Thank you so much, Bryan, kimceann, and Barbara, for the lyrics to "Anthem" and "Democracy." Wow. Clearly I need a *lot* more Leonard Cohen. He is the prophet of our time.
much of his poetry evolved over long periods of time. He was a thoughtful philosopher, brooded over words and implications. His last album is astounding, as is Bowie's.
I would not in any way reprimand you. I think you are fabulous. I just had my second baby grand. Was so diff than first. Could not go to hospital and saw her for first time when she got home yesterday. My son-in-law (who has the ability to converse with a barn door if he has to) had one sided convo with nurse as she was in room for test or procedure with his newborn or attending to Mama. She (the nurse) rambled on how, even though the hospital was well vaccinated, the problem in FL is as the gov stated, “all because of infected dirty migrants coming into state from Mexico spreading Covid, not because of unvaccinated citizens here in FL.” 😳 From a nurse in a hospital! I asked my son-in-law if he pointed out that those “dangerous immigrants” must have been awfully good swimmers to get to Florida.
While I always appreciate the beautifully serene photographs that you send us on a Saturday night, I must tell you how much I have appreciated tonight's letter. It has lifted me from a dispirited moodiness into a sense of relief and, dare I say, hope. It pleases me no end to think that today's news is, indeed, a game changer. I'm crossing everything that is crossable! Thank you so much for these rosy tidings.
“….strikes me as being a game changer.” I am going on record that I hope you are correct. However, I am not sure what is meant by the statement. Are all these people that blindly supported and continue to support Trump and his form of the Republican Party going to all of a sudden wake up and admit rather than he being the savior of “America”, he is actually the most destructive and divisive president ever to be elected? I do not think so. The greatest failure of the public education system in the United States is the failure to teach people that it is ok to accumulate information and learn from that information. Instead, we have whole swaths of the country that are influenced by superficiality(Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) and once indoctrinated would rather fight than do the right thing. The problem is ego. When you force people to observe just how ignorant they have been, the result is the opposite of what it should be. They become even more intrenched with their original attitude rather than accepting the reality. So, I agree that some of the testimonies SHOULD be game changers, but how do you get people to accept just how stupid and manipulated they have been for the past several years?
First of all, stop with the would, “SHOULD”, could game. Today is about “light finding the cracks which are in everything”. Please support possible today, not impossible. Democracy has always been about possible. Fascism is about impossible.
Thank you, Christine, Jake cohn, and any others who refuse to cower in a corner. We all know that we're in a bad place, forced there by the criminal idiot who occupied the White House for four long years, and supported by his minions and dark money. However, the nasty truth that anyone with a grain of sense has seen since Day One is oozing out. I sincerely hope that this will be the watershed moment for this country, and that we will emerge from this disaster. Certainly, those who believe QAnon and other crazytown fables will not be returned to sanity, but as proved in the 2020 elections, we managed to elect a sane president and gain a razor-thin majority in the senate. Yes, we're still in mortal danger, but these facts that are being uncovered must encourage us to fight even harder so that we can build on the good that Biden has begun. We must determine that we have to remain vigilant and take lessons from what we've managed to overcome and keep it from happening again. There are over 40 million more of us than them, and hopefully the revelations now becoming public will convince enough of the still-sane Republicans that they can't ever again support an insane fascist. The icing on the cake would be for Crazy Man to be tried and convicted, but I'm not foolish enough to pin my hopes on that.
The elephant in the room is voting rights, and I should have added that I fear what will happen to our 40 million voters advantage if the voting rights bills are not passed immediately, and if DOJ and successful legislation do not address the worst part of these repressive state laws, which is voter nullification. Mea culpa, I was distracted by my own sunshine theory!
I for one am working with several NYS-based election integrity advocates to both improve state laws and urge better election administration.
Please consider doing the same! (I know we are many of us overwhelmed).
At the state level, it's harder because there's often less media coverage, but it's still possible to make progress. Here are my thoughts, not necessarily in priority order:
1. Learn how your state legislature works. Learn their web sites. In NYS, with a bicameral legislature, the web sites are: nyassembly.gov and nysenate.gov. AND ... they work differently.
For example, on the NY Senate web site, people can sign up for email alerts when actions occur (like a bill moves out of committee). Not so the NY Assembly web site. BUT the NY Assembly web site has a better description of bill text.
2. Learn your state reps. Whether you agree with them or not. Check their official web sites, and Wikipedia entries. Hint: I have Google Alerts set up for my two Albany reps. I pick up bits of info about them and am beginning to learn what they are interested in.
3. Find an issue on which you agree with your state rep, and tell them why and how you agree. You will begin to develop a relationship with them or with their staff. My NY Senator, Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) is interested in helping small landlords with the lack of income because of the rent moratorium. Me too! Those landlords need to pay taxes, keep up their properties, and, uh, they *live* on the rental income.
4. Find groups that advocate for voting rights and election reform (not always identical). I concentrate on security of voting machines and voting systems. The more I learn, the better I can ask well-prepared questions. One place to start: VerifiedVoting.org. Use it to find out what voting machines are in use in your county, and get an independent description of how they work. BTW, VV is quite responsive to my emails asking them to improve their descriptions.
Election security is wide, and deep, and murky. Get started, ease into it, expect setbacks in your learning. Hey, we didn't get this far in life by being helpless in the face of adversity.
