Posts Tagged ‘politics’

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A wonderful performance

February 1, 2009

Last evening we saw a wonderful performance of George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan. In the program notes were comments by the director, Paul Mason Barnes. Included was this statement:

In the year 2009, when religious fanaticism at home and abroad, separation of church and state, and the use of torture as a means to a political end are central issues of our time – and when, as Shaw would have it, the most amount of damage is rendered by the most fearful and least imaginative among us, Saint Joan becomes a transcendent and revelatory play.

Our nation’s policies when given voice to and implemented by “… the most fearful and least imaginative among us, …”  have caused us seemingly unending grief. I sincerely hope that a greater wisdom will prevail as we move forward over the next several years.

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Posted in Social Justice | Leave a Comment »

Feed more oats to the horses

September 13, 2008

The energy being generated among the uninformed and/or fearful seems, once again, to be influencing the way the country might go in the fall election. This is reminiscent of the 2004 campaign when the terrorist-on-every-doorstep ploy seemed to work, and every other word was 9/11. But lies and distortion are in play again. How much more of a mess does our country need to be in before someone is held accountable?

An underlying thread in one camp is a selfish indifference to the plight of the “other” and the common good. Many of those yelling a thoughtless “drill baby drill” are immersed in a myopia that is on the verge of being frightening.

These are the folks who fought social security, Medicare, women’s rights and the rights of others … whatever their socio-economic difference may be. There is no end to the benefits worth keeping for oneself, and to heck with everyone else.

I prefer the following for an administration to lead our country:

  • One where there is a philosophy and thoughtfulness involved in answering questions and addressing issues rather than an unwavering ideological certitude.
  • One where others are listened to. For example, listening to those who have invaded and have been invaded, have occupied and have been occupied, have imposed their ways upon other cultures in paternalistic colonial fashion … and remember how well that was received.
  • One who would ask the people in Coventry, Dresden, Hiroshima, Tokyo for guidance when someone knocks down a couple of building full of people. What would be a proportional response? How many hundreds of thousands of innocents must be killed in return?
  • One where an energy policy would be one of “How can we use less?” rather than “How can we get more?”
  • One that thinks beyond the next closing bell, the next quarterly earnings report, the next congressional election, the next presidential election.
  • One that understands long term to mean the length of one’s formal education, or one’s retirement years, or one’s work life, or one’s child-bearing years.
  • One that understands that the United States of America is a global partner, not a global bully. Or to, at the very least, understand what a “world leader” is called to do on behalf of the common good.
  • One that understands that unprovoked aggression is criminal, that torture is a violation of everything America has stood for, that maintaining our security at the expense of our liberties is inexcusable.
  • One that understands that tax credits , no matter how large, to buy health care coverage don’t do much for those who are barely getting by and pay little to no taxes.
  • One that sees trickle-down economics to be as foolish as the old saw, “If the birds are starving, feed more oats to the horses.” The imagery, by the way, becomes more apt the longer one reflects.

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Posted in Global, politics, Social Justice | Leave a Comment »

Putting a stop to such behavior

September 5, 2008

I can’t help but be reminded about who bullies whom. Those who are attractive and used to having their own way? Those who are deficient in key attributes … and are in complete denial of the fact yet feel inferior anyway … such that they seek to raise their own stature by attempting to push others down? That is what I saw and heard in Sarah Palin’s remarks. Here is someone who most likely couldn’t have kept up with Senator Obama on any front, yet she smilingly belittles him and his achievements. This slamming can happen only if one feels he/she is in the company of those of like mind, high school-clique behavior as it were.

But she forgot one thing, others outside the clique were watching. There are those of us who minister to the less fortunate, who value the role of community organizing, and who don’t feel the need to display a smugness and arrogance to overcome some hidden shortcomings. I’m not sure she is entirely at fault. There was a decidedly Rovian slant to her message; a slant which doesn’t seem to know any boundaries when it comes to distorting the truth or hurting others.

Did McCain thoroughly vet her? Only time will tell. My gut tells me no, and no amount of “taking offense” at the press can cover up such a dizzying display of poor judgment in a key decision by one wishing to lead our country.  I suspect she was just the nearest thing to grab to keep his campaign from sinking completely out of sight.  A foolish decision entirely befitting of a Bush third term.

What worries me is that the McCain/Palin team could get elected. Why do I say that? Look at the elections of 2000 and 2004. Competence doesn’t matter. Making poor decisions doesn’t matter. Being indifferent to the needs of our country and its people, America’s standing in the world, what the U.S. Constitution says, and what is moral or lawful, doesn’t seem to matter. In fact, being indifferent to all of that can get one elected … twice!

We shall see. Governor Palin hasn’t been made available to the press or us. The next few weeks will be very interesting. A caution is in order, however: most people don’t like those who bully, and they can be quite energized toward putting a stop to such behavior.

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Breaks from news coverage

February 2, 2008

Tuesdays and Saturdays are my so-called weight training days. A small Universal®  gym has been against one basement wall since 1988, and not gathering dust, I am pleased to say. The effort seems to have been working over the years. My goals are modest, to be able to keep tying my own shoes as time goes by and to fend off any twinges while doing odd jobs around the house.

The manual which came with the machine has a toning routine which includes 13 assorted exercises, light easy stuff. During each session, however, the total repetitions do approach 500. Even a small exertion done 500 times is bound to be helpful when compared to channel surfing or turning pages in a magazine. Although I like that too.

There is another piece to my motivation. I grew up in a family with a chiropractor on speed dial. Back and neck aliments, headaches, you name it, it was there. So, if I can keep some semblance of muscle balance and tone, there should be a payoff somewhere down the road. And, I suspect, there already has.

Sirius Satellite Radio®  keeps me company while down in that basement corner. This morning the channel was “Classic Vinyl” under the rock category. Occasional breaks from news coverage have become more and more welcome, especially during the campaign season.

A little rock music with no news also helped calm me down. Last evening I watched Bill Moyers Journalon PBS. After listening to Henry Waxman summarize some of his oversight investigations, my anger toward our government almost kept sleep from my bedroom door. January 20, 2009 will be like having the country fumigated … at least for a while. I can’t wait. In the meantime, keep investigating.

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