Conversations with

No Easy Answers...

2012-01-15T18:49:00.000-08:00

"I refuse to accept the cynical notion that nation after nation must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of thermonuclear destruction. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. I believe that even amid today's mortar bursts and whining bullets, there is still hope for a brighter tomorrow. I believe that wounded justice, lying prostrate on the blood-flowing streets of our nations, can be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men."

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Excerpt of Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, 1964

There are no easy answers. I wish there were. Children killing children; and children just killing says much more about us than it does about our children. And, what is it with their parents? Well, many of them are children themselves. Please, don't get me wrong. I too am angered by the growing number of body bags and what appears to be lack of parental attention and oversight of our youth. I too can not understand the cavalier approach to human life that seems to be turning our communities into war zones. Our children have become foot soldiers from the war torn far reaches of Uganda to the short blocks of East Baltimore. No, I don't understand. I am fortunate enough to be able to say it was not my life.

Some time ago I found the work of artist Tracey Malloy who has done a series called Kids that Kill Kids
I urge you to take a look.

Her work is striking. However its format provides an entry point for dialogue about this volatile issue.

Last year, NPR hosted a series focused on understanding the adolescent brain: Frontline: Inside the Teen Age Brain. I remember blogging after reading transcript:

...the teen age brain is not fully developed. And further it appears that that portion which is the slowest to develop is that which governs our ability to make appropriate choices. It's the reason for the constant parental mantras: "What were you thinking?" It appears that there really is a scientific bases for those stop signs that contained only the words "...because I'm the Mommy that's why!" Would I have been more compliant/understanding if I knew that I couldn't always trust my judgement because I wasn't functioning with a full deck? I think I would. I think it would have also assisted my daughter understanding why I parented in the way I did. Heck, it would have helped me understand. But generally, as a parent, it was more about operating from my gut and my historical "learned" behaviors and observations. That there was a physiological reason for me to not abdicate responsibility for decision making to my teenager never crossed my mind. Who knew?

And recently, I read an article by New York Times op-ed columnist Nicolas Kristof which begins

"PERHAPS the most widespread peril children face isn’t guns, swimming pools or speeding cars. Rather, scientists are suggesting that it may be “toxic stress” early in life, or even before birth."

This article focuses on a recent policy statement issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That policy statement: Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science Into Lifelong Health
This statement provides additional insite gained from 20 years of research by scientific scholars. The initial challenge: Do we believe it? The second: How do we use it to develop sound policy based on scientific research? The third: Do we REALLY want to?

Thank You Kristian Anderson

2012-01-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

Kristian Anderson passed on January 2, 2012. I've learned a great deal from him. Sometime ago I posted a YouTube video tribute he made for his wife. Periodically, I would return to it just for a smile. It's a most beautiful love story in one four minute video. This is it:

Rachel's Birthday Letter - Hi-res from Kristian Anderson on Vimeo.

I've followed Kristian and Rachel's journey from then on via his blog "there's a crack in everything". He fought to stay here, but was always ready to go. When I read "The Final Call", his final words posted by his wife Rachel, my heart broke. He wrote:

"How the light gets in.

As I mentioned at the start of this journey it’s a Leonard Cohen lyric. The truth being we’re all broken, we’re all cracked and what so many people see as a fault or a malfunction really is something to be considered useful. I’m not sure how much longer I have left but it appears that the physical and medical signs are all pointing to my end.
And, what a great time to go, right at Christmas-time.

Just wonderful."

And, in that moment I got it. One of those "aha" moments when you know that you know. So, I let that crack be, and I let the light in.

I was surprised how bright it was and how it illuminated the cracks in me that I work hard to conceal and a great deal of time and energy to maintain: with the "silly putty" that I used to play with as a child; with the plaster that was beginning to crumble; and for the real tough stuff, the concreate and welds. What I learned about all these barriers and shields is that they block the light. Any inability to allow me to be vulnerable denies my access to learning and strength . What I think makes me feel safe and comfortable takes away my ability to BE!

I decided to take out my chisel. I'm going after the big stuff first. The cracks that really look like caverns. I know that is where the biggest learning is, because they are the ones that scare me the most.

I found this rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Anthem". I'm partial to this interpretation by Jill Christensen and Perla Batalla. I love that Perla sings with her whole being. Watching her as she interprets a song is a pretty awesome experience. Jill Christensen is no slouch either. They are really pure light.

