BACK TO THE PAST

There was a chant that arose out of the nascent anti-sexual assault movement in the1970's-"Women Unite Take Back the Night." We put it on t-shirts, signs, organized take back the night marches, and chanted the chant through the streets, and into the civic centers of cities across the country.  While it focused on making the street safe for women after dark, it was the cry that heralded women claiming a basic human right; the right to freedom from sexual violence.  It was the cry that said, we would no longer accept blame for the criminal behavior of sexual abusers. With all that is coming out these days from the GOP (local, state and nation), their cheerleaders in the reactionary right, and for sure from ill-informed, ignorant, and downright detestable bloggers, I offer a friendly amendment to the chant-"WOMEN UNITE, STAND FOR YOUR RIGHTS."

Little did we know in the 1970's that breaking through the myths, and raising consciousness about rape, incest and child sexual abuse would lead to the open discussion of these crimes and routine reporting about sexual assault on national media outlets, it was our aim, our hope and our dream, but believe me we never thought we would get here. We didn't think we would get here, because the kind of victim blaming that has come from some in response to the news story about the assault, in Egypt, on CBS reporter Lara Logan, was commonplace back then, even in courtrooms from the mouths of defense attorney's.

But again we had hope because women came together, young and old, rich and poor, black and white, and, wait for it-Republican and Democrat to educate, illuminate and legislate. Of course back then we were not many years down the road from woman not being able to get credit without a male co-signer, or not being able to freely choose a career outside homemaker, nurse or teacher, or from being able to plan a pregnancy and prevent unplanned pregnancy, or from...you get the picture. We were however committed to, in the word of the song, not letting anyone turn us around.  We kept on walking, we kept on talking and we did start a brand new day.

Well with the legislative initiatives from GOP majorities in Congress, and many state houses, with the attempt to re-define rape as means of legitimizing forced pregnancies, with the likes of Michele Bachmann ridiculing a tax break for working moms who are breast-feeding an infant, and with the sickening victim blaming of Lara Logan, it seems from my old eyes that not only are women getting turned around, we are getting turned out, put down and threatened with once again being considered chattel. Time to call a halt-WOMEN UNITE, STAND FOR YOUR RIGHTS.
Like the saying from that old series of horror flicks-they're back. The scary part of this movie however is that they have names like, Michele Bachmann, Ann Coulter, Debbie Schlussel and Sarah Palin and although they look like real women, I think they must be female impersonators. WOMEN UNITE, STAND FOR YOUR RIGHTS. I can see the streets and corridors of power filling now, and I can hear the crescendo of voices chanting, WOMEN UNITE STAND FOR YOUR RIGHTS, WOMEN UNITE, STAND FOR YOUR RIGHTS. Can you hear it? Can you see it?

Egypt on My Mind

The demonstrations, protests and signs of revolution in Egypt have drawn my attention all week. What courage, resolve and dignity the Egyptians seeking democracy have shown.  I am always struck by how hard those who do not have voting rights and those whose votes have been subverted or ignored,  fight for that right. Hundreds of thousands moving to the square, thousands braving harm and facing death, or thousands walking miles, and standing in lines for days to take the simple act of casting their votes for those they want to lead them and represent them in the government. It is inspiring and it is clear the people of Egypt will not be swayed.

What a contrast to us here in the United States where all we need do is show up at the poll, safely, peacefully with no threat and with the assurance that our votes will be counted to choose our leaders. No fight, no sacrifice, and no risk of harm. Yet on average, across the nation, less than 35% of us voted in the last election. We may be a beacon of light for those seeking freedom, but we are not a model of active citizens doing our part to make democracy work. We stand with the people of Egypt seeking freedom and fair elections for a government of their choosing, we demand our government act (and they have admirably no matter the criticism of the pundits), and we say it is a testament to the power of democracy.  I hope we take that in a bit, and get more of us out there exercising our voting rights when the next election rolls around. 

For Egyptians the path to democracy has been longer than most, 4,000 years by some counts, from the pharaohs to present.  When the elation of the belief that freedom and democracy are at hand is evident in the faces of those in the square, my heart is lifted.  When the the pictures are of the violence, my heart sinks, but always I hold a picture of peacefulness in the square in my mind and my prayers.  I am old enough to remember Nasser and Sadat and know the repression is long and deep, I trust that these noble people, with thousands of years of history as a civilization, will make this transition without descending into utter chaos, and without radical Islamists co-opting this march to freedom.

Letter to the Editor

I sent this letter to the Star Tribune regarding action by the GOP controlled Minnesota House of Representatives. Feel free to use any and all of the language in writing own LTE.

To The Editor:

The front page story, GOP Seeks Gun Law Repeal (1/27/2010) was such a surprise given Speaker Zellers and Leader Koch's promise, promise, promise to focus on jobs, jobs, jobs. The old bait and switch is standard "political" fare, but the state of our budget and the economy beg a focus on governing. 

The only way this is about governing, and not politics, is if the GOP meant jobs for arms/gun dealers, casket makers, morticians, and police-oh I forgot they are cutting funds municipalities use for police and fire. The only business that gets better with this kind of legislation is the violence business. 

This and That

The Word Investment

All the hoopla today around the use of the word investment by the President in the SOTU is so interesting.  I get it that using this word in relation to taxation and government spending has become suspect.  However, it might just be helpful to refresh our collective knowledge about the definition of the word invest.  According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the word, invest means: “1-To commit (money or capital) in order to gain profit or interest...; 2-To spend or utilize (time, money or effort) for future advantage or benefit, often used with in”.  Underling added for emphasis.   

