What happened to Thanksgiving?

Hallowgivingmas is an actual word in the Urban Dictionary. It is the reality that in October you can purchase your Halloween costume, your napkins for Thanksgiving and your Christmas lights all at the same time in the same store. It is ridiculous and sad!

 

My husband and I used to LOVE Black Friday. The kids would stay at my mom's house, we would get up at 4:00 am and be at the store for the 5:00 am opening. The stores would have coffee & donuts for the "crazy" people waiting in line and we would meet some very interesting people while we waited. The reality is we never really bought much. We just really thought it was novel and fun to get up early and go shopping. Every once and awhile we would find a good deal (I purchased my first digital camera on Black Friday) - but in general it was just fun (we are both avid people watchers).

 

And then one year there were police cruisers in the parking lot (just in case). The coffee & donuts were gone. The people in line were now corralled around the store. The conversation was no longer friendly. Then there were the people who were trampled to death and pepper sprayed and the fighting (there is actually a webpage that ranks the most brutal Black Friday incidents)!  And the sales - well it was just junk they had not been able to sell the rest of the year. Then stores started opening at 4:00 am, then 2:00 am, then midnight. And this year they have all but eviscerated Thanksgiving: stores are opening at 8:00 pm on Thanksgiving beginning the new tradition of "Black Thursday!"

 

So what is the tradition of Thanksgiving anyway? Why do we celebrate this holiday in the first place?

 

I try not to think of the story of Thanksgiving as beginning with the Pilgrims and Native Americans. Because let's be honest, the Native Americans shared their farming techniques and their food, the Pilgrims shared Small Pox and thievery. But that is a story for another blog. For the purposes of this blog we will just talk about the American tradition of Thanksgiving.

 

Thanksgiving began as a religious holiday to thank God for a good harvest and and in 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States; in it, he called upon Americans to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to the country’s war of independence and the successful ratification of the U.S. Constitution.  But states all celebrated on their own day and in their own way. Then in 1863, President Lincoln needed something to bring the nation together during the Civil War so he declared one national day of Thanksgiving - which would occur on last Thursday of November.

 

So, for 78 years people used the Thanksgiving holiday to be thankful - for a good harvest, for times of peace, for family, for friends. It was a holiday where no gifts were required. People shared food and good conversation. The change began in 1924 with the Macy's Christmas parade - which began as a way for employees to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season. And it changed completely in 1941 when Franklin Roosevelt changed the holiday to the fourth Thursday of November so that the Christmas shopping season could be a little longer. It was all downhill from there!

 

Go to a store today looking for Thanksgiving napkins and you are not likely to find them - they have been on clearance shelves for weeks at this point. Ask people what their plans are for Thanksgiving and it will likely have a reference to an early dinner before the shopping spree begins. What happened to being thankful for what we already have?

 

This of course is a blog about the bigger picture since we as a people seem incapable of being thankful for what we have. As technology moves faster and faster - as there is always a new generation of phone or tablet or video game, there is always something to stand in line for because the product we purchased 6 months ago is not good enough now.

 

But look closer and you will find pockets of thankfulness. People who are just happy to sit around a table with people they don't get to see as much as they would like. People who are thankful to have food to eat. People who are grateful to have one day a year to reflect on the good things that have happened since last Thanksgiving. My home is one of those pockets.

 

I am planning my Thanksgiving this week. The menu, the food shopping list, schedule of cooking. My husband and I may get up early on Friday and go shopping - but I refuse to go shopping on Thursday. I hold sacred the fact that this is the one day a year where we focus on family without distraction.

 

 

So happy Thanksgiving - however you choose to celebrate!

What will the country look like now?

The elections are over but the rhetoric continues. I saw a blog posted on Facebook today which was an incredible reality check to the election. A reminder of the fact that one of the things that makes this country great is our ability to change things  every four years if we don't like the way things are going (every two years if you count the mid-term elections).

 

And then I read the comments at the end of her blog (over 400, I would kill for that). They started with things like "thank you" and "well said" and then they started to degenerate. At first some differences of opinion, then name calling, then more differences of opinion. People really missed the point. After I got over the fact that so many people really do not know their American history, or what is actually written in the Constitution I was saddened.

 

How difficult is it to say "I respect your opinion, but I disagree." Why do we have to make each other feel bad for our political beliefs, our religious beliefs, our lack of religious beliefs, our gender, our race, our nationality, our sexuality .... there is always something. Life would be very boring if we were all exactly the same.

 

The reality is that if we want to continue to live in a democracy we are going to have to make compromises. We are not always going to be happy with the results. We are not always going to get our own way. We are not always going to like the people or the party in office - but we have to remember that the majority of the people in the country do (or the majority of the electoral college if you are Al Gore). So take a breath and do the best you can with the options that lay before you.