PURE LIGHT. Thank You, Kristian Anderson.

Artist in Residence - Tracey Malloy

2011-01-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

There are many times that I wished I lived either in Newark or at least close enough to take advantage of the Newark Museum. Currently,they have a number of talented and interesting artist working there as a part of the artists in residence program. One of them is Tracey Malloy. I'm really drawn to her work focused upon topics of discomfort.

This is what she has to say about her work Kids that Kill Kids Series:

This the first piece in the series is what drew me in:

You can view this and other works at Tracey's website. Here is the link Tracey Malloy Official Website.

Recently, there has been a considerable amount of information published about the adolescent brain. Notably PBS FRONTLINE:Inside the Teenage Brain which reports on research which demonstrates that the teen age brain is not fully developed. And further it appears that that portion which is the slowest to develop is that which governs our ability to make appropriate choices. It's the reason for the constant parental mantras: "What were you thinking?"

It appears that there really is a scientific bases for those stop signs that contained only the words "...because I'm the Mommy that's why!" Would I have been more compliant/understanding if I knew that I couldn't always trust my judgement because I wasn't functioning with a full deck? I think I would. I think it would have also assisted my daughter understanding why I parented in the way I did. Heck, it would have helped me understand. But generally, as a parent, it was more about operating from my gut and my historical "learned" behaviors and observations. That there was a physiological reason for me to not abdicate responsibility for decision making to my teenager never crossed my mind. Who knew?

Kids/children/teens need to allowed to be kids/children/teens. But, they can only do that if adults take responsibility for being adults. I believe that, we have given our children far more responsibility then they are capable of handling. Far more then there "underdeveloped brains" are able to process effectively. If we're lucky, the results--the unintended outcomes--are not violent or life threatening. And, everybody walks away. Too often, for me anyway, someone doesn't.

I think Tracey Malloy's work allows us a sensory connection to the realities of Kids Killing Kids. Art is special that way. This artist will be at the Newark Museum on Thursdays (1/27 and 2/3) from 12pm to 5 pm. There will also be a reception on Fri. 2/4 from 5-8pm. I'd really love to get there and have some conversation with Tracey about this and some of her other work. I'd also love to see what she's up to now.

What about you?

Up to the Mountain...

2011-01-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

It's been a real King kinda' day today. Reflecting. It is overwhelming the number of artist who have, through their music, paid tribute and given thanks for King's life. I can't tell you how many I have listened to throughout the day. 'Cause it's been a King kinda day.

I've chosen this one to close out my day because it fills my soul. I thought I'd share it here. It's Patti Griffin-Up on the Mountain. It's an interpretation of his final speech in Memphis and was written as a tribute to King. I think that all of us have stood in a place that we have not desired, doing something that we did not really want to do, drawing on a strength we didn't know we had. Because "HE" asked us to. And in standing in that place we have felt the isolation. I certainly can relate to that experience. But what I cannot even imagine is having the strength, the faith that would allow ME to move willingly and without hesitation into those spaces time and time again... because HE asks me to.

But he did. And I thank him for the pathway he created that makes it easier to find my way... there.

Yes, it's been a KING kinda' day.

"Up To The Mountain (MLK Song)"

I went up to the mountain
Because you asked me to
Up over the clouds
To where the sky was blue
I could see all around me
Everywhere
I could see all around me
Everywhere

Sometimes I feel like
I've never been nothing but tired
And I'll be walking
Till the day I expire
Sometimes I lay down
No more can I do
But then I go on again
Because you ask me to

Some days I look down
Afraid I will fall
And though the sun shines
I see nothing at all
Then I hear your sweet voice, oh
Oh, come and then go, come and then go
Telling me softly
You love me so

The peaceful valley
Just over the mountain
The peaceful valley
Few come to know
I may never get there
Ever in this lifetime
But sooner or later
It's there I will go
Sooner or later
It's there I will go

WOM(B)an In The Mirror

2011-01-17T12:33:00.000-08:00

"This I believe to be the privilege and the burden of all of us who deem ourselves bound by allegiances and loyalties which are broader and deeper than nationalism and which go beyond our nation's self-defined goals and positions. We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for the victims of our nation and for those it calls 'enemy,' for no document from human hands can make these humans any less our brothers."

King Holiday Ramblings

2011-01-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

No one tells a story like Nina Simone. And this song ... produced a few days after the King assassination demonstrates that.

I usually don't focus on King's assassination during his birthday remembrance. But hearing this song today; struggling through this politically toxic year; and treading water through this heart wrenching week the King assassination, for me, has come front and center.

Spring has always been characterized as a time of hope and newness. It's my favorite season because the bright colors of blooming trees and flowers return to my part of the world. Birds songs get a little louder. Windows can remain open to fresh air and all the sounds that were deadened by the need to close ourselves off from the harsh winter cold. But the spring of 1968 was an emotional contradiction. It was the WTF?!? of my generation. And no sooner had we begun the healing from the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in April, we were confronted with the assassination of Robert Kennedy in June.

It's funny how some memories remain resident in your body, waiting for a trigger to reignite them. It's this way for me with this song. It's the trigger for that time and place. It reignites the images, the smells, the feelings. And, coupled with the recent assassinations and assassination attempts in Tuscon, I have been a walking vessel of historical emotions.

I'm was young, fearless, naive and angry. (Not so different from many college students of the '60s.) And, I was also disturbed, restless and impatient. But underneath it all there was this incredible sadness that filled every chamber of my heart. It's funny that now as I remember that time the feeling most present for me is the sadness. The overwhelming sense of loss. The recognition of the fact that a huge void has appeared and replaced the hope of a better world and country. I find myself asking the same question today that I asked myself in 1968. It's another WTF?!? moment. My response is a lot more subdued. I suppose it has something to do with the loss of youth and with it some of that naivete and maybe even some of impatience. Lord knows that I continue to be disturbed and I pray hard enough to never to be motivated by fear.

As we move from the winter months into spring I believe that the resolve of this country will be tested again: as it was with "disunion" and secession; as it was civil rights; as it was with women's rights. It is my hope that we can meet these challenges with less pain, bloodshed and violent discourse then we have in the past It is my hope that come spring we can open our windows to the fresh air of a new day. It is my hope that we will embrace the gift of bright warm colors, and a more vibrant a life sustaining song.

* Pop Lloyd Weekend Update - Fri. 9-24

2010-09-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

18th Annual Pop Lloyd Weekend

Celebrating the Negro Leagues

October 1-3, 2010

Through the years Pop Lloyd Weekend has been a special time. (You can view our scrapbook to your right.) I'm still grappling with how quickly 18 years can slip away. The weekends have been memorable and the source of some of my most treasured memories. And, even though each one brought with it the kinds of unique challenges and struggles that come with bringing anything to life. I wouldn't trade any of them. Not one. Because, at its core, Pop Lloyd Weekend is a celebration of the legacy of the men and women of the Negro Leagues.

This year is absolutely no different. Local schools strapped for cash don't have money to transport students to our Friday symposium or to pay for substitutes. Many of them will be there anyway. I am humbled by their determination and thirst. And, as always, they will not be disappointed and their minds and their souls will be filled.

Stephan A Smith
Stockton Symposium 2008

Over the years The Pop Lloyd Committee has been able to give area high school students a unique window into history. And, through the eyes of authors and athletes themselves they have had the ability to not only hear the stories, but to question the stories behind the story. These young adults have challenged and at the same time been challenging. It has grown to be a important part of weekend and reflects the growing partnership between the Committee and the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey--the symposium home. We will miss those students who are unable to be with us.

The Atlantic City Art Center, which has provided a home for our art shows in the past has been closed due to weather damage to the Pier. We are still waiting to see if it will be available on Sunday. We will display as much as we can at the Awards dinner on Saturday night but...

We've been here before and to take a quote from Philadelphia Star Stanley Glenn's book: Don't Let Anybody Take Your Joy.

So this is OUR reality...

The 18th Annual Pop Lloyd Weekend will be held October 1-3 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Beginning Oct 1 with our Annual Symposium of authors to be held at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Performing Arts Center. On Saturday evening the Humanitarian Awards Dinner will be held at Bally's Hotel and Casino where there will be a display of art portraying the early lives of the men of the Negro Leagues.

Emilio Navarro will be with us to celebrate his 105 birthday.

We will also continue to celebrate with Monte Irvin, the retiring of his Jersey this year by the San Francisco Giants, always remembering he was a Newark Eagle first.

