The Fox
Because the snow is deep
Without spot that white falling through white airBecause she limps a little – bleeds
Where they shot herBecause hunters have guns
And dogs have hangman’s legsBecause I’d like to take her in my arms
And tend her woundBecause she can’t afford to die
Killing the young in her bellyI don’t know to say of a soldier’s dying
Because there are no proportions in death.-Kenneth Patchen
Category: Art & Literature
A note to you: You are you. You are not the situation you are temporarily occupying. I love you for you. Not for what I can, nor in spite of what I cannot, “get” from you. ❤ Me
Fresh Bread.
Nothing much happened today, really.
There was breakfast and reading.
Oatmeal and Wendell Berry
And a long walk through the neighborhood, complete with horses at the school.
Horses in the schoolyard, part 1
Horses in the schoolyard, part 2
Vultures in the road
Vultures in the road
Interesting shadows.
Interesting Shadows
And, of course, pomegranates.
Pomegranates
I visited with a Score mentor about Education Never Ends. Business plan is the next step.
Met up with some superheroes at City Hall who were fighting to keep our elected representatives from transferring power over our publicly-owned utility to an unelected independent board…and also feeding people.
Fight the power, after eating a well-balanced and nutritious meal!
And came home to my messy house. I’m thinking I might at least try to clean the kitchen tomorrow. I’m also thinking my room needs some work – particularly if I’m going to be working from it. No reason why I can’t rearrange things so I have a window next to my desk. And a freaking treadmill.
I have a lot on my mind – most of which I probably won’t be able to talk about for a long time. It’s still sorting itself all out up there.
***
Some links for you:
“Exxon is and will always be a bully,” said David Turnbull, Campaigns Director of Oil Change International. “Instead of engaging their critics appropriately, Exxon uses its billions to hire high-priced lawyers to make scary-sounding but unsupported legal claims to suppress criticism. It’s a window into how they have preserved billions in taxpayer handouts for their industry for so many years.”
This is the second time Exxon has bullied this advertisement off the air. In February, Exxon sent a cease-and-desist letter to Comcast only hours before scheduled airings during State of the Union news coverage.
The move by Exxon marks the latest in a series of reported strong-arm tactics undertaken by Exxon to censor reporting in the days following the Mayflower tar sands oil spill.1 http://priceofoil.org/2013/04/11/exxon-pressures-arkansas-tv-stations-to-ban-critical-ad-following-mayflower-tar-sands-spill/
Why Idle No More is so important:
The resolution by the Oglala Sioux Tribe, which is a 1934 Indian Reorganization Act government, explicitly supports the traditional Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council’s resolution approved unanimously on Feb. 18, 2012. The earlier resolution states: “The Great Sioux Nation hereby directs President Barack Obama and the United States Congress to honor the promises of the United States made through the 1851 and 1868 Fort Laramie treaties by prohibiting the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline and any future projects from entering and destroying our land without our consent.”
The traditional leaders’ resolution, argues against the dilbit pipeline on the grounds of international law, citing the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. http://www.indianz.com/News/2013/009206.asp
Meanwhile, the entire community of Mayflower, AR has been radicalized:
At this early stage of the game, real answers to what’s going on in Mayflower would be hard to come by, even if a mega-corporation wasn’t on the ground in full damage control mode, and local and county officials hadn’t largely ceded jurisdiction to them, with workers and Faulkner County deputies barring the public and media from the scene. The emerging picture, though — a picture that includes wildlife coated in oil, devastated ecosystems in ExxonMobil’s “restricted areas,” residents who say they are sick, and the still-ticking time bomb on the shores of Central Arkansas’s primary water source, Lake Maumelle, where the Pegasus Pipeline comes within 600 feet of the shoreline — might be even uglier than a neighborhood coated in crude. http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/will-mayflower-ever-be-the-same-after-the-exxon-spill/Content?oid=2797633&showFullText=true
So…today.
Today was the day that my master plan paid off.
The master plan being: Don’t worry. Don’t waste your time. And I didn’t.
Instead, I made a conscious effort to relax with breakfast and reading on the porch every day.
Today’s reading material
And long walks – taking time to witness the life cycle of a pomegranate
Life Cycle of a Pomegranate, Pt. 1
Life Cycle of a Pomegranate, Pt. 2
And irony.
Sanctuary?
And Texas.
We Don’t Dial 911
And then, just as I was heading out the door for a meeting, the phone rang. It was The Job. I mean, not THE JOB OF A LIFETIME, but the job I’d been hoping for. Because it pays enough, and demands little, and has growth potential…if that’s what I want to do. And, frankly, I’ve had jobtopia. It was quite a coup there for a good run. I feel like I’ve had excellent job karma thus far, and I can find a way to enjoy just about any kind of work.