Thank you, Bob, for this information. I live in Georgia, and as I'm sure you know, our Rethuglican governor and legislature have approved Draconian voter suppression laws, including the establishment of voter nullification provisions, despite having held three recounts (our voting machines are new and work fine) and declaring the election results free of fraud. We absolutely must have laws protecting future elections and banning the employment of voter nullification, and it has to happen immediately. It appears that AG Garland is working to accomplish some of this, but we can't just dither until it's too late. I know that there is a great deal of activity, energized by the Texas Democrats, but it would be comforting to have an idea whether this can be accomplished soon, and whether the Manchin/Sinema duo will agree to have a filibuster carve-out for this crucial legislation, as well as other vital activity.
I will investigate the sources that you've provided. This forum is not just an echo chamber, as some have suggested, but many knowledgeable contributors provide us with essential, practical assistance - thank you for that!
Bob, Thank you for this excellent outline acquainting us with functions of our state and its voting system. While the processes are different from state to state, you indicate aspects of the system, learning which functions may be accessible and for each of us to decide the most suitable area given voting issues as well as our own interests and skills. Clearly, finding the right spots is a process in and of itself, and the work will probably take us to various functions of government.
Thanks for the info Bob. I live on Long Island and am very aware of who my representatives are, but was not aware of those links. We have our own issues here with our Governor which isn't making me warm feel all warm and fuzzy.
What is it with the USA and voting rights? We have just had our annual notification from our local authority to check that the electoral register is up to date. The necessary qualifications to vote (which apply to the whole country) are: over 18, resident in the UK and a British Citizen. That's all (apart from a few extra details relating to Commonwealth and EU citizens). And when we turn up to vote we are encouraged to bring our poll card with us, but it is not mandatory. Why is it so difficult for the USA to do the same thing? I know the answer of course but if anyone wants to see a copy of the paperwork we receive in its simplicity, message me on Richard.barr@paston.co.uk
Thank you, Richard, for the no-nonsense procedure. Would that we could bring ourselves to do the same. On a good day, our citizens are a fractious lot, but with the advent of the Republican party since the '70s, our system has devolved into the Democrats of various stripes v. the autocratic, racist, greedy opposition. The Democrats are not blameless, since we argue among ourselves, but the Republicans can't afford to miss any opportunity to toss obstacles that make it difficult for Democrats to vote - we're the majority party, and the Republicans would rather cheat than offer workable solutions to our country's needs - together. Imagine - no mandatory voter identification . . . .
These are dangerous times, and we are certainly not immune from the kind of influences that plague the USA. Our Prime Minister has more than once been termed "Trump with a thesaurus" and some of his recent remarks have a trumpian undertone. But so far no one has interfered with our voting rights...yet!
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back." Nancy, how long do you think the Kochs/fascistGOP/Putin have been bamboozling US voters?
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
Here’s a quote from Goodreads summary of of the book: ”We live in an age where unethical persuasion is applied every day, all day, to subvert reasoning through direct appeals to one’s emotions. Throughout history, people have been unwittingly influenced to act against their own better interests. But today, more sophisticated forms of influence have been devised, posing a significant threat to a free and open society. It is persuasion so sinister and subtle that it can derail critical thinking and overwhelm even the most intelligent of people, reducing them into unthinking compliance.
Manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing, or whatever one chooses to call such exploitive persuasion, challenges the very notion of human rights. The use of it by unscrupulous cults, totalitarian groups and abusive individuals is growing at an alarming rate. Yet, undue influence remains a well-kept secret in the media and for the general public. This book will show how the human mind is cajoled into submitting to unethical, uninvited external influence”
I am so encouraged by the original message today and delighted to hear quotes from some of my favorite artists such as Mr Cohen and Dr Sagan! Enjoy your Sunday and let us forge ahead in doing what we can to expose and condemn Trump for the 4 years of hell he put us through.
You are so right. Alas, it is human nature (unless we're aware of it) that we will do what we can to make our beliefs and allegiances "right." Religions, political beliefs, institutions, or following the pied piper, are filled with examples of our nature to justify what gives our lives credibility and purpose even in the light of evidence to the contrary.
Please stop blaming things on "human nature." Our current situation was largely engineered by public policy and court decisions going back centuries. For an antidote, I heartily recommend Heather McGhee's _The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs All of Us and How We Can Prosper Together."
Hello? Are we on the same page? Carl Sagan was correct that we (all) have a tendency to deny truth when it is presented if we have been foolish and "snookered." I am responding to H.A, Rose's comment, which I took to mean the Trumpists and anti-vaxxers. Racism is real, insidious, and exists everywhere, but perhaps most virulent in the USA. It is every bit as true that many, many of us (here) are on board with revealing it for what it is. No argument there.
Hey John, looks like a synchronous moment with our posts, which we put up simultaneously and have the same subject of “ignorant followers” whom we wish would “do the right thing.” Like you, I hope for a game changer, but like all these ignorant ppl still refusing to get vaccinated against a deadly airborne virus, I have my doubts.
Maybe the Darwinian moment will take care of those folks, Rob. After all, the states where idiot governors are digging in their heels, thinking that keeping their snufflers up TFG's arse will help them in 2022, are experiencing a surge among their own supporters and constituents. I also think that the pandemic is becoming the leveler that it was predicted to be: when people start seeing their children get very sick and die they tend to start to think differently about their stance. Happened with people who opposed the polio vaccine . . .
