LOVE, a photo essay

Tea & (No) Sympathy

Ugh. The extreme, rabid, right-wing nutbags are at it again with all of their "tea party" business. And while it is frustrating, annoying, laughable and deep down, really quite terrifying, all of the "teabagging" jokes have been super fun.

Here is my favorite statement about the whole mess, including the recent threats of secession, from one of the many missives I've been reading in recent days:

Extreme partisan rancor is never pretty, but in a democracy like ours probably far more common and unavoidable than we would like to think. Dressing up in revolutionary war costumes, calling for the overthrow of the government and waving teabags at the behest of wealthy right wing funders is, while a little pathetic and strange, well within the realm of constitutionally protected behavior and may even play a somewhat constructive role in our democracy. The notion that Obama is a socialist because he wants a minor tax increase for a tiny fraction of Americans and would prefer to spend our treasure on helping people rather than on conducting wars of dubious origin or intention is more than a little strange, but if a small minority of people want to assert it, that is again well within their rights.

Floating the idea of secession over this, even in a somewhat tongue in cheek manner, is a very different story. The history of secession in the US is not a pretty one. It was tried once and the seceding states were brought back into the union, but the cost was high as the country was torn apart by what was, at that time, one of the bloodiest wars in human history.

The issues dividing Republicans and Democrats today are relatively mild, mainstream partisan issues, obviously not at all comparable to those which divided our country on the eve of the Civil War. Democrats and Republicans are fighting over a few percentage points in the tax rate for the richest Americans, increased domestic spending, and greater environmental, financial and other regulation. This is, frankly, ordinary and not all that interesting partisan fare which, in many respects, was not too different during the administrations of Roosevelt, Reagan, Clinton or many other presidents. That is why these threats and rhetoric are so concerning. Nobody really threatens secession over a mild increase in the tax rate or over a spending plan. Nobody really calls for revolution because the government is trying to spend too much on infrastructure.

Why then are Republicans willing to talk about revolution, secession and other ideas that would destabilize our country and our democracy. One hopes that most of this can be simply chalked up to a party that is weak, defeated, directionless and out of ideas, but it may not be that simple. Perhaps the demonstrators and, more significantly their leaders, feel that for some existential, and undoubtedly irrational, reason the Obama presidency is a profound threat to their worldview, values and vision of the US. If that is the case we can only hope that these people remain on the margins. This is likely to occur as Obama's worldview, values and vision not only reflect those of a huge plurality of Americans, but will likely to continue to become more, not less, accepted over time.

That's Lincoln Mitchell writing at Huffington Post. You can read the entire article here.

PS: in 1871 the Supreme Court declared secession unconstitutional in Texas v. White. I wonder what kind of fits the GOP would have and foaming at the mouth they'd do if a Democrat suggested secession? No, of course I don't REALLY wonder because we all know what would happen. They would label that individual a traitor and want him or her tarred and feathered in the public square. I sure do love hypocrisy.

YES

For the Sleepwalkers

By Edward Hirsch


Tonight I want to say something wonderful
for the sleepwalkers who have so much faith
in their legs, so much faith in the invisible

arrow carved into the carpet, the worn path
that leads to the stairs instead of the window,
the gaping doorway instead of the seamless mirror.

I love the way that sleepwalkers are willing
to step out of their bodies into the night,
to raise their arms and welcome the darkness,

palming the blank spaces, touching everything.
Always they return home safely, like blind men
who know it is morning by feeling shadows.
And always they wake up as themselves again.
That's why I want to say something astonishing
like: Our hearts are leaving our bodies.

Our hearts are thirsty black handkerchiefs
flying through the trees at night, soaking up
the darkest beams of moonlight, the music

of owls, the motion of wind-torn branches.
And now our hearts are thick black fists
flying back to the glove of our chests.

We have to learn to trust our hearts like that.
We have to learn the desperate faith of sleep-
walkers who rise out of their calm beds

and walk through the skin of another life.
We have to drink the stupefying cup of darkness
and wake up to ourselves, nourished and surprised.

I hope you're tall

I hope you're tall.
At least taller than I --
a girl likes to wear heels.

I hope you know
that candles and flowers
do not always equal romance --
that sometimes it is as simple as
surprising me with jars of my favorite apricot jam
bought because you knew I was running out.

I hope you don't wake easily
because I twitch in my sleep
and fear rousing you
from pleasant slumber.

I hope you'll give facial hair a try
'cause I'd like to see you with a beard.
Just, please, no "soul patch"
you are over 40, you know.

I hope you realize that I will never
ever
ever
ride a roller coaster again.

I hope you have been hurt
because it can bestow grace
and
patience.

I hope you know that I have made mistakes
placed a ring on the wrong finger
and though leaving was called for
guilt leaves a film
like soap.

I hope you know
that I am afraid
and wary
and likely to mistrust your initial interest.

Mostly,
I hope you are soon
because winter keeps getting longer
and I've no one to help with the Christmas decorations
a solemn chore performed alone.

Yes, mostly
I hope you are soon.