November 28, 2011 - I walked home in the quiet, warm Philadelphia air last night. Home, to Steve and Diane Rukavina's place. The music and performance and the conversations of the Salon - Andrea Clearfield's child - now 25 years old...still coursing through me. It was a good night. It reminded me of why I love to do what I do. The people - Jay, Cheryl, Jason, Charles, Elliot, John, Eric, Carrie, Connie, Richard, Jennifer - all coming together to make for a great evening... We must expose our world the creative invention that humanizes us. Without it we are less than human.
Though entertainment and performance was the currency of the night, there was also no shortage of good conversation to shape the evening that followed. We are all debating the state of things here in America. Occupation Wall Street - a spontaneous outpouring of angry and resolute desire for change, co-opted by those who seek disruption for disruption's sake. The Tea Party - a harnessing of that same anger by the very, very wealthy to be wielded as a weapon against any who would challenge the dominance of the wealthiest one percent.... Even when that one percent's representatives in elected office seek to systemically eradicate those same Tea Party members benefits, pensions, wages and even, ultimately their life style.
What do we make of a future of fewer and fewer choices, and a state dominated by the few? How do we reconcile a world of need with the evidence of privilege and the slow destruction of the very fabric of our culture? And how do we reconcile the killing of those who simply shopped to hard - such a stark contrast to those simply fighting for the right to vote in other nations... I go on too long, perhaps, over such things...
I do not know, and tonight I am truly tired. I leave these thoughts for you to consider and, as always, welcome the dialogue at cwrecord@alaska.net or on my Facebook page (though I check it less).