Not so much case closed. Because I live in Florida and there are a whole lot of people questioning his knowledge of geography and asking if these so called “infected, dirty immigrants” swam the dang Gulf of Mexico to get here. Nothing like meeting preposterous with bravado. Same with his new idea of extending Hope Scholarships to parents seeking to put their children in schools with NO MASKS which means his pet private schools. So a parent stands up at the state board mtg giving approval to this and says “so that means those of us that want our children masked will get a scholarship to put our kids at a school that requires masks, right?”
The meeting dissolved into chaos and was ended.
Desantis doesn’t believe any of his bullsh*t. He’s been directed to propagate the messaging.
Reminds me that an anticipated 700,000 are heading to Sturgis on their bikes for mingling and sharing. In a couple of weeks, those 700,000 will return home to their buddies and voila! Darwin will once again take over the headlines.
At most a few percent of the population opposed the polio vaccine. It appears that at least 30% of Americans have succumbed their epistemological challenges on the covid vaccine. This
difference in scale means we’re stuck with covid and it’s inevitable, more lethal variants, beyond the foreseeable future.
Like minds…Good point about the anti-vaxxers. Truthfully, I have less comprehension of Anti-vaxxers than I do of people who voted for Trump. And less tolerance.
As a former educator who sometimes taught government, I can say that you can bring a horse to water, but.... In my government class we studied the Bill of Rights and they did a lot of library research. It was clear to me then that many of them were not going to become informed voters or even voters at all. I also taught expository writing and we always assessed the bias of a source. I included an exercise on the internet which was just getting underway as a source of info. I was also the librarian and even then there were students who insisted that if it was on the internet, it was true. Finally, since there is a large streak of anti-intellectualism in this country, it is difficult to counter that. Now everyone is an "expert" on everything even very complicated fields like immunology. Judging from local threads, I live in the midst of a very large research area. I have called for cites, but usually i get nothing. One person did send me to a QAnon source and a far right wing nut site. He had one valid source which he had misread. No education system is going to remedy this sort of nonsense.
I might also add that I have one FB friend, an ex-h.s. classmate, who told me that she was so glad she wasn't as educated as I am because my political views are different than hers. I told her that my views on such things as racism had nothing to do with my education, but my sense from about the age 7 (when I witnessed some racism in Chicago) that it was wrong. My education provides the background of how pervasive racism is. Her problem is her conservative Christianity which means she wants Roe overturned and getting there by any means is OK. So far it's crickets from her on January 6th. But she did post a meme that was getting at being responsible for what happened in the past vis a vis racism. The worst one was a meme about the fires in CA happening because God was punishing them because some people there are atheists (I guess there are none in Indiana). She got an earful on that one and it was difficult for me to remain polite. We had had the terrible labor day fires here in Oregon by then and I reminded her that they happened in largely in R areas full of her type of Christians. She did back down sorta by telling me that she posted it because she disagreed with it. Rubbish.
You are sadly correct on all that you say and you would have seen a lot more than many of us, having been an educator. Good for you for speaking up.. even if/when it seems pointless. Maybe the planet has finally had enough of our greed, stupidity, and heartlessness.
Lots of people have misconceptions about education which has become increasingly difficult. Our teachers made a big difference in the lives of many our students. Many of them are still friends (as am I) with some of their students. Sometimes it takes the students a while to thank teachers, but many of them do. I just had a lovely comment from one of mine who wasn't my best student, but still said she gained a lot from the class (ancient and English history). It's so sweet to read something like that. The planet is speaking loud and clear that it has had enough. I was just on a short walk (thanks to one of my ex-students who is encouraging me to do so) and it is 9:30 with high humidity. I noticed it is no longer as shady (ice storm and tree butchers, inc) as it was. We are also having very warm temps and almost no rain. This week is another hot one. So I am putting off planting my fall garden. All I am doing is picking and watering in the am. I can't tell you how gut wrenching the Labor Day fires were. The sky turned red and there was smoke and ash everywhere. People are still trying to rebuild and it is slow. Now we have another round of fire with drought and lack of water. I foresee food shortages. Delta is also surging in Oregon setting us back thanks to the people who refuse to get vaccinated. It is difficult to be optimistic and I am thankful that we are older.
Thanks for writing, Michele. I will be thinking of you and hoping (and praying) that you continue even through these hard times. I live in Indiana, so I too have experienced Indiana prejudice against education, even influencing my grandkids! I find for myself it's best not to be argumentative (as I'm prone to be) but it's really important to continue speaking the truth in the best way I know. At least they will know I had no doubts or misgivings. I emphasize that anyone who supports The Big Lie is way off base and certainly not to be trusted in a role of leadership.
I am a native Hoosier from Elkhart happily living in Oregon. I grew up in a R household and I always argued with my father when I visited. I sometimes lay into my relatives in Indiana and Illinois if they post something beyond the pale as I do with the ex-classmate. Most times I just remove the post from my feed, but I refuse to let some things go by.
That because awareness of nonsense starts when our students are not yet in our classes. I will estimate developmental ages of 2-4 yrs of age. So it’s parent education of this very guiding skill that must happen. I know that, as an educator, it takes diligence and time not to root out intolerance in a young mind, but to bring acceptance of a mental model of tolerance through example and experience and then allow them to choose. I always told my students that is the thrill of living in a country of democracy. Because of the common good of public education, students have exposure to different attitudes. Teachers are there to present them. It still remains the student’s choice to follow a path. I always held hope as an educator that I taught my students the power of wise discernment.
