"The poet is usually the best reporter, for he is an observer not merely accurate but imaginative, self trained to see subtle suggestions, relations and similarities."
Christopher Morley introduction to Niagara Falls essay by Rupert Brooke in Modern Essays
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Quote of the Post
"And one who has never gone into the abyss of his own nature and come back with an emblem of shame and glory-- that is, a true work of art-- to show the world, need not envy the artist his role."
R.V. Cassil That Blue-Eyed Darling Nathaniel essay, in Horizon, summer 1966
R.V. Cassil That Blue-Eyed Darling Nathaniel essay, in Horizon, summer 1966
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
A Terrible Beauty Is Born
I was lucky enough to attend the March For Our Lives Rally in Washington D.C. Lucky though, while accurate, doesn't even begin to describe it. I realize, now, that I am thrilled and honored and humbled by what I saw and heard. It's taken until now to be able to put it into words.
The seventeen speakers were kids. Everyone of them touched by death. The survivors of the Parkland, Florida shootings organized the rally only a bit more than a month after the massacre. And to hear speaker after speaker talk about losing siblings, friends and teachers to guns brought tears to the millions of us listening. Beyond the emotion was strength and determination and courage almost beyond my belief. These young people, who, through no fault of their own, have seen the worst of human behavior, have decided to fix things. They are not alone. Pennsylvania Avenue was full of people, and there were rallies around the country and the world supporting action against gun violence. They are part of a movement that is part of a greater movement of progressive ideals that is not going anywhere but forward.
On March 24, 2018, I saw the future. It is good.
Note: I titled this post after words the poet William Butler Yeats uses in 'Easter 1916'. That poem can be found on this blog with only a bit of clicking, if you want to understand the reference.
The seventeen speakers were kids. Everyone of them touched by death. The survivors of the Parkland, Florida shootings organized the rally only a bit more than a month after the massacre. And to hear speaker after speaker talk about losing siblings, friends and teachers to guns brought tears to the millions of us listening. Beyond the emotion was strength and determination and courage almost beyond my belief. These young people, who, through no fault of their own, have seen the worst of human behavior, have decided to fix things. They are not alone. Pennsylvania Avenue was full of people, and there were rallies around the country and the world supporting action against gun violence. They are part of a movement that is part of a greater movement of progressive ideals that is not going anywhere but forward.
On March 24, 2018, I saw the future. It is good.
Note: I titled this post after words the poet William Butler Yeats uses in 'Easter 1916'. That poem can be found on this blog with only a bit of clicking, if you want to understand the reference.
He Was A Man
Fifty years since King's assassination, we are in the middle of fights for civil rights, the rule of law and, quite simply, common decency, that he would instantly recognize. The Republican party is dragging as much of the country, and the world, as far into the Pit as it can. And, holding all three branches of government, that is one helluva long way.
We are fighting back on all fronts.
And we will win.
Eventually.
We will win.
Martin Luther King is probably more popular today, than at his death. He was derided for his stance against the war in Viet Nam by even the NAACP and others in the movement; and his Poor People's Campaign was thought to be a distraction from fighting racism. Even his belief in non-violence was scorned by some groups within the civil rights movement.
In many ways, we're finally catching up to him. In others, though, his message, for many, is a watered-down version of what his work actually was.
In the end, I think, King realized that poverty and militarism oppress all the poor and powerless, and that they have to be fought for all the people, in order to create the conditions to destroy racism and enshrine equality.
King never had the chance to fully work out his evolving thoughts. It's entirely possible that he never would have. For what he was seeing, I think, in the years before he died, was that every aspect of our flawed existence touches every other, and that they must all be coaxed and prodded and forced into change.
We are the inheritors and caretakers of civilization. Our responsibility as citizens lasts our lifetime, and follows us to our graves. Every generation must take up the responsibility and the battle. Every generation.
I said that we would win, and we will. We will hold the line against the enemies of democracy and equality and we will drive them back. All of history proves the power of the human will to overcome. We shall.
We are fighting back on all fronts.
And we will win.
Eventually.
We will win.
Martin Luther King is probably more popular today, than at his death. He was derided for his stance against the war in Viet Nam by even the NAACP and others in the movement; and his Poor People's Campaign was thought to be a distraction from fighting racism. Even his belief in non-violence was scorned by some groups within the civil rights movement.
In many ways, we're finally catching up to him. In others, though, his message, for many, is a watered-down version of what his work actually was.
In the end, I think, King realized that poverty and militarism oppress all the poor and powerless, and that they have to be fought for all the people, in order to create the conditions to destroy racism and enshrine equality.
King never had the chance to fully work out his evolving thoughts. It's entirely possible that he never would have. For what he was seeing, I think, in the years before he died, was that every aspect of our flawed existence touches every other, and that they must all be coaxed and prodded and forced into change.
We are the inheritors and caretakers of civilization. Our responsibility as citizens lasts our lifetime, and follows us to our graves. Every generation must take up the responsibility and the battle. Every generation.
I said that we would win, and we will. We will hold the line against the enemies of democracy and equality and we will drive them back. All of history proves the power of the human will to overcome. We shall.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
A Turning Tide? Perhaps a Storm Surge
Conor Lamb won the house election in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, though the reepubs refuse to concede.
The GOP is continuing to act with malice and self-serving rhetoric in their histrionic tantrum to overturn majority rule.
The Pennsy GOP is threatening to impeach the state supreme court, in order to maintain its gerrymandered districts. It has boastingly used voter suppression (in the form of 'voter I.D.') to try to sway the 2012 election. And has followed Republicans nationwide in all but openly declaring its utter contempt for the democratic process.
There are 24 house seats keeping the Democrats from upholding both the rule of law under the constitution, and respect for our republican form of government.
I believe that we can do it. Indeed, we must, for it looks as if the only way to get our house in order is to get our House back.
The GOP is continuing to act with malice and self-serving rhetoric in their histrionic tantrum to overturn majority rule.
The Pennsy GOP is threatening to impeach the state supreme court, in order to maintain its gerrymandered districts. It has boastingly used voter suppression (in the form of 'voter I.D.') to try to sway the 2012 election. And has followed Republicans nationwide in all but openly declaring its utter contempt for the democratic process.
There are 24 house seats keeping the Democrats from upholding both the rule of law under the constitution, and respect for our republican form of government.
I believe that we can do it. Indeed, we must, for it looks as if the only way to get our house in order is to get our House back.
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