Our government in Washington is a disgrace. Whatever comes of this charade doesn't begin to address the problems we face. Pervasive ignorance and selfishness at our highest levels demean all of us.
In the words of all of our presidents--whenever they address us--"May God bless the United States of America." We couldn't need it more.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
The Color of Evil
When I first heard that a government building had been bombed in Oklahoma City in 1995, I said to my family--"Those people are crazy over there"--meaning that a terrorist group from the Middle East must have committed the crime. A similar initial thought crossed my mind when I learned of the attacks in Norway: Middle East extremists must have chosen an unlikely target for shock value.
We all know the endings of these two stories.
As if reading my mind on Friday--and perhaps the minds of many others--news commentators kept telling us that the gunman, once he was identified, was "blond-haired and blue-eyed." In others words, he wasn't what you think: dark-skinned, dark eyes, dark hair.
Perhaps we are wired in some fundamental way to blame "the other" when it comes to the unthinkable. More often than not, though, "the other" is in our own backyard.
The color of evil knows no color wheel. That we need constant reminder of this shows the depth of both our ignorance and our fear.
We all know the endings of these two stories.
As if reading my mind on Friday--and perhaps the minds of many others--news commentators kept telling us that the gunman, once he was identified, was "blond-haired and blue-eyed." In others words, he wasn't what you think: dark-skinned, dark eyes, dark hair.
Perhaps we are wired in some fundamental way to blame "the other" when it comes to the unthinkable. More often than not, though, "the other" is in our own backyard.
The color of evil knows no color wheel. That we need constant reminder of this shows the depth of both our ignorance and our fear.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Teachers on the Dole
Subsidized housing for teachers? Yes, in Dare County, North Carolina, home of the tourist communities comprising the northern half of the Outer Banks. The second such reduced-rent apartment building in the county opened yesterday. According to Elizabeth Piff, executive director of the Dare County Education Foundation, one classroom can go through 4 teachers in a year because housing is too expensive.
We have a serious problem when we pay teachers so little that they can't afford to live where they work. True, teachers in some parts of the country make good livings. But 31 of our states pay teachers, on average, $40,000 - $49,000 per year, and 5 states pay less than that.
The controversy about public education rages on with new twists about charter schools, testing, teacher incompetence, and the role of unions--all deserving our attention. Until we truly value education, though, and pay people what their work is worth, we will continue our descent into an uneducated society.
We have a serious problem when we pay teachers so little that they can't afford to live where they work. True, teachers in some parts of the country make good livings. But 31 of our states pay teachers, on average, $40,000 - $49,000 per year, and 5 states pay less than that.
The controversy about public education rages on with new twists about charter schools, testing, teacher incompetence, and the role of unions--all deserving our attention. Until we truly value education, though, and pay people what their work is worth, we will continue our descent into an uneducated society.
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Call of the Wild
To hear the mournful call of the loon on Lake Bellaire in Michigan makes 17 hours of travel worth every bit of it. Something about that haunting wail evokes the beauty of a wilderness I rarely encounter. It's a sound that seems to rise and fall out of mist, casting a spell on those who hear.
How lucky I am to have heard its call once again.
How lucky I am to have heard its call once again.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The Bane of My (Gardening) Existence
The Carolina horsenettle is a true nightmare in the yard. Though it looks sort of pretty, its stems are lined with thorns that hurt like hell. Tenacious and pernicious, it never goes away no matter what. Every year I think I have it beat, and sure enough it pokes through layers of newspaper, soil, and mulch. One of its many nicknames is "Apple of Sodom."
Perhaps we could learn from this prickly beast: toughen up, persist, and show up no matter what. For who knows what sort of flower will bloom in the end?
Monday, July 11, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Scenes from the Eno Festival
Bookish sand carvings, ancient creatures in the annual parade, a hot and tired soul waiting for a cool drink. Best of all, though, were the Star Catchers, a troupe of special needs adults who performed patriotic songs and imitated Elvis. They put the timid among us on notice. As one of them said, "All you need to do is put your mind to it, and you can do whatever you want."
Monday, July 4, 2011
Parenting Skills
During Barack Obama's news conference last week, he made the following statement about his daughters: "Malia and Sasha generally finish their homework a day ahead of time," the President said. "They don’t wait until the night before. They’re not pulling all-nighters."
When asked in a follow-up interview to explain these remarks, political adviser David Axelrod suggested that perhaps President Obama was "just expressing pride in his own parenting skills."
Whenever I hear the term "parenting skills," I wince. What exactly are these skills and how do you acquire them? And are we to give Barack Obama credit for the fact that his kids aren't procrastinators? Perhaps this trait is simply genetic. Or maybe Malia and Sasha have watched too many friends panic on the night before a project is due and don't want to live this way. Or did one of their teachers instill this habit in them?
So it goes with so-called "parenting skills." Who knows how kids turn out the way they do? It's typical, I think, of our narcissistic culture to take credit where none is due.
Give it up. We all have less influence than we think.
When asked in a follow-up interview to explain these remarks, political adviser David Axelrod suggested that perhaps President Obama was "just expressing pride in his own parenting skills."
Whenever I hear the term "parenting skills," I wince. What exactly are these skills and how do you acquire them? And are we to give Barack Obama credit for the fact that his kids aren't procrastinators? Perhaps this trait is simply genetic. Or maybe Malia and Sasha have watched too many friends panic on the night before a project is due and don't want to live this way. Or did one of their teachers instill this habit in them?
So it goes with so-called "parenting skills." Who knows how kids turn out the way they do? It's typical, I think, of our narcissistic culture to take credit where none is due.
Give it up. We all have less influence than we think.
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