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John Edwards on Now...talking about poverty and interconnectedness
July 27, 2008
I had to show this video to all of my friends, and now I am sharing it with you. I can't remember the last time I have seen a politician addressing not only poverty with such absolute understanding of the issue, but also the interconnectedness of people and all of the issues we face as a nation and a world.
This quote made me cry:
"One of the greatest responsibilities of the next president is to convince americans that we are completely linked to one another, both as americans, AND we're completely linked to the people in the rest of the world. In fact, we are all ENTIRELY connected." -John Edwards
Here's the link. Watch it all. It's amazing.
Brancaccio: What is it about now...that gives you any hope?
Edwards: That we're faced with great challenges that can not be dealt with, except together.
Why We Banned Legos
March 1, 2007
"Why We Banned Legos" is an article in a magazine I subscribe to called Rethinking Schools. I wish the article was accessible online without fee, but unfortunately it is not, so I will attempt to summarize it here.
Basically, a group of teachers in an after school program at a school in Washington State were struck by the social dynamics surrounding the construction of a Lego town. They found that kids were excluding other kids and hording "cool pieces" in an insidious way that wasn't always vocally objected to (in fact, many of the excluded kids seemed resigned to exclusion, in spite of the fact that they later proved that they wished to participate and did not know how to break through the invisible wall). So, the teachers banned the Legos and created a unit study to examine the issues of wealth, power, privilege, and inclusion with their students (ages 5-9).
The original article goes on to describe a fascinating and well-organized exploration of this concept designed by the teachers. Students were asked to voice their opinions about property rights, ownership, and power...and they examined those opinions by taking field trips and playing games that were geared towards helping the children question the notion that power can somehow be benign and that really brought the idea of meritocracy into sharp focus for these children.
However, the reinterpretation of this article is somewhat staggering and reveals much about how strongly we want to protect the idea that the capitalist system of meritocracy. An article was sent to a homeschooling list I subscribe to that basically completely misinterprets the lesson in such a way that it could only have been intentional. I responded to the article thusly:
I suggest you read the actual article on which this editorial is based before leaping to the conclusion that the crafters of this lesson were in any way advocating that landowners be stripped of their property rights so big businesses can have them. I have this issue, and I have only skimmed the article, but I find the article below to be grossly slanted and inaccurate.[...]
In fact, now that I think about it...it would be a really good homeschooling lesson on media to read this editorial and then go back and read the actual article about the lesson to note the evident slant of the editorialist.
Of course, the response to this was to skip right to communism. One of my fellow listmates said, basically, that while he believed the article wasn't supporting the usurpation of property by big business, he did feel that the lesson was promoting communism, to which I replied:
I imagine the responses on this list will also be useful in a study of media, as well as individual responses to the media. It is interesting to me that Brad has immediately decided that the only possible system of shared wealth is communism, and therefore declared any questioning of how property rights are handled in our society to be answered before they are even asked.I think critical thinking would encouage children to experiment with several alternative methods of creating equity, and from what I have read in the original article, it looks like that is exactly what the children were encouraged to do.
Of course, all of that was before I actually read the article. hahaha. I had skimmed it, but had not had time to sit down and read it. Later that night, I did so, and found the lesson to be quite well-planned and executed, and nothing at all like it had been described by the author of the editorial linked above. So, this morning when I found another response that insisted the lesson was an insidious method of brainwashing our children to accept the tenets of communism (evil, evil communism!) I responded:
If you read the article, you would find that property rights were a very minute portion of the lesson. The main objective of the lesson was to encourage egalitarian and inclusive behavior among the children, while at the same time exploring the larger issues of power and privilege. Also, there was a lot of discussion and insight in the article about how we tend to assume that power is benign if it is not misused in such a way that would spark verbal protest. There was a really interesting portion of the lesson where arbitrary point values were applied to legos (to mirror how privilege based on skin color, family of origin, and other factors give some of us an unearned advantage over others), and those who "won" were allowed to make rules for the next round of the game.Additionally, there is a huge leap from discussing equitable sharing of resources by a community and stripping individuals of rights to give them to corporations. The point of the experiment, and I think the objective of a communal social order (of which communisim is ONE example), is to distribute wealth and power in such a way that all members of society have an opportunity to participate. Perhaps we haven't seen such a social order yet in our lifetimes, but I am not sure why anyone would object to exploring how power and privilege operate in our society to give unearned advantage to some and undeserved disadvantage to others.
Later, someone equated the lesson with that urban legend that has a child skipping to school with all of her wonderful school supplies, only to get there and find that she is FORCED to dump her supplies in a communal bucket and comes away with *gasp* INFERIOR CRAYONS! Evidently, those individuals who send their children to public school to mix with the masses are very indignant about this concept of forced sharing. I gotta say, if you hate it so much, keep yr kids home. You won't hear me complaining about the taxes I am forced to share with the school district in spite of the fact that I have chosen to not participate. We LIVE in a society. We all benefit from its resources, and those resources include the other people in our communities. If you can't bear the thought of your child going to school and sharing his or her crayons, honey, I dunno what to tell you! At any rate, my response to the idea that "social engineering" was overtaking our schools was this:
That would be an interesting thing to discuss, but it does not have anything to do with the redistribution of legos that were already assumed to be a shared resource. I am curious how you think this experiment, and the exploration into how power and resources are shared, is equivalent to social engineering, and yet the very world we live in and are shaped by is not.In fact, I think that's an interesting thing to think about. Do we all just assume that the way we live and the society we are shaped by is natural? And therefore any attempt to question and/or reorganize the order of things is somehow unnatural, or "engineered?"
And then I decided to explore further, and read a discussion about a reaction to the article (there is very little actual reading of the article in any of this. Mostly, people were just responding to the slanted reactions to the article, which led many to believe that the teachers noted that students were not behaving appropriately and therefore they simply yanked the legos away in a reactive manner, rather than the actual reality that the teachers got together and planned a very sophisticated lesson surrounding the removal and subsequent reestablishment of lego privileges, which encouraged the children to examine the issues of ownership, power, inclusion, and equity.
Boy, do I ever NOT have my finger on the pulse of America. What I read on this board shocked me. People are actually decrying the lesson these teachers were attempting to teach, and basically saying "children will be children" and therefore should not be encouraged to examine the power dynamics that come into play when groups of children exclude other children. In fact, I imagine that many of the people on that board believe that it's probably preferable that children learn to grab what is theres without considering how their unearned privilege influences their "rights" of ownership.
