I first became politically active in high school when I realized how much money Reagan was spending on defense. That was also the time when a former South African political prisoner came and spoke at my high school and Allan Ginsburg read at my school.
I had an awesome English teacher who encouraged us to ask questions and to think critically.
Just a little. She showed me that a great teacher could inspire others.
Sadly, I haven’t figured out a way to make that happen in my classroom, or at least I don’t know if I have or not. Working under NCLB feels less than inspirational.
That reminds me that it was a history teacher in high school who woke me up politically. There he was teaching the children of American military and diplomats (this was Vietnam era at an American school in Asia) and he challenged us to think about the reasons for wars.
It was listening to politics at home that had me curious. My high school civics teacher (that also taught German) encouraged us to think outside the box. My high school world history teacher encouraged me to speak up.
As a junior in high school (1971-72) I started speaking in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment and Pro-choice positions – in a Salt Lake City suburb!
Well 30+ years later…here I am…with experience this time!
What was the Helen Reddy “I am woman” line? “We’ve heard it all before, when we were down there on the floor”
I am woman – hear me roar! ;^D
Bless the teachers that help us think and speak outside the box!
Hey, all of you “useless” war protesters and civil rights activitists! When did you go to your first march? Or make your first phone call for a candidate?
I watched from the sidelines most of my life, always thinking protesters were the bravest people. My heroes have always been the kids, black and white, who went South during the Sixties. What they did scared the living hell out of me. I knew I didn’t have the courage, but I knew courage when I saw it.
In my twenties I went to volunteer for a local mayoral candidate. At the first event, I watched his campaign manager cheat at something and I was disillusioned on the spot.
It took Howard Dean to get me off my ass at last. And boy howdy, did he.
What about you guys? I always think of places like this as packed with people with so much more experience than I that I should sit at your feet(s) in awe, but I’ve learned there are other beginners and late starters around here, too.
here too…..I can not believe thsi weather…It was 94 degrees yesterday at Memphis and on my way home. NOw this morning it was so cool that I had to put a heavy robe on. What is happening????? :o)
Actually the spring and the fall of the year are my times for feeling great physically and mentally!!!!!!!!! :o) I love the rebirth of the spring and the fall, is so pretty too..the changing of the hot for the cooler. I commented in an earlier diary about the fall of the year being my special time of the year. [special reason, thereof]
At one of our AustinKos (and BooTribbers!!! – that’s me always interjecting that) meetings last summer, a new guy showed up. He was pretty quiet, and finally said, “Well, I haven’t ever done anything political before. How long have you guys been activists?”
Hysterical laughter from the rest of us. We explained that we defined ourselves as “ordinary pissed off citizens trying to figure out how to be politically active.”
</hysterical laughing>
The good news is that there are so many of us who haven’t done much in the past – except maybe vote – who are now pissed off enough to try to figure out how to make a difference. Not easy. Lots of flailing around, and disorganization. But I’m continually amazed at how some of it does work out. We’re learning, we’re learning . . . .
I got my start working for Jerry Brown for president. I have been going strong ever since, even though I wimped out and ran away to Mexico three years ago. Its raining here!!
Good Morning ya’ll. Just a few short mins to spend with you guys today. I became very active politically in 1999. I have been way tooooo busy to be otherwise political. I have made a severe mistake here in my life. I now see the danger of being like this and have tried to awaken my kids and grand children to now be like this. I want them to always be awakened to what is going on in the world of politics. NOW, it means their life and all that is in their life, that thye are aware of politics. I do not think it was like that when I was younger, or I didnt see it like that, any how.
I do think that somehow, I started to be come more awake in the Reagan years and slowly became eye wide open in 1999.
Not many issues or people I’ve campaigned for, have won. But I always think, the personal is political. (That dates me doesn’t it?) I believe our choices in daily life make a difference in setting examples for our neighbors, friends, colleagues and children. Thus my choices to live in the city so I can walk or bus to work and shopping, to shop at worker-owned businesses, to give my child a progressive education, and to represent my union on the job are all political.
Good point about the evangelicals, Toni. It’s the “personal is political” phrase that reminds me of 70’s feminism. Oh yeah my other political awakening — Ms. magazine, bless it.
It was 1972, I was just out of high school, and registered to vote. That was my first political move. I went to Miami to protest at the Republican convention. OK that was mostly because I wanted to go along with this hot guy. I didn’t know much but I knew enough to vote for George McGovern.
A long stretch of time in San Diego made me bored and disgusted. No one I knew was politically active. Moving to San Francisco in 1980 was like coming up for air. Since then have worked for innumerable campaigns — mostly for issues, not politicians — and walked down Market Street so many times I couldn’t count.
Ha! Hot guys have been responsible for a whole lot of women getting political, I suspect. I wonder how often the reverse is true? Any of you BooTrib Hot Guys care to confess that a woman made you do it?
I have also wondered many times if I would have become much more active, much sooner, if I lived in the Bay area. I know so many people there and they all go march and have wonderful times together.
It’s useful to look back about my political life. Thanks for that, Kansas. Now I’m off to spend a couple of days at a beautiful piece of land in No. Cal. where kids from my daughter’s school camp every year to learn about science, self-reliance, and community. See ya!
Was a bit under the weather most of the day yesterday, so sorry I missed the Cafe greetings.
High school was my political awakening — it was just post-Watergate and Nixon’s resignation, so everyone was still fired up about rooting out corruption in government and other realms. I was a member of UFWOCAC — that stood for United Farm Workers Organizing Committee at Cubberley, Cubberley being the name of the high school. We went out and picketed stores that were selling non-union produce…well, the rest of the group picketed; usually we were short on signs, so me and my best friend Jeff would head for a union-friendly store and get juice and goodies for the rest of the group. And we did a take off on “Cinderella”; I played the weak father figure, who was modeled after the state labor board head at the time, I forget his name (hey, we’re talking 30 or so years ago here, people!). Agribusiness was the evil stepmother, a farmworker was Cinderella, and the fairy godperson was of course Cesar Chavez. 🙂 (And I learned how to tie a tie…)
I’ve never really done much for individual candidates, other than vote — I haven’t found one that wasn’t so much into their own self-interest that they’re worthy of my interest.
Off to figure out what to do with the day…have a good one, people…
First march? –I honestly can’t remember,probably one of the numerous small campus events in ’69-70 -thereabouts, The first AWFUL one was Kent State– and even now — I cannot even process what happened there.Kent State was not very far from my home town- some friends and I headed up there- unbeknownst to the parents,as a typical protest at that time was a PARTY!!!!!
