Make America Great Again? Nostalgia for ???
October 1st, 2016
You’ve all heard it, the misplaced nostalgia for a time that never was, where life was somehow easier, none of this fussing about civil rights, those pesky things like equality, the right to vote, freedom of religion… and for too many, it’s this notion that the 1950s (the time of Boomers?) were the best of all worlds. AAACK!
And I’m noticing that so many in this mindset are lacking in basic education, so many very vocal people without any notion of logic and how to present or respond to an argument, the fundamentals of critical thinking, and history, both American history and world history. It’s driving me nuts! I’m getting ready to start sending books and lesson plans to a lot of people I know!
Where’d that Jerry Garcia for President button go?
Alan found a book at a garage sale yesterday, 7th edition so it’s nothing new, but so on point:
Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing (7th Edition)
What We Really Miss About The 1950s -_Stephanie Coontz is included, along with a lot of other classics. It’s a college text:
Designed for first-year writing and critical thinking courses, Rereading America anthologizes a diverse set of readins focused on the myths that dominate U.S. culture.
These myths are those on the front burner today:
- Harmony at Home: The Myth of the Model Family
- Learning Power: The Myth of Education and Empowerment
- Money and Success: The Myth of Individual Opportunity
- True Women and Real Men: Myths of Gender
- Created Equal: The Myth of the Melting Pot
- One Nation Under God: American Myths of Church and State
- Land of Liberty: The Myth of Freedom in a “New World Order”
The grand finale of Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing is Langston Hughes’ Let America be America Again:
Let America Be America Again
Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
(America never was America to me.)
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed—
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
(It never was America to me.)
O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
(There’s never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”)
Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?
And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the black man bearing slavery’s scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek—
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one’s own greed!
I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the black man, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean—
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today—O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.
Yet I’m the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned
That’s made America the land it has become.
O, I’m the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home—
For I’m the one who left dark Ireland’s shore,
And Poland’s plain, and England’s grassy lea,
And torn from Black Africa’s strand I came
To build a “homeland of the free.”
The free?
Who said the free? Not me?
Surely not me? The millions on relief today?
The millions shot down when we strike?
The millions who have nothing for our pay?
For all the dreams we’ve dreamed
And all the songs we’ve sung
And all the hopes we’ve held
And all the flags we’ve hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay—
Except the dream that’s almost dead today.
O, let America be America again—
The land that never has been yet—
And yet must be—the land where every man is free.
The land that’s mine—the poor man’s, Indian’s, Negro’s, ME—
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.
Sure, call me any ugly name you choose—
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people’s lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!
O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath—
America will be!
Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The abuse and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain—
All, all the stretch of these great green states—
And make America again
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This stanza is missing in the book:
Sure, call me any ugly name you choose— The steel of freedom does not stain. From those who live like leeches on the people’s lives, We must take back our land again, America!
Whew… I’m a lot less anxious now
September 27th, 2016
#makesniffsgreatagain
I’ve been concerned. I’ve been anxious. But much less so after last night’s “debate.” The good news about this election is that, as with all elections, the voting booth is private, and people can vote and there’s no need to report. My hope is that those undecided, and those supporting Drumpf, will consider last night’s “debate” and how unqualified is, that he is crass and flighty, blustery without substance, arrogant, unprepared and ill-advised. How many times did he say “I didn’t say that” when it’s documented that he did, over and over?
This isn’t about Hillary. I’m no fan. That’s public information. But I am assuredly against Drumpf and the view of “great” America he is pushing. It’s antihetical to all I’ve been working for, to my values, to the values and laws of this country, against the most fundamental tenets of Christianity, all those things that are, or should be, the determining factor in our votes. Things like the Constitution. I mean really, he touts “stop & frisk” when it’s been declared unconstitutional? And doesn’t cop to it when challenged? No, this guy has no business being President. Not on my watch.
And yes, after Feelin’ the Bern, this has been a horrible election season. I don’t want to think about it, yet am drawn to the train wreck. The prospect of voting for Clinton turns my stomach, there are so many reasons, and it’s disturbing that the Dems do not want to acknowledge the legitimacy of issues many of us have with Clinton, preferring shaming as an election strategy (just STOP it!). That makes the prospect of voting for Clinton even worse.
Meanwhile, people I know, though not many, are supporting Drumpf. I’ve been easy on them, really! Holding back… Just minor interjections now and then, a little reality therapy a la Glasser.
This debate, though, and Drumpf’s performance and lack thereof, to me means that it will be pretty hard to justify a vote for him. OH… MY… DOG!
And the coverage of this “debate” is so weird:
That people need to look up words like “stamina” and “temperament” is appalling. Yes, “cavalier” is more than a Chevy… and how about “caprice,” capisce?
Sandpiper Withdrawal? Comments filed today!