 

More and more I am realizing that the problems in this country have very little to do with who sits in the White House. The problems have to do with our "my way or the highway" attitudes. The lack of respect we have for our fellow human beings. Our lack of consideration for the people around us. It is evident from the way we drive, to the way we comment on someones Facebook page or the way we judge people we know nothing about based on "appearances."

 

I was happy with the result of the 2012 elections. While all the candidates I voted for will be starting their jobs in January, not everything I voted for passed. And that is ok. I have said it before and I will say it again ... this is what democracy looks like.

 

So thank you Jo Ashline for your blog. While the comments were disheartening, the sentiments we spot on! So what will the country look like now that the election is over? I don't know, but if I don't like it that is ok, in a couple of years we can try again.

Who will be the next US President?

I have been off the radar for awhile - frustrated with the blog thing I guess.
I have wanted over and over again to write something about the US election that is happening today, but every time I started something I ended up sounding like a ranting lunatic, which I'm not.
But I am frustrated.

• I am frustrated with the process. With politicians being able to stretch facts and outright lie to the people they work for. It just isn't right.
• I am frustrated with conservative politics - with words like "legitimate rape" and "binders full of women."
• I am frustrated with the American public - just watching the politics roll by - repeating sound bites without understanding the consequences.
• I am frustrated with politicians saying they are Constitutionalists - while they take away some one's right to marry who they love because it says so in the Bible (rightly so the Founding Fathers were pretty clear about that whole separation of Church and State thing).
• I am frustrated with liberal politics - for not being better at explaining that economics of the wealthy will not make our lives better.
• I am frustrated with the theory that privatization ... of medicare, of education, of FEMA, of social security, of prisons, of sewage and trash collection ... will solve all our problems.
• I am frustrated with people forgetting that we need the EPA because before regulation companies polluted our water and air and soil.
• I am frustrated because people so soon forgot that unregulated (unethical) business practices led to our financial collapse - the loss of our homes, the loss of our jobs, the loss of our hope.
• I am frustrated because people hate the Affordable Healthcare Act (aka Obamacare) and they have never even read it.
• I am frustrated that we have allowed our government to define a corporation as a "person" and have in essence destroyed the democratic process.
• I am frustrated that people are using our one and only fundamental right - the right to vote - as a way to suppress one political party from being able to vote.
• I am frustrated that the color of ones skin is still an issue in this election (Colin Powell would NEVER support President Obama if they weren't both black).
• I am frustrated that while the American public is focused on this election, they will not even give the government a second thought until September 2016.
• I am frustrated that billions have been spent this election cycle and there are still children in the US who go to bed with no food.
• I am frustrated that CEOs of the very corporations that destroyed our American dream are getting bonuses worth millions - while the people they "laid off" have no homes.
• I am frustrated that oil companies are still getting millions in tax breaks - along with their millions in profit - while hard working families can't afford to drive to work or heat their home.
• I am frustrated by how many of my students have never read the Constitution.

Overall I guess you could say I am frustrated. Having said that I see patches of bright light and hope in my gray frustration. I am hopeful that President Obama will have 4 more years to undo all the damage that has been done to our country. He will be able to continue to rebuild our reputation abroad, rebuild education, rebuild the housing market, rebuild the middle class and the American dream. I am hopeful that women will not allow all that has been gained to be flushed down the drain. I am hopeful that my children will have access to a better education and a brighter future. I am hopeful.

As ugly as it gets - the negative ads, the name calling, the outright lies. This is what democracy looks like. I have to go now - it is time to get to the polls - I am hopeful that I will make a difference and help to build the world I want my children to grow up in.

Just sadness .......

In my last blog I wrote about the grief a parent feels when their child moves away. But the reality is that is nothing compared to the grief parents and husbands and wives and friends were feeling on Friday morning when the news that their loved ones who had just gone to the movies were never coming home.

 

I do not understand it. I do not understand what would make a person want to hurt so many people .... people he had never even met.

 

It is sad when something like this happens, not only for the victims and their families but because of our memory. For the next month or so this is all people will talk about. And then they will stop. And then the trial of the gunman will start and it will be all people will talk about. And then they will stop. And then there will be debate and conversations about gun laws and it will be all people will talk about .... but by this point they will forget why they are talking about it. And then they will stop. And then the next tragedy will occur .... new faces and stories will be plastered on the news and the Internet and it will be all people will talk about. And then they will stop.

 

Since July 2011, over 146 people were shot and killed in random shootings like the one that happened at the Colorado movie theatre. People were shot and killed at a birthday party at a roller rink, a casino, a county fair, a basketball game, a town soccer game, IHOP, a psychiatric hospital, a religious vocational school .... just ordinary people going about their day when gunfire changed their world forever.

 

And it will happen again. John McCain actually said that there is no proof that gun control laws diminish gun violence. However, I was reading a blog earlier and found this quote interesting:

The theory is that gun ownership makes us safer. That doesn't seem to be working out for us. The body count rises. In Chicago we have a murder wave going on. Gun ownership doesn't bring safety when both sides are shooting at each other. Nationally, most guns fired in homes kill people who live there, including children, and do not kill home invaders. The death toll in Aurora only represented half the daily U.S. average in deaths by gunfire. In a year, guns murdered 468 people in Australia, England, Germany and in Canada put together, and 9,484 in the United States. ~Roger Ebert

So I did a little research of my own and found a very interesting web page, gunpolicy.org: 

In England;

• The right to have a gun is not a guarantee and if you want a license to carry a gun you have to prove you have a legitimate reason to have a gun (hunting counts).
• In the United Kingdom, civilians are not allowed to possess semi automatic and automatic firearms, handguns and armour piercing ammunition^.
• In 2009 England had 724 homicides (1.2 for every 100,00 people), 18 of which were gun related.
• The market cost of an AK-47 is $1,500.00 in England. 

In Australia;

• Civilians are not allowed to possess automatic and semi-automatic firearms, self-loading and pump action shotguns, handguns with a calibre in excess of .38in with only narrow exemptions, semi-automatic handguns with a barrel length less than 120mm, and revolvers with a barrel length less than 100mm^.
• In Australia, the right to have a gun is not a guarantee and if you want a license to carry a gun you have to prove you have a legitimate reason to have a gun (hunting counts - but personal protection does not).
• In 2009 Australia had 262 homicides (1.2 per every 100,000 people), 30 of those were gun related.
• The market cost of an AK-47 is $600.00 in Australia.

In the United States;

• The right to own a gun is guaranteed by law (I am not going to say it is guaranteed by the second amendment since I don't believe that it is).
• Although it is a federal law that all people purchasing a gun must go through some kind of background check, and most states required a permit to carry a concealed weapon,  Gun permit laws vary by state in the US, here is some general information I came up with: 33 states, including Colorado, do not require a license to purchase a firearm.
• In the United States, civilians are not allowed to possess machine-guns, sawed-off shotguns and rifles, silencers, and armour-piercing ammunition without appropriate registration.
• In 2009 the United States had 15,241  homicides (4.96 per every 100,000 people), 9,146 of those were gun related.
• Market Cost of an AK-47 in the US is $500.00.

It appears to me that the countries with tough gun laws have less gun violence. While I did not go through every country on the list - the ones I did look at seem to support this theory. Take that John McCain!

President Obama's words after his visit with the victims and families of the Colorado shooting described true grief & real sadness and his words were comforting. It is unfortunate that the other 134 American families that lost loved ones in mass shootings since July 2011 did not get such words of comfort and hope. This blog is for them.

Dear Mr. President ... we are the 99%

While I can't speak for the entire Occupy Movement ..... this is what I see as the movements strengths, and this is why I participate. The letter is addressed to "Mr. President" but only because this is a poem and "Dear broken & ineffective government and corporations that have destroyed our nation" just did not flow the same.



Dear Mr. President,

We are the 99% of America that you have failed.

We are men and women,
Young and old and middle aged.

We are Democrats, Republicans and Independents,
Socialists, Communists. Tea Party members and Anarchists

We are red states and blue states,

Massachusetts to California and every state in between.

We are the upper class, the middle class and the poverty stricken.

Citizens, immigrants and those seeking a home.

We are the 99% Mr. President, do you hear us?

We are Catholics, Protestants, Baptists and Jews,
Muslims and Atheists and Buddhists.

We are straight and gay, lesbian and transgendered,
Soccer moms and stay at home dads.
We live on $7.25 an hour, and 401Ks and spare change and fixed incomes,
Balance our budgets, live week-to-week and drown in debt.

We are carnivores, omnivores, herbivores and vegans,

The well fed and the starving and the farmers.

We are the 99% Mr. President and we have found our voice.

We are the healthy and sick and uninsured,
The mentally ill and differently abled.

We are the strong, and the weak and the bullied,
The outspoken and the ignored.

We are Black, Hispanic, Native, Arab and Asian,
Legal and illegal and white.

We are optimists, pessimists, and disenfranchised,
College educated, undereducated, college drop outs and illiterate.

We are the 99% Mr. President, we love our country and we want it back.

We are veterans and teachers and doctors and lawyers.

The employed, the unemployed, the underemployed,and the self-employed.

We are on social security, medicaid, welfare and unemployment,
Entrepreneurs, small business owners and volunteers in our communities.
We are homeowners and the foreclosed upon

Families living in suburbia and on the streets.

We are creative and artistic, crunch numbers and cure disease,
We are the people.

We are the 99% Mr. President and we are waiting for you.

To acknowledge our voice and send us the support,

You sent Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

To let the Supreme Court know,

Corporations are not people.

To tell the banks that are too big to fail,

That they are on their own.

To let the Congress know their responsibility is their constituents,

Not getting funding for the next election.

To tell the lobbyists they can no longer purchase our government,

Because it is not for sale.

We are the 99% Mr. President and you have failed us.

We love our country and we want it back.

