In response to last week’s Trump-bashing letter: We live in an oligarchy, run by career politicians bought by the multi-nation corporations, globalists, and PACs that control them. We will NEVER take back our country, freedom, and live by the constitution until we take back our federal government, then dismantle it back only to its Constitutional responsibilities and give power back to the States, where we citizens can more effectively oversee and participate in our republic.

It has become much more obvious that our President, Donald J. Trump, is a flimflam man, who everyday creates his own false narrative to feed his megalomanical ego. The startling, yet sad, realization is that the president does not really care about solving issues or closing deals. He cares only about creating a sense of movement, of action, of appearing strong, not weak. The incredible thing is not that two-thirds of the public believe he is lying about his achievements, but that it is not one hundred who believe this. 

An epic anniversary

On behalf of the Swarthmore Public Library (SwPL), I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the community of Swarthmore for their generosity, enthusiasm and heartfelt support of our recent 90th anniversary celebration.

Ah — Memorial Day — hopefully good weather for picnics, yard projects, just enjoying a long, lazy weekend. But why do we really have this springtime long weekend? The hope and expectation is that we will take some time to reflect and maybe even attend a memorial ceremony that honors those who died in wars that our country has fought in in the defense of freedom — both home and abroad.

This year, 2019, marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of P.E.O., an international philanthropic organization that celebrates the advancement of women. This is accomplished by funding women’s education through scholarships, grants, awards, and loans. P.E.O. also supports a four-year college, Cottey College, in Nevada, Missouri.

I thought I could relax and no longer have to read all the labels on dairy products. But then I began reviewing some nutritional pages that talked about the toxicity of tofu and soy (never again) and dairy products. I learned that the milk sold at the Swarthmore Co-op and at Target was rBGH free. I also learned that each rBGH cow produces ten pounds more milk per day, and needs 10% less feed - a big profit incentive for the dairy industry. (Ten years ago they successfully lobbied Harrisburg to pass legislation — since rescinded — making it illegal to label dairy as rBGH free.)

Congratulations and thanks to all of the runners and walkers who participated in last Sunday’s 18th Annual Swarthmore Charity Fun-Fair 5K sponsored by the Swarthmore Lions Club and the Swarthmore Rotary Club. It turned out to be a beautiful day and the storms that had been forecast held off.

I wanted to update you of the work my 4th grade students are doing to help our environment and to save marine animals’ lives. As reported in the April 5 issue of the Swarthmorean, these Wallingford Elementary students began an initiative to limit the damage single-use plastic straws are doing to our environment by reaching out to restaurants and encouraging them to distribute straws on a “request only” basis.

Let’s consider these terms: preferred pronoun. Cisgender. Heteronormativity. LGBTQIA. How many of us would be hard-pressed to explain them accurately, even those of us who express a general solidarity with the LGBT community with rainbow flags, solidarity stickers, or an occasional petition signature?

Recently, I was very fortunate to get a tour of Nick’s House at 200 South Chester Road, at the corner of Harvard Avenue. Cheryl Colleluori, Nick’s mom and president of the house, led two friends and me through the building. Nick, who succumbed to cancer in 2006 at the age of 21, founded the charitable, non-profit Headstrong Foundation with a vision to help people stricken by his disease.