But teachers everywhere are still doing that exact thing. It’s the art of teaching. Those that have the calling have the instinct to do the right thing.
I guess I am thinking of one of my very bright students, who became a special ed teacher and left the profession a couple years ago because she ended up too often in the ER. About the same time there were photos, articles, and complaints from teachers about students tearing up rooms and basically making learning by anyone impossible. Since I am long out of it, I cannot comment from personal experience, but from only what I see and read. Also the general society seems to be running amok with very little concern for others and wanting to do whatever these types damn well please.
John, there’s more than enough blame to go all around. Teachers (public education) mostly work their hearts out and do that within the demands of parents and standards and administrators and legislators and very needy children while barely making a living. Mostly to blame is our consumer culture, valuing “things” (and power/status) over the recognition of worth within every precious being. Nurturing curiosity and a love for learning and the freedom to learn needs to start at birth. Many of the most devout, unfortunately, fear that knowledge is an enticement to “sin” (abstinence only just for one example). If our moral compass is forced on us by authorities instead of grown within us by guidance and trial and error we don’t develop our on compass and are vulnerable to authorities. It’s up to all of us to change the game by being better role models and talking about how we do that.
Teachers in general are the single most unappreciated resource in society. They are generally dedicated, hard working, and caring people that are worked practically 24/7 and utterly underpaid. I, personally, find it disgusting how often people simple do not recognize how much energy goes into teaching and dealing with the administrative bullshit that is imposed on them by bureaucrats and politicians. I was a school board member at my sons’ public school district and whenever some greedy cheap f…g local citizen confronted me on the street complaining that our local taxes were too high(the school district accounted for 80% of the costs paid by taxes), I would tell them that I wish I could raise taxes even more in order to pay teachers a higher salary for having to put on them all the BS from parents and administrators. I bow done to all of you whom have dedicated yourselves to educating our children. Thank you.
Christy, I agree with your last sentence. However, so many folks are overcome with fear if they take action. BTW, I think Biden and the elite Democrats also have that problem.
Because this group is so easily manipulated, makes it easier to change the narrative. Are we going to get all back? NO a large swath are lost forever. But allowing the few Republicans with some sense to take steps away from the trump crazy train. Allows more to do the same.
John A. Selzer, Yes, how do you get people to accept just how stupid and manipulated they have been for the past several years? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. Dylan was so right.
There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in. Leonard Cohen
Now that is a thought to be held dear.
Leonard Cohen: "There's crack, a crack in everything; that's how the light gets in."
Excellent, Bryan. He also wrote, "I've seen the future, brother. It is murder."
Yes, in the song 'The Future'. I had to look up Leonard's other words in the same song:
"I have heard their stories, heard them all."
"But love's the only engine of survival."
Was just thinking of Cohen singing this ❤️❤️❤️ And your comment is the first one I read ❤️
Ha! I posted that not seeing you already had! It's the banner of my Twitter account.
https://twitter.com/BlueRootsRadio
https://youtu.be/mDTph7mer3I
Anthem/Leonard Cohen
Love it Christopher! Just knew you were a music man full of light! Well, it is Sunday so here goes!
https://youtu.be/QCN893hzueQ
That just got a follow
After reading your post, I started listening to Leonard’s posthumous album, Thanks for the Dance. Adam’s done good by his remarkable dad.
Oh, what song is “There’s a crack” from?
Most appropriately, from "Anthem"
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leonardcohen/anthem.html
It is worth the space to just leave them here:
"Anthem"
The birds they sang
At the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
Has passed away
Or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
Be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
Bought and sold
And bought again
The dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
We asked for signs
The signs were sent:
The birth betrayed
The marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
Of every government
Signs for all to see.
I can run no more
With that lawless crowd
While the killers in high places
Say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
A thundercloud
They're gonna hear from me.
Ring ring ring ring ring
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
You can add up the parts
But you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
There is no drum
Every heart, every heart
To love will come
But like a refugee.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
I was cruising thru the lyrics of other songs in that link from the album "The Future." Here's a song about hope . So mote it be: "Democracy":
It's coming through a hole in the air,
from those nights in Tiananmen Square.
It's coming from the feel
that this ain't exactly real,
or it's real, but it ain't exactly there.
From the wars against disorder,
from the sirens night and day,
from the fires of the homeless,
from the ashes of the gay:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
It's coming through a crack in the wall;
on a visionary flood of alcohol;
from the staggering account
of the Sermon on the Mount
which I don't pretend to understand at all.
It's coming from the silence
on the dock of the bay,
from the brave, the bold, the battered
heart of Chevrolet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
It's coming from the sorrow in the street,
the holy places where the races meet;
from the homicidal bitchin'
that goes down in every kitchen
to determine who will serve and who will eat.
From the wells of disappointment
where the women kneel to pray
for the grace of God in the desert here
and the desert far away:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
Sail on, sail on
O mighty Ship of State!
To the Shores of Need
Past the Reefs of Greed
Through the Squalls of Hate
Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on.
It's coming to America first,
the cradle of the best and of the worst.
It's here they got the range
and the machinery for change
and it's here they got the spiritual thirst.
It's here the family's broken
and it's here the lonely say
that the heart has got to open
in a fundamental way:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
It's coming from the women and the men.
O baby, we'll be making love again.
