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| Image from The White House Blog |
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988
A Sacred Respect
There is A Sacred Respect that "We,
The People" owe to Every Soul who
sacrifices themselves to keep us free
from the time that we are born!
And "We, The People" can feel This
Sacred Respect in our souls—with all
of our heart and mind, body and soul,
we can feel This Sacred Respect!
It is A Sacred Respect to honor each and
every single Veterans death, whether it
is on the battlefield of war, or on "the
other, lesser-known battlefield!"
So, if you are Military Personnel, you
feel This Sacred Respect absolutely, for
you would truly move Heaven and Earth
to honor each and every single Veteran!
And if you are A Grassroots Patriot, you
feel The Sacred Respect completely, for
you would honor each and every single
Veteran's sacrifice, service and heroism!
And if you are An Everyday Patriot, you
feel A Sacred Respect entirely, for you
would offer your condolences to say,
"Their Service Mattered Dearly!"
For, there is A Sacred Respect that "We,
The People" feel so deeply in Our Souls:
It is The Sacred Respect to honor the lives
of every one of Our United States Veterans!
-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"
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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2012): For Memorial Day 2012, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence for the all of Americans who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11th, 2001, in order to remember and honor their lives, their legacies and their last full measure of devotion for our country. And I also listened to patriotic music that celebrates the heroic sacrifice of all the men and women in the United States Military (both past and present), whose selfless dedication made it possible for American to become free and to remain free! –Paul Whiting (written May 28th, 2012, revised May 30th, 2022, revised July 19th, 2022, revised January 31st, 2023, revised May 29th, 2023 and revised May 28th, 2026)
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My Writing About A New Saying 'Have A Memorable Memorial Day' For Such A Solemn Holiday As Memorial Day: On Memorial Day, rather than saying "Happy Memorial Day," I choose instead to say, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day," or I simply say, "Memorable Memorial Day." For, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance—just like a memorial service—and is truly about honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States Military. –Paul Whiting (written May 27th, 2013, revised May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022, revised May 29th, 2023 and revised May 27th, 2024)
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My Writing About God Never Forgetting Those Who Have Served Him: For those of you who have lost loved ones, while your loved ones were serving in the United States Military, I wish you 'A Memorable Memorial Day' as a day of loving reflection and healing peace. Please always remember that God never forgets those who have served Him. –Paul Whiting (written May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022 and revised May 29th, 2023)
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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2022) [May 30th, 2022 Update—Continued (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:
For Memorial Day 2022, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence for those "who made the ultimate sacrifice, including those we have lost due to their exposures to toxic chemicals while serving our great country" in order to remember and honor their lives, their legacies and their last full measure of devotion for our country.
And I also showed my support for the "Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act," or the PACT Act (H.R. 3967), which is "a culmination of years of work by national veterans groups, to finally establish that if a veteran has suffered an injury from toxic exposures like from burn pits during their deployments, they will be granted disability and healthcare benefits by the VA [Veterans Administration]."
And so, I sent letters to my Senators, via the IAVA website, urging them to support passing this critical legislation ASAP. And, after I sent those letters to my Senators, I also made a donation to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans!
–Paul Whiting (written May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022, revised July 19th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised January 31st, 2023, revised March 10th, 2023, revised May 26th, 2023, revised May 29th, 2023, revised September 10th, 2023, revised May 27th, 2024 and revised May 28th, 2026)
[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'my writing,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'my writings' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2023) [May 29th, 2023 Update—Continued Further Some More Than Before, Like Never Before (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:
For Memorial Day 2023, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence "for our nation’s heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice," including "those who lost their lives during the Global War on Terror (GWOT)," which is "a war that continues to be waged to this day," because the "GWOT has killed more than 7,000 U.S. troops across more than two decades – every one of them volunteers." And I also made a donation to the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans. –Paul Whiting (written May 29th, 2023, revised May 27th, 2024 and revised May 28th, 2026)
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My Writing About How I Have Changed The Way That I Label My Blog Posts 'Updates' For Any Additional 'Updates' That I Write, After The First 'Update,' By Using A Simple Numbering System, Which Starts With The First 'Update' [October 24th, 2023 Update No. 7 (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:
I have changed the way I label the blog post 'updates' that I write because I oftentimes write more than one 'update' per day!
