the ‘peace gets personal’ blog
As a recovering global nomad, this periodic blog helps me to process the messy, ongoing journey of coming ‘home’ to the USA. This is where peace gets personal.
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Thoughts on Immigration
I see in my email inbox an angry anti-immigration message entitled “Whose country is it, anyway?” The implication is that US citizens, especially European-Americans, were “here first,” so newcomers are not welcome. My heart sinks. In my opinion, a government’s responsibility to manage immigration wisely should never overshadow our shared human responsibility to treat all…
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New on Vashon
I’ve just returned from Germany, finally home from travel. This time, I came home not to my West Seattle condo, but instead to nearby Vashon Island. Vashon is nestled in the Puget Sound, just offshore from Seattle and Tacoma. I’m at my husband’s family home on the island, so I’m officially ‘new on Vashon.’ When…
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Indigenous Rights
I am traveling in the Philippines this month, so my blog will deviate a bit from the local Seattle-area perspective. Embracing the view from abroad, I wonder how many Americans know about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples? More to the point, how many of us know that the USA is…
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Salish Land
Reading graffiti is a great way to sense the pulse of a community, especially the voices that don’t feel heard. Check out this urban mural with the words “Salish Land” added in prominent spray paint. This statement is found just off Capitol Boulevard in downtown Olympia, near the Washington state capitol campus. Admittedly I am missing a lot…
Michelle Garred 