Speak up.

As a lifelong member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and as a human being, I was truly saddened by the recent killing of nine members of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. This was one of those occasions in which it is difficult to answer the central question of this blog, "So what can I do?"  As a society, we answered by considering removal of Confederate flags from public spaces, discussing reductions in gun violence, and making donations to Emanuel AME.

All of this is important and worthy work, but it does not address the core issue of racism and hate. We such a complicated, problematic, and entrenched understanding of race.  It is easy to understand why we shy away from dealing with it, but we must because racism results in part from our collective unwillingness to honestly address race.   Tolerance.org has numerous resources to help facilitate these important conversations.

We also must speak up when we hear friends or acquaintances say or talk about planning something cruel.  Sometimes silence isn't enough. There are times when we have to show disapproval in an effort to help stop something tragic from happening.  And if that conversation is too difficult or too dangerous, then it's time to talk with the police or other authorities.  Better to do that than to have to ask "So what could I have done" after something tragic has occurred.

Give an inspired gift.

What do you give the person who has everything? How about the knowledge that their gift helped save a child’s life. UNICEF now makes this possible with their UNICEF Inspired Gifts. These are truly amazing gifts – every thing from Plumpy Nut which successfully treats malnutrition to antimalaria bed nets to water purification kits. Gifts are organized into three categories:

• Education and Play
• Immunization
• Water
• Nutrition
• Health
• Emergency

* Honor your favorite teacher with a school in a box and ensure that 80 children can continue their education even in times of emergency.

* Know someone who rides their bike to work? Celebrate their efforts with a bicycle for health workers that will enable workers to reach remote villages and serve the people there.

* Thank your child’s pediatrician with a vaccine carrier that keeps immunizations effective even in hot climates.

These items can make a life-saving or life-changing differences for a child. Want more evidence? Just watch . . .


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”To find yourself, think for yourself.” - Socrates

Get a free car seat inspection.

Just this weekend, my mother saw a woman riding with two children under the age of two who were not buckled in their child safety seats. She tried to talk to the woman about ways to ensure her children's safety, but unfortunately, the woman seemed unreceptive. She should have listened: car crashes are the number one killer of children and 80% of car seats are installed incorrectly.

Child safety seats save lives, but they must be correctly installed. Thankfully, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and the National Safety Council have joined with others to form SeatCheck.org. They'll help you make sure your car seat is installed correctly. Here's how you can use this wonderful resource:

* Call 1-866-SEAT CHECK (1-866-732-8243) to get information on free child safety seat inspections. Information is available in Spanish and English.

* Visit SeatCheck.org to find a free child safety seat inspection site near you. The site is also available in Spanish.

Remember, this is important not only for parents of infants and small children, but also for anyone who transports a child in a motor vehicle. (Good call, Dawn!) Also, if the cost of a car seat is prohibitive, call your local department of motor vehicles. Your state may have a program that provides free or reduced price car seats to those who qualify.

So do something good for your child or the child you carry in your car. Get your child safety seat inspected, and keep children safe. Call or visit SeatCheck.org today!

"History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure." -Thurgood Marshall, US Supreme Court Justice (1908-1993)

Designate a sober driver.

December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. During 2003, more than 17,000 people died in alcohol-related highway crashes in the US. Every 30 minutes someone in the US dies in an alcohol-related crash. Now think of all the folks who are injured because of drunk or drugged driving. You can help stop these needless and preventable deaths and injuries. Who knows, you may even save a life, perhaps your own or that of someone you love.

Here's how:

If you are a party-goer:

--> Never get behind the wheel of a vehicle if you’ve been drinking.
--> If you are drunk, high, tipsy, buzzed, drugged or otherwise impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit, or call a sober friend or family member to come get you.
--> Or, just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.

If you are a party host:

--> Remind your guests to plan ahead to designate a sober driver.
--> Collect keys upon entry to your party and give them back only if the driver is sober.
--> Always offer alcohol-free beverages during the event.
--> Make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver.

We all can contribute to awareness. Click the links to learn more, spread the word, and take action.

Remember, friends don’t let friends drive drunk. Do not hesitate to take the keys from a friend who is about to drive while buzzed, drunk, drugged, or high. Be safe out there, and have fun.

"It is easier to stay out than get out." - Mark Twain

Fight fires.

Candle fires. Chimney fires. Heating fires. Arson. Wildfires. All of these can cause damage to life, health and property. Fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined. 83% of civilian fire-related deaths occurred in the home. And civilians aren't the only ones who bear the burden. In 2004, 117 firefighters were killed while on duty.

October 9-15 is National Fire Prevention Week. You already know many of the things you can do to practice fire safety. Here are a few:

* Make sure smoke detectors are properly installed and maintained. (Check the batteries when we fall back, October 30th.)
* Develop and practice a home fire escape plan.
* Use candles safely. (That's this year's theme.)
* Practice safe smoking (DON'T SMOKE!), safe cooking, and safe heating.

That will help you. But what about everyone else? Consider becoming a volunteer firefighter. Swarthmore, PA has a volunteer fire department and several of my collegemates were firefighters. Whether it was day or night, whether they were in class, at a party, or asleep in their dorm rooms, when the siren sounded, these dedicated and brave students (male and female, large and petite, of all ethnicities) would rush down the hill to the headquarters to risk their lives while serving their community, all without pay. I have the utmost respect for them.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter, consider these resources:

--> The National Volunteer Fire Council is "a non-profit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the information source regarding legislation, standards and regulatory issues." They operate a national recruitment campaign. Call 1-800-FIRE-LINE to learn more.

--> The US Fire Administration provides "training and educational opportunities for the Fire Service and allied organizations . Also available are fire statistics, public fire education campaign materials, and information on funding opportunities." They also offer a Volunteer Incentive Program, maintain a list of fire-safe hotels and provide information on home fire safety.

--> VolunteerFD.org provides "a place for volunteer firefighters to come and share information with their fellow 'unpaid professionals'. VolunteerFD.org is strictly for volunteer and combination departments and is built to address the unique issues that all volunteer departments share."

Thank you to all the firefighters and other emergency personnel that help keep us safe, paid and volunteer. Be careful.

"People are tested by wealth, just as gold is tested by fire." - Chinese proverb