learning democracy

 

the right has perfected the tactic

of loudly complaining that those

they oppose are doing the evil stuff

done by the right itself, deflection and projection

 

 

 

 

the fight itself is educating us all.

Who among us had heard of CRT

or most of the history we are now

hearing about because everyone is

going crazy over what had been a

course available in some law schools?

 

 

 

I want the talking filibuster back,

or none at all

why do we need to give an edge to the

minority in the Senate when the Senate

already does that by being nonrepresentational?

 

acting like the filibuster has a legitimate purpose

when the make-up of the Senate itself gives

more power to the rural minority

and, look, the Senate majority can

add/remove/change the rules every term

and, obviously the Republicans don't fear it

being used by the Democrats for many reasons,

including that the Repubs are much more

disciplined and happy to cheat

 

 

 

 

we as a democracy should know

that it is imperative to have a well

educated citizenry who understand

our history, philosophy, system(s)

and structures to usefully

participate in self rule

 

 

 

 

If we want our political reps

to do more, we have to do more

to convince them of what we want,

how to get there, and how we will help. 

It's only a democracy if the People

 do the work.  Complaining is not doing the work.

 

 

6/22-26/21

may we relate

 

oh to be a cop and get to

punch/shoot/kick/smother

out our frustrations on the job

 

 

 

how about drop the assumptions and

expectations, rather, develop relationships.

 

As I observe all the misery, loneliness, angry hatred

spread through our social spheres, it occurs to me

what we are missing, what we are needing, what

could give us all more of what we need to live well,

is creating real, meaningful relationships

 

 

 

not really rejection,

more nonconnection

with this world

 

 

 

3 dimensional reality

can’t be circumscribed

by 2 sides.

 

 

 

The room is here.

People living out loud, accepted.

Messy, outside expected.

We are, every bit as much as you.

Don’t expect your view to rule.

Understand, definitions are expanding.

Caught in the scariness of change,

along with the hope.

We are only beginning.

 

 

6/21-22/21

apocalypse psychology

 

 

apocalypse psychology

 

 

 

Putting them (all those strangers

we fear, out there) to transparent

standards we never think of for us

-- because it's never about behavior

we expect or desire, but only

cynical political conceit.

What do we gain by such competing,

by living lies?

 

 

Not disease.

Me being me

creating emotional wisdom

to face outrageous experience.

We are humans, beings, believings,

biological instincts, burden of

survival.  Our vast dependence --

layers of Earth and time,

ancestors’ enterprise, egos to keep

record of how we've coped before,

so much more...

To casually reduce such

manifold agonies of sacrifice,

endless recessive mirrors, images

foundation to our minds,

our means of escape or progress,

as less of worth than

amassed tokens of some gentlemen

game, that's insane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expect perfection?

That is not democracy --

Rule by the People.

 

I am not perfect, nor are you.

"Perfect person" is an oxymoron.

If we the People expect perfection,

that is not democracy:  rule by we the People.

 

 

 

 

don't take sides -- pay attention and make

useful commentary,

look outside the lines

 

 

 

 

it seems to me that people become more

passionately involved with causes/missions

that they feel personally involved with,

that this serious issue of Americans without

adequate civic education or interest can be

helped with more everyday involvement of more

citizens in all these aspects of democracy – so

let's get out there and promote civic engagement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

summersong

 

Summer cabin embraced in

rambling Adirondacks

Mountain sound

Woods, lake, echo nightsong.

Deep air, breeze that carries history,

folklore fantasies, bits of brambles,

seeds and spores, potions and charms.

Contemplation, as if a natural right.

 

 

6/12-15/21

coronal light

 

It seems to be becoming apparent

that the way out of our contretemps

is based in community, empathy,

kindness and reality, rather than

paranoid fantasies – that we all do

better when we each do better, and

reverse.

Yet all the dunning, vitriol, sarcastic

barbs, make belief in trust ridiculous,

dangerous.  How bridge that?

 

 )

 

Let what happens happen.

Live within it.

 

  )

 

Be transparent.

Control the narrative.

 

  )

 

That’s the thing with science.

It changes, by design,

as more is learned.

 

  )

 

6/11/21

on opening air

  

money is not a commodity.  Money is an idea. 

That we make this mental construct a thing

to possess is sheer foolishness and a cause

of great unnecessary suffering.

 

 

 

the wealthy are benefited by

having a financial stake in the country,

by doing their part to be useful and of benefit

to the community, the society, more in flow

with societal goals and more able to relate

and be related to because humans need humans

and are only deceived if we believe we

need "wealth" that makes us less

 

 

 

 

I keep noticing really bad outcomes

that are commonplace due to an emphasis

on profit over every other value, over actual

utility, as if that is the obvious and

only appropriate course.

 

 

 

A glutton for experience

to breathe in and hold

as stories to sustain me,

that enthrall when I'm old.

 

 

 

Things that we carry with us.

Why do we add them to our

weight, our responsibility?

Our identity, imbued in symbols,

iconography, necessities

we carry with us

as we become

more than our bare bodies

proof of our faith in

reality beyond our

ecstatic bond.

 

 

 

 

Babies, meant to be beautiful

symbols of opening possibilities

But when everything's going

to shit

they become only more vectors

of misery.

 

 

 

 

The social inertia is being broken

by Earth changes.

 

 

 

6/8-9/21

input processing

 

the Senate gets to make its rules

anew each session

since the filibuster clearly is of no use to

the majority, and is only a means for the minority

to take control (highly undemocratic), [the

priorities of minority parties are already

Constitutionally secured by the Senate’s

swayed make up of two from every state.]

it makes sense to realize this is a stupid rule

that needs to be changed

 

 

 

let us be clear, this is not "white people"

but a certain section of society with

no self respect, and therefore

no respect for others

 

 

 

 

 

it's like only "conservative" rules matter

as if only the "right" commands respect.

 

 

 

de-immune the police

 

 

 

Understand that sometimes the world

gets away from us.

What always makes it ok for us

Fantasy,  bright romance of who I’m

What’s become of me

is not worth saving.

Where is there to believe, to belong,

to remind, to find

a key to meaning?

 

 

 

Working against our own best interests

on hope of short-term stability.

 

 

 

The whole thing about being human,

exploding because it makes no sense

to me.

Every day in a maze.

Human mythology

painting names on reality.

 

 

 

Instead of pretending they are at War,

Israel would be better to treat Hamas

as the violent criminals they are,

tracking and apprehending and putting

on public trial – not as an excuse to murder

like violent criminals.

 

 

 

It is galling that so often the people

who own great wealth (a lion’s share

of the people’s available resources)

are not those with the moral foundation

to use it well.

 

 

 

When we’re told to judge,

the rush of vengeful hate

lets us forget that Justice

means equanimity – not enmity.

 

 

 

6/2-5/21

 

 

alternative thoughts

 Workers Unite, strike

Against the plutocratic state

Take back their power to create

Wealth

 

 

 

What can police do

with their time instead

of committing crimes against

the communities they are

paid to serve?

How about being witness to

averse interactions in which

to intervene?

How about presence that adds

to the calculus against doing

wrong when it won’t go unseen?

How about preventing extreme

behaviors by listening  to

neighbors’ concerns, turning a

caring eye to devalue violence?

How about trading silence for

transparency, accountability,

social justice – not us and them?

Understand it’s not about

petty pride, angry entitlement.

This is about humanity’s

historic striving to find true

sanity,

what some call kindness.

 

 

6/1-2/21