Greetings once again on this day before Valentine's Day. How about some reading and musings to consider.
My homepage is commondreams.org (there's a link in my "side" navbar) and when I saw the headline of their story concerning the huge protest in NC, the phrase "Moral Resistance" really resonated. Especially after having read some days before, a wonderfully written and extremely thoughtful piece in their 'Views' section.
The article is: A Malignant Attack on American Values and was written by Adil E. Shamoo and Bonnie Bricker. They encapsulate so much of what I (and it seems like many, many others) have been feeling about the "present administration." Please take the time to read it and digest it.
A short snippet from this article: "The president is a role model for our entire country. When lies are routine and ethical standards are violated in every arena we would be deceiving ourselves to imagine that such malevolence will not invade every corner of American life."
Beyond dealing with the horrors of this administration, it's clear that there is so much to do in trying to reach out, educate, cajole, whatever, - folks into more positive attitudes. The fact that there is as much support as there is for the travel ban on Muslims (although poll numbers can vary quite a bit) is certainly cause for concern. I've also seen reports that there is some support for torture out there. Really? How in the world can anyone justify doing that to other human beings? And evidence shows that it doesn't work! Further, try visiting some recent current event comment threads at either The Intercept or The Guardian and you will have to note some very racist and uncivil comments; I can only imagine how bad those "alt-right" (read 'white supremacist') sites are. How can we break through all this? I know we're never going to get everyone on board, but we have to reach more folks, really we do.
Well, I suppose it's time to give my Moral Resistance offering:
Please don't hesitate to share thoughts in comments!
And as always, if this post or any post here you find to be of value, please comment and/or share. Thanks!
Related Post:
The Path of Love (With a New Note)
Well, greetings all! I finally thought I would write about something that has been bothering me off and on for sometime, and has recently been rekindled.
That is our use of language. I remember being upset when the 'right' so demonized Liberals and really attacked even the term. Now, I'm from the Liberal school, probably the more traditional Liberal school of folks such as Humphrey and the LaFollettes. I suppost the more "in vogue" term today is "Progressive." Now that's not so bad, the Progressive Era here in the U. S. gave us many social advances. But I have to wonder how and why we let the term "Liberal" be so maligned.
There has been lots written about the misuse of the words "terrorism" and terrorist." If those terms are to be used, they should be used consistently. However, that is not the case.
Another case in point right now for me comes in watching the way "protest" and "protester" are sometimes treated. I think one reason the DAPL protesters wish to be called "water protectors" is because they sense sometimes spinners give "protest" and "protester" negative connotations. Of this we should be very aware, and not let folks get away with attaching negative spin to what are our First Amendment Rights to Free Speech and Free Assembly.
Then, there's the language which I have tried to protest by writing to The Guardian and also the editors of Commondreams (link to their site is in navbar...). That is language such as "*****'s America" or "*****Land" or some such. I have tried to get across that we should NOT give him the "brand", and also assert that this is OUR AMERICA, too. And kudos to actress Viola Davis for not using such language.
When we have so many fronts to cover, you may wonder if language matters. I believe that it does. In this article, you can read of studies showing how language can affect our perceptions and even approaches to solving problems. This piece talks about words and their use by media and possible effects on our thinking. Finally, this op-ed from The Guardian talks about how we need to look at our use of language in our resistance efforts.
Thoughts? Would love to read them in comments!
So please remember, if this post or any here you find of value, do comment and/or share. Thanks!
Related Post:
Whose America Is It?
Greetings once again. I just HAD to post about these three items which, if you haven't seen, should be checking out.
News goes so fast, it can be hard to keep up. But some things we really shouldn't miss. There are so many fronts now needing our attention, it can be hard to know how to focus. Still many things are interconnected if one really looks behind the scenes. Issues of bigotry, privacy, economic injustice, climate activism have many points of intersection.
So, here are three items you might want to check out.
- This one was too good not to make note of. GOP Senators silenced Sen. Warren from reading Coretta Scott King's letter concerning Sen. Sessions. Although she didn't read it on the Senate floor, she did an interview about it and also read it on facebook live (if I have that correct) to so many more people. Later, Sen . Merkley did read it on the Senate floor. You can read about this and read the text of the letter in this article.
- A legal defense fund set up for Barrett Brown is suing the Dep't of Justice, claiming they were suveilling anonymous donors. This is a very important issue, as this relates to people exercising Free Speech by anonymous donations to a cause. First Amendment, anyone?
I hope these alerts are of service to you readers. If you have any to share, do comment!
Also remember, if you find this post or any post here to be of value, please comment and/or share. Thanks!
Greetings again... anyone there? Please let me know; comments are gold, you see!
You know, you never know where inspiration might come from. I was reading an article at The Guardian about some Super Bowl (nope, didn't watch, don't care for either of those two teams) commercials which were - ah -slightly political. One, from 84 Lumber actually had to be toned down for broadcast. Just in case you missed it or haven't seen the ending, you can do so here .
