owards
by Winslow Myers
528 words
The president was quick to label the latest mass shooters cowards. This seems like an oddly careless, even Orwellian, use of the word, because it implies that there is a courageous way, as opposed to a cowardly one, to act out hatred. The late cultural critic Susan Sontag rightfully got herself into hot water when she argued that the 9-11 hijackers were not cowards because they were willing to die for a cause. But killing innocent people randomly in churches, mosques, and malls or by smashing airplanes into buildings seems pretty far outside the uncertain territory between cowardice and courage that most of us occupy.
If we’re honest with ourselves, very few people have gotten through life without moments of cowardice. Even fewer know for certain how they might react in the future when extreme courage is called for. It is easy to pretend that we would rise to the occasion, but sometimes we just don’t. I was sitting in the low bleachers to the left of home plate at a Red Sox game when a foul ball came flying in the direction of myself and partner. Much as my fantasy might have been that I would gallantly interpose myself between her and the ball, I ducked.
As did the president in the aftermath of El Paso and Dayton. He was offered a ripe opportunity to stop kissing the butt of the self-important NRA and lead on the sensible gun safety reforms that more than 80 percent of the electorate favor. Given this perfect opportunity for a profile in courage, he punted. We got not just retreaded bromides but nauseating hypocrisy. Wasn’t the president who addressed the nation in his patently insincere teleprompter mode the same demagogue who laughed when someone in the audience at one of his rallies shouted that immigrants should be shot?
Courage can be as instinctive as cowardice, as in the case of the inhumanly heroic Kendric Castillo, who died rushing directly at the mass murderer in the Highlands Ranch school shooting. But raw courage for most of us means being as brave as we can in spite of fear, hesitation, and ambivalence. As the painter Georgia O’Keeffe said, “Sure I’m afraid. I’m afraid all the time. I just never let it stop me.”
Our public spaces have become fearful theaters of war. Supposed leaders prefer to divide the body politic to remain in power and carry on as if prosperity equaled peace. Meanwhile we tolerate the utter shame of spooked kids having to rehearse mass shooter drills in their classrooms.
The president has to know that there are too many assault rifles that are too accessible to too many angry people, and that he himself has stoked that anger—grounds by itself for impeachment and trial. As the columnist Nick Kristof has repeatedly argued, we could make huge inroads into mass shootings if we banned such weapons, adopted universal background checks, and licensed all guns as we license the privilege of owning and driving cars. So far, Mr. McConnell and his Senate colleagues remain in servile lock-step with our boorishly maladroit leader. Their inaction drips with too many layers of innocent blood. Cowards.
–end–
Winslow Myers, the author of “Living Beyond War: A Citizen’s Guide,” serves on the Advisory Board of the War Preventive Initiative, and is a member of Rotary. The opinions expressed here are his own and do not represent official Rotary policy.
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Salt Lake City, UT - Medicare beneficiaries are being targeted by scam companies claiming that Medicare will fully cover the costs of genetic testing and cancer screenings. Instead, these businesses may steal the identities of their victims, or end up billing them significant sums when Medicare inevitably does not cover the testing. BBBs in several states have joined with their local government and private non-profit offices to warn consumers against “free” genetic testing and cancer screening scams.
Scammers reach out through phone calls, health fair booths, stands at grocery stores or pharmacies, and door-to-door visits at senior living homes or senior centers. They might set up meetings like ice-cream socials or other events to lure in victims. The scammers offer free genetic testing and cancer screenings, taking only insurance information in return; however, these tests are not free! Genetic testing and cancer screenings need to be ordered by a primary care physician. Scammers take your private Medicare information, which can lead to identity theft or fake billing scams.
The Utah Senior Medicare Patrol and the Senior Health Insurance Information Program have released several documents to help make consumers aware of this scam. Darren Hotton, Program Director, told BBB this scam surfaced in 2015 and has gotten worse within the last year.
The Nevada Senior Medicare Patrol reached out to BBB Serving Northern Nevada and Utah, advising beneficiaries to ask their doctors if genetic testing is medically necessary for them and to turn away anyone that offers “free” or “no cost” genetic testing or cancer screening.
