Damnit

This really hurts.

My love affair with Molly Ivins all began when I first moved to Fresno. I still considered myself politically conservative, seeing that my religious faith called for me to maintain the status quo on all things social, political and economic. However, something happened in the summer of 1996 as my job in really rough parts of the city began to alter my theology and politics. I began to see that I needed to "do this unto the least of these". And, I also began to truly grow up, and I made sense of my loved ones' relationships around me, I began to see that live, people and love were deeper and more complex than I was in college. I soon began stumbling across programming on KFCF, the sister station of KPFA and articles syndicated in the Fresno Bee written by Molly Ivins. Her acerbic wit and logic on issues regarding politics, political parties and two-facedness made me begin to see that the righteously indignant Republican Party that was attacking the then president had no ground of character to stand on. While I still cast a reluctant vote for Bob Dole in '96, I did so believing that I was voting for a candidate whose party did not want to see society as a whole progress. Articles like Ivins' continued to gain my attention as the 2000 campaign heated up and Molly's Texan character gave her full reason to believe that her attacks against the GOP candidate held great amounts of water. There weren't too many times I disagreed with her and I soon saw that part of political identity came out of Molly's columns. I'm indebted to her wit and insight, humor and profound words. If you haven't done so, you owe it to her memory and yourself to read some of her writings.

What I've Been Listening To

New Norah today! She's absolutely delicious. I've always thought she's beautiful, always thought her music was great, always loved her sound and always thought that even though her music's overplayed by corporate radio, she's just wonderful. Have only listened to the disc once but it's another smoky, sparse but focussed recording. The Little Willies was a fun album but nothing substantial. Her first two records were great and one could easily track her growth. This new album's music deserves to be heard live at the Jazz Standard; whether or not she's "star material" doesn't matter. She's a wonderful musician.

What else has been spinning? Mid-50s Sonny Rollins; Bruce's 05 acoustic bootlegs; Paul Motian's new one; "Workin' With Miles Davis"; Bob Seger's Greatest Hits; 50s music played in my class. I guess I'm going to need to work harder at assembling a mixed disc, eh?

Reading historian Richard Reeves' "President Reagan: The Triumph of Imitation". Only 70 pages in but already we see the 40th president as we've thought all along: his version of history is half nostalgia/half screenplay starring John Wayne. Will be interested in seeing how Reagan's viewpoint of American society equals his slashing domestic programs and attempting to gut the entire twentieth century' greatest gains. Also would love to read his book on Bush.

Libby, dude, you lied. But you did so to protect your higher-ups. You should fall but take as many people with you. None of this Erlichmann or Haldeman stuff.

Okay, Chris

My dear friend, Lefty Brown, has called me out on the carpet. I shall be brewing up a mixed bag disc of what's been in my cd player lately. Ought to be weird; I'm so busy that really, the music I listen to is what I play in my Rock History course. Lotta jazz as well. First, this:

Will Scooter Libby walk? Five bucks says he will but not before he reveals the house of cards that the Iraq War plans were. Now, he's so stressed that he claims his memory's suffered. Maybe had he eaten a couple of twinkies, he could have maybe killed Valerie Plame and gotten away with it.

Howard Hunt died this past week at the age of 88. Ol' Howard Hunt; I learned about him like most people my generation: the voice on the other end of the phone held by Robert Redford. Howard wrote spy novels, worked for the CIA, hatched the DNC break-in and then was bent out of shape that Nixon hung him out to dry. This is a loyal American; helping rig the '72 election is what God wants from his leaders' minions. Just think, the GOP helps hijack an election so its candidate can escalate a war in the name of leaving; claim victory when the loss is more than apparent. Thank G-d history doesn't repeat itself.

Why else did John McCain fall asleep in the SOTU? So as to not hear Bush claim that he fathered an illegitimate black child, like he did in 2000. John fell asleep because he knows that if he looked like he cared what Bush said, people would dig up the photo in two years. Smart call, Johnny boy. Just leave your pecker in your pants, even if that young black girl was your adopted daughter. G-d bless Karl Rove and Bob Jones U.

Of course, this: what's the point, anyway. We all know that if anyone in the last generation of presidents should have been sent to Gitmo, it's our Georgie. I dunno, though. I think the Katrina probe will rip Bush a new one right when he needs it the least. Regardless of Michael Brown's mea culpas, the video of Bush being briefed on how the levees would break with the impending hurricane shows that his "surprise" was another smoke and mirrors act. Could the president be nailed for putting politics over policy? Let's let the historians run with that one.

What the hell, I doubt anyone in my city reads this blog, so here goes. Here's an e-mail sent to my colleague from an irate parent. You'll love this:

Mr Smith: Let me introduce myself and let you know that I am [student]'s mother. [student] is in your 9th grade World Culture class.