And in the past, I have labeled the second, third, fourth and fifth 'update' with the following extensions—on the days that I write more than 'update'—to differentiate any additional 'updates' from the first one, as follows:
[1st] Month Day, Year Update
[2nd] Month Day, Year Update—Continued
[3rd] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further
[4th] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further Some More
[5th] Month Day, Year Update—Continued Further Some More Than Before
However today, October 24th, 2023, I actually had more than five 'updates' to write, so I decided to change how I differentiate any additional 'updates,' from the first 'update,' by using a simple numbering system, which actually starts with the first 'update' that I write, as follows:
Month Day, Year Update No. 1
Month Day, Year Update No. 2
Month Day, Year Update No. 3
Month Day, Year Update No. 4
Month Day, Year Update No. 5
Month Day, Year Update No. 6
Month Day, Year Update No. 7
Therefore, that is why this 'update' is the seventh one for today! –Paul Whiting (written October 24th, 2023 and revised October 28th, 2023)
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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2024) [May 27th, 2024 Update No. 2 (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:
For Memorial Day 2024, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence "as our troops continue to be deployed in harm’s way to places like Iraq and Syria," which is why "this is also a good time to remind ourselves of those who keep stepping up and volunteering to risk their lives in order to keep us safe here at home every day." That is why I made the pledge to "#GoSilent with [IAVA] today at 3:00 PM local time to make sure that the sacrifice of the fallen is not forgotten, and to help us remind America of the true meaning behind Memorial Day." And I also made a donation to the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans. –Paul Whiting (written May 27th, 2024 and revised May 28th, 2026)
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My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form [November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1]: Due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, and no longer sending letters to my Representative and Senators in Congress, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes. Full stop! I am also unsubscribing from any of the emails that I used to receive from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations. In fact, I am even cancelling all of my monthly political donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations, as well as to the USO (United Service Organizations), in addition to cancelling all of my monthly news organization subscriptions, or news organization donations, because I am absolutely terrified of this second Trump administration. And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know it will be over! So, I am choosing to not engage in any 'activism' whatsoever—plus, I am not even sure that I will be exercising my 'civic duty' by voting in any upcoming elections because, as a (formerly) donating and a (potentially former) voting Democrat, I totally fear the retribution of President Donald J. Trump. Full stop!
P.S.: It's July 31st, 2025, and I feel like I need to provide an addendum (that is, "an item of additional material added at the end of a book or document, typically in order to correct, clarify, or supplement something") to this November 6th, 2024 'update!'
You see, a couple of days ago, on July 29th, 2025, I copied the text of this update to use as my reason for unsubscribing from a particular political email that I received that same day!
And so, I actually bothered to read this update—in order to verify that it made sense for me to use as a response to the request on this political email's unsubscribe page which stated, "Please tell us why you are leaving"—during which I realized there was a typo (that is, 'a typographical error') in the text of the update, as I have highlighted below, with the correction in brackets:
"And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know [it] will be over!"
Thus, I accidentally left out the word "it" in the sentence above. Hence, I corrected said typo on July 29th, the verification of which can be seen reflected in the addition of the date "revised July 29th, 2025" after my name.
However, as I got to thinking about the fact that I had originally said I may not be voting in any upcoming elections, I realized that, in fact, I did vote in Portland Oregon's Multnomah County Special District Election on May 20th, 2025, just like I usually do! [I always vote in every election (even 'special elections') and I always vote Democrat, which is why I was worried about voting in any upcoming elections given President Trump's clear disdain for Democrats.]
Therefore, I decided to write this "P.S." today, July 31st, as a way to clarify that I am still voting in elections (even 'special elections'), it's just that I am no longer engaging in any 'Online Activism,' during Trump's Presidency, as I explained in great detail above. (I hope that makes sense!)
–Paul Whiting (written November 6th, 2024, revised November 7th, 2024, revised July 29th, 2025 and revised July 31st, 2025)
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[Blogger's Note: The following 'My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026', and 'My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026, Part 2', as contained within the following updates — 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1' and 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026)', as well as 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On April 19th, 2026)', in addition to 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026)' — are NOT related to Memorial Day, but they are relevant to explaining that I have restarted donating to the USO (United Service Organizations) as of April 2026.]
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April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1: I received a text message today, April 16th, 2026, from the USO (United Service Organizations), which stated the following:
[Image of the 2026 USO T-shirt design.]
USO T-shirt alert: Paul, we're so excited to share that the exclusive 2026 USO T-shirts are here! As a thank you for being a top supporter, we're giving you early access before the T-shirts are available to the general public. So please, get yours now before they're gone! 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 $𝟮𝟵 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁 — 𝗼𝗿 $𝟱𝟮 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘀?***
As the official uniform of military supporters, this exclusive USO T-shirt is one of the best ways to show your pride and support our nation's service members. Please, don't miss your chance to be among the first to get yours.
𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗨𝗦𝗢 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁:***
—The USO
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the text message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:
Help support our troops — and claim your 2026 USO T-shirt today!
