It's that time again, where we wander the breadth and depth of Eegeedom, seeking out pearls of wisdom here, a laugh there and something to think about everywhere.
It's been a rough week... in the news, on the blogs, and in many ways, but there is some good news!
XicanoPwr is back home, and his grandmother has rallied and is like the phoenix, rising from the ashes! He also makes some very good points about healthcare in this country for those who are voiceless.
katiebird is also talking about healthcare, as well as ladders and mini meals! And, she's looking for feedback on being as strong as she needs to be. I, in my impartial and disinterested way (cough) think it's pretty cool! Let her know what you think.
Duke once again breaks it all down for us, this time about Republican schizophrenia. Okay, okay...not all of it... schizophrenia on the immigration issue. Also, somewhere I think I read he had a fairly recent birthday? If so, Happy Late Birthday, Duke! Or early, as the case may be.
[UPDATE!] James is gone again, but he's left us weekend reading on a big word! Lots of stuff there... scroll down.
Ductape has some somber words and pictures that defy description, defy excuse.
The second art piece in a row that I can tell what it is! deano is back (but busy) with more to see!
In which Family Man puts a can of pineapple on his porch and declares... "I am the goat!" Also, Family Mom code talking.
Aha! skippy thinks they get to choose which stories are highlighted on the tour. Little does he (they?) know, but just because someone writes a wonderful eulogy for Red Buttons, doesn't mean we'll point to it. So there.
[UPDATE AGAIN!] Okay guys, this is the thing... Olivia has gone to the birds! Also, poppies every which way, including up. Well, every which way except that way, so don't even think it!
dove has a couple of ongoing conversations that have people's heads spinning (but no pea soup, I promise!). And one where words just don't seem enough.
Our own Manny also has (what should be) an ongoing conversation, right here, on the political will for peace. Once we find (or create) that, the rest will fall into place. Pretty much.
[UPDATE THE LAST! i think] Boran is preparing for an invasion! But not by ordering pizza.
And I have to tell you about catnip. It's like this... she... she... well, she doesn't have a Sunday Food for Thought! There, I got it out. Whew! But... she does have running updates on the tragedy in the Middle East, and lots of news besides. Scroll down, lots of stuff!
[UPDATE SORTA IN THE MIDDLE BUT NOT REALLY!] catnip has done a very thought provoking Food for Thought!
ILJ has a podcast interview with Brooklyn's Progressive Conscience that sounds interesting, along with information about a much watched congressional disctrict race going on there.
All Done! (maybe)
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Call Louise (Saturday Thinking out Loud thread)
I'll get to the political stuff, I promise. Just not today. I'll take keyboard in hand and slice and dice right wing tropes and memes into confetti. I'll chatter on about Social Security, Iraq, Iran - will we or wont we?, sex, lies and Gannongate, and the crooks and liars of the right. Just not today. They'll all still be there tomorrow, and the next day and the day after that. Isn't there some saying, "and the freaks will be with you always"?
The good, now... well, sometimes they die young.
When my brother died a few years ago I found a to-do list in his wallet, on a tiny piece of paper. The first or second item on the list, written in darker ink and larger than the other items, so that it drew the eye was: Call Louise. I don't know why, and I don't remember doing it, but I must have put the list in my purse or pocket, because I somehow wound up taking it home with me.
I've moved a couple of times since then, but that little list always goes with me. I don't keep it in any special place, or anything. I'll be tidying up the house and see a small scrap of paper on the floor, or on top of the dresser, or in my purse or... well, just about anyplace. Naturally, I pick it up and while it may sometimes be a receipt, or a just a stray piece of nothing, sometimes it's the to-do list. I'll open it, read it, and then set it back down on the table, or in a drawer. I don't know why I don't just throw it out. I would say that it's because it's in his own writing, and I want to keep that, but I have other things he's written out by hand, entire stories even.
I guess it doesn't really matter anymore why I keep the list. I don't know who Louise is, although I hope he did call her and didn't wait. But now, the list has become my little talisman... and Louise? We'll, she's become everyone that is close to me, and everything I need to get done. I only find the list every few months or so, and when I do and see 'call Louise" I make sure to set aside a time to to give my old mom a little extra attention, and to call my other brothers, my daughter and other family and friends.
The good old Fabric of Life is full of those little tendrils that weave in and out of your existence, some leaving little impression, others becoming a treasured part. And sometimes one breaks off and floats away, leaving a huge hole in the fabric, before you are ready for it to go. If you ever are.
I don't know how to end this. I guess I'll just say... when it's time to call Louise, don't put it off. Everything else will still be there tomorrow.
