I've heard tell that some people can fiddle the devil out of hell and back down again. In Wisconsin we might just have heard a strain of that kind of music. About the time the cold was getting so deep that we thought it'd never go away and the ice on the lakes was still hard and we knew, we did, that the fish were fast asleep at the bottom.
I remember the sounds in the halls of the Capitol. During the day they were sweet and strong, those voices of Common People singing and chanting and laughing and shouting. Yes, that was sweet music, it made me feel happy to be there, joyful in my heart even though my toes ached and the winds stung my cheeks.
But, in the night, some nights, the music turned dark and dangerous and things happened behind doors when that music played. Whoever was fiddling then smoked the strings and the feet of those who met at dimly lit, walnut smooth desks, danced so feverish that the news in the morning came as though years had passed, it was that astounding. Deals were made, calls went out, interviews were given and many, many lies were told during that winter just passed. The Common People lost their promises, their jobs and their rights to ask for better pay and good working conditions.
And when the spring brought green to the muddy ruts around the Capitol and the sky took on a deeper blue, the fiddler was still in some room somewhere in that building. He was still fiddling so the men who made deals and told lies could keep dancing those crazy steps. They danced so hard they passed laws against the safety of the People! They made guns from their dancing and they laughed like maniacs as they scribbled the words - Concealed Carry. It was madness I tell you!
There's more than one fiddler. I know that now 'cause I am no longer a young one. I've seen some things. There's a fiddler playing in each and every office and Capitol that has those crazy, mad dancers who vote for guns and cuts and have red eyes that burn through decency and compassion. Their feet are swollen, painful and maybe even bleeding but they can't stop dancing, they can't stop taking from the Common People.
The Fiddler provides the music for terrible things. Why, you ask, would anyone want to dance to this music? Because the fiddler and his master make promises. If you can dance fast enough and long enough and wild enough and your dancing brings in more money and more power and more of everything, then you will be able some day to stop dancing and reap your reward.
But I know some things. That never happens. Never. It's a joke.
Power To The Common People!
p.s. The fiddling is loud today - can you hear it? The mad dancers are closing driver's stations in heavily democratic areas so those voters cannot get their state IDs and opening stations in predominately rethuglian areas. Someone has seen what's happening and is breaking the story. Thank goodness for people who hear different music!
Wisconsin Needs A Moral Compass
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Times of Change
I finished the book Nefertiti. Though it is difficult to know all the details of a life lived so far in the past the author did a good job of investigating Nefertiti's life as far as anyone can know. She was a woman of courage and also of intense ego. However, she became Queen of Egypt at fifteen years old and began having children soon after. We might say these days when children in our society remain children far in to their teens, "What would a teenager know about ruling a country?!" She was the second wife of Amunhotep IV who also was in his teens when he became Emperor of Egypt and together they had six daughters, built the vast city of Amarna and presided over troubled times when their decisions brought down the revered priests of Amun and raised up a sun disk priesthood. Nefertiti and Amunhotep had the faces of themselves and their family carved and painted on every surface in the city and spared no expense to continually remind the common people who the supreme rulers were.
I suppose, not surprisingly, this extravagance in both physical wealth and in what seems to have been a level of moral bankruptcy, ended in a horrific time that changed Amarna forever. Amunhotep refused to deal with uprisings and instead made a deal with the Hittites, a long-time enemy of the Egyptians. When these people were invited to Amarna for another grand feast and celebration of Nefertiti and Amunhotep's reign, they also brought the plague with them. The city was beset with death. Amunhotep never understood what had happened and Nefertiti tried her best to return Egypt to her former glory following his death. That was not to happen in her lifetime, not entirely.
All stories like Nefertiti are cautionary tales because they are stories about us - about human beings in their time and with all their attendant problems and joys. We read about them making decisions, choosing, leaving, having and raising children, being petty, jealous, swept away by love, angry or just tending their garden wishing for a peaceful life. They were no different than you and me. They are cautionary tales because of just that - we are like them!
Nefertiti and Amunhotep were young people who became powerful beyond their wisdom, even though as we know that doesn't always mean things will go well. They forgot the common people and only gave them thought when they wished to know the common people worshiped them. The emperor and his queen wanted to be seen by the people every minute of their lives and they wanted to live beyond eternity. Their care for and belief in the common people of their time was thin, it was not built upon an understanding that the people who fell at their feet had lives that also mattered. When the plague came to Amarna the common people suffered by the thousands. Still, Nefertiti and Amunhotep thought only of themselves and of who would ascend the throne if they perished.
