Digress. Protest is so very very necessary right now. I’ve done that through my life. I was at the Illinois state capital, with comrades, when we lost the ERA. Wrong vote those politicians. Men and women, everyone, are equal, if different, humans. Not that hard for civilized society late twentieth century. We fought. Could have been. It was painful and so wrong. Day will come. There was a time when women could not even vote, and not that long ago. But feet on the ground, white dresses, and state brutality, then it happened. I never take that for granted.
When at USC in the 1980s, I joined campus protests against South African apartheid. And Mandela was at last freed. The very wealthy United States has the resources now to help sick and starving African people, and at same time, make sure Americans who might be facing hardship are more secure. Except the D.C. regime is inhuman and won’t do it. They don’t care. Bombing, not feeding or treating. Some sick folk running the show but we can see who they are.
Been to lots of Austin protests, one with my son coming with me in the Zen Center bus to the Capitol, him sitting there on the sidewalk playing some little handheld video game thing. Then we walked back home and got some hamburgers (him, not me, me off meat) at that shack on Barton Springs Road as we were on on our way.
Can’t express how the protests now give me hope. I’m recovering from that broken patella so no protests for me until fully healed. But that day will happen.
Streamed some Sam Cooke this morning. It’s been a long time coming. But a change is gonna come. Oh yes it will. Streamed some Bob Marley. Get up, stand up, for your rights. And a very long ago group that I played on my parents’ turntable, Peter, Paul, and Mary. They sang a Pete Seeger union song from a couple earlier decades. Affected my take on justice and rights for the rest of my life, changed my life, really, shaped me. It’s the hammer of justice, it’s the bell of freedom. A song about love between our brothers and our sisters all over this land.
I long ago taught an honors course at the University of Texas, best students ever, about how popular culture shapes our ideas. Used a lot of music in that class. Sam Cooke, Bob Marley, Peter, Paul and Mary, were on the syllabus. Plus a lot of books and films, let’s say the Grapes of Wrath. And don’t you know Great Gatsby. Best most intricate American novel of all time. Being rich, or not, and the consequences. Still world dealing with the same stuff now.
I also taught there about social movements. It can sometimes take a while, but when the time is right, people will be there and movements do gain legitimacy. Win. (I come from a progressive perspective, not going back.)
I got my copy of Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (a favorite journalist). The research and writing are so impeccable. With the wealth here, it could be a better, more respectable, country, and contribute to a needed planet for generations to come. My FDR thinking. What Abundance is about.
Still working on Keynes Hayek book. Keynes believed that a decent life for all was not too much to ask in a prosperous society. and that we should help each other. Hayek was “I win, you lose” nasty.
And we’re still there, that difference, now. But it can be fixed, if we choose.
So much going on now that I am charged by. Flood the zone, says the bad haircut guy. Flood it back I say. Let’s go.
AOC…Bernie…Fighting Oligarchy Tour. New York Times to Bernie, “keep on trucking.” (And yes, I have seen the Grateful, Hudson River concert.) Those speeches. We need their voices. Jasmine. Fiery. The sass we need. Right energy, right time. Our seasoned and next generation of leaders. The enthusiasm from huge crowds. The best of our neighborhood people, talking truth to power.
End Citizens United so elections can’t be bought. End the immunity whatever critter in chief.
Living wage, not minimum wage. And pay people who work for tips real salary. They are there..
Health care for all without the complications. Taking Medicaid from children, what monsters do that.
No way no touch lifeline Social Security for an eighty five year old widow. Expand it.
No way your greasy fingers on veterans’ benefits. Those are earned, and by better people than the critter and the skunk who served, many precious lost lives. That’s real.
Free public education, everyone. Richies can go to their richies schools but public school teachers are masterful, and their students go on to do the the good work.
Tuition free public universities. So smart young people don’t have to mortgage their futures to student debt. And can build their lives, homes, families and communities.
Believe in unions. Some have been not great, but mostly they made opportunity available to people who would not otherwise have. And members suffered sometimes deadly violence to organize. Personal history, but I depended on unions to get data for my dissertation, before I even asked the companies. My committee was, like, “what.” It worked out well. Count on the unions.
A climate budget is needed. The chainsaw weirdo wants Mars. That’s insane rocket crash guy. Kind of crank. Send the creep to Mars. He’ll love it there. Anyone else want to go. I don’t think so.
Why don’t the rest of us do some healing of the beautiful planet where we already live.
Can not leave out women’s reproductive rights. Without, we’re going to a very dark space.
Bernie closed his speech with this. Ninety nine percent is a lot larger than one percent.
I’m offended by news whatevers who say people don’t understand the word oligarchy. That’s condescending. Yes they understand. They’re living it.
It may take a while but the better angels are here. A change is gonna to come. Oh yes it will.
Dayna Finet 