The good, now... well, sometimes they die young.
When my brother died a few years ago I found a to-do list in his wallet, on a tiny piece of paper. The first or second item on the list, written in darker ink and larger than the other items, so that it drew the eye was: Call Louise. I don't know why, and I don't remember doing it, but I must have put the list in my purse or pocket, because I somehow wound up taking it home with me.
I've moved a couple of times since then, but that little list always goes with me. I don't keep it in any special place, or anything. I'll be tidying up the house and see a small scrap of paper on the floor, or on top of the dresser, or in my purse or... well, just about anyplace. Naturally, I pick it up and while it may sometimes be a receipt, or a just a stray piece of nothing, sometimes it's the to-do list. I'll open it, read it, and then set it back down on the table, or in a drawer. I don't know why I don't just throw it out. I would say that it's because it's in his own writing, and I want to keep that, but I have other things he's written out by hand, entire stories even.
I guess it doesn't really matter anymore why I keep the list. I don't know who Louise is, although I hope he did call her and didn't wait. But now, the list has become my little talisman... and Louise? We'll, she's become everyone that is close to me, and everything I need to get done. I only find the list every few months or so, and when I do and see 'call Louise" I make sure to set aside a time to to give my old mom a little extra attention, and to call my other brothers, my daughter and other family and friends.
The good old Fabric of Life is full of those little tendrils that weave in and out of your existence, some leaving little impression, others becoming a treasured part. And sometimes one breaks off and floats away, leaving a huge hole in the fabric, before you are ready for it to go. If you ever are.
I don't know how to end this. I guess I'll just say... when it's time to call Louise, don't put it off. Everything else will still be there tomorrow.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Treating "the Illegals" Like Livestock
Oftentimes the words I speak are harsh and cynical, and I sincerely wish that in the future [some of] the things I say would never see the light of day. For example, last week in passing I wrote the following:
Someone make the idiocy stop. Please. I've had enough. Haven't you?
If you have, start supporting the Border Action Network or We Are America Alliance who are railing against this widespread extremism. Attend a meeting, send donations, DO SOMETHING, to help end the demise of human rights along la frontera.
If you're more inclined to use the political process, here's the webpage for Joyce Schulte (D) who is opposingmadman minuteman congressman Steve King in November. His viewes are dangerous and outrageous. I'm sick of him and his ilk.
[/rant]
[UPDATE] Duke1676 in the comments lists other reprehensible actions by Republican Rep. Steve King. Also, Prog Dem shares the link to their homepage KingWatch.org
Then again, the Minutemen are thugs who probably denote equality to the terms "Mexican livestock" and "Mexicans".Hardy har. Those extremist vigilantes, look how far out into wackoland they are! Surely a member of the United States Congress wouldn't agree.
ThinkProgress has the transcript in addition to the video link posted above.Rep. Steve King (R-IA) went on the House floor on Tuesday to discuss a fence that he “designed” for the southern boarder. (King constructed a model of the fence as he was speaking.) King’s design features a wire electrified “with the kind of current that would not kill somebody.” King noted that “we do this with livestock all the time.” Watch it:
Someone make the idiocy stop. Please. I've had enough. Haven't you?
If you have, start supporting the Border Action Network or We Are America Alliance who are railing against this widespread extremism. Attend a meeting, send donations, DO SOMETHING, to help end the demise of human rights along la frontera.
If you're more inclined to use the political process, here's the webpage for Joyce Schulte (D) who is opposing
[/rant]
[UPDATE] Duke1676 in the comments lists other reprehensible actions by Republican Rep. Steve King. Also, Prog Dem shares the link to their homepage KingWatch.org
Thursday, July 13, 2006
The Political Will for Peace
It has been a long time since there was widespread political will in the United States for the things that many liberals hold dear - equality, diplomacy, fiscal responsibility, etc. For those of you who are into facts and documentation, look no further than the elections that have been held recently in this country at all levels, as well as the waffling that has been done by Democratic candidates and politicians.
The Democrats were trounced in the 2002 and 2004 elections because they refused to take an unabashed position on matters of war, specifically the War on Terror™, which the Republicans have repeatedly conflated to include Iraq no matter how much the lefty community might disagree. Sure there were other factors on the domestic front, but those two elections were more dependent upon foreign policy in my opinion.
George Bush is not a leader. He never has been. A leader is someone who will take into consideration the diversity of opinions that exist among the people he or she leads. That has never been the modus operandi of this particular government. He surrounds himself by advisors and audiences that agree with his positions, allowing him to shore up the self-sufficiency he needs to keep doing what he chooses. That is not leadership, it's dictatorship.