But it sure is nice to have it. Guaranteed. With a month to relax and REALLY enjoy before the training begins.
*Bliss*
I think I’ve done it. I think I’ve pulled off another coup.
Now I can focus on art, activism, and Education Never Ends. And maybe a nice mama retreat road trip for good measure, while I have the time.
And breathing. And walking. And being mindful of the life cycle of the pomegranate.
And listening to lots and lots of Nick Cave. Particularly Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus, like these gems:
And now…the news:
Haven’t gathered many links today, but I have some saved up…
Remember the Trans-Pacific Partnership?
The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a circumvention of government. Its draft statement is not a product of the deliberation of U.S. legislators or apparently legislators in other countries, but of the Obama administration and representatives of deliberating nations and roughly 600 corporations. The talks are held multiple times a year and always in secrecy. Helicopters hover overhead while paramilitary teams patrol the conference grounds and a near-total media blackout ensures little is learned by anyone outside. As U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, the chair of the congressional committee that is supposed to have jurisdiction over the TPP, said in a statement to Congress:
“The majority of Congress is being kept in the dark as to the substance of the TPP negotiations, while representatives of U.S. corporations—like Halliburton, Chevron, PhaRMA, Comcast and the Motion Picture Association of America—are being consulted and made privy to details of the agreement.”
If ratified, what would the agreement do? Much in the favor of big business. Signatory nations, including Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam would agree to give “multinational corporations unprecedented rights to demand taxpayer compensation for policies they think will undermine their expected future profits straight from the treasuries of participating nations,” journalist Nile Bowie explains in CounterPunch. “It would push the agenda of Big PhaRMA in the developing world to impose longer monopoly controls on drugs, drastically limiting access to affordable generic medications that people depend on. The TPP would undermine food safety by limiting labeling and forcing countries like the United States to import food that fails to meet its national safety standards, in addition to banning Buy America or Buy Local preferences.” http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/the_trans-pacific_partnership_more_power_for_the_global_on_percent_20130405/
TPP has been criticised for being negotiated in secret with no drafts of the text being released to the public. In August last year, the Australian Labor Government and Opposition joined forces in parliament to vote down a motion by two Greens senators to disclose the full draft text.
Leaks of the TPP negotiation drafts suggest the treaty would contain several intellectual property law clauses, inserted after lobbying from US industry representatives, which may or may not affect local laws. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/339017,deadline-slides-for-trans-pacific-partnership-agreement.aspx
Courtesy of the Roundup, the Real News Network recently did an interview highlighting the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and the stunning implications this rarely discussed treaty would have on labor, environmental, and internet rights. TPP is the next step in expanding Corporate Power at the expense of democracy and free expression. http://news.firedoglake.com/2013/04/01/trans-pacific-paternship-targets-internet-and-labor-rights/
This:
White people who are confronted with their white privilege and the white supremacist acts they perpetuate have been known to cry, “You’re being a reverse-racist!” That is completely true: people of color have the power and control to create, perpetuate, and maintain brutal systematic reverse-racism that oppresses white people every day. As such, we have created this handy list on how to continue this oppression. http://blackgirldangerous.org/new-blog/2012/11/27/9csnr2cmsrexpoxro1f16csj18zgcy
It’s not spring until I listen to Key Lime Pie by Camper Van Beethoven. I was holding out in hopes of…but, no. It’s time for spring to begin.
…and I wrote you this letter…
Weekends are sort of redundant when one is unemployed. Regardless, I had a relaxing one.
Saturday began with Bitch Magazine, coffee, and raisin bran…
Breakfast of Champions
A trip to Vegfest, to help serve food for Unity Vegan Kitchen.
Unity Vegan Kitchen at Vegfest 2013
Though they didn’t need help, I was thankful for the excuse to make it out to the festival, and enjoyed some yummy food.
Chole Samosa
Accompanied a friend to The Great Outdoors, where we gawked at greenhouse flowers before he bought bags of soil for his garden.
Pitcher Plant
Pitcher Plant 2
Bougainvillea galore!
Nerded out at the opening of the Hats off to Dr. Seuss exhibition with one of my very favorite superheroes…followed by dinner and giggles at surreal-0-vision.
I think this one was called “Ejecting a Surly Cat.”
Sunday was about much needed solitude.
Abundance
Manifesting the inspiration from the preceding day into art.
