Youth Advocacy

Year 3, Week 06 (160 total reports)

17.05.2023-06.06.2023

REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS

Don’t be fooled. The world is not as hateful as the Evangelical, Ultra-Conservative, Right is trying to make it seem. Sadly, it only takes a small group with a fear-filled message to flood the airwaves today.

This Week’s Top Links

06.06.2023

This Gay Teacher Quit After 8.5 Years — And One Thing Pushed Her Over The Edge

https://apple.news/A5M2VgFfOTnWhcTfjj1tCZw

Florida is doing deep and lasting damage to itself in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ maniacal passion to get the State (and now the Country) to hate/fear diverse people.

05.06.2023

America Is Headed Toward Collapse

https://apple.news/Ashvuxi_QSQG1aUiFDdjcoQ

Under the likes of Karl Rove, the GOP learned to exploit a single issue and turn it into a campaign of fear. AI has the potential of exacerbating that technique infinitely and our best defense is being WOKE (mindful and compassionate).

04.06.2023

Here’s How Americans Really Feel About LGBTQ Issues

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/06/03/heres-how-americans-really-feel-about-lgbtq-issues/

Radical, ultra-conservative, evangelicals are in the minority, but their message is passionate and consumed with vitriol. Don’t equate being loud with being a majority.

03.06.2023

Bible Banned in Schools as Book Censorship Backfires Big Time

https://medium.com/backyard-theology/bible-banned-in-schools-as-book-censorship-backfires-big-time-57dfb1846187

I applaud those who used the same tactics that the hateful, right conspiracy is using to ban a book that is full of sex and violence. I will file this under, “What is sauce for the goose…”

02.06.2023

Opinion | America’s Poverty Is Built by Design

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/05/21/theres-a-path-out-of-poverty-00097399

The question that is important to ask when reading through this article is “who benefits from poverty?” One of the reports below examines the alarming trend of the downward life expectancy of the United States. Who benefits by rationing health care? Who benefits from gun violence and, in this issue, who benefits from poverty? One need not look any further than the Republicans farce of a “budget deal” when holding the world economy hostage to pay for Donald Trump’s debts and tax cuts.

01.06.2023

AI Poses ‘Risk of Extinction’ on Par With Pandemics and Nuclear War, Tech Executives Warn

https://apple.news/AJiMWQglRSp-htMJzbm2vaA

The greatest risk is not the technology itself, but its ubiquitous use in social media and the lack of a mindful response. There is another article below that discusses that children taught to be mindful in early grades are far less likely to fall prey to negative social media. While I was typing this blog, an AI-Generated message came into my mailbox asking me to update personal information for a service I have used before. The cover letter looked so legitimate and I had used the business previously. I took a moment to reflect and realized that this was the perfect setup for some devious group to get me to click on their pseudo-web site and upload much of my important data. The problem with AI-generated messages is that they look so familiar and appeal to our interests. That’s NO accident. Mindfulness helps us teach young people; be vigilant and always verify your sources.