We'll be going down so deep
the river's going to weep,
and the mountain's going to shout Amen!
It's coming like the tidal flood
beneath the lunar sway,
imperial, mysterious,
in amorous array:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
Sail on, sail on ...
I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,
getting lost in that hopeless little screen.
But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that Time cannot decay,
I'm junk but I'm still holding up
this little wild bouquet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
Saluting from under my rock. This is amazing.
Whoa…
Such a cause for pause and consideration.
Reminds me of The Teacher’s words, “All is vanity, a chasing after the wind.”
Wow. Thank you kimceann. I love this song and it has found its way to our community! What a picture for Sunday. Here’s to you Heather and Buddy!
Thank you Kimceann and Barbara. Reading these two powerful songs as poetry this morning broke me open. Nothing like a good cry to clear the deck.
Thank you.
Oh, my… :’-( :’-)
Thank you so much, Bryan, kimceann, and Barbara, for the lyrics to "Anthem" and "Democracy." Wow. Clearly I need a *lot* more Leonard Cohen. He is the prophet of our time.
Just learned it took Leonard Cohen many years before Anthem evolved to its final form. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/article-leonard-cohen-anthem-oral-history/
much of his poetry evolved over long periods of time. He was a thoughtful philosopher, brooded over words and implications. His last album is astounding, as is Bowie's.
Thank you!
"ANTHEM"; " ... they're going to hear from me,"
Thank you, Bryan. Love Anthem.
I would not in any way reprimand you. I think you are fabulous. I just had my second baby grand. Was so diff than first. Could not go to hospital and saw her for first time when she got home yesterday. My son-in-law (who has the ability to converse with a barn door if he has to) had one sided convo with nurse as she was in room for test or procedure with his newborn or attending to Mama. She (the nurse) rambled on how, even though the hospital was well vaccinated, the problem in FL is as the gov stated, “all because of infected dirty migrants coming into state from Mexico spreading Covid, not because of unvaccinated citizens here in FL.” 😳 From a nurse in a hospital! I asked my son-in-law if he pointed out that those “dangerous immigrants” must have been awfully good swimmers to get to Florida.
Blessings Beth. Rooting for you!
Shades of Hungary.
that nurse needs some continuing education...
Came to my mind immediately; I can still hear Leonard 's certainty.
Dear Prof. HCR,
While I always appreciate the beautifully serene photographs that you send us on a Saturday night, I must tell you how much I have appreciated tonight's letter. It has lifted me from a dispirited moodiness into a sense of relief and, dare I say, hope. It pleases me no end to think that today's news is, indeed, a game changer. I'm crossing everything that is crossable! Thank you so much for these rosy tidings.
Blessings Rowshan!
Thank you, and to you, Christine❣️
“….strikes me as being a game changer.” I am going on record that I hope you are correct. However, I am not sure what is meant by the statement. Are all these people that blindly supported and continue to support Trump and his form of the Republican Party going to all of a sudden wake up and admit rather than he being the savior of “America”, he is actually the most destructive and divisive president ever to be elected? I do not think so. The greatest failure of the public education system in the United States is the failure to teach people that it is ok to accumulate information and learn from that information. Instead, we have whole swaths of the country that are influenced by superficiality(Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) and once indoctrinated would rather fight than do the right thing. The problem is ego. When you force people to observe just how ignorant they have been, the result is the opposite of what it should be. They become even more intrenched with their original attitude rather than accepting the reality. So, I agree that some of the testimonies SHOULD be game changers, but how do you get people to accept just how stupid and manipulated they have been for the past several years?
First of all, stop with the would, “SHOULD”, could game. Today is about “light finding the cracks which are in everything”. Please support possible today, not impossible. Democracy has always been about possible. Fascism is about impossible.
Thank you, Christine, Jake cohn, and any others who refuse to cower in a corner. We all know that we're in a bad place, forced there by the criminal idiot who occupied the White House for four long years, and supported by his minions and dark money. However, the nasty truth that anyone with a grain of sense has seen since Day One is oozing out. I sincerely hope that this will be the watershed moment for this country, and that we will emerge from this disaster. Certainly, those who believe QAnon and other crazytown fables will not be returned to sanity, but as proved in the 2020 elections, we managed to elect a sane president and gain a razor-thin majority in the senate. Yes, we're still in mortal danger, but these facts that are being uncovered must encourage us to fight even harder so that we can build on the good that Biden has begun. We must determine that we have to remain vigilant and take lessons from what we've managed to overcome and keep it from happening again. There are over 40 million more of us than them, and hopefully the revelations now becoming public will convince enough of the still-sane Republicans that they can't ever again support an insane fascist. The icing on the cake would be for Crazy Man to be tried and convicted, but I'm not foolish enough to pin my hopes on that.
The elephant in the room is voting rights, and I should have added that I fear what will happen to our 40 million voters advantage if the voting rights bills are not passed immediately, and if DOJ and successful legislation do not address the worst part of these repressive state laws, which is voter nullification. Mea culpa, I was distracted by my own sunshine theory!
I for one am working with several NYS-based election integrity advocates to both improve state laws and urge better election administration.
Please consider doing the same! (I know we are many of us overwhelmed).
At the state level, it's harder because there's often less media coverage, but it's still possible to make progress. Here are my thoughts, not necessarily in priority order:
1. Learn how your state legislature works. Learn their web sites. In NYS, with a bicameral legislature, the web sites are: nyassembly.gov and nysenate.gov. AND ... they work differently.