We all know how that turned out.
I promised that today I’d bring up the matter of date and name for the book club. I think maybe I should do a separate diary rather than fill up this cafe with it. Will do some time today.
P.s. Wow! Thanks to you and to him, Shycat. A reader of short stories! I grovel with gratitude.
ooops…mea culpa…mea slept in and forgot to live blog the senate vote on Roberts. Reid’s talking right now if anyone’s interested (C-SPAN). The final vote was 77-21. (article)
The vote hasn’t even been taken yet. Doh! I was watching C-SPAN and they have a list of the “announced” votes – not the actual votes, which will happen shortly, so I put a diary up.
That depends on how you define ‘politically active’. When I was quite young and Pierre Trudeau rose to power, I was a French Canadian girl in western Canada – a minority in my town. As such, I found myself defending Trudeau over and over when people tried to blame all the ills of my country on him. I had also been raised as a liberal and took those values to heart very early. I understood that the Liberals stood for human rights and compassion and supported them long before I could ever vote.
Grew up in a very Republican family, in a very Republican town. Began to become politically aware in the late ’60s, with the demonstrations going on in NYC. At the time, I was a good little corporate drone–with one brother who was a conscientious objector and one who was a Marine at DaNang. So I was a bit torn.
Nixon and Watergate woke me up a bit and I became a Dem, but finally flipped over for good when I saw the effect of Reagan’s economic policies on the poor and the helpless. Like so many others, I didn’t want to believe that the people entrusted with running the government didn’t have the welfare of the people at heart and were ripping us off.
Because I spent part of my working life as a journalist, where you’re supposed to be impartial, I’ve not done a lot of overt political activity. Always voted, but no visible signs or marches. Last fall, wrote get-out-the-vote letters for Kerry, had a sticker on my car.
Oh, and in 2000, had (for all the good it did) a homemade bumper sticker:
READ MY LIPS
NO NEW TEXANS
Couldn’t sleep last night, so got up at 4:30 and started working on some reading research. Now, I’m about to crash. Buh-eye.
First, this is autumn in the Pac NW. This time of year you midwest & easterners will dominate the cafe views. Puget Sound is back to overcast and that “mizzle” that falls more discernibly than mist but soaks less than drizzle.
My political activity started like most boomers’ with political awareness, very early.
The 50’s had many the early battles of the post War civil rights movement. It was also the time of the folk music revival, which brought up a lot of white and black laborers’ music, Negro spirituals and so on. These themes were touched on in many of our church sermons and Sunday school lessons, and in grade school music class we did a lot of historic folk music. Our grade school’s band tune (instrumental music started in grade 4 in our very modest-income white middle-class suburb) was a Negro spiritual.
So when the struggles intensified in the 60’s, like so many boomers I was naturally aware of the major hot topics of the Cold War, the Vietnam war, poverty, environment and civil rights.
Like many I was literally unable to escape campus protests in 1970, and I’d actually been almost alone among white kids in following the germination of those protests months ahead of time at our school among the Afro-Am students who’d had a serious grievance against the school. But I wasn’t a routine demonstrator or an activist. When we got the vote I was always diligent about it, did do occasional letters to the editor, and watched in horror as the national scene was taken over by the Reagan mob and its successors because I foresaw exactly what we have today as an inevitable result of their trashing of the media and liberating of the top end owners.
But apart from donating to worthy causes, I felt that practical politics was impenetrable for all the years before blogs and Dean.
In the end I’ve concluded that our system itself is as much of a threat to the country as the other side is, and I don’t expect to have any company in that for another decade or two if ever.
I’m just rollin through- handin out the 4s- not because I am not paying attention– because I am paying TOO MUCH attention.
Please forgive me for not doing the rating thing– I get so busy reading,ya know.
I was there– but there isn’t a lot to say– not diary material– we were on the fringe- there was some noise- a lot of people running, we went home. Didn’t find out what happened ’til later on the news.
It was just a mess- and we were young and just looking for a party-nothing dramatic- I saw nothing from where I was.
BUT,later that night, when the news showed what had really happened-and my mother started to rage- and my father said ‘serves them right’- that changed things in my mind- this was not a party anymore- this was Americans shooting Americans for exercising their rights.
That was my radical moment.
to Eugene McCarthy while still in high school. But it was college where I really started actively protesting, everything from protesting to allow the opposite sex in dorm rooms to the Vietnam War to Kent State to the ERA.
I finished this book a couple of days ago, and, Kansas, I have to tell you that I’m really worried that my deep admiration for your skills as a novelist are going to get in the way of any future teasing.
The juxtaposition of the dynamics of the present time narrative with the reflection of the chapters from Marie’s book really worked well. I especially liked the subtle differences in her perspective between the two — a sort of internal mini-Rashomon.
But what I found to be the outstanding success of the book was the character of Ray. I’ve read many attempts at creating the tragic monster and this was one of the few I thought succeeded.
Thank you, but don’t you DARE let it get in the way!! I will tease YOU unmercifully if you do!
About Ray. . .while writing that novel I kept avoiding him, as you can imagine. Then I finally plunged in to get to know him from inside. I knew I’d reached the point I needed to get to. . .whether or not readers did, too. . .when one day I was driving down the street and I started thinking about his life and I burst into tears! That was the moment I knew that I’d succeeded, at least for myself, in crossing over from viewing him only as a monster to seeing him as a human being. I am, btw, fascinated by that invisible point in time at which society drops its sympathy for an abused child and hardens its heart to the monster that child may have become.
I know! It’s so weird, isn’t it? It came from two things that, if I were doing the book over, I might work into the book more thoroughly. I think that whole part of it was a bit underwritten in terms of explaining.
Anyhoo. . .
One part of it was my interest in how we unconsciously take our perceived needs and project them “out there.” We “concretize” things, in the way that primitive people thought they could get stronger by eating an enemy’s heart, for instance. (Certain Democrats think they can appear stronger by stealing, devouring, and slobbering over conservative Republican issues, ha ha ha.)
The other part was the fact that Descartes thought the pineal gland was the seat of the soul.
So. . .if you were a person who was totally unconscious of your own projections. . .and what you unconsciously (or consciously) believed you lacked was “soul”. . .
I will say no more. Wish I’d said more in the book, though.
“It won’t matter”, that’s what everyone in my small town told me. Don’t protest, it’s a waste of time… sound familiar??
For months, skinheadsm Aryan Nation, The Order, Neo-Nazis — would come into the stores and everyone would stop talking and be quiet. No one spoke up.
