Senator Barak Obama

I couldn't not blog about this man. Once again I say - he needs to be in an even greater leadership position. I know he's new to the Hill, but time on the Hill isn't the measure of a person's ability to lead or inspire. Check out his "Call to Renewal" keynote address.'

I wish he was my senator.

Goodbye for now

I'm writing this mainly for myself so I can quit thinking about writing here. I'm going on a blog hiatus until after graduation. I'm planning on graduating this year (2006), in June so until then, goodbye and thanks for all the fish.

Goodbye Tookie

Tookie Williams was killed today. He was murdered by the state of California, after having been denied clemency by the governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although I am not surprised, I am greatly saddened by his death. If ever a person deserved clemency and recognition of personal transformation and redemption, it was Tookie.

Although he was responsible for helping found the Crips, he was also nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace Prize and wrote nine children's books about the importance of staying out of gangs. In speaking with some friends today, I realized that people given clemency are usually given pardon because of some problem with the system - not solely because of redemptive acts committed after their incarceration or because of personal transformation.

Although I realize his case was complicated and high-profile, I cannot help but believe that his peace work should have been recognized and given consideration. Perhaps it was, but Schwarzenegger's comment leads me to believe that it wasn't really considered. So what does someone have to do? I mean if being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize isn't enough, why should anyone ever bother to try and redeem themselves?

And Tookie probably wouldn't have been granted clemency even if he'd met Schwarzenegger's criteria. If he'd admitted he killed those people, he *surely* wouldn't have been given a reprieve. Goodbye Tookie - your light and your message will be remembered.

Narnia through different eyes

I just came home from seeing "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" and there are so many thoughts and feelings rolling around that I can't sleep yet. It was rather odd to have this story up on a screen in front of me. I first read the book probably 25 years ago and have read it (and the others in the series) innumerable times since then. I love those stories and could listen to stories of Narnia forever.

So what did I find so strange? Three things in general:

• Seeing what had previously only been in my imagination in vivid color and sound
• Experiencing the story for the first time knowing its Christian-based mythology
• Critically examining the cultural norms and ideology that are reinforced within the story

There are many wonderful things about this movie and I'm glad it was made. Two details in particular that I found distressing are that the "Big Bad" is a woman and that war is (ultimately) not only sanitized and glorified but completely justified. With regard to the war, the story itself simplifies conflict - turns it into a clear-cut, dualistic "right and wrong."

"But why is that a bad thing?" Because conflict, especially violent conflicts, are NEVER that simple. It's never a case of "here are some demons that deserve to be killed." NEVER. The truth is usually complicated and violence is always messy. There's never someone around with a magic potion to cure the most grievous wounds, or a magic being who can breath life back into those who are thought lost.

I know it's just a story, only a movie, but where do you think we learn our values from? Where do you think people get many of their cultural norms and beliefs? Through consuming media and media includes movies. It's not the only place we learn but it's certainly a major place and it's definitely where what we learn is often heavily reinforced.

More tomorrow.

I want out

Classes start on Monday and, unlike my other terms, I'm not looking forward to being back in school. I've gotten what I wanted and I'm ready to leave. I just want out. My experience as a grad student has been valuable but I no longer want to be immersed in talking about and defining problems. Even though I'm working on ways to keep some emotional distance, it's all too easy to fall into that negative place.

I want to work with people, have wonderful and positive conversations, and feel that I'm actually *doing* something to transform all these negative systems and behaviors we talk about so endlessly. That's where I belong, that's what I need to be doing. These final couple of terms are just work I need to do to get there.

Response to Tracinski

Here's my response to an article by Robert Tracinski published in The Intellectual Activist. I find articles like this challenging to respond to - lagely because I can remember thinking this way once and feeling the "rightness" of that opinion. However, my thinking and feelings have changed a lot since then and even though Tracinski may have some points, I think he's sorely lacking in compassion for human suffering and the systems that perpetuate such suffering.
================================================================
It's hard to know how to even formulate a response to something as lacking in compassion or understanding of some of the bigger issues impacting these people. I Googled the author and he calls himself "The Intellectual Activist." To me, that title alone makes a profound statement about this man's perspective, as I view activism as something prompted by compassion for the people and the cause I support. Aside from what seems to me to be a very cold and heartless analysis, he makes any number of statements and offers no evidence to support what he says. I heard him repeating quite a bit of the hardline, conservative Republican rhetoric (rhetoric that's been in place at least since Gingrich was Speaker) but he offers little proof that what he says is true.

