Sustainability, Naturalism, Human Rights, Animal Rights, and more; Ashley Sue shares her questions and perspectives on the political issues.
Beyond the a 2007 presentation I did and the constant influx of articles I see on internet privacy (ie. how Google and Facebook are demolishing it), I have no idea how dangerous facts about me – leaked into the cyber-sphere – really are. Last month, Time magazine had a great cover article by Joel Stein: “Your Data For Sale: Everything about you is being tracked – get over it.” The “get over it” part...
Aborting a child that you chose to become pregnant with… I pride myself on seeing grey, being able to explain all sorts of variables, different perspectives, and the frameworks that motivate people into different possible scenarios. I grew up thinking I would one day be a psychotherapist, and this facet of who I am makes me wonder why I did not.* Bettina Paige authored her autobiographical account, however, of deciding that she wanted to...
What are you to do? Something arises in your life, and the authorities you are working with inform you that you are optionless. No path has been beaten for you. Surrender. Game over. This is particularly prevalent when Middle America deals with health care. From insurance companies dictating what is “necessary” for you versus an “optional procedure”, to the Pharmas pushing their vaccinations and symptom cures and fast fixes as “necessities” for your healthy...
(Post Subtitle: How Useless Can My College Degree Be?) Mes Amis, If you could wake up tomorrow, and your life could be what you wanted to make of it, what would it look like? Without the ever-closer wedding looming, but instead happily behind me and full of joyful memories, I have time to think again. Maybe dwell is a more accurate word. I look at the house and all the work we need to...
This article originally aired on (Green)Grounded and can be viewed in full there. As a vegetarian/vegan of over a decade, taking a hunting safety education course and trying deer meat were not things I saw myself doing. Yet here I am. For background, you should know that I have not eaten land animals in any capacity since 1996. Oh, except an episode of pepperoni under pizza cheese at my friend Mary’s 21st birthday. One...
About two years ago, someone I consider a friend (a new friend albeit, but long-time acquaintance) accused me of secretly eating meat and denying it. I scoffed. Anyone who knows me – at all – knows I have not eaten any semblance of a land animal since 1996. When she persisted she has seen me eat a sausage, I was livid. The truth is she was hammered at the party where she says she...
We all define ourselves by a number of labels, but do we often consider how labeling people hinders us over and over again? Some of my self-embraced framework labels are: Woman College graduate Vegetarian Occasional vegan I know some people define me by their own labels: Naive Skeptic Feminazi Green guru Environmentalist Drama queen This is just the beginning. As you can see from the second list, labels tend not to be objective but...
In honor of Earth Day, I figure I should share a completely beautiful and inspiring video of David Gottfried and Van Jones discussing what we are working toward and how this transformation is happening. You could certainly say I am drinking the Van Jones kool-aid. After all, he’s beautiful, he’s a humanitarian, he’s intelligent, he’s positive, he’s insistent. Why would I fight that? Truly, take a few minutes to fall captive to the video...
A simple book can change your life. Many people can name a book that has forever shaped their life. The Bible. The Koran. The Vagina Monologue. Old Man and the Sea. Personally, my favorite books tend to revolve around certain topics. Feminism. Environmentalism. Societal issues. Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman certainly changed my life. Within a week of picking up the book, and before I had even finished it, I had not only given...
In February, a group of humanitarians in Asheville had 10 days to plan the Twestival. Because of their effort, Charity:Water received a substantial donation to help countries in poverty access clean water. This is why Asheville pledged: Thanks to the genius and loving efforts of Jose and Michelle Ibarra, Wendy Lou, Don Makoviney, Thomas Beckett, David Bourne, Wu Media, June Allison, Travis, and a whole plethora of other contributors and sponsors in the AVL...
Wait for it…