Ken Peterson, MAJ USA (Ret.), of Buchanan gives “kudos to President Biden, Congressional Democrats, and a few Congressional Republicans” for a variety of legislation passed since 2020.
Opinion
Watershed Voice’s Aundrea Sayrie says while reimagining Ariel is a step in the right direction, she has reservations about the upcoming live action adaption.
Watershed Voice columnist Charles Thomas writes, “Having now lived for a half century, I remember a time when things were different. I remember when people who disagreed could have vigorous debate about a topic and then walk away still liking the other person. In short, I remember a time when we were all better at empathy.”
Michigan Advance’s Rick Haglund says, “Michigan’s business-centric approach to economic development is lacking.” But how should the state address this apparent issue? Haglund suggests taking “a more local service-based approach.”
David Hecker writes, “Our lawmakers have the power to relieve this burden, make strides toward closing the racial wealth gap, and preserve higher education as an opportunity for all, rather than a privilege for those who can afford it. It is imperative that they act to cancel student debt — and beyond that, to look toward long-term solutions at the federal and state levels to make higher education more affordable and accessible for all.”
Rick Haglund writes, “Motor vehicles and parts as a percentage of the state’s gross domestic product has fallen from 25% in the late 1960s to about 7% in 2018, according to data compiled by Michigan State University economist Charles Ballard. But the state’s economy needs to become even more diverse.”
WSV’s Nancy Boyd writes about the importance of expressing compassion and empathy toward others.
WSV’s Aundrea Sayrie writes, “I don’t want to see another hashtag. I want to see the dismantling of White Supremacy. It is a monster that is coming for you if you are a person of color, a woman, young, old, poor, or a member of a dispensable marginalized group. Shock, thoughts and prayers… it’s a useless cycle. We need real reform.”
Watershed Voice’s Aundrea Sayrie writes, “Never abandon personal discernment. Not even within the spiritual sect. A person’s title doesn’t always align with their heart posture. Gaslighting can happen in church too. So if you have to leave an environment because it is causing you trauma, leave. Leave the trauma, leave the person(s), leave a trail (by reporting it), but don’t leave God.”
Watershed Voice’s Aundrea Sayrie writes, “Mother’ships’ come in all forms. Grandmothers, aunties, teachers, first ladies, etc. So even if your situation doesn’t look traditional or ideal, hopefully you can still celebrate a special woman in your life. And if it’s been a while, and won’t cause you stress…call your mother.”
WSV’s Nancy Boyd writes, “I find that life surely does not give us any promises that all will be easy, good or fair. Often these days we are so inundated with negativity, hatred and discord, that we may easily find ourselves buried underneath it all. I only know that for me, my faith is the only thing that is predictable, even though it does not come with a guarantee that life will go according to plan.”
WSV’s Charles Thomas writes, “The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu was one of the great spiritual giants of our time, so when I learned that he had once visited our fair city of Three Rivers, I was shocked.”
WSV’s Nancy Boyd writes about embracing the secular and the spiritual aspects of the holiday season.
Nancy Boyd writes about seeking compromise and middle ground in highly polarizing times, and finding a path to those places through a personal relationship with God.
WSV’s Steph Hightree writes, “You know the old saying ‘Money doesn’t grow on trees?’ Well, I have a secret to tell you: They were right, it doesn’t. Let’s talk money in this week’s #MomLife.”
WSV’s Charles Thomas writes, “Denial is considered an unhealthy defense mechanism while suppression is considered healthy. Sure, you could sit around all day and ponder the inevitability of death, but thanks to suppression, most of us are able to put that nasty little detail out of our minds and do the dishes, mow the lawn or write the column. But the denial of death, on the other hand, can lead to people making risky decisions or living what Plato called ‘an unexamined life.’ When it comes to defense mechanisms, it’s important to make the healthy choice.”
WSV Columnist Amy East writes, “In researching my own genealogy, I’ve found a number of ancestors who fought for the idea that all men were created equal in the American Revolution, and some that owned slaves. The movement of my ancestors to Cass County was very near to the time the Potawatomi were forcibly removed. Were they involved? I don’t know. Did they benefit? Without a doubt. But just because this knowledge might make me uncomfortable, or challenge how I’d like to see myself, it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. When you ask ‘what did you learn that you didn’t know before?’ you don’t get to choose if that knowledge aligns with your worldview. That’s the cost of curiosity, my friend.”
Michigan Advance’s Susan J. Demas writes, “We’ve rethought a lot of our ideas about conservation since Yellowstone was established as the nation’s first national park in 1872. Roads were built everywhere to accommodate travelers, often with little regard for the lands that were supposed to be protected. Wildlife was fed for visitors’ amusement, but we’ve sadly learned the toll that’s taken on the parks’ first inhabitants. Stemming the flow of visitors in our busiest parks is a win-win for the environment and weary travelers who will have more space to revel in their majesty.”