We want a future of hope for our children.

We want the change you promised us.

We want equity and justice.

We want transparency and accountability.

These are not demands,

They are our Constitutional rights,

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness!

We are the 99% Mr. President,

And if you can't hear us,

We can turn it up!

Occupy Boston .... I am a Patriot

I would like to start today by noting I have never gone to a protest, I have never been part of a revolution. I do not know the customs, the language or the process of organizing. But this evening I dipped my toe into the pool that is the "Occupy Movement." I was impressed by the number of people that were there. A few hundred I think. I was also very aware that I suddenly felt old. And for a few minutes I thought that I should just go home, hang with the kids and protest from the comfort of my couch. But I decided to stay and I listened.

This lack of knowledge may have led to my feeling of frustration for the first 30 minutes or so .... I didn't understand the language or the gestures. Being who I am I couldn't understand what I saw as a lack of organization. I couldn't understand why people were not listening. Fortunately my impression ended on a better note than it started.

The meeting this evening was to organize and plan what "Occupy Boston" is going to look like .... all details that people do not think about when they watch people chanting and protesting on the news ..... the where & when & how ...... food, shelter, entertainment, etc. But people kept talking about why they were there. Evictions, the execution of Troy Davis, sustainable farming, the evils of the banking system (specifically Bank of America), homelessness, unemployment .... it was like people had been so silent for so long that they wanted to be heard no matter what. It would have gone on for hours I think were it not for the one person who stated simply ..... I think we know why we are all here lets work on how to change it (this is a bad paraphrase but I wasn't taking notes).

And as I sat there watching people struggle to get organized, struggle to be heard, struggle to understand I thought to myself this is what it must have been like to organize the Revolution, this is what it must have been like when the Constitution was written:

Chronicle of Revolution

A New Nation 1784-1790

Proceedings of the First Continental Congress

Chronology of the Declaration of Independence

I know most of us are aware of these things, but I think sometimes it is good to look back and reflect. The 99% are the new patriots, charting new territory, trying to fix the problems. There will be egos, there will be people who just want to vent, there will be people who are frustrated with the process ... we are going too fast, we are going too slow, we have no message, we have too many messages. But that is ok .... that is how change happens. So while I am sure the founding fathers did not wave their hands in approval of something or use the human microphone to be heard, I am also sure that there were days they thought is this worth it and why am I here. I am grateful that they stuck it out and I am hopeful this movement will as well.

I read a book years ago by Walter Cronkit "A Reporter's Life." He said during the Vietnam protests "How can patriotism be determined anyway? Is patriotism simply agreeing unquestioningly with every action of one's government? Or might we define patriotism as having the courage to speak and act on those principles one thinks are best for the country, whether they are in accordance with the wishes of the government or not? It is everyone's duty to obey the laws of the land, but I think your definition of patriotism, Mr. Secretary, would preclude our listening to and reporting upon the opinions of those who believe your policies are inimical to the best interests of our nation. Perhaps these dissidents are the patriotic ones. At least they have the right to believe that their love of country is as sincere as yours, and that they have the right under our Constitution to speak their beliefs. And it is no breach of patriotism when we report on their half of a historic dialogue."

We broke into groups and that was where the real work started. That was where people really pulled together their expertise and got down to business. I choose to attend the media group (I know you're surprised). It is going to be tough work but it will be worth it. Only history can tell us what this movement will end up as. I am hoping that my children will read in their history books that this movement changed the way we view our fellow Americans, the way our government works and the way our communities thrive. I spoke with a man last night who said he came out because this was something new ..... the idea that the "occupations" are occurring all over the country, the feeling of belonging to something bigger than ourselves. And really that is why I am here ..... because the 99% of the country who does not have a voice should have a chance to be heard and be part of the process.

So, even if you can't come to the protests you can still be a part of the process. Be involved. Silence is the voice of complicity .... don't be silent, be heard!

Occupy Boston on Facebook

Occupy Boston on the web

@occupy_boston

The Occupation Continues .... the media coverage does not

Occupy Wallstreet ... for What?

Does Anyone Care About Occupy Wall Street?

Well I care - but I can see their point. I have been waiting patiently for the United States to follow the lead of the Arab Spring. In a country where we are allowed to voice our opinions we have been decidedly silent as the communities we live in fall apart around our ears.



https://www.facebook.com/#!/OccupyTogether



But even with all this excitement one of the problems for the Occupy Wall Street movement is that there are so many problems to deal with right now: Unemployment, the purchasing of political seats, tax loopholes for the rich, the environment, women's reproductive rights, lack of education funding, disparity of wealth, healthcare, social security, medicare/medicaid, campaign finance, the electoral college. And these are just the complaints I have seen aired on facebook and blogs during lunch. If you jumble all this together into a series of chants and video clips the essential message of something needs to change gets lost. And all the establishment (which includes mainstream media) hears is blah blah blah .... whine whine whine ..... these people are insignificant because they can't organize. It is time to prove then wrong. I read someone's comment on facebook and they said basically worry about getting people there and the message will come. As more and more groups want to be part of "the movement" it will be harder and harder to create the clear message.

