One of Us

In 2006, Deval Patrick ran for Governor and won , he was the second African American elected as governor in the United States, and what makes it a little stranger demographically, is that he was elected by a state with a relatively small African American population.

I'm not writing as an African American (I am not), but in the respect of seeing a person who transcended his caste to reach the highest executive position in the Commonwealth.

Deval Patrick is the American dream. Born in poverty on the Southside of Chicago, used an education as leverage to reach the highest levels of the legal profession, of the federal government's executive branch, boardrooms of two Fortune 500 companies, and finally to the corner office on Beacon Hill.

I had the privilege of hearing candidate Patrick speak in small and large groups on a number of occasions during the campaign and I was always struck by his intelligence, his wonkish knowledge of the issues and of course his backstory. I think this backstory resonated with Massachusetts voters as he took Muffy "footnote in history" Healey to the electoral woodshed.

I felt part of this success, an actual candidate that I didn't have to hold my nose and go vote for. He worked hard, he came from humble beginnings, he studied, went to school, did things the right way. It's often sickening to hear everyone try to make their life sound like a struggle. I guess in some ways the entire human condition is a struggle, but in this situation it truly was a man who did well, from the "hood" to the Corner Office. A politician who in the proverbial sense was not born on third base and thought he had hit a triple.

The idea that every child can grow up to be President is a popular one, albeit completely untrue. Bill Clinton in some ways was an aberration, (but he's even a Yalie) but most seem to be subject to if not part and parcel of the American aristocracy. Ain't no way I was ever going to be President. I don't think the trail to the White House goes through the 13th grade at CCCC. Clubba, great guy, ain't going to happen.

But somewhere, sometime someone told Deval Patrick that he could be President. They were lying too, but hell if that little boy from the Southside of Chicago isn't manning the office of James Michael Curley in the corner of the building that overlooks the City on a Hill.
Governor Patrick has hit some snags to begin with and has fallen into an early battle with a legislature that sees him as a political neophyte (true) making mistakes that doom him to a figurehead of the 200 on the hill.

But if he is truly one of us, those that dreamed of a day that a man like Governor Patrick would be at the helm of the ship of state, there is hope. Hope that he will see the Commonwealth as having the possibilities for excellence in education, economy, environment and standard of living that many of us do. Understanding that sometimes to open this door, it will mean to upset the status quo. And upset the legislature and come back to us to support him.

Write your legislator and tell them that the Governor is one of us. And it's the reason we elected him in a landslide.

Oh yeah and Elena, m'ija, who knows what you can do?

To the College Kids

As I write this, it is unknown what the reasons are behind the massacre at Virginia Tech. But like after Columbine all of us know this will tear at the very fabric of America. College, a place where we send our children with a certain expectation of safety, not running a convoy from Ramadi to Baghdad or the feeling that some parents may have of sending their children through the "mean streets" of the central cities of America.

There will be arguments on all sides, pro-gun and anti-gun, questioning the response of police and authorities. Questions how this man could get access to such firepower, questions about morality and humanity, the gigantic philosophical questions of how a loving God could let all of this happen. Smaller questions such as why is our news media not capable of covering any situation without making it into an Entertainment Tonight style story.

While I cannot answer any of these questions, especially those that are the big philosophical ones, I do want to comment on one of the innocent victims. Early indications say that a resident assistant was among those that were killed. I supervised 16 resident assistants as residence life professional staff at UMass when I was a graduate student. RA's are probably among the most misunderstood of college students, they go into it for different reasons, often economic, sometimes for the "single", sometimes because they are active students who can make a difference and yes, sometimes even for "the power trip".

But an RA is always there for you, whether it be a 3 am lockout, a flood, a problem with a roommate, girlfriend or professor, or yes even to get involved in an interpersonal conflict. RA's in my building were sometimes threatened, cursed at and even assaulted by residents and guests as they enforced the rules that threatened to moderately constrain their "extracurricular activities".

In this incident, this student/resident life employee gave their life. It was a morning encounter, certainly no one is ready to confront this kind of craziness at any hour, but morning to most on a college campus is not a time of confrontation, students shuffling off slowly to class on a Monday morning, or rushing having slept through the alarm clock. The early indications are that it was a spurned man who brought this evil to the sleepy Monday morning. I am sure no one expected this tragedy, especially this resident assistant who likely was annoyed to be shuffled off to what he probably thought was a minor boyfriend/girlfriend squabble.

I don't mean to diminish the loss of any of those who passed away during this ripping of the soul of the campus, the loss of innocence for every student involved. The incarnation of evil. I do want every college student though, to think about that college student who gave their life in the exercise of his duties. And to think about their own safety in any situation.

My prayers go out to all those and their families affected by this tragedy, there are no words that can describe it. College can be a collection of the most transformative experiences of one's life, to allow you to grow from an ignorant high school kid to one that knows of the world through meetings with other students, and work and study experiences that expand your understanding of the world. I hope that all can recover and heal.

Kids These Days

Wake up, and I see that my sister was already dressed. She said, "I'm gonna run and go get my stamps. Watch and make sure no one snatches my check." Bone Thugz and Harmony, First of tha Month

I went to the mall with my infant daughter, square one, one of the most "geto" (sic) places on earth. It's very disheartening. Can our entire economy be built on nail shops and t-shirts celebrating misspellings? Kids just dropping the f- and n- bomb all over the place, in front of old people, children whatever, bragging about not being able to hold a job, feeling triumph in their embrace of ignorance. Just wanted to stroll around and get my wife a birthday gift, not be present in the crucible of the decline of American civilization.

I mean it's a mall in Saugus, not the swap meet in Compton. And the thing of it is that ignorance is completely multi-racial and crosses gender lines. There was at least three stores that specialized in baseball caps, at least three nail salons, a dollar store and a bunch of other geto-wear stores. "I told the GM to f#ck off", oh so that's why your minimum wage @ss is wandering around the mall. Not to mention how some of the young women dress, I've been to bachelor parties where the women were dressed more conservatively.

Now, for complete disclosure, I'm not a young man anymore, I have a baby daughter, and I've become a lot more observant of other people's behavior.. Also as a youth I probably didn't exercise my best behavior at all times. In fact, I'm sure I was probably a "bit of a handful" at times hanging with Clubba, et al, listening to punk rock and rap, doing our thing. But there's two things I always knew, you gotta keep your job, whatever it takes, and you don't curse in front of old folks.

As that old guy with a child, I'm always concerned that these kids won't be able to turn it around. Some of the kids seem to be high school kids, still stuck in those times of real egocentric behavior, really in fact having no idea of what is going around them, that does not directly affect them, right at that moment. I get concerned that while some of these kids appear to be high school kids "doing their thing", other appear to be young adults without any direction or purpose other than being full participants in consumer culture. I hate to judge a book by it's cover but it didn't look like these kids were working hard all day to go to school at night.

I've never understood rampant consumerism, I dress poorly, have a used car, I guess my extravagances are a big TV, decent groceries and decent booze. (from a U.S. perspective but frankly I'm probably richer than 90-95% of the world population) It's hard to explain to kids that most people don't get rich quick, what with the perversion of reality programming, the celebration of the mentally inert and shows like American Idol where the nearly talentless can hit instant fame and/or notoriety that often manifests itself as wealth. Well not long term, multi generational wealth but "hammer" wealth, relating to pop star MC Hammer who somehow managed to fritter away over $50 million.

The lack of connection between earning and getting money/possessions for nothing is not solely the domain of the young. Daytime television is filled with commercials that celebrate the "get by". Commercials for disability claims, slip and falls, etc. that get you what you deserve. This lottery like hits are much more attractive than a couple jobs, an education, a better job, some CD's, more savings and retirement accounts.

I'm not sure how to teach kids in what I have been accused of "promoting middle class values". I'm not sure if that is an insult or not. I've been poor and I've been middle class and middle class is much better. I'm not sure if owning a home, paying taxes and saving money for the future is "selling out". Maybe, maybe not, but at least it is not a celebration of ignorance.

