#march21

[louk419]

In honor of World Poetry Day (March 21) let's revisit Richard's recording of Classic Love Poems (2015) and listen as he talks about the experience in this YT vid. 💙 https://tinyurl.com/3h72j6dk

[wonderandwanderinginmexicocity]

Benito Juárez: Hero of Oaxaca

"Men are nothing. Principles are everything." -Benito Juárez

When I was in Oaxaca, I noticed that many places and streets were named after two native sons of the state: Benito Juárez and Porfirio Díaz. Díaz is, at best, a complicated figure in retrospect, a bloody dictator that did much to modernize Mexico and bind it together into a modern nation-state, but who's rule was so oppressive it brought about the Mexican Revolution. Benito Juárez, on the other hand, is almost universally admired and celebrated. In the complex and divisive nature of Mexican history and politics, this is no small feat. Today is a national holiday celebrating his birthday. I did not have to work, so I thought I would write about Benny, “The Meritorious of the Americas”.

From the U.S. perspective, it is helpful to try and draw a similar analgous figure for Juárez to understand his importance to the development of Mexico. Being a liberal with progressive ideas and a desire to have a firm seperation between church and state, Benito is in many ways a Mexican Thomas Jefferson. In that he steered the country through an incredibly complex and violent time period, Juárez resembles Abraham Lincoln.

Benito was born in Oaxaca on the twenty-first of March 1806 to Zapotec parents. Being born to indigenous parents in a country that often downplayed indigenous identity may have instilled young Benito with a sense of service whereas other politicians had motivations of gold or glory. "As a son of the people," he once said, "I could never forget that my only goal should be their greater prosperity." He was orphaned at the age of three. As a young man, Juárez considered entering the preisthood but instead studied to become a lawyer, and eventually became involved in local and national politics, culminating in being elected govenor of Oaxaca in 1847. As govenor, he doubled the number of schools in Oaxaca from 50 to 100. Both in local and national office, Benito Juárez was hardworking and honest, and never personally profited from being in politics.

Benito Juárez became a critic of the Santa Anna government, which had just ceded a large tract of land to the United States in the Treaty of Hidalgo. When the Conservatives took power again, Juárez was forced to go north into exile. He worked at a cigarette factory in New Orleans in semipoverty.

Juárez was both a progressive and a modernizer. He believed that the only thing that could help Mexico and her poor would be to update the national economy, and that meant freeing the means of production from the Catholic Church and the landed aristocracy. Politically, Benito was a liberal, in that he believed Mexico needed a constitution that guaranteed certain individual rights and a federal system that granted individual states within Mexico some autonomy.

The moment came for Juárez to put his dreams into action when the liberals took control of the national government in 1855, and Benito joined as the minister for justice. As minister, he worked tirelessly to bring about the permanent seperation of church and state. Church property was nationalized, exempting only those buildings actually used for worship and instruction. To weaken the powerful Catholic clergy that meddled in Mexican politics, Juárez also nationalized the cemeteries and put birth registrations and marriages under government authority.

In 1861, Juárez officially became president of Mexico. There was no honeymood period of peace and calm, because there were several major issues that threatened the new president: Conservative forces that were against the reforms of Benito Juárez were still organized and politically dangerous, the new Congress distrusted the president, and the national treasury was basically empty. At the time of Juárez's inauguration, Mexico was deeply in debt to several European nations. Sensing an opportunity to recreate the French dream of an empire in the Americas, Napoleon III invaded Mexico in 1862. His plan was to indirectly rule Mexico through a puppet ruler, Archduke Maximilian of Austria. The Mexican forces had a great victory on May 5, 1862, but with reinforcements the French army was able to occupy the capital of Mexico City the following year, allowing the Austrian archduke to sit upon his throne.

These were difficult times for Benito Juárez and his forces. They were fighting a strong and determined enemy, but they too were equally determined to fight because the future of the Mexican state depended on them. To survive to fight another day meant that the war was not over, and that hope was still alive. After retreating all the way north to the United States border (to a place that would later be renamed Juárez), the tide began to turn in the favor of the Mexican forces. Due to international pressure and Mexican resistance, Napleon III withdrew his troops from Mexico. Maximilian, the foreigner who tried to claim the throne of Mexico, was caught, tried, and shot. Benito Juárez was president again.