While I realize there are many within the public school system who are trying desperately to counteract this idea that the distribution of wealth and resources in this country is somehow equitable and meritocratic, I am frankly somewhat appalled by the response to this article by people who are allegedly parents of children. Are there really that many people who are so opposed to their children learning that perhaps our system is less equitable than those in positions of privilege would lead you to believe that they need to demonize an earnest attempt to point out the inherent inequities of our system and work with children to combat those inequities in the classroom?
Obviously I am in total support of any curriculum which moves our children towards examining "rights" that are essentially extensions of unearned privilege. I am concerned, however, that this is such a controversial thing to stand for. If we can't even address these issues with something so benign as Legos without a firestorm of opposition, how on earth do we address global poverty, hunger, and health care crises?
James Brown and Capitalism
December 29, 2006
Another thought-provoking post by Richard:
It was very impressive that James Brown ascended so far from being in such a low place economically and socially (he came from some very real poverty) to become so wealthy and famous and, most importantly, such a major influence on so much good stuff – that is, so much good music and good culture. As I said before, if anyone had a moral right to talk about how people could come up from nothing to achieve the “American Dream,” James Brown did, because he'd made that kind of progress himself, unlike so many politicians who might promote the same idea but who actually started with lots of wealth and privilege right from birth. But I can’t help wondering whether a big part of James Brown’s success was due to the pure aggression and the unstoppable egotism that also influenced some of his worst behaviors. Of course he worked very hard and he had a lot of this quality that we call “talent” (whether that sort of thing is inborn or whether it is more a product of social influences , etc.), and he was also very socially concerned in some ways and generous, but maybe he had to have a lot of negative crap in his personality too in order to succeed in capitalism the way that he did.
Eat the Rich
September 29, 2006
We act as if people who are rich have somehow earned their money, and that is a lie from beginning to end. The riches come from not only valuing some work more than others, it goes back all the way to stealing land, enslaving people, and exploiting and murdering people. So today if you can 'get over' from legally exploiting people, it's all good; it's the American way. That is what this country was founded on, and this has somehow gotten laundered over the centuries into some perverted 'work ethic' belief that if you just work hard enough, YOU TOO can become rich, if you just apply yourself and pull yourself up by your bootstraps.
What is wrong with this country. (period)
September 3, 2006
me: oh fucking god.
There is a commercial
shit!
what the fuck is wrong with this country?
There is a commercial for a fucking cash america store
with a little girl who needs to go to the hospital
so her mom has to go to cash america to get a cash advance.
I want to gouge my eyes out.
I can't handle television, man.
Chris: hehe
yeah we should have at least universal free health care for kids
I mean
who's against that idea
me: well
cash america
for one.
***
That about sums it up, doesn't it?
Cherry-Picking communities
May 5, 2006
The Black Commentator - Issue 182 - May 4, 2006
On closer examination, the campaign against “concentrated poverty†is a scheme for making poverty invisible. The policy is based on an anti-urban bias that is as frivolous as it is deep-seated, as though the romanticized small towns across the nation are not plagued with the litany of “urban†problems. Wherever there is chronic joblessness and poverty, and no matter its color, there are high rates of crime, alcoholism, drugs, school dropouts, domestic violence, and mental health issues, especially among the poor youth who pass up the option to rescue themselves by joining the army and fighting America’s imperial wars. To echo C. Wright Mills, when poverty is spread thin, then these behaviors can be dismissed as individual aberrations stemming from moral blemishes, rather than a problem of society demanding political action.Besides, what kind of policy simply moves the poor into somebody else’s back yard, without addressing the root causes of poverty itself, and in the process disrupts the personal networks and community bonds of these indigent people? Contrary to the claim of the petition, the “careful studies†that have evaluated the “moving to opportunity†programs report very mixed results, and why should one think otherwise? Unless the uprooted families are provided with jobs and opportunities that are the sine qua non of stable families and communities, “move to opportunity†is only a spurious theory and an empty slogan.
[...]
This brings attention to two other fatal flaws in the logic of “moving to opportunity†policy. It is based on a demonized image of the reprobate poor, who make trouble for themselves and others. Yes, the drug dealers are swept out of the 9th ward, but so are countless others, often single mothers with children, with an extended kin network of siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and that heroic grandmother, who indeed have deep roots in the communities from which they are being evicted. How is it that this Gang of 200, from their ivory towers and gilded offices, presume to speak for the poor? Tossing in a caveat to the effect that “we do not seek to depopulate the city or its historically black communities†must be read literally. They want only to depopulate the city of concentrated poverty, and they will leave intact middle-class black communities that will insulate them from charges of racism.The great fallacy of the “moving to opportunity†programs is that, by definition, they reach only a small percentage of the poverty population (and typically those who are both motivated and qualified to participate in the program). Left behind are masses to fend for themselves, particularly since the “moving to opportunity†programs are themselves used as an excuse to disinvest in these poor black communities that are written off as beyond redemption. Moving to opportunity becomes a perverse euphemism for policy abdication of the poor people left behind who are in desperate need of programs, services, and jobs.
It strikes me that this is what gentrification is all about - thinning out people who live in poverty to make poverty invisible, an aberration, and someone else's problem. If you keep shifting the problem, you never have to solve it, and it always looks like you are acting on it.
This is all a result of viewing poverty as a concept, rather than a reality for people. If our nation's leaders and decision-makers really believed they were talking about people, rather than the concept of "poverty" - I would think (I would HOPE) they would not be so glib.
Oh, good fucking lord!
March 9, 2006
3 College Students Arrested in Alabama Church Fires - New York Times
The identities of the accused came as a surprise to investigators, who had speculated that the arsons were the work of people intimately familiar with the remote rural roads where the fires were set, not products of Birmingham's upper-middle class, one the son of a doctor and another of a county constable."This is just so hard to believe," said Alabama Fire Marshal Richard Montgomery. "My profile on these suspects is shot all to heck and back."
Gov. Bob Riley said he was happy to learn that the fires were "an isolated incident" and not an organized attack on religious beliefs or Baptists. Speaking at a news conference announcing the arrests, he said the last five weeks had been "a pretty tough time" for church-goers.
You know, the FIRES might not have been racially motivated...but this crap that they are spewing about the perps is nothing short of total racism/classism.
Can you IMAGINE what they would be saying if the arsonists were black and/or low-income? Certainly they wouldn't be playing up that "aww, it was all fun and games." Aspect.
I'll be sure to pass that bit of wisdom on to my children whenever I catch them playing with matches. "You know" I will tell them "It's always fun until somebody BURNS DOWN A MOTHERFUCKING CHURCH."
[link via The Dees Diversion]
Some more posts about economics
March 1, 2006
Richard summarizes a number of Paul Craig Roberts' Counterpunch articles here, and discusses the shortcomings of an article about Economic Civil Disobedience here.
Pocket Change.