Yertle the Tortuga, Pt. 1
They Obeyed
Contemplating…
Journaling…
Maintaining…
When I was working, this time of night on a Sunday was a time of mourning for the lost weekend hours. Now, I celebrate the time spent in pursuit of more esoteric goals. I am memorizing the contours of a simpler life-measuring the hours of the days and comparing them to the important things that need to fit within them. I am taking time to listen to birdsong and track the daily growth of the leaves on trees. I am paying close attention to my kinder instincts and (internally, silently) admonishing those who would wish me to be more cruel because that is what they would do. I am appreciating the fact that my child quotes Neitzsche when confronted with my angst (specifically, though paraphrased: “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”)
I am listening to Camper Van Beethoven, and welcoming spring.
❤
And now…the news:
Troubling reports continue to come in from the Pegasus Tarsands Pipeline spill in Mayflower, Arkansas about the apparent control of the proverbial chicken coop by the foxes:
Now, Exxon is trying to limit access to the animals impacted by the tar sands crude. A wildlife management company hired by Exxon has taken over all oiled wild animal care. The company, called Wildlife Response Services, is now refusing to release pictures and documentation of the animals in their care, unless they are authorized by Exxon’s public relations department. http://greenpeaceblogs.org/2013/04/04/is-exxon-trying-to-hide-the-damage-from-their-tar-sands-pipeline-spill/
On Friday morning, Inside Climate Newsreported that an Exxon spokesperson told reporter Lisa Song that she could be “arrested for criminal trespass” when she went to the command center to try to find representatives from the EPA and the Department of Transportation. On Friday afternoon, I spoke to the news director from the local NPR affiliate who said he, too, had been threatened with arrest while trying to cover the spill. http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/04/reporters-say-exxon-impeding-spill-coverage-arkansas
Thankfully, the residents of Mayflower are fighting back:
On Friday, homeowners filed a civil lawsuit against Exxon in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Western Division. In the class action suit, homeowners said the pipeline was unsafe and its rupture hurt property values. http://thecabin.net/latest-news/2013-04-06-1#.UWJPgpPvuSr
And there are superheroes on the ground, gathering information:
Elsewhere, “an activist indy news team” duo called JNL, has been using Ustream and Twitter to report from Mayflower and interview local residents. Yesterday, they were detained by police and forced to leave private property where they were reporting from, despite having permission to be there. http://www.treehugger.com/energy-disasters/mayflower-arkansas-lockdown-following-exxon-oil-spill.html
(sample of the coverage JNL is providing: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/30996411. You can find them here: https://twitter.com/jak_nlauren)
We have reports that because Exxon had already partially destroyed this wetland, they pumped diluted bitumen spilled in other areas here to get it all in one place and keep it out of sight of the media. We went in anyway.
This is how we comfort ourselves when we feel helpless:
An Exxon parody Twitter account is tweeting fake public relations updates about the oil company’s ruptured Pegasus pipeline, which spilled at least 84,000 gallons of heavy crude oil into residential streets in Mayflower, Ark., last week. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/05/exxon-fake-twitter-account_n_3024663.html
And I did a little studying up on the history of May Day, in preparation for the planning of picnic/potluckness:
Originally a pagan holiday, the roots of the modern May Day bank holiday are in the fight for the eight-hour working day in Chicago in 1886, and the subsequent execution of innocent anarchist workers.
In 1887, four Chicago anarchists were executed; a fifth cheated the hangman by killing himself in prison. Three more were to spend 6 years in prison until pardoned by Governor Altgeld who said the trial that convicted them was characterised by “hysteria, packed juries and a biased judge”. The state had, in the words of the prosecution put “Anarchy is on trial” and hoped their deaths would also be the death of the anarchist idea. http://libcom.org/history/1886-haymarket-martyrs-mayday
The farmers, workers, and child-bearers (laborers) of the Middle Ages had hundreds of holy days which preserved the May Green, despite the attack on peasants and witches. Despite the complexities, whether May Day was observed by sacred or profane ritual, by pagan or Christian, by magic or not, by straights or gays, by gentle or calloused hands, it was always a celebration of all that is free and life-giving in the world. That is the Green side of the story. Whatever else it was, it was not a time to work.
Therefore, it was attacked by the authorities. http://libcom.org/history/incomplete-true-authentic-wonderful-history-may-day-peter-linebaugh
And I’m still listening to Camper Van Beethoven’s Key Lime Pie. As per tradition. ❤
Oh, today…
Today, today, today.