The message will get lost in terms like hippies, anarchy and more focus will be put on the NYPD and less on the protesters themselves ..... if it gets covered at all.  

On the otherhand, you have the article from The Indypendent which states

"An on-the-ground view of Liberty Plaza clearly affirms why many more should actively support this project’s growing significance. Soon after thousands peacefully set up camp in Zucotti Square (since re-named Liberty Plaza) at the corner of Broadway and Liberty on Sept 17, the assembly’s various workgroups coordinated food, clean-up, bedding, student/labor networking, media/online and community outreach, legal support, childcare, arts/culture/festivities, and more. The on-site OccupyWallSt.org broadcasts daily statements that address the square’s purpose, goals, and concerns, which much media coverage chooses to ignore. All group decisions are made in the assemblies, with constant attention to historically under-represented voices, ongoing political education, and yes, good vibes."

Or the piece from today's Huffington Post 

" To say that the demonstrators are only hippies and radicals pining for 1968 would be a gross misstatement. Rather, the demonstrators come from diverse backgrounds: environmentalists, feminists, former and current Wall Street bankers, traders and brokers, anarchists, socialists, members of the LGBTQ community, teachers, students, Republicans, Democrats, libertarians, people of color, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, retired NYPD police officers, members of the FDNY, journalists, musicians, photographers...the list could go on and on. Yet, the one thing that this varied group of people has in common is that they are tired of government corruption and the privileging of corporations and the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans by the American government.

And that is a pretty clear and concise message. One that is being adopted by "Occupy" groups all over the country (there is even an "Occupy Facebook" group on Facebook). But I do understand how the media can get confused when there is a jumble of messages such as these: Signs of Wall Street. It is good, however, that Michael Moore set the record straight!

So remember .... stay peaceful, stay focused, stay strong!

Photo Gallery - Occupy Wall Street

Protesters Plan to Occupy Boston

First Boston General Assembly - 9/27/11 - 7:30 pm - Boston Common Gazebo

So, when people ask what is the message? And when people ask why should we care about Occupy Wall Street? Show them this video and the message should be loud and clear!!!!

Jobs Bill, Warren Buffet & Walmart.....Oh My!

I started writing this blog in the car on the way to work this morning, listening to my morning news (wish I had time to sit down the the paper and a coffee, but I generally pick another half hour of sleep over that). It was another interesting day of news. So, I picked three stories I would like to share.

The first is the American Jobs Act. I have not had a chance to read all the text yet and I admit I am getting most of my information at this point from President Obama's Speech and White House Fact Sheet and the news: Construction good for the economy & psyche, Boehner's Response to the Jobs Bill and so on.

So basically what I have gotten from all of this is that the President wants to pass another stimulus package (but we can't call it that anymore). But unlike the 2008 stimulus package that President Bush passed, this one actually seems well thought out and there are provisions in it that may actually stimulate the economy and start to rebuild America (I especially like section 4 of the Jobs Act which relates to states only being allowed to use American iron, steel and manufactured goods when doing public construction jobs), while investing not only in the infrastructure of the country but also the education of our children. Again, I have not read all the details, but what I have read I like. I am saddened by the fact that the Jobs bill will not pass (I know - so why am I reading it? Well, I am just a geek like that). The Republicans can't allow it to pass. If this bill passes and the economy rebounds, they have lost the White House in 2012. Starting in 2010 when Mitch McConnell stated that his top priority is to deny President Obama a second term, Washington has been at a stalemate and nothing has gotten done. But when even Republican Mayors are saying this bill may have some promise - being the party of no may just blow up in their faces.

Which leads me to my next fun fact/observation. In a news report I heard the other day it was stated that 1% of Americans make a million dollars and would fall under the proposed Buffett Rule based on the Op-ed piece that Warren Buffett sent to the New York Times. You will notice that the first link tries to explain why both Warren Buffett and President Obama are incorrect. I will admit I am not an expert on taxes and I really don't understand the difference between an effective rate, an average rate or a marginal rate; and I certainly can't understand why some people pay a 15% tax rate on some of their income and 31% on other parts of their income. But what I do find interesting is that while only 1% of the American public fall in the Buffett rule category, 46% of Congress (139 Republicans and 106 Democrats) fall into this category.

So, my question is: are the Republicans (and the Democrats who are not supporting the bill) digging in their heels because the Buffett Rule would hinder job growth (as John Boehner states) or is it because raising taxes on the wealthy hits too close to home? Is it because it is unfair to the majority of the American people, or is it unfair to the donors of their election campaigns?

So what does all this have to do with Walmart (believe it or not there is a connection). The report I heard today was about the reaction of Mayor Menino, local businesses and consumers to building a Walmart in Boston. Walmart gets a bad rap around America: Why Walmart Does Not Help the Economy, The Walmart Debate and my all time favorite the Lord Waldemart series produced by the Harry Potter Alliance. And while the lawsuits and empty main streets tell a bleak picture, I think people are missing the point. Much in the way that the American Jobs Act includes a component of "made in America," communities across the country need to invest in "made in my community." The WBUR story puts it well - why should we put money in the pockets of people who are not going to spend it in our community? Why should we "import" products from a company housed in another state when we can invest in distributors and such in our own community? And that is the basic problem with our current definition of capitalism today.

When capitalism was "invented" (for lack of a better word), businesses were owner run, which meant the owners lived in the community they served. Therefore they had a vested interest in contributing to the community - they spent their profits in the community, they invested in other businesses in the community, they created jobs in their community (if people work they spend money). The health of the community you did business in had a direct impact on your profits and so you cared. Managerial Capitalism and the resulting multinational corporations destroyed that role of business - they still seek the profit of capitalism but have lost the point that the profit is supposed to go back into the community.

Does this mean that Ford can't do business in China? No, but if a car company is going to do business in China - they should purchase parts for cars sold in China, in China and they should purchase parts for cars sold in America, in America. If Walmart is going to profit off the people of Boston, they should build up the economic stability of Boston. If we returned to the small town capitalism way of doing business we would not need the American Jobs Act. If we were the strong self-sufficient country we were prior the "greed is good" generation business would understand that they need the consumer to survive and consumers would understand that we need successful businesses to survive.

Those are my observations for today ..... until tomorrow: Good Night and Good Luck!

Being irrational ......... and American

What scares you? There was a question like this in the 30-day blog but I found this list of phobias when I was searching something else and I was amazed at all the things people are afraid of and I started thinking about my most irrational fear and where it came from. Ironically it connects to the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 and a recent article I found on pledging allegiance to the American flag (funny how life works).

My most irrational fear is driving on the highway. I remember when I loved taking long drives to cool places. Twelve hours to Canada .... no problem. Back and forth to my parents house when I lived in New Hampshire ..... didn't give it a second thought. And then 9/11 happened. What does the attack on America have to do with my fear of driving on the highway, let me connect the dots.

September 11, 2001 was a gorgeous morning. I drove to the subway station, parked my car and jumped on the Blue Line to Boston. I had my headphones on, reading a book and then walked to my office. I remember walking in the door and saying something like "wow what a great day." My co-workers looked at me like I was insane and explained that one plane had hit the World Trade Center in New York. I don't think we realized as we stood there that two planes had actually flown into 2 of the towers. We tried to get on the CNN webpage to figure out exactly what had happened, but it wasn't working. Then a horrified radio announcer said a plane had flown into the Pentagon. I remember thinking ..... this is bad.

We went upstairs to watch the news in the Media Services office. The people jumping from the building were worse than any nightmare I could think of. I just sat silently crying ..... how awful could things be inside that building that the idea of jumping 80+ stories was your best option. And how long did those people live, what were they thinking? It was all unfolding live in front of us as we watched from the safety of our office. My next memory of that day is so vivid it still wakes me up in the middle of the night on occasion. We watched as rows New York police and firemen marched into the world trade center buildings. I don't know how many ..... anywhere from 25-100, the next image really skews my memory. I don't know how many minutes actually passed between those men & women entering the building and when the building collapsed it seemed like seconds. We were all silent in the room because we knew that all those people had just marched in to their deaths.

At that moment one of the security guards came into the office and told us there were rumors that they were going to shut down the subway system. I literally ran downstairs, grabbed my bag and headed out the door. I don't think I had ever wanted to get home to my family more than I had at that moment. The city was surreal. Boston is a noisy place ..... horns, sirens, people, planes. But on that morning there was a creepy silence. There was a great deal of traffic on the streets, but noone honked horns, the people all seemed to be walking in a daze, including myself. I got on the train and could not believe the silence - it was deafening. The traincar I was in was half-full. Noone had books out, or headphones on and we all just kind of looked at each other from time to time .... wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. I don't know about anyone else, but this was my first realization that as I had been trudging past Logan airport on the train on my way to work ..... the planes that caused this death and destruction were taking off. Now as I rode past the same airport it was eerily silent with not a plane in the sky.

I went to the Middle School my mother was teaching at first once I got off the train since it was on the way from the station to my son's school. There was a line of parents outside the building waiting to pick up their children. I found my mom sitting in the teacher's lounge with her cell phone, dialing and redialing my number since she had not been able to get service. Once I assured her I was ok I set off to get my son. My oldest was 7 at the time. I got to his school and spoke with the secretary. She said that the children had no idea what was going on and they had no plans to tell them. I decided that terrorists probably would not attach my small no name city and so I decided not to interrupt his day and I headed home.