This Aryan Nation group were mourning the death of one of their leaders, Matthews, who was killed by Federal Agents. They blew the hideout off the fucking earth.
His followers wanted to set up a tribute, a memorial so they could gather.
They lined up as did we. We were told not to holler. The risk for violence was very high. Nothing happened. We stared them down. We CONTINUED to stare them down.
I was stupid to give an officer my ID, and that is why I have a file. I protested against Neo-Nazis.
I spoke up, I stood up. When so many others said not to. It wasn’t useless. It had meaning. There isn’t a tribute or monument to some fucking Neo-Nazi on Whidbey Island, WA.
I’ve been advocating for disability rights and issues. I’ve had newsvans at my house before I even wake up. I’ve been harrassed, threatened and retaliated against.
Why? because what I do has MEANING. And what we did last weekend has meaning, and it will be continued.
I went to my first peace rally when I was quite young in the early 70’s I guess it was. It was in Boston near where I was spending the summer. Then a long gap. I again became interested in things political during the Clinton years. (it seems like a lifetime ago.) With the 2000 election I became more informed and re-involved. This is brief and sketchy I know but you must pardon lapses in memory for us old folks.
I have to leave lurk mode to say I love this discussion (I was raised in a political family, so I voted – cradle. First Demonstration, 1969 at the Horse Fountain on the Plaza (or UMKC somewhere?) an aunt who did something at Selma during the Civil Rights demonstrations)
I have to go get a haircut, so I leave the Cafe in your rowdy hands. JanetDamnit, that means you! As if the mere presence of your brother will ever squelch you! Ha!
Let’s hear it for $l6 haircuts, including tip, at Fantastic Sam’s.
Are those eyebrows on his forehead or black caterpillars?
I didn’t see your question in time to check out the answer, KB. I know a woman who longs to open a salon dedicated solely to eyebrows. Hey, we all have our dreams, tee hee.
My first political activity was working on the Anderson campaign when I was all of about 13. I couldn’t stand Reagan and I wasn’t thrilled about Carter. In later years I came to understand the many outstanding qualities possessed by Carter and had some second thoughts about jousting at windmills with Anderson. But I never regretted getting started young.
I think I’ll opt for a Lhaspsang Souchong as today’s tea. Smokey tea to signify political fire.
BTW: The LTE I posted last week was in Sunday’s paper and I’ve diaried another here this morning if y’all feel like looking.
Less “superior editorial ambition,” I’m afraid, than reflex. Something to do with autonomic nervous system and gene pool, near as I can figure. I edit damn near everything, whether I’m being paid for it or not–books, news stories, blog postings, highway rest-area signs (“Cars, Busses”). 🙂
I was supposed to stop and get my pink kit in DC, but I had friends I was walking with. I saw them standing and distributing but I knew, I knew I’d be with them again. Luckily I got to help in the intro march… bu ton our way back to the hotel that night, Ryan and I ran into Sasha from San Francisco and it’s good to know I have sisters. Yes, I’ll be with them very soon.
Dons, her pink undies. … cuz’ those matter, too 🙂
Morning/Afternoon y’all! I hate to admit this but I did not really get politically active until “95. My son actually got me involved with the Greens as I was sick to death of the duopoly and was looking for a change, something to believe in.
My first protest was at the republican convention that year here in San Diego. My son was a speaker and I was so proud of him and quite frankly in awe that this was my “little boy” all grown up and responsible and teaching his old mom a few things.
I knew in 2000 it was important to vote for Gore for all the good that did but still voted for Nader because I was livving in Hawaii at the time and figured the state would go to Gore anyway.
Man, by 2004 I knew it was imperative that we get George out of office. I even started really getting actively involved. Made my first contribution to a campaign and made phone calls and GOTV work. I was a really late bloomer and I so admire you kids that are getting out there and doing it now. Maybe if I would have started paying attention earlier things may have been different. I think alot of folks of my generation got apathetic. Sorry kids!
California wildfires again, Semi Valley area, north of La, do we have any bootribbers in that area, I think MSO might live near to there. Chamonix?
We are having the dreaded Santa ana winds as well, knocking over trees in other areas, but surely feeding the fires, brush buildup due to heavy spring rains, now burning, fire season is apparently here!!!
Temps. here rose to 97 deg. yesterday, heading up today..
So hi everyone, how’s your day where you live.
The weather is finally starting to cool off here in NC and I couldn’t be more relieved because I have spent the better part of 4 months vegetating indoors with the AC blasting and now it’s time to go outdoors again. Yay!
First order of business is to pull out the sad remains of my potted plants which fell victim to a slimy army of slugs within days of planting. No fooling, in early summer I was reading on the front steps when I noticed two 6-inch slugs were oozing their way toward my feet from different directions…I figured that I had time to read about 10 more pages before they made it to my bare toesies so I finished out the chapter.
oooohhhh, ‘six inch slugs’, and I thought they were all in the White House, forgive me lol, but wow I have never seen slugs that long and hope not to.
I am trying to rejuvinate my gardens from the not slug, but heat attacks they have suffered all summer.
Everyday I would pick up 1, 2 or more pots and carry them to the resuse containter piles, sadly dump the remains in the trash and ponder if it is worth it to try to grow flowers at all here, not much luck except for Lantana….
In Cal. we can never be sure we have truly cooled off as cool weather for weeks in Dec. can be followed by weeks of a heat wave, followed by weeks of rain….followed by days of winds….followed by fires…see we do have seasons aftter all. fire, wind, rain, cool….they just rotate a lot faster here than elsewhere.
My gosh, how could I forget…earthquakes and mudslides, and how about possible tsunami’s, dreaded storm surges…and we do even have tornados here, and infrequently hurricanes, but with the weather changes all things are possible.
But still I am sticking it out here until the coastline is at my doorstep and as long as I have a doorstep…lol
Welp, I’m late but that ’cause I was out delivering a crib and lots of other various and sundry stuff to Angela and her family. WOW. What an incredible woman she is!! And her daughters and grandkids — I walked in the door and little Michael (they say he’s 2 going on 40) ran up to me and gave me a HUGE hug (though he had never seen me before in his LIFE)!! It was the best thing in the world.
While I was there, her paycheck arrived in the mail – WOW again, so i took her to my bank to cash it for her (as she still has no ID — catch-22, the DPS wants SScard or birth certificate, and the SS office wants ID — it’s been a month, you think they might have gotten this shit figured out by now?!?) and she gives me $20 and says that she will come over and babysit my kids so my husband and I can go out!! I told her I couldn’t accept the $20 but she said I would have to because she wasn’t taking it back. We had a great converstation about materialism, strength, bankruptcy, and family bonds and responsibilities that go beyond blood — sheraised 5 kids on her own and is amazing! On the way home, I gave $10 of the $20 to a deaf woman standing on an intersection — I loved her sign: it said: can I borrow a few dollars? — yes, absolutely, I thought to myself.
