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flu
Dear editor,
Moments ago (on April 29) the World Health Organization raised the Pandemic Alert Level to 5. This means that a pandemic is imminent.
WHO’s Dr.Maragaret Chan just moments ago called the possibility of such a pandemic a “threat to humanity.”
“Faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) will be essential partners in helping to ensure that people in need are provided for and that care is given in a way that minimizes stigma and other negative social responses,” according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Is your congregation ready for such an emergency?
Click here for the HHS report “Faith-Based Organizations and Pandemic Preparedness” to learn about the steps we will all need to take to be equipped for a pandemic. There is no reason for panic but many reasons to be ready.
Additional information on how churches can respond to the possibility of pandemic have been made available on the website of the National Council of Churches.
This Sunday at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ here in Portland, Oregon we will begin preparing emergency preparedness kits for elderly members or other members that might not be able to obtain such kits for themselves. The Red Cross has on their website information about what items are needed in such kits.
My prayer is that such kits will not be needed and no pandemic will actually develop. Public health officials have said there is no reason for panic but many reasons to be ready.

The Rev. Chuck Currie
Interim Minister
Parkrose Community United Church of Christ
Portland, Oregon

Recall-worthy effort?
Dear editor,
When the recall movement against Mayor Sam Adams began based solely on his lies about a personal matter, I dismissed the effort as probably led by conservative, homophobic interests. I intended to vote against it.
But now that the mayor has staked his political future on an outrageous offering of taxpayer welfare to the billionaire Paulson family’s private corporate interests and inexplicably extended the city’s support to the Clark County private car lobby’s toll-free, 12-lane bridge to tax-free shopping, I am reconsidering my opposition to the recall.
If opponents of all the mayor’s misguided boondoggles become the unlikely bedfellows of the recall movement, he might see the political wisdom of changing his mind.

Michael Munk
Southwest Portland

P.S. I also include the mayor’s push for public money to subsidize a private Convention Center hotel.
Tom “Pink Martini” Lauderdale,an early Adams supporter, now supports the recall in view of the mayor’s policies. He told the Tribune,”The mayor has lost it.”

Blumenauer against federal health care
Hi, AfDers and friends,
Well, if you were in the audience Thursday night (April 16) at the 1st Unitarian Church event on healthcare, you head Rep Blumenauer declare that he is not in favor of single payer healthcare. That in spite of the overwhelming support demonsrated by the audience at a couple of different points during the evening. The jest of his opposition seems to be that he is in favor of a couple of health related bills but not single payer has no chance of passing, therefore, he will not support it.
And of course he had another event to go to and left when his portion of the event was complete. Therefore he missed the presentation by Dr. Huntington advocating for single payer healthcare.

David E. Delk
Alliance for Democracy - Portland Chapter

 

 


 

 

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Last Updated: May 22, 2009