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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

Appeals were readied long ago, and immediately filed today. It should take a while for the GA and other suppression bills to become enforceable law. Still, there is no time to waste.

Lovers of democracy can commit mass civil disobedience by providing "illegal" humanitarian aid in Georgia. If the police use fire hoses and dogs again, it'll look just as bad as it did in the 1960s.

Nancy and Ted, you may see me there. Save me a seat.

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Andrea Haynes's avatar

Much was accomplished in 1960s. I was there.

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

First protest 1961, at age 6, with Albert Bigelow, John Lewis's Freedom Rider partner. Bert and Sylvia helped found the Quaker meeting that raised me. It's time to stand on the shoulders of these giants.

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Ted's avatar

I can’t really see any cops stopping me. They will be busy with my donation of Krispy creams to them. The krispy cream rebellion!

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Stuart Attewell (Paris, Fr)'s avatar

And to repeat also from years gone by....Federal government "nationalizes the National Guard" to protect piza and water suppliers....and polling stations...from interference.

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Roland (CA->WA)'s avatar

ted that is wicked funny. krispy kreme. doughnuts for the cops. brilliant.

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MaryPat's avatar

May have to lobby Krispy Kreme first to stop their funding of republican party...

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MaryPat's avatar

Love it!!

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Marlene Lerner-Bigley (CA)'s avatar

I’m impressed! My first was in 1969 in DC protesting the Vietnam War. Seems have been protesting ever since.

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Stuart Attewell (Paris, Fr)'s avatar

Somewhere along the road we seem to have lost the idea of freedom that we had then when we were going to change the world. Our generation has built the mess that the world is in despite our youthful protestation.

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Herb Klinker (FL and Umbria)'s avatar

I'm reading "Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson. In Chapter 11 she talks about the rising mortality rates of White American, middle-aged, working-class males. Almost half a million excess deaths from 1998 to 2013. She refers them as "Deaths of Despair".

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Christy's avatar

Chances are pretty good that the authoritarian bully mindset that is the hallmark of racism has consequences for the children raised in such homes. Generally minds that are attracted to a culture that feeds on lies/denial/deception have been bathed in that environment in their formative years. Trauma in childhood can lead to addiction and addiction creates more traumatized children. Vicious cycle. Hillary Clinton understood this well and it's why the patriarchy did everything in their power to keep her out of power. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html

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Christy's avatar

there's a lot there in the cdc link I posted but, for this conversation I was attempting to show the relationship of adverse childhood experiences to adult poor health. "ACEs can have lasting, negative effects on health, well-being, and opportunity. These experiences can increase the risks of injury, sexually transmitted infections, maternal and child health problems, teen pregnancy, involvement in sex trafficking, and a wide range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide."

https://www.ajpmonline.org/action/showPdf?pii=S0749-3797%2898%2900017-8

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Stuart Attewell (Paris, Fr)'s avatar

Herb, it reminds me of conversations that i had with a SF businessman while i was living In DC. He told me that he has to come for business but spends as little time as possible along the East Coast as "people seem so unhealthy" .

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Ted's avatar

Is this about suicides?

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Ted's avatar

Marlene, thank u. Your protest might have saved my dad and uncles lives.

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Marlene Lerner-Bigley (CA)'s avatar

I hope so but funny thing is I ended up marrying a Vietnam Vet 45 years ago. He never trusted the government then and still doesn’t to this day.

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Ted's avatar

Life’s a doughnut sometimes.

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Julie's avatar

I thank you as well for your protest. My husband got his draft card with the number 78 six months before they ended the draft. He did not have to go to Viet Nam thank God. I feel that the protests and work we do today will also benefit future generations. So again, thank you!

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

You all did a great job levitating the Pentagon.

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Ted's avatar

How rough was that then? Is today worse? What did you think of Robert Kennedy them?

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Marlene Lerner-Bigley (CA)'s avatar

Today is worse because I really never felt unsafe in those years. I was a proud hippie and held idealistic views. Burning my bra was quite “uplifting”. :) I loved RFK. I thought he was quite strategic and thoughtful. Even more so than his brother. He would’ve made a great president, in my opinion.

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

RFK would have been an outstanding president, maybe one of the greatest.

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Mitzi's avatar

Uplifting 😂

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Grace Kennedy's avatar

And Kent State came later.