We made a shopping date for Saturday, Angela loves to bake, so we’re going to get her some baking and other kitchen stuff.
It is over 20 degrees cooler here today then it was yesterday — in the low 80s — my son put on his winter coat this morning and said, “mom, I’m cold” — silly native born Texans!!
😉
I just hope like hell that it stays this way — I am so DONE with 105, 108, etc. — I have all of the windows open in the house and the ceiling fans on — ahhhh.
Oh, and the politically active thing? Definately Regan’s election — I was 14. My political actions have always leaned more to doing for individuals, volunteering, that sort of thing, than campaigning, supporting candidates, etc. The more I know about the political system and those that inhabit it, the more sense that makes to me — I have to carry on being the change I want to see in the world, because our system is broken.
Do you still need me to follow up on the prenatal care thing? Where are we with that? Did you see roses’ email with the phone numbers for applying for Medicaid, etc? I’ll call around tomorrow if it needs doing, I just don’t want to duplicate efforts. Do you have a phone number for Angela’s house? (email me). I can pass on the numbers to Kaycie and Michelle so they can call themselves.
Today’s project is trying to find a doctor to write prescriptions for Liz and Veronica, so they can refill. Waiting for callbacks . . . .
Hiya there — I printed out roses’ email and gave them a copy. According to my friend Sandy (another NO Katrina survivor), that 1-800 number has been busy since last week (she is also in need of a prescription refill, so let me know what you find out on that front). But they do have the numbers now….I would love for you to still call around tomorrow, as I have to take some paperwork over to the lawyer in the a.m. and school has early release at 12:30, so I won’t be able to.
Especailly useful would be any info. on community clinics, or other stop-gap measures, as I remember Medicaid taking 3-4 weeks to kick in after I applied for it, and that was 7 years ago…
I did find out that the state WIC office has given its clinics permission to allow people to ‘self-certify’ and get WIC coupons even if they have no ID — all pregant people and children under 5 have to be present at application time, just to verify that they exisit….or, if they were on WIC in LA, the offices can just do a “transfer” — all in all, it sounds like a pretty quick process, unlike the medical stuff.
I’ll let Angela know about this on Sat. and probably take them over there next week sometime…
Right back at ya, Janet — we all have to play to our strengths — knowing that you and Tracy and supersoling and BostonJoe and BooMan and CabinGirl and her incredible boys (ok, I know I left people out and I am an ass) are out there making all of our voices heard, makes it easier for me to take my quiet little everyday actions without feeling guilty about not being there….well, and shycat, ejmw, diane101 and tampopo’s contributions made most of this round possible!! 😉
Protests…been in a few over the past 40 yrs….yeah, I’m one of them old Hippies. Got involved, initially, in the mid 60’s, fresh out of HS and Draft Eligible. Started quietly and then Bam!Chicago, Dem Convention, August 1968.
Drove all night to get there to support Eugene McCarthy, who we all knew didn’t stand a chance in hell of getting the nomination, but had stood up and demanded a end to the War in Vietnam and was pushing for the adoption of an anti-war plank to be adopted at the convention. When it failed, if memory serves by about a 60/40 split, all hell broke loose…Daley turned the cops loose and a major melee ensued. Yours truly got the shit beat of of him by Chicago’s Finest, and to this day, I see the scar on my forehead every time I look in a mirror. It took 5 more years, and many more confrontations for me and thousands of others, to see the end of that war.
So, if there’s any substance to this rambling I guess it would have to be that; it’s going to take time; it’s going to be painful; and before it’s over, it’s likely to become violent. I haven’t abandoned my belief that war is not the answer nor have I retreated from my idealism. I have, however, become more patient and less prone to anger and no longer allow myself to hate those with whom I disagree. My experience has taught me that hate is far more destructive to those who harbor it than to those to whom it is directed.
I got into politics in the late 70’s. I haven’t been here in weeks. I have missed you all. I’ve been soooo busy at work since our fiscal year ends tomorrow. I guess all the wonderful news yesterday made me realize how sweet it can be being a dem now and then.
I first became politically active in high school when I realized how much money Reagan was spending on defense. That was also the time when a former South African political prisoner came and spoke at my high school and Allan Ginsburg read at my school.
I had an awesome English teacher who encouraged us to ask questions and to think critically.
Did that teacher have anything to do with you becoming Teacher Toni?
Just a little. She showed me that a great teacher could inspire others.
Sadly, I haven’t figured out a way to make that happen in my classroom, or at least I don’t know if I have or not. Working under NCLB feels less than inspirational.
Hang in there, T.T. NCLB won’t last forever. Besides you may never know how/who you have inspired.
Thanks Lil, that’s nice of you to say.
That reminds me that it was a history teacher in high school who woke me up politically. There he was teaching the children of American military and diplomats (this was Vietnam era at an American school in Asia) and he challenged us to think about the reasons for wars.
It was listening to politics at home that had me curious. My high school civics teacher (that also taught German) encouraged us to think outside the box. My high school world history teacher encouraged me to speak up.
As a junior in high school (1971-72) I started speaking in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment and Pro-choice positions – in a Salt Lake City suburb!
Well 30+ years later…here I am…with experience this time!
What was the Helen Reddy “I am woman” line? “We’ve heard it all before, when we were down there on the floor”
I am woman – hear me roar! ;^D
Bless the teachers that help us think and speak outside the box!
Hey, all of you “useless” war protesters and civil rights activitists! When did you go to your first march? Or make your first phone call for a candidate?
I watched from the sidelines most of my life, always thinking protesters were the bravest people. My heroes have always been the kids, black and white, who went South during the Sixties. What they did scared the living hell out of me. I knew I didn’t have the courage, but I knew courage when I saw it.
In my twenties I went to volunteer for a local mayoral candidate. At the first event, I watched his campaign manager cheat at something and I was disillusioned on the spot.
It took Howard Dean to get me off my ass at last. And boy howdy, did he.
What about you guys? I always think of places like this as packed with people with so much more experience than I that I should sit at your feet(s) in awe, but I’ve learned there are other beginners and late starters around here, too.
P.S. It’s hot chocolate weather in KC today!
here too…..I can not believe thsi weather…It was 94 degrees yesterday at Memphis and on my way home. NOw this morning it was so cool that I had to put a heavy robe on. What is happening????? :o)
mmmm. hot chocolate… I love fall weather.
