September 11, 2006

The towers stood on New York soil in the land of the pilgrim's pride. Lady Liberty cast her reflection in the
windows, and many earned their way as Americans on the acre-long floors of Democracy. Once, people
smiled through the windows and gazed at the waters and bridges that make America the land of the free,
the land of many cultures, the land of many faiths. We are one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for
all. One nation. A nation that will continue to grow and thrive and cherish the soil. A nation that will continue
to strive for brotherly love, the golden rule, freedom of speech and religion and choice. A nation with borders
and boundaries crossed only by those who respect the land and the law. A nation my grandfather came to
with hope and my father and uncles fought for with pride. A nation of many tongues, but only one language.
One of many colors, but steadfast in the red, white and blue.
I will not fear those who want to harm my country or my people. I will not fear their egos or jealousies or
false pride or tenets. I have the power of America behind me, and I will not give that power away or
empower those who wish to destroy it. I will not be a victim.
I will, instead, own my country. I will only empower those who believe in my constitution and understand
my declaration of independence. I will recognize my country as my family and protect her, argue with her,
chastise her, disagree with her, but always, always, love her.
Two towers stood on New York soil. I am one. Please be the other.


BOOK REVIEW: FRONT STREET PRESS

Front Street Reviews


Forget the Cures, Find the Cause
Rayna M. Gangi

Reviewed by Sabrina Williams

Stop treating the symptoms and treat the cause. It sounds like advice from our mothers, doesn't it?
Unfortunately, today's society at large has turned away from the wisdom of our elders and our knee-jerk
reaction is to pop a pill for whatever ails us. In Forget the Cures, Find the Cause, Rayna M. Gangi makes a
case for eliminating the quick fixes that have become a staple of American life, yet never seem to truly solve
our medical dilemmas. Gangi explains why treating every pain or ailment, whether physical, mental, or
spiritual, fails to work. The reason modern medicines and treatments fail to work is simple: we have failed to
eliminate the cause. Gangi leads the reader through a path of self-discovery and a return to common sense
as she illustrates how today's lifestyle is actually destroying our very existence.

According to Gangi, a Holistic Health practitioner, the path to wellness lies in changes in diet and our ways of
thinking. She points out that most medical professionals earnestly want to help patients, but are restrained
by threats of lawsuits and are locked into their own idealistic interpretations of what are currently known as
traditional practices, clouded by cultural biases. As patients, we force ourselves into vicious cycles of self-
destruction when we medicate our insecurities rather than attempting to discover the circumstances
causing our pain. Gangi believes that humans react to every situation either from love or from fear. Choosing
to react from fear can actually cause that which we fear most to materialize.

Utlizing Native American medicine and lore combined with Christian spirituality, Gangi provides us with some
simple steps for improving our own physical health. She speaks with a motherly compassion for humanity
as she accompanies us on our journey through our Earthly existence. Part instruction and part inspiration,
Forget the Cures serves as a crucial reminder to mankind to slow down and stop letting the chaos of
modern life prevent our bodies from completing the self-mending they were designed to do.

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