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MLMinET's avatar

I remember Kent State well. I was a young college student next door in Indiana

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Ted's avatar

I have a friend older than me who was there. I think he is still traumatized.

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Maggie's avatar

I have a friend who is younger than me who was there.

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

Earlham College 1978

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Susan's avatar

I had hope we could make a difference. I never worried there would be AK 47 ‘s shooting us down. Robert Kennedy was a hero in my eyes.

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

The story's not over yet, Susan. There is a surprise ending.

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Pensa_VT's avatar

I am just on the bottom edge of the boomer gen. My mom would not take me with her to protests, but she did take me to a Love In at a park in Los Angeles. My, my, I learned a lot there for a tweenager!

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Stuart Attewell (Paris, Fr)'s avatar

Things the so riteous and the holier than thou don't want you to learn in school, no doubt......practical demonstrations are excellent pedagogy

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Pensa_VT's avatar

Yes-- quite a pedagogy! Funny that my current career often involves helping young people in who are exploring drugs, sex, hooking up, sexting, porn and now about 30+ STDs. What a set up that early experience provided me— but kids today deal with soooo much more than in the 60's. They are not allowed to come to my sessions stoned and are shocked when I can smell pot or tell by their eyes the they are in an altered state and call them on it. They wonder how I know. ;-) Hope none of them read HCR!

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Stuart Attewell (Paris, Fr)'s avatar

They think it is normal and the smell disappears like urban "white noise".

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

Darn Penelope, I'm jealous. Mom took us to pick pachysandra for the local Dems.

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Pensa_VT's avatar

Hahaha! In what way did pachysandra help the Dems? Pachy is root for pachyderm = Elephant = Republican? More evidence that the dems really need to get it together. That dem donkey symbol: The wild donkey -- Equus africanus asinus -- wild ass. Did you know that is why they call them "ass" rom asinus? I just learned something that puzzled me most of my life. I do love donkeys and elephants. I think the repubs elephant should now dawn a White Hood.

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Marlene Lerner-Bigley (CA)'s avatar

HA! I bet you most definitely did!

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Bruce Murray(VT)'s avatar

People's Park 1969, "Free Huey , Off the Pig" S.F. what is this? Street Cred time?

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

Bruce, no one has encouraged or mentioned violent protests, except you. What's up with that? That rally is an outlier in the history of the 1960s.

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Bruce Murray(VT)'s avatar

Left a reply somewhere. Not sure if you'll ever get it. But no condoning or promoting of violence intended.

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

Thank you for clarifying, Bruce. Write on.

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David’sinSC's avatar

Write on brother.

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Chuck Schnautz (Oregon)'s avatar

First protest in 1965 against Vietnam War while a grad student at Berkeley.

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Julie's avatar

Thank you! As I said before, your protests in the 60's may have spared my husband from having to go. Had a low draft number but draft ended six months later.

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Nancy Fleming's avatar

Yes, we were not caught unawares. Now the many challenges will come. I'm really looking forward to our reunion. Everyone's welcome.

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Ted's avatar

Shoulder 2 shoulder ( just please wear a mask!)

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Liz Ayer, Nyc/MA's avatar

Me too— the Gunga din delegation from MA—my birthday is also in early November.

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Nancy Fleming's avatar

Already vaccinated, and we'll add birthday cake to the menu! My nextdoor neighbors are Dems, so some of you could probably park in their driveway once ours is full. . . .

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Pensa_VT's avatar

Can Vermonter delegates join the Gunga din in MA?

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

Can you explain the GD reference, please? I know the film and poem, but not in this context.

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Pensa_VT's avatar

I am not totally sure if Liz's reference would be different than mine...but I believe Gunga din a water carrier.

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Liz Ayer, Nyc/MA's avatar

More the merrier

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Mitzi's avatar

My son turns 21 in Nov. Great way to celebrate him and help preserve a future that’s brighter.

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

Can you explain the GD reference, please? I know the film and poem, but not in this context.

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Liz Ayer, Nyc/MA's avatar

Gunga din was the water carrier—he was kind of abused by some of the soldiers he gave water to but the famous Kipling line is — you’re a better man than I am Gunga Din— so my immediate connection was with the people who would dare give voters on line water since that may be against the law in the next GA election— for me it’s so refreshing to hear Biden call out this horrendous law as modern Jim Crow. I liked Obama a lot for many reasons but I’m loving Biden’s straightforwardness.