Bush's air of confidence is unnerving to those of us citizens who abhor his actions and worldview. But what are we supposed to do when leaders who are supposedly on our side flinch with timidity and open themselves up for ridicule and descriptions of weakness? Kerry got labeled a flip-flopper because he acted like one. I grew to like Senator Kerry, still do, but that is because I was able to do more indepth research on the differences between his positions and George Bush's maniacal reign. I have to say, there were fewer differences on policy than I would like, especially as it regards war and the U.S.'s involvement in the world.
For the uninformed, in my opinion lazy, voter; they had a choice between a steely resolved person (Bush) verses another candidate who spent more time talking through an answer than actually answering it with conviction (Kerry). That's why we are dealing with a second term presidency at this moment.
And throughout all of that fluff, where were the steely resolved candidates for peace? I'll tell you where they were, they had been banished to the radical and marginalized minority of the left by our own party, let alone the electorate. People like Dennis Kucinich, Carol Moseley-Braun and Al Sharpton who no matter how much their positions resonated with a liberal/diplomatic worldview during the Democratic primary debates, they were never seen as viable candidates. Why? Lack of political will and a vile mixture of sexism and racism thrown in for good measure. Those exist in bi- and non-partisan forms.
So here we are today, watching as the situation in the Middle East explodes in the metaphorical and physical sense of the word. Liberal Catnip has been all over this story, I encourage you to start at the top and continue reading as she documents the media response to the flagrant warmongering by Israel as well as the continually abhorrent actions of the Bush Administration.
Hypocrisy and continued support for the forces of war.
The only path that will lead us down is a guarantee of more death and instability. The wheels are already loose on the global wagon and I fear we are coming to a point where they are going to start flying off and true chaos will emerge. A very dark vision to have, but also one that squares with what I see on the t.v. screen, in the newspapers and on NPR.
It is becoming increasingly apparent to me that society is going to have to hit rock bottom before we, all or a majority of us, come to realize that there is a cancer in the U.S. that infects the way we interact globally. Boston Joe, a diarist at BooMan Tribune, speaks for me on this when he responds to a friend's question whether he has forgotten what happened on September 11, 2001.
I am not ashamed of my liberal views. It is time where none of us who hold them should be. The propaganda will no longer work among a populace who holds those ideals in the deepest part of their psyche. Plant the seeds now and who knows, perhaps we'll see some blooms in the coming years that are worthy of remembrance. Blooms that are not fertilized by the blood of others.
Crossposted at Human Beams
The Democrats were trounced in the 2002 and 2004 elections because they refused to take an unabashed position on matters of war, specifically the War on Terror™, which the Republicans have repeatedly conflated to include Iraq no matter how much the lefty community might disagree. Sure there were other factors on the domestic front, but those two elections were more dependent upon foreign policy in my opinion.
George Bush is not a leader. He never has been. A leader is someone who will take into consideration the diversity of opinions that exist among the people he or she leads. That has never been the modus operandi of this particular government. He surrounds himself by advisors and audiences that agree with his positions, allowing him to shore up the self-sufficiency he needs to keep doing what he chooses. That is not leadership, it's dictatorship.
Bush's air of confidence is unnerving to those of us citizens who abhor his actions and worldview. But what are we supposed to do when leaders who are supposedly on our side flinch with timidity and open themselves up for ridicule and descriptions of weakness? Kerry got labeled a flip-flopper because he acted like one. I grew to like Senator Kerry, still do, but that is because I was able to do more indepth research on the differences between his positions and George Bush's maniacal reign. I have to say, there were fewer differences on policy than I would like, especially as it regards war and the U.S.'s involvement in the world.
For the uninformed, in my opinion lazy, voter; they had a choice between a steely resolved person (Bush) verses another candidate who spent more time talking through an answer than actually answering it with conviction (Kerry). That's why we are dealing with a second term presidency at this moment.
And throughout all of that fluff, where were the steely resolved candidates for peace? I'll tell you where they were, they had been banished to the radical and marginalized minority of the left by our own party, let alone the electorate. People like Dennis Kucinich, Carol Moseley-Braun and Al Sharpton who no matter how much their positions resonated with a liberal/diplomatic worldview during the Democratic primary debates, they were never seen as viable candidates. Why? Lack of political will and a vile mixture of sexism and racism thrown in for good measure. Those exist in bi- and non-partisan forms.
So here we are today, watching as the situation in the Middle East explodes in the metaphorical and physical sense of the word. Liberal Catnip has been all over this story, I encourage you to start at the top and continue reading as she documents the media response to the flagrant warmongering by Israel as well as the continually abhorrent actions of the Bush Administration.