I became obsessed with the news coverage. The reality of 24 hour news coverage was not good for a lot of people at this time and I was one of them. I watched at home, I watched at work, I hardly slept. Over and over again I watched those people jump, I watched those buildings fall. I watched funerals and speeches. I think I was just trying to make sense of it all. Work was a nightmare. We had just opened a Mosque and each day there was a bomb threat and we would have to evacuate, parents called all day wanting us to guarantee their children's safety, several countries revoked student visas and we had to get them home. And then there was the anthrax. I remember the Boston police coming in hazmat suits to check out white dust in the lobby ..... if I remember correctly it was a powdered donut.

Then there was the day that the news reported they had caught some of the terrorists responsible for planning the attacks at the Copley Plaza in Boston. There were rumors that the suspects were still in the hotel. I left the office and ran to the Copley - hoping to see what they looked like, these evil heartless, soulless people. As I made my way there I thought I would be the only one who needed this closure, but there were thousands of us. Some I am sure just had a morbid curiosity, but the most I think needed to put a face to the horror. Not a 2-dimensional face, but a real face. I waited for hours until someone finally came over and confirmed that they had taken the suspects out of the hotel another way and we should all leave. I realized I was going overboard when my son hid under his bed because he heard military planes flying over the house and I began only watching and listening to the news after he went to bed.

I began having panic attacks. First it was on the train. We had gotten stuck in the tunnel between stops once. I was convinced that there was some sort of chemical weapon in the air ducts and we were all going to die. As soon as the train got to the next stop I got off. I physically could not get back into the subway station. A co-worker had to get on the train with me and ride with me so I could get home. Long story short the attacks got worse. There was one day I walked 2 hours from the airport station to my car because I could not be on the train. And I started having them at other times .... during a Celtics game with my son, a friend's wedding in which I was the maid of honor, on a trip to Washington DC with my son in 2002, driving along the highway while my son and I were driving to New Hampshire to visit friends. Eventually I quit my job in Boston because I could no longer bring myself to get on the train.

It was crazy ..... a couple years went by and I was still having panic attacks and anxiety attacks. I saw a therapist and went on medication for awhile. And then I went to New York with my mom and my son. I visited Ground Zero and I got to say goodbye. I shook hands with the firemen that had to look at that hole in the ground and remember their friends who had walked into those buildings and never came out. I sat and stared for the longest time at the hole in the ground - and the cross made out of parts of the building. I grieved. When I got home I decided that was that .... no more medication and no more panic attacks. I forced myself to get back on the train ..... I forced myself to drive on the highway. I got a job back in Boston and made it work. Somehow out of all that panic and anxiety I have held on to the irrational fear of driving on the highway. I don't know why that is the one that has stuck with me. If it is necessary I can do it, but I am anxiety stricken and can't sleep for days if I know ahead of time. It doesn't change anything that logically I know it is irrational.

And then yesterday I saw this article posted on a friend's Facebook page: Brookline Political Action For Peace, Seeks School Pledge Of Allegiance Ban. It makes me sad that we are arguing about this. The American flag is a symbol of what this country has been through and in times of trouble we as a nation look to the flag to pull us together. I am also offended that the Boston Herald felt it was necessary to start their column this way "Peaceniks in leafy, lefty Brookline are trying to ban the Pledge of Allegiance from town schools." I consider myself a "peacenik" and I am certainly left but never would I refer to the Pledge of Allegiance as reminiscent of a horrific totalitarian regime. I was confused so I did a little research about my pledge and came up with this document and I began to see his point: US History - the Pledge of Allegiance and US Flag.org. I realized that I took my pledge for granted. I did not realize that it was not recognized by Congress until 1942 and that in 1943 the Supreme Court ruled that children could not be forced to recite it. I felt almost unAmerican because I really should know these things (I probably did at one point, but just forgot). As an adult I have always had a problem with the "Under God" part of the pledge, not because of my feelings toward God, but because the Founding Fathers were pretty specific when they separated "church and state."

Having learned all this do I think there should be a ban on the Pledge of Allegiance in schools ..... NO! People should love their country, even with all its faults. There are so many countries in which I could be arrested for writing this blog. There are so many countries where you have no choice as to whether or not you want to pledge. If there is a problem of children feeling singled out because of the standing - then maybe we should let children sit at their desk so it is not so obvious and they don't feel bad.

My five-year-old learned in school this week that two planes crashed into a building in New York and that people were killed. I have a problem with this - it is just information I don't think he needed to have at his age. He was scared. He has been pledging the flag since preschool and has never come home afraid. I do understand some on the conversation points that Marty Rosenthal makes regarding our country and the flag. But to remove the Pledge of Allegiance from the schools reduces conversation, reduces children's knowledge of their country (what would flag day be without the Pledge), and reduces patriotism. I am American and I am proud ...... I am proud of all that we are, I am proud of our mistakes, I am proud of how we have fixed those mistakes, and I am proud of what we can become if we could just come together and realize we all really just want the same things.