I think that responding to people like Tracinski is difficult because there may be some truth to what they say and none of us (especially we bleeding heart liberals) want to admit that. That said, I also think it's a twisted and maimed version of the truth. Do the circumstances of extreme poverty prompt really bad choices and behavior from people? Of course. Should we condone those behaviors, not acknowledge them, or fail to implement consequences? Of course not. Should we also find a way to have compassion for these suffering people and alter the consequences if appropriate? I think so. It doesn't help poor people for us to romanticize them and their circumstances and expect some sort of "noble suffering" and "heroic sacrifices" beyond what all people are capable of. People are not necessarily any more ethical, moral, or socially responsible simply because they suffer or are oppressed.

In any case, I found many of his statements outrageous and his claims downright ludicrous. I'm offended that he makes unfounded connections between people on welfare and people in prisons (not even mentioning the racism & classism clearly evident in our criminal justice system). I think his statements about some of the problems with public housing are probably true but to condemn people because they live there is inexcusable. That's the old line of blaming poor people for being poor. Thanks to Barbara Bush for her "sympathetic" statements in that regard also. Another aspect of poverty that Tracinski fails to even consider is the plight of the working poor. We're talking about people who hold down two or more jobs and still can barely make ends meet. Those people are probably part of the "project populations" he excoriates and they certainly aren't "welfare parasites."

People who think along these lines (some of my family included) aren't interested in finding out what is really going on and throwing "our" numbers/information at them doesn't help. You can find numbers and facts to back up any crazy statement you want to make. A friend of mine predicted that some of the news channels and media outlets would try to spin the story this way and it looks like she was right. As usual, instead of looking at why these people are so desperate and (according to one man's statement) "throwaway people", let's continue blaming them for being poor, think they're animals because they're not white, and send in the military to shoot down US citizens. The entire governmental response was criminal but the ongoing refusal to admit that classism and racism played an enormous part in extending the suffering of these people is a bigger crime still.

Loss of prevailing wages in Katrina rebuild efforts

In the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina, yet another unfortunate and ill-advised event has occurred: Bush and all our fabulous Hill politicians have decided to suspend the prevailing wage laws on federal jobs related to Katrina rebuild efforts.

Prevailing wage was established by the Davis-Bacon act which is "...U.S. federal legislation which established the requirement for paying "prevailing wages" on public works projects. All federal government construction contracts and most contracts for federally assisted construction over $2,000 must include provisions for paying workers on-site no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits paid on similar projects." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davis-Bacon_Act)

I think this is a terrible precedent for a couple of reasons:

1. It sets a bad precedent for suspending prevailing wages "if things are bad enough"
2. Why would we want to cut workers' wages at a time when those workers need money so desperately? What better way to bolster a devastated economy than pay people a decent amount of money?

Suspending the Davis-Bacon act for the rebuild efforts has ramifications that could echo for a decade. What it means (as far as I can tell) is that contractors proposing jobs related to a Katrina rebuild that has federal money (and that'll be the vast majority of them) are not required to pay the prevailing wage but can pay minimum wage if they want to. This is one of the most shortsighted and profit-driven decisions I've seen in quite a while. Instead of putting money into the hands of those who need it most (the workers), the government has effectively put lots more cash into the pockets of large (and possibly corrupt) contractors.

Yesterday, I received a letter written by three strong unions expressing their disagreement with the decision to suspend Davis-Bacon as I've described. I posted a comment to Moveon.org to try and raise public awareness of the issue, but I wasn't clear in my explanation of prevailing wage or why I think the government's decision is wrong. The letter itself is posted on my website.

Right

We all know how those Democrats simply LOVE going out of their way to make sure people suffer. That's the Democratic politician's entire purpose - making sure that people in her/his constiuency are specifically in the line of fire when disaster strikes.

Thanks for pointing out (Grover Norquist) that it's the fault of the Democratic city and Democratic politicians (alone, mind you) that all those people in New Orleans are suffering. We all know that Republicans had NOTHING to do with budget cuts, racist priority setting, lack of emergency planning, and so on. Because the pResident of the country (a Republican, if I'm not mistaken) doesn't appoint the head of FEMA (who, by the way, has the credentials you get when you have a college roommate with connections that you then ride into a job for yourself)

F*cking asshats. Of all the times to continue the partisan backstabbing and maliciousness. Can you really sink any lower? Did the sight of all those suffering faces fail to strike any spark of humanity or compassion in your Grinchly soul? Get a grip, you shithead, and do something to help. We ALL know that ALL the politicians hold some reponsibility for the inexcusable lack of resources, the incredibly slow response time, the unforgivable neglect, and the overall lack of anything resembling organized effort to aid all those suffering US citizens.