Wear your support for our troops — support they can see. Every donation helps support critical programs for our brave soldiers that keep them connected to home as they serve worldwide. This year's T-shirt also celebrates America's 250th birthday, so supplies won't last long! Please donate $29 for one or $52 for two collector's edition 2026 USO T-shirts before they're gone.
Your donation will be used where it is needed most.
Secure donation
[✓] $29
[ ] $52
[ ] $100
[ ] $250
[ ] $500
[ ] $1,000
Select your thank-you gift
[ ] Donate without thank-you gift
[✓] 1 T-shirt
For $29+ one-time
View details
Size: 2X
[ ] 2 T-shirts
For $52+ one-time
View details
Enter your details
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A
Enter your address
Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]
You donate $31 USD
[✓] Cover transaction costs
Donate
And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Wear your support for our troops — support they can see. Every donation helps support critical programs for our brave soldiers that keep them connected to home as they serve worldwide. This year's T-shirt also celebrates America's 250th birthday, so supplies won't last long!"
In addition to that, I used to make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel. Besides that, I also formerly made one-time donations to the USO as often as I could manage whenever they requested a donation via email or text message. However, I am currently on an "Activist Sabbatical" due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election. Please see my 'November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1' (that also appears as 'My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form'), which can be found on this blog post for a complete explanation of this "Activism Sabbatical," so to speak, that I am currently taking.
By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:
"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."
So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' through one-time donations to the USO—even during my "Activist Sabbatical"—for special occasions, such as America's 250th Birthday! –Paul Whiting (written April 16th, 2026 and revised May 21st, 2026
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April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026]: Yesterday, April 16th, 2026, I wrote about receiving a text message from the USO (United Service Organizations) regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt design! And I explained that I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt, but I also clarified that I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.
Now, today, I realized that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!
So, what got me to thinking about restarting my recurring monthly donations to the USO is the fact that I received an email from the USO yesterday, after I opened the donation webpage from their original text message referenced in my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1,' which can be found above, to get the correct phrasing from that donation webpage in order to represent said page as accurately as possible for the description that I provided in my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1.' And, in doing so, I entered the information in each box, just like I was planning to make a donation! However, I was simply capturing the formatting of the USO's donation webpage text, so that I could replicate it.
Then—lo and behold—yesterday, April 16th, 2026, I received an email from the USO, with the subject line, "You are so close to providing help & support," which stated the following:
[Picture of "a soldier sitting against a fence, looking pensive while holding a small object in his hands. The background features trees and grass, indicating a calm outdoor setting."]
Don’t leave your impact unfinished
You can make a powerful impact for service members and their families.
By making a donation today
• You give our heroes a lifeline: The USO is the only nonprofit dedicated to keeping service members connected to loved ones and the comforts of home — from free Wi-Fi calls to connections home and holiday meals that remind them their sacrifice is valued.
• You make sure no one serves alone: No matter how far, remote or dangerous the deployment, the USO shows up — just like our service members show up for us. But 6 in 10 service members don’t even know the full range of programs available. Your support ensures they can find and use the help they deserve.
• You help power $230,000 of care every single day: It takes $230,000 a day to provide these life-changing programs. Your generosity makes it possible for every hero to feel the comfort of home no matter where duty takes them.
Every day the USO is on the frontlines with our service members. We couldn't do this critical work without generous friends like you.
For the People Who Serve,
– [Names redacted], USO
Complete your donation***
The USO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and acknowledges that no goods or services were provided to you in return for your contribution. Donations to USO are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, however—in order for me to clarify something—this is where I usually say in these kinds of updates, "the relevant text of which can be found below," but when I opened that page, I realized that I would simply be making another donation for the 2026 USO T-shirt!
Therefore, I decided to refer to my own previous blog post updates where I extol the virtues of making recurring monthly donations as part of the USO Home Team, the text of which can be found below:
So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!
And, after I read my own blog post update text, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:
Donate to support our service members
Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now.
By donating, you agree to allow the USO to use your gift, combined with others, in a matching gift fund.
Secure donation
[ ] Give once
[✓] ❤ Monthly
[ ] $100
[ ] $55
[ ] $25
[✓] $20
[ ] $10
[ ] $5
Upgrade to quarterly donations
Would you consider switching your $20 monthly gift to a quarterly support? Your quarterly commitment helps us plan ahead and make an even greater impact every season.
[ ] ❤ Upgrade to $60/quarter
[ ] Upgrade to $57/quarter
[✓] Keep my $20 monthly donation
Enter your details
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A
Double your impact
Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!