Hypocrisy and continued support for the forces of war.
The only path that will lead us down is a guarantee of more death and instability. The wheels are already loose on the global wagon and I fear we are coming to a point where they are going to start flying off and true chaos will emerge. A very dark vision to have, but also one that squares with what I see on the t.v. screen, in the newspapers and on NPR.
It is becoming increasingly apparent to me that society is going to have to hit rock bottom before we, all or a majority of us, come to realize that there is a cancer in the U.S. that infects the way we interact globally. Boston Joe, a diarist at BooMan Tribune, speaks for me on this when he responds to a friend's question whether he has forgotten what happened on September 11, 2001.
But to begin to fight our way back to that path of peace and justice, I think we individually may have to do exceptional things. We may have to risk friendships in order to tell the truth as we see it. To beat back what is a nationalistic furor. There are reasons why we lost people on 9/11. And from my own observation of the attitudes of my fellow Americans, I do not believe that most have even begun to examine those reasons in any depth.As I've been saying recently, the status quo is not something I support. We need a major paradigm shift to occur in order to see a stable situation based on diplomacy and the pursuit of the common good. Since it is not being led by the political realm, look for my involvement to be more with grassroots groups and coalitions who are working to grow an electorate that views human rights and peace to be a more acceptable status quo for the future.
[snip]We are being easily led. In an ongoing war. And perhaps into new wars. And to continuing occupations. And to covert actions to secure our rights to BigMacs and SUVs. I submit to you that it is our own nationalism and militarism that is leading us to a day when our children may well see the mushroom clouds of this administration's imagination.
No. I have not forgotten.
linkage - a fantastic and hard-hitting piece
I am not ashamed of my liberal views. It is time where none of us who hold them should be. The propaganda will no longer work among a populace who holds those ideals in the deepest part of their psyche. Plant the seeds now and who knows, perhaps we'll see some blooms in the coming years that are worthy of remembrance. Blooms that are not fertilized by the blood of others.
Crossposted at Human Beams
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Report: Human Rights on the Border
elRanchero has posted a link to the newly-released report that outlines the conditions surrounding la frontera.
Feel free to use this as an Open Thread.
The Border Network for Human Rights has submitted a comprehensive border report last week to the United Nations Human Rights Commission (which is meeting this month in Geneva). This report summarizes the years of human rights documentation done by the Border Network and allies.Here's the link to the full post. I will comment more this evening after I've finished reading it and have some time to think about its implications.
Feel free to use this as an Open Thread.
Regarding Anti-Americanism
Yes, I'm going to go there.
For the past, oh I don't know, five'ish years the neocon wing of the United States has ramped up it's media fire expending energy on how unpatriotic and anti-American the citizens of this land were who didn't support every single thing that George Bush and his War Council decreed.
Whether it was the invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq, or the suspension of the Geneva Conventions for detainees which led to widespread torture at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and the rest of the sinister web of secret prisons operated in the name of "freedom" (btw, that decision was publicly reversed today, thank GOD for tiny steps in the way of justice), or the fact that we have a fundamental problem with warrantless wiretapping of citizens, or racial profiling when it comes to airport screening or even just ordering pizza; so much vitriol has been flung at us that we're being "soft on terror" and un-"American."
It has been a deliberate campaign to divide the country enough to spray the liberal message of diplomacy and non-violence with such a foul stench that who would ever in their right mind choose to follow such a group of traitors? [sarcasm alert] That's how elections are won based on the blood of others.
I have been arguing over the past several days in threads here, here, and here for a position that deeply pains me to have to take. One that is totally at odds with current policies of my government and the electorate. The position that we as the United States have absolutely, unequivocably, less-than-zero chance in hell no matter how hard I try to bend my brain to conceive it, any fundamental right to intervene in another nation's affairs without said country's full consent or support of an international consensus. None.
I am a student of peace and nonviolence. Period. I don't pretend nor delude myself into thinking that this is a widespread headspace for people to be in. Nor do I think I'm being delusional when I say that I think there needs to be more people like me in the world. If we as a liberal community are going to advocate for Peace, then why should we stop at a convenient place to say, "okay, that's enough Peace, we need to reserve some wiggle room in case there is a time in our future where we will need to not be Peaceful" ??? As I wrote to a fellow Accidental Activist yesterday:
I don't think the people who hurled those insults in my direction over the past couple of days are anywhere near that point of extremism, in fact I know they're not, but I do know that they are on an opposite side of a slippery hill, and at the bottom of theirs leads to the world of Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. I am not willing to go there. Everyone has their part to play in this complicated world that surrounds us. I have never been a soldier nor a fighter, it is not in my nature. I can accept that there are people in my midst who will be inclined to be the soldier or fighter, but it doesn't mean I have to like it or agree with it. And I would appreciate it if they allowed me the same freedom to hold my point of view of unyielding nonviolence without resorting to telling me to go throw myself in the middle of a civil war zone in order to call them in the morning.