Joining Monte will be Red Moore, another former Eagle and Octogenarians Mahlon Duckett, Stanley Glenn and Harold Gould of the Philadelphia Stars.

And, as always-- what a JOYous time we will have!
Click on the images below to enlarge invitation and schedule:

*Eureka the Art Center will be open

Pop Lloyd and the Northside

The Art of Wayne Mann
Artist Reception
Oct. 3, 1-4pm
The Atlantic City Art Center is located at New Jersey Avenue and Boardwalk.
Admission and Parking Free

Also on display artists Lou Grant and Dane Tilghman and the collected works from the Pop Lloyd Committee.

Live Music and Refreshments!

2009-04-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

Ernie Barnes Died Today

I love the work of Ernie Barnes. From his famous "Sugar Shack" to his commissioned work for the 23rd Olympics, Ernie Barnes was one of my favorite artist.

I love the work of Ernie Barnes. It was powerful, and energetic. The subjects/characters are so alive they jump right off the canvas

I love the universality of Ernie Barnes work. It has a place for us all.

And I am not aone in my love of the work of Ernie Barnes work. Ernie Barnes was the official artist for the 23rd Olympics held in Los Angelos . He was a commisioned artist for Seton Hall, the NBA and the likes of Sylvestor Stallone. We will miss Ernie Barnes, but his works will remain with us always.

2009-04-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

Playing for Change

I've always loved music. Any kind of music (sounds like words to a song!). I have found it to be healing and restorative. I have also found it to be exciting and motivating, as well as inspiring and seductive. I enjoy the personal experience of music, the intimacy that can be had when it's just me and some tunes--and my hands in some clay, sewing or just being... but, there are times when I enjoy the collective experience of shared musical vibrations that bind us collectively. Those vibrations that raise us to our feet shouting together in chorus; or those that lay us down in each others arms. I love music. I ran across the website today. Check it out. On May 1, I'm giving away a copy of the CD/DVD as well as a Playing for Change T-Shirt. Just leave a comment below, and let me know that you visited the site and which song you enjoyed the most. Entries must be received by midnight, April 30. Happy listening.

The double disc album is due to be released April 28th. Actually it is being released in 2 formats--CD/DVD. You can preview more of the songs at the Playing for Change website by clicking here and then clicking on the image of the CD at the bottom of the page. You can also register there to be kept abreast of any news or events related to this movement. Spread the word.

"Bill Moyers called it a remarkable example of "the simple yet transformative power of music... to touch something in each of us." Variety acknowledged it as "a great showcase for just what incredible, thoroughly accessible popular music is being made worldwide." Playing for Change is an extraordinary effort to unite musicians and vocalists from diverse parts of the globe, while at the same time seeking to immerse audiences in a multimedia movement to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music.

Utilizing innovative mobile audio/video techniques, Playing for Change (PFC) records musicians outdoors in cities and townships worldwide. They've travelled from post-Katrina New Orleans to post-apartheid South Africa, from the remote beauty of the Himalayas to the religious diversity of Jerusalem. Their talents are captured in myriad environments: under the sun and beneath the streetlights... in public parks, plazas and promenades... in doorways, on cobblestone streets, amid hilly pueblos. Their performances are subsequently combined in allowing them to collaborate - albeit separated by hundreds, or even thousands, of miles.

Playing for Change began a decade ago, the brainchild of Grammy-winning music producer and engineer Mark Johnson. "I was in a subway in New York on my way to work, and I heard these two monks playing music," he recalls. "They were painted head to toe, all white, wearing robes. One was playing a nylon guitar, and the other was singing in a language I didn't understand. There were about 200 people who stopped to watch, didn't even get on the train. Some had tears in their eyes. And it occurred to me that here is a group of people that would normally run by each other, but instead they're coming together. And it's the music that brought them together."

For ten years Johnson and his team traveled the globe, with a single-minded passion to record little-known musicians for what would become Playing for Change - its name evoking the coins thrown to street musicians as well as the transformation their music inspires. They went to New Orleans shortly after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. "The city felt sad and desolate, yet the music never stopped," says Johnson. "The street musicians and music in the clubs kept the city alive and gave it a sense of hope." When they visited South Africa and witnessed its growing pains in the aftermath of apartheid, "we saw that people marching down streets singing in groups of thousands did more to effect positive change than any weapons ever could."

