Wow! I have to admit that I've been in deep despair like some of the students you describe. But this piece offers me a new perspective on our situation. To go with the car analogy... thank you for the
" jump start" (= I'm going to reread and then share widely. I do have a request for your next piece: HOW do we begin fixing this beautiful broken down car?
I really think it’s to focus locally. There’s a lot wrong at the federal level, but I’d you think of our country as a a collection of small communities that add up, working locally where we are matters a lot. It’s also a lot more gratifying because you meet the people who benefit by your work.
Thanks for exploring this question with me, Mary. I support you in your work for ranked voice voting and voting protections. For myself, demilitarization and Medicare for All are the two issues I'm working on. I always get into the habit of looking for the silver bullet and I realize I just did that again in my response to Abdul's great essay. But just as soonas I pressed " send" I remembered the advice I once received: you do what you can with all your creativity and heart and soul. Then our work becomes a part of one collective whole working toward loving, progressive reform. I've also recently been reading the speeches/writings of Martin Luther King. There's a line in his famous" Beyond Vietnam" speech that speaks to our conversation today: " These are revolutionary times... we must prepare to match actions with words and sek out every creativemeans of protest possible....Every man of humane convictions ust decide that protest that best suits his convictions. But we must all protest." All the best to you,Mary, in your work!
Regarding your advocacy for M4A. Keep that hope alive! There's still a case to be made for universal healthcare -- ever more so in this time of pandemic. Imagine how much better we could be handling things if we had a unified healthcare system. Imagine if people had a family doctor with whom they could discuss their fears and questions regarding vaccines, masking and other sound public health measures. Imagine how we could have saved 300,000 from dying of Covid had they been in better health to begin with.
It can be easy to insist that something designed in a former era - with some horrible flaws that were linked to that era - can still have been a courageous leap forward in ways that are still crucial today. There were several inspiring things we can probably all celebrate despite our opinions on the best next step.
If the clunker car was the only way that you, your family, friends and neighbors could get to town on Saturday night and/or Sunday morning, it would quickly be fixed. Everyone would share a common goal and all would participate in fixing the engine so the car would be functional. Currently too many people are motivated by harming the other. They choose to put sand in the gears and gas tank. A common crisis usually unites us. A universal goal for all must be articulated, understood and agreed on. The keys to the car might change hands from time to time but all would want the car to run when needed.
That old car has a good frame but in order to keep it on the road, you have to be willing to get rid of the old broken parts that never worked that well and replace them with new, better parts that improve the entire performance. It’s the only way to keep the old geezer chugging along. But we first have to admit that it never ran that well all the time, even when it was new.
Yep - that’s it. The used care salesman don’t want you to admit that. But it’s always had issues and we we’d best pay attention to both those and the wear and tear.
Wow! I have to admit that I've been in deep despair like some of the students you describe. But this piece offers me a new perspective on our situation. To go with the car analogy... thank you for the
" jump start" (= I'm going to reread and then share widely. I do have a request for your next piece: HOW do we begin fixing this beautiful broken down car?
I really think it’s to focus locally. There’s a lot wrong at the federal level, but I’d you think of our country as a a collection of small communities that add up, working locally where we are matters a lot. It’s also a lot more gratifying because you meet the people who benefit by your work.
Thanks, Abdul (= Could you expand on this in an upcoming essay?
yes. how? Some of us worked for single-payer, Bernie, Adbul … seems like we can’t get the boat off the blocks.
(I have some hope for Ranked Choice and the new redistricting and voting protections if we can hang on to them.)
Thanks for exploring this question with me, Mary. I support you in your work for ranked voice voting and voting protections. For myself, demilitarization and Medicare for All are the two issues I'm working on. I always get into the habit of looking for the silver bullet and I realize I just did that again in my response to Abdul's great essay. But just as soonas I pressed " send" I remembered the advice I once received: you do what you can with all your creativity and heart and soul. Then our work becomes a part of one collective whole working toward loving, progressive reform. I've also recently been reading the speeches/writings of Martin Luther King. There's a line in his famous" Beyond Vietnam" speech that speaks to our conversation today: " These are revolutionary times... we must prepare to match actions with words and sek out every creativemeans of protest possible....Every man of humane convictions ust decide that protest that best suits his convictions. But we must all protest." All the best to you,Mary, in your work!
Regarding your advocacy for M4A. Keep that hope alive! There's still a case to be made for universal healthcare -- ever more so in this time of pandemic. Imagine how much better we could be handling things if we had a unified healthcare system. Imagine if people had a family doctor with whom they could discuss their fears and questions regarding vaccines, masking and other sound public health measures. Imagine how we could have saved 300,000 from dying of Covid had they been in better health to begin with.
It can be easy to insist that something designed in a former era - with some horrible flaws that were linked to that era - can still have been a courageous leap forward in ways that are still crucial today. There were several inspiring things we can probably all celebrate despite our opinions on the best next step.
So glad you found some inspiration in this.
If the clunker car was the only way that you, your family, friends and neighbors could get to town on Saturday night and/or Sunday morning, it would quickly be fixed. Everyone would share a common goal and all would participate in fixing the engine so the car would be functional. Currently too many people are motivated by harming the other. They choose to put sand in the gears and gas tank. A common crisis usually unites us. A universal goal for all must be articulated, understood and agreed on. The keys to the car might change hands from time to time but all would want the car to run when needed.
That old car has a good frame but in order to keep it on the road, you have to be willing to get rid of the old broken parts that never worked that well and replace them with new, better parts that improve the entire performance. It’s the only way to keep the old geezer chugging along. But we first have to admit that it never ran that well all the time, even when it was new.
Yep - that’s it. The used care salesman don’t want you to admit that. But it’s always had issues and we we’d best pay attention to both those and the wear and tear.