Medicare beneficiaries can avoid this scam by adhering to the following tips:
Don’t give your DNA away to strangers. Beware of anyone advertising free genetic testing and cancer screenings. Check with your doctor first!
Don’t give out your Medicare or Social Security numbers.
Verify credentials. Make sure whoever you work with is who they say they are.
Verify coverage. Medicare only covers tests and procedures that are medically necessary and ordered by your doctor.
Look for unfamiliar charges on your Medicare Summary Notice statements. Call if you see any tests or screenings that you did not want or that weren’t ordered by your doctor.
If you have been approached by Genetic Testing scammers, you should report them to Utah Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-877-808-2468 and to BBB Scam Tracker.
ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust. In 2018, people turned to BBB more than 173 million times for BBB Business Profiles on nearly 5.4 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. Today, BBB serving Northern Nevada and Utah is supported by just over 4,500 Accredited Businesses that have voluntarily committed to adhere to BBB’s Standards of Trust.
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WEEK 1: SET UP SMART ACCOMMODATIONS
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FIND YOUR ANCHOR BENEFIT CONCERT
SET TO TAKE PLACE AUGUST 12
AT OVATION IN CHICAGO, IL
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT FIND YOUR ANCHOR AND ITS SUICIDE
PREVENTION, AWARENESS, AND EDUCATION MOVEMENT
FEATURED ON THE MIGHTY & MASHABLE
AUGUST 7, 2019 - Find Your Anchor, a grassroots movement aimed at suicide prevention, awareness and education, has announced its second official benefit concert, set to take place next week from 7 to 10PM on Monday, August 12 at Ovation in Chicago, IL. Tickets are available now for $80: ticketstripe.com/findyouranchor. All proceeds will benefit Find Your Anchor.
The benefit concert will feature an open bar courtesy of Revolution Brewing, food vendors, a performance by The Hacky Turtles, surprise guests and speakers, and more. Last year's concert raised $6,000 for the organization.
The physical form of Find Your Anchor is a small blue box packed with various materials designed to inspire, soothe and offer support. These boxes are then planted in public places (the library, the Vegas strip, etc.) to be found by those in need; specifically, those close to suicide in one way or another. The boxes are intended to be organic in the sense that each person can add to the box their own inspiration and anchors before passing it along. These boxes are meant to feel curated and even kismet, and can be ordered on-demand on the Find Your Anchor website for someone who needs them.
Recently, Find Your Anchor was featured on Mashable. Founder Ali Borowsky spoke about her mission with the blue boxes and how she hopes to spread the message to those struggling that no one is truly ever alone. The boxes are free for those in need and the organization runs solely on donations.
Find Your Anchor has seen a recent increase in the demand for boxes, and currently are at a demand of 4,400 boxes and counting. Proceeds from the benefit concert will help the organization get boxes out to everyone in need who has requested one. Learn more about Find Your Anchor at www.findyouranchor.us
Last year, Find Your Anchor was awarded the Songs That Saved My Life Grant from Hopeless Records: https://youtu.be/kACt5EZ-oNs. The premise behind the nonprofit is that each person needs an anchor, according to Ali. They encourage people to "Establish an anchor - a dependable, stable, secure base that you can hold on to, one that keeps you firmly planted, no matter what winds or storms may come."
Speaking to the concept of Find Your Anchor, Ali said, "Find Your Anchor is that reason to fight. It's 52+ Reasons to Live when you can't even think of one. It's that list of resources in your pocket, reminding you there are people all over the country waiting to listen. It's a reminder that you're not alone. That there is hope. An endless amount of gratitude and thanks to Hopeless Records for this opportunity - to really grow this movement and get more boxes into the world and in the hands of those struggling."
Event Details:
Find Your Anchor Benefit Concert
Date: Monday, August 12th, 2019
Venue: Ovation Chicago | 2324 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60612
Tickets: ticketstripe.com/findyouranchor | $80
Time: 7-10PM