History gives us myriad examples of Power Gone Wrong, of concentrated power in the hands of people whose egos are far too large. We've seen this in our own country and perhaps we are seeing versions of that in the current time. Power, money, prestige and the desire for more. Those are addictions that warp our abilities for compassion and truth.
May we the common people see with clarity in this time of change. Who has the best interest of all at heart, who is telling the truth and who is maneuvering for advantage. These lessons and cautions did not slip in to the sands of time at the feet of the Sphinx, they are ever present in human interactions.
Power To All The Common People!
I suppose, not surprisingly, this extravagance in both physical wealth and in what seems to have been a level of moral bankruptcy, ended in a horrific time that changed Amarna forever. Amunhotep refused to deal with uprisings and instead made a deal with the Hittites, a long-time enemy of the Egyptians. When these people were invited to Amarna for another grand feast and celebration of Nefertiti and Amunhotep's reign, they also brought the plague with them. The city was beset with death. Amunhotep never understood what had happened and Nefertiti tried her best to return Egypt to her former glory following his death. That was not to happen in her lifetime, not entirely.
All stories like Nefertiti are cautionary tales because they are stories about us - about human beings in their time and with all their attendant problems and joys. We read about them making decisions, choosing, leaving, having and raising children, being petty, jealous, swept away by love, angry or just tending their garden wishing for a peaceful life. They were no different than you and me. They are cautionary tales because of just that - we are like them!
Nefertiti and Amunhotep were young people who became powerful beyond their wisdom, even though as we know that doesn't always mean things will go well. They forgot the common people and only gave them thought when they wished to know the common people worshiped them. The emperor and his queen wanted to be seen by the people every minute of their lives and they wanted to live beyond eternity. Their care for and belief in the common people of their time was thin, it was not built upon an understanding that the people who fell at their feet had lives that also mattered. When the plague came to Amarna the common people suffered by the thousands. Still, Nefertiti and Amunhotep thought only of themselves and of who would ascend the throne if they perished.
History gives us myriad examples of Power Gone Wrong, of concentrated power in the hands of people whose egos are far too large. We've seen this in our own country and perhaps we are seeing versions of that in the current time. Power, money, prestige and the desire for more. Those are addictions that warp our abilities for compassion and truth.
May we the common people see with clarity in this time of change. Who has the best interest of all at heart, who is telling the truth and who is maneuvering for advantage. These lessons and cautions did not slip in to the sands of time at the feet of the Sphinx, they are ever present in human interactions.
Power To All The Common People!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Wild Wisconsin
They're cleaning up after a series of intense storms formed up in Southern Wisconsin last evening and pounded the state. The temps dropped more than 30 degrees in a matter of two hours. Downed trees, floods, power outages and hurricane force winds contributed to a wild night in the Badger State! For all the climate deniers protest about climate change not being due to human activity, I quote Bugs Bunny from the 50s - "What maroons!" Andy and I have been studying climate change, peak oil and global economic changes for over four years. I try my best to vet my sources and pay close attention to who and what I am reading. Our studies tell us this kind of erratic, quickly changing weather and its intense winds, heavy rain and potential tornadoes fit squarely with predictions for climate change. I hope no one was injured in Madison last night when the storms tore through the Capitol.
Storms aren't the only wild things happening in Wisconsin. This came from Wisconsin Wave yesterday:
With each day the fight against Scott Walker's unethical budget grows stronger. On Monday thousands of firefighters, nurses, and community members marched with Russ Feingold to the Capitol to demand that the legislature vote down this immoral document.
Meanwhile "Walkerville," the tent city that has sprung up on the capitol square in Madison, continues to expand, offering a daily reminder to decision makers that the whole state is watching their actions and will hold them accountable if this disastrous budget becomes law.
And more:
Let Walker know that Housing is a Human Right!
On Thursday, June 9th, Governor Walker and Congressman Paul Ryan of Janesville will be addressing a real estate conference sponsored in part by the Wisconsin Realtors Association and the Wisconsin Bankers Association, both major backers of these far-right politicians.
Come join housing rights advocates and other concerned citizens as we protest these men's disastrous economic policies along with the trade associations that lobby incessantly for them.