With all of that said, I am not anti-"American", I am anti-status quo. Which I think all, or at least most, of the readership of lefty blogtopia (y!sctp) can say united with confidence. Just because we may have a different reading on the history of the United States does not mean that any of us have higher or lower moral ground than the other. It is a difference of opinion. It has been painful to have labels flung in my face, especially when there are friendships involved, but how else are we supposed to tackle the problems of our world if we are not willing to accept that there will be disagreement?
The conversation that has been raging is just a shadow of the same one that is being waged on a macro level within the U.S. There are bitterly divided factions of citizens and politicians that refuse to stop their bickering and bumper-sticker mentality to sit at a table and have an honest discussion about where our country has been and where it is headed. It's no wonder, it is a terrible thing to have to face one's demons with enough strength left afterwards to banish them forever and work towards a mutual common good. If we can't even do that on a blog within the liberal/progressive community, how do we expect it to happen among the electorate? Here's hoping that the dialog will continue regardless of where people find themselves on this full moon Tuesday night. I know that I am willing to listen still and hope that others will do the same.
[UPDATE] I just reread this post and realize that my voice of compassion that also exists within me is lacking. Just because I hold this non-violent/pacifistic view does not mean that I don't see where the other points of view are coming from. I have a best friend who has done a couple of tours in Iraq. I don't have any siblings and will go so far as to say that this airman is like a brother to me. It may not be the exact same thing as having a brother, but nonetheless, the bond I feel with him is akin to what I could conceive as being brotherhood.
The last time I had a really good cry. The kind of gut wrenching, heart-trembling sobs that comes when one is hit with some of the hardest emotions was on Thanksgiving night last fall. It was because he was getting ready to leave on his next tour and did not want to leave. His marriage was in question, his two toddler-aged children were thrown into the mix, and he was caught between a rock and hard place that I could never conceive as someone who has never felt inclined to be a member of the military.
All I can say is that I am capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time, tackling my personal code of nonviolent ethics with reasoning towards a military culture that I view in my world, my country and my personal life. We are more complex than we are able to show through the mere written word and with that realization I have hope that the labels or characterizations we throw around at individuals we meet in the online realm are seen as exactly as they are: only shadows of the complex, real person behind the screen and keyboard.
For the past, oh I don't know, five'ish years the neocon wing of the United States has ramped up it's media fire expending energy on how unpatriotic and anti-American the citizens of this land were who didn't support every single thing that George Bush and his War Council decreed.
Whether it was the invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq, or the suspension of the Geneva Conventions for detainees which led to widespread torture at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and the rest of the sinister web of secret prisons operated in the name of "freedom" (btw, that decision was publicly reversed today, thank GOD for tiny steps in the way of justice), or the fact that we have a fundamental problem with warrantless wiretapping of citizens, or racial profiling when it comes to airport screening or even just ordering pizza; so much vitriol has been flung at us that we're being "soft on terror" and un-"American."
It has been a deliberate campaign to divide the country enough to spray the liberal message of diplomacy and non-violence with such a foul stench that who would ever in their right mind choose to follow such a group of traitors? [sarcasm alert] That's how elections are won based on the blood of others.
When the conversation is framed in such a way, it's no wonder that there is disillusionment on the left. We don't control the propaganda, we don't control any branch of the government, we can't seem to get our candidates or elected officials to "speak for me!!!", the deck is stacked against us. But. And this is probably the But that gets me most in trouble: We are not off the hook for the current reality that faces us."Conservatives saw the savagery of 9/11 in the attacks and prepared for war; liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers," Mr. Rove, the senior political adviser to President Bush, said at a fund-raiser in Midtown for the Conservative Party of New York State.
Citing calls by progressive groups to respond carefully to the attacks, Mr. Rove said to the applause of several hundred audience members, "I don't know about you, but moderation and restraint is not what I felt when I watched the twin towers crumble to the ground, a side of the Pentagon destroyed, and almost 3,000 of our fellow citizens perish in flames and rubble."
I have been arguing over the past several days in threads here, here, and here for a position that deeply pains me to have to take. One that is totally at odds with current policies of my government and the electorate. The position that we as the United States have absolutely, unequivocably, less-than-zero chance in hell no matter how hard I try to bend my brain to conceive it, any fundamental right to intervene in another nation's affairs without said country's full consent or support of an international consensus. None.