Here’s a cool page about the history of hot chocolate, complete with a recipe for Mayan Hot Chocolate.
LINK:
Chilies? That’s a different twist on the “hot” of hot chocolate.
Actually the spring and the fall of the year are my times for feeling great physically and mentally!!!!!!!!! :o) I love the rebirth of the spring and the fall, is so pretty too..the changing of the hot for the cooler. I commented in an earlier diary about the fall of the year being my special time of the year. [special reason, thereof]
At one of our AustinKos (and BooTribbers!!! – that’s me always interjecting that) meetings last summer, a new guy showed up. He was pretty quiet, and finally said, “Well, I haven’t ever done anything political before. How long have you guys been activists?”
Hysterical laughter from the rest of us. We explained that we defined ourselves as “ordinary pissed off citizens trying to figure out how to be politically active.”
</hysterical laughing>
The good news is that there are so many of us who haven’t done much in the past – except maybe vote – who are now pissed off enough to try to figure out how to make a difference. Not easy. Lots of flailing around, and disorganization. But I’m continually amazed at how some of it does work out. We’re learning, we’re learning . . . .
I got my start working for Jerry Brown for president. I have been going strong ever since, even though I wimped out and ran away to Mexico three years ago. Its raining here!!
Hi there, sheila!
Haven’t seen you before so I thought I’d say hello!
Mexico sounds awesome right about now! 😉
Good Morning ya’ll. Just a few short mins to spend with you guys today. I became very active politically in 1999. I have been way tooooo busy to be otherwise political. I have made a severe mistake here in my life. I now see the danger of being like this and have tried to awaken my kids and grand children to now be like this. I want them to always be awakened to what is going on in the world of politics. NOW, it means their life and all that is in their life, that thye are aware of politics. I do not think it was like that when I was younger, or I didnt see it like that, any how.
I do think that somehow, I started to be come more awake in the Reagan years and slowly became eye wide open in 1999.
Judging from what both you and Teacher Toni say, Brenda, I should add the Reagan years to my poll.
Yup, the 80s. There was a lot to protest!
Not many issues or people I’ve campaigned for, have won. But I always think, the personal is political. (That dates me doesn’t it?) I believe our choices in daily life make a difference in setting examples for our neighbors, friends, colleagues and children. Thus my choices to live in the city so I can walk or bus to work and shopping, to shop at worker-owned businesses, to give my child a progressive education, and to represent my union on the job are all political.
I don’t think the “politics is personal” idea dates you. It’s true and it is how the right has managed to mobilize the evangelicals.
Good point about the evangelicals, Toni. It’s the “personal is political” phrase that reminds me of 70’s feminism. Oh yeah my other political awakening — Ms. magazine, bless it.
Like to say thank you for all librarians who are some of our strongest supporters of free speech.
It was 1972, I was just out of high school, and registered to vote. That was my first political move. I went to Miami to protest at the Republican convention. OK that was mostly because I wanted to go along with this hot guy. I didn’t know much but I knew enough to vote for George McGovern.
A long stretch of time in San Diego made me bored and disgusted. No one I knew was politically active. Moving to San Francisco in 1980 was like coming up for air. Since then have worked for innumerable campaigns — mostly for issues, not politicians — and walked down Market Street so many times I couldn’t count.
Ha! Hot guys have been responsible for a whole lot of women getting political, I suspect. I wonder how often the reverse is true? Any of you BooTrib Hot Guys care to confess that a woman made you do it?
I have also wondered many times if I would have become much more active, much sooner, if I lived in the Bay area. I know so many people there and they all go march and have wonderful times together.
It’s useful to look back about my political life. Thanks for that, Kansas. Now I’m off to spend a couple of days at a beautiful piece of land in No. Cal. where kids from my daughter’s school camp every year to learn about science, self-reliance, and community. See ya!
Was a bit under the weather most of the day yesterday, so sorry I missed the Cafe greetings.
High school was my political awakening — it was just post-Watergate and Nixon’s resignation, so everyone was still fired up about rooting out corruption in government and other realms. I was a member of UFWOCAC — that stood for United Farm Workers Organizing Committee at Cubberley, Cubberley being the name of the high school. We went out and picketed stores that were selling non-union produce…well, the rest of the group picketed; usually we were short on signs, so me and my best friend Jeff would head for a union-friendly store and get juice and goodies for the rest of the group. And we did a take off on “Cinderella”; I played the weak father figure, who was modeled after the state labor board head at the time, I forget his name (hey, we’re talking 30 or so years ago here, people!). Agribusiness was the evil stepmother, a farmworker was Cinderella, and the fairy godperson was of course Cesar Chavez. 🙂 (And I learned how to tie a tie…)
I’ve never really done much for individual candidates, other than vote — I haven’t found one that wasn’t so much into their own self-interest that they’re worthy of my interest.
Off to figure out what to do with the day…have a good one, people…
First march? –I honestly can’t remember,probably one of the numerous small campus events in ’69-70 -thereabouts, The first AWFUL one was Kent State– and even now — I cannot even process what happened there.Kent State was not very far from my home town- some friends and I headed up there- unbeknownst to the parents,as a typical protest at that time was a PARTY!!!!!
We all know how that turned out.
BTW- kansas- hubbo has been enjoying ‘Storm Warnings’ very much!
I promised that today I’d bring up the matter of date and name for the book club. I think maybe I should do a separate diary rather than fill up this cafe with it. Will do some time today.
P.s. Wow! Thanks to you and to him, Shycat. A reader of short stories! I grovel with gratitude.
ooops…mea culpa…mea slept in and forgot to live blog the senate vote on Roberts. Reid’s talking right now if anyone’s interested (C-SPAN). The final vote was 77-21. (article)
Well, damn, catnip, you mean we can’t have you slaving away for us 24 hours a day?? You take time to sleep? Of all the nerve.
lol
I was up late watching Nightline w/ Howard Dean and the Larry King Live Show about DeLay. I really need to get my priorities straight. 😉
So you had an extended catnap. 😉
The vote hasn’t even been taken yet. Doh! I was watching C-SPAN and they have a list of the “announced” votes – not the actual votes, which will happen shortly, so I put a diary up.
wakey wakey catnip
Well, good thing! Now we don’t have to put you in Time Out for being late. Oh, wait. Time Out might actually appeal to you!
