Nov 30SCAPEGOAT SURRENDEREvery family has one, in mine it’s me. Estrangement and Heartache in a Close-Knit Family I come from a big family. I always loved my big family. But things didn’t work out. Others passed judgement and without a word I found myself estranged from most folks in my family. I felt the vibe. I mean you do, don’t you? Blood ties are close. You feels…Family6 min readFamily6 min read
Nov 27HATE IS NOT WORKING. NOW WHAT?For the first time in human history we need to get along or perish. Bernie Sanders says ‘hate has no place here or anywhere’ but that’s untrue. Hate very much has a place in the human heart. More than ever. It’s not enough to say go away. We have to. acknowledge who we are as a species. Hate is a big part of who…Life4 min readLife4 min read
Nov 25My silence is not complicityThe demand to take sides is a reflection of people’s deep need for affirmation. I’ve grown weary of people writing ‘your silence is complicity.’ I’ve seen it from both sides of this horrible violence currently taking place in the Middle East. My silence is a refusal to support either side. I am anti-war. I’ve marched against my own nation’s flag. I’ve marched against any…3 min read3 min read
Nov 19We spend our whole lives building a walled cityThink a medieval city. Narrow streets, cobblestone, shuttered shops, twisty lanes, empty. We walk through our city. It rains here quite a lot. There are some sunny days, but mostly it’s overcast. At night it can get very dark. …Life5 min readLife5 min read
Nov 9Member-onlyHow to Survive a Mass ShootingYour Top 3 tips if you’re caught in a mass shooting. A mall. A church. A bowling alley. It feels like our politicians are paid to leave us in danger. A schoolroom full of first graders. In America, we are never safe. Our right to live in safety has been taken from us. What do you do to prepare? …Guns2 min readGuns2 min read
Nov 7WE ARE THE CRIMEIs Israel deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza? What is a war crime? “The law of armed conflict says the incidental killing of and harm to civilians and damage to objects must not exceed the direct military advantage to be gained.” NY Times This comes from the Genevra Convention, which has been used as the basis for determining…War5 min readWar5 min read
Nov 4MUSIC IS CHURCHReview: The Lone Below Live at The Space. Evanston, IL. 11/3/23 I went to a show last night. In a small room in a quiet suburb. The Lone Bellow. One of those working bands that exist by traveling in a van and playing small rooms all over the country. There’s the door, which they…Music2 min readMusic2 min read
Nov 1HUMANS FIRSTThe future is where the future has always been. In love and respect for each other. It’s not exactly a mystery why there’s been strikes, worker complaints, mass layoffs. You have to be seriously deluded if you don’t see what’s going on. I’m still on strike personally. 105 days and counting? I’ve lost track. I get lots of snark and push back but it breaks down…Culture2 min readCulture2 min read
Oct 27Member-onlyMY MASS MURDER POSTFill in the blanks. Nothing ever changes. Yesterday, the world was shocked when a man opened fire with an automatic rifle killing ____ people. “I am sending thoughts and prayers,” said ________ , Senator from ______. The President said he was being. kept up to date, and Governor _______ said…Mass Shootings1 min readMass Shootings1 min read
Oct 25Member-onlyTHE WISDOM OF SILENCEOld World family values are still relevant today. I’m a writer. A songwriter. A poet. Since I was a kid I kept a journal and I poured it all in there. The truth. As I saw it. And of course mostly I missed it. It takes years, time, distance before you truly see things the way the are. …Family4 min readFamily4 min read