*sigh*
Book and breakfast on front porch has officially ingrained itself into ritual…
And a blurry companion
Made my first posts on the Education Never Ends blog…took a long walk…tutored for an hour or so…watched Killer of Sheep.
Said Goodbye (I’ll miss you.)
***
Anyway…lots of stuff in the news today.
I’m not usually the kind of person who passes along petitions to sign, because I generally feel like others already have that covered. (I’ll get the same petition by 9 or 10 of my friends, so I assume everyone else does, too.) However, I think this particular campaign is worth the risk of duplication:
The State Department’s official public comment period on Keystone XL Pipeline is now open — and it’s a crucial opportunity for us to flood them with comments. We’ll take your comments and deliver them directly and immediately to the the State Department. http://act.350.org/letter/a_million_strong_against_keystone
The award for the surrealiest headline of a lifetime goes to:
Exxon wins safety award as Mayflower sees no end to spill cleanup: http://rt.com/usa/mayflower-spill-cleanup-video-410/
And best quote from an Attorney General:
“That neighborhood was like a scene from ‘The Walking Dead,’” state Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said Wednesday after visiting the Little Rock suburb of Mayflower. “There were still Easter decorations on homes, but there was not a soul in sight other than people in Hazmat suits.”http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/exxon-ark-oil-spill-walking-dead-official-article-1.1307468#ixzz2Pedz6X4M
Meanwhile, in case you were unclear about who is actually running this country:
“But the reek is only a hint at ExxonMobil’s presence here. Since thick black sludge first began oozing across backyards and into the streets, surprising many residents who say they didn’t even realize the pipeline was there, the company has instituted something like martial law.” http://grist.org/climate-energy/arkansas-town-in-lockdown-after-oil-spill-nightmare/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=update&utm_campaign=socialflow
But, you know…they’re not trying to block media coverage or anything. News helicopters can just CLEAR IT WITH EXXON first and they should be fine.
FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford confirms that news media helicopters can now once again fly over the site of the Mayflower oil spill. Lunsford says if news helicopters want to fly over the site, however, they will need to call ahead of time and clear it with Tom Suhrhoff of ExxonMobil. http://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/media-faces-barriers-covering-arkansas-oil-spill
At this point, I’m seriously flipping through all of the links that I thought I might want to share today, but they’re all really fucking depressing. hahaha. In thinking about something that we might actually be able to DO about all of this…I’m hoping we can at least get a couple of people from environmental groups around town and maybe some Tarsands Blockade folks to do some teach-ins on Mayday to give people who seem alarmed by all of the spills some ideas for what they can do about it.
That’s all I got. Tomorrow will certainly end more pleasantly.
❤
I managed to sleep in this morning…until 9:30, at least. Through the gauntlet of alarms on all of my various devices. I woke up to grey/rainy/cold morning, and promptly resumed my morning ritual of reading on the porch with coffee. Today’s reading selection: American Splendor.
It was a great choice, because art like this just makes me all squishy inside. Look at the detail. It’s really evocative to me
The only problem is that Harvey Pekar now reminds me of someone I miss, so while my heart was warmed by panels such as these…
I was forced to admit to myself for the first time that I’m a little bit fucking heartbroken. That fucking brat. He went and broke my damn heart.
At any rate, the coffee was good. The garden is growing.
And April showers bring tomato flowers…
So I had lunch, ice cream, and a delightful walk with a new friend, came home and made coleslaw for the kids and I to enjoy tomorrow, caught up on the news, took some deep breaths, and started writing.
Thanks for reading. ❤
***
And now…the news:
Lots of links today about the Exxon Pegasus spill in Mayflower, Arkansas (If I was feeling less lethargic, I’d make up a clever segue between April showers and Mayflower, but you are on your own for that today.)
Here’s a good general roundup:
http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/04/01/everything-you-need-know-about-exxon-pegasus-tar-sands-spill
“When we first head about the Exxon tar sands spill in Arkansas we knew we had to respond. A group of Blockaders arrived in Mayflower late last night to assist affected residents with mutual aid and help amplify their stories. Here is their first dispatch from the scene. You can also watch their livestream coverage.”
Seriously. I was listening to NPR this afternoon, and I heard like a 15 second snippet on the Mayflower spill. Come on, now, media. DO YOUR FREAKING JOB!
http://www.ultimatecivics.org/index.php/contact/exxon-pipeline-spill-media-advisory
Really FAA? So our federal government can spy on non-violent protest movements, but people can’t fly planes over an oil spill?
http://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_8699.html
Angry yet?