That depends on how you define ‘politically active’. When I was quite young and Pierre Trudeau rose to power, I was a French Canadian girl in western Canada – a minority in my town. As such, I found myself defending Trudeau over and over when people tried to blame all the ills of my country on him. I had also been raised as a liberal and took those values to heart very early. I understood that the Liberals stood for human rights and compassion and supported them long before I could ever vote.
Grew up in a very Republican family, in a very Republican town. Began to become politically aware in the late ’60s, with the demonstrations going on in NYC. At the time, I was a good little corporate drone–with one brother who was a conscientious objector and one who was a Marine at DaNang. So I was a bit torn.
Nixon and Watergate woke me up a bit and I became a Dem, but finally flipped over for good when I saw the effect of Reagan’s economic policies on the poor and the helpless. Like so many others, I didn’t want to believe that the people entrusted with running the government didn’t have the welfare of the people at heart and were ripping us off.
Because I spent part of my working life as a journalist, where you’re supposed to be impartial, I’ve not done a lot of overt political activity. Always voted, but no visible signs or marches. Last fall, wrote get-out-the-vote letters for Kerry, had a sticker on my car.
Oh, and in 2000, had (for all the good it did) a homemade bumper sticker:
Couldn’t sleep last night, so got up at 4:30 and started working on some reading research. Now, I’m about to crash. Buh-eye.
First, this is autumn in the Pac NW. This time of year you midwest & easterners will dominate the cafe views. Puget Sound is back to overcast and that “mizzle” that falls more discernibly than mist but soaks less than drizzle.
My political activity started like most boomers’ with political awareness, very early.
The 50’s had many the early battles of the post War civil rights movement. It was also the time of the folk music revival, which brought up a lot of white and black laborers’ music, Negro spirituals and so on. These themes were touched on in many of our church sermons and Sunday school lessons, and in grade school music class we did a lot of historic folk music. Our grade school’s band tune (instrumental music started in grade 4 in our very modest-income white middle-class suburb) was a Negro spiritual.
So when the struggles intensified in the 60’s, like so many boomers I was naturally aware of the major hot topics of the Cold War, the Vietnam war, poverty, environment and civil rights.
Like many I was literally unable to escape campus protests in 1970, and I’d actually been almost alone among white kids in following the germination of those protests months ahead of time at our school among the Afro-Am students who’d had a serious grievance against the school. But I wasn’t a routine demonstrator or an activist. When we got the vote I was always diligent about it, did do occasional letters to the editor, and watched in horror as the national scene was taken over by the Reagan mob and its successors because I foresaw exactly what we have today as an inevitable result of their trashing of the media and liberating of the top end owners.
But apart from donating to worthy causes, I felt that practical politics was impenetrable for all the years before blogs and Dean.
In the end I’ve concluded that our system itself is as much of a threat to the country as the other side is, and I don’t expect to have any company in that for another decade or two if ever.
I’m just rollin through- handin out the 4s- not because I am not paying attention– because I am paying TOO MUCH attention.
Please forgive me for not doing the rating thing– I get so busy reading,ya know.
Shy, were you there that day?? Any chance you would ever do a diary about your memories of it?
I was there– but there isn’t a lot to say– not diary material– we were on the fringe- there was some noise- a lot of people running, we went home. Didn’t find out what happened ’til later on the news.
It was just a mess- and we were young and just looking for a party-nothing dramatic- I saw nothing from where I was.
BUT,later that night, when the news showed what had really happened-and my mother started to rage- and my father said ‘serves them right’- that changed things in my mind- this was not a party anymore- this was Americans shooting Americans for exercising their rights.
That was my radical moment.
to Eugene McCarthy while still in high school. But it was college where I really started actively protesting, everything from protesting to allow the opposite sex in dorm rooms to the Vietnam War to Kent State to the ERA.
I finished this book a couple of days ago, and, Kansas, I have to tell you that I’m really worried that my deep admiration for your skills as a novelist are going to get in the way of any future teasing.
The juxtaposition of the dynamics of the present time narrative with the reflection of the chapters from Marie’s book really worked well. I especially liked the subtle differences in her perspective between the two — a sort of internal mini-Rashomon.
But what I found to be the outstanding success of the book was the character of Ray. I’ve read many attempts at creating the tragic monster and this was one of the few I thought succeeded.
Thank you, but don’t you DARE let it get in the way!! I will tease YOU unmercifully if you do!
About Ray. . .while writing that novel I kept avoiding him, as you can imagine. Then I finally plunged in to get to know him from inside. I knew I’d reached the point I needed to get to. . .whether or not readers did, too. . .when one day I was driving down the street and I started thinking about his life and I burst into tears! That was the moment I knew that I’d succeeded, at least for myself, in crossing over from viewing him only as a monster to seeing him as a human being. I am, btw, fascinated by that invisible point in time at which society drops its sympathy for an abused child and hardens its heart to the monster that child may have become.
I have to admit I didn’t get to the point of crying but you’d have to kill a dog to get me to do that (and don’t you dare).
And since I have you trapped in the room with me, I’m not going to let you leave until you tell me where the hell the pineal gland stuff came from.
I know! It’s so weird, isn’t it? It came from two things that, if I were doing the book over, I might work into the book more thoroughly. I think that whole part of it was a bit underwritten in terms of explaining.
Anyhoo. . .
One part of it was my interest in how we unconsciously take our perceived needs and project them “out there.” We “concretize” things, in the way that primitive people thought they could get stronger by eating an enemy’s heart, for instance. (Certain Democrats think they can appear stronger by stealing, devouring, and slobbering over conservative Republican issues, ha ha ha.)
The other part was the fact that Descartes thought the pineal gland was the seat of the soul.
So. . .if you were a person who was totally unconscious of your own projections. . .and what you unconsciously (or consciously) believed you lacked was “soul”. . .
I will say no more. Wish I’d said more in the book, though.
Are you a Lovecraft fan? If not, it might interest you to know that he explored a similar theme in his work.
I’m not, but only because I haven’t read him. Do you recall which book that was?
The story I was thinking of was From Beyond and I think there might be more, but it’s been a while!
“It won’t matter”, that’s what everyone in my small town told me. Don’t protest, it’s a waste of time… sound familiar??
For months, skinheadsm Aryan Nation, The Order, Neo-Nazis — would come into the stores and everyone would stop talking and be quiet. No one spoke up.
This Aryan Nation group were mourning the death of one of their leaders, Matthews, who was killed by Federal Agents. They blew the hideout off the fucking earth.
His followers wanted to set up a tribute, a memorial so they could gather.
They lined up as did we. We were told not to holler. The risk for violence was very high. Nothing happened. We stared them down. We CONTINUED to stare them down.