Your company (optional): N/A
Enter your address
Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]
You donate $20 USD/month
[ ] Cover transaction costs
Donate
And to clarify another thing: I decided to increase what I donate to the USO on a monthly recurring basis to $20.00, since I used to donate $10.00 per month—which was increased from $5.00 per month—as explained below, from my 'April 17th, 2023 Update,' which can be found on this blog:
"...In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel:
01. USO: United Service Organizations recurring donation of $10.00 (which used to be $5.00 per month, but I increased it by an additional $5.00 per month; so starting on August 17th, 2022, the USO recurring donation is now $10.00 per month)..."
Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, April 17th, 2026, with the subject line, "Welcome to the USO Home Team, Paul", which stated the following:
[Graphic image of "a red heart on a blue watercolor background."]
Thank you for becoming a recurring supporter
Thank you Paul!
Thank you for your monthly recurring gift of $20.00 USD.
Your Recurring ID is: [redacted]
On behalf of all of us at USO, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation to you for your recent recurring donation and your support. Our mission depends on the support and compassion of donors like you.
– Your friends at the USO.
Thus, I made a recurring donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country."
By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:
"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."
So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation! –Paul Whiting (written April 17th, 2026, revised April 18th, 2026, revised April 19th, 2026, revised May 16th, 2026 and revised May 21st, 2026)
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April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On April 19th, 2026): Three days ago, on April 16th, 2026, I wrote about receiving a text message from the USO (United Service Organizations) regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt! And I explained that I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt, but I also clarified that I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.
Then, on April 17th, 2026, I wrote about restarting my recurring monthly donations to the USO due to the fact that I received an email from the USO two days ago, on April 17th, 2026, because I realized that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!
Then today, April 19th, 2026, I received an email from the USO, with the subject line, "Will your employer match your donation?", which stated the following:
[Graphic image showing a USO logo, then a "+" (plus sign), followed by a gift box emoji with the word "You" written under it, then another "+" (plus sign), followed by another gift box emoji with the words "Company Match" written under it, then the "=" (equals sign), followed by a much larger gift box emoji with the words "Double the impact" written under it.]
Hi Paul,
We’re so thankful for your recent donation!
Did you know that thousands of companies match donations made by their employees to organizations like the USO? Please visit our matching gift page to see if your company will match your gift and to access the forms, guidelines, and instructions that you need to complete your submission.
[ ] Step 1: See if I'm eligible! Click here***
We want to know when you’ve submitted your matching gift request! Once you’ve submitted, click the link below to let us know.
[ ] Step 2: I've submitted my matching gift request! Click here***
If your company doesn't offer a matching gift program or won't match your donation, click the link below to help us keep our records up to date.
[✓] I'm not eligible for a matching gift.***
For the People Who Serve,
[Name redacted], [name redacted] and [name redacted]
USO Matching Gift Team
Sent on behalf of United Service Organizations., Inc.
***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]
And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:
Let us know why your gift is ineligible
Thank you for notifying us that your donation is not eligible to be matched by your company. To note this in our records, please select one of the reasons below. Your selection will not be saved until you click "Submit" below.
[ ] I'm retired.
[✓] I am self-employed, a government employee, or not currently working.
[ ] I'm self-employed.
[✓] I'm not currently working.
[Blogger's Note: The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so that is why I indicated that "I'm not currently working."]
[ ] I'm a stay-at-home parent.
[ ] I'm in the public sector.
[ ] I work for a nonprofit.
[ ] I work part-time.
[ ] My company doesn't offer a matching program.
[ ] I don't work for the company you sent info for.
[ ] My donation doesn't meet my company's matching gift program requirements.
[ ] I don't want to submit a match request for this gift.
[ ] I prefer not to say.
Submit
---------------------------------------------
Thank you for your response. We have updated our records.
Thus, I responded to the USO's request to see if my donation could be matched, by indicating that "I'm not currently working."
By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:
"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."
So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation! –Paul Whiting (April 19th, 2026)
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April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026, Part 2]: This update is a follow-up to my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026)', wherein I explained, in part, that I made a donation on April 16th, 2026, to the USO (United Service Organizations) on the USO.org website regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt design!
Plus, I clarified that—even though I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt—I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.
And I go on to explain that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!
Therefore, I explained that I decided to restart my recurring monthly donations, as part of the USO Home Team, on April 17th, 2026!
And I also clarified that I decided to increase what I donate to the USO on a monthly recurring basis to $20.00, since I used to donate $10.00 per month, which was increased from $5.00 per month.
Thus, that first recurring monthly donation started today, May 17th, 2026!
You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Armed Forces Day, or Armed Forces Month!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.
By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:
"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."