September 12th, 2016
Today was Deadline #1 for Comments on NDPC’s Petition for Withdrawal of the Sandpiper pipeline Certificate of Need and Route applications. Here’s what was filed:
Yup, that’s it. My Sandpiper transmission clients weighed in. I’ve been watching the docket, watching the inbox for service…. NO other comments, nothing, nada…
Just get to it. Quick – take a few minutes and send a missive to the Public Utilities Commission encouraging them to allow Enbridge to withdraw their application for the Sandpiper pipeline WITH PREJUDICE so that they can’t refile it again. Send to:
Daniel P. Wolf, Executive Secretary (dan.wolf@state.mn.us) Minnesota Public Utilities Commission 121 Seventh Place East, Suite 350 Saint Paul, MN 55101-2147
Ann O’Reilly and James La Fave, Administrative Law Judges
Office of Administrative Hearings
600 North Robert Street
P.O. Box 64620
St. Paul, MN 55164-0620
But it doesn’t end there, with zip comments… it gets weirder. I’d saw there was no notice from the PUC about a comment period, nothing. Here’s what they did with Hollydale, Notice, and there was a comment period and reply comments! In that docket, Xcel Energy filed to withdraw its Hollydale applications on December 10, 2013, and this notice was issued on January 10, 2014:
Here’s what we got:
And when I asked:
Here’s the response:
Oh my… what do I do with that? Guess I write a post about it!!!
TODAY – ask that Sandpiper pipeline be withdrawn!
September 12th, 2016
Enbridge has asked the PUC to withdraw its Certificate of Need and Route applications for the Sandpiper pipeline. Quick – take a few minutes and send a missive to the Public Utilities Commission encouraging them to allow Enbridge to withdraw their application for the Sandpiper pipeline WITH PREJUDICE so that they can’t refile it again. Send to:
Daniel P. Wolf, Executive Secretary (dan.wolf@state.mn.us) Minnesota Public Utilities Commission 121 Seventh Place East, Suite 350 Saint Paul, MN 55101-2147
Ann O’Reilly and James La Fave, Administrative Law Judges
Office of Administrative Hearings
600 North Robert Street
P.O. Box 64620
St. Paul, MN 55164-0620
Where’s the Sandpiper withdrawal on the PUC’s “Speak Up!” page?
Prior Legalectric posts:
Comment on Enbridge’s withdrawal of Sandpiper NOW!
and
Enbridge files to withdraw Sandpiper applications!
Mayo? What the hell are you thinking?
September 8th, 2016
At long last, I’ve gotten this month’s prescriptions. I’m on drugs, what can I say, it’s not even so much the joys of “old age” but it IS the joys of having access to health care after 30 years without. What a concept, and it’s still taking some getting used to. It’s very helpful in losing weight, and preventative care, and eye exam, and limited dental care… well, that’s not so great, in fact it’s torture, but it’s got to be done, and a podiatrist consult learning that in addition to plantar fascitis that’s resolved pretty much, I’ve got shin splints, who knew!?!?!
But Mayo’s Rx Refill procedure is screwed up, and their policy is not acceptable. I’ve got a prescription refill that needs to be done every 30 days, they know that, and my Dr. did “renew” it per the online Rx Refill page on 8/31, but they didn’t get it to the pharmacy until today.
Trying to get it (DOH! A 30 day supply lasts 30 days, not more!), I went round and round with Walgreens and Mayo, finally nailing down on Tuesday that Mayo had not sent it! It was renewed 8/31, a work day, and 9/1 and 9/2 were work days, and it wasn’t mailed! When I learned that on Tuesday, 9/6, they said they would mail it. They would not allow me to pick it up, nor would they take it to the pharmacy, they would only mail it, with no guarantee it would get there the following day. There was no “what can we do to fix this.” I was told verbally and in writing that the Mayo “policy” was 7-10 days for prescription refills! WHAT? For something that has to be renewed every 30 days? That it’s OK to wait 7-10 days after that? And given this, their response is that if it’s not OK then it’s my problem, or I’m the problem? Ummmmm, NO!
When it had not arrived on Wednesday, I called again, and was again told that their policy was 7-10 days, verbally and in writing, inferring that there was no basis for a complaint. WHAT?!?! Not acceptable, no way, no how. The policy is inadequate and needs to be fixed, procedures should be in place to assure that routing refills grind out of the system on time, with regularity of an anticipated need. Oh, but then I was told that “You’re not the only one with prescriptions,” and so I noted that’s Mayo’s business to handle Rx refills, that their policy and procedures needed revision and correction, and asked what they are going to do about this, and I was told that “If you want to receive your health care elsewhere…” and CLICK! Dial tone…
Really…
Mayo, what I expected was an attempt to fix the problem, a “oh, then we’ll send a courier to Walgreens” and/or “Oh, we’re sorry this happened, would you like to pick up the Rx?” Or even, “come in and we’ll give you a few days supply until the Rx gets there.” Nope. And not even a “You think our system is broken, OK, how could we do it differently?” Nope. Over and over I had to contact the pharmacy and Mayo by phone, and send messages and replies to Mayo’s Messaging system (which I have printed and pdf’d for the record). Ultimately, Mayo’s Internal Medicine’s nurse’s response after a week of failure to grind out a routine refill, and to statements that their system is broken and needs to be fixed, is “If you want to receive your health care elsewhere…” and CLICK!
Mayo knows that it’s the only game in town, other than Red Wing’s Care Clinic which operates only on Tuesdays.
So now, not only does their system for routing refills need to be fixed, but someone needs to be fired.