I am a student of peace and nonviolence. Period. I don't pretend nor delude myself into thinking that this is a widespread headspace for people to be in. Nor do I think I'm being delusional when I say that I think there needs to be more people like me in the world. If we as a liberal community are going to advocate for Peace, then why should we stop at a convenient place to say, "okay, that's enough Peace, we need to reserve some wiggle room in case there is a time in our future where we will need to not be Peaceful" ??? As I wrote to a fellow Accidental Activist yesterday:
sit, my friend, the world has enough people willing to do violence, it is the non-violent pacifist group that could use some nurturing and growth. Each time we've flexed our muscles as a group, the progressive/liberal agenda has made the most progress and human rights given a well-needed shot in the arm. We hold up people like MLK, gandhi, Cesar Chavez, and dare-I-suggest Cindy Sheehan in high esteem around here everyday. Speaking from what I've read of the first three, the non-violence they suscribe to has no limitations. I strive for that, I may never reach that level of certitude, but I'm willing to go down the rabbit hole to find out what's on the other side. I suspect it's Peace.There have been some rather viscious reactions to my statement of principles. And this is coming from people who are within the realm of lefty-hood. But here's the skinny, I am unapologetic that I will refuse to mount that slippery slope that ultimately leads to extremism as displayed by the comments I linked above that came from Karl Rove and the podium of the top level of my government.
I don't think the people who hurled those insults in my direction over the past couple of days are anywhere near that point of extremism, in fact I know they're not, but I do know that they are on an opposite side of a slippery hill, and at the bottom of theirs leads to the world of Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. I am not willing to go there. Everyone has their part to play in this complicated world that surrounds us. I have never been a soldier nor a fighter, it is not in my nature. I can accept that there are people in my midst who will be inclined to be the soldier or fighter, but it doesn't mean I have to like it or agree with it. And I would appreciate it if they allowed me the same freedom to hold my point of view of unyielding nonviolence without resorting to telling me to go throw myself in the middle of a civil war zone in order to call them in the morning.
With all of that said, I am not anti-"American", I am anti-status quo. Which I think all, or at least most, of the readership of lefty blogtopia (y!sctp) can say united with confidence. Just because we may have a different reading on the history of the United States does not mean that any of us have higher or lower moral ground than the other. It is a difference of opinion. It has been painful to have labels flung in my face, especially when there are friendships involved, but how else are we supposed to tackle the problems of our world if we are not willing to accept that there will be disagreement?
The conversation that has been raging is just a shadow of the same one that is being waged on a macro level within the U.S. There are bitterly divided factions of citizens and politicians that refuse to stop their bickering and bumper-sticker mentality to sit at a table and have an honest discussion about where our country has been and where it is headed. It's no wonder, it is a terrible thing to have to face one's demons with enough strength left afterwards to banish them forever and work towards a mutual common good. If we can't even do that on a blog within the liberal/progressive community, how do we expect it to happen among the electorate? Here's hoping that the dialog will continue regardless of where people find themselves on this full moon Tuesday night. I know that I am willing to listen still and hope that others will do the same.
[UPDATE] I just reread this post and realize that my voice of compassion that also exists within me is lacking. Just because I hold this non-violent/pacifistic view does not mean that I don't see where the other points of view are coming from. I have a best friend who has done a couple of tours in Iraq. I don't have any siblings and will go so far as to say that this airman is like a brother to me. It may not be the exact same thing as having a brother, but nonetheless, the bond I feel with him is akin to what I could conceive as being brotherhood.
The last time I had a really good cry. The kind of gut wrenching, heart-trembling sobs that comes when one is hit with some of the hardest emotions was on Thanksgiving night last fall. It was because he was getting ready to leave on his next tour and did not want to leave. His marriage was in question, his two toddler-aged children were thrown into the mix, and he was caught between a rock and hard place that I could never conceive as someone who has never felt inclined to be a member of the military.
All I can say is that I am capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time, tackling my personal code of nonviolent ethics with reasoning towards a military culture that I view in my world, my country and my personal life. We are more complex than we are able to show through the mere written word and with that realization I have hope that the labels or characterizations we throw around at individuals we meet in the online realm are seen as exactly as they are: only shadows of the complex, real person behind the screen and keyboard.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
History Matters
The Oklahoma Gazette has a fascinating article that I thought I would share
These are philosophical questions to a point, but it is my view that they also color the ways we engage in politics. Tribal politics, as an example, are dependent upon the motives of the politicians in Washington. If there is good will flowing from the Hill, then usually the best interests are served among the tribal people; but as we have seen extensively, when there is greed and powerbroking as the principle for lending assistance, well, just ask Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay what happens when you get caught displaying and manipulating the metaphorical remains of native american tribes.