There is much more that could be said about this great man. This was not meant to be an exhaustive list of the life and times of the first indigenous president of modern Mexico. I am sure books have been written about short periods of his life. HIs liberal ideas, economic reforms and calls for federal and constitutional government were progressive and forward thinking, and Mexico would eventually embrace and live out these ideas to the present day. His wisdom and lack of personal corruption made him one of the rarest things: A poltician it is easy to admire. His leadership and courage against the French made him a national hero.

On this day, we remember and honor Benito Juárez and his service and sacrifice for the people of Mexico. May we have politicians like him at all times in all places.

[bshoot23]

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

[jameszeeshan]

World Down Syndrome Day The term down in Down Syndrome is there as they uplift other’s soul with there extra unconditional love, extra big smiles, extra adorable laughs, extra warm hugs and extra gifted abilities #WorldDownSyndromeDay #DownSyndrome #March21 #uplift #soul #extra #unconditional #love #big #smiles #adorable #laughs #warm #hugs #gifted #abilities #instaZJ #tumblrZJ #pinterestZJ #tweetZJ #linkedinZJ #youtubeZJ #tiktokZJ #wordpressZJ #quoteZJ https://www.instagram.com/p/CqCxJmMOtH4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[hackshaw]

First #flower of #Spring. #WildDaffodil. #March21. #SpringEquinox #SpringFlowers #Flowers #Daffodils (at Switzerland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqBQ50-I2uT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[unflinchinglyoptimistic]

March 21, 2022

I am so thankful to have had a psychic reading done. It affirmed a lot for me, as well as raised many questions.  It felt validating to have my connection to the natural world recognized. I have always felt like there is something I could see that most others could not. On occasion — and recently — it has felt like exasperation. Can you see what I see? Do you not feel the same sun on your skin? Do you not worship the clouds in the sky? I feel like my connection to the natural world manifests as pleasure. It can be lonely in that specific and eternal pleasure, but it’s a love worth isolation.

It was interesting that she said I energetically seem like I am in a relationship. My energy seems unavailable, but she also sensed it was still entangled with Grace. I thought that she was behind me — and in a sense she is, but it also pokes at the gut feeling I’ve had lately that I am emotionally past my friend group. I think I need to untie myself and let myself sink deeper into the relationships I have now.

I also think it’s funny that she said it will be hard for me to find someone who can stimulate my mind. I feel like I can be consumed by my own mind — fascinated — and I think “I need someone who finds their own brain as equally interesting as I do mine. I also love that she told me I could pick who I wanted. She said I doubt myself even though I’m pretty and easy to be around. It reminded me of when Arman and Mason told me that I don’t know what my face looks like and don’t give myself enough credit. 

I also felt her spiel on plant medicine fascinating. I felt honored that someone like Sarah would ask me if I receive messaging when on shrooms or other drugs. I do feel that way. I feel like weed opens up my mind. It’s hard to smoke around other people. I want to go to Peru and do ayahuasca like she told me to. I can feel myself on the path she saw me on. I feel I have reached the base of the mountain — which was a journey of its right to reach — but now it’s time for the climb.

I wonder about the work she saw me doing. She said something with bodies and energies, with the plant world, and with healing. With spirituality and intuition. Using my body to heal the intuition of others. She told me she can tell I am thinking outside the box for myself. I am. I want to learn to use my body and create. She said something similar to psychology but I’m not sure. Who knows? Time will tell. She is right, though; that everything I do is calculated and intentional. I know I will do what is right for me.

[transorzesolutionspalakkad]

Forests are the reason that there is balance in our eco-system. Let us join hands to protect them from all threats. Happy International Day of Forests.

🌐 www.transorze.com

☎ 9495833319

[ablissofhope]

🥺🥺 lalaban at patuloy na lalaban, thank you, Ate 💜