And then it (inspiration, that is) hit me. So here is a poem:
What We Need To Be
We need to be Joshuas
Who march, sound our trumpets and ram's horns, then shout
Until intangible walls dividing us fall
Until physical border walls no longer seem an option
We need to be Caregivers for our Mother Earth
As Native Americans continue to teach
For She has been entrusted to all of us,
Including future generations
We need to be Parkers and Kings
And bend arcs toward justice
For it must be available for all
If we are to live in true liberty
We need to be Champions of Democracy
Guarding gains achieved by generations of struggle
Then extending circles of inclusion
For more fully open participation
We need to be Diogeneses
Searching for those who are honest
And we must also follow the example of Aristides
Who was himself legendarily honest
We need to be Scanners Beneath Surfaces
To recognize we have common humanity,
To learn that we need each others' gifts,
And to see our differences as glorious
As we move toward acceptance with love
*******
Wondering about "Parkers and Kings?" Check this out!
*******
Now for the two must reads:
Der Spiegel in Germany had a controversial cover. I think this is exactly the type of thing the media should be doing!
At The Intercept , there's a very troubling story of the FBI's "Rap Black" program which gives employers real time access to employee data that law enforcement gathers. Why is this troubling? Some of this data may be related to exercising First Amendment rights (say, arrest at a protest). Further, updates are not always given; charges may be dismissed and it may not be noted. There may be other inaccuracies as well. There are also very little limits on how the data may be used (and with Rap Black may be kept indefinitely) and what populations should be subject to this. From the article: Such a broad mandate could “provide employers with an unprecedented window into employees’ lives,” according to Jennifer Lynch, a lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
It is well worth reading and being alert to this troubling database.
Please do comment and/or share if you find this or any post here to be of value! Thanks.
Third in a special three-part series.
Greetings once again. If you've been reading along (and I really hope you have been!), we have looked at the idea of only apprehending glimpses of Truth. I have been proposing some touchstones of truths which I've observed. Our first touchstone was "Hey, We're All Human"; our second, "Things Are Not Always Mutually Exclusive." So we will now consider our third touchstone and bring the series to a conclusion.
Useful Triad: Critical Thinking, Common Sense, Creativity
Isn’t it true that thinking, how we think, and indeed our thoughts, are important? Remember that Rene Descartes said: “I think, therefore I am.” If we follow that idea, then it seems clear that thinking is essential to our existence. You can’t get much more important than that.
When I look at many issues today, I see the need for critical thinking. In recent years, it has not been emphasized in educational curricula. We need to turn this around and do all we can to encourage critical thinking in students and in the greater public. And yes, this is related to acquiring knowledge says William Poundstone in an article supporting his recent book. He mentions that those who are better informed with general knowledge tend to be more skeptical of “simple solutions” and better able to think for themselves. Aren’t those the type of critical thinking skills we should be promoting? And aren’t those the kinds of thinking skills necessary for good citizenship? James Baldwin was a great thinker, and much of his work is so relevant to us today. I recently ran across this quote: “Ignorance allied with power is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” I got shivers when I read that.
Searches about critical thinking in schools reveal there may be several reasons why critical thinking has not been emphasized: concentration on assessment, time factors, even lack of consensus on what critical thinking is or how it should be taught. Still there are resources available, and communities should be aware and advocate for activities to get students to think critically.
Common sense is also something that we humans really need to exercise more often. At Dictionary.com you can read that common sense is “sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like…” We need to foster the awareness and reflective skills which will enable this. After all, we don’t want Thomas Paine to be the last practitioner of this, do we? This essay may be a bit generic, but it makes some good points about developing common sense. Please note that some of these suggestions dovetail nicely with fostering critical thinking.
Creativity is also something we need to encourage. Creative thinking is often a means to innovation, and even some math proofs have elements of creative leaps. We often though think first of the arts and they are important to us as well. I’ve always felt the arts were central to education and to humanity. The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities found in looking over foundational studies that arts integration programs often provided social and academic benefits for students. This page has links to that and other studies which show how vital and useful the arts are in education. I also found a page which has some wonderful snippets about the value of arts education. I especially appreciated the first two points.
Creativity and the arts can also be dangerous! As explained in this essay, art “makes it possible to imagine that the reality it portrays or projects might be imagined otherwise.” That could be threatening to the status quo, now couldn’t it? So we have another reason for supporting the arts.
Think also about what the arts mean to you personally. Imagine a world without your favorite song, aria, or other musical work. Imagine not seeing paintings or sculptures. Imagine not having your favorite novel, story or poem to read; no plays, musicals, ballets, or modern dances to enjoy. Or try imagining a world where you would be prohibited from expressing yourself artistically. I don’t care imagine such a world, do you? I hope everyone realizes how enriching the arts are to all of our lives.
Conclusion
William Wordsworth (oh no, not another poet!) asked “Where lies the truth?” Even today, as individuals and as a society, we still need to seek after this facet of the human endeavor, and to appreciate the purity of genuineness represented by Truth and Keats’s Beauty.
Any further thoughts or touchstones you'd propose? Please share in comments.
Remember, also, that if you find this post or any post of value, do comment and/or share. Thanks!
This is Part II of a special three part series.