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TPJ (MA)'s avatar

Thanks, got it, Liz. It's pretty simple, so of course I missed it. The delegation riding the same DC bus once travel starts again.

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Liz Ayer, Nyc/MA's avatar

And we’re all fully vaccinated

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Ted's avatar

Gunga Din

BY RUDYARD KIPLING

You may talk o’ gin and beer

When you’re quartered safe out ’ere,

An’ you’re sent to penny-fights an’ Aldershot it;

But when it comes to slaughter

You will do your work on water,

An’ you’ll lick the bloomin’ boots of ’im that’s got it.

Now in Injia’s sunny clime,

Where I used to spend my time

A-servin’ of ’Er Majesty the Queen,

Of all them blackfaced crew

The finest man I knew

Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din,

He was ‘Din! Din! Din!

‘You limpin’ lump o’ brick-dust, Gunga Din!

‘Hi! Slippy hitherao

‘Water, get it! Panee lao,

‘You squidgy-nosed old idol, Gunga Din.’

The uniform ’e wore

Was nothin’ much before,

An’ rather less than ’arf o’ that be’ind,

For a piece o’ twisty rag

An’ a goatskin water-bag

Was all the field-equipment ’e could find.

When the sweatin’ troop-train lay

In a sidin’ through the day,

Where the ’eat would make your bloomin’ eyebrows crawl,

We shouted ‘Harry By!’

Till our throats were bricky-dry,

Then we wopped ’im ’cause ’e couldn’t serve us all.

It was ‘Din! Din! Din!

‘You ’eathen, where the mischief ’ave you been?

‘You put some juldee in it

‘Or I’ll marrow you this minute

‘If you don’t fill up my helmet, Gunga Din!’

’E would dot an’ carry one

Till the longest day was done;

An’ ’e didn’t seem to know the use o’ fear.

If we charged or broke or cut,

You could bet your bloomin’ nut,

’E’d be waitin’ fifty paces right flank rear.

With ’is mussick on ’is back,

’E would skip with our attack,

An’ watch us till the bugles made 'Retire,’

An’ for all ’is dirty ’ide

’E was white, clear white, inside

When ’e went to tend the wounded under fire!

It was ‘Din! Din! Din!’

With the bullets kickin’ dust-spots on the green.

When the cartridges ran out,

You could hear the front-ranks shout,

‘Hi! ammunition-mules an' Gunga Din!’

I shan’t forgit the night

When I dropped be’ind the fight

With a bullet where my belt-plate should ’a’ been.

I was chokin’ mad with thirst,

An’ the man that spied me first

Was our good old grinnin’, gruntin’ Gunga Din.

’E lifted up my ’ead,

An’ he plugged me where I bled,

An’ ’e guv me ’arf-a-pint o’ water green.

It was crawlin’ and it stunk,

But of all the drinks I’ve drunk,

I’m gratefullest to one from Gunga Din.

It was 'Din! Din! Din!

‘’Ere’s a beggar with a bullet through ’is spleen;

‘’E's chawin’ up the ground,

‘An’ ’e’s kickin’ all around:

‘For Gawd’s sake git the water, Gunga Din!’

’E carried me away

To where a dooli lay,

An’ a bullet come an’ drilled the beggar clean.

’E put me safe inside,

An’ just before ’e died,

'I ’ope you liked your drink,’ sez Gunga Din.

So I’ll meet ’im later on

At the place where ’e is gone—

Where it’s always double drill and no canteen.

’E’ll be squattin’ on the coals

Givin’ drink to poor damned souls,

An’ I’ll get a swig in hell from Gunga Din!

Yes, Din! Din! Din!

You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!

Though I’ve belted you and flayed you,

By the livin’ Gawd that made you,

You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

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Liz Ayer, Nyc/MA's avatar

Thank you Ted —Kipling’s words so inspire the moment

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Cathy Mc. (MO)'s avatar

There will be several polling places to attend. Cannot think of a better way to spend pent up travel drive from this at home year. Voters will need help finding hidden drop boxes too. And so much more.

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Grace Kennedy's avatar

Just make certain you’re vaccinated. It’s adding to those statistics that’s troubling.

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