I was stupid to give an officer my ID, and that is why I have a file. I protested against Neo-Nazis.
I spoke up, I stood up. When so many others said not to. It wasn’t useless. It had meaning. There isn’t a tribute or monument to some fucking Neo-Nazi on Whidbey Island, WA.
I’ve been advocating for disability rights and issues. I’ve had newsvans at my house before I even wake up. I’ve been harrassed, threatened and retaliated against.
Why? because what I do has MEANING. And what we did last weekend has meaning, and it will be continued.
I went to my first peace rally when I was quite young in the early 70’s I guess it was. It was in Boston near where I was spending the summer. Then a long gap. I again became interested in things political during the Clinton years. (it seems like a lifetime ago.) With the 2000 election I became more informed and re-involved. This is brief and sketchy I know but you must pardon lapses in memory for us old folks.
Hey you guys, my brother, who marched with us in DC… he’s online now 🙂
See if you can figure out his name. 🙂
DammitRyan?
Bingo 🙂
(((ShyCat)))
ROFLMAO
He’s over in Catnip’s why protests matter diary. 🙂
Shooot… now I have to be on my best behaviour… nawwwwwwwww
Funny part is that I just yanked that off the top of my head- or off my cuff – and it turned out to be correct! That’s why I am laughing so hard.
Your ‘best behavior’ is to continue what you are doing,missy.(damm kidz).
I have to leave lurk mode to say I love this discussion (I was raised in a political family, so I voted – cradle. First Demonstration, 1969 at the Horse Fountain on the Plaza (or UMKC somewhere?) an aunt who did something at Selma during the Civil Rights demonstrations)
And I totally agree with what Andi said.
I forgot to post the Please Recommend note up above. The cafe’s scrolling down.
Also. . .those of you who want a vote in naming the new book club and establishing a regular date for it? Please visit my other diary today. Thankee.
I have to go get a haircut, so I leave the Cafe in your rowdy hands. JanetDamnit, that means you! As if the mere presence of your brother will ever squelch you! Ha!
Let’s hear it for $l6 haircuts, including tip, at Fantastic Sam’s.
See ya later, agitators.
Do they do eyebrows? I’m tired of looking like Breshnev.
Are those eyebrows on his forehead or black caterpillars?
I didn’t see your question in time to check out the answer, KB. I know a woman who longs to open a salon dedicated solely to eyebrows. Hey, we all have our dreams, tee hee.
Eyebrows on Parade:
~~ ^^ — ” “
I really believe that someone pasted MY eyebrows on that photo!
An eyebrow salon sounds good to me. Does she work on eyebrows somewhere now? Is she looking for clients?
I’ll e you!
Good morning all,
My first political activity was working on the Anderson campaign when I was all of about 13. I couldn’t stand Reagan and I wasn’t thrilled about Carter. In later years I came to understand the many outstanding qualities possessed by Carter and had some second thoughts about jousting at windmills with Anderson. But I never regretted getting started young.
I think I’ll opt for a Lhaspsang Souchong as today’s tea. Smokey tea to signify political fire.
BTW: The LTE I posted last week was in Sunday’s paper and I’ve diaried another here this morning if y’all feel like looking.
I voted for John Anderson in a primary, with all the while the refrain going through my head of “John Anderson my jo.” LOL
And a “4” for your Lapsang Souchong. It’s so strong I can’t drink it very often, but it is wonderful.
OK, so I changed the spelling, but my inner copy editor took over and sent me out to the kitchen to see what it says on the box. 🙂
Mine was being a little too lazy to put down his tea and go double check before hitting “post.” I salute your superior editorial ambition with a 4.
Less “superior editorial ambition,” I’m afraid, than reflex. Something to do with autonomic nervous system and gene pool, near as I can figure. I edit damn near everything, whether I’m being paid for it or not–books, news stories, blog postings, highway rest-area signs (“Cars, Busses”). 🙂
Man, I needed to read this and see these photos.
http://www.codepinkalert.org/article.php?id=500
Next time, I’ll be ALL pink.
I was supposed to stop and get my pink kit in DC, but I had friends I was walking with. I saw them standing and distributing but I knew, I knew I’d be with them again. Luckily I got to help in the intro march… bu ton our way back to the hotel that night, Ryan and I ran into Sasha from San Francisco and it’s good to know I have sisters. Yes, I’ll be with them very soon.
Dons, her pink undies. … cuz’ those matter, too 🙂
Morning/Afternoon y’all! I hate to admit this but I did not really get politically active until “95. My son actually got me involved with the Greens as I was sick to death of the duopoly and was looking for a change, something to believe in.
My first protest was at the republican convention that year here in San Diego. My son was a speaker and I was so proud of him and quite frankly in awe that this was my “little boy” all grown up and responsible and teaching his old mom a few things.
I knew in 2000 it was important to vote for Gore for all the good that did but still voted for Nader because I was livving in Hawaii at the time and figured the state would go to Gore anyway.
Man, by 2004 I knew it was imperative that we get George out of office. I even started really getting actively involved. Made my first contribution to a campaign and made phone calls and GOTV work. I was a really late bloomer and I so admire you kids that are getting out there and doing it now. Maybe if I would have started paying attention earlier things may have been different. I think alot of folks of my generation got apathetic. Sorry kids!
See, it does matter – we all now are not alone and we have families. Sisters and Brothers.
For some of us, that means so much.
Bush… the great DIVIDER.
Peace Marches and Camp Casey – the great UNITERS.
Right on Janet!!!!!!
California wildfires again, Semi Valley area, north of La, do we have any bootribbers in that area, I think MSO might live near to there. Chamonix?
We are having the dreaded Santa ana winds as well, knocking over trees in other areas, but surely feeding the fires, brush buildup due to heavy spring rains, now burning, fire season is apparently here!!!
Temps. here rose to 97 deg. yesterday, heading up today..
So hi everyone, how’s your day where you live.
The weather is finally starting to cool off here in NC and I couldn’t be more relieved because I have spent the better part of 4 months vegetating indoors with the AC blasting and now it’s time to go outdoors again. Yay!
First order of business is to pull out the sad remains of my potted plants which fell victim to a slimy army of slugs within days of planting. No fooling, in early summer I was reading on the front steps when I noticed two 6-inch slugs were oozing their way toward my feet from different directions…I figured that I had time to read about 10 more pages before they made it to my bare toesies so I finished out the chapter.
oooohhhh, ‘six inch slugs’, and I thought they were all in the White House, forgive me lol, but wow I have never seen slugs that long and hope not to.