For example, on the NY Senate web site, people can sign up for email alerts when actions occur (like a bill moves out of committee). Not so the NY Assembly web site. BUT the NY Assembly web site has a better description of bill text.
2. Learn your state reps. Whether you agree with them or not. Check their official web sites, and Wikipedia entries. Hint: I have Google Alerts set up for my two Albany reps. I pick up bits of info about them and am beginning to learn what they are interested in.
3. Find an issue on which you agree with your state rep, and tell them why and how you agree. You will begin to develop a relationship with them or with their staff. My NY Senator, Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) is interested in helping small landlords with the lack of income because of the rent moratorium. Me too! Those landlords need to pay taxes, keep up their properties, and, uh, they *live* on the rental income.
4. Find groups that advocate for voting rights and election reform (not always identical). I concentrate on security of voting machines and voting systems. The more I learn, the better I can ask well-prepared questions. One place to start: VerifiedVoting.org. Use it to find out what voting machines are in use in your county, and get an independent description of how they work. BTW, VV is quite responsive to my emails asking them to improve their descriptions.
Election security is wide, and deep, and murky. Get started, ease into it, expect setbacks in your learning. Hey, we didn't get this far in life by being helpless in the face of adversity.
Thank you, Bob, for this information. I live in Georgia, and as I'm sure you know, our Rethuglican governor and legislature have approved Draconian voter suppression laws, including the establishment of voter nullification provisions, despite having held three recounts (our voting machines are new and work fine) and declaring the election results free of fraud. We absolutely must have laws protecting future elections and banning the employment of voter nullification, and it has to happen immediately. It appears that AG Garland is working to accomplish some of this, but we can't just dither until it's too late. I know that there is a great deal of activity, energized by the Texas Democrats, but it would be comforting to have an idea whether this can be accomplished soon, and whether the Manchin/Sinema duo will agree to have a filibuster carve-out for this crucial legislation, as well as other vital activity.
I will investigate the sources that you've provided. This forum is not just an echo chamber, as some have suggested, but many knowledgeable contributors provide us with essential, practical assistance - thank you for that!
Good luck! You might check this org:
https://coalitionforgoodgovernance.org
Please apprise us as you take this journey deep into citizenship.
Bob, Thank you for this excellent outline acquainting us with functions of our state and its voting system. While the processes are different from state to state, you indicate aspects of the system, learning which functions may be accessible and for each of us to decide the most suitable area given voting issues as well as our own interests and skills. Clearly, finding the right spots is a process in and of itself, and the work will probably take us to various functions of government.
Thanks for the info Bob. I live on Long Island and am very aware of who my representatives are, but was not aware of those links. We have our own issues here with our Governor which isn't making me warm feel all warm and fuzzy.
😂 crazy times! United we stand. Divided…..that’s all else.
Full speed ahead, albeit carefully and with some grace, Nancy!
Oh Christine, we're always careful to gracefully proceed with speed!😜
What is it with the USA and voting rights? We have just had our annual notification from our local authority to check that the electoral register is up to date. The necessary qualifications to vote (which apply to the whole country) are: over 18, resident in the UK and a British Citizen. That's all (apart from a few extra details relating to Commonwealth and EU citizens). And when we turn up to vote we are encouraged to bring our poll card with us, but it is not mandatory. Why is it so difficult for the USA to do the same thing? I know the answer of course but if anyone wants to see a copy of the paperwork we receive in its simplicity, message me on Richard.barr@paston.co.uk
Thank you, Richard, for the no-nonsense procedure. Would that we could bring ourselves to do the same. On a good day, our citizens are a fractious lot, but with the advent of the Republican party since the '70s, our system has devolved into the Democrats of various stripes v. the autocratic, racist, greedy opposition. The Democrats are not blameless, since we argue among ourselves, but the Republicans can't afford to miss any opportunity to toss obstacles that make it difficult for Democrats to vote - we're the majority party, and the Republicans would rather cheat than offer workable solutions to our country's needs - together. Imagine - no mandatory voter identification . . . .
These are dangerous times, and we are certainly not immune from the kind of influences that plague the USA. Our Prime Minister has more than once been termed "Trump with a thesaurus" and some of his recent remarks have a trumpian undertone. But so far no one has interfered with our voting rights...yet!
So true - and while everyone is quoting singer/songwriters - "When will they ever learn?"
Right on, Christine!
Here’s to focusing/acting on the POSSIBLE!
Curious if folks will recognize who said this:
““We’ve had lots of empathy; we’ve had lots of sympathy, but we feel that for too long our leaders have viewed politics as the art of the possible.
“And the challenge now is to practice politics as the art of making what appears to be impossible possible.””
I didn't but Google told me: Hilary Clinton (as she then wasn't) at 21 years old
True, but with all of her flaws, look at what the alternative was.
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back." Nancy, how long do you think the Kochs/fascistGOP/Putin have been bamboozling US voters?
what?
Sorry - “Hillary”
🙏❤️
Exactly as stated by Carl Sagan.
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
I’m just starting this. Mind opening. LOL 😆 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28159933-opening-minds#
Here’s a quote from Goodreads summary of of the book: ”We live in an age where unethical persuasion is applied every day, all day, to subvert reasoning through direct appeals to one’s emotions. Throughout history, people have been unwittingly influenced to act against their own better interests. But today, more sophisticated forms of influence have been devised, posing a significant threat to a free and open society. It is persuasion so sinister and subtle that it can derail critical thinking and overwhelm even the most intelligent of people, reducing them into unthinking compliance.