When: 10am-12pm
Where: The Fluno Center (610 University Ave.)
My post is late for many to get to Madison but you at least will know what is happening. Consider calling Ryan's office and letting them know you support housing as a human right.
It's going to be one of those long, hot summers perhaps. I know today is cooler by 30 degrees than yesterday but in terms of intensity, not only will the storms become stronger but so will the politics. Wisconsin is so polarized. Take a look at some of the stories the Wisconsin State Journal is posting.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_70483420-8d7e-11e0-a40c-001cc4c03286.html
There are many related articles on that particular link but remember, too, the State Journal's editorial stance - conservative. It's always helpful to know that when you read a paper. For instance, take another look at news this time from a progressive slant (one I love!):
http://uppitywis.org/
I heard a story on NPR yesterday on my drive to and from work. It had to do with Scott Fitzgerald - the state's prime Walker henchman. Nasty fellow. And not done being nasty or looking for ways to subvert We The People's common good. Follow the money, the power and the corporate influence. That, my fellow People, is truly The Yellow Brick Road. Off to Oz then!
Power To All The People!
Storms aren't the only wild things happening in Wisconsin. This came from Wisconsin Wave yesterday:
With each day the fight against Scott Walker's unethical budget grows stronger. On Monday thousands of firefighters, nurses, and community members marched with Russ Feingold to the Capitol to demand that the legislature vote down this immoral document.
Meanwhile "Walkerville," the tent city that has sprung up on the capitol square in Madison, continues to expand, offering a daily reminder to decision makers that the whole state is watching their actions and will hold them accountable if this disastrous budget becomes law.
And more:
Let Walker know that Housing is a Human Right!
On Thursday, June 9th, Governor Walker and Congressman Paul Ryan of Janesville will be addressing a real estate conference sponsored in part by the Wisconsin Realtors Association and the Wisconsin Bankers Association, both major backers of these far-right politicians.
Come join housing rights advocates and other concerned citizens as we protest these men's disastrous economic policies along with the trade associations that lobby incessantly for them.
When: 10am-12pm
Where: The Fluno Center (610 University Ave.)
My post is late for many to get to Madison but you at least will know what is happening. Consider calling Ryan's office and letting them know you support housing as a human right.
It's going to be one of those long, hot summers perhaps. I know today is cooler by 30 degrees than yesterday but in terms of intensity, not only will the storms become stronger but so will the politics. Wisconsin is so polarized. Take a look at some of the stories the Wisconsin State Journal is posting.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_70483420-8d7e-11e0-a40c-001cc4c03286.html
There are many related articles on that particular link but remember, too, the State Journal's editorial stance - conservative. It's always helpful to know that when you read a paper. For instance, take another look at news this time from a progressive slant (one I love!):
http://uppitywis.org/
I heard a story on NPR yesterday on my drive to and from work. It had to do with Scott Fitzgerald - the state's prime Walker henchman. Nasty fellow. And not done being nasty or looking for ways to subvert We The People's common good. Follow the money, the power and the corporate influence. That, my fellow People, is truly The Yellow Brick Road. Off to Oz then!
Power To All The People!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Where Does The Money Go?
Back home. Home meant mail from a week. In the stack of usual sale ads and internet provider specials, I found a mailing from our local peace and justice group. These dedicated folks have been promoting peaceful resolution to conflicts from local to national and international. Often their monthly gatherings host someone who has returned from a trip abroad, many from war-torn countries where U.S. presence has added a dangerous level of complexity and incredible loss to the lives of The People. The newsletter noted that Kathy Kelly would be speaking at the next meeting this month. Kathy is a co-coordinator for Voices for Creative Nonviolence which is a campaign to end U.S. military and economic warfare. She has recently been in Afghanistan and is planning on sharing her first-hand information on the conditions faced by ordinary people in Afghanistan. The Common People. The newsletter noted that Wisconsin has paid $18.5 billion for war since 2001. You can check this out at costofwar.com. What about the money we are spending to fund oil/resource wars abroad? What if that money were spent at home in Wisconsin to do any number of things?
Early on, as the struggle began in Wisconsin, a friend sent me an email sharing with me that her husband had been in conversation with a GM union man. This gentleman told her husband that the local GM plant had accepted $3 billion for plant renovations which then never happened. The plant closed and the community lost a major employer and thousands of jobs. Where is that money? Why can't that be paid back to the state and used to balance the so-called "budget crisis"?
