The Space In between-Personal or Political, Same Thing

It's interesting watching the state and now the country squirm with the unresolved struggle in Wisconsin between two vastly different realms of thought; ways of doing and being.  It's our nation's macro debate on a smaller scale.  And it's ugly.  We've forgotten how to just talk to each other.  America is its own worst enemy.  Frankly, I find it embarrassing and frightening.  Yes, to citizen action, but shame on the conditions around our crisis.

The issues and what's at stake are out there now, not sure we have to keep beating our points home.  What's not being talked about is the emotional toll and the scars this will leave on people; neighbors no longer quick to shout out hello across the street; family members not talking about politics (it's too uncomfortable-might cause a rift).  Well, I got news for ya, there's a rift alright.

I'm in the space in between.  In between caring and full on retreat.  In my bathroom this morning, I noticed the hair forming a light dusting on the sink and floor.  My rolling eyes trailed over to the mop in the pantry and my brain quickly dismissed any thoughts of cleanliness.  Who cares?  Of course, it is February in Wisconsin and I am sick and operating at 1/3 of my usual powers with a sick child and partner to boot.  We are all in between sickness and health, power and powerlessness, peace and all out war.  It's a dangerous place of fatigue and apathy.

Our squiminess with this limbo comes from not being used to anything less than instant gratification, a quick techno fix, a cookie cutter formula, medication?  None of the above will heal this wound.  This takes some old fashioned sweat and blisters; communication, cooperation, dare I say it, if not love then a place of baseline respect.   Until then, we need to learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.  I would even go so far to say, we need this experience to grow as a culture (or perhaps just grow up).  With "leaders" who provide little leadership in this arena-we wait in all its sticky, slimy social goop.  And when the dust settles in my bathroom and in Wisconsin around this immediate crisis, will there be substantive, ongoing debate?  Will there be a conversation that is fluid and open?  Are we going to demand it or not?  We're talking about nation (state) building and there's no business plan you can graft onto that.  This requires a kind of artful, creativity that I don't think exists in the political realm now.  Nobody that I can see has the "right stuff."

Sometimes we have to tear the whole thing down and start over when the mistakes have made the structure unsound.  Personally or politically, there comes a time in life for deep and dramatic action.  We're here.

The New York Times Gets It Completely Wrong in Madison!

Today the NYT, of which many of you know, I'm a BIG fan, totally let us down in an article regarding our state's incredible showing of civic energy and participation.  The headline reads:

Dueling Protests in a City Where Nothing Is Getting Done

What!  What!  Can I be reading this correctly?  Nothing getting done?  This is the worst reportage I have ever seen from the NYT.  What's getting done is democracy.   Clearly we've forgotten what that looks like.  Are we this far gone that unless there's a neat and comfortable solution with immediate gratification we aren't getting anything done?  I can't remember, and neither can anyone else my age, when democracy has been working so hard.   There are times when there isn't a quick fix, when we can't just all just shake hands and go grab a latte.  It's not that easy.  What's getting done is having the overdue experience of having to sit in the stink of our differences.  To have to look each other in the eyeballs and defend a position in uncomfortable, funky real time.  Face to face without gloss, dramatic scores, animated effects, or artifice.  Behold the flesh and blood of it.  It's a spectacular event-no matter what your position on the issues!  I would contend more is getting done in Madison, Wisconsin then society has seen in eons.  The question now becomes will society reap the benefits of this critical work?  Will we never again have to endure the small minded thinking that seeks to ram a bill through with no debate, no discussion, no voices other than the powerful.  This is what's getting done-getting back to real discourse (remember that?)-one way or another.  People have a basic human right to be heard.  I don't care whether it's hard or hurts-this is the journey and we're taking it.  Demanding true discourse and the art of compromise is messy, squirmy, lengthy work-we are watching it get done.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/us/politics/20wisconsin.html

The Way This Works in Your America

You take your stand


however damaging


and make it work
somehow


I don't have this notion from left field,
right?


