Category Archives: activism

“The Star-Spangled Banner” in a Minor Key

Posted on July 5, 2020 by

Chase Holfelder, the creator of the video above, captions the video above with: This past month has been heavy… but incomparable to the struggles that Black Americans have faced relentlessly for so many years. The movement has brought renewed light … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, African-Americans, anti-racism, civil rights, equity, freedom, racism | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Juneteenth—Freedom, Jubilee, Liberation Day

Posted on June 19, 2020 by

Juneteenth is a day to commemorate freedom from chattel slavery in this country, but also a reminder for white people to continue to grapple with their white privilege and work toward eliminating the racial oppression alive and well in the … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, African-Americans, civil rights, Civil War, freedom, justice, race, social justice | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“A Riot is the Language of the Unheard”

Posted on May 30, 2020 by

…Certain conditions continue to exist in our society, which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, equity, justice, politics, social justice | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Postcards from the Edge

Posted on May 23, 2020 by

Does it really make a difference to write these political postcards asking people to vote. I’m really not sure. I assume it has to have even the meagerest of influence, but am not so sure it’s anything significant. However, I … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, democracy, politics, postcards, voting | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Exposure

Posted on April 6, 2020 by

Since I retired, I have volunteered for Reading Between the Lines, an organization that leads discussion groups with the recently released from prison as well as people serving the last year or so of their sentences. These discussions are grounded … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, change, justice, prison | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Push through the asphalt and cement

Posted on April 1, 2020 by

The photo above was taken by JB in our backyard. For the past 3 or 4 years, I have been planting old books around the garden, some of them from the days when I was teaching. There is something very … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, Chinese medicine, garden, nature | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Government of the people, by the people, for the people

Posted on July 24, 2016 by

I couldn’t really watch any of the Republican Convention. The whole affair made me sick to my stomach. I read postings and articles about it in social media including newspapers and listened to some coverage as well. I have to … Continue reading →

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Consumerism, Capitalism, Exploitation

Posted on March 26, 2016 by
Posted in activism, labor, short films, videos, work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Vivas To Those Who Have Failed: The Paterson Silk Strike, 1913” by Martin Espada

Posted on January 20, 2016 by

Vivas to those who have fail’d!                                                                                                      And to those whose war-vessels sank in the sea!                                                                      And to those themselves who sank in the sea!                                                                            And to all generals that lost engagements, and all overcome heroes!                                 And the numberless unknown heroes … Continue reading →

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Nelson Mandella 1918-2013

Posted on July 18, 2015 by

On this day, Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid revolutionary, would have been 97. A year and a half ago, when he died, Bob Herbert (former New York Times columnist) wrote a remarkable piece about how history can swallow the work of … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, race | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment