I thought what would I write about this month that would be of interest to the members or help us. Seems as though most everything that is on their minds is political fury that is in the news each day and even though we try not to watch it is there right in our faces. Many have contacted me recently regarding their fears of our volatile polictical climate. It is a hard time for so many of our people.

Why? Cause it can be scary to know that those you love will have to go to defend their country. These are not political agents nor goverment official but just average people. Our members fathers/mothers, brothers/sisters, cousins, teachers, principals, firefighters and friends. Yes, it is scarey. I read in our local paper....Tennesse deploys the 776th Maintence Company... destination classified. That is right here in Tennessee, one of two of the biggest units in the South and both have been deployed.

So when thinking about our community I know this much. First we have to remember we are not governments, we are not government agents and we have no power to iniate, pursue or extend any conflict.

Who are we then? We are a global community meaning we are diverse with varied cultures, education, thoughts but ultimately and most importantly we are just people that all are trying to make a living, go to school, pay our bills, and just trying to survive. That is all of us, around this world, doing the same day to day things.

What makes our community special however is we the members have sought friendship within these walls and have made relationships with strong lifebonds without the consideration that you are American, Canadian, Australian, Irish, Dutch, English, German, Danish, etc. That makes us very unique group don't you think?

Just like in all our sci-fi stories and fantasies we are like all the unusual species that learn from one another and with that learning we find our way to respect each other for our unique selves.

One of my new counselors, Jadzia Jones said "Maybe its just me as I don't see peeps from different countries in 10f..just see a 10f community as somewhere where I can have fun and forget the outside world and the probs around the world."

So as Head Counselor of the Counseling Department I say to us all, remember we are people first, we all bleed, we all love, we all need each other. Just reach out your hand, forget the rhetoric and remember the people in our beloved Outpost, these are your friends if not now then make it so. *s*

Hold on to our humanity, your dreams of a better place. Do not let the pitfalls of the world spill into our arena but always remember that words can hurt, and we are people...not inanimate objects. Remember we all need to respect and be responsible to each other.

*Group Community Hug*