They got it in 17th century Holland


Rembrandt's "Nightwatch" holds all you need to know to be successful


chaos celebrated
with white men and
guns

Letter to Scott Walker-University of Wisconsin System RIP

Hi Scott,

I just wanted to make you aware that the image that you and your people have painted of average university workers like myself has resulted in the dividing of neighbors and friends over gross and irresponsible misinformation about how "great" we've all had it.  Here's what you didn't think about.  The vast majority of us aren't making the 90k salaries of engineering professors with all our benefits paid.  We're advisors, program assistants, custodians, maintenance personnel, secretaries, office managers, and so on.  We make very modest salaries-well below our friends in the private sector who have paid more into their health care because a.) they make more and b.) those were the terms of the employment they agreed to.  Our small salaries were cut by furlough days-I guess we all thought we'd made a real sacrifice and done our part. Now with what you propose, for me as a single mother this means no car, literally less food, certainly no newspaper or cable.  Ha, what luxuries!  Are your kids going to go without piano lessons and camp too, Scott?  Are you going to ride your bike to work because you can't afford your car payment?  Did you think about how this was going to be the very last nail in the coffin for scores of us who were literally just barely making it as it was, with our partners and spouses unemployed or underemployed, for years in some cases?  Do you know there are people working full time in higher ed in Wisconsin who will now fall below the national poverty line?

Watch the talent fall away like rain.  The brain drain from what was our state's crowning jewel, this once magificant state system of higher ed, now decimated by quick fixes and short sighted thinking.  You've made it clear that you don't value higher education or what countless Wisconsinites worked so hard to build over the years.  To have the governor turn his back on education and seek to destroy the backbone of what could ultimately refuel the economy-an educated populace-is an embarrasment.  I am ashmaned and sickened by your lack of vision and leadership and resent your toying with my life and family's security and that of my remarkable colleagues who have devoted thier careers to helping people in the state of Wisconsin acheieve their dreams, indeed their highest potential.  Higher education at its best is an incubator of hope.  A taste of what's possible for students and their lives.  Now that I can't participate in the economy other than to pay for watered down basics, I wonder what's really possible for the state under your direction?  Good for you and your balanced budget.  You can grow all the business in the state you want and I for one won't be able to buy a thing at your counter.  

YES to YOGA

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Suggestion for Wisconsin State Workers in Light of the Looming Benefits Raid

On February 22nd, Scott Walker is going to slash the benefits of state workers without any hope of raising our salaries and without lifting the mandatory furlough days-perhaps adding even more, who knows how far the cuts will go.  So, without those benefits (which were great AND well deserved) it will be akin to taking a huge pay cut...that's what it really is.  So for those of us who are already struggling, it will mean contemplating dropping family coverage and if possible, opting out the the pension plan.  Now the state contributes 6% of our salaries yearly without a match.  Now, I don't know what our "portion" will be, but I've decided I don't care because I don't need a pension.  I won't be retiring thanks to Scott.  Nor will I be participating the state economy beyond buying food and other necessities ever again.  I already have nothing left over due to chronic unemployment in my family and I've basically given up.  Luckily, I like my job and I continue to stand up for education even though clearly the state no longer does.  Madison is contemplating leaving the state system altogether and Milwaukee may well join them.  Sadly, our state is too short sighted to see that the way to prosperity is through education and not around it.  But I digress,  I'd like to suggest a "20 year plan" for state employees who are a part of the lost generation of workers like me in our early 40s (plan length adjustable based on age).  Growing old sucks anyway.  I don't need any more time on this planet beyond my early 60s.  My kids will be raised and before I become any more of a burden to the State of Wisconsin, perhaps I can just permanently opt out.  I think the new state government will applaud this example old fashioned, taking care of business, personal responsibility solution to the budget problems.  Glad to be of help.

Trying to like football on Superbowl Sunday in Packerland

We've survived Snowmeggedon; we will survive Superbowl Sunday in Wisconsin? I'd like to point out that I wrote a paper in college about why football simply shouldn't exist. That seems so subversive in Packer Country. I try now instead of having contempt for the male only institution of sanctioned violent pounding of others called sport, to surrender to the fact people just need something to root for-especially now. If you strip the ugly parts away, it's like Star Wars. Or Beowulff. Or an afternoon at the feet of Joseph Campbell. Redemption and hope for all in the warrior's journey. You can turn this hype around and discuss the beautiful metaphor that's tucked in there. Of course, rooting for the freedom of Egypt, for example, is the the real life battle. But in general, people have always needed a safe, fantasy tale to work out the difficulties of real life and make sense of themselves and the world. Football represents the basest way of doing just that.