It was a beautiful day on the beach. The children splashed and played as hundreds of families came out to enjoy the water and sea breezes. Then, out on the edge of the surf, someone spotted two fins approaching fast. One belonged to a dolphin, and one to a shark. Someone screamed “shark!” and soon the press arrived. In the service of fairness and unbiased reporting, the press examined the two creatures, and found that the shark had slightly longer fins than the dolphin, but a narrower tail. Meanwhile, the shark devoured two swimmers. To be fair to the shark, the press did an expose’ on the dolphin’s long history of eating small, innocent fish for dinner. When another swimmer was eaten, some people screamed, “Shark! Get out of the water!” Of course, these people were accused of being partisan toward the dolphin, conspiracy theorists, and possible terrorists. The FBI showed up and took down their information for further investigation.
A few more swimmers were gobbled up while all of this was happening, but the people on the beach were now becoming desensitized to bloodshed and increasingly interested in the colorful stories being told on the evening news about sharks and dolphins and their fascinating similarities and differences. T-shirts and bumper stickers were printed up for dolphinites and sharkophiles, and debates were held. Though the dolphin squeaked eloquently and the shark showed no verbal communication skills (and continually broke the rules of debate by leaping off its platform and trying to devour the dolphin,) the press found them to be well matched. The dolphin, though clearly more intelligent, was seen as aloof, overly intellectual, and of course people had a hard time understanding what he was saying. The shark, however, was admired for his emotional honesty, directness, and unwavering commitment to his goal of eating everything in sight…
So when in the course of human events does it become necessary to go beyond non-partisan, unbiased reporting and lecturing on the state of our union? Do we wait until American democracy is gone, until the have-nots are living in a state of real economic slavery to the haves, until the whole international community hates us for who we are, until this irresponsible administration has done generations of damage to our global ecosystem? I understood the importance of the press and our educators remaining non-partisan back when the Republican and Democratic parties were balancing forces in our government. I remember my Democrat father actually voting for a Republican or two when I was a kid in the sixties. But now this little group of radical right-wing extremists is taking over the Republican party and forcing the Democrats into the position of merely representing the sane middle ground. (Never mind the left - we don’t even have time for people who want to talk about peace and justice and environmental responsibility. We’re just trying to keep our ship of state from going under right now.)
When one “party” is clearly representing an agenda of fear, hatred, greed, separation, non-communication, lies, and injustice on a global scale, and the other is simply crying for some sanity and balance, I think we need to answer to a higher law than simply the need to be “fair and unbiased.” I believe, in the current political climate, that any institution that compels an educator or member of the press to speak mildly and safely from behind the veil of non-partisanship is biased against the whole human race. We need the truth. It’s your job.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Motivation for Liberals
I think we would benefit from reading more books by Republicans. I know there is a whole library of books coming out these days by progressive authors informing us on the horrors of the war, the obscene excesses of our consumer economy, the evils of the corporate takeover of the world - the list of dragons to slay is nearly inexhaustible. And I’m so grateful to these creative people for taking the time to dig up the dirt and inform us about it. And for getting us riled up. But I’m concerned about our attitude.
I know a man who writes books about success and does motivational workshops with business leaders. I haven’t talked to him in a few years, but I just found out from his distraught sister that he’s a Republican. While I was deeply saddened by this news – he’s a sweet, creative guy who can sing Elvis to make you cry – I wasn’t surprised. His teachings are all about pulling yourself up by your bootstraps – a philosophy that we’ve all seen works really well for privileged white men. (It’s just a little more complicated for the rest of us, but that’s not the focus of this essay. Suffice to say, it’s hard to pull yourself up by the bootstraps with someone else’s boots standing on your chest.) But let’s look at some of the techniques these types of motivational courses and books teach…
Believing in yourself in the face of adversity. Taking risks. Letting go of negative, defeatist thinking. Trusting your creative impulses. Getting organized, setting goals, making plans and sticking to them. Constantly raising the bar for your achievements. Knowing you’re going to win because you deserve it. Using any and all resources at your disposal. Learning new technologies and techniques to achieve your goals.
The other day I was at a meeting for a canvassing effort organized by the Democratic Party. When we were discussing the details of the plan, and someone observed that parts of it were not completely clear, one woman laughed lightly and dismissively and said “Oh well, we’re Democrats and you know we’ve never been all that organized!”
O.K. I know the same type of open-minded, mellow, accommodating spirit that draws people to the Democrat or Other tickets also tends to be a little loosey-goosey on details, and is more improvisational than structured. We color outside the lines. We play. I love that about us.
But let me just suggest integrating some of these ideas about motivation and success, and applying them to the task at hand. We know our goal: to get these criminals out of office and restore our country to some semblance of sanity, integrity, and dignity, and to rebuild our democracy. So let’s do what we need to do to achieve that goal. Despite the plethora of bad examples in the world, you don’t actually have to be an aggressive jerk to be successful in your undertakings. You just need to cultivate some new skills and beliefs.
I’m sure by now most of you have read the letter circulating around by Michael Moore about letting go of our habitual defeatist attitudes and rallying behind John Kerry. I was so refreshed by it, weren’t you? I just want to add an image of my own if I may:
When you’re on a team about to play a big game against a highly-ranked opponent, do you all sit around in your locker room saying “Oh, well, we probably can’t win, they’re really good, they always win, ho hum, it’s O.K., it’s just a game, I’ll open my eyes when it’s over…”? Hell, no! You rally. You get louder and bolder and fiercer. You tell the other team just how you’re going to wipe the floor with them. You have your cheerleaders bouncing and your brass band pumping away as big and brash as they can. And you play your asses off.
And this is a really big game, y’all. Maybe the biggest one ever.
We’ve got to know that we’re winning. Go to all of the events you can that bring our team together. Take a look at the amazing, beautiful, creative, colorful people around you. We are legion. Let it fill you up. Know that it’s happening all over, and that the whole world is watching. Embrace this responsibility. Rise to it. Or, in the words of that old bastion of conservatism, the U.S. Army: Be All That You Can Be! It’s time.
I know a man who writes books about success and does motivational workshops with business leaders. I haven’t talked to him in a few years, but I just found out from his distraught sister that he’s a Republican. While I was deeply saddened by this news – he’s a sweet, creative guy who can sing Elvis to make you cry – I wasn’t surprised. His teachings are all about pulling yourself up by your bootstraps – a philosophy that we’ve all seen works really well for privileged white men. (It’s just a little more complicated for the rest of us, but that’s not the focus of this essay. Suffice to say, it’s hard to pull yourself up by the bootstraps with someone else’s boots standing on your chest.) But let’s look at some of the techniques these types of motivational courses and books teach…
Believing in yourself in the face of adversity. Taking risks. Letting go of negative, defeatist thinking. Trusting your creative impulses. Getting organized, setting goals, making plans and sticking to them. Constantly raising the bar for your achievements. Knowing you’re going to win because you deserve it. Using any and all resources at your disposal. Learning new technologies and techniques to achieve your goals.
The other day I was at a meeting for a canvassing effort organized by the Democratic Party. When we were discussing the details of the plan, and someone observed that parts of it were not completely clear, one woman laughed lightly and dismissively and said “Oh well, we’re Democrats and you know we’ve never been all that organized!”
O.K. I know the same type of open-minded, mellow, accommodating spirit that draws people to the Democrat or Other tickets also tends to be a little loosey-goosey on details, and is more improvisational than structured. We color outside the lines. We play. I love that about us.
But let me just suggest integrating some of these ideas about motivation and success, and applying them to the task at hand. We know our goal: to get these criminals out of office and restore our country to some semblance of sanity, integrity, and dignity, and to rebuild our democracy. So let’s do what we need to do to achieve that goal. Despite the plethora of bad examples in the world, you don’t actually have to be an aggressive jerk to be successful in your undertakings. You just need to cultivate some new skills and beliefs.
I’m sure by now most of you have read the letter circulating around by Michael Moore about letting go of our habitual defeatist attitudes and rallying behind John Kerry. I was so refreshed by it, weren’t you? I just want to add an image of my own if I may:
When you’re on a team about to play a big game against a highly-ranked opponent, do you all sit around in your locker room saying “Oh, well, we probably can’t win, they’re really good, they always win, ho hum, it’s O.K., it’s just a game, I’ll open my eyes when it’s over…”? Hell, no! You rally. You get louder and bolder and fiercer. You tell the other team just how you’re going to wipe the floor with them. You have your cheerleaders bouncing and your brass band pumping away as big and brash as they can. And you play your asses off.
And this is a really big game, y’all. Maybe the biggest one ever.
We’ve got to know that we’re winning. Go to all of the events you can that bring our team together. Take a look at the amazing, beautiful, creative, colorful people around you. We are legion. Let it fill you up. Know that it’s happening all over, and that the whole world is watching. Embrace this responsibility. Rise to it. Or, in the words of that old bastion of conservatism, the U.S. Army: Be All That You Can Be! It’s time.
Sunday, August 01, 2004
The Sacrament of Marriage
I’m finding it a great paradox that the people who are loudest in their claims of being followers of Jesus are so opposed to state acknowledgement of marriage between two people who happen to be of the same biological sex.
A couple of years ago, my girlfriend asked me to marry her. It was very sudden and early in our relationship, and I had to take some time to think about it. And think about it I did – for about a month, all day, every day. I wanted to find out exactly what marriage meant to me, and what the difference really was between dating someone and being married to them.
One of the first things I came up against was the fact that our marriage wouldn’t be recognized by the state. Despite my not wanting her to, my girlfriend smoked, and I imagined the scenario of her in a hospital intensive-care unit someday, and my not being allowed to see her because we weren’t acknowledged as spouses. All the more reason to quit, I suppose! I imagined how we still wouldn’t receive the same tax breaks available to any wife-beater capable of talking his girlfriend into a quick visit to the Justice of the Peace, or any female social climber marrying a rich man for his money. And I thought about my girlfriend’s daughters – two wonderful little girls whom I love so much, and whose upbringing I was thrilled to be invited to participate in – and how my girlfriend’s ex-husband would always have more rights as a guardian than I could ever hope for. Luckily he’s a pretty nice guy, but what if he hadn’t been?
And then I considered the true meaning of marriage. To me, marriage is a commitment made by two people in the presence of their Higher Power, family, and peers. It’s the acknowledgement of a feeling of connection with each other (called Love) that transcends the flesh, and a willingness to honor that feeling throughout and beyond the boundaries of this Earthly life. It is, in the deepest sense of the word, a sacrament. It was this understanding that finally lead me to say Yes - Yes, I’ll observe this sacred rite with you, because my heart tells me to.
Now, you followers of Christ… can any of you tell me what is unholy or evil about this union? Would Jesus, that sweet man who held Love as his ideal to the death, disapprove? I would think that Christians would be thrilled that so many homosexual people want their matrimony made legal – it’s more people choosing to live their lives through the Holy Spirit, and asking the state to acknowledge the sanctity of that choice! How much more American Christian can you get?
Another quick point here - I know most of the people opposed to equal marriage rights are Republicans who want to keep government simple and uncomplicated. What you might not know is that disallowing same-sex marriage will create complications beyond your wildest dreams, when the transgendered, transsexual, and intersex people seek justice in their individual cases. And they will – they are a powerful new minority presence that is demanding we rethink our prejudices about gender. So if you’re still insistent on homosexuals not being allowed to marry legally, I suggest that you forfeit your own rights to visitation, tax breaks, and guardianship of your spouse’s children – it’ll be much simpler in the long run.
Or better yet, take a moment to reflect on what marriage really means to you. Could it be that we’re actually on the same page about this?
A couple of years ago, my girlfriend asked me to marry her. It was very sudden and early in our relationship, and I had to take some time to think about it. And think about it I did – for about a month, all day, every day. I wanted to find out exactly what marriage meant to me, and what the difference really was between dating someone and being married to them.
One of the first things I came up against was the fact that our marriage wouldn’t be recognized by the state. Despite my not wanting her to, my girlfriend smoked, and I imagined the scenario of her in a hospital intensive-care unit someday, and my not being allowed to see her because we weren’t acknowledged as spouses. All the more reason to quit, I suppose! I imagined how we still wouldn’t receive the same tax breaks available to any wife-beater capable of talking his girlfriend into a quick visit to the Justice of the Peace, or any female social climber marrying a rich man for his money. And I thought about my girlfriend’s daughters – two wonderful little girls whom I love so much, and whose upbringing I was thrilled to be invited to participate in – and how my girlfriend’s ex-husband would always have more rights as a guardian than I could ever hope for. Luckily he’s a pretty nice guy, but what if he hadn’t been?
And then I considered the true meaning of marriage. To me, marriage is a commitment made by two people in the presence of their Higher Power, family, and peers. It’s the acknowledgement of a feeling of connection with each other (called Love) that transcends the flesh, and a willingness to honor that feeling throughout and beyond the boundaries of this Earthly life. It is, in the deepest sense of the word, a sacrament. It was this understanding that finally lead me to say Yes - Yes, I’ll observe this sacred rite with you, because my heart tells me to.
Now, you followers of Christ… can any of you tell me what is unholy or evil about this union? Would Jesus, that sweet man who held Love as his ideal to the death, disapprove? I would think that Christians would be thrilled that so many homosexual people want their matrimony made legal – it’s more people choosing to live their lives through the Holy Spirit, and asking the state to acknowledge the sanctity of that choice! How much more American Christian can you get?
Another quick point here - I know most of the people opposed to equal marriage rights are Republicans who want to keep government simple and uncomplicated. What you might not know is that disallowing same-sex marriage will create complications beyond your wildest dreams, when the transgendered, transsexual, and intersex people seek justice in their individual cases. And they will – they are a powerful new minority presence that is demanding we rethink our prejudices about gender. So if you’re still insistent on homosexuals not being allowed to marry legally, I suggest that you forfeit your own rights to visitation, tax breaks, and guardianship of your spouse’s children – it’ll be much simpler in the long run.
Or better yet, take a moment to reflect on what marriage really means to you. Could it be that we’re actually on the same page about this?
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Einstein quote
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mystical. It is the source of all true art and science.