PRESIDENTIAL HANDICAPPING

COMING JULY 4th, 2007

Your guide to the 2008 Presidential Campaign featuring:

• Updated Handicapping to Show the Odds of Your Candidate being elected
  
• Weekly updates on the strengths and weaknesses, pro's and con's of the candidates
  
• Coverage of the Absurdity of the first Billion Dollar Campaign for the Presidency that only the Angry Middle can produce
  
• Slowly and painfully follow what under qualified and middling candidate inherits the seat of Washington, Lincoln and the Roosevelts
  
• Watch how the Democratic Party assembles its circular firing squad and somehow snatches defeat from the jaws of victory

Guest Post

In honor of the Easter holiday, I post the following from the Sermon on the Mount. For those again that think of religion in general and Christianity specifically as controlling and didactic, I present the following. Christ was a rebel in his time versus both Roman authority and that of the Pharisees. I'm no theologian, but I've always loved these verses, that were part of our wedding.

I watched Passion of the Christ for the first time today, now Mel Gibson is nuts and there are some really bizarre anti-Semitic pieces in the movie, for example the "evil" Jewish high priests have the caricature of the stereotypes perpetuated since medieval times, and King Herod is portrayed as a stereotypical lisping, gay king. Some authentic weirdness in the silent curriculum here. A very, violent film (makes Saving Private Ryan look like the Cosby Show) however interesting in showing the humanity and pain of Jesus.

Yeah, I know, easy way out, just use the Bible. Just once a year, I assure you.

Happy Easter!

Matthew 5 The Beatitudes

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

James Dobson

My observation is that women are merely waiting for their husbands to assume leadership-James Dobson

I don't know how this happened. But James Dobson apparently has become one of the most powerful men in America. The lapdogs apparently seem to be waddling up to Colorado Springs, Republican men waiting to be anointed as who is the REAL conservative. As if this Christian patriarch is the one who is going to be the kingmaker. Does this scare the crap out of anybody else? I mean this guys supported such strong candidates as Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes. I sometimes feel like I was in a coma and the world just got really weird.

Now, here's a confession, I am a Christian, I go to church mostly every Sunday, I'm interested in the Bible and spirituality, and the teachings of Jesus and the idea of charity and good works but that may be where me and James Dobson stop having any similarities in our beliefs. I guess the only way I can describe it is it is the equivalent of me and Dobson being Christians is similar to the fact that both me and Michael Jordan enjoyed playing basketball when we were younger

I've always found fundamentalist Christians odd. They can do some great charity work, working with the poor, conducting missions to places that I'd never want to go. I remember a friend's mother who was a great woman, who used to deliver bread to those in need. As we used to say, do we have any real bread, or just Mrs. Pearson bread? Real Christians, those who believe in service and servant leadership, not social control and hypocrisy.

But then the weirdness starts, evolution. Do we really want someone choosing Presidential candidates, even influencing the process, that actually believes the Earth was was created in six days? And is only 6000 years old? That think that potentially life saving and life improving research on stem cells is the equivalent of murder. In fact, compared it to Nazi experiments in the Death Camps. Anyone who has had family member affected by diabetes, Alzheimer's or a host of other diseases should run as far away from a Dobson endorsed candidate as possible.

What's to think of folks that think that gay folks can just be healed back to straight? The right's obsession with gays is bizarre, I never knew how much danger they (homosexuals) posed to my marriage. I mean what's going to happen, a sudden burst of affection for a Liberacesque wardrobe and a singing of showtunes that will whip me in homophilia and a need to get divorced and marry a man. My church is open and affirming, c'mon down and join us in Christ! Hey, if gay folks can make Melrose into the South End, all power to 'em. C'mon in, the Welcome Wagon is on it's way, get to gentrifying.

There is a certain dismay that I have with all true believers, those who have no doubt. That they think their way is absolutely correct and that no gray area exists. There are thousands of references to doing good works in the Bible, particularly for working for those in poverty, and only a few obscure references to homosexuality so it is difficult for me to understand the obsession over couples that fall in love and want to sanctify and "legalize" that love under God and under the law. Slavery was a tradition, too, and we got over that. In several generations we are likely to feel the same way about banning people in love from marriage.

It will be interesting to see, as we begin to drive towards 2008, who will be the candidate for the GOP that pull away from the Christian ultra-right. If the political pendulum does begin to swing back from the right as the walking disaster of the George W. Bush administration forgets the common sense of "when you hit bottom, stop digging!", who is the Republican candidate that will be there to pick up the pieces and realize in fact, the evangelicals won't just stay home on Election Day. Former Governor Willard Romney has failed from the get go to pick up on this, that his true right center politics would have resonated with many Republicans and in fact the Reagan Democrats.