I am trying to rejuvinate my gardens from the not slug, but heat attacks they have suffered all summer.
Everyday I would pick up 1, 2 or more pots and carry them to the resuse containter piles, sadly dump the remains in the trash and ponder if it is worth it to try to grow flowers at all here, not much luck except for Lantana….
In Cal. we can never be sure we have truly cooled off as cool weather for weeks in Dec. can be followed by weeks of a heat wave, followed by weeks of rain….followed by days of winds….followed by fires…see we do have seasons aftter all. fire, wind, rain, cool….they just rotate a lot faster here than elsewhere.
Lol. Sounds like you’ve got all the biblical plagues covered….don’t forget mudslides and earthquakes.
My gosh, how could I forget…earthquakes and mudslides, and how about possible tsunami’s, dreaded storm surges…and we do even have tornados here, and infrequently hurricanes, but with the weather changes all things are possible.
But still I am sticking it out here until the coastline is at my doorstep and as long as I have a doorstep…lol
What’s all this shit about MONKEY LAUNDERING??
Me too. I thought it was “money wandering.”
Lol! It’s what Chimps do!
Welp, I’m late but that ’cause I was out delivering a crib and lots of other various and sundry stuff to Angela and her family. WOW. What an incredible woman she is!! And her daughters and grandkids — I walked in the door and little Michael (they say he’s 2 going on 40) ran up to me and gave me a HUGE hug (though he had never seen me before in his LIFE)!! It was the best thing in the world.
While I was there, her paycheck arrived in the mail – WOW again, so i took her to my bank to cash it for her (as she still has no ID — catch-22, the DPS wants SScard or birth certificate, and the SS office wants ID — it’s been a month, you think they might have gotten this shit figured out by now?!?) and she gives me $20 and says that she will come over and babysit my kids so my husband and I can go out!! I told her I couldn’t accept the $20 but she said I would have to because she wasn’t taking it back. We had a great converstation about materialism, strength, bankruptcy, and family bonds and responsibilities that go beyond blood — sheraised 5 kids on her own and is amazing! On the way home, I gave $10 of the $20 to a deaf woman standing on an intersection — I loved her sign: it said: can I borrow a few dollars? — yes, absolutely, I thought to myself.
We made a shopping date for Saturday, Angela loves to bake, so we’re going to get her some baking and other kitchen stuff.
It is over 20 degrees cooler here today then it was yesterday — in the low 80s — my son put on his winter coat this morning and said, “mom, I’m cold” — silly native born Texans!!
😉
I just hope like hell that it stays this way — I am so DONE with 105, 108, etc. — I have all of the windows open in the house and the ceiling fans on — ahhhh.
Oh, and the politically active thing? Definately Regan’s election — I was 14. My political actions have always leaned more to doing for individuals, volunteering, that sort of thing, than campaigning, supporting candidates, etc. The more I know about the political system and those that inhabit it, the more sense that makes to me — I have to carry on being the change I want to see in the world, because our system is broken.
Great update.
Do you still need me to follow up on the prenatal care thing? Where are we with that? Did you see roses’ email with the phone numbers for applying for Medicaid, etc? I’ll call around tomorrow if it needs doing, I just don’t want to duplicate efforts. Do you have a phone number for Angela’s house? (email me). I can pass on the numbers to Kaycie and Michelle so they can call themselves.
Today’s project is trying to find a doctor to write prescriptions for Liz and Veronica, so they can refill. Waiting for callbacks . . . .
Hiya there — I printed out roses’ email and gave them a copy. According to my friend Sandy (another NO Katrina survivor), that 1-800 number has been busy since last week (she is also in need of a prescription refill, so let me know what you find out on that front). But they do have the numbers now….I would love for you to still call around tomorrow, as I have to take some paperwork over to the lawyer in the a.m. and school has early release at 12:30, so I won’t be able to.
Especailly useful would be any info. on community clinics, or other stop-gap measures, as I remember Medicaid taking 3-4 weeks to kick in after I applied for it, and that was 7 years ago…
I did find out that the state WIC office has given its clinics permission to allow people to ‘self-certify’ and get WIC coupons even if they have no ID — all pregant people and children under 5 have to be present at application time, just to verify that they exisit….or, if they were on WIC in LA, the offices can just do a “transfer” — all in all, it sounds like a pretty quick process, unlike the medical stuff.
I’ll let Angela know about this on Sat. and probably take them over there next week sometime…
Thanks!
Bri, 🙂
Volunteer work is the best!
Some of those freepers never served a day in their life… in the military – nor have they served a bowl of soup to a hungry person.
You rock!
Right back at ya, Janet — we all have to play to our strengths — knowing that you and Tracy and supersoling and BostonJoe and BooMan and CabinGirl and her incredible boys (ok, I know I left people out and I am an ass) are out there making all of our voices heard, makes it easier for me to take my quiet little everyday actions without feeling guilty about not being there….well, and shycat, ejmw, diane101 and tampopo’s contributions made most of this round possible!! 😉
Together, we will prevail.
Protests…been in a few over the past 40 yrs….yeah, I’m one of them old Hippies. Got involved, initially, in the mid 60’s, fresh out of HS and Draft Eligible. Started quietly and then Bam! Chicago, Dem Convention, August 1968.
Drove all night to get there to support Eugene McCarthy, who we all knew didn’t stand a chance in hell of getting the nomination, but had stood up and demanded a end to the War in Vietnam and was pushing for the adoption of an anti-war plank to be adopted at the convention. When it failed, if memory serves by about a 60/40 split, all hell broke loose…Daley turned the cops loose and a major melee ensued. Yours truly got the shit beat of of him by Chicago’s Finest, and to this day, I see the scar on my forehead every time I look in a mirror. It took 5 more years, and many more confrontations for me and thousands of others, to see the end of that war.
So, if there’s any substance to this rambling I guess it would have to be that; it’s going to take time; it’s going to be painful; and before it’s over, it’s likely to become violent. I haven’t abandoned my belief that war is not the answer nor have I retreated from my idealism. I have, however, become more patient and less prone to anger and no longer allow myself to hate those with whom I disagree. My experience has taught me that hate is far more destructive to those who harbor it than to those to whom it is directed.
Peace
I got into politics in the late 70’s. I haven’t been here in weeks. I have missed you all. I’ve been soooo busy at work since our fiscal year ends tomorrow. I guess all the wonderful news yesterday made me realize how sweet it can be being a dem now and then.
I’m glad you finally got a break in your work so you could drop in again. And yes, how sweet it is. Occasionally!