I posted on Facebook today that I do not like to remember 9/11. It is sad and scary ..... I like to remember 9/12, when the flags went up everywhere and we came together as a nation, forgot the politics, forgot the bickering and just supported each other. It didn't last long, but that is what I like to remember!

US Education ...... I fear for the future!

Before I get into my tirade about education policy in the US. I just wanted to give some helpful advice to moms of kids starting school for the new year. The best tip I can give you is to properly pack their lunch (and yours): Simple Things to Do to Lessen Back-to-School Stomach Bugs. I had not thought about this, especially with the invention of insulated lunch bags. After all, my mom would send me to school with an egg salad sandwich in a paper lunch bag in June, and I survived!

I would like to start my rant today with a summary of Ron Paul's stance on education (quoted from The Hechinger Report) as he runs for the Republican nomination for President.

Ron Paul: U.S. Representative Paul, of Texas, is a self-proclaimed “homeschooling champion,” even devoting a section of his website to his position on the subject. He supports tax credits for parents who home-school their children and, if elected, promises to “veto any legislation that encroaches on homeschooling parents’ rights.” Paul is for abolishing the U.S. Department of Education—he referred to it as a “propaganda machine” in March—and voted against NCLB in 2001. In a tax credit bill, he once proposed an annual $1,000 tax credit for teachers. Much like Gingrich, Paul is against the federal government giving out student loans for higher education, saying in an interview with MSNBC, “Nobody has a right to somebody else’s wealth. You have a right to your life, you have a right to your property, but you don’t have—education isn’t a right. Medical care isn’t a right. These are things you have to earn.” Paul did later clarify that he was fine with students receiving loans from other sources, such as the schools themselves.

I am amazed and horrified! While I appreciate parents who home-school their children and think they probably do deserve a tax credit for all that work, I also believe there should be standards in place so that we know these children are actually learning their ABCs and 123s. I also think there should probably be some sort of training program to make sure the parents home schooling their children actually are intelligent people who can pass knowledge on to their children.

As for higher education .... I wouldn't be where I am today had I not received my Pell Grant or my (what was called at the time) Educational Incentive Loan (if I graduated from college with a certain GPA it was a grant - if I did not complete college it became a loan ... but we will talk more about this later). And after looking at Ron Paul's biography I would be interested to know whether or not he too benefited from some federal grants and/or loans. While I have to admit that he is correct that education is not a right specified in the Constitution, it is a part of civil society that keeps us one step ahead of the competition. And this is a step we are losing quickly!

However, I recently listened to a report on NPR that the United States has gone from #1 in students who graduate from college to #10. While our high school dropout rates have been declining, our college drop-out rates have been increasing. "For every five students who start in community college, only one finishes within three years, even though community college programs are supposed to be two years or less. The numbers at four year colleges are not much better — only around half the students who enroll manage to get their Bachelors’ degrees in six years." The primary reason for this is money! While the federal government and state governments have been reducing the budgets for state-run institutions and they have been reducing the amount of money available for low-income students ..... tuition at all academic institutions has been increasing.

Since I work at a private university I get the question about tuition all the time: why is it so expensive? Part of the reason is the need for student services. While the report I read, which led me to this blog, says that American high school students are better prepared for college than generations before, I would argue that point. Every freshman class I teach seems to be a little bit more clueless than the class before .... primarily the problems revolve around the ability to write an academic paper and/or think critically. While the international students in my class always have language issues, they can think in a logical manner and make an argument based on facts (they do plagarize more than American students but I have been told that is usually cultural and they are not taught to cite sources). An awful lot of the tuition a student pays where I work goes to student resources like tutors, the learning center and counseling. The other point I always make is that students expect more cool stuff - the latest technology in the classroom, bigger & better dorms, etc. etc. All of those things costs money. But the primary reason for tuition increases at public institutions is lack of federal and state funding.

I DO NOT advocate just throwing more money at public institutions or increasing grants and loans. The system is broken. Colleges get funding based on the number of students they enroll - this translates to Freshmen. Once the students are in the institution, the services or even classes may not be there because there is no consequence to the institution if the student drops out. So, while I fundamentally disagree with everything Ron Paul stands for, I can understand his frustration with the cost of higher education for the government. It is attrocious and it is ridiculous!

We seem to be goverened these days by two political parties .... the party of the system is broken so lets just get rid of the whole thing (whether it is FEMA, EPA, DOE, Welfare, Healthcare) because the government should not be responsible for civil society - clean air, clean water, disaster relief, education, etc. And the party of nothing is wrong so lets just keep putting money into programs that have not necessarily shown positive impact. There has got to be a happy medium. Being able to admit a program doesn't work (such as education and welfare) while still being able to admit that the programs need to work in order for our society to continue. How much better off would our system if higher education be if schools got paid for the number of students it graduated, as opposed to the number of students it gets to walk through the door (if only for one year).

I am worn out from my ranting this evening - so I will save parent involvement in primary & secondary education for another day. I have to go write my syllabus!