US law says no ‘oil’ spilled in Arkansas, exempting Exxon from cleanup dues
http://rt.com/usa/arkansas-spill-exxon-cleanup-244/
Exxon’s Duck-Killing Pipeline Won’t Pay Taxes To Oil Spill Cleanup Fund
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/04/02/1810571/exxons-duck-killing-pipeline-doesnt-pay-taxes-to-oil-spill-cleanup-fund/
Looking for some solidarity among fellow activists and workers on May Day this year?
Calling all occupiers and activists: Those of us who were at General Assembly on Monday would like to have a gathering for MayDay. We’re thinking Republic Square Park would be a good place. I would like to organize teach-ins and perhaps a small Un-conference for the event…other ideas are also welcome. We will not be labeling this even specifically “Occupy Austin.” All are welcome to enjoy whatever it is we all decide to do!
If you would like to help organize, or if you have something you would like to teach or something you would like to learn, please contact me at oawelcomewagon@gmail.com OR come to General Assembly next Monday, April 8th, at 7 PM at the Capitol Building (south steps) – we may also choose to move the discussion after General Assembly to the Tactics and Strategy meeting. Contact us for further information.
Thanks! Looking forward to seeing you there!
Enjoyed these insightful words from Anil Dash, even though they were mostly depressing:
“We should remember that ToS isn’t law. Geeks will hack software but treat ToS as sacred. Our culture is negatively impacted by ToS and we should reclaim our agency over them. “We should think about how to organize action around specific clauses in ToS.” In fact, “people have already chosen a path of civil disobedience.” E.g., search YouTube for “no infringement intended.” “It’s like poetry.” They’re saying “I’m not trying to step on your toes, but the world needs to see this.” “I’m so inspired by this.” If millions of teenagers assembled to engage in civil disobedience, we’d be amazed. They do on line. They feel they need to transgress because of a creative urge, or because it’s speech with a friend not an act of publishing. “That’s the opportunity. That’s the exciting part. People are doing this every single day.”
Heartened by these powerful quotes from Arundhati Roy:
Watch This Video —>http://bit.ly/WBepP6<—’Confronting Empire’ by Arundhati Roy
“The corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they are selling : their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons, their notion of inevitability. Remember this: We be many and they be few. They need us more than we need them. Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, if you listen very carefully you can hear her breathing.” —Arundhati Roy
Verified quote: Book- ‘Occupy This!’, Publisher: Penguin Books, Author: Judy Rebick, source: http://bit.ly/Y7bs8F“Our strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it. To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it. To mock it. With our art, our music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our sheer relentlessness : and our ability to tell our own stories. Stories that are different from the ones we’re being brainwashed to believe.” —Arundhati Roy
Verified quote: Book- ‘Empire No More!: The Lion And Wolf Shall Cease’, Publisher: Spokesman Books, Author:
Ken Coates, source: http://bit.ly/13ykxPBFull Speech ‘Confronting Empire’ By Arundhati Roy, Porto Alegre, Brazil, January 27, 2003 >http://bit.ly/pwleZv
And enjoyed some (quick) physics lessons: http://www.youtube.com/user/minutephysics
*The title of this post should have made you think of this song. Because that’s what I was singing to myself all. damn. day.
It’s really my favorite thing in the world. Tonight, I listened to punk rock & the rain & wrote in my journal. All in my freshly. made. bed.
❤
I also had this conversation with Cole:
Me (taking a picture of my food): I’m blogging again, which means every moment of my life is way more interesting than it actually is.
Cole: yeah, that’s pretty much blogging on a nutshell.
And read several items on the internet through the day:
Time Budgeting: https://medium.com/products-i-wish-existed/4f631ebb9b80 (I’ve written about this very topic here: http://choredork.blogspot.com/ and probably other places I cannot currently find. I’ll probably write more about it in the coming weeks, as I’m earnestly looking for someone(s) to help create the product that Ev is wishing existed.)
Watching Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon do Barry and Andy Gibb, and cracking the fuck up: http://youtu.be/E7c44rtpzPg
Dreaming about a positive outcome for this lawsuit against the EPA being brought by beekeepers, environmentalists, and consumer groups.
Looking at pictures of yesterday’s Tent City Action taken by John Jack Anderson of the Chronicle.
Finally putting some information up on the Education Never Ends Facebook page.
Reading this article comparing Online learning to University, which I will probably opine about later, when I’ve set up the Education Never Ends blog. (Also, really guys? MOOCS of Hazard?)
…and the day began with a confirmed appointment with a mentor at SCORE.