February 21, 2006
Another interesting article about global economics and poverty:
Friday morning in New Orleans a truck pulls up and is immediately surrounded by a group of Hispanic men. The driver shouts out his needs; the men shout back their price. Across the street a banner reads: "Remember those suffering from Katrina and Rita." But why remember something you can still see? The confederate general, high on his column in the middle of the roundabout, looks on at the haggling. Some go back to the curb; others jump in the back of the van. These scenes are replayed throughout the US every day. Scattered vignettes of supply and demand woven together with intense vulnerability that illustrate the human imperfections in a so-called perfect market.A recent report from the University of California suggests that every morning 117,600 day labourers are hired this way. Half are employed by homeowners looking for gardening and domestic work. Slightly more than 40% are employed by contractors in construction and landscaping. Nationwide almost two-thirds are Hispanic and just over a quarter are from central America.
I guess I'm starting my semester early!
Poverty in the US
February 21, 2006
I'm going to be spending the spring focusing economics, both personal and global. This post by Egalia helps to clarify one of the reasons why I feel like personal and global economics need to be studied together. While it's important for me to get my finances in order, it's also important for me to understand the context of my struggle.
The comments to that post are as informative as the post itself, and are really illustrative of how we distance ourselves from reality using the metaphorical tools (such as this ambiguous concept of GDP as an indicator of wealth) of our masters to define our realities.
Laundromat Revolution!
February 20, 2006
If I were to attempt to instigate a revolution, I would begin at the laundromat. In fact, I wish I had more time today to hang out and talk to the men who were there, talking about hard times and how "Those people in the government need to be told, once and for all, that there's no incentive to work! Making money only forces you to owe more money, and they get it all in the end!" Wow! If that's not the seed of revolution, I don't know what is. And it's all happening at the laundromat.
In fact, when I think about it, what better place? Generally speaking, laundromats are utilized by people who are not property holders and who have limited means. You have to sit there and wait for your clothes, so there is plenty of time to gab and shoot the shit and you are also sort of trapped there to listen to the opposing viewpoints of your neighbors. In such close quarters, civility is a necessity. I think, when my kids are a bit older and more able to do without me here for an hour or so at a time, I might just start hanging out at the laundromat - at least on wet, cloudy days like today where the clothesline is not an option. Maybe I'll just start hanging out there without even doing any laundry. Reading a book and waiting for an opportunity to engage in interesting conversation with my neighbors.
Thoughts on the weekend...history, social issues, and my mental/emotional state.
February 19, 2006
I spent the weekend at the Historians Against the War convention at UT, which was kicked of ceremoniously with a brilliant keynote one-two of Andrea Smith and Howard Zinn. I thought both of them gave compelling presentations, and I jotted down copious notes in spite of having to deal with really cramped quarters. At some point, I will share my notes from that keynote and from the rest of the event, but I think I really just want to write about my experience of the event in general.
First of all, DAMN, people are impatient. Including myself. The first person who approached the mic for Q&A rambled on a bit about the lovely performance activism she is doing, and within a minute, the audience was telling her to get to the point, in a not very nice way. I felt myself feeling the same way - and it happened multiple times throughout the weekend. By the 3rd or 4th time I really began to grow uncomfortable with the whole method of mob silencing that was happening & I was pleased when some with louder voices would counteract the "Shut up and ask a question" crowd. I wondered, too, why I wasn't the person counteracting, considering I was one person feeling uncomfortable with it. So, one lesson learned at the history conference was that I need to find my voice and use it.
The panels and the speakers throughout the event were informative, intelligent, and remarkable. I did kind of wish there was a way to include dissenting voices among the crowd to get a richer discussion, but in my heart of hearts I knew a) that wasn't really the point of the conference and b) it is rare for that kind of dialog to take place in a non-threatening way - particularly when there are elements of the crowd who find it necessary to silence even the voices of agreement.
At lunchtime, I situated myself in the far corner of the room to avoid all human contact. I guess I'm in that kind of mood lately. I dunno. I sat eating and pretending to write in my journal, but really I was observing everyone. Mr. Zinn was sitting two tables away, facing me...so I laughed to myself about the fact that I was practically eating lunch with one of the greatest historians of our time. I thought about maybe going back to school to study history. And then two nice boys joined me and we talked briefly about last night's speech and education and whatnot. It was a nice, pleasant conversation & allowed me to feel good about the fact that I didn't avoid human contact altogether, in spite of my best efforts to the contrary. Ha!
I was exhausted when I arrived home Saturday night, but I went out to dinner with J anyway. We went to Swad and it was pleasant, but there was dis/ease. I get the feeling it is painful for him to hang out with me, and that painfulness is maybe exacerbated by the fact that it's NOT painful for me. Or maybe he's just in pain in general. I don't know/can't claim that it has anything to do with me at all, but the dosa and chole bhatura and sev potato puri was fabulous, and it was nice to see J as he has been ill for a bit. He even helped me to fix a computer problem I have been having. I couldn't find the R. Kelly videos I told him I was going to make him watch with me, which was kind of a bummer, and he left early in the evening...which was probably good because I was so tired & sort of overwhelmed with being around people.
I was invited to a party, which had been making me nervous all week. The person who invited me is someone who I really enjoy hanging around, and actually would love to go to a party with at some point, because he always makes me feel at ease...but I just have not been feeling the whole "large crowd" thing lately & I was balking. So there was this dynamic of me feeling torn that I wasn't going to get to see my friend, but fairly certain that I would have a crappy time going to a party that was making me feel extra-super wishy washy about giving a definitive answer. I did SAY no to the party several times, but I'm fortunate that my friend is pretty sensitive about how I'm feeling, so even though he heard no, I think he sensed my feelings of hesitation and kept asking (because normally he accepts my boundaries pretty readily, actually, which is why he's so very very dear to me) - but the thing is that in addition to the original party, he was now going to be attending a fucking FRAT party, and all of the reasons for me not wanting to go were suddenly increased 5 million fold & not only that...suddenly the very idea was making me feel upset and agitated. I told my friend I was just going to go to bed, but when I laid down to sleep, I started feeling really upset about the whole party/meat market atmosphere.
I dunno...it started to really get to me that what I look like - and what others look like to me - dictates to such a great extent whether or not we ever really get to know them on a deeper level, whether we are even talking about a relationship level or not. Plus, it made me feel all shaky and weepy to think that going to a party is an exercise in dressing myself up to be judged and evaluated and deemed worthy/unworthy by random strangers in a room. blah! I'm not quite sure what actually precipitated all of this. I can't really say it has anything to do with hanging around in a room full of history nerds all day. And it's not even that I don't feel like I "measure up" or whatever...it's just the very act of feeling like other people are measuring me...in mass quantities...that started to ook me out a bit. Maybe, too, you know...I'm 36 years old! I guess to a certain extent I feel like my friend is inviting his mom out to a party with him, which seems kind of silly.