I have 2 questions for you that I think need immediate attention and I think it is important for you to understand that our family is Republican and "Very" much against the idea of anything liberal being taught in the classroom. In fact a teacher's politics or views on politics should not be imposed upon our children, do you not agree????

[student] told me last night that Al Gore's Global Warming movie was shown in the classroom yesterday, by you. That is something that I feel should be taught in a Science class and it does nnot belong in a World Culture classroom, for any reason, at all. What was your purpose of showing this garbage to the class and forcing them to view it simply because they are your students and are obligated to sit in your class or get a bad grade should they leave during a production like this???

Our family supports President Bush, the war in Iraq and everything he does - regardless of the Liberal media and all of their hogwash and brainwashing. You have also made rude remarks about "you do not have to watch President Bush's speech - I would not put any of you through that" and remarks about sending more troops to Iraq. Maybe they do not seem rude to you but our family finds them to be inappropriate, offensive, and a form of liberal brainwashing and it really infuriates me. Shouldn't you be teaching about CULTURES of our country and other countries and leave the President, your political views and Global Warming to each child to make their own decisions as to how they feel about all of this. I find global warming to be a huge joke and a plitical left wing movement to brainwash Americans - another slam to be used against President Bush - and it is a joke.

Should you ever get [student]'s brother [removed]in your classroom (he is presently a 7th grader) he would debate you on every thing you say and challlenge you because he gets very protective of his country and his President and his politics.

[student]likes you and she says your class is fun and this is good to hear. But we as a family will protect our children from listening to teachers voice their political views in underhanded ways in a classroom. Perhaps this is not your intention but I cannot understand what Al Gore's Global Warming views have to do with World Cultures. And your views on the President should be respectful - not opinionated or joked about. Some children find this offensive and you need to keep that in mind, if you are in fact trying to sway their views. It is frustrating for tham at this age to have to have liberal views crammed down their throats becasue they have been taught to respect teachers and need to never dispaly rudeness in a classroom. But as a parent I am very upset about Al Gore being present in the classroom with his views on Global Warming. This is not necessary.

Sincerely,

[parent]


Picked up Paul Motian's most recent album. Heard a marvelous interview on Terri Gross' Fresh Air several weeks back and just recently decided to get the album. It's incredible. Modern jazz small combo with a couple of saxes, guitar, bass and the 73 year old drummer leading the way. Amazing to think where musicians of talent can still drive music in new directions at a period of their lives that most people don't live through. Stellar playing; modern in composition, accessible in sound. Pure, driven modern jazz. Excellent.

I'm missing Kenny Garrett right now and am terribly disappointed. His new album, "Great Wall of China" (or something close) is supposed to kick butt. I love his previous release, Standards of Language, which the altoist soars through nine incredible tracks with some of the most wicked acoustic bass playing by Charnett Moffett I've ever heard.

Tomorrow - Minimum day. Stupid, useless meetings. School talent show. Sushi and beer before talent show. Fun talent show!

The State of the Onion

Stinks. The media's doing whatever they can to rally Americans' support around a speech and a president that they still want to like but lost respect for months, if not years, ago. What we heard was a president who hasn't learned anything in politics:

1. The "uniter, not divider" is trying to warm over the opposition just six years into his term.
2. Bush pitched fuel efficiency standards and energy consumption goals in an about-face from his first six years.
3. His health care plan is DOA. No one wants tax credits for health care. People want HEALTH CARE.
4. When Did George discover the environment?
5. Notice what didn't change? His consistent position on Iraq. Here's the deal that I've mentioned timelessly here. This country can't afford to lose this military occupation. We need to stabilize the region. We need an autonomous and independent nation with a democratic government. Problem with all of these is that the neocons threw our people into this war with such blindsided ideology that we weren't able to establish in the first year of the conflict. What would fix Iraq now? Another two hundred thousand marines and another Marshall Plan. Destroying the village in order to save it didn't work for us then and it's failed us again. We need a new approach entirely.
6. Notice that the deficit and responsibility about spending were all thrown on the next administration? Considering that the chances a Democrat will be elected are very good, Bush is right now ceding defeat while screwing the opposition and the entire country. Want to be responsible with money? Stop giving tax cuts to people who don't need them.
7. The "Democrat" Party? Disengenuous. "God bless" instead of "God bless America"? Giving props to "Baby Einstein"? WTF? I read a pundit who claimed that this will be the most pored-over SOTU by this president of his presidency. Umm, this one's worthless. How about we go back and read the one where he blatantly lied to get us into a war that has damaged our nation's image, destabilized the Middle East even further and has brought about this nation's second military loss. I guess George learned nothing about Vietnam. Maybe he was too busy serving in the Guard to watch the news.