"The act of playing music with people of different cultures, religions, economics and politics is a powerful statement. It shows that we can find ways of working together and sharing our experiences with one another in a positive way. Music has the power to break down the walls between cultures, to raise the level of human understanding.""

~ Mark Johnson, founder, Playing for Change

2009-04-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

DoGooder TV

I just found a great new site. It's called dogoodertv. What a treasure. Here is what dogooder says "about" the site:

DoGooderTV enables nonprofit organizations to present new videos and existing media assets to new audiences. Once site visitors see the compelling stories of nonprofits, DoGooderTV gives them a direct way to donate to the organization, join, volunteer or simply find out more information.

In addition to direct donations, site visitors can also create community around issues that are important to them, develop a giving circle, and easily connect their friends with the organizations they care about.
If you are a nonprofit organization, click here to learn why you need to be on DoGooderTV.

If you are an individual who cares about anything, then register and become a DoGooder.

Take a look at the video below. It was produced by the Children's Defense Fund and features a young man from Camden, New Jersey.

After you view it you might want to take a few minutes and jump over to the dogooder site and view a few more. You might even consider registering. I am going to feature one video every 2 weeks in the margin columns. This week I am featuring a film produced by Girls, Inc. Take a look:

video platform
video management
video solutions
free video player

2009-03-17T04:46:00.000-07:00

Did Some Bodies Just Walk Off with All Our Stuff? or

Do "they" think We're Stupid??

When I started this blog it was because one of the things that I missed most about my Dad was our conversations. One of the warmest memories that I have was of him sitting on the front porch talking to me while I painted around him. It was the summer before he decided to move on and he was commenting on how he wished he could pick up a brush and help.

I remember how he would read something from the paper and voice his sheer anger about the state of whatever. It would end with a "It's a damn shame!" or "They must think we're stupid." I miss that.

I'll be 60 in about 2 weeks. I remember my youth. 60 year olds were the youth of the 60s. Bummers. Outraged at the outrageous. Poets poet ed... Writers wrote... Actors acted out, Painters through paint up on the walls and there was truly civil disobedience. And the world began to shift... A little.

Well, I can only speak for myself, but I took a rest. A long rest. I think I must have thought I was Rip Van Winkle. Anyway, by the time I REALLY woke up things were shifting back. Way back. And right now, I gotta say I'm feeling like it's gonna take more then I got to turn this around.

We have put Barack in the White House and he has gotta feel like the little boy with his finger in the dyke holding back the flood. This is some real serious STUFF. And me... I'm OUTRAGED! I'm OUTRAGED because what's going on right now, in this country is nothing short of OUTRAGEOUS. And as my father would say "It's a damn shame".! "DO THEY THINK WE'RE STUPID!!"

And outrageous times call for outrageous response. Some Bodies have literally walked off with all our stuff and the people didn't respond. Are you kidding me? Some Bodies literally stuck up our kids for there lunch money and only the comedians are speaking the truth about it. Are you kidding me? Some Bodies put their hands in our collective back pockets, while we were watching and literally took out money for our children's doctor's visits, school books and tore up our their library cards and nobody did anything that amounted to ANYTHING!!! Am I living in a dream? More like a Nightmare!!! I know that I gotta get up now and go to the pool. I have got to get my strength back because these are truly some outrageous times we are living in. And I know that this is going to require some outrageous response.

PS I really am going to the gym. Now, right now!! Excuse typos, et al. Will update later.

2009-02-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

J0hn Carlos and Tommie Smith Return to Mexico City

"What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined to strengthen each other... to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories." George Elliot

There were many photos taken during the 1960's that could define that period of time. This one stands among them. So what was it that these two very young men were thinking at that moment in time? How and why did they decide to make this statement, and what was it they were really saying. The 1968 Olympics truly mirrored the politics of a period. Today at 4pm ESPN will broadcast a special of John Carlos and Timmie Smith's return to Mexico City. And documents these two friends as they reflect on the 1968 Olympics, and a moment in time.