At any rate, I was able to express these feeling abruptly to my friend and get them out enough to where I was able to actually fall asleep, but it's still bothering me today that I felt so weird about it. Part of me feels totally justified in feeling that way, and part of me is like "Whatever, lady - it's just another background for whatever you experience...why get all bent out of shape." And I wonder if I would have refused to go last month or if I will refuse to go next month or the month after that. I spent much of the day today trying to figure out when I have last been to a party - like a house party of someone I don't know - and I just can't remember. And then I started trying to remember when I have ever actually met anyone worth knowing at a party, and I can't remember that, either...so I don't feel so bad. But, then, I do recall having been to some parties with friends and just enjoying the experience...so maybe that's the key. But, I guess going to a party with a male friend who is scouting for a relationship is probably what was making me feel like it wouldn't be such a good idea.
I dunno. I've already spent way more energy on this than it probably deserves, but I'm just sort of interested in why being asked to a party evoked such a strong, reactive emotional response in me. So I'll probably think about it more, but if anyone out there has any thoughts about that, I'd love to hear them.
Today I woke up late, but managed to only miss the one speaker in the whole event who made me feel impatient and irritated. There were only about 5 people on the 3-hour panel this morning, so there was lots of time for discussion in the end, and I really enjoyed hearing from all of the regular people in the room. One woman mentioned that the closest she has ever been to going to university was attending university conferences & I wanted to stand up and applaud her as she mentioned that it might be good for the panelists to consider that there are lots of people who don't have degress who could benefit from what they are saying. Then the ever-present Carl Webb made the important point that we need to bring this stuff off-campus and share information and solidarity with those who don't ever set foot on campus. I requested more resources for younger children, which is something I'm probably going to write about later, as so much of the historical research and documentation is geared towards high school and up - and even in our very good library, there are still tons and tons of books that teach the kind of history that I have to go back later and say "Oh, by the way, everything in this book is either wrong or told from a perspective that invalidates what really happened."
And now I am home. And it is fucking cold out there. And I have a million bajillion things to do, but I just want to curl up in a little ball under all of my covers and think through all of the events of the week - both educational and emotional - and breathe, and listen to music, and think, and allow myself to feel all of it, and work through all of it, and come out on the other side with some ideas about how to deal with it all.
But first I need to make myself a fucking sandwich, because I am HUNGRY!!!!!!!!
It's Getting Thick in South America...
January 5, 2006
Mr Humala was invited to Caracas earlier this week to meet the Venezuelan leader and attend a news conference which was also attended by Bolivia's President-elect Evo Morales.Mr Humala said he was visiting Venezuela, along with other Latin American nations, to discuss "economic, political and social integration".
"It's the beginning of an international agenda," he said.
President Chavez praised him for "joining the battle" against the Free Trade Area of the Americas backed by Washington and a number of countries in the region.
[source]
Walkin' to New Orleans
November 5, 2005
Well, actually, I'm driving. Anyone want to join me? I have room for 5-7 adults (depending on how comfortable you want to be) and I should be leaving sometime around Thanksgiving Day (either the day of or the day after). Here's the scoop:
Come lend a hand over the week of Thanksgiving until November 27th. That's less than three weeks away!The folks at Common Ground invite you to join an estimated 300 volunteers from around the continent to converge in New Orleans the week of Thanksgiving.We want to encourage those in attendance to arrive with building & clearning supplies, donated equipment and, if possible, funds that can apply directly to help rebuild and the 9th Ward.
For more information, visit the Common Ground Road Trip for Relief page.
Gah! I just realized the relief party ends ON Thanksgiving. I'm going to see if I might be able to leave the day before. It just depends on work. If I can't, then I am definitely leaving early early Thanksgiving morning or after 9 the night before.
UnGah! I was looking at a stupid October calendar. The relief party continues through the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Which means I will leave either Thanksgiving Day (which I'm hoping would be a good travel day) or the day after. And coming back either Saturday night or Sunday morning...although I'm pretty open to whatever days are best for whoever wants to come with.
Safety Net
October 5, 2005
I'm feeling a bit...disconcerted? Off kilter? Melancholy? All of the above...today. I had a discussion with a client yesterday that blew me away, in spite of the fact that I typically feel inured to being blown away by our society's unwillingness to recognize the problem of poverty among hard-working individuals. But I think the reason it effected me so much yesterday is because as leaves fall from the trees, I get glimpses into the clearing of my future, and it can sometimes seem very bleak and stark.
Basically this client, a woman over 60 years of age, was describing a work environment that was just godawful. She has skills, but she can't find a job because she's "too old" - many people won't hire her. She's currently earning 8 dollars an hour doing assembly work, and can't afford to find a place to live on her own with that money, so she resides with her daughter. She hopes to make 10 dollars an hour soon.
I gotta say something here...10 dollars an hour does not get you much in Austin. This is a grown adult woman with skills and the ability to work, and her DREAM is to earn 10 dollars an hour so she can get an apartment of her own. Do you hear what I am telling you? God. It's fucking depressing. That's what it is.
And I guess I feel vulnerable. I am a woman who works hard and has marketable skills. I have no college education. I own a house that I cannot afford to pay for without a roommate and child support (which is evidently not a priority for the person who is supposed to be paying it.) And I can't sell without spending a good deal of time (that I don't have) and money (that I double don't have) fixing it up & even then I owe half of the profit (or more) to the person who used to live here with me (who is, ironically, the person who is supposed to be paying the child support.) There isn't much left after that, so I might as well stay. And I have no safety net. In times of turmoil with my family, I don't even feel like I have a family to fall back on if the shit hits the fan. However, even in the best of times, my family can't provide much of a financial safety net.
Normally, this doesn't bother me. I can't DO anything about it, so I ignore it. But when the leaves fall from the trees and I see the starkness of it...Hell yeah, it bothers me. It's easy to see why staying in a relationship that wasn't providing half of what I needed was appealing to me. And to extrapolate - it's really easy to see why so many people settle for situations that provide a modicum of stability in exchange for what little freedom and dignity they might have.
Monk needs about $1000 worth of dental work, as do I, I'm sure. I need new glasses. The dogs and cats need shots and flea treatment & I'm spending all of my money on food and bills and an occasional treat of music. I know I'll come through this somehow...but when the leaves are falling from the trees, it's difficult to look past that stark clearing & over the top of that next summit.
Sorry to be such a bummer.
Dude, that's just WRONG.