Manipulation, undue influence and brainwashing, or whatever one chooses to call such exploitive persuasion, challenges the very notion of human rights. The use of it by unscrupulous cults, totalitarian groups and abusive individuals is growing at an alarming rate. Yet, undue influence remains a well-kept secret in the media and for the general public. This book will show how the human mind is cajoled into submitting to unethical, uninvited external influence”
I am so encouraged by the original message today and delighted to hear quotes from some of my favorite artists such as Mr Cohen and Dr Sagan! Enjoy your Sunday and let us forge ahead in doing what we can to expose and condemn Trump for the 4 years of hell he put us through.
You are so right. Alas, it is human nature (unless we're aware of it) that we will do what we can to make our beliefs and allegiances "right." Religions, political beliefs, institutions, or following the pied piper, are filled with examples of our nature to justify what gives our lives credibility and purpose even in the light of evidence to the contrary.
Please stop blaming things on "human nature." Our current situation was largely engineered by public policy and court decisions going back centuries. For an antidote, I heartily recommend Heather McGhee's _The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs All of Us and How We Can Prosper Together."
Hello? Are we on the same page? Carl Sagan was correct that we (all) have a tendency to deny truth when it is presented if we have been foolish and "snookered." I am responding to H.A, Rose's comment, which I took to mean the Trumpists and anti-vaxxers. Racism is real, insidious, and exists everywhere, but perhaps most virulent in the USA. It is every bit as true that many, many of us (here) are on board with revealing it for what it is. No argument there.
Agreed. BTW, aren't Bamboozles related to cockroaches?
But we must try.
Hey John, looks like a synchronous moment with our posts, which we put up simultaneously and have the same subject of “ignorant followers” whom we wish would “do the right thing.” Like you, I hope for a game changer, but like all these ignorant ppl still refusing to get vaccinated against a deadly airborne virus, I have my doubts.
Maybe the Darwinian moment will take care of those folks, Rob. After all, the states where idiot governors are digging in their heels, thinking that keeping their snufflers up TFG's arse will help them in 2022, are experiencing a surge among their own supporters and constituents. I also think that the pandemic is becoming the leveler that it was predicted to be: when people start seeing their children get very sick and die they tend to start to think differently about their stance. Happened with people who opposed the polio vaccine . . .
Ugh, but Gov DeSantis is blaming the Covid surge on immigrants, and Biden's policies. Case closed. Constituents appeased.
Not so much case closed. Because I live in Florida and there are a whole lot of people questioning his knowledge of geography and asking if these so called “infected, dirty immigrants” swam the dang Gulf of Mexico to get here. Nothing like meeting preposterous with bravado. Same with his new idea of extending Hope Scholarships to parents seeking to put their children in schools with NO MASKS which means his pet private schools. So a parent stands up at the state board mtg giving approval to this and says “so that means those of us that want our children masked will get a scholarship to put our kids at a school that requires masks, right?”
The meeting dissolved into chaos and was ended.
Desantis doesn’t believe any of his bullsh*t. He’s been directed to propagate the messaging.
Reminds me that an anticipated 700,000 are heading to Sturgis on their bikes for mingling and sharing. In a couple of weeks, those 700,000 will return home to their buddies and voila! Darwin will once again take over the headlines.
At most a few percent of the population opposed the polio vaccine. It appears that at least 30% of Americans have succumbed their epistemological challenges on the covid vaccine. This
difference in scale means we’re stuck with covid and it’s inevitable, more lethal variants, beyond the foreseeable future.
Like minds…Good point about the anti-vaxxers. Truthfully, I have less comprehension of Anti-vaxxers than I do of people who voted for Trump. And less tolerance.
As a former educator who sometimes taught government, I can say that you can bring a horse to water, but.... In my government class we studied the Bill of Rights and they did a lot of library research. It was clear to me then that many of them were not going to become informed voters or even voters at all. I also taught expository writing and we always assessed the bias of a source. I included an exercise on the internet which was just getting underway as a source of info. I was also the librarian and even then there were students who insisted that if it was on the internet, it was true. Finally, since there is a large streak of anti-intellectualism in this country, it is difficult to counter that. Now everyone is an "expert" on everything even very complicated fields like immunology. Judging from local threads, I live in the midst of a very large research area. I have called for cites, but usually i get nothing. One person did send me to a QAnon source and a far right wing nut site. He had one valid source which he had misread. No education system is going to remedy this sort of nonsense.
I might also add that I have one FB friend, an ex-h.s. classmate, who told me that she was so glad she wasn't as educated as I am because my political views are different than hers. I told her that my views on such things as racism had nothing to do with my education, but my sense from about the age 7 (when I witnessed some racism in Chicago) that it was wrong. My education provides the background of how pervasive racism is. Her problem is her conservative Christianity which means she wants Roe overturned and getting there by any means is OK. So far it's crickets from her on January 6th. But she did post a meme that was getting at being responsible for what happened in the past vis a vis racism. The worst one was a meme about the fires in CA happening because God was punishing them because some people there are atheists (I guess there are none in Indiana). She got an earful on that one and it was difficult for me to remain polite. We had had the terrible labor day fires here in Oregon by then and I reminded her that they happened in largely in R areas full of her type of Christians. She did back down sorta by telling me that she posted it because she disagreed with it. Rubbish.