Not only

did Rehnquist not step down, he died. Leaving not one, but two vacancies on the court and one of them the chief justice position. Shouldn't the chief justice come from an already sitting court? That's got me a bit confused. Roberts doesn't seem to have all that much experience on the bench anyway and now Bush is proposing that he be the next chief justice of the highest court in the land.

My court ignorance is showing but this situation looks worse and worse. Not only is Bush now having to contend with more and more people demanding answers and decisions about getting out of Iraq, he's having to attempt to deal with one of the biggest natural disasters ever here at home and now there's another Supremie down.

If his complete incompetence and tunnel vision weren't so fucking frightening and didn't have such enormous impact on so many people, it would be entertaining to watch him stumble around.

Only one step

The terrible destruction and devastation that are rampant in New Orleans is proof that most of us are only a step or two away from descending into madness and chaos - despite what we like to think about ourselves. Are we a civilized nation? Possibly. Are we immune from the madness and crazy fear-inducing behaviors of a disaster? Nope.

Those poor, poor people. What they're facing, what any disaster victims and refugees face is beyond my comprehension. It's really easy for us to pass judgement on the people who are looting, beating, raping, and committing all those horrific crimes but we need to also remember that they've been thrust into a situation so far outside their scope of reality that it's probably incomprehensible. Does this make it ok for them to act out in these ways? Absolutely not. But should we still try to have some compassion for them? Yes.

It breaks my heart that so many of these people, already so affected by their life circumstances have been dealt such an enormous and overwhelming blow. I read one man's statement that they are the "throwaway" people and I almost broke down in tears because I know that's how so much of our society views the very poor and very needy. Many of those who stayed behind didn't stay by choice. They stayed because they had no way to leave. The elderly, the handicapped, the poor, the sick - they were not provided for by their government.

If there is no other result from this horrifying disaster other than people are forced to face the terrible state our domestic relief and social & human services organizations and institutions are in, then that's something. We simply cannot continue spending money in other countries and neglecting those in our country who need our help. We cannot continue spending billions on war when we could be doing so much to help the needy here (and elsewhere).

Once again, consequences of the ill-advised decision to go to war rear their ugly heads in the form of cut funding, low levels of National Guardsmen, less money for aid, lack of necessary equipment for evacuation and rescue, lack of trained personnel to operate such equipment, and so on. The list is probably much, much longer.

Please, give what you can. You can donate through the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Daily Kos has a liberal bloggers alliance that's trying to raise money, you can offer your extra rooms as housing for refugees (through Moveon.org), and I'm sure there are many, many more things going on. The important thing to do is help.

Help now, discuss accountability later.

It keeps getting worse

This divide in our country - you know, the big one about our freedoms, what they are, who can exercise them, etc - just keeps getting bigger. I offer a hearty tip o' the hat to the American Legion(biggest veteran's group in the world according to their website) and its 2.7 million members for their enthusiastic support of our country and its government. As they say “The American Legion fully supports the president of the United States, the United States Congress and the men, women and leadership of our armed forces as they are engaged in the global war on terrorism and the troops who are engaged in protecting our values and way of life.”

So does that mean they're going to expand the ranks of the French Foreign Legion when it's finally revealed that America is the biggest terrorist nation on earth? What on earth is possessing these people? Do they not understand that the current administration DOES NOT CARE AT ALL about veterans except for the occasional media demo? If our current admin cared, why are they cutting vet's benefits and refusing to honor those killed in the war by not allowing publicity around the returning coffins?

Is there some unwritten law that says "When you become a vet, you are instantly and forever blinded to any potential stupidity, lack of ethics, corruption, or or downright murderous behavior of the government of the United States?" I know there are also vet groups that oppose the war and Bush's policies but good grief - how could an organization whose members stand to lose so much possibly support that conniving bastard?

Isn't she lovely?

You really, really, really need to check out these lovely Vintage Hilda Prints. Believe it or not, I found them while looking at some of the w4m ads on the local craigslist. No, I wasn't cruising for a date but I was curious as to what other women post. I have to admit to some jealousy towards the woman who not only had posted one of these adorable pics on her ad but who also wrote some really great stuff!

Maybe I should hire her to write an ad for me. I think I'm done with appreciating my aloneness...