Which really just proves that the following also applies to jobs:
❤
How many blog posts start out with “I’m suffering from a severe case of writer’s block.” It’s like the modern day equivalent of a zinesters “Sorry this issue is late.” But it’s true in my case. I’ve been in denial that my lack of online presence has anything to do with internal factors, instead blaming it on the externals of Being Busy and Having Other Obligations.
If I’m honest, I’m not too busy. Creativity is a priority for me, so taking time to write should be part of that busy-ness. Yet, I find myself avoiding writing, both publicly and privately, even though I’m in serious need of an outlet.
Things here at the house are good, in spite of the overarching stress of an impending, potentially disruptive event. Both children are making progress towards their individual goals, and I’m doing my best to balance the needs of all of our family members with the resources available to each individual family member. I have plans in my head of perhaps traveling to New Orleans in December or January to visit a friend and get away from all of this…stuff.
In other words, we’re surviving. Sometimes thriving, sometimes not. Surviving You, Always…
Success, and Failure…
I am working on trusting myself. Assessing the damage. I’d like to assume I am bulletproof, but I am not. The other day, I surprised myself by bursting into tears, an act which used to occur far more frequently. Is it that I feel less, or that I’m better at suppressing? Has honesty become a commodity too precious for me to spare?
There’s a part of me that wants to hide…become anonymous. But there’s another part of me that says I am anonymous. If I don’t actively seek to share, no one will know I said it, and that’s fine. Those who seek me out will get what they seek.
In general, everything is fine. I’ve been playing the Sims a lot lately, attempting to exercise/exorcise my need to control by controlling my little e-families. I turned to Monk one day and said “My SIM doesn’t complain about his schoolwork.” Yes, I realize it’s ridiculous, but you do what you can. This world is a very strange place to live. This time is a very strange increment.
The writing prompt from WordPress is to write a letter to yourself at 14. I feel like I’m trying to do that in raising my children the way I am attempting to raise them. My letter would say this:
Dear L (or M…or C)…
Stop working so hard to be perfect.
None of the things you think matter matters nearly as much as you thought. And the things you think do not matter? Turns out those don’t really matter much, either.
Listen to the tao. Don’t just hear…absorb.
Be open to experiences, but maintain your distance from them. Remain critical, in a hopeful way. Trust your instincts, but please learn to differentiate instinct from fear.
Listen to punk rock.
Listen to folk rock.
Listen to the anarchists.
Read zines. Learn about community. Don’t forget, but if you do forget – you will be reminded, so don’t worry.
Don’t worry.
Live freely.
Love openly. Err on the side of kindness. It really fucking hurts to trust. I know. But trust anyway. Stay in touch with loved ones. Pay attention. STOP WORRYING. It really is true that within the margin of error and certain parameters, everything really does turn out ok. But don’t forget those who dwell outside of those parameters for whom things do not turn out ok. When taking risks, consider them, as well as yourself. Don’t confuse luck for skill. Don’t mistake circumstance for predestiny. Give more credit than you accept. Worry is negative goal setting. DON’T GET INVOLVED IN RELATIONSHIPS UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND FULLY WHAT YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF INTO. It’s not selfish to conserve your own energy, provided you don’t make promises you can’t keep while preserving that energy. Be nice to your mama.
❤ Really think about what means the most to you & don’t let anyone interrupt or destroy those things.
And be thankful for what you’ve got…
This is just ridiculous, guys. Will you please wake the fuck up? They are arresting people all over the country today. FOR WRITING IN CHALK ON SIDEWALKS. Are you ready to admit that this is a nationwide coordinated effort to silence all dissent yet? Because I’m getting kind of tired of having to witness this crap and trying to convince you all that this is ACTUALLY happening. In our country.
Today, children and adults alike engaged in some very innocent play by drawing and writing in the sidewalk with chalk. We were expressing our right to free speech and assembly in a playful, impermanent way. The same way children have been expressing their rights to assemble and play for decades.The state troopers were gathered across the street, and an undercover agent (I shit you not) was parked across the street, watching us with binoculars. (I TOTALLY SHIT YOU NOT!)
We had enough time to do a significant amount of chalking before the 10 or so state troopers gathered up like they do. Sort of like a copflock. A murder of cops? At any rate, they huddled up, and soon approached en masse upon the 10 or so of us who were chalking and documenting the chalking.