This is a post from my Facebook account this morning. It took me awhile to get it posted because I'm not really adept with the nuances of posting. It was an exceptional piece. It is my hope that ESPN will produce a DVD for purchase, they should at least rerun it--and not just during the "short month" (otherwise known as Black History Month). I think we should start making some requests. I hope you all had the opportunity to see it. There are some clips posted on ESPN. There are 4 of them. Check them out:

Return to Mexico:John Carlos
Return to Mexico:John Carlos and Tommie Smith
Return to Mexico City Tommie Smith
The Statement

A Lesson For Us All

2009-01-27T20:21:00.001-08:00

Watch CBS Videos Online

2009-01-26T18:25:00.000-08:00

John Issacs - 1915 - 2008

The Ageless Wonder

As many of you may have already heard, John Issacs passed on Monday morning. I decided to post these pictures of John to pay tribute as my way of honoring who he was; and to encourage those who don't know who John Issacs was, to seek out that information. As we celebrate Barack, we need to be ever mindful of the those shoulders that we stand on. John Issacs had some very broad shoulders. He offered them willingly for 94 years. We were fortunate that John Issacs spent one weekend of every fall with us here in Atlantic City celebrating Pop Lloyd Weekend. He did that for over 10 years. John Issacs was also a Pop Lloyd Humanitarian Award recipient and often spoke to students at our Educational Symposium at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. He was a commanding presence, who would catch the bus at Port Authority on Thursday evening so that he could be here early Friday for the symposium. We will cherish the many memories of this "no nonsense" giant who always called it the way he saw it. We will miss him, but our lives are much fuller and richer because we had the privilege of his presence.

You can find information about John Issacs by following any of the links below:

Sports Illustrated: The Timeless Wonder

The Black Fives Blog

The Black Fives

2008-11-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

Time Has Come...Today!!!

Time has come today
Young hearts can go their way
Can't put it off another day
I don't care what others say
They say we don't listen anyway
Time has come today

The rules have changed today
I have no place to stay
I'm thinking about the subway
My love has flown away
My tears have come and gone
Oh my Lord, I have to roam
I have no home
I have no home

Now the time has come
There are things to realize
Time has come today
Time has come today

For those who "came of age" during the '60s. this song may have a familiar ring. The video below should bring it home to you. It's the Chambers Brothers. While you're listening, check out the outfits!

If you didn't have the opportunity to witness Barack delivering his acceptance speech last night, watch it here.
It's about 20 minutes long, and worth every minute.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled –- Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of red states and blue states: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Sen. McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Gov. Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke....

...for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to -– it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington –- it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -– two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

First lady elect Michelle Obama

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America –- I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you –- we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face.

I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years –- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek -– it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers -– in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House –- a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity.

Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -– I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world –- our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down –- we will defeat you.

To those who seek peace and security -– we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright –- tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America -– that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing –- ABarack Obama family at his Grant Park speechnn Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons –- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America –- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes, we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes, we can.

When there was despair in the Dust Bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes, we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes, we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes, we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes, we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves –- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time –- to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth –- that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes, we can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America

2008-11-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

Do I Dare Believe

Today, I find myself torn between searching the television channels and the www for any little bit of information that would allow me to dispel any of the fears that try to creep into my lesser self(that part of me that would say that this is not possible). My fear that we (I) have not done enough to ensure that tomorrow will be a little brighter. My fear that the powers of hate and destruction are stronger then the will of love and peace.

I'm posting Barak's closing arguments here because it gives me chills when I watch it. I also think it is a wonderful summary of what has happened in this country over the past 22 months. It is a testament to true leadership, transformational leadership.

I'm also posting a series of photos that were taken by Carrie Shell, the Digital Journalist, as she followed him on the campaign trail. I think that she captured Barak as well as the energy of the campaign. The first photograph captures the magic as these two little boys stare fixed on him. If there is no one else in the room who recognizes that this is a special man, these two do.

So, today I'm walkin' in faith. And know that what is to be will be and it will all be good.

2008-10-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

The 2004 Election... 2000 ReDo...

And What Is On the Menu for November 2008

I have been wondering what happened to Karl Rove. It seemed like he had disappeared, and with the harsh comment about McCain campaign negativity, I mistakingly thought maybe he's done with all that. Well, I suppose one day I will be cured of my eternal optimism. It appears that Karl Rove and his friends have been very busy. As a major movement has taken place to register record numbers of voters, it appears that the "grand ole party" has been quietly working in the basement to disenfranchise them and the rest of us. Just as it successfully did in

Steal Back Your Vote! from Greg Palast on Vimeo.

But you Can Steal Back Your Vote!!!

