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february 2007 |
- Tell FDA: No Freaky FrankenFoods!
- Lactivist Alert: Leigh Bellini
- The Healing Powers of Music: Free and Individualized for Sick Kids
- Will Work for Peace
- Body of Work: Real-Deal Mamas
Article continues below
Tell FDA: No Freaky FrankenFoods!
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed its review of food from animal clones, and FDA regulators say that the agency will likely approve the sale of cloned foods this year. FDA's action flies in the face of widespread scientific concern about the risks of food from clones, and ignores the animal cruelty and troubling ethical concerns that the cloning process brings. What's worse, FDA indicates that it will not require labeling on cloned food, so consumers will have no way to avoid these experimental foods.
FDA needs to hear from all Americans who don't want food from animal clones—a public comment period is open until April 2, 2007.
Join the Center for Food Safety in opposing this unnecessary, risky and cruel technology. Send your comment to FDA today! Find out more, and take action online now.
Lactivist Alert: Leigh Bellini
Keep your browser pointed to http://www.mothering.com/sections/action_alerts/leigh-bellini.html for the scoop on the incident, and to stay abreast of developments in Leigh Bellini's experience.
The Healing Powers of Music: Free and Individualized for Sick Kids
The Songs of Love Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that creates uplifting, personalized songs for children and teens struggling with a life-threatening illness or lifetime disability—free of charge. Each CD is professionally produced with lyrics containing the child's name and references to all of his or her favorite activities, things, people, and pets. Songs are written and performed in the musical style that the child likes best (pop, r&b, rap, rock, alternative, etc.), by a variety of talented professionals. As each child is unique, so is every Songs of Love composition.
In 11 years, Songs of Love has reached out to over 11,000 children in over 250 hospitals in all 50 states. They intend to help another 3,000 children this year alone. You can assist them in achieving this goal by spreading the word about Songs of Love to others. Song request forms can be downloaded here: http://www.songsoflove.org/Profile.pdf. Donations of funds, as well as those of songwriting/musical time and energy, are welcome and appreciated.
For an inspiring look at this heartwarming program in action, please watch the 60 Minutes segment at the top of the Songs of Love homepage.
On February 5th, 2007, legislation to establish a US Department of Peace was re-introduced into the US House of Representatives. The new bill number is HR 808. To help support the passage of this bill into law, please call, fax and/or email your Representative—and spread the word about HR 808. This landmark measure will augment our government's current problem-solving options, providing practical, nonviolent solutions to issues of domestic and international conflict. Domestically, the Department of Peace will develop policies and allocate resources to effectively reduce the levels of domestic and gang violence, child abuse, and various other forms of societal discord. Internationally, the Department will advise the President and Congress on the most sophisticated ideas and techniques regarding peace-creation among nations. Learn more at The Peace Alliance website: www.ThePeaceAlliance.org
Contact your Representative at their US Capitol offices (you can use this map to find your Representative, and their phone numbers). Tell the staffer who answers your call that you want your Representative to sign on as a co-sponsor of the Department of Peace legislation (HR 808). You can explain in your own words why HR 808 is important to you and your family. It is most effective if you call the D.C. office first, then follow-up with a fax or email or calls to your local offices as well.
To pass between two tables in a restaurant, a mother raised her baby (in a carrier) and as she did her shirt lifted a few inches, for just a second. That brief, everyday moment was witnessed by another mother, named Bonnie, and a project was conceived: "I saw that, although she was at a healthy weight and her body was fit, she had that same extra skin hanging around her belly that I do. It occurred to me that a post-pregnancy body is one of this society's greatest secrets; all we see of the female body is that which is airbrushed and perfect, and if we look any different, we hide it from the light of day in fear of being seen. That makes me want to cry. Sure we all talk about the sagging boobs and other parts, but no one ever sees them. Or if they do, it's in comical form, mocking the beauty that created and nourished our children."
Bonnie continues, "It is my dream, then, to create this website, (theshapeofamother.com) where women of all ages, shapes, sizes and nationalities can share images of their bodies so it will no longer be secret. So we can finally see what women really look like sans airbrushes and plastic surgery. I am asking for mothers to send in photos of bellies, bums, boobs or any other body part (even my lower legs and face show changes since my pregnancies!) to be posted on this website. The pictures can be anything you like from a simple snapshot to something professional. They can be as anonymous as you'd like, or you may choose to have your name and contact info posted with them. They must be tasteful, this is not about pornography."
Mothering shares Bonnie's hope that many, many women will participate in the site she has created, and that many more will benefit from it.
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