- Albert Einstein
- Albert Einstein
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Violence and Denial
Last year I was working as a travelling art teacher in a school on the East side of Tucson, just outside the Air Force base. I just happened to be scheduled to work out there the day after the invasion of Iraq began.
The first thing that struck me was the utter silence in the teacher's lounge. I thought there would be a flurry of talk about the war, or that someone would at least have brought a radio in so we could find out what was going on (not that the corporate radio stations tell us what's really going on, but if nothing else as something for us to gather around.) But it was business-as-usual. Not a MENTION of the war.
Of course, the kids were wound up like tops. A lot of them had (and still have) mothers, fathers, siblings, and family friends over there, or on the verge of deployment. The tension was a palpable thickness in the air. A school full of heavy hearts.
My second class of the morning was coming in from their recess as I came down the hallway. Fourth graders. The swirl of chaos around the classroom door let me know that business was no longer as usual. Ms. Flank (I'll feel free to use her name, as she no longer works there) had a group of about 7 kids lined up beside the little table in the hall reserved for private conferences. She told me to go in and start the lesson, that these children had been in a fight and she needed to talk to them one at a time out there. The first child sat down and the rest of us went in.
The whole class was bouncing off the walls. The kids who had been in the fight strutted in like heroes, smiling and joking. Details of the brawl, which had been huge and involved several students from various classes, were bubbling around the room and being woven into legend.
I managed to get them started on their project, and eventually Ms. Flank, having reprimanded all of the brawlers, came in and sat down. She expressed her shock at the scope and the violence of the fight, and I joked, "Well, how could we expect them to act, considering how our leaders are behaving?"
Oops. Didn't compute. I was subjected to a lecture on what an evil guy Saddam Hussein is, and then a lecture about how she doesn't take sides on political issues in the classroom. And then more about the evils of Saddam and his plans to take over the world.
I dunno, are Michael Moore and me and you and a handful of other informed citizens the only ones who are seeing the connection? That a society that answers every conflict with violence and every unknown with fear is going to raise children who deal with things the same way, and who think it's normal? If the president does it, it must be cool, because he's the most important guy in the most powerful country in the world. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln... we looked up to those guys as kids. Kids learn from what they see, not what they're told.
I hope that this gives an example of violence as an energy that we can control in our own lives. If you are feeling bewildered and powerless at the atrocities committed by our "leaders," know that every moment we have the choice to meet the situations in our lives with Love or with fear. And that our choices have repercussions we could never dream of. Young eyes are watching.
Peace.
Mitzi
The first thing that struck me was the utter silence in the teacher's lounge. I thought there would be a flurry of talk about the war, or that someone would at least have brought a radio in so we could find out what was going on (not that the corporate radio stations tell us what's really going on, but if nothing else as something for us to gather around.) But it was business-as-usual. Not a MENTION of the war.
Of course, the kids were wound up like tops. A lot of them had (and still have) mothers, fathers, siblings, and family friends over there, or on the verge of deployment. The tension was a palpable thickness in the air. A school full of heavy hearts.
My second class of the morning was coming in from their recess as I came down the hallway. Fourth graders. The swirl of chaos around the classroom door let me know that business was no longer as usual. Ms. Flank (I'll feel free to use her name, as she no longer works there) had a group of about 7 kids lined up beside the little table in the hall reserved for private conferences. She told me to go in and start the lesson, that these children had been in a fight and she needed to talk to them one at a time out there. The first child sat down and the rest of us went in.
The whole class was bouncing off the walls. The kids who had been in the fight strutted in like heroes, smiling and joking. Details of the brawl, which had been huge and involved several students from various classes, were bubbling around the room and being woven into legend.
I managed to get them started on their project, and eventually Ms. Flank, having reprimanded all of the brawlers, came in and sat down. She expressed her shock at the scope and the violence of the fight, and I joked, "Well, how could we expect them to act, considering how our leaders are behaving?"
Oops. Didn't compute. I was subjected to a lecture on what an evil guy Saddam Hussein is, and then a lecture about how she doesn't take sides on political issues in the classroom. And then more about the evils of Saddam and his plans to take over the world.
I dunno, are Michael Moore and me and you and a handful of other informed citizens the only ones who are seeing the connection? That a society that answers every conflict with violence and every unknown with fear is going to raise children who deal with things the same way, and who think it's normal? If the president does it, it must be cool, because he's the most important guy in the most powerful country in the world. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln... we looked up to those guys as kids. Kids learn from what they see, not what they're told.
I hope that this gives an example of violence as an energy that we can control in our own lives. If you are feeling bewildered and powerless at the atrocities committed by our "leaders," know that every moment we have the choice to meet the situations in our lives with Love or with fear. And that our choices have repercussions we could never dream of. Young eyes are watching.
Peace.
Mitzi
Sunday, May 16, 2004
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