September 26, 2005
The Raw Story | CBS News says Michael Brown rehired as FEMA consultant
From CBS's Katrina blog: "Sept. 26, 2005 /6:44 p.m. (CBS) — CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger reports that Michael Brown, who recently resigned as the head of the FEMA, has been rehired by the agency as a consultant to evaluate it's [sic] response following Hurricane Katrina."
It makes last week's This Modern World seem all the more plausible.
Pedantically Simplify Away, Asfo_Del
September 26, 2005
That's why politicians' hollow schemes to improve education and job training in order to lift large numbers out of poverty can't work: they address individuals and not the entirety of the population. Yes, it may be possible to help a given individual by helping her get a job, but everyone cannot be lifted that way, because good jobs for every person are simply not available.
Engels on Mamas
September 24, 2005
Just wanted to pull this link up to the main page so everyone can read it.
There's more rolling around in my head about this, I keep trying to write something, but it's still ultimately all too personal to me, and I want to present it a bit more generally. The link above helps. A lot. And it's all tied together, like someone mentioned, with a bunch of stuff I have been posting about/thinking about this week.
So, yeah...thanks to Cheshire for keeping it thoughtful. I know we probably don't see eye-to-eye on some things & that makes it all the more heart-warming that I have somehow managed to reach you. Thank you. I know it sounds incredibly cheesy, but it means a lot to me.
The Hidden Cost of Being Poor
September 21, 2005
I've been thinking about this since Katrina struck and jarred my thinking about my relationship with money and our society's inability to face our issues of poverty and distress.
Actually, I started thinking about this for kind of selfish reasons. In the aftermath of Katrina, everyone was talking about the money they were giving to the Red Cross and other agencies. I was being hit from all sides by the guilt machine. At work, I was given an option to deduct my contribution directly from my paycheck. Online, I was told that if I wasn't giving money, my opinion was less worthy.
The truth was, late August and September have been difficult months for me financially. I took a road trip that was actually extremely inexpensive but still way beyond my means, and it left me flailing for the remainder of the month and throughout September. I will still be feeling the after-effects of it, I'm sure, until the end of the year. I knew I wasn't going to be able to contribute any money to disaster relief efforts.
So, I volunteered my time. I was able to eke about 8 hours out of my schedule to work at a call center. I enjoyed it a great deal. I got to meet some very cool people, and I found the work to be very fulfilling, even though much of the time I was there I was thinking about all of the shit I needed to get done at home that I wasn't getting done because I was there.
It wasn't until the next week that it hit me that my inability to donate money, which "forced me" to donate my time (although I was glad to give it. Work with me here.) was yet another form of what I like to call "poor people tax."
Sandra Bollock went down to the convention center and handed out a bottle of water at one point a couple of weeks ago. Rumor had it that she dragged her whole entourage with her, set up cameras, handed out a few bottles of water, and left. I'm sure she also donated a great deal of money to the cause, which she was no doubt able to write off on her taxes.
My time cannot be written off. THAT, my friends, is poor people tax.
So, I got to thinking about the other hidden costs of being poor (or at least financially strapped). A lot of people mention renting as a hidden cost of being poor. No owned assets equals no equity equals you are just throwing your money away on rent. As a homeowner, I am definitely speaking from a place of privilege here, but homeowning is not exactly the be-all end-all of saving money. A house is a depreciable asset that requires maintenance and upkeep. And when extenuating circumstances prevent you from being able to keep up with the dramatic yearly increases in the motherfucking property taxes, much less the mounting repair obligations, it can be mighty fucking taxing to be a homeowner, too.
I started thinking, too, that bank charges are poor people tax. Because it's really expensive to have an overdraft at any point in the month. I never had to worry about overdrafts when I was able to keep a buffer in my bank account, but lately I skate on the very edge of it every month, and an unexpected ATM/bank charge or check that was being held by someone for a month or so, only to be cashed when I least expected it can cause my entire financial world to tumble down. I figure an overdraft once a year or so is still cheaper than interest on a credit card. But, then again, just having a bank account is a privilege of mine that many people with lesser means than me can't even afford. In which case, it's 1% to cash a check at the local HEB, and it costs money to pay your bills or buy your money orders. That is poor people tax.
I'm sure if I thought about it a little bit more, I can think of more. But I can't bear to think about it more, because it just ends up pissing me off. I mean, on a grand scale, there are so many savings opportunities for those who have the means to invest in them. From bulk goods to tax breaks to tax fucking lawyers to write offs to loopholes to shelters. From lower interest rates for those with better credit all the way to better schools for those who can afford them. You know? It's all about hidden costs of being poor, and the obvious privilege that comes with financial wealth.
*ETA - Oh, fuck...I didn't even mention the hidden cost of not having health insurance, therefore the reduced likelihood of regular doctor check-ups, therefore the increased risk of illnesses going undiagnosed. That's a fucking huge one!
Ms. B schooling on Socialism v. Nazism
September 18, 2005
People who distill socialism into state ownership and vague mentions of workers are idiots. People who just shout and stamp and point to the name National Socialism are almost beyond redemption.
Chavez receives "loudest applause of the summit"
September 17, 2005
Chavez Takes Bush to Task on World Stage Over War in Iraq
World leaders at the summit had been asked to speak for five minutes but Chavez ran long and when the presiding diplomat passed him a note saying his time was up, he threw it on the floor. He said if Bush could speak for 20 minutes, so could he.When he finally stopped, he got what observers said was the loudest applause of the summit.
[...]
Chavez, whose country is the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, also warned the world is facing an unprecedented energy crisis.He told reporters later the crisis will keep growing, "not because we the producers want it but because we are running out of oil."
Chavez singled out the United States as the most wasteful country, saying he was shocked when a quarter of all the cars he counted Thursday morning on New York streets had one person in them.
"That's crazy, one person with a huge car ... that is using up gas and polluting the atmosphere," he said at a news conference. "The world cannot tolerate this model of development called the American way of life."
Not a lot...Just a little
September 15, 2005
Zagg informed me that there's a Katrina edition of get your war on.
Depressing, but somehow perfect. I don't know how Rhys does it. He comes right up to the line of totally inappropriate, but doesn't step over it.
Also, Zagg says he has ideas about what we can do. I'm waiting to hear more.
If you have to do the dishes.
September 12, 2005
If you have to do the dishes
by: Shel Silverstein
If you have to do the dishes
such an awful, boring chore--
If you have to do the dishes
instead of going to the store--
If you have to do the dishes
and you drop one on the floor,
maybe they won't let you do the dishes anymore!
Just...fuck.
September 7, 2005
Believe it or not, I have to struggle to believe stuff like this. As much as I think Bush is an evil fuck, I just have a really hard time believing he is THAT fucking evil. Even when the facts bear it out.