Greetings once again. Welcome to Part II of Touchstones of Truths.
In Part I, we set the stage by acknowledging that seeking Truth was a lifelong journey and no one human being really apprehends the "whole truth." Nevertheless, there are some observations of truths, I have glimpsed and am putting forth here. We considered our first touchstone: "Hey, We're All Human." Today we will look at another touchstone.
Things Are Not Always Mutually Exclusive
I never enjoy those forced choice questions (‘Are you ice cream or cake?’) Maybe both. Maybe ice cream one day and cake another. And by the way, you forgot about pie!
I think first here of faith and science. I suppose the main reason is that my late parents were great people of faith, but still were never afraid of nor rejected science. Both had keen intellects and Mom, an elementary teacher, could be particularly succinct at times. I remember as a grade schooler one day I complained about science class. Her reply was (as nearly as I can remember): “Why? Science is just the world around you.” Talk about reducing concepts to their essences! So their examples may have influenced me not to reject either.
Further, not to get too personal, but throughout my life there have been some coincidences which I believe showed that there’s lots we still don’t understand nor can fully explain; something more. It’s also comforting to know I’m not alone in finding that faith and science are not mutually exclusive (full disclosure – I just happen to be Episcopalian). I’ll take my cake with ice cream, thank you very much.
We’ve seen over time that barriers in many areas have been broken and this work is still continuing. We’ve seen struggles to defy gender, racial, religious, gender preference/identity stereotypes. This is a struggle to not let surface characteristics preclude choices and aspirations; to break mutual exclusivity.
Breaking the idea that certain factors may be mutually exclusive can possibly help solve problems as well. Some may think that concern for the environment and concern for jobs may be mutually exclusive or at least somewhat at odds. However, in this article (which I also linked to in another post), research is mentioned that is showing that, at least long-term, this is probably not the case.
Tomorrow: Third touchstone and conclusion
And remember, if you find this post or any post here of value, please comment and/or share. Thanks!
First in a three-part series.
Greetings, Readers... I hope! This will begin a special series, so come along for the ride!
Truth is something humanity has been attempting to perceive throughout history. Facts, let alone any greater Truths, in an age of spin, digital doctoring, and fake news can be difficult to trace. It is a concept, an abstraction, and an objective to seek in both public and private life. Consider this thought of Sir William Osler, who was a Canadian physician. He wrote: “No human being is constituted to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and even the best of men must be content with fragments, with partial glimpses, never the full fruition.” Emily Dickinson once said it was a ‘rare thing.’ In the song No More Lies, written by Justin Hayward, The Moody Blues sang of Truth as addiction and “in all its glory.” John Keats in Ode on a Grecian Urn wrote: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty…”. Jesus Himself in John 8:32 (KJV) told his Disciples: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Yet, here we are in 2017, still trying to seek and understand what we can only partially apprehend. Certainly this search is a lifelong journey. However, in this three part series, I wish to propose some touchstones of truths I have observed for consideration.
Hey, We’re All Human
Should we really have to go over this again and again? Rather than pore over statistics on things such as hate crimes, think about the fact that the W. K. Kellogg Foundation sponsored a National Day of Racial Healing on January 17, 2017. Events were held in communities across the country. The advance PR for this cited the recent divisiveness of the election for bringing racial wounds front and center. Dr. Gale C. Christopher, a Foundation senior advisor, wrote that “racism is rooted in the false belief in a human hierarchy (emphasis mine).” Or consider the fact that in Arizona, a bill was proposed which would target social justice programs and events in schools. It seems the bill itself will not be advancing, but all must keep vigilant to ward off such short-sightedness. There are overviews here and here . Late word can be read here.
It seems some folks still haven’t gotten the memos. Why isn’t learning about each other a joy? What exactly is so threatening about diverse folks coming together? One of those memos, the poem Human Family, brilliantly written by the outstanding Maya Angelou, was featured in a recent television commercial.
We need to realize that racism, institutionalized racism and yes, segregation are all real. For example, there are studies that show schools are more segregated then before Brown v Board of Education and this separation is also tied to class and poverty. You can read an overview of the GAO study . The UCLA Civil Rights Project also did a study. That one found that the average African American or Hispanic student’s school was approximately 67% low income, while for the average white student the figure was approximately 40%. Housing also often tends to be segregated. Doesn’t worship also tend to be segregated? When is the last time you (or I) attended any interfaith worship service? Even among Christians , worship tends to be segregated! Although this may not seem to be related, in case anyone has noticed, there has been a trend toward privatization of public spaces , here in the U. S. and elsewhere.
What does all of that mean? It means we often don’t know folks who are different from ourselves. It means we need to find ways of coming together. Recent actions by progressives have shown both the joys and challenges this entails. We need to reach out to a diversity of people in our communities. Inclusive public events, inter-parish and interfaith worship services, community projects that attract a variety of volunteers, can help us along in the agenda of getting to know one another, engaging in dialogues, and beginning to really work together for real progress.
Tomorrow: another touchstone
Please also remember if you find this or any post here of value: comment and/or share! Thanks!