Handcuffs out, they targeted two people: The guy with the mask, and the woman with the “Peaceful Streets” t-shirt on. Cuffed them, as we protested and questioned whether they even had jurisdiction where we were. The site was specifically chosen because it is public property and NOT on the capitol grounds. Maude knows we don’t want to have any more run-ins with officer “Can’t tell the difference between a neon green squirt gun and a real gun, so I can’t guarantee I won’t shoot your ass if you have a squirt gun out in my vicinity.”
That would be Officer Cummings, by the way. He was Officer Annoyingpants at the J4 celebration. Constantly interrupting our peaceful teach-ins to remind us that they were watching us and they wouldn’t let us get away with such nefarious things as Having Signs With Political Messages On Them, Drawing Flowers With Chalk, or Engaging in a Playful Water Fight On a Hot Summer Day, or Pitching a Symbolic Tent That Symbolizes Our Right to Fair Housing And Equal Consideration In Our Political Process, Regardless Of How Much Or Little Money We Have. He was the instigator-in-chief at this event, as well. I’m embarrassed for him. I asked him whether he plans to tell his children that he arrested people for drawing in chalk on the sidewalk today. I believe he’s the officer who told the children present that they were committing a crime and that chalk is destruction of property. I’m sure that seed will sprout into a healthy distrust of the police when those kiddos realize (if they didn’t already) that CHALK washes off and destroys NOTHING. (How hard is it to be a parent these days, when police officers do so many morally inappropriate things. How can anyone expect me to teach my highly skeptical children that they should obey laws because they are legitimate, and then have a police officer cite a law that is so completely illegitimate? Officer: You put me in an incredibly difficult place as a parent. I’m kind of used to being in that place, unfortunately, as I do my best to navigate the roles of activist parent, activist, parent, active parent, parent activist…while also attempting to do my best to allow my children the sovereignty to form their own ideas, even if that means their ideas often conflict with mine. Which is something I’m being asked to do a lot lately.
At any rate, after the two criminally mischievous ones were hauled away, Officer Cummings came across the street to shoot photos of our heinous crimes. (Remember, we are still talking about chalk, here.) Afterwards, he REACHED FOR HIS GUN as a random pedestrian made the mistake of running across the street without realizing that Officer Cummings is that trigger-happy dude who, as I said above, can not distinguish a plastic squirt gun from a real gun, a piece of chalk from an instrument of Criminal Mischief (class B, because I guess they had to justify having so many officers out for NON-PERMANENT CHALK THAT CAN BE WASHED AWAY WITH A BUCKET OF WATER.) and a guy trying to catch the light from a DANGEROUS PERSON ARMED WITH CHALK WHO MUST BE ELIMINATED. I am seriously concerned about Officer Cummings. Actually, I am seriously concerned that any member of our police force would choose to reach for a gun as a first response to any sort of pedestrian encounter without any solid e
vidence or clue that said pedestrian, or anyone else in the vicinity, has any propensity to violence whatsoever.
It’s a scary fucking world we live in where people can just be engaging in a harmless, fun, creative activity – A form of protest, but an entirely non-threatening, non-violent one – and can just be hauled away in handcuffs without any warning. I really thought I had seen it all when it comes to ridiculous police response for benign non-offenses. Apparently, I had not. I came away from our action today feeling yet more radicalized and at the same time more frightened of the erosion of my rights and the rights of all of us. It was sobering.
vidence or clue that said pedestrian, or anyone else in the vicinity, has any propensity to violence whatsoever.
It’s a scary fucking world we live in where people can just be engaging in a harmless, fun, creative activity – A form of protest, but an entirely non-threatening, non-violent one – and can just be hauled away in handcuffs without any warning. I really thought I had seen it all when it comes to ridiculous police response for benign non-offenses. Apparently, I had not. I came away from our action today feeling yet more radicalized and at the same time more frightened of the erosion of my rights and the rights of all of us. It was sobering.
And like I came around to feeling about the arrest at J4, I very much feel like Audrey and Corey are superheroes for being arrested. They weren’t expecting it. None of us were. I mean, who actually expects to be arrested for chalking? We’ve all done it millions of times. The moment it becomes a crime is when it stops being “innocent” child’s play and starts becoming OUR CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
As a parent, I know that kids can draw their own conclusions about that.
For those who have not been informed, we are living in a completely ridiculous period in history where the police have nothing better to do with their time than harass individuals finding creative ways of expressing themselves in an increasingly frustrating and repressive world. You might call it alarmist to say that we live in a police state. Perhaps, comparatively speaking, it IS alarmist. However, in my opinion, when banksters and financiers can tank our economic system with barely any legal repercussions, when slumlords and property owners can force vulnerable people to live in unsafe conditions because they fear the only other option is to live on the streets, and when our own city makes homelessness illegal without providing adequate alternatives for those who are unable to afford housing AND THE POLICE INSTEAD TARGET AND HARASS PEOPLE WHO ARE PEACEFULLY ATTEMPTING TO REDRESS AND DEVISE ALTERNATIVES TO THESE POINTS, EXPRESS THEMSELVES CREATIVELY, AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING DISPROPORTIONATELY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM…I think it’s pretty fair to say something has gone horribly awry.