Jesus, look at that picture, will you. The rolling of the sleeves...the frat-boy sneer...Ladies and gentlemen, our president.
And, by the way, is Dick Cheney DEAD or something? Where the Hell is he?
More on the crime rumors
September 7, 2005
Reason: The Deadly Bigotry of Low Expectations?: Did the rumor mill help kill Katrina victims?
As Katrina wiped out New Orleans' communications infrastructure, and while key federal officials repeatedly expressed less knowledge than cable television reporters, panicky rumors quickly rushed in to fill the void. Many of them have shared the exact same theme—unspeakable urban ultra-violence, perpetuated by the overwhelmingly black population.
[via authentic replica]
Barbara Bush and Chumbawamba
September 6, 2005
Barbara Bush's comment today about the "under-privileged" (complete with a fiendish fucking chuckle) made me think about this song by Chumbawamba:
III. COMMERCIAL BREAK"I'm the wife of the Boss of the company
And I always make my husband answer to me
With what he says about the blacks, I totally agree
The main problem is, they're not civilised, you see
Look at the way they squabble between themselves
Rioting at funerals - they'll surely go to hell
If you gave them nice houses, they'd only burn them down
(You don't get that in a white man's town).
And boycotting products won't do them any good
You see they need the trade to help buy food
And when I visit my niece on her beautiful homestead
The blacks who work for her seem realy quite content
So I'll agree with my husband 'Let things stay as they are'
That's always been his motto, and we've gone far.
And made me really want to listen to this record to sublimate some rage, except I'm sick to death that an album that was produced, what...almost TWENTY fucking years ago to expose ideas about how capitalism is inherently racist and classist and exploitative of other cultures is still fucking totally valid today. And not only is it VALID, but it's not even something that we can point to as happening "over there" in a "third world country." It's happening right fucking here. Thus the term "refugees" being used to refer to the hurricane survivors (I'm sure I even used the term at first, before I realized how fucking horrifying it actually was).
Dude. That's just fucked up.
You know...I'm really starting to understand why fucking right-wing Christians don't believe in evolution. It's because they fucking refuse to EVOLVE. Can we, as a society, MOVE FORWARD please.
Also, can I just say that I really fucking miss Aaron Hawkins. Damn I miss Aaron Hawkins right now. So much.
I woke up this morning in a cold sweat...
September 6, 2005
...wondering "Where the hell is Dick Cheney?"
The 'city' of Louisiana - Bloggermann - MSNBC.com
Mr. Bush has now twice insisted that, "we are not satisfied," with the response to the manifold tragedies along the Gulf Coast. I wonder which "we" he thinks he's speaking for on this point. Perhaps it's the administration, although we still don't know where some of them are. Anybody seen the Vice President lately? The man whose message this time last year was, 'I'll Protect You, The Other Guy Will Let You Die'? I don't know which 'we' Mr. Bush meant.
More Fun Debates with Conservatives and Libertarians
September 4, 2005
The conversation on the homeschooling list has moved on to poverty, in general. I posted the essay on "being poor" yesterday, and my least favorite list member responded that poverty is a choice. This caused a few people to relate their tales of how they lifted themselves out of poverty to become the successful people they are today (one of whom said that my post, in itself, was offensive), and caused at least one person to note the offensiveness in the idea that poverty is a choice.
This last idea caused my least favorite person to respond in an exasperated tone "Don't you people know ANYONE who CHOSE to be poor?" and basically went on to talk about how we must all be perfect and never make mistakes that land us in the poorhouse. And how we haven't even begun to discuss how difficult it is to teach children the values of the protestant work ethic.
I responded:
Your implication is that people who are NOT poor have made fewer mistakes than people who ARE poor. That's not only patently offensive, it's a totally erroneous assumption.
George W. Bush had several failed businesses, AND he was an alcoholic. The man is wealthy beyond belief.
The fact is that, in our country, there are certain people who are not allowed to make mistakes and "wrong choices" without suffering the consequences, and there are people who are given a multitude of chances to correct their mistakes. Mostly, money follows money. And money excuses a lot of mistakes and bad behavior.
My children are taught that thrift, diligence, foresight, forbearance, charity, sobriety, etc. etc. are admirable qualities that many humans - rich and poor - possess. They are taught that sloth, greed, insolence, insobriety, etc. etc. are also qualities that many humans - rich and poor - possess.
The people I know who live in poverty have both bad and good qualities, like just about everyone.
The other day, my 8-year old told me he knew why poor people committed crimes...his answer was because they needed things that other people had. We discussed that there was some validity to that, however there is an element of society, rich and poor, who commit crimes for known and unknown reasons that have nothing to do with need. Think Enron. Think, oh, all sorts of corporate crime.
I think the person who said you can't judge rich or poor people..."That knife cuts both ways." Was correct. But the knife cuts both ways in multiple directions.
Livelifelove
Lainie
Not bad for first thing in the morning, I think. Notice how I managed to restrain myself from saying that George Bush was a "coke-snorting alcoholic" and truncated it to just alcoholic. And no cuss words!
Another Must Read.
September 3, 2005
more on getting public assistance | media girl (mediagirl.org)
The next time some conservative lashes out on *welfare*, the catch-all phrase for public assistance of any kind, you have my permission to punch them in the face.
See Also: How to Get Food Stamps
Being Poor
September 3, 2005
[via Pen-Elayne]
The Thin Veneer (or, Adventures in dealing with religious right-wing homeschoolers)
September 3, 2005
WARNING: This is a very self-congratulatory post, but I guess that's what blogs are all about.
I spent a good portion of the day yesterday firing off emails to the state-wide Texas homeschool email list. I was irritated with a glib response someone made to the Nagin interview, so my initial email went like this:
Shut the **** up, M.E. Nowhere in the entire interview did he say that. You took the most human/honest interview any of us are likely to ever hear a politician give in our lifetime and distilled it down to a dishonest assertion of your same old political rhetoric.
Granted, I realize that at the end of the day, Mr. Nagil is just a politician. I expected to have to end up admitting that. I expected that the conversation would turn towards apologism towards the republican regime in this country. And it did. The initiator of the conversation and his henchman were pissed about the fact that their Republican Regime was being blamed by Nagin. I responded to their bleetings:
You two are unbelievable. We are talking about the MAYOR of a city, who has had to make the choice between committing all of his security forces to rescuing people who are standing neck deep in water IN THEIR ATTICS and policing the looters. This is not a local problem, nor were/are the structural integrity of the levees a local problem.The port in New Orleans is the FIFTH LARGEST PORT in the world. This is a port that is absolutely essential to our country. Are you telling me that the president doesn't have a vested interest in maintaining the integrity of this port? That's utter bullshit. People have, FOR YEARS been talking about the fact that these levees cannot withstand a serious hurricane. Federal funding for repairing them was CUT.
