May is the month we feature Do Gooders—those amazing individuals who set shining examples of how we can make a difference in the world. Yonkers Historian Mary Hoar is a Woman For All Seasons. She shows us how the essence of true community building is working with both children and their parents. “When kids see their parents valuing education, it helps kids overcome some of their own obstacles.” For a complete list of Mary’s accomplishments, her official bio is included, but know this: her handiwork is both visible and invisible. There are things she has accomplished from behind the scenes to benefit the community that will never garner an award or a mention. Barbara Lloyd McMichael writes about Carol Hosler, a retired Episcopal priest, who felt called by the Holy Spirit to counter social and political injustice with compassion, justice, and joy. She along with other like-minded people of conscience have formed the group “Seniors for the Constitution.” Annie Searle’s reflective essay Beyond the Pale reminds us that the times we are living in are far from normal. It’s time to step up! How do we choose good over evil? Think about it! Some of this month’s book suggestions might inspire you. –Patricia Vaccarino
A Woman For All Seasons by Patricia Vaccarino
Yonkers Historian Mary Hoar is a tireless public servant who has devoted her life to supporting her community. Her accomplishments are manifold. A dizzying array of public and private projects makes one wonder how she gets all of these things done.
No More Sitting Around- Heeding a Call to Action by Barbara Lloyd McMichael
Carol Hosler may be a retired clergy member, but her faith in the Golden Rule remains strong. When asked for parting advice on how to do good in the world, she replies with a smile, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Beyond the Pale by Annie Searle
Most of what I’m writing about this month is beyond the pale, which means it’s “bizarre, outside the bounds of civilized behavior.” The behavior of the Trump administration is corrupt and no respecter of the rule of law or of the principle of checks and balances.
Truth in Journalism: Matt Kramer by Patricia Vaccarino
On the Cape Falcon Trail in Oregon’s Oswald West State Park, there is a memorial to the journalist Matt Kramer. His integrity in journalism made a difference in the world. One person can, indeed, make a difference!
A Judge Bans Trump’s Authoritarian Orders – Will SCOTUS? by Nick J. Licata
“No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue,” U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell wrote in a 102-page opinion. Howell was referring to Trump punishing a law firm that a president, without evidence of the firm violating a law, ordered the government to cancel their contracts and to block their employees from entering government buildings, interacting with government officials, or being hired for government jobs.
Trump’s Blitzkrieg Rolls Over Liberal Law Firms by Nick J. Licata
It took six weeks for the German Army to trample over France. In roughly the same period, President Donald Trump scattered his biggest legal opponents into disarray by issuing over a hundred Executive Orders. The key to both victories, although short-lived for one and still to be decided for Trump, was having a plan and executing it quickly.