Crossposted from The Left End of the Dial where I'm working to otherthrow James' blog ;-)
It was a small Cheyenne girl’s buckskin dress where a bullet hole and rust-colored blood stains covered the area where her stomach would have been.It got me thinking about history and how much importance we as modern day Americans choose to lend it to our everyday worldview. With respect to the shady ways we've treated the indigenous people of this slab of rock and dirt, do we choose to live our lives in such a way that honors the entire past of the area? or do we hold a viewpoint that the only era that has truly mattered is that which followed the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution?
Harjo, of the Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee tribes, said that her mother was “livid about the fact that was in a museum, where people’s prying eyes could look at it, and that it hadn’t been buried with the girl. It brought up all sorts of questions. Was the girl even buried? What happened to her? It just brought up a lot of things from the past. That became, for me, the symbol of the things that museums should not have and should not display.”
These are philosophical questions to a point, but it is my view that they also color the ways we engage in politics. Tribal politics, as an example, are dependent upon the motives of the politicians in Washington. If there is good will flowing from the Hill, then usually the best interests are served among the tribal people; but as we have seen extensively, when there is greed and powerbroking as the principle for lending assistance, well, just ask Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay what happens when you get caught displaying and manipulating the metaphorical remains of native american tribes.
Crossposted from The Left End of the Dial where I'm working to otherthrow James' blog ;-)
Monday, July 10, 2006
Mexicanos Know How to Grieve
I've lost many loved ones in my relatively short life. Great-grandparents, grandparents, tios, tias, cousins, friends; it's really quite tragic when I think about all of the loss I've experienced, but it has also allowed me to do a lot of soul-searching that makes me who I am today. Someone that I'm reasonably proud of, which is an important ingredient for happiness.
Each time one of my familia passes on, a shock hits the rest of us like a tsunami. Its force is enough to break apart strong bonds of fellowship and love and certainly able to destroy the hope that lives in a single soul. When I was in high school I lost my grandfather, who I share my name with along with my father, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather and going back to my great-great-great-great grandmother who is buried five minutes outside of my little hometown in an old cemetery straight out of the history of the Old West.
The intruder into our rock solid existence was pancreatic cancer.
I watched as the man who was always the foundation of our extended family unit disintegrated. He lost over 100 lbs throughout the ordeal, making him a shadow of the person before the disease took its toll. The cancer was supposed to take him in six months after it was identified by the doctor. It only took five.
I'll never forget the last few days he was with us. There was alot of "call everybody up, it's time" and "brace yourself, it will probably be this evening". As he slipped into incoherence, new waves of emotions were unleashed as the person we knew and love could no longer recognize us.
As the end approached, it was quite fitting that it was during a time of prayer. My tia, my grandfather's daughter, was a longtime member of the Air Force and had been out of the country for many years far away from all of us. She had come home to be with us in those final months and she had the honor to spend the last moments with him as he finally slipped into the long sleep. They were praying together, rather she was reading his prayers to him, but if you knew the man I lovingly called tata you would know that he was joining in los oraciones.
My family had a decision when we lost our rock. We could either let his death destroy our bonds and individual selves, or we could move forward together in a way that would make us stronger than before. Somehow.
I'm thankful that that was the way we dealt with that terrible situation. I think it, the inner-resolve, has affected me throughout my life as I've lost other grandparents to illness and loss of hope, or friends due to drugs or suicide, or even the various death I read in the headlines of the morning paper. There is always a sense of learning and growth. Sure, lots of pain and dischord, but never complete loss of hope.
Maybe it's personality. Maybe it's faith. Maybe it's simple love. I just know that those qualities that give me that inner strength are the ones I wish to nourish and grow like the wildflowers starting to pop up in the desert due to the monsoon rains. Believe it or not, this place helps me do that regardless of how tragic or disparaging the topic may be.
[this is from my notes for the outline I'm working on for my future novel describing life in a small tightnit Mexican American community, thought I would share]
Each time one of my familia passes on, a shock hits the rest of us like a tsunami. Its force is enough to break apart strong bonds of fellowship and love and certainly able to destroy the hope that lives in a single soul. When I was in high school I lost my grandfather, who I share my name with along with my father, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather and going back to my great-great-great-great grandmother who is buried five minutes outside of my little hometown in an old cemetery straight out of the history of the Old West.
The intruder into our rock solid existence was pancreatic cancer.