So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation! –Paul Whiting (written May 17th, 2026 and revised May 18th, 2026)
P.S.: It's May 18th, 2026 and early this morning, after checking my regular mail, I received a postcard from the USO, which stated the following:
★★★ USO ★★★ Home ⋆ Team
Thank you for joining the USO Home Team! Your ongoing commitment is deeply appreciated. Your generosity ensures that we can continue providing vital support to our service members and their families.
For the people who serve,
[Name redacted]
Welcome to the USO Home Team, Paul!
And so, I wanted to share this postcard with you, my readers, as part of this update regarding my USO Home Team recurring monthly donations!
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My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2026) [May 25th, 2026 Update No. 3, Written On May 26th, 2026 (Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog)]:
For Memorial Day 2026, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence, which is thanking us "for joining IAVA as we #GoSilent this Memorial Day at 3PM to honor American heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service and dedication to our nation." That is why I decided to #GoSilent with IAVA at 3:00 PM local time in order to help draw "special attention to the at least 13 U.S. service members killed in the most recent conflict with Iran. Our troops have been sent into harm’s way without clear public understanding of the scope, duration, or end goal of the mission. While these men and women faced that uncertainty, they did not hesitate to uphold the oath they swore to defend this nation. Even as many at home struggle to make sense of this new chapter of war, these service members never wavered. They gave everything in service to this country, and this Memorial Day, we #GoSilent to honor their sacrifice, remember their names, and ensure their service is never forgotten." And I also made a donation to IAVA in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans. –Paul Whiting (written May 26th, 2026 and revised May 27th, 2026)
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My Poetic Notes:
The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: This poem is in memory of those in the United States Military who served their country defending democracy and who died on "the other, lesser-known battlefield" of suicide.
By the way, this poem is also a rewrite of a poem that I wrote for Veterans Day that is titled, "A Sacred Trust," which is published on this blog. (Please see "A Sacred Trust-Style Poem" in labels for the poem.)
And this poem was also published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (please see the hyperlink below for the blog), since I feel that the message in this poem applies to the message that I am trying to convey through "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer."
This poem was written in Portland, Oregon.
-Paulee
https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com
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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release July 06, 2011
Statement by the President on Change of Condolence Letter Policy
As Commander in Chief, I am deeply grateful for the service of all our men and women in uniform, and grieve for the loss of those who suffer from the wounds of war - seen and unseen. Since taking office, I’ve been committed to removing the stigma associated with the unseen wounds of war, which is why I’ve worked to expand our mental health budgets, and ensure that all our men and women in uniform receive the care they need.
As a next step and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the military chain of command, I have also decided to reverse a long-standing policy of not sending condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide while deployed to a combat zone. This decision was made after a difficult and exhaustive review of the former policy, and I did not make it lightly. This issue is emotional, painful, and complicated, but these Americans served our nation bravely. They didn’t die because they were weak. And the fact that they didn’t get the help they needed must change. Our men and women in uniform have borne the incredible burden of our wars, and we need to do everything in our power to honor their service, and to help them stay strong for themselves, for their families and for our nation.
https://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/06/statement-president-change-condolence-letter-policy
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International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP):
Welcome!
The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is dedicated to: preventing suicidal behaviour, alleviating its effects, and providing a forum for academics, mental health professionals, crisis workers, volunteers and suicide survivors.
Founded by the late Professor Erwin Ringel and Dr. Norman Farberow in 1960, IASP now includes professionals and volunteers from more than fifty different countries. IASP is a Non-Governmental Organization in official relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) concerned with suicide prevention.
If you are feeling suicidal or know of someone who needs help, browse Help (https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/) to find a crisis center anywhere in the world.
https://www.iasp.info
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (please see the hyperlink below for the website):
988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. While some areas may be currently able to connect to the Lifeline by dialing 988, this dialing code will be available to everyone across the United States starting on July 16, 2022.
Talk To Someone Now
If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.
What Happens When I Call The Lifeline?
First, you’ll hear a message telling you that you’ve reached the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
We’ll play you a little hold music while we connect you.
A skilled, trained crisis worker who works at the Lifeline network crisis center closest to you will answer the phone.
This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and share any resources that may be helpful.
Remember, your call is confidential and free.
Should I Call The Lifeline?
No matter what problems you’re dealing with, whether or not you’re thinking about suicide, if you need someone to lean on for emotional support, call the Lifeline.
People call to talk about lots of things: substance abuse, economic worries, relationships, sexual identity, getting over abuse, depression, mental and physical illness, and loneliness, to name a few.
https://988lifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988
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This "Small All White in the Forest" Post No. 143 was edited on May 28th, 2027.
"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]