Now people are dying. The port is closed. PEOPLE ARE STARVING TO DEATH AND DYING OF DEHYDRATION. Yes, it's the mayor's job to help restore order. I'm seeing that he is doing a damn good job of that. I'm seeing that there are others who are not. There are others who could have foreseen this and could have minimized the effects.
Are you even reading the news? I don't get why anyone is invested in protecting the freaking president for criticism about this. He has majorly screwed up, here. That he's not the only one who screwed up doesn't really matter...he's the freaking commander-in-chief, already. The fact that this is so screwed up reflects on our entire nation...and the fact that we can't save people after a hurrcane doesn't exactly make it look like we can defend ourselves from, much less withstand, any sort of terrorist attack.
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/8/30/212451/290 (for information on the history of federal cuts to work on the levees)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9160710/ (for some insight into why so many of us are so angry about this.)
Get real,
lainie
There were the requisite "Why are you even arguing about this!" posts, and then someone claimed the Nagin was speaking for God when he said that God was watching and would judge. I responded:
It's not so much a matter of placing blame as in holding people accountable and instigating action, which is exactly what I believe Mr. Nagin was trying to do.[...]
That's funny. As a non-christian, I read it as him refusing to place judgment on people and, instead, doing what good Christians do and leaving the judgment to god.
He doesn't say "George Bush is going to Hell." He says "if they are not doing everything in their power to save people..."
That sounds pretty reasonable. We all have different degrees of power, do we not? The only difference between my belief and Mayor Nagin is that I believe people should be judged in this lifetime. I judge Mr. Bush rather harshly for this.
Livelifelove
Lainie
They like to whip out that "speaking for God" shit whenever someone who is not a rabidly religious republican mentions God's name.
Then...it started. Little hints of "personal responsibility" on the part of the citizens of New Orleans began to seep into the conversation. It started innocently enough, with one or two people saying that the citizens should have been more vocal in their demands for shoring up the levees. One woman claimed she "knew" why people weren't leaving...it was because "they" have a laissez faire attitude about these things, that's why. And she had the authority to state this because she once lived there, and "they" have known for more than a century that this was going to happen. I was starting to fear that outright victim blaming was soon to follow.
(more below the fold...this goes on and on)
I tried to stop it:
I know people in New Orleans, too. All of them left, because they had the means. It looks to me (and this assumption has been confirmed all over the news) like the people who stayed did not have the means to leave. It had nothing to do with a "laissez faire attitude." It has to do with abject poverty.I appreciate what you are saying here, but I think it's absolutely unacceptable for anyone to claim that the victims of this situation are to blame for their predicament. You are alluding to that fact, which I guess is your right. However, I don't feel that it's the right of the director of FEMA to use such loaded terms as "those who chose to stay." It is at best insensitive, and at worst places blame that should fall on the shoulders of those we pay to protect the citizens (from the police force on up to the president) squarely on the shoulders of the victims. I think that's bull.
Yes, I think there are many people to blame. I also feel like a system (economic and social) which allows people to live in abject poverty in the richest country in the world, and then leaves them to die while police guard boutiques in the French quarter is also, quite squarely, to blame.
Livelifelove
lainie
I figured I would distract them into an argument about socialism which would fizzle out quite quickly, and would spare me the agony of watching privileged (mostly white) folks engage in bullshit victim blaming. It didn't work. The next comment talked about "all of the busses that arrived in New Orleans" to take people to shelters. And how there was interview after interview after interview with people who confirmed they had stayed because they WANTED to, rather than they had to. Also, why was I so angry? I swallowed my disgust over the thought that someone would shove a fucking microphone in the face of a survivor and ask "So, why did you stay?" (knowing full well this woman was LYING OUT OF HER ASS.) but I was honestly curious about the bus after bus, because that's not at all what I had heard. So I responded:
I am not looking for someone to blame. I am tired of poor people being blamed because our elected officials refuse to take responsibility.Aside from not having the means, if all I had was a house and my choice was to leave and not have something to come home to or "ride it out" and stand by the only thing of value that I have, I cannot say that I wouldn't try to "ride it out."
There's more to it than what some of us perceive as a simple decision.
And please do tell me about the buses that were bringing people to the shelters. I have not heard about the buses in all of my reading (which, of course, does not mean there weren't any.) Were these the shelters that were so poorly managed that people were raped and murdered and left without food and water there? And not only that, were not allowed to leave? That's not much of a choice at all.
I think it's disgusting how people are jumping on people for blaming the government, but allowing other people to blame the people who have lost EVERYTHING.
You are damn right I am angry. I am angry that I'm sitting here in my office in front of my computer trying to brainstorm what I can do with the 50 dollars and quarter tank of gas I have to my name right now...and that no one seems to be doing anything to help the people down there who are starving to death and dying of thirst. And on top of that, people feel like they need to place blame on THEM.
You know, on second thought...anger doesn't even begin to cover it.
Livelifelove
Lainie
The response to that was that I was "really crossing a line." And then it was all systems go on the victim blaming. This woman who I was arguing with. This woman who in other posts was organizing and finding ways to help the victims...then started talking about how "New Orleans is dangerous on a good day" and is filled with "violent criminals" and how I should call the shelthers in LA that had already taken in these people and find out for myself that "The folks there will tell you they have seen a sharp increase in violent crime since they have received their new guests and aren't happy about it at all. Yep, violent crime no matter how much they have been given to eat and drink and even being housed prior to the hurricane...isn't that interesting. And about how my dear victims were not all "sweet and innocent." Why, some of them even refused to go to shelters because they had warrants, and didn't want to be arrested! And, by the way, what was *I* doing, besides "spewing anger."
Hmmm...not sounding very Christian now. I was pissed. Pissed. Where to fucking begin? Now, granted, this is a homeschool list, so it's not exactly like people go there to have debates over political topics (HAHAHAHAHA - basically, the reality is that a few people start shit, usually having to do with either politics or religion, and then the list mom comes in and cuts off the conversation before anyone can resolve anything...if anything was ever resolvable). Basically, I was pretty much breaking all of the rules of decorum by being direct and using some cuss words. And I knew the conversation was about to be interrupted, so what was the point in even bringing up the racist/classest implications of the disparate crime rates.
Right.A lot of people in power have a lot to gain by painting all or most of the poor people as violent criminals. I'm so sorry you have bought into that.