President Obama's call to shift oil subsidies to funding invention, development and production of the machinery, technology and substances of alternative and renewable energy sources is indeed investment. Make no mistake; the successful development of coal, natural gas and oil industries owes no small measure to the "investment" made by previous Presidents and previous Congresses dating back to their beginnings in this country.  Go ahead, look it all up, but don't let the voices trying to cast the President's use of the word investment as a thin ruse to simply increase government spending win the day. 

We have what we have today because our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents invested mightily in the development of all manner and sort of infrastructure and industry.  From the continental railway to the national highway system, from TVA to REA, from oil and gas pipelines to the production of steel, and many more, the way was made most possible by the commitment of tax revenue, spent for future gain and profit. 

I remember watching the landing on the moon in 1969 with my Swedish grandmother who was in her late 80's-old enough to remember Lindbergh's first flight.  I asked her if she found it amazing that we had sent men to the moon.  After a few moments she said, "No, what is amazing is that we can see it on the television."  Well we did it and could see it because the government raised and spent a goodly amount of tax revenue to make it happen. I think we can agree that the benefits of the future we live in now, were worth all that expenditure then. So I stand with the President and all in Congress who understand that spending now for the future is exactly what we need to do today-come on people now join in and let’s get ahead of China in development of solar technology. The sun shines as bright here as there.

What "The People" Voted For in 2010

Statements about the meaning, signals and import of the 2010 elections are everywhere in the press, media, blogosphere, and in public statements by elected officials.  No matter the source, there are always a few, and often many, sentences that contain the phrase, "The People". There are a variety of claims about the meaning of the elections, but none irks me more than the claim by any elected official that their position is, based on the last election; 1- The will of "The People,” 2-The voice of “The People,” 3-What “The People” said, 4-What “The People” voted for, and of course by “The People” they mean a majority, if not all “The People.

Obviously it is the, “The People” part that irritates me the most. It irks me because only 40.8% of the eligible voting population nationwide voted and this is not a majority. The only thing about “The People” that any elected official should claim is that "The People", as in a majority, said nothing. To claim to speak for a majority of “We The People” is hubris. The majority of voters, literally the majority, did not vote in 2010.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who represents the 6^th Congressional District of Minnesota, shows particular hubris in her claims to speak for “The People”.  The number of votes Ms. Bachmann stands on to claim to speak for a majority is 159,476 votes- a majority only of those who voted in that election. 159,476 votes is only 36.15% of registered voters, and only 25.9% of the population of the district the Congresswoman is, by oath, bound to represent. 

Before anyone goes off saying this is just one district in one state, Minnesota had the highest turnout of any state with 55.5% of registered voters voting. Only 5 other states, Alaska, Maine, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington reached turnout above 50%.  Most states had somewhere between 31 and 47% turnout. Rep. Bachmann is not alone, the folks in Majority Leader Cantor’s district only turned out at a 47.29% rate. Although Democrats are in the same position with respect to turnout, hold the White House and held the Senate, their level of hubris in claiming a mandate is far less.

As so aptly put by Minnesota’s new Governor, Mark Dayton, “we were all elected by a fraction of a fraction, but our job is to represent every Minnesotan.” The GOP is in the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, but come on people now, don’t let them get away with suggesting that their position is anything more than the position of a fraction of “The People”. For sure don’t buy it without scrutiny. If we let any elected official get away with claiming a mandate based on the will of  one-fourth of the people  we will not have accountable and responsive government, no matter the character of the elected official.

If you are in the majority, meaning you did not vote, please don’t do that again. I promise when a majority of the voters vote in every election, we will have better government and elected officials who can, based on real majorities claim to speak for, “The People”.

Data Sources: George Mason University, United States Election Project: US Census; MN Secretary of State, Election Results; State of Virginia Elections Board  (68.85% of registered voters, or 303,691 of 441,122 registered voters turned out to vote in the 6^th district of Minnesota) 

Starting

It has taken me what must seem like forever to the friends who have been prodding me for sometime now to get "more out there" with my thoughts and writing. Starting this blog seemed, and still seems, a bit “more out there” than I really want to be, and more than just a little egotistical, but writing is what I love, this gives me a medium, and just maybe my wildest dreams about it will come true. What I read, listen to, watch and then think about most are the things that need to be made better, fixed or somehow changed to bring about more prosperity, peace, caring and calm in our society.  This means that most of what I write will likely fall under the description of social and political commentary.

Like most of us, real writing began for me with assignments at school, progressing to term papers and reports in college and on to, regional health plans, technical reports and proposals related to health and mental health, grants, program proposals, and strategic plans in my professional life.  Alongside the writing for my professions, have been opportunities, given or simply claimed, to put my thinking on the page in the form of political and social commentary, position paper, speeches, public policy development and letters to the editor. While getting affirmation and compliments from friends, colleagues, family members, I have also had tastes of verbal sticks and stones, threats of violence, and threats of death from those opposed to the positions or perspectives encompassed in that writing. The last time the hate, threats of violence, and shouts of denigration came my way was in the 90's, and I got more cautious, less "out there"-this blog is a reflection of a decision to once again step out in a more public way.  Of course all my angst getting to this point will be good for a laugh at myself if "out there" ends up meaning only 5 of loyal friends actually reading any of it.

So onward I go, into the adventure of blogging. To quote a line from the song that gave rise to the name I choose for this blog, "if you hear the song I sing, you will understand that you hold the key to love and fear...just one key unlocks them both...try to love one another right now" and I hope the sum of the words I write will be some small part of making more of that starting to make its way around our country.