A good friend used to tell me that the questions are always more important than the answers. Once again, we must ask some cogent and important questions of the people who are in a position to do damage to support structures. Don't accept the premise that Wisconsin is "broke". Ask questions that dig deeper into where our money goes. What do we want to spend our money on, where do we want it to go? Are resource wars too costly? Is this what we see as a priority in our state, in our country? Are we willing to cut back on education to fund this chronic violence to which we send our youth? Are we willing to forgo critically needed infrastructure repairs? Can we live with the knowledge that more and more of our neighbors and friends will fall in to poverty or live without medical care all so we can continue to bleed for oil? Are we comfortable living with those specters?
Wisconsin is not the only state gathering in the streets. Have you seen The People in Michigan? In Ohio, New Hampshire, Indiana? What questions are needed when this apparent concerted effort rises before us? Remember, as you frame your questions, that the Citizens United decision has blessed corporations with person hood. A corporation has now been granted the full measure of freedoms before only afforded to actual human beings. What does that mean? It may well mean, as we are seeing, that corporations are formulating plans and writing policies at all levels of government that will determine where the money goes - in to their coffers - and who will carry their banners - very conservative people like Scott Walker.
I don't know about you but I am clear that I want my money to go to helping The People, to educating our children, to repairing and maintaining our roads, parks, communal spaces, to greening our environment, to encouraging alternative energies, to fostering peace and economic justice in our country and the world. I am clear that I do not want it to go to fighting, killing and dying. I am clear that I wish for my friend who teaches kids to have a good work environment, to make a good living and to get the things she needs to do the best job she can for the children. I am clear that I wish for fire fighters and police to make a good living and be able to bargain for the things they need to do their jobs. I am clear that I want a governor in Madison who is willing to hear the needs of The People, to sit down and negotiate, to listen, to offer solutions and not build walls. I am clear where I want my money to go.
Power To All The People!
p.s. Vote tomorrow!
Early on, as the struggle began in Wisconsin, a friend sent me an email sharing with me that her husband had been in conversation with a GM union man. This gentleman told her husband that the local GM plant had accepted $3 billion for plant renovations which then never happened. The plant closed and the community lost a major employer and thousands of jobs. Where is that money? Why can't that be paid back to the state and used to balance the so-called "budget crisis"?
A good friend used to tell me that the questions are always more important than the answers. Once again, we must ask some cogent and important questions of the people who are in a position to do damage to support structures. Don't accept the premise that Wisconsin is "broke". Ask questions that dig deeper into where our money goes. What do we want to spend our money on, where do we want it to go? Are resource wars too costly? Is this what we see as a priority in our state, in our country? Are we willing to cut back on education to fund this chronic violence to which we send our youth? Are we willing to forgo critically needed infrastructure repairs? Can we live with the knowledge that more and more of our neighbors and friends will fall in to poverty or live without medical care all so we can continue to bleed for oil? Are we comfortable living with those specters?
Wisconsin is not the only state gathering in the streets. Have you seen The People in Michigan? In Ohio, New Hampshire, Indiana? What questions are needed when this apparent concerted effort rises before us? Remember, as you frame your questions, that the Citizens United decision has blessed corporations with person hood. A corporation has now been granted the full measure of freedoms before only afforded to actual human beings. What does that mean? It may well mean, as we are seeing, that corporations are formulating plans and writing policies at all levels of government that will determine where the money goes - in to their coffers - and who will carry their banners - very conservative people like Scott Walker.
I don't know about you but I am clear that I want my money to go to helping The People, to educating our children, to repairing and maintaining our roads, parks, communal spaces, to greening our environment, to encouraging alternative energies, to fostering peace and economic justice in our country and the world. I am clear that I do not want it to go to fighting, killing and dying. I am clear that I wish for my friend who teaches kids to have a good work environment, to make a good living and to get the things she needs to do the best job she can for the children. I am clear that I wish for fire fighters and police to make a good living and be able to bargain for the things they need to do their jobs. I am clear that I want a governor in Madison who is willing to hear the needs of The People, to sit down and negotiate, to listen, to offer solutions and not build walls. I am clear where I want my money to go.
Power To All The People!
p.s. Vote tomorrow!
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