I watched as the man who was always the foundation of our extended family unit disintegrated. He lost over 100 lbs throughout the ordeal, making him a shadow of the person before the disease took its toll. The cancer was supposed to take him in six months after it was identified by the doctor. It only took five.
I'll never forget the last few days he was with us. There was alot of "call everybody up, it's time" and "brace yourself, it will probably be this evening". As he slipped into incoherence, new waves of emotions were unleashed as the person we knew and love could no longer recognize us.
As the end approached, it was quite fitting that it was during a time of prayer. My tia, my grandfather's daughter, was a longtime member of the Air Force and had been out of the country for many years far away from all of us. She had come home to be with us in those final months and she had the honor to spend the last moments with him as he finally slipped into the long sleep. They were praying together, rather she was reading his prayers to him, but if you knew the man I lovingly called tata you would know that he was joining in los oraciones.
My family had a decision when we lost our rock. We could either let his death destroy our bonds and individual selves, or we could move forward together in a way that would make us stronger than before. Somehow.
I'm thankful that that was the way we dealt with that terrible situation. I think it, the inner-resolve, has affected me throughout my life as I've lost other grandparents to illness and loss of hope, or friends due to drugs or suicide, or even the various death I read in the headlines of the morning paper. There is always a sense of learning and growth. Sure, lots of pain and dischord, but never complete loss of hope.
Maybe it's personality. Maybe it's faith. Maybe it's simple love. I just know that those qualities that give me that inner strength are the ones I wish to nourish and grow like the wildflowers starting to pop up in the desert due to the monsoon rains. Believe it or not, this place helps me do that regardless of how tragic or disparaging the topic may be.
[this is from my notes for the outline I'm working on for my future novel describing life in a small tightnit Mexican American community, thought I would share]
Something Stirs South of La Frontera
From the AP
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the Democratic Revolution Party's candidate, is moving forward with the challenge of last week's election. With a vote margin of 244,000 out of 41 million cast (a little over .5%), and widespread accounts of shadiness at polling places, he is making a simple demand.
The streets of Mexico were filled over the weekend with hundreds of thousands of people to demand a defibrillator for democracy. I don't know about you, but I'm hoping the shockwave sent out by their grassroots movement makes its way past the lines of Minutemen and various military forces across la frontera. Piolin y El Cucuy agree
President Vicente Fox won't meet with either of the two candidates who claim to have won Mexico's presidential race until the nation's top electoral court has declared a victor, his spokesman said Monday.The Mexican people have not had confidence in their electoral system in a very long time. Decades of fraud and corruption involving centralized power, bribes for votes, secretive counting, etc. have done their number on the country's democratic system. Sound familiar? It does to this United States citizen's ears as I watched the horrors of 2000 and 2004 unfold.In his first briefing since the July 2 election, Ruben Aguilar said Fox spoke with ruling-party candidate Felipe Calderon after electoral officials gave him a slight lead in the official vote tally. But he said Fox would stay out of the contest until a president-elect is named.
Aguilar said he was confident that a campaign launched by Calderon's rival, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, to overturn Calderon's lead would be peaceful. And he dismissed the idea that the country, torn between the two candidates, would come to a standstill.
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the Democratic Revolution Party's candidate, is moving forward with the challenge of last week's election. With a vote margin of 244,000 out of 41 million cast (a little over .5%), and widespread accounts of shadiness at polling places, he is making a simple demand.
Count every voteAs the United States media continues to do a hatchet job on AMLO the "leftist" candidate in the mold of that evil Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, remember this dear reader: the talking heads are continuing to lull you into a mental coma that spits in the face of democracy. They are the voices of the corporate board rooms who are basking in the sunlight of secure pension plans while the rest of us figure out whether we're going to scrape up enough money to pay for groceries or the electric bill this month (as an example of the effects of the U.S. Minimum Wage which hasn't been raised since 1997). But I digress.
The streets of Mexico were filled over the weekend with hundreds of thousands of people to demand a defibrillator for democracy. I don't know about you, but I'm hoping the shockwave sent out by their grassroots movement makes its way past the lines of Minutemen and various military forces across la frontera. Piolin y El Cucuy agree
Two Latino radio hosts credited for mobilizing hundreds of thousands this year in pro-immigrant protests said on Friday they would join the drive to increase the immigrant vote in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.Los Angeles disc jockeys Piolin (Tweetybird) and El Cucuy (the Bogeyman) said they will work with the National Council of La Raza and other organizations to push Latino immigrants living in the United States to become U.S. citizens and register to vote in time to cast ballots in 2008.
Crossposted at The Left End of the Dial and BooMan Tribune
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