So often, I sit down to write a blog post such as this, and I’m so frustrated and angry with all I have seen that I don’t even know where to begin. Or end. Today, I will begin and end with chalk.
An IVAW veteran chalks it up on the grounds of the capitol
On Wednesday, July 4th, 2012, a group of activists from across the state of Texas gathered on the lawn of the Texas State Capitol to participate in a day-long “occupation” that included food, education, rallying, and marching. As I was leaving to pick up some folks coming in from Houston, I noticed the Iraq Veterans Against the War folks drawing some beautiful chalk pieces on the sidewalk near the space they had staked out for their day’s activities.
For those who aren’t familiar with IVAW, my experiences with them have always left me with respect and admiration for the work they do. Right now, their main campaign is a Operation Recovery, and they do a lot of work with healing using art and relationship-building to support soldiers who are dealing with the mental health issues related to combat, as well as the stigma surrounding those issues that prevent them from seeking help. I felt so honored to have them among us on the 4th, and was glad they were creating a comfortable space to promote their activities and educate the public.
IVAW chalk drawing of flower power
When I returned, the beautiful chalk drawings were complete, and people were relaxing and enjoying a very peaceful day. The teach-ins were not yet in full swing, so people were talking, eating, doing bodywork, and reaching out to the general public as they passed by. All of these activities, including the actual creation of the chalk drawings, were observed closely by the dozen or so state troopers who were stationed around the grounds and apparently had nothing better to do than devise reasons to threaten to arrest the sleepy, yet productive crowd of people, who numbered between 50-250 at various points throughout the day.
I snapped some photos of the drawings as we walked by. By the time I reached our info table about 5 minutes later, we heard the police were threatening to detain the artists. We walked back to witness officers insisting the chalk must be immediately washed away, or the people responsible would be charged with “Criminal Mischief.” The IVAW attempted to reason with the officers that they were merely enjoying a holiday by creating artwork to engage passersby, but the troopers insisted the drawings be immediately cleaned up. IVAW complied, but it wasn’t the last we heard from troopers that day. (Video: Texas State Troopers confront IVAW about chalk drawings)
In Los Angeles, the LAPD have arrested at least 12 people in the last 6 weeks for chalking. Occupy LA decided to protest these ridiculous arrests by handing out sidewalk chalk at a monthly Art Walk and encouraging people to express their rights to free speech. LAPD responded with arrests, officers in riot gear escalated the situation, people (most of them not actually protesters) were threatened and shot at with “less lethal” weapons, and chaos ensued. Because of chalk. In this report, an officer admits that police presence is escalated during the Art Walk anyway. There were apparently 80 police on the scene per usual, which I feel is already a questionable use of our resources. Why are our cities so insistent on monitoring peaceful gatherings of people? Do fights and dangerous situations regularly break out at art events and assemblies? I’ve been to dozens and dozens of protests, and the only time I’ve felt the need for a greater than (already overblown) police presence is when the police themselves begin to cause confusion and chaos.
Dear LAPD: When Chalk is a crime, only criminals will play hopscotch
I heard about the events of the LA Chalk Riot while I was on my walk late Thursday evening. I felt so frustrated and helpless about the situation that I came home and wrote a message in chalk that I tweeted out in hopes that LAPD would see it – or that at least it would provide people with a bit of anger/comedy therapy. Some of my friends in Occupy Austin were also angry, so we decided a quick chalk solidarity action was warranted. We gathered on Friday under threat of rain and chalkupyed three local banks, with messages about economic and social justice, as well creating an LAPD crime scene – chalk outlines of fallen artists with crushed chalk in their hands.
Chase Bank: Quit Playing Games With Our Money
It’s a small retaliation for the large challenges we continue to face, but it at least temporarily relieved my sense of frustration and helplessness. Passersby were largely positive. Some had heard of the events in L.A. the night before, and were horrified by the actions of LAPD. Sometimes doing SOMETHING is better than doing nothing. Especially when that something releases good creative energy among like-minded comrades, and educates the public, as well.
❤ Chalk the World. ❤
Washed up…
No More War for Profit