2008-10-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

I love this:

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

2008-09-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

When The Only Tool That You Know How to use is a HAMMER...

EVERYthing LOOKS LIKE A NAIL!

2008-06-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a Unite for Change event that my friend Kathy and I did together. There were over 4000 held across the country as a response to the Obama campaign request. Ours was a very simple house party. We were able to get some new folks to open accounts on Barack's web site, and pledge to make a donation. We are planning another one.

ANYWAY... I went back to the site this evening and began reading some of comments from individuals who had had June 28th UFC events and found this posting. It is really astounding.

2008-06-03T20:24:00.000-07:00

I'm speechless... overwhelmed... and really can't say any more then this. From here it's on to the presidential elections. Pure Joy!

2008-02-11T18:12:00.000-08:00

YES WE CAN!!

"We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember that, no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics. And they will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks and months to come.
We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
For when we have faced down impossible odds, when we've been told we're not ready or that we shouldn't try or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.
It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a king who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the promised land: Yes, we can, to justice and equality.
Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world. Yes, we can.
...
Together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story, with three words that will ring from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea: Yes, we can."
...excerpt from speech delivered after the New Hampshire Primary

I'm not a confrontational person. I don't like conflict. I'm not in your face. If I find that customer service at a particular business is not really "customer friendly", or even "customer service", I don't complain and protest loudly. I may quietly voice my discontent... or not. I may write a letter... or not. But I definitely don't go back. I don't think that I'm unique. I believe that there are a lot folks like me.

This approach only works when there are alternatives. The problem arises when there are no alternatives left. I actually had begun to believe that about the leadership in this country, in particular our political leadership. And, although I continued to exercise my civic responsibility, I was always clear that I was voting for the least disturbing candidate.

The absolute horrors that I have seen demonstrated by our "leadership" on the local, state and national level have made this presidential election extremely important to me. Important enough to poke my head out to lend my support to someone who I believe is the real deal. I believe Barak Obama represents the leadership that the universe (yes, I said it. UNIVERSE) cries out for. He is the first real glimmer of hope that I have seen in a very,very long time. Probably since my youth. (I'm a boomer.) This man speaks from his heart, and that is why there is always a ring of truth to what he says.

I don't know about you or your politics. Whatever they are, I respect them. I only ask that you give this man a chance. I ask that you listen openly and objectively to what he has to say. Read his book--The Audacity of Hope. I don't believe that afterwards you will not also believe that his is the person that is meant to lead this nation at this time.

I don't believe that this nation can survive another eight years like the eight years we have just experienced. I don't believe that we can exist as a nation whose every action is motivated by fear and distrust of each other and the rest of the world. I believe that we are better then that. I believe that we are much better then what we have become. I believe that there are creative and innovative solutions that can be found to the challenges of health care, a falling economy, immigration and the myriad of other complex issues that we are faced with. I believe in "and"/ "both", rather the "either"/ "or". I believe that we need leadership that believes that too.

And Barak Obama is the only person who I have heard say "Yes, We Can!"

This Cannot Be True

2007-12-22T20:27:00.000-08:00

One of the many things that I heard said last Saturday afternoon was: "At some point in the lives of these boys, someone is going to make fun of them because they love to sing." I was at the Holiday Concert of the Keystone Boy Choir and the words were spoken by their choir director. I cannot tell you how my heart broke. And every time I think about it, I ache again. I cannot imagine any sound more beautiful or angelic as a Boy Choir. They produce a resonance that makes the entire area around my heart vibrate. As I watched these boys and young men on Saturday, as there heads flew back and there mouths flew open; and they swayed and smiled and their eyes shone with the kind of light that only comes from pure joy. I could not imagine who would want to take that from somebody. And I hoped and prayed that they knew a precious it is to find that kind of love and would not ever give anyone the power to take it away.

I came to be at this particular concert because my nephew, Malachi was making his debut as an apprentice. I think that music in his life helps to complete him. We had our Malachi fan club there in body and spirit. And we held him up and celebrated. And then we went to dinner! As Malachi went on to do yet another performance.

If you're interested in learning more about the Keystone Boy Choir, check out there website here.

Enjoy this slide show of the performance. You will notice that I also have a fondness for pipe organs and stained glass windows. The women are from the Westminster Choir who sang an opening piece with the choir.