You are sadly correct on all that you say and you would have seen a lot more than many of us, having been an educator. Good for you for speaking up.. even if/when it seems pointless. Maybe the planet has finally had enough of our greed, stupidity, and heartlessness.
Lots of people have misconceptions about education which has become increasingly difficult. Our teachers made a big difference in the lives of many our students. Many of them are still friends (as am I) with some of their students. Sometimes it takes the students a while to thank teachers, but many of them do. I just had a lovely comment from one of mine who wasn't my best student, but still said she gained a lot from the class (ancient and English history). It's so sweet to read something like that. The planet is speaking loud and clear that it has had enough. I was just on a short walk (thanks to one of my ex-students who is encouraging me to do so) and it is 9:30 with high humidity. I noticed it is no longer as shady (ice storm and tree butchers, inc) as it was. We are also having very warm temps and almost no rain. This week is another hot one. So I am putting off planting my fall garden. All I am doing is picking and watering in the am. I can't tell you how gut wrenching the Labor Day fires were. The sky turned red and there was smoke and ash everywhere. People are still trying to rebuild and it is slow. Now we have another round of fire with drought and lack of water. I foresee food shortages. Delta is also surging in Oregon setting us back thanks to the people who refuse to get vaccinated. It is difficult to be optimistic and I am thankful that we are older.
Thanks for writing, Michele. I will be thinking of you and hoping (and praying) that you continue even through these hard times. I live in Indiana, so I too have experienced Indiana prejudice against education, even influencing my grandkids! I find for myself it's best not to be argumentative (as I'm prone to be) but it's really important to continue speaking the truth in the best way I know. At least they will know I had no doubts or misgivings. I emphasize that anyone who supports The Big Lie is way off base and certainly not to be trusted in a role of leadership.
I am a native Hoosier from Elkhart happily living in Oregon. I grew up in a R household and I always argued with my father when I visited. I sometimes lay into my relatives in Indiana and Illinois if they post something beyond the pale as I do with the ex-classmate. Most times I just remove the post from my feed, but I refuse to let some things go by.
I always maintain that ignorance can be cured. Stupidity cannot.
That because awareness of nonsense starts when our students are not yet in our classes. I will estimate developmental ages of 2-4 yrs of age. So it’s parent education of this very guiding skill that must happen. I know that, as an educator, it takes diligence and time not to root out intolerance in a young mind, but to bring acceptance of a mental model of tolerance through example and experience and then allow them to choose. I always told my students that is the thrill of living in a country of democracy. Because of the common good of public education, students have exposure to different attitudes. Teachers are there to present them. It still remains the student’s choice to follow a path. I always held hope as an educator that I taught my students the power of wise discernment.
You sound like a wise and excellent teacher. I insisted that they respect each other and me in my classroom. I think now that is not so easy to do.
But teachers everywhere are still doing that exact thing. It’s the art of teaching. Those that have the calling have the instinct to do the right thing.
I guess I am thinking of one of my very bright students, who became a special ed teacher and left the profession a couple years ago because she ended up too often in the ER. About the same time there were photos, articles, and complaints from teachers about students tearing up rooms and basically making learning by anyone impossible. Since I am long out of it, I cannot comment from personal experience, but from only what I see and read. Also the general society seems to be running amok with very little concern for others and wanting to do whatever these types damn well please.
John, there’s more than enough blame to go all around. Teachers (public education) mostly work their hearts out and do that within the demands of parents and standards and administrators and legislators and very needy children while barely making a living. Mostly to blame is our consumer culture, valuing “things” (and power/status) over the recognition of worth within every precious being. Nurturing curiosity and a love for learning and the freedom to learn needs to start at birth. Many of the most devout, unfortunately, fear that knowledge is an enticement to “sin” (abstinence only just for one example). If our moral compass is forced on us by authorities instead of grown within us by guidance and trial and error we don’t develop our on compass and are vulnerable to authorities. It’s up to all of us to change the game by being better role models and talking about how we do that.
Teachers in general are the single most unappreciated resource in society. They are generally dedicated, hard working, and caring people that are worked practically 24/7 and utterly underpaid. I, personally, find it disgusting how often people simple do not recognize how much energy goes into teaching and dealing with the administrative bullshit that is imposed on them by bureaucrats and politicians. I was a school board member at my sons’ public school district and whenever some greedy cheap f…g local citizen confronted me on the street complaining that our local taxes were too high(the school district accounted for 80% of the costs paid by taxes), I would tell them that I wish I could raise taxes even more in order to pay teachers a higher salary for having to put on them all the BS from parents and administrators. I bow done to all of you whom have dedicated yourselves to educating our children. Thank you.
Thank you.
Sorry, I should have said “(teaching abstinence only as one example)” 🤷🏻♀️
Wise words Christy. I like your thoughts.
Christy, I agree with your last sentence. However, so many folks are overcome with fear if they take action. BTW, I think Biden and the elite Democrats also have that problem.
Because this group is so easily manipulated, makes it easier to change the narrative. Are we going to get all back? NO a large swath are lost forever. But allowing the few Republicans with some sense to take steps away from the trump crazy train. Allows more to do the same.
John A. Selzer, Yes, how do you get people to accept just how stupid and manipulated they have been for the past several years? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. Dylan was so right.