Nature Inside

Daily Note: Community

Every day, a photograph, a poem. In our rural area, we are fortunate to have a fairly new medical center. It’s an example of the community pulling together in many ways— through citizens, public minded non-profits, local businesses, local politicians, and the voice of the people proclaimed in the press. And it is an example of refusing to be institutionalized, but rather encourage hope through the artful architecture and interior design, which captured the place of our community in its design and colors. Hence, this poem and photo.

Poetry

Nature Inside

Outside the rock walls
In basalt columns and yellow lichens
Below the fields of amber grain
Above the golden tufts of prairie grass
Are the stuff of nature inside
In lines and squares of such
Browns and yellows and gold
To match the view outside.

Sheri Edwards
111021 31436521
Poetry/Photography

Disunity

Unfortunately, that community spirit forging progress with individuals, businesses, and the press that saved our old hospital and rebuilt it— that spirit is gone with Trump and Covid. We are like this article in the Seattle Times about a town south of us: Dayton, WA. We are disrupted, divided, and depressed as a community— no longer the “we,” but rather the “me” of an inability to see a way through together. Fortunately, our hospital is still viable— filled with caring workers, though some have left.

Misinformation is rampant, but our civic leaders, conservative and progressive, are at least functioning, which is better than most communities surrounding us.

A reposting of support to fight misinformation.

From previous post: Day 562

What can we do about misinformation?

There’s a way to quickly check the facts:

• SIFT: The Four Moves
• SIFT: Short Public Course sponsored by the National Writing Project
• New York Times: Don’t Go Down The Rabbit Hole
• Inside Higher Ed: Getting Beyond the CRAAP Test
• University of Oregon research guide: Fake News/SIFT

Be Aware: How is misinformation spreading?

Articles that explain the issues:

• The New Yorker: The Fight Against Vaccine Misinformation / Anna Russell
• Nature: Measuring the impact of COVID-19 misinformation on vaccination intent in the UK and USA
• Mother Jones: A Wildly Popular App for Churches is Now an Anti-Vax Hotbed
• KPBS: How Churches are Influencing Vaccine Decisions
• NPR: Religious Leaders Play a Key Role in People’s Decision to Get Vaccines or Wear Masks

Where do I get accurate information?

Links to accurate information:

• Washington State Department of Health/Covid-19
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/ vaccine information
• University of Washington / Coronavirus / Vaccine
• University of Washington Medicine / Coronavirus / Vaccine

I heard even vaccinated people spread COVID: Get the Facts

Another bit of misinformation spreading around, and something worth sharing: 

No. Vaccinated people do not transmit the virus at the rates or intensity of the unvaccinated.

Here’s some info from the Atlantic: The Vaccinated Are NOT Just As Likely To Spread COVID

Get vaccinated, please. Save lives.

I hope this information helps guide you in these difficult times for planet earth.