Have you SEEN the video of the convention center? Did you WATCH it? Did you HEAR the mayor cry about the situation? How can you condemn a man who is showing real human emotion. It's more than I have seen from ANY official in this time of crisis. I mean, a little humanity would go a long way towards dispelling my worst fear that really the people in power don't give two shits about the poor people and the people of color who are suffering the most right now.I asked you to point me in the direction of the news report about the buses because I believe you, but I have not read anything of the sort. If there really was such a thing, I feel like I should know.
As for what I am doing. As I said, I have 50 dollars to my name until my next paycheck. I suppose that makes me a violent criminal, too. However, I have already placed my spare room on all of the housing lists I can find.
This is the spare room that I desperately need to rent out so I can try to recover from 3 years without child support, but I figure if I have hung in this long, I can wait a bit longer. I will be spending the weekend painting and volunteering for the red cross. So don't get all high and mighty on me.I'm also doing my best to cull news reports and write about what is going on from various media sources. That's what I do. I'm an aggregator/agitator, of sorts.
And don't think I think any citizen on this list isn't doing the best that they can, either. I believe everyone is. However, I also believe that it's the job of our government to pull together the concerted effort that we as citizens do not have the resources to pull together.
Don't tell me not to spew anger at you. Trust me, you only get a small tiny iota of my anger. I reserve the rest for the people who truly deserve it. I just consider you to be a bit misguided and ignorant about the workings of our capitalist system...I have more pity than anger for you.
Livelifelove
lainie
Someone else chimed in by saying she was miffed that there were people who chose to stay in their homes for "lame" reasons, and now people were having to risk their lives to save them. The conversation drifted even more into the "They should have evacuated" realm. It didn't take long for them to go there. It really didn't. Someone even said "crap happens" (because you know you can't say SHIT...it makes the baby Jesus cry.) You know it was the first fucking thing on their minds. It fucking pisses me off:
None of us is in a position to judge why people "chose" to stay. None of us.This is absolutely ridiculous.
Be miffed. They don't deserve to starve to death.
And even if you have the hubris to assume you can judge why people stayed....why would you condemn children to death for the choices of their parents?
None of this is anything but finger pointing and blame laying, which is, ironically, what everyone jumped all over me for.
Unfortunately, the only person who is not to be blamed are the government officials. I find this to be absolutely unacceptable.
I should point out that, even if you buy the "violent criminals" line (and I'm so, so sorry if you do.) We currently have many, many people putting their lives on the line to defend Iraqis from violent criminals.
I suppose it's not a "noble cause" if the people are chanting "Save Us!"
whenever a camera chances upon them.Damn.
Livelifelove
Lainie
That "damn" really got me in trouble. I ACTUALLY was going to say godDAMN! But I refrained for the benefit of the sensitive people on the list. The response to this post was "My goodness you are angry and nasty" and some bullshit about how I am invalidating my point by using "cuss words." I was told I needed to "calm down." And that I was getting "too emotional." I missed it at the time, but someone actually validated the "New Orleans is crime-ridden" bullshit by saying something like "you aren't kidding! My mom and dad had to put me in private school & my dad worked two jobs to do it!" & the originator of the "violent criminal" argument told me that I needed to watch the crime rate of Houston (HOUSTON!) because, I would see, it was going to rise because of "these people." Watch the crime rate in Houston and then you will remember what people said. New Orleans was always violent and it still is. Utter classist/racist fucking bullshit. I was reminded once more that I was "angry" and "hateful" and that it was probably best that I not do any volunteer work because the last thing those refugees need is someone to incite them. Thankfully, I had received two really nice, supportive emails from the two other people on the list who saw through this bullshit. However, at this point, I had given up & I figured I might as well go all out on the cuss-o-meter:
If you aren't angry, there is something very wrong with you. I suspect it is because you have imposed an arbitrary distance between yourself and those who are affected.And, clutch the motherfucking pearls. My goodness. I "cursed." Big fucking deal.
I suppose that puts me in the "violent criminal" class, as well.
I'm telling you that you are illustrating exactly what is wrong in New Orleans. It's the fact that we can so easily invalidate the experiences of other people by inventing dividing lines that have abso(fucking)lutely nothing to do with human worth.
I am very calm. I'm glad we are in agreement that we need to get them out. Now let's stop vilifying and demonizing the poor and hold our elected officials accountable, without excuses, shall we?
I'm out. I think you all need to examine why my anger is so startling. I started this morning by weeping over the videos. I don't understand why you are confused about some anger over this EGREGIOUS injustice.
Livelifelove
Lainie
Thus ended the arguments. The list mom shut it down, and I was happy to oblige. It was recommended that we instead discuss ways that we can help people. Great idea. Too bad their "God" doesn't seem to distinguish between condescending bullshit charity and actual charity of the heart and soul.
So, yeah...I know why people dislike homeschoolers so fucking much.
Intelligent Design and Social Darwinism. Together Forever.
August 31, 2005
Q: What are the True Believers of "Intelligent Design" going to call "Social Darwinism"?
A: Why, it's calledcapitalism, of course.
A system that spends billions of public dollars on outer space transit, but cannot provide adequate funds for inner city transit, is no longer worth sustaining. A system that nurtures individual consciousness stressing the care of homeless pets, while clouding social consciousness to the reality of homeless humans, is dysfunctional and beyond repair. And a system that squanders billions on murdering foreigners and claims it is spreading democracy and peace should be characterized as what it is: criminally insane. And we may be the same, the longer we allow it to hide behind the high priced legal representation of corporate government that rationalizes these things as acceptable and normal aspects of life.
As opposed to collectivism:
Thanks to the philosophy of social Darwinism, white, well-bred intellectuals at the turn of the century had discovered that evolution’s peak had turned out to be, by happy coincidence, themselves. Darwin himself qualified his own thoughts on the struggle to survive to acknowledge the role of cooperation. Unfortunately, we have largely inherited our ideas on competition from the irresponsible extrapolation of one-sided ideas about survival in the wild, with poverty seen as the inevitable, if unfortunate, corollary of a universal law in which the weak are winnowed out by the powerful. By this logic, the latter are justified in grabbing what resources they can, while duking it out among themselves. This spectral notion has haunted everything from business management theory to classical economic thinking. It has both endorsed and trivialized the coercive character of capital-driven power relations. Kropotkin wrote of the mindset of his British colleagues in his 1902 magnum opus, Mutual Aid. “They came to conceive of the animal world as a world of perpetual struggle among half-starved individuals, thirsting for one another’s blood. They made modern literature resound with the war cry of woe to the vanquished, as if it were the last word of modern biology. They raised the pitiless struggle for personal advantages to the height of a biological principle which man must submit to as well, under the menace of otherwise succumbing in a world based upon mutual extermination.”
Now, which idea sounds more intelligent to you?