot my own horn (pun intended )I don't put in to be paid. There are 1200 kids and 20 teachers in the program and we have to do a huge fundraiser to raise $60,000 to pay for the 24 week program. It is not paid for by the district. My volunteer hours mean an extra week of class for every kid districtwide AND other instructors (mostly college students) who REALLY need the cash get an extra week of pay.

I know that I have made a big difference in some kids lives.

Though I am not politically active in this arena, I have been a vocal supporter of gay rights for many years (most of my close friends are gay men). I have lost several close friends and countless acquaintances to AIDS since the early 80s, so I have also been outspoken about that subject.

Until recently, I volunteered every year at my workplace on World AIDS Day to help coordinate a collection of toys, clothes and toiletries for people with AIDS and their children. I've marched in the Annual March on Washington, I've made quilt panels for friends who have died, and have tried my best to educate people who have not had exposure to the gay community or AIDS.

My best friend and I have laughed about my being "The Gay Answer Lady" at work in the 80s and 90s. Coworkers would ask me all manner of things...the myths and misinformation about homosexuality and AIDS are overwhelming...and, while people sometimes treated me differently because of it (and, in fact, I suspect that long-term mistreatment from a supervisor was related to it), it was very rewarding to be able to send someone forward in their lives a little less ignorant of these topics.

My best friend is the most spiritual person I know. He talks alot about his purpose on Earth and making sure he meets it. I once said to him I felt like I hadn't found my purpose. He said, "I think you already did. Just think how many people are walking around DC more informed and maybe even less homophobic because you had the guts to speak out." It would be wonderful to think I had even a small part in that.

I've taken a few slings & arrows as a result of my unashamed attitude at mental illness. Even though it resulted in a temporary job loss, I'm still glad I spoke up & told the truth, rather than hiding it. People aren't expected to hide their cancer, pneumonia, or diabetes. People with diabetes aren't told they're lazy, ineffective, or just need to get over themselves (well, they might be, but on a case by case basis, not in broad generalizations). Employers don't hesistate to give people days off for chemotherapy, but try asking for a few hours off for counseling.

There are some places I make a conscious decision to boycott and avoid, but this isn't the place I want to get into that

D