January 19th

Am I missing an anniversary of something? My head's been spinning around this date all day. Does anyone know anything I don't?

Some interesting articles and blogs flying around today:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070205/madrick "Is Education Widening the Class Divide?" Sorry, Nation, but this one's an er duh statement. Isn't that the purpose of education, if most of us believe that this and any society should be meritocracies? Not to sound ruthless nor like Ayn Rand here, but an education for the more than eighty years has been seen as a way for those in ANY economic class to prove their worthiness and worth by using their intelligence as a way to move "up". Read about the history of the SAT. Look at the writers of The Nation. Look at the diploma on your wall. However, without crying "bleeding heart liberals!", the tragic aspect of education is not its widening of the class divide but the commidification of the entire system itself. Why are so many people attending college? Do people really use their degrees in their line of work? Does someone in sales really need to have mastered nineteenth century existenialist philosophy to hit monthly quotas? Notice how young people have bought into the idea that the B.A. will deliver them wealth? The purpose of the degree? a high-paying job. "The Master's degree - the new B.A." as I've heard. And the purpose for all of this education? Salary. Not wisdom. Not to be able to impart that knowledge in any arbitrary setting. To get paid better. Perfect example: the "on-line university". For crimony's sake (and I've been forced to rely on one myself, so I'm just as guilty - made to for work), how does one "learn" in a "social" setting by jumping through a series of e-mail hoops and impersonal critiques from someone the student will never be able to meet? Forget growth over time and intellectual maturation; shovel the shit in and whatever sticks will be regurgitated (with the help of your open book on the final since you're on "your honor" for tests) back and look good.

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/ex-vice-president-says-cheney-goes-too/20070119114609990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001 What, NOW we're worried that Dick Cheney has created a Constitutional crisis as our vice president? Let's see, let's work backwards here: wiretapping, torture, WMD, energy policy, 9/11 and Iraq, Bush's selection committee chair. C'mon, Walt, Cheney's a walking need for Amendment 28: Clearly defining the powers of the vice president and their limitations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/washington/19repubs.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin Outgoing GOP chair Ken Mehlmen reminding his own party that it faces trouble in 2008. What would make you think that? Besides, you've got nothing to worry about if the same boys who worked the last two elections are on the clock: Find your "focus" state, make sure you rig its election and then call a mandate. It's worked well the last two times. Ken is right, however: look at the GOP's record on just the basics: gov't spending, domestic programs and issues, healthcare, U.S. image internationally, relationships with other "allies", the debt, the deficit, the debt, the deficit, the debt debt debt, immigration, corruption (not that the Dems walk scott-free here), protecting the nation from terrorism, honesty, war. I still have good faith that fear-mongering, social, religious and educational (or lack thereof) prejudice will deliver the White House to another mid-western hard-right conservative whose wrapped HIMself around the flag and a flat earth and a God that believes that the United States kills in His name.

Gains and Losses

Michael Brecker and Alice Coltrane, RIP. KPFA's jazz show on Monday night played a tribute to Alice's music, which I must say I had to declare ignorance about. I was stunned. Her final recording featured her son, Ravi, on tenor, Christian McBride on bass and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums, some of my favorite contemporary musicians. Stellar performances, excellent compositions. A must have. I know Brecker's work through his studio work with musicians such as James Taylor, Paul Simon and Bruce's "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out".

Politics in Washington have been tough, again. A building movement among Republicans seems to want to thwart Bush's troop escalation. What I would like to know, is, why, if moderate Republicans are speaking out against the war as much as the Democratic Party, where were both of these groups four years ago? Too terrified to stand up to the Rove Spin Machine that would have chewed them up and spit them out? Is this opportunism or come-uppance? Either way, what truly needs to happen is the executive branch's deliberate attempts to involve the United States military in the Middle East for countless years to come. Iran serves as a targeted threat but doesn't Russia pose as much danger in the region? Is miilitary might the answer? Has unilateralism run its course? Are the American people and the Congress tired of Iraq because they're simply tired of Bush? Do we really have two more years of him?

I had a heated but intelligent conversation with one of my brightest students this afternoon on the issue of politics and "U.S. role" in handling them. This young student, stridently conservative in her politics and a faithful Christian in her religious beliefs, believed that Saddam Hussein's actions as dictator for thirty years alone warranted the U.S. toppling of his government and his execution. How does one realistically believe that "evil", by any definition, deserves to be defined and packaged as deserving of U.S. action? Does this country actually serve as the world's policeforce regarding rotten regimes? What about past U.S. complicity in a nation's evil actions? Can U.S. foreign policy and national interest be based on doing what is "right" or what is "best" for the country? These and other questions brought us to meaningful discussion but one that lead us to this nation's current status: the student's position and the administration's actions. I ask, who's right?

Needed Changes?

What a crazy last twenty-four hours. News that Castro's dying, Saddam's brother's head is ripped off in his execution and do we really have two more years of Bush?

Cuba needs to enter the 20th century and hopefully the current one. What needs to happen is a peaceful revolution that takes the leftist principles of the socialist takeover from the 50s but a democratic government to allow people to truly speak their minds. For a nation to be starved and deprived for a half-century is ridiculous. Both Cuba and the U.S. are to blame; regardless, what needs to happen is something that allows doctors to make more than $800 a month but to keep the capitalists from immediately dominating the island nation.

More executions in Iraq which continue to divide the already factious nation. Now thousands of Kurd soldiers will be aiding the U.S. and Iraqi forces to suppress terrorist insurgents. Is this safe? Smart? Or, will Americans blow off whatever happens, even if the news coming out of Baghdad is good? Do we have short attention spans or do we want to see Iraq as "Bush" and by pulling out, the country is bidding adieu to the president's major action as our fearless leader? Two more years? Really? Do we have to? I guess I better shut up or else he's going to pull my bank statements and tag me for donating money to PBS and joining the ACLU.

Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been seventy-eight today. To think of a Christian minister pushing for social change, an end to a divisive and damaging war, equality, peace and love. How should we remember this man and his legacy? Not by simply playing the tapes of his speeches and wishing for yesteryear; we need to promote tolerance, pride, patriotism through service and a demand that the government represents us and deserves to topple when it does not. Dream tonight and may your dreams be realized.

One Step Up

and two steps back. The president's address to "the people" last night marked yet another Bush maneuvre that shows that he's not listening to anyone outside of his own camp. Congress, his own generals on the ground in Iraq, the Iraq Study Group and a vast number of Americans don't want an escalation of troop numbers. A surge of 21,500 soldiers is exactly what he's doing. For his sake, I hope this helps quell the sectarian violence for good in that country we've destroyed but if the last six years can show us anything, it's that he can't make a good decision if his life depended on it.
What I thought most interesting was Bush giving us his best FDR. How safe to address the people in an office and not in front of our democratically elected legislative branch. Policy moves should be handled by the government, not by an audience. Smart, though, as not to get heckled or booed. And yet, I think I heard a collective American hissing when he apologized for all wrong-doings, mistakes and errors made in Iraq. I thought 'stay the course' was working. That we'd be greeted as liberators. That a mushroom cloud would prove that Saddam had WMD. That justice could be carried out fairly without sectarian violence against all Iraqis.

Good news; Bruce is writing and recording in Memphis with his old bandmates!!! He's going to tour this summer and fall, which will make attending a show extremely difficult with our new babies due. I need to go, though.

My son said "Crap!" tonight thanks to a slip-up by my wife. Oops!

Good Day Sunshine

The Democrats have taken control of Congress!!! With a slim 51-49 margin in the Senate but a nice 232-202 spread in the House, Democrats have the opportunity, and liberals and progressives have the hope, for great positive change. I am not naive enough to know that FDR has not returned, nor will the 110th Congress recreate the Great Society, declaring war on society's ills. However, anything can be better than the do-nothing 109th. What I love is that the GOP is whining already. I received a hit-piece on my district's new Democratic representative, Jerry McNerney, the man who handed flat-earther Richard Pombo his pink slip. Yesterday, GOP reps complained that they were left out of the loop regarding Congress's first major legislative plans. Didn't the GOP leave the Dems out of just about everything? Considering the GOP had TWELVE years of near-monopolization of Congress and is only now complaining about not being able to get anything shows the desperation of this party. Also, listening to the pRESIDENT's agenda for the next couple of years is gut-busting. He wants:

1. The power of the line-item veto. This guy now wants the legal ability to do whatever he wants to legislation? After what he did with the NSA, rendition, Gitmo, privacy? Plus, why didn't he push for this power when the GOP was shoving bills with gazillions of earmarks through to his desk?
2. To see Congress spend less and pass balanced-budget legislation. Again, this is to force the Democrats' hands and ignore his first six years of his presidency.
3. To see a balanced budget by 2012. Again; does he care to contradict the first six years of his presidential record by now finding his inner-fiscal conservative? And, what sort of hypocrite does he seem to be when he forces his opponents to be responsible and yet will live with the stain on his record of the greatest mass deficit in history and a vice presidential quote that "deficits don't matter"?

What the 110th needs to do is simple: push Congress in the direction of remembering voters. Passing legislation that helps not just the rich and the involved. Lending a helping hand to those (i.e., working- and middle-class Americans) that the Republicans continually turn a blind eye to. Now is the time for one simple thing, something that won't happen